2008 International MUSE   Conference   May 27-30, 2008   Gaylord Texan   Dallas, Texas

MUSE is pleased to welcome Ross Perot to the 2008 International MUSE Conference.

Sponsored by JJWild, a Perot Systems Company—helping you achieve the power of MEDITECH

Date: Thursday May 29, 2008
Time: 8:15 am

Ross Perot was born in 1930 in Texarkana, Texas. At age 19, he entered the U.S. Naval Academy where he served as Class President, Chairman of the Honor Committee and Battalion Commander. He was chosen as one of the outstanding leaders at the Naval Academy and received the National College Award for Leadership. After graduating in 1953, he served four years at sea on a Destroyer and on an Aircraft Carrier.

He met Margot Birmingham in 1952. They married and settled in Dallas. Mrs. Perot taught school, and he joined IBM as a salesman in the Data Processing Division.

In 1962, with a $1,000 loan from his wife, Mr. Perot started Electronic Data Systems (EDS). Over the next 22 years he built EDS into one of the world’s largest technology services firms. In 1984, he sold EDS to General Motors for $2.5 billion.

In 1988, he founded a new technology services company, Perot Systems Corporation. He served as Chief Executive Officer, helping to take the company public in 1999. Mr. Perot served as Chairman of the Board until 2004, when he was elected Chairman Emeritus.

In 1992, Mr. Perot ran for President of the United States as an independent candidate, winning 19% of the vote, one of the largest percentages ever for an Independent. He ran again in 1996 on the Reform Party ticket.

In addition to his successful business career, Mr. Perot has been involved in a number of public activities. In 1969, at the request of the U.S. government, he spearheaded a three and a half-year campaign to end the brutal treatment U.S. POW’s received from their Southeast Asian captors. In recognition of his efforts, Mr. Perot was awarded the Medal for Distinguished Public Service, the highest civilian award presented by the Department of Defense.

Mr. Perot is the author of seven books on a variety of subjects.

The Perots, married for 48 years, have five children and 15 grandchildren. The Perot family is actively involved in a variety of charitable and civic activities through the Perot Foundation.

Mr. Perot has received numerous awards and honors, including:

• The Winston Churchill Award. Mr. Perot was the third recipient and the only businessman to receive this award, given to those who best exemplify the imagination, boldness, and vigor of the late British Prime minister.
• The Raoul Wallenberg Award. As the first recipient of this award, Mr. Perot was honored for a lifetime of service that embodies the spirit, courage, and dedication of Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat who saved more than 100,000 Hungarian Jews from the Nazis during World War II.
• The Jefferson Award for Public Service.
• The Patrick Henry Award. Mr. Perot was the first recipient of this award given to an American for outstanding service to his country.
• The National Business Hall of Fame Award.
• The Sarnoff Award. For contributions to the electronics industry.
• The Eisenhower Award presented by the Veterans of Foreign War for support of the POW’s in Vietnam.
• The Smithsonian Computerworld Award. As the first recipient of this award, Mr. Perot was recognized for his contributions to the computer industry.
• The Horatio Alger Award. This award is presented to individuals who overcome obstacles to achieve significant success in their careers.
• The Texas Business Hall of Fame Award
• The Texas Science Hall of Fame Award
• 2004 Eisenhower Award presented by Business Executives for National Security
• Distinguished Business Leader Award presented by Texas Association of Business
• In 2004, Mr. Perot was chosen as one of History’s Ten Greatest Entrepreneurs

Keynote Speaker: Fran Drescher

MUSE is pleased to welcome Fran Drescher to the 2008 International MUSE Conference.

"Being Strong, Beating The Odds, and Laughing Out Loud"

Date:   Friday May 30, 2008
Time:   8:00 am


After years of small roles in film and television, the comic actress Fran Drescher finally gained fame as a “Mary Poppins from Queens” in what has become her signature role, Fran Fine in The Nanny. With her husband Peter Marc Jacobson, Dresher co-created and executive produced the sitcom – a humorous study of contrasts arising from the juxtaposition of a middle-class Jewish nanny in the refined world of a British-born, upper-class theater producer. Her performance in The Nanny earned two Emmy nominations as Best Actress in a Comedy Series.

In 2000, Drescher was diagnosed with uterine cancer but was since given a clean bill of health. She wrote a book about this experience, Cancer Schmancer, in which she frankly describes the disease and her journey back to health. She has also penned her memoirs Enter Whining.

A brazenly sexy, stylish, comic performer with a distinctively honking "Noo Yawk" accent, Drescher is a former Miss New York Teenager. She began her film career with a bit part in Saturday Night Fever, uttering the memorable line "Are you as good in bed as you are on the dance floor?" to John Travolta. She attracted attention as a snappy secretary in American Hot Wax and as a plastic public relations director in Rob Reiner's This Is Spinal Tap. She appeared in Cadillac Man, Francis Ford Coppola's Jack and finally in her first big screen lead in The Beautician and the Beast. She followed up with Picking Up the Pieces and Santa’s Slay.

The small screen has always welcomed Drescher's overwhelming personality. She made her mark on sitcoms such as ALF, Who's the Boss? and Night Court and appeared in a handful of television movies, including I'd Rather Be Calm, Hurricane Sam and atypically in dramatic works such as the spooky thriller Stranger in Our House and Without Warning: Terror in the Towers. In 2005, she returned to television in Living with Fran and also appeared in episodes of Good Morning, Miami and on stage in 2006 in “Some Girls.”