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Executive MBA named among the Nations's Top 20 by Business Week

In a special report on executive education published in BusinessWeek magazine, Pepperdine University's George L. Graziadio School of Business and Management was included in an elite group of only 20 business schools considered the best offering the executive master of business administration (EMBA) degree. The report is based on a survey of 100 business school deans.

The issue listing "20 Leading Executive MBA Programs," cited the Pepperdine program alongside such peer institutions as University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, Northwestern's Kellogg School, and NYU's Stern School.

Commenting on the inclusion, Graziadio School Dean Dr. Otis W. Baskin said, "Over the 30 years since Pepperdine's business school began, our distinctive competency has been the education of executives at the MBA level. Of our 24,000 active alumni, 1,696 graduates currently lead organizations worldwide at the level of vice president, president, and CEO. Having graduated more than 100 Executive MBA classes, The Graziadio School is one of the longest operating Executive MBAs on the West Coast."

David L. Poole, Graziadio School executive director of Executive Programs said, "It is gratifying to know that the deans of the top business schools in the country recognize Pepperdine's innovative leadership in educating mid- to senior-level executives." Poole, who serves as chair of the board of trustees of the Executive MBA Council, was also quoted in the report.

The listing notes that the average work experience of executives who seek the Pepperdine Executive MBA is 18 years, the average base salary is $118,142, and that the school also runs a special EMBA for high level executives, known as the Presidential/Key Executive (P/KE) MBA.

Associate Dean for Executive Programs Dr. Andre van Niekerk said, "This milestone validates the 30-year history of our Executive MBA programs. It also recognizes, without exception, the quality and relevant contributions of our faculty as they communicate their exemplary academic credentials and significant industry experience into the collaborative, small class environment which continues to be a Graziadio School hallmark."

Among the executives who are recipients of Pepperdine's MBA degree are Christos M. Cotsakos, chairman and CEO of E*TRADE Group, David Mount, CEO of Warner/Elektra/Atlantic, James Q. Crowe, CEO of Level 3 Communications, Mory Ejabat, former president and CEO of Ascend Communications, and Russ Bach, president of Walt Disney Records Worldwide.

Said Baskin, "We are honored that BusinessWeek recognizes the quality of our executive education, which comes only weeks after our inclusion for the second year in The Princeton Review's annual publication of the best business schools in America. Our commitment to executive learning has led us to be the first business school ever to host sponsor the Fortune 500 Forum which will be held in Beverly Hills in November. This annual conference of the leaders of America's most successful companies will number among its ranks some of The Graziadio School's accomplished and successful MBA graduates."