The post The Ayn Rand Center, a Permanent Home for the Legacy and Future of Ayn Rand’s Ideas appeared first on The Ayn Rand Institute.
]]>AUSTIN, Texas, June 5, 2026 — The Ayn Rand Institute today announced the creation of the Ayn Rand Center, a landmark cultural and educational institution dedicated to preserving Ayn Rand’s intellectual legacy, expanding the reach of her ideas, and inspiring new generations of thinkers, creators, entrepreneurs, and students. Continue reading…
The post The Ayn Rand Center, a Permanent Home for the Legacy and Future of Ayn Rand’s Ideas appeared first on The Ayn Rand Institute.
]]>The post Ayn Rand Conference Comes to Dallas appeared first on The Ayn Rand Institute.
]]>At AynRandCon–Dallas, attendees will explore the ideas of Ayn Rand, author of the bestselling novels Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead. Rand is known for championing individualism, capitalism, and the virtue of selfishness.
The event will feature a keynote presentation titled “Reason, Purpose, Self-Esteem” with Dr. Gregory Salmieri; a talk titled “Capitalism: The System of Individual Rights” with Dr. Yaron Brook; and a talk titled “How to Be the Hero of Your Own Life” with Tal Tsfany, the Institute’s CEO.
“Rand’s ideas have the power to get people really thinking,” said Tsfany. “This event will highlight her inspiring insights into personal success and happiness, and offer tools for applying them to one’s own life. We hope many curious and passionate minds will join us for this engaging event.”
The content is designed to appeal to everyone, including those who have recently discovered Rand’s books or who have not read Rand and want to learn what she’s all about. Free Rand books will be available at the event.
The Institute anticipates the event connecting like-minded people, cultivating a community of individuals who enjoy discussing vital philosophical topics. AynRandCon–Dallas will create space for networking and thoughtful discourse, with lunch and an evening reception included in the cost of registration.
AynRandCon–Dallas is part of a nationwide series of Ayn Rand Conferences. In January, AynRandCons took place in Orange County and San Francisco. Future 2020 AynRandCons will take place in Philadelphia and Chicago. To view the complete list of scheduled AynRandCons, visit aynrand.org/aynrandcon.
For questions about the conference and registration discounts, please contact events@aynrand.org.
About ARI
The Ayn Rand Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that promotes the works and philosophy of Ayn Rand, author of Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead. The Institute fosters a growing awareness, understanding and acceptance of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism, to create a culture whose guiding principles are reason, rational self-interest, individualism and laissez-faire capitalism—a culture in which individuals are free to pursue their own happiness.
For information contact:
The post Ayn Rand Conference Comes to Dallas appeared first on The Ayn Rand Institute.
]]>The post Ayn Rand Institute Board Of Directors Update appeared first on The Ayn Rand Institute.
]]>About ARI
The Ayn Rand Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that promotes the works and philosophy of Ayn Rand, author of Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead. The Institute fosters a growing awareness, understanding and acceptance of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism, to create a culture whose guiding principles are reason, rational self-interest, individualism and laissez-faire capitalism—a culture in which individuals are free to pursue their own happiness.
For information contact:
The post Ayn Rand Institute Board Of Directors Update appeared first on The Ayn Rand Institute.
]]>The post Ayn Rand Institute Names New CEO appeared first on The Ayn Rand Institute.
]]>“Jim Brown is a significant supporter of ARI, and he took on the role as CEO in 2016 with the proviso that he would help find a long-term CEO within three years,” said Yaron Brook, ARI’s chairman of the board. “Tal had been interested in the ARI CEO position for several years, but, until recently, personal and career considerations made the commitment impossible. About a month ago, he resolved these matters and was ready to commit.”
“Tal has worked with our staff to adopt technical tools and services that greatly enhance our mission,” said Jim Brown, ARI’s current President and CEO. “In addition, he’s a strategic thinker and has extensive experience in leading teams toward growth and increased performance. This is a unique opportunity to get a long-term CEO who can take us to a new level of productivity and influence, and I am very excited about it. In the coming weeks, we’ll work to make the transition as thorough and seamless as possible. There are great things ahead for ARI.”
Asked about his new role, Tsfany said, “I am honored and excited to lead ARI in spreading Objectivism and improving the lives of many individuals through the depth and power of Ayn Rand’s philosophy.”
Tal Tsfany is an entrepreneur, investor and a business executive in the technology field. Most recently Tal was the VP Customer Success at Mulesoft (Nasdaq: MULE) and served as a board member at Base CRM, a fast-growing software company based in Mountain View, Calif. Tal relocated to the US from Israel in 2006 with Amdocs, a telecommunications software company. In Israel, he was the CEO of Kidum, the largest private education company before it was sold to Kaplan University. Tal is also the co-founder of the Ayn Rand Center Israel.
