October 10, 2005

Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin will be a featured speaker at this weeks first major professional development conference at Columbus State Universitys Cunningham Center for Leadership Development.

Franklin will highlight the second day of the Monday-Tuesday conference with a 12:30 p.m. speech at the center that opened in June.

The Womens Development Conference: Skills, Strategies and Inspiration for the 21st Century, targets women who aspire to develop skill sets that will move them toward their career goals and increase their value in the corporate world.

Besides Franklin, other featured speakers are entrepreneur and author Carol Gardner and Columbus Bank and Trust President and CEO Steve Melton .

Other first-day speakers scheduled Monday included Linda Hadley, Ph.D., dean of CSUs D. Abbott Turner College of Business ; Nancy Johnson, administrative director of the John B, Amos Cancer Center ; and retired Synovus Senior Vice President Nancy Buntin, leading a 4:20-5 p.m. panel discussion.

One of the greatest benefits for participants will be the opportunity to listen and learn from women who come from diverse backgrounds with success in a wide variety of endeavors, said Helen Johnson, vice president of community development for Columbus Bank and Trust, who will direct a Tuesday workshop, Can You Hear Me Now? Communication Skills That Convey Confidence, Competency and Influence. All of the presenters have over 25 years of professional experience that gives them a broad view of the dynamics of todays workplace.

Other workshop presenters on the conferences second day:

• Kathelen Amos : Conflict Management: Strategies That Work
• Beth Bussey : Youre Taking Care of Everyone Else, Whos Taking Care of You?
• Deborah Lane : Developing 21st Century Leadership Skills
• Audrey Tillman : Time/Life Management

Individual tickets are available at $35 each for both the 7 p.m. Monday dinner banquet featuring Carol Gardners keynote speech, and the 12:30 p.m. Oct. 11 luncheon and address by Franklin. Call 568-5101 regarding the individual tickets.

For more information, contact Ed Helton at 568-5101 or by e-mail at helton_ed@ColumbusState.edu