Jim Murren, chief executive of MGM Resorts and chairman of the American Gaming Association, has been recognized by the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars in Washington for his corporate diversity and inclusion efforts.
Murren will receive the Woodrow Wilson Award for Corporate Citizenship, which is bestowed upon “executives who, by their individual examples and their business practices, have shown a deep concern for the common good beyond the bottom line.”
The Wilson Center awards are given each year to individuals from the public and private sectors who help foster international peace and cooperation and carry on the legacy of Woodrow Wilson, the country’s 28th president.
“These leaders have inherited Woodrow Wilson’s commitment to scholarship, public discourse, and the promotion of knowledge both at home and abroad. They work tirelessly in the service of their belief that private firms should be good citizens in their own neighborhoods and in the world at large,” the award description stated.
The Wilson Center highlighted Murren’s job creation efforts at MGM’s new National Harbor property – located just outside of Washington – and across its entire 77,000 employee enterprise. Also highlighted was MGM’s diverse corporate management ranks, which are 38 percent minorities and 43 percent women.
The organization also lauded the widespread recognition that Murren and MGM have earned for their corporate citizenship efforts, along with Murren’s work to promote economic growth and opportunity in economically disadvantaged communities, support for the arts and encouragement of ties across different areas of society.
“Recipients of this prestigious award recognize the unique, enlightened role they can play in improving society in general, while at the same time advancing the long-term interests of their firms, employees, and shareholders,” the description said.
Murren’s wife, Heather Hay Murren, will also receive the citizenship award for philanthropy efforts and her work at the Nevada Cancer Institute, which she co-founded and served as chairman and chief executive officer.
The Murrens will receive their awards on May 10 at a ceremony at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington’s Georgetown neighborhood. The awards will be presented by Thomas R. Nides, chairman of the Wilson Center’s Board of Trustees, and Jane Harman, the Center’s chief executive officer and a former congresswoman.
Also in receipt of the awards will be Chanda Kochhar, chief executive of ICICI Bank Limited, who will receive the Award for Global Corporate Citizenship for her work in developing India’s retail banking sector.
Mitch McConnell, the Kentucky senator and current Senate Majority Leader, will be given the Award for Public Service for his efforts to bring about tax relief for families and small businesses and “putting in place the most significant spending reduction legislation in a generation.”
The awards have been given each year since 1998. Past recipients have included former Vice President Dick Cheney, current Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger and Condoleezza Rice, Boeing CEO Jim McNerney and former Chevron CEO Dave O’Reilly.
“The Woodrow Wilson Awards have a long history of recognizing extraordinary individuals who lead by example, helping others better understand how inter-connected the global community is and that we all must work together to make the world a safer and more prosperous place for all,” said Nides in a statement.
