Consulting Contacts

The following resources provide consulting assistance in family farm business management, peer networks, managerial accounting, conflict management and/or succession planning.  These resources include people with whom I’ve collaborated, mentored in train-the-trainer programs and/or share a similar philosophy and approach to assisting clients with problem identification and solutions building. A majority in this list are folks I have mentored in train-the-trainer programs.

For a comprehensive listing of family business centers, professional firms and financial institutions serving family owned businesses globally, visit the Directory of Advisers at www.familybusinessmagazine.com.

Ag Progress LLC, led by Lance Woodbury, Davon Cook and Alleah Heise, provides facilitation, mediation, management consulting and family business advisory services specialized for agriculture ventures and peer groups. Lance was formerly with Kennedy & Coe accounting firm and has consulted independently with families for many years. They lead an executive seminar called The Progress Coach and facilitate numerous peer groups. Lance can be reached at lance@agprogress.com; Davon at davon@agprogress.com; and Alleah at alleah@agprogress.com.

Terry Betker, CEO, Backswath Management Inc, terry.betker@bakcswath.com,  www.backswath.com, O-204-275-0458; C-204-782-8200; 1024 Kilkenny Drive, Winnipeg, MB R3T5A5, Canada.  Formerly with MyersNorrisPenney, Betker works with a network of consultants working on business continuity/succession planning, benchmarking, growth and risk management, and external management resources/advisory boards.

Centrec Consulting (Champaign, IL) Steve Hofing, Managing Partner, 217-352-1190, www.centrec.com. Wittman Consulting has associated with this firm since the early 1980’s on topics including lender training, family business, strategic planning, public policy, CFO support functions, and financial feasibility.

CliftonLarsonAllen has offices in several mid-west and eastern states and the PNW after a recent merger with LeMaster & Daniels.  Paul Neiffer paul.neiffer@cliftonlarsonallen.com is AgriBusiness and Cooperatives Partner focusing on financial and tax management including succession planning; he is a Top Producer magazine columnist and writes the FarmCPA blog on www.agweb.com and at www.farmcpatoday.com; 509-823-2920 (direct), 509-961-9739 (cell).  610 N 39^th Avenue, Yakima, WA 98902.  Other resources:  Darel Thompson (Tri-Cities, WA) darel.thomsen@cliftonlarsonallen.com; David Thomsen (Quincy, WA), david.thomsen@cliftonlarsonallen.com, 509-787-4513; Minneapolis, MN:  Rod Mauszycki, rod.mauszycki@cliftonlarsonallen.com 612-376-4500

Brenda Duckworth,  formerly with Texas Ag Extension; now working with individual clients on Management Accounting and family business management issues, P O Box 161, Happy, TX 79042; C-940-357-9777, brenda.duckworthcpa@gmail.com

Eide Bailly LLP, Steve Eckroth (ND) 701-255-8446, tax and consulting; Steve Troyer (Fargo, ND), stroyer@eidebailly.com, 701-476-8307; Jim Hauge, Bismarck ND, jhauge@eidebailly.com 701-255-8484; Duane Thompson (Mankato, MN), dthompson@eidebailly.com, 507-386-6290.

Bernie Erven, Ohio State professor who operates under the company Erven HR Services.  Bernie teaches at TEPAP in Austin, TX covering personnel management; very down to earth grasp of personnel management implementation strategies; and does lots of work in adult education.  Contact at 5987 Rocky Rill Road, Columbus, OH 43235, 614-888-9953, erven.1@osu.edu

Wayne Fahsholtz’s AgWin Group, LLC offers management consulting services for farms, ranches and other small businesses. Wayne was formerly CEO of Padlock Ranch Company until July 2014; he has experience in strategic planning, managerial accounting, family conflict resolution, leadership succession and peer group facilitation. Wayne has collaborated with King Ranch Institute classes, Montana State University Executive MBA and John Ward and the Kellogg School of Management’s family business program. He is an alumnus of the Wittman “Train the Trainer” family business consulting course. Contact at 307-751-4507, wayne@agwingroup.com, www.agwin.com.  He is located in Dayton, WY.

