BINGHAMTON, NY – Binghamton University’s Center for Innovative and Continuing Education is conducting a survey to determine interest and need for the creation of a Center for Family-Owned Businesses in the Southern Tier.

Business owners are being contacted by e-mail and asked to complete a short questionnaire about the need for a center with the sole purpose of serving the needs of family-owned businesses. Centers of this type are designed to assist with issues unique to family-owned businesses such as establishing family councils and governance, succession planning, globalizing the family business, and supervising family members for optimum effectiveness and productivity.

If you own a business and have not received an e-mail, but would like to participate in the survey, visit http://tinyurl.com/CICE-SP14.

The data received will help determine the feasibility of establishing a center to serve the special needs of family-owned businesses and shape programs it would offer to assist business owners throughout the Southern Tier. If you have any questions, contact Thomas Kowalik, executive director of the Center for Innovative and Continuing Education, at kowalik@binghamton.edu.

The survey site will be open until April 15, 2014.