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2011 Laureate Acceptance Speeches

These are the acceptance speeches of the 2011 Laureates who were awarded the Order of Lincoln by The Lincoln Academy of Illinois at the 47th Convocation.

The Lincoln Academy of Illinois

3 weeks ago

We continue our celebration of #WomenHistoryMonth with Carol Fox, the first female to be inducted as a Lincoln Laureate. Fox was inducted during the Second Convocation in 1966.

Credited with restoring Chicago's pre-Depression operatic glory, Carol Fox stood out among opera impresarios of the time. In 1954, when Fox was just 28 years old, the Chicago native co-founded The Lyric Theatre of Chicago with Lawrence V. Kelly and Nicola Rescigno. Facing an unsolvable rift with her cofounders, Fox took control of the company in 1956, renaming it Lyric Opera of Chicago. She was general manager from 1956 until 1980 - passing away the year afterward.

When Fox proclaimed, "I have very simple tastes—I only want the best," she wasn't joking. She brought innumerable distinguished singers, conductors, and directors to the company. Having begun as a singer herself, Fox put Lyric on the map by creating associations with some of the greatest artists of the day, from Maria Callas and Tito Gobbi to Joan Sutherland, Birgit Nilsson, Jon Vickers, and Nicolai Ghiaurov, many of whom made their American debuts at Lyric. ... See MoreSee Less

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The Lincoln Academy of Illinois

4 weeks ago

Why is Shiela Crump Johnson's favorite currency the penny?

Find out the answer to that and why Mrs. Johnson (the first African American woman to attain a net worth of $1 billion dollars) says great leaders are like violin players in this special #WomenHistoryMonth episode of the Lincoln Laureates podcast available to listen to now.

Our guest host for this episode is award-winning broadcast journalist, Ron. ... See MoreSee Less

Sheila C. Johnson - The Art of Leadership | The Lincoln Laureates

the-lincoln-laureates.simplecast.com

For Sheila C. Johnson, leading is orchestral. As she describes, great leaders are like violin players. You must listen and perform both alternately and simultaneously. In this episode, you'll learn th...

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The Lincoln Academy of Illinois

1 month ago

The Lincoln Academy of Illinois is saddened to pass along the news of the passing of 2017 Lincoln Laureate Inductee, Richard Driehaus.

Richard Driehaus’ extraordinary success in the investment management industry fueled his transformational philanthropic gifts in the built environment, education, arts and culture, investigative journalism, and economic opportunity for the working poor. His philanthropy was been guided by a philosophy that giving back to society makes for a fuller life, viewing philanthropy as a form of inquiry; a way of learning about the world. According to Mr. Driehaus, "Like investing, it requires strategic thinking, innovation and tolerance of risk. Failures can be as important as successes."

Driehaus received his BA and MBA from DePaul University - the business school would later bestow his name and become the Richard H. Driehaus College of Business. In 2000, he was named to Barron’s magazine’s “All-Century” team of 25 individuals identified as the most influential within the mutual fund industry over the past 100 years.

We offer our condolences to Richard's family and friends. His legacy and impact will certainly live on forever. ... See MoreSee Less