Clients & Testimonials

My father started the family business in the 1930s as a liquor wholesale company, which we sold in the late 1980s and created a real estate development and construction business. Over the years, friction developed between those shareholders who were active in the business and those who were not. The leaders of Baker-Meekins helped us reach an amicable, fair solution for a difficult family situation. From the initial meeting, they grasped our concerns and helped us deal with issues related to the separation of interests for a third-generation, family business. Most of the negotiations took place in their offices; they even helped the parties find lawyers. At every turn, Baker-Meekins instilled confidence and family members came away still liking each other. Baker-Meekins performed a great service for my family.

We became involved with the principals of Baker-Meekins when we needed a valuation of our business to obtain a loan. They quickly became a much bigger resource for us. With seven children in a family-owned business, we have had our share of disagreements, mostly among the siblings. We established formal annual family meetings and Baker-Meekins facilitated some of those meetings. When we needed to dismiss a family member from the business, we sought their counsel. When we decided to sell a business in Wisconsin, they helped us with the divestiture of a subsidiary. We are now reviewing our current status and looking at the possibility of becoming an S corporation. Any issues of major consequence for our company, I run by Baker-Meekins. The firm is visionary and helps us look ahead and think about what is best for the future.

It is evident that the leadership of Baker-Meekins is well qualified and they truly understand the dynamics of family businesses. As president of a third-generation family-owned business, one of my challenges is deciding the future strategy of the business. Do we make this a fourth-generation business or do we sell it? When it comes to decisions involving both the business and the family, you need to make the optimum choice that makes the best sense for everyone involved. Baker-Meekins can help you step back and look at the bigger picture. The firm can guide family members through all the aspects of running a family business, from establishing a board and selecting board members to developing a strategic plan.

When it came time to sell our business, we were unsure how to proceed. York Press was a labor of love and we wanted the legacy to continue even if it was not within our own family. What a pleasure it was to have someone simplify the process for us. We immediately felt comfortable with the principals of Baker-Meekins, who were very candid and realistic about the market for the business and the potential worth of the company. Over two meetings, they outlined their approach to finding a buyer. They developed a plan, worked the plan and delivered on the product more quickly than anyone would have predicted.