Introduction
Larry has extensive experience in helping families transition and continue their family businesses. Growing up in a family business, Larry learned first hand many of the benefits and challenges of being part of a family-owned company.
Larry helps families solve their unique family business challenges such as: Entrepreneurs wanting to transition in a way that works for them (not as someone tells them to) • Owners not wanting a single owner to dominate • Owners who are employed and not employed in the business • Founders wanting to pass their businesses to their children but needing to get their retirement out • Younger owners wondering what they can do as they wait their turn • Non-family presidents or general managers wondering how best to serve the family and the business • Owners asking if they should keep or sell the business • Businesses who unexpectedly lose a key person and don’t know what to do.
Larry uses his own process to solve family business challenges in a way that is practical, proven, sound, and provides solutions that address the unique circumstances of each business and family.
Education
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Law, J.D., 1984
- South Dakota State University, B.A., 1979
Bar Admissions
- Minnesota, 1984
Practice Areas
- Family Business
- Trusts & Estates
- Tax Planning & Business Organization
- Corporate Governance & Investigations
Selected Publications & Presentations
- Co-author, Balance Point: New ways business owners can use boards, 2008, Famille Press
- Co-author of the curriculum for The Board School, 2001 to Present
- Faculty, Family Firm Institute, 2005 to Present
- Presenter, “Having Your Cake and Eating it Too” How to achieve your personal financial goals without selling your business, Financial Service Providers (FSP) - Twin Cities Chapter, Minneapolis, Minnesota, June 16, 2010
- Presenter, The Essential Program,
- Presenter, Webinar, “Trusting” The Use Of Trusts For Your Family Business, Prairie Family Business Association,
- Guest, The Peter McClellan Radio Show AM1570, discussing how founders can transition their business,
- Presenter, Sioux Falls Senior Leadership Affinity Peer Group, The Fundamentals of Using Trusts,
- Guest, The Peter McClellan Radio Show AM1570, discussing the challenges to transitioning the family business,
- Presenter, The Launching Pad, Core Knowledge Regarding Family Businesses, Family Firm Institute,
- Presenter, “Getting Your House in Order” Planning for the Transition of Your Family Business, Minnesota Bank & Trust, Edina, Minnesota, May 2009
- Presenter, Attorneys for Family-Held Enterprises, “Family Businesses & Trustees. How the Two Can Co-Exist Effectively,”
- Presenter, Family Business Network, “Aligning the Interests of Families, Owners and Managers,”
- Presenter, Family Firm Institute (FFI), “A Board?
- Presenter,
- “Building a Resilient Transition Framework: How a Family Business Consultant Can Help an Entrepreneur with Succession,” FFI Practitioner, November 2008
- Conference Facilitator, Family Firm Institute, “Making the Board the Balance Point: A New Way to Use Boards to Help Family Businesses in Transition,”
- Presenter, National School Boards Association 68th Annual Conference, “The Balancing Board,” April 2008
- Speaker, Augsburg College School of Business, “Ideas on how to have a productive relationship with an attorney,” March 2008
- Facilitator, South Dakota Family Business Association, Annual Retreat, January 2008
- Presenter, Attorneys for Family-held Enterprises, 2007 Regional Conference, “Making the Board the Balance Point: A new way owners can use boards to help their family businesses transition,” November 2007
- Presenter, Wake Forest Family Business Center, “Making Your Board The Balance Point: A New Way of Looking at the Board’s Role in a Family Business,” November 7 and 8, 2007
- Teacher, Family Firm Institute, Launching Pad, FFI Annual Conference in Miami, Florida, October 2007
- Presenter, Wells Fargo Private Banking Group, “The Balance Point: A Critical Function in Transitioning a Family Business,” October 2007
- Presenter, Merrill Lynch, “Having Your Cake and Eating It Too: How to plan to keep the family business while harvesting what the owners need to meet their financial goals—without selling the business,” May 2007
- Presenter, South Dakota Family Business Association, “Making Your Board the Balance Point,” April 2007
- Teacher, Family Firm Institute, Launching Pad, FFI Annual Conference in Miami, Florida, April 2007
- Speaker, Augsburg College School of Business, “Ideas on how to have a productive relationship with an attorney,” March 2007
- Speaker, Augsburg College School of Business, “Ideas on how to have a productive relationship with an attorney,” November 2006
