Max De Pree (1924–2017) was the chief executive officer of Herman Miller, Inc., a Fortune 500 company based in Zeeland, Michigan. During his career, he was lauded by Forbes, Fortune, and the Wall Street Journal as one of the most compassionate and successful leaders in the business world. Under his leadership, Herman Miller, Inc. nearly tripled its sales and was awarded the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal for dedication to design excellence. De Pree was the author of several highly regarded books on leadership, including Leadership Is an Art, Leadership Jazz, and Called to Serve.