Release date: May 12, 2003

Contact: Frances Weyand, Director of Media Relations, 770-423-6203 or fweyand@kennesaw.edu

Kennesaw State University Commencement

Kennesaw State University will hold its 71st commencement honoring more than 1,000 graduates and undergraduates in two separate ceremonies.

The 10 a.m. ceremony will honor graduates of the Leland H. and Clarice C. Bagwell College of Education, the College of Science and Mathematics, the School of the Arts and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. The speaker will be John C. Knapp, founder and president of the Southern Institute for Business and Professional Ethics.

The 3 p.m. ceremony will honor graduates of the Michael J. Coles College of Business and the College of Health and Human Services. The speaker will be James Cox Kennedy, chairman and CEO of Cox Enterprises Inc. Kennedy also will be presented with an honorary doctorate by Kennesaw State.

When:
Thursday, May 15, 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Where:
Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center

Biographies of both speakers follow.

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Kennesaw State University is a comprehensive, residential institution with a growing student population of 15,600 from 123 countries. The fourth largest state university out of 34 institutions in the University System of Georgia, KSU offers 55 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

Bio for John C. Knapp
Founder and president, Southern Institute for Business and Professional Ethics

John C. Knapp, Ph.D., founder and president of the Southern Institute for Business and Professional Ethics, is a nationally known expert in organizational ethics, crisis management and corporate reputation.

A frequent speaker and seminar leader for business and professional organizations, Knapp has been a consultant to leading corporations, professional firms, academic institutions and medical providers.

Prior to joining the institute, he served for 15 years as president of Knapp Inc., a corporate communication management firm. During this time, he was twice recognized by Atlanta Business Chronicle as the region's leading crisis management consultant, by Business Atlanta (Georgia Trend) as one of the region's "Top 40" executives under age 40 and by Outstanding Atlanta Foundation as one of the 10 Outstanding Young People of Atlanta. Knapp Inc. was ranked second among 50 firms in Atlanta Business Chronicle's rating of the region's best public relations firms. It was rated No. 1 in the South and 17th in the nation among independent firms in Inside PR magazine's annual Agency Report Card issue.

Knapp was a co-author of Life Together in the Community of Faith: Ethical Standards for Ministry, an official policy document of the Presbyterian Church (USA). He is also co-author of the forthcoming book How Money Undermines Ministry: The Growing Ethical Challenge to the Church.

He is a member of the advisory boards of Clemson University's Robert J. Rutland Center for Ethics and Kennesaw State University's Center for Leadership, Ethics and Character. An active community volunteer, he is a graduate of Leadership Atlanta, Leadership Georgia and the Regional Leadership Institute. His work in raising community consciousness of ethics was recognized in 2001 with the Georgia Governor's Award in the Humanities and in 1996 with the Public Relations Society of America's George Goodwin Award for Public Service. He currently serves on the boards of Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau; Life Enrichment Services; and Georgia Cooperative Services for the Blind, among others.

He earned the doctor of philosophy degree at the University of Wales, United Kingdom. He holds a master of arts degree from Columbia Theological Seminary and a bachelor's degree from Georgia State University.

Bio for James C. Kennedy
Chairman and chief executive officer, Cox Enterprises Inc.

James C. Kennedy is chairman and chief executive officer of Cox Enterprises, Inc., one of the nation's leading media companies and operators of automobile auctions. Cox Enterprises has had a strong relationship with Kennesaw State University since 1995 when the company took notice of the estate tax work the Family Enterprise Center was doing and supported the center's research with a grant. The Family Enterprise Center was renamed the Cox Family Enterprise Center in 2000 in recognition of Cox Enterprises and the James M. Cox Foundation's continued support. Cox Enterprises also sponsors an annual scholarship to Kennesaw State through the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Kennedy started with Cox in 1972 as a production assistant with Atlanta newspapers, where he held various positions including reporter, copy editor, advertising salesman, business manager and executive vice president/general manager. In 1979, he was named president of Grand Junction (Colorado) Newspapers, Inc. and, a few months later, publisher of the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel.

In 1985, Kennedy transferred back to Atlanta as vice president of Cox Newspapers, a division of Cox Enterprises. He was named executive vice president of Cox Enterprises the following year, and in January 1988, Kennedy was named chairman and chief executive officer.

During Kennedy's tenure, Cox Enterprises has increased in size nearly fivefold, growing annual revenues from $1.8 billion in 1988 to more than $9.9 billion at year-end 2002. Today, Cox is a top-10 nationally ranked player, based on revenues, in every major category where it competes. The company has 77,000 employees located throughout the United States and abroad, and operates 300 separate businesses. Two subsidiaries -- Cox Communications, a leading broadband communications company, and Cox Radio -- have become publicly traded since Kennedy has been CEO. Kennedy has also expanded Cox's Internet portfolio, which includes an equity stake in AutoTrader.com, the largest and most visited online source of vehicle listings for dealers and consumers.

Kennedy serves on the boards of Flagler System, Inc., Ducks Unlimited, the PATH Foundation (People of Atlanta for Trails Here) and the Women's United Soccer Association. He is also president of Wetlands America Trust, Inc.

A former competitive cyclist, Kennedy is a past Masters National, Pan American and World Champion in the 3000-meter pursuit. He served as captain of a four-man team that won the Race Across America in 1992, setting a world's record.

Kennedy is the grandson of former Ohio governor and presidential candidate James M. Cox, who founded Cox Enterprises in 1898. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Kennedy holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Denver. He lives with his wife and children in Atlanta.