October 2, 2013
On Friday, September 20, over 300 women entrepreneurs from around Connecticut gathered to attend the sold-out “Connecticut Celebrates Women Entrepreneurs” conference. Hosted by the UConn School of Business at UConn Stamford, the day featured networking opportunities, a business exhibit showcase, and a variety of educational and business-building workshops. Continue Reading
September 26, 2013
The University of Connecticut has embarked on an ambitious hiring initiative to expand its faculty and senior academic leadership across disciplines, investing in 500 tenure-track faculty positions over the next four years.
As a result of this initiative, the School of Business is delighted to welcome 11 new faculty members in the 2013-2014 academic year. These new faculty bring a diverse array of expertise and research interests to the school and our students, with specialty areas in accounting, finance, management, marketing, and operations and information management.
September 23, 2013
The new undergraduate financial management major was introduced to the School of Business’ Stamford campus on Thursday, August 29. The first class includes 17 business students. The financial management major offered only at the UConn Stamford campus is specifically designed to prepare students for careers in corporate money management and investment. The curriculum is closely tied to professional financial services practice. It was developed in partnership with the Stamford Chartered Financial Analysts Society (SCFAS), and prepares students to take the first level of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exams which leads to the CFA designation. The unique program will include support from the society with mentoring and introductions to the various financial institutions in the tri-state area.
The first class will graduate in May 2014.
Pictured: The financial management students along with Professor Katherine Pancak, Professor John Knopf, Program Manager Marlys Rizzi, Executive Director for the School of Business at UConn Stamford Jud Saviskas, and Finance Department Head Chinmoy Ghosh.
September 18, 2013
The start of a new semester is an excellent time to strengthen connections and welcome in new students. That is just what happened at The Society Room on August 22 in downtown Hartford, as the UConn School of Business community welcomed in new students entering into the MBA, Master of Science in Financial Risk Management (MSFRM), and Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBAPM). Continue Reading
September 16, 2013
Management doctoral student Nicole Jones received the Promising Young Educator Award at the Ph.D. Project Management Doctoral Students Association Conference, held August 7-9, 2013.
A peer and self-nominated award, the Promising Young Educator Award is given annually to the Ph.D. Project Management Doctoral Student Association (MDSA) member who has demonstrated teaching excellence during the current academic year. Jones, a third-year doctoral student, received an exceptional teaching rating. Students’ evaluation of teaching gave her a 5.0 of 5.0 in both the MBA course, Gender & Diversity, and undergraduate course, Organizational Behavior. Teaching evaluations are considered in the nomination process among other criteria including a statement of teaching philosophy, teaching role and scope of responsibilities, number of courses, number of students, student population, teaching awards received, and class syllabus.
Jones also recently passed the General Exam, a major milestone in the School of Business doctoral program. She is active in Ph.D. minority recruitment and in other Ph.D. initiatives such as the Planning Committee for the U21 Doctoral Research Conference in Business (DRCB), which was hosted by the UConn School of Business April 10-13, 2012.
The Ph.D. Project’s expansive network helps African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans and Native Americans attain their business Ph.D., become business professors, and mentor the next generation. School of Business Dean John A. Elliott, then at the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College, was one of the inaugural inductees into the Ph.D. Project Hall of Fame in 2011.
September 11, 2013
The UConn School of Business is pleased to announce that Professor Sulin Ba has accepted the new position of associate dean of academic and research support in the Dean’s Office of the School of Business, effective September 6, 2013. Ba joined the UConn faculty in 2002 as an associate professor in the Department of Operations and Information Management (OPIM) after beginning her career at the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California (USC). She was promoted to full professor in 2011.
Professor Ba holds a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin. She has a distinguished research record and works on health IT, various issues around online behavior, and on internal market mechanisms. Several of her papers have been recognized by best paper awards including Best IS Publication of the Year (2010) and MIS Quarterly Best Paper of the Year (2000). She was recently awarded the School of Business Research Excellence Award for her nationally and internationally recognized scholarship and long term impact on UConn research. She is the co-principal investigator (co-PI) on two National Natural Science Foundation of China research grants.
Ba has extensive international experience including associations with Fudan University, Universitat Mannheim, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and City University of Hong Kong. She has been active with the Connecticut Information Technology Institute (CITI) and Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) at the School of Business and has been involved in experiential learning for the last eight years. Recently, Ba led a team of Management Information Systems (MIS) students in developing a Microsoft SQL Server based Enforcement and Examination Tracking System for the Consumer Credit Division of the Connecticut Department of Banking. Her corporate engagements have included many Connecticut companies, nonprofits, and government organizations.
September 6, 2013
The Business Law Faculty in the School of Business participated in the 88th annual Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB) conference, held in Boston, Massachusetts on August 6-10, 2013. The conference featured presentations, workshops, and panels, and hundreds of legal scholars from around the world gathered to discuss a variety of legal and pedagogical topics. Continue Reading
August 28, 2013
Education takes many roads! In January, Professor Bill Ross led an MBA group to Lyon, France, and in June, Professor Robin Coulter led the Executive MBA Class of 2014 on their trip to Beijing, China (see the photos here). Both trips were filled with enriching academic and cultural experiences.
