Tom Garrity, Founder
Tom Garrity is founder and managing partner of Compass Point Family Business Consulting, Bethlehem, PA, where they advise family-owned companies on family enterprise continuity, business performance and business value creation, family governance and dynamics, leadership training, and executive coaching. He brings more than 40 years working in and with family businesses, including experience as president of two family-owned manufacturing companies with domestic and international operations.
Breakout Session Presenter
Family, Business, & Ownership: How to Work With Family Without Killing Each Other
Family businesses can be the strongest, most resilient companies in America — but only if the family part doesn't sink the business part. In this fast-paced 45-minute session, Compass Point founder Tom Garrity draws on 40+ years of experience leading and advising family enterprises to tackle the conversations most families avoid: Who's really in charge? Does fair have to mean equal? And how do you argue about sales without it turning into a fight about who got the bigger bedroom? Participants will learn how to:
- Untangle the three overlapping worlds of Family, Business, and Ownership — and why the same person wearing all three hats creates friction
- Replace ambiguity with clear roles, expectations, and accountability
- Navigate the "fair vs. equal" trap in pay, ownership, and decision-making
- Put basic family governance in place before emotions and ego take over
- Separate the dinner table from the conference table — and know which one you're sitting at
Whether you're the founder, the next generation, or somewhere in between, you'll leave with practical tools to build a business that thrives — and a family that still wants to show up for Thanksgiving.
