School of Business featured news
This article first appeared in the UConn Business magazine, Volume 4, Issue 1 (Winter 2014)
The entrepreneurial spirit has always been a part of the fabric of the State of Connecticut. We are, after all, home to the first hamburger, the original lobster roll, the Wiffle Ball and the Frisbee, the sewing machine and color TV. More recently, Connecticut innovators created the first nuclear submarine and the first artificial heart. Continue Reading
This article first appeared in the UConn Business magazine, Volume 4, Issue 1 (Winter 2014)
Scott S. Cowen, Ph.D. ’68, ’10H was recognized at the 2013 Edith Stern Legacy Award Luncheon for his commitment to education, community service and civic engagement. Cowen also received the Distinguished Alumnus Award by the UConn Alumni Association.
Frank Genovese ’72 was appointed by Governor Robert F. McDonnell to the University of Virginia Board of Visitors.
James F. Klotz ’77 was appointed to vice president, claims strategic operations systems at Selective Insurance Group.
James M. Mahoney ’79 was 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.
Lauralee E. Martin ’79 MBA was elected to president and chief executive officer at HCP.
David L. Albrycht ’89 MBA was named president and chief investment officer at Newfleet Asset Management LLC.
Geri Armalavage ’87 received designations from the Certified Business Appraiser as well as the Appraisal Institute. Armalavage is the senior managing director of Valbridge Property Advisors.
Christopher A. Bleck ’80, ’88 MBA was appointed to the Product Advisory Board of Alcresta.
Nancy E. Cleaver ’81 MBA was appointed to senior vice president and chief lending officer at Crest Savings Bank.
Tim G. Cocchi ’89 MBA was named country manager for Hong Kong operations at Aetna.
Claire R. Fennessey ’86 was appointed to chief marketing officer at Clarus Marketing Group.
Christopher T. Fraser ’80 was appointed interim president and CEO to lead KMG Chemicals, Inc.
Marvin S. Goldwasser ’83 was named vice president of marketing at Payveris.
Brian J. Kelley ’86 MBA was appointed to be on the Board of Directors at Alteva. Kelley is currently the chief executive officer at snom Technology, Inc.
Stuart A. King ’87 MBA was appointed to vice president of northeast energy consulting at Amerex Energy Services, a division of Amerex Brokers LLC.
Todd A. Krygier ’87 was named the new coach of the Muskegon Lumberjacks, a tier one junior hockey team.
Jill M. Maguire ’83 joined Reby Advisors as a financial advisor.
Brian P. McKeon ’84 was named executive vice president and chief financial officer of IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.
David A. Samuels ’83 was named the CFO of the Year 2013 by the Washington Business Journal.
Paulette R. Alviti ’92 was appointed to the position of senior vice president and chief of human resources at Foot Locker.
Matthew D. Danyliw ’99 was appointed to senior vice president of Khameleon Software, Inc.
Shawn R. Fields ’99 was selected as the new C.H. Booth library director.
Maureen K. Hays ’91 MBA was appointed to managing director of consultant relationships at Principal Financial Group Inc.
Gregory P. Lewis ’91 was named the vice president and chief financial officer of Automation and Control Solutions.
David R. Longfritz ’91 MBA was named vice president of marketing for life and annuity at National Life Group.
Donny E. Marshall ’96 was appointed to analyst for the Brooklyn Nets at YES Network.
Rod P. Recor ’97 MBA was named vice president of product development at Comprehensive Pharmacy Services.
Gerald D. Starsia ’95 EMBA was appointed to senior associate dean and chief operating officer at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business.
Thomas P. Trutter ’99 MBA received the 2013 Construction Industry Recognition Award from Associated General Contractors of Connecticut.
Ashley M. Battle ’04 was named Chartiers Valley High School’s girls basketball coach.
Luke J. Florian ’08 is the co-founder of the national real estate investment firm, Elite Property LLC.
Hang T. Nguyen ’08, ’13 Ph.D. successfully defended her dissertation titled, “Three Essays on the Financial Impacts of Branding Strategies and Marketing Assets.”
William T. Oravecz ’01 MBA was named director of ICD-10 Implementation at Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford.
Daniel D. Pinho ’02 MBA was recognized as one of the “20 Under 40 Latinos Going Places” by Poder 360 magazine.
Shaun H. Sheridan ’04, 04 MSA was recognized on the Hartford Business Journal’s “40 Under 40″ class of 2013.
Amanda Wallace ’07 MBA was recognized as a 2013 Working Mother of the Year from Working Mother magazine.
Li Qu ’13 Ph.D. successfully defended her dissertation titled, “An Evaluation of Outlier Treatment Methods in Accounting Research.”
