Affinity Peer Groups
Small, highly confidential discussion groups that meet regularly, allowing members to share experiences and learn from each other.
Navigating Family Business: Explore Challenges and Opportunities
with Expert Guidance in a Peer Group
Accountability. Collaboration. Support. Feedback. Understanding.
Members explore opportunities and challenges they are facing personally or within their family business. Discussions address how to make family leadership a competitive advantage. Trained facilitators guide the group.
Mutual support & open interaction
Based on trust and confidentiality.
In our Affinity Peer Groups, each member of the group learns how to advance leadership skills, share best practices and work effectively with family employees, non-family employees and non-employee family members.
Prairie Family Business Association members consistently rank affinity peer groups among the highest value of membership.
Facilitator Bios
*Denotes completion of APG Certified Facilitator training
Justin Aman*
In family business succession and transition planning, navigating family dynamics often becomes one of the most difficult and uncomfortable undertakings a family will face. Instead of having open and transparent conversations, at times families will choose to sweep issues under the rug in the interest of preserving a superficial, perceived harmony.
Operating in this space is where my natural skillset and training has helped me flourish. In my role as a family business behavior and culture consultant at WillKate, it is crucial to facilitate open and transparent conversations for the purpose of fostering healthy and appropriate family dynamics. Part of this process is helping individual family members engage in personal growth. This allows family members to better understand not only their own and others’ behaviors, but also how to improve communication, leading to a healthier and smoother transition.
*Affinity Peer Group Certified Facilitator
Jerrad Aman
Jerrad comes to the team after leading pharmacies as a pharmacist in both corporate and independent, family-owned pharmacies for 19 years. He holds a Bachelor's of Pharmaceutical Sciences (South Dakota State, 2003), Doctor of Pharmacy (South Dakota State, 2005), MBA in Organizational Development (University of Sioux Falls, 2023), holds a CEPA designation(Certified Exit Planning Advisor, 2024), and a 2025 CIMA designation (Certified Investment Management Analyst).
Jerrad has built teams in both corporate and family-owned pharmacies and holds the belief that your teams are the heartbeat of your organization. Jerrad was responsible for not only the culture to thrive, but also the profits to support the growth of the organization. He currently supports the team in aiding the development of next-generation stakeholders in family businesses, coaching executive leaders and members of generational wealth to help ensure they are prepared to carry on the legacy built before them.
Jerrad is married to Kathy, and they have two adult sons and five daughters. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family and attending the multitude of events available with a larger family. He is an avid reader, continuous learner, and relationship builder.
Malcom Chapman
Malcom “Chap” Chapman is a former U.S. Marine Corps officer and a three-term City Councilman for Rapid City. He founded the Chapman Group, an organizational communications consulting firm that offers various services, including retreat facilitation, strategic planning, coaching, seminars, and keynote speeches for organizations and businesses.
Chap holds a master’s degree in public administration and received the 2008 Excellence in Municipal Government Award from the South Dakota Municipal League. His dedication to leadership was further recognized when he was selected as a Bush Fellow from 2015 to 2017 for his work with service organizations. During his fellowship, Malcom developed a personal mission statement that reflects his core values.
His mission is to bring people together for respectful, honest, and authentic conversations across their differences.
An advocate for community service, Chap has served several local, statewide, and national boards. He and his family proudly call Rapid City, South Dakota, their home.
Ginny Curley*
Ginny Curley founded Power Your Partnerships to help family-owned businesses become successful multi-generational endeavors. Like a canary in a coal mine, the breakdown of communication often precedes a failing business. Ginny knows that strong relationships fuel strong businesses.
When family relationships strain or when the business struggles because of conflict, Ginny helps individuals and teams navigate the tension to find positive outcomes. Ginny uses a variety of tools and techniques in formal and informal coaching and group facilitation that build on the strengths that are present.
Ginny taps into 30 years of experience in leadership and organizational development as she helps family businesses thrive through strong communication. Ginny’s academic background in counseling and higher education administration has been applied to challenges in organizations that range from small start-ups and nonprofits to large corporations.
*Affinity Peer Group Certified Facilitator
Kyle Danner
Kyle grew up in a family business and was instrumental in its growth before deciding to make a shift and focus on coaching family business owners in navigating the unique challenges that come with mixing family and business. He has a passion for helping families and businesses succeed and prepare to transition their companies.
Kyle is a Professional EOS Implementer®, enabling him to guide families in building a structure and process to clarify, simplify, and achieve their vision for the business. His expertise brings a level head and caring heart to the peer group conversation while guiding family leaders to the right decisions for them.
