Financial Poise

About Bruce Werner

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Bruce Werner

Bruce Werner is the Managing Director of Kona Advisors LLC, which provides advisory services to owners and investors of private and family-owned companies. With exceptional experience in finance, strategy, M&A, governance, and succession planning, Kona Advisors creates practical solutions to the most challenging corporate problems.

Mr. Werner is an experienced Corporate Director, leading businesses through periods of positive transitions as well as crises. He writes and speaks on boardroom issues of concern to private and family businesses. He is currently the Chairman of the Director Development and Referral Program for the Private Director Association. In this capacity, he has national responsibility for the coaches and students of this director training program.

In addition to his advisory work, Bruce has acted as a principal or consultant to several investment firms, with experience in running venture, private equity, hedge and real estate funds, as well as futures & options firms.

Mr. Werner spent 12 years at Werner Holding Co. in a variety of senior line and staff positions. He held executive responsibilities in the Climbing Products, Aluminum Extrusion and Insurance businesses. During his tenure the company grew from $180M to over $500M in revenues.

Prior to Werner Holding Co., he co-founded a technology company that developed proprietary products for the engineering workstation market. Early in his career he worked as an engineer for a Kleiner Perkins venture company.

Mr. Werner earned a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering and Engineering and Public Policy with honors from Carnegie-Mellon University. Having earned an IBM Fellowship, he graduated from Stanford University with a M.S. degree in Manufacturing Systems Engineering. Mr. Werner completed his M.S. Management degree at the MIT Sloan School.

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Financial Poise Contributions

  • How Ownership Structure Influences Your Exit Article published on July 2, 2025
  • Becoming a Board Director: Advice From Active Board Directors Article published on May 14, 2025
  • Beyond ‘Fight-or-Flight’: A Guide to Managing Ownership Group Conflicts Article published on April 23, 2025
  • How To Pick an Investment Banker Article published on March 12, 2025
  • 3 Advisory Board Styles to Fit Every Business Article published on September 9, 2024
  • Study: Private Company Board Compensation Article published on July 10, 2024
  • Sleep Better with Reps & Warranties Insurance Article published on May 10, 2024
  • Developing a Risk Management System Article published on January 15, 2023
  • Family Business Succession Planning: Prepping the Kids to Take Over Article published on September 23, 2022
  • Strategic Planning for a Board Meeting Agenda Article published on August 26, 2022
  • Family Governance is Not Business Governance Article published on July 19, 2022
  • Developing Effective Board Charters Article published on May 18, 2022
  • How to Assist Board Members with Signs of Dementia Article published on March 7, 2022
  • Advice for Securing Your First Board Seat Article published on January 13, 2022
  • Fight, Flight, or Freeze: Dealing with Business Conflicts Article published on November 22, 2021
  • An Outside Director’s Considerations for Acquisition Due Diligence Article published on November 3, 2021
  • What is the ROI for a Private Company Board of Directors? Article published on October 4, 2021
  • Talent Development Strategies for the Talent You Have Today but Need Tomorrow Article published on September 9, 2021
  • Governance Systems Should Anticipate and Resolve Business Ownership Conflicts Article published on August 4, 2021
  • Roadmap to Growing Your Business by Acquisition 2021 Webinar premiered on July 13, 2021 Webinar Series: Business Advice: From Start-up to Sale 2021
  • Acquisition Risks: That Company May Be Good to Own, but Tough to Buy Article published on July 7, 2021
  • How to Plan for Management Succession Article published on June 16, 2021
  • Roadmap to Selling a Business or Taking on Outside Investors 2021 Webinar premiered on June 8, 2021 Webinar Series: Business Advice: From Start-up to Sale 2021
  • Tips to Manage Business Risks with Your Board and Management Team Article published on June 3, 2021
  • C-Suite to Boardroom: The Traits an Experienced Executive Needs to Be an Effective Director Article published on April 21, 2021
  • STEP, KPMG Study: Global Family Business Governance Trends Article published on April 6, 2021
  • Guidelines to Improve Your Company’s Banking Relationship (In the Style of Poe’s ‘The Raven’) Article published on March 5, 2021
  • Revisiting the Three Circle Model of Family Business to Strengthen Governance Structures Article published on February 10, 2021
  • The Art of Balancing Family Dynamics in Family-Owned Businesses Article published on December 16, 2020
  • Feedback is the Breakfast of Champions: Designing Fruitful Board Evaluations Article published on October 26, 2020
  • Private Equity Exits: What Employees Should Know Article published on September 16, 2020
  • Happy Owner, Happy Board: The Strategy of a Private Company Board of Directors Article published on September 2, 2020
  • Banker, Broker or Sell it Yourself: Choosing the Right Method to Sell Your Company Article published on August 7, 2020
  • Not Making Business Decisions = Making Bad Business Decisions Article published on July 20, 2020
  • For Effective Boards, “Noses In, Fingers Out” Can Be Widely Interpreted Article published on July 6, 2020
  • Building the Best Strategy to Drive Cash Allocation Article published on June 24, 2020
  • Cybersecurity Challenges for Boards of Directors Article published on June 16, 2020
  • Non-Executive Directors Provide Leadership When It is Needed Most Article published on June 4, 2020
  • Warren Buffett Speaks Out on Independent Director Performance Article published on May 7, 2020
  • That's SOC, Not SOX: SOC Reports Audit the Safety of Company Data Article published on March 26, 2020
  • Recognizing Special Situations in Private Companies Article published on March 3, 2020
  • A Tale of Competitive Bidding and Pre-emptive Bids Article published on January 13, 2020
  • Can Seeking Help from the Lender Fix Distressed Companies' Woes? Article published on October 1, 2019
  • Without Good Governance, Family Businesses Go Nuclear Article published on September 17, 2019
  • Lessons on Family Governance in Business Article published on September 6, 2019
  • Don’t Wait to Sell the Company Article published on July 23, 2019
  • An Alternative Exit Strategy for Distressed Business Owners Article published on June 3, 2019