years, the Institute must continue to be nimble, both in terms of understanding the obstacles faced by the private sector and by assembling the right tools and partners to overcome them. “I think WDI has done a terrific job of managing to stay focused on the most challenging parts of the world economy where their kind of assistance can really make the biggest difference,” he explained. It has been, he said, remarkable and exciting to see WDI grow from one man’s idea into a vital organization that has made contributions to growth around the world over the past 25 years. “Bill’s vision was to improve the capabilities of a lot of people in a lot of countries,” Gerson said. “The key to his philosophy was that you best help a person by helping them help themselves. “That’s what this Institute has done and should continue to do: to give people the tools to prosper on their own.” Scott DeRue 25th Anniversary 79