The Arthur M. Spiro Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership was made possible by a $1.5 million gift from textile industry leader and entrepreneur Arthur M. Spiro and his wife Joan. In making the gift, Mr. Spiro recognized that U.S. industry was restructuring at every level. "As corporations have downsized, decisions are being made much closer to the action," he says. "Executives and managers today must act as ‘owner/entrepreneurs’ within the corporate environment."
Mr. Spiro received his B.S. degree in chemical engineering from Clemson University in 1945 while serving as a U.S. naval officer in the Pacific theater. He earned an M. S. degree in textile technology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Art Spiro’s gift to Clemson University was announced in August 1994, shortly after he sold his company, Carleton Woolen Mills. Carleton is the nation’s second largest producer of woolen fabrics. Spiro’s 50-year career as an engineer, executive and entrepreneur in the textile and garment industries included stints as president of both the American Association for Textile Technology and the Textile Distributors Association. Spiro continues to run his own consulting firm, AMS-TEX Enterprises, Inc. Joan Spiro, a nationally known interior designer, has her own firm, too – Joan Spiro Interiors. The couple has four daughters and eight grandchildren and lives in Great Neck, N.Y.
What is entrepreneurial leadership?
Entrepreneurship involves recognizing an opportunity and then organizing a response, often under highly uncertain conditions and with limited resources. Although the term entrepreneurship is usually associated with the creation of a new business venture, today virtually all business leaders face the challenges of entrepreneurship. At the Spiro Center, we are drawing from the expertise within the College of Business and Behavioral Science to explore entrepreneurial leadership in its various forms. Our faculty researchers explore many topics including the behavior and characteristics of entrepreneurs, the process of new venture creation, the economic and public policy implications of clusters of new ventures, and the values and norms of families and communities that shape entrepreneurs. The College offers entrepreneurial leadership coursework and educational programs for business and non-business students at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Through various outreach initiatives, we involve students and faculty in activities with entrepreneurs and business leaders.
Last updated on February 27, 2006. Maintained by Kimberly St. John.
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