About the Beyster Institute

The Beyster Institute at UC San Diego’s Rady School of Management works to advance the understanding and practice of employee ownership as an effective and responsible business model.

We focus on education, research, and consulting to promote employee ownership and the creation of effective ownership cultures.

We serve companies interested in the employee ownership business strategy, business owners looking to transition out of their companies, and professional advisers who want to better serve their clients by gaining employee ownership knowledge.

Our History

The work of the Beyster Institute began in 1986 when, as part of the Foundation for Enterprise Development, it took on the commission to spread the visionary ideas of Dr. J. Robert Beyster, the founder of SAIC. These ideas have led to the development of many highly successful enterprises based on the potent combination of employee ownership and entrepreneurial spirit.

Dr. Beyster founded SAIC in 1969, and by the time he retired from the company in 2004 it had grown to Fortune 500® size, with more than 40,000 employees and annual revenues approaching $8 billion. Dr. Beyster firmly believed that the methods used to develop SAIC – employee ownership, shared entrepreneurship and participation — can make a real difference in the success of an enterprise and in the economic lives of people everywhere. From the very beginning, Dr. Beyster rewarded the performance of employees with stock ownership. As SAIC grew, Dr. Beyster fought to preserve the values that had made the early SAIC successful — not only employee ownership and entrepreneurship, but a flexible and decentralized organization structure, technical excellence, high standards of ethical conduct, and a firm belief in customer service.

Dr. Beyster retired from the company in 2004. In conjunction with his retirement, the Beyster Institute joined the Rady School of Management at the University of California, San Diego, a leading professional school within one of the top-ranked institutions in the U.S. for higher education and research. Dr. Beyster passed away at his home in La Jolla on Dec. 22, 2014, leaving behind a legacy that continues to have a lasting impact on people, businesses, and communities across the face of our nation and around the globe.

Our Team

Kim Blaugher
Executive Director
208.283.4644

Kim has over 30 years of experience in his areas of expertise ESOPs and equity compensation plans. He uses his income tax and accounting background to help companies determine the feasibility of an ESOP, forecast repurchase obligations, and craft ESOP transactions designed to address each client’s unique needs and objectives. Prior to joining the Beyster Institute, he was a vice president of ESOP consulting at Principal Financial Group. Kim also led the ESOP practice at Mercer Company and has worked at RSM US LLP, and KPMG. Kim holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Earlham College and a Master of Taxation degree from the University of Denver. He passed the CPA exam in 1985.

Charles Chang
Employee Ownership Consultant

At the Beyster Institute, Charles Chang provides consultations that include quantitative analysis and financial modeling for companies that wish to implement Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs).

Prior to joining the Beyster Institute in 2022, Charles worked in corporate governance and strategic planning at large corporations including Fiat, BRF, Disney and Grupo Boticario. He has a double bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and business administration; and an MBA from the Rady School of Management.

Jur Slinkman
Consultant

Jur started as a Graduate Student Associate in 2022. Before joining the Beyster Institute, he gained experience in the FP&A department of a multinational. He has obtained a BSc in Economics and Business Economics from Utrecht University (Netherlands), combined with an honors program and a Master of Finance from the University of California, San Diego.

Tanisha Mukherjee
Consultant

Tanisha started as a Graduate Student Associate in the Summer of 2022. Before starting at Beyster, she gained experience in valuation as a venture fellow under Rady’s Entrepreneurship wing. She has obtained a Bachelor’s in Commerce (specialization in Accounting and Finance) and a Master’s in Economics from Christ University (India), along with a Master of Finance from the University of California, San Diego

Jon Valencia
Officer Administrator

Before joining the Rady School in 2015, Valencia was Senior Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy. He led troops, served as a technical expert for administrators, and mentored sailors and newly commissioned junior officers. Valencia has a master’s degree in leadership and management from the University of La Verne.

The Beyster Institute is located at the following address:

The Beyster Institute
9500 Gilman Drive
Wells Fargo Hall, Fifth Floor West
MC 0553
La Jolla, CA 92093-0553