Family Business Center adds two board members: Loyola University Chicago

Brian Richmond (left) and Bryan Schwartz (right) bring years of leadership in family business to the FBC’s advisory board.

The Family Business Center at the Quinlan School of Business appointed two new members, Bryan Schwartz and Brian Richmond to its advisory board. Their appointments bring vital perspectives from two distinct vantage points within the family business system – a non-family executive and a married-in who runs his family’s business and helped found a business for his daughter. Both have joined the board to help elevate the center’s ability to reflect on the nuances of complex, midsized family businesses.

“Expanding our board this way shines a light on how our stories go beyond family business basics,” said Loyola Family Business Center Chair Nolan Burke of Burke Beverage, Inc. “The board seeks to underscore that we are here to support our members, their family, and their business regardless of how complex the family or business story may be.”

Learn more about the new board members:

Bryan Schwartz

Bryan Schwartz is co-CEO of Trim-Tex, a family-owned manufacturing company providing drywall solutions based in Lincolnwood, Illinois. He joined Family Business Center member Trim-Tex in 2016 as president after co-founding and then merging and managing a middle market law firm that focused on privately held companies, high net worth individuals, and sophisticated real estate matters. As a non-family executive, Schwartz has preserved the company’s legacy while developing a forward-looking 100-year plan. He spoke at Loyola Family Business Center’s Legacy of Trust conference in Fall 2024, sharing insights on navigating generational transition as a non-family president. This year, he will manage his own transition from president to co-CEO as the next generation leader ascends. In 2027, he will help Loyola launch an undergraduate course on family business innovation to showcase how to create more possibilities in the family business space.

“Loyola Family Business Center means business and there is no better business than a family business,” Schwartz explains. “My mission and purpose are aligned with the board.”

Brian Richmond

Brian Richmond has been an active part of the Loyola Family Business Center since he married Sarah (Jones) Richmond, a 3rd generation family member of Dawn Foods, Inc. Dawn Foods is a long-time member of the Family Business Center. Brian’s affiliation with the Dawn Foods Family Steering Committee allowed him to participate in the Center’s Next Generation Leadership Institute (NGLI). Richmond graduated from the program in 2015 and remains engaged with the Family Business Center as part of a Peer Advisory Group.  

Richmond brings a rare, multi-faceted-perspective to the Family Business Center’s board. He is generation 3 of 4 in his family’s independent insurance agency, serving as vice-president.  Last year, Richmond and his daughter, Macie, opened Bobbles and Lace Birmingham, a women’s clothing boutique located in a Detroit suburb.  

“I am honored to join the board of the Loyola Family Business Center,” Richmond said. “Loyola’s commitment to strengthening family business and developing next-generation leaders has had an incredible impact on my personal growth. I look forward to contributing to the center’s mission of supporting families and businesses that rely on its guidance.”

Learn more