Panelist and Speakers Biographies (in order of presentation)

Panelist: (Harry) Paddy McNeely III, Chairman and CEO of Meritex, Minneapolis, MN

Meritex’ origin dates back to the St Paul Terminal Warehouse Company, which was founded in 1916 in Saint Paul, Minnesota by Harry G. McNeely as a warehousing and distribution business with a small sum borrowed from relatives. It grew to provide trucking services in the 1920’s and began to acquire and develop real estate in the 1930’s. The real estate portfolio continued to expand with acquisitions and development, including subsurface space.

Toward the end of the 1980s, it appeared that the McNeely family business would not make it to the third generation. Two second generation brothers, who were active in the company, were forced by the Court to resolve a dispute with other family shareholders or liquidate the company. After that the brothers disagreed about the future involvement of family members in their business. They agreed to disagree, and divided the company.

So, Harry McNeely, Jr., started a new company, Meritex. His six children had little knowledge of the business. Nevertheless, Harry gave his children the choice of taking on the challenge of becoming responsible shareholders. The six children took on the task. Meritex is now headed by Harry (Paddy) McNeely, III.

Chairman and CEO since 2001, Paddy has led the development and execution of Meritex’s current real estate strategy and has built a successful management team. Before 2001, Paddy was Chief Administrative Officer for the company and a manager of various company properties for 10 years. Prior to working at Meritex, he was vice president National City Bank of Minneapolis for ten years. He holds a B.A. in Business Administration from the University of St. Thomas and is a member of the National Association of Office and Industrial Properties (NAIOP).

Despite the family’s desire to keep top leadership of its business in the family, situations will arise that warrant the family to select non-family executives from outside of the family. An unexpected death, next generation family members who are too young and inexperienced for leadership roles or perhaps the business is struggling and outside help is needed.

Panelist: Shannon McNeely Whitaker, Board Director, Meritex, Minneapolis, MN

Shannon is the chair (2001-present) of the McNeely Foundation, a third generation family foundation. She has served on the foundation since 1987. Shannon served on the Board of Directors for the family business Meritex Enterprises, a national real estate investment and management company, (2002- 2010), and is currently on the Compensation and Audit Committees.

Shannon Whitaker is a graduate of Boston College. Shannon has served as a founding board member and board chair of Eco Education an environmental education non-profit, a board member of the Minnesota Independent School Fund, White Bear Montessori, Garden of Hope Montessori, and is currently a board member at St. Paul Academy and Summit School.

Panelist: Christie Lloyd Ernst, Property Management for Lloyd Companies, Sioux Falls, SD

Christie was the last of the Lloyd family to return to the family business after proclaiming that the family business would never be a part of her career path. After working as a project manager for 10 years at a business consulting firm in Washington, DC, Christie returned to Sioux Falls in 2007 to work at her family business, Lloyd Companies.  Christie returned to fill her mother’s role as President of the Property Management division.  In her “spare time”, she kept the family focused on the transition of the business to the next generation.  In 2010, the family asked Christie if she would officially take the lead in helping the family with the transition to the next generation and made family business a part of Christie’s job rather than a hobby. Her family jokingly calls her the “CFO” Chief Family Officer. Christie is a board member for the Prairie Family Business Association and a member of the 2nd Generation Affinity Group. Christie has B.S. from Marquette University in International Business Administration and Information Technology.

Panelist: Liz Lloyd, Vice President of Residential Real Estate for Lloyd Companies, Sioux Falls, SD

Vice President of Residential Real Estate for Lloyd Companies, Liz Lloyd has been actively involved in real estate and property management since 1991. Educated in Real Estate and Urban Development at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Liz has held leadership positions on real estate and property management boards throughout Minnesota and South Dakota, while also serving as an educator and trainer at regional seminars. Experienced in both residential and commercial sales and leasing, Liz represents buyers, sellers, and investors and has consistently received recognition for outstanding sales performance, as well as excellence in the business community. Actively involved in the Sioux Falls community through leadership roles with the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, South Dakota Achieve, Kilian Community College, and the YMCA, Liz remains dedicated to promoting positive growth and development throughout Sioux Falls and the surrounding area.   

Moderator: Carleen Shilling, Partner, Eide Bailly LLP, Bismarck, ND

Carleen has more than 35 years of experience in public accounting, specializing in tax and tax-related consulting services, estate planning services as well as business succession planning and implementation. She advises on wealth accumulation and transfer as part of estate planning and succession planning services.

Her professional memberships include: Society of Certified Public Accountants- Arizona and North Dakota, Estate Planning Council- Central Arizona and Western Dakotas, and American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Tax Division.

