Family Education

As family offices look ahead to future generations, some are formalizing how they welcome new family members into the enterprise. From board observation opportunities and mentoring programs to structured orientations for spouses and partners, families are creating intentional pathways to introduce governance, family values and stewardship responsibilities long before leadership transitions occur.

Stewardship is central to the culture of the Bush family, owners of Bush Brothers & Company, and is reinforced through their family office, Shoebox Private Trust Company. As Shoebox President John Seckman explains, the family views ownership as a responsibility, with the company serving consumers and employees before owners, and the trust company works to instill that stewardship mindset across generations.

As families grow and become more diverse, a one-size-fits-all approach to the family office can become difficult to maintain and even counterproductive.

Raising responsible stewards starts early, with parents modeling the behaviors and values they hope to instill while teaching children gratitude, discipline and awareness of others. Family office leaders and advisors note that intentional parenting can help kids avoid entitlement and develop the foundations for responsible adulthood.

Tony Pritzker emphasizes teamwork, transparency and philanthropy, while giving his children the freedom to pursue their passions with diligence and purpose.