LEAD Global Launches in South Africa with Proven Triad Model of Collaboration Between Youth, Universities and Businesses

Participants Include Students from the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for
Girls and the African Leadership Academy
PHILADELPHIA--(Business Wire)--
The Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) program, a national partnership
of top U.S. corporations and graduate business schools that encourages talented
students from diverse backgrounds to pursue careers in business, announces the
launch of LEAD Global. LEAD Global`s mission is to expose American students of
color to global career opportunities alongside peers from different countries in
one program so that all participants might make better informed decisions when
choosing a college or profession. LEAD Global`s inaugural class of 180 students
will launch in South Africa in June 2009.

JP Morgan is the inaugural corporate sponsor, having pledged $1 million for the
launch and execution of LEAD Global programs. In addition, The Oprah Winfrey
Leadership Academy Foundation has provided approximately $100,000 to support the
development of the LEAD Global program for students at its Academy.

Recognizing that a lack of role models and institutional support has often
discouraged talented and motivated students of color from pursuing careers in
business, and with a desire to address the lack of diverse management in the
corporate sector, executives at McNeil Pharmaceutical launched LEAD in 1980 with
the support of The University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Business School.
For nearly three decades, LEAD and its partners have fostered the development of
a talented, driven, and civic-minded pool of African American, Hispanic,
underrepresented Asian American, and Native American high school students from
across the country. Today, LEAD Business boasts more than 7,600 alumni; 65% of
LEAD alumni are currently pursuing careers in business; 50% of those of
graduate-school age have received or are pursuing an MBA from a top 25-business
school.

"LEAD will rely on its proven model for delivering superior youth career
development programming for LEAD Global, collaborating with U.S. multi-national
corporations and South African-based businesses for ongoing operational
support," said LEAD President and CEO Ric Ramsey.

The initial participants include a total of 180 male and female students (48
from the U.S. and 132 from South Africa) ages 15 and 16. From South Africa, LEAD
Global participants include students from the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy
for Girls, African Leadership Academy and Western Cape NGOs (Non-Governmental
Organizations). The U.S. students are from LEAD`s top 50 high schools and
economically disadvantaged high schools in New Orleans, Los Angeles, Chicago and
Philadelphia.

South African university partners, University of the Witwatersrand and the
University of Cape Town, will focus the content on the fields of business,
engineering and science. The curriculum will be rooted in real world
international career development case studies and a team-based work environment.
U.S. university partners, Spelman College and Morehouse College (Atlanta, GA)
will provide orientation to U.S. based LEAD Global students prior to leaving for
South Africa. The orientation programs are being sponsored by The U.S.
Department of Energy, having pledged $210,000.

Additionally, a stellar group of executives will be volunteering their time,
experience and passion to act as chaperones and speakers to the inaugural class
of LEAD Global. A sampling of the list includes Kim Davis, JP Morgan Chase
Foundation, President; Annie Whatley, U.S. Department of Energy, Senior Advisor
for Education Programs; Dr. Susan Taylor, Dr. Susan Taylor Society Hill
Dermatology, Dermatologist; Jerri DeVard, Former Senior Vice President,
Marketing, Verizon Communications; Debra Sandler, Worldwide President, McNeil
Nutritionals, LLC, a Johnson & Johnson Company; and Cookie Johnson,
philanthropist, child advocate and spokesperson for women`s health.

LEAD Global exists to expose American students of color to global career
opportunities alongside peers from different countries in one program so that
all participants might make better informed decisions when choosing a college or
profession.Founded in 1980, the Leadership Education and Development (LEAD)
Program is a national partnership of top U.S. corporations and graduate business
schools that encourages talented students from diverse backgrounds to pursue
careers in business. LEAD`s prestigious Summer Business Institutes have
graduated more than 7,500 students, 65% of whom currently work in the business
world. For more information, visit www.leadprogram.org.

AgileCat
Amber Kealey
Director of Public Relations
215-508-2082
amber@agilecat.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009