Claire Simonich ’13 received UConn’s Undergradute Student Award at the Provost’s Awards for Excellence in Public Engagement.
Le Sun ’13 Ph.D. successfully defended his dissertation titled, “Three Essays on External Monitoring and Corporate Decisions.”
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This article first appeared in the UConn Business magazine, Volume 4, Issue 1 (Winter 2014)
The UConn School of Business would like to gratefully acknowledge the following alumni and friends who made gifts to the School of Business during fiscal year 2012-2013.
We value every gift and extend our heartfelt thanks to all who gave so generously of their time and support to aid in the enhancement of our academic programs.
The Travelers Companies Inc.
Simon ’96 and Doris M. ’50 Konover
Christopher J. Balfe
Comcast
John R. ’85 and Sally Fodor
Keith R. ’80 and Pamela A. Fox
The New York Community Trust
James ’60 and Hannelore G. Nuttall
Syracuse University
TicketNetwork
Bank of America Corporation
Myron ’61 and Barbara ’61 Dickstein
Joseph M. ’55 and Lorraine T. DiPietro
Farmington Bank
Drew ’83 and Michele H. Figdor
Robert C. ’92 (CLAS) and Barbara D. ’93 (CLAS) Hughes
Michael G. ’78 and Shari K. Koppel
Prudential Financial, Inc.
S. Brian ’60 and Beth N. Simons
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Wendy R. ’74 and H. Thomas Watkins
Aetna Inc.
Altria Group, Inc.
Mark A. ’82 and Pamela J. ’82 (CLAS) Beaudoin
Christopher A. ’95 and Larissa K. ’93 (CLAS), ’95 Chapin
Connecticut Attorneys Title Insurance
Mark P. ’79 and Lynda C. ’80 (CANR) Coville
George M. ’54 and Phyllis A. Demko
Gerald D. ’82 and Katrina DesRoches
Disabled American Veterans Charitable Service Trust
Craig A. ’77 and Marilyn P. ’77 (CLAS) Douglas
John A. Elliott and Laura A. Philips
Mark E. Freitas ’81
Clinton G. ’77 and Karen A. ’77 Gartin
David B. ’84 and Cheryl A. Greenfield
Joseph M. ’71 and Cheryl W. Grisé
International Business Machines Corp.
Norman W. ’72 and Celestine K. ’99 (CCS) LaCroix
The Malfettone Family
Michael E. ’81, ’94 and Barbara A. McPhee
New York Life Insurance Company
Thomas J. and Joyce O’Brien
Laurie A. Paternoster ’82 (CLAS) and Michael A. Paternoster, Jr.
Christopher E. ’77 and Gail T. Scudellari
Ambassador Paul W. ’69, ’72 and Renee J. Speltz
Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.
Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc.
Tyco International US Inc.
Virtus Investment Partners, Inc.
James V. Agonis ’71
George R. Aylward, Jr. ’88
Stephen M. Wood and Gail E. Barley
Melinda T. Brown ’77, ’85
Selma Cagatay-Searfoss ’94 and David W. Searfoss ’76*
Frank W. Carmon IV ’06
Guy F. ’64, ’66 (CLAS) and Donna S. Caruso
William T. ’76 and Pamela Casey
Cigna Corp.
Timothy J. Curt ’84 and Dona M. Bissonnette
Joann L. DeBlasis ’76, ’83
Dymax Corporation
Ernst & Young, LLP
Amy J. Errett ’79 (CLAS) and Clare E. Albanese
Fidelity Investments
Jason A. ’97 (CLAS) and Lesley A. ’91 (CANR), ’98 Fronio
General Electric Co.
George P. Johnson
Joseph A. ’91 and Joann Guay
Matthew J. Halprin
Hanover Insurance Group
Leo B. ’81 and Janet M. ’78 Hansen
Lynn M. ’90 and Kenneth J. Horton
Lisa R. Klauser ’90 and Richard T. Klauser, Jr.
Peter C. ’63 and Judith R. Larson
Edwin G. ’75 and Karen L. Reif
Arnold M. ’63* and Rochelle M. Robin
Paul J. ’84 (CLAS) and Maria L. ’85 (CLAS) Selian
Douglas R. ’79 and Barbara J. Seymour
Richard L. Thompson ’65 and Dee R. Matthews
TopCoder, Inc.
UConn Alumni Association
United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut
VLink, Inc.
