News Releases

"Governance For Families In Business" Conference June 14-17;
To Feature Tom Chappell of Tom's Of Maine

June 5 , 2006

A three-day seminar designed to guide family-owned businesses through the challenges of creating high-performing governing boards will be held in Maine Wednesday through Saturday, June 14-17. The seminar is sponsored by the University of Southern Maine's Institute for Family-Owned Business.

Keynoters for the conference--believed to be one of only two such seminars that focus on governance for family-owned businesses--include top business professionals from L.L. Bean, Benjamin Moore Paints, Tom's of Maine, and The New York Times Company.

Tom Chappell, a keynoter who co-founded Tom's of Maine, says, "We don't have a vision statement, we have our destiny statement--to become that trusted partner in natural care among consumers with whom we share common values."

Chappell says it's important to establish a business upon a set of values.

Tom's of Maine is known for supporting family-friendly policies for employees, including flexible schedules, paid leave for births or adoptions, donation of 10 percent of pre-tax profit to charitable organizations, and providing one paid day off per month for employees to do volunteer work in the community.

A testimony to Tom's deeply held values, noted Thomas Juenemann, director of the Institute for Family-Owned Business, is that this company sold recently to a well-respected, national brand-marketer, Colgate Palmolive, a firm embracing Tom's of Maine's values.

Chappell has been spending increasing amounts of time spreading the word of 'values driven leadership' through his Saltwater Institute program, plus his second book, "Managing Upside Down." Chappell says he has benefited enormously by the dialogue with the intelligent and experienced people who serve on the Tom's of Maine board.

IFOB faculty chair Jack Moore, a fourth generation family member and former director of Benjamin Moore & Co., says the June conference will focus on, "sharing our experience on how boards help family businesses make a significant difference in the family's legacy, wealth accumulation, and teamwork, as well as their greater profitability and competitiveness." Other keynoters include Chris McCormick, president and CEO of L.L. Bean, and Susan Dryfoos, trustee of The New York Times Company.

The seminar will be held at the Black Point Inn in Scarborough, Maine. Fees include room and meals, with a significant discount for the second registrant from the same family business.

Full details of the conference are available at www.usm.maine.edu/ifob.

For additional information/details, contact Thomas Juenemann at the University of Southern Maine at 207-780-5935 or by e-mail at tomj@usm.maine.edu.

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