Marshall E. Frank, president of Chem Systems, a unit of IBM Corp., will deliver the Raymond G. Thorpe Lecture at Cornell University on Tuesday, April 18. His talk is titled "So You Want to Be a Consultant?" and will be presented in 155 Olin Hall at 3:30 p.m. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Chem Systems is an international management consulting firm that assists businesses in the global energy, chemical, plastics and process industries. He has overall responsibility for the company's consulting activities in North and South America and the Asia-Pacific region.

Frank joined Chem Systems in 1970 from Scientific Design Co. He is a graduate of Cornell (B.Ch.E. '61), where he serves on the board of the Cornell Association of Class Officers. He has been treasurer for the Class of 1961 since 1991.

The lecture is sponsored by the Raymond G. Thorpe Fund, the purpose of which is to enhance undergraduate education by bringing industrial and academic visitors to Cornell's School of Chemical Engineering. The fund was established in 1989 by alumni and friends to honor Thorpe, professor emeritus of chemical engineering, on his retirement after 39 years on the faculty. Thorpe twice received the College of Engineering's Excellence in Teaching Award. He has continued to serve the engineering college since his retirement as a senior adviser and one of the managers for the senior plant design course in chemical engineering.