Christopher M. ’87 and Brenda Wilkos
Frank C. Wuest ’82 and Lyn M. Duncan
Rogaia M. Abusharaf ’88 (CLAS), ’94 (CLAS) and Mohamed E. Hussein
David Acampora ’79 and Margaret M. Landrey ’79 (CLAS), ’83 (LAW)
Ritesh Agrawal
Robert P. Amenta ’07
Jack T. ’80 and Joyce E. Ampuja
Craig C. ’89 and Kimberley A. Anderson
Edgar A. ’86 and Jo-Anne M. Anderson
Michael J. ’99 and Barbara J. Arman
AT&T, Inc.
Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
John P. Barniak ’75
Christopher L. ’88 (CLAS), ’95 and Stephanie J. Bell
Jonathan E. ’76 and Susan B. Beyman
Laura A. Bieling ’89
BlackRock Foundation
BlumShapiro & Co., PC
Boston Partners Financial Group LLC
Patrick M. ’79, ’81 BUS and Susan R. Brand
Caroline Brecker
Bristol Myers Squibb Company
Robert A. Canyock, Jr. ’80, ’86 and Deborah L. Canyock
Mark A. ’84 and Linda S. Caplan
Lawrence J. Carboni, Jr. ’86 and Kathleen A. Carboni
David A. ’75 and Nancy M. Carlson
Donna E. Cashman ’96
Christopher J. ’89 BUS and Sherri S. ’90 (CLAS) Cesare
Edward J. and Elaine S. Chanda
Jeffrey R. ’83 and Lori T. Charlton
Cintas Corporation
Ari F. ’94 and Aliza E. Cohen
CohnReznick
Gregory J. Coleman ’81
Colliers International
William E. ’75 and Suzanne L. Congdon
Connecticut Association of Realtors, Inc.
The Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants
Consolidated Electrical Distributors, Inc.
Crane Fund for Widows and Children
Lauren B. ’97 and Frank D. Csongor
Thomas M. ’86, ’91 and Karen O. Curtin
John A. ’66 and Kim N. Cutler
Michael D. Della Fera ’80
Deloitte
Douglas G. ’83 and Pamela J. ’85 (CANR) Denyer
Richard M. ’86 and Teresa M. Dooley
Kevin L. Downer ’90 and Toby Bishop
Lawrence S. ’65 and Pamela Doyle
Nicholas ’66 and Arlene O. ’67 (CLAS) DuBiago
Eastern Bag and Paper Co., Inc.
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
Fiondella Milone and LaSaracina LLP
John J. ’67 and Leola K. Fitteron
Richard E. Fournier, Jr. ’83 and Karen K. Fournier ’83 (CLAS), ’83 (NEAG)
Gary W. ’70 BUS and Carol D. French
The Gabelli Foundation Inc.
William B. Geary, Jr. ’57
William J. George, Jr. ’86 (CLAS) and Lori George
Michael L. ’93, ’09 and Deborah A. Giuffrida
Global Impact
Michael P. ’84 and Deborah A. Golden
Lawrence J. and Cathy K. Gramling
Peter L. ’97 and Janelle B. Grant
Lawrence D. ’67 and Sharon ’68 Handler
Michael W. Harold ’81
George S. Harrison ’74 and Charlotte Pier
The Hartford CFA Society
Glenn R. ’83, ’95 and Susan Heiser
Stuart C. ’80 and Ellen Hochberger
Rob and Mary H. Hoskin
Robert L. Howard, Jr. ’93 and Heidi L. Howard
H & R Block, Inc.
Susan D. Jackson
Atul Jain ’01, ’01 (CLAS)
Harry M. and Lynn A. Johnson
Robert T. Kaufman ’74
Warren E. ’78 and Denise Klein
Richard F. and Margaret J. Kochanek
Ilene D. ’94 and David Kohlun
Christopher R. Kunz ’02
Sue Larson
Donna Lasher
Raymond L. Lewis, Jr. ’83 and Ellen T. Lewis
Liberty Mutual
Liberty Mutual Group, Inc.
