FROM LEGACY TO LEADERSHIP: NAVIGATING INTERNAL BUSINESS SUCCESSION
Join us for "From Legacy to Leadership: Navigating Internal Business Succession," an insightful panel showcasing real-world experiences from business owners who have successfully implemented ESOPs, management buyouts, and family business transitions. These seasoned leaders will share the challenges, triumphs, and key lessons learned during their internal ownership shifts. Through candid conversation, you'll gain a vivid understanding of how to prepare, execute, and thrive through your own internal transition. Whether you're exploring ESOPs, weighing an MBO, or managing generational succession, this discussion provides tangible strategies and cautionary tales. The panel is designed to be both educational and actionable—offering compelling stories backed by practical guidance. Ideal for owners and advisors alike, this event arms you with the clarity and confidence needed to navigate your succession journey.
Learning Objectives:
1. Understand the different internal transition models—ESOPs (Employee Stock Ownership Plans), management buyouts (MBOs), and family business succession—and the circumstances in which each is most effective.
2. Learn best practices and common pitfalls from experienced business owners who have navigated these transitions firsthand.
3. Explore strategies to maintain company culture, employee engagement, and business continuity during and after a transition.
4. Develop clarity on the decision-making process, including valuation, financing options, stakeholder communication, and planning for long-term leadership sustainability.
5. Learn how these internal transition options compare to 3rd party alternatives, such as selling to private equity or a strategic buyer.
About the Presenter:
Hear from industry expert, Gray Wirth.
Event Location
Event Details
Who Should Attend?
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Attorneys
You have close relationships with clients, and can benefit from being the first advisor to introduce the idea of exit planning.
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CPAs/Accountants
Owners participating in the State of Owner Readiness research continue to indicate that you are the No. 1 "Most Trusted Advisor." You are a natural fit to lead the exit planning team and deepen your relationship (and retention) of next generation owners.
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Wealth Managers
You’re a skilled relationship person. Being entangled into your clients’ professional lives matters as you build a strategy to manage their wealth upon them harvesting it from their business. Exit planning allows you to build a deeper relationship with your client, expands your COI network, while giving you an early seat at table well before the liquidity event.
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Financial Advisors
One of the critical ‘legs of the stool’ is personal financing planning. An owner must have a strong financial plan & contingency plan post-transition to enable them to thrive in the next act of the lives personally and financially. Exit planning brings this future mindset into the present. Exit is now.
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Valuation Analysts
Valuation is both a billable engagement AND an opportunity to provide owners some perspective on how to accelerate value drivers (and deal with value killers). Use exit planning to make that valuation into a longer term value acceleration engagement.
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Investment Bankers
Only 2 of every 10 businesses that come to market actually sell. Learn how exit planning can bring attractive AND ready business to your purview.
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Estate Planners
Exit planning is a natural fit for estate planners who want to operate more holistically with their owner clients.
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Strategic Consultants
One of the most critical roles in exit planning is building transferable value. Strategic consultants have the ability to expand options and drive rapid business value that affect performance today.
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Insurance Professionals
Exit planning addresses the 5 D's. So do you. Approach the risk conversation differently with exit planning.
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Mergers & Acquisition Advisors
Proper exit planning causes less deals to fall through at the last minute. Connect with CEPAs to build your healthy deal flow network.
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Commercial Lenders
One of the best relationships a business owner makes is with their banker. How can you help your corporate clients think about the future and ensure financial continuity? Answer: exit planning.
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Family Business Advisors
More than 50% of lower middle market business owners would prefer to transition to the next generation. Help them succeed with exit planning strategies.
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Other Professional Advisors
Regardless of your unique specialty, there is seat at the exit planning table for you. Learn more at www.EarnCEPA.com.
