Family Enterprise Center, University of Arkansas Fort Smith

The Family Enterprise Center (FEC) at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith was developed to serve a need expressed by members of the area business community. While there is no formal definition of “family business,” in a broad sense, a family business exists when two or more family members exercise substantial control or ownership in a business and there is a true desire and recognition by the members of the need to think and plan beyond the current generation.

The Family Enterprise Center offers family businesses a learning community to meet the unique needs of the family in business. One of the overriding goals of the Family Enterprise Center is to provide a forum to learn across family generations, to learn with your non-family professional managers, and to learn with your family members who are not actively involved in the business. Center membership will provide access to practical, valuable educational programs and support which nurtures individual, family, and business performance.

Simply stated, our vision is:

The Family Enterprise Center at UAFS serves as a regional catalyst for the bedrock of our community, the family in business. Serving as a bridge between the University and the business community, we will provide a safe harbor to leverage our knowledge base through educational programs and other activities such that the family business will remain healthy and grow to their full potential.