125 Influential People and Ideas
It all started right here.We invite you to celebrate 125 years of management education through the stories of …
Wharton’s Leaders
WHARTON’S LEADERS
The Wharton School has influenced the practice of business through the leaders it has educated. In turn, …
Chairs Of The Wharton Board Of Overseers
Since 1973, the leadership of Wharton’s Board of Overseers has catapulted the School in global prominence, and each …
A Giant of Marketing Theory: Wroe Alderson, Professor
Marketing was once considered a trade. Wroe Alderson proved it was a science as well. After beginning his …
Pioneering Lawyer, Judge and Civil Rights Leader: Raymond Pace Alexander, W’20
Raymond Pace Alexander, Wharton’s first black graduate, challenged many segregated institutions in the Philadelphia area, making an indelible …
Empire Builder: Anil D. Ambani, WG’83
Indian Businessman Anil Ambani has been known to tell aspiring entrepreneurs, “Work till your last breath. Work is …
Dynamic Publisher, Philanthropist: Walter H. Annenberg, W’31, HON’66
When Walter Annenberg took over his father’s faltering publishing business after the older man died in 1942, few …
The Calm Center Of Malaysian Banking: Tan Sri Dato’ Dr. Zeti Akhtar Aziz, G’74, GRW’78
News stories about Tan Sri Dato’ Dr. Zeti Akhtar Aziz, governor of Malaysia’s central bank, Bank Negara Malaysia, …
Transforming Retailing Through Education: Jay H. Baker, W’56
When Dr. Jay H. Baker entered the retailing field after graduation, it wasn’t a big draw for Wharton …
He Took Stock Of NASDAQ’s Boom: Alfred R. Berkeley, III, WG’68
Alfred Berkeley III became president of the NASDAQ Stock Market in 1996, back when it was a helter-skelter …
Pioneer In Academic Business Research: Anne Bezanson, Professor
Anne Bezanson had not yet completed her PhD in economic history in 1921, yet she was about to …
Tax Preparation for the Masses: Richard Bloch, W’46
By the time Richard Bloch had reached age 52, he had clearly made it. He had graduated from …
Indonesia’s Financial Rudder: Dr. Boediono, GRW’79
When Dr. Boediono took over Indonesia’s Finance Ministry in August 2001, the country’s economy and financial system were …
Visionary Investment Banker: Geoffrey T. Boisi, WG’71
In 1978, only seven years after earning his Wharton MBA, Geoffrey Boisi became the youngest partner of Goldman, …
International Foothold For U.S. Manufacturing: James Chadbourn Bolles, W’29
Some successful people pull themselves up by their bootstraps. But James Chadbourn Bolles used his socks.
Bolles’ career started …
Keeping His Eye On The Digital Ball: Robert A. Bowman, WG’79
“It’s virtually impossible to complain about this job,” says Bob Bowman, the president and CEO of Major League …
Architect Of U.S. Protections For Individual Rights: William J. Brennan Jr., W’28,
As the intellectual leader of the movement towards expanded individual and civil rights, Chief Justice of the U.S. …
Express Checkout For Retailing Innovations: Charles Butt, W’59
An an 8-year-old, Charles Butt began bagging groceries in his family’s stores — a business his grandmother had …
Oracle’s President and CFO: Safra Catz W’83, L’86
Despite her high-profile post—co-president and CFO of business-software company Oracle Corp.—very little has been written about Safra Catz …
A Savvy Publishing Innovator For Brazil: Roberto Civita, W’57
It did not seem like a propitious time to launch a serious news magazine in 1968 when Roberto …
Brand Innovator For Pepsi and Ebay: William C. Cobb, W’78
Pepsico, Inc., the food and drink industry mega-giant, is known for building brands such as Pepsi, Pizza Hut, …
A Medical Calling Redirected: Arthur D. Collins Jr., WG’ 73
It’s tough to picture Medtronic CEO and Chairman Arthur Collins Jr. as anything other than a poised professional. …
He Made Airlines Fly Higher: Robert L. Crandall, WG’60
A great deal of what has been done right by the troubled airline industry is due to the …
Ad Man, Arts Executive, Bruce Crawford, W’52
Under chairman Bruce Crawford, advertising giant Omnicom was best known for creating buzz with advertisements, particularly television spots, …
Led Philly Federal Reserve, Jean Andrus Crockett, Professor
Tenacity coupled with brilliance were key to Jean Andrus Crockett’s groundbreaking career. She was the first female department …
Built A Banking Giant: Edward E. Crutchfield, WG’65
When Edward E. Crutchfield started running day-to-day operations at First Union Bank as its chief executive officer in …
Leading In Perfect Harmony: James DePreist, W’58, ASC’61, Hon’76
The Oregon Symphony dedicated the 2002–2003 season to its music director for more than two decades, James DePreist. …
A Trusted Leader For Turbulent Times: Pridiyathorn Devakula, WG’70
Pridiyathorn Devakula, the great-grandson of a Thai king, has long been an innovative thinker for the Thai economy, …
She Opened The Old Girls’ Network: Connie K. Duckworth, WG’79
