About the Program

The Henry Crown Fellowship Program, established in 1997, seeks to develop the next generation of community-spirited leaders, providing them with the tools necessary to meet the challenges of corporate and civic leadership in the 21st century. The program is a unique mix of intellectual and personal development seminars designed to broaden the perspectives of the participants and hone their skills in values-centered leadership. It honors the memory of Chicago industrialist Henry Crown (1896-1990), whose legendary career was marked by a lifelong commitment to honor, integrity, industry and philanthropy.

The Program

Each class of 20 Henry Crown Fellows is chosen from a wide pool of young and accomplished entrepreneurial leaders (between the ages of 25 and 45). These Fellows have already achieved considerable success in the private or public sector and are at an inflection point in their lives or careers—looking toward the broader role they might take on in their communities or globally. The two-year program comprises a structured series of four seminars (approximately 23 days) under the guidance of skilled senior moderators of the Aspen Institute along with a required leadership project of each Fellow’s own design and choosing. Seminars are held at the Aspen Institute campus in Aspen, Colorado or the Wye River facility on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

• The Challenge of Leadership (August 6-11, 2009), a six-day seminar focusing on the qualities of leadership necessary to master the forces of change. Fellows discuss their own leadership challenges and develop criteria for effective, enlightened leadership in conjunction with senior mentors who will help guide them through the program.
  
  
• The Aspen Seminar, a six-day seminar that gives the Fellows the opportunity to engage in dialogue with peers from around the world on the concept of "the good society" and their leadership role in making it a reality. (Each Fellow is expected to attend one of the seminars offered between October, 2009 and July, 2010)
  
  
• Leadership Development Seminar (October 2010 - TBA), a six-day seminar designed to develop the higher-order skills necessary to meet the moral and ethical challenges of global capitalism while balancing the demands of professional, family and community responsibilities. Fellows present prospectuses for their Leadership Projects.
  
  
• Leadership Projects (February, 2010–July, 2011). Each of the Fellows will undertake a leadership project of their own design and choosing to put into practice the principles of values-based leadership. Senior mentors will provide advice and counsel as requested.
  
  
• The Promise of Leadership (August 10-14, 2011), a five-day seminar in which the Fellows explore the concepts of legacy and balance, and share the progress achieved, challenges encountered and lessons learned from their leadership projects.

Upon graduation from the two-year program, Fellows are invited to continue their engagement with members of their class, with other Henry Crown Fellows, with members of the Aspen Global Leadership Network and with various other aspects of the Aspen Institute.

Individuals cannot apply for the Henry Crown Fellowship Program; they must be nominated by recognized leaders of the business and professional communities or by Fellows, Senior Mentors, members of the Henry Crown Fellowship Board of Overseers or the Aspen Institute Board of Trustees. 

Executive Director - Peter A. Reiling (Henry Crown Fellow, Class of 1998) is Executive Director of the Henry Crown Fellowship Program and the Aspen Institute’s Executive Vice President for Leadership and Seminar Programs. Prior to joining the Aspen Institute, he was President and CEO of TechnoServe, an international organization backing entrepreneurs in Africa, Latin America and Central Europe.

Managing Director - Dr. Eric L. Motley (Henry Crown Fellow, Class of 2003) is Managing Director of the Henry Crown Fellowship Program and a Vice President of the Aspen Institute.  Prior to joining the Aspen Institute, he served as Director of the U.S. Department of State’s Office of International Visitors and as a senior advisor to the Deputy Under-Secretary of Public Diplomacy.