President and Ceo of Victoria’s Secret Capstone Speaker at 25th Annual Business Day at Colorado State University March 3

The president and chief executive officer of the leading lingerie retailer in the United States will be the capstone speaker at Colorado State University’s 25th annual Business Day on March 3.

Grace Nichols, president and CEO of Victoria’s Secret Stores since 1991, will speak at 1:15 p.m. in the Lory Student Center Main Ballroom. The event is free and open to the public. Nichols will present "Victoria’s Secret: The Modern Business Behind the Cultural Icon."  

Under Nichols’ leadership, the corporation has become the dominant specialty lingerie retailer with over 900 stores and more than 15 percent market share of the $12 billion domestic lingerie market. She joined Victoria’s Secret Stores in 1986 as vice president – general merchandise manager. In 1988, Nichols was promoted to executive vice president – general merchandise manager. Victoria’s Secret 2002 total brand sales were $3.5 billion.

Prior to joining Limited Brands, Nichols held various positions at The Emporium and two other Carter Hawley Hale Divisions, The Broadway and Weinstocks Department Stores.

Nichols was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve as a member of the Advisory Council for Trade Policy and Negotiations for a two-year term in 2003.

Sponsored by Colorado State’s College of Business, the Business College Council and the Associated Students of Colorado State University, Business Day will begin at 8:30 a.m. All events are free and open to the public, except the luncheon which requires advance reservations.

Other speakers for the day’s events include C. Greg Owsley, vice president of marketing for New Belgium Brewery, who will present "Values Driven Branding;" Yolanda Penley, who holds a doctorate in education leadership and policy, will present "How the Face of Corporate America has Changed to Incorporate Diversity;" Caroline Turner, former senior vice president for the General Council at Coors Brewery and Stephanie Allen, president of The Athena Group, who will present "Understanding Gender Differences – How it Affects Communication in Business;" and Allan R. Spies, board member and private investor, who will discuss "Corporate Ethic Scandals- How Will They Affect Your Entrepreneurial Career?"

Business Day was developed in 1979 by the Business College Council and the College of Business in cooperation with the Associated Students of Colorado State University. The first speaker who helped kick off the tradition of Business Day was Ronald Reagan, who then was the former governor of California. Malcolm Forbes followed the next year.

The Business Day luncheon will be held at noon in the West Ballroom. Tickets must be purchased in advance and cost $13. For more information or to purchase tickets for lunch, contact Gladys Eddy at (970) 491-5325.

A full roster of events follows. All events take place in the Lory Student Center on the Colorado State campus unless otherwise indicated.

–     8:30 a.m. – Room 224-226: Bill Shuster, career liaison, College of Business, "Career Destinations (S + R = O)."

–     9 a.m. – Room 228: Chris Osborn, president, First National Bank.

–     9 a.m. – North Ballroom: Jim Chavez, owner, Vita, "Networking, Relationships and Your Long-Term Success."

–     9 a.m. – Room 224-226: David King, majority owner and founder, Triple Crown Sports, "History of Business, Corporate Values and Culture."

–     10 a.m. – Room 228: C. Greg Owsely, vice president of marketing, New Belgium Brewery, "Values Driven Branding."

–     10 a.m. – North Ballroom: Yolanda Penely, Ph.D in education leadership and policy, "How the Face of Corporate America Has Changed to Incorporate Diversity."

–     10 a.m. – Room 224-226: William Weintraub, professor, University of Colorado, "Differentiating Brands in a Crowded Category."

–     11 a.m. – Room 228: Kurt Soukup, senior portfolio manager, Priton Capital, L.P., "The U.S. Mortgage Market."

–     11 a.m. – North Ballroom: Caroline Turner, former senior vice president for General Council Coors Brewery, and Stephanie Allen, president, The Athena Group, "Understanding Gender Differences- How it Affects Communication in Business."

–     11 a.m. – Room 224-226: Allan R. Spies, board member and private investor, "Corporate Scandals- How Will They Affect Your Entrepreneurial Career?"      

–     Noon – West Ballroom: Luncheon (tickets must be purchased in advance).

–     1:15 p.m. – Lory Student Center Main Ballroom: capstone speaker, Grace Nichols, CEO and president, Victoria’s Secret, "The Modern Business Behind the Cultural Icon."

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