Author: Claire Hall

4th Annual Cornell Real Estate Competition

Posted on by Claire Hall

On November 15, 2012, a team of undergraduates from the University of Connecticut School of Business placed among the top three universities in the Fourth Annual Cornell Real Estate Case Study Competition in New York City.

Fifteen of the best international undergraduate real estate programs were represented as they vied for the top spot. Teams were judged on their approach, analysis and presentation skills in solving a real estate investment case based on a real-world transaction. The UConn team, which consisted of Michael Hovey ’13, Brian Kaukas ’13, Mallika Winsor ’13, TJ Mills ’12, Frances Gibbons ’14 and Austin Smyth ’15, received the case on Saturday, November 10th and worked endlessly to come up with the best solution. The team made their presentation on November 15th to a panel of prominent industry judges. The UConn team won their group and advanced to the final round where they presented to all participating schools and judges. Among the other final round teams (University of Pennsylvania and Indiana University), UConn was the only team to recommend the actual course of action taken in the real-life transaction down a few percentage points.

Other schools to participate in the case study included first place winner, University of Pennsylvania, The Wharton School of Business, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Cornell University, Indiana University, Maastricht University, New York University, Pennsylvania State University, Renmin University of China, University of Cambridge, University of Guelph, University of Michigan, University of North Carolina, University of Wisconsin at Madison and Villanova University.

MBA Students Welcome President of Bigelow Tea to Stamford Learning Accelerator

Posted on by Claire Hall

Cindi Bigelow, president of Bigelow Tea in Fairfield, Connecticut, the #1 market leader of specialty teas in the United States, spoke to 45 MBA students recently in the Stamford Learning Accelerator (SLA) Rotunda at the University of Connecticut’s Stamford campus. Also present from Bigelow Tea were Lauren Westbrook, Brand Manager, and Patrick Rowan, Sales Representative.

Cindi was invited by Brian Brady, director of the SLA and faculty Instructor in Residence for “Thinking, Acting and Managing Entrepreneurially” in the Management Department, one of the MBA classes Bigelow addressed. Additionally in attendance were Professor Wynd Harris of the Marketing Department and students from her MBA course, “New Product and Management Innovation.” Also attending was Professor Tim Dowding of the Operations and Information Management Department and Associate Director of the International Business Accelerator at UConn Stamford.

Under Cindi’s energetic leadership, Bigelow Tea has embraced social media and continues to expand a product line that now includes over 120 varieties of black, green, decaffeinated, herbal and iced teas. The company produces over 1.6 billion tea bags annually.

Weeks prior to Cindi’s visit, the MBA students conducted research on tea drinkers and shared their findings with Cindi who led an interactive discussion on what it’s like to be the third generation running a family business, staying ahead of the competitive tea industry and why Bigelow Tea’s over 300 employees are like family. Cindi also engaged all of the students in a hands-on Earl Grey tea cutting demonstration, comparing Bigelow Tea’s brand to major competitors.

Photos from the event can be viewed at

To learn more about the Stamford Learning Accelerator, please visit http://sla.business.uconn.edu/

Geno Auriemma UConn Leadership Conference Announced

Posted on by Claire Hall

At a University of Connecticut press conference this morning, Coach Geno Auriemma, School of Business Dean John Elliott, Professor Lucy Gilson, and UConn President Susan Herbst, along with other members of the university community, officially announced a major new leadership initiative: the inaugural Geno Auriemma UConn Leadership Conference, presented by Walmart, to be held April 29-30th at the Mohegan Sun Convention Center in Uncasville.Continue Reading

Risk Management Conference Draws Audience of 165+

Posted on by Claire Hall

The University of Connecticut School of Business was proud to host our First Annual Risk Management Conference on November 9, 2012. Over 165 risk management and regulation professionals, faculty members, and graduate students in the Master of Science in Financial Risk Management (MSFRM) program gathered to discuss new challenges and opportunities in the field. Among the many notable guests in attendance were faculty members from several other universities, including Sabanci University in Istanbul, Turkey. Continue Reading

Update: Webcast Recording Available for “Town Hall” Meeting on U.S.-China Relationship

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn-Stamford Joins 60-City Live Program with U.S. Ambassador to China

The University of Connecticut’s Stamford campus and the Business Council of Fairfield County are teaming to offer a unique opportunity to students, business leaders and other community members to learn about critical U.S.-China relations.