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Private Business Owners
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Members of Family Business Boards
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Professional Advisors
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Business Consultants
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Other Business Professionals
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Business Owners
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Business Owners & Their Trusted Advisors
EXIT PLANNING IS GOOD BUSINESS STRATEGY
The Exit Planning Institute, provides Financial Advisors, Accountants, Consultants, and other advisors of business owners with the critical education to differentiate themselves and add value to their existing client relationships through a credential, conference, courses, and content. Download the CEPA brochure for more information.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER
Gray Wirth
Gray has served more than 30 years as a leader in corporate, nonprofit, small business, and military contexts. He has successfully led organizations ranging from 100 to 3,100 employees. Gray has lived and worked in five different countries, been a CEO, and accumulated more than 25 years of experience on nonprofit and for-profit boards. He brings experience in executive coaching, strategic planning, and advising boards of directors and business owners. As a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®), Gray helps business owners plan in advance for future transitions to ensure that their business, personal, and financial objectives will be achieved. Gray is a U.S. Army veteran and holds a B.S. from Cornell University, an M.B.A. from Harvard University, and an M.A.R. from Westminster Theological Seminary.
Mark Godshall
Mark Godshall is Chairman of the Board and a third-generation majority owner of Godshall’s Quality Meats, Inc., headquartered in Telford, Montgomery County, PA. Founded on a tradition of quality and innovation, Godshall’s is a mid-sized manufacturer of specialty meat and poultry products, with manufacturing and distribution facilities in Montgomery and Lebanon counties. The company is recognized for its focus on niche offerings and serves a diverse set of markets, including retail, food service, military, and international exports.
Mark joined the family business in 1971 and has held virtually every possible operational and leadership role within the organization. He served as President beginning in 1991, guiding Godshall’s through decades of sustained growth and strategic expansion.
In 2017, following extensive research and planning, Mr. Godshall led the company’s transition to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), through a minority ownership transaction. After the retirement of a minority partner, a second ESOP transaction was completed, further increasing employee ownership. With employee engagement and alignment as core strengths, Godshall’s Quality Meats looks forward to transitioning to 100% employee ownership in the future.
Rich Hipp
Rich Hipp is a business executive and advisor with extensive experience leading and transforming family-owned and privately held companies. Throughout his career, he has served as CEO across multiple industries including facilities management, specialty manufacturing, electronic recycling, and retail display manufacturing. Currently CEO of SLM Facilities Solutions Nationwide, Rich has driven significant operational improvements while guiding the company through a generational leadership transition. He has also led companies through successful turnarounds, strategic acquisitions, and exits, including the sale of a manufacturing business to a European strategic buyer. Rich brings a global
perspective and practical insight into how privately owned businesses scale, transition leadership, and create long-term enterprise value.
Rich serves on the advisory boards of Village Handcrafted Cabinetry in Lansdale, PA and Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA. He holds an Executive MBA from Saint Joseph’s University and a BA in Liberal Studies from Widener University.
William F. Willard, Sr.
William F. Willard, Sr. (known to most as “Billy”) is the CEO of Willard Agri-Service, an independent, family-owned agricultural retailer headquartered in Frederick, MD. The company provides fertilizer, crop protection products, and agronomic services to help its farmer-customers maximize their profitability. Dedicated to being a leader in technology and environmental stewardship, Willard Agri-Service grows and sustains mutually beneficial partnerships with its employees and customers. Billy’s son, Matthew, is Vice President of Operations, overseeing the company’s five plants that service customers in seven states in the Mid-Atlantic region.
The middle son of company founder De Willard, Billy has extensive experience in farming and agricultural business. Billy graduated from Purdue University with a B.S. in Ag Economics and completed additional postgraduate work at Purdue before joining the family business at Willard. Billy continues to operate the family farm in Poolesville, MD with his son, Billy Jr. This gives Billy Sr. the unique perspective of being both a farmer-customer and a supplier.
He is active in the community, serving on the Montgomery County (MD) Agricultural Center Board, the University of Delaware Ag Advisory Board, and the St. John’s College High School Board. Billy has also served on the Small Business Advisory committee for the Richmond Federal Reserve Board.