Jersey City, N.J. – CNN’s chief business correspondent and host of television news program Your $$$$$, Ali Velshi will serve as the keynote speaker for the Saint Peter’s College 38th Annual Regents Business Symposium. Taking place on Friday, November 6, 2009 from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Jersey City on the Hudson, the forum is designed to inform and discuss current events in business and politics. The topic, “Restoring Confidence: From Crisis to Recovery,” will be addressed by three additional business leaders.
In addition to Your $$$$$, a weekly show that breaks down the business news of the week and reveals how it impacts viewers’ bottom line, Velshi hosts a wide array of CNN programs, including Issue # 1 and the call-in radio program The Ali Velshi Show. He is also a recent host of The Turnaround, CNN’s small business improvement show, which helps troubled small business owners develop a successful business plan by working with high-profile mentors.
Velshi, a veteran of financial news, has covered groundbreaking business news, including the U.S. government’s bailout plan, the financial collapses of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, AIG and Lehman Brothers, as well as the Enron story. Additionally, he reported live from Ford headquarters in Dearborn, Mich., when the company announced the layoff of 30,000 workers. Velshi also reported live from an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico amid evacuation calls for Hurricane Katrina.
Born in Kenya and raised in Toronto, Velshi graduated from Queens University in Canada with a B.A. in religion. Velshi’s first book, Gimme My Money Back: Your Guide to Beating the Financial Crisis, was released in January 2009.
Additional distinguished speakers participating in the Regents Business Symposium include:
Byron Pitts
CBS News Chief National Correspondent and Contributing Correspondent, 60 Minutes
Known for his thought-provoking coverage and his commitment to exceptional storytelling, Byron Pitts is a multiple Emmy Award-winning journalist. As chief national correspondent for The CBS Evening News with Katie Couric, Pitts was an embedded reporter covering the Iraq War and was recognized for his work under fire. Pitts was also CBS’ lead correspondent at Ground Zero immediately following the September 11 attacks and won an Emmy for his coverage. Pitts was named a contributing correspondent to CBS’ 60 Minutes earlier this year.
Kathleen Fitzgerald ’71
Chief Communications Officer, KPMG LLP
Since 2006, Kathleen Fitzgerald has led internal and external communications for KPMG in the United States (KPMG LLP) and for KPMG International. Prior to her work with KPMG, Fitzgerald served as senior vice president of public relations and advertising for Lucent Technologies, leading the company’s global communications efforts and helping them to be named one of Fortune magazine’s “Most Admired Companies” in 2000 and one of their “Best Companies to Work For” in 1999. She also has been of counsel to Text 100, a global technology public relations firm, helping to develop their global corporate communications practice.
P. Brett Hammond
Managing Director and Chief Investment Strategist, TIAA-CREF
As managing director and chief investment strategist of TIAA-CREF, Brett Hammond advises clients across the country on issues relating to the macro economy, financial markets and long-term investing. His research on asset allocation has been integral to the development of TIAA-CREF’s Lifecycle Funds, Asset Allocation and Advice Services. A member of the Forbes.com Intelligent Investing Channel’s All-Star Investor Panel, Hammond has been quoted by such business and local media outlets as The New York Times and CNNMoney, and has appeared on CNBC and Bloomberg Television.
Now in its 38th year, the Regents Business Symposium is a forum designed to inspire and educate an audience of all ages, professions and industries regarding business trends, challenges and best practices. It provides an opportunity for some of the nation’s greatest innovators, leaders and entrepreneurs to share their personal experiences and practical solutions for growing businesses. Held again this year on the Jersey City waterfront, an emerging corporate marketplace, the Symposium has grown in scope and regional relevance to become the signature annual event for Saint Peter’s College and the surrounding business community.
Admission is $85 for the public, $70 for alumni and $35 for young alumni. For more information, please contact Jenny Campbell at (201) 761-6112 or jcampbell1@spc.edu, or visit www.spc.edu/businesssymposium.
Saint Peter’s College is the Jesuit College of New Jersey. Founded in 1872, Saint Peter’s has an enrollment of approximately 3,000 students in undergraduate and graduate programs. The main campus is located in Jersey City with a branch campus in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, with courses at various corporate sites at the Jersey City waterfront and in South Amboy, NJ.