For his distinguished career in international business, Francisco "Frank" Pedraza '55, MBA '57, received the 2009 Clifton R. Wharton Emerging Markets Award April 24.

Created in 2007 by Cornell's Emerging Markets Program, the award honors the work of economist Clifton R. Wharton in the areas of philanthropy, higher education, business and public policy. The Emerging Markets Program, founded in 2001, is part of the Department of Applied Economics and Management in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS).

Pedraza's career in business management and marketing was honed over years of successful international work with leading marketing companies. Positions he held include: general manager of Procter & Gamble in Central America; vice president of marketing for PepsiCo in Japan; vice president of Kraft Foods in Latin America; and vice president of international business development for Chiquita Brands.

In these positions, Pedraza made efforts to expand markets in emerging countries, establishing sustainable businesses that have contributed significantly to local economic development.

After retiring in the mid-1990s, Pedraza connected with the nonprofit sector as a management consultant, working with such nongovernmental organizations as Booz-Allen-Hamilton/USAID, International Executives Service Corps, U.S. Market Development Group, and Land-O-Lakes Foundation and Market Matters Inc. In the past five years Pedraza has worked with consumer products companies in such countries as Macedonia, Panama, Uganda, Republic of the Congo and Mozambique.

Pedraza was born and raised in Colombia. He and his wife have four children, all Cornell graduates, and three grandchildren currently studying at Cornell.

Pedraza has been a member of the Dean's Advisory Council in CALS and is a member of the Cornell University Council.

The award event concluded with the recognition of eight Cornell students who traveled in January to conduct research and assist local businesses in emerging markets in Botswana, Kenya and South Africa.