Max De Pree is businessman and American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 writer

Writer

A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....

. A son of D.J. De Pree, founder of Herman Miller

Herman Miller (office equipment)

Herman Miller, Inc., based in Zeeland, Michigan, is a major American manufacturer of office furniture and equipment, as well as furniture for the home. It is notable as one of the first companies to produce modern furniture and, under the guidance of Design Director George Nelson, is likely the...

 office furniture company, he and his brother Hugh De Pree assumed leadership of the company the early 1960s, Hugh becoming CEO and president in 1962. Max succeeded his brother Hugh as CEO in 1980 and served in that capacity to 1987, and he was a member of the company's Board of Directors until 1995.
His book Leadership is an Art has sold more than 800,000 copies. In 1992, De Pree was inducted into Junior Achievement's U.S. Business Hall of Fame. He has been involved with the Max De Pree Center for Leadership (established in 1996 as the De Pree Center) since its establishment.

Studies

He studied at Wheaton College

Wheaton College (Illinois)

Wheaton College is a private, evangelical Protestant liberal arts college in Wheaton, Illinois, a suburb west of Chicago in the United States...

 but was interrupted by World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. He served on the European Theatre of Operations. Still in the Army, he studied at the University of Pittsburgh

University of Pittsburgh

The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...

, Haverford College

Haverford College

Haverford College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Haverford, Pennsylvania, United States, a suburb of Philadelphia...

 and the University of Paris

University of Paris

The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...

. After his military service he attended Hope College

Hope College

Hope College is a medium-sized , private, residential liberal arts college located in downtown Holland, Michigan, a few miles from Lake Michigan. It was opened in 1851 as the Pioneer School by Dutch immigrants four years after the community was first settled...

, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts

Bachelor of Arts

A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...

degree in 1948.

Works

• Leadership is an Art ; Dell Publishing (1989) ; ISBN 0385512465
• Leadership Jazz ; Dell Publishing (1993) ; ISBN 0440505186
• Dear Zoe ; Harper Collins (1996) ; ISBN 0802845924
• Called to Serve: Creating and Nurturing the Effective Volunteer Board ; Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company (2001) ; ISBN 0802849229
• Leading Without Power: Finding Hope in Serving Community ; John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. (2003) ; ISBN 0787967432

External links

• Max De Pree Center for Leadership on www.depree.org
• Essential De Pree perpetuating Max De Pree's legacy on www.essentialdepree.org