Koch Center for Family Enterprise
Engaging the Family Enterprise
WashU Olin’s Koch Center for Family Enterprise generates insight into the holistic family enterprise.
The center concentrates on three areas of family enterprise: business (core operations), office (investment), and foundation (philanthropy). We convene leaders to surface key issues, pursue rigorous scholarship in these areas, and share the findings with the business community and our students. Together, we channel these insights into positive impact for current and future family business leaders. This tight connection between research and practice makes Olin an exciting place for students who have a closely-held business as their family legacy or their dream.
The Koch family’s vision for a center focused on such a vital segment of our economy, paired with Professor Boumgarden’s strategic commitment to guiding its direction, is emblematic of the value of engaging WashU Olin.
—Mike Mazzeo, Dean and Knight Family Professor of Economics
It’s no coincidence that this work is happening in St. Louis. Our city has a vibrant and engaged family business community that makes WashU the ideal hub for connecting seasoned business leaders with students who are interested in owning, operating, or investing in the private enterprise space. With nearly half of small and medium-size business owners expected to retire in the coming years, questions of succession and ownership have the potential to impact millions of employees as well as the communities that rely on these firms—the Koch Center is here to explore these questions with you.
Strategic Ownership Insights