LAKELAND, Fla. (Aug. 28, 2007) — Tom Morris, bestselling business author and leadership speaker, will address the FSC campus during the college’s opening convocation on Sept. 12. The event will take place at 10:10 a.m. in Branscomb Auditorium. The author will be available following the talk for a student book signing of his most recent book, "If Harry Potter Ran General Electric," which was selected as the common reading assignment for the college’s freshman seminar.

Morris is a graduate of the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill), and has been honored as a recipient of their Distinguished Young Alumnus Award. He holds a Ph.D. in both philosophy and religious studies from Yale University, and served as a professor of philosophy at the University of Notre Dame for 15 years. Currently, he is chairman of the Morris Institute for Human Values in Wilmington, N.C.

Morris’s 12th book, "True Success: A New Philosophy of Excellence," launched him from academia into corporate public speaking. His audiences have included General Motors, Ford Motor Company, Verizon, Coca Cola, Merrill Lynch, Goldman Saks, IBM, The United States Air Force, Price Waterhouse, Target, Northwestern Mutual Life, MBNA Bank, BusinessWeek, The Bayer Corporation, RCA, International Paper, Deloitte and Touche, Federated Investors, Taco Bell, The American Hospital Association, the Young Presidents Organization, and the World Presidents Organization. His more recent books include: "If Aristotle Ran General Motors," "Philosophy for Dummies," "The Art of Achievement," "The Stoic Art of Living: Inner Resilience and Outer Results," and "Superheroes and Philosophy." He has been in national television commercials, where he has served as the national spokesman for Winnie the Pooh and on Disney Home Videos. He has appeared with Regis Philbin, as well as on CNBC’s early morning show "Today’s Business," and on NBC's "Today with Matt Lauer and Katie Couric." Morris also runs an award-winning website, MorrisInstitute.com, which offers ethics training to the corporate world through customized internet and video presentations.

About Florida Southern College
Founded in 1883, Florida Southern College is a private, comprehensive United Methodist-affiliated college with a liberal arts core. The College maintains its commitment to academic excellence through 46 undergraduate majors and distinctive graduate programs in business administration, education, and nursing. Florida Southern has a 14:1 student/faculty ratio; is a national leader in engaged learning; and boasts 26 NCAA Division II national championships. It is ranked in the Top 5 "Best Baccalaureate Colleges in the South" by U.S. News & World Report and is included in The Princeton Review’s "366 Best Colleges" guide. The College is committed to the development of the whole student through vibrant student life programs that prepare graduates to make a positive, consequential impact on society. Located on scenic Lake Hollingsworth, Florida Southern is home to the world’s largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture.