Iowa Family Business Conference
Each year, we bring in the most experienced leaders from the family business world to help you navigate best practices, tough conversations and more. This one-day event offers a keynote speaker, luncheon and 6+ breakout sessions for every member of the family business.
Join us on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023, to hear from family business experts from across our great state of Iowa! The event, hosted at Ag Leader Technology in Ames, will feature a keynote presentation from Jane Blain Gilbertson, the second-generation president and CEO of Blain's Farm & Fleet. You'll also have a chance to network with other Iowa family businesses, tour Ag Leader's headquarters, and enjoy a social cocktail hour.
Families with a UNI Family Business Center membership will get two free tickets to the event, plus a discount for any additional tickets purchased. Early bird registration discounts end Aug. 31, at 11 p.m. Click below to register.
Jane Blain Gilbertson
Jane Blain Gilbertson is President, CEO, and second-generation leader of the 43 Blain’s Farm & Fleet stores throughout the Midwest and Blain Supply, Inc., headquartered in Janesville, Wisconsin. The family owned companies were founded in 1955 and currently employ 4,400 associates. When Jane returned to the family business in 1985, she became the children’s apparel and giftware buyer. After the passing of her father and uncle, Jane and her brother bought out the remaining family shareholders in 1998. Jane and her brother ran the business together for 16 years, until 2014, when he retired.
Tony Simmons, Tabasco
Anthony “Tony” Simmons is the retired President and CEO of McIlhenny Company, the makers of Tabasco Brand Pepper Sauce. A member of the fifth generation, Tony is the great-great-grandson of founder Edmund McIlhenny. Tony lives at Avery Island, Louisiana with his wife of 48 years and his golden retriever Moose. He has two children and six grandchildren and is an avid sportsman and golfer.
Craig Culver
In 2021, the University of Northern Iowa hosted the first-ever Family Business Conference, presented by BrownWinick Law Firm. Hosted at the EFCO family's headquarters in Des Moines, this one-day event was designed to connect, educate and provide helpful resources to Iowa family businesses. Craig Culver, of Culver's Restaurants, and Tom Hubler, of Hubler for Business Families, provided keynote addresses, amid breakout sessions by other Iowa family business leaders.