Aspen Institute names Prof. Daniel Diermeier ‘Faculty Pioneer’

Award recognizes Kellogg faculty and curriculum in area of socially responsible business

By Aubrey Henretty

November 14, 2007 - Professor Daniel Diermeier, the Kellogg School’s IBM Distinguished Professor of Regulation and Competitive Practice, was honored this week by the Aspen Institute’s Center for Business Education with a 2007 Faculty Pioneer Award.

Aspen CBE’s Web site defines its goal as “to radically re-orient the MBA degree to embrace the principles of corporate citizenship and sustainability.” The center is a subsidiary of the Aspen Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that encourages “enlightened leadership and open-minded dialogue” through a variety of initiatives including the annual Aspen Ideas Festival. The institute’s board of directors includes such varied and distinguished leaders as former U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright and entertainment mogul Michael Eisner.

The Faculty Pioneer Award recognizes business-school faculty who teach, research, practice and otherwise advance the principles of socially responsible leadership. Diermeier, the “Institutional Impact” category winner, was one of 10 recipients selected from this year’s record 136 nominees.

“Today’s MBA students will be tomorrow’s business leaders,” said Aspen CBE Director Rich Leimsider. “The 2007 Faculty Pioneers are taking great strides in their teaching, research, and other activities to ensure that their students will effectively manage the social and environmental challenges and opportunities in mainstream business.”

The first faculty member to direct the Social Enterprise at Kellogg Program following its 2005 inception, Diermeier also has developed popular courses in nonmarket strategic management and crisis management for the Kellogg curriculum. His research includes considerations of integrated strategy, crisis leadership, and the interaction of business and politics. He directs the Kellogg School’s Ford Motor Company Center for Global Citizenship. The Ford Center unites researchers across a variety of disciplines to study the intersection of business, medicine, public policy, sustainability and social change.

“It’s a very significant recognition of the work we’ve done in the Social Enterprise Program,” said Diermeier of the award, adding that acclaim from the Aspen Institute will help highlight the Kellogg School’s accomplishments for prospective students and faculty. “We’ve done a lot of great work at Kellogg in the social enterprise area.”

An awards breakfast will be held for this year’s honorees on Nov. 16 at the New York headquarters of Ernst & Young.