Steve Forbes, President and CEO of Forbes, Inc. wants to engage in national conversation about his visions for our country and our society. To encourage this dialogue, he has sought to bring critical issues to the forefront through politics, the media, and business.
The first notable success came at Princeton University, where Steve Forbes received a B.A. degree in history. Here, he was the founding editor of Business Today, published by students for students. Its insightful reporting soon made it the country's largest such magazine, with a circulation of 200,000.
Today, Mr. Forbes continues in his role as a top business leader. He is Editor-in-Chief of the world's foremost business magazine, Forbes. In addition, he serves as Chairman of both Forbes Inc.'s American Heritage division, and Forbes newspapers, a New Jersey-based chain of weeklies. He has also launched a variety of new publications, including: the lifestyle supplement Forbes FYI, the technology supplement Forbes ASAP, a Japanese language edition of Forbes, the Gilder Technology Report, Forbes Global Business & Finance, on-line business magazine Forbes Digital Tool, and American Legacy, focusing on the people behind African-American history and culture.
A respected economic prognosticator, Mr. Forbes has appeared on national news programs such as The MacNeill Lehrer Newshour, The Nightly Business Report, and Wall Street Week. He has won the prestigious Crystal Owl Award - for accuracy of economic forecasts - four times, the only writer to have done so.
As a major Presidential candidate, Mr. Forbes highlighted important social and economic issues, and spawned national debates on topics such as tax reform, government spending, education, medical care and the erosion of family values.
In particular, Mr. Forbes has centered much of his attention on issues affecting human life. For three decades, he has traveled extensively and written about people and ideas shaping the future. He has written and spoken persuasively about how to rebuild "The Moral Basis of a Free Society" and encourages national conversation about how to restore respect for life. He has been vocal in his support of crisis pregnancy centers, and has demonstrated his commitment on issues such as the partial birth abortion ban.
In 1985, President Reagan named Mr. Forbes Chairman of the bipartisan Board for International Broadcasting, which operates Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty – a role he served in until 1993. During his tenure, the stations served as a critical asset for freedom, broadcasting from behind the Iron Curtain, and winning the thanks of Poland's Lech Walesa. In 1993, Mr. Forbes was elected chairman of the board of Empower America, a grassroots political reform organization.
All these events confirm his commitment to business excellence and personal conscience. And so, Siena College today presents Steve Forbes the degree of Doctor of Laws.