Rana DeBoer*
Rana is the Chief Vision Officer and partner in VOLT Strategy, a revolutionary company that works at the intersection of behavior science and business strategy to move people and business forward, together.
Using a holistic approach, she helps leaders develop a vibrant culture where people know and use their unique strengths and talents to advance business goals. Through proven practices and a guided process, she develops leaders and teams while helping them activate the essential building blocks for healthy, sustainable growth and thriving performance.
Rana holds over 25 years’ experience in strategic planning, culture engineering, and individual, team, and organizational performance. Her dynamic facilitation and gift for strategic vision is grounded in human-centric design that has helped hundreds of leaders in building effective systems in Culture, Leadership, Human Resources, Safety, Well-Being, Social Impact, and Communications. As a community leader, Rana is a champion for change on civic issues that impact quality of life. She is well known as an inspiring writer, speaker, and coach focused on an encouraging “can-do, time is now, take action” message.
*Affinity Peer Group Certified Facilitator
Karen DeLange*
Karen DeLange is a 20+ year veteran in human resources management, has worked with a variety of businesses, and has previously managed her own business. Karen has a broad understanding of strategic management and organizational needs, and her knowledge and expertise enable her to provide a high level of expertise and assistance to our clients.
Karen has experience managing employee relations, performance management, leadership and career coaching, talent management, change management, policy development, workforce planning & team building. She offers a strong focus on complex employee relations, root cause / trend analysis and solutions, and consulting and coaching to management and leaders at all levels. Karen conducts high profile investigations and provides accurate and timely response to concerns as well as expedient solutions to problems.
Karen is a member of the Alternative HR leadership team and is a member – and past board member – of the Sioux Empire Society for Human Resource Management (SESHRM). Karen was named the 2023 Distinguished HR Professional of the Year by the Sioux Empire Society for Human Resource Management.
*Affinity Peer Group Certified Facilitator
De Vee E. Dykstra*
De Vee is a Professor Emeritus of Business Law and Ethics at the Beacom School of Business, University of South Dakota with over 43 years of teaching, research, and leadership experience, including serving as Associate Dean. She has a deep interest and breadth of experience in boards of directors, next generation experiences, business startups, and growth strategies. Her passion for family business revolves around her family’s businesses and her past service on the Prairie Family Business Association Advisory Board, serving as its treasurer. Her family’s farm is in its third generation, and she works with her husband and son in the automotive repair industry.
De Vee has her MBA and Juris Doctorate from the University of South Dakota and is a member of the S.D. Bar Association and the First Bank & Trust Board of Directors and a member of its Audit Committee. She is also a member of the Clay County Fair Board. De Vee has been a recipient of the Belbas-Larson Award for Excellence in Teaching. She started the University of South Dakota Technology Transfer Office and the Beacom School of Business Career Services Director. She also spent seventeen years as director of the State Data Center (SDC) undertaking socio-economic and demographic research for businesses and government. She has been a member of Secretary of the U.S. Census Bureau’s State Data Center Steering Board, president of the South Dakota Career Planning and Placement Association, South Dakota 4-H Foundation, Vermillion Rotary Club, and P.E.O. Vermillion Chapter.
*Affinity Peer Group Certified Facilitator
Trish Dougherty*
Trish has more than 30 years of successful leadership experience. Trish is a seasoned change catalyst who welcomes the need for positive change, is willing to champion the cause, and motivates people to see the benefits of the outcome.
Trish is a former Commissioned Officer in the United States Army Nurse Corps and her areas of expertise include Executive Coaching and Leadership Development, Complex Conflict Resolution, Strategy and Solutions Organizational Development, and HR Department Support.
*Affinity Peer Group Certified Facilitator
Melissa Hiatt*
As a student of people, systems, and relationships, Melissa Hiatt brings practical expertise and professional skill set to developing the emotional health of individuals, teams, and organizations. Melissa’s daily work involves coaching leaders to develop tangible skills to live and lead with courage. Melissa fulfills her professional calling and goals as the President of Levav Leadership Consulting, Director of Women’s Leadership Programming at EmBe, and Faculty Mentor at Kairos Seminary.
Levav is Hebrew for heart. In ancient times, the heart represented more than just the physical organ; it represented the inner life where emotions, reason, and will reside. Levav also means the seat of courage. Levav Leadership Consulting facilitates courageous cultures by paying attention to the inner life of leaders.
