S. Dale High Center for Family Business

The S. Dale High Center for Family Business is an education and advisory organization based at Elizabethtown College in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. Operating from 600 E College Ave, the center works with family-owned and closely held companies across South Central Pennsylvania, offering peer learning programs, workshops, conferences and advisory resources that address the particular challenges of running a business with relatives as partners, employees and shareholders. It functions as a membership-based center rather than a traditional fee-for-project consulting firm, and its work sits at the intersection of higher education and regional economic development.

Family enterprises make up a substantial share of the employer base in Lancaster, Dauphin, York, Lebanon and Berks counties, and the center's programming is built around issues that owners of those companies commonly face: succession and ownership transition, governance, communication between generations, compensation for family members, preparing heirs for leadership, and the management questions that arise when personal relationships and business decisions overlap.

History and Background

The center was established in the 1990s through the support of S. Dale High, the longtime leader of the High family's Lancaster County construction and manufacturing enterprises, and it carries his name. High was a second-generation leader in a family company and an advocate for the idea that family businesses benefit from structured education, outside perspective and peer conversation rather than learning transition lessons by trial and error. That founding premise still shapes the organization's approach.

Since its founding, the center has grown into one of the more established family business programs affiliated with a college in Pennsylvania. Its membership has included multigenerational manufacturers, contractors, farms, retailers, professional service firms, distributors and family holding companies, some of which have participated across more than one generation of ownership.

Programs and Services

Programming generally falls into several categories, with the specific calendar changing from year to year:

• Peer advisory groups that bring together non-competing family business leaders in confidential settings to discuss operational and family issues. Groups are typically organized by role or stage, such as senior leaders, next-generation family members entering or advancing in the business, and women in family enterprise.
• Educational sessions and workshops led by practitioners, faculty and outside specialists on topics such as estate and ownership planning, family councils and boards, conflict resolution, strategic planning, talent retention and financial literacy for owners.
• Larger conference-style events and speaker programs that gather the regional family business community for a half day or full day of presentations and networking.
• Guidance and referral support for member companies seeking professional advisors, including attorneys, accountants, valuation professionals and family business consultants.
• Recognition programs that honor area family companies for longevity, stewardship, philanthropy and successful transition between generations.

Content is typically structured for owners and executives who cannot step away from operations for long stretches, so many offerings are delivered in half-day or breakfast and lunch formats at the college or at member company sites around the region.

Membership Model

The center operates primarily on an annual membership basis. Member companies generally receive access for multiple family members and key non-family managers, which allows a business to bring several generations into the same programs. This structure is intended to encourage shared learning inside a company: a founder and a successor, for example, may attend different peer groups while participating together in larger educational events.

Prospective members are commonly invited to attend a sample program before joining so they can evaluate the format and the group. Businesses considering membership can contact the center by phone at +1 717-361-1275 or through its website at thehighcenter.com for current dues, program calendars and eligibility details.

Relationship with Elizabethtown College

The center's affiliation with Elizabethtown College distinguishes it from independent consulting practices. The college is a private liberal arts institution founded in 1899 with roots in the Church of the Brethren, and its academic programs in business, accounting, finance and entrepreneurship connect to the center's work in several ways. Faculty occasionally contribute to programming, students gain exposure to regional employers, and member companies have used the relationship as a channel for internships and hiring. Hosting the center on a college campus also gives programs a neutral meeting ground, which matters when the subject matter involves sensitive family and ownership discussions.

Location and Access

Elizabethtown sits in northwestern Lancaster County, near the Dauphin and Lebanon county lines, with convenient access from Route 283, Route 230 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The borough is roughly midway between Harrisburg and Lancaster, which places the center within a reasonable drive for business owners across the greater Harrisburg, Lancaster, York, Lebanon and Reading markets. Elizabethtown also has an Amtrak station on the Keystone Corridor for those traveling from Philadelphia or Pittsburgh.

The facility offers a wheelchair accessible entrance and a wheelchair accessible parking lot. On-campus parking is available for event attendees, and visitors are encouraged to confirm the specific building, room and parking instructions in advance, since programs are held in different campus venues depending on size and format.

Practical Information

• Address: 600 E College Ave, Elizabethtown, PA 17022, United States
• Phone: +1 717-361-1275
• Website: thehighcenter.com
• Category: business management consulting and family business education
• Primary service area: South Central Pennsylvania, including Lancaster, Dauphin, York, Lebanon and Berks counties
• Accessibility: accessible entrance and accessible parking

Who It Serves

Typical participants include founders planning an exit, second and third generation leaders taking on expanded responsibility, spouses and siblings who share ownership, and non-family executives who work closely with owning families. Companies range widely in size and industry, and the common thread is family involvement in ownership or management rather than any particular revenue threshold. Businesses at an early stage of transition planning, as well as those with long-standing governance structures already in place, have used the center's programs as an ongoing source of education and peer perspective.