About ARI
The Ayn Rand Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that promotes the works and philosophy of Ayn Rand, author of Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead. The Institute fosters a growing awareness, understanding and acceptance of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism, to create a culture whose guiding principles are reason, rational self-interest, individualism and laissez-faire capitalism—a culture in which individuals are free to pursue their own happiness.
For information contact:
The post Ayn Rand Institute Names New CEO appeared first on The Ayn Rand Institute.
]]>The post Heather Mac Donald + Steve Simpson + Dave Rubin Ask: Are We Killing Free Speech? appeared first on The Ayn Rand Institute.
]]>Instances of students using force to silence non-conformist speakers have become commonplace on college campuses. In the last year there have been numerous violent disruptions of speakers’ appearances at universities, including Middlebury, Claremont McKenna and UC Berkeley itself, effectively stifling the public voicing of alternative viewpoints.
“The free speech crisis on college campuses threatens the very possibility of a peaceful, civil society,” says American political commentator, essayist, attorney and journalist Heather Mac Donald, “But that crisis is an outgrowth of an even more dangerous problem: the cultivation of a victim mentality in an ever-growing number of individuals and identity-based groups.”
Steve Simpson, director of Legal Studies at the Ayn Rand Institute, emphasizes that “the purpose of the right to free speech is to protect our right to think for ourselves and to communicate with others, which are two of the pillars of a modern, free society.”
This event, hosted by Berkeley College Republicans and the Ayn Rand Institute will be a lightning rod for those intolerant of politically incorrect voices and promises to be controversial.
Ayn Rand once said that “a gun is not an argument.” “The reverse is also true—” wrote Simpson recently in The Hill, “an argument is not a gun. If we forget the difference, we will end up with guns settling our disputes, rather than arguments.”
Steve Simpson is a constitutional lawyer and director of Legal Studies at the Ayn Rand Institute. He is the editor of Defending Free Speech (ARI Press, 2016).
Heather Mac Donald is the Thomas W. Smith Fellow at the Manhattan Institute.
Dave Rubin is an American political commentator, satirist, and talk show host. He is the creator and host of the political talk show The Rubin Report.
About ARI
The Ayn Rand Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that promotes the works and philosophy of Ayn Rand, author of Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead. The Institute fosters a growing awareness, understanding and acceptance of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism, to create a culture whose guiding principles are reason, rational self-interest, individualism and laissez-faire capitalism—a culture in which individuals are free to pursue their own happiness.
For information contact:
The post Heather Mac Donald + Steve Simpson + Dave Rubin Ask: Are We Killing Free Speech? appeared first on The Ayn Rand Institute.
]]>The post Ayn Rand Institute Board of Directors Update appeared first on The Ayn Rand Institute.
]]>The Institute has also announced that Arline Mann, who has served on the board since 1994 at different times as a member, co-chair and chair, has decided to retire from the board. She departs with ARI’s gratitude for her very important contributions to the Institute’s health and growth.
About ARI
The Ayn Rand Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that promotes the works and philosophy of Ayn Rand, author of Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead. The Institute fosters a growing awareness, understanding and acceptance of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism, to create a culture whose guiding principles are reason, rational self-interest, individualism and laissez-faire capitalism—a culture in which individuals are free to pursue their own happiness.
For information contact:
media@aynrand.org
The post Ayn Rand Institute Board of Directors Update appeared first on The Ayn Rand Institute.
]]>The post Think Tank Gives 4 Million Free Books To Teachers appeared first on The Ayn Rand Institute.
]]>“ARI offers free classroom sets of Ayn Rand’s novels Anthem, The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged to any high school teacher who wants to teach them in their classroom,” says Jim Brown, president and CEO of ARI. “Before the program, Rand’s books were underrepresented in the classroom when compared to other well-known literary works. This milestone is significant because it shows we’re systematically changing that trend. With donor support, ARI is introducing more and more young people to Rand’s works and thought-provoking ideas.” https://www.aynrand.org/educators/free-books-high-school
Early next year, an ARI donor and sponsor of the Free Books to Teachers program will present one lucky teacher with the four millionth book and a ceremonial plaque honoring the landmark achievement.
“After reading the books, many students enter our annual essay contests for Anthem, The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged,” adds Brown.
‘We’ve held worldwide essay contests for students for more than thirty years with roughly 20,000 submissions each year. The Institute will award $130,000 in prize money across three contests in 2018.” https://www.aynrand.org/students/essay-contests.”
“And 2018 is also the 75th anniversary of Rand’s The Fountainhead,” says Brown. “A variety of activities and events celebrating the best-selling novel and its continued impact on the culture are already in the works.”
