Prof. Johanna Mair has been named a 2007-2008 Faculty Pioneer by the Aspen Institute Center for Business in Education. Prof. Mair received this recognition at a ceremony in New York City on November 16.

The Faculty Pioneer Awards recognize exceptional faculty members who are leaders in integrating social and environmental issues into their research and teaching both on and off-campus. Within this category of awards, Prof. Mair received an Ashoka Award for Social Entrepreneurship Education.

Founded in 1950 and headquartered in Washington D.C., the Aspen Institute is dedicated to fostering enlightened leadership and open-minded dialogue. Through its numerous initiatives, it seeks to promote nonpartisan inquiry and an appreciation for timeless values.

In addition to the Aspen Institute award, Prof. Mair and IESE Prof. Christian Seelos were recently awarded the Strategic Management Society Conference (SMS) "Best Conference Paper for Practice Implications Award." Mair and Seelos received the inaugural edition of this award at the 27th Annual SMS International Conference, held in San Diego.

Their paper, "Profitable Business Models and Market Creation in the Context of Deep Poverty: A Strategic View," will be published in the Academy of Management Perspectives Journal in November 2007. The selection of the paper for the award reflects a growing awareness of "Base of the Pyramid" strategies, which can generate successful business opportunities in income-poor communities.