Leadership in Social Entrepreneurship Award

2003 WINNER--Bill Strickland

Watch the streaming video of Bill Strickland at Fuqua (RealPlayer required).

DURHAM, N.C. April 1, 2003 - CASE honored Social Entrepreneur William E. (Bill) Strickland, President and CEO of the Manchester Craftmen's Guild and the Bidwell Training Center, Inc. in Pittsburgh, PA, with the Leadership in Social Entrepreneurship Award. Mr. Strickland spoke to university and Fuqua students, faculty, staff and community leaders.

The Manchester Craftmen's Guild (MCG), founded by Strickland in 1968, attempts to rescue at-risk school children by using art to teach them life skills. The Bidwell Training Center (BTC), established in 1972, is focused on building partnerships with local companies to train displaced adults for real work in real jobs. In developing these programs, Strickland has formed strong corporate and foundation partnerships, built state-of-the-art facilities, and launched innovative enterprises. Both have grown into multi-million dollar operations and Strickland is planning on expanding his programs to other cities throughout the U.S.

Throughout his distinguished career, Strickland has been honored with numerous prestigious awards for his contributions to the arts and the community. In 1999, he was presented with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Arts Leadership and Service Award. In 1998, he was recognized as a Kilby Laureate for his work as an educator of and role model for at-risk youth, and he was also presented with the "Coming up Taller" Award by first lady Hilary Rodham Clinton in a White House ceremony. In 1996, he received the MacArthur "Genius" Award for leadership and ingenuity in the arts.

In addition to serving on numerous boards nationally and in Pittsburgh, Strickland has served as Chairman of the Expansion Arts Panel of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in Washington, D.C. and served a six-year Presidential appointment as a Council Member to the NEA. He was also a Council Member on the Pennsylvania State Board of Education, a trustee at the Carnegie, and a Consultant with the British/American Arts Association in London, England.