TLSS Archives
Michele Burns, BBA 1979, MAcc 1980
Chairman and CEO, Mercer LLC
October 2, 2009
Audio Podcast
Michele Burns (BBA '79, MAcc '80) is chairman and CEO of Mercer LLC, a global leader for consulting, outsourcing, and investments, and a subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc. Burns began her career in 1981 at Arthur Andersen and became a partner in 1989. In 1999, she joined Delta Air Lines, assuming the role of chief financial officer in 2000. From 2004 to 2006, she served as CFO and chief restructuring officer of Mirant Corp. Upon successful emergence of the company from bankruptcy, she joined Marsh & McLennan as CFO in 2006. She assumed the role of chairman and CEO of Mercer six months later. Burns serves on the boards of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Cisco Systems Inc. She also serves on the board of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, where she holds the title of treasurer.
Peter N. Foss
President, Olympic Sponsorship and Corporate Sales, General Electric
November 20, 2009
Audio Podcast
Peter Foss has served as president of GE Olympic sponsorship since 2003. In 2008, he took on additional responsibilities for sales force effectiveness and corporate sales. Foss is responsible for coordinating GE's global Olympic sponsorship, as well as serving as GE's liaison with the NFL. In addition, he leads a team whose goal is to develop and implement growth strategies with a select group of GE's strategic global customers. A 31-year GE veteran, Foss previously served for six years as the president of GE Polymerland, which is the commercial organization representing GE Plastics and was an early adopter and leader in e-commerce. Prior to that, he was a regional general manager for four of the GE Plastics regions. He is a graduate of Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, where he earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry, and lives in Charlotte.
Al Koch
Vice Chairman and Managing Director, AlixPartners
February 25, 2010
Audio Podcast
Al Koch is a vice chairman and managing director with AlixPartners, which provides comprehensive business advisory services to improve corporate performance and execute corporate turnarounds. As one of the firm's senior directors, Koch has led a wide range of significant turnaround and restructuring engagements. Koch is presently the CEO of Motors Liquidation Co., formerly known as General Motors Corp. Just prior to this, he was the chief restructuring officer of General Motors as the automaker made the largest industrial bankruptcy filing in U.S. history. Since filing for bankruptcy protection, GM completed a quick sale of its "good" assets to a new company, General Motors Co. As CEO of Motors Liquidation Co., Koch is responsible for winding down the assets and liabilities of "Old GM" in a way that is fair to all constituencies. Formerly a partner with Ernst & Young, Koch is a graduate of Elizabethtown College.
Co-Sponsored by Beta Alpha Psi
James H. Reese
President and CEO, Atlanta Union Mission
April 2, 2010 @ 10:00 am
Jim Reese is the president and CEO of Atlanta Union Mission, a nonprofit Christian ministry that provides emergency shelter, meals and recovery programs. In the private sector, Reese previously served as president and chief operating officer of CCCi, an Atlanta-based IT staffing company. Prior to CCCi, he was the CEO of Randstad North America, with oversight for Randstad United Kingdom, and a member of the executive board of Netherlands-based Randstad Holding NV. As CEO of Randstad North America, Reese had responsibility for more than 500 offices and 2,300 staff members, who together put more than 53,000 individuals to work each week across the United States and Canada. Prior to joining Randstad, Reese was the COO of the Honeybaked Ham Co. He is a board member of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education and a graduate of Western Michigan University.
Contact Information
University of Georgia
301 Brooks Hall
