Lecture Series to Span ‘Pizza to Politics’

Schnatter (left) will speak March 28. Schultz (right) will speak April 19.

Purdue University has announced the lineup for its Spring 2016 Presidential Lecture Series. The speakers include a former U.S. Secretary of State and the founder of a global pizza chain.

Papa John’s Pizza founder and Chief Executive Officer John Schnatter will speak March 28 at 6:30 p.m. at Fowler Hall. The Jeffersonville native and Ball State University graduate began the pizza company in a former broom closet in his father’s tavern. Papa John’s is now the third-largest pizza chain in the world, with more than 4,700 restaurants in 38 countries and territories.

George Schultz will speak April 19 at 6:30 p.m. at Loeb Playhouse. He served as secretary of labor, director of the Office of Management and Budget and treasury secretary at different times under President Richard Nixon. He also served as secretary of state for President Ronald Reagan from 1982-1989. His educational career includes positions at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Chicago.

Purdue President Mitch Daniels will lead both discussions, which are free and open to the public. In a release from Purdue, Daniels said, "From pizza to politics, these Presidential Lecture Series events will bring two well-known and highly respected leaders of business and government to campus. I’m very excited that our community will have the opportunity to hear the array of expertise and experiences that these top visionaries will share."