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$3 Million Contribution from Emerson Seeds New Leadership Institute at SLU

Continuing its long-term commitment to supporting ethical leadership development, Emerson has pledged $3 million to launch the Emerson Leadership Institute within the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business at Saint Louis University. 

The funding builds on the nearly 25 year partnership between the Chaifetz School and Emerson and focuses on business ethics, expanding the scope and reach of the institute to create an ethical leadership “hub” that supports impactful academic research and outreach programs. 

“Emerson is one of St. Louis’ finest corporate citizens, and Saint Louis University has been proud to call them a supporter, partner and friend for more than a quarter century,” said SLU President Fred P. Pestello, Ph.D. “This very generous contribution demonstrates Emerson’s enduring commitment to ethical business practices and education.”

“I would like to offer special thanks to SLU Trustee Patrick J. Sly who — as the executive vice president of Emerson and manager of the Emerson Charitable Trust — was instrumental in making this contribution possible,” Pestello continued. “Mr. Sly is one of our region’s most respected and engaged civic leaders, and we could not be prouder that he is an alumnus of our University.”

The timing of the Emerson Leadership Institute launch coincides with new leadership at the Chaifetz School as Mark Higgins, Ph.D., became the dean at the beginning of this year.  Higgins came to SLU from the University of Rhode Island, where he served as the dean of their business school and held the Alfred J. Verrecchia-Hasbro Inc. Leadership Chair.

“The collaboration between Emerson and the Chaifetz School has reached a major milestone as we launch the Emerson Leadership Institute,” said Higgins. “Through this significant contribution and the formation of the institute, we plan to better serve the business community in developing ethical leadership through outreach programs, executive education, hosting events and supporting research and scholarships.”

Emerson has a long history of supporting the Chaifetz School and other local educational institutions that enrich the lives of citizens in our community. The learning programs Emerson supports provide the foundation to create leaders, business managers and skilled individuals who can thrive in the quickly-changing world of business.

“Emerson has a long-standing commitment to ethical business practices. Through our latest collaboration with the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business and Saint Louis University, we intend to further develop existing programs and bring forth new initiatives that will prepare future leaders to enter the field of global business,” said David Farr, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Emerson. “We believe the St. Louis-area business community also will benefit significantly from the Emerson Leadership Institute’s academic research on ethical leadership and new outreach programs.

Tim Keane, Ph.D., has been named as the Emerson Leadership Institute’s founding executive director. As an associate professor of management and the director of the Emerson Ethics Center, Keane was one of the chief architects of the evolved partnership between Emerson and the Chaifetz School. 

About Emerson 

Emerson (NYSE: EMR), based in St. Louis, Missouri, is a global leader in bringing technology and engineering together to provide innovative solutions for customers in industrial, commercial, and consumer markets around the world. The company is comprised of five business segments: Process Management, Industrial Automation, Network Power, Climate Technologies, and Commercial & Residential Solutions. Sales in fiscal 2014 were $24.5 billion. For more information, visit . 

About the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business

Founded in 1910 with Father Joseph Davis’ vision to create a flourishing school of finance and commerce, the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business is the oldest business school west of the Mississippi River. Rooted in a rich history of values-based business education, for the past century Saint Louis University’s business school has continuously sought to define business education.

Accredited by AACSB International — the premier accrediting agency for degree programs in business — the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business at Saint Louis University is home to top-20 programs in entrepreneurship, international business and supply chain management.