Industry & Services >> CEO Interviews >> March 17, 2002

John Larson – Career Education Corporation (ceco)

PATRICK K. PESCH has served as our Chief Financial Officer since October 1999 and as one of Directors of the Board since 1995. From 1992 until joining us, Mr. Pesch served as a Senior Vice President of Heller Financial, Inc. and also as an officer of Heller, managing a portfolio of loan and equity investments. Mr. Pesch joined HFI in 1985 as head of the internal audit function and served in a number of positions, including Senior Credit Officer for Heller Corporate Finance. Previously, Mr. Pesch was an audit manager with Arthur Young & Company. Mr. Pesch received a Bachelor in Science of Commerce from DePaul University and is a certified public accountant. Profile
JOHN M. LARSON is Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of Career Education Corporation. He has served as Chairman since January 2000 and as President, Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors since founding the company in January 1994. From July 1993 until CEC's formation, Mr. Larson served as a consultant to Heller Equity Capital Corporation. From January through May 1993, he was the Eastern Regional Operating Manager of Educational Medical, Inc. From 1989 until 1993, Mr. Larson served as the Senior Vice President of College Operations of Phillips Colleges, Inc. From March through September 1989, he served as Senior Vice President of Operations of Geneva Companies, a mergers and acquisitions firm. From 1980 to 1989, Mr. Larson was Vice President of Marketing at National Education Centers, Inc., a subsidiary of National Education Corporation. Mr. Larson has also served in marketing positions with DeVry Inc. at its Chicago and Kansas City campuses. Mr. Larson received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of California at Berkeley and has completed the Executive Management Program at Stanford University. In 2000, Mr. Larson was named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the Illinois and Northwestern Indiana region in the service category. Profile
TWST: Would you begin with a brief overview of the history and evolution

of Career Education Corporation?

Mr. Larson: The company was started in 1994 to capitalize on the highly

fragmented