Sponsored by the Donald L. Harrison College of Business, the three-part seminar focuses on family, management and ownership and transfer issues, and the relationship among these three variables. Family harmony, business management and growth, and business ownership and wealth transfer are among the topics to be addressed. The seminar is designed to provide members and key employees of closely-held, family businesses with information and techniques to assist them in perpetuating the growth of the business and with information concerning succession planning.

“The small business community has indicated interest in programming that focuses on this topic,” said Dr. Jack Sterrett, chair of the Department of Marketing at Southeast Missouri State University.

Sterrett adds that the seminar is an outgrowth of the Harrison College of Business’ new program in the area of entrepreneurship and small business management.

“Most of our business constituents in Southeast Missouri are small, family-owned businesses and many of their family are becoming more proactive in terms of change. If you want to keep the business alive, you need to keep planning for the future. We are seeing more and more evidence of succession planning as a key role in successfully passing on the business.”

The second seminar in the series, “Accumulating Wealth in Family Businesses,” is scheduled for 8:30 to 11 a.m. April 6. The third seminar in the series, “Preserving and Transferring the Wealth of the Family Business,” will be held from 8:30 to 11 a.m. April 7. Both programs will be held in Glenn Auditorium of Robert A. Dempster Hall.

The April 6 seminar, “Accumulating Wealth in Family Businesses,” will cover a number of topics, including succession and ownership issues, managing family conflict, family employment, retention of nonfamily key employees, communication techniques and options for the future. The April 7 seminar, “Preserving and Transferring the Wealth of the Family Business,” will address retirement planning techniques and building and exit strategy, and estate planning techniques for family members and owners.

The first seminar was held Oct. 28 and focused on understanding the dynamics of family businesses.

Bryan Lundstrom and Donald Esstman, both of Rubin, Brown, Gornstein & Co. (RBG & Co.) LLP of St. Louis, will conduct the seminars. Lundstrom is a principal in charge of the management consulting services, as well as a member of the Family Business Consulting, Audit, Distribution, Manufacturing and Legal Services Departments of Rubin, Brown, Gornstein & Co. LLP. Lundstrom, a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, has experience in family business consulting, operational and financial reviews, accounting and cost systems review and design, budgeting, divestitures and acquisitions, and business tax, strategic and succession planning.

Esstman is a partner in the Tax Department, Legal Services Department and Partner in Charge of Family Business Consulting at Rubin, Brown, Gornstein & Co. LLP and a licensed certified public accountant. He holds a bachelor of science degree in accounting from the University of Tennessee and a master of professional accountancy -- tax specialization degree form the University of Texas.

RBG & Co. has a family business consulting division, which offers special services tailored to help family business owners achieve their unique personal and financial objectives as they relate to the family, individual family members, and family business. Among these services are estate planning, personal financial planning, valuations, exit strategies, wealth accumulation and management, and nonfamily issues.

The committee was created by University President Dale F. Nitzschke. to echo Southeast's 125th Anniversary theme of "Honoring Yesterday - Creating Tomorrow," and to recognize the fact that more than 200,000 Cherokee descendants live in Missouri and Arkansas.

The committee was charged with goals to enrich the campus and the community-at-large by providing opportunities for the community to experience the cultural diversity of modern Native American views, perspectives, art, literature, music and dance.

"We have had several events aimed at enhancing awareness of the importance of the Native American heritage in this region” in recent years, Nitzschke said. “Among those activities were two very successful Pow-Wows sponsored by the University and attended by hundreds of Native Americans. But those have been essentially stand-alone events.

"It is important that we put in place a structure for a long-term commitment to the Native American population," Nitzschke emphasized. "Our goal in creating the committee is to institutionalize this important piece of our on-going diversity effort.

"We are pleased that a substantial number of faculty, staff and students agreed to serve, under the leadership of Dr. Carol Morrow, on a committee to enhance our campus life by developing interaction with the region's Native American population and by recommending programming for the further education of our community about the story, customs and contributions of these peoples," Nitzschke added.

Morrow has been the coordinator of the pow-wows and serves as assistant professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.

"One of the things that can be learned from studying American Indian traditions is the need for balance and harmony in all things, as the noted Cherokee author, Awiakta pointed out in her first visit to our campus two years ago," Morrow said. "If you take something, what do you give back?"

Pre-committee efforts include the April 6 visit of Awiakta, the distinguished Cherokee/Appalachia poet, storyteller and essayist. Awiakta's writings are required readings at more than 2,000 major colleges and universities around the country, including Southeast.

Scheduled for 4 p.m. in Glenn Auditorium of Robert A. Dempster Hall, Awiakta's presentation is free and open to the public and is titled, "Selu, The Titanic and the Law of Respect." Awiakta also is scheduled for Common Hour, an informal gathering, to speak with Southeast's womens' award-winning Otakhian athletes.

