During WWII, they were known as one of the elite units of the United States military. They trained at high altitude – Camp Hale, near Leadville, to be exact. Considered one of the most ethnically and economically diverse of any division in the services, their challenge was to create an organization capable of waging war in ferocious winter conditions, in snow, on mountains, on skis. Out of adversity, the 10th created a unit with new forms of leadership, unsurpassed creativity and a new generation of business leaders that, among others, founded Nike, Vail Resort, and the Sierra Club.
This weekend – August 2-5, 2007 – the veterans of the WWII 10th Mountain Division returned to Denver for their final reunion.
At one of the reunion events – the Men's Luncheon – Daniels Dean Bruce Hutton presented the veterans with a framed letter explaining how they served as one of the inspirations for the Daniels Compass, launching in the Fall of 2007: "The Daniels College of Business is launching a new MBA program inspired by you, the men of the 10th Mountain Division. The heart of our program, called the Daniels Compass, embraces, teaches, and lives by the characteristics of the 10th. It will provide students the ethical foundation needed to make complex decisions, be sensitive to stakeholder needs, collaborate effectively, and lead in an interconnected global business environment."
Read the entire letter here: