'CEO Boot Camp' Program Continues and Evolves to Address Challenges of New CFOs and CHROs

NEW YORK, Aug. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Korn/Ferry International , along with The Wharton Club of New York and Boot Camps Unlimited, today announced their next "CEO Boot Camp," following a successful inaugural event earlier this year. In addition, due to the merit and success of the program, Korn/Ferry announced plans to expand the Boot Camp series to new CFOs and new Chief Human Resources Officers (CHROs).

Each Boot Camp is an intensive, two-day program, which includes interactive sessions covering a variety of leadership and governance issues, V.I.P keynote addresses and networking opportunities. The first CEO Boot Camp, held in May 2005, engaged recently appointed CEOs in discussions including: aligning and developing talent, and linking team actions to plans and rewards. Estee Lauder Chairman Leonard Lauder, the keynote speaker, offered his perspective and advice regarding the challenges and opportunities of growing a multi-national business. The next CEO Boot Camp, to be held September 19-20, 2005 in New York, will feature keynote speaker John E. Pepper, the retired chief executive of Procter & Gamble, who spent 38 years with the consumer products giant.

"The Boot Camp program allows new CEOs from diverse backgrounds to engage in forums, which better equip them for the challenges of the current business environment," said Joe Griesedieck, vice chairman and managing director of the CEO practice at Korn/Ferry International. "Given the increasing pressure that new CEO's are under today, in combination with a growing sense of isolation at the top, this intimate setting presents a unique opportunity for these executives to further hone their leadership skills in the company of a select number of their peers, better equipping them to achieve their own organization's objectives."

Similar programs are currently being designed for new CHROs and CFOs. The first CHRO Boot Camp is scheduled for November 7-8, 2005 in New York and the first CFO Boot Camp is planned for November 14-15, 2005, also in New York.

"The program is designed specifically for new executives and gives these top-level managers the opportunity to build mutually beneficial relationships with peers and functional experts. Senior executives of companies with over $500 million in sales want to engage with one another. There is nothing else like this available to them," noted Kenneth Beck, president of The Wharton Club of New York. "In addition to learning from the speakers, these executives can and will learn from each other. "

These events are facilitated by Boot Camps Unlimited, an entity created by Beck and George Bradt, CEO and managing director of the on-boarding and executive transition firm PrimeGenesis.

About Korn/Ferry International

Korn/Ferry International, with more than 70 offices in 35 countries, is the premier provider of executive search, outsourced recruiting and leadership development solutions. Based in Los Angeles, the firm partners with clients worldwide to deliver unparalleled senior-level search, management assessment, coaching and development, and recruitment outsourcing services through its Futurestep subsidiary. For more information, visit the Korn/Ferry International Web site at http://www.kornferry.com/ or the Futurestep Web site at http://www.futurestep.com/.

About The Wharton Club

The Wharton Club of New York is the networking, career guidance, educational and social forum for the 18,000 plus MBA and undergraduate Wharton alumni in the New York City metropolitan area. The club conducts a variety of events each year through the coordinated hard work of alumni, who are dedicated to the furtherance of the Wharton network and to giving back to the Wharton School and community at large. For additional information, visit http://www.whartonny.com/.

About PrimeGenesis

PrimeGenesis is an executive on-boarding and transition acceleration group that helps leaders in challenging and new positions develop high-performing teams in their first 100 days to deliver sustainably better results faster and reduce the risk of failure. Its expert specialists have senior line management and organizational consulting experience with leading companies throughout the world and are based in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and London. For additional information, visit http://www.primegenesis.com/.

About Boot Camps Unlimited

Boot Camps Unlimited was the brainchild of Kenneth Beck, President of The Wharton Club of New York. Kenneth is a lifelong entrepreneur who has started and run several successful ventures. He was most recently CEO of Beck Office Furniture until he sold it in May 2004. He and George Bradt created Boot Camps Unlimited to help new CXO level executives build and maintain long term relationships with each other while providing an extensive network of CXO level private resources unavailable anywhere else in the world. There's more about them at http://www.bootcampsunlimited.com/.