Many women don’t realize that they can achieve their dreams and execute on their passions in business,” Connie …
He Made Sun Oil Rise: Robert G. Dunlop, W’31, Hon’72
Robert Dunlop called himself a “bean counter.” Despite his sober self-assessment, Dunlop led Sun Oil Co. in innovative …
Originator of Healthcare Management: Robert Eilers, Professor
When Robert Eilers conceived the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics in 1967, the notion of a high-level …
He Delivers For UPS: Michael L. Eskew, AMP’93
The only way to stay ahead when you’re running a 100-year-old company that’s already done great things, UPS …
Oscar-Winning Producer: Wendy Finerman, W’82
Wendy Finerman’s dogged nine-year campaign to make Forrest Gump has become the stuff of Hollywood lore: While still …
A Pair Of Shoes In Every Closet: Jerome Fisher, W’53
In the mid-1970s, Jerome Fisher would look at the upscale runway shows and marvel at the shoes the …
A Compassionate And Connected Leader: W. Frank Fountain, WG’73
In 2006 Crain’s Detroit named Frank Fountain the region’s number-one “most connected” person—the local leader who had forged …
His Research Challenged Conventional Wisdom: Irwin Friend, Professor
Plucked from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Professor Irwin Friend was an intellectual powerhouse whose path-breaking research of …
Retail Innovator And Legendary Competitor: Bernard F. Gimbel, W’1907
When a championship boxer describes you as a tough competitor, you know it’s true. In 1967, heavyweight champion …
Investor, Entrepreneur, Candlestick Maker: Robert B. Goergen, WG’62
“Kaizen” is a Japanese word that Bob Goergen likes to use to explain his approach to business. He …
Reinventing Health and Beauty Retail: Stanley Goldstein, W’55
When Stanley Goldstein started a new business with his brother, Sidney, and a friend, Ralph Hoagland, he picked …
The Father Of Conjoint Analysis: Paul Green, Professor
Marketing professor Paul Green is often called “the father of conjoint analysis,” the powerful predictive statistical technique and …
Pioneers Of Social Investing: John G. Guffey, W’70 and D. Wayne Silby, W’70
Wayne Silby and John Guffey didn’t invent social investing, but the two founders of the Calvert Group turned …
He Changed The Face Of Pitney Bowes: George B. Harvey, W’54
When Pitney Bowes hit some rough spots during the recession of 1981–1982, Chief Executive Officer, President, and Chairman …
The Maverick Who Put The ‘Retail’ In Retail Banking: Vernon W. Hill II, W’67
Insight and innovation often come from juxtaposition of two seemingly dissimilar fields. Ask Commerce Bank President/CEO Vernon Hill.
Also …
The Father of Insurance Education: Solomon S. Huebner, GRW’13, Professor
Solomon Huebner’s designation as the “father of insurance education” is undisputed. He taught the first course ever given …
From Bootstrapper To Philanthropist: Jon M. Huntsman, Sr, W ’59, Hon ’96
The story of Jon Meade Huntsman is the stuff of which the American Dream is made: threadbare upbringing …
Transportation Studies Pioneer, Emory Richard Johnson, Professor
Emory Johnson was Wharton’s first specialized business professor who not only pioneered U.S. transportation studies but practiced in …
The Business Leader As Statesman: Reginald H. Jones, W’39, Hon’80
When many of his contemporaries in the business world viewed government as an adversary, Reginald Jones, CEO of …
He Made Times Square Spectacular: Jeffrey S. Katz, WG’71
Times Square, so recently New York’s shame, is today its symbolic heart,” the New York Post wrote in …
The World’s Master Econometrician: Lawrence R. Klein, Professor
Shortly after winning the 1980 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics, Lawrence Klein commented to Wharton Alumni Magazine that …
The Guru Of Risk Management, Paul Kleindorfer, Professor
Risk management arrived in force in the chemical industry in 1984 with a poisonous gas leak at a …
A Plainspoken Leader for Philips: Gerald Kleisterlee, AMP’91
In an era of risk-takers, Gerard Kleisterlee’s way to success was being steadfast and forthright, clinging to the …
Forward Thinker for a Japanese/American Venture: Yotaro Kobayashi, WG’ 58
As chairman of the Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd., Yotaro Kobayashi is a business visionary. And his company, a …
Selective Entrepreneur Venture Capitalist: Josh Kopelman, W’93
Starting half.com, Infonautics, and an anti-spam company called Turntide has led serial entrepreneur Josh Kopelman to rethink tenets …
A Leader For The Public Good: Ann McLaughlin Korologos, WG’88
There are not many reasons to abandon the Wharton Executive MBA program mid-term. But when the President of …
Inventor Of Gross National Product Measure: Simon Kuznets, Hon ’56, Hon ’76, Professor
During World War II many academics put their ideas on hold for national interests.
