On behalf of Civic Ventures’ staff and board, I want to express deep sadness over the death of 2009 Purpose Prize winner Henry Liu, who was killed in a car accident on Tuesday. Our condolences go out to Professor Liu’s family and to his colleagues. It is especially sad to lose an extraordinary person, at the peak of his creative powers, in the midst of making some of his greatest contributions to humanity.

As his son Jerry commented recently, his father was working harder today that at any point in his life: “He’s always wanted to change the world. Success to my dad isn’t about making money. It’s about leaving the world a better place.” Teacher, mentor, inventor and social entrepreneur Henry Liu has left the world a better place at many levels and in so many ways.