Kodak Savior to Speak at Chapman Forum

George M.C. Fisher, chief executive of Eastman Kodak Co. and a heralded corporate turnaround specialist, will speak at Chapman University’s annual economic forum in Irvine next Thursday.

Fisher has won accolades for his resurrection of Kodak after the famed photographic supplies company foundered under the previous management’s diversification strategy. After running Motorola Inc., Fisher was hired by Kodak in 1993 to bring the old-line company back to profitability. His success in doing just that caught the eye of Chapman President Jim Doti.

It didn’t hurt that Fisher’s wife is a Chapman alum with a soft spot for her alma mater. Ann Wallace Fisher recently gave the university $1 million to help build a new chapel at the school.

Chapman is plugging George Fisher’s speech as an opportunity for local business people to garner his wisdom on adapting to technological changes and a global economy.

Past speakers for the event have included Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, publishing magnate Malcolm S. Forbes Jr., and former President Reagan’s outspoken budget director, David Stockman. Last year’s speaker was fallen junk bond whiz Michael Milken.