For economist Simon Kuznets the …
A Leader In Beauty and Global Education: Leonard A. Lauder, W’54
In an age of business arrogance and self-promotion, Leonard Lauder transformed a small, homey cosmetics company into a …
A Healer For The Health Care System: Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, WG’86
There’s no doubt that aspects of the U.S. health care system are ailing. Millions of working people are …
Educator, Banker, Civil Rights Leader: Richard Robert Wright Sr., WEV ’21
When retired Union Civil War soldier, General Oliver Otis Howard, visited an Atlanta classroom, a school boy named …
Took A Korean Business Global: Sehoon Lee, WG’75
Doing the right thing for a company isn’t always easy. That’s something Dr. Sehoon Lee knows well. As …
The Guru Of Cyberlaw: Lawrence Lessig, C’83, W’83
In the realm of internet politics and law, no one even approaches Lessig’s stature,” Wired magazine proclaimed in …
He Topped Charts With Polygram: Alain Levy, WG’72
In 2006 Alain Levy startled an audience at London Business School with the statement: “The CD as it …
Father Of The DVD: Warren N. Lieberfarb, W’65
While many gadgets have inventors, the DVD had a father. Warren Lieberfarb is credited with the vision, persuasiveness, …
Radio One’s Number One: Alfred C. Liggins, III, WG’95
His mother, the legendary Kathy Liggins Hughes, co-founded Radio One with limited funds, building the company station by …
A Clear-Eyed Visionary: George L. Lindemann, W’58
George Lindemann sees clearly what other people don’t—trends on the cusp of breaking, from the soft contact lens …
A Tough And Inventive Corporate Lawyer: Martin Lipton, W’52
A founding partner of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, Martin Lipton was dubbed one of the “100 Most …
Stock Superstar Who Beat The Street: Peter S. Lynch, WG’68
Stock picker extraordinaire Peter Lynch’s “invest in what you know” strategy has made him a household name with …
He Made Real Estate a Science: William L. Mack, W’61
In those days, real estate was really a cottage industry,” Bill Mack has said of his early career …
Paved the Way for Pension Reform: Daniel M. McGill, GRW’47, Professor
The undisputed “dean” of the pension industry, Professor Dan McGill’s pioneering research raised serious questions about the soundness …
A Publishing Giant Goes Digital: Harold W. McGraw III, WG’76
While Harold McGraw III shares the family name of the company’s founder, he has never mistaken McGraw-Hill Inc. …
New Financial Models Can Change The World: Michael Milken, WG’ 70
“Here’s a new realization in medical research that things need to be done quickly, and that they can …
Towards A More Humane Model of Business: Howard E. Mitchell, Professor
Howard Mitchell brought corporate social responsibility and equality issues into American organizations at a time when neither was …
Forges The Deals For The World’s Largest Steel Company: Aditya Mittal, W’96
During the smelting process, fire hardens steel. For Mittal Steel Co., trial by fire transformed Aditya Mittal from …
A Culturally Fluent Businessman, From Shanghai to Tennessee: Laurence Za Yu Moh, WG’53
When Laurence Moh wanted to open a factory for his furniture businesses in mainland China, he would personally …
A VC With A Silicon Touch: Michael L. Moritz, WG’ 78
Michael Moritz can pick ’em, but he isn’t afraid to share a few tips. During a recent interview …
A Serial Entrepreneur PayPals It Forward: Elon Musk, W’97
Elon Musk always wanted to change the world in positive ways. Now he’s ready for new worlds.
