June 6, 2011, Greencastle, Ind. — "During a series of trips to Africa last year, Tim Solso had a realization: China was beating him at his own game," begins a story in today's Wall Street Journal. "So the chief executive of Cummins
Inc., a maker of truck and machinery engines, vowed to catch up. He
plans to quadruple the company's sales in Africa to about $1 billion
within five years, investing $15 million annually to train staff and
build sales offices from Johannesburg to Casablanca."
You'll find the full story -- "U.S. Companies Race to Catch Up in Africa " -- at the Journal's website.
Theodore M. "Tim" Solso, chairman and chief executive
officer of Cummins Inc. and 1969 graduate of DePauw University, 
delivered the principal address to DePauw's Class of 2011 at the
University's 172nd annual commencement on May 22. A summary of his address, "What Will Be My Contribution?," including links to video and audio clips, can be found here. The entire speech is available on YouTube.
Solso is the U.S. chairman of the U.S. – Brazil CEO Forum and serves on the board of the Initiative for Global Development, Earth University and the Earth University Foundation. Along with Bill Gates and other leading U.S. business executives, Solso is a member of the American Energy Innovation Council. He is a past member of DePauw's Board of Trustees. (at right: President Brian W. Casey presents Solso with an honorary Doctor of Business Administration degree; May 22, 2011)
Solso was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 2008, was honored in 2007 with the Anti-Defamation League's "Man of Achievement Award," as well as the 2007 International Executive of the Year award from the Academy of International Business (AIB), the 2007 Six Sigma CEO of the Year Award, and the American Business Award for "Best Chairman," and in early 2009 was awarded the William R. Laws Human Rights Award by the Human Rights Commission of Columbus, Indiana, where Cummins is headquartered. In 2010 Barron's listed Solso as one of America's "30 Most Respected CEOs" and he was one of five finalists for MarketWatch's "CEO of the Decade."