Chick-fil-A, Cubs execs to lecture at ND

Chick-Fil-A, Cubs execs among speakers for Notre Dame lecture series

Top executives from organizations ranging from Chick-Fil-A to the Chicago Cubs will speak as part Boardroom Insights, an annual speaker series hosted by the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business.

Boardroom Insights presents top executives from some of the largest companies in the nation speaking about current trends in their industries, as well as their personal career paths. Lectures, which are free and open to the public, are held on select Fridays from 10:40 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. in Mendoza’s Jordan Auditorium.

The schedule to date includes:

• September 1: Byron Spruell, president of league operations for the National Basketball Association. Spruell, a Notre Dame MBA alumnus, oversees critical league operations, as well as the processes regarding the management of rule changes, training of game officials, the enforcement of conduct standards and discipline, and the application of analytics and innovation on the future of the game. 
• September 8: Dan Cathy, chairman and CEO of Chick-Fil-A. Named as chairman and CEO in 2013, Cathy has served as the president and chief operating officer since 2001. The Atlanta-based fast-food restaurant is one of the nation's largest family-owned businesses.
• October 6: Diane M. Aigotti, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Ryan Specialty Group, an international specialty insurance organization with 1,700 employees worldwide. Aigotti, a Notre Dame MBA alumna, has been with Chicago-based RSG since its founding in 2010.
• November 3: Paul Reilly, chairman and CEO of Raymond James Financial. The Notre Dame MBA alumnus was named CEO in May 2010, after joining the firm’s management team as president and CEO-designate in May 2009. His previous executive positions include serving as chairman of Korn/Ferry International, a global provider of talent management solutions with more than 90 offices in 39 countries, as CEO of KPMG International, a firm of more than 100,000 employees with annual revenues of $12 billion.
• November 17: Crane Kenney, president of business operations for the Chicago Cubs. Crane is responsible for the strategic direction of the Cubs business operations and the development of the Wrigleyville campus. He began his career with the Cubs in 1994 as an attorney, representing the Cubs in sponsorship, concession, media rights, municipal and MLB negotiations.

Additional speakers may be added to the Boardroom Insights Series at a later date.

The series is sponsored by the Eugene Clark Distinguished Lecture Series endowment. For more information about Boardroom Insights 2016, visit mendoza.nd.edu or contact program manager Jean Meade at Jean.Meade@nd.edu or 574-631-3277.