Farm Journal Legacy Project succession planning project sponsored by Pioneer. Project involves workshops and online access to resource materials. Contact legacyproject@farmjournal.com. www.farmjournallegacyproject.com

Jon R. Farquharson (Pendleton, OR), ISU Insurance Services – The Stratton Agency, (541) 276-2302, jonf@stratton-insurance.com, Estate, Business, Asset protection & succession planning; Insurance; Retirement Plans & Investments; Jon worked with me on the Farm Financial Standards Council board and managerial accounting training project with the Clearwater Direct Seed Peer Networking group.

Farm Credit East Business Consulting – approx. 20 consulting staff throughout New England, New York, and New Jersey.  Consulting Group goal is to match local folks up with local consultants with expertise specific to client’s needs or project.  Contact:  Erin S. Pirro, Business Consultant, Enfield, CT, 860-741-4451, erin.pirro@FarmCreditEast.com,  www.farmcrediteast.com/en/Services/Business-Consulting.aspx

Elaine Froese, PHEc, CAFA, consults in Canada, the U.S. and Australia in conflict resolution and succession planning and her family farms in Manitoba, CA. She mediates for the Farm Debt Mediation Service in Canada, writes columns for farm magazines and authored “Do the Tough Things Right…how to prevent communication disasters in family business.” Contact: 866-848-8311; www.elainefroese.com

GROW: The Family Business Advisors.  Former Lookout Ridge Consulting consultants Barb Dartt, Stephanie Edsall, Mike Fassler and John Williams launched new firm January 2013; they support family businesses and farm operations in succession planning, financial management, strategic planning, and helping clients build teams processes; located at 5708 Venture Court, Suite A, Kalamazoo, MI; www.growthefamily.biz; 800-663-5604.

Dennis Henks, CFP, MBA, Lincoln Financial Advisors Agribusiness Services.  Specializes in helping family owned farms and agribusinesses prepare and integrate future generations of business owners with financial, business succession and estate planning services.  Background includes 15 years of professional ag business development, operational management, budgeting and supervision of 70 employees. Dennis is also actively involved in his family’s crop and livestock farm.  Contact at 10851 Mastin St, Suite 950, Overland Park, KS 66210; O-913-323-3241; dennis.henks@lfg.com

Donald Jonovic, PhD, Family Business Management Services Inc, has been an advisor to family business owners since 1973, focusing on management development, growth and ownership transition.  Clients include industrial and agricultural firms, often with a significant proportion of non-family key managers.  He’s authored several books on family business. We’ve collaborated at workshops and as instructors at the TEPAP Ag Executive Program for a number of years.  Contact at:  Post Office Box 201400 Cleveland, Ohio 44120, W-216/752-7970; FAX: 216/752-4100; djonovic@familybusinessmgt.com

Kennedy & Coe, LLC, Brad Palen (Salina, KS), 785) 825-1561, palen@kcoe.com; Greg Wolf (Pratt, KS), gwolf@kcoe.com, 620-672-7476; Hubert Brown (Wichita, KS), hbrown@kcoe.com, (316) 685-0222; Todd Jennison (Garden City, KS), tjennison@kcoe.com (620) 275-9670.  Kennedy and Coe work closely with family farm businesses in tax and financial analysis, strategic planning, family business consulting, conflict management and succession planning.

Joe Kluender, Farm Family Dynamics, Mankato, MN, C-507-276-6368; joe@farmfamilydynamics.com, www.farmfamilydynamics.com   Joe was formerly associated with Larson Allen and formed his owned business in 2011.  He has a certificate in Family Business Advising through the Family Firm Institute and has also attended Wittman Consulting train-the-trainer programs.  Joe currently specializes in family dynamics of farm estate planning and farm transition as well as business management system implementation.

Kuenzi & Company CPA’s & Business Consultants, Kyle Walter (Salem, OR) PH: 503-428-3098.  Email: kwalter@kuenzicpas.com website: www.kuenzicpas.com.   The 4 Kuenzi owners all come from farming backgrounds and have committed their firm’s resources to work extensively with family businesses in areas of corporate governance, family dynamics, business and succession planning, and tax and financial analysis.

