The Service Specialists Association's 2011 Convention to be held at the Sanibel Harbour Resort and Spa in Fort Myers, Fla., Oct. 13-15.
Admission is free to SSA members.

The schedule of speakers and educational sessions is still under development. Every day, guests will be able to enjoy the pools, beach and spa offered by the resort. Organized activities will include golf, fishing and a tour of the J N Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Thursday. On Friday, there will be a guided excursion to Matlacha. Saturday will feature a tour of the famous Edison Ford Estates.

There will be a special one-day seminar before the convention dealing with succession planning. Only 40 percent of family-owned businesses survive to the second generation, 12 percent to the third and 3 percent to the fourth, note seminar planners.

A family business owner's decision to retire is not as simple as no longer going to the office. Key questions need to be answered before the family owned business owner can "leave" the business:
* Will he or she have enough money at retirement?
* Who is going to own and manage the business?
* How will ownership and management be transferred?
* Should the business be carried on or sold to a third party.?

Sanibel Harbour is one of Marriott's premier resorts, located on 85 waterfront acres at the tip of Fort Myers. There is fishing from the resort's private fishing pier, six dining options on site and a golf course.