Why Botswana is Africa's Ace of Diamonds

Stephen R. Lewis, Jr. Chairman of the Boards of RiverSource Funds, President Emeritus and Professor of Economics, Carleton College.

Professor Lewis was elected Chairman of the Boards of RiverSource Funds, the Minneapolis-based mutual fund group, effective January 2007. He served as president of Carleton College from 1987 to 2002. He began his administrative experience at Williams College, where he twice served as Provost of the College (1968-71 and 1973-77).

Lewis has had a long relationship with Botswana, serving as Economic Consultant to the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning on a resident basis in 1977-78 and 1980-82, on short term assignments each year from 1975 to 1988, and occasionally since then. The author of nine books, most recently he edited Very Brave or Very Foolish? Memoirs of an African Democrat by Q.K.J. Masire. Lewis was awarded the Presidential Order of Meritorious Service by the Botswana Government in 1983.

An economist who focuses on developing economies, Lewis received his BA, Phi Beta Kappa from Williams in 1960, and his Ph.D. in Economics from Stanford in 1963. He taught Economics at Stanford, Harvard, the University of Nairobi and Williams, where he held the Herbert H. Lehman Professorship.

Co-sponsored with Center for Afroamerican and African Studies.

Reception to follow. Free and open to the public.