A Fireside Chat Speaker Series

The Cox School hosts an Executive Leadership Speaker Series each academic year to help spotlight our emphasis on leadership as a core pillar of our business school curriculum.

You are invited to be inspired.

The complimentary series will be conducted in a fireside chat format moderated by 糖心vlog视频 Cox Associate Dean of Graduate Programs and Executive Education Shane Goodwin. We seek to invite speakers from a range of industries and fields who will share their leadership journeys to help inspire current and future leaders in the audience.

Join us to hear exceptional leaders share their stories, insights, and wisdom from their leadership path, so you can forge yours.

Why Leadership?

Leadership ability is a critical component of employee and organizational success. However, the overwhelming consensus among employers is that too many business professionals lack critical-thinking skills to solve unstructured problems creatively, the ability to communicate effectively, work collaboratively and adapt to changing priorities.

In collaboration with our corporate partners, we invite you to join us for fireside chats with stand-out leaders that will leave you inspired. Speakers will share how they approach ambiguity, face critical decisions, keep their team motivated, adapt to rapid innovation, and maintain professional and personal growth.

The audience will leave with concrete takeaways to forge their own leadership style.

2025-26 Events

Events are complimentary and open to students, alumni, faculty, staff, and the business community at every leadership level. Seating is limited to the first 300 registrants. 

Speakers:

Anne Chow

Lead Director, Franklin Covey Board of Directors, Former CEO of AT&T Business
Wednesday, September 3
5:15-6:15PM Fireside Chat, 6:15-7PM networking reception
James M. Collins Executive Center
Register to Attend

Steve Jones

Global Chairman and CEO, Allied Universal
Tuesday, September 23
5:15-6:15PM Fireside Chat, 6:15-7PM networking reception
James M. Collins Executive Center


Merrilee Kick

CEO, GourmetLand Foods, Founder and Strategic Advisor, Buzzballz, LLC
Tuesday, October 21
5:15-6:15PM Fireside Chat, 6:15-7PM networking reception
Crum Family Auditorium, David B. Miller Business Quadrangle


Roland Dickey, Jr.

CEO, Dickey’s Capital Group
Wednesday, November 5
5:15-6:15PM Fireside Chat, 6:15-7PM networking reception
James M. Collins Executive Center

Leadership And Learning Culture

The NextGen Cox Curriculum integrates the three foundational pillars to develop business school graduates who are “future prepared”. Cox graduates demonstrate both technical skills, and people skills to confidently navigate any business environment. Cox graduates are equipped with a curriculum anchored in analytical rigor, refined leadership skills to support complex problem-solving and knowledge with practical application gained through hands-on experiential learning. Read more about our NextGen Curriculum here.


Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau