9/14/05 Contact: Dina Kanellos, 334/844-2203 (kaneldi@auburn.edu)
David Granger, 334/844-9999 (grangdm@auburn.edu)

NELSON TO BE VISITING EXECUTIVE IN AUBURN COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

AUBURN – Kent C. (Oz) Nelson, retired chairman and chief executive officer of UPS, will be the Lowder Visiting Executive in the Auburn College of Business on Friday, Sept. 16.

Nelson was UPS chairman and CEO from November 1989 to December 1998. He continued to serve on the Board until 2002 when he stepped down after 43 years with UPS.

Under Nelson’s leadership, UPS made major investments to broaden its global position and its leadership role in logistical services. Among those investments were significant commitments in information technology to assure instant global communications regarding its shipments.

During his tenure at UPS and since his retirement, Nelson has been active with numerous not-for-profit organizations, including the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta, the Carter Center of Emory University, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Jim Casey Youth Opportunity Initiative and the National Museum of Patriotism.

He has been active in a number of educational initiatives, serving as chairman of the Partnership for Kentucky School Reform and the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Education Committee and as a member of the Georgia Governor’s Education Reform Commission. He still serves on the Georgia Education Leadership Committee.

A native of Kokomo, Ind., Nelson received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Ball State University in 1959. His alma mater has since honored him with its Distinguished Alumni Award in 1991 and its Business Hall of Fame Award in 1990. He holds honorary doctoral degrees from several universities, and currently serves as a guest lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

During his visit to Auburn, Nelson will speak to several business classes as well as participate in a student roundtable discussion. Members of the community are invited to join students at 11 a.m. in Lowder 129 as Nelson speaks to the undergraduate International Marketing course.

The Robert and Charlotte Lowder Visiting Executive-in-Residence Program provides students and faculty with an opportunity to interact with prominent executives for an open exchange of views on current issues. Through this vital program, executives are brought into the classroom to offer students first-hand information about the complexities of the business world, while giving them the inspiration they need to seek new ways to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

The program is made possible through the generous endowment of Robert and Charlotte Lowder, of Montgomery. Mr. Lowder is a 1964 graduate of the College of Business and CEO of Colonial BancGroup. A longtime supporter of Auburn University, he currently serves on the AU Board of Trustees.

Auburn University is a preeminent land-grant and comprehensive research institution with more than 23,000 students and 6,500 faculty and staff. Ranked among the top 50 public universities nationally, Auburn is Alabama’s largest educational institution, offering more than 230 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs.

(Contributed by Dina Kanellos.)

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