The CEO

What is it like being a CEO? What critical traits, leadership skills and personal abilities do you need to make it to the top ... and be successful when you get there? How do you balance between setting strategy, creating innovative products, being a change agent, being an inspirational leader, managing through turbulent times, being customer intimate, raising capital, and stepping aside when needed? Who do CEOs look to for advice? The December 5th Forum will bring together a panel of high-tech CEOs who have led one or more companies through growth and change. In this forum, you will have an opportunity to hear their "lessons of experience" on their path to CEO, what surprised them when they got there and trials and tribulations of being a CEO. For those of you aspiring to be CEOs, you will have an opportunity to gain an insight into what you can do to prepare yourself to be a CEO. Moderator: Peter R. Giulioni, Jr., Partner, Deloitte Consulting Presenting CEO: Bill Owens, co-CEO, Teledesic (Former Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff) Panelists:
Suzan DelBene, CEO, Nimble Technology John Holt, CEO, The Cobalt Group Michael Schutzler, CEO, Classmates.com Specifically, the panelists will explore: . Meeting the unexpected challenges of being CEO . Leading the organization through change and tough times . Communicating short vs. long term vision . Balancing stakeholders' interests: customers, employees, investors . Being an inspirational and effective leader . Keeping a finger on the organization's pulse . Setting strategy to meet customer needs and staying one step ahead of the competition The MIT Enterprise Forum of the Northwest (MITEF) is a volunteer, non-profit organization chartered to foster entrepreneurial activities in the Pacific Northwest. It provides today's fast-moving start-ups and emerging growth companies with a chance to learn from the experiences of their peers and competitors, gain feedback and insight from leading industry experts, and establish relationships with potential business partners. MITEF is affiliated with the Alumni Association of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and all events are open to anyone interested in growing or enhancing a business. For more information, visit our website at www.mitwa.org or view MITEF's newsletter Forum Focus at www.web.mit.edu/entforum/www/focus_online/Issues.html. The highly interactive session will allow our expert panelists to share their experiences, knowledge and viewpoints, and give audience members an opportunity to ask questions. Register now, and join us on Wednesday, December 5, 2001 at 5:00p.m., at the Bellevue Hyatt Regency. Tickets for the December event are $35 per person, $45 after Friday, November 30, space permitting. Prepaid reservations are required, and may be arranged as follows: register online at www.mitwa.org or call (206)283-9595. VISA, MasterCard and American Express are welcome. Companies may reserve a table of 10. Social hour and registration begin at 5:00 p.m. Dinner is served at 6:15 p.m. Panel presentation to follow.