Gross, an alumnus of the Anderson School, will deliver thekeynote speech to 400 business leaders, students and alumni at theawards dinner, will be held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in BeverlyHills at 6 p.m.

Dubbed the "Baron of Bond" by Barron's magazine, Gross isconsidered to be the best bond fund manager in the country and themost influential authority on the bond market. He manages PIMCO'sTotal Return Fund, the largest bond fund in the world with morethan $35 billion in assets.

One of its 60 mutual funds is PIMCO's Commercial MortgageSecurities Fund, a closed-end mutual fund investing in investmentgrade commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS). The fund'sholdings include apartment buildings, healthcare (hospitals andnursing care facilities); hospitality (hotels and motels); andmulti-class (a mix of all commercial property types includingoffice buildings and industrial properties). Asset quality is amixture from AAA to B, with an average quality of BBB.