Ann Moore, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Time Inc., and Herbie Hancock, Jazz Pianist, Composer and Music Impresario, Give Advice to Bentley University Graduates at May 16 Commencement

Ann Moore, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Time Inc., and Herbie Hancock, Jazz Pianist, Composer and Music Impresario, Give Advice to Bentley University Graduates at May 16 Commencement

Bentley Awards First-Ever Doctoral Degree

WALTHAM, Mass., May 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a keynote address to approximately 1,100 Bentley University undergraduates at the 90th commencement ceremony on May 16, Ann Moore, chairman and chief executive officer of Time Inc., shared life lessons as she urged graduates to follow their passion and take an active role in the community.

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"As you leave here today, don't be intimidated by a tough job market as you search for your place in the world ... follow your passion," she said. Citing her choice to join Time Inc. in the late 1970s, she continued, "I took the lowest offer on the table and I took it because I loved magazines. So forget the clock; get yourself a compass instead, because the direction you are headed is far more important than how fast you're going."

Moore's second lesson went beyond a paycheck and the four walls of an office. "Whatever career path you take, whatever choices you make, try to go home to Sunday dinners, not to an empty palace. There is certainly nothing wrong with money, but the richness of your life won't be measured by it."

Underscoring the importance of mentorship, Moore shared what she learned from others: the power of gratitude. Inspired by a woman who worked hard for little money, yet donated impressive scholarship funds to a college, she asked, "What are you and I going to do for the rest of the children of this planet?"

She continued by discussing how graduates will be called to fill a hole left by baby boomers. "That flight of talent to the business world left a big void in our schools, medical care and nonprofits. The next corporate leaders -- you Millennials -- need to fill the void ... you may well need to commit to public education and closing the dangerous gap between the rich and the poor for the rest of your lives. You need to chase the real long-term solution to peace and prosperity."

Noting life pressures, she concluded, "...you are all champions, and pressure is a privilege ... the here and now is all we have, and if you play it right, it's all you need. Seize the moment."

Moore received an honorary doctor of commercial science degree at the ceremony.

MCCALLUM GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

At the 34th commencement ceremony, Bentley awarded its first-ever doctoral degree to Kwadwo N. Asare who earned a PhD in Accountancy.

Addressing more than 400 graduate students during the McCallum Graduate School ceremony, Herbie Hancock, jazz pianist, composer and music impresario, advocated the importance of bringing tolerance, benevolence and generosity to business.

Hancock began by sharing his passion to represent and embody the elements of humanity, recalling a seminal breakthrough where he learned he needed to define himself as a whole human being rather than only by his job. "I've learned that to define success solely as affluence is an illusion ... The greatest treasures in life are priceless. Courage, compassion or openness cannot be bought; yet these intangibles -- once uncovered -- add texture and meaning -- and thereby true affluence -- to one's life."

Emphasizing a contribution to broader society, Hancock said, "When making any business decision, I unfailingly ask myself how I can improve the lives of others as a direct result of pursuing my dreams ... Your future depends on what you create, and my greatest hope is that over time, you will develop lives of ever increasing value to yourself and others."

He encouraged graduates to bring humanity to work, to think outside the box, to show compassion and respect, and to serve others. "Make yourself wealthy by using humanity and ethics, and your fortune will have real and lasting value."

Hancock concluded with, "Recognize, celebrate and nurture your inner creativity and remember to listen to the music of your soul. Bring your imagination and artistry with you because it will serve you well as you try to make a much-needed difference in this big, wonderful, complicated world that awaits you."

Hancock received an honorary doctor of humane letters degree at the ceremony.

ABOUT THE GRADUATES

At the undergraduate ceremony, 1,053 Bachelor of Science degrees, 24 Bachelor of Arts degrees, two Associate in Science degrees and five certificates were granted to 1,084 students.

At the McCallum Graduate School of Business ceremony, Bentley awarded its first-ever doctoral degree. In addition, 402 Master of Science degrees, 236 Master of Business Administration degrees, and 48 certificates were granted to 686 graduate students.

