Vikas Anand

Vikas Anand received his Ph.D. from Arizona State University, and an MBA in International Business from the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade. He also holds a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering and a Master's Degree in Physics. His major areas of research include corruption and ethics in organizations, knowledge management in organizations, and trends in the globalization of business practices such as outsourcing. He has published and presented his work on business ethics and knowledge management in several research and practitioner outlets such as the Academy of Management Review, Research in Organizational Behavior, Academy of Management Executive and so on. Prior to his academic career, he was a manager in two large multi-national corporations and worked extensively on marketing and strategic planning positions in various parts of Africa and Asia. He has taught at the undergraduate, MBA, and Ph. D. levels and has given lectures on aspects of international business in several countries around the world. His research has included working with several large multinational corporations with respect to business process outsourcing and inter-cultural issues. He was the recipient of the Walton College of Business Award in 2007, and the University of Arkansas Teaching Excellence Award in 2008, and currently serves as the Management Department’s Doctoral Program Coordinator.

Dennis Leatherby

Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

Dennis Leatherby is Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for Tyson Foods, Inc. He oversees the company’s worldwide finance and accounting functions. This includes representing Tyson on financial matters involving banks, investors, auditors and financial regulatory entities.

Leatherby has more than 26 years of finance experience, including more than 19 years with Tyson. After working in the banking industry for seven years, he joined Tyson Foods in 1990 as assistant treasurer. He has since held several other finance-related management positions in the company, including Tyson’s senior vice president, finance and treasurer. He has played an active role in Tyson acquisitions, has been a lead contact with ratings agencies and banks and has also served as Tyson’s interim chief financial officer. He was named to his current position in June 2008.

A native of Overland Park, Kansas, Leatherby has a degree in finance and accounting from Kansas State University. Married to his wife, Kathleen, he has two daughters, Lauren and Michelle. He has served on the local Salvation Army Advisory Board and currently holds several leadership positions at his church.

Julie Walker

Julie Walker is Director of Business Development for P&G’s $1.5 billion business at Sam’s Club. She represents P&G’s entire product line and is responsible for developing strategies, items, and marketing programs that deliver sustainable sales growth for P&G at Sam’s Club. She leads a team of 40 dedicated multi-functional resources including Sales, Logistics, Marketing, Market Research, Finance, Information Technology and Retail Design.

Walker has 20 years experience with P&G, including 18 in Brand Management and Marketing, and two in Customer Business Development. Prior to moving into her current position, she was the Global Director of Marketing for P&G $12 billion business at Wal-Mart for five years. Before relocating in 2003 to Northwest Arkansas, she held several positions of leadership for P&G to start up shopper marketing capability across Grocery, Dollar, and Drug Channels; she led development of capability for P&G in direct and database marketing, developed marketing campaigns for Pampers and Luvs brands, developed and taught brand building training courses, and led design and execution of Corporate promotions. She was appointed to her current position in 2008.

A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Walker has a B.A. in economics from DePauw University. Married to her husband, Shawn Walker, an executive at Tyson Foods, she has three school-age sons, Trevor, Spencer and Parker. She has served on the Board of Directors for The New School for the past five years, and was P&G’s representative on the Board of Directors for University of Arkansas’ Center for Retail Excellence from 2004-2008. She was a founding member of the NWA Chapter of the Network for Executive Women.

Wendy Davidson

Wendy Davidson recently left Tyson Foods as Senior Vice President and General Manager of National Accounts, a position held since November 2006. Her division was responsible for sales and marketing for all poultry and prepared foods categories supplied to the top 200 restaurant chains in the foodservice industry, representing over $3 billion in annual sales. In addition, the division was responsible for Prepared Operations including soups, sauces, side dishes, pizza crusts, tortillas, wraps, taco shells and chips.

After joining the company in 1993 as an account representative, Wendy held numerous positions in sales, marketing and operations including Group Vice President of Food Service, SVP/GM Global Accounts, VP/GM Global Accounts, Director of Sales and Marketing and Division Manager of Customer Marketing. She served on the company’s Executive Diversity Business Council, Finance and Animal Welfare Committees, Strategic Leadership Team and in the Mentoring Program within Tyson. Beginning her foodservice career in high school, she grew up in LeMars, Iowa and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Luther College. Named to NW Arkansas Business Journal’s “40 under 40” in 2004 and “Diamond Decade” in 2006, she has been an active member of Women’s Foodservice Forum, having served on a variety of committees as well as Tyson Company Ambassador for 2 years. She currently serves as treasurer on the executive committee of the board of the Multicultural Foodservice Hospitality Alliance, the board of directors for the Ozark Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the board of directors for The New School in Fayetteville, Arkansas and on the President’s Advisory Board for Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. She is married to Thor Davidson and the proud mother of Änders (10) and Brenna (5), both active students at The New School.