Mary D. Lindsay
Theodore F. ’92 and Melissa J. Lunney
Christine M. Lussier ’89 and Robert Hamill
Brian A. ’96 and Kathy S. Lutes
Robert L. Manfreda, Jr. ’84, ’94 (LAW) and Carolyn C. Manfreda
Kathleen Mangan
Marcum, LLP
Mark J. ’82 (CLAS) and Kimberly B. ’80 (CLAS), ’90 (LAW) Marroni
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company
James E. ’82 and Sonya S. Masur
The May Department Stores Company
Anne E. McAloon ’74 (CLAS), ’80
Lee B. McChesney ’94 and Wendy Doan-McChesney
Lawrence D. and Patricia A. McHugh
Lincoln Millstein ’77 (CLAS) and Irene B. Driscoll
Keith Moody ’89
Nicholas R. Morizio ’74
Charlie Murrin ’10
National Philanthropic Trust
David M. ’68 and Linda A. Nolf
Northwestern Mutual Financial
David J. and Priscilla H. Papandria
Steven R. ’85 and Sheila Pegolo
John D. Phillips and Amy E. Dunbar
Brian ’86 and Deborah Pierne
George A. Plesko and Martha D. MacMillin
Jeffrey R. Podziewski ’98
PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP
Paul T. ’84 and Christine Quistberg
Ramsey Junior High School
Michael R. and Mary J. Redemske
Mary A. Reichlen ’81
Sean R. Riegler and Jill Tomlins
Thomas L. Rollins ’80 and Lisa Cassidy-Rollins
Douglas K. ’79 and Sara J. ’79 Russell
Peter D. Schaffer ’83 and Eleanor Kedney-Schaffer
Schwab Charitable Fund
Edward S. Scovel, Jr. ’51 and Gladys Scovel
Matthew D. ’66 and Carol A. ’66 (CLAS) Shedd
Charles E. ’94 and Deana M. Shirley
James B. ’75 and Laura S. Sugarman
Robert L. Sullivan ’59
Stuart C. ’93 and Kristin Sziklas
Richard J. Tavolieri, Jr. ’89 and Dawn Tavolieri
Diana L. Timlin
The Tom James Company
Daniel D. ’87 and Tresa Toscano
Towers Watson
Kevin M. ’88 and Julie L. Trapp
United Technologies Charity Trust
United Technologies Corporation
United Way of New York City
Andrew J. ’78 and Lauren B. Wagner
John W. ’80 and Suzanne K. Welch
J. J. Went ’53 (CLAS)
James F. Whalen, Jr. ’82 and Diane L. Conley
Harriet R. Winograd
Zeta Beta Tau
Denise Armstrong
Vincent P. ’99 and Christine Asaro
Mona H. ’89 and Scott W. Baird
Carl G. ’82, ’87 and Dale A. ’82 (NEAG) Baker
Jordan N. Barrow
Jeffrey D. Bennis ’92
Brian D. ’02 and Kristen C. Binkley
John S. ’85 and Deborah U. ’86 (CLAS) Bohling
Nicolas J. Figueiredo ’07 (ENG) and Donna D. Bramlett ’11
David H. ’84 (CLAS), ’88 (SODM) and Cynthia J. ’88 (SODM) Burkard
M. Kathleen Carey-Reid ’86 and David R. Reid
Laurence J. Cass, Jr. ’86 and Charlene M. Cass ’86
Ida S. Chaplinski ’96
Mark Cicchini
Michael F. and Rosemary E. Collins
Jane P. ’84 and Alex M. Corl
Eric D. ’83 and Catherine A. ’00 (CLAS) Cormier
Labkhand Dadyar ’96 (SFA)
Lynne DePaulo
Ellen DiLeo
Lawrence A. ’93 and Sondra C. Dillon
Marci Dionne
Karen Douyard
Stephen Eilers
Peter I. ’65 and Elaine Elinsky
Jennifer O. ’05 and Scott G. Estabrook
Richard L. Evans ’77 and Jean P. Foy-Evans
Timothy M. Flynn ’77 (CLAS), ’80
William J. Flynn ’01
Forensic Accounting Services, LLC.
Tracie Foster
Carolyn M. Freiheit ’13
Paul J. ’80 and Cathy M. ’78 (CLAS) Fucci
Robert J. ’77 and Anne M. Gallagher
Greg S. Haley ’94 and Diane C. Mobley ’93 (SFA)
Sharon A. Hamilton ’97 and Edward Healy
Sarah M. Hammel ’81 and Tricia Vivado
Frank G. ’86 and Francesca Hauser
Christina Hays
Oliver F. Hays ’04 (CLAS)
Linda A. Herzog ’03 and Shaun F. Clancy
Ravindra and Saras Jain
Curtis Jones
Jennifer L. Jordan ’94
Andrea L. Lanese ’87 (CLAS) and Barry Aurio
Jean M. ’81 and Richard C. LaVecchia
Anna P. Liamzon ’00
James Marshall
Cynthia Martinez
Raymond J. ’77 (CLAS), ’81 and Susan L. Martino
Eric A. ’80 and Penelope C. Marziali
Chappella Mayweather
Alan and Lucy Michaud
Charles K. ’63 and Pam M. Molander
Bruce B. ’76, ’12 and Joanne Monahan
James J. ’01 and Deborah Y. Moravecek
Jon Moussette
Jay Mullarkey
Jared Murphy
Frank W. ’81 and Linda O. ’82 (NUR), ’96 (NUR) Nevins
William J. Newman
NorthMarq Capital
Michael L. Notarangelo ’03
O’Connor Davies, LLP
John P. ’97 and Melissa M. O’Hara
Kurt P. ’73 and Susi E. Orbanowski
Petra Construction Corp.