For information contact:
The post Think Tank Gives 4 Million Free Books To Teachers appeared first on The Ayn Rand Institute.
]]>The post Allison, Christensen, Mayhew Join ARI Board of Directors appeared first on The Ayn Rand Institute.
]]>John Allison is an Executive in Residence at the Wake Forest School of Business. He is a member of the Cato Institute’s board of directors and chairman of the Executive Advisory Council of the Cato Institute’s Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives. Allison was a member of the board of directors of the Ayn Rand Intitute from November 2010 to September 2012. From October 2012 to April 2015, he was president and CEO of the Cato Institute. Allison was chairman and CEO of BB&T Corporation, the 10th-largest financial services holding company headquartered in the United States. During his tenure as CEO from 1989 to 2008, BB&T grew from $4.5 billion to $152 billion in assets. The Harvard Business Review recognized him as one of the top 100 most successful CEOs in the world over the last decade.
Lars Seier Christensen co-founded the Danish Saxo Bank in 1992. After twenty years as CEO, he stepped down in 2016. Still a major shareholder in Danish Saxo Bank, he founded his own private equity firm, Seier Capital, with investments in business ranging from IT start-ups to the Danish gourmet restaurant Geranium. Recently he made newsworthy returns on his early investment in Bitcoin.
Dr. Robert Mayhew, Ph.D. in philosophy, is professor of philosophy at Seton Hall University. He specializes in ancient philosophy, and has recently completed books on Aristotle’s lost work on Homer and on Theophrastus’ On Winds. His most recent work on Ayn Rand is an annotated edition of her previously unpublished play The Unconquered (Palgrave Macmillan, 2014).
“Our prestigious new board members bring an extraordinary breadth of talent and insight to the table,” said ARI CEO and president Jim Brown, “and we are honored that they have officially joined our team.”
In addition, former ARI executive director Yaron Brook has been named chairman of the board.
Brook is an internationally renowned speaker, co-author of In Pursuit of Wealth: The Moral Case for Finance, and host of “The Yaron Brook Show” on The Blaze Radio and BlogTalkRadio.
For additional information, please contact:
The post Allison, Christensen, Mayhew Join ARI Board of Directors appeared first on The Ayn Rand Institute.
]]>The post The Ayn Rand Institute Confirms Objectivist Summer Conference 2017 Speakers appeared first on The Ayn Rand Institute.
]]>Full programming details are available at objectivistconferences.com. Following are highlights:
Objectivist Summer Conference is the largest annual gathering of Objectivists in the world. “The conference is a unique opportunity to learn about Ayn Rand’s ideas and how they relate to today’s cultural and political issues,” said Anu Seppala, director of Cultural Outreach at ARI.
For information contact:
Visit objectivistconferences.com or email at media@aynrand.org.
The post The Ayn Rand Institute Confirms Objectivist Summer Conference 2017 Speakers appeared first on The Ayn Rand Institute.
]]>The post Ayn Rand in A-Level Curriculum in United Kingdom — 2017 curriculum for A-Level Politics taught in secondary and pre-university schools includes Ayn Rand as a key thinker appeared first on The Ayn Rand Institute.
]]>ARI executive chairman Yaron Brook said, “I just returned from speaking at some of the most prestigious high schools in England: Eton, Westminster, Harrow, Oxford High School, Radley, Headington, and Winchester. These students are exceptionally bright—they will be the political, business and intellectual leaders of tomorrow. Because of this curriculum change and ARI’s efforts, in addition to the multitude of political ideas they are exposed to, they will now be exposed to Ayn Rand’s. These students will get to grapple with a diverse worldview and build up their own respective intellectual muscles through the new curriculum.”
A-level specifications require students to know and understand the core ideas and principles of liberalism, socialism, conservatism and other political ideologies. Rand will be incorporated into the conservatism segment of the curriculum alongside other intellectual giants.
Rand’s inclusion in the curriculum should hearten all those who believe in a rich and diverse discourse— regardless of political stripe. Its benefits will redound to the UK’s students, and the nation as a whole.
About ARI
The Ayn Rand Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that promotes the works and philosophy of Ayn Rand, author of Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead. The Institute fosters a growing awareness, understanding and acceptance of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism, to create a culture whose guiding principles are reason, rational self-interest, individualism and laissez-faire capitalism—a culture in which individuals are free to pursue their own happiness.
For interviews, contact:
The post Ayn Rand in A-Level Curriculum in United Kingdom — 2017 curriculum for A-Level Politics taught in secondary and pre-university schools includes Ayn Rand as a key thinker appeared first on The Ayn Rand Institute.
]]>