LOS ANGELES, March 19, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- The Los Angeles Chapter of Financial Executives International (FEI) will present Katherine Haley Will, Whittier College's 13th president and the first woman to hold the position in the College's 114-year history, as the speaker of its Annual Academic Night. Will is going to address the organization's members at the Jonathan Club at 6:00 PM on March 20, 2003.
In her speech, Will is going to discuss the importance of a liberal arts education. Before hearing Will's presentation, the chapter will present scholarships to four outstanding accounting and finance students currently enrolled at universities and colleges in the greater Los Angeles area.
Reservations for members and their guests can be made through the web site at www.fei.org/chapter/LA and clicking on the "Meetings and Events" tab and the "Detail" button. Reservations may also be made by calling 213-243-7648 or emailing Lucinda Hill at hillthinq@aol.com. Los Angeles area financial executives who wish to join the organization are invited to visit the web site or contact Ed Hupp at 626-852-7214 or via email at Ehupp@rainbird.com for more information. Credentialed media are invited to attend with prior approval.
As president at Whittier College, Kate Will has recently completed the fundraising for a $15 million expansion of Whittier's Bonnie Bell Wardman Library. President Will led the process of creating a ten-year strategic plan for the College, approved in November 2001 by the Board of Trustees. Will also initiated a complete redesign of the College Web site, and has overseen the College's reaffirmation of accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Prior to assuming her duties at Whittier, Will was provost and professor of English at Kenyon College, where she served as leader of the college's faculty, academic program, and curriculum. She has also served as dean of graduate study at Augustana College. The author of numerous published works on Victorian literature, women's literature, and trends in educational technology, Will earned her master's and doctoral degrees in English from the University of Illinois, Champaign/Urbana. Her Bachelor of Arts degree is from Tufts University and she studied at Carleton College. She also holds an honorary doctorate from Tufts University.
Will's community and professional involvement includes service on the boards of the United Way of Greater Los Angeles, the Foundation for Independent Higher Education, and the executive committee of the Association for Independent California Colleges and Universities. She also serves on the boards of the National Association of Independent Colleges & Universities (NAICU) and the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) and on the Commission on Government and Public Affairs of the American Council on Education (ACE).
Founded in 1931, Financial Executives is a professional association for senior level financial executives, representing 15,000 individuals. Headquartered in Florham Park, N.J. with office in Washington, D.C., the organization is comprised of 86 chapters across the United States and Canada and nine technical committees.
The organization's mission is to provide leadership on merging issues concerning the financial community, personal and professional development, advocacy services and peer networking opportunities for chief financial officers, vice presidents of finance, controllers, treasurers, tax executives, and finance and accounting professors in academia. Other typical titles held by FEI members include assistant controller, subsidiary chief financial officer or controller, assistant treasurer and director of tax.