Lowell Milken is an international businessman and education reform visionary. In 2005, he launched the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching dedicated to expanding educator effectiveness. NIET's partnerships have impacted over 1,000 districts, 300,000 teachers and three-million students, while transforming teacher preparation in 75 colleges and universities. As Chairman and Co-Founder of the Milken Family Foundation, Lowell created the Milken Educator Awards, renown as the "Oscars of Teaching." The Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes drives student discovery of role models in history, while the Hoffmitz Milken Center for Typography at Art Center College of Design sets global standards in visual communication. In business, Lowell chairs National Realty Trust as well as London-based Heron International. A UC Berkeley graduate summa cum laude, Lowell received the Business School's Most Outstanding Student Award. UCLA School of Law, where he earned Order of the Coif and Law Review, established the Lowell Milken Institute for Business Law and Policy. The Education Commission of the States presented Lowell with its highest honor, the James Bryant Conant Award for significant individual contributions to US education.