LEADERS Magazine July, August, September 2020 Volume 43, Number 3

July, August, September 2020

Volume 43, Number 3

L EADERSHIP E MPATHY

ATTITUDE DUTY E NDURANCE RESILIENCE STRENGTH

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VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

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V I S I T U S AT CO R CO R A N .CO M

Contents Leadership in Uncertain Times One Health Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President, The Rockefeller Foundation

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Rising to Meet This Challenge Thomas W. Corbett, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Alliant Insurance Services, Inc.

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Company Culture Thriving Through Disruption Katherine Richardson, Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer, PURE Group of Insurance Companies

43

We Will Prevail Maurice R. Greenberg, Starr Insurance Companies

15

Feeding New Yorkers in Need Marc Holliday, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, SL Green Realty Corp.

Supporting Local Communities Xu Chen, President and Chief Executive Officer, Bank of China U.S.A.

31

Communication and Collaboration A. Eugene Kohn, Chairman and James von Klemperer, President and Design Principal, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates

46

18

Bringing Relief to Children and Families Brian Goldner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Hasbro, Inc.

Honoring People Douglas R. Conant, Founder & CEO, ConantLeadership

34

Unsung Heroes Robert B. Catell, Chairman, Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center, Stony Brook University

Justice and Fairness Farooq Kathwari, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ethan Allen Interiors Inc.

The Next Normal Alan S. Elkin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Active International

22

Coming Together Michael I. Roth, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Interpublic Group

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50

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“The COVID-19 pandemic has brought us to another critical juncture at home and abroad. This time, our 21st century global goals of achieving health for all, nourishing the world, and expanding economic opportunity are both center stage and under siege.” – Dr. Rajiv J. Shah

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VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

“A leader is a problem-solver. A leader steps up to identify, understand, confront and resolve problems. A leader does not preside. A leader does not run away from problems or pass the buck so others take the heat for tough choices.” – Carly Fiorina

Letters From Leaders David W. Schner President & Executive Editor LEADERS Magazine

63

John R. Kasich Founder Kasich Company

70

Miles S. Nadal Founder and Executive Chairman Peerage Capital Group

80

Adrienne Arsht Carly Fiorina Founder and Chairwoman Carly Fiorina Enterprises and Unlocking Potential Foundation

64

72

66

Ronald A. Williams Chairman and Chief Executive Officer RW2 Enterprises LLC

George Pyne Chief Executive Officer Bruin Sports Capital

84

74

Alan G. Hassenfeld Founder Hassenfeld Family Initiatives

68

Jerry Reinsdorf Owner Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bulls

Arnold Fisher Senior Partner Fisher Brothers

86

76

Ann E. Dunwoody General, US Army, Retired

69

82

William R. Berkley Executive Chairman W. R. Berkley Corporation

73

Adam Silver Commissioner National Basketball Association

Louis A. Shapiro, FACHE President and Chief Executive Officer HSS | Hospital for Special Surgery

Kenneth L. Davis, M.D. President and Chief Executive Officer Mount Sinai Health System

78

Jim McCann Chairman 1-800-Flowers.com

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“It all starts with compassion: caring enough for your fellow human being to want to make a difference, allowing yourself to see the best in each individual, and recognizing opportunities to learn from those who have different perspectives.” – Kenneth Davis

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LEADERS 7

Leadership in Uncertain Times

One Health An Interview with Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President, The Rockefeller Foundation EDITORS’ NOTE Dr. Rajiv Shah INSTITUTION BRIEF The Rockefeller brings over 20 years of expeFoundation (rockefellerfoundation.org) rience in business, gover nis a global institution with an unparment, and philanthropy to The alleled track record of success carRockefeller Foundation. In 2009, rying out its founding mission to he was appointed to serve as USAID promote the well-being of humanity Administrator by President Obama around the world. Over its century long and unanimously confirmed by history, The Rockefeller Foundation the U.S. Senate. Dr. Shah was has embraced scientific frontiers to charged with reshaping the $20 lift up vulnerable children and famibillion agency’s operations to prolies. Today, The Rockefeller Foundation vide greater assistance to pressing seeks to apply science, technology, and Dr. Rajiv J. Shah development challenges around innovation to this task and end prethe globe. In this role he also led ventable child and maternal mortalthe U.S. response to the Haiti earthquake and ity, transform food systems to reduce the global the West African Ebola crisis, and served on the burden of disease, end energy poverty for milNational Security Council. By elevating inno- lions in Africa and Asia, and enable meaningvation and public-private partnerships, and ful economic mobility in the United States and shifting how dollars were spent to deliver stron- around the world. ger results, Dr. Shah secured bipartisan support that enabled USAID to dramatically acceler- The world is facing an unprecedented criate its work to end extreme poverty, including sis that is impacting all countries and their the passage of significant Presidential priori- citizens. The pandemic is being fought on ties – Feed the Future and Power Africa and the front lines by healthcare workers, the Global Food Security Act, which is the sec- first responders, those providing supplies ond largest global development legislation after and meals, transportation workers and all PEPFAR. When Dr. Shah left USAID in 2015, other essential workers. What do you say he continued to follow his passion for creat- to these true leaders and heroes that are ing opportunities for communities to thrive risking their lives to protect others? in the developing world by founding Latitude First and foremost, they have my deepCapital, a private equity firm focused on power est gratitude. We are all staying safe at home and infrastructur e projects in Africa and while they are running towards the fire. They Asia. He was also appointed a Distinguished are the heroes among us. Second, I want to Fellow in Residence at Georgetown University. r eassur e them that, at The Rockefeller Earlier in his career, Dr. Shah served as Chief Foundation, we are doing everything we can Scientist and Undersecretary for Research, to help create a safer work situation for them Education and Economics at the United States and other front line workers – partnering with Department of Agriculture. He also served in state and local governments, industries, health a number of leadership roles at the Bill & officials, scientists, economists, and more to Melinda Gates Foundation, where he helped scale testing and contact tracing in this counlaunch the Alliance for a Green Revolution try up to a level where front line workers can in Africa (a joint venture by the Gates and come to work and be confident in their safety.

Rockefeller foundations) and the International As of May 31, the United States was conFinancing Facility for Immunization (cred- ducting approximately 2.7 million coronavirus ited with raising mor e than $5 billion for tests per week and starting to trace contacts, childhood immunizations worldwide) and which is an improvement from the 1 milwhere he supported the creation of the Global lion tests per week America was at when Development Program. Dr. Shah is a graduate we released our National COVID-19 Testing of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, the Action Plan in late April. Still, we have a long University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, way to go to reach the 30 million tests per and the Wharton School of Business, and week and expansive contact tracing that the has been awarded honorary degrees from country needs to more safely reopen workTuskegee University, American University, places and communities, which is why we and Colby College. continue to engage policymakers, medical 10 LEADERS

experts, and industry and government leaders to accelerate access to testing, contact tracing, and the guidance that defines how data should be gathered. Only then can we suppress this pandemic.

How is The Rockefeller Foundation confr onting the COVID-19 pandemic based on the Foundation’s unique position and ability to make a major impact with its expertise, history and heritage?

The Rockefeller Foundation has a long history of advancing the frontiers of science and innovation to positively transform lives around the world, beginning with its very first grant in 1913 to the American Red Cross. From creating the field of public health to stopping the spread of disease, to catalyzing the Green Revolution that prevented starvation for one billion people, to supporting the Committee on Social Security in the depths of the Great Depression, the Foundation has been a bedrock institution in the United States and globally, providing the necessary leadership when it mattered most.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought us to another critical juncture at home and abroad. This time, our 21st century global goals of achieving health for all, nourishing the world, and expanding economic opportunity are both center stage and under siege.

COVID-19 is both an unprecedented challenge for humanity and an equally powerful opportunity for our institution to act with urgency and deliver lasting results for vulnerable people in the United States, Sub-Saharan Africa, and South and Southeast Asia.

So when we saw the devastation being caused by this pandemic, we immediately began pivoting our portfolios to meet this moment by accelerating the global COVID-19 response and recovery and driving structural reforms to help vulnerable families survive this pandemic and thrive afterward. We set clear goals: to accelerate the response to this pandemic and prevent the next one; to fight the existing and emerging crisis of hunger and malnutrition that we see rising at home and around the world; and to help workers, families, and vulnerable communities get through this moment and emerge with greater opportunity than they had before. In order to achieve these goals, we’ve committed at least $50 million over two years, because the time to act is now.

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What role can The Rockefeller Foundation have in addressing the needs of low-wage workers in America who have been so hurt by this crisis?

This is an issue our team was working on prior to the pandemic, allowing us to really ramp up our work during the crisis. Even before COVID-19, 40 percent of Americans didn’t have enough in savings to handle a $400 emergency payment – and now the emergency is here.

These are working families who are barely making ends meet, so the loss of income on top of that makes all their hard work seem to count for nothing.

The situation that millions of Americans find themselves in today is no accident. Since the early 1980s, corporate profits as a share of the economy have nearly doubled while wages and salaries for working families have fallen by the same amount as a share of GDP. Despite significant improvements in labor productivity, American workers have not gotten a raise in four decades. Today, nearly 90 million Americans live in families headed by someone who works but can’t pay their bills each month.

Many of these are the low-wage workers who were always essential to American life, but who we now recognize as a lifeline. Those who haven’t lost jobs are currently enabling millions of Americans to stay safely in their homes, but they are still not getting paid enough to provide for their families – let alone give their kids a better future.

This is not only a result of globalization and technology. It is what happens when you have a system that for over 40 years has created preferences for those who possess capital over those who provide labor. That’s why we recently launched an initiative on Equity and Economic Opportunity to widen the path to economic stability and mobility for millions of low-wage workers and their families.

Through this initiative, we’re working to help low-wage families access the benefits and capital they are entitled to while rebuilding a more equitable economy. We’re working with partners like Benefits Data Trust, Code for America, and the United Way to expand, improve, and accelerate access to unemployment and other benefits including direct cash payments such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and CARES Act stimulus checks, and programs like supplemental nutrition assistance (formerly known as food stamps), Medicaid, and others.

We’re supporting advocacy efforts for evidencebased national and state tax and budget decisions to rebuild a more inclusive, equitable economy. We’re demonstrating and scaling solutions to increase access to capital for minority-owned small businesses – which represent 30 percent of all U.S. businesses, but received only 10 percent of recent stimulus loans from the Paycheck Protection Program and others.

What do you see as the role that philanthropy needs to play to meet this moment?

This is an unprecedented crisis. For the first time since 1998, global poverty will increase. At least a half billion people could slip into destitution by the end of the year. We’re on the verge of the worst hunger crisis in 30 years, with the number of people facing acute hunger projected VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

The Rockefeller Foundation partnered with CORE. It’s Founder Sean Penn and CEO Ann Lee meeting with first responders at the Los Angeles Fire Department.

to double by the end of the year. Across the health, food, and economic challenges, the people who will pay for these catastrophic outcomes will be the world’s bottom billion – the hundreds of millions of people living in extreme poverty. We have to do better than that.

The Rockefeller Foundation has worked for more than 100 years to lift people out of poverty and unlock human potential, but philanthropy cannot fill the gap alone. We can never replace government – even if you combine the

country’s largest foundations, we just don’t have the scale or the mandate to do so.

What philanthropy can do is identify solutions when others are not doing so. We can take on unique risks that others can’t or won’t. We can bring together different parts of society – serving as a bridge between public and private, between non-profits and investors, between communities and government officials, bringing everyone to the table to help create solutions to some of the biggest problems we face – to LEADERS 11

CORE Staff at a drive-thru COVID-19 testing site in Los Angeles

create plans, programs, and innovations that others can follow. That’s what a number of us in philanthropy are doing right now.

Over the long term, I think COVID-19 is going to dramatically change the way people perceive the connectivity and risks that we face together, and I think it’s going to dramatically change the economic trajectory of 50 or 60 countries around the world that are going to be stuck in a longer-term global recession, or something worse. Now more than ever, philanthropy needs to work together with business and government to offer a new vision of how the world can cooperate.

How critical is real time data in order to stop the spread of the virus and has an effective data platform been created to track the pandemic disease cases in real time?

It’s essential – knowing who is infected and who they have been in contact with is key to controlling a pandemic. I saw that firsthand in West Africa during the Ebola outbreak, when I led the U.S. response as the head of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Then, we were flying blind until we got the technology in place to see where the virus was. That required getting tests that could give results in minutes, not days. We hired community health workers to work with people living in the communities to find those who had come into contact with someone infected so we could isolate them and protect others. Finally, we worked with partners to develop a data platform to not only tell us where the virus was, but also based on all the information coming in, where it would likely go.

We call for those same measures in our National COVID-19 Testing Action Plan: scaling up testing so it can be done anywhere and give quick results, working with partners to build up a community health corps to find people when they have come into contact with someone who was infected so they can protect others, and 12 LEADERS

building a data platform that pulls all the available information together so we can get in front of the virus and help people everywhere return to work safely.

Does there need to be a coordinated response globally and do countries need to work more closely together to address this pandemic?

We live in a global community and it is a very interconnected world, intertwining our cultures, our food, our work, our lives. Because of modern air transportation, we can wake up in Hong Kong and be home with our families in Washington, D.C. at day’s end. The advantages of this global convenience and global livelihoods is also a risk when it comes to disease outbreaks. Viruses and diseases do not respect national borders. Human beings in the 21st century move fast around the world and we can unknowingly carry diseases with us. International coordination and information sharing is the only way to beat disease outbreaks like this.

We’ve already seen this with COVID-19.

The World Health Organization declared this disease outbreak a “public health emergency of international concern” on January 30, 2020.

One of the defining criteria of that declaration is that the disease outbreak is large enough and concerning enough that it requires a globally coordinated response – and less than six weeks later it became a global pandemic. The only way we come out ahead of this virus is if we all work together.

As you look to the future, does there need to be a holistic approach that takes into account global health issues, climate change, migration, poverty, racism and other factors when preparing for future crises? Do you feel that these factors are interrelated?

Absolutely. In public health this is called “one health,” and it’s the concept that the

health of humans is intricately connected with the health of the environment and the health of animals. Let me give you an example. In the forest region of Guinea in late 2013, a village had moved into land that was previously purely forest. As the village used more land, animals were pushed further into the forest. A bat that had been living in a tree defecated in the dead tree.

A child from the village was playing in the tree and came into contact with the bat excrement.

The bat had been carrying the virus that causes Ebola, and the child became infected. The disease then spread from person to person – starting in that village and traveling with the people as they sought help – until more than 11,000 people were dead across three West African countries. That Ebola outbreak, like every Ebola outbreak, shows us what happens when humans move into areas that belong to animals and they interact in ways that spread disease.

Many disease outbreaks are caused by zoonotic pathogens that can jump from animals to humans. What we do to the environment affects us, whether it’s through climate change, overpopulation, migration, or any other reason that can bring animals and humans together in detrimental ways and allow diseases to jump between animals and humans. We really need to understand this concept and take all these aspects into consideration as we work to protect the health of people, animals, and the environment.

There is a great deal of discussion about the future and the “new normal.”

What do you feel that this new normal may look like?

It’s hard to know what the “new normal” will be after COVID-19 and all the disparities it has uncovered, which is understandably causing distrust of institutions. We need to have a normal that gives everyone opportunity. As for the disease, until we have a vaccine it will undoubtedly involve testing and probably looking proactively for symptoms of disease by taking our temperatures. But people are adaptable, we have been here before and adjusted and I am confident that once we get some of the tools we need in place, we will adapt to the lifestyle that keeps us safe.

I will say that even as the death toll began climbing, I started to hear sentences starting with the phrase, “When things go back to normal.” If we learn anything from this crisis, it should be that the old “normal” is unsustainable for the vast majority of people in the world. It’s unsustainable for the billions of people who live in poverty, in countries where social distancing guidelines are laughably unrealistic. It’s unsustainable for the tens of millions of Americans who work full-time only to fall further behind every month, and the tens of millions of children at home and around the world without access to nutritious meals. And it is unsustainable for those who have been disproportionately affected not just by this virus, but overall, because of the color of their skin.

After we respond and recover from this crisis, we’ll have a chance to rebuild. In that moment, we should remember that the best antibody against future threats is a world where we protect and support our most vulnerable: VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

where workers can earn enough to meet their needs and save for emergencies, where remote areas have access to economic prosperity, where we end energy poverty in a way that also fights climate change, and where innovation, cooperation, and collaboration across countries and sectors are not the exception but the norm.

Let’s channel our energy into building that more hopeful, more humane world, together.

You ar e a leader who has always focused on your people and believed that talent makes great organizations. What do you say to your team about their perseverance and resilience?

While an organization can be defined by its leader, its success depends on the whole team – every single one of its people. I couldn’t be prouder of our global team at The Rockefeller Foundation. They’re incredibly strong and they have all stepped up to meet this moment.

I’ve watched our people put in 12- and 14-hour days, while somehow still finding the time to care for themselves and their families.

Many are based in New York City and northern Italy, two of the COVID-19 hot zones, while those in Bangkok, New Delhi, and Nairobi have been bracing for the pandemic to spread more widely in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Some colleagues are building publicprivate partnerships with technology companies, gig workers, and school districts to help feed kids who would otherwise go hungry.

Others are working to make safety net benefits more accessible, supporting efforts to keep fresh food markets from closing in East Africa, or crafting innovative policies that could hire and train millions of newly unemployed workers to help fight the pandemic by providing the testing that will allow our economy to reopen. Our team in Asia is helping doctors and public health professionals in China share lessons learned fighting the coronavirus with millions around the world, and in Africa, Italy,

and New York, our teams are helping procure and donate personal protective equipment for local health agencies, paramedics, and hospitals. Our team at Rockefeller is as passionate about helping others as I am, they work tirelessly and I am extremely fortunate to work alongside them.

You served in the Obama administration and helped lead efforts in West Africa during the Ebola epidemic. Do you feel that to most effectively address global health issues it is critical to have a strong partnership between the public sector, private sector and non-profits?

It’s tremendously critical. We benefitted from this kind of close partnership when we were fighting Ebola in West Africa. When our lack of data had us flying blind, we were able to put in place modern diagnostics and send epidemiologists from Sweden and Johns Hopkins who were able to build a real-time data system that showed us where the cases were as soon as we knew they were laboratory-confirmed positives. Once we started to get transparent, location-specific, real-time data, we could target prevention and response efforts much more precisely. Another outcome of public-private partnership was that we were able to redesign the protective equipment suits that healthcare workers wore in the Ebola Treatment Units. Often when they took it off, they would infect themselves – I tried it myself in Sierra Leone, and if I had been treating patients in the hot zone I would’ve infected myself despite being trained properly. So we worked with partners to redesign the suit with a safer doffing process, and also bigger face shields so patients could see who was treating them.

Today public-private partnerships have to be even stronger than they are right now.

One thing about Rockefeller is we work with the public sector very closely, but I think we’re

CORE Founder Sean Penn and a Direct Relief Volunteer unload PPE supplies VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

pretty proficient at being a bridge between the public and private sector. We’ve seen that several times in the fight against COVID-19. There isn’t a single CEO I’ve spoken to who doesn’t fully appreciate the need to have a more active testing protocol for asymptomatic employees as part of a strategy to enable them to work and be confident they’re safe. It applies to people in the food services industry, to folks in telecommunications and infrastructure maintenance.

There’s a lot of innovation happening in large private companies, and we can always do more to connect public institutions with the dynamism and innovation that’s happening in the private sector.

You are known to be an optimistic person. During this difficult and uncertain time, what are you telling your people and what would you say to young people across the country who are deeply concerned and fearful about the future?

We are in unchartered waters right now.

Anxiety is running high in many places.

Anger at injustice is understandably spilling forth. We need to listen to each other and help people realize the change we need. The uncertainty is real – none of us have been here before. At The Rockefeller Foundation, we are grateful that we have the ability to respond to help people. I tell young people to look for opportunity in times of crisis. If anything, how we’re meeting this moment is an affirmation of the power of science and technology combined with human ingenuity, and an opportunity to drastically expand our concept of what is possible to achieve and how quickly.

