Biography

Amy Schuman, a principal of The Family Business Consulting Group Inc., works with family businesses on leadership development, communication skills and team building. Her experience is centered on helping family members collaboratively create systems, structures and relationships to help them function as effective stewards of their enterprise. Amy creates leadership and career development approaches tailored for sibling teams, young adults, teens and younger children in the next generation. She helps create conditions for successful generational transfer.

For more than 11 years, Amy directed organization development efforts for one of the top 10 of the 100 Best Companies to Work for in America and a third-generation, family-owned and managed business. A key executive during the successful transition from second- to third-generation family management, she worked closely with the owning families to preserve the company's unique culture, while re-interpreting and updating company practices to meet the intense demands of an increasingly competitive marketplace.

In July 1993 Ms. Schuman participated with President Clinton on a panel describing 'The Future of the American Workplace.' Amy has been an adjunct faculty member at Loyola University Chicago's Family Business Center since 1996. She serves as a coach and facilitator in Loyola's Next Generation Leadership Institute, an intensive, two-year program, during which men and women who desire to assume leadership positions in their family businesses are coached in developing leadership skills. She also facilitates a monthly Peer Lab where participants explore the unique challenges of family business leadership. Amy teaches group process and facilitation skills in Loyola's Family Business Communication Institute and leads Chicago's only support group for women in family business.

Amy has made presentations at the Family Firm Institute Conference and the Family Business Network meeting in Stockholm, Sweden. She has been an adjunct faculty member of the Lake Forest College Graduate School of Management and has taught at the University of Illinois, Chicago Campus, MBA program. She has a B.A. in Psychology from Oberlin College and has completed work towards a Master's Degree in Organization Development at Bowling Green State University and received her MBA at The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Amy currently lives in the Chicago area with her husband, a clinical psychologist, and their three children.

 

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Testimonials

"Amy Schuman has done a terrific job in our leadership development workshop. Her in-depth experience with business owning families made it a true family business workshop and not just a leadership presentation. She gave each family member tailor-made feedback. I personally got tremendous benefit regarding the transition process in our own family business."

3rd generation member of the Van Eck Group, Netherlands
Chairman Next Generation Committee, FBN Netherlands

 

"Amy is a tremendous speaker. Her presentations are clear and concise. People feel connected and realize the value added for time spent attending her programs and feel they have immediate take-home can use now information."

University Aftermarket and Automotive Warehouse
Distributors Association

 

"Amy Schuman's presentation showed an in-depth understanding of the complex issues which successors and successes are facing in family businesses. Her delivery style was clear and well structured with a large degree of sensitivity."

Family Business Network

 

"I've worked with hundreds of chairpeople in the past and Amy is by far one of the best that I've worked with. She is very knowledgeable and helpful to the program director with coordinating the presenters and by introducing them. Amy is wonderful and pleasant to work with."

Institute for International Research

 

 

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Topics

• Family Business Ownership: How to be an Effective Shareholder.
• Will Mr. or Ms. Perfect Be Good Enough? Developing Leadership Talent in the Next Generation.
• Career Development & Succession Planning for Family and Non-Family Executives.
• Gender Issues in Family Business, Bringing Out the Best in Sons and Daughters.
• Female Leaders in the Family Business.
• Enhancing Family Communication, Collaboration and Teamwork.
• They're Not Just Games, They're Simulations: 10 Easy Activities to Improve Group Process.
• Family Infrastructure: Building Frameworks for Successful Family Meetings.
• How to Create Dynamic Coaching and Mentoring Systems for Family Businesses (for both family and non-family executives).
• Turning Dreams into Bricks and Mortar: How to Create a Corporate Culture that Reflects Your Family Beliefs and Values.
• Family Businesses that Care are Family Businesses that Work: Using Positive People Practices to Build a High Performing Family Business.

Background

• Principal of The Family Business Consulting Group, Inc.
• Specializes in helping family members collaboratively create systems, structures and relationships to help them function as effective stewards of their enterprise.
• Creates leadership development and career development for family businesses, tailoring special approaches for young adults, teens and children in the next generation.
• Coach and facilitator in Loyola University Chicago Family Business Center's Next Generation Leadership Institute, an intensive, two-year program, during which men and women who desire to assume leadership positions in their family businesses are coached in developing leadership skills.
• Adjunct faculty, Loyola University Chicago's Family Business Center since 1996.
• Guest faculty at University of Illinois at Chicago Business School, teaching in the areas of family business and corporate culture.
• Directed organization development efforts for one of the top 10 of the 100 Best Companies to Work for in America and a third-generation, family-owned and managed business.
• Past presenter at the Family Firm Institute Conference and the Family Business Network meeting in Stockholm, Sweden.