FACULTY AND STUDENT AWARDS

The Gregory H. Adamian Excellence in Teaching Award was presented to George P. Fishman, senior lecturer in astronomy, for full-time teaching and also to William Starner, adjunct lecturer in management, for part-time teaching. Jean C. Bedard, Timothy B. Harbert Professor of Accountancy, received the Bentley University Award for Excellence in Scholarship. The Joseph M. Cronin Award for Excellence in Academic Advising was given to Charles R. Hadlock, professor of mathematical sciences and Trustee Professor of Technology, Policy and Decision-Making.

Student honorees included Julia A. Fee, winner of the Professor Robert J. Weafer Award for Undergraduate Academic Excellence. The Professor William E. Dandes Award for Graduate Academic Excellence went to Timothy Haley, Kevin Hansberry, and Judith Keeley. Cheryl Morello was recognized as the Outstanding Evening Student.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Ann Moore was appointed chairman and chief executive officer of Time Inc. in July 2002. She had previously served as executive vice president of Time Inc. since June 2001, responsible for the business and development operations for several of the most popular consumer magazines in publishing: TIME, People, In Style, People en Espanol, and Real Simple. In addition, she managed the consumer marketing division of Time Inc.

Moore joined Time Inc. in 1978 as a corporate financial analyst and subsequently served in key executive positions at Sports Illustrated, FORTUNE, Money and Discover magazines. She was the founding publisher of Sports Illustrated for Kids in 1989, until moving to People as its publisher in July 1991. She was named president of People in 1993. During her tenure, Moore took what was already the most profitable weekly magazine in the U.S. to new heights of success, both domestically and internationally. Under her guidance, People grew from a single title to the centerpiece of a thriving magazine family -- spinning off the Australian Who Weekly, followed by In Style, People en Espanol, and Real Simple, as well as In Style's growing international franchise.

A native of McLean, Va., Moore graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1971 and received her MBA from Harvard Business School in 1978. She joined Time Inc. later that year. Moore serves on the board of directors of Avon Products, Inc. and the Wallace Foundation. Her numerous awards and honors include appearing on FORTUNE magazine's list of "The 50 Most Powerful Women in American Business" for all 11 years of its existence. In 2003, Moore received the first annual Time Warner Civic Leadership Award, which recognizes a senior executive at the company who does the most to foster a spirit of employee volunteerism and corporate responsibility.

Herbie Hancock's creative path has moved fluidly between almost every development in acoustic and electronic jazz and R&B since 1960. He recorded as a solo artist on the legendary label Blue Note Records at age 20, and then joined the Miles Davis Quintet, securing his place in jazz history. After numerous successful jazz recordings and awards, he branched into an accomplished career composing and performing feature film and television music.

Hancock stepped full time into the electronic jazz-funk era with his band The Headhunters in 1973 and recorded the first jazz album to go platinum. The music he recorded then has been an inspiration for generations of hip hop and dance music artists to this day. In addition to numerous Grammy and MTV Award successes, Hancock won an Oscar in 1986 for scoring the film "Round Midnight" -- in which he also appeared as an actor. His tribute album, "River: The Joni Letters" won the 2008 Grammy Award for Album of the Year, only the second jazz album to win the award.

In 1999, Hancock formed Transparent Music. This multimedia music company is dedicated to the presentation of barrier-breaking music of all types, at all tiers of distribution including recordings, films and TV, concert events and the Internet.

Hancock also maintains a thriving career outside the performing stage and recording studio. Since 1991, he has been the Distinguished Artist in Residence at Jazz Aspen Snowmass in Colorado, a nonprofit organization devoted to the preservation and performance of jazz and American music; he also serves as chairman of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, the foremost international organization devoted to the development of jazz performance and education worldwide.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Further details on Commencement 2009 can be found on the Bentley University commencement web site: http://www.bentley.edu/commencement.

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CONTACT: Michele Walsh, Bentley University, +1-617-875-0909,
mwalsh1@bentley.edu

Web Site: http://www.bentley.edu/

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