James Petras
Pitney Bowes, Inc.
Edward Rado
Anuradha Raghavan
Ilia A. Reinfelds ’05, ’07
Meredith Ritz
William E. ’66 and Doris A. Roberts
Stephen Roche
Debora Romano-Connors
Saint Paul Public Schools
John P. ’00, ’00 (CLAS), ’07 and Serafina A. ’01 Salemi
Sheldon D. ’59 and Susan S. ’82 (CCS) Schneider
John E. Schramm, Jr. ’59 and Cheryl Schramm
Matthew R. French ’91 (CLAS) and Lucille Sheng-French ’91
William C. ’76 and Deborah D. Sherman
Skiff Whitney Associates, LLC
Danielle G. Skinner ’04
Henry C. ’50 and Barbara E. Smachetti
Bryan D. and Shannon N. Smith
Dennis J. Stanek, Jr. ’89 and Jeanette S. Stanek
Richard D. ’62 and Judith B. Suski
Jeffrey R. Talbot ’00
Allanah Tempe
Marc Thibeau
Scott A. ’82 and Cynthia B. Trenholm
Mark A. Tschiegg ’06
United Health Group Incorporated
United Way of Greater New Haven, Inc.
United Way of North Central MA, Inc.
Alex Urquhart, Jr. ’88 and Judy C. Urquhart
Allan J. Vartelas ’80
Robert J. ’68 and Barbara B. Wade
Neil Wechsler
Howard S. ’95, ’02 and Jennifer Weinberg
David J. Whitehouse ’95 and Barbara L. Ruggiero
Timothy G. and Mary T. Whitten
Sandra Wickman-Mason
Regina ’90 (CLAS) and Thomas Williams
Rose M. Wyman
Alicia A. ’95 (CLAS) and Jonathan E. Young
John Allis III ’75 and Nancy Allis
Linda S. ’79 and Kurt Bahrs
Susan M. Banks ’98 and Matthew H. Lynch
John A. Barbosa, Jr. ’76, ’80 and A. Linda Barbosa ’80
George A. ’87 (CLAS), ’89 and Carol M. ’88, ’97 Barrios
Arthur C. Barton
Diane M. ’77, ’80 and Thomas Beck
Richard A. and Michelle Beyman
Edward R. and Kathleen W. Binder
Timothy P. ’83 and Claudia Block
Robert L. ’65 and Bette J. Brandt
Ronald F. ’56 and L. Victoria Brien
Jeffery F. ’84 and Cindy G. Brill
David J. ’74 and Judith W. Casey
Michael P. Cassidy ’02 and Diane S. Dagostino
Christopher J. ’88 and Jean Chadbourne
Michael B. Cohen ’81 and Samuel J. Barrera
William L. ’96 and Amy Cone
Owen P. Cocking ’84 (CLAS), ’93 and Virginia B. Connolly ’93
Mark J. Cowan ’91, ’04 (LAW)
William C. ’90 and Anna R. ’91 (CLAS) Croce
Joseph J. DeMaio ’81 and Cecelia McCulloch
William P. ’71 and Rachel M. Desautelle
Carmen Desiato ’93
Ernest A. DiMattia, Jr. ’81 and Susan S. DiMattia ’81
Peter S. ’64 and Hinda M. Drotch
Francis J. Evon, Jr. ’89 and Laura S. Evon ’90
Robert A. Feiner ’80
Joseph D. Filomeno ’51
William R. ’77 and Joyce A. ’76 (NEAG) Finlayson
Bertram Frankenberger, Jr. ’54 and Harriet Frankenberger
Dominick J. Galletti ’06 (CCS), ’10 and Kristi E. Mackin Galletti ’95 (CLAS), ’00 (LAW)
Katherine E. Giordano ’05
Alan ’62 and Janice L. Glaubinger
John D. ’94 and Elizabeth A. Godin
H. Kent and Penny C. Goetjen
Chris J. McCarty ’96 and Jennifer W. Grey ’93
Colleen Gruner ’82
Jean F. ’68 and Larry P. Haberman
Charles G. Haddad ’76
Robert J. ’82 and Priscilla A. Hagerty
Joyce M. Harrison ’83 and Paul J. Swanke
The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.
