Ethics in Corporate America Addressed by Colorado State University and the University of Texas-Austin Oct. 30-31

With the wave of recent corporate scandals, a renewed focus on business ethics has become a critical building block in improving consumer confidence in corporate America. Toward that end, Colorado State University’s College of Business, in conjunction with The University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business, will offer a comprehensive symposium addressing business ethics.

The business ethics symposium, "The New Challenge for Business Schools and Corporate Leaders," will run from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 30 and 31 at Colorado State’s Executive MBA Center, 1445 Market St. in Denver.

Corporate and organizational panelists/speakers include:

–     Lynn Brewer, Chairman of International Society of Ethics Examiners;

–     Ken Hunter, Council of Better Business Bureau, president and chief executive officer, BBB Online;

–     Marjorie Kelly, co-founder and editor of Business Ethics magazine;

–     Toby Bishop, president and CEO of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners;

–     Wayne Murdy, chairman and CEO of Newmont Mining;

–     Roger Nanney, regional managing director, Deloitte and Touche;

–     Monica Pleiman, president and CEO of Optimum Management Systems; and

–     Allan Spies, board member of private and public companies and past CFO of USWest.

"Although Enron was the first to fall, it would appear as though we now have an epidemic of failed ethics which is clearly bred in a company’s culture – not its accounting schemes," said Lynn Brewer, author of "House of Cards: Confessions of an Enron Executive" and chairman of the International Society of Ethics Examiners. "It is only through programs like the Business Ethics Symposium that we will begin to understand our individual roles in the development of our corporate culture. As a former Enron executive who contributed to the culture that ‘required’ the manipulation of earnings to survive, I look forward to not only sharing my personal experiences but perhaps more importantly learning from the other participants about how we prevent the next Enron."  

Business scholars also will deliver presentations on a variety of topics including "Ethical Leadership and Creating Value for Stakeholders," "Corporate Governance," "Why Ethics and Profits Can and Must Work Together" and "Ethical Leadership Development."

"The McCombs School of Business views ethics as an intensely relevant aspect of business practice," said Robert A. Peterson, associate dean for research at the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin and co-chair of the symposium. "It is imperative that academe and industry collaborate in forcefully addressing ethical issues that are critical to the survival of business as we know it."

The symposium will focus on the new challenge for business schools and corporate leaders to recognize and deal with complex ethical issues in business, which has become a significant priority in 21st century corporations and organizations. The two-day symposium will provide business schools, corporations and other key stakeholders with current research, knowledge and best practices on business ethics in America.

"The symposium will provide an opportunity to address some of the most important issues facing corporate America and business schools," said O.C. Ferrell, director of Colorado State’s Center for Business Ethics and Social Issues and co-chair of the symposium. "One of the more important topics of the symposium will involve business panels discussing the ramifications of the 2002 Sarbanes Oxley Act and ethical leadership."

The symposium is specifically designed for CEOs, business leaders, ethics officers, board members, representatives of business and professional/trade associations, business school deans, administrators, scholars and anyone who is responsible for implementing business ethics programs in organizations.

Sponsors of the Business Ethics Symposium include Business Ethics Magazine, IC2 Institute at The University of Texas at Austin, Cutco/Vector Marketing Corporation, Newmont Mining, Deloitte & Touche, Ethicspoint, Madhuri & Jagdish N. Sheth Foundation, Direct Selling Education Foundation, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Houghton-Mifflin Company.

More information about speakers and registration can be found at

www.e-businessethics.com, by calling (970) 491- 4291 or e-mailing liza.hunn@colostate.edu.

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