#CornellFamBiz

The Smith Family Business Initiative at Cornell is dedicated to educating and informing business owners and leaders that work in, with or for a family business.

[#CornellFamBiz @FamBizSuccess]

From silence to conversation: Cornell’s pre‑college family business course.

“Taking this course was one of the most meaningful experiences in my academic journey. It was the first time I truly understood family business at a deeper level.”

https://t.co/CALBRlbcdz

[Sweep @0xSweep]

This $200M bank is backed by Parmesan Cheese and is lending people money for cheese

In Northern Italy, Credito Emiliano treats cheese like gold

The bank currently holds 430,000 wheels of Parmesan worth about $200 million

Real Parmesan takes two to three years to get ready

This leaves farmers with millions of dollars in premature products they can’t sell, while still needing to pay for cows, bills, and workers

By using young cheese as security for a loan, farmers get cash immediately

The bank provides up to 80% of the value upfront so these businesses stay running

While the loan is active, the cheese stays in high tech vaults where experts look after it

If a farmer can't pay, the bank simply sells the aged cheese for a profit

[Howard Hackney @HowardHackney]

"We've always done it this way." The 6 most dangerous words in a legacy family business. Respect the past, but don’t let it write your future. #FamilyBusiness

[#CornellFamBiz @FamBizSuccess]

Students in the Leaders in Family Enterprise class also represent a staggering number of different industries:
- manufacturing
- real estate
- hospitality
- retail
- commodities
- exporting

and so on, and so on.

[#CornellFamBiz @FamBizSuccess]

When polled in class, "Using one word only, how would you describe family business?" The top choices are consistently:

- Legacy
- Complicated
- Generational

[#CornellFamBiz @FamBizSuccess]

@prageru “Begin with the end in mind.”

[#CornellFamBiz @FamBizSuccess]

An engaging Coffee Chat with Kevin Leichter ’97, CEO of Premier Paint Roller, and Kim Hehir ’94, CEO of @BrutusBroth, discussing “Family Business Confidential: From Founding to Flourishing in Each Generation.”

Entrepreneurship happens in every generation.

[#CornellFamBiz @FamBizSuccess]

Couple family business legends right there! 🫶

[Gordons Window Decor @GordonsWD]

#ThrowbackThursday
These 2💚💚
Gordon started the #business nearly 40 yrs ago, in his garage and these 4 decades later...his daughter Kelly has fostered it's growth, #integrity & become a pillar in our community.
Listen to this #podcast with both of them!
https://t.co/JYGdsIFDTn

[#CornellFamBiz @FamBizSuccess]

TC3, Cornell CALS sign new articulation agreement - this is a great pathway for students from #familyfarms! https://t.co/lorwKt49Mi

[#CornellFamBiz @FamBizSuccess]

Diverse Expertise Drives Vertical Integration at Jurgielwicz & Sons - aka Tasty Duck! Two of the Jurgielewicz brothers, Michael '13 and Joey MMH '16 are the driving force. #FamilyBusiness

https://t.co/AbF7HPOFyJ

[#CornellFamBiz @FamBizSuccess]

Measuring the Financial Impact of Family Businesses on the US Economy - this article recently reached 5000 views on ⁦@EIXSocial⁩. https://t.co/47B3OQdIs9

[#CornellFamBiz @FamBizSuccess]

On July 23, #CornellFamBiz Director Dann Van Der Vliet presented to the @NYFarmNet Annual Conference. Present were over 30 of Farmnet’s statewide advisors. The topic, From Tractors to Trustees: was an overview of the challenges all family farms face.
https://t.co/wBmVmQ6pJv

[Paul Andrews @FamilyBizPaul]

Latest results from our Global Family Business Think Tank #FamilyBusinessMatters https://t.co/4K6VczcLT2

[#CornellFamBiz @FamBizSuccess]

My good friend and colleague Patrick Abouchalache, professor at @BUQuestrom - offers his insights for the #Classof2025. https://t.co/yxyNKnnl3F

[#CornellFamBiz @FamBizSuccess]

I am so down with this. Excellent work ⁦@StewartsShops⁩ and ⁦@ParadoxBrewery⁩. 🍻 https://t.co/cUjiO6xlSG

[#CornellFamBiz @FamBizSuccess]

"Georgia Spatorico, MBA ’26, has a family business that makes something undeniably attractive to many people: popcorn."

From One Family to Another: The New Life of a Popcorn Business with the Spatorico Family https://t.co/3v94lrfGpb

[#CornellFamBiz @FamBizSuccess]

"#CornellMBA, ranked No. 6 last year by FT and No. 7 this year ... boasts industry-leading centers like the Parker Center for Investment Research and the Smith Family Business Initiative."
https://t.co/Sappt6Xywr

[#CornellFamBiz @FamBizSuccess]

Last day at Triphammer before ⁦@ithacacoffee⁩ Company opens its new northside cafe | Julie Crowley, 3g owner of the iconic Ithaca #familybusiness makes a move. https://t.co/Q6syQAhTmh

[#CornellFamBiz @FamBizSuccess]

Arrividerci Italia! Once again you have filled our hearts and amazed our senses. 🇮🇹

[#CornellFamBiz @FamBizSuccess]

Our final day in lovely Italy! This has been an amazing week and incredible group this week. And so many high quality, long lasting family businesses. It’s almost like those two belong together. 🇮🇹