ESP President Connects With Heavyweights at Milken Global Conference

(Monday, April 28, 2008, Beverly Hills, CA)

Curtis & Co executive Mike Howell, Tate George of The George Group, and Perry Wong, Senior Managing Economist, Milken Institute

Randall C. McManus Esq. and Cristina Versari, Ph.D.,President, San Diego University for Integrative Studies

ESP President Everett Glenn joined 3,000 people from 60 countries at The Milken Institute Global Conference. The Conference, which brings together some of the most extraordinary people in the world – from scientists, business executives and philanthropists to journalists, academics and Nobel laureates – to discuss, debate and deliberate today’s most pressing social, political and economic challenges.

The Global Conference has become an important venue for thought leaders in a wide range of disciplines to present their views before an informed, influential audience and the news media. Discussions focus on finding solutions to some of our most serious global challenges, from climate change to reducing our dependence on oil. Among the participants were hundreds of CEOs from the world's top-tier companies, senior elected and appointed foreign and U.S. government officials, high-level executives in the American and foreign capital markets, global academic experts and leaders in education, health care and philanthropy.

ESP President Everett Glenn joined friend and colleague, Dale Davis, who headed up The Urban Champions Panel-Professional Athletes Reinvesting in Inner Cities for a pre-conference gathering at Crustacean’s in Beverly Hills. Davis is founder of Pro Player Holdings, a private equity investment fund with an asset base pooled by more than 70 colleagues in professional sports, participated in the Conference. Throughout his 16-year NBA career as a power forward and center, Davis positioned himself for business success. Over the past decade, while playing with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Indiana Pacers, the New Orleans Hornets, the Portland Trailblazers and the Golden State Warriors, Davis has developed a variety of business enterprises in the fields of media, technology, music, real estate and education. His philanthropic endeavors include the creation of the Dale Davis Inner City At-Risk Youth Foundation, which awards scholarships and administers programs in seven cities. A former NBA All-Star, Davis is a co-owner of R&J Racing, which competes in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. Davis felt that former athletes should mentor those currently playing professional sports, helping them to understand insurance, mortgages and other realities of life. "It's tough for an athlete to be connected to the financial world."

The Urban Champions Panel was moderated by Larry Carroll of KFWB and included former Connecticut and Nets star Tate George, President, CEO and Chairman of The George Group. George has established a stable and substantial development portfolio of more than $500 million, and has raised capital for a variety of clients in commercial development, real estate development, international finance, entertainment and sports. George noted that there are gaps in the social development of many athletes and a sense of entitlement. According to George, many 30-year-old athletes act with the social capacity of 16-year-olds. This creates hardships for them in pursuing other avenues of wealth to make a living after they retire. Tate felt that professional sports thrusts a system upon its players, allowing them luxuries while they play the game but tossing them to the curb after their services are no longer needed.

Donald Latson, former Dallas Maverick, is founder of the Atlanta-based World Entertainment & Technologies which specializes in the development of innovative hip hop-inspired electronic products and services. The firm plans to challenge the market dominance of Apple's iPod with the soon-to-be released "BlingTune." Latson holds multiple U.S. and foreign patents, he developed a digital transcription and wireless transmission technology that still leads the industry. Latson noted that athletes have a divorce rate of 73 percent, a shorter life expectancy (62 years) and a high failure rate after retirement.

The panelists are utilizing their past experience to help athletes transition from sports to business. Latson said that one of the biggest fears for athletes "is not knowing what to do." He felt that parents should offer their children a wider range of choices. "The biggest blessing was being reared in a loving environment. My parents prepared me for life after sports." The panelists all agreed that many athletes never have the options available to make the right decision. George mentioned a study showing that professional athletes are less equipped to develop a successful strategy for a sustainable life than athletes who stop playing in college.

The focus of the panelists is on empowering their fellow athletes and pursuing business and philanthropy ventures that give back to inner cities. George noted that urban communities can adapt to offer children better choices in life, and these neighborhoods can offer athletes the ability to go home and reestablish their life when their playing days are over.

Finally, Latson noted that, "Oftentimes people in our position don't make ourselves accessible or available." Davis offers mentoring to athletes, teaching them how to build character and prepare for success in life after sports. "The hardest thing for some athletes is to transition to being successful off-field. We help them do that."

