Athens, Ga. — Two Caterpillar Inc. executives will open the 2012–2013 Terry Leadership Speaker Series at 11:15 a.m. Sept. 7 at the University of Georgia Chapel.
The series, which brings corporate leaders to campus to share their philosophies and practices of leadership, opens with Doug Oberhelman, chairman and CEO of Caterpillar Inc., and Kent Adams, vice president of Caterpillar Inc. and president of Caterpillar Financial Services Corp.
Sponsored by the Institute for Leadership Advancement at the Terry College of Business, the student-led event is free and open to the public. A reception for Oberhelman and Adams will take place at 10:45 a.m. on the Chapel lawn. Following the talk, the speakers will field questions from student attendees.
Caterpillar, which has long been a popular internship destination for Terry students, is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment. It recently announced it is constructing a one-million-square-foot-facility in Bogart that is expected to directly employ about 1,400 people when fully operational, making it the biggest economic development in Georgia since Kia’s LaGrange plant.
Oberhelman joined Caterpillar in 1975 and has held a number of financial and marketing positions in North and South America. In 2002, he was elected a group president and held responsibility for financial products, legal services, auditing and compliance, global purchasing, human services, remanufacturing, corporate treasury, tax and investor relations. In October 2009, the Caterpillar Board of Directors named Oberhelman vice chairman and CEO-Elect. During this time, he led a team that developed the future strategic plan for the company. Oberhelman was elected CEO and a member of the Board of Directors July 1, 2010, and became chairman Nov. 1, 2010.
Adams joined Caterpillar in 1979 and has held various positions with responsibilities in the U.S. and abroad, most recently serving as executive vice president with responsibility for North America operations. On Feb. 1, 2005, the Caterpillar Board of Directors named Adams a vice president, and on March 1, 2005, he was named president of Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation.
The Institute for Leadership Advancement is a privately funded unit housed in the Terry College of Business. Through a variety of academic and leadership development opportunities, it prepares students for leadership roles in the private and public sectors.