Michael N. McGrann
1017 Shadeland Ave., Drexel Hill, PA 19026
Tel. (610) 420-9355; Fax: (610) 853-6447
[email protected] BIOGRAPHY
Mike is the Director of the Initiative for Family Business and Entrepreneurship at Saint Joseph’s
University. The program focuses on the strategic ownership and management practices of family
businesses and entrepreneurs with an emphasis on the application of entrepreneurial strategy to the
family as an “economic unit.” Mike teaches undergraduate and graduate courses including The Family
as Entrepreneur, New Venture Creation, as well as external education programs - conducting seminars
for family firms, executive education programs, and personalized educational workshops for family
enterprises around the world. Additionally, Mike is Founder and a Principal in The TELOS Group, a
consulting group that specializes in transition and strategy consulting to enterprising families. He
owns a marketing services company, and has worked as a corporate and micro-enterprise lender. Mike
holds a BA in economics from Cornell University, an MBA from the Wharton School, and an MA in
International Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. He has lived and worked in the Dominican
Republic, Mexico and Finland.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
The TELOS Group, Inc.
Philadelphia, PA
Managing Director/Principal
1997 - Present
Responsible for all aspects of a consulting firm that specializes in development and implementation of strategies
to enhance the long-term competitiveness of family enterprises worldwide. Activities include improving
capabilities of management teams through entrepreneurial leadership training, providing communication
processes and coaching necessary to ensure competitive leadership transitions, designing and implementing new
governance structures which institutionalize an “owner as investor” mindset, clarifying the roles and
responsibilities of owners, trustees, Board and management, as well as strategic planning with top management
teams and Boards. Provide particular expertise in addressing the competitive and cultural issues impacting Latin
American family enterprises. Services provided in English and Spanish to family enterprises in the U.S.,
(including Puerto Rico), Latin America and Europe.
The Wharton Small Business Development Center
Philadelphia, PA
Business Consultant
1996 - 1997
Provided consulting services to Philadelphia businesses while attending MBA classes full time. Assisted start-up
and early stage growth firms with marketing and strategic planning. Developed pro-forma financial statements
to assist entrepreneurs in obtaining capital. Conducted marketing, financing and other management training
seminars. Worked closely with three early-stage ventures in Monterrey, Mexico in the development of export
and financial strategies.
Catholic Relief Services
Banica, Dominican Republic
Project Coordinator, Small Enterprise Development Project
1993 - 1995
Initiated and managed small enterprise lending project based on the Dominican-Haitian border. Developed and
implemented marketing plan to stimulate demand for loans. Designed and implemented project infrastructure
including all lending policies and development of locally-based loan committee. Hired and trained future project
leaders. Provided technical assistance to loan recipients.
National Westminster Bank USA
New York, NY
Corporate Lending Officer
1989 - 1992
Managed corporate accounts with responsibility for a $70MM portfolio. Marketed the bank’s products and
services to national corporate customers. Analyzed financial condition of current and potential customers.
Negotiated, structured, and executed loans of up to $20MM in value.
EDUCATION
University of Pennsylvania
The Wharton School
MBA, Major: Marketing and Operations Management
Philadelphia, PA
May 1997
The School of Arts and Sciences
May 1997
MA, Major: International Studies, Concentration in Latin America and Spanish
Graduate Fellow, The Joseph H. Lauder Institute of Management and International Studies
Master’s Thesis: “The Future of Mexican Economic Reform Amid Privatization-Nationalization Cycles”
Cornell University
Bachelor of Arts in Economics
Ithaca, NY
December 1988
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
The Initiative for Family Business and Entrepreneurship, Haub School of Business, Saint Joseph’s
University
Philadelphia, PA
Director
2012 – Present
Responsible for all aspects of a multi-faceted academic and member-based outreach program including program
design, development and implementation, teaching, research, fundraising, and member recruitment.
The S. Dale High Center for Family Business, Elizabethtown College
Elizabethtown, PA
Executive Director
2009-Present
Responsible for all aspects of a multi-faceted academic and member-based outreach program including program
design, development and implementation, teaching, research, fundraising, and member recruitment.
The Institute for Family Enterprising, Babson College
Wellesley, MA
Adjunct Faculty and Assistant Director
2003-2009
Responsibilities included teaching and development of curriculum and cases for MBA and undergraduate
courses in the Family Enterprising concentration within Babson’s Entrepreneurship major. Additional
responsibilities included designing, marketing, and teaching Executive Education courses in the field of family
enterprising to large family groups in the US and abroad. Supported Babson’s global alumni development
activities as a family business content specialist.
The Wharton Enterprising Families Initiative, The Wharton School
Philadelphia, PA
Assistant Director
1997 – July 2003
Managed all aspects of an academic center at the Wharton School. Responsibilities included teaching and
content development for Wharton seminars on the strategies and practices of family firms – particularly as they
related to the application of entrepreneurial strategy to family-influenced wealth creation. Additional
responsibilities included lecturing in Wharton graduate course, “Strategies and Practices of Family Controlled
Corporations”, marketed and taught customized educational programs, researched issues impacting the
competitiveness of family enterprises, and managed the daily operations and budget of the academic center.
PAPERS AND PRESENTATIONS
“Families and Economic Uncertainty: Your Familiness as a Source of Competitive Advantage.” Council on
Family Relations Conference, September, 2010, Elizabethtown, PA.
“Transitioning the Family Enterprise: A model for managing risk and ensuring sustainability.” (With Dr. Dennis
Jaffe and Sam Davis.) Family Firm Institute, September 2009, New York, NY.
“Family Enterprising: A distinct view of family business education.” Babson Symposium for Entrepreneurship
Educators (SEE) at Babson College, October, 2007, Wellesley, MA.
“Family-Based Entrepreneurship and Economic Development: Finding your familiness advantage in doing
business and doing good. ( With Dr. Timothy Habbershon and Dr. Mary Williams ). Inaugural conference of The
Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College. 2005, Grove City, PA.
“Nepotism’s Effect On Customer Touch-points and Job Efficiency.” (With Dr. Dennis Laker and Dr. Mary
Williams). International Atlantic Economic Society, October, 2002, Washington, DC.
“Exploring the Mindset and Methods of Enterprising Families.” (With Dr. Joseph Pistrui). Family Firm Institute,
October, 2001, London, England.
“Nepotism’s Effect On Productivity: An Analysis of a Commercial Bank.” (With Dr. Dennis Laker and Dr.
Mary Williams). National Business and Economics Society, February, 2001, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
“Exploring the Mindset and Methods of Enterprising Families.” (With Dr. Timothy Habbershon and Dr. Joseph
Pistrui). Family Business Network Research Conference, Rome, Italy, 2001.
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Executive Education, Center for Family Business, Elizabethtown, PA. Strategy Workshop Series.
Leading in Crisis, and Your Familiness as a Source of Competitive Advantage: 2009 and 2010.
Executive Education, Elizabethtown Alumni Association annual meeting, Elizabethtown, PA.
Parenting Lesson from Great Leaders: October 2009 and 2010.
Executive Education, Young Presidents Organization (YPO), Babson Park, MA. Youth in Family
Business: 3-day program. June, 2009, 2008, 2007 and 2006.
Executive Education, ITESM – Babson Faculty Development Program, Monterrey, Mexico.
Understanding Family Enterprises and Family Enterprising Education. 2008
Executive Education, National Association of Auto Dealers – Babson College Partnership.
Wellesley, MA. The Succession Process and Long-term Competitiveness. 2008.
Executive Education, Citigroup Global Leadership Development Program, New York, NY.
Governance and Entrepreneurial Success in Family Enterprises. 2007 and 2006.
Executive Education, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD. Becoming an Enterprising Family.
Two day program, 2006, 2007, and 2008.
Guest Lecture, King’s College, Scranton, PA. Building an Enterprising Mindset in your Family
Business, December 2006, 2009.
Executive Education, Young Presidents Organization (YPO), Annapolis, MD. Future YPO’ers:
Becoming an Empowered Successor. June, 2006.
Conference Speaker, Puerto Rico Venture Forum, San Juan, PR. The Path to Transgenerational
Wealth. December 2005.
Executive Education, Banco Popular, Dominican Republic. Finding your Competitive Advantage as a
Family Firm, three-day seminars, 2003, 2004, 2005.
Executive Education, Banco Popular, Dominican Republic. Meeting the Challenge of Entrepreneurial
Growth and Competitiveness within the Free Trade Agreement. 2005
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Invited Guest Professor, Instituto de Empresa, Madrid, Spain, Executive MBA: Family Venturing
Course, June, 2004.
Executive Education, ITESM, Torreón, Mexico, Building your Familiness Advantage. 2003.
Executive Education, University of Delaware, Wilmington, D.E. The Six Dimensions of the
Enterprising Family, 2002.
Executive Education, Wharton Enterprising Families Initiative, Philadelphia, PA. The Next
Generation Seminar, 1999-2002
Executive Education, Wharton Enterprising Families Initiative, Philadelphia, PA and Miami, FL .
The Senior Generation Seminar, 1999-2002
Guest Lecture, Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, PA. Building Entrepreneurial Teams in your
Family Business. 2002.
Conference Speaker, National Association of Chemical Distributors, Orlando, FL. Building a
Unified Shareholder Group within a Down turning Economy: The Competitive Advantage of your
Familiness. 2001.
Executive Education, INCAE, Costa Rica. Managing your “Familiness” for a long competitive
Advantage, 2001.
Executive Education, Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, PA. The Competitive Edge: Empowering
Family Business 2001.
Executive Education, Banco Popular & Wharton Family Corporation LEADS project, 2000, 1999.
CURRENT EXECUTIVE EDUCATION SEMINARS
Managing Transitions: Successor Generation Empowerment in Family Firms
Three-day seminar for successor generation family member owners and managers.
Managing Transitions: Senior Generation Leadership in Family Firms
Two-day seminar for successor generation family member owners and managers.
Building Entrepreneurial Teams in Family and Closely Held Companies
Three-day seminar for top management teams in family and closely held companies.
Managing Your “Familiness” for a Long-Run Competitive Advantage
Three one-day seminars with assessment, report-back, and workshop activities for the family ownership
group and leadership team.
Six Dimensions of an Enterprising Family: Finding Your Competitive Advantage in Today’s Hypercompetitive
Marketplace
One-day or a series of six one-day seminars for family member owners and managers.
Long-Run Leadership: Value Based Decisions that Stand the Test of Time
One or two day seminar for leaders in family and closely held firms.
Communication and More: Relationship Skills for the Workplace and Life
One, two, or three day seminar for leaders and teams in family and closely held firms.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Spanish: Fluent in Spanish. Seminars and consulting services provided in Spanish and English.
Leadership: Founder of The Telos Group, an international consulting company. Captain of college football
team. Played and coached professional football in Finland (1989.)
Family: Married to Maria with two sons, Nolan and Lucas. Coach elementary and middle school basketball and
soccer.