Michael L. Fassler
fassler@thefbcg.com
M: 517-896-3001
Areas of Expertise
- Succession & Continuity
- Governance
- Conflict & Communication Management
- Strategy
Working with families and their enterprises to develop enduring solutions for the toughest challenges they face is the most rewarding part of my work.
Resources
- Drama-free Owner Buyouts in Family Business
- Family Ownership Strategy: Generating Family Currency
- Investor Relations: Building Connections and Continuity for Family Enterprises
- Shared Leadership Offers Growth Opportunities for the Family and Enterprise
- From the Front Lines of Family Business: Responding to the Coronavirus Crisis
- Should We Hold, Sell or Consolidate Ownership of the Family Business? Navigating the Discussion and Decision Process
- The Family Director Guide: How to be Effective Inside and Out of the Boardroom
- Good Governance for Family and Business Success
- Forming an Effective Family Business Board: Advisory vs. Fiduciary
- Selecting Board Members: Guidelines for an Effective Nominating Process
- Family Owner Development — The Foundation for Continuity
- Understanding Profitability in the Family Business
- Managing Risk in the Family Enterprise: It’s More than Financial
- Risk Management Conversation Starter
- Accountability in the Family Business: Creating a Culture for Success
- The Importance of Investing in “Good Feelings”
Michael L. Fassler
Principal consultant Mike Fassler provides family business planning services with a focus on helping his clients grow their relationships, capabilities, and capital. Mike has been serving family businesses since 1984 across industries and internationally.
Mike helps families develop and implement plans and decisions for succession, governance, and strategy. Most of his work is focused on family businesses and family offices owned by sibling groups and cousin groups with an emphasis on helping clients balance the tensions of family and business.
Core to Mike’s work is working with families to achieve alignment on their plans for the future, and to decide how best to work together in a way which safeguards family relationships and the economic viability of the family’s enterprise.
In addition to his advisor role, Mike serves as the Chair of FBCG’s board, where he has also contributed as the board’s Vice-Chair, Chair of the Finance and Compensation Committee, and Vice-Chair of the Leadership Continuity Committee.
Prior to joining the Family Business Consulting Group, Inc., Mike served as Vice President & Managing Director for the consulting division of AgStar Financial Services and was a member of the Senior Leadership Team. Before AgStar, Mike served as president and principal of Salisbury Management Services, which was acquired by AgStar.
Mike also previously served as an independent director on the board of Mno-Bmadsen, the non-gaming investment arm of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians. He served as the Chair of the Dividend Policy Committee and as a member of the Audit Committee.
Certifications
- Certificate in Family Business Advising, The Family Firm Institute
Education
- M.S. in Agricultural Economics, Michigan State University
- B.B.A. in Finance, University of Notre Dame
Personal
Mike and his wife Annie reside in Kalamazoo, MI from where Mike travels to work with his clients.