Pleasant T. Rowland
Pleasant Rowland is a noted educator, business leader, and philanthropist whose career began as a primary-grade teacher. Her lifelong interest in teaching children to read grew from her classroom experience and ultimately led to her authorship of reading and language arts programs used widely for more than 40 years in schools throughout the country. She is the author of Beginning to Read, Write, and Listen, published by McGraw-Hill, and Superkids, published by Zaner-Bloser.
In 1985 Ms. Rowland combined her love of American history and her commitment to high-quality educational products when she created The American Girls Collection®, a line of historically accurate books, dolls, and accessories lauded for its ability to make American history come alive for millions of children. She served as president and chairman of American Girl for fifteen years. She was chosen as one of the twelve outstanding entrepreneurs in the nation by the Institute of American Entrepreneurs and was a national finalist for the Entrepreneur of the Year award. Ms. Rowland has also been cited as one of the “100 Best and Brightest Marketers” in America and as one of America’s Top 50 Women Business Owners. She was inducted into the American Academy of Achievement and has been a member of the International Women’s Forum and the Committee of 200, prestigious organizations that honor women of achievement in business.
Ms. Rowland retired from American Girl in 2000 and formed the Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation to serve her philanthropic interests in the arts, education, and historic preservation. In 2004 she established the Rowland Reading Foundation—dedicated to improving reading instruction in the primary grades. Ms. Rowland has received the Wisconsin Governor’s Award for her contributions to arts and cultural causes. She was honored as an outstanding alumna of Wells College and holds honorary degrees from the University of Hartford, the University of Wisconsin, and Edgewood College. She has also been inducted in the Wisconsin Business Hall of Fame and the Association of Educational Publishers’ Hall of Fame.
Statement: I wholeheartedly support the work of The Cultural Landscape Foundation and the creation of the Oberlander Prize, and I give this gift in recognition of Doug Reed and Trey Trahan, who have been my wonderful teachers.