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Abstract: When the patriarch of a long-establish New York family foundation dies, long-submerged tensions within and between generations spark a crisis in the governance of the foundation. One family member who had historically been given license by the founder to act as chief operating officer, finds herself under fire from others who want either a share of funds to direct themselves, or the establishment of a democratic governance structure aimed at determining a family consensus on the foundation's priorities.
Learning Objective: The case describes the intense debate as to how the Fund should be run. It raises issues as to the role of professional staff in directing a family foundation and the viability of such institutions over the course of more than one generation.