FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 18, 2005

CONTACT: Lisa Lacher, (515) 271-3119, lisa.lacher@drake.edu

DRAKE ‘LET’S DU LUNCH’ SPEAKER SERIES TO BEGIN SEPT. 7

Original address on invitation to 'Let's DU Lunch' on Sept. 7th has been changed to the Polk County Convention Center, 501 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA.

Mary Andringa, co-chief executive officer of Vermeer Manufacturing, a company in Pella specializing in machines and products used to build and maintain the world’s infrastructure, will open Drake University’s fall “Let’s DU Lunch” speaker series on Wednesday, Sept. 7. Andringa’s speech is titled “The Vermeer Story.”

The Drake University Central Iowa Alumni Chapter and the Greater Des Moines Partnership sponsor the luncheon series, which is open to the public.

The series will continue on Oct. 5 with David Stark, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Iowa Methodist Medical Center, discussing “The Health Care Environment: The Perfect Storm.” The fall series will conclude Nov. 2 with a speech by Jeff Chelesvig, president and chief executive officer of the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines. His speech is titled “From Backstage to Center Stage: Creating the Magic of Broadway in Iowa.”

All of the luncheons will start at 11:30 a.m. at the Polk County Convention Center in downtown Des Moines. The cost is $15 per luncheon or $36 in advance for all three events. Due to limited seating, reservations are recommended. For reservations, contact the Office of Alumni and Parent Programs at (515) 271-3848 or alumni.rsvp@drake.edu.

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