2026
The 2nd NEXGENS Conference OCTOBER 24, 2026 ● Cornell University ● Ithaca, NY
Welcome to the community of next generation family business members.
SUPPORTERS
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G
reetings!
Welcome to the second annual NEXGENS Conference at Cornell University! The future of family enterprise depends on the next generation—not only to carry forward what previous generations have built, but also to bring new perspectives, ideas, and approaches to the businesses and families they will one day lead. NEXGENS (National Exchange for the Generational Enterprise Network of Successors) was established to bring together students from family business backgrounds across the country, creating a national network of peers who can learn from one another, share experiences, and build relationships that last well beyond their university years. Hosted by the Smith Family Business Initiative at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, this conference is an opportunity to explore the opportunities and challenges facing next-generation family business leaders. Through conversations with experienced family business owners, insights from research, collaborative problem-solving, and time spent connecting with fellow students, we hope you will gain new perspectives, discover common ground, and leave with relationships and ideas that continue to grow long after you return home. Family enterprises are built on relationships, stewardship, and a long-term view. We believe the same principles can guide the NEXGENS community as it grows, creating a network that supports the next generation in navigating its own path while honoring the legacies that came before. Thank you for being part of this growing community. We are delighted to welcome you to Cornell and look forward to the conversations, connections, and ideas that will shape the future of NEXGENS and the family enterprises it serves. Welcome to Cornell, and welcome to NEXGENS! Sincerely, NEXGENS Conference Organization Team SFBI, SC Johnson College of Business, Cornell University
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AGENDA BREAZZANO FAMILY CENTER, 209 Dryden Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2026 (All times are ET) 8:00 a.m. - 8:45 a.m. – Registration, Networking & Breakfast...........................................................................................Rm 103 8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. – Conference Kick-off.............................................................................................................................Rm 123 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. – Panel Discussion: Lodge Cast Iron and the Next-Gen Approach..........................................Rm 123 Moderator: Daniel Van Der Vliet, John & Dyan Smith Executive Director of Family Business, Cornell University Panelists: David Lodge, Cornell Professor and 4th generation family member, Lodge Cast Iron; Jay Daniel, 5th generation family member and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Lodge Cast Iron
30 MIN BREAK 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. – Generational Conversations: What's Said and Not Said........................................................Rm 123 Led by: Kimberly Eddleston, Schulze Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurship, Northeastern University; Doug Baumoel '78, Founder of Continuity Family Business Consulting
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. – Lunch & Ice-Breakers......................................................................................................................Rm 103 Activity led by: Anish Quenim, Family Enterprise Faculty and Director, Texas Tech University
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. – NEXGENS Case Study Competition..............................................................................................Rm 123 Led by: Claudio Muller, Associate Professor of Practice, Texas Tech University
30 MIN BREAK 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. – Officer Elections, Faculty Advisors Meeting and University partner Q&A........................Rm 123 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. – Cornell University Excursion................................................................Various locations around campus 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. – Dinner; Announcing Hackathon Winners and Closing Announcement...............................Rm 123
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SPEAKER BIOS
He has spoken on succession planning and next-generation engagement at conferences hosted by Family Business Mag-
DOUG BAUMOEL '78
azine, the Delaware Family Business Center, the UNI Family
Continuity Family Business Consulting
Business Center, and Campden Wealth.
Founder Doug Baumoel is the Founder of Continuity, LLC, and offers an extensive background in family business operations and executive management in his
KIMBERLY EDDLESTON Northeastern University Schulze Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurship Northeastern University
work with clients. He served as
Eddleston is recognized as a
a second-generation executive
leading scholar of entrepre-
in his own family’s business
neurship by the Schulze Family
and has held key executive
Foundation, which awarded
positions in other family and non-family businesses. Doug is
her the nationally recognized
the co-author of Deconstructing Conflict: Understanding Family
Schulze Distinguished Profes-
Business, Shared Wealth and Power.
sorship. She also serves as an Academic Scholar at Cornell University's Smith Family Busi-
Doug earned an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a BS in Electrical Engineering (78)
ness Initiative. Previously, she has served as the Toft Visiting
from Cornell University. A dual certificate holder in both Family
Professor at the Jönköping International Business School,
Business Advising and Family Wealth Advising from the Family
Sweden, and a Research Fellow at the University of St. Gallen,
Firm Institute, he has been awarded the additional distinction
Switzerland.
