On behalf of the entire Blackwood team, we want to thank all our clients and colleagues for a successful 2024. It was a year filled with learning and growing. As we reflect on the past 12 months, above all we cherish the relationships we continue to build in the Family Enterprise community.
The team at Blackwood shares one passion – generational impact for enterprising families and their communities. Strategic Harmony for enterprising families is and always will be our mission. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with our clients, delivering family enterprise solutions that are as unique as each family.
Wishing everyone a safe and memorable holiday season, and we look forward to working with you in 2025.
Warmest regards, Patrick O’Connor, David Blom, and Moira Somers
Blackwood Publications
Are you ready to shape the next chapter of your family’s story?
Blackwood COO David Blom's whitepaper explores the critical elements of family, ownership, and business governance. He uncovers common pitfalls and offers actionable strategies to ensure the transition honours the family's financial and non-financial goals.
Misalignment in any of these areas can lead to long-term divisions, while a thoughtful, collaborative approach can unify the family and create a legacy of shared success.
Recently, Blackwood Family Enterprise Services was listed as a multi-family office by Canadian Family Offices. While we are not a family office, we certainly enjoyed the conversation the article sparked and we were not the only ones.
So what is a family office? At Blackwood, we focus more on identifying each family office’s needs rather than defining them. Read more about the approach we use and how Blackwood can help you.
A few years ago, Blackwood Advisor Lisa Cefali was asked to commit to a 12-week training program ending with an official boxing match. Lisa had never boxed before. She was asked to trust the process and believe the trainers could have her match ready in only 12 weeks.
When considering family advisory, you must believe in and trust the process, fully participating in each step to achieve the best outcome. It may be hard and uncomfortable, but with the right team coaching, your family will become stronger and more prepared to face new challenges.
Read more about Lisa’s journey and the parallels to our family advisory process.
Blackwood Industry Presence
Blackwood Advisor and Chief Learning Officer Dr. Moira Somers was a guest presenter twice this year for the Alberta Business Family Institute (ABFI) Leadership Series
On May 21, 2024, she presented on the topic of Psychological Safety in the Family Enterprise: Why It Matters, and How to Create or Restore It.
On September 17, 2024, together with Blackwood faculty member Gerry Meyer, Moira delivered a webinar Dealing with Temporary or Permanent Mental Incapacity in the Family Enterprise
Blackwood had a strong presence at the 2024 FEC Symposium in Calgary. Alberta. Read more about our contributions to this key industry event.
Several Blackwood Advisors attended the ABFI 2024 Signature Events, held in Edmonton & Calgary, where Blackwood was a sponsor.
Read Canadian Family Offices article Patrick O’Connor steps into national spotlight with network of FO advisors.
Read Canadian Family Offices article Outlook 2025: For family offices, ‘there’s no question that challenges lie ahead featuring a discussion with Blackwood CEO Patrick O’Connor.
Tune in to Farm Family Harmony's podcast here featuring Dr. Moira Somers
Listen to Dr. Moira Somers on Dimensional Fund Advisors interview Strategic Psychology: Elevating Advisory Excellence through Prioritization and Proactivity
Blackwood Events
BFES Academy- Winnipeg, January 31 to February 2
Our advisors and faculty braved the cold as we met in Winnipeg for training, development, and idea sharing, part of our commitment to be a deliberately developmental organization.
BFES AGM- Calgary, May 26, 2024
Shareholders and Advisors gathered to appoint directors, review our performance and discuss our future direction.
BFES Workshop – Calgary, May 26 and 27, 2024
BFES invited industry leaders, along with advisors, faculty, and staff to participate in a collaborative learning event exploring topics such as Serving Neurodiverse clients, Applying Family Systems Theory, Defining Roles to Create Strong Family and Business Structures, and Too Hot to Handle- Knowing When It’s Time to Refer.
Tom Deans Event – Edmonton, October 2, 2024
In October Blackwood had the pleasure of hosting Thomas Deans, Ph.D. in Edmonton at the historic Pendennis building in Edmonton. Dr. Deans discussed his latest book, The Happy Inheritor before being joined by Blackwood's Dr. Moira Somers and Patrick O'Connor for a panel discussion.
Thank you to all who attended and contributed to the community and conversations that made this event successful.
The Blackwood Team
Blackwood welcomed Dr. Moira Somers as founder and advisor in the first half of 2024. Dr. Somers serves as BFES’s Chief Learning Officer. Throughout the rest of the year, we added three new advisors Lisa Cefali, Steve Legler, and Ryan Clarke.
Blackwood announced three new faculty members in June: Dr. Sharilyn Hale, Gerry Meyer, and Tim Gillespie. Read about the full Blackwood Faculty team here.
Clockwise from top left: Steve Legler, Lisa Cefali, Ryan Clarke, Dr. Sharilyn Hale, Gerry Meyer, Tim Gillespie
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