(BLACK PR WIRE)--NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Morgan Stanley Smith Barney announced today that it will be hosting a Women’s Leadership reception at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, IL on Tuesday, April 26, 2011 at 6:00 p.m.

The event, which is open to the public, with advance registration, is co-sponsored by Ariel Investments and is hosted in collaboration with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Glen Ellyn Area Alumnae Chapter. It will feature keynote speaker, Mellody Hobson, President of Ariel Investments and will focus on the topic of women and leadership, her strategies on work/life balance, financial health and overcoming personal challenges.

Ms. Hobson is a financial contributor on ABC’s Good Morning America, a featured columnist in Black Enterprise magazine as well as a spokesperson for both the annual Ariel/Schwab Black Investor Survey and the 2009 Ariel/Hewitt study, “401(k) Plans in Living Color.” Beyond her work at Ariel, Mellody is a director of three public companies: DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc.; The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. and Starbucks Corporation. She also serves on the Investment Company Institute’s board of governors and the SEC Investor Advisory Committee, and is a director of various professional and civic organizations.

“We’ve had great feedback around the country about this event, so we’re pleased to host this reception in Illinois,” said Phillip E. Hall, Senior Vice President, Regional Business Development Officer, Illinois, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. “Consistent with our diversity and inclusion commitment and our business priorities, this forum provides a platform for us to celebrate the power and authentic voice of women like Mellody and facilitate a dialogue about business leadership among the participants.”

The event will take place on Tuesday, April 26, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. at the Morton Arboretum in the Ginko Room: 4100 Illinois Route 53 Lisle, IL 60532. Reservations are required for security access, and limited seating is available. Please R.S.V.P. to Liz.Navarro@mssb.com or (312) 648-3063.

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Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is a leading global financial services firm providing a wide range of investment banking, securities, investment management and wealth management services. The Firm's employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, institutions and individuals from more than 1,300 offices in 42 countries. For further information about Morgan Stanley, please visit www.morganstanley.com.  

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Guest speakers are neither employees nor affiliated with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. Opinions expressed by the guest speaker are solely his/her own and do not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney.