Kommerstad Speakers Forum

The Kommerstad Speakers Forum invites the University community to consider issues faced by business lawyers, business owners, and emerging businesses. Past speakers have included:

Bernard Marcus Bernard is co-founder of The Home Depot, Inc., the world's largest home improvement specialty retailer and the second largest retailer in the United States. He was Home Depot's chief executive officer until May 1997, and served as chairman of the board until his retirement on May 31, 2002. From September 1972 to April 1978, Marcus was chairman of the board and president of Handy Dan Home Improvement Centers, an operator of approximately 70 home improvement retail stores in the western United States. Bernard received a B.S. degree in merchandising and marketing from the School of Pharmacy at Rutgers University. Fall 2001: "Reflections on an Entrepreneurial Life"

Vance Opperman Vance currently serves as president and chief executive officer of Key Investment, Inc., a venture capital firm. He is the former president of West Publishing Company, and a member of the board of directors of The Thompson Corporation. Prior to entering business, Vance was the founder and former senior partner of Opperman and Paquin. He served on President Clinton's national information infrastructure advisory council from January 1994 through January 1996. Vance graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1969. Spring 2002: "Lessons Learned: Using Your Law Degree in Business"

John Mooty John helped build Minnesota's oldest, and one of its biggest, law firms--Gray, Plant, Mooty, Mooty & Bennett, P.A. He successfully turned around both National Car Rental and International Dairy Queen, which was sold to Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway for $550 million in 1998. He has served as the president of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association, the Minneapolis Rotary Club, and the Citizens League. John became a member of the Minnesota Business Hall of Fame in 2003. He earned his law degree (LL.B.) from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1944. Fall 2003: "Six Decades of Business Law"

Richard Goossen Rick is chief executive officer of M & A Capital Corporation, which provides corporate finance advisory services to high-growth firms. He is also an assistant professor of entrepreneurship and law at Trinity Western University School of Business in Langley, B.C., Canada. He earned a B.A. with honors from Simon Fraser University, an LL.B. with honors from McGill University, and an LL.M. from Columbia Law School. Spring 2004: "Three Steps to Corporate Success with your Law Degree"

Monica Nassif In 1999, Monica developed The Caldrea Company, which created the first-ever line of hard-working, aromatherapeutic household cleansers that are enjoyable to use. Since then, the company has diversified into other gifts and tools for the home. Before launching The Caldrea Company, Monica co-founded a marketing design firm, Kilter Incorporated, in 1991 and grew it to one of the largest in the Upper Midwest. She earned a B.S. degree from the University of Iowa and a B.A. degree from the University of Minnesota, and started her marketing career with Dayton Hudson Corporation. Fall 2004: "Soap Opera Lessons"

Bob Sparboe (1931-2005) The late founder and president of Sparboe Companies, which owns Sparboe Farms, Sparboe Foods Corporation, Center National Bank, Center Insurance Agency, and AGRI-TECH. In 1954, with $5,400, Bob formed Sparboe Farms, one of the largest egg producers in the United States. He also donated his time and resources by establishing the Shirley Sparboe chair in Breast Cancer Research at the University of Minnesota and by making generous contributions to the Carlson School of Management to further the study of entrepreneurship. Bob became a member of the Minnesota Business Hall of Fame in 2004. Spring 2005: "The Entrepreneurial Organization"

Transcripts of some speakers' remarks are available at the Minnesota Journal of Business Law and Entrepreneurship.