Feature

School of Business featured news

Startup That Recycles Toxic Sludge Wins UConn’s Wolff Competition

Posted on by Scott Slater III

UConn Today – A startup that could rid the earth of vast cesspools of toxic sludge won UConn’s annual Wolff New Venture Competition, and a $20,000 prize, on Monday night.

The entrepreneurial competition honors some of the strongest startup programs with a UConn affiliation. All five of the teams that participated have spent at least a year refining and developing their business plans under the guidance of the School of Business’ Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation.Continue Reading

Auriemma Leadership Conference: ‘Do the Brave Thing’

Posted on by Claire Hall

Lucy Gilson (left), Associate Dean of the UConn School of Business and Geno Auriemma (right), Head Coach of UConn Women's Basketball, speak during the first day of the Leadership Conference. This year's program focused on leading through complexity and uncertainty.
Lucy Gilson (left), Associate Dean of the UConn School of Business and Geno Auriemma (right), Head Coach of UConn Women’s Basketball, speak during the first day of the Leadership Conference. This year’s program focused on leading through complexity and uncertainty. (Nathan Oldham / UConn School of Business)

Embrace disruption or be left behind.

That was one of the powerful messages shared by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Co-President George Barrios ’87, ’89 MBA, one of the keynote speakers at the Geno Auriemma UConn Leadership Conference in Stamford, Conn.Continue Reading

Former NBA Executive Says Diversity is the Key

Posted on by Claire Hall

Patrick Harris ’70 (BUSN) returned to UConn this week to speak about diversity at the Rosenberg-McVay Business Leadership Luncheon, as well as to address students from UConn’s Scholars House.
Patrick Harris ’70 (BUSN) returned to UConn this week to speak about diversity at the Rosenberg-McVay Business Leadership Luncheon, as well as to address students from UConn’s Scholars House. (Nathan Oldham / UConn School of Business)

As a 10-year-old boy, Patrick Harris ’70 (BUSN) cried when he realized his dark skin prevented him from being served at a Woolworth lunch counter in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

But the racial discrimination he encountered didn’t derail his spirit for long. He went on to become one of the most powerful executives in the NBA, as Vice President, CFO of the Los Angeles Lakers.Continue Reading

Two Veteran Professors Promoted to Associate Business Deans

Posted on by Claire Hall

Portrait of Jose M. Cruz and Lucy Gilson in front of the UConn School of Business.
Jose M. Cruz (left) and Lucy Gilson (right) have been named associate deans in the UConn School of Business. Gilson has taken on the mantle of associate dean for faculty and outreach, while Cruz is now the associate dean for graduate programs. (Nathan Oldham / UConn School of Business)

The School of Business has announced the appointment of Professors Lucy Gilson and Jose M. Cruz as new associate deans. They join Professor Bob Day in rounding out the three-person team reporting to Interim Dean David Souder.Continue Reading

Members of the Class of 2017 – Where Are They Now?

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn students pose on a lawn, spelling out the word UConn in large block letters.
(Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)

(From New York City to Budapest, Hungary, to Missoula, Montana, our recent alumni are forging interesting and meaningful careers. Below, some of the members of the School of Business’ Class of 2017 share updates on their career highlights and the key aspects of their UConn education that have helped along the way.)Continue Reading

Karen Munson Savors the Sweet Taste of Success

Posted on by Claire Hall

Karen Munson, the president of Munson's Chocolates, in her retail store in Bolton, CT. At this location, Munson's produces 350,000 pounds of chocolate per year.
Karen Munson, the president of Munson’s Chocolates, in her retail store in Bolton, CT. At this location, Munson’s produces 350,000 pounds of chocolate per year. (Nathan Oldham / UConn School of Business)

Karen Munson is the president of Munson’s Chocolates and a third-generation chocolatier. Her paternal grandparents founded the Dandy Candy Co. in Manchester, Conn. in 1946, using sugar rations from the end of WWII to create ribbon candy and other treats.Continue Reading

Married CEOs Are More Committed to Social Issues Than Non-Married Peers

Posted on by Scott Slater III

UConn Today – If a company wants a leader who is committed to corporate social responsibility, it would be wise to hire a married man. Married men in the top leadership jobs typically have greater concern for their employees’ well-being, and are more accepting of diverse employees, than are their non-married peers.

New Finance Chair Yiming Qian Is Among Nation’s Top Researchers

Posted on by Claire Hall

Yiming Qian, pictured above, is the first faculty member to hold an endowed chair in the Finance Department.
Yiming Qian, pictured above, is the first faculty member to hold an endowed chair in the Finance Department (Nathan Oldham / UConn School of Business).

Those unfamiliar with the finance discipline sometimes underestimate the tremendous good that analysts and investors bring to the world, said Yiming Qian, who has just joined the faculty as a full professor and holds the new position of Toscano Family Chair in Finance.Continue Reading

Hurting the Planet is not Only Bad for Humanity, It Can Be Bad for Business

Posted on by Scott Slater III

UConn Today – When it comes to climate change, one segment of society wants to do good and do well: investors. Be environmentally kind, yes; but build wealth, too. In short, hurting the planet is not only bad for humanity, it can be bad for business. All of which brings pressure to bear on companies that are polluters. How will this shake out? We ask Stephen Park, an associate professor of business law and the Satell Fellow in Corporate Social Responsibility at the School of Business.Continue Reading