Fostering legacies, inspiring futures: Highlights from re:connect 2025

At the Ward Center’s signature conference, family enterprise leaders gathered to celebrate 25 years of impact and look ahead to the next generation of opportunities.
Written by:
LeeAnn Shelton
4 minute read

Topics:

Professor Matt Allen speaks at the Ward Center for Family Enterprises re:connect conference at the Kellogg Global Hub.
Ward Center faculty director Matt Allen leads a workshop for family enterprises at re:connect, the center’s annual conference.

At Kellogg, family enterprise is more than a business discipline — it’s a legacy of leadership. For 25 years, the John L. Ward Center for Family Enterprises has been at the forefront of family business education, helping leaders navigate the complexity of generational transitions, family governance and purpose-driven innovation. With so many businesses worldwide being family-owned, this work is more relevant than ever.

To mark this milestone, the Ward Center hosted its annual re:connect conference on May 15 at the Kellogg Global Hub — a full-day event that convened alumni, family leaders and faculty to reflect on the center’s impact and explore the future of family enterprise education. The theme, “The Next 25 Years,” invited participants to think boldly about the evolving role of families in shaping the global economy.

Milestone celebration

Professor Carola Frydman, the center’s faculty director, opened the day by welcoming attendees and honoring the center’s rich history. For a quarter-century, the Ward Center has offered world-class research, executive education, MBA coursework and global forums that empower family enterprises at every stage of growth. Today, it continues to serve as a trusted guide for families navigating new frontiers — from philanthropy and entrepreneurship to family offices and multigenerational investing.

Professor Carola Frydman and Ed Brenninkmeyer particiapte in a fireside chat on the topic of family enterprises at the Ward Center re:connect conference.
Frydman led a fireside chat with Ed Brenninkmeyer ’14 MBA, chief investment officer at Amesto, about lessons from a sixth generation enterprise.

In a keynote fireside chat, Dean Francesca Cornelli joined the center’s executive director, Professor Matt Allen, to reflect on Kellogg’s distinctive leadership in the family enterprise space.

“Most companies around the world are family enterprises. That was true 25 years ago when the Center was founded and continues to be true today,” said Dean Cornelli. “Because family enterprises play such an important role in the economy, students and leaders across all industries benefit from the knowledge and expertise the Ward Center provides.”

Ward Center founder Lloyd Shefsky speaks at its re:connect conference, wearing a navy blazer and blue checkered shirt, standing behind a podium.
Ward Center founder Lloyd Shefsky accepted the annual Leadership Award, sharing memories from the center’s earliest days.

She shared updates on the Ward Center’s Family Office Initiative, launched in 2024 to build upon Kellogg’s expertise in this arena. As the number of family offices continues to grow globally — many managing wealth before or alongside active businesses — the center is working to ensure families have the tools and networks to make values-driven, impact-oriented decisions.

Dean Cornelli also looked ahead to how Kellogg can support what she calls “legacy equity,” or the idea that family wealth, when guided by purpose, has the power to shape industries and communities for generations to come.

Professor Gregor Matvos gives a presentation on fintech and innovation during the Ward Center re:connect conference at the Kellogg Global Hub.
Professor Gregor Matvos presented his research on the successes and failures of the fintech revolution.

Learning from experience

Throughout the day, attendees heard directly from alumni and family leaders about how they are adapting legacy enterprises for a fast-changing world:

  • The Crown Family in Conversation: Steve Crown, executive chairman of Henry Crown & Company, and his son Connor Crown ’20 MBA, co-founder of Expanse Venture Partners, shared multigenerational perspectives on leadership and philanthropy. 
  • Lessons from a Sixth Generation Enterprise: Ed Brenninkmeyer ’14 MBA, chief investment officer at Amesto and a member of the COFRA Holdings family, offered reflections on how his family has evolved while staying rooted in purpose and identity.
  • Banking Reimagined: Successes and Failures of the FinTech Revolution: Professor Gregor Matvos explored how technology is reshaping various sectors and what family enterprises should understand about the risks and rewards of fintech innovation.
  • Interactive Session: Professor Matt Allen facilitated a hands-on workshop designed to help families explore their goals and lay a foundation for long-term success.
  • Leadership Award: Lloyd Shefsky, a founder and co-director of the Ward Center, recalled its earliest days and the impact it has had on families over more than two decades.  

Re:connect offered a space for alumni and families to deepen their bonds with each other and with Kellogg. A networking lunch and evening reception created moments for attendees to make new connections as well.

The event was generously sponsored by PwC and Egon Zehnder, both of whom work closely with business-owning families around the world.

Get in touch with the Ward Center for Family Enterprises to learn about upcoming programs and be part of the next 25 years of leadership in this vital space.