Bepko to run Tobias Center

Leadership has found a new home. IU announced Tuesday the establishment of the Randall L. Tobias Center for Leadership Excellence, which officials foresee as a vanguard institution in the study of leadership.\nIU President Emeritus Gerald Bepko will function as the Tobias Center's inaugural director. Bepko, a former CIA agent, said the center will function like other schools in the University -- research, teaching and service will be its primary objectives. \nAn initial program sponsored by the foundation will be a "leadership laboratory" in which faculty members will examine leadership patterns. The researchers will view case studies of effective -- and ineffective -- leadership strategies to establish a core understanding of what successful leadership is.\nThe first public activity sponsored by the Tobias Center will be a "Tobias Lecture," presented by an undetermined influential leader. Bepko said the speaker will deliver "a very personal presentation."\nThe center was established through a $5.25 million gift from the Randall L. Tobias Foundation, whose mission is to promote "opportunities and experiences that inspire excellence in education." According to the organization's Web site, the grant doubles the amount of money it has issued since its 1994 inception.\nThe Tobias Center will be installed under the Kelley School of Business in Indianapolis. Mary Chappell, director of foreign affairs for the Indianapolis Kelley School branch, said the new program will mimic the ideals of its namesake.\n"It's a center that's going to be devoted to leadership excellence," Chappell said. "Randall Tobias, who is behind the gift to the University to set this up, is a well-renowned management leader as well."\nIn a statement, Tobias said the center will be a necessary and progressive approach to the study of leadership.\n"There is a significant need for a place to research, discuss, debate and determine the critical quality of leadership and the means to assess, distinguish and train effective leaders," Tobias said. "Indiana University deserves that place."\nThe Tobias Center will function as a study station of leadership systems throughout society -- be they academic or non-academic, corporate or not-for-profit, public service or governmental. Bepko said this diversity will help keep the center balanced and focused.\nBepko, who served as IU's interim president after the swift departure of Myles Brand, will serve a limited role as inaugural director for the first two years of the center. His tasks will include fundraising, program organization and integrating the participation from the three initial contributors -- the Kelley School of Business, the School of Public and Environmental Affairs and the Center on Philanthropy.\nBepko said although this is a novel program, there are leadership institutions in place at other universities across the United States, most notably at Yale University. But Bepko said he hopes the Tobias Center will be spoken of "in the same sentence as the Yale program."\n"We hope that 25 years from now when people ask 'where is it leaders are getting their training? where is it the complexity of good leaders is being unpacked in the clearest fashion? and where is it the theories of the nature of leadership are being examined?' they will say Indiana University in the Tobias Center," Bepko said.\n-- Contact staff writer Rick Newkirk at renewkir@indiana.edu.