CEOs from four major companies will be speaking to students about building successful careers as part of the UW Business School and UW Alumni Association's 2007 CEO Lunch Series.

Registration is now being accepted for individual lunches or for the entire series.

Now in its 17th year, the CEO Lunch Series features CEOs of local companies in a dynamic program that attracts a wide range of Business School alumni and members of the Puget Sound business community, according to the Association Web site.

Maureen Crawford, associate director for alumni relations at the Business School, said this series is "a great opportunity to gain insider knowledge."

The first three lunches will take place at the Columbia Tower Club in downtown Seattle. The fourth lunch will be held at the Harbor Club in downtown Bellevue.

The first speaker will be Carlos Guangorena, the president and CEO of Plaza Bank, Feb. 6. Guangorena has been in commercial banking for 25 years and has a significant amount of high-level experience.

On March 20, Dan Fulton will be the guest speaker for the second lunch in the series. Fulton has been with the Weyerhaeuser Company since 1976, with the exception of one year. He is president and CEO of Weyerhaeuser Real Estate Co.

The third lunch will include a talk from Paula Reynolds, the president and CEO of Safeco Corp., a Fortune 500 company. She also serves on the boards of directors for both Coca-Cola Enterprises and Delta Air Lines.

The final lunch in the series is will take place at the Harbor Club in downtown Bellevue for the first time in the Series' history.

The guest speaker will be Stein Kruse, president and CEO of Holland America Line and Windstar Cruises. He worked in the cruise line business at a top level for more than eight years.

"We tried to get a variety of industries, ethnicities, and diversities — speakers that would have interest to a variety of people," Crawford said in regard to the selection of speakers.

The lunches are primarily targeted for the business community and alumni of the business school, although students in any field are encouraged to attend some or all of the lunches.

"Students benefit from getting to hear from top CEOs from the Puget Sound area," she said. "They can gain networking and business connections."

The lunches cost $120 for students for the entire series or $32 for individual lunches.

For more information and to register, visit http://www.washington.edu/alumni/clubs/business/2007ceolunch.html.

Reach reporter Shannon O'Hara at shannonohara@thedaily.washington.edu.