OSU brings in industry stalwarts for second annual energy conference; Pickens will speak as keynote

Monday, April 21, 2008

(Stillwater, OK   April 21, 2008) - Oklahoma State University’s Spears School of Business is bringing together some of the nation’s leading experts for its second annual energy conference --  “A Bright Future for Oklahoma”  -- at the Cox Business Services Convention Center on Wednesday, April 23, from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.  

 A capacity crowd of 470 will hear T. Boone Pickens, top executives from Devon Energy, Chesapeake Energy and SandRidge Energy, and other experts discuss important energy topics including the emerging biofuels industry, the future of Oklahoma energy, investment banking in the energy industry, Oklahoma energy and business and international energy issues.

 “OSU is pleased to host this conference. This is a timely and excellent opportunity to hear from some of the nation’s leading experts and discuss issues that are important to the future of energy production and security. We are proud to have distinguished OSU alumni T. Boone Pickens, Chuck Watson from Lehman Brothers, and Jeff Fisher from Chesapeake Energy, as part of an impressive lineup of national and Oklahoma energy executives,” said OSU President V. Burns Hargis, who will interview Pickens for the conference’s keynote address..   

 “The conference is exciting in that some of the state's top energy business leaders will address pertinent topics to help understand and potentially predict what the future might bring in this area,” said Sara Freedman, dean, OSU Spears School of Business.

 Other 2008 Energy Conference speakers include Larry Nichols, Chairman and CEO, Devon Energy Corporation; Tom Ward, Chairman and CEO, SandRidge Energy, Inc.; Pete Delaney; Chairman, President and CEO, OGE Energy Corp.; Bobby Wegener, Deputy Secretary of Energy, State of Oklahoma; Ray Huhnke, OSU Professor of Biosystems and Agriculture Engineering; Steve Rhines, General Counsel, Noble Foundation; David King, President, Completions and Production Division, Halliburton Company; Greg Pipkin, Managing Director, Lehman Brothers Inc.; and Mark Stansberry, Chairman, The GTD Group and author of the book, The Braking Point.

 The conference boasts 20 corporate sponsors and is coordinated by the OSU Center for Executive and Professional Development in the Spears School of Business. The response has been so overwhelming that a waiting list is in use for this year’s conference. Please check the website at www.cepd.okstate.edu   or call 1-866-678-3933 or 405-744-5208 if you would like to be placed on the mailing list for the 2009 Energy Conference.