$100,000 McNulty Prize 2011 Finalists Announced

Finalists are from El Salvador, Nigeria, South Africa and the United States.

Finalists are addressing infant malnutrition, corporate values, road blocks to care for vulnerable children, higher education attainment, and the need for independent journalism.

ASPEN, Colo., July 11, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Aspen Institute and Institute Trustee Anne Welsh McNulty announced on Friday, July 8 the 2011 John P. McNulty Prize finalists, a group of six extraordinary young leaders that are bringing innovative solutions to bear on some of the most intractable issues of our time.

From challenging the status quo in business, to uncovering corruption in Nigeria with unvarnished courageous reporting; to making the dream of college a reality for an entire American city's underprivileged youth; each recipient's courage and acumen is making a significant impact on their communities and across the globe.

The John P. McNulty Prize of $100,000 is given annually to honor the visionary work of a Fellow of the Aspen Global Leadership Network of the Aspen Institute; each of the finalists receives $10,000. An international panel of judges including former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Indian parliamentarian and diplomat Shashi Tharoor, and international statesman from Uganda, Olara Otunnu, will select this year's winner. The winner will be announced November 3, 2011 in New York City.

The 2011 finalists are:

B Lab – Pennsylvania
Jay Coen Gilbert & Andrew Kassoy
Building systems to support, reward, legitimize and measure the values of businesses that uphold the highest ethical, social and environmental standards. In essence, supporting the development of a new kind of business – business for good.
www.bcorporation.net

Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) - Colorado
Timothy Marquez
DSF made a commitment to all Denver high school students, that finances would not be a factor in stopping them from attaining a college degree. It provides financial support to students who want to go to college, but it does much more. DSF helps students navigate the college admissions process and then stays with students through college to ensure they succeed.
www.denverscholarship.org

Leadership and Innovation Network for Collaboration in the Children's Sector (LINC) - South Africa
Ann Lamont
By uniting NGO's, the South African government and the private sector into a powerful coalition, an unprecedented number of orphans and vulnerable children whose families have been ravaged by South Africa's AID's epidemic are getting the care they need.
www.linc.org.za

Libras de Amor - El Salvador
Alejandro Poma
Leading a crusade against malnutrition in El Salvador, Libras de Amor educates mothers and guarantees nutrition to the most at-risk pregnant women and infants.
www.librasdeamor.org

NEXT - Nigeria
Dele Olojede
The countries #1 trafficked news site, NEXT is taking a courageous stand by speaking truth to power and elevating the quality of journalism in Nigeria and Africa overall to hold its leaders accountable and thereby support democracy and integrity.
www.234next.com

Watch a video on the 2011 Finalists: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5qe0SpRwvU

About the John P. McNulty Prize
Established in 2008, the John P. McNulty Prize, was named in memory of the business leader and Aspen Institute trustee.  For more information about John McNulty's legacy of leadership, a video featuring the 2011 finalists and the latest news, please visit www.mcnultyprize.org

The Aspen Institute mission is twofold: to foster values-based leadership, encouraging individuals to reflect on the ideals and ideas that define a good society, and to provide a neutral and balanced venue for discussing and acting on critical issues. The Aspen Institute does this primarily in four ways: seminars, young-leader fellowships around the globe, policy programs, and public conferences and events. The Institute is based in Washington, DC; Aspen, Colorado; and on the Wye River on Maryland's Eastern Shore. It also has an international network of partners.

SOURCE The Aspen Institute