Carleen has her Bachelor of Science, Business Administration, Accounting emphasis from the University of North Dakota.

Panelist: John Bruntz, CEO of the Wittern Group, Inc, Des Moines, Iowa

JOHN BRUNTZ is the President and CEO of THE WITTERN GROUP, INC.—A global manufacturing and financial services company with 500+ employees and approximately $100 million in annual revenues.
In his current role, John provides strategic direction and is responsible for the operational and tactical execution for all facets of this diverse family business which celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2006. Among his accomplishments, John has led the company’s globalization efforts by successfully opening a supply chain to Asian suppliers and developed technical collaboration with an Indian engineering firm. John successfully conceived and led the company to enter the membership club channel and sell its products through Sam’s Club, Costco and BJ’s Wholesale resulting in a 32% sales lift. He successfully introduced Lean Manufacturing philosophy to the production floor, supply chain and logistics functions with strong results and widespread buy-in from union work force.

Assisting with the transition from second to third generation of family ownership was a critical responsibility as John assisted in creating the family council structure and commenced broad information sharing and structured a strategic planning process. Moving the business from an autocratic management style to participative approach with a highly effective professional management team under CEO’s direction and control was a priority for John.
John began working for the Wittern family business in 1985 as their Vice President and General Counsel. He has served on several boards throughout the region and was the Chairman of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry. A graduate of the University of South Dakota, John received his Juris Doctor Degree from the University Of Iowa College Of Law.
John has published several articles related to labor and employment law issues.

Moderator: Mike Keller, Dean of the Beacom School of Business, USD, Vermillion , SD

Dean Michael “Mike” Keller is a native of Webster, S.D. He received a B.S. in education from USD in 1970 and a Juris Doctorate degree from USD in 1974. He went on to a successful career in the financial services industry until returning to USD in 2002.

Panelists: Dawn Brommer, President of Maxxon, Inc. Hamel, MN

Dawn Jorgenson Brommer grew up in an entrepreneurial family business. Her father Clyde and uncle Ron started Jorgenson Brothers drywall, Gyp-Crete Corporation and now Maxxon Corporation.
Dawn grew up in Plymouth, Minnesota, attended the University of Pacific and graduated in 1992 with a degree in International Business.
She spent her 20’s developing Gyp-Crete Corporation’s international department. Duties included product presentations, setting up new customers, overcoming a bad name from lawsuits in the past, supporting existing Maxxon contractors, trade shows, direct mail and call follow up. Her next career opportunity came in her 30’s when she took over as Marketing Team Leader. She led the marketing and sales efforts of 8 regional Maxxon representatives. Projects included convention presentations, supplier relationships, national AIA presentation calendar, trade shows and new product marketing plans. She took over as President of Maxxon Corporation in 2009 during the worst multifamily housing recession in over 20 years.

Dawn volunteers for Junior Achievement. She enjoys spending time with her husband and three children, exercising or adventure traveling with family and friends and spending time at their cabin.

Panelist: Autumn Hareland, Agassiz Chemical & Equipment, Fargo, ND

A graduate of Concordia College, St, Paul, MN, Autumn Hareland earned her BA in Business Communications.
Autumn spent thirteen years in corporate life working in operations and human resources to support the world headquarter’s business operations.

While at Bobcat, Autumn’s husband was part of a family business started by her husband’s father in 1972. A retirement for Steve’s dad was taking place for transition and succession. In order for the transition of 1st Generation to 2nd Generation to take place, Autumn left her corporate career December 2006 to join Steve’s family business and is now in her fifth year of being part of the family operation. Autumn has actively served the last four years on a local Human Resources Board and will be sharing insights to the challenges and dynamics that have affected the business and family personally and professionally.

Autumn and Steve have been married for fourteen years, they have three daughters and live in Horace, North Dakota.

Moderator: Margaret Fitzgerald, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND

Margaret teaches courses in financial planning and public policy and studies family businesses. Her research interests include: husbands and wives who own and operate businesses together; family businesses in economically vulnerable/viable communities; gender and management issues in family business and business social responsibility. Margaret’s Ph. D. is in Human Development and Family Studies with a Family Resource Management emphasis from Iowa State University.

