About Rick
Richard Beaton, PhD, brings a broad range of educational and life experiences and creativity to his work at the De Pree Center. Raised in Western Canada in a family business context, he has worked in managerial roles within the family property development business, consumer banking, the non-profit world (in Hong Kong) and education (Asia, Europe, North America). His educational background includes degrees from Regent College in Vancouver, BC, and the University of Cambridge, where he received his PhD and also lectured. Additionally, he studied at the University of Tuebingen, Germany, and was later awarded a distinguished Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship. Team and individual sports and music have also played a large role in his life. His interests include organizational and leadership development, strategy, governance, and globalization and corporate identity. He loves delving into new things and has eclectic interests and tastes.
Out of a desire to better understand life and bridge worlds, Rick's graduate education shifted to theology. While acknowledging that this may seem an odd choice, he maintains that rather than being a narrow discipline as many assume, theology, when done well, is actually astonishingly broad, forcing integration and allowing an ample overview of the various disciplines. Thus, whether one is considering capital markets, the social contract between business and society, globalization, or culture, it provides a window into not only values and ethics but, perhaps as importantly, an understanding of the development of human potential, healthy organizational systems and innovative leadership. It helps us to understand what it means to be human and glimpse the tremendous potential we hold. And it has the further benefit of addressing our spiritual capacities, so essential to flourishing.
Rick likes to explain the rather circuitous route his life has followed as an attempt at synthesis and integration. Creativity and innovation are sparked in those places where disciplines converge, opening up fresh perspectives to old problems. His return to the business community is a natural next step. Rick brings the breadth of experience from living and working in Asia, North America, and Europe, and a unique ability to think across disciplines and offer fresh perspectives on old problems. As a principal of the Max De Pree Center for Leadership, Rick is involved in our family business practice and the individualized advisory services for executives, policymakers, and others in leadership positions. This may include organization or program assessment, executive coaching, and creative problem-solving applied to complex challenges. He also continues to explore various aspects of human flourishing.
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