Pfizer chief executive officer Jeff Kindler (A '77) will receive the Light on the Hill Award tomorrow in recognition of his achievements in active citizenship and corporate social responsibility. The award is the highest honor that the undergraduate student body bestows on Tufts alumni.
Associate Director of Alumni Relations Jonathan Kaplan called Kindler, a Tufts trustee, "an easy choice" to receive the award.
Kaplan said the prize seeks to recognize "alumni who have really made their mark in the world and who have achieved great things and who are also representative of the core values of the university."
"He has achieved great things professionally," he said. "He's a responsible, active citizen, and even in his job as a CEO, he makes sure he gives back to Tufts - he gives back to his community," Kaplan said.
Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate President Neil DiBiase had similar praise for Kindler. "We're absolutely thrilled to have Mr. Kindler," said DiBiase, a junior. The Senate president called Kindler a "leader in corporate responsibility and obviously the head of one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world."
Kindler was selected to head Pfizer, the world's biggest research-based pharmaceutical company, in 2006. He has been with Pfizer since 2002. He received the Expeditioner's Award in 2005 from New York City Outward Bound for his and Pfizer's leadership in making philanthropy a core corporate responsibility, according to the Ronald McDonald House Charities Web site.
He started his career as a lawyer, at one point working as a law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan, Jr.
He also served as chairman and CEO of the Boston Market Corporation and president of Partner Brands before joining Pfizer. Both the Boston Market Corporation and Partner Brands are owned by McDonald's.
The award ceremony will be held tomorrow in Ballou Hall's Coolidge Room at 3 p.m. DiBiase will begin the event by formally presenting the award to Kindler.
After DiBiase's remarks, Pamela Goldberg, director of entrepreneurial leadership at the School of Engineering's Gordon Institute and Kindler's former classmate, will interview Kindler. She will ask questions about his work and "about his commitment to active citizenship," Kaplan said. An open forum for audience questions and a reception will follow.
According to DiBiase, the award ceremony is geared toward students rather than graduates and professors.
"This is really kind of a unique award in that it's really given from the undergraduate student body," DiBiase said. "We hope that the majority of the people that attend will be students."
Kaplan agreed. "It's really the Senate and the students that are the primary audience for this," he said.
Both DiBiase and Kaplan said they expect a strong turnout at the award ceremony. The number of students who attend varies each year. Last year about 1,200 students came to the ceremony when actor Peter Gallagher (A '77) received the award, according to DiBiase.
This year, television host Meredith Vieira (J '75) declined the award before the TCU Senate offered it to Kindler. Actor Oliver Platt (LA '83) also received consideration.
"We originally considered Jeff Kindler in the fall, and then because of scheduling conflicts, we didn't think he would be able to come to Tufts," DiBiase said. "We were thrilled to offer him the award" after his schedule opened up.
Kindler sits on the Board of Trustees Administration and Finance Committee. He became a trustee in 2006, and his daughter is currently an freshman in the School of Arts and Sciences.
