SILVERTON, Ore. - Cultivating a family business that creates a legacy as well as providing a solid future will be the focus of Oregon State University's Austin Family Business Conference 2002. The conference will be held on May 1 at The Oregon Garden.

Pat Frishkoff, founding director of the university's Austin Family Business Program, will present the program, "Strong Roots-Rich Growth-New Branches." The conference runs from noon to 6 p.m. and costs $75 per person or $50 per person for U.S. Bank business customers.

Materials, lunch, and refreshments are included. Participants should wear casual clothes and walking shoes. For information, contact the Austin Family Business Program at 800-859-7609 or visit the program website.

The Oregon Garden, located at 879 W. Main Street in Silverton, is a symbolic location for this year's conference, Frishkoff said. Like nature, family businesses have cycles that include strong roots, rich growth and new branches. Cultivating a family business that creates a legacy for the founder and provides for future stakeholders requires the right amount of nurturing in order for it to flourish and increase yields, she added.

With gardening as a theme, the day will explore the familiar, often perplexing, family business issues of succession, management, and sustainability.

Source: 

Kay Cooke, 541-737-6014

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