David Rockefeller

“The Fiftieth Anniversary of the International. Executive Service Corps is an event that deserves celebration. You and your colleagues and many predecessors have contributed to the improvement of people’s lives around the world in ways that have often not received the real recognition they deserve. I am proud to have been part of your impressive history. The small group that met with President Lyndon Baines Johnson in the Rose Garden fifty years ago to announce IESC’s formation shared a common concern and a common objective – to make the process of economic growth in underdeveloped countries of the world more effective and more equitable. We felt that one of the critical factors missing at the time was an understanding of good business practices and how to implement them. We hoped that tackling that problem – often on a case-by-case basis – with direct input from American business people might be a viable way to overcome this obstacle. We were right, happily. That model proved to be remarkably successful as the creation of about 1.5 million jobs in countries around the world clearly shows. That effort has moved people out of poverty in a sustainable way, a record of which we can all be proud. I am pleased to be able to send you my best wishes and congratulations as you celebrate the 50th anniversary of our remarkable organization.”