Kenneth R. Thompson

Ken Thompson, Ph.D., is professor and the former chair of management at DePaul University, where he has been on staff since 1986. He has co-authored four 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, and the Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, where he is senior editor. In addition, he received a grant from IBM to study the management operations of the Department of Defense, Finance and Accounting Services and the United States Postal Service.

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 their store and assistant managers. He was an assistant professor of management at Notre Dame University and during this time consulted for a 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 also currently acts as a senior lead examiner for the Illinois Performance Excellence Organization, the administrator of the state performance award.

Married with two children, Ken enjoys spending his free time with his family and several volunteer boards.