2024 Annual Report

Letter from Chairman and Chief Executive Mary L. G. Theroux

Phil Magness’s joining us at the start of the year as the David J. Theroux Chair in Political Economy was an important milestone in solidifying Independent’s ongoing role in upholding and advancing liberty. The aftermath of a Founder usually poses a challenge to organizations, whether in the case of retirement or, as with Independent, premature death. The unfortunate result in too many cases has been for the organization to drift in its purpose—in the most extreme examples, to flip completely in its purpose and direction. Yet while David’s sudden passing was a tremendous loss to us all, we also never wavered in reaffirming Independent’s important, differentiated role in engaging in scholarly research in pursuit of truth, divorced from political considerations.

In the confusion and inherent contradictions in our culture today, David’s vision of creating an institute that would be well-received and influential within mainstream intellectual communities—in the academic world, in the media, in the many other intellectual markets, as well as in the popular culture of the public square—is more needed than ever.

A well-respected scholar in his own right, Phil not only has demonstrated his deep commitment to this true north, but brings with him years of experience in working on projects and with scholars of the highest caliber. We have been doubly fortunate in Phil’s longtime colleague Brad DeVos also joining us as Chief Operating Officer, rounding out our leadership team already including Graham Walker as President. Ably supported by Advisors, Fellows, and a staff deeply devoted to boldly advancing peaceful, prosperous, and free societies, grounded in a commitment to human worth and dignity, we thus eagerly embark into our future. Thank you for taking it on with us.