Chris Crane  Photo © Nathan Mandell

Opportunity knocks

By Aubrey Henretty

As the Kellogg School's first-ever Beacon Capital Partners Civic Leader in Residence, Chris Crane visited the Evanston campus over two days in May to discuss the challenges and rewards of nonprofit management.

The CEO of Opportunity International, a nonprofit micro-lender dedicated to improving the lives of impoverished entrepreneurs worldwide, Crane spoke about the power of microfinance and encouraged Kellogg students to leverage their talents "for a cause greater than ... personal benefit."

He said the successes that come from wiping out poverty extend far beyond the individual entrepreneurs. Aside from the 7.5 lives lifted out of poverty by each Opportunity loan (an average figure), Crane suggested that the world reaps the benefits as huge social problems — hunger, disease, even terrorism — loosen their grip on populations.

"Poverty is the breeding ground for desperation, and desperation is the breeding ground for terrorism," Crane said. "You bring [the very poor] into the financial system ... they forget all about terrorism."

In addition to his lecture, Crane met with small groups of students. His message to them was one focused on possibility. With the incredible skills, education, technology and resources at the fingertips of today's bright business school graduate, he said, just one person can change millions of lives for the better.

"And maybe it'll be one of you," Crane said. "Or all of you."