Expert Speakers
Carl Icahn, Chairman & CEO
Mr. Icahn began his career on Wall Street in 1961 and has become one of the most well-known and influential investors in America.
In 1968, Mr. Icahn formed Icahn & Co., a securities firm that focused on risk arbitrage and options trading. In 1978, Mr. Icahn began taking control positions in individual companies. Over the years, he has taken substantial or controlling positions in various corporations including: RJR Nabisco, TWA, Texaco, Phillips Petroleum, Western Union, Gulf & Western, Viacom, Uniroyal, Dan River, Marshall Field, E- II (Culligan and Samsonite), American Can, USX, Marvel, Revlon, Imclone, Federal-Mogul, Fairmont, Kerr-McGee and Time Warner. As a leading shareholder activist, Mr. Icahn believes his efforts have unlocked billions of dollars of shareholder and bondholder value and have improved the competitiveness of American companies. Mr. Icahn and his affiliated companies currently own businesses in a wide range of industries, including real estate, gaming, energy, telecommunications, transportation, industrial services, and manufacturing. Companies in which Mr. Icahn and his affiliates currently own majority positions include ACF Industries, American Railcar, XO Communications, Philip Services, Icahn Enterprises LP, and American Casino and Entertainment Partners. He and his affiliated companies also owns stakes in many other public companies.
Mr. Icahn's investment approach relies on his independent and contrarian views, and focuses on undervalued companies which are frequently poorly managed. Mr. Icahn utilizes a value-added, process-driven, research-intensive and activist approach to investing which he believes has enabled him to manage risk and achieve superior returns. Since beginning his career on Wall Street, Mr. Icahn has actively capitalized on mispriced risk in the capital markets. By committing long-term capital, discipline and active investment influence, Mr. Icahn is able to provide the patience and vision often unavailable to companies as they seek to restructure and realize value enhancement. Mr. Icahn actively seeks large block equity positions, equity and debt short positions, distressed debt and restructuring opportunities and various special situations and arbitrage opportunities.
Mr. Icahn, 71, is a graduate of Princeton University, with a degree in philosophy. Mr. Icahn has many charitable interests, focusing primarily on child welfare, education and medicine. These include the Carl C. Icahn Charter School in The Bronx, New York, a K-8 charter school; the Icahn Scholars Program at Choate Rosemary Hall and the Carl C. Icahn Science Center, Choate Science Building designed by I.M. Pei; and the Carl C. Icahn Laboratory for Princeton University's Institute for Integrated Genomics. He has also made significant donations to Mt. Sinai Hospital where he established the Icahn Medical Institute (a 17 story building on Madison Ave.) and the Randall's Island Sports Foundation for the construction of Icahn Stadium, a new track and field stadium.
His foundation, the Children's Rescue Fund, built Icahn House in The Bronx, New York, a 65-unit complex for homeless families consisting of single pregnant women and single women with children, and operates Icahn House North and Icahn House South, both of which are homeless shelters located in New York City.
Mr. Icahn serves as a trustee on the board of the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine and Mt. Sinai Hospital, as a trustee on the board of Lincoln Center, and as a trustee of the Randall's Island Sports Foundation and Choate Rosemary Hall.
Mr. Icahn has received numerous awards, including the Starlight Foundation's Founders Award and the 1990 Man of the Year Award, and was named The Guardian Angel 2001 Man of the Year. In 2004, Mr. Icahn was honored by the Center for Educational Innovation - Public Education Association for his charter school work. In 2006, Mr. Icahn was honored with the 100 Women in Hedge Funds Effecting Change Award for his outstanding contributions to improving education.
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