COACH K/FUQUA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS CONFERENCE ON LEADERSHIP NOMINATED FOR AN ESPRIT AWARD BY THE INTERNATIONAL SPECIAL EVENTS SOCIETY

DURHAM, N.C. -- The International Special Event Society (ISES) has nominated Duke University's Coach K/Fuqua School of Business Conference on Leadership and event producer, The Special Event Company, for its ESPRIT Award under the category " Best Event with a Legacy." The conference is hosted by the Fuqua/Coach K Center of Leadership & Ethics (COLE).

ISES is dedicated to recognizing excellence in events and honoring those individuals whose vision and creativity make their events "special." The organization is comprised of over 4,000 event professionals in more than a dozen countries representing special event producers, destination management companies, special effects experts, party and convention coordinators, educators, journalists, and many more. This is the first nomination for the Conference on Leadership.

"We are very pleased that the conference has been recognized for its high quality content and experience. Credit goes to the faculty and staff who pulled together the program and to The Special Event Company who served as the event producer. To be recognized internationally is a great success," said Sanyin Siang, managing director of COLE. "This is another indicator of our conference's growing visibility as it progresses forward."

The fourth annual Conference on Leadership will be held October 17 - 19, 2005 , on Duke University 's campus. This year's conference theme, " Organizational Community: Cultivating shared purpose, ownership and success ," will address the challenge that all l eaders have to build a shared sense of community for their organizations.  

The Conference on Leadership presents an exciting learning experience that enables business leaders to anticipate tomorrow's opportunities and better lead their organizations. The format includes both plenary sessions and smaller breakout panels featuring top leaders of various industries who will be sharing their expertise and knowledge of the business world with conference attendees. The 2005 conference will specifically examine what leaders do to create communities that involve employees, customers, suppliers and others in building organizational success.

This year's Conference will feature many high-level speakers including: Coach Mike Krzyzewski, Duke Men's Basketball; Lionel Barber , Financial Times; Kimberly Jenkins , Internet Policy Institute; James Joseph , former U.S. Ambassador to South Africa; Rik Kirkland , FORTUNE Magazine; Gail Lione , Harley-Davidson; Robert Mallett, Pfizer Foundation; James H. Quigley , Deloitte & Touche USA; and Judy Woodruff , CNN.

The conference is a collaborative effort of Duke's Fuqua School of Business, Duke University Athletics, Duke Corporate Education and The Kenan Institute for Ethics.

Registration is open but space is limited. More information and registration information can be obtained by visiting www.ConferenceOnLeadership.com.

The Fuqua/Coach K Center of Leadership & Ethics (COLE) was established by the Fuqua School of Business (in collaboration with The Kenan Institute for Ethics and Athletics Department at Duke) to advance leadership and ethics through research and education. COLE strives to influence the way students, academics, corporations, governments and non-profits think about and practice business leadership and ethics.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, June 28, 2005

CONTACT: Jim Gray
(919) 660-2935
jigray@mail.duke.edu