BlackRock's Rob Kapito, Miami Real Estate Mogul R. Don Peebles and Marion Jones to be Featured at the Wharton School's Whitney M. Young Memorial Conference 2010

Philadelphia, PA, February 11, 2010 --(PR.com)-- The 36 Annual Whitney M. Young Memorial Conference, hosted by the African American MBA Association (AAMBAA) at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, will feature the Mayor of Philadelphia, a former Olympian, CNN’s Chief Business Correspondent and the National Urban League’s CEO.

The conference will be held on February 20th, 2010, at the Hyatt at the Bellevue in Philadelphia, PA. The theme of this year’s Conference is entitled “The Turning Point.” On the heels of an unprecedented economic and global political crisis, we will explore the phenomena of turning points in the lives of extraordinary people, companies, and cities. Our speakers will share how they recognize and leverage the opportunities that significant change presents. To register and learn more about the conference, visit www.wmyconference.com.

Their lists of exciting sessions include:

· Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, along with Dana L. Redd, the Mayor of Camden, will be featured on our “Turning Around Cities” panel in which they will discuss turnaround strategies for cities
· Ali Velshi, CNN’s Chief Business Correspondent, will give us a behind-the-scenes look into the high-impact news stories confronting the world today
· Bonnie St. John, a phenomenal woman who, after having her right leg amputated at the age of five, became an Olympian in 1984. Now, she is a motivational speaker and author inspiring both men and women with her message of joy, hope and empowerment.
· R. Don Peebles, the founder and CEO of the Peebles Corporation, is a real estate entrepreneur and developer with a $4 billion portfolio of luxury hotels and high-rise residential and Class A commercial properties and developments, will share the secrets to success from his entrepreneurial experiences
· Marion Jones, a former track & field champion ran into trouble after admitting to using performance-enhancing drugs, will be featured on our “Crisis Management in Sports” panel
· Rob Kapito, the President and cofounder of BlackRock, a global investment management firm with over US$3.35 trillion assets under management, will be featured on our “What’s Changed in Finance” panel

Speakers from the following organizations will also be in attendance: Polo Ralph Lauren, Carat USA, Novak Biddle Partners, Weber Shandwick, Credit Suisse, JP Morgan, and Rutgers University.

The conference would like to express thanks to the following sponsors: UBS, Citi, Credit Suisse, Exelon, Bank of America, Accenture, McKinsey & Company, Accenture, Colgate, and Bain & Company.

Registration includes admission to the following events: New Venture Competition, Opening Luncheon, 2nd Annual Women’s Breakfast, and the Closing Gala & Afterparty. To register and learn more about the conference, visit www.wmyconference.com.

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About The Wharton School
The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania -- founded in 1881 as the first collegiate business school -- is recognized globally for intellectual leadership and ongoing innovation across every major discipline of business education. The most comprehensive source of business knowledge in the world, Wharton bridges research and practice through its broad engagement with the global business community. The school has more than 4,600 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students; more than 8,000 annual participants in executive education programs; and an alumni network of more than 82,000 graduates.

About the 36th Annual Whitney M. Young, Jr. Memorial Conference
Now in its 36th year, the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Memorial Conference has grown to be the leading conference for current & future business leaders, entrepreneurs and change makers. The conference is produced and hosted by the African American MBA Association, a non-profit, student-run organization of The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.