“One of …
A Radical Who Laid The Groundwork For The Tenure System: Scott Nearing, Professor
The tenure system allows established professors to pursue research topics without worrying where their results take them. But …
Devices With Minimal Invasion, Maximum Benefit: Peter M. Nicholas, WG’ 68
Peter Nicholas rang Wall Street’s closing bell on January 31, 2005—an honor that was a long time in …
He Created Network Broadcasting: William S. Paley, W’22, HON’68
The New York Times wrote that CBS founder William Paley was to broadcasting what “Carnegie was to steel, …
Big Deals And Big Goals For The Philippines: Manuel V. Pangilinan, WG’68
When Manuel Pangilinan architected a buyout of Philippines Long Distance Company (PLDC) in 1999, it was dubbed the …
Order, Efficiency And Cooperation For Italian Post And Banking: Corrado Passera, WG ’80
In 1998, when Corrado Passera was chosen to lead the Italian postal service, the task seemed impossible. There …
Master Investor: Ronald O. Perelman, W’64, WG’66
Ronald Perelman’s business philosophy is that successful companies generally do one thing extremely well, and they should concentrate …
The Force Behind The Social Security Act: Frances Perkins Attended 1918-1919
A staunch protector of workers’ rights, Frances Perkins became America’s first female cabinet member as Secretary of Labor. …
A Voice Of Globalization For An Imperiled Planet: Howard V. Perlmutter, Professor
Howard Perlmutter has always had a gift for prediction. The Wharton Emeritus Professor and Director of the Emerging …
A Gentleman In Silicon Valley, Lewis E. Platt, WG ’66
Lewis Platt began at Hewlett-Packard as an engineer in 1966. He retired more than 30 years later as …
A Deft Touch for Capital Markets Good and Bad: Ruth Porat, WG’87
To some, it came as a surprise when Morgan Stanley promoted Ruth Porat in 2006 to be head …
A New Kind Of Leadership: David S. Pottruck, C’70, WG’72
In 1984, David Pottruck, a young and aggressive ex-Penn wrestler and football player, was frustrated with his traditional …
Consumer Research Pioneer: J.D. Power III, WG’59
Not many statisticians are household names, but J.D. “Dave” Power III is. Called the high priest of customer …
He Turned Pfizer Into A Global Corporate Citizen: Edmund T. Pratt, Jr., WG ’49
Ed Pratt expanded pharmaceutical company Pfizer operations into almost every country of the world during the 1970s, increasing …
Brought Phone Service To The Bangladeshi Poor: Iqbal Quadir: G’83, WG’ 87
The idea for GrameenPhone came to Iqbal Quadir during an afternoon of on-the-job frustration in 1993. His investment …
She Wrote The Book On Internet Investing: Ruthann Quindlen, WG’ 83
Ruthann Quindlen was there before the tech boom started—and she was there to chronicle those heady days.
The daughter …
Shaped Reynolds Metals: Richard S. Reynolds Jr., W’30
Richard Reynolds Jr. graduated from Wharton in 1930 at the depths of Great Depression. He started work as …
An Ear For Talent And A Mind For Business: Sylvia M. Rhone, W’74
Sylvia Rhone’s skill in picking the hottest superstars has pushed record label revenues as well as chart hits …
Deal-Maker Who Built A National Media Company: Brian L. Roberts, W’ 81
Working for and with his father’s company was the only job Brian Roberts ever really wanted. The fourth …
A Pioneer on Cable’s Frontiers: Ralph J. Roberts, W’41, HON’05
Comcast Corp’s prospects are tied to founder Ralph Roberts’ all-too-logical belief that Americans love television and sports more …
Specialty Retailer Made Malls Boom: Francis C. Rooney, Jr., W’43
Frank Rooney used to tell everyone who would listen that the way to do good business was hands-on …
A Financial Innovator Who Moderinzed Risk Management: Charles S. Sanford, Jr., WG’ 60
The late 1980s and early 1990s were turbulent times for the banking industry, but Charles S. Sanford Jr. …
His Acquisitions Elevated A Family Business To New Heights: Alfred N. Schindler, WG’78
The Schindler Elevator Company moves more than 700 million people per day. Alfred Schindler has run and majority …
Transformed The Trucking Industry With Technology: Donald Schneider, WG’ 61
Deregulation the 1980s could have killed Schneider National trucking, but Donald Schneider was determined that if he could …
He Europeanized Allianz: Henning Schulte-Noelle, WG’ 73
R. Henning Schulte-Noelle has long been considered one of the most powerful figures in German finance. After practicing …
Marketing Genius For Pepsi And Apple: John Sculley III, WG’63
John Sculley has become famous for his role in catapulting Pepsi and Apple into two of the world’s …
‘King Of The Start-Ups’ At Franklin Mint And QVC: Joseph M. Segel, W’51
If you want a home run, you have to keep going up to bat. That’s one …
A Palestinian Voice For Peace: Nabeel A. Shaath, WG’ 61, GR ’65
Nabeel Shaath has devoted decades his life working toward peace between the Israelis and Palestinians.
