Private Business Leadership and Growth Take Center Stage at UC Irvine Forum

Our CEO Anoosheh Oskouian joined business leaders at the inaugural ALC-Sunstone Private Business Initiative Forum to explore the challenges and opportunities facing privately held companies.

Held on October 22, 2026, at UC Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business and sponsored by RBC Wealth Management, the forum focused on navigating economic uncertainty, strengthening operational execution, and preparing businesses for their next stage of growth.

Dean Ian O. Williamson moderated the panel, which included Anoosheh Oskouian of Ship & Shore Environmental, John Rodgers of Cotality, and Rick Sweeny of RBC. David “Dave” Thompson of RBC provided the opening introduction.

Navigating an Uncertain Business Environment

Private companies must make decisions amid shifting government policies, inflation, interest rates, global conflict, and rapid technological change. These pressures can influence customer demand, investment plans, and the resources available to support growth.

For business leaders, the challenge is to respond to immediate needs while maintaining a clear view of long-term priorities. Staying close to customers, understanding their changing circumstances, and evaluating investments carefully are essential parts of that process.

Strengthening the Foundations of Growth

The forum’s agenda also addressed the operational work that turns strategy into results. Workforce management, financial discipline, technology adoption, and customer engagement all play a role in a company’s ability to adapt and grow.

For industrial businesses, these priorities are closely connected. Equipment reliability, employee expertise, energy consumption, and environmental performance can each affect operating costs and the ability to serve customers consistently.

At S&SE, helping manufacturers address these interconnected needs is central to our work. Environmental solutions must be designed around the realities of each facility, with careful consideration of process requirements, operational efficiency, and long-term service needs.

Giving Technology a Clear Purpose

Technology presents opportunities to improve productivity, support employees, and strengthen decision-making. Realizing those benefits requires a clear understanding of the problem being addressed and how a new tool will fit into existing operations.

For private companies, thoughtful adoption also means considering implementation costs, employee training, and the ability to measure results. A practical approach helps connect technology investments with business needs.

Preparing for the Next Chapter

As private companies mature, their leaders face decisions about succession, ownership transitions, and external capital. These choices can shape the future of the business, its employees, and its customer relationships.

Preparing early gives leaders time to develop management capabilities, establish clear processes, and consider how future changes might affect company culture and continuity. Financial considerations are one part of a broader conversation about the kind of business leaders want to build and sustain.

Continuing the Conversation

S&SE appreciates the opportunity to contribute an industrial and environmental engineering perspective to this exchange.

Our sincere thanks to Dean Ian O. Williamson for the invitation and for moderating such an insightful discussion, to fellow panelists John Rodgers and Rick Sweeny for their perspectives, and to David “Dave” Thompson for opening the session. We also thank the Paul Merage School of Business and RBC Wealth Management for bringing the forum together.

For S&SE, the themes of the forum reinforce the importance of strong relationships, thoughtful investment, and consistent execution in supporting long-term business growth.