This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jill Gardner, family president at the Laird Norton Company. It has been edited for length and clarity.
When I married my husband, Doug, I also married into his family business.
My husband and his cousins are the fifth generation of his family to own the Laird Norton Company. The business was founded in 1855 by two brothers and their cousin as a lumber operation. Today, we’re an investment firm that’s involved with a variety of sectors.
I was 24 when I got married, and I didn’t have a clue what was going on with the business. That started to change when my daughter was born. I really started to pay attention to how unusual this legacy is. As I read up on our family history, I became absolutely fascinated.
The business keeps distant cousins connected
I grew up in a nuclear family with two brothers. We love each other, but we don’t have a lot in common. There’s no shared goal keeping us close, especially now that our parents have died, so sometimes keeping in touch feels hard.
In my husband’s family — now my family — the company fills that role. Today, there are 551 family members in seven countries who all share the common experience of owning and helping run the family business.
The family plays an active role in running the company and forming its strategic planning. Family members elect the board of directors, which has seven family members and five non-family members, including the CEO.
Because of this, our extended family has more in common than just being distant cousins. We disagree about everything under the sun, but agree about making the right decision for the company. We share an affinity for the business because it’s part of our family legacy. I came to really respect and admire that.
We produce a journal and host events
Lucky for me, the Laird Norton family has always been very open to bringing married-in family members into the business. Part of that was through necessity. Most of the second generation of the family were women, so the men they married were brought to the table. Today, not all spouses take ownership of the company, but they can.
As family president of the company, my role is to keep family members engaged. I help produce the Laird Norton family journal, which is somewhat similar to an alumni magazine. It’s a place for the family to tell its story — everything from writing about personal interests, to sharing family trips, to announcing new babies and spouses. We’ve recently welcomed the first 8th-generation member of the family.
We also get together each year. This summer, about 350 family members will meet in Salt Lake City for our annual summit. That’s where we have a stakeholder meeting and talk about goals. Of course, it’s fun too. My children, who are now grown, loved going to these events to catch up with their cousins. That created an authentic, genuine connection as they carry this legacy forward.
We focus on keeping younger family members engaged
There’s a saying with family business that most go “shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves” in three generations, meaning the wealth is built, then lost again. That might have happened with Laird Norton, but we had a third-generation family member with the drive of a founder. He helped establish a company that could stand the test of time.
When my husband was growing up, the company was less intentional about engaging family members. The cousins who are his age jokingly call themselves “the lost generation.”
Now, they’ve completely changed things for their children and grandchildren by being very intentional about bringing younger generations into the fold. During our summit, we run a camp for kids. Beginning at 14, family members can attend the business overview meetings. We have an internship program to help family members learn about the company, and a bi-annual “next gen” event specifically to engage family members age 21-40.
Continuing to hold an eighth-generation business takes a lot of work. Having events that foster connection with the company and the cousins helps us ensure the Laird Norton family legacy continues.
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