Sid and Ruth L. Horowitz
Marc A. Jeffreys ’01
Kathryn J. Jervis, Ph.D. ’97
Aimee Kass-Krol
Thomas P. ’77 and Deborah S. ’78 (NUR) Kelley
Sean W. ’82 and Grace M. ’82 (NEAG) Kelly
Fred C. ’54 and Sally Kile
Aurelia N. Knox
Art ’75 and Elisabeth C. Komninos
KPMG International
Michael P. Krol ’74, ’87
Edward F. ’82 and Catherine A. ’81 Krzanowski
Ann E. Kummer ’09
Marc A. Lambert ’85
Michelle M. ’80 and James A. Lapides
Terry A. ’74 and Lisa Lashin
William C. Lawler, Sr. ’68 and Carol J. Lawler
Marc A. Levine ’88
Donald P. ’60 and Maureen Lucian
Kevin M. Magee ’81
Morgan Stanley & Co., Inc.
Michael J. Murphy ’96
John M. ’74 and Darlene A. Oblak
Robert A. Ostertag, Jr. ’72 and Barbara Ostertag
Jon D. Pedersen, Sr. ’93 and Kristen L. Pedersen
Leslie G. ’77 and Susan C. Polgar
Scott M Pritchett ’89
Christopher M. ’98 and Kerry Puglia
John S. ’64 and Rosanne C. ’63 Purtill
Brenda H. ’82 and James B. Rouse
Edward V. ’77 and Peggy P. Sands
Judson P. Saviskas
Zeki ’02 and Monica M. ’03 Simsek
Frederick H. ’74 and Suzanne S. Steinhagen
Robert T. Sullivan ’77
Karl ’69 and Ingrid F. Svendsen
Chelton D. ’73 and Diane C. Tanger
James D. ’74 and Helen M. Tapper
Sue M. ’85 and Christopher P. Tompkins
Michael J. Trevelyan ’89
Gerald K. Tsui ’01
Jennifer W. ’94, ’00 and Scott E. Vanderwall
Thomas D. Walker ’95
Jeffrey J. Webb ’04
David P. Weber
Chris S. ’90 and Eileen A. Westfahl
Michael J. Whyte ’97
Gary and Patricia M. Widlitz
James M. ’92 and Lauren M. ’90 (NEAG) Yanosy
Joseph A. ’68 and Sue A. Zaccagnino
Maryann Zacchea
Michael J. ’12 and Marcy C. Zacchea
Dean H. ’87 and Katherine F. Zirolli
| For more information on giving to the UConn School of Business, contact: Diana L. Timlin, CFRE Director of Development dtimlin@foundation.uconn.edu V. 860.486.2656 • C. 860.336.6930 |
This article first appeared in the UConn Business magazine, Volume 4, Issue 1 (Winter 2014)
Her pumpkin-colored business card simply reads: Hiccupops. Mallory Kievman, CEO.
What it doesn’t say is that the CEO is only 15 years old, still wears braces, or that just last October she was awarded her first patent.
Nor does it mention that her invention, a sweet-tasting lollipop that cures hiccups, is drawing interest among the medical community, because sometimes hiccups can be a serious medical condition.
“It hasn’t really registered with me how cool it is to be 15 and have my own invention,” said Kievman, of Manchester. “I’m more excited about the opportunity to help a lot of people.”
Although the concept for the Hiccupops was all Mallory’s, UConn MBA students and staff have guided her as she prepares to bring her invention to the marketplace. She is currently looking for a manufacturer and distributor.
“When I was younger I had a lot of hiccups,” Kievman explained. “It wasn’t anything serious, but it was irritating.” She tried some 100 remedies, including pickle juice (“it was really gross”), standing on her head, and guzzling glasses of water.
Then she hit on the perfect concoction. She blended warm apple-cider vinegar with sugar, and then hardened it into a lollipop. The Hiccupop works by overstimulating a set of nerves in the throat and mouth that are responsible for hiccups, thus stopping the reflex.
She entered the Hiccupop into a school-wide invention contest and won. She then competed in the 2011 Connecticut Invention Convention at the University of Connecticut. She beat 700 other students for the top prize, which included business guidance from the university.
“That’s when I really started to think it was a legitimate prospective business,” said Kievman, now a sophomore at Loomis Chaffee School and a varsity soccer player.
Kievman had targeted Hiccupops as a consumer product. But UConn MBA students conducted additional research and found out that hiccups have serious medical consequences. Patients undergoing chemotherapy frequently suffer from hiccups, as do dialysis patients. A patient who has hiccups after surgery can risk tearing sutures. And sometimes nicotine patches can have hiccups as an unpleasant side effect.
Now Kievman has changed her strategy, and plans to introduce Hiccupops as a medical product. She is also considering partnering with another company that offers related products.