Since we started working remotely, I’ve been doing “Ask Raj” video calls with our global team every other week, where they can ask me whatever questions they want, and recently I was asked what keeps me up at night. After I acknowledged the realities of parenting during a pandemic – especially after more than two months of all our kids being at home and trying to learn – I shared that if anything, I’m up at night because I’m enthusiastic about the opportunity we and our partners have to make a difference.

In India and Tanzania, one of our energy partners, Husk Power Systems, has been going to extraordinary lengths to protect and provide for their field workers, who are in turn making sure groceries, clinics, pharmacies, and other essential services have steady electricity during this pandemic. In African countries, our co-impact partner, Last Mile Health, has been working with health ministries to mobilize and equip front line health workers with essential training and supplies to combat the coronavirus – starting in Liberia, with 4,000 health workers who serve nearly 80 percent of the rural population. And in the United States, teams from our partner FoodCorps are supporting school nutrition professionals from coast to coast as they work to prepare, pack, and deliver meals to hungry kids at home. At a time when we need to support our communities and deliver results quickly, it’s our people and our partners like these that give me hope and keep me optimistic.

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LEADERS 13

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Leadership in Uncertain Times

We Will Prevail An Interview with Maurice R. Greenberg, Starr Insurance Companies EDITORS’ NOTE Maurice R. these true leaders and heroes that Greenberg is Chairman of Starr are risking their lives to protect Insurance Companies, a global others? insurance and investment orgaI served on the board of New Yorknization. Starr was founded by Pr esbyterian Hospital for many Cornelius Vander Starr in 1919 years and was also its chairman and in Shanghai, China. Greenberg I’ve served on the board of Weill formed American International Cornell Medicine. We have supGroup, Inc. (AIG) as a Starr subported these institutions through the sidiary, and served as that comStarr Foundation and the Greenberg pany’s Chairman and CEO until Foundation for years. We are grateMarch 2005. Under his nearly 40 ful for the job the professionals at Maurice R. Greenberg years of leadership, AIG grew from NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill an initial market value of $300 milCornell do, especially in times of crilion to $180 billion, becoming the largest insur- sis. As we face this pandemic today, they feel ance company in the world. Greenberg is also a responsibility and execute very well. They’ve the Chairman of The Starr Foundation, a phil- stuck with the jobs they’ve been asked to do anthropic organization initially funded by and don’t run away in the face of adversity. I Cornelius Vander Starr’s estate. The Foundation am proud of the work that they are doing, from has made more than $3.5 billion in grants to many academic, medical, cultural and public policy organizations around the world.

Greenberg received his pre-law certificate from the University of Miami and an LL.B. from New York Law School.

management to employees at every level of the institution. They are saving many lives and deserve appreciation and credit for what they are doing during this difficult time. We continue to support them financially in every way we can through this public health emergency.

In the early days of this crisis, it was being compared to the tragedy of September 11 and the financial crisis in 2008-2009. You have said that this is a time that we have not seen since World War l. Is this global health crisis being addressed in an effective way?

This is something that we have never seen before. I feel that you have to go back to World War l and the worldwide flu pandemic to have any real comparison. This is a global crisis and the numbers of people dying worldwide is staggering. We’re struggling to understand the crisis, find a vaccine to prevent it and medicine

COMPANY BRIEF Starr Insurance Companies (starrcompanies.com) is a global, privately-held insurance and investments organization.

Through its operating insurance companies, Starr Insurance Companies provides commercial property and casualty, as well as accident and health insurance products worldwide, with significant access to the U.S. excess and surplus marketplace for certain lines of business. Starr Insurance Companies underwrites a wide variety of specialty and international lines including aviation, marine, energy, environmental, crisis management, excess casualty insurance, accident and health, and political risk insurance. Starr Insurance Companies also provides a broad spectrum of insurance-related services including claims handling and settlement, reinsurance, risk assessment, loss control and worldwide travel assistance service.

The world is facing an unprecedented crisis that is impacting all countries and their citizens. The pandemic is being fought on the front lines by healthcare workers, first responders, those providing supplies and meals, transportation workers and all other essential workers. What do you say to VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

The Starr Pavilion at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital LEADERS 15

We are grateful for the job the professionals at NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell do, especially in times of crisis. As we face this pandemic today, they feel a responsibility and execute very well. They’ve stuck with the jobs they’ve been asked to do and don’t run away in the face of adversity. I am proud of the work that they are doing, from management to employees at every level of the institution. They are saving many lives and deserve appreciation and credit for what they are doing during this difficult time. to treat it. I am confident that we will get there. We need to keep looking for a solution. We have no other choice. The entire world is in this fight with us.

Starr was built with an entrepreneurial spirit and an ability to be nimble and adapt. How is Starr addressing its business during this unprecedented time in order to succeed in this difficult environment?

We are dealing with this challenge and adapting the way we work.

Our employees are working from home now all around the world. I talk to our executives many times a week, both our people in the U.S. as well as our international team. I am working full-time, maybe harder than ever, and it is critical during this crisis to have constant communication with your executives.

Starr is on budget for the year and I think we will exceed budget. We are working hard in all parts of the world and are doing very well in certain regions and we will continue to push forward.

There is a great deal of discussion about businesses reopening in a “new normal.” What is your outlook for what this new normal may look like and how is Starr preparing for the next stage in this crisis?

We will get back to a more normal business environment in due course, but not now.

You cannot ignore the disease and we need to have the weapons to fight it effectively before we can get back to normal. It is going to take time, but we will prevail.

You have worked with government throughout your career. In order to defeat this crisis, does leadership need to happen at the Federal level or will it be led by the states and the actions of governors?

It needs to be both. The governors have the power to act in their respective states, but they need the support and power of the Federal government to set guidelines and coordinate efforts, as we have seen with securing the necessary supplies and equipment for hospitals.

There needs to be an effective partnership between the Federal government and the states in order to defeat this virus.

16 LEADERS

The Maurice R. and Corinne P. Greenberg Pavilion at NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center

How critical is it for the private sector and foundations to be engaged in this battle in order to bring innovation and skills to find solutions?

I believe this is essential. We are doing as much as we can through the Starr Foundation and the Greenberg Foundation and I am sure that many others are doing the same.

Businesses and philanthropies bring a valuable skill set to addressing crisis and have deep experience in dealing with global health issues. It is important to bring all resources and talents to the table when facing this global pandemic.

There are many questions around China’s response and actions in the early days of this virus. While these questions clearly need to be answered, as someone who has been a leader for decades in trying to build a strong U.S.-China relationship, how concerned are you about the future of this relationship?

Look, I am very concerned about the state of this relationship. I do not know of any hard evidence that proves this virus was deliberately created in labs in China. If it somehow came from a lab, it was by accident. The two countries need to be working together to defeat the virus rather than doing the opposite.

You are known to be an optimistic person. During this dif ficult and uncertain time, what do you say to young people across the country who are deeply concerned and scared about the future?

This virus will not be here forever. It will take time, but we will get through this. In a year or so they’ll have some solutions, a vaccine and medicine to defeat the virus. We have always overcome challenges and we will defeat this pandemic. You can’t give up hope. I’m not, our people aren’t, and our country isn’t. We all need to stay positive and optimistic.

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VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

Leadership in Uncertain Times

Feeding New Yorkers in Need An Interview with Marc Holliday, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, SL Green Realty Corp.

EDITORS’ NOTE Marc Holliday Will you discuss the vision for crehas served as the CEO since 2004 ating Food1st and how you define and became the Chairman of the the mission of the Foundation?

Board as of January 2019. He has The Food1st Foundation is an been with the company since 1998, initiative that SL Green launched in when he joined as Chief Investment direct response to the unprecedented Officer. Prior to joining SL Green, food emergency we are currently Holliday held management posiexperiencing in New York City. Our tions at the former Victor Capital efforts to establish Food1st are comGroup, a real estate investment pletely consistent with how SL Green management firm that, at the time, approaches our role as an active and managed one of the nation’s larginvolved leader within our commuMarc Holliday est publicly-traded real estate meznity. New York is our exclusive marzanine lenders, Capital Trust. ket and we care a great deal about Holliday is frequently cited and interviewed by what happens here. In light of the pandemic, the nation’s leading media outlets regarding the we thought about how to best use our posicommercial real estate marketplace. A trustee tion and platform to help out our fellow New and benefactor of Columbia University and a Yorkers in need. The impetus for starting the long-time supporter of the real estate program, initiative was really to tackle two issues that he established the Holliday Professorship of Real have come out of the COVID-19 crisis here Estate Development in 2008. He also served as in New York. First and foremost, we have a Chair of the program’s Taskforce for the Future food shortage in this city and there are so and currently chairs its Industry Advisory many people struggling for access to good, Board and endowment campaign. Holliday was healthy food every day. The second challenge recently honored by the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in 2017, receiving the Intrepid Salute Award in honor of his outstanding business and philanthropic achievements and his commitment to supporting programs for active service men and women and veterans. National Jewish Health in 2011 honored him with the Humanitarian Award and raised a record-breaking $3 million for the organization from members of New York City’s real estate and construction industries. Additionally, he has served on the Board of the New York Racing Association since 2014 and was appointed to chair the Equine Safety committee in 2015. Holliday received a B.S. degree in business and finance from Lehigh University and an M.S. degree in real estate development from Columbia University.

COMPANY BRIEF SL Green Realty Corp. (slgreen.com), an S&P 500 company and New York City’s largest office landlord, is a fully integrated real estate investment trust, or REIT, that is focused primarily on acquiring, managing and maximizing value of Manhattan commercial properties. As of December 31, 2019, SL Green held interests in 97 buildings totaling 44.0 million square feet. This included ownership interests in 26.5 million square feet of Manhattan buildings and 16.4 million square feet securing debt and preferred equity investments.

18 LEADERS

It is not only part of SL Green’s culture, but also embedded in the DNA of New Yorkers to help each other out in times of crisis.

is economic, and specifically the impact that COVID-19 has had on the hundreds of thousands of people who work in our food and beverage industry here.

Every dollar raised goes directly to reactivating New York City kitchens and putting people back to work to prepare, package and deliver excellent meals to front line workers and New Yorkers in need. More formally, our mission is to help feed emergency service workers and our neighbors who have limited access to food by partnering with restaurants throughout New York City in a way that will also revitalize the City’s food and beverage industry.

How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the demand for food assistance in New York City?

New York City’s food crisis started long before the COVID-19 pandemic, but the economic toll of shutting down the City exacerbated the need to provide New Yorkers access to good, well-prepared food every day.

Additionally, we have first responders and other essential workers putting their lives on the line every day. They don’t necessarily have the time or resources to prepare healthy meals and it has only increased the substantial need for food assistance throughout the City.

How is Food1st helping address the severe shortage of meals for both first responders and vulnerable populations throughout the City?

When Food1st first launched on April 23rd, it was a partnership between SL Green and world-renowned Chef Daniel Boulud that included using his downtown prep kitchen to prepare fully packaged, delicious meals.

Since then, we’ve expanded to partner with additional restaurants to increase Food1st’s capacity and reach, and put more people back to work.

Once the restaurants have prepared their meals, volunteers help us load and deliver the meals across the City. To date, Food1st has delivered over 150,000 meals to non-profit distribution partners and medical facilities including: Mount Sinai Hospital, NYU Langone Health, Citymeals on Wheels, Services for the Underserved, The Bowery Mission, NewYorkPresbyterian Hospital, Montefiore Health System, FDNY, Memorial Sloan Kettering and Columbia University Medical Center.

VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

The Food1st Foundation is an initiative that SL Green launched in direct response to the unprecedented food emergency we are currently experiencing in New York City. Our efforts to establish Food1st are completely consistent with how SL Green approaches our role as an active and involved leader within our community. New York is our exclusive market and we care a great deal about what happens here.

How is Food1st also supporting New York City’s restaurants who are struggling during this crisis which has put the livelihoods of thousands of New Yorkers at risk?

Food1st is helping the restaurant industry by reactivating restaurant kitchens to serve the City and bring staff safely back to work. Since the Foundation’s launch, we’ve partnered with more than fifteen restaurants, including Armani Ristorante, Juice Press, Just Salad, Little Beet, Maman, Avra, Daniel Boulud, Five Guys, New York Vintners, Stout, and Sushi Ito, who in turn have reactivated their kitchens and brought hundreds of workers back to work.

Little Beet, for example, has re-employed more than 44 team members as part of Food1st.

The impact to those individuals and their families cannot be overstated. The feedback from our restaurant partners, their employees and recipients has been wonderful. Their stories are so inspiring, it motivates us to keep Food1st going even after restaurants are fully reopened.

Will you discuss Food1st’s partnership with Chef Daniel Boulud and how valuable it has been to engage him in this effort?

Chef Boulud has been a friend of mine for many years - he will be opening a restaurant and épicerie in our nearly-completed iconic development, One Vanderbilt. Chef Boulud and SL Green are both uniquely positioned to kickstart a foundation like Food1st due to his relationships in the restaurant industry and SL Green’s logistical capabilities and network of generous donors that want to support New York City’s food and beverage industry during its time of need. Our hope is that this becomes a sustainable, long-term initiative that New Yorkers will continue to support in an effort to be a part of the solution for our community’s urgent need for food assistance.

What has been the impact of Food1st’s efforts to date and how critical are metrics to track the Foundation’s work?

When Food1st initially launched in late April, we were providing up to 1,600 meals per day to New York City’s front line medical workers and food insecure populations. Just over two weeks after our launch, we had served over 20,000 meals and partnered with eight new restaurants. Today, only two months after launching, our capacity has grown to 5,000 meals a day with 15 restaurant

Marc Holliday and Chef Daniel Boulud celebrate the launch of Food1st together by displaying trays of meals destined for medical responders and food banks.

VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

partners and more in the cue as funding permits for future growth.

It’s critical to us that we track the impact of the Foundation’s work because of how large the need for food assistance is in New York City. It helps us, as well as other organizations, understand how much of the need is met and where we need to step up our capacity.

What opportunities are there for others to become involved and support Food1st’s efforts?

SL Green provided the seed funds to launch Food1st with a $1 million donation and we have raised an additional $1 million from SL Green’s extremely generous donor relationships. However, the need is far greater and so much more can be done, so we are asking for further support to come in the form of donations to the Food 1st Foundation. Please note that all donations will exclusively be used to pay for the procurement, preparation, packaging and distribution of food and the labor costs to prepare such food for the recipients. No administrative, overhead or fundraising expenses will be paid out of contributions; SL Green will pay those costs directly in addition to SL Green’s $1 million donation. For anyone who would like to donate or learn more about the Food1st Foundation, we have a website at food1stfoundation.org where you can find more information.

SL Green has a long history and heritage of supporting the communities it serves. How critical is community engagement and addressing societal need to the culture of SL Green?

We are one of the purest forms of a truly New York company, and we are 100 percent committed to the success of the City and its people. It is not only part of SL Green’s culture, but also embedded in the DNA of New Yorkers to help each other out in times of crisis.

You are someone who has always been optimistic about New York City’s future.

What is your outlook for New York City when you look at the many challenges facing the City during this difficult time?

You’re right – I have always been optimistic about New York City’s future and that has not changed even slightly. Despite the obstacles we face, New Yorkers have time and again proven their ability to be resilient, and this time is no different. We love our city, are fully committed to it, and know that together we will work to rebound as quickly as possible.

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Leadership in Uncertain Times

Bringing Relief to Children and Families An Interview with Brian Goldner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Hasbro, Inc. EDITORS’ NOTE Since joining Hasbr o in 2000 and taking on the role of CEO in 2008, Brian Goldner has been instrumental in transforming Hasbro from a traditional toy and game company to a global play and entertainment leader. He pioneer ed Hasbro’s entry into entertainment and oversees the company’s omnichannel storytelling. In 2019, he led the company in the acquisiBrian Goldner tion of entertainment studio eOne, building on Hasbro’s brand portfolio globally extending great storytelling and Institute content across all screens. Hasbro successfully manages licenses with some of the most valuable properties in the industry, including Marvel, Star Wars, Disney Princess and Disney Fr ozen with The Walt Disney Company, Universal Dreamworks Trolls, Sesame Street and Beyblade. Prior to assuming his role as CEO, Goldner served in a number of leadership positions, most recently as COO from 20062008. Before joining Hasbro, Goldner held several senior management positions, including executive vice president and chief operating officer of Bandai America, worldwide director in charge of the LA office of J. Walter Thompson, and vice president and account director in the Chicago office of Leo Burnett Advertising. In addition to being a member of Hasbro’s board of directors, to which he was elected in 2008, he serves on the board of directors of CBS Corporation, on the board of trustees for The Paley Center for Media, and is a member of the Producers Guild of America.

He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the Executive Education Program at the Amos Tuck School.

PJ Masks, as well as premier partner brands. Through its global entertainment studio eOne, Hasbro is building its brands globally through great storytelling and content on all screens. Hasbro is committed to making the world a better place for all childr en and all families thr ough corporate social responsibility and philanthropy. Hasbro ranked No. 13 on the 2019 100 Best Corporate Citizens list by CR Magazine and has been named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies® by Ethisphere for the past nine years.

Hasbro is a company that has a long culture and commitment around community engagement and addressing societal need.

What do you see as the role that Hasbro can play in this unprecedented time?

Hasbro has always been focused on our purpose to make the world a better place for all children and all families. It really begins with a personal commitment that we each make: we believe we can do incredible business globally while also improving the lives of our constituents, families, fans, kids, audiences, and consumers around the world. I think that personal commitment leads to the commitments of great teams around the world, especially during this crisis.

COMPANY BRIEF Hasbro (hasbro.com) is a global play and entertainment company committed to creating the world’s best play and entertainment experiences. From toys, games and consumer products to television, movies, digital gaming, live action, music, and virtual reality experiences, Hasbro connects to global audiences by bringing to life great innovations, stories and brands across established and inventive platforms. Hasbro’s iconic brands include Nerf, Magic: The Gathering, My Little Pony, Transfor mers, Play-Doh, Monopoly, Baby Alive, Power Rangers, Peppa Pig and 22 LEADERS

VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

The “why” for our business has always been incredibly important, but now more than ever before. Hasbro has committed support through global philanthropic initiatives that aim to bring relief to children and their families worldwide during this difficult time. We are proud to support Save the Children and No Kid Hungry in their effort to address the most urgent needs of children, including providing nutritious meals and distributing books and learning resources to those children and families most in need. In addition to providing financial support, Hasbro donated thousands of toys and games to low-income communities to continue to inspire creativity and fun for vulnerable children during the COVID-19 pandemic. We remain deeply committed to using our brands, our resources and our expertise to help make a difference in our local communities and around the world.

Hasbro adapted one of its factories to create face shields for front line workers battling COVID-19. Will you highlight this effort?

Together with our partners at Cartamundi, we are producing 250,000 face shields to be donated to local hospitals in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. This essential personal protective equipment (PPE) is being manufactured at the Cartamundi facility in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts. We are grateful for the opportunity to directly assist the critical needs of front-line medical workers in our community.

Hasbro was built with an entrepreneurial spirit and an ability to be nimble and adapt. How is Hasbro addressing its business in order to succeed in this difficult environment?

Our teams are finding new and ingenious ways to get product from production into cars and homes – safely and efficiently. They are finding new ways to create and deliver content as this year continues to evolve. Our people are supporting each other from our homes around VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

the world. They are adapting to an ever-changing environment as they work tirelessly to minimize the impacts of COVID-19 on our business and our people. We’ve been focused on four key areas: First, demand: Consumers want our products and experiences. They are looking for connections and engagement during this time. We are leveraging our extensive product portfolio and diverse retail network to connect global consumers with the products and experiences they want. We are offering compelling storytelling that continues to create strong viewership globally.

Second, supply: The Hasbro team is working to utilize our diverse manufacturing and supply chain network to ensure product is available for our customers and consumers.

