December 05, 2008
December 5, 2008—Tobin MBA graduate, Leszek Balcerowicz
(MBA ’74), Professor of Economics at the Warsaw School of Economics
and former Deputy Prime Minister and Minster of Finance of Poland
gave a lecture at the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland
in New York City Tuesday evening.
The lecture, entitled World Financial Crisis and the
Emerging Economies, offered Balcerowicz’s insightful analysis
of the impact of the current crisis on emerging economies. Faculty
and administrators, including the Dean of The Peter J. Tobin
College of Business, Steven Papamarcos, were in attendance.
Inspired by the current economic chaos that has threatened to
engulf the economies of all nations, Professor Balcerowicz’s
lecture offered a concise analysis of the current crisis, its
causes, and which countries will have the most difficulties as a
consequence of it.
Tobin Economics and Finance Professor, Dr. Igor Tomic, praised
Balcerowicz’s style saying, “The ability of a great professor and
speaker, such as Professor Balcerowicz, is that while using at
times technical language, he can ensure that all members of a
diverse audience followed the lecture. He was charming,
insightful and practical with his comments.”
Known as the “architect” of Poland’s post-communist economic
reforms, Balcerowicz has been at the economic and political center
of Poland since the fall of its communist government in 1989. He
served as Finance Minister in the first post-communist government
from September of that year until December, 1991. In 1995 he served
a second term as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and
President of the Economic Committee of the Council of Ministers.
Balcerowicz was then appointed to the post of President of the
National Bank of Poland in 2001.
Author of more than 100 publications on economic issues in
Poland and abroad, Leszek Balcerowicz has received numerous awards
including Poland’s highest decoration, Order of the White
Eagle, for his contribution to systemic transformation.
In 1998 he was named Finance Minister of the Year by
Euromoney, a British financial monthly, and in 1999 was
awarded the Transatlantic Leadership Award for the most
outstanding European personality of the year from the European
Institute of Washington. The list of his accomplishments continues
to grow and in 2006, more than 15 years from his initial political
involvement in Poland, Professor Balcerowicz was voted as one of
the Leaders of Pioneering Thought in Europe and he
continues to tour the globe sharing his experiences and
accomplishments with students and the world’s most influential
economic scholars.
Balcerowicz was excited to see so many St. John’s University
members attend his latest lecture and stated that he has an
interest in visiting the campus again in the future.
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The Peter J. Tobin College of Business has provided the highest
quality business education for over eighty years. Many alumni have
risen to senior executive positions in the financial services
community in New York and around the world. Degrees offered include
the Bachelor of Science, Master of Business Administration and
Master of Science. The College encompasses the School of Risk
Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science, which is housed at the
University’s Manhattan location in the heart of the New York
financial district. For further information, please contact
Jennifer Maizel at (718) 990-6218 or email Maizelj@stjohns.edu.