Contact: John Bowman, Holy Names University Marketing & Communications, 510-436-1405, bowman@hnu.edu

OAKLAND, Calif., Aug. 20 /Standard Newswire/ -- Dr. Charles M. Geschke, co-founder of Adobe, will speak at Holy Names University on September 19 as part of the university's 140th anniversary celebration. Holy Names will mark 140 years in Oakland in 2008 and that historic beginning is being celebrated over a 20-month period that started this Spring.

Geschke's speech is titled, "The Adobe Story: Lessons Learned in Building a Software Company." He will describe the lessons learned on the journey from a Silicon Valley start-up to becoming a major player in the software industry. He will also discuss the risk-taking environment of Silicon Valley and the corporate culture that nurtures the growth of successful high-tech companies.

The event, to be held in the HNU Valley Center for the Performing Arts, will begin with a wine and hors d'oeuvres reception at 7 pm, followed by the Geschke lecture at 8 pm. Admission is free.

Geschke, chairman of the board of Adobe, co-founded the company in 1982 with Dr. John Warnock, thus driving technology innovations that forever transformed how people create, process and engage with information. Geschke also was instrumental in developing some of the software industry's most pioneering technologies. Through his vision and passion, Geschke helped build Adobe from a startup into one of the world's largest software companies. In 2000, Geschke retired from his position as Adobe president. Today he and Warnock are co-chairmen of Adobe's board of directors and continue to shape direction of the nearly $3 billion company.

Sister Carol Sellman, SNJM, EdD, Vice President of Mission Effectiveness, and Dav Cvitkovic, MBA, Vice President of the Office of Institutional Advancement, are co-chairs of the 140 year celebration. They said that Geschke will be the first of four speakers appearing at HNU in the coming year as part of the 140 Year Celebration Speakers Series.

The university launched its anniversary celebration with the Bishop John S. Cummins inaugural lecture on February 28, just 21 days after HNU marked its 50th year at its present campus on Mountain Boulevard. Dedication of the new, $5.3 million HNU science facilities followed on March 13. Musical performances, a golf tournament, a play Founders' Day and Commencement events during the Spring all have been part of the ongoing celebration. The annual Core Festival and Homecoming events also will carry 140 year celebration themes in October. The celebration continues in 2008.

Holy Names University traces its roots to the year 1868 when six Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary arrived in Oakland from Montreal, Canada. The teaching community, founded to provide education to the poor, had been invited to Oakland by Father Michael King to establish a school for girls and to train future teachers.

Since that time, the university has contributed significantly to the City of Oakland and surrounding area, aligning its curriculum to be directive to careers of its graduates in the fields of biotechnology, healthcare and the environment.