FOBI offers a comprehensive range of education opportunities that translate research and practice into learning for students, executives, and the broader family business community. These include an undergraduate course dedicated to family enterprise, tailor-made executive education for companies and organizations, coaching for a student team representing Seidman in an international case competition, and periodic seminars that open FOBI's scholarship to family business leaders in West Michigan. Across all four, participants engage directly with real family businesses, through case analysis, faculty and visiting-scholar expertise, and dialogue with family business leaders, to build practical tools for navigating ownership, governance, and continuity.

FOBI designs tailor-made executive education programs for the company or organization that engages us. We start by sitting down with the organization to understand its needs and together set the goals the program should achieve. From there, we design a hands-on program that leaves participants with evidence-based knowledge, a concrete to-do list, and the energy to start working on their issues at their own family businesses.

For more information, contact Professor Ana Gonzalez at [email protected].

Building a Board
Equips family business leaders to build and sustain effective boards within a family governance framework, covering director roles, selection criteria, and board dynamics through applied exercises, including a board meeting role-play. Participants leave with clear priorities for their own boards.  (March 2026)

Employment and Compensation Policies
Prepares participants to design fair, competitive compensation and employment systems that support governance and long-term continuity, covering base pay, incentives, benefits, and performance triggers. Participants leave with practical priorities for their own compensation policy. (August 2026)