Kenneth Kaye, Ph.D., M.F.A.
Ken Kaye earned his A.B. and Ph.D. degrees from Harvard University. He trained in family therapy at the Family Institute of Chicago, and had a general practice as a clinical psychologist before beginning his specialty in family business dynamics in 1986.
Kaye has published dozens of articles and books for professional advisors as well as family business members about resolving the disputes, rifts, and tension between generations that threaten to hobble their enterprises. The books most descriptive of his work with family firms are Workplace Wars and How to End Them (AMACOM Books, 1994) and The Dynamics of Family Business (2005).
As a researcher, Dr. Kaye authored The Mental and Social Life of Babies: How Parents Create Persons (University of Chicago Press, 1982; subsequently republished in five languages) and more than three dozen articles in scholarly journals. For parents, he has published Family Rules (3d edition: 2005), as well as articles for Psychology Today, Redbook, The Sciences, Family Business, Corporate Board, Nation’s Business, and many other magazines.
His latest book is Trust Me: Helping Our Young Adults Financially, co-authored with Nick Kaye, now available as an e-book.
A former faculty member at Northwestern University’s Institute of Psychiatry, Dr. Kaye participates in the Dispute Resolution group at the university’s Kellogg School of Management. He has served on numerous editorial boards and advisory boards, including the Board of Overseers of the Institute of Psychology at Illinois Institute of Technology, the Board of the One-to-One Learning Center, and the Editorial Board of Family Business Review.
Kenneth Kaye is a recipient of the Family Firm Institute’s Contribution to the Field award, and founded PDFB, the annual conference of leading psychologists who specialize in family business problems. He is also a long-time Adviser Member and Consultant to Family Office Exchange (FOX).
An instrument-rated commercial pilot, Ken’s work reflects diverse experiences including acting, sailing, mountain climbing, and an MFA from Bennington College in Writing and Literature. He is married to food stylist Janice Bell, and has four adult children and two young grandsons.
“Kenneth Kaye” (intellectual biography) on Wikipedia
Complete list of Ken’s 28 published articles about family business dynamics