April 22, 2008

Black alumni to gather at Purdue business summit in Chicago

A special evening reception is planned for Friday (April 25) aboard the Odyssey cruise ship at Chicago's Navy Pier. The reception and cruise will feature a keynote address by Don Thompson, president of McDonald's USA. Thompson was recently named the 2007 Corporate Executive of the Year by Black Enterprise.

Saturday's summit will feature more than 10 African-American CEOs and other executives, including:

* Harold Mills, CEO of Zero Chaos Inc., a $500 million staffing business.

* Sheri Wilson-Gray, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of Brown Shoe Co., a $2 billion company.

* Jerry Burris, president of Barnes Industrial, a $7 million business with more than 65 locations around the globe.

Felicia Middlebrooks, anchor and reporter of the WBBM-AM 780 morning drive, Chicago's highest rated morning show, will emcee the summit.

The summit highlights the professional achievements of African American Purdue alumni and provides a platform for learning, growth and networking in the corporate environment.

For more information or to register, go to https://www.pbao.org. To register by phone, contact Kim Berman at (765) 494-8014.

Writer: Tanya Brown, (765) 494-2079, tanyabrown@purdue.edu

Source: Nicki Reas, (765) 496-6193, nreas@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

Note to Journalists: Media are invited to attend the Purdue Black Alumni Organization's 2008 Business and Leadership Summit in Chicago on April 26. For more information, contact Tanya Brown, Purdue News Service, at (765) 494-2079, tanyabrown@purdue.edu

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