*Affinity Peer Group Certified Facilitator
Tom Iverson*
Tom Iverson is a partner at Sagency with over 35 years of experience working in strategic planning, executive and performance coaching, succession planning, employee engagement, and organizational and team development. He is a certified Hudson Institute Coach as well as a member of John Maxwell’s team of coaches, trainers, and speakers.
Tom is passionate about seeing individuals and organizations do better, reach higher, and go further than they think possible. His clients can rely on him to develop plans for success that can be replicated, improved, taught, tracked, and measured to provide a productive and more profitable path forward. Through his executive and performance coaching, Tom’s clients grow and develop as individuals to perform at a higher level in their jobs and to be able to contribute more to the community.
Tom believes strategic focus and alignment are critical to an organization’s success and viability, and he uses his expertise to ensure his clients have the clarity, unity, and strategy they need to thrive, prosper, and engage in work that really matters.
*Affinity Peer Group Certified Facilitator
Kyle Kangas*
Kyle knows the challenge of transitioning a family business to the next generation first-hand. Through that experience, he discovered EOS® and has built his career around leading business leaders through the EOS process® and achieving a healthier and higher valued company.
Kyle is an excellent coach and has a passion for helping people discover how systems and tools can address their challenges. His experience in a family owned business himself gives him a greater understanding of the challenges faced specifically by family owned businesses and how they might best be addressed.
*Affinity Peer Group Certified Facilitator
David Krull
As a fifth-generation member of a family business, I take a faith-infused approach to family business coaching, especially group facilitation. First, I focus on creating a safe and structured environment where participants, each representing their own family business, can engage openly and learn from one another. I help set clear expectations, establish ground rules for respect and confidentiality, and design a process that balances structure with flexibility.
Second, I use a coaching approach to guide conversation rather than direct it. I ask reflective questions that help participants surface their insights, challenge assumptions, and connect lessons from others’ experiences to their own business and family context.
Third, I pay close attention to group dynamics and relationships. Because these are family enterprises, emotional undercurrents and values play a significant role. I work to ensure all voices are heard, manage differing perspectives constructively, and keep the discussion focused on learning, collaboration, and practical application.
Overall, my goal is to create a trusted space where participants can share candidly, gain new perspectives, and leave each session with both personal insight and actionable ideas they can take back to their families and businesses.
In short, I see facilitation as the art of holding both structure and empathy, guiding a diverse group toward clarity, connection, and meaningful outcomes
Agatha Johnson*
Founder and owner of WillKate, lives at the intersection of family and business. Using her more than 30 years of experience, she has created a unique and intentional process, tailored to each client’s needs. As a CFP. CPWA, her technical skills blend in with her Executive Coaching and Bowen Institute of Family Systems training. The process empowers individuals, families and their business to build on and sustain their relationships, structure and governance while striking a balance between the individual, family systems and cultures and the needs and the intricacies of business systems.
Having been a General Partner with her sister, eight total siblings, in a third-generation family business, she knows first-hand what it takes to create and sustain a thriving family and family enterprise. Understanding how to navigate challenging family dynamics while balancing competing needs of each individual, family as a whole, business and wealth is complex and where we make a difference. Aggie and the WillKate team take a unique, heart-centered, holistic/multi-disciplined approach, comprised of multi-generational family transition process, wealth planning and management and family enterprise office to help our clients build a lasting family enterprise.
*Affinity Peer Group Certified Facilitator
Dr. Donna Marino*
Dr. Donna Marino is a Family Business Executive Coach with over two decades of experience as a psychologist, specializing in helping family businesses overcome challenges such as conflict resolution, leadership development, succession planning, and organizational scaling. Dr. Marino works with family businesses through 1:1 coaching with owners and leaders, facilitating family meetings and leadership team meetings, and conducting team and leadership assessments. In addition to her coaching practice, Dr. Marino serves as a part-time faculty member at Loyola University’s Family Business Center, where she facilitates Peer Advisory Groups. She is also an author and speaker, on topics such as empowering women in leadership, managing workplace conflicts, and preparing for the emotional aspects of business succession.
*Affinity Peer Group Certified Facilitator
Dr. Jen K. Miller*
Dr. Jen K. Miller is the Principal & Founder of Mosaic Solutions, LLC and former Chief Engagement Officer and Executive Coach with VOLT Strategy. Her core passion is unification, developed over years of applied practice and study. She believes breakthroughs emerge through deep connection, analytical problem-solving, and heart. Dr. Miller’s ongoing aim is to be a positive force of influence that emboldens leaders to unlock their full potential. As a result, she equips leaders to transform strategy into action and guide their organizations toward lasting success.