We are pleased to share these with you in our latest newsletter, along with exciting updates from our undergraduate, graduate, and Ph.D. programs here in Connecticut.
>>Access the Fall 2013 Marketing Department Newsletter (PDF)
In this issue, you’ll read about our undergraduate students who developed a promotional and advertising campaign for the Honda Civic sedan and graduate students who tackled marketing challenges for The Palace – Stamford Center for the Arts and News America Marketing.
You’ll find that we are also looking forward to some exciting research: Professors Hongju Liu, Nicholas Lurie, and Joseph Pancras received prestigious Marketing Science Institute grants for their proposals on mobile marketing.
View the full newsletter here to learn more. We are looking forward to a great 2013-14 academic year!
August 27, 2013
David P. Marks ’69, ’71 MBA has joined Conning Holdings Corporation’s Board of Directors as an independent director.
Stephen J. Enright ’72 has been promoted to senior vice president at Diamond Healthcare Corporation.
Christopher J. Kelleher ’77 was promoted to senior managing director and head of institutional asset management at Newfleet Asset Management.
James M. Mahoney ’79 has been elected the new CPA and managing partner of Mahoney Sabol & Company, LLP, and has been appointed to chairman of the Board of Directors for the Hospital for Special Care in New Britain.
Rakesh Narang ’74 MBA was recognized by the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin as an outstanding member of Indian-American community in the category of Entrepreneurship and Business Acumen.
David L. Albrycht ’89 MBA has been inducted into the CCSU Business Hall of Honors.
Christopher A. Bleck ’80, ’88 MBA has been appointed to the Product Advisory Board of Alcresta.
James E. Cotter ’82 has been appointed to executive vice president and chief operating officer of Naugatuck Valley Financial Corporation.
Deborah R. Gordon ’88 MBA has been appointed to chief learning and development officer at Boyden in New York City.
William J. Hagist ’80 MBA has been named president and chief executive officer of the Enfield Community Federal Credit Union.
Paul H. Kauffman ’84 has been appointed as a managing director at Jones Lang LaSalle in its Stamford office.
Todd A. Krygier ’87 has been named the new coach of the Muskegon Lumberjacks, a tier one junior hockey team in Michigan.
Edward F. Lange Jr. ’86 MBA has been appointed to the position of chief executive officer of Holiday Retirement.
Scott R. Lewis ’85 has been promoted to senior vice president and controller of The Hartford.
Lee R. Schlesinger ’82 received the Mary H. Connolly Community Caring Award for outstanding service to the United Way and the entire community.
Donald E. White ’89, ’00 EMBA has been appointed to serve as the executive vice president and chief financial officer of Salisbury Bank and Trust Company.
Andrew N. Albert ’92 MBA has been named managing director in the equity sales and trading group at R.W. Pressprich.
Paulette R. Alviti ’92 has been appointed to senior vice president and chief of human resources at Foot Locker.
Christopher L. Ayers ’96 EMBA has been appointed to president and chief executive officer at WireCo WorldGroup in Kansas City.
Richard L. Baran ’93 MBA, JD has been named as chief financial officer at MediaShift, Inc.
Shawn R. Fields ’99 has been selected as the new C.H. Booth library director.
Heidi M. Goldstein ’95 has been promoted to principal of Altus Capital Partners, Inc.
Robert L. Howard Jr. ’93 has been appointed as a partner directing the public sector practice at Mahoney Sabol & Company, LLP.
Gregory P. Lewis ’91 has been named the vice president and chief financial officer of Automation and Control Solutions.
Gary T. McCollum ’94 EMBA has been listed on “The Power List: 75 people who shape and influence Hampton Roads.”
James M. Yanosy ’92 has been promoted to chief financial officer for consumer markets at The Hartford.
Christopher R. Zell ’97 MBA has been appointed senior client manager of specialized industries for the Connecticut market by Bank of America.
Ashley M. Battle ’04, ’05 (CLAS) was named Chartiers Valley High School’s girls basketball coach.
Christina S. Brown ’08 was promoted to assistant vice president and sales and service manager at Encore Bank N.A. located in Bonita Springs, Florida.
Bryan P. Hurlburt ’02 has been appointed to farm service agency state executive director for the United States Department of Agriculture by President Obama.
Jennifer A. Lambert ’02 MBA was appointed vice president of marketing at Crosman Corporation.
Ann L. Lovejoy ’02 MBA has been appointed as a quality improvement specialist at Mountain-Pacific Quality Health.
Hang T. Nguyen ’08, ’13 Ph.D. successfully defended her dissertation titled, “Three Essays on the Financial Impacts of Branding Strategies and Marketing Assets” and will begin a tenure-track position at Michigan State University.