of FFI Fellow and was the 2023 winner of the FFI InterdisciplinShe has extensive experience working with family businesses
ary Award.
in the U.S. and abroad and is routinely invited to serve as a keynote speaker at family business events. Eddleston start-
JAY A. DANIEL
ed her first business at the age of nine and grew up working
Lodge Board of Directors
for many of her family's businesses. She remains an active
Chairman
stakeholder and board member on several of her family's busiJay Daniel is a 5th generation family member and Chairman of the Board at Lodge Cast Iron. First elected to the Lodge Board in 2007, he served on and chaired key committees, helping guide leadership and board transitions.
nesses in the construction, business services, and real estate industries.
Before joining Northeastern University, she was the Assistant Director of the Wolff Family Program in Entrepreneurship at the University of Connecticut. Earlier in her career, she worked for several restaurant and hotel companies, including Westin Hotels and the Marriott Corporation.
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DAVID M. LODGE
ANISH QUENIM
Cornell University
Texas Tech University
Professor
Family Enterprise Faculty and Director David Lodge recently retired
Anish Quenim is the Family
from the Francis J. DiSalvo
Enterprise Faculty and Direc-
Director of Cornell Atkinson
tor of the Alderson and Griffin
Center for Sustainability, and,
Center for Family Business and
for a few more months, remains
Entrepreneurship at the Rawls
a professor in Cornell’s Depart-
College of Business, Texas Tech
ment of Ecology and Evolution-
University. As a generational
ary Biology. He was previously
family business successor
the founding director of the
himself, Anish combines his
University of Notre Dame’s Environmental Change Initiative. He
lived experience and professional practice to help business
serves as a director of Lodge Cast Iron.
families navigate succession, preserve relationships, and build enduring legacies for future generations. His ongoing doctoral research focuses on the role of spousal relational support in
CLAUDIO MULLER
family business leadership and succession.
Texas Tech University Associate Professor of Practice
He is part of the Families In Ranching Succession Toolkit Claudio G. Müller, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Practice at Texas Tech University’s Rawls College of Business. His teaching and research specialize in strategy, entrepreneurship,
(FIRST) program as co-editor and co-author together with Claudio Muller and also serves as faculty advisors to the Family Business Student Organization and the National Exchange for the Generational Enterprise Network of Successors (NEXGENS), initiatives dedicated to preparing and empowering the next generation of family business successors.
and generational transitions for sustainable family business success.
He is part of the Families In Ranching Succession Toolkit
DANIEL (DANN) VAN DER VLIET Cornell University John and Dyan Smith Executive Director of Family Business
(FIRST) program as co-editor and co-author together with
Dann Van Der Vliet has spent
Anish Quenim and also serves as faculty advisors to the Family
more than 25 years educating
Business Student Organization and the National Exchange
and advising enterprising fam-
for the Generational Enterprise Network of Successors (NEX-
ilies. At Cornell, Dann teaches
GENS), initiatives dedicated to preparing and empowering the
Leaders in Family Enterprise: In
next generation of family business successors.
Practice and Theory, Experience in International Management (Italy Trek), and Family Busi-
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ness Foundations.
During his tenure, Cornell launched the Family Office Institute
Before joining Cornell, Dann served for 12 years as Director
– an executive development program for family office profes-
of the Family Business Initiative at the University of Vermont,
sionals – and introduced cornerstone offerings such as the
where he expanded a highly regarded program and co-found-
Cornell Case Competition for Family Ownership, the Leaders in
ed the first global case competition dedicated exclusively to
Family Enterprise course, and the Sam Seltzer Mentors Forum.
family business.
We would like to express our sincere gratitute to Eat'n Park and Kelly Benefits for their generous support of this event. A special thanks to Peter Mueller '28 for his fundraising efforts. Thank you for your attendance.
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SMITH FAMILY BUSINESS INITIATIVE AT CORNELL 389 Statler Hall Ithaca, New York 14853 http://business.cornell.edu/familybusiness blog: fambizsuccess.wordpress.com #CornellFamBiz Cover image: Shelley Kusnetz Photography Bios and headshots are courtesy of the participants. All other photos with people are courtesy of Shelley Kusnetz Photography; landscape images are courtesy of University Photography.