This peer group is currently accepting applications for 2026 membership.

Family enterprises with boards that include independent directors tend to perform better and earn greater trust as arbiters of owner interests. The Chair plays a pivotal role in shaping and leading these boards.

FBCG’s Peer Group for North American Family Enterprise Chairs provides a confidential forum for sharing what’s working—and what isn’t—on the journey to create and sustain a high-performing family enterprise board.

The group includes 10–12 Chairs from multi-generational family enterprises. About half lead boards with family CEOs; the rest work with non-family CEOs. Members’ companies typically range from $50 million to $3 billion in annual revenue, averaging around $500–600 million.

Most participants lead fiduciary boards with independent directors and active committees; some lead advisory boards. Members come from 6–10 U.S. states and occasionally Canada.

Members usually stay active for two to three years—some much longer. Applications for the following year open in November.

Annual membership is $9,500 (2026 rate), invoiced in early January. The fee covers meals and receptions at our three in-person meetings, typically held at the Chicago O’Hare Hilton from noon one day to noon the next in March, June, and October. Members cover their own travel and lodging.

Experience Sharing

Members say the greatest value comes from the trust built among peers who share similar responsibilities but different perspectives. The group serves as both a sounding board and a source of practical insight, helping Chairs strengthen governance, succession, and board performance in their own enterprises.

Peer group discussions are built around member updates, shared experiences, and topical deep dives—sometimes featuring guest Chairs, CEOs, or independent directors.

Topics include:

  • Family Enterprise Identity & Ownership Evolution
  • Owner Direction & Board Alignment
  • Board Composition & Independent Director Effectiveness
  • CEO Oversight & Leadership Succession
  • NextGen Engagement & Talent Development
  • Governance Process, Risk, and Strategy Oversight

Here is a downloadable PDF showing more details of the kinds of topics and the questions that chair peer group members address. 

Facilitation

The peer group is facilitated by Rob Sligh, FBCG senior consultant and fourth-generation leader of Sligh Furniture Company. Rob served as Chairman and CEO for 17 years, guiding the company through ownership and leadership succession and building a fiduciary board with a majority of independent directors.

Rob also serves on several family business boards and has advised dozens of family enterprises since joining FBCG in 2018. His facilitation emphasizes confidentiality, candor, and practical learning among peers who share a commitment to continuous board improvement.

Application

We invite qualified family enterprise Chairs to apply for membership. Please email a confidential bio—including your photo, company overview (revenue, employees), and board composition (total and independent directors, committees)—to Sligh@TheFBCG.com. Or you’re welcome to call Rob Sligh at 616-834-3299 for a conversation about whether the group may be a good fit. 

Participation is by invitation and limited to maintain a high level of interaction and trust.