Third, liquidity: We have substantial liquidity and we are taking prudent steps to ensure Hasbro remains in a strong financial position by aligning expenses to today’s environment and preserving cash, while paying our dividend, meeting our debt commitments and making essential investments for the long term.

Finally, community: This is a top priority.

We are making decisions to protect our employees and stakeholders, but also help where we can through this challenging time.

How have Hasbro’s employees changed the way they work in order to be effective with the changes that have been necessary for all businesses to make during this time?

Our teams have reacted creatively and constructively to identify a successful path forward during this unprecedented global pandemic. The underlying drivers for our business are sound and with great innovation, brands and storytelling we are wellpositioned to successfully execute in 2020 and beyond.

I am especially proud of our safety operations team who have set the standard for safe factory and warehouse operations and

are offering webinar trainings to other consumer goods manufacturers in the U.S. from Massachusetts to Texas.

The majority of Hasbro’s employees continue to work remotely, however, we are taking a phased approach to reopening office locations with employees in select locations returning on an as-needed basis.

We have put new protocols and processes for all employees into place, including daily temperature checks and requirements for wearing face masks as well as social distancing.

We are fortunate to have best-in-class technology solutions in place that allow us to continue working together and being productive while working remotely. We are also communicating with our employees frequently to ensure everyone is aware of new developments and decisions as they are made.

There is a great deal of discussion about businesses reopening in a “new normal.” What is your outlook for what this new normal may look like and how is Hasbro preparing for the next stage in this crisis?

Many of the ways consumers and businesses have shifted during this time will be lasting, if not permanent, so it’s imperative that now, in addition to managing through this situation, we chart a course for leading on the other side of it.

We have a unique opportunity at this moment to refine our business for the future, building on our greatest assets – our people and our brands – and challenge ourselves to think differently about how we work and what we create.

For example, being “digital-first” in everything we do is no longer optional.

Becoming nimbler and more respons i v e to consumer trends will continue to accelerate.

I also believe it is more important than ever to be inclusive in everything we do – it’s who we are at Hasbro and we will continue to prioritize it, consistently. And finally, our purpose – the reason we do what we do – has never been more important. I believe that the companies that will lead on the other side of this crisis are going to be the ones driven by purpose.

You are a business leader who has always focused on your people and believed that talent makes great companies. How proud are you to see how Hasbr o’s workfor ce has risen during this difficult time and what do you say to your team about their perseverance and resilience?

I am incredibly proud of the resilience and dedication we’ve seen from Hasbro employees. As we’ve all been adjusting to this “new normal,” both personally and professionally, our teams have come together to really support each other as individuals and as one global team. Our teams have been incredibly resourceful in creating innovative new ways to work together and having some fun while doing so.

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Leadership in Uncertain Times

Coming Together An Interview with Michael I. Roth, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Interpublic Group EDITORS’ NOTE Under Michael Roth’s leadership, IPG has delivered industry-leading shareholder r etur ns and organic gr owth, posted long-term operating margin improvement, significantly upgraded the company’s portfolio of agency offerings and presence in high-growth markets, and established a record of industry-leading corporate governance, environmental and social good.

essential workers. What do you say to these true leaders and heroes that are risking their lives to protect others?

This time is unlike anything any of us have ever lived through and what we really have to be thankful for is the amazing bravery of those who are putting themselves on the front lines every day. The respect and gratitude we have for these folks is immeasurable. Since we are a company that Michael I. Roth does marketing and advertising for a COMPANY BRIEF Headquartered living, we’ve created some really nice in New York, IPG (interpublic.com) is one of the work around that sentiment that shows appreciworld’s largest advertising and marketing com- ation for everyone from delivery folks to healthpanies. From global communications networks care staffers. You can view it on our website at like McCann and FCB to domestic advertising www.interpublic.com/our-work. agencies like Hill Holliday, The Martin Agency We must, of course, be mindful of the parand Deutsch, to global specialists like the data allel pandemic we are facing in terms of sysand technology company Acxiom, the events temic racism in this country. We are working marketer Jack Morton, sports marketer Octagon, with employees to address this and have taken and public relations experts Weber Shandwick, several initial steps to do so.

IPG agencies span the globe, employing 54,000 IPG is a company that has a long culpeople in more than 100 countries, working with ture and commitment around community clients like L’Oréal, Unilever, General Motors engagement and addressing societal need. and Geico.

What do you see as the role that IPG can play in waging this battle?

The world is facing an unprecedented criThe work our agencies have done sis that is impacting all countries and their around COVID-19 includes tackling difficult citizens. The pandemic is being fought on issues that have emerged as a result of this the front lines by healthcare workers, first virus and the lockdowns such as an increase responders, those providing supplies and in domestic violence. Some are calling it the meals, transportation workers and all other “Shadow Pandemic,” which has seen numbers

rising and calls to domestic violence helplines skyrocketing. To bring attention to this issue, we partnered with UN Women to create a very moving campaign created by MRM and CRAFT. This is in line with work we’ve been doing for a long time around gender issues and women’s rights. We Vice Chair the UNWomen’s Unstereotype Alliance which works to remove harmful stereotypes from marketing messages.

There’s a lot of power in what we do and it’s our job to ensure that our values play a part in the way we go about our business. This applies, of course, to the issue of structural racism that we are seeing emerge so starkly in the wake of COVID-19, which we know has had a disproportionate impact on Black and Brown communities. We are supporting organizations like the New York Urban League as they grapple with this.

Following the killing of George Floyd, our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) team has hosted a number of “Neighborhood Gatherings” for our Black and Brown employees to ensure a safe forum for them. We have also hosted calls for allies of our Black and Brown Employees.

We have committed to doing more to make ourselves accountable when it comes to DEI. This includes sharing the breakdown of minorities in our executive ranks, which neither we, nor anyone in our industry, has done before. We have also committed to expanding our DEI-related compensation goals and our work on pay equity.

This time is unlike anything any of us have ever lived through and we really have to be thankful for the amazing bravery of those who are putting themselves on the front lines every day. The respect and gratitude we have for these folks is immeasurable.

VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

LEADERS 25

There’s a lot of power in what we do and it’s our job to ensure that our values play a part in the way we go about our business.

IPG was built with an entrepreneurial spirit and an ability to be nimble and adapt.

How is IPG addressing its business during this challenging time in order to succeed in this difficult environment?

Our people haven’t missed a beat. We always had some folks working from home, but as of a few weeks ago, we had 95 percent of our people working from home. During this time, we are winning business, producing great work, conducting remote pitches, and connecting with our people and our clients.

How have IPG’s employees changed the way they work in order to be effective with the changes that have been necessary for all businesses to make?

Our employees have stayed connected and have turned up their games. They are thinking creatively and working to move our businesses and those of our clients forward. Often they are doing this while working with their kids on remote learning, taking care of relatives, cooking dinner and managing a houseful of people. It’s remarkable.

We’ve found that what we have to remind people is to take some time off, unplug and take a break.

We are also working hard to ensure that we retain our focus on diversity, equity and inclusion during this time. With an overwhelming majority of our employees working from home, we have to look at how to do this. Our D&I group has created some excellent tools to help managers retain this focus. We now have a microsite called “Inclusive at Work,” that focuses on just these types of issues.

There is a great deal of discussion about businesses reopening in a “new normal.”

What is your outlook for what this new normal may look like and how is IPG preparing for the next stage in this crisis?

First, I think it’s important to distinguish between a return to work and a return to the office. Our employees haven’t stopped working – that’s for sure. Returning to the office is a different story. As we’ve told our people, it’s not an easy question when you start to think about how and when. A few of our offices in certain locations around the globe have started to reopen and, for sure, it’s a new normal, as it will be when we re-open offices on a larger scale.

We will, of course, have to respect and abide by all local regulations – and then some.

As was the case when we closed our offices, our priority will be the safety and wellbeing of our people. PPE will be required, as will social distancing, which we will accomplish via reduced density using staggered schedules, shifts, etc., and enhanced cleaning protocols.

Things will look different for sure, but our people and their creativity haven’t changed – and they won’t. There’s little certainty these days, but I’m sure of that!

You are a business leader who has always focused on your people and believed that talent makes great companies. How proud are you to see how IPG’s workforce has risen during this most difficult time and what do you say to your team about their perseverance and resilience?

I absolutely cannot say enough about our employees. This is an absolutely unprecedented time – with no blueprint and no plan. Our employees have not skipped a beat. I hear from everyone regularly – some more so than ever before. Our teams, if anything, are working more closely together, and in many cases, harder and more effectively than ever. As I said, we’ve won business, produced terrific work and strengthened client relationships during this time. It’s a testament to our talent and their resilience.

Leading companies in all industries have changed the way they operate and have been engaged in providing talent, resources and supplies to those on the front lines of this crisis. This has provided an example of the role that business plays as a force for good in society. Will you discuss your views on the responsibility that leading companies have to address societal need?

Addressing societal need – having a commitment to purpose – is something I have always believed in, and certainly is a most important part of IPG’s DNA. IPG’s commitment to the communities where its employees live and work is critical, as is our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. We have been committed to these values for many years, but now there is more urgency than ever before to act on our values. We are committed to doing just that.

•

IPG’s commitment to the communities where its employees live and work is critical, as is our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. We have been committed to these values for many years, but now there is more urgency than ever before to act on our values.

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VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

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Leadership in Uncertain Times

Rising to Meet This Challenge An Interview with Thomas W. Corbett, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Alliant Insurance Services, Inc. EDITORS’ NOTE Thomas Corbett first responders, those providing serves as Chair man and Chief supplies and meals, transportaExecutive Officer of Alliant tion workers and all other essenInsurance Services and sits on the tial workers. What do you say to company’s board of directors. He these true leaders and heroes that joined Alliant in 1977 as a proare risking their lives to protect ducer and launched its Newport others?

Beach-based Public Entity Group.

On behalf of myself and Alliant, Prior to joining Alliant, he was with I want to express the utmost appreAllendale Insurance in Los Angeles ciation and gratitude for the sacrifices and spent three years as a loss prethese heroes are making every day. vention engineer at Factory Mutual Their courage, dedication, and comThomas W. Corbett Engineering Association. Corbett is mitment are not only providing essena graduate of Califor nia State tial services to our country, but saving University, Long Beach and is involved in vari- countless lives. ous community and charitable organizations.

Alliant is a company that has a long culture and commitment around community COMPANY BRIEF With a history dating back engagement and addressing societal need. to 1925, Alliant Insurance Services (alliant.com) is What do you see as the role that Alliant can one of the nation’s leading distributors of diversi- play in waging this battle? fied insurance products and services. Operating It has never been more important for through a national network of offices, Alliant Alliant to help make a difference in our comoffers a comprehensive portfolio of services to munities, whether through large, all-company clients. initiatives or local, community-focused giving.

We haven’t allowed this pandemic to stop us The world is facing an unprecedented cri- in our focus or in accomplishing this important sis that is impacting all countries and their work. While thinking locally has always been citizens. The pandemic is being fought on a hallmark of Alliant and an essential part of the front lines by healthcare workers, our success, we also support causes that impact

the global community. That’s critically important now. This broad focus allows us to ensure that our organization and our people have the most far-reaching and meaningful impact possible.

We have a responsibility to our communities, employees, and clients to do everything possible to help, and we take that responsibility very seriously.

Alliant was built with an entrepreneurial spirit and an ability to be nimble and adapt. How is Alliant addressing its business during this challenging time in order to succeed in this difficult environment?

We have activated extensive business continuity protocols to ensure our business remains fully operational amid this ever-changing landscape. Central to these efforts is ensuring the health and safety of our employees and their families. We’ve expanded the availability of critical resources and technologies to maintain a high-quality work product that will, in turn, ensure that our clients and partners receive the service and responsiveness necessary to support their own businesses. We constantly communicate with our clients to address their questions and concerns and have made extensive informational resources available to them on our corporate website.

It has never been more important for Alliant to help make a difference in our communities, whether through large, all-company initiatives or local, community-focused giving. We haven’t allowed this pandemic to stop us in our focus or in accomplishing this important work.

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On behalf of myself and Alliant, I want to express the utmost appreciation and gratitude for the sacrifices these heroes are making every day.

Their courage, dedication, and commitment are not only providing essential services to our country, but saving countless lives.

How have Alliant’s employees changed the way they work in order to be effective with the changes that have been necessary for all businesses to make?

I’m very proud of the adaptation to a new normal and keeping our clients in focus throughout.

We were able to quickly and professionally respond in numerous ways. This included seamlessly getting nearly 4,000 employees switched from offices to working remotely, while staying connected to each other. Our employees have stayed the course and have continued to provide the same outstanding service and high level of responsiveness that make Alliant the best in the business. Our clients and partners have relied on us more than ever to be communicative and resourceful, and our ability to do so will ensure we emerge from this challenging time as strong as ever.

There is a great deal of discussion about businesses reopening in a “new normal.”

What is your outlook for what this new normal may look like and how is Alliant preparing for the next stage in this crisis?

Although our daily work lives have changed significantly, Alliant has not. We continue to operate according to the principles of integrity, innovation, and service that have defined our company for more than 95 years. We remain focused on making informed decisions based

on facts that will manage the company through this temporary period.

You are a business leader who has always focused on your people and believed that talent makes great companies. How proud are you to see how Alliant’s workforce has risen during this most difficult time and what do you say to your team about their perseverance and resilience?

“Thank you.” I am continuously impressed by everyone in the Alliant family. They have been asked to respond to an extraordinary situation that has affected them both personally and professionally, yet they have risen to meet this challenge in ways that have been truly inspiring. “Business as usual” is a mantra we have said repeatedly, and I am proud to say that the efforts of all Alliant employees to keep the company running smoothly in these difficult circumstances have been crucial to our clients and our organization.

Leading companies in all industries have changed the way they operate and have been engaged in providing talent, resources and supplies to those on the front lines of this crisis. This has provided an example of the role that business plays as a force for good in society. Will you discuss your views on the responsibility that leading companies have to address societal need?

I believe that when times are tough, businesses and people will always come together, and we’ve seen that play out in remarkable ways recently. Beyond that, all companies have a responsibility to do what they can to lead during this time. That might be leading by example, supporting their employees and their families, partnering to deliver new solutions or services, working with clients to address business needs, reaching out to the communities they serve, or shifting operations to fill a gap. Leaders in many industries have come together in inspiring and meaningful ways to navigate the complexities of this unprecedented time. It takes that kind of commitment to overcome a situation this unpredictable and volatile.

You are known to be an optimistic person. During this difficult and uncertain time, what are you telling your people and what would you say to young people across the country who are deeply concerned and scared about the future?

I would tell them – and have told them – that we’ll get through this together and to remain focused, optimistic and vigilant – to lean on each other, to ask for help, to be patient. The bounty of Alliant’s success has sprung from the seeds of teamwork – diverse people joining forces and achieving great things – and that will continue on the “other side” of this current reality. Out of uncertainty, especially in times like these, comes possibility.

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I believe that when times are tough, businesses and people will always come together, and we’ve seen that play out in remarkable ways recently. Beyond that, all companies have a responsibility to do what they can to lead during this time.

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Leadership in Uncertain Times

Supporting Local Communities An Interview with Xu Chen, President and Chief Executive Officer, Bank of China U.S.A. EDITORS’ NOTE Xu Chen started Our long-term outlook provides his banking career at Bank of China our clients with a prevailing sense of Head Office in 1990. Since then, stability. As the fourth largest bank in he worked successively in various the world with $3.1 trillion in assets departments including the Executive as of the end of 2019, our clients Office, the Corporate Banking know we are a reliable partner with Department, and the London branch the financial strength to meet future before he was promoted to the posichallenges. With a footprint that spans tion of the General Manager of the 61 countries, BOC helps U.S. compaOlympic Affairs Department in 2004. nies export tens of billions of dollars In August 2008, Xu was reassigned of goods every year to China, Asia and as General Manager of the Financial the rest of the world.

Xu Chen Institutions Department, a position Our global network and services he held until January 2015. At that empower clients to build robust parttime, he was transferred to the United States and nerships and enter new markets. In the U.S., we assumed his current role. He now supervises the specialize in corporate banking, financial instiNew York City, Queens, Los Angeles, and Chicago tutions, trade services and commodities finance. branches. Xu holds a bachelor’s degree in man- Our expertise and global leadership in RMB setagement information systems from Tsinghua tlement, clearing and trading makes BOC U.S.A. University, China, and a master’s degree from the go-to bank for insights on and access to the the University of International Business and world’s second largest economy.

Economics, China, with a major in business Bank of China U.S.A. is heavily engaged management. in the communities it serves. How critical is corporate social responsibility to Bank of COMPANY BRIEF As China’s most globalized China’s culture? and integrated bank, Bank of China (boc.cn/en) has a well-established global service network with institutions set up across the Chinese mainland as well as in 57 countries and regions. It has established an integrated service platform based on the pillars of its corporate banking, personal banking, financial markets and other commercial banking business, which covers investment banking, direct investment, securities, insurance, funds, aircraft leasing and other areas, thus providing its customers with a comprehensive range of financial services. Bank of China U.S.A. (bankofchina.com/us/en) has branches in New York City, Queens, Chicago and Los Angeles.

Will you highlight Bank of China’s history and heritage in the United States?

Established in 1912, Bank of China (BOC) is China’s most international and diversified bank. We were the first Chinese bank to establish operations in the U.S. and during the course of our 39-year history, we have opened four branches in Manhattan, Queens, Los Angeles and Chicago. As the oldest and largest Chinese bank in the U.S., BOC U.S.A. provides comprehensive services to local businesses and global corporations, 85 percent of which are leading U.S. corporations.

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Bank of China has worked hard to play a socially responsible role in China for decades, and as a result developed “BOC Philanthropy,” a platform primarily targeted towards poverty alleviation. The bank takes that role seriously and instills that spirit in all of its branches around the world, ensuring that each participates in corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs through contributions of time, donations, sponsorships or expertise.

At BOC U.S.A., we follow the lead on CSR set by Bank of China Group in Beijing.

Accordingly, each Bank of China branch commits itself to giving back to the communities in which it operates by playing an active role in local charitable and philanthropic efforts.

The “local” aspect of our brand – global reach, local expertise – speaks to our focus on U.S. communities as much as it does U.S. businesses. As a foreign bank who has been operating in the U.S. for decades, we continue to learn from our U.S. peers, clients and general corporates on how to improve and strengthen our CSR program to best support U.S. communities across America. BOC U.S.A. is committed to

On June 3rd, CGCC-USA and CGCC Foundation (Xu Chen, fourth from the left) delivered 50,000 surgical masks to the Transport Workers Union Local 100 to help protect New York City transit workers who continue to work around the clock during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Over the past several years, we have contributed almost $2 billion to neighborhoods by participating in community reinvestment efforts to reverse urban blight and supporting local charities.

backing local charities and participating in community reinvestment efforts to reverse urban blight. In addition, our staff are ready and willing volunteers in their communities, supporting multiple causes with their time and expertise.

Over the past several years, we have contributed almost $2 billion to neighborhoods by participating in community reinvestment efforts to reverse urban blight and supporting local charities.

How is Bank of China U.S.A. contributing to its local communities during the time of COVID-19?

When this global health crisis first started to manifest itself in the U.S., BOC U.S.A. immediately began to use our resources to help combat the effects of this awful virus. We quickly secured and donated over 120,000 pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) to several local hospitals, senior care facilities, the New York City Police Department (NYPD), the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY), and the US Postal Service.

We also sponsored several hospitals and charitable foundations, including the expansion of an ICU at the NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital in downtown Manhattan, the provision of home delivered meals to senior citizens, providing free meals to medical workers through our partnership with “Junzi Kitchen”, as well as sponsoring the NewYorkPresbyterian Queens Healthcare COVID-19 Heroes Fund and the Bergen New Bridge COVID-19 Healthcare Workers Fund.

As part of our ongoing commitment to the local communities in which we live and work, we are constantly looking for ways we can offer our support, particularly during these unprecedented times. Just recently we announced our support for Food1st, a new non-profit initiative set up by SL Green, a longstanding BOC client. Food1st aims to alleviate the on-going food shortage in New York City that has been further amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic. This important initiative looks to feed emergency service workers and our neighbors who have limited access to food by partnering with food service tenants across SL Green’s tenant portfolio and beyond, in a way that will also help revitalize the New York City food service industry.