UConn-Stamford will be one of 60 venues nationwide offering the Oct. 29, 2012, presentation of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations’ sixth annual CHINA Town Hall. The live webcast event, “National Reflections, Local Connections,” includes a discussion and a question-and-answer session with Gary Locke, the U.S. Ambassador to China.

UConn-Stamford’s event starts at 7 p.m. and includes a presentation by China specialist Keith W. Abell, co-founder the Sungate Properties real estate investment company. His discussion precedes the webcast of the Town Hall, which starts at 8 p.m.

UConn-Stamford will present the discussion and live webcast in its Gen Re auditorium on the first floor of the downtown campus. Admission is free.

Ambassador Locke will deliver a special address to be broadcast live to audiences in the 60 cities and towns across the United States. He will then respond to questions from audience members nationwide in a discussion, moderated by Stephen Orlins, president of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations.

The presentation of the live webcast at UConn-Stamford is part of the University’s commitment to offering timely, compelling events and resources to students, the region and its business community.

“China is now part of Fairfield County’s daily reality. This event is an important investment in our region’s growing understanding of the US-China relationship,” says Christopher P. Bruhl, President and CEO of The Business Council of Fairfield County.

Ambassador Gary Locke has been U.S. Ambassador to China since August 2011. Previously, he served as the Secretary of Commerce from 2009 to 2011 where he was point person for achieving the President’s National Export Initiative, which achieved a thirty-two percent increase in exports to China from 2009 to 2010.

Before his appointment to the President’s cabinet, Ambassador Locke served two terms as governor of Washington, where he helped double the state’s exports to China, and as a partner in the Seattle office of the international law firm, David Wright Tremaine LLP, where he co-chaired the firm’s China practice.

The National Committee on United States-China Relations is the leading national, non-partisan public affairs organization devoted exclusively to building constructive and durable relationships between the United States and China.

For more information, contact:

Timothy Dowding, UConn School of Business International Business Accelerator
(203) 251-9582 or timothy.dowding@business.uconn.edu

Michael J. Deotte, UConn School of Business Director of Marketing
(860) 486-4478 or mdeotte@business.uconn.edu

Joseph Weed, Director of Communications
National Committee on United States-China Relations
(212) 645-9677, ext. 11 or jweed@ncuscr.org


   

2012 MBA Women International Conference & Career Fair

Posted on by Claire Hall

The 2012 MBA Women International (MBAWI) Conference & Career Fair was held October 18-20 in Phoenix, Arizona. Marlys Rizzi represented the University of Connecticut School of Business at the event and served on the conference planning committee. This year’s theme, “Leadership Trends, Achieving Peak Performance,” was designed to assist women, both students and professionals, as they continue along the journey to develop and enhance their leadership skills. Continue Reading

Finance Society Visits Morgan Stanley, Gets Inside View of Wall Street

Posted on by Claire Hall

In the early hours of Friday morning, October 26, 2012, eighteen members of the School of Business Finance Society embarked upon a trip into Manhattan to meet with Dan Toscano ’87, Managing Director and Co-Head of Global Leveraged and Acquisition Finance at Morgan Stanley. Mr. Toscano and his team hosted a Teach-In on Global Capital Markets for the business students. While learning about the inner workings of one of the leading global financial service firms in the world, the students followed up a question/answer session with a trip to the trading floor of Morgan Stanley’s world headquarters in New York.

During the afternoon hours, following a brief visit to the 9/11 Memorial Site, the students traveled to Wall Street to participate in the Wall Street Financial Crisis Tour which offered an insider’s view of the most significant financial event since the Great Depression. Also in attendance at the day’s events were Jim Lowe, Executive Director of the School of Business Career Center (SBCC) and Kathy Hendrickson, Program Manager of the SBCC.

Innovation for Business Growth in Fairfield County

Posted on by Claire Hall

Over 110 UConn Alumni and business leaders from Greater Stamford gathered at the “Innovation for Business Growth in Fairfield County” event at the Stamford Learning Accelerator last Thursday. The event, hosted by the University of Connecticut School of Business and The Business Council of Fairfield, Connecticut, featured a panel discussion on topics such as new business growth in Connecticut and why companies are relocating to Fairfield County.

