Heroes of Ethics Speaker Series
Each year, our signature Heroes of Ethics Speaker Series features a prominent individual who shares their firsthand experience navigating ethical dilemmas in the business world. Through powerful keynote speeches and thought-provoking discussions, the series invites audiences to reflect on integrity, accountability, and the challenges of making ethical decisions in complex environments. The event is free and open to the public.
2026 Hero of Ethics:
An Evening with Michael Woodford MBE: From CEO to Whistleblower - Inside The Olympus Scandal
Register by Friday, September 4, 2026
This story is extraordinary. Michael Woodford the newly appointed president and then CEO of Olympus wakes up to find that nobody is telling him the truth, facing an accounting fraud on a massive scale, approaching $2 billion. Even the chairman and the Head of Compliance and Governance are suspected of being in on it. The CEO faces a terrible dilemma that could put his and his family's lives at risk. Who can he trust? Certainly, not his own board. What lessons can be found in his experience about information and transparency in financial flows. Listen to his story, both hilarious and terrifying, as the decision he makes leads to the exposure of the scandal, the crash in the share price, the entire board’s resignation and him having to go around with armed police. This story is captured in Michael’s book ‘Exposure: From President to Whistleblower at Olympus’, but is it so far away from what happens elsewhere? In today's business climate, are the risks of these sorts of frauds more likely? How can regulation work when even the trusted guardians can't be trusted? How much of this is going on right now? What would you do in Michael’s position?
Event Address
Xavier University
Cintas Center, Schiff Family Conference Center, Duff Banquet Room
1624 Musketeer Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45207
Please contact wcbevents@xavier.edu to register a group, for any questions, or to be added to this annual event's invitation list.
Past Heroes of Ethics Speaker Series
2025 Ethics in Action: Navigating High-Stakes Legal and Ethical Dilemmas
Featuring: Mr. Tyler Shultz
Tyler Shultz is a scientist at heart, a founder by nature, a whistleblower by accident, a speaker by day, a venture partner by night, and a dad 24/7. His professional life began by exposing unethical practices at Theranos, a revelation that led to the collapse of the $9 billion company and the criminal convictions of its CEO and COO. Since then, he has co-founded two diagnostics companies: a deep tech spinout from Stanford’s Center for Magnetic Nanotechnology and a direct-to-consumer diagnostics and telehealth company. Beyond building companies, Tyler advises startups and venture funds, helping them navigate the technical, commercial, and ethical challenges of scaling groundbreaking ideas. As a speaker, he shares his experiences with audiences worldwide, addressing lawyers, founders, executives, employees, students, investors, board members, regulators, and compliance experts. He explores themes of truth, courage, and integrity, demonstrating how ethical decision-making can be a competitive advantage.
Theranos promised to revolutionize the healthcare industry, raised nearly $1B in funding, attained a $9B valuation, and assembled a high-powered board of directors of former secretaries of state, secretaries of defense, 4-star generals, and senators. Tyler was 22 years old, fresh out of college, and eager to join a company that was being touted as "the Apple of healthcare." He quickly realized, however, that behind the facade of a charismatic founder, powerful board, high-profile investors, and magazine cover stories, Theranos was built on lies. Tyler recounts his experiences as he navigated complex ethical, regulatory, legal, and personal dilemmas as he exposed one of the biggest corporate frauds since Enron. Tyler’s story offers a compelling perspective on the power of courage and integrity in the face of immense pressure.
2024 Courage at the Crossroads: Ethical Leadership for the 21st Century
Featuring: Cynthia Cooper
Cynthia Cooper is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, thought leader, and advocate. In 2002, Cynthia blew the whistle on fraud at WorldCom. WorldCom, once a Wall Street darling boasting the largest acquisition in history, the fifth most widely held stock, and ranked by the Wall Street Journal as number one for the highest return to shareholders over a ten-year period, became the largest fraud, bankruptcy, and civil settlement in corporate history.
Cynthia Cooper LinkedIn. Retrieved October 2, 2024.