EAST LANSING, Mich. (March 13, 2008) – The Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University (MSU) is proud to welcome Kenneth Sommer (BA Accounting '80), consultant and former CEO of Visa International as the keynote speaker for the 2008 Broad Executive Forum - Chicago. The event will be held Thursday, May 15, at the University Club of Chicago, and the day’s topic is “Taking Charge: Corporate structure transformation when driven by external forces.”

"We strive to bring timely topics to our alumni and friends at this annual business event," says Robert Duncan, the Eli and Edythe L. Broad Dean at the Broad School. "With a topic taken right from today's business news pages and blogs, participants will hear about the market place and business environment factors that led to restructuring for Visa, the world's largest credit card network, to merge as Visa Inc. The company's long-awaited, multi-billion dollar IPO is expected soon."

The forum schedule will start at 4 p.m. with a faculty-led workshop conducted by Michael Mazzeo, associate dean for Undergraduate Programs and Finance at the Broad School. He will discuss corporate control governance, mergers and acquisitions At 5 p.m., Dean Robert Duncan, along with Mazzeo and the Broad School's director of Corporate and Academic Relations will discuss Broad School programs that develop leaders for the global marketplace. The keynote speech will start following a reception and dinner at 6:15 p.m.

The conference fee (including dinner) starts at $130 with discounts for MSU Alumni Association members and recent alumni. Details are available at www.bus.msu.edu/alumni/events.cfm or by phone at 517-432-7442. Information about event sponsorships is available by email request to alumni@bus.msu.edu .