Dr. Miller’s career journey is rooted in a genuine care for people at their unique core. Beginning with critical service skills as a licensed Mortician and now as a Doctor of Strategic Leadership, her path reflects a desire to create environments where people truly feel safe. In the business landscape, she enables safety at the intersection of embodied skill, vocational path, and personal passion within the modern workplace. Jen is a proven leader, having held pivotal roles in both startups and corporations, fostering healthy, thriving cultures across the U.S.
As an Affinity Peer Group Certified Facilitator, Dr. Miller is passionate about cultivating spaces where family business leaders across generations can connect authentically, learn from one another, and strengthen both their families and businesses. Her facilitation and coaching style emphasizes deep listening, thoughtful questioning, and practical application, helping leaders move from insight to action in ways that strengthen both family and business legacies.
*Affinity Peer Group Certified Facilitator
Shasta Moreno*
I was raised in the Black Hills by and with six other entrepreneurs. Each one started and owned their own business, so when I graduated, the only lifestyle I had known by then had those businesses calling the shots. That lifestyle is why it took me a long time to start my own business!
After spending years in operations, leadership, and learning & development, I still earned my business education at the school of hard knocks, much like my family had. The companies I worked with had the same frustrations I watched my family deal with for years. It was in searching for a better way that I discovered my passion for coaching teams through business strategy planning and execution.
While I truly enjoyed celebrating with my teams each time we accomplished our top goal, my true calling was to help business owners back home just like my family. When I was introduced to EOS®, it was a perfect match. I jumped in with both feet, started my business, and not one day in my session room has felt like work since!
I am passionate about sharing EOS® with other owners and leaders so they can run a better business and live a better life.
I’m blessed with these opportunities to bring my unique background, passion for helping leaders grow, and genuine love of coaching, whether in client sessions, in ministry, on the baseball diamond, or at my husband’s side with our amazing kids and grandkids.
*Affinity Peer Group Certified Facilitator
Craig Morris*
Craig Morris is a professional EOS implementer with a diverse professional background.
He has been a small business owner—having owned and operated an IT consulting firm in MN that he sold prior to moving back to South Dakota. Craig also worked in extremely large companies in all sorts of leadership roles, such as running IT departments and managing multi-million dollar projects.
He has been trained as a professional facilitator, and serves as a facilitator, trainer, and coach for many of his clients.
Upon being introduced to EOS, Craig realized that he had already been utilizing all the components of EOS for the last 15 years. For example, setting the Vision for an organization, getting Traction on that Vision and building Healthy teams.
He decided that EOS was a natural extension of what he is already good at and what he absolutely loves to do. Now, he’s helping people get everything they want from their businesses.
*Affinity Peer Group Certified Facilitator
Katie Rucker*
Katie Rucker is a people-first business leader, keynote speaker, and certified foresight practitioner dedicated to empowering next-gen family business leaders. As Co-President and second-generation owner of MacKenzie Corporation, she combines strategic insight with operational expertise to help businesses strengthen culture, enhance leadership, and drive sustainable growth. Through her work with Next Gen Collaborative, Katie mentors rising leaders, guiding them to break free from outdated traditions, find their voice, and build a legacy that honors both family history and future ambitions.Beyond her business leadership, Katie is a committed advocate for community impact, having co-chaired the $15 million capital campaign for the Orange County Ronald McDonald House. Recognized as a Family Business Magazine Transformational Woman of the Year and one of Orange County’s Top 50 Changemakers, she is passionate about fostering connection, resilience, and personal agency. An adventurer at heart, Katie embraces challenges—from scaling businesses to trekking to Everest Base Camp—believing that growth happens at the edge of our comfort zones.
*Affinity Peer Group Certified Facilitator
Jon Simmers*
Jon Simmers serves as the Chief Executive Officer and second-generation owner for Bismarck Aero Center (BAC), a full-service Fixed Base Operator (FBO)located in Bismarck, ND.
Jon’s aviation roots began as a child where his Father, Grandmother, and Grandfather each had their pilot’s license and operated aircraft off the family farm. Jon currently has his private pilot’s license and enjoys leisure flying with his family.
With family roots in Bismarck and Jamestown, ND, Jon earned his Master’s in Business Administration from the University of North Dakota. Jon also proudly attended Bismarck State College and Jamestown College where he received his Associates and Bachelor’s Degrees.
