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Intellect

Marriott School hosts Organizational Behavior Conference

Ralph Christensen, former Hallmark Cards executive, will open the Marriott School of Management's Organizational Behavior Conference Thursday and Friday, March 27-28.

More than 20 scholars and practitioners--including David Kinard, director of organizational effectiveness for Eli Lilly & Co.; Brad Black, vice president of client development for Gallup Organization; and Kathy Buckner, vice president of consulting services for BT Novations--will share organizational behavior insights and experience.

The conference is open to the public. For more information, visit marriottschool.byu.edu/mobconference or call (801) 422-2665.

A pre-conference seminar on Wednesday, March 26, will focus on project management as an organizational discipline. The purpose of the seminar is to explore the possibility of an advanced BYU learning program that integrates both individual project management knowledge and organizational alignment capability.

This seminar is open to the first 25 alumni who sign up and requires separate registration from the conference. To register, visit marriottschool.byu.edu/mobconference or call (801) 422-2665.

The focus of this year's conference is changing organizations. Some of the presentation topics include "Organizational Development in Entrepreneurial Firms and Family-Owned Businesses" and "In the Trenches of the Talent War."

Ralph Christensen left Hallmark Cards in April 2002 after 25 years in the industry to begin a career as a human resource management consultant. He will be honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award during the conference at a banquet Thursday afternoon.

"We are very excited about this conference because it is a unique format for collaboration among those who manage and lead organizations and those who study organizations as students and faculty," said Kate Kirkham, director of the BYU Master of Organizational Behavior program.

Writer: April Ebbert

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