How are other Chinese companies operating in the U.S. fulfilling their corporate social responsibilities in light of COVID-19?

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We are seeing many acts of kindness across the United States by Chinese companies who also believe in giving back to the local communities in which they operate. In addition to my role as CEO of Bank of China U.S.A., I am also the Chairman of the China General Counsel of Commerce (CGCC), the largest non-profit organization representing Chinese enterprises in America, with a mission of “Connecting People, Building Trust and Expanding Cooperation’’.

In light of the COVID-19 outbreak, its U.S. Medical Supply Donation and Information Sharing Effort began on March 12th. CGCC and its member companies reacted quickly and decisively in supporting America’s fight against the pandemic, using their unique resources and expertise to source PPE from foreign manufacturers at a time when global supply and shipping options were extremely limited.

As of June 9th, 2020, CGCC and the CGCC Foundation, together with its regional chapters and member companies, have donated almost 3.9 million pieces of PPE, totaling over $3.5 million, to more than 50 hospitals and clinics, and more than 20 government agencies in 21 states across the U.S., including: White Plains Hospital, Jersey City Medical Center, Houston Methodist Hospital, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, New York State and New York City Government, Transport Workers Union Local 100 and the Los Angeles County Alliance for Boys & Girls Clubs.

The pandemic has changed the way companies work. How has Bank of China U.S.A. adapted its operations during this crisis and what will be the long-term impact?

We have witnessed a huge change in how companies work as a result of COVID-19, all within a relatively short space of time. As the virus spread across the U.S., our priority was the health and well-being of our employees and clients, while ensuring business continuity.

Thanks to our leading digital capabilities, we were able to shift to remote working quickly, conducting meetings online and through calls, with only a small number of essential employees being present in the office to perform critical functions.

Our ability to work effectively and efficiently from home, continuing to serve our global clients throughout the pandemic, has been a remarkable achievement and shown the dedication of our employees. As we look ahead to the gradual reopening of New York City, myself and the Executive Management team

are carefully considering what the future office will look like, taking into consideration state guidelines and Group policy. I want to take this opportunity to thank all of our employees who have worked incredibly hard over the past few months, enabling us to run the business at full speed, supporting clients and customers.

How critical is it for the U.S. and China to build a strong and positive relationship in order to work together to address global health issues?

The normalization of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and China have contributed to both countries’ growth and stability. Despite some challenges along the way, the past four decades have been the most stable period in history for China-U.S. relations, and they have benefited the U.S. more than any other bilateral relationship in American history. Economic interdependence has fostered further diplomatic cooperation. Diplomatic cooperation, in turn, allows for further economic integration.

The current pandemic is the latest and possibly most vital friction point between China and the U.S. However, aggravating these tensions for political gain will not speed up the medical or economic recovery from this pandemic.

As the two largest economies in the world, the fight against COVID-19 cannot succeed without cooperation between China and the U.S. – just as the world’s fight against climate change, poverty, and instability cannot succeed without such collaboration. It is now more important than ever that China and the U.S. put their differences aside and commit to a joint response to ensure health, security and prosperity for all.

Young people are uncertain about the future and the opportunities that will be available to them. What advice do you have for those coming out of school during these uncertain times?

While these are trying times and rejections will likely far exceed offers, I would encourage young people to treat every opportunity as a learning experience. Throughout the process ask for ways to improve your candidacy for the position and show commitment to learn.

We live in a global, interconnected society and opportunity can be found in many places - as the old Chinese saying goes, “with every crisis comes opportunity”. COVID-19 has certainly altered the way we all do business, but stay positive, open-minded and continuously focus on self-improvement.

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As a leader of Ethan Allen for over 30 years, I established ten key Leadership Principles, which define our company’s commitment to excellence and equity in every part of our enterprise. One of the most important principles being “Justice” which boils down at its core to unconditional respect for all people. I am proud that our ten leadership principles are the very complexion of our company.

©2020 Ethan Allen Global, Inc.

Leadership in Uncertain Times

Honoring People An Interview with Douglas R. Conant, Founder & CEO, ConantLeadership EDITORS’ NOTE Douglas R. Conant ConantLeadership is a misis an internationally-renowned sion-driven community of leaders business leader, New York Times who are championing leadership bestselling author, keynote speaker, that works in the 21st century. and social media influencer with What do you see as the role that over 40 years of leadership experiConantLeadership can play during ence at world-class global compathis unprecedented time? nies. For the past 20 years of his Our mission is anchored in being leadership journey, he has honed a catalyst to help leaders rise to the his leadership craft at the most challenges of the day. The time is senior levels – first as President now. Demanding times demand betof the Nabisco Foods Company, ter leaders. This applies to every area Douglas R. Conant then as CEO of Campbell Soup that touches society. For example, it Company, and finally as Chairman means advancing better leaders who of Avon Pr oducts. In 2011, he founded can serve public health and the workforce in ConantLeadership (conantleadership.com), the midst of a pandemic that is causing uncera mission-driven community of leaders and tainty, job loss, and monumental changes to the learners who are championing leadership that way work is being done. And it means chalworks in the 21st century. lenging leaders to speak up – and take action – to address the most pressing crises of the day The world is facing an unprecedented like vocally addressing systemic racism in the crisis that is impacting all countries and wake of the killing of George Floyd and the their citizens. The pandemic is being many similar horrific events that preceded it in fought on the front lines by healthcare Kentucky, Georgia, and throughout the country. workers, first responders, those providAs a community of leaders, we are called ing supplies and meals, transportation to create better leadership within ourselves and workers, and all other essential workers. within our peers. I’ve been working in this terWhat do you say to these true leaders and ritory for 45 years. I have a point of view on heroes that are risking their lives to pro- it that’s tested and true and can help leaders tect others? continuously improve. The key is an incremenThese first responders have been serving tal process for leadership development. With others for years – many for their entire lives. small steps, leaders can become more impactBut we often don’t think to honor them until ful on Monday morning if they dig into the we are personally exposed to their contribu- ConantLeadership approach. tions to us and to society. I think back to In our new book, The Blueprint: 6 Practical my near-fatal car accident in 2009. Doctors Steps to Lift Your Leadership to New Heights, we literally stitched me back together again and ask leaders to look inward, to investigate their nurses gave me the support and care to get life experiences and to bring those experiences me through a very difficult recovery process. to the forefront in the way they show up and They were leaders in every sense of the word, lift their leadership to new heights. We don’t guiding me through my path back to wellness. ask them to lead like somebody else; we equip I had almost taken it for granted prior them with the tools to lead like only they can. to my accident but became profoundly grateConantLeadership was built with ful for hospital workers’ and first respond- an entrepreneurial spirit and an ability ers’ skills and dedication when my eyes were to be nimble and adapt. How are you opened by my firsthand experience. We’re addr essing the business during this collectively having that firsthand experience time in order to succeed in this difficult now. This pandemic is highlighting the pow- environment? erful work that healthcare workers do and I Like most businesses, we’re pivoting to a hope our appreciation extends beyond this more virtual model of fulfilling our mission. This moment. It is a shame it took a global crisis is very exciting to me and the team because for us to more fully celebrate them but let’s we’ve found we can actually reach more aspirnot forget them when we get through this. Let ing leaders than ever before. I believe in makour appreciation be deep and abiding. ing leadership personal and we’re finding that 34 LEADERS

personal doesn’t have to mean “in person.”

We’ve started doing free virtual town halls so we can connect with leaders at every stage of their journey, in the real world.

Before, we were reaching hundreds of thousands of people on our social media channels and through our suite of resources on our blog at conantleadership.com. But now we’re in deeper conversations with hundreds of people on our town halls. The conversations there are more substantive and richer than the kinds you might have on twitter and it’s very energizing.

We feel great about the reach.

We’re launching a limited-run virtual summer coaching series as an accompaniment to The Blueprint book and I am looking forward to personally guiding people through the development of their own leadership foundation comprised of their leadership purpose, leadership beliefs, leadership model, leadership practice treasury and leadership improvement plan. Our book launch was largely cancelled as our publication date rubbed right up against the spread of COVID-19 globally. We had to conceive of a different way to help leaders maximize their impact using the Blueprint process. We’ve also transformed our most elite tier of leadership training, our Blueprint Boot Camp, into a virtual offering for the Fall. We’re excited about it.

The overarching thought here is that organizations always underestimate their agility. But I’ve found that people, leaders, and organizations can rise to the challenge and get things done. Quickly, we’re finding our footing and reimagining how we go to market in real time.

There is a great deal of discussion about businesses reopening in a “new normal.” What is your outlook for what this new normal may look like and how is ConantLeadership preparing for the next stage in this crisis?

I have a clear-eyed but optimistic view about the world of work post-COVID. There are very real challenges that I will not minimize.

We have a tough road ahead. But the upside is I believe we are going to evolve to a world that celebrates what I call “virtuality.” The power of virtuality has been revealed like never before.

The changes that have been swiftly implemented in response to the pandemic are going to ultimately enable workers to live more wellrounded lives. I don’t think we will ever return to a paradigm where everyone shows up at the VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

There are very real challenges that I will not minimize. We have a tough road ahead. But the upside is I believe we are going to evolve to a world that celebrates what I call “virtuality.” The power of virtuality has been revealed like never before.

office five days a week, eight to ten hours per day. And that is a positive transformation.

What we have discovered and what we will continue to see is that people can be just as productive – if not more productive – with more flexibility. This is an exciting opportunity to reimagine what the workweek can and should look like to best meet the needs of the people we are leading. And it will be different depending on the organization – why shouldn’t it be? A “one size fits all” approach doesn’t make much sense under the scrutiny this pandemic has inadvertently provided. Some people may come into the office one to three times a week and others rarely or not at all. We have the technology to support these new modes of collaborating. The new normal will almost certainly be a hybrid of the way we were operating before married with the new technology that unlocks the full potential of “virtuality.”

You are a business leader who has always focused on your people and believed that talent makes great companies. What do you say to your team about their perseverance and resilience?

I believe that perseverance and resilience are a byproduct of leading a life that honors people, inspires trust, and has a higher sense of purpose. You have to be anchored in your own leadership foundation to be able to weather

the storms of change. For example, I know my response to any crisis or situation must be centered in “honoring people” because it’s at the heart of my personal leadership model, as part of my leadership foundation. This allows me to move more quickly because I have already done the work to figure out what matters most to me as a leader: people. This facilitates the way I engage with the world.

This connects to the central metaphor in our six-step blueprint process. Any structural engineer will tell you that the trick to building a soaring skyscraper is laying a deep foundation. Without a sturdy foundation, buildings are susceptible to calamities; they can topple under their own weight and may not be able to withstand natural disasters or high winds. The same thing is true in leadership.

Leaders who succeed have a sturdy leadership foundation that tethers them to their purpose, core beliefs, and personal leadership model born out of their unique personality, characteristics, temperament, and life experiences. Leaders operating from this deeper understanding of who they are and what they believe are able to stand firm and tall as they adapt in the face of adversity, recover from setbacks, and persevere through crises. That’s the message I share with my team and with all leaders. “The only way out is in,” is one of our

The world is moving from an old model in the corporate world – Total Shareowner Returns (TSR) – to Total Stakeholder Returns. My hope is that we will ultimately move to a model of Total Societal Returns.

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mottos, meaning that to make impact externally, you have to do the work internally to strengthen your leadership understanding and approach.

Leading companies in all industries have changed the way they operate and have been engaged in providing talent, resources and supplies to those on the front lines of this crisis. This has provided an example of the role that business plays as a force for good in society. Will you discuss your views on the responsibility that leading companies have to address societal need?

I believe the world is already heading in the direction of a more explicit expectation that business become a force for societal good and social change – and the pandemic coupled with the movement to combat systemic racism have become accelerants. There is a very real sense that if you’re not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. This is a good thing.

The world is moving from an old model in the corporate world – Total Shareowner Returns (TSR) – to Total Stakeholder Returns. My hope is that we will ultimately move to a model of Total Societal Returns.

The companies of the 21st century must be much more vigilant in paying attention to all their stakeholders, not just their shareholders.

This means awakening to the fact that employees are essential partners in business. Their agenda has to be honored if we ever hope for them to fully honor the agenda of the shareowners and the leadership.

We have an opportunity now to move even more quickly in this direction with the added momentum of the pandemic and the social justice movements that are sweeping across the globe. This means, among many other things, honoring employees need for flexible work, listening to their concerns about balancing the demands of parenting with the demands of work (even after the pandemic is over), and shifting focus to initiatives that support public health (a good example is the chairman & CEO of J&J, Alex Gorsky, leading the development of a vaccine for COVID-19). It also means standing up and vocally being counted on issues that affect society and that personally impact your employees, the most obvious one currently being racism against Black Americans and people of color both in the workplace and systemically in the world at large. If you do not resolve to be listening, to be working towards LEADERS 35

We have to rise to the challenge. Business has been moving towards being a force for good in society prior to this moment but now the call is even more urgent and we can’t rest on our laurels.

a “leadership that works” for the many, not just the few, and putting your money and behaviors where your mouth is, your colleagues, employees, customers, and friends who are personally harmed by racial inequity might correctly and understandably interpret your silence and inaction as “speaking volumes.”

We have to rise to the challenge. Business has been moving towards being a force for good in society prior to this moment but now the call is even more urgent and we can’t rest on our laurels. We have to leverage the momentum to propel us in the right direction so we’re in a stronger and more enlightened position to lead people through the inevitable future crises that lie ahead.

You serve as chairman of Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose (CECP) which is committed to creating a better world through business. What do you see as the role that CECP can play as business begins to transition into the next stage of this crisis?

CECP was founded 20 years ago by Paul Newman, and a number of business luminaries, with the express purpose of encouraging companies to better serve society and be a force for good.

We’ve been championing that notion faithfully and have watched it blossom to the point where we now have over 200 Fortune 500 CEOs who are personal members of our organization and who are leading the charge in their companies.

We see the power of it now as CECP is helping these companies reimagine better business practices post-COVID and as our CEO, Daryl Brewster, is explicitly supporting and encouraging companies to speak out about advancing anti-racist operating practices, more effectively furthering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and putting money towards organizations that are on the frontlines of advancing social justice.

There is a lot of room for improvement on all these fronts and we’re proud to be partnering with companies to honor the societal agenda and engage in the hard work of doing better.

CECP exists to be that partner with organizations to help them meet the needs of all their stakeholders during crises and afterwards.

And now we’re moving beyond the corporate world. We are partnering with leading academic institutions and other thought leadership organizations who believe that leadership can and should be a force for good. This will add even more momentum to this movement as we evolve through this crisis and endeavor to show up even more responsibly for the next one.

You are known to be an optimistic person. During this difficult and uncertain time, what are you telling your people and what would you say to young people across the country who are deeply concerned and scared about the future?

What is needed is “realistic optimism.” You have to acknowledge the gravity of the moment and respect the real dangers that are causing tangible harm, but also know and believe – and rally people around – the idea that we can and will get through it. As a country and as a global community, we have weathered many storms before.

We have to simultaneously be both idealistic and realistic. Optimism is important for leaders because people don’t follow staunch pessimists. There is no inspiring vision for the future that is brought to the fore with pure pessimism. People need to believe in a way forward. That said, these battles we face will not be won with optimism alone; it’s insufficient.

What is needed is “realistic optimism.” You have to acknowledge the gravity of the moment and respect the real dangers that are causing tangible harm, but also know and believe – and rally people around – the idea that we can and will get through it. As a country and as a global community, we have weathered many storms before. There is still a lot of work to do but we have consistently come out stronger and made steady incremental progress throughout history.

We have to believe in progress and paint a picture of a brighter future that people can put their arms around and believe in. As a leader, show the way, do the work, say what’s right, then DO what’s right. That’s how we model the behavior for the next generation of leaders.

The best place to start is by bringing a “How Can I Help?” attitude to any issue of import. At a time where help is badly needed, roll up your sleeves and simply begin helping.

How to start? Consider your “circle of concern,” your “circle of influence,” and your “circle of control.”

Our “circle of concern” has exploded.

It can seem overwhelming. How to pierce through it, how to make an impact? The best way is to examine your “circle of influence” and see what action you can take within that circle of influence to make a change. Who can you help or influence – with your time, skills, money, expertise, or organizational resources – to take actions that move things forward? The choices we make and the actions we take are the things that lie within our “circle of control.”

Use the things in your “circle of control” to make an impact in your “circle of influence” to see change reflected in your “circle of concern.”

The simple version is: Show up and help in a way that is possible for you. In the words of Arthur Ashe, “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” That’s what will set the table for us to transition through this period and that’s what leaders do. Leadership is the art and science of influencing others in a specific direction. Bringing a “helper’s” mentality is a powerful tool of influence.

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Leadership in Uncertain Times

Justice and Fairness An Interview with Farooq Kathwari, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. EDITORS’ NOTE Farooq Kathwari COMPANY BRIEF Ethan Allen Interiors has been Chair man and CEO Inc. (ethanallen.com) is a leading intesince 1988. He serves in numerrior design company and manufacturer ous capacities at several nonprofit and retailer of quality home furnishings. organizations including as a memThe company offers free interior design ber of the Board of Overseers of the service to its clients through the efforts of International Rescue Committee; approximately 1,500 in-house interior a member of the advisory board designers and sells a full range of furof the Center for Strategic and niture products and decorative accessoInter national Studies; a memries through its website and a network of ber of the Council on For eign approximately 300 Design Centers in the Relations; Chairman Emeritus of United States and abroad. Ethan Allen Farooq Kathwari Refugees International; an adviowns and operates nine manufactursory member of the New York Stock ing facilities including six manufacturExchange; former Chairman of the National ing plants in the United States, two manufacturing Retail Federation; for mer Chair man and plants in Mexico and one manufacturing plant in President of the American Home Furnishings Honduras. Approximately 75 percent of its prodAlliance; a director of the Institute for the ucts are made in its North American plants.

Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University; Co-Chairman of the Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council; and a member of the International Advisory Council of the United States Institute of Peace. He served as a member of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders from 2010 to 2014.

Kathwari was recently tapped to join the congressionally mandated United States Institute of Peace bipartisan Task For ce on Extremism in Fragile States co-chaired

by Governor Tom Kean and Congressman Lee Hamilton, who for merly led the 9/11 Commission.

Among his r ecognitions, Kathwari is a recipient of the 2018 Ellis Island Medal of Honor and has been inducted into the American Furniture Hall of Fame. He has been recognized as an Outstanding American

by Choice by the U.S. government. He has received the Yale School of Management’s Chief Executive Leadership Institute Lifetime of Leadership Award; the National Human Relations Award from the American Jewish Committee; the National Retail Federation Gold Medal; and Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur Of The Year Award. He has also been recognized by Worth magazine as one of the 50 Best CEOs in the United States.

Kathwari holds B.A.s in English Literature and Political Science from Kashmir University, Srinagar, and an M.B.A. in international marketing from New York University.

He is also the recipient of three honorary doctorate degrees.

The average association of our independent retailers is 40 years; many are now in their second and third generation of being in business with us.

These long-serving, entrepreneurialminded leaders are essential parts of their communities.

38 LEADERS

The world is facing an unprecedented crisis that is impacting all countries and their citizens. The pandemic is being fought on the front lines by healthcare workers, first responders, those providing supplies and meals, transportation workers and all other essential workers. What do you say to these true leaders and heroes that are risking their lives to protect others?

It is amazing how quickly the news of various conflicts has been overshadowed by the coronavirus. Mighty armies or large industries are less important when there are concerns about life and death. This unprecedented crisis has made us realize how interdependent we are. The front line workers, first responders, transportation workers, those providing supplies and meals, and all other essential workers are our heroes. It should make us reprioritize, as a society, where our resources are spent.

Our enterprise, like many others, has taken major steps to operate sensibly and serve our clients safely. I am grateful for and proud of the attitudes and the efforts of our associates.

