“One of the most significant conservationists of our time—indeed, of all time.”
—Vice President Al Gore, from the Foreword
He is the most impactful conservationist in the world, a man responsible for protecting more than one hundred million acres of land and more than three million square kilometers of ocean. Yet, chances are, you have never heard of him.
Hansjörg Wyss grew up in a working-class family in Switzerland. As a college student in the 1950s, he traveled to the United States for a summer job in Colorado. It was there that he first experienced the majesty of the Grand Canyon and the American West, which forever changed him.
As a business leader, Wyss pioneered a medical device company that transformed orthopedic surgery to the benefit of both doctors and patients. It was in business that Wyss developed a groundbreaking approach to problem-solving to create maximum impact. When he sold his company, he became one of the wealthiest people in the world. Still, it was his reverence for America’s natural wonders and open spaces that called him to do even more.
Today, Wyss works to ensure that the lands, waters, and species of our planet are permanently protected for future generations to enjoy. Through the Wyss Foundation and his personal philanthropy, he also supports innovation to advance groundbreaking medical research, economic opportunity, democracy, women’s health, education, and the arts.
Wyss is living proof that we don’t have to despair in the face of crisis. If we choose to act with courage, creativity, and focus, we can fight back and we can win. The Art of Impact tells the story of Hansjörg Wyss through his greatest challenges and accomplishments, asking why he does what he does and what principles we can learn to find our own path to impact.
Paul Orzulak is an executive director and cofounder of West Wing Writers, America's premier strategy and speechwriting firm. He served as a foreign policy speechwriter for President Bill Clinton and a domestic policy speechwriter for Vice President Al Gore. A frequent media contributor, he traces his passion for conservation back to an old boss, Congressman David Bonior, who began distributing free pine seedlings after an ice storm destroyed many of Michigan's trees, and eventually gave out more than a million, a powerful reminder that we do not have to be spectators in the causes we care about.
Seth Schulman wields the power of the written word to start conversations, change minds, and transform lives. A master storyteller and intellectual collaborator, he has contributed to dozens of books over the past two decades. Mr. Schulman holds a PhD in intellectual and cultural history from Brown University.