His most proud professional accomplishment is to be leading a company that has a family atmosphere and has been named one of the 50 Best Places to work for 5 years. At home, Jon lives for spending time with his wife Katie and two great kiddos. He is member of Vistage International, Prairie Family Business Association and several aviation advocacy organizations.
*Affinity Peer Group Certified Facilitator
Heather Stone
Heather has been a company president four times, a business owner twice, and she is an award-winning instructor. She was a Vistage CE member for four years. She has an MBA and a PhD in Organizational Communication.
Heather lives in Utah and is married with four children and two grandchildren. She has experience in family businesses, where Right Hand issues can be especially complex. She is also a runner at heart, and sometimes in practice. She is co-author of The Problem of Togetherness book and author of the Getting the Right Hand Right book, both of which are slated for a 2026 release.
Heather created Getting the Right Hand Right training after working with countless CEOs who needed a top leader but were stuck because they did not know how to find, hire, and manage one. When CEOs figure out how to have another top leader in the room, they are finally able to scale, sell, or step away.
Current Leading Generation
Discuss growth opportunities and share best practices
Succession planning for the next generation
Estate planning
Communicate plans and desires to successors while contemplating financial and lifestyle changes
Discuss turning control over to the next generation
How to leave a legacy
Next Generation
Participants are potential future leaders of the family business who currently are not in key management positions
Recent college graduates
Concerned about decisions to take an active role in family business
Anticipating possible ownership of family business
Interested in better understanding the family business system and how it affects personal career choices
Transitioning Generation
Preparing to assume leadership role in the family business
Face obstacles such as gaining the respect of company employees loyal to the senior generation
Transition from peer to leader
Need to negotiate with siblings and/or cousins on ownership issues
Preparing to be impactful leaders
Discuss role with senior generation while demonstrating capability of leading and maintaining controlling shares of business
Address both management succession and ownership succession
Non-Family Key Leader
Non-Family leaders in key roles within the family business
Need to manage relationships with family members within the business
Discuss defining expectations for role and compensation
Increase understanding of family business dynamics
Jerrad Aman
Jerrad Aman – Pharm.D, MBA, CEPA®, Family Enterprise Advisor
Jerrad comes to the team after leading pharmacies as a pharmacist in both corporate and independent, family-owned pharmacies for 19 years. He holds a Bachelor's of Pharmaceutical Sciences (South Dakota State, 2003), Doctor of Pharmacy (South Dakota State, 2005), MBA in Organizational Development (University of Sioux Falls, 2023), is CEPA (Certified Exit Planning Advisor—Exit Planning Institute) certified (May 2024), and is currently working on his CIMA (Certified Investment Management Analyst—Yale School of Management) certification. Jerrad has built teams in both corporate and family-owned pharmacies and holds the belief that your teams are the heartbeat of your organization. Jerrad was responsible for not only the culture to thrive, but also the profits to support the growth of the organization. Jerrad will support the team in aiding the development of next-generation stakeholders in family businesses, coaching executive leaders and members of generational wealth to help ensure they are prepared to carry on the legacy built before them.
Jerrad is married to Kathy and they have 2 adult sons and 5 daughters. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family and attending the multitude of events available with a larger family. He is an avid reader, continuous learner, and relationship builder.
Justin Aman
In family business succession and transition planning, navigating family dynamics often becomes one of the most difficult and uncomfortable undertakings a family will face. Instead of having open and transparent conversations, at times families will choose to sweep issues under the rug in the interest of preserving a superficial, perceived harmony.
Operating in this space is where my natural skillset and training has helped me flourish. In my role as a family business behavior and culture consultant at WillKate, it is crucial to facilitate open and transparent conversations for the purpose of fostering healthy and appropriate family dynamics. Part of this process is helping individual family members engage in personal growth. This allows family members to better understand not only their own and others’ behaviors, but also how to improve communication, leading to a healthier and smoother transition.
Eric Christensen
Eric has served his entire career in various leadership roles, establishing systems, growing business and working on M&A transactions. His current role as CEO of an accounting firm requires him to wear multiple hats revolving around leadership, coaching and executive management, and advisory services.
His breadth of experience aides in his ability to work with family businesses from any industry and help them to build growth strategies and systems to support their long-term goals.
Ginny Curley
Ginny Curley founded Power Your Partnerships to help family-owned businesses become successful multi-generational endeavors. Like a canary in a coal mine, the breakdown of communication often precedes a failing business. Ginny knows that strong relationships fuel strong businesses.