- Presenter, Minnesota Bank Holding Company Association Fall Conference, “Making Your Board the Balance Point, a revolutionary (and proven) way of looking at the Board’s role in a family bank,” October 2006
- Presenter, South Dakota Family Business Association, “Identifying the Key Characteristics of the Entrepreneur and What is Involved to Transition those Characteristics,” June 2006
- Presenter, Meristem, “FLPs, a Discussion Among MERISTEM and Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.,” April 2006
- Presenter, University of Minnesota Law School, Advance Estate Planning Class, “How Boards and Owners of a Family Business Can Work Together Effectively and Productively,” April 2006
- Teacher, Family Firm Institute, Launching Pad, FFI Annual Conference in Miami, Florida, April 2006
- Presenter, Minneapolis Estate Planning Council, “Taking the Fear out of Boards for the Entrepreneur (How A Board Can Help an Entrepreneur in Transitioning the Family Business),” March 2006
- Presenter, St. Paul Estate Planning Council, “Taking the Fear out of Boards for the Entrepreneur (How A Board Can Help an Entrepreneur in Transitioning the Family Business),” March 2006
- Author, “The Essential Elements of a Succession Plan for a Family Business,” Journal of Taxation of Investments, Volume 23, Number 2, Winter 2006 , pp. 137-151, published by Civic Research Institute
- Presenter, South Dakota Family Business Association, “Case Study for Professionals: Better Late Than Never,” February 2006
- Presenter, Minnesota Continuing Legal Education, “The Lawyers Guide to Business Valuation, Business Valuations in Estate Planning,” December 2005
- Presenter, University of St. Thomas Seminar, “UniGroup Module: Developing the Next Generation Legal Section,” October 2005
- Conference Facilitator, University of Wisconsin-Madison Family Business Center, “How Boards and Owners of a Family Business Can Work Together Effectively and Productively,” September 2005
- Presenter, Minnesota Annual Probate & Trust Law Section Conference, “Family Business Succession Planning – Understanding the Most Critical Function in the Transition of Family Businesses” June 2005
- Teacher, Family Firm Institute, Launching Pad, FFI Annual Conference in Miami, Florida, April 2005
- Presenter, Minnesota Continuing Legal Education, “The Characteristics of an Effective Multidisciplinary Team,” April 2005
- Presenter, University of Minnesota, Carlson School of Business, “Ideas On How To Have A Productive And Positive Relationship With An Attorney,” March 2005
- Presenter, University of Wisconsin-Madison, “Family Business Governance,” March 2005
- Presenter, University of Wisconsin-Madison, “Family Business Governance,” October 2004
- Presenter, South Dakota Family Business Association, “Identifying the Key Characteristics of the Entrepreneur and What is Involved to Transition those Characteristics,” February 2004
- Presenter, Twin Cities Chamber or Commerce and Hamline University, “Boards: Basic Questions and What I Can Do,” October 2003
- Author, “THE ACTIVE BOARD SYSTEM (TABS): Using Governance to Strengthen Family Businesses in Transition,” Family Firm Institute, Fall 2003
- Presenter, Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship, St. Cloud, “Workshop on Boards in Family Business Transition,” May 2003
- Presenter, University of St. Thomas Center for Family Enterprises, “Succession for Family Businesses, Tax Matters,” November 2002
- Presenter, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business, “Working With Professional Advisers: Family Business Ownership and Management Colloquium,” September 2002
- Presenter, Center for Family Enterprise Women’s Roundtable, “The Nuts and Bolts of Effective Buy/Sell Arrangements,” February 2000
- Presenter, APA Division 13 Consulting Psychology Workshop, “Family Businesses: Organizational Assessment and Leadership,” February 2000
Professional Activities
- Founding member, The Family Business Alliance, a multi-disciplinary group of professionals who provide comprehensive, customized consulting services to families in business together
- Co-founder and teacher, The Board School (www.theboardschool.com), the country’s first school for owners, directors, and managers of family businesses
- Fellow, Family Firm Institute
- Chair, Family Firm Institute Curriculum Committee, 2007 to present
- Member, Attorneys for Family-Held Enterprises
- Annual Conference Program Chair 2012-13, Attorneys for Family-Held Enterprises
- Member, Prairie Family Business Association
- Member, Hennepin County Bar Association
Honors & Distinctions
- Recipient of the Family Firm Institute’s 2010 Interdisciplinary Award, recognizing outstanding achievement in the advancement of the interdisciplinary services to business families. FFI is the premiere international body for family enterprise professionals, July 2010
- Fellow status with the Family Firm Institute
- Author, The Balance Point (Famille Press, 2008)