Leadership Profile of David Thornburgh, CEO of the Committee of Seventy

Abstract

1978 was a tumultuous time for Pennsylvania -- unemployment rates skyrocketed as the manufacturing industry collapsed after World War II, while urban hubs like Philadelphia were bankrupted by the suburbanization of the middle class. 1978 was also the year that David’s father, Dick Thornburgh, was elected Governor of Pennsylvania. “I took a year off from college during the campaign and spent a good deal of time working on the campaign, where I was a surrogate speaker,” Thornburgh recalls, “it was [all] an incredible environment in which to grow up.” The pin, however, reflects just one instance of the experiences that led David into politics and government reform. Indeed, David’s childhood is filled with instances of political exposure, from his mother’s advocacy organization work to his father’s time as Attorney General, that prepared him to lead the Committee of 70 (C70), where he has served as CEO for the past five years. However, David mentions that above all else, his parents and his political exposure throughout childhood made clear that “we’re put on this Earth for a purpose, other than getting by, and something other than just putting food on the table and enjoying the comforts of life.” As CEO of C70, David continues to embody that notion of purpose and dedication, hallmarks of a strong leader, in his work to foster better government and empower Pennsylvanians across the state.