Gerard G Leeds

Gerard Leeds is a co-founder and member of the Board of Directors of the Institute for Student Achievement, Inc., which he founded with his wife, Lilo, in 1990. In 1971, prior to establishing the Institute, Gerard and Lilo Leeds founded CMP Media Inc., a major publisher of business newspapers, magazines, Internet and other information services for the high-tech industries. The company's socially responsible policies placed it in Fortune Magazine as one of the 100 best companies to work for, and in Working Mother, as one of the best companies for women workers. The company instituted a major on-site childcare center, a strong diversity program, and an active employee-run foundation. In 1988, Gerard and Lilo Leeds transferred the management of the company to the next generation and Michael Leeds took over as President and CEO. The Leeds made the challenge of educating children at risk their principal focus. In addition to founding the Institute for Student Achievement, they are on the boards of several other organizations working on education issues. These include the Alliance for Excellent Education, located in Washington, DC, whose goal is to make excellent education for all children a reality, and the The Schott Foundation for Public Education in Boston, which focuses on early care in education and funding for quality education. Gerard and Lilo Leeds are both immigrants to the United States, and consider their work in education a way to return to society some of the business and personal success that America has allowed them to achieve. Mr. Leeds holds a Bachelor of Arts and Science and an honorary doctorate from Adelphi University, and a Masters of Arts and an honorary doctorate from the State University of New York at Stonybrook. He has taught management at Long Island University and Hofstra University, and lectures annually to MBA students on socially responsible business management.