University of Virginia Library

Financial Experts Address
Students About Mergers

Experts in such fields as tender offer
tactics and antitrust legislation will lead a
seminar on the opportunities and pitfalls
of mergers at the University's Graduate
School of Business Administration on
December 1-3.

Built around case studies of actual
merger situations, the program will focus
on such questions as what to look for in
seeking a sound acquisition prospect, how a
merger prospect should be checked over to
minimize hidden risks, and how a deal can be
better negotiated to insure success.

Case studies will be presented by business
professors, while representatives of successful
business enterprises will describe what they do
to insure better results from their acquisition
programs.

Antitrust considerations in mergers will be
discussed by Betty Bock, director of antitrust
research for the National Industrial Conference
Board. A member of the American Bar
Association Committee to study the Federal
Trade Commission and a former member of the
FTC's economical staff, Miss Bock has written
numerous articles on mergers and acquisitions.
Her book, "Mergers and Markets," will be
studied by seminar participants.

Acquisitions will be discussed by John T.
Gerlach, vice president and director of corporate
growth at General Mills, Inc. A graduate of
Wharton School of Finance, Mr. Gerlach is
co-author of "Successful Management of New
Products."

C. Edward Midgely, vice president and
account manager of the corporate finance
department of Kidder, Peabody and Co.,
Incorporated, will discuss mergers. Former
consultant to the Accounting Principles Board,
he is a member of the corporate finance
committee of the Investment Bankers Association.

Presenting case studies will be Samuel L.
Hayes III, professor of business administration
at Columbia University and author of numerous
articles on acquisition financing and other
topics; William W. Sihler, associate professor of
business administration at the University, and
Frederick S. Morton, professor of business
administration and former director of management
programs at the University.

The seminar, being offered for the tenth
time, is designed for business leaders involved as
buyers, sellers or advisers in merger and
acquisition activity.

"While the topic of the seminar remains
unchanged, the content of the program is
modified to reflect the current merger environment,"
says Robert R. Fair, director of
management programs.