Running a family business in the United States has its challenges, but things get very interesting when you also have family holdings and business entities outside of our borders. There are many things to think about, from understanding the culture and customs to making sure that you have good financial and legal advisors who understand the laws and regulations where you are operating.
Our guests today both know this topic well and will be able to share valuable insights that can help you avoid costly mistakes if you decide that it’s time to take your family business global.
OUR GUESTS: Eric Papp and Richard Bennett
Erick Papp is a Senior Executive with broad international management and operational skills. He has over twenty years experience running family owned businesses with full P&L and general management responsibilities. He has led acquisitions, turnarounds, mergers, joint ventures and start-ups in a broad bandwidth of industries. He has been directly involved in all the stages of growth and development of family owned businesses. He has a proven track record of driving profitability through productivity, revenue increases and cost control. As CEO of several organizations he has developed proactive working relationships with owners, board members, lenders, customers, vendors, and other personnel critical to overcoming the challenges particular to family owned businesses operating in the global market.
Born in Honduras, Erick lived half of his growing years in the Philippines and the United States. He graduated from high school in Germantown, Tennessee. In 1981, after graduating from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Civil Engineering he moved to Ecuador. He began his professional career as a civil engineer in the petroleum industry. Later he became an executive holding various management positions in multiple industries. Erick’s approach to diversity in the workplace and the global market has been positively influenced by his exposure to diverse cultures and environments. He is fluent in English and Spanish.
Last year, in what has been his most daunting endeavor yet, he moved with his wife Sandra and their three sons to the United States. He currently calls Alpharetta, Georgia home.
Erick Papp, Telephone: 678-446-2055 Email: egpapps@gmail.com
Richard H. Bennett is a shareholder with the law firm of Kitchens Kelley Gaynes, P.C., in Atlanta, Georgia. He joined the firm in 1998, and he practices primarily in the areas of corporate law, business transactions, and estate planning.
Mr. Bennett has lectured on the topics of business start-ups, business strategies, restrictive covenants, LLC operating agreements, Wills, and family limited partnerships. He is a member of State Bar of Georgia (Technology Section), the American Bar Association (Business Law Section; Real Property, Probate and Trust Section), and the Atlanta Bar Association.
Mr. Bennett earned his J.D. degree, cum laude, from the University of Georgia, his M.B.A. degree from the University of Georgia, and his B.A. degree from Emory University.
Richard H. Bennett, Attorney at Law, Kitchens Kelley Gaynes, P.C. – Telephone: 404-364-6630 Email: rbennett@kkgpc.com