Here is a look at what some of the attendees had to say about the Global Conference:

"The Global Conference is a thought-provoking, highly productive and truly unique annual gathering of leaders from all parts of the world. I look forward to attending each year so that I can meet and hear from so many individuals with different perspectives, values and ideas than my own."
-- David M. Rubenstein, Managing Director, The Carlyle Group

"With so many changes taking place in the world, the Global Conference is an invaluable resource. It's an impressive gathering of global leaders, who leave you with a greater understanding of the future and the opportunities it holds."
-- Rupert Murdoch, Chairman and CEO, News Corporation

"The Milken Institute brings together an extraordinary group of people, including CEOs from a variety of industries and money managers representing hundreds of billions of dollars in assets, for a great snapshot of today's global economy."
-- Maria Bartiromo, Anchor, "Closing Bell with Maria Bartiromo"

"The Global Conference has such an amazing blend of business leaders, thought leaders, market makers and academic leaders all in one place at one time that it has become a valuable tool when managing a multi-billion-dollar portfolio."
-- Christopher Ailman, Chief Investment Officer, California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS)

"The Global Conference is an outstanding gathering of leaders, experts and innovators from across the world."
-- Thomas Donohue, President and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

"The Global Conference is a great gathering and an amazing anomaly. It not only brings together world leaders, who are extremely passionate about what they do, but also gives them a challenging forum for innovative thinking and lively debate."
-- Sumner M. Redstone, Executive Chairman, Viacom

"It's a remarkable event. Over the course of a few days, I had a chance to talk to a lot of very bright people, whose knowledge and experiences gave me fresh ideas on how to improve our company."
-- David Neeleman, Chairman and CEO, JetBlue Airways Corporation

"It is an indispensable conference - a real 'catch-up and look ahead' event."
-- General Wesley Clark, U.S. Army (ret.); former Commander, NATO

"I was very impressed by the quality of the event - from the high-caliber panelists and attendees to the substantive discussions that take place throughout the conference. It's an excellent place to gain new insights about where the world is headed."
-- Thomas "Mack" McLarty, III, President, Kissinger McLarty Associates; former Chief of Staff, Clinton Administration

"The Global Conference represents a unique environment where accomplished individuals from disparate fields get to cross-pollinate ideas and solutions."
-- Sam Zell, Chairman, Equity Group Investments, LLC

"It's an amazing gathering. I rarely see such an assemblage of incredibly powerful, incredibly smart people all in one place at one time."
-- Dennis Kneale, Managing Editor, Forbes Magazine

"It's not just brain food, it's a call to action."
-- Rafael Pastor, Chairman and CEO, Vistage International, Inc.

"The Global Conference offers insightful perspectives on today’s trends and helps business people understand the forces of finance, commerce and technology that are shaping the future of America and the world."
-- Robert Hormats, Managing Director, Vice Chairman, Goldman Sachs & Co.

"The Global Conference is one of the best resources in the country for new ideas, bridging current information and innovative solutions to future problems."
-- Nancy Brinker, Founder, Susan G. Komen for the Cure

"The Global Conference is a perennial winner. The presenters are a great mix of thoughtfulness, preparation and expertise, and there is always an incredible range of important, interesting and timely topics for attendees to choose from. The Global Conference is well organized and attracts a great mix of leaders and engaged individuals from business, academia and the public sector."
-- Jay Wintrob, President, CEO & COO, AIG/SunAmerica Inc.

"Year after year, the Milken Institute Global Conference manages to explore the day's fundamental social, political and economic issues in a dynamic way that brings together some of the world's greatest minds for compelling, provocative discussion. It's a unique event and one I never miss."
-- Peter Chernin, President, Chief Operating Officer, News Corporation

"The conference always brings a fresh and multi-dimensional perspective to global affairs. Anyone pressed into the service of disciplined forward-thinking management ought to attend."
-- Sharon L. Allen, Chairman of the Board, Deloitte & Touche USA LLP

"The Milken Institute Global Conference is a terrific forum to discuss how American businesses fit within a global context, and learn what business leaders need to know to adapt to the ever-changing world in which we live. Participants gain keen insights from respected experts into how we are affected by economic, political and technological change around the world."
-- J. Terrence Lanni, Chairman and CEO, MGM MIRAGE

"This was a transformative event. It's a terrific educational and inspirational conference in which a related community of people driven by passion and business savvy are determined to make a difference as fast as possible."
-- John Fraser, Executive Director, Office of IP Development & Commercialization, Florida State University

For more shots of the event, please click here

Photos by Explorer Studios