|
|
|
|
|
|
Frederick W. Smith
Founder, Federal Express
When I was in the Marine Corps as a lieutenant, I had come up from a good background, went to a fine university at Yale. I wasn't exactly exposed to folks that were in the blue collar professions and occupations. And then here I was in the Marine Corps, and became a platoon leader, and I was surrounded by kids like that. I maybe was three years older than they were. I was 21, they were 18. But these were youngsters from very different backgrounds than I was. You know, blue collar backgrounds, steelworkers, and truck drivers, and gas station folks. And there we were, out in the countryside in Vietnam, living together, eating together and obviously going through all sorts of things.
View Interview with Frederick W. Smith
View Biography of Frederick W. Smith
View Profile of Frederick W. Smith
View Photo Gallery of Frederick W. Smith
|
|
Frederick W. Smith
Founder, Federal Express
We're the thing that binds everybody else together. And successfully navigating from a mostly national economic structure, to now a global structure with different types of cultures and governments and what have you. I mean, all you have to do is pick up the newspaper and see it every day. And it's going to be important that the United States and FedEx, every year that goes by, does better in the way we deal with other cultures. And is respectful of other peoples' points of view and makes a contribution and doesn't become one of the problems in the world.
View Interview with Frederick W. Smith
View Biography of Frederick W. Smith
View Profile of Frederick W. Smith
View Photo Gallery of Frederick W. Smith
|
|
Martha Stewart
Multi-Media Lifestyle Entrepreneur
Martha Stewart: For me, an American Dream, if you read Theodore Dreiser, or you read other people who have written about what they consider the American Dream, it always has to do with monetary success, or poor boy makes good, or that kind of thing. To me that's not what it's all about. It's about, actually, when you get to be my age, having kind of a serenity about your life, and a good feeling about what you have done and what you can still do.
View Interview with Martha Stewart
View Biography of Martha Stewart
View Profile of Martha Stewart
View Photo Gallery of Martha Stewart
|
|
Robert Strauss
Presidential Medal of Freedom
I think that what we have to strive for is the kind of America that we almost have, and we are getting closer every year, and that is an America that has the kind of opportunity and climate that everybody can dream. It's hard to believe you can expect some of these poor people who are born into poverty and into homes with no parent, no father, no mother, alcohol, drugs -- you can't expect those people to have dreams. But I have found that everyone in this country who has an opportunity does have their own individual dream. Maybe it's just for a job that pays a good wage, and that's a very good dream for some people. For other people, it's the presidency, or great wealth, a great invention. But as long as we have the kind of climate where people can dream, then they will dream, and a lot of those dreams will come true. But an awful lot of people in this country today cannot have that kind of dream, because it would be too foolish. We're moving in the right direction, and I am always an optimist, and I am very high on that climate becoming the climate that permeates this country all the way across, not just for those of us who have been more blessed.
View Interview with Robert Strauss
View Biography of Robert Strauss
View Profile of Robert Strauss
View Photo Gallery of Robert Strauss
|
| |