When family relationships strain or when the business struggles because of conflict, Ginny helps individuals and teams navigate the tension to find positive outcomes. Ginny uses a variety of tools and techniques in formal and informal coaching and group facilitation that build on the strengths that are present.
Ginny taps into 30 years of experience in leadership and organizational development as she helps family businesses thrive through strong communication. Ginny’s academic background in counseling and higher education administration has been applied to challenges in organizations that range from small start-ups and nonprofits to large corporations.
Kyle Danner
Kyle grew up in a family business and was instrumental in its growth before deciding to make a shift and focus on coaching family business owners in navigating the unique challenges that come with mixing family and business. He has a passion for helping families and businesses succeed and prepare to transition their companies.
Kyle is a Professional EOS Implementer®, enabling him to guide families in building a structure and process to clarify, simplify, and achieve their vision for the business. His expertise brings a level head and caring heart to the peer group conversation while guiding family leaders to the right decisions for them.
Rana DeBoer
Rana is the Chief Vision Officer and partner in VOLT Strategy, a revolutionary company that works at the intersection of behavior science and business strategy to move people and business forward, together.
Using a holistic approach, she helps leaders develop a vibrant culture where people know and use their unique strengths and talents to advance business goals. Through proven practices and a guided process, she develops leaders and teams while helping them activate the essential building blocks for healthy, sustainable growth and thriving performance.
Rana holds over 25 years’ experience in strategic planning, culture engineering, and individual, team, and organizational performance. Her dynamic facilitation and gift for strategic vision is grounded in human-centric design that has helped hundreds of leaders in building effective systems in Culture, Leadership, Human Resources, Safety, Well-Being, Social Impact, and Communications. As a community leader, Rana is a champion for change on civic issues that impact quality of life. She is well known as an inspiring writer, speaker, and coach focused on an encouraging “can-do, time is now, take action” message.
De Vee E. Dykstra
De Vee is a Professor Emeritus of Business Law and Ethics at the Beacom School of Business, University of South Dakota with over 43 years of teaching, research, and leadership experience, including serving as Associate Dean. She has a deep interest and breadth of experience in boards of directors, next generation experiences, business startups, and growth strategies. Her passion for family business revolves around her family’s businesses and her past service on the Prairie Family Business Association Advisory Board, serving as its treasurer. Her family’s farm is in its third generation, and she works with her husband and son in the automotive repair industry.
De Vee has her MBA and Juris Doctorate from the University of South Dakota and is a member of the S.D. Bar Association and the First Bank & Trust Board of Directors and a member of its Audit Committee. She is also a member of the Clay County Fair Board. De Vee has been a recipient of the Belbas-Larson Award for Excellence in Teaching. She started the University of South Dakota Technology Transfer Office and the Beacom School of Business Career Services Director. She also spent seventeen years as director of the State Data Center (SDC) undertaking socio-economic and demographic research for businesses and government. She has been a member of Secretary of the U.S. Census Bureau’s State Data Center Steering Board, president of the South Dakota Career Planning and Placement Association, South Dakota 4-H Foundation, Vermillion Rotary Club, and P.E.O. Vermillion Chapter.
Trish Dougherty
Trish has more than 30 years of successful leadership experience. Trish is a seasoned change catalyst who welcomes the need for positive change, is willing to champion the cause, and motivates people to see the benefits of the outcome.
Trish is a former Commissioned Officer in the United States Army Nurse Corps and her areas of expertise include Executive Coaching and Leadership Development, Complex Conflict Resolution, Strategy and Solutions Organizational Development, and HR Department Support.
Melissa Hiatt
As a student of people, systems, and relationships, Melissa Hiatt brings practical expertise and professional skill set to developing the emotional health of individuals, teams, and organizations. Melissa’s daily work involves coaching leaders to develop tangible skills to live and lead with courage. Melissa fulfills her professional calling and goals as the President of Levav Leadership Consulting, Director of Women’s Leadership Programming at EmBe, and Faculty Mentor at Kairos Seminary.
Levav is Hebrew for heart. In ancient times, the heart represented more than just the physical organ; it represented the inner life where emotions, reason, and will reside. Levav also means the seat of courage. Levav Leadership Consulting facilitates courageous cultures by paying attention to the inner life of leaders.