Henry Landes, Delaware Valley Family Business Center, has served over 600 family firms since 1988; is popular speaker and contributing editor of Family Business Magazine.  He focuses on building effective family councils, shareholder groups and executive teams, policy development and transitioning to the next generation. Contact at: 340 North Main Street, Telford, PA 18969; Voice (215)723-8413; Fax (215)723-8351

Latta, Harris, Hanon & Penningroth (Tipton, IA). Mark Penningroth CPA, markpenningroth@lattharis.com and John McNutt, MBA jmcnutt@lattaharris.com, (563) 886-2187; www.lattaharris.com. Both have been through my train-the-trainer program.  Mark has a strong background in tax accounting and financial consulting. Mark and John both have strong interest in family business management and succession planning.  John is also a well-respected consultant working in managerial accounting with larger scale family operations especially with pork producers. LHHP works with clients across the Midwest.

Art Littlefield, MBA, Lincoln Financial Advisors Agribusiness Services.  Art has worked with Midwestern farm families and agribusiness owners for over 35 years in the financial services industry, focusing in the last 18 on helping clients accumulate, preserve, and protect their wealth for present and future generations.  Client-centric and proven financial planning processes are used to address the estate and farm succession issues from a comprehensive standpoint.  Art is a graduate of the Wittman “Train the Trainer” family business consulting course.  Contact: 1212 Banbury Circle, Naperville, IL 60540; Cell 630-408-0110; art.littlefield@lfg.com

Scott Mickey, Managing Partner, Agri-Directions (Sumter, SC), 803-418-9391, www.agridirections.com, scott@agridirections.com provides financial directions to agricultural businesses in the areas of risk management, financial performance, family business governance and monitoring financial and commodity marketing plans. Offers training on risk management and marketing plan development for producers, ag lenders, and crop insurance agents via Executive Marketing seminars. Scott has also served as a farm business consultant with Clemson University in SC since 1995.

Nichols Accounting Group – Pete Nichols and Doug Lamm, founding shareholders, have a combined 70+ years of experience working with family farm and ranch operators in the Pacific Northwest.  Focus is holistic approach to the Family Farm Operation, implementing proven business management strategies to ensure sustainability of the generational family farm.  They also specialize in growth optimization, tax, retirement, and estate planning, with an emphasis on proactive forward focus.  They,and several other members of their firm completed the Wittman Consulting Train-the-trainer program. Wk 541-881-1433 or 208-442-0188, pete@nicholsaccounting.com, doug@nicholsaccounting.com, www.nicholsaccounting.com

Steve Lytle, Clearpath Family Advisors, www.clearpathfa.com, stevenjlytle@gmail.com, 503 724 4868, Steve works with leaders across the country on family business planning and management from his Portland, Oregon base. Specific work includes purpose, vision, values, mission, governance, team dynamics, personal leadership, conflict resolution, communication, generational transition, and succession planning.

Northwest Farm Credit Services, Business Management Center (BMC); (800) 827-6505; Michael Stolp, michael.stolp@farm-credit.com (ext. 5264); Carl Sohn, carl.sohn@farm-credit.com (ext. 5543).  The BMC offers financial workshops, educational programs, and facilitation services in business succession, communications, human resources, and strategic planning.

Paul Sessions, Director, Center for Family Business at the University of New Haven, Connecticut.  Established in 1994 the Center serves over 50 member family businesses; mission is to foster the health and continuity of family businesses by providing a variety of educational and informational services to family business owners and their advisors.   (203)-932-7421 www.newhaven.edu/academics/16337/

Steven Van Voorhis is based in the Rochester, New York area working as an independent consultant and also an affiliate of the Russell Consulting Group. He provides consultation services in financial management, risk management, peer group facilitation, and family business succession planning. He is also a 2011 TEPAP graduate.  Contact: Steven.vanvoorhis7@gmail.com, (Wk) 585-746-1542

John Ward is Clinical Professor of Family Enterprises at the Kellogg School of Management.  He teaches and studies strategic management, business leadership, and family enterprise continuity.  He is one of my favorite family business authors having penned six best sellers on a range of family business topics. Contact: P.O. Box 6197, Evanston, IL 60204,Wk-847-475-3000;F-847-4765-3024, JohnLWard@aol.com, www.efamilybusiness.com.