SEC chief, Obama’s top consumer advocate at journalists' conference

The Society of American Business Editors and Writers is holding its annual conference on the SMU campus April 7-9.

The Society of American Business Editors and Writers meet on the campus of SMU in April 2011

DALLAS — Key members of the Obama administration will join top CEOs as featured speakers at the annual conference of business and financial writers at Southern Methodist University on April 7-9.

The Society of American Business Editors and Writers are hosting their 48th annual conference, to be held at SMU’s James M. Collins Executive Education Center, 3150 Binkley Ave. More than 350 top financial journalists from top U.S. and multinational media organizations are expected to attend this year’s event, which is being hosted by SMU’s Meadows School of the Arts and the Department of Journalism.

Set to speak are government financial leaders:

  • Mary Schapiro, chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
  • Elizabeth Warren, assistant to President Barack Obama, in charge of setting up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
  • Richard Fisher, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and voting member of the Federal Open Market Committee.
  • Ron Kirk, U.S. Trade Representative and former Dallas mayor.

Those officials join an elite group of CEOs, including:

  • Gerard J. Arpey, chairman and chief executive of Fort Worth-based American Airlines Inc.
  • Gary C. Kelly, chairman and chief executive of Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Co.
  • Kip Tindell, chairman and chief executive of The Container Store;
  • Walter Robb, co-chief executive of Whole Foods Market Inc.
  • Aubrey McClendon, chairman and chief executive of Chesapeake Energy.

The Society of American Business Editors and Writers meet on the campus of SMU in April 2011The conference kicks off Thursday evening with appearances by two top business leaders:

  • Neal Mohan, vice president of product management at Google, will address conference attendees.
  • Roger Staubach, the famed former quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, will be the featured speaker at the opening reception of the conference.

The conference will also feature winners of SABEW’s Best in Business Journalism competition, recognizing the best business news reporting during 2010.

Founded in 1964, SABEW is the preeminent organization for business journalists in North America. It counts among its members more than 3,200 of the leading business writers, columnists and editors from large international papers, national newspaper chains, wire services, television and magazines.

For a complete schedule and speaker times, see the schedule at www.sabew.org

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