Three prominent business leaders who are graduates of Wayne State University will be recognized by the university for their achievements at an awards program in their honor at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 27, in WSU's Community Arts Auditorium.

Receiving Corporate Leadership Awards will be Jan Peters, president and chief executive officer of MediaOne; Ronald Steffens, chief executive officer of AAA Michigan/Wisconsin; and Walter C. Watkins Jr., president of Bank One, Michigan. MediaOne is the third-largest cable television company in the country; AAA Michigan/Wisconsin is Michigan's largest auto insurer; and Bank One is among the largest banking companies in the country.

Peters, whose company is based in Englewood, Colo., grew up in Lincoln Park and earned a bachelor's degree in education from Wayne State. MediaOne provides entertainment, information and communication services to more than 5 million customers.

Prior to her current position, Peters was managing director of One 2 One, a jointly owned wireless venture, and president and CEO for U S West New Vector Group. She also served as president of wireless operations for U S West Media Group.

In addition, she has more than 17 years experience in the telecommunications industry with both local and long-distance service companies. She serves on the board of directors for Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network (C-SPAN); the Walter Kaitz Foundation, a cable industry organization; and Mail-Well, Inc., a printing industry consolidator.

Steffens, who has a bachelor's degree in business administration from WSU, joined AAA Michigan/Wisconsin in 1981 and was named CEO in 1992. Previously, he was director of marketing and leasing for Ford Motor Land Development Corp. He also is a past president of the Metropolitan Detroit Convention and Visitors Bureau.

A resident of Utica, he serves on the boards of the American Automobile Association, AAA Financial Services, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit Renaissance, New Detroit, Economic Club of Detroit, United Way and the Michigan Jobs Commission, among others.

He is a past president or chairman of the Greater Detroit Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Travel Commission, Greater Michigan Foundation, Detroit Festival of the Arts, Michigan Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus. Greater Detroit/Windsor Japan-America Society; and Association Executives of Metro Detroit.

Watkins, a Livonia resident, earned his MBA degree from WSU. He joined National Bank of Detroit, now part of Bank One Corp., as a management trainee in 1968. He held various supervisory and management positions before being appointed head of Michigan Regional Banking and elected executive vice president of NBD Bank and First Chicago NBD Corp. in 1997, and subsequently president of Bank One, Michigan.

Watkins also has responsibility for the corporation's small business strategy in Michigan, Indiana and Illinois.

He serves on the boards of the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce, Detroit Medical Center, New Detroit, Downtown Development Authority and Detroit Economic Growth Corp. He also is on the advisory board of Black Family Development, Inc. and is a member of the Urban Bankers Forum, the Leadership Detroit Alumni Association and 100 Black Men of Greater Detroit.

Program activities will begin with a 5:30 p.m. reception in WSU's McGregor Memorial Conference Center, followed by the 6:30 p.m. awards program in Community Arts Auditorium and a 7:15 p.m. dinner in the Community Arts Gallery.

Tickets for the event are $15 for the reception and program only or $45 with dinner included. For reservations and more information call Donna Morrison at (313) 577-6483.