Ethan Allen is a company that has a long culture and commitment around community engagement and addressing societal need. Will you discuss how critical community is to Ethan Allen?

For 88 years, Ethan Allen has maintained strong community engagements. We started establishing crafts-oriented workshops in places such as the Green Mountains of Vermont and the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Mid-Atlantic.

We have generations of families working in these workshops, and we have been an integral part of these and many other communities. At one time, we even managed the water company that supplied drinking water to residents of Beecher Falls, Vermont.

Our independent retail network is made up of families with a long tradition of community involvement. The average association of our independent retailers is 40 years; many are now in their second and third generation of being in business with us. These long-serving, entrepreneurial-minded leaders are essential parts of their communities. They are deeply engaged with issues such as the current COVID-19 crisis.

Ethan Allen was built with an entrepreneurial spirit and an ability to be nimble and adapt. How is Ethan Allen addressing its business during this time in order to succeed in this difficult environment?

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The front line workers, first responders, transportation workers, those providing supplies and meals, and all other essential workers are our heroes.

It should make us reprioritize, as a society, where our resources are spent.

Our motto has always been to be entrepreneurial and disciplined, but we acknowledge that the current situation is unprecedented.

Almost everything came to a standstill, something that has not happened in many crises of the past including the Great Depression and World Wars. We had to make many tough decisions. In March, approximately 200 of our retail Design Centers and most of our North American manufacturing had to close, and we had to furlough about 70 percent of our associates – 3,000 associates – in a two-week period. We achieved this with dignity, providing associates several weeks of pay and several months of medical benefits, and connecting them to federal and state benefits.

How have Ethan Allen’s employees changed the way they work in order to be effective with the changes that have been necessary for all businesses to make?

Combining technology and personal service has become a critical pillar of our business model over the past decade. We’ve now extended that mindset into our work environment, and our associates have risen to the occasion. We realize that, thanks to technology, not everybody has to be physically present to perform all tasks. Today, video communication platforms make it possible for an unprecedented level of interpersonal interaction.

Our teams have developed and adopted new technology-based skillsets to be even more efficient and effective. Our associates are hard at work, many working remotely and virtually. I am very proud of how they have per for med during this challenging period.

There is a great deal of discussion about businesses reopening in a “new normal”.

What is your outlook for what this new normal may look like and how is Ethan Allen preparing for the next stage in this crisis?

The “new normal” requires reviewing all aspects of our operations from “base zero.”

We have targeted a 30 percent increase in efficiencies across the board, operating with a long-term sustainable outlook, as we always have. By taking strategic and proactive steps operationally, we place ourselves in a strong fundamental position to weather the next crisis. Our sound operational footing also puts us in a prime position to attract and retain the best talent.

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You are a business leader who has always focused on your people and believed that talent makes great companies. How proud are you to see how Ethan Allen’s workforce has risen during this most difficult time and what do you say to your team about their perseverance and resilience?

Talent is critical. Every week I receive 50 reports from our leaders; not all report to me.

They must focus on five important areas, and talent is always first. Other areas are marketing, service, technology, and social responsibility. I am proud of the way our teams have kept their focus on these key elements throughout this crisis.

I hope this crisis makes all of us, especially world leaders, understand we live in a small world, and we must work together to bring improvements all over the world.

We also took steps to treat those furloughed with respect and to treat them fairly, providing medical benefits for an extended period. We want our teams to be proud to be associated with Ethan Allen.

Leading companies in all industries have changed the way they operate and have been engaged in providing talent, resources and supplies to those on the front lines of this crisis. This has provided an example of the role that business plays as a force for good in society. Will you discuss your views on the responsibility that leading companies have to address societal need?

The COVID-19 crisis has challenged all of us. During a crisis, everyone must work together to help one another to persevere.

Our enterprise, like many others, looked to see where there were needs and how we could help. Our Maiden, North Carolina, upholstery workshop, in partnership with the Carolina Textile District, produced medical supplies in the wake of COVID-19. Using our automated fabric-cutting equipment, our cutting and sewing teams produced medical gowns and masks.

In White Plains, New York, we were able to quickly supply mattresses, foundations, and bed frames to a hospital for urgently needed surge capacity. Other initiatives were undertaken at the local level throughout our retail network.

I am really proud of the attitude and the efforts of our associates. Crisis also can develop closer relationships.

I am pleased our licensee in China, which operates about 100 retail locations throughout China with most of our product shipped to them from our North American manufacturing, collaborated with us in arranging a large shipment of masks and gloves to be used by our associates.

You are known to be an optimistic person. During this difficult and uncertain time, what are you telling your people and what would you say to young people across the country who are deeply concerned and scared about the future?

I hope this crisis makes all of us, especially world leaders, understand we live in a small world, and we must work together to bring improvements all over the world.

This week I made the public statement on the following pages.

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40 LEADERS

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LEADERS 41

TRAVEL

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For almost 40 years, Valerie Wilson Travel has been a leader in the travel industry. We are committed to delivering excellent customer service based on integrity, trust and loyalty. And while the world faces turbulent times and global travel has forever changed, we are here for you!

VWT has been a part of the global expansion of travel for four decades from the growth of Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, the birth of the Ritz-Carlton brand, and had a hand in the emergence of today’s top luxury cruise lines. Through this crisis, we continue to cement our positioning at the forefront of travel.

As leaders, it is our responsibility to advocate for our clients. We promise to get the most advantageous pricing, protect your investment, and support all your travel needs. VWT Advisors are, and always will be, here to be our clients’ travel advocates.

As the world begins to open up, VWT remains stronger than ever and here to support all of our clients’ travel needs, even the moments you cannot plan for.

Travel unites us all.

Dream, Believe, Travel with VWT

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Leadership in Uncertain Times

Company Culture Thriving Through Disruption An Interview with Katherine Richardson, Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer, PURE Group of Insurance Companies EDITORS’ NOTE Katherine “In many ways, Richardson is responsible for develthe past few months have oping core people strategies to build been among the busiest upon PURE’s workplace culture. She joined PURE in 2017 with extensive and most rewarding of my experience as a senior HR leader career. I am exceptionally in the insurance industry, leadproud to be a part of this ing companies through times of team and the work we’ve extraordinary growth and change.

She is passionate about workplace done to thrive through culture and creating an environdisruption.” ment where employees can be sucKatherine Richardson cessful and engaged. Richardson is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a degree in business and history.

We understood that we needed to tend to our team’s collective psychological needs, COMPANY BRIEF Privilege Underwriters Inc. and that we could not sustain our efforts with(PUI), a member of the Tokio Marine Group of out addressing feelings around safety and Companies, was founded in 2006 and is the hold- security first. Even though we weren’t able ing company for the PURE Group and related to physically be together in offices, it was entities. PUI and its subsidiaries provide capital sup- important for employees to continue to experiport and operational services to the policyholder- ence that they are a part of a community that owned entity, PURE (pureinsurance.com). PURE cares about them and ensure, above all, that is dedicated to creating an exceptional experi- they had what they needed to feel safe and ence for responsible high net worth fami- secure as COVID-19 unfolded. lies, pr oviding customizable coverage for We discovered that many in our very motihigh-value homes, automobiles, jewelry, art, vated and high achieving workforce were strugpersonal liability, watercraft, flood, fraud gling with the realization that they could not be and cyber fraud. In return for a fee, PURE Risk 100 percent productive and that their efficiency Management LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary was altered by our circumstances. Despite of PUI, serves as Attorney-in-Fact for PURE. The many general communications from leadership PURE Group’s low cost of capital, careful member selection and proactive risk management all contribute to highly competitive rates and a Financial Strength Rating of “A (Excellent)” from A.M. Best Company, Inc. Today, PURE’s membership includes more than 90,000 families from across the U.S. How have your employees changed the way they work in order to be effective with the changes that have been necessary for all businesses to make during these uncertain times?

Empathy has always been a primary driver in our values and emotional intelligence is a critical skill we teach. During this crisis, we understood that we needed to meet people where they were in life; each person’s reaction to COVID-19 was different, and we could not presume everyone was on equal footing. We value fairness, but the realities of the pandemic applied the burden unevenly, altering our lives in different and significant ways.

VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

offering support, individuals needed to hear from someone in their own management team that we know 100 percent work productivity is out of reach for many, that we see they are trying and that it is unrealistic to think that our teams and individuals can contribute at their absolute best at every moment right now.

They needed to hear that they have our specific permission to adjust their expectations for themselves and the teams they are leading.

With that permission, you could see a palpable expression of relief that cleared a safe space to find a way to make things work.

We viewed this as unique opportunity to advance communal development. Every morning since mid-March, we have sent a companywide e-mail with positive guidance on topics ranging from building resilience, gratitude and understanding one’s strengths, to more practical support on staying focused, working ergonomically and attending to physical and financial wellness. We created parent support groups organized by a child’s age to give working parents a place to talk through challenges and redistributed access to a professional oneon-one counseling service for parents and caregivers. We increased our monthly town halls to a weekly cadence. We launched a weekly “mailbag,” where employees ask our CEO questions ranging from the playful to serious inquiries on our business, industry and marketplace.

Every morning since mid-March, we have sent a company-wide e-mail with positive guidance on topics ranging from building resilience, gratitude and understanding one’s strengths, to more practical support on staying focused, working ergonomically and attending to physical and financial wellness.

LEADERS 43

By replacing pessimism with more positive thoughts and experiences – expressing gratitude, nurturing social connections and taking care of oneself – people can learn how to become more optimistic. The benefits of this mindset include better relationships, health, coping, performance and more overall positive emotions.

We channeled our urge to act in support of those hurting the most during the pandemic and are far down the path of our goal to contribute $1 million through the PURE Insurance Foundation with support from Tokio Marine, primarily to charitable organizations addressing food insecurity. We added a matching grant component to the Foundation to amplify the impact of employee giving to causes in health, human services and social justice. We’ve improved our confidence in virtual training, continuing our planned schedule of learning opportunities and have developed new content to support effective leadership practices in the face of disruption. We have a large commitment to recent college grads and have retooled our recent grad training programs for virtual implementation.

PURE was built with an entrepreneurial spirit and an ability to be nimble and adapt. How is PURE addressing its business during this time in order to succeed in this difficult environment?

Long before COVID-19, PURE had a strong technology infrastructure in place, which has enabled nearly every member of our team to transition to working from home quickly and seamlessly. With laptops, a secure virtual private network and a highly capable IT team, most of our employees were able to begin remote work immediately.

Creating a smooth transition for employees goes hand in hand with ensuring continuity of excellent service for the PURE membership.

We have quickly adapted services such as our PURE360™ Risk Management Experience and claims adjusting to fit a remote environment.

Typically, our PURE360 Risk Management Experience is performed in-person with a PURE Risk Manager to identify and provide solutions for areas of risk in a member’s home. However, for the past 18 months, PURE has been working on a technology that allows members to perform this home review on their own.

Since social distancing guidelines and shelter-in-place orders were implemented in mid-March, making it impossible in some cases to conduct in-person reviews, thousands of members have engaged with the Self-Directed to PURE360 Risk Management Experience. The app uses chatbot technology to guide members through their home, taking photos and videos of particular areas and answering simple questions and provides risk management solutions 44 LEADERS

and advice in real time. The response from members who have used this technology has been overwhelmingly positive.

We have also increased the use of PURE Express, a technology that we already had in place to increase the efficiency in handling auto damage claims and, now, also serves to reduce face-to-face interaction. Similarly, we have introduced a tool for inspecting property damages, guiding members as they document home damage with photos and videos, to limit in-person interaction and keep both our members and adjusters safe.

We also wanted to find a way to stay connected with our broker partners throughout this time of remote working and social distancing.

We started a webinar series that has become highly popular – a daily 15-minute exploration of issues and solutions across nearly all functional areas of the business.

During this difficult and uncertain time, what are you telling your people and what would you say to young people across the country who are deeply concerned and scared about the future?

We believe that when we focus on developing our strengths, we can achieve better outcomes than when trying to eliminate our weaknesses. When we tap into our character strengths – the positive parts of our personality that impact how we think, feel and

behave – we can better handle stress, we become happier and more confident, we develop more meaningful relationships and we are noticeably more engaged at work.

Identifying and exercising our strengths is helping us navigate these uncertain times with positivity and hope.

Social psychology research also tells us that about 50 percent of our happiness is linked to our genetics and only 10 percent of happiness is attributed to life circumstances. That means that about 40 percent of our overall happiness is within our capacity to change. This is a powerful concept, especially now.

By replacing pessimism with more positive thoughts and experiences – expressing gratitude, nurturing social connections and taking care of oneself – people can learn how to become more optimistic. The benefits of this mindset include better relationships, health, coping, performance and more overall positive emotions. And the most optimistic thing about optimism is that it involves skills that can be learned and put into practice.

Even when the present feels wholly negative, and as hard as it may be to make the case for optimism during a time of crisis, that’s when positivity happens to be the most useful. Channeling hope and optimism is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that everything will be okay, regardless of the outcome.

•

Social psychology research also tells us that about 50 percent of our happiness is linked to our genetics and only 10 percent of happiness is attributed to life circumstances. That means that about 40 percent of our overall happiness is within our capacity to change. This is a powerful concept, especially now.

VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

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Leadership in Uncertain Times

Communication and Collaboration An Interview with A. Eugene Kohn, Chairman, and James von Klemperer, President and Design Principal, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates EDITORS’ NOTE On July 4, 1976, A. Eugene Kohn founded Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) in New York City, alongside William Pedersen and Sheldon Fox, with a commitment to outstanding design, quality of execution, and exceptional client service.

The Founding Partners wanted to create a firm that would succeed well past their own tenures. With this in mind, they sought talented people who could be as good, and ideally better, than themselves. These employees, mentored by the founders, would be the next leaders at KPF – and hold the responsibility of doing the same for following generations.

Today, Kohn serves as Principal and Chairman of Kohn Pedersen Fox. Holding Bachelor of Ar chitectur e and Master of Architecture degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, he served in the U.S. Navy on active duty between his academic degrees and, after graduation, r emained in the Reserve for another five years, retiring as a Lieutenant Commander. He is an Executive Fellow of the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University where he teaches, in addition to teaching at Harvard Business School. He helped establish the Harvard Real Estate Center Academic Initiative, is a founding member of the Wharton School Real Estate Center Advisory Board and has served for over 30 years on the Board of Overseers at PennDesign. Kohn was a trustee for the University of Pennsylvania and was honored with the 2010 Alumni Award of Merit by the university, the highest award presented to alumni. Kohn has also been recognized with the Wharton Real Estate Center’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the University of Pennsylvania – PennDesign Dean’s Medal of Achievement, the highest honor awarded by the institution, and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

James von Klemperer is President and Design Principal at Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates where he began as a young architect in 1983. His projects have gained recognition in the field both locally and abroad.

In New York, his design for One Vanderbilt will link Midtown’s tallest tower directly to Grand Central Terminal. His Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington D.C., Dongbu Financial Center in Seoul, Blue Pool Road Houses in Hong Kong, Riverside 66 urban market in Tianjin, the Ga Mashie Urban Transformation in Accra Ghana, and One Vanderbilt have all received AIA design awards.

46 LEADERS

A. Eugene Kohn

James von Klemperer

Von Klemperer has designed some of the world’s tallest buildings, including the 555-meter Lotte Tower in Seoul. In London, he recently led the design of two residential towers in One Nine Elms, while in Paris he designed the new offices for the Ministry of Justice.

In the academic sphere, von Klemperer taught at Yale in 2011 and in 2016 as the Saarinen Visiting Professor, leading a design studio in exploring dynamic relationships between architecture and urban development. He has lectured at Harvard, Columbia, Tsinghua, Tongji, Seoul National, and Yonsei Universities, the ESA in Paris, and the AMO in Lyon as well as in Santiago, Chile, Tel Aviv and Sydney, Australia.

After graduating from Phillips Academy Andover, he received a B.A. from Harvard in 1979, magna cum laude, in history and literature. In 1980, he was the Charles Henry Fiske Fellow at Trinity College Cambridge. He received his M.Arch with honors from Princeton in 1983.

Von Klemperer also serves on the Board of the Storefront for Art and Architecture, chairs the boards of the Skyscraper Museum and the Urban Design Forum, and is a trustee of Bard College.

FIRM BRIEF Operating as one firm with nine offices in eight countries, KPF (kpf.com) is one of the world’s premier architecture firms with over 650 staff members from numerous countries, together speaking a collective 40+ languages.

The firm’s diverse portfolio comprises corporate headquarters, investment office buildings, hospitality, academic, medical, research, civic, museum, transportation, airports, bus and train stations, residential and mixed-use projects, both in the United States and abroad. More than 100 of the firm’s completed projects are LEED designated, or pursuing, green certification.

The world is facing an unprecedented crisis that is impacting all countries and their citizens. The pandemic is being fought on the front lines by healthcare workers, first responders, those providing supplies and meals, transportation workers and all other essential workers. What do you say to these true leaders and heroes that are risking their lives to protect others?

Von Klemperer: Your question gets to the heart of our current crisis. We now rely on each other more than ever, and realize how we depend on the kindness and courage of others.

My friends who are doctors on the front lines in Boston and New York, two of the worst hit cities, are showing their true commitment to public service. And those who are doing more basic jobs of sanitizing and delivering food are also heroes. I hope we can fully appreciate those who are sacrificing their safety for the common good. They are indeed leaders.

KPF is a company that has a long culture and commitment around community engagement and addressing societal need.

What do you see as the role that KPF can play in waging this battle?

Von Klemperer: First, we need to support our own community, our own employees. We are committed to following the science and staying safe, doing our part not to spread the virus.

We were one of the first architectural offices to vacate our premises, partly because our offices in Shanghai and Hong Kong were more than a month ahead of us in the cycle. We had already learned from their protocols. Fortunately, we’ve been able to keep full employment.

Now, as we look ahead to as much as a year of COVID-19 related challenges, we‘re determined to help keep our part of the economy going. We continue to inspect construction sites for our major projects, as we can’t let our society grind to a complete halt.

KPF was built with an entrepreneurial spirit and an ability to be nimble and adapt.

How is KPF addressing its business during this time in order to succeed in this difficult environment?

Von Klemperer: Our strategy for adapting nimbly to the current challenges is related to our global structure. We’ve made up for any operational difficulties or market weaknesses by moving tasks from one office to another. We act as one worldwide collective, supporting each other through these difficulties. When some VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

projects stopped in the U.S., we doubled down on our China practice. So far, we’ve found more than enough good work by searching every corner of the world.

How have KPF’s employees changed the way they work in order to be effective with the changes that have been necessary for all businesses to make during this crisis?

Von Klemperer: First, the way of working in Zoom has allowed us to forge new internal team relationships. We review each others drawings more frequently, and do more mentoring of young staff, because we have continuous access to each others’ screens. We do more now to cross the boundaries between junior and senior staff than ever before.

With all of this intensity of continuous workflow, one thing we need to be careful about is burnout. To avoid this, we’ve called for mandatory vacations and days off. We go from working at home, to vacationing at home!

There is a great deal of discussion about businesses reopening in a “new normal.” What is your outlook for what this new normal may look like and how is KPF preparing for the next stage in this crisis?

Von Klemperer: We have to stay super flexible. As with our national predicament, our company has to be prepared to react to health data rather than setting policies based on hope. We are prepared to change our approach as the infection numbers fluctuate. We’ve definitely increased our firmwide communication so that everyone is fully informed at all times.

We hold town halls every week, and routinely check in on the general health of our junior staff.

KPF was built on collaboration and a culture of working together and partnership. How do you maintain this culture during a time when the workforce is working from home and isolating?

Von Klemperer: One reason that KPF has weathered the storm well thus far is that we’ve historically placed a huge importance on collaboration. Many of our staff have worked together for decades, and we understand each other instinctively. The challenge is training junior staff, some of whom have never actually seen our office. It’s best to see all of this as a creative challenge. The crisis won’t last forever, but we may well be working remotely in some form for 18 months or more. We have to embrace the new normal, see the good in it, and follow the mantra: communicate, communicate, communicate.