Panelists: Lon Kouri, Attorney and Mediator, May & Johnson, P.C., Sioux Falls, SD

Lon Kouri, a native of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, attended Augustana College and graduated with honors in 1977. He graduated from the University of South Dakota Law School in 1980, serving as an Editor of the South Dakota Law Review from 1979-1980.
Lon joined the law firm of May & Johnson, P.C. in 1980. He is the senior attorney in the Litigation Section, where his practice has been devoted to civil litigation, with an emphasis on insurance defense, insurance litigation, and professional liability defense. His clients include several major insurance companies in the United States. Lon is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, the International Association of Defense Counsel, and the Defense Research Institute, the largest organization of defense attorneys in the country. He is the past President of the South Dakota Defense Lawyers Association and was honored to serve as the South Dakota Representative to the Defense Research Institute. Lon is also certified by the American Academy of ADR Attorneys. His mediation practice has grown substantially, and he now devotes a significant portion his practice to mediating civil litigation claims of all types.

Moderator: Carey Miller, Attorney, Woods, Fuller, Shultz & Smith, P.C., Sioux Falls, SD

Carey Miller has a general business, real estate and intellectual property law practice. She works often with closely-held businesses providing a wide range of advice including business planning. She also has extensive experience in real estate working with land sales, condominium development and easements. Her intellectual property work includes copyrights, distribution and licensing relationships and trade dress.
While in undergraduate school, Carey was elected the Outstanding Senior from the School of Business in May 1998. She attended law school on the Opperman Scholarship and served as the Associate Editor of the Drake Law Review.
Carey is a member of the American Bar Association, State Bar of South Dakota and the Iowa State Bar Association, and is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota. She is currently serving on the SD State Bar Business Law committee. Carey serves on the Board of Directors of the South Eastern Development Foundation, a non-profit organization that stimulates economic development through a regional Revolving Loan Fund.

Panelist: Daniel Cullen, 5th generation , J.P. Cullen & Sons, Janesville, WI

Daniel Cullen is the Project Manager for J.P. Cullen and Sons, Inc. Responsible for project management, business development, strategic planning and customer satisfaction, Daniel represents the 5th generation of Cullen’s participating in the family business.
The legacy of the Cullen enterprise is traced back to the arrival of Irish Immigrants, John and Mary Cullen to the United States in 1856, where John learned his craft as a brick layer in New York. Following his untimely death, Mary and son George moved to Janesville and started building homes. The business has continued to expand through four generations of Cullen leadership.
The third generation took the company to the next level by bringing in professional management, developing departments and divisions, and strengthening the accounting process. Fourth generation siblings Mark, David, and Richard manage the family business today with annual sales of $180 million.

Panelists: Garry Smith, 4th Generation, American Pop Corn Co., Sioux City, IA

Garry Smith is president of the American Pop Corn Company, maker of internationally distributed JOLLY TIME® Pop Corn products. In his position, Smith is involved in sales, marketing, operations and administration of the family-owned company founded by his great grandfather, Cloid H. Smith, in 1914.

Smith started working for the company while still in high school. He joined the company full-time in 1976, after graduating from the University of Nebraska with a bachelor’s degree in business with an emphasis in marketing.
He travels extensively for the company, visiting the company’s network of brokers and representing the company at international food shows. He also is a company spokesperson, conducting interviews on JOLLY TIME marketing successes, industry issues, company history and pop corn facts.

JOLLY TIME Pop Corn, America’s oldest brand name pop corn, was first shelled and packaged by hand in the basement of Cloid H. Smith’s Sioux City, Iowa, home 95 years ago. The family-owned, Sioux City, Iowa-based company has been supplying America with imaginative, fun popcorn products for 96 years. The American Pop Corn Company is the only full-line supplier of pop corn products in the U.S. JOLLY TIME Pop Corn is available in all 50 states and internationally in 40 countries.

Moderator: Aggie Johnson, CFP Financial Advisor, Eide Bailly LLP, Aberdeen, SD

Aggie has more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. She provides financial planning, estate planning and wealth management services for individuals and families. Aggie brings a wealth of experience in providing consultation services to family businesses and business partners for successful transition of their business to the next generation of owners and managers.

Aggie attended Northern State University and Presentation College in Aberdeen, South Dakota. She is a Certified Financial Planner through the College of Financial Planner, Denver Colorado, licensed as an Advisor Representative Series 65 and 66, Registered Representative Series 7 and 63, and a Licensed Life and Health Professional. She is a member of the Red River Estate Planning Council of Fargo, North Dakota, the Sioux Falls Estate Planning Council of South Dakota and the Financial Planning Association.

Panelists: Larry Hause, Hause Family Business Transition Services, LP.

