Gideon Strauss, formerly of Center for Public Justice, assumed role in January
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02/09/12
Gideon Strauss, former chief executive officer of the Center for Public Justice in Washington DC, has assumed the role of executive director of the Max De Pree Center for Leadership at Fuller Theological Seminary. Dr. Strauss succeeds Walter C. Wright Jr., who has retired as executive director after 12 years in the position and will continue to serve as a senior fellow of the De Pree Center.
“I am immensely pleased that Gideon Strauss has agreed to serve as the executive director of the De Pree Center,” says Fuller Seminary President Richard J. Mouw. “I have long admired Gideon, not only for his creative grasp of the demands of Kingdom-inspired leadership in the Christian community and beyond, but also for his ability to translate that vision into very practical guidance for everyday discipleship. The center has flourished under Walt Wright’s leadership, and I am fully confident it will continue to do so as Gideon steps into this important role.”
In a time when economic inequity and worker’s rights are critical issues across the globe, Strauss is committed to “rehumanizing the workplace”—equipping leaders who will “create spaces and shape organizations where people can flourish and be completely human,” he says. Max De Pree, for whom the center is named, exemplified this kind of leadership during his many years at the helm of furniture company Herman Miller Inc. By offering a variety of printed and
online resources for leaders and launching a new
series of leadership workshops, Strauss is eager to further advance De Pree’s vision for leadership that is rooted in humanity, beauty, and faith.
“Max’s legacy is that his faith precedes all else, and everything in his life, including his work, is integrated into his faith,” affirms Jody Vanderwel, De Pree Center board chair and daughter of Max De Pree. “Gideon Strauss not only understands that principle but believes it. Under Gideon’s leadership, the Max De Pree Center will increasingly become known as the place where people who want to live lives fully integrated into their beliefs can find the resources and encouragement to pursue that commitment.”
In addition to serving as CEO of the Center for Public Justice, Strauss was editor of its publication Capital Commentary. His prior positions included editor of the journal Comment at the think tank Cardus, research and education director of the Christian Labour Association of Canada, and adjunct instructor in philosophy at Redeemer University College. He has also served on the board of International Justice Mission Canada. Strauss is a native of South Africa, where he was active in the anti-apartheid movement.
The Max De Pree Center for Leadership was founded in 1996, and Walter C. Wright Jr. served as its executive director from 2000 until his retirement this year. A longtime mentoree and friend of Max De Pree, Wright brought decades of leadership experience—at Fuller Seminary and Regent College in Vancouver, Canada—to the center, building it up as a resource and research center promoting De Pree’s values-driven management tradition. A highly regarded speaker, workshop leader and author, Wright will continue to support the work of the center in his new role as senior fellow.
Read more about the Max De Pree Leadership Center at
www.depree.org, and find additional resources for leaders at
www.essentialdepree.org.