{"id":2341,"date":"2026-05-20T19:47:06","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T19:47:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/business.cornell.edu\/centers\/?page_id=2341"},"modified":"2026-08-06T22:12:31","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T02:12:31","slug":"smith","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/business.cornell.edu\/centers\/smith\/","title":{"rendered":"Smith Family Business Initiative"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>
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The Smith Family Business Initiative (SFBI) is dedicated to supporting and strengthening the network of owners, leaders, and alumni that work in, with or for a family business.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Founded in 2014 from a generous gift from John and Dyan Smith<\/a>, the Smith Family Business Initiative provides education, networking, and new knowledge for family business owners, successors, and students from across the globe.<\/p>\n\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n

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Outreach<\/a><\/h3>\n \n
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Our ability to grow the global network of family business students, alumni, and business owners.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n \n <\/article>\n <\/div>\n

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Inreach<\/a><\/h3>\n \n
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Our ability to connect and educate our students.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n \n <\/article>\n <\/div>\n

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Research<\/a><\/h3>\n \n
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Our ability to create and disseminate new knowledge in the family business space.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n \n <\/article>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/section>\n\n\n\n

Connect. Learn. Engage.<\/h2>\n\n\n
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\n \"Student\n <\/figure>\n \n

Family Business Mentorscape<\/a><\/h3>\n \n
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SFBI has created a mentors’ platform with the goal of connecting our Cornell students and recent alumni with the vast expertise within our network. This is an outgrowth of our popular Sam Seltzer ’48 Mentors Forum and provides year-round access to our mentors.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n \n <\/article>\n <\/div>\n

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Peer leadership forums<\/a><\/h3>\n \n
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Forums combine the expertise of our Cornell Family Business Fellows and access to Cornell faculty and our extensive SFBI global network. Forums are carefully curated and are unique to its constituent members. Areas of growth and exploration are driven by the members.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n \n <\/article>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/section>\n\n\n

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Smith Family Business Initiative<\/div>\n

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