January, February, March 2019 Volume 42 Number 1 WOMEN LEADERS WESTERN & SOUTHERN’S BARRETT 56 HELPING BUSINESSES STAY IN BUSINESS 60 A CENTENARY STORY OF GRIER 10 CASE 14 C.V. STARR & CO. 64 HOSPITALITY 72 THE MARK OF THE MAKER 122 JAN DILENSCHNEIDER 124 MAHLAN 20 JOHNSON 22 NEALE 24 SAVIO 50 KASICH 54 Our mission is pretty straightforward – we invest in Be Fearless people and ideas that can change the world. An Interview with Jean Case, Chairman, National Geographic Society, and CEO, Case Foundation EDITORS’ NOTE Jean Case knows a Will you discuss your involvement Playing that catalyst role requires that we That is one reality that I have learned a success. I also tell some stories of people that As you dove deeper into your research thing or two about being fearless, mak- with National Geographic and how remain engaged with things for somewhere lot about – you have to be careful not to just haven’t been heard before. However, they’re for the book, were you surprised at what ing big bets, being bold and tak- you define its mission? between three to five years. There have been a measure the here and now – if we’re taking on important stories because, on the surface, it you found? ing risks. Whether it is in her role as the At National Geographic, we believe few exceptions where it goes longer than that. big things, we have to evaluate them across the might appear that these people didn’t have any- I totally was, but I love stories and I have first female Chairman of the National in the power of exploration, science, Another element that we have believed in spectrum of time. thing working for them that would allow them been so privileged in this life I have. We invest Geographic Society in its 130-year his- storytelling and education to change the since our founding as a new organization is col- When you evaluate taking on those big to do something big, but I make it clear how in people and ideas that can change the world, tory of global exploration, as CEO of world. We get to work with fearless men laboration. As a foundation undertaking large ini- things, is it important to stay within certain they went about it and embraced many aspects so no matter where I am in the world and who the Case Foundation, which invests in and women all over the world who are tiatives, we require that we have a public sector key areas of focus to make sure you have of the Be Fearless ethos. I meet, I’m always interested in the stories of people and ideas that can change the often on the frontlines of the unknown. partner and a business partner, be that corpo- the most impact? The framework of the book is based on people. world, or her extensive career in the It has been a terrific experience to rate or start-ups, as well as a nonprofit partner. We begin by asking the question, “what five principles that we uncovered about six When I wrote the book, I went back to the private sector, including her leadership work with this 130-year-old organiza- Hopefully, other philanthropies will also play a can we uniquely bring to this objective?” If there years ago at the Case Foundation. We have town I was born in and stayed by myself at an role at America Online, Inc. where tion that, in my view, is more relevant role with us to try to achieve impact at scale. are plenty of others that can go in and play the been sharing these principles across sectors for Airbnb for a few weeks. I got up every morning she was a senior executive directing Jean Case today than it has ever been before. Is multi-level collaboration and finding role, then we wouldn’t necessarily be uniquely a number of years now. Many people told us and wrote until I went to bed at night. the marketing and branding as AOL Will you highlight the innovation the right partners a key to creating impact? suited to jump in. that more people need to hear this message and I was newly inspired each day as I would brought the internet to the masses, fearlessness has that is taking place at National Geographic and Yes, no question. When we build a table of We are sector, cause and issue agnostic – it was because of this that we made the decision write these stories and, of course, I found that always been a core tenet of Case’s work. how the organization has evolved in order to different perspectives and skills and capacities, we always look at the big picture of where we to write the book. there were many more stories than those that As a philanthropist, investor and internet remain relevant? it’s not surprising that we can go a lot further can uniquely play a role to catalyze and help could make it into the book. and impact investing pioneer, Case advocates Although pictures of our founders show faster. drive a movement forward. I love each and every story and they’re in for the importance of embracing a more fearless them all looking quite Victorian and serious, It doesn’t matter to us whether we get any What interested you to write your the book for a reason. approach to innovation and bringing about trans- the truth is that they were some pretty radi- credit or branding around these objectives – book, Be Fearless, and who is the target You mentioned five principles which formational breakthroughs. In addition to the roles cal change makers themselves. Innovation and what matters most is that we put together a rich audience for it? were developed from the work you have noted above, Case currently serves on the boards of risk taking has been in the DNA of National and diverse collaboration that covers all the The book is a call to action and a play- done over a lifetime of experiences. Will you Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure (ABC2) and the Geographic Society from its founding. bases to move things to scale quickly. book for anyone looking to build a life of break- discuss those principles that are so key to White House Historical Association, as well as on We continue to push that innovation enve- Are the philanthropic programs for throughs and purpose. your philosophy and thinking? the advisory boards of the Brain Trust Accelerator lope in a number of ways. Baked into our the Case Foundation metric driven and is At some point in their lives, most people The book is a call Not surprisingly, the first is to make big Fund, Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil business model from its beginning, National it difficult to put metrics in place for this have a dream, but they can get stuck by a belief bets and make history. The idea is not to settle Society and Georgetown University’s Beeck Center Geographic Society is really a social enterprise. type of work? that they don’t have what it takes to pursue it. to action and a for incremental change. for Social Impact and Innovation. She was elected to We had a joint venture with 21st Century Fox, When we make the decision to invest or make This book demystifies things a little bit As I said earlier, a lot of people have big the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2016 which is now being acquired by Disney who something a key focus of the foundation it starts with through storytelling and proves the point that ideas but they lack a playbook or framework to and has received honorary degrees from Indiana will be our new partner, that has contributed to the question, “What does success look like?” ordinary people, anyone from anywhere, can playbook for anyone guide them on how to take those forward. University and George Mason University. Be Fearless: our commercial businesses. Sometimes, we know we’re going to be do extraordinary things. The second principle is to be bold and take 5 Principles for a Life of Breakthroughs and Purpose, From that, we have a sustainable revenue that able to measure our progress toward the objec- I’m a great example of that. Anyone who risks. Our brains are wired to avoid risk, but is her first book. comes from memberships and licensing every year tive with precision. Success is also not just mea- looked at my early life would never have pre- looking to build a if people are trying to do something new and to help fund the National Geographic Society. sured by reaching those metrics, but also about dicted that the opportunities would come along innovating on the front lines, they have to rec- ORGANIZATION BRIEF The Case Foundation It’s a very sustainable and innovative busi- the progress we’re making in driving our objec- to try to make a difference in the ways that I ognize that they’re taking risks and they have (casefoundation.org), created in 1997 by digital pio- ness model, and I like to say that we were the tive toward becoming a reality. have. life of breakthroughs to get comfortable with that risk. I encourage neers Jean and Steve Case, is a diverse and dynamic first social enterprise, because our social model It was easy to see the impact of our HIV/ Do you attribute that to finding the right people to look at this almost as R&D.