AFSM International Announces Keynote Speakers for 34th S-Business Education Summit and Expo

Business Wire, May 18, 2004

Business Editors

FORT MYERS, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 18, 2004

Dr. W. Michael Cox leads dynamic lineup of entertaining, insightful, and thought-provoking world-class headliners.

The Association for Services Management International (AFSMI), the worldwide association for executives and managers in the customer services and support for technology-based products and services--s-business--industry, today announced the keynote speakers for its annual S-Business Education Summit and Expo to be held October 3-6 at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine, Texas. This year's keynote speakers are headed by Dr. W. Michael Cox, senior vice president and chief economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and professor of economics at Southern Methodist University. Joining Dr. Cox as keynote headliners are Stephen W. Brown, Ph.D., Edward M. Carson Chair in Services Marketing, professor of marketing, and director, Center for Services Leadership, Arizona State University; David M. Clementz, executive vice president of service delivery for EDS; Scott A. Dougall, general manager technical support executive - Americas, IBM Global Services; and Steve Smith, co-author of the international bestseller businessThink: Rules for Getting It Right--Now, and No Matter What!.

Dr. Cox is author of the widely acclaimed book titled Myths of Rich and Poor: Why We're Better Off Than We Think, which was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, and he is widely published in the nation's business press and in leading academic journals. In his 18 years at the Federal Reserve Bank, Dr. Cox has contributed to a number of public policy issues, and his research frequently is designated as required reading for Congress.

Steve Brown, in his career as a professor, researcher, and founding director of the Center for Services Leadership in Arizona State University's College of Business, has achieved international recognition for his work in services marketing, dealing with such issues as service quality, recovering from service failures, and building services in product-dominated companies. A prolific researcher and author, Dr. Brown has co-authored and edited 20 books and 150 articles.

Dave Clementz manages all of EDS' service delivery capabilities as a single operation, leveraging the company's vast global infrastructure. He is a proven information technology innovator who knows how to drive productivity. Prior to EDS, Clementz was enterprise chief information officer and president of ChevronTexaco Information Company. He holds a Ph.D. from Michigan State University and an M.B.A. from Pepperdine University.

Scott Dougall is responsible for all hardware and software technical support in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. This includes all marketing, sales, and delivery operations within those geographies. Scott joined IBM in 1970 and has held a variety of executive positions in Canada, the U.S., and Europe. His background is in electrical engineering, and he also holds a master of business administration degree from the University of Toronto.

Steve Smith is a catalyst for workplace entrepreneurship. Tom Peters called businessThink "...a gem. Follow the 8 Rules the authors derived from their research and consulting, and you'll dramatically up the odds of success and the joy that flows from work well done." Steve presents the 8 Rules for Getting It Right with humor and style. He has been instrumental in developing two of FranklinCovey's premier management programs.

"Not only do this year's keynote presenters represent a broad spectrum of knowledge, they also provide a variety of viewpoints from which to consider what is going on in our industry today and the impact it will have on the future of s-business," said John Schoenewald, CEO of AFSMI. "I know they will command a high level of interest while providing attendees with a lot to think about as they return to their own, individual business situations," he added.

For more information or to register for the 34th S-Business Education Summit and Expo, please visit www.afsmi.org.

About AFSM International

Founded in 1975, AFSM International (Association for Services Management International) is a global, not-for-profit, professional association of customer services and support executives and managers committed to s-business excellence. AFSM International is the acknowledged leader in providing the knowledge, fellowship, and career connections that further the personal and professional development of executives, managers, and individuals involved in s-business. For more information or to join AFSM International, visit www.afsmi.org.

About S-Business

S-business is the industry standard term AFSM International developed to describe all of the activities, organizations, and individuals involved with providing customer services and support for technology-based products and solutions.