Frances Hesselbein Biography

Frances Hesselbein is the President and CEO of the Frances Hesselbein Leadership Institute (formerly the Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management) and its Founding President. Mrs. Hesselbein was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States of America's highest civilian honor by President Clinton, in 1998. The award recognized her leadership as CEO of Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. from 1976-1990, her role as the Founding President of the Drucker Foundation, and her service as "a pioneer for women, volunteerism, diversity and opportunity." Her contributions were also recognized by the first President Bush, who appointed her to two Presidential Commissions on National and Community Service.

In 2009, Mrs. Hesselbein was appointed the Class of 1951 Chair for the Study of Leadership at the United States Military Academy at West Point, in the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership. She is the first woman, and the first non-graduate to serve in this chair. Also in 2009, the University of Pittsburgh introduced The Hesselbein Global Academy for Student Leadership and Civic Engagement. The Academy's aim is to produce experience and ethical leaders who will address the most critical national and international issues and to advance positive social and economic initiatives throughout the world.

She serves on many nonprofit and private sector corporate boards, including the Board of the Mutual of America Life Insurance Company, New York, the Bright China Social Fund, the American Express Philanthropy, and the Center for Creative Leadership's Alliance Advisory Council. She is a board member emeritus for the U.C.S.D. Graduate School of International Relations and Pacific Studies and was the Chairman of the National Board of Directors for Volunteers of America from 2002-2006. Hesselbein is the recipient of twenty honorary doctoral degrees.

Mrs. Hesselbein was duly honored with a Lifetime Award for her exceptional work as a former CEO of the Girl Scouts and her continued commitment to developing leaders of all ages as demonstrated in her work with the Frances Hesselbein Leadership Institute at the 34th Annual Tribute Dinner of the Girl Scout Council of Greater New York. Mrs. Hesselbein was also inducted into the Enterprising Women Hall of Fame at the 7th Annual Enterprising Women of the year Awards Celebration.

In 2008, Mrs. Hesselbein was presented with the International Leadership Association's Lifetime Achievement Award in Los Angeles, and the Tempo International Leadership Award in New York City. She was named a Senior Leader at the United States Military Academy, 2008 National Conference on Ethics in America. In 2007, Mrs. Hesselbein was awarded the John F. Kennedy Memorial Fellowship by Fulbright New Zealand and was the first recipient of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National Security Award in 2003.

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