The Otakians have won four straight Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) all- sports trophies in volleyball, indoor track, softball and outdoor track, according to Ron Hines, director of sports information at Southeast.

"Southeast is the first women's program in OVC history to win four straight all-sports trophies,” he said.

“This name (Otakhian) comes from 'Otakhi,' a Cherokee woman who died on The Trail of Tears, and who is buried in the Trail of Tears State Park," said Morrow. "In the traditional Cherokee society, women have a great deal of authority and responsibility. Awiakta will discuss Cherokee women and explain why they are such a wonderful role model for modern women and female athletes."

According to Morrow, a variety of programs involving American Indian dancers, singers and artists are slated for next fall. Anticipated guests include the Chickasaw Stomp Dancers from the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma and the New Dawn Dancers from Kansas.

In addition, Joseph Marshall, a Sicanga Lakota writer, who is writing a screen play for the film adaptation of Wilma Mankiller's autobiography, "Mankiller, A Chief among the People," is scheduled to perform a public reading and to visit several University classes.

Yeakey, of Austin, Texas, and a retired laboratory director from Texaco Chemical Co., made a gift of $7,500 to establish the scholarship. Texaco Chemical Co. provided a $7,500 matching gift to fully endow the scholarship.

The scholarship will be awarded to a Southeast Missouri State University chemistry student, who is a U.S. citizen with a minimum 2.75 grade point average. The scholarship office will determine the recipient. The award will be made for the first time next fall.

Yeakey grew up in Sikeston, Mo., and graduated from Southeast Missouri State University in 1956 with a bachelor of science degree, majoring in chemistry and mathematics. On campus, he was active in Sigma Tau Gamma. He received his doctoral degree in organic chemistry from the State University of Iowa in 1960.

Dr. and Mrs. William P. Thorpe have made a five-year pledge of $2,000 a year to the Foundation’s “125 Years -- Prologue to the 21st Century” campaign to establish the scholarship. The first award will be made when the principle reaches $10,000.

The scholarship is named for Southeast’s athletic trainers, McNamara and DiPrete, who, the Thorpes say have elevated the level of athletic training at Southeast Missouri State University to one of academic excellence.

“This has allowed for accreditation of the athletic programs and assurance of a long line of excellent students now and into the future,” Dr. Thorpe said.

He says athletic trainers are a vital part of the future of healthcare and athletic care in the country.

“It is my expectation that their leadership and example will be a stimulus for the continued advancement of Southeast Missouri State University athletics and academics,” he said. “I am proud to be a part of Southeast Missouri State University athletics, and I wish via this gift to help provide for the continuation of this vital program into the future even after my tenure here.”

The scholarship is for undergraduate students in their second year of the athletic training academic program. Applicants must complete a scholarship application, submit an essay describing how the scholarship will help them reach their professional goals and objectives, and participate in a personal interview. Applicants also must exemplify the character and standards of excellence in athletic training by adhering to the guidelines set forth in the NATA Code of Ethics for Athletic Trainers.

Applicants also are required to adhere to and uphold the policies and procedures set forth in the Student Athletic Standard Operating Guidelines and demonstrate professionalism and take initiative as outlined by the suggested conduct of student athletic trainers provided in the Student Athletic Trainers Standard Operating Guidelines. Student athletic trainers who apply may not have been placed on probation or suspension at any time. They must hold a 3.0 grade point average in their major and a 2.8 overall grade point average.

The carnival is slated for 4 to 7 p.m. in the University Center lobby and third floor.

The International Carnival will feature displays, food and entertainment arranged for U.S. students and the general public by Southeast’s international students.

“The international students do this to share a bit of themselves and their home cultures with the people of our area,” said George Dordoni, director of International Student and Scholar Services at Southeast.

The slate of entertainment will include guitar and vocal music from Japan and Taiwan, a demonstration of Kung Fu and Tai Chi Chuan, a selection of light classical Indian music on sitar, and a fashion show and Acirema, a skit/simulation with audience participation of what it is like to get accepted to a college in the United States and apply for a visa to come into the country.

Other educational programs and lectures are scheduled throughout the week. Each day of the week will be set aside to recognize Southeast students from a particular region of the world. April 12 will be Africa/Middle East Day. Tuesday will be Asia/Oceania Day. Wednesday will be U.S. Diversity Day. Thursday will be Day of the Americas (Canada, Latin American and the Caribbean), and Friday will be Europe and the Mediterranean Day.

All events are free and open to the public. Funding for the programs has been provided by Student Government, Southeast What’s On Weekends (WOW), the office of University President Dale Nitzschke and many other academic and Student Development and Student Life areas. Children are especially welcome, and families are encouraged to attend.