Don founded the Lovins Group with Alan Lovins in 2008 and continues today as Owner and President. Don’s unique approach to family business consulting blends his own firsthand family business experience together with useful techniques gathered in years of practice as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. He has a passion for finding what works in the context of each family’s unique circumstances. He is committed to co-discovering the steps clients are able to take in order to get “unstuck” and to bring them closer to realizing their own visions of success.
“Our clients begin to see themselves in a new way and bring new energy into relationships where positive change had begun to seem impossible.”
Don Opatrny has successfully facilitated hundreds of family meetings over the past 10 years—ranging from multi-generation destination retreats to purposeful sibling dinner meetings, and from guided intimate discussions on difficult topics to fun-filled learning adventures mixing multiple family branches. Don‘s work spans a wide spectrum of families—from the top of the Forbes 400 list to mom and pop shops and from first generation entrepreneurs to a seventh generation massive group of family shareholders.
Don’s intention is to inspire, support, challenge and empower business owning families to take their own action steps and to have meaningful discussions with one another on the topics that matter most to them. Don works closely with clients to create customized consulting processes which allow them to meet current objectives in both their family and business. In the process, clients develop the life-long relationship skills they need to manage effectively after the engagement is complete. Don considers calls from clients sharing their excitement of having created their own solutions to new challenges as the touchstone of a good consultancy.
Don is a husband, father, and a veteran of his own multi-generational family business. He is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and a member of: the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), Attorneys for Family-Held Enterprises (AFHE), the Family Firm Institute (FFI), the Purposeful Planning Institute (PPI) and he serves on the Leaders Council of the Ultra High Net Worth (UHNW) Institute. Don has served as a board member in multiple family businesses and in the non-profit sector. He has also been appointed a judge for the Connecticut Family Business Awards by two prominent Business Journals.
Contact Don directly at 203 233-9179 or don@lovinsgroup.com
Hear from Don and the rest of our team in our brief video segments.