Tom Iverson
Tom Iverson is a partner at Sagency with over 35 years of experience working in strategic planning, executive and performance coaching, succession planning, employee engagement, and organizational and team development. He is a certified Hudson Institute Coach as well as a member of John Maxwell’s team of coaches, trainers, and speakers.
Tom is passionate about seeing individuals and organizations do better, reach higher, and go further than they think possible. His clients can rely on him to develop plans for success that can be replicated, improved, taught, tracked, and measured to provide a productive and more profitable path forward. Through his executive and performance coaching, Tom’s clients grow and develop as individuals to perform at a higher level in their jobs and to be able to contribute more to the community.
Tom believes strategic focus and alignment are critical to an organization’s success and viability, and he uses his expertise to ensure his clients have the clarity, unity, and strategy they need to thrive, prosper, and engage in work that really matters.
Kyle Kangas
Kyle knows the challenge of transitioning a family business to the next generation first-hand. Through that experience, he discovered EOS® and has built his career around leading business leaders through the EOS process® and achieving a healthier and higher valued company.
Kyle is an excellent coach and has a passion for helping people discover how systems and tools can address their challenges. His experience in a family owned business himself gives him a greater understanding of the challenges faced specifically by family owned businesses and how they might best be addressed.
Agatha Johnson
Founder and owner of WillKate, lives at the intersection of family and business. Using her more than 30 years of experience, she has created a unique and intentional process, tailored to each client’s needs. As a CFP. CPWA, her technical skills blend in with her Executive Coaching and Bowen Institute of Family Systems training. The process empowers individuals, families and their business to build on and sustain their relationships, structure and governance while striking a balance between the individual, family systems and cultures and the needs and the intricacies of business systems.
Having been a General Partner with her sister, eight total siblings, in a third-generation family business, she knows first-hand what it takes to create and sustain a thriving family and family enterprise. Understanding how to navigate challenging family dynamics while balancing competing needs of each individual, family as a whole, business and wealth is complex and where we make a difference. Aggie and the WillKate team take a unique, heart-centered, holistic/multi-disciplined approach, comprised of multi-generational family transition process, wealth planning and management and family enterprise office to help our clients build a lasting family enterprise.
Dr. Donna Marino
Dr. Donna Marino is a Family Business Executive Coach with over two decades of experience as a psychologist, specializing in helping family businesses overcome challenges such as conflict resolution, leadership development, succession planning, and organizational scaling. Dr. Marino works with family businesses through 1:1 coaching with owners and leaders, facilitating family meetings and leadership team meetings, and conducting team and leadership assessments. In addition to her coaching practice, Dr. Marino serves as a part-time faculty member at Loyola University’s Family Business Center, where she facilitates Peer Advisory Groups. She is also an author and speaker, on topics such as empowering women in leadership, managing workplace conflicts, and preparing for the emotional aspects of business succession.
Sandra McNeely
Sandra McNeely found her passion serving family businesses and founded Abbey Legacy in 2000. Abbey Legacy provides services in four key areas that support successful ownership and management transitions in family-owned businesses: succession planning, facilitation of family and owner meetings, advisory board/formal board development and strategic planning.
Abbey Legacy is a PFBA sponsor. Sandra has facilitated Affinity Peer Groups for over twenty years, first at the Marquette University for Family Business in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and for the past 12 years at PFBA. Sandra is a member of several family business boards. She serves as a Family Firm Institute Board member and treasurer and received her advanced certificate in family wealth advising and is recognized as an FFI Fellow of this international association for family business research and education.
Jen Miller
Jen Miller is the Chief Engagement Officer with VOLT Strategy.
Her core passion is unification, which she has founder over her years of in-action study is the key to achieving breakthroughs—by way of deep connection, analytical problem-solving, and heart. Jen’s ongoing aim is to be a positive force of influence that emboldens leaders to unlock their full potential. As a result, they guide their teams and organizations toward success, turning strategic thought into real action.
Jen’s career journey is rooted in the genuine care for who people truly are at their unique core. Beginning with critical service skills as a Mortician and now doctoral candidate, Jen’s path is paved with the desire to create environments where people truly feel safe. In the business landscape, she enables safety through the intersection of a person’s skill set, chosen profession, and the ideal workplace. Jen is a proven leader, holding several pivotal roles for organizational change in startups and corporations to guide in fostering healthy, thriving cultures across the U.S.
Shasta Moreno
I was raised in the Black Hills by and with six other entrepreneurs. Each one started and owned their own business, so when I graduated, the only lifestyle I had known by then had those businesses calling the shots. That lifestyle is why it took me a long time to start my own business!
