MBN Speaker Series | Ben Bakken, Tri-Star Trust Bank - The Succession Playbook, Driving Value,...

Recording Date: February 18, 2026 Location: Capital Region International Airport (LAN) This month's event featured Ben Bakken - Senior VP, Lansing Market Director at Tri-Star Trust Bank, Lansing, MI. He discussed “The Succession Playbook: Driving Value, Exit Options, and Building Your Team”. He will speak about the long game of business ownership—preparing today for the outcomes you want tomorrow. From a trust bank perspective, succession isn’t just about an eventual exit; it’s about structuring the business in ways that protect value, reduce risk, and create flexibility for owners and stakeholders. This session frames succession as a strategic playbook: strengthening leadership teams, aligning financial and governance structures, and keeping multiple exit paths open—whether that’s family transition, management buyout, or sale. The goal is continuity, confidence, and control—so when the time comes, the business is ready and the owner has real choices. Ben Bakken is an experienced and knowledgeable financial professional who understands the ‘ins and outs’ of strategy, analysis, relationship building, and leadership. Ben brings more than a decade of experience in the banking industry, in addition to nearly 5 years of experience in C-Suite roles responsible for finance, operations, accounting, real estate, information technology, business development, and human resources. He acquired his MBA from Northwood University and has a bachelor’s degree from Wayne State University. Community involvement and volunteerism are pillars of what motivates Ben. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP), member of the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce Policy Committee, Board Member for the Lansing Regional SmartZone / Local Development Financing Authority, co-founder and organizer for 5 Minutes Tops student shark-tank contest, Treasurer for the Holt Education Foundation, member of the Lansing Promise Business Council, Vice Chairperson for the Lansing Community College Foundation, and President for Holt Junior Rams Basketball. He also enjoys fundraising for Special Olympics Michigan’s Polar Plunge, Women Working Wonders / Sparrow Foundation’s Dapper Dads, Carefree Medical’s Dancing with the Local Stars, and Children’s Ballet Theatre Nutcracker performance as ‘Mother Ginger’. Ben was the HEF recipient of the 2022 Community Person of the Year award, as well as the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce 2011 ’10 Over The Next Ten’ award. For information about Ben Bakken go to: https://www.tristartrust.com/team/ » Visit MBN website: http://www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com/ » Watch MBN’s YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@MichiganbusinessnetworkMBN » Like MBN: http://www.facebook.com/mibiznetwork » Follow MBN: http://twitter.com/MIBizNetwork/ » MBN Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/mibiznetwork/