The votes have been tallied and we are most pleased to report that Ben Franklin, creator of the Junto, has just received the MasterMind Worldwide Person of the Year Award!

The Marvelous Power of the MasterMind

MasterMind is a technique that many of us use in our everyday life without even realizing it.

A few examples of MasterMind groups are: a company Board of Directors, the Presidents Cabinet, a church board of deacons and/or elders, the U.S. Congress, a school PTA, a family strategy meeting or a business brainstorming session.

There are many, many more. Most MasterMind groups do not have the word "MasterMind" in their name.

Ben Franklin was one of America's most remarkable founding fathers. In addition to flying a kite during a lightning storm, he is remembered for being many things - a scientist, inventor, diplomat, humorist, business strategist, author, publisher and creator of the Junto.

Improving our World

In 1727, Benjamin Franklin and 12 of his friends formed the Junto - a club dedicated to mutual improvement. They shared a desire to improve themselves, their community, and to help others.

The Junto is recognized as the first MasterMind group organized in America and probably one of the earliest ones in the history of the world.

Take Advantage of the Power

He called it the Junto (which is Latin for "meeting") or the Leather Apron Club. At their meetings, they would debate questions of morals, politics, and natural philosophy and discuss business and other important topics of the day.

Using the remarkable creativity and power of the MasterMind during these weekly sessions, they made their world a better place.

Variety is the Spice of Life

The members of the Junto, pronounced who-n-toe, were drawn from a wide variety of occupations and backgrounds, including printers, surveyors, a cabinetmaker, a cobbler, a clerk, and a merchant.

Diversity leads to Dividends

The diversity of their backgrounds, combined with sharing the seasoned wisdom, knowledge and experience of the members during each Junto MasterMind session led to many marvelous, productive and profitable ideas.

Two Hundred Eighty Years of Success!

Many things that resulted directly from those early MasterMind sessions of Ben Franklin's Junto are still in existence today.

The Junto gave us our first public library, the first public hospital, volunteer fire departments, police departments, paved streets, the University of Pennsylvania and more.