Conscious Leader Endowed Excellence Fund

Mr. Mertz graduated with an M.B.A. from the McCombs School of Business in 1993. Founder of a successful business, he has been named one of the “Top 100 Thought Leaders in Trustworthy Business” by Trust Across America, and in 2015 one of the American Management Association’s “Leaders to Watch”.

Jon has a passionate interest in leadership development, particularly for millennials. “Thin Difference”, Jon’s blog, “provides a platform to engage generations, sharing leadership experiences, practices, and insights to build common ground” and features articles and research from a multitude of industries and disciplines.

It is not surprising, then, that Jon was an early supporter of the Center for Leadership Excellence (CLE), where business students will develop ethical self-awareness and leadership through assessment, coaching, and innovative curriculum design driven by real world research. Founded in April 2015, the center serves as a catalyst and umbrella program for leadership and ethics teaching, research, and practice. CLE partners with the business community and with deans across the university to develop and deliver effective guidance and practical tools.

The Conscious Leader Endowed Excellence Fund provides wide-ranging support for faculty, students, and programs in keeping with Jon Mertz’s commitment to building cross-generational common ground in business leadership. His generous gift to present and future Longhorns is a gracious demonstration of principles he encourages others to share.