Here’s a short video clip about CEE‘s winning a 2009 Templeton Freedom Award from the Atlas Economic Research Foundation:

This video is also at AERF’s Atlas Network site.

In our latest issue of Kaizen we feature an interview with David Checketts, former CEO of New York’s Madison Square Garden, and now Chairman of SCP Worldwide, which owns the St. Louis Blues of the NHL and the Major League Soccer team Real Salt Lake.

Also featured are a course-development project by Professor Bill Lewis, a paper given by Professor Shawn Klein at a sports ethics conference, and an international conference organized and hosted by Professor J. J. Asongu.

A PDF version of Kaizen is available here. We will soon post separately the full interview with Mr. Checketts.

If you would like to receive a complimentary issue of the print version of Kaizen, please email your name and postal address to CEE [at] Rockford.edu.

Excellent news: The Center for Ethics and Entrepreneurship has won a Templeton Freedom Award. The awards are decided and given by the Atlas Economic Research Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank.

From the AERF press release announcing the 2009 Templeton Freedom Awards:

“Award for Special Achievement by a University-based Center – The Center for Ethics and Entrepreneurship at Rockford College in Illinois is awarded the University-based prize for launching six courses focusing on the ethical infrastructure of entrepreneurship and the preconditions of the free society in ethics.”

We are very proud of what we have accomplished in less than three years, and we are very happy to get the recognition and the $10,000 prize.

More information about the 2009 awards is at the AERF site.

Below is a two-part interview wherein CEE’s Executive Director, Dr. Stephen Hicks, talks with Fall 2009 Guest Speaker Timothy Sandefur about the contrasting views of the Progressives and the Founding Fathers on liberty and human rights, how the Progressive agenda has led to an increase in political entrepreneurship, and philosophy’s role in stimulating positive changes in our political system.

Part I:

Part II:

The Center for Ethics and Entrepreneurship is proud to announce its guest speakers for Fall 2009:

Timothy Sandefur

“Market Entrepreneurs and Political Entrepreneurs: Some Legal and Constitutional Issues”

September 16, 6 pm, SCAR 220

Timothy Sandefur is a Senior Staff Attorney at the Pacific Legal Foundation, a public interest law firm based in Sacramento, California. He is the author of Cornerstone of Liberty: Property Rights in 21st Century America and has written for The San Francisco Chronicle.

Jerry Kirkpatrick

“The Importance of Philosophy to a Successful Business Career”

October 27, 6 pm, SCAR 204

“Montessori and Dewey as Educational Philosophers”

October 28, 6 pm, STARR 223

Jerry Kirkpatrick is Professor of International Business & Marketing at California State Polytechnic University. He is the author of In Defense of Advertising and a book on educational philosophy and public policy: Montessori, Dewey, and Capitalism.

Joshua Hall

“The Dilemma of School Finance Reform”

October 13, 6 pm, Grace Roper Lounge

November 11, 6 pm, STARR 223

Joshua Hall is Assistant Professor of Economics at Beloit College. His articles have appeared in such publications as the Journal of Social, Political, and Economic Studies, the Journal of Economics and Politics, and The Independent Review.

Also, click here to view the PDF of our flyer.

The latest issue of Kaizen features our interview with Steve Mariotti, founder of the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), an organization dedicated to providing entrepreneurship education to low-income youths.

Also featured in Kaizen are CEE guest speakers David Mayer and C. Bradley Thompson, an interview with Steve Kadamian on his entrepreneurship course, and a report on the 2009 High School Entrepreneur Day.

A PDF version of Kaizen is available here. We will soon post separately the full interview with Mr. Mariotti.

If you would like to receive a complimentary issue of the print version of Kaizen, please email your name and postal address to CEE [at] Rockford.edu.

Check out this documentary to be released this fall: Ten9Eight. Directed by Mary Mazzio, it is about a dozen instant-classic American success stories — and entrepreneurship’s power over poverty and adversity.

In an upcoming issue of Kaizen we interview Steve Mariotti, founder and CEO of the impressive Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship. Several of the young entrepreneurs in Ten9Eight are graduates of NFTE.

CEE has moved into the new world of social networking, now having Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Center for Ethics and Entrepreneurship:
Website: http://www.ethicsandentrepreneurship.org/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=logo#/pages/Rockford-IL/Center-for-Ethics-and-Entrepreneurship/33385773294
Twitter: RC_CEE

Department of Philosophy, Rockford College:
Website: http://www.rockford.edu/?page=Philosophy
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rockford-IL/Rockford-College-Philosophy-Department/120214339280
Twitter: RCPhil

(Thanks to Anja Hartleb-Parson and Shawn Klein for activating these features.)

The latest issue of Kaizen features our interview with Jerry Reinsdorf, owner of the Chicago Bulls, Chicago White Sox, and many real estate ventures. Also featured in this issue of Kaizen are a mini-interview with Professor Shawn Klein on his sports ethics course, as well as reports on Professor Langston, who received a course grant, and the prize-winning essays of five students in the Business and Economic Ethics course—Naomi Byars, Jennifer LaSarre, Kathreen Atkerson, Seth Kryder, and Brittney Leach.

A PDF version of Kaizen is available here. We will soon post separately the interview with Mr. Reinsdorf.

If you would like to receive a complimentary issue of the print version of Kaizen, please email your name and postal address to CEE [at] Rockford.edu.

During the spring 2009 semester CEE sponsored a contest for the best essays in the Business and Economic Ethics course on the following topic: “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”—True or False? The essays were judged on the basis of their thoroughness, cohesiveness, and originality.

The two first-prize winners were Naomi Byars and Jennifer LaSarre, who received $300 each.

Here are the essays of the two first-prize winners (both essays are in PDF format):

Naomi Byars – “The Corruption Triangle” [pdf]

Jennifer LaSarre – “Power, Privilege, and Political Entrepreneurs in America” [pdf]

In addition three Honorable Mentions were awarded to Kathreen Atkerson, Seth Kryder, and Brittney Leach, who received $100 each. Congratulations to our five winners for their excellent work!