Ben Horowitz ’88CC, Cofounder and General Partner of Andreessen Horowitz discusses the difference between a good person and an ethical person at the 2017 Botwinick Prize in Business Ethics. More photos from the event.

Columbia Business School’s Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. Center for Leadership and Ethics proudly awarded Ben Horowitz ’88CC, Cofounder and General Partner of Andreessen Horowitz and The New York Times bestselling author of The Hard Thing About Hard Things with the 2017 Botwinick Prize in Business Ethics.

Since 1988, The Botwinick Prize in Business Ethics has been awarded to an individual or representative of a business organization exemplifying the highest standard of professional and ethical conduct, as well as ethical decision making and leadership.  The evening’s proceedings were opened by Professor Bruce Kogut, Faculty Director of the Bernstein Center, who noted that the Botwinick Prize event was the “highlight of the fall semester and reiterates the importance of ethical behavior in business leadership, especially in today’s globalized economy.” He was then joined by Senior Vice Dean of Research, Charles Jones, who welcomed attendees, including Columbia Business School students, faculty members, distinguished alumni, members of the Board of Trustees and Board of Overseers, on behalf of the Dean’s Office.  And in a tribute to her father’s legacy, Mrs. Elaine Wolfensohn, daughter of the late Benjamin Botwinick BS’26 and his wife Bessie, the generous benefactors of the award, helped co-present the award to Mr. Horowitz.  

Horowitz was honored with the prize for being an exceptional business leader who has never been scared to take a stand and do the right thing.  Professor Kogut stated that “now, more than ever, business leaders like Mr. Horowitz are needed to lead financially- and socially-impactful businesses that improve the lives of their customers, workers, investors, and more broadly, society as a whole.”  And Horowitz not only subscribes to this viewpoint, but lives it throughout his daily professional and personal interactions as he believes “business can represent human society at its best.”

Each year, the recipient of the Botwinick Prize in Business Ethics is carefully selected by a committee featuring Bernstein Center faculty leaders, members of the Student Leadership and Ethics Board, distinguished alumni, and members of the Botwinick-Wolfensohn family.  The Bernstein Center would like to thank both Mrs. Elaine Wolfensohn and Mr. Edward Botwinick, children of Mr. Benjamin Botwinick BS’26 and his wife Bessie, for their unwavering support of the Prize and Columbia Business School over the years.