Tag: Leaders in Business

On Friday, Oct. 24, business leaders from St. Louis and across the Midwest attended the Leaders in Business Summit at Olin. Seats were reserved for students to attend and interact with these local leaders, participating in a discussion on the direction of local involvement in global business.

Highlights included a panel discussion with the local CEOs of Build-a-Bear, Bissinger’s Handcrafted Chocolatier, and Medical Transportation Management, Inc. Specialized Masters Program (SMP) students asked questions of these business leaders that focused on expanding Olin’s reputation nationally and internationally, and transition opportunities for international students from Olin to St. Louis businesses.

Olin student leaders were also in attendance.

For the 5th consecutive year, the Leaders in Business Summit gathered senior executives from the St. Louis region to hear from an impressive line-up of speakers, engage with their peers and Olin faculty and students. Co-hosted by Olin and Deloitte, the event took place on September 25th, and was attended by more than 130 delegates.

The topic of this year’s Summit: “Stable or Stalled: What’s Next for the Economy?”, couldn’t be more relevant for business leaders, who led their organizations through the 2008 financial crisis and deal today with critical questions about economic stability and recovery.

The session kicked off with a riveting speech delivered by Ron Kruszewski (pictured above), Chairman, President & CEO of Stifel, one of the nation’s largest full-service brokerage and investment banking firms. The need to embrace market capitalism, tax and immigration reforms, job creation, and energy independence were some of the key issues Mr. Kruszewski addressed as essential on the road to recovery.

Pictured left to right: Robert F. O’Loughlin, Mark Trudeau, Dr. Timothy Eberlein and Professor Bart Hamilton.

The conference continued with a panel discussion highlighting St. Louis as a hub for entrepreneurship, moderated by Olin Professor Bart Hamilton.

The attendees had an opportunity to hear first-hand about innovation, strengths and challenges that face three successful business leaders in our region: Mark Trudeau, President & CEO, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals; Dr. Timothy Eberlein, Director of Siteman Cancer Center and Chairman, Department of Surgery, Barnes Jewish Hospital; and Robert F. O’Loughlin, Chairman & CEO, Lodging Hospitality Management.

Pictured left to right: Dr. Patricia Buckley, Professor Stephen Williamson and Rodney Kinzinger.

Finally, one of Washington University’s most prominent economists, Professor Stephen Williamson, and Deloitte’s Director of Economic Policy & Analysis, Dr. Patricia Buckley, shared their thought-provoking ideas on monetary policy and perspectives for economic recovery.

We are already looking forward to next year’s Leaders in Business Summit!