Lowell Milken, international businessman and education reform visionary, launched the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching in 2005 to increase educator effectiveness. NIET's proven, systemic reforms impact more than 250,000 teachers and 2.5 million students, while NIET is transforming teacher preparation in over 50 colleges and universities. As Milken Family Foundation chairman and co-founder, Lowell created the Milken Educator Awards reknown 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 honored Lowell with the James Bryant Conant Award for significant individual contributions to US education.