Leadership Dinner: Isaac Stein

Leadership Dinners bring proven leaders from various arenas together with a small group of graduate students for dinner and informal discussion about what it means to be a leader and to lead organizations, movements, and people. 

Isaac Stein, founder and former president, Waverly Associates

Isaac Stein received a BA in Economics and Mathematics from Colgate University in 1968 and, in 1972, received joint JD and MBA degrees from Stanford University.

After serving as a partner in one of California’s leading law firms, Isaac has had a diverse career in both the business and nonprofit communities. In business, he has co-founded or served as an officer or director of numerous public and private companies. Examples include ALZA Corporation, Maxygen, Alexza and CV Therapeutics in the pharma/biotechnology industry; Raychem Corporation and Symyx in materials science; and both the American Century and American Funds mutual fund groups in the financial services industry.  He also served as Chairman of Esprit de Corp, the apparel company, and led groups which owned the Dorchester Hotel in London and developed the Ritz Carlton San Francisco.

Much of Isaac’s nonprofit activity has centered on Stanford University, where he served as Chair of the Board of Trustees and continued to serve as a trustee for over 20 years. He was the Convening Co-Chair of the Stanford Challenge Campaign and recently led the Presidential Search Committee which selected Marc Tessier-Lavigne as the 11th President of Stanford. Isaac also served on the Stanford Management Company Board and, for many years, as a director and Chair of the Board of both the Stanford University Hospital and UCSF Stanford Healthcare. In addition, he serves on board of the James Irvine Foundation and previously was Chair of the Board of the Crystal Springs Uplands School. He was also a founding member of the Board of Directors of the Entrepreneurs Foundation and was a member of the International Advisory Council of the Economic Development Board of Singapore.

In 2005, Mr. Stein received the Gold Spike Award for distinguished service to Stanford and in 2004, together with his wife, received both the John W. Gardner Visionary Award from Pathways Hospice and the Tall Tree Award for Community Service from Palo Alto.

Mr. Stein is married and the father of two children, Josh (Dartmouth ’95, Stanford Business School ‘99) and Sarah (Princeton ’97, Stanford Business School ‘02).  He and his wife, Madeline, reside in Atherton, California.

Please Note:
Leadership Dinners have limited seating. If you are accepted you must confirm your place by submitting a Student Participation Fee Agreement, which authorizes VPGE to charge $50 to your Stanford bill – only if you do not fully participate in the event.