Planning for the future of your business starts long before you're ready to step away.

Join a panel of experienced professionals for an informative discussion on business succession and exit planning designed specifically for manufacturing and industrial business owners. Whether you're considering retirement, evaluating growth opportunities, or simply planning ahead, this session will provide practical guidance to help you prepare for a successful transition.

Topics will include:

• Understanding your transition options, including selling your business, internal succession, management buyouts, and family business transitions.

• Preparing your business for a successful transition through financial, operational, leadership, and organizational readiness.

• Maximizing business value by understanding key valuation drivers, avoiding common value-reducing factors, and preparing for buyer due diligence.

• Navigating legal and financial considerations, including transaction structures, financing options, tax planning, and risk mitigation strategies.

• An interactive Q&A where attendees can ask questions and gain insights from professionals who work directly with business owners navigating succession and exit planning.

The discussion will be moderated by Stephanie Keener, Director of the Small Business Development Center – Lynchburg Region, and will feature a panel of industry and financial experts:

• Scott Schein, Executive Director and former owner of an industrial business in the aerospace sector
• ​Chet Schultz, Vice President, SBA Relationship Manager, Carter Bank
• ​Bill Gust, Sr. Tax Partner, Gentry Locke
• ​Abe Loper, President, Loper Financial 

This program is ideal for manufacturing business owners, industrial company executives, family business leaders, business owners planning retirement within the next five to ten years, and companies evaluating growth, succession, or exit strategies.

Whether your transition is years away or already on the horizon, you'll leave with practical insights to help you prepare strategically and maximize future opportunities.

Guest Speaker
Bill Gust, Sr. Tax Partner, Gentry Locke
Bill Gust is a Senior Tax Partner with Gentry Locke located in the Roanoke, Virginia office. For more than 40 years, Bill has worked with business owners relative to tax, business transitions, employee benefits, corporate, and sophisticated estate planning matters. In addition to advising corporate boards relative to governance and fiduciary matters, Bill has assisted in the successful transition of many privately held businesses, through sales, mergers and implementation of numerous ESOPs. A member of the American College of Trust and Estates Counsel, National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) and the ESOP Association, Bill is a frequent lecturer on estate, business and tax planning as well as IRS and DOL compliance matters. As a part of his corporate practice, Bill regularly advises clients on mergers & acquisitions issues, qualified and nonqualified retirement and executive deferred compensation plans as well as the proper structure for corporate aircraft operations. He is consistently noted as a Virginia Super Lawyer in Tax Law, based on his high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement, and is consistently noted by Best Lawyers in America list for Tax and Employee Benefits(ERISA) Law. is a Senior Tax Partner with Gentry Locke located in the Roanoke, Virginia office. For more than 40 years, Bill has worked with business owners relative to tax, business transitions, employee benefits, corporate, and sophisticated estate planning matters. In addition to advising corporate boards relative to governance and fiduciary matters, Bill has assisted in the successful transition of many privately held businesses, through sales, mergers and implementation of numerous ESOPs. A member of the American College of Trust and Estates Counsel, National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) and the ESOP Association, Bill is a frequent lecturer on estate, business and tax planning as well as IRS and DOL compliance matters. As a part of his corporate practice, Bill regularly advises clients on mergers & acquisitions issues, qualified and nonqualified retirement and executive deferred compensation plans as well as the proper structure for corporate aircraft operations. He is consistently noted as a Virginia Super Lawyer in Tax Law, based on his high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement, and is consistently noted by Best Lawyers in America list for Tax and Employee Benefits(ERISA) Law.

 

Space is limited. Register today to reserve your seat.