TED Community » Michael Dougherty

About Me

Michael Dougherty has been Chairman & CEO of Kindermusik International since December 1996. KI has received numerous special honors, including being named one of the "Top 40 Family Friendly Best Places for Parents to Work" and was most recently named by Ernst & Young as a 2006 Carolinas Region Entrepreneur of the Year. In April, 2002, Dougherty, along with his 46 fellow employees, bought the company through a leveraged ESOP from the 96 equity owners. KI is now 100% employee-owned.

Prior to joining Kindermusik, Dougherty was President of Gymboree Play Programs, Inc. in Burlingame, California, Executive Vice President and COO of Leisure Sports, Inc. in Pleasanton, California, and was a management consultant and team leader for Bain & Company in San Francisco, California. He is a frequent speaker on the topics of employee stock ownership plans and ownership culture, brand building, turnaround management, educational publishing and leadership.

Dougherty received his M.B.A. degree in 1988 from Stanford University with a concentration in marketing and finance, and his A.B. degree in 1982 from Colgate University with a concentration in history and economics. He is an avid golfer and marathoner, having qualified and completed the Boston Marathon in 2006, 2007, and 2008. Michael has been married to Cynthia for 24 years and has three daughters: Sarah (19), Frances (17) and Elizabeth (13).