How proud are you to see how KPF’s workforce has risen during this most difficult time and what do you say to your team about their perseverance and resilience?

Kohn: I’m extremely proud of our associates, principals, and staff. They have done an amazing job these past few months – adapting seamlessly to working remotely, while continuing to provide our clients with our best service.

We had the advantage of testing these new procedures in our Asian offices where the virus hit VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

first. So when the pandemic came to the U.S., we were prepared. It also helped that we had already developed a culture of flexibility with teams of people who are incredibly talented.

When you have the right people you can do almost anything. Our staff has shown its best this year.

One Vanderbilt

Leading companies in all industries have changed the way they operate and have been engaged in providing talent, resources and supplies to those on the front lines of this crisis. This has provided an example of the role that business plays as a force for good in society. Will you discuss your views on the responsibility that leading companies have to address societal need?

Kohn: When the number of Covid-19 hospitalizations was rising rapidly at the start of the crisis, we immediately programmed our 3D printers to produce face shields for doctors and nurses in front-line positions. We did this in conjunction with other design firms and schools of architecture, so it has had a real impact. Our principals and associates are also active with a broad range of nonprofits and civic organizations which have been greatly affected by this crisis. For example, I am chairman of the board of Publicolor, a stay-in-school youth development program that engages high-risk kids. The program is remarkably successful – all of the kids in it now graduate from high school and more than half of them graduate from college. It has been incredibly busy during the pandemic, providing meals and tutoring while schools have been closed. Hana Kassem, one of our younger principals, was recently named to the Mayor’s Advisory Council on Reopening New York City after COVID-19 and will be an important voice in making sure our city is reshaped in ways that make it work better for all of its residents. Before the virus hit, KPF had done work for the New York City Housing Authority, developing a sustainability and resiliency master plan for one of the largest public housing projects in the country.

We’ve been engaged with issues of affordable housing and environmental justice for years now.

KPF is a global company and has a long history operating in China. Are you concerned about the current state of U.S.-China relations and how critical is it for the U.S. and China to work closely together to effectively address global challenges?

Kohn: Yes, I’m concerned about the current status of the U.S.-China relationship. I don’t think the rhetoric from political leaders these days is helping the situation. KPF has been involved with China for 30 years and we’ve seen how the exchange of ideas, goods, and services during that time has made both countries stronger and improved the lives of millions of people. Are there aspects of that relationship that could be improved? Sure. But as Colin Powell said about China during a recent interview, we don’t have enemies, we have problems and we just need to start solving them.

China’s economy has been one of the first to restart from the pandemic and businesses are currently operating throughout China. Will you discuss KPF’s current operations in China and how important it is for global companies to have a positive business relationship with China?

Kohn: We’re extremely busy in China and have fantastic clients there who give us the opportunity to do great architecture. As you note, China is one of the first countries to restart its economy and we are seeing the benefits of that. Our offices in Shanghai and Hong Kong are operating at full capacity and aren’t slowing down. We do a lot of design work for our China projects from New York and London, so projects in Asia keep us going here too. At several points during the past 30 years, China has provided ballast when the economic waters have gotten choppy – for example in the early ’90s and again after the financial crisis of 2008.

China has 1.4 billion people and the second largest economy in the world. We can’t just walk away from this part of the world. We need to stay engaged.

You are known to be an optimistic person. During this difficult and uncertain time, what are you telling your people and what would you say to young people across the country who are deeply concerned and scared about the future?

Kohn: I know it’s a difficult moment right now and a lot of people are suffering. The pandemic has revealed to us problems in our society that have been there for a long time. We can no longer ignore how poverty, racism, huge disparities in wealth, and a patchwork healthcare system weaken all of us. But I also think this gives us the opportunity to make things better. Yes, I’m an optimist, and I think we’ll learn from what we’re going through. The U.S. has gone through hard times before – the Great Depression, World War II, the polio epidemic, and the fight for civil rights in the ’60s – and has emerged stronger each time. I think we can become stronger this time too. I challenge young architects to be part of the movement to make that happen. If they do that, they’ll have exciting and rewarding careers as designers and make the country a better place.

•

LEADERS 47

"We are the most respected framing company for good reasons" - Eli Wilner

Eli Wilner & Co. created the 12 ft x 21ft replica frame (above) for Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze's 1851 painting Washington Crossing the Delaware, which dominates the Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing.

For over 40 years I have been creating frames for the world’s finest art collections.

I understand that one of the most important commodities you have is your time and the last thing you want to do is waste it.

That is why the level of service and skill that would be extraordinary for most is standard at Eli Wilner. I understand that you want your art framed beautifully, created with extraordinary skill, delivered on time and installed professionally. The first time!

The number of times that I have been called in to repair others’ work is shocking. Who has the time to do things twice?

When asked what separates us from other firms I offer the following: • I personally oversee each frame choice as it relates to scale, period correctness and aesthetics.

• We are obsessed with providing perfection for each framing project.

• We employ the finest carvers, gilders and finishers in the world.

• We include a Lifetime Quality Guarantee.

• We have been the framers for the Metropolitan Museum, the Smithsonian, the White House, Sotheby's and Christie's since 1983.

• We are the recommended frame restorers by Chubb and AXA art insurance companies.

• We offer incredible white glove service that is flawless and unmatched by any profession.

• We respect your desire for confidentiality and go to great lengths to insure your privacy. Historically we have used pseudonyms for our clients.

• There are no extra charges: Included are preliminary drawings, mockups, travel time, fitting, a photographic record of the work process, crating and shipping.

• We provide a guaranteed delivery date (often impossible for anyone else to meet) or the entire project is free.

I look forward to speaking with you about your next project.

I promise not to waste your time!

1525 York Avenue, New York, NY 10028 212-744-6521 | www.eliwilner.com | info@eliwilner.com Antique Frames, Antique Frame Restoration, Antique Frame Replication

Leadership in Uncertain Times

Unsung Heroes An Interview with Robert B. Catell, Chairman, Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center, Stony Brook University EDITORS’ NOTE Robert Catell You have been a leader in the was formerly the Chairman and energy industry throughout your Chief Executive Officer of KeySpan career. As someone who has such Corporation and KeySpan Energy a passion for the energy industry, Delivery, the former Brooklyn Union how do you see the role that leadGas. His car eer with Br ooklyn ing energy companies are playing Union Gas started in 1958. during this crisis?

Following National Grid’s acquisiI believe that the energy industion of KeySpan Corporation, Catell try employees are some of the unsung became Chair man of National heroes during this crisis. They have Grid U.S. and Deputy Chairman been very quietly doing their jobs to of National Grid plc. He curkeep the energy flowing and the lights Robert B. Catell rently serves as Chairman of the on and ensuring a steady power supAdvanced Energy Research and ply to hospitals as well as to essential Technology Center, Cristo Rey Brooklyn High businesses and residences.

School, Futur es in Education Endowment Many of these employees have sequesFund, and the newly announced National tered at generating plants, control centers, call Offshore Wind Research and Development centers and other energy facilities. They have Consortium. Catell received both his bachelor’s chosen to be away from their loved ones to and master’s degrees in mechanical engineer- ensure we have a safe and reliable energy suping from the City College of New York and is a ply and that they are able to respond to emerregistered Professional Engineer. gency situations.

INSTITUTION BRIEF Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center (aertc.org) is located in the Research & Development Park at Stony Brook University and is a true partnership of academic institutions, research institutions, ener gy pr oviders and industrial corporations. The Center’s mission is innovative energy research, education and technology deployment with a focus on efficiency, conservation, r enewable energy and nanotechnology applications for new and novel sources of energy.

The world is facing an unprecedented crisis that is impacting all countries and their citizens. The pandemic is being fought on the front lines by healthcare workers, first responders, those providing supplies and meals, transportation workers and all other essential workers. What do you say to these true leaders and heroes that are risking their lives to protect others?

I say a very sincere “thank you and God bless” to the healthcare workers, first responders, those providing supplies, transportation and all other essential workers who are risking their lives and personal safety to serve those in need during this unprecedented crisis. These dedicated individuals are often taken for granted and not given the recognition they deserve.

50 LEADERS

I believe that the energy industry employees are some of the unsung heroes during this crisis.

All of this is being accomplished while the industry continues to be sensitive to customers’ abilities to pay their bills.

How vital is the work being done by the energy industry in regard to ensuring the safety and security of the energy grid during this crisis?

In addition to the role I indicated energy employees are playing to keep the lights on, the industry is continuing to explore technologies to protect the delivery system against cyber attacks which would create major problems during normal times, but that would be particularly disastrous during this crisis.

You serve as chairman of the Advanced Energy Research & Technology Center (AERTC) at Stony Brook University. How has the crisis impacted the work of AERTC? The Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center at Stony Brook University is basically shut down from the standpoint of the physical facility, but research continues to be done remotely. Many of the research projects dealing with the future of our energy production and delivery system are being done from remote locations, including our important work done in collaboration with Brookhaven National Labs.

In addition, we are responding to the many requests for research in the areas of resilience, reliability and incorporation of renewables into the energy mix.

Stony Brook University has been deeply engaged in the battle against this virus. Will you provide an overview of the work that Stony Brook has been doing, including the temporary hospital that was built at the University?

Stony Brook University has a number of companies that are working on areas related to the virus, especially in the areas of testing and immunization. One of its companies, Applied DNA, has recently received FDA approval for a testing method that will greatly increase the number of tests that can be done with increased accuracy which is critical to reopening the economy.

Stony Brook Hospital has been in the forefront of treating COVID patients and is even operating a temporary hospital which was built at the campus and drive in testing facility serving thousands of Long Island residents. The hospital has also been involved in clinical trials to improve treatment and to find a vaccine.

The entire staff of the hospital deserve a special thank you for their efforts.

There is a great deal of discussion about businesses reopening in a “new normal.” What is your outlook for what this new normal may look like?

Nobody really knows what the “new normal” will look like, but we know it will be different. I believe that we will do a great deal more of our business remotely using vehicles like Zoom and Go to Meeting which will put a lot more emphasis on the Internet and communication technologies like 5G. Offices will be designed with more separation between desks.

The “open office concept” may become a thing of the past.

VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

Many of these employees have sequestered at generating plants, control centers, call centers and other energy facilities. They have chosen to be away from their loved ones to ensure we have safe and reliable energy supply and that they are able to respond to emergency situations.

Education will utilize more computerbased teaching and classrooms will probably be smaller and more spread out.

From an energy industry standpoint, as we move to more renewables, I believe there is a need to put increased emphasis on security and reliability.

Leading companies in all industries have changed the way they operate and have been engaged in providing talent, resources and supplies to those on the front lines of this crisis. This has provided an example of the role that business plays as a force for good in society. What are your views on the responsibility that leading companies have to address societal need?

I have always believed that business has a responsibility to play a role as a force for good in society and I feel this has been demonstrated during this crisis. Companies

have stepped up and provided talent and resources and supported those on the front lines.

There have been examples of businesses that have altered their production capabilities to manufacture ventilators and personal protective equipment. Pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and medical research institutions have accelerated their efforts to find a treatment for the virus and have simplified and accelerated testing for potential vaccines to protect the public.

Many companies have supported not-forprofit efforts to provide relief to the less fortunate populations which have been severely impacted. We have a lot of good lessons learned from this crisis which, hopefully, will bode well for the future.

You are known to be an optimistic person. During this difficult and uncertain time, what would you say to young people

across the country who are deeply concerned and scared about the future?

I am an optimistic or a “glass half full” person, but we should not take this crisis lightly.

Having said that, I would like to offer a ray of hope to the young people across the country concerned about our future.

We will get through this and will be better prepared for any future health crisis. There are a lot of lessons learned which we can benefit from, starting with the need for spending money in the area of research not only in the medical fields, but extending to manufacturing, energy and the environment. New jobs will be created as many of these new technologies develop, along with new mechanisms to communicate and educate.

Hopefully, we will soon be able to get back together to enjoy each other’s company, attend sporting events, and go to beaches, parks and recreation facilities.

•

Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center at Stony Brook University VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

LEADERS 51

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Leadership in Uncertain Times

The Next Normal An Interview with Alan S. Elkin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Active International EDITORS’ NOTE Alan Elkin essential workers. What do you say co-founded Active International to these true leaders and heroes in 1984. Elkin began his career that are risking their lives to proat Kaiser Br oadcasting which, tect others? under his direction as Senior Vice Thank you for what you are President of Sales, later became accomplishing. What you are doing is Field Communications and then a unprecedented. Through your ingesubsidiary of Katz Media Group. nuity, grit, determination and bravery, He has received the Entrepreneur you are forging a pathway through Of The Year™ Award by Ernst & completely uncharted territory. You’re Young and the British American risking your lives each and every day, Business Inc. Award in recognionly to return to the same front lines Alan S. Elkin tion of Active’s global accomplishthe very next day. You are the modern ments. Additionally, he received “soldiers” of this century, fighting an the 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award at the invisible enemy and winning the battle. Thank Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame annual you for being heroes and protecting our lives. gala. Elkin believes that community involveActive is a company that has a long culment is as important as business leadership and ture and commitment around community through the company’s Active Cares program, engagement and addressing societal need. contributions have been made to over 600 char- What do you see as the role that Active can ities since 1997. play in waging this battle?

Supporting the first responders. They COMPANY BRIEF Nearly four decades ago, need our support now more than ever before.

Active International (activeinternational.com) Additionally, we need to be able to feed those disrupted the marketplace by developing an in need. We must not forget the many people innovative, market leading, client-centric approach to corporate trade. The development of best-in-class solutions has led Active to evolve into a commercial innovation company. Active’s purpose is to transform data into insights, strategy into action, and vision into value. With the entrepreneurial spirit of a startup, and the capabilities of a global corporation, Active continues to redefine what’s possible and turn possibilities into positive business outcomes. Active drives performance through industry expertise, its Corporate Trade Model and portfolio of companies with a core competency in media, to create and deliver value for leading brands throughout their business life cycles. With a global team comprised of business innovators, industry leaders, media mavens and finance experts, Active is dedicated to delivering new levels of financial flexibility and custom solutions. An employeeowned company, Active’s client success comes first, as well as the betterment of its people and the communities in which they live.

in our community who, due to circumstances way beyond their control, are unable to feed themselves and their families. Active is a longtime supporter of our local food pantry and has significantly stepped-up that support to help families directly impacted by the pandemic. We are also continually educating our workforce on how to best mitigate Covid-19 risk across all of our relationships.

Active was built with an entrepreneurial spirit and an ability to be nimble and adapt. How is Active addressing its business during this challenging time in order to succeed in this difficult environment?

Over the past decade, Active has embraced new technology in order to make us more efficient and effective. Absent any prior knowledge of an impending pandemic, Active’s technological currency prepared us very well to be nimble and adapt to the new circumstances. Over a mere 24 hours, we left our office environment to shelter in place in our homes. Thanks to our technological expertise, we were able to seamlessly continue our business. Each one of our employees became an overnight entrepreneur.

The most important aspect of the “next-normal,” is to let go of the past and look clearly at the current environment. It involves a subtle but important mind-shift; replacing the idea of getting “backto-normal” with moving “forward-to-normal.”

The world is facing an unprecedented crisis that is impacting all countries and their citizens. The pandemic is being fought on the front lines by healthcare workers, first responders, those providing supplies and meals, transportation workers and all other VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

LEADERS 53

We must not forget the many people in our community who, due to circumstances way beyond their control, are unable to feed themselves and their families.

The old “command and control” model has given rise to enhanced collaboration, communication and cooperation, and as a result, Active has continued to thrive amidst a very challenging world environment.

How have Active’s employees changed the way they work in order to be effective with the changes that have been necessary for all businesses to make?

Active’s people were prepared to adapt to new methods of working. Active’s employees have embraced the new technologies that were offered and become individual change-agents, making decisions and creating a new way of doing business.

There is a great deal of discussion about businesses reopening in a “new normal.”

What is your outlook for what this new normal may look like and how is Active preparing for the next stage in this crisis?

The most important aspect of the “nextnormal,” is to let go of the past and look clearly at the current environment. It involves a subtle but important mind-shift; replacing the idea of getting “back-to-normal” with moving “forward-to-normal.”

We have educated our staff and we all understand that when we do return to the office, the coronavirus will still be among us.

Accordingly, we have collaborated globally to create protocols that we all believe will mitigate the risk of contracting/spreading the virus, thereby protecting the safety of our employees and their families.

You are a business leader who has always focused on your people and believed that talent makes great companies. How proud are you to see how Active’s workforce has risen during this most difficult time and what do you say to your team about their perseverance and resilience?

I could not be any prouder of Active’s team, both domestically and internationally.

They have risen to a level greater than any I – or they – could ever have anticipated.

They have faced the Coronavirus enemy headon and sought ways to innovate around the challenges. We have since learned that working from home can and does succeed, anywhere there’s Wi-Fi. Our team’s productivity has been as high – in fact, higher – than it was

We have and will continue to prevail as we figure out the best approach to our “next-normal.”

Over the years, I’ve witnessed people survive terrible disasters. They have invariably emerged from those challenges stronger because of their innate ability to endure, adapt and innovate.

pre-pandemic. Despite the present challenges, Active’s message to our team throughout this pandemic has remained, first and foremost, to be safe and stay healthy.

Leading companies in all industries have changed the way they operate and have been engaged in providing talent, resources and supplies to those on the front lines of this crisis. This has provided an example of the role that business plays as a force for good in society. Will you discuss your views on the responsibility that leading companies have to address societal need?

I’m a great believer in the government and private industry cooperating to make this world a better place. The government with its “rules & regs” has certain limitations. By the same token, companies need to stay accountable to certain guidelines. When symbiotic balance exists between the government and private industry, the true capabilities of a free democracy are unleashed.

You are known to be an optimistic person. During this difficult and uncertain time, what are you telling your people and what would you say to young people across the country who are deeply concerned and scared about the future?

We as a people have lived through a myriad of epidemics, climate challenges, wars, and uncertainty. The world will continue to hit us with things that are beyond our control, and we will always need to adapt in order to deal with those challenges. All the while, we must understand that with time and perseverance, we can overcome these difficulties.

We have and will continue to prevail as we figure out the best approach to our “next-normal.” Over the years, I’ve witnessed people survive terrible disasters. They have invariably emerged from those challenges stronger because of their innate ability to endure, adapt and innovate.

As for those deeply concerned and harboring some fear about the future, that’s actually a good thing. We are now beginning to harness that fear into solutions that will allow us to conquer this current enemy and emerge stronger.

We must never lose sight of the fact that new challenges will always be on the horizon and we must trust the strength of our species to overcome those challenges. Isn’t that what life is about, after all?

•

54 LEADERS

VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

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The Power of Art to Heal in Troubled Times

By Jan Dilenschneider Everyone has been facing the challenges of the pandemic, racial injustice and the financial crisis which have brought enormous emotional distress and ongoing fear, isolation and stress, along with the challenges of adapting to the new normal and the grim reality that millions are suffering.

Can artists help?

Absolutely, and that is what I am working to do in this set of paintings.

Indeed, “if words could say everything, you would not need

Jan Dilenschneider

painters,� a comment first relayed to me by the wonderfully talented artist, David Dunlop.

Most people cannot say in words what is troubling them, but based on experience I believe art can help. Art can heal. Art can soothe a person so they can go to higher levels.

I have worked here to reassure readers that there definitely is a positive view to the future.

My goal is to address and eliminate uncertainty and show that there is a positive future and a way to get there.

Art can give hope and help people see a light that will guide their future.

In this collection you will see no treatments of masks and ventilators and people under pressure.

You will see positive images aimed at inspiring people and bringing them to a more peaceful place.

My goal is to accentuate what is good and to help people reflect constructively on where their life is going.

You see, my goal as an expressionist painter is in showing people how I feel about a subject and creating a positive and emotional experience for them.

Path to the Future 40 by 30 inches See the pathway of life and, in the distance, see a beautiful light that is just the beginning of where you can go.