“UConn has been a huge resource for us,” said Adam Kievman, Mallory’s father and Hiccupops’ only other employee. “Both the business and engineering schools last summer helped with the core marketing research and investigated what opportunities might be. They really helped guide Mallory in the marketplace.”
“I think this invention has some real possibilities,” said Chris Levesque, interim executive director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at UConn, which at any given time has six new ventures in development. “To cure or ameliorate the symptoms of hiccups seems to augur well for a successful product.”
Kievman—whose father is an executive recruiter for a large pharmaceutical company and whose mother, Shannon, is a teacher—said discussing ideas for new businesses is a common dinnertime conversation in her family, which includes three younger siblings.
“Mallory sets the bar high for everyone, including herself and her siblings,” her father said. Because of her invention, she has appeared on the Nickelodeon television network, rung the opening bell on Wall Street, and has been featured in a New York Times article. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Connecticut Invention Convention.
Originally planning to become a doctor, Kievman said the closer she gets to college, the less sure she is about a career path. But she hopes it will be something that serves mankind.
“This opportunity has opened my mind to things I wasn’t interested in before,” she said.
To learn more about Hiccupops, go to http://hiccupops.com/.
This article first appeared in the UConn Business magazine, Volume 4, Issue 1 (Winter 2014)
If UConn alumni Dennis ’04 and William Bok ’08 (CLAS) had listened to popular opinion, they never would have launched their now wildly successful FroyoWorld franchise.
‘”There are other people who are smarter than you… why haven’t they started a self-serve frozen yogurt lounge?”‘ Dennis recalls someone saying. Others simply said, “Good luck,” with a sarcastic laugh.
“But three years later, after countless hours of hard work, we have more than 40 locations, and 30 more planned stores, including our first official international store opening in Australia,” Dennis Bok said. “Hopefully that puts the nay-sayers to rest!”
“When we started, we had a vision—and the vision was not opening a couple stores in and around Connecticut. We are FroyoWorld, with a little emphasis on the world,” he said with a chuckle. “Hopefully soon we’ll be an internationally-recognized brand. Time will tell.”
A first-generation American, whose parents moved to this country from Korea, Dennis said he always imagined himself as an entrepreneur. He was, in fact, so eager to prove himself that he didn’t want to go to college at all.
But his parents, who operated a dry-cleaning business in Branford and had an impeccable work ethic, were “sticklers for education.”
“After being ‘forced’ to go to college, I realized obtaining a higher education is the building block for one’s success,” he said. “With a strong base of knowledge from higher education institutions, such as UConn, mixed with some analytical reasoning abilities, your options are endless in this huge global market.”
William initially started a self-serve frozen yogurt lounge in San Francisco with his wife’s cousin. A few years later he sold the business and returned to Connecticut. By then both he and Dennis recognized the potential success of a frozen yogurt business on the East Coast and “jumped on it.”
The first FroyoWorld opened in New Haven in August 2010, with the brothers and William’s wife as partners. Today most of FroyoWorld’s stores are located in New York or New England, with another six in Puerto Rico and one in Australia. Each store employs about 15 people.
Perhaps Bok’s favorite store is the one located in Storrs Center, adjacent to UConn. FroyoWorld is one of 29 businesses in the center, which includes a mix of restaurants, shops, offices and homes.
“We believed in UConn and the Leyland Alliance’s vision of a downtown Storrs so much that we signed the lease and paid a deposit almost two years prior to opening our doors at Storrs Center in 2012,’’ Bok said. “It was a coming-home to UConn. To say the least, we loved the location.’’
And at that store, as with others, business is brisk.
“I think the popularity of our business is that it is a nice place to visit,” Dennis said. “People come in with a smile, and they leave with one. The yogurt is delicious and it is a healthy sweet alternative because of its probiotics.”
In the beginning, Bok admits, he ate three or four frozen yogurt treats a day, although lately he has scaled back some. “My preference is original tart flavor, with a little ‘cake batter’ added in,” he said. “And I like the fruit toppings.”
By adding new flavors and toppings, the franchise plans to grow and retain its customer base, he said.
Last summer FroyoWorld had a store opening almost every weekend. “It has been pretty hectic and I don’t see it slowing down soon,” he said. “We’ve added more staff, but we’re working 24/7. It comes with the territory.”
Despite starting the business during an economic downturn, Bok, had few reservations.
“I don’t make any decision based on emotions. I have to have the facts to back it up,” he said. “Everything in life can be a calculated risk. Being educated in accounting at the UConn School of Business has helped me tremendously. Numbers don’t lie.”
