Family Cohesion

Katherine Dean is chief learning officer of Three Hills Family Office, which serves almost 30 members of a family with two branches and four living generations (G3 through G6). She discusses her responsibilities as CLO, which encompass family culture, learning and development as well as governance.

Cyndi Chiaro, general counsel of Miramar Services, describes how the family office has shifted from focusing solely on financial assets to prioritizing the overall well-being and personal development of family members through education, individualized engagement, and philanthropic involvement.

Emily Bouchard, a fractional chief learning officer for family offices, has worked with families in both single-family offices and multifamily offices on issues ranging from family education to succession planning. She discusses the ways family evolution can affect the family office.

A new family office survey aims to understand why many family offices prioritize sustainable investing. According to respondents, one of the key motivating factors for focusing on sustainability is NextGen engagement.

Anthony R. Contrucci leads the family office for the Schrage family, owners of First Bancshares, Inc. and Centier Bank headquartered in Merrillville, Indiana. Contrucci is a married-in member of the fifth generation, which has published a family history book. He describes how the book, which chronicles “our failures along with our successes,” can help preserve the family’s legacy.

Anthony R. Contrucci leads the family office for the Schrage family, owners of First Bancshares, Inc. and Centier Bank, headquartered in Merrillville, Indiana. Contrucci, a married-in member of the fifth generation of the family, describes how the family approaches education for all generations in an effort to establish “emotional cohesion.”

The Duchossois family started next-generation education when they had an operating business — and they are continuing it today through their family office. Craig Duchossois talks about what the family has learned.

Families often invest together not only to achieve financial goals but also to foster family unity. Two families share their experiences using legacy films to capture narratives, values, and histories through comprehensive interviews and visual storytelling to ensure that future generations can connect with the essence of their family heritage.

Alexander Degwitz, the family council chair of the Maldonado family's office, GEMIS, discusses the evolving challenges of aligning the family office with the aspirations and needs of the next generation.

After political instability in Venezuela forced the Maldonado family to emigrate, they settled in Miami, guided by a strong value of unity and a desire for a stable legal environment. The family, consisting of 17 first cousins, chose to stay together in business, purchasing a company in Miami, where they have built a new life and maintained close family bonds despite diverse individual paths and experiences.