May 30, 2006

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.— Purdue University's Krannert School of Management has named Henry J."Hank" Suerth director of student and academic services for its executive education programs.

He will have responsibility for directing student and academic support services, corporate relations, marketing, program recruiting and overall administration for the internationally ranked Krannert Executive Education Programs. He will also work closely with school faculty in content development for the executive education programs.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for me, and it builds on my skills and background," Suerth said. "Having managed organizations in a variety of industries, I understand how companies make decisions on executive education as part of their employee career-development and training programs.

"I am optimistic about the growth potential for our current executive education programs, and I believe that there are other ways to expand the overall initiative."

Suerth, who assumes his new duties on June 6, has been an entrepreneur-in-residence at the Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship in Purdue's Discovery Park. He manages the Innovation Realization Laboratory, which matches science, technology, pharmacy, agriculture and engineering doctoral students with Krannert MBAs to investigate the commercialization potential of the young scientists' research.

He also has developed the Faculty Engagement Initiative for the Burton D. Morgan Center and taught sales management in Purdue's College of Consumer and Family Sciences.

Suerth, a Chicago native, brings more than 35 years of executive experience to Purdue. Immediately before coming to the Burton D. Morgan Center in 2005, he was senior vice president of business alliances and vice president for consumer products, North America, with the Starbucks Coffee Co.

He has held executive positions in the consumer electronics, chemical, home furnishings and trade show industries. Suerth also operated his own management consulting company for six years and was CEO of an Internet company.

Suerth is a Purdue graduate, earning a bachelor's degree in Industrial Management in 1968 and lettering in varsity basketball and baseball. He also received an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1973.

Krannert Executive Education Programs offer an executive MBA, an international master's in management and a weekend MBA program. All of the programs combine time on campus with instruction and team projects conducted via the Internet.

Krannert Executive Education Programs have been ranked in the top 20 in the last year in Business Week, U.S. News & World Report and the Financial Times. The Krannert School also partners with other Purdue colleges to offer non-degree programs in areas such as engineering management, hospitality and tourism management and veterinary management, as well as customized programs tailored to meet individual client needs.

Writer:      Mike Lillich, (765) 494-2077, mlillich@purdue.edu

Source:     Henry Suerth, (765) 494-9870, hsuerth@purdue.edu

Related Web sites:
Krannert School of Management: http://www.krannert.purdue.edu/
Krannert Executive Education Programs: http://www2.krannert.purdue.edu/