FAMILY BUSINESS CENTER OPENS; NEW CSUN PROGRAM OFFERS SUPPORT, SHARED INFORMATION.

Byline: Jason Z. Cohen Staff Writer

Although some experts warn against mixing business and family, Richard Pocrass believes the combination works to his advantage.

Pocrass, chief executive officer of Chocolates a la Carte, works with his wife and two sons each day. He knew from the beginning a family business would be a unique challenge.

``We'd better have a close marriage going into it,'' he said. ``We're a close family and keeping the closeness is important.''

Pocrass will be one of several heads of successful family businesses on hand for today's launch of the Family Business Center at California State University, Northridge. He plans to participate in a panel discussing the challenges faced by such enterprises.

The purpose of the center, part of the College of Business Administration and Economics, is to give people in family businesses a place to meet others in the same situation, said Brian McConaughy, the center's director. He noted that family businesses contribute 30 percent of the nation's gross domestic product and employ 37 percent of its work force.

For the Pocrass family, the business is a place where a group of people with shared values work toward a common goal, according to Rena Pocrass, Richard's wife and the company president. She sees the values she and her husband taught their children put into practice each day.

``It's a sense of reaching - that constant reaching to push yourself to the next level,'' Rena Pocrass said.

She also believes the center will fill a need among family business for information and support, adding, ``When you hit those unexpected glitches, you can use some support.''

Family businesses such as Chocolates a la Carte are unique in their needs, McConaughy said.

``They have a special group of problems and opportunities, and we want to help address those,'' he said. ``The networking and the interaction will be the key to the long-term success of our center.''

The center will structure its programs to what the business participants want to learn, he said.

``What we want to do is provide programs tailored for the needs of family businesses,'' he said. ``They have the added dimension of family interactions in the firm and outside the firm.''

Among the programs planned are quarterly forums featuring business experts and people in family businesses to act as living case studies, McConaughy said.

``We want to provide opportunities for the family business owners to interact with each other, to network,'' McConaughy said. ``Who are they going to go to talk to about these concerns? Somebody in the same boat.''

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PHOTO (color) From left, Rick Pocrass, son Doug, wife Rena and son Michael share interest in the future of Chocolates a la Carte, the family business.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer