Episode 85: How Hiring a Non-Family CEO may Ensure Success for Your Family Business

Episode 85: How Hiring a Non-Family CEO may Ensure Success for Your Family Business TNCFB Our guest today is Richard Perko, President and CEO of the Lee Company in Franklin, Tennessee. Richard joined Lee Company as a project engineer right out of college in 1996. Twenty years later, he was named CEO of the company, adding that title and responsibilities to his role as president – a position he has held since 2009. As President and CEO, Richard is responsible for all company sales, operations, and strategic planning. His current focus is on guiding Lee Company’s ongoing, successful evolution from a traditional mechanical contractor and residential HVAC provider to a comprehensive Facilities Solutions, Home Services, and Construction Services provider. Richard’s journey to the top leadership position speaks to Lee Company’s mission to create a workplace where employees can thrive. In this episode of Family Business Today , you will learn: What are some of the key benefits of hiring non-family leaders in a family business? What are the advantages and/or disadvantages of hiring from outside the company vs promoting from within? What questions should family business leadership ask themselves before searching for their first non-family executive? What questions should a non-family executive ask the family business leadership during the interview process? How can non-family executives in a family business nurture and mentor the next generation of family leaders? And more…. To learn more about Richard Perko and the lee company visit their website at . At the Tennessee Center for Family Business our passion is to help business owners create a positive environment in which their family THRIVES , their business performs and working together they create a lasting family legacy. To learn more about the Tennessee Center for Family Business visit . If you are considering a transition in your family business contact us today for a FREE Transition Assessment (follow link) and receive a one-on-one review of your business transition preparedness with a family business consultant. Until next time, There’s No Business Like a Family Business…. We Know!

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Episode 85: How Hiring a Non-Family CEO may Ensure Success for Your Family Business is an episode from Family Business Today by Greg Lewis.

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This episode was published on Apr 22, 2025.

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