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April 21, 2016 By Richard Bowen

What do Desmond Tutu, President Bill Clinton and Richard Bowen share in common?

Naomi D’Amato, Professional Development Director, UTD Chapter of Golden Key, presenting certificate of honorary membership. In background is Matt Gillings, President of the UTD chapter
Naomi D’Amato, Professional Development Director, UTD Chapter of Golden Key, presenting certificate of honorary membership. In background is Matt Gillings, President of the UTD chapter

My recent induction into the Golden Key International Honor Society as an honorary member was humbling. The organization, which numbers two million members globally, includes many luminaries among its honorary members: Desmond Tutu, President Bill Clinton, Her Excellency the Honorable Quentin Bryce (former Governor-General of Australia) and renowned author Margaret Atwood.

What do Desmond Tutu, President Bill Clinton and Richard Bowen share in common?Golden Key, a network of outstanding scholars, is the world’s largest collegiate honor society. It recognizes sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduate students in the top 15% of their class across all majors and disciplines. Its more than 400 university chapters in eight countries provide their members opportunities to grow and develop through events & activities based on their three pillars of academics, leadership and service.

Members contribute more than 200,000 community service hours each year. In 2014, Golden Key created its own global service initiative called “SPARK a Change” which is dedicated to impacting and improving the lives of at-risk youth through literacy, education and real-world preparedness. Its goal, by 2017, is to raise $40,000, dedicate 400,000 hours of service and impact 400,000 lives through the “SPARK a Change” initiative.

Their mission: to enable members to realize their potential through the advancement of academics, leadership and service.

After the awards ceremony, the new honorary members, including myself, participated in a panel discussion on how mentors have impacted our lives. I talked about how a wise old banker, Vince Foster, from the former Republic National Bank in Dallas had instilled in me how absolutely important the fundamental principles of credit were to banking, and that I should never, ever abandon them.

What do Desmond Tutu, President Bill Clinton and Richard Bowen share in common?

His advice served me well throughout my banking career and I believe it was partly that lesson which helped me to keep fighting at Citi when I saw those principles repeatedly violated.

Now, I’m not sure if, as a college student, I would have qualified to be inducted as a member into Golden Key. Yet, I wish I had known of them earlier. Its mission is one that young people today need to be part of, contribute to and benefit from in their academic years.

I truly believe that if we instill in young people a moral, ethical code, when they venture into business they will more likely follow the pillars of ethical conduct a mentor like Vince Foster instilled in me and that organizations such as Golden Key embody.

Yes, I’m humbled and also a bit proud — it was and is quite an honor.

[tweetthis url=”http://bit.ly/22QyFxI”]What do @TheDesmondTutu, @billclinton & @RichardMBowen share in common? #ethics[/tweetthis]

 Members of the University of Texas - Dallas chapter of Golden Key

Members of the University of Texas – Dallas chapter of Golden Key

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Richard Bowen is widely known as the Citigroup whistleblower. As Business Chief Underwriter for Citigroup during the housing bubble financial crisis meltdown, he repeatedly warned Citi executive management and the board about fraudulent behavior within the organization. The company certified poor mortgages as quality mortgages and sold them to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and other investors.

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Comments

  1. GMA says

    April 21, 2016 at 2:27 pm

    Our young folks need examples of honor and integrity today more than ever. Congratulations to you for being such an exemplar.

What People Are Saying About Richard M. Bowen

William D. Cohan"Richard Bowen is one of my heroes. His is a story of human fortitude at its best and Wall Street at its worst."

~ William D. Cohan, NY Times Best Selling Author
2017-06-30T10:08:59-05:00
"Richard Bowen is one of my heroes. His is a story of human fortitude at its best and Wall Street at its worst." ~ William D. Cohan, NY Times Best Selling Author
https://richardmbowen.com/testimonials/2556/

Eileen McDonnell"Richard Bowen reinforced my motto that "there is no right way to do a wrong thing.” Long after his presentation, the conversation has continued about personal responsibility and the courage to challenge things that appear to be wrong. We encourage this dialog and rely on it to help make our business stronger."

~ Eileen McDonnell, Chairman, CEO, & President, Penn Mutual
2015-02-13T19:51:19-06:00
"Richard Bowen reinforced my motto that "there is no right way to do a wrong thing.” Long after his presentation, the conversation has continued about personal responsibility and the courage to challenge things that appear to be wrong. We encourage this dialog and rely on it to help make our business stronger." ~ Eileen McDonnell, Chairman, CEO, & President, Penn Mutual
https://richardmbowen.com/testimonials/711/

Ben Stein"Richard Bowen, you are a star and a hero."

~ Ben Stein, Economist and Political Commentator
2015-02-13T19:50:26-06:00
"Richard Bowen, you are a star and a hero." ~ Ben Stein, Economist and Political Commentator
https://richardmbowen.com/testimonials/712/

Jim Farrell"Richard's speech at the April Financial Executives International dinner was informative, interesting, riveting, and fast moving.  The feedback from members was overwhelming positive, and Richard received one of the few standing ovations given by our membership."

~ Jim Farrell, Program Chairman, Dallas Chapter, Financial Executives International
2014-12-28T19:48:17-06:00
"Richard's speech at the April Financial Executives International dinner was informative, interesting, riveting, and fast moving.  The feedback from members was overwhelming positive, and Richard received one of the few standing ovations given by our membership." ~ Jim Farrell, Program Chairman, Dallas Chapter, Financial Executives International
https://richardmbowen.com/testimonials/532/

Dennis McCuistion"Richard Bowen has been there, done that, and has the scars to prove it, and his message of corruption at the highest levels of industry and government needs to be heard. I only wish that more bankers had the courage that Bowen exhibits. He is not only one of the most talented bankers I have ever met, he has more integrity than all the bankers on Wall Street put together. If his former employer had listened to him taxpayers would not have had to bail out Citi for the third time in the last 30 years."

~ Dennis McCuistion, Host of the McCuistion TV program
2014-12-28T19:48:06-06:00
"Richard Bowen has been there, done that, and has the scars to prove it, and his message of corruption at the highest levels of industry and government needs to be heard. I only wish that more bankers had the courage that Bowen exhibits. He is not only one of the most talented bankers I have ever met, he has more integrity than all the bankers on Wall Street put together. If his former employer had listened to him taxpayers would not have had to bail out Citi for the third time in the last 30 years." ~ Dennis McCuistion, Host of the McCuistion TV program
https://richardmbowen.com/testimonials/533/

Betty Garrett"Richard Bowen is a dynamic, entertaining speaker and story-teller - a CPA with a great personality!"

~ Betty Garrett, Garrett Speakers International
2014-12-28T19:47:50-06:00
"Richard Bowen is a dynamic, entertaining speaker and story-teller - a CPA with a great personality!" ~ Betty Garrett, Garrett Speakers International
https://richardmbowen.com/testimonials/531/

fred-timmons"I believe Richard Bowen is the only keynote speaker to ever receive a standing ovation from the Texas Society of CPA’s at any of its annual conferences."

~ Fred Timmons, Chairman of The Texas Society of CPA's
2014-12-28T19:47:22-06:00
"I believe Richard Bowen is the only keynote speaker to ever receive a standing ovation from the Texas Society of CPA’s at any of its annual conferences." ~ Fred Timmons, Chairman of The Texas Society of CPA's
https://richardmbowen.com/testimonials/530/

Presentation Topics

Playing for High Stakes: The Principles and Practice of Ethical Leadership

Dark Citi: The Story of a Whistleblower

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Now an ethical leadership speaker, Richard Bowen was Citigroup's Business Chief Underwriter during the housing bubble.

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