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USF Muma College of Business Goes “Undercover” with Speaking Event

TAMPA, Fla. (Oct. 21, 2013) - The first executive to ever fire someone on the hit CBS show "Undercover Boss," along with other senior-level industry executives, will speak to University of South Florida business alumni as part of an event focusing on how companies can collect and use information to make better business decisions.

Boston Market Chief Brand Officer and "Undercover Boss" participant Sara Bittorf will speak at the USF Muma College of Business, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., on Friday, Oct. 25, to discuss what she learned on the show and how she took that knowledge back to Boston Market. Bittorf's remarks will precede a panel talk on a prevailing trend in business: data-driven decision making.

Big data technologies are emerging fast and companies have the ability to collect heaps of information that intuition alone can't decipher. Data-driven decision-making skills are the answer to capitalizing on this abundance of information. Industry executives including the co-chief executive officer of FedEx, the chief financial officer of Avon, and the chief business officer of the Florida Panthers will share their insights.

USF Professor Balaji Padmanabhan, an expert in the areas of business intelligence, data analysis, and data mining, will lead the discussion. The chair of USF's Information Systems Decisions Sciences Department, Padmanabhan will talk with these senior-level industry experts from a range of fields about how they use data to drive business decisions.

The event will take place from 3:30 to 5:15 p.m. For more information on speakers and to RSVP, visit the event website. One-on-one interviews with Bittorf will be available before and after the event for those who make arrangements in advance.