“If I am here …
Community Builder, Public Finance Specialist: Suzanne Shank, WG ’87
Suzanne Shank had originally thought she would be a ground-breaker in engineering—perhaps one of the first black women …
The Entrepreneur of Entrepreneurial Management: Edward B. Shils, W’36, G’37, GR’40, L’86, GL’90, GRL’97, Professor
Wharton Management Professor Ed Shils founded the Wharton Entrepreneurial Center (now the Sol C. Snider Center), the first …
Decision-Maker For A Deal Factory: Alvin V. Shoemaker, W’ 60, HON ’95
In the 1980s Alvin Shoemaker helped build First Boston into what Fortune called “the archetypal deal factory.” A …
A New Voice In A Tradition-Bound Industry: Mallika Srinivasan, WG’85
As CEO of Chennai, India-based Tractors and Farm Equipment (Tafe), Mallika Srinivasan leads a traditional manufacturing business, but …
He Put The ‘Business’ Into Argribusiness: Scott R. Simplot, WG’73
You have to understand that out here, farmers had sons so that the sons could run the farm,” …
Turned Risk Into Wealth: Michael Steinhardt, W’ 60
Named one of Business Standard’s “seven all-time best investors,” Michael Steinhardt, founder of Steinhardt Partners, was the son …
He Changed How America Ate: Vernon Stouffer, W ’23
When Vernon Stouffer, the originator of premium-priced home-style frozen foods, was 15, his parents opened a stand in …
He Defined ‘Sustained Leadership’: Michael L. Tarnopol, W’58
At a time when most people start to slow down, Michael Tarnopol decided to try his hand at …
Father Of American Arbitration: George W. Taylor, GRW ’30, Professor
Often called the Industrial Peacemaker, Wharton faculty member George Taylor left behind a legacy of leadership in the …
Opened Beachhead For Women In Academia: Dorothy Swaine Thomas, Professor
Dorothy Swaine Thomas was a new breed of female academic when she began her career in the mid-1920s: …
Dreamer Behind A ‘Born-In-Brooklyn’ Empire: Laurence A. Tisch, WG ’43
Laurence Tisch didn’t waste time. He graduated from college at 18, and by the age of 20, he …
Architect Of The United Negro College Fund: William J. Trent, Jr., WG ’32
The architect of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), William Trent Jr. guided the trailblazing group during the …
The Best Known Brand Name In Real Estate: Donald J. Trump, W’68
It would be difficult to find a more ubiquitous public business figure of the late 20th and early …
‘Topman’ of FDR’s Brain Trust: Rexford G. Tugwell, W ’1915, G ’16, GR ’22
When president Franklin D. Roosevelt nominated Rexford Tugwell as Undersecretary of Agriculture in 1934, the hearings were so …
Progressive Leader For The Philippines: Cesar Virata, WG ’53
Stressing technological advancement and economic development to achieve social progress, Cesar Virata became one of the Philippine’s most …
Pulitizer-Prize Winner Who Chronicled A Crash: David A. Vise, W’82, WG’83
In 1984, corporate mergers and acquisitions were soaring. Junk bonds were on the rise. And David Vise had …
Leading a Swedish Banking Dynasty into the 21st Century: Jacob Wallenberg, W’80, WG’81
The Wallenberg name is synonymous with Swedish banking and industry, but Jacob Wallenberg’s own watchword is development. As …
A Promise to Keep for Struggling Students: George A. Weiss, W’65
George A. Weiss didn’t just fulfill his own ambitions as a successful money manager in Hartford, CT. As …
A CEO Who Broke Out Of The Box: Alfred P. West Jr., WG ’66
At SEI Investments, CEO and chairman Al West’s minimalist black desk is exactly like every other in the …
Redefined Wharton As A Center For Academic Research: Joseph H. Willits, Professor And Dean
As a Wharton professor and dean, Joseph Willits, the son of a Quaker farmer, became Wharton’s key figure …
An Understated Integrator For UBS AG: Peter A. Wuffli, AMP ’99
Peter Wuffli is the “managerial brain behind a lucrative cash machine—one that has as much money under management …
Advocate For Ethics: Lawrence Zicklin, WG ’59
Neuberger Berman’s above-reproach reputation is one of the venerable investment firm’s most valuable assets. It’s so important, in …
Multifaceted Real Estate And Media Magnate: Mortimer B. Zuckerman, WG ’61
Mort Zuckerman made his first impact in real estate, but his media appearances—from The McLaughlin Group to The …
He Transformed A National Postal Service Into The Global Leader Logistics: Klaus Zumwinkel, WG ’71
“I climb high mountains in my leisure time and I want to also climb high mountains in my …