All paintings are oil on canvas.

There Will Always Be Light 30 by 30 inches Many see the light as hope, joy, the Divine.

Confusion 24 by 24 inches The “new normal� is sure to bring some confusion for many, but the blue light coming through the trees leads you to a positive time full of hope.

There Will Always Be Spring 24 by 30 inches The warm colors of the flowers and blossoms that come each year for decades past and to come deliver a moment of joy.

Keep the Good 24 by 36 inches Helping one another, caring about family, supporting those who need it – all good and positive outcomes that come from these difficult times.

The “New Normal” A diptych – two 30 by 40 inch canvases Wonderful fields, tall strong trees and more mark a better world for all of us to live in.

The Warm Glow of Hope 24 by 24 inches Look around every corner for hope for a better world.

During these extraordinarily challenging times, Active International remains available to help your company respond, recover, and emerge stronger.

Whether you face challenges with excess assets or seek ways to fund future media, we are here to help. In the meantime, we wish you continued health and safety.

Together, let’s get ready for what’s next.

ASK US HOW 800. 448. 7233 achievemore@activeinternational.com

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Letters From Leaders

LEADERS has spent the past 43 years presenting the thoughts and ideas of the world’s leaders, and during this unprecedented time we feel a deep responsibility to continue to be a global forum for leadership and to provide guidance, inspiration and optimism for the next generation who are concerned about the future. The world has been battling COVID-19 and the devastating impact that this global pandemic has had on individuals, families, communities and businesses. The true leaders in this fight are referred to as “essential workers,” those on the front lines from healthcare workers to first responders to law enforcement to those supplying food and meals to those in need. These are the true leaders in this crisis.

We are also facing a crisis of social injustice, racial inequity, and systemic racism that is deeply rooted in history. Protests have occurred in the wake of the killing of George Floyd and the many similar horrific events that preceded it throughout the country. These protests have brought together a diverse group of people of all races, genders, ages, cultures and backgrounds in a show of solidarity, with a common message demanding action and change.

During these turbulent and uncertain times, it is leadership that is most critical. Leadership that unites.

Leadership that listens. Leadership that cares. Leadership that acts.

This is not about power. Power is not leadership.

This is not about self. Self is not leadership.

This is not about division. Division is not leadership.

This is a time for change. Change is never easy and there will always be those that resist and want to hold on to the status quo, but those are not true leaders.

It is the next generation that will lead the future and drive true change. While these are difficult and uncertain times, these future leaders are showing their strength and resilience. This is what should provide hope that change is possible.

LEADERS Magazine has asked some of the leaders that have been featured within its pages to write letters with their wisdom and advice to those who are currently in school or beginning their careers. It is these young people that are leading the fight for change, fairness and equality. These are our future leaders.

David W. Schner President & Executive Editor LEADERS Magazine

VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

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Letters From Leaders

A leader’s purpose is to serve. Period. Now is not the time for self-pity or self-congratulations.

Now is not the time for a leader to think about what this means for them or their future.

Now is the time for a leader to take those actions and make those decisions that best serve their mission and all their constituents – not themselves.

A leader is a problem-solver. A leader steps up to identify, understand, confront and resolve problems. A leader does not preside. A leader does not run away from problems or pass the buck so others take the heat for tough choices.

When a crisis hits, immediate short-term problems must be solved and solved quickly.

However, a leader can balance their focus on the near-term with a willingness to contemplate the longer-term.

Sometimes, the longer-term impact is unknowable and decisions must be made immediately. So be it. Most of the time though, a balanced view of both the short and the longer-term is possible and advisable. A disciplined focus on problem-solving, now and going forward, forces a leader to contemplate the lasting consequences of their necessary, short-term choices. And that problem-solving discipline yields better solutions now and fewer problems down the road.

We all possess the ability to serve others and problem-solve. We may convince ourselves that our title matters more, or our technical skills, or our name or our past accomplishments. In truth, in a crisis, none of those things matter. Experience and judgment are necessary, but they are not sufficient. In a crisis, a leader’s credibility, success and future reputation are built on service and problem-solving.

Carly Fiorina, Founder and Chairwoman, Carly Fiorina Enterprises and Unlocking Potential Foundation

64 LEADERS

VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

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Letters From Leaders

You may not know it, but you have already acquired an important leadership trait: resilience.

The world will need your talent, creativity and toughness to help us come out of this challenging period stronger than ever.

To do that, here are some leadership lessons that I have learned during my nearly 30 years at the NBA that may help you.

First, relationships matter, especially relationships with people who have different points of view. I am fortunate to work with an incredible group of NBA players, coaches, team owners, partners and league office colleagues, and relationships are at the core of collaboration and compromise.

Second, your values matter. There will always be factors outside of your control, but what you stand for will help you stay grounded and will guide you.

Third, understand the emotions around difficult issues but also keep a fact-based mindset to make balanced and informed decisions.

Fourth, be engaged in the world around you. As we are seeing today, we are all part of the broader society and can build bridges and bring people together.

And fifth, follow a lesson from one of the NBA’s truly great leaders, Bill Russell. An 11-time NBA champion as a player and coach for the Boston Celtics and a civil rights icon who stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial for Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, Bill once said, “Learning is a daily experience and a lifetime mission. I truly believe in the saying, ‘We work to become, not to acquire.’”

I look forward to seeing what you become – the leaders our future needs.

Adam Silver Commissioner National Basketball Association

66 LEADERS

VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

When

my mom was diagnosed with cancer, I towanted her have access to the best treatments available.

SONEQUA MARTIN-GREEN Stand Up To Cancer Ambassador

Photo By MATT SAYLES

THAT’S WHY I’M SO PASSIONATE ABOUT EXPANDING AWARENESS OF CLINICAL TRIALS You want the best treatments for your loved ones. My mom’s cancer was treated using a therapy made possible by clinical trials. I want all people diagnosed with cancer to have access to the treatments that will make them long-term survivors, like my mom.

Cancer clinical trials may be the right option for you or a loved one. The more information you have about clinical trials, the more empowered you will be to seek out your best treatments.

Learn more at StandUpToCancer.org/ClinicalTrials Stand Up To Cancer is a division of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

Letters From Leaders

The Chinese word for crisis is Wei Gei - its two symbols stand for danger and opportunity. Yes, it is a time of crisis as so many unrightable wrongs must be addressed, but it is also a time of opportunity.

Opportunity to reimagine, recreate, and re-envision our future. Yes, there will be new norms in the coming days, but it is you who will create these not I. It is a time to stop kicking the can down the road and face our dilemmas – and not put our heads in the sand. Truly we have an opportunity like never before, if politics is squashed, to create a new paradigm as we reimagine the future.

Once upon a time in a land called China, there lived an all seeing and all knowing scholar called Confucius. People from all over the land came for sagacious advice and sent their children to study under him.

One day two of his students were so weary of the master seemingly knowing all that they would do, they decided to play a trick on Confucius.

They decided they would approach him and behind their backs in their hands they would each hold a dove. They would ask Confucius what was in their hands. If he answered correctly, they would ask if the doves were alive or dead. They had devised a plan that if he said the birds were alive, they would break their necks, but if he said they were dead, they would free the doves to fly. They thought their plan was foolproof to embarrass the master.

The day came when they approached the master with their plan. They asked the master what was in their hands behind their backs. Confucius thought for a moment, smiled, and said that in their hands were doves. They then asked him if the doves were alive or dead.

Confucius thought for a moment, looked into their eyes and said, their future is in your hands.

So too, your future is in your hands. Choose wisely.

In these days of uncertainty, choose well, but remember the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson. “What lies before us and what lies behind us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”

This truly is a time when we must try to understand the qualities of leading and what we have in our depths.

1. Never ask of others to do what you would not do.

2. Learn to listen - as the Italian proverb says, “From listening comes wisdom. From speaking comes repentance.”

3. Never denigrate others in public.

4. Surround yourself with smart people who will fill your voids and not say yes to curry favor with you. Make sure, however, that they are team players.

5. Communicate - communicate.

6. Leave your ego at the door.

7. Never put your values on other people or societies unless you understand their culture, history, religion, and language.

8. Above all, if you want the limelight, remember you must take responsibility for the good and bad.

Do not blame others as the buck stops with you.

Let me end with a saying from one of my mentors, “Aspire to inspire before you expire.”

Alan G. Hassenfeld Founder Hassenfeld Family Initiatives 68 LEADERS

VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

Letters From Leaders

These are trying, even scary, times for America and the entire world we all share. The COVID-19 pandemic with all of its challenges, the economic downturn, small family businesses shut down, and now an explosive social crisis where underlying racial tensions have boiled over after the senseless loss of George Floyd. America, the land of the free with a vibrant economy, is now in lockdown. The question is – what are we going to do about it?

As hard as it is to witness the turmoil in our communities and in full view on the omnipresent national news, this is no time to be wringing our hands. Instead, this is the time when we need to be rolling up our sleeves and resolve to be part of the solution. We need to be reaching out to our family, friends, neighbors and each other. What we do, right now in this moment, matters. We cannot do it alone. We cannot expect others to do it for us. We must dig down deep in our hearts and souls and try to make a difference. We must all do the right thing for the right reason, what we know to be morally and ethically right.

I believe that every person counts. Every person has something to offer, no matter how big or small – a smile, a compliment, a job, a tip, or a blessing. Together, and only together, can we beat the odds and put this country on solid footing and secure the future for all. It will take dogged determination to protect the values we know to be true and to protect the Constitution of the United States that we hold so dear.

For our younger Americans, we are counting on you. You are the future. You offer new and innovative ideas, new ways of solving problems, new ways to collaborate and communicate. You offer creative ways to bring people together. You will have opportunities to achieve things that none of us here today can even imagine. You will help us figure out what the new normal looks like for our country – better, smarter, more effective ways to bring our country back.

When I was growing up, I never ever dreamed of becoming a Four Star General. It just didn’t seem possible. Today, elementary school girls send me pictures of themselves wearing a small replica of my uniform as Four Star General and they explain they did a report about me and my career. It’s humbling and inspiring to know that these children believe they can be anything they want to be with hard work and determination. Dreams can become reality.

Let’s not wring our hands, let’s roll up our sleeves. Most people I know really do want to make a difference, and the good leaders I know want to inspire and encourage people with strong, principled and ethical leadership. Together we can do it.

Ann E. Dunwoody, General, US Army, Retired

VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

LEADERS 69

Letters From Leaders

I know these are confusing times for you and for most young Americans when you struggle to find even a small ray of light in the pandemic storm clouds that surround us.

To take your mind to a better place, I suggest thinking of yourself sailing a great ship out of the harbor, where you’ve loaded the decks with all the things you will need for the next phase of your life. You’ve gathered your crew of family, friends and loved ones, all ready to support your voyage over calm seas, in perfect weather. Except today, without warning, there are storms that threaten your journey and leave you with terrible doubts about your future.

But I want to assure you that these storms will pass – for you, your friends, for all of us. I’m confident that we will get through this. Despite the darkness around us today, we will soon find ourselves sailing calm waters, on a beautiful day, with a sunlit sky and a starry night that stretches from one horizon to another, all reflecting the glory of the Lord.

Yes, ultimately there will be more storms in your life. Each of us will face them from time to time. But, if we never lose confidence that we will get through our challenging times and if we learn from each and every one of them, then we will appreciate the good times and the whole of our lives all the more.

I want to also give you a little gift: a reminder that you are made special and you were made to do special things. You must never forget that. Take a moment to sit down and think about it, check your heart and you’ll find out exactly what it is that you’re supposed to do. And what you will know is that when you can find it, you’re going to figure out the real key to happiness in life.

John R. Kasich Founder Kasich Company

70 LEADERS

VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

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Letters From Leaders

Throughout history, the most respected leaders were those who could adapt and inspire.

Leaders understand this.

“Nothing in life just happens. It isn’t enough to believe in something.

You have to have the stamina to meet the obstacles and overcome them, to struggle.” ~Golda Meir Those words may sound deceivingly simple, yet they are anything but. When faced with adversities, resilience steps in and chisels out leaders. But only you can unleash its power from within. It might be buried under a pile of unjust tragedies or hiding behind a wall of paralyzing fear. No matter. With resilience, you will survive, adapt, and thrive. To some, this process comes naturally. This breed of leader can be knocked down, over and over, yet resilience brings them to their feet.

“We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down.” ~Kurt Vonnegut I have personal note cards emblazoned with the above Vonnegut quote. These words speak to me, because if I ever stopped and thought of all the reasons why something wouldn’t work, I’d never do anything. Focus on what you can do, instead of what you can’t.

“We are continually faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems.” ~John W. Gardner The many perils that we face today should not deter your desire to be a leader. Rather, it should ignite excitement and optimism. After all, our entire planet needs saving along with its inhabitants. No other time in modern history has displayed such a need for creative and inventive solutions.

“Never, never, never give up.” ~Winston Churchill In my lifetime, I’ve had the privilege to witness great leadership. The strength displayed by these men and women is admirable. But strength doesn’t shield one from mistakes. Leaders are fallible. The difference is that great leaders learn from mistakes.

“Learn from the mistakes of others.

You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.” ~Eleanor Roosevelt Regardless of skills or education, you will face tribulations that are unplanned and unwelcomed. These are the moments that will define you as a leader. Unleash your resilience and rise!

“We cannot start over, but we can begin now and make a new ending.” ~James R. Sherman Future leaders, my wish for you is that you charge ahead and make the world a better place, environmentally, economically, and socially, for generations to come.

“When all else fails, try doing what your mother suggested.” ~Author Unknown

Adrienne Arsht 72 LEADERS

VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

Letters From Leaders

Giving advice about the future under normal circumstances presents risk; in this environment it is, at best, a serious challenge. As I sit and ponder the dynamics of the current environment, I realize that the cornerstones for success and achievement are, and always have been, the same throughout modern history. While most everything around us including ourselves change, the skills and qualities required for achieving success have not changed at all.

Attitude is where it all begins; this is the foundation. You have to believe in yourself and demonstrate self-conďŹ dence so that those around you will believe in you. To succeed, you must be persistent and determined.

When successful people recount their life story, rarely do you hear about their multiple failures on the road to success. I cannot begin to list, nor do I want to discuss, my own mistakes and failures. We tend to recount the great outcomes. Perhaps it is these failures that provide us the opportunity to develop the wisdom and skill required to become successful.

Another key element that successful people possess is the ability to look ahead. One must always learn from the past but look to the future. The future must always begin with realism combined with a tinge of optimism.

Being a dreamer is ďŹ ne, but no one can succeed by escaping reality. One must overlay expertise onto the probable outcome to gain an advantage. Combining expertise with realistic optimism is important. The person with a positive attitude, real skills and expertise combined with hard work and focus, self-conďŹ dence and determination is most likely to be a great success.

No matter what lies ahead, with these qualities, you can overcome most anything and achieve great success.

The future is awash with opportunities waiting to be seized.

William R. Berkley Executive Chairman W. R. Berkley Corporation

VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

LEADERS 73

Letters From Leaders

Now is the time for resilience, optimism and personal development. A mentor once taught me a valuable lesson about resilience. She used a card game as a metaphor and she said, “Ron, you have to learn to play the hand you have – not the hand you wish you had. That takes self-awareness and understanding that you get some bad hands, some really, really bad hands and, once in a while, a great hand. Invest in your capability to play them all better than anyone else could.”

2019 started with the best economy I’ve seen in my lifetime. Suddenly, we are now experiencing the trauma of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic with over 114,000 U.S. deaths and a government mandated shutdown bringing a grinding halt to all but essential travel, trade and economic activity. For many recent graduates, job prospects which looked promising now look grim.

For early and mid-career leaders, downsizing and layoffs are a deep concern and, for many, will be a reality as the full restoration of the economy will take time. In addition, recent events have spotlighted issues of racial inequality that are impossible to ignore. All this, and 2020 is only half over.

Many early and mid-career leaders have assumed leadership positions during the 12-year period of unprecedented economic growth since the Financial Crisis. I have seen numerous recessions and the Financial Crisis which led to the Great Recession. Each one was painful to families and companies. My own son was launching his career during the Great Recession and did not start his career when and where he hoped to – the good news is that by being resilient, optimistic and engaging in personal development, he has now found a great opportunity he enjoys.

Another mentor whose hobby was bird watching counseled me with the following example as we were discussing pessimists vs. optimists: he said pessimists make terrible bird watchers of rare birds. He believed pessimists never see the bird when it appears as their eyes are closed and their head is down complaining about how rare the bird is. Optimists have their eyes open and are constantly scanning the horizon looking for the bird and spot it quickly when it appears. Optimism is free, he said, and you can only win the game if you are actively involved in the game.

A few recommendations I would like to share: • Personal development is critical. Focus on being 15 percent better every year – you can never coast.

• Develop a fundamental business competency, understand how the business operates at the fundamental molecular level and how the business creates value for customers, stakeholders, and society.

• Don’t worry about when promotions will happen – focus on gaining skills, competencies and experiences that make you the best possible candidate for an opportunity.

• Develop a values-based, high-performance leadership model that you understand and can consistently follow.

Beyond a certain level of IQ, your emotional intelligence is more important. For higher-level positions, all final candidates have the required skills, but emotional intelligence is often the winning attribute.

• Search out risky assignments – you learn more and learn faster.

• Build a diverse team that includes people of color, women and other underrepresented groups that reflect the customers you serve. Your team reflects your diversity and inclusion values.

• By assuming positive intent, you avoid creating needless enemies of people who do not intend to offend you.

The true jerks quickly show their colors – and most organizations deal with them effectively.

As leaders you will be called upon to communicate bad news in many ways – always deliver bad results early and personally to your manager. When communicating tough decisions regarding reductions, layoffs, or elimination of product lines always be empathetic and authentic as people hate corporate speak and double talk. Remember these decisions impact the employee and their family’s livelihood and quality of life.

I have no doubt you all will succeed, and the current crises will leave you better equipped to deal with adversity throughout your lives.

Ronald A. Williams Chairman and Chief Executive Officer RW2 Enterprises LLC 74 LEADERS

VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

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Letters From Leaders

As a youngster growing up in Brooklyn in the 1940s, my bedroom each evening was our hallway, converted by unfolding my bed – a military-grade cot. I would peek around the corner into the living room at night as I fought off sleep, straining to catch a glimpse of the newest technology, television.

My dreams then were simple. All I wanted out of life was to own a car, which in Brooklyn, was a big deal.

A leadership position is always interesting and challenging. Leading, almost by definition, means stepping forward into the future. During times of certainty, we often fool ourselves into believing we can know the future. However, during unprecedented times like these for our nation and our world, the illusion of foreknowledge vanishes. With so much uncertainty, anxiety reigns. Our society’s foundations, certainties, norms and expectations seem to crumble under our very feet.

With a path into the future less clear, this is also a vital time for optimistic, positive leadership and this leadership is best coming not from my generation or even the one behind us – it is best emerging from my grandchildren, for the future truly

belongs with them.

As a student of history who enjoys reading biographies, I look for lessons from other times of challenge and uncertainty when leaders like Woodrow Wilson, Winston Churchill, FDR and Harry Truman faced worldwide struggles with the lives of many millions in the balance. And while today’s challenges can seem unprecedented, overwhelming and unending at times, when one studies all of the forces these great leaders battled in order to lead the western world into the future, you can recognize that these times, these struggles we face, may not be so very unique after all.

Consider, for example, Ernest Shackleton, whose expedition to cross the Antarctic continent faced challenges from nature never before confronted by man. Shackleton and his men showed amazing resilience and optimism while displaying impressive abilities to be innovative and flexible in the face of nature’s greatest powers.

The lesson these examples have taught me is that during times of crisis the best and only path forward into the future is to stay the course, taking action and focusing on the fundamentals that have proven successful for leaders time and time again.

For me, these characteristics include: • Courage in the face of adversity and uncertainty. Courage leads to action, and often any action, no matter its direction, leads to a re-birth in belief and confidence in yourself and within your group.

• Loyalty. During times of crisis, the loyalty and commitment to the team, to one another, proves invaluable when facing the unknown.

