DURHAM, N.H. - Elisa Steele, '88, executive vice president and chief marketing officer at Yahoo!, will return to campus to discuss Internet marketing and social media as part of a jam-packed homecoming celebration for alumni of the Whittemore School of Business and Economics at the University of New Hampshire.

"Elisa Steele is a key executive at one of the biggest Internet companies in the world that is a leading player in the global economy. We are excited to welcome her back to campus and proud to call her a Whittemore School alumna," said Daniel Innis, dean of the Whittemore School.

Steele will give the keynote address at 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 8, 2010, in the Memorial Union Building, Strafford Room.

Elisa Steele, '88, is executive vice president and chief marketing officer at Yahoo!. Steele is responsible for the company's global marketing strategy and functions including brand, audience, business-to-business and regional marketing, as well as insights, global communications, policy, privacy, community affairs and related central teams.

Founded in 1994 by Stanford Ph.D. students David Filo and Jerry Yang, Yahoo! began as a hobby and has evolved into a leading global brand that changed the way people communicate with each other, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information. Today, Yahoo! Inc. attracts hundreds of millions of users every month through its innovative technology and engaging content and services, making it one of the most trafficked Internet destinations and a world-class online media company.

Steele has extensive experience leading global marketing at technology companies. Prior to joining Yahoo!, she was senior vice president of corporate marketing at NetApp, where she led the company's brand strategy and execution programs, communications, corporate relations, and integrated marketing functions on a global basis. Before NetApp, Steele led Sun's integrated marketing and merchandising organization, where she was responsible for global go-to-market initiatives, campaign execution, events, online marketing, and installed base marketing. Steele also led several other marketing functions at Sun.

In addition to Steele's keynote address, several Whittemore School alums will return to class to participate in business panels and teach more than 20 sections of the Introduction to Business class.

Two concurrent panel discussions will be held from 1:45 to 2:45 p.m. "International Business Expansion in the Global Economy" will feature Rob Rothman, '76, CEO of SUI Brands; Hachemi Aliouche, associate professor of hospitality management and associate director of the UNH Rosenberg Center of International Franchising; Ben Porter, lecturer in decision sciences; and Juan Florin, visiting associate professor of management. "Business Capital Markets: Assessments and Predictions" will feature Tom Aley, '88, venture investor and startup advisor; Bruce Cerullo, '81, CEO of Vitalize Consulting Solutions and venture partner in SV Life Sciences; Martin Madden, '82G, co-founder and managing partner of Seguin Partners; and Jeff Sohl, professor and director of the UNH Center for Venture Research. The panel will be moderated by Steve Ciccone, associate professor of finance. The discussions will take place in McConnell Hall, rooms 208 and 310, respectively.

"This group of influential alumni demonstrates the Whittemore School's ability to prepare its students to succeed in a rapidly changing and increasingly diverse business world. We are pleased to have them share their real-world experience with the UNH community," Innis said.

For more information on Whittemore School Homecoming activities and to register for events, visit http://wsbe.unh.edu/.

The UNH Whittemore School of Business and Economics offers a full complement of high-quality programs in business, economics, accounting, finance, marketing, and hospitality management. Programs are offered at the undergraduate, graduate, and executive development levels. The school is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the premier accrediting agency for business schools worldwide.

The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world-class public research university with the feel of a New England liberal arts college. A land, sea, and space-grant university, UNH is the state's flagship public institution, enrolling more than 12,200 undergraduate and 2,200 graduate students.

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Elisa Steele, '88, executive vice president and chief marketing officer at Yahoo!, will give the keynote address Oct. 8, 2010.

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