Larry has extensive experience in helping families transition and continue their family businesses by helping them solve their unique family business challenges. Growing up in a family business, Larry learned firsthand many of the benefits and challenges of being part of a family-owned company. Larry is a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Law, J.D., 1984 and South Dakota State University, B.A., 1979. He also serves on the faculty of the Family Firm Institute. Larry also provides family business transition services, board development, and trustee-beneficiary-family business guidance through Hause Family Business Transition Services, LP.

Larry is the recipient of the Family Firm Institute's 2010 Interdisciplinary Award, recognizing outstanding achievement in the advancement of interdisciplinary services to business families. He has also written the book, The Balance Point: New ways business owners can use boards.

Panelists: Shelley Renner, 2nd generation, owner of Wilson Tool Enterprises, Inc., White Bear Lake, MN

Shelley Renner is a second generation owner of Wilson Tool Enterprises.  WTE is a family owned business started in 1966 by Shelley’s father, Ken Wilson.  Wilson Tool International is the world’s largest independent manufacturer of tooling systems for punch presses, press brakes and punch and die components for the stamping industry. She is one of nine siblings all of whom are owners in the company. Shelley has a B.S. in finance and marketing from the University of Minnesota.  Along with her family she attended the Family Business center program at the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis. 

The Wilson family has been transitioning the ownership of the company to the second generation since 1989.  Shelley is currently serving on the board of governors which consists of 3 family governors and one outside governor. The entrepreneur is also a participating member of the board.  Shelley owned and operated her own corporate gift and promotion company for 15 years.

Panelists: Chris Klimpel, second generation business owner of Park Industries, St. Cloud, MN

Chris Klimpel is a third-generation shareholder of Park Industries, a St. Cloud, MN-based machine tool manufacturer that serves the North American stone-working industry. Other shareholders include her siblings, Mark and Mike, and their parents, Tom and Joyce. She has been the leader/presider of the Park owner group since 2003.  In 2009, she joined Park Industries as a business development analyst, which informs the product and market planning process for the leadership team. Before Park, Chris worked as an international market analyst, then marketing director for a technology firm, then a full-time mother.  She has an MA in comparative literature, and her interests include train travel (especially with her husband and two daughters), distance running, Italian food, and time at the lake.

Moderator: Peter S. Hatinen, Shareholder, Fredrikson & Byron, Minneapolis, MN

Peter is a shareholder in Fredrikson & Byron’s Trusts & Estates Group. He joined the firm in 2003, after practicing for three years in Boston, Massachusetts. He assists individuals, families, and businesses with a variety of tax, estate planning, and business matters. Peter advises clients regarding wills and trusts, tax planning, buy-sell agreements, family partnerships, business succession, charitable gift planning, asset protection, and probate and trust administration.
Peter also works with foundations and other nonprofit organizations on a range of issues, including choice of entity, obtaining and maintaining tax-exempt status, compliance with state and federal regulations, governance, and mergers.

Panelists: Bill Grant, Dacotah Bank, Rapid City, SD

Bill has been in banking in Rapid City for over 35 years, primarily in business banking.  His experience ranges from working with sole proprietors with a few hundred thousand in sales to large corporations. In most all cases however, the companies are closely held by a fairly small number of owners which frequently are family members. Bill works with many 2nd and 3rd generation customers and has seen his role evolve more as an advisor as well as providing  all types of financial services.

Panelists: Sandra McNeely, The Abbey Group, Rapid City, SD

Sandra Shirk McNeely has twenty years’ experience as a financial analyst, manager, and leadership consultant to nonprofits.  Having served herself in senior management positions and on several boards of directors, Sandra has expertise in strategic planning and board development.  “I help divided boards reach consensus on mission and program priorities in view of limited financial capacity,” she said.  From that point she leads or coaches executives and key staff in executing a strategic plan that achieves the organization goals within budget. 

Panelists: Tom Houghton II,President of H-S Precision, Rapid City, SD

The second generation of a small barrel business which has grown into a world renouned manufaturer in the gun industries. H-S Precision has manufactured all of the components used to produce the Pro-Series 2000 Rifles. Those rifles include a synthetic stock, stainless stell cut rifled barrels, stainless steel actions and triggers. H-S Precision is also the leading manufaturer of specialized barrels and equipment for ammunition testing.

Moderator: Rob James, Northwestern Mutual, Rapid City, SD

Rob helps clients achieve financial security by fostering lasting relationships. He takes the sting out of seemingly complex financial information and presents them so they can choose the best solutions for themselves and their family. In 2000, he begans as a Financial Representative of Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, and within a year was promoted to Managing Director. After seven years in the management role, He has chosen to step down in order to focus on his personal practice and provide my clients with more individualized and personal attention.

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