What we wanted to do was make succession-planning a process for these companies rather than an event they have to deal with.

We need four more members, one of which has to be a Planning Board member.

I think that the county, be it the Planning Commission, the administration or the Board of Supervisors, want to maintain the character of Goochland. In half a century, Goochland is going to look a whole lot different than it does today.

Cell phones, to me, are a joke. When we grew up we had a party line for six homes, meaning you had to wait for everyone else from the other five homes to be off the line before you could make a call. You know what? Society seemed to get along fine. When you got your own telephone land line, it was like you were a wealthy person.

Succession, use of outside boards, managing communication -- all of those are related to family businesses as well as private businesses.

What happens is that companies usually don't plan succession,