After spending years in operations, leadership, and learning & development, I still earned my business education at the school of hard knocks, much like my family had. The companies I worked with had the same frustrations I watched my family deal with for years. It was in searching for a better way that I discovered my passion for coaching teams through business strategy planning and execution.
While I truly enjoyed celebrating with my teams each time we accomplished our top goal, my true calling was to help business owners back home just like my family. When I was introduced to EOS®, it was a perfect match. I jumped in with both feet, started my business, and not one day in my session room has felt like work since!
I am passionate about sharing EOS® with other owners and leaders so they can run a better business and live a better life.
I’m blessed with these opportunities to bring my unique background, passion for helping leaders grow, and genuine love of coaching, whether in client sessions, in ministry, on the baseball diamond, or at my husband’s side with our amazing kids and grandkids.
Craig Morris
Craig Morris is a professional EOS implementer with a diverse professional background.
He has been a small business owner—having owned and operated an IT consulting firm in MN that he sold prior to moving back to South Dakota. Craig also worked in extremely large companies in all sorts of leadership roles, such as running IT departments and managing multi-million dollar projects.
He has been trained as a professional facilitator, and serves as a facilitator, trainer, and coach for many of his clients.
Upon being introduced to EOS, Craig realized that he had already been utilizing all the components of EOS for the last 15 years. For example, setting the Vision for an organization, getting Traction on that Vision and building Healthy teams.
He decided that EOS was a natural extension of what he is already good at and what he absolutely loves to do. Now, he’s helping people get everything they want from their businesses.
Jon Simmers
Jon Simmers serves as the Chief Executive Officer and second-generation owner for Bismarck Aero Center (BAC), a full-service Fixed Base Operator (FBO)located in Bismarck, ND.
Jon’s aviation roots began as a child where his Father, Grandmother, and Grandfather each had their pilot’s license and operated aircraft off the family farm. Jon currently has his private pilot’s license and enjoys leisure flying with his family.
With family roots in Bismarck and Jamestown, ND, Jon earned his Master’s in Business Administration from the University of North Dakota. Jon also proudly attended Bismarck State College and Jamestown College where he received his Associates and Bachelor’s Degrees.
His most proud professional accomplishment is to be leading a company that has a family atmosphere and has been named one of the 50 Best Places to work for 5 years. At home, Jon lives for spending time with his wife Katie and two great kiddos. He is member of Vistage International, Prairie Family Business Association and several aviation advocacy organizations.
Lisa Te Slaa
Lisa has more than 25 years in sales and development experience and is passionate about helping others achieve success. Lisa focuses on providing companies with the necessary leadership tools and processes that allow senior executives and other organizational leadership to successfully execute their strategy and performance goals.
Lisa specializes in the areas of personal development, leadership development, results management, and organizational/personal assessments. She enjoys working with peer groups to challenge them to think deeper, be accountable to their goals and grow into the future leaders of family businesses.
Katie Rucker
Katie Rucker is a people-first business leader, keynote speaker, and certified foresight practitioner dedicated to empowering next-gen family business leaders. As Co-President and second-generation owner of MacKenzie Corporation, she combines strategic insight with operational expertise to help businesses strengthen culture, enhance leadership, and drive sustainable growth. Through her work with Next Gen Collaborative, Katie mentors rising leaders, guiding them to break free from outdated traditions, find their voice, and build a legacy that honors both family history and future ambitions.Beyond her business leadership, Katie is a committed advocate for community impact, having co-chaired the $15 million capital campaign for the Orange County Ronald McDonald House. Recognized as a Family Business Magazine Transformational Woman of the Year and one of Orange County’s Top 50 Changemakers, she is passionate about fostering connection, resilience, and personal agency. An adventurer at heart, Katie embraces challenges—from scaling businesses to trekking to Everest Base Camp—believing that growth happens at the edge of our comfort zones.
Affinity Peer Groups create an environment where you’re encouraged to express yourself freely, knowing that your message is understood and people listening have valuable input.
It’s been very eye-opening. I feel that I have grown immensely on both a personal and professional level. Ever since joining the group, I have felt that my mentor and my peer are my Prairie family.
– Trenton Elliott, A-OX Welding Supply
My affinity peer group has given me a chance to meet and form relationships with other family business members who have similar challenges and opportunities.
PFBA has given us resources to allow our family to have an open and honest dialogue regarding present and future family business planning.
– Aaron Canfield, Canfield Business Interiors
Related News: Affinity Peer Groups
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