Moderated by Dean John Elliott of the UConn School of Business and Christopher Bruhl, President and CEO of The Business Council of Fairfield County, the panel was comprised of UConn alumni business leaders in the area as well as UConn faculty. Panelists included Tim Hunter, Professor and Head, Digital Media & Design Department, UConn Schools of Business and Fine Arts; Lincoln Millstein ’77, Executive Vice President, Deputy Group Head at Hearst Publications; Seth Ruzi, VP & Associate General Counsel, Starwood Hotels & Resorts; and Joseph Parsons ’79, Management Committee Member, Bridgewater Associates.

The interactive discussion was followed by a cocktail party and networking reception welcoming the new Dean, where attendees were also able to chat with panelists directly.

The Business Career Center Breaks the Mold on Career Fairs

Posted on by Claire Hall

On October 12, 2012, the School of Business Career Center hosted its inaugural Business Career Expo during which they welcomed over 480 registered business students and over 100 key corporate professionals to an invitation-only career event. The Expo, held on a Friday during the hours of 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., was marketed to employers and students alike as “Not your Classic Career Fair” and was the first event of this kind for not only the School of Business, but the University as well. Absent from the room were the long tables and employer banners which usually serve as the backdrop of career fairs and which can form a barrier to more personal conversations.

The day was structured around three components: networking, information sessions and personal career placement conversations. The main Expo room, set with bistro style tables, was filled with light and an open energy flow which resonated around both employers and students alike. In breakout rooms across the hall, 17 individual employer information sessions ran concurrent to the Expo and offered students the ability to learn more about individual companies and placement opportunities. “We designed the day in a setting that was intended to foster compelling, impactful conversations with a direct focus on student placement. Based on attendance as well as student and employer comments, the day was such a resounding success that we plan to continue the event in the coming years.” said Jim Lowe, Executive Director of the School of Business Career Center and Assistant Dean of External Relations and Outreach.

The day concluded with a private luncheon for our corporate partners hosted by the Business Career Center. Mary Holz-Clause, the University of Connecticut’s Vice President of Economic Development, and Jim Lowe spoke briefly at the luncheon to welcome and thank all of our corporate partners for their continued support of our students.

Risk Management: New Challenges and Opportunities Conference

Posted on by Claire Hall

The University of Connecticut (UConn) School of Business announced today it will host the inaugural Risk Management: New Challenges and Opportunities Conference on Friday, Nov. 9 in Stamford, Connecticut.

James B. Comey, Jr., former U.S. Deputy Attorney General and general counsel, Bridgewater Associates LP, will deliver the keynote address.

“Following recent economic turmoil, the finance and accounting sectors are taking a more proactive role in risk management, as well as adjusting to more rigorous requirements and regulations within the industry,” says Jud Saviskas, Executive Director for the School of Business at UConn-Stamford. “The Conference will bring together financial and accounting professionals, faculty and graduate students to discuss key issues and challenges in risk management.”

Sessions emphasize the common forces affecting a wide range of institutions, including banking, insurance and investment management, as well as regulators, industrial firms and accounting/consulting firms. The event is organized by the Master of Science in Financial Risk Management program at UConn.

The event is from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., and topics include:

  • Measuring and Managing ERM Effectiveness
  • New Perspectives on Risk Appetite and Hedging Policies
  • Moving Towards a More Integrated Approach to Risk Management
  • Risk Management from a Legal/Regulatory Perspective
  • Risk Management: Advancing Multiple Stakeholder Mandates
  • Emerging Risks – Identifying and Managing Over-the-Horizon Risk Events

Registration is $200 and includes all sessions, breakfast and lunch. To register, visit business.uconn.edu/riskconference. For more information, contact Chinmoy Ghosh at chinmoy.ghosh@business.uconn.edu or Jud Saviskas at jud.saviskas@business.uconn.edu.

The Master of Science in Financial Risk Management (MSFRM) program at the University of Connecticut School of Business is a 15-month program offered on both the Hartford and Stamford, Conn. campuses. The program is designed for business professionals who want to enhance their careers by fully understanding how to identify and manage various types of risk faced by multinational firms. Learn more at msfrm.uconn.edu.

For more information, contact:

Jud Saviskas, UConn School of Business, Executive Director
(203) 251-8442 or jud.saviskas@business.uconn.edu

Chinmoy Ghosh, Professor and Department Head of Finance
(860) 486-4431 or chinmoy.ghosh@businesss.uconn.edu

Michael J. Deotte, UConn School of Business Director of Marketing
(860) 486-4478 or mdeotte@business.uconn.edu