Loyalty built over years of service together pays dividends during strife.

• Integrity. Whether your teammates, community leaders, partners and even competitors, people must know and trust your word, your honesty, your character and your vision.

• Communication. It is always best for an organization to have one singular message with one voice. Always communicate what you stand for rather than what you are against.

• Positivity reigns. The old saying is “nothing is as contagious as enthusiasm.” This is never more true than during challenging times when positivity reigns. As a leader, I believe you can never to be too optimistic in outlook and in words.

• Your team. As issues, decisions and challenges come flying at you in record time, you cannot possibly take ownership of all decision making. To succeed in these times, I believe that all leaders must delegate to their team, having already defined the culture, vision and direction for an organization so that all employees feel empowered to make decisions within a strategy already clearly defined for all.

• Vision. During times of crisis when the future can appear very cloudy, having defined goals and objectives is never more important.

Outside influences will naturally force you to innovate and change your approach and tactics to ultimately reach your goals, but every person in your organization should understand how you collectively define victory.

Finally, over the decades, when facing difficult decisions or tumultuous times, I sometimes have been plagued by critics and others who ask “what if …” type questions. These challenges are usually negative or skeptical in nature and can be paralyzing if allowed to fester. Over the years for me in business, sports and even personally, we offer a half-joking response … “If all else fails, we get lucky.” It is amazing how often this find-a-way attitude has worked for me over the years. So often, I have learned that when life delivers major questions and problems, the answers and solutions are hidden somewhere in the mess as well.

Jerry Reinsdorf Owner Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bulls 76 LEADERS

VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

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Letters From Leaders

During the height of the coronavirus crisis, the employees of the Mount Sinai Health System put their lives on the line. In the face of the deadliest pandemic of our lifetime, they came to work, donned protective gear, and willingly cared for and healed highly contagious COVID-19 patients. Mount Sinai employees saved more than 6,000 lives, administering medicines and antibody-rich blood plasma, delivering respiratory therapy, sanitizing rooms, and sitting by patients’ bedsides when it was too dangerous for family members to visit.

Such deeply compassionate care is the foundation of the Mount Sinai Health System.

Compassion is at the heart of what we do for our patients, our surrounding communities, and our fellow colleagues. This enduring value has underlined every action we have taken during the COVID-19 crisis, from nursing the severely ill to caring for our colleagues as they manage the tremendous responsibility and stress of trying to heal a deluge of patients in the midst of a pandemic.

At the core of this level of compassion is respect: respect for all individuals, regardless of color, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, or gender. This is an essential value to embrace in both your personal and professional life.

Respecting one another means we must stand up and speak out against racism wherever and whenever we see it.

Respect also means we learn from one another which, for Mount Sinai, is essential to elevating the quality of our care and advancing biomedical knowledge. Mount Sinai actively recruits talented physicians, scientists, and students of color to help correct the underrepresentation of minorities in medicine. Not only is this the right thing to do, it is also the smart thing to do.

Working with a diverse team pushes us to think outside the limits of our own comfort zone. By boosting the diversity of our staff and student body we have accelerated creativity and innovation at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Respect for one another is particularly meaningful to us because The Mount Sinai Hospital and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai sit at the intersection of some of New York’s highest- and lowest-income neighborhoods. That means we care for everyone; we do not differentiate. Mount Sinai has always been committed to caring for all, the most fortunate and the most vulnerable, providing them with the same compassionate care. Every person who enters our doors is entitled to a safe, healthy, equitable, and inclusive environment for healing, working, and learning.

As Mount Sinai dedicates its resources to understanding and effectively combating COVID-19, we are focused on the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on disadvantaged and non-white communities. Mount Sinai recently established the Institute for Health Equity Research to rigorously study disparities and translate learnings into scalable initiatives that can improve health in underserved communities. This will complement our ongoing effort to highlight and help address social determinants of health – including access to nutritious food, safe housing, accessible transportation, clean air, and recreational facilities – that contribute to health inequities in our society.

This is the ethos upon which the Mount Sinai Health System was founded 168 years ago: to deliver equity in care.

At that time, the Jewish community of New York was excluded from receiving proper health care at other local hospitals. Our institution quickly evolved into a hospital dedicated to serving all, regardless of background, regardless of ability to pay.

With this mindset, highly specialized Mount Sinai physicians who normally do not work with infectious diseases stepped forward during the crisis to help care for COVID-19 patients. It’s why so many of our researchers dropped their precious work to join the search for answers to the pandemic. And it’s why our students volunteered to help in any way they could, from helping transform sleep apnea machines into ventilators to distributing masks in East Harlem.

It all starts with compassion: caring enough for your fellow human being to want to make a difference, allowing yourself to see the best in each individual, and recognizing opportunities to learn from those who have different perspectives.

The twin values of compassion and respect will serve you well through your life. They will be the true north on your moral compass that will help you find your path to success.

Americans who share these values will guide us through the challenges of the global pandemic, as well as our nation’s legacy of racial injustice, towards a brighter, healthier, and more equitable society.

I wish all of you the best of luck.

Kenneth L. Davis, M.D. President and Chief Executive Officer Mount Sinai Health System 78 LEADERS

VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

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Letters From Leaders

The COVID-19 pandemic has been both tragic and terrifying. The loss of human life and the broad economic and geopolitical disruption it has caused has changed the way we all live, work and interact in the future. Our world is bisected into pre- and post-COVID eras.

Without diminishing the enormous damage inflicted by the virus, it is now more important than ever to focus on the way forward. It’s worthwhile to consider that the views I am sharing have been shaped by a lifetime of entrepreneurship and a mindset that is always focused on the positive and on the opportunity for every form of growth in every circumstance.

Right now, in the face of so much uncertainty, one thing is clear: Despite the abundant challenges, new companies will form and will be capitalized. In every crisis, there are always those who stay focused on shaping the business of the future and building economic value. So, my advice is to consider how you can benefit yourself and others. Position yourself for future success by coming up with ideas that reflect the new reality and can be monetized. It’s one thing to stay busy during quarantine, preserving the status quo, but it’s quite another to lean into the disruption and make it work for you.

Now is the time to put your grittiness to the test. As the founder of McDonald’s, Ray Kroc, said, “Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” It doesn’t guarantee you will succeed, but it sure increases the odds.

Figure out what you’re good at, take an online course, be strategic, analyze how entire sectors have suddenly changed and what that means for you and for others. For example, there’s a good chance that opportunity lies in re-purposing old infrastructure for a new purpose. Or maybe there is a way to amp-up an existing business model with greater efficiencies or innovative delivery. As the The Great One, Wayne Gretzky, famously said, “It’s not about where the puck is, but where it is going.”

There is no question that disruption and upheaval – however uncomfortable they may be – almost always clear away clutter, bureaucracy and established hierarchy. For those with vision, determination and a plan, the greater the uncertainty, the greater the opportunity to lead and to frame the future.

If you are recently graduated, you are now on the fast track to become an adult, to take management of your mindset and to be accountable for your own future. Missing out on a grad trip, the ceremony and the parties is a disappointment that will fade pretty quickly. But the trade-off is that you will hit the ground running, empowered with a heightened awareness of what and who really matters.

The strength of those values and priorities, forged in a time of crisis and challenge, will serve you well as a leader and innovator for the rest of your life. They will help you clear a path forward for yourself, for your organization and for your community.

To be blunt, whether it takes a short time to adapt or a longer time, we have no choice but to dig in and rebuild. It remains true that in life, it’s not what happens to you, it’s all about what you do with what happens to you.

Miles S. Nadal Founder and Executive Chairman Peerage Capital Group

80 LEADERS

VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

Letters From Leaders

As 2019 came to a close, I looked forward to the start of a new decade with great optimism and hope, as I’m sure many of you did. What we all soon came to realize was that our world had been turned upside down in ways we could never imagine. And while that was certainly true for most of us, what is also true is that there is so much to be learned from how we handled the experience.

For me, and my organization, COVID-19 had a massive impact. For the last 14 years, I have been the CEO and President of HSS. For those unfamiliar with our organization, HSS is the world’s leading academic medical center and system focused on musculoskeletal health. The core of HSS is Hospital for Special Surgery, nationally ranked No. 1 in orthopedics (for the tenth consecutive year) and No. 3 in rheumatology by U.S. News & World Report (2019-2020). As a specialized provider we are normally spared from disaster by the valiant general and community hospitals that shoulder the burden of treating victims of natural and man-made tragedies.

But when COVID-19 hit New York City at full force, we knew we needed to help and become a strategic part of the city’s community response. Within days, we transformed into a multispecialty hospital, broadening our emphasis to treat both COVID-19-positive and -negative critical care patients and medical/surgical patients with needs ranging from wound care after a burn injury to management of appendicitis and treatment for substance misuse, all while continuing to take care of those in need of essential orthopedic surgery. Operating rooms and a post-anesthesia care unit were transformed into intensive care units. Tens of thousands of surplus units of personal protective equipment were deployed to other hospitals in need, and thousands of musculoskeletal care providers received training to treat patients with an urgent, deadly illness with equal skill, compassion and dedication.

While it was uncharted territory for us, one thing became very clear. In uncertain times, the one certainty is our steadfast commitment to doing the right thing based on our values, our commitment to helping those in need and our expertise. It was never easy, but it taught us so much about ourselves and what we are capable of. It already has and will continue to make us better. It was hard work with great sadness and amazing victories, but we have learned so much and have acquired knowledge along the way that will be put to great use.

We have now shifted our focus to what we call our “Return to New Normal.” We have published a gradual and safe strategy for our resumption of surgery, progressing through three tiers of essential procedures – emergent (which continued during the crisis), urgent (which began early May) and priority – and then to elective procedures.

We have formed an interdisciplinary team of senior leaders with specific accountabilities for clinical safety, testing, inpatient care, surgery, outpatient care, and digital care and wellness. We also massively increased our virtual offerings to give patients choice in when and how they receive care, and the response is exceeding all expectations.

I share this with you as one example of a path forward in the face of tragedy. Difficult times never last, but resilient people do. Always remember that, throughout life, we are constantly climbing a mountain. There will be moments that push us to the bottom of the mountain and require us to stand up and climb back up. That is the important part – that we always keep climbing. It is what makes us stronger, no matter how hard the challenges are ahead.

Louis A. Shapiro, FACHE President and Chief Executive Officer HSS | Hospital for Special Surgery

82 LEADERS

VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

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Letters From Leaders

One of the people I most admire is Roger Penske, one of the great business leaders of our era.

I read something he recently told a colleague that struck me, “The one thing I learned in life is everything’s an opportunity. No matter how bad it seems, everything is an opportunity, and if you look at it like that, everything’s going to be fine.” He said that as his company was dealing with the devastating challenges that the global pandemic has presented.

The words reminded me of why I have such respect for the man who played a critical role in my career. What he was saying, and what I have come to learn in my career, is that hidden within disruption and chaos are great opportunities. To capitalize, you need the right mindset and willingness to take the road less traveled. The path you were on was undoubtedly interrupted; this virus has changed humanity forever. Virtually every business sector is facing permanent change. However, this crisis will bring innovation and fundamental changes in how the global economy operates. And therein lies the opportunities which can potentially change your life.

My career began during a crisis. It was 1988, and straight out of college, I joined my family’s real estate business in Massachusetts. The sector was entering a run of 14 consecutive quarters of price declines, and some described it as a real estate industry depression. Immediately, I was on the front lines helping navigate the business through this. It wasn’t the way I had drawn up the start of my career. While incredibly challenging, the experience instilled many of the fundamental principles I still lean on, such as integrity, reliability, strategic thinking, the power of a smart business plan, working with people under stress, goal setting and rigorous evaluation against its progress and performance. These are what propelled me in my career further and faster than I could have imagined.

Eventually, it also inspired me to leave the family business and embark on a new professional journey.

From Massachusetts, I relocated to Atlanta with almost no money. I agonized over the decision, but I had a feeling the area was coming on. I got my first big break working for the Chamber of Commerce to evaluate the City’s school budget and operations. From there, I was fortunate to work with some of the great entrepreneurs of our time, like Roger, Bill France, John Portman, and Ted Forstmann. Each role was new and a significant challenge and responsibility. I didn’t know how to drive a stick shift when Bill hired me to build NASCAR into an elite, mainstream sport. I was only 40 and hadn’t run a global business when Ted hired me at IMG – at the recommendation of Roger – to reinvent that business. Always, I drew upon the early days working with my father and the values it instilled in me. Today, they are the bedrock principles of Bruin Sports Capital, which I founded in 2015. I am proud to say many of the people who worked with me along the way are now with us at Bruin.

So as we all confront the challenge of our lifetime, even this can be an opportunity. Step back and look for the fresh snow. There will be opportunities for you. Have the courage to take the risk where others may not. It will reward you in ways you never imagined.

This is your moment.

George Pyne Chief Executive Officer Bruin Sports Capital

84 LEADERS

VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

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Letters From Leaders

I am 87 years old and have lived in this great country for all 87 years. I have served this country in the military and am still serving this nation. So, I have seen the changes. Leaders come and go and I have accepted all the politicians from both parties from one side of the aisle to the other. Some of the elected officials have legislated laws I accept because I’m an American and some I did not accept because I’m an American. But, and this is a big but, what I have seen in the last 12 years has left me wondering if this is the same country I grew up in. Everyone says that this is a country of law and order and what I have seen in the last 12 years is not a country built on a set of laws for everyone.

I have voted for both parties, Democrat and Republican, but that has changed in the past 12 years. Where have the “statesmen” gone? Where are the John Kennedys, the Ronald Reagans, the Howard Bakers, the Hubert Humphreys, and the Tip O’Neills in today’s leadership positions? I see the change in our elected officials. It has become what’s good for the party and not what’s good for the country. Since when does Congress disregard 63,000,000 American voters and try to repeatedly impeach a sitting president?

The churning questions are many. Since when do government officials lie under oath to Congress and not pay the consequences? Since when does the upper echelon of the FBI lie to Congress and the American people and get away with it? Since when are American citizens allowed to be unmasked and their identity leaked to the media?

Since when can the head of the FBI leak information to the press and get away with it? Since when can the former head of the CIA and the head of the Defense Intelligence Agency say one thing under oath to Congress and another thing to the press and get away with it?

I believe the Pledge of Allegiance, along with “GOD,” should be put back in the classroom. We must teach the history of our nation, we must teach what the Constitution and the Bill of Rights says. The most disturbing of the many affronts to this country is the disregard for our Constitution. It is the bones upon which the body of this great country is formed. It gives flesh and substance to our heritage. Its principles, the rights it espouses and the delineated structure of our Republic are not being taught to the generations who will need to defend it in order to maintain the freedom for which it stands. The young who do not understand or honor the gift of freedom, they have to voice their dissent. We have failed as an older generation not to have mandated the study of this great document whose relevancy becomes more obvious as the chaos encroaches.

The branches of government have, of late, been consciously loaded with dissenters to freedom from a great number of Americans. The media has had disdain for our citizens, along with intellectually dishonest politicians who refer to voters as deplorable – it seems there is a concerted effort to bring down our Constitution and our inherent freedoms, guaranteed by that brilliant document whose stated rights and privileges are the envy of the world. The media was supposed to be our link to the truth …that link has vanished.

I believe that any American can achieve their full human potential in this country. If they study hard, visit Washington and stand in front of the monuments to the men and women who gave their lives for this country, they will understand what our forefathers fought for and died for to give us freedom of thought and speech.

These freedoms are the envy of the world.

Arnold Fisher Senior Partner Fisher Brothers 86 LEADERS

VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

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Letters From Leaders

Life is all about transitions. More specifically, it’s about navigating whatever life throws your way and managing the transition from one phase of your life into another. Changes are inherently difficult. Whether it’s an emotional attachment to the current period of your life or the simple logistical challenges of it, change scares most of us. You can ask anyone for their advice on how to best handle these times and everyone will offer different points of view.

But right now, change is altogether different. Those that are facing the daunting challenge of entering the workforce and beginning, in earnest, their adult lives are venturing into a great unknown – one that has record unemployment numbers, civil unrest, and a highly polarized election all staring back at them. Traditional early career advice doesn’t necessarily apply in this case.

So, what should folks trying to make a living do? Well, first, they have to accept that today’s work environment is not an indictment of them or their abilities. The market ebbs and flows, however unnatural the current dip is, which brings me to my first bit of advice: it’s okay to not know what to do.

It’s okay to not know where to start in your job search – even in normal times, most people who are early in their careers don’t have a firm grasp on where they want their careers to end up, which is normal and expected. But, even more so during these unprecedented times, uncertainty rules the day and it’s important to know this. While you may see classmates and friends starting their careers with a firm grasp of what they want to do and where they want to end up, by and large most people are unsure of these things – and that’s completely normal.

Another bit of advice that I still follow is to always be willing to listen, no matter who is speaking. In my decades of experience, I’ve found time and time again that innovative solutions to complex issues can often come from unexpected places. The best thing to be as you start any new job is to be a sponge – soak up everything you see and hear, listen more than you speak, and ask as many questions as pop into your head. If you take the time to get your bearings early on, and even proactively seek out a mentor, it’ll greatly help accelerate your process during the onboarding and acclimation process.

Finally, and in my opinion most importantly, is you must seize opportunities – no matter where they come from. When I started 1-800-Flowers, I didn’t know where it was going to take me. It was just a flower shop in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. But, I seized this small opportunity, began to cultivate and foster relationships with my customers, and eventually became an integral part of that community’s fabric. In return, my customers remained loyal. I took this learning with me for the rest of my career and it has guided – and continues to guide – 1-800-Flowers’ strategy in terms of how we view our relationships with our customers.

For those of you just starting out, seizing opportunities means taking chances: what may appear to be an odd job or position to begin a career could turn out to be the launching pad for a fulfilling career. It’s okay to not know where a job will take you nor is it unusual to not have a sense of normalcy during our current chaotic times.

Work-related anxieties are often typical with entering the job market and with a first job in general, but they have only been heightened because of recent events.

Marc Brackett, the founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, recently shared three tips for how to best deal with anxiety amidst the current crisis: read, breathe, and practice mindfulness. I’ve tried to incorporate his advice into my daily life, and I encourage others to follow it as well. These tips, in conjunction with being comfortable with the uncomfortable, a willingness to listen, and seizing opportunities no matter how they arise, can serve as helpful guideposts to workers embarking on the first step in their career journeys.

Jim McCann Chairman 1-800-Flowers.com 88 LEADERS

VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3

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THANK YOU,

global corporations, for your commitment to solving societal challenges, particularly during the Covid-19 crisis that has tested our resolve in unimaginable ways.

As society transitions through response, recovery, and reinvention, we are collectively striving to prevent a return to a broken “normal”, instead emerging renewed to embrace a more just society.

Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose is grateful for the work of its global coalition of 220 companies and their cross-sector partners, fueling through their resources and skills a transformation and reimagination of systems that yesterday brought inequity but tomorrow can bring prosperity.

“I helped to start CECP with the belief that corporations could be a force for good in society.”

PAUL NEWMAN (1925–2008), FOUNDING CO-CHAIR, CECP; FOUNDER, NEWMAN’S OWN

Counterclockwise from top right: Employess in action at Blackbaud, NRG, Catalent, Ecolab, New York Life, Tata Consultancy Services Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose® (CECP) is a CEO-led coalition that believes that a company’s social strategy—how it engages with key stakeholders including employees, communities, investors, and customers—determines company success. Founded in 1999 by actor and philanthropist Paul Newman and other business leaders to create a better world through business, CECP has grown to a movement of more than 200 of the world’s largest companies that represent $6.6 trillion in revenues, $21.2 billion in social investment, 14 million employees, 23 million hours of employee engagement, and $15 trillion in assets under management. CECP helps companies transform their social strategy by providing customized connections and networking, counsel and support, benchmarking and trends, and awareness building and recognition.

cecp.co

CECP | Daryl Brewster, CEO | 85 Broad Street, 27th Floor | New York, NY 10004 | 212-825-1000 | info@cecp.co