The School of Business Executive Education Business Mastery Program for Public Service Professionals held its certificate ceremony at the Graduate Business Learning Center (GBLC) in Hartford on December 15. Dr. Robert Bird, Associate Professor in UConn’s Marketing Department, welcomed honorees, friends and family, distinguished guests and program faculty and staff. He also shared experiences from his course module, Introduction to Employment Law. Dr. Karla Fox, Dean of the School of Business, addressed the group with congratulatory remarks. Other distinguished guests attending the ceremony and assisting Dean Fox with the distribution of certificates included: Department of Transportation Commissioner James Redeker; UConn Director of the Institute of Material Sciences, Dr. Harris Marcus; State Health Care Advocate, Victoria Veltri, JD, LLM; Department of Public Health Deputy Commissioner, Lisa Davis; Department of Social Services Operations Manager, George Chamberlin; Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Developmental Services, Joseph Drexler; and Chief of Quality and Planning, Department of Children and Families, Fernando Muniz.
In closing the ceremony, Dr. Lucy Gilson, Associate Professor in UConn’s Management Department, remarked that she recently brought her MBA change management class to the GBLC to hear Governor Malloy give a speech stating that Connecticut is, “open for business,” and “we are going to compete.” In this speech Governor Malloy outlined a number of changes that the state had made and was in the processes of making to encourage, support, and facilitate business as well as attract new companies and industries to our state. More specifically however, he talked about how we needed to reposition Connecticut to attract and keep current industries. He also discussed how UConn could work in tandem with the state to meet these goals. “Tonight, I believe we are taking a big step toward achieving this goal,” noted Professor Gilson. “The business mastery program which tonight’s honorees have completed helps to insure that our state employees have the managerial tools necessary for us to compete” she added.
Certificate recipients honored included: Bruce Bourgoin, Department of Transportation; YoungHee Chudy, UConn; Patricia Dunn, UConn/Department of Social Services; Africka Hinds-Ayala, Office of Health Care Advocacy; David Madonna, Department of Public Health; Elieen McMurrer, Sharon O’Neill and Wayne Seidel, Department of Developmental Services; Tricia Morelli, Department of Social Services; Cristina Pereira, formerly of Department of Transportation; Marc Petruzzi, Department of Public Safety; Ilia Stranko, Department of Children and Families.
The two-course Public Service Professionals Certificate Program offers Introduction to Management and Introduction to Employment Law & Government Processes. Participants either earn 4 undergraduate or 3 graduate non-degree credits per course. To date, 59 participants have completed the program from agencies and departments, throughout the State. By providing customized educational opportunities to public service professionals, the program enhances participants’ skills, while benefiting State agencies and the residents of the State of Connecticut. Our alumni have credited the program with networking and promotional opportunities as well as the development of advanced management skills. Testimonials on the value and benefits of the program can be found at: www.business.uconn.edu/publicservice.
Pictured (top right): Business Mastery Program for Public Service Professionals 2012 Certificate Recipients, Dean Karla Fox, Faculty and Staff. Pictured (above, left to right): Dr. Robert Bird, Professor of Business Law; Dr. Lucy Gilson, Professor of Management; Mary Palmer, Program Manager; Nancy Brouillet, Adjunct Instructor.
