Philadelphia Eagles owners Jeffrey and Christina Lurie will receive Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business 2010 Business Leaders of the Year award. They will be honored at a luncheon attended by hundreds of Greater Philadelphia’s top executives on December 2.“Drexel’s business leader of the year award recognizes qualities that distinguish the exceptional from the successful,” said Dr. George Tsetsekos, dean of the LeBow College of Business. “Jeffrey and Christina are exemplary examples of business leaders who redefine what it means to be successful by leading their businesses and contributing to our communities in ways that improve our quality of life today, and lay the foundation for an even brighter tomorrow.”Jeffrey and Christina Lurie have shaped the Eagles into one of the most successful organizations in professional sports on and off the field. Taking over a franchise that made the playoffs just 14 times in a 62-year-span, the Eagles have been a perennial Super Bowl contender under the Luries, earning playoff berths in 10 of their 15 years as owners of the team. Early in their tenure, one of their goals was to upgrade the team’s working environment into two state-of-the-art facilities. They were instrumental in the creation and design of Lincoln Financial Field and the NovaCare Complex, the Eagles corporate headquarters and training facility. In 1995, Jeffrey and Christina founded the Eagles Youth Partnership (EYP), the team’s non-profit, charitable wing and one of the most innovative and dynamic non-profit organizations in Philadelphia and in the entire world of sports philanthropy. In 2005, EYP received the inaugural Steve Patterson award for Excellence in Sports Philanthropy. In 2010, the charity received worldwide recognition as one of three finalists in the sports world for Beyond Sport’s “Sport Team of the Year.”As Chairman and CEO of the Philadelphia Eagles, Jeffrey is a well-respected leader within the NFL. He serves as chairman of the Los Angeles Stadium Working Group Committee and is an active member of the Finance, Broadcast, International and Super Bowl Advisory Committees. Under Christina’s direction, the Eagles developed a substantial Go Green program, a ground-breaking initiative to better the environment by creating and sustaining programs that improve the quality of life in the Philadelphia region, green the environment and reduce the team’s impact on the planet. The Luries received the 2008 Ongoing Commitment Award from the Environmental Media Association for the Eagles Go Green efforts. Christina Lurie is also a successful film producer and co-founded Vox3 Films in 2004 to create a diversified slate of independent films. Most recently, she executive produced “Adam,” and “Rage,” along with past productions “Game 6,” “Feel,” “Broken English,” and “Never Forever.”In addition to her active role in sports and entertainment, Christina serves on a number of boards, including the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia. Jeffrey and Christina Lurie also serve as board members on the Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation. In 2007, Jeffrey and Christina established the Lurie Family Foundation, focusing on health concerns, particularly in the areas of autism and cancer research. The Foundation also supports film documentaries addressing global issues through Screen Pass Pictures. Most recently, they executive produced the critically acclaimed “Inside Job” and “Sergio.”Previous Business Leader of the Year recipients include Denis O’Brien, president and CEO of PECO and executive vice president of Exelon (2009); David L. Cohen, Comcast Corporation executive vice president (2008); and Hugh C. Long II, Northeast Group executive for wholesale banking, Wachovia Bank (2007).The luncheon honoring the Luries will be held at noon at the Park Hyatt Philadelphia at The Bellevue. Proceeds from the event will support autism research at Drexel University and academic programs to advance Drexel’s LeBow College of Business. For information or to purchase tickets, contact Darin Pfeifer at 215-895-0333 or dpfeifer@drexel.edu. News Media Contact: Niki Gianakaris, director, Drexel News Bureau 215-895-6741, 215-778-7752 (cell) or ngianakaris@drexel.edu
