Speaker – Jim Erben

Jim Erben is the president of Erben Associates and a highly sought‑after adviser on exit and succession planning for privately held businesses. For more than thirty years, he has guided owners through the challenges of succession, maximizing the value of their business, continuity, and executive retention—helping them protect their companies, their loved ones, and the legacies they’ve worked so hard to build.

Erben Associates has been named one of the top exit and succession planning firms in the country and has been nationally recognized in the INC. 5000 list multiple times as one of the fastest‑growing companies in the country. Jim’s proprietary planning process provides clarity and confidence, equipping business owners to step away on their terms while safeguarding family harmony, employee security, and long‑term value.

Under his leadership, Erben Associates has orchestrated hundreds of millions of dollars in business exits and transitions, allowing founders to accomplish their dreams by exiting in style so they may experience their Happily Ever After. Jim’s first book, Succession by Design, draws on his decades of experience and real‑life client stories to give business owners a road map to exit not by default, but by design.
As an international speaker, Jim shares his 30+ years of experience with thousands of business leaders annually. He is well-known for his straightforward approach to succession or exit planning, business continuity, and executive retention.

A distinguished advisor to clients and organizations, Jim is one of 500 senior American business leaders representing the private sector in Business Executives for National Security, an invitation-only think tank to help our national security become more efficient and effective.

Jim’s proprietary process helps business owners navigate the complexities of succession and exit planning to help create an everlasting legacy.