Daniel D. Pinho ’02 MBA has been recognized as one of the “20 Under 40 Latinos Going Places” by Poder 360 magazine.
Nykesha S. Sales ’00 was named the community liaison to the assistant coaching staff for the Connecticut Sun.
Melanie E. Thomas ’08 has been inducted into Mount Notre Dame’s Hall of Fame for being the all-time leading scorer in the History of the School’s basketball program.
Danielle Higgins ’13 Ph.D. successfully defended her dissertation titled Communicating Information Beyond the Tax Footnote: Effective Tax Rate Forecasts in the MD&A and will be joining the faculty at CUNY – Baruch College in the Fall of 2013.
Ronald S. Liu ’11 and Thomas Wang ’11 will be opening a Japanese restaurant, Haru Aki Café at Storrs Center in the Fall of 2013.
What’s new with you?Submit your career, education, or personal announcements to the Business Alumni NetworkWhat is the Business Alumni Network? The Business Alumni Network is a free resource offered to all School of Business alumni and is an excellent tool for networking with fellow alumni and current students. Visit alumni.business.uconn.edu. Submit Photos You can submit a photo with your news and notes online, but you can also email us photos of you and your fellow alumni for possible inclusion in the magazine! Email high-resolution photos to: aspada@business.uconn.edu. |
* Links attached to alumni names point to that alum’s profile in the Business Alumni Network‘s alumni directory, when applicable. The Business Alumni Network is a free password-protected resource for UConn School of Business alumni and includes features such as news and notes, event calendar, alumni directory, and career services. For more information including how to access the Business Alumni Network, contact the School’s Office of Alumni Relations at alumnionline@business.uconn.edu.
UConn Business | Volume 3, Issue 3 | Summer 2013
Volume 3, Issue 3 | Summer 2013
As a successful entrepreneur, Robert Hughes ’92 (CLAS) knows what it takes to get a business off the ground. As a proud UConn alum, he believes the University plays an important role in supporting entrepreneurship and strengthening the state’s business and economic climate.
When Hughes learned the School of Business was interested in helping disabled veterans get back into the workforce, he decided to invest his skills, experience and finances in the effort, engaging his family members along the way. He has worked with his family in business for years, so it seemed natural to enlist them in his support for veterans outreach programs.
Together, they established the Hughes Family Fund in the School of Business to support programs for returning veterans like the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV), a program that equips disabled veterans with the knowledge, skills and support to start and grow their own businesses and attain economic self-sufficiency.
Robert Hughes ’92 (CLAS) and Laurie Hughes Paternoster ’82 (CLAS).
“Meeting and working with these veterans has been a great experience,” says Hughes, who with his sister Laurie Hughes Paternoster ’82 (CLAS), has served as mentor and helped guide veterans in the program into the world of business and entrepreneurship. “We work with them and help answer questions about developing a business plan, working with staff, dealing with legal issues and marketing strategies,” says Hughes, who is chief operating officer, president and co-founder with his brother Jack of TopCoder, an international leader in identifying, evaluating and mobilizing software development resources. Brother Greg ’88 (CLAS) and sister Mary Abel are also involved in the company.
“The news is constantly full of the everyday problems faced by returning veterans,” Hughes adds. “These men and women have made a tremendous sacrifice, and upon their return, many struggle with problems related to unemployment, stress and depression. EBV and other veterans outreach programs by the University and the School of Business are working directly to tackle those issues.”
The return to civilian life can be daunting, notes Hughes, based on his interaction with some of the veterans in the EBV program. In the military, the chain of command establishes a hierarchy for decisions and responsibilities, and the work day and schedule are pretty firmly established. “The business world, especially entrepreneurism, is pretty different, with its emphasis on creativity and seizing opportunities,” says Hughes.
Since it was established in 2010, UConn’s EBV program has helped more than 25 veterans open 27 businesses.
“We’ve had some nice success,” notes Hughes, mentioning a woman who developed a business plan for a line of leather products for women bikers. She had countless statistics and data about the size of the market and the corresponding market for men’s products. She had also given much thought to designers and possible retailers. “It entailed a lot of homework and it was very impressive.”
Some EBV participants have teamed up to leverage complementary skills. Two female veterans with military experience related to video analysis and aerial surveillance worked together to develop a plan for a company that would offer surveillance services to local and state governments for law enforcement and environmental conservation purposes.
Another source of business ideas has come from home and hobbies. A man from Minnesota, also known as the “Land of 20,000 Lakes,” devised a plan for a mobile bait and tackle shop that would travel around the lakes during the summer and winter fishing seasons.
“If you think about the problems veterans with disabilities have returning to civilian life, and then you think about the role of a university as a place to learn, to interact with people from different social settings and cultures, and prepare to work and contribute to society, it makes a tremendous amount of sense for UConn and the School of Business to support the EBV program,” says Hughes. “UConn is developing a talent pool for the entire state. Including disabled veterans in that pool is win-win, for the state and for the veterans.”