Kenneth R. Thompson DePaul University, USA

Ken Thompson, Ph.D., is professor emeritus and the former chair of management at DePaul University, where he has been on staff since 1986. He has co-authored five books, contributed to six others, and has been published in a number of journals including the Academy of Management Executive, Organizational Dynamics, Journal of Social Psychology, Human Relations, Academy of Management Learning and Education, and the Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, where he has been senior editor for almost 20 years. In addition, he received a $25,000 grant from IBM to study the management operations of the Department of Defense, Finance and Accounting Services and the United States Postal Service. In 2017, Ken was awarded a Fulbright Specialist Award.

Most of Ken’s academic and professional life has focused on improving organizational performance and building an engaged workforce. Ken has a Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska in organizational behavior and strategic management.

Ken is a member of the National Academy of Management. Most recently, he was chair of the Management Education and Development Division and served on the governance board of the Organizational Behavior Division. Ken has also been active in various local and regional positions, including president and chairman of the Board of Directors of the Midwest Academy of Management.

Early in his career at the University of Arkansas, Ken helped develop the Walton Institute of Retailing where he worked directly with Sam Walton and other Wal-Mart executives developing training programs for all its store managers and assistant managers. He was an assistant professor of management at Notre Dame University and during this time consulted for General Motors Parts Division in Flint, Michigan.

Ken has served as senior examiner for the Baldrige National Quality Award Program for the past seven years. He was a senior lead examiner for the Illinois Performance Excellence Organization for 15 years and is a Master Senior Examiner for the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living for the last ten years. Ken has received the Via Sapientiae award from DePaul University, the highest award conferred upon DePaul faculty and staff.

Married with two children, Ken enjoys spending his free time with his family and serving on several volunteer boards. Currently, he is president of the Historical Society of Ogden Dunes, Indiana.