Membership

Member Benefits

The Institute for Private Business (IPB) provides multiple opportunities for our members to network in a safe environment with other business leaders from the region along with the Saint Louis University’s Cook School of Business faculty, staff, and students to share ideas, develop partnerships, and to learn about ways to grow business together.

Benefits of affiliation with the Institute for member companies include:

• Advancing private company success through excellence in education 
• Providing a neutral and trusted environment 
• Sparking organizational innovation
• Nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit 
• Accessing the expertise of SLU accomplished faculty and students 
• Maintaining confidentiality and non-solicitation policies

Additional Benefits

As a member of the Institute you’ll receive special access to a variety of events that include:

• Boardroom Breakfasts: A networking breakfast of members that provides an intensive exploration of relevant topics by private business owners, service providers and local experts. The event occurs six times a year in February, March and August through November.

• Member-Hosted Teach and Tours: A special inside look at business where an IPB Member will host all institute members at their place of work (headquarters, operations facility, etc) for a tour of their facility, introduction of their leadership team, and lesson about their business. The event will take place twice a year with one in June and one in July.

• Speaker Series Members-Only Receptions: The “IPB Speaker Series” welcomes nationally-renowned private business owners and leaders to St. Louis. The main event, which includes a morning keynote with Q&A session, is open to the public. IPB Members will receive 2 tickets to a “Members-Only Reception” with featured speaker(s) at the reception the night before and VIP access to Speaker Series. The series occurs twice a year in April and December. 

• IPB Internship Pipeline: The internship program matches an undergraduate entrepreneurship student at Saint Louis University with an IPB Member organization in order to provide the opportunity for the student to help out with the organization and learn the inner workings of running a family and/or private business. The internships will be crafted around a student and company’s mutually agreeable time.

• IPB Book Club: The program allows IPB Members, as well as faculty and staff of Saint Louis University, to recommend/share relevant books that have the potential to help member organizations. Each member will receive the top three books throughout the year for their personal enjoyment. 

• IPB Social Event: The program allows at least one member per IPB membership the opportunity to a attend a social event, such as a sporting or cultural event, to meet and network with other members.

• IPB Forum Group: An owner’s forum group will be introduced in 2013 and moderated by a fellow IPB Member. Additional Forum groups for senior leaders will be introduced in the future. An additional cost may apply and groups will meet on mutually agreeable dates a few times throughout the year.

Membership Options

IPB offers two types of membership for businesses, core-level and associate-level, as well as the opportunity to be a partner, to share expertise and offer financial and programmatic support.