CONTACT: Bill Johnson, Director of External Relations 610-758-3172 Marilynne Herbert, College Connections 212-734-2190
For Immediate Release - October 13, 1997
JAPANESE, CANADIAN, & U.S. CORPORATE, ACADEMIC HEADS TO MEET AT LEHIGH UNIVERSITY OCTOBER 23-24 TO DISCUSS CREATIVITY AND COLLABORATION
Bethlehem, PA -- Leaders of U.S., Canadian and Japanese corporations and universities, the twin engines of economic growth in technologically advanced nations, will meet at Lehigh University Oct. 23-24 to focus on creative and collaborative strategies for infusing entrepreneurial spirit in these systems.
A joint initiative of the Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF) of the U.S. and parallel organizations in Japan and Canada, the conference promises to provide a lively exchange of ideas and perspectives that will lead to increased partnerships among North American and Japanese companies and universities, say conference organizers.
Sessions will be held in the 1,000-seat Baker Hall of Lehigh's new Zoellner Arts Center, as well as in Zoellner's 300-seat Diamond Theater, where simultaneous Japanese translation will be provided.
Lehigh students will participate in the workshop, particularly Japanese language students and Iacocca Scholars who will serve as hosts for the visiting dignitaries.
"Industry is in agreement that universities worldwide should adapt to the changes in the global economy more than they have thus far," says Peter Likins, a member of the U.S. forum executive committee, president of the University of Arizona as of October 1 and president of Lehigh for 15 years prior to the Arizona appointment. "The cultural differences among nations are not as pronounced as the cultural differences within each nation between industry and the academy. I find that pretty remarkable."
In addition to Likins, U.S. speakers include Bill Hittinger, interim president of Lehigh; Phillip Carroll, president and chief executive officer of Shell Oil Co., and chairman of the BHEF; Cornelius Pings, president, Association of American Universities; Betty Alewine, president and chief executive officer of COMSAT Corp.; Curtis Barnette, chairman and chief executive officer of Bethlehem Steel Corp.; William Hecht, chairman, president and chief executive officer, PP&L Resources, Inc.; Patrick Parker, chairman, Parker Hannifin Corp.; Talbot D'Alemberte, president, Florida State University; D. Doyle Daves, dean, school of science, Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute; and David Hardesty, president, West Virginia University.
Speakers from Japan include: Toshihito Kohara, leader of the Japanese delegation and chairman, NGK Insulators, Ltd.; Tetsuhiko Ikegami, president and chief executive officer, NTT Advanced Technology Corp.; Shuzaburo Takeda, executive director of the Business-University Forum of Japan; Hirofumi Kataoka, senior executive advisor, Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd.; Koichi Yoshima, director, Institute of Technology Education, NEC University, Ltd.; and Yasunori Nishijima, former president of Kyoto University.
Representatives from Canada include Norman Wagner, executive director of the Corporate-Higher Education Forum of Canada; Donald Wells, president of the University of Regina; David Strangway, president of the University of British Columbia and chairman of the forum.
The day before, Joseph Perella, managing director of Morgan Stanley, will lead executives and faculty in a discussion, "Reinventing the Corporation for the 21st Century" in Zoellner.
Presentations will be made by Warren Musser, chairman and chief executive officer, Safeguard Scientifics; Richard Gurin, president and chief executive officer, Binney & Smith Inc.; Robert Tuefel, president, Rodale Press Inc.; Joel Spira, chairman and chief executive officer, Lutron Electronics Inc.; Richard Roca, vice president, AT&T Labs; Robert Day, chairman and chief executive officer, Trust Co. of the West; and Peter Bridenbaugh, executive vice president, ALCOA.
Dinner speaker on October 23 will be Samuel McCullough, Pa. secretary of community and economic development.
Sponsors of the event include Air Products & Chemicals Inc., Bethlehem Steel Corp., Binney & Smith, COMSAT Corp., General Motors Corp., Kalmbach Charitable Trust, The Kauffman Foundation, Lutron Electronics, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp., Parker Hannifin Corp., PP&L, Shell Oil Co., AMP Industries, Rosenbluth Travel and Lehigh's Iacocca Institute.
-30-
RSS