The College of Management's 2008 IMPACT Speaker Series will feature Jim Whitehurst, CEO and president of Red Hat, on January 16.

Whitehurst, who will speak at 4:30 PM in LeCraw Auditorium, will discuss why "The Customer Comes First."

Held by the College of Management and the Institute for Leadership and Entrepreneurship, the weekly IMPACT series provides Georgia Tech students, alumni, and members of the Atlanta community a free opportunity to network and learn from high-tech entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and notable business leaders.

Before recently joined Red Hat, a provider of Linux and open source technology, Whitehurst worked for Delta Air Lines, where he served as chief operating officer responsible for operations, sales and customer service, network and revenue management, marketing, and corporate strategy. Prior to joining Delta in 2002, Whitehurst served as vice president and director of The Boston Consulting Group.

About the Sponsor

Assurant’s businesses provide a unique variety of products and services that assure opportunity, security and peace of mind for its customers. The company provides creditor-placed homeowners insurance; manufactured housing homeowners insurance; debt protection administration; credit insurance; warranties and extended services contracts; individual health and small employer group health insurance; group dental insurance; group disability insurance; group life insurance; and pre-funded funeral insurance. Assurant’s strategy is to manage a select portfolio of specialty businesses that are leaders in their markets.

Assurant’s U.S. headquarters office, located in New York’s financial district, provides strategic management and key resources for its U.S. operating companies, including asset management, employee benefits, tax, accounting, legal and communications. Assurant also has offices in Syracuse, New York; West Des Moines, Iowa; and in Woodbury, Minnesota; which provide service support for its operating companies in such areas as information technology, financial and human resources systems management, and New York State policy administration.