Dr. Jordan Kassalow (’05), CEO and Founder of VisionSpring, has been named one of the Schwab Foundation’s Global Social Entrepreneurs of the Year for 2012. Drawn from a pool of more than 1,000 global applicants, twenty-six winners are selected in recognition of their innovative approaches and demonstrated impact. Hilde Schwab, Co-Founder and Chairperson of the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, presented the awards during a reception at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of New Champions on September 11. Jordan will be joining a cohort of over 225 social entrepreneurs from more than 70 countries who have been recognized by the Schwab Foundation. To read more about the Schwab Foundation 2012 Social Entrepreneur Awardees click here.
Inspired by the leadership projects from Aspen Global Network Fellows, Henry Crown Mentor Tom McCloskey has created his own leadership project—to establish an annual National Music Day in the U.S., on June 21st each year, with the kick off in 2013. The day will celebrate music and music makers, and will encourage music making from both amateur as well as professional musicians to break down the barriers between audience and performer. Tom hopes to have free music performances occurring all day throughout America. He’s having a lot of fun with its development and it is being well received in the music community. You can join in the celebration by visiting www.nationalmusicday.org and signing up for an event near you. You can also create an event if you would like to perform. For more information, please contact info@nationalmusicday.org. Stay “tuned”.
On September 25th, on the main stage at the 2012 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting, Andrew Kassoy (’01) announced B Lab‘s commitment to certify 100 B Corporations outside the U.S. in 2013, responding to demand from entrepreneurs around the world to join the B Corp movement. As part of the launch, B Lab formally announced their first international partnership, working with Sistema B to build the B Corp movement in South America. Together they will build a founding class of 100 South American B Corps by the end of 2013. B Lab also commits to expand the community to other regions of the world, with the goal of having B Corps in 20 countries on six continents, and of reaching a total of 750 Certified B Corps globally. You can check out B Lab’s commitment here.
2006 Fellow Janet Echelman has been selected as one of Architectural Digest‘s Innovators of 2012. The publications committee reviewed a wide range of artists, architects, landscape architects, and designers of all kinds to select the eight innovators who are “challenging received wisdom and conjuring a bold new world”. Janet is most known for her permanent netted sculpture the scale of buildings that billow in the wind. The article describes Janet’s sculpture as “changing the very essence of urban spaces.” You can read more about Janet’s accomplishments here.
On April 30th we were honored to have 48 Henry Crown Fellows, from all classes, come together in Washington, DC for a very special event. The day began with an in-depth conversation on “Stewardship and Legacy” with three members of the Crown family: Lester Crown and his sons Jim and Steve. 2002 Fellow Stace Lindsay moderated the discussion which highlighted the family values that drive and define the Crown family’s own corporate philosophy and practices, how they manage and lead with an understanding of their own stewardship of society, and how they encourage the next generation in becoming principled, engaged citizens committed to the making of the good society. Following a brief lunch break the group traveled to the U.S. Supreme Court for an afternoon conversation with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, moderated by 2011 Fellow Suzanne Malveaux. Suzanne touched on the theme of how the country’s highest judicial body plays its own role in promoting the Good Society. The event was the first of its kind for the Fellowship, but we are already planning similar events for 2013. Stay tuned for dates!
Please join us in New York City on October 31 for a reception for the awarding of the 2012 John P. McNulty Prize featuring a conversation with the winner. 2012 finalists include Charles Luyckx & Gary Campbell from the Africa Leadership Initiative South Africa, Amit Bhatia from the India Leadership Initiative, Maria Pachecho from the Central America Leadership Initiative, and Hildegard Vásquez from the Central America Leadership Initiative. The John P. McNulty Prize celebrates the visionary leadership of the Aspen Global Leadership fellows. The winner of this annual $100,000 prize will be selected by an international jury that includes Madeleine Albright, Brizio Biondi-Morra, Olara Otunnu and Shashi Tharoor. Finalists will receive $10,000 each. The Prize was created in honor of John P. McNulty to recognize his leadership, his creativity, his energy, and the spark he carried to ignite that in others. To register for this event please contact Leah Bitounis at 202.736.2289 or leah.bitounis@aspeninstitute.org
