The issues surrounding ethics and values are becoming more complex in a globalized era, which is why international businessman Dick Kearns is committed to developing cultural skills and a global mindset in today’s students.

Kearns and his wife, Maureen, sponsor the Kearns Global Business Lecture Series at St. Bonaventure University, an annual event that brings industry leaders to campus and highlights diverse perspectives on global business matters. 

“Ethics Under Fire” is the theme of this year’s lecture, beginning at 4 p.m. April 16 in the Dresser Auditorium of the John J. Murphy Professional Building.

Kearns, a 1972 graduate of St. Bonaventure and senior advisor for Zurich Insurance Group, will be joined by Edward F. Murphy, retired executive vice president and CFO of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

“Ethical situations in business and in life are not always black and white,” said Kearns. “Ed and I will discuss examples of how to deal with the gray areas, including how to seek guidance when faced with difficult decisions.”

Murphy is a veteran financial and audit executive with more than 40 years’ experience at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, JPMorgan Chase, and Coopers & Lybrand. Zions Bancorporation elected Murphy to its Board of Directors in July 2014, where he is a member of the Risk Oversight Committee and the Audit Committee. Murphy also serves as the first Mentor in Residence at Pace University’s Lubin School of Business. He holds a CPA and earned a bachelor of business administration degree in 1974 from Pace University, where he has served as a Trustee since 1997.

Kearns began his career at Price Waterhouse in 1972 and was admitted to the partnership in 1984. He was appointed leader of Global Partner Affairs following the merger that created PricewaterhouseCoopers in 1998. In September 2002, Kearns joined Zurich’s senior management team in Switzerland and continues to act as a senior advisor as well as a director of its U.S. companies. He served as a University Trustee from 2000 to 2009. 

“St. Bonaventure is honored to host Dick Kearns and Ed Murphy, both of whom hold a deep understanding of the importance of companies establishing ethical cultures,” said Dr. Carol Fischer, Interim Dean of Business. “They have spent numerous years working abroad and will also discuss the challenges of ethics and culture in a global environment.”

The lecture is free and open to the public. Local business leaders should find the program relevant and are encouraged to attend.

Questions may be submitted in advance of the lecture via Twitter at @SBUBullishOnBiz by including the hashtag #Kearns.

For more information, interested persons can contact Angela Nelson in the Office of University Advancement at (716) 375-2507 or anelson@sbu.edu.

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About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, we believe in the goodness of every person and in the ability of every person to do extraordinary things.  St. Bonaventure University cultivates graduates who are confident and creative communicators, collaborative leaders and team members, and innovative problem solvers who are respectful of themselves, others, and the diverse world around them. Named the #3 best college value in the North by U.S. News and World Report, we are establishing pathways to internships, graduate schools and careers in the context of our renowned liberal arts tradition. Our students are becoming extraordinary.