Starbucks prez sips brew at DPU

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Sip free Starbucks coffee and hear from the DePauw University graduate who is the chain's U.S. president, when Jim Alling presents the Timothy and Sharon Ubben Lecture at 8 o'clock tonight in Meharry Hall of East College.

Following Alling's speech, "Growing Big, Staying Small at Starbucks," guests are invited to a free coffee tasting event. They'll also receive a sample of Starbucks product at the event.

In his DePauw address, Alling -- a 1983 graduate of the University -- will talk about the road that brought him from Greencastle to Starbucks headquarters in Seattle, and how the company is striving -- as its mission statement asserts -- to provide "an uplifting experience that enriches people's lives one moment, one human being, one extraordinary cup of coffee at a time," while embracing an array of socially responsible policies and initiatives.

Jim Alling graduated from DePauw with a bachelor's degree in economics and Spanish, then earned a master's degree in international management from the American Graduate School of International Management.

He joined Starbucks in September 1997 after a lengthy career with Nestl/ USA.

The Ubben Lecture Series' recent visitors have included For One More Day author Mitch Albom and biologist E.O. Wilson in Fall 2006. Other past Ubben Lecturers have been: Mikhail Gorbachev, Peyton Manning, Spike Lee, Shimon Peres, Benazir Bhutto, General Colin Powell, Mike Krzyzewski, Jesse Jackson, L. Paul Bremer, ice cream entrepreneurs Ben & Jerry, Rev. Jesse Jackson, General Wesley Clark, Hotel Rwanda's Paul Rusesabagina, Ross Perot, and Harry Belafonte. All Ubben Lectures are free and open to the public.

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