Spring 2007 Wachovia Distinguished Speakers series concludes Feb. 22

Virginia Tech's Pamplin College of Business will present two Wachovia Distinguished Speakers this spring.

Kurt Krause, general manager of the National Conference Center in Lansdowne, Va., will speak on Thursday, Feb. 15, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m., in Alumni Assembly Hall at the Holtzman Alumni Center. His lecture is titled “Steps to Success.”

Kent Guichard, president and chief operating officer of American Woodmark Corporation, will speak on Thursday, Feb. 22, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m., in Alumni Assembly Hall at the Holtzman Alumni Center. His lecture is titled “Building a Meaningful Career: Finding Work that Matters.”

Krause was until late last year vice president of business affairs at Virginia Tech, overseeing the physical plant, university architect, university police, human resources, real estate management, and environmental health and safety units. He joined the university in November 2003 after spending 22 years with Marriott International in various sales, marketing, and operations positions. He was recognized as Marriott’s General Manager of the Year in 1998 for his leadership of the Westfields Marriott in Chantilly, Va. His last position at Marriott was vice president of brand strategy for Renaissance Hotels. He also served as executive director of the office of consumer advocacy and initiatives for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Krause received a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Virginia Tech in 1980 and is completing a master’s degree in hospitality and tourism management. He has served as chair of the hospitality and tourism management department’s advisory board.

Located about 35 miles from Washington, D.C., the National Conference Center has 925 guest rooms and more than 250,000 square feet of meeting space. It is managed by ARAMARK Harrison Lodging, one of the largest operators of conference centers in the world, with more than 100 facilities worldwide.

Guichard joined American Woodmark, a leading manufacturer of cabinet and vanity products in 1993 as vice president of finance and chief financial officer. He was elected to the company’s board of directors in 1997. He was promoted to senior vice president and chief financial officer in 1999, executive vice president in 2004, and to his current position in 2006.

Guichard was previously a division vice president and controller of A.M. International, a manufacturer of binding and material handling equipment for the printing and newspaper industries. He had also worked eight years at the BFGoodrich Company, a manufacturer of specialty chemicals and aerospace products. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Santa Clara in 1978 and an MBA from the University of Virginia in 1983.

American Woodmark, located in Winchester, Va., is the third largest manufacturer of kitchen and bath cabinets in the United States. The company currently operates 15 manufacturing facilities in 10 states and various service centers across the country.

The Wachovia Distinguished Speaker series in the Pamplin College of Business is made possible by a grant from Wachovia Bank. Past speakers have included senior executives from Goldman Sachs International, AT&T, GE, IBM, Polo Ralph Lauren, and Ferguson Enterprises.

Virginia Tech’s nationally ranked Pamplin College of Business offers undergraduate and graduate programs in accounting and information systems, business information technology, economics, finance, hospitality and tourism management, management, and marketing. The college emphasizes the development of ethical values and leadership, technology, and international business skills. A member of its marketing faculty directs the interdisciplinary Sloan Foundation Forest Industries Center at Virginia Tech. The college’s other centers focus on business leadership, electronic commerce, and organizational performance. The college is committed to serving business and society through the expertise of its faculty, alumni, and students. It is named in honor of Robert B. Pamplin (BAD ’33), the former CEO of Georgia-Pacific, and his son, businessman and philanthropist Robert B. Pamplin Jr. (BAD ’64).