April 2026 CEO Letter

Dear colleagues,

Each year, the Global Business Hall of Fame offers the JA network a powerful opportunity to elevate leaders who demonstrate a commitment to their communities, both locally and globally, and who hail from a wide range of diverse industries and countries.

Across the JA network, we have a unique vantage point. We work alongside business leaders who volunteer in classrooms, mentor students, serve on boards, and support our mission in ways that often extend far beyond what is publicly visible. Many of these individuals embody the kind of leadership we hope young people will emulate: entrepreneurial in spirit, grounded in values, and committed to creating opportunity for others. Our vision is to have at least one laureate inducted into the Global Business Hall of Fame, from every country where JA operates, by 2050. Talent is everywhere, even if opportunity is not. The stories of our laureates serve as powerful reference points for what leadership can look like all over the world when it is guided by purpose, resilience, and a commitment to others.

This is where FastTrack plays an important role, providing a way for those of us within JA to bring forward individuals from our own networks for consideration—people whose impact we have seen firsthand, and whose stories deserve a broader platform. And you can refer someone from your country in only a few minutes. I encourage you to think expansively about who comes to mind: the founder who has built something meaningful against the odds, the executive who has used influence to open doors for others, the entrepreneur whose work is shaping communities in lasting ways.

When we elevate inspiring individuals, we do more than honor achievement. We help define the kinds of leaders young people look to as examples. We reinforce the idea that business success and societal contribution are deeply connected. And we strengthen the relevance of JA’s work by connecting it directly to the real-world journeys our students aspire to follow.

As we open Global Business Hall of Fame nominations for 2026, I hope you’ll take a few moments to reflect on your network from your country and consider who you might bring forward through FastTrack this year. Referring someone is an opportunity to contribute to this important resource for youth. Your FastTrack referral is a way of ensuring that the examples we lift up reflect the kind of leadership that builds stronger communities and expands opportunity for others.

Who will you refer? What leaders in your own country will help shape how the next generation understands success . . . and the role they can play in creating it?

Until next time,
Asheesh