On Friday, October 11, we will kick off our third annual celebration of Family Business Month at The Legacy Centre Speaker Series with a panel discussion.

"Built to Last: Wisdom from Century-Old Family Businesses" featuring four of Knoxville's oldest family businesses

It is no surprise family firms comprise more than 80% of all business enterprises in America. Yet research shows that only 30% of all family-owned businesses survive into the second generation, 12% will be viable into the third generation, and a mere 3% transition into the fourth generation and beyond (J. Astrachan, Family Business Review). The average lifespan of any business is only 12.5 years. Indeed, family businesses are faced with unique challenges like managing succession, bringing in outside board members, and keeping products or services relevant through the generations.
 
Despite these odds, there is a select number of family-owned businesses – some right here in our own backyard – that have achieved longevity and staying power. What makes the difference?

Celebrating over a century of family business in East Tennessee, on October 11, The Legacy Centre will visit with four of Knoxville’s oldest family-owned businesses. With a combined total of 477 years in business, Mayo Garden Centers, Rose Mortuary, House-Hasson Hardware Company, and Tindell’s Building Materials exemplify characteristics of truly exceptional and long-lasting family-owned businesses.

The panel will provide rare and interesting glimpses into the inner workings and foundations of our area’s most enduring, successful family businesses past, present, and future. Join TLC and a panel of four century-old family businesses as they share practical wisdom for building organizations that will prosper generation after generation.

Meet Our Moderator: Mary Beth West

Celebrating 10 years in business, Mary Beth West founded her public relations firm – Mary Beth West Communications, LLC – in March 2003.  Some of her clients include Alcoa Tennessee Operations, the City of Knoxville, the Girl Scout Council of Southern Appalachians, Hickory Construction, Information International Associates, LeConte Wealth Management and Red Chair Architects.  With a team of 10 professionals, Mary Beth’s firm has produced award-winning work in brand development, merger-and-acquisition communications strategy, media relations, employee communications, consumer and business-to-business marketing, and crisis preparedness systems. Mary Beth serves on several boards, including the East Tennessee Foundation, the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center and the University of Tennessee’s College of Communication & Information.  She also serves on the National Board of Ethics & Professional Standards for the Public Relations Society of America.  Mary Beth lives in Maryville with her husband Charles, president of West Chevrolet, a fourth-generation, family-owned franchise dealership.  They have three daughters, ages 11, 8 and 3.

Meet Our Panelists:

Don Hasson serves as the third generation president and chief executive officer of House-Hasson Hardware Company and works alongside his son and daughter in the business. Founded in 1906 by Mr. C.S. Hasson and Mr. Sam House, House-Hasson Hardware is in its second century of serving customers. Today, House-Hasson is America’s largest independent regional hardware distributor. Through the years House-Hasson Hardware has grown through sales expansion and acquisition of other companies. Known as the independent dealer’s best friend, the company now serves dealers in Tennessee, 17 states, the Caribbean and beyond. House-Hasson has two major distribution centers: Knoxville, Tennessee, and Prichard, West Virginia.

Claxton Mayo, Jr, is the fourth generation to run Mayo Garden Centers, Inc., the oldest family business in Knoxville. In 1878, Mayo's Seeds was established by his great grandfather on Gay Street across from where the Tennessee Theatre now stands. As a high school student, Claxton helped his dad make deliveries. When he graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1964, he returned to the family business full-time. Over the years, the business has transitioned from primarily selling seeds to lawn and garden retail. The Mayos are committed to bringing their customers the best service by helping them achieve their goals and provide specialized knowledge. Now 135 years later and in its sixth generation, the Mayo family serves its loyal customer base at three locations.

Brian Starkey is a second generation funeral director that grew up in the funeral business in Knoxville. He graduated from Webb High School in 1991 and the University of Tennessee with an English degree in 1995. He moved to Los Angeles, where he lived as a screen writer for 13 years before moving back home to join his father Robert Starkey and brother Adam Starkey in the family business. He is a deacon at First Baptist Concord and a member of the Stewardship Team. He is married to Sarah Bohm Starkey and has twin 8 year old girls, Sophie and Maddie, that attend Northshore Elementary School. He is a funeral director, embalmer, and part of the operations team at Rose Mortuary, Inc. As the third oldest family business in Knoxville, Rose Mortuary has roots that go back to 1884. Their mantra is family first, and it shows.

Carl Tindell is the grandson to Fate Tindell, founder of Tindell's Building Materials. Carl serves as Chairman of Tindell's Inc. Now in its fourth generation, Tindell’s began in 1907 as a sawmill business. When Francis Tindell, Carl's dad, inherited the sawmill business post-depression, he had to rebuild it from the ground up - taking it from from a lumber business to a building material house. The company now owns and operates building materials sales and warehousing facilities in Knoxville, LaFollette, Sevierville, Maryville, Cleveland, and Morristown, Tennessee. These facilities include a roof and floor truss manufacturing plant, a millwork division, an installed sales division and a commodity center. Tindell's vision is to always set a new standard of excellence for their customers, employees, and suppliers as the service and quality leader in the building materials industry by doing the right thing right the first time. They work hard to provide consistently high quality products and service to their customers through innovation, efficiency, and integrity.

Coffee, light breakfast, and TLC served.