September 8, 1997

Middlebury College’s Geonomics
Institute Links Corporations with Qualified Job Candidates at
Moscow Conference

Serving as a bridge between
U.S. and Russian high-level business, government and academic
leaders, Middlebury Collegeís non-profit Geonomics Institute
will participate in the celebration of Moscowís 850th anniversary
by hosting a business and career forum September 19-20 at Moscow’s
Olympic Penta Renaissance Hotel. The event is presented with
the support of the United States Information Agency (U.S.I.A.).

The forum will examine the
cityís economy and its potential for investment and development.
Focused workshops also will provide career development training
for aspiring employees of U.S., Russian and multi-national organizations
doing business there.

Speakers and panelists range
from James F. Collins, the new U.S. ambassador to Russia, and
Moscow mayor Yuri M. Luzhkov to Peter Charow, president of the
American Chamber of Commerce in Russia, and Mark D. Shaver, general
manager of Coca-Cola Refreshments Moscow, Coca-Cola’s distributor
in the greater Moscow area. The event will serve as ambassador
Collinsí first major speech to the U.S. and Russian business
communities. Middlebury College President John M. McCardell,
Jr. also will speak on the long relationship between the College
and Moscow, where the Middlebury Russian School is celebrating
its 20th anniversary.

According to Kathryn Wittneben,
president of the Geonomics Institute, ìThe forum will help
businesses that have an interest in investing in the former Soviet
Union to explore opportunities there and to find employees with
the right qualifications, including language skills.î

ìInvestment is crucial
to the creation of a strong economy in Moscow, which benefits
both U.S. business and American employees who gain work experience
there,î added Wittneben.

The first day of the event,
ìMoscow in the New Millennium,î will focus on the
cityís position as a growing center for investment and
employment. Serving as panelists, top leaders of U.S. corporations,
including Patrick Durkin, manager of Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenretteís
international banking group, and Jack A. Barbanel, president and
chief executive officer of Sector Capital, will join representatives
from Russian government and business to discuss U.S. investment
in Moscow.

During the second day of the
event, ìOpportunities and Skills for the New Millennium,î
forum guests will have a chance to attend both a job fair and
practical career workshops. The job fair will offer representatives
from U.S., Russian, multinational businesses and other organizations
the opportunity to meet prospective employees and recent students
face-to-face. Career workshops will range in topic from such
hands-on skills as resume writing and Internet access to the ìImportance
of Professional Networking,î led by Deborah E. Klepp, second
secretary of the U.S. embassy in Moscow. Michael A. Tappan, chairman
of Ward Howell Russia/Ward Howell International, a leading worldwide
executive search firm also will conduct a workshop entitled “Career
Opportunities.”

For this portion of the forum,
Geonomics expects to attract approximately 150 well qualified
young prospective employees from Russia, the former Soviet Union,
and the U.S. All are alumni of one­year undergraduate exchange
programs funded by the U.S.I.A., the American Collegiate Consortium,
or Middlebury College. As students, each of them has lived and
studied for a year either in the U.S. (Russians and other citizens
of the former Soviet Union) or, in the case of the Americans,
in the former Soviet Union. The year abroad familiarized them
with either Russian or U.S. language, culture and business practices.

Individuals and corporations
are welcome to participate in the Geonomics anniversary program.
To register, or for further information, please contact Geonomics
Institute at tel: 802­443­2300, fax: 802­443­2050,
or e­mail: <geonomic@middlebury.edu>.