Inaugurated in 2016, the Lifetime Achievement Award represents Columbia Business School’s drive to honor stalwart leaders who embody the best of Deming’s teachings and create lasting impact through the practice of their leadership. The award recognizes a senior leader whose practice of principled, ethical, and values-based leadership salutes the legacy of Deming in the areas of management, operational excellence, and continuous process improvement. By honoring outstanding leaders for their achievements and legacy, the Deming Center seeks to inspire its students—the next generation of business practitioners—to embrace excellence in leadership as a core guiding principle of their practice.
In May 2026, the Deming Center awarded Gary Kaplan, MD for his legacy as CEO Emeritus of Virginia Mason Health System. We welcome you to read further about the award and the contributions that led to Dr. Kaplan receiving this recognition at this link.
2026
Gary Kaplan, MD
CEO Emeritus, Virginia Mason Health System
2018
Sergio Marchionne
Former CEO, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
2016
Paul O’Neill
72nd secretary of the US Treasury