In June, the Executive MBA Council Board of Trustees approved four new full academic members and four new corporate members.

Newly approved academic members include:

• Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology – KAIST
• Brazilian Business School
• University of Virginia
• Institute de Empresa

Newly approved corporate members include:

• Academy for International Education
• Microsoft Corporation
• Orion Worldwide Travel
• The Planning Shop

The Executive MBA Council Board of Trustees elected George Bobinski as chair and Diane Badame as vice chair for 2004-2005.

Bobinski, associate dean at Binghamton University/SUNY, currently serves as vice chair of the 2003-2004 board. Badame, associate dean at the University of Southern California, also serves on the current board and was recently elected to another term.

The Executive MBA Conference, set for Oct. 30-Nov. 2 in San Francisco, features two outstanding keynote speakers, as well as a diverse slate of developmental workshops and concurrent sessions.

Best-selling author and visionary leadership development architect, Susan Scott will share the leadership power of dialogue as the opening keynote speaker.

For 13 years, Scott ran think thanks for CEOs through TEC Worldwide, a company dedicated to improving the effectiveness and enhancing the lives of CEOs. She designed and delivered training to peers who worked with CEOs in 18 countries, as well as engaging in more than 12,000 hours of one-to-one conversations with CEOs.

In 1999, she founded Fierce, Inc., and wrote the best-selling book based on her innovative perspective on leadership, Fierce Conversations–Achieving Success at Work and In Life, One Conversation at a Time. It became one of USA Today’s top 40 business books of 2002. Scott is recognized as a thought leader in the areas of leadership development and cultural transformation.

Conference participants who attend the keynote address on Sunday will receive a copy of Scott’s book.

The closing keynote features a unique legal voice. A partner in the New York office of Pillsbury Winthrop LLP, Maria T. Galeno has taught trial advocacy for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy and also appeared on Court TV as a criminal defense expert. Appointed by former mayor Rudy Giuliani, she served on the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary from 1994 to 2001.

Galeno currently represents clients in government investigations that involve securities fraud, mail fraud, tax fraud, and antitrust violations. As a former Assistant United States Attorney, she prosecuted drug, bank robbery, public corruption, and securities and fraud cases.

In her keynote, Galeno will look at news-making white collar criminal investigations, such as those of Martha Stewart and Ken Lay, and talk about her experiences in trying corruption and securities fraud cases and in working with Giuliani. She also plans to address the issue of ethics and include her thoughts about teaching ethics in Executive MBA Programs.

The developmental workshops and concurrent sessions also offer a range of topics – from Ethics and Social Responsibility to ROI of Alumni Involvement to Career Management and much more. Check out the list of titles at: http://www.emba.org/acrobat_pdf/conf04/2004_conf_agenda_081204.pdf

Don’t miss the early bird conference registration deadline of Sept. 3, and, in the United States, remember to vote in advance!

Register before the early registration deadline of Sept. 3 to save: Rates for members (EMBAC/AACSB/GMAC/EFMD) are $895 for the first two members from your school and $795 for each additional team member. After September 3, rates increase to $1,095 and $995 respectively. The Executive MBA Toolkit is an additional $195 per person.

» Register online (Secure "Fillable" Adobe PDF)

Also to U.S. participants: Don’t forget to vote early. This year’s conference will take place during the 2004 U.S. national election. Please plan to file your absentee ballot before you leave for the conference.

The 2004 Executive MBA Council Conference offers opportunity for networking, professional development, and camaraderie. It also offers schools opportunities to sponsor major conference events including breakfasts, coffee breaks, lunches, receptions, and dinners.

Schools can contribute in ways that they feel affordable and appropriate. Many events will have multiple sponsors. Contributors will be recognized at the sessions, on the conference banners and may distribute giveaways. There are still available sponsorship opportunities. Contact Barry Van Dyck, University of Notre Dame, barry.vandyck.1@nd.edu or Tony Hansford, University of California at Irvine, hansford@gsm.uci.edu with questions, ideas, and requests.