Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson will be the featured speaker in the Wichita State University Alumni Association-sponsored Rise & Shine Distinguished Alumni Speaker Series Wednesday, Jan. 20.
The event is scheduled in the Marcus Welcome Center.
The breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m., with informal lectures at 8 a.m., followed by a question-and-answer period that ends at about 8:30 a.m.
There is an admission charge, and advance reservations are required. The cost is $18 for alumni association members, $20 for nonmembers and $10 for students.
Speaker information and online reservations are available at http://webs.wichita.edu/alumni/breakfast2009.asp. For additional information, contact the WSU Alumni Association at (316) 978-3290.
Parkinson, ’80, became Kansas’ 45th governor in April 2009. This WSU secondary education graduate has targeted economics, energy and education, a trio of difficult and interwoven issues.
A successful businessman and former legislator, Parkinson graduated summa cum laude from WSU and first in his class from the University of Kansas School of Law. After entering private practice, he formed his own law firm in 1986.
He was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in 1990 and two years later to the Kansas Senate. In 2006, he joined Gov. Kathleen Sebelius as lieutenant governor. Under his political leadership, wind farms have tripled in Kansas, and the state (the future home to the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility) is leveraging resources from the American Recovery Act to create jobs, rebuild infrastructure and continue investment in public schools.
Following is a list of other speakers in the 2009-10 breakfast series:
Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010
Herb Krumsick, ’66, senior vice president of J.P. Weigand & Sons Inc., Wichita, has 40 years of experience in real estate, having brokered, bought and/or sold more than
$1 billion in commercial projects during his career. He has given more than 285 speeches and seminars on a national basis, is a partner and real estate asset manager for three groups of investors, and is a stockholder in the ownership of millions of square feet of commercial real estate.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Kevin Hooper, fs ’99, who enjoyed a 10-year playing career in professional baseball, was named manager of the Wichita Wingnuts in 2009. During his pro career, he won three championships, spent parts of two seasons in the Major Leagues and totaled 1,116 base hits. Prior to turning pro, he was a four-year star at WSU, helping the Shockers reach the College World Series in 1996. He still ranks in the Top 10 in Shocker history in runs (5th, 287), hits (7th, 315), doubles (7th, 58) and triples (9th, 17).
Friday, April 30, 2010
Julie-Ellen Acosta, ’80/'84, is vice president of Leadership Talent Management, an HR function within The Boeing Co. In this role, she is responsible for the selection and development of employees who will become future company leaders. She also takes the lead on providing managers and employees with the tools they need to build leadership skills that align with key company areas. Prior to her current position, she served as vice president of aerostructures, manufacturing and support technologies for Boeing Phantom Works (now Boeing R&D).