Working with his sibling has been “awesome,” said Dennis, the older of the two brothers. “We have many common goals. That’s not to say we haven’t had a few fights. We have. But we’ll always make up and shake hands.”
When asked if there are any celebrities or famous persons he would like to share a frozen yogurt with, Bok is quick to answer.
“I would love to sit down and have a cup of FroyoWorld with President Obama, and talk to him about anything other than politics. That would be nice,” he said.
“We have had a few Boston Celtics and New England Patriots players as patrons in our stores, as well as Miss USA 2012 [Olivia Culpo]. I hope one day Ray Allen casually strolls into a store while I’m there. He’s probably my favorite UConn alumnus of all time!”
Conor Horrigan ’11 MBA says UConn’s “paw prints” all over his Stamford brewery
This article first appeared in the UConn Business magazine, Volume 4, Issue 1 (Winter 2014)
The day Conor Horrigan planned to welcome six politicians to his Half Full Brewery, the enterprise into which he has poured his heart and soul, he walked in to find the business flooded. Fortunately it was only filtered water—not his trademark Bright Ale or popular seasonal Pumpkin Ale—that covered the Stamford brewery’s floor. The tour was postponed, the faulty pump switch repaired, and today Horrigan can laugh about the experience.
In fact, that “we can handle this” attitude is reflected in the name of his brewery and much of what he does. He relishes the idea that life, like the glass, is half-full, not half empty.
Horrigan, 31, began his career as an investment banker and trader on Wall Street. After three years, he was very successful, but completely miserable. “I kept asking myself, ‘What can I do that will make me excited about going to work in the morning?” he said.
With a sense of optimism that somehow everything would work out, he quit his job. He and then-fiancée, now wife, Lindsay, toured Central Europe. Aboard a train from Prague to Vienna, “Half Full Brewery” was conceived.
Horrigan knew he would need more than optimism to make his idea a success. He enrolled in the MBA program at UConn, where each project or internship he undertook was geared toward the beer-making business. UConn faculty and advisers helped Horrigan with everything from the business plan to marketing and distribution. Many still advise him today. “UConn’s paw prints are all over this business,” he said.
Immediately after graduation, Horrigan began raising funds and found 51 investors who believed in him. He renovated a Stamford factory, and on Aug. 7, 2012, the inaugural Half Full beer was sold at local restaurants and bars.
Horrigan describes Half Full’s beer as light and drinkable with a twist—a splash of citrus, spice, or a nutty flavor.
“They are all a little bit different, but very approachable,” Horrigan said. “We want people to say, ‘Hey, I can drink this beer.’ We consider ourselves a lifestyle brewery. We want them to like our beer, but also like what we’re about.”
The company is now turning a profit. Half Full draft beer is sold in bars and restaurants in Litchfield, New Haven and Fairfield Counties, and will soon be available in Westchester County, N.Y. Next spring Horrigan hopes to begin selling Half Full in cans—and expand the draft beer sales into Hartford County. Brewery tasting nights and “tap-takeovers” fill Horrigan’s days, which often run from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The small staff is comprised of “passionate individuals, who care about what they do and talk about it 24/7,” Horrigan said. “We work very long hours here because we’re inspired and passionate people.” In November, the male employees grew “Half Full beer-ds,” shaving only one side of their faces, to draw attention to men’s health issues.
“I like the idea of always mixing it up,” Horrigan said. “When I was on Wall Street, you were expected to do things a certain way and you were treated as a number. You knew you could always be replaced.”
“I wanted to be at the table and steer the vision. I like approaching things from a different perspective,” he said. “I always thought like an entrepreneur. I liked to flip things on their head, and that’s easier to do when you’re the boss.”
| DID YOU KNOW? Conor isn’t the only alum with a craft brewery in the Nutmeg State! In 2012, Tony Karlowicz ’01 MSA opened up Back East Brewing Company in Bloomfield, Connecticut. |
The distinct chill in the air tells us it’s that time of year again. As classes come to an end, study areas crowd with students preparing for this week’s finals.
As the year closes, it’s a pleasure to look back at the many accomplishments of our students, academically and beyond. These accomplishments would not be possible without the daily efforts of faculty, staff and students who create and maintain a great environment for learning and growth. Thank you.
Take a moment to watch “Decking the Halls,” featuring President Herbst, Provost Mun Choi, some of our coaches, Jonathan the Husky, and many more, as we celebrate this festive season.
Wishing you and yours happy holidays.
John A. Elliott
Dean
When Steve Graf, and dozens of fellow volunteers, traveled to Ghana to help the sick, they brought 35 suitcases of medications and provision—and an endless supply of good intentions.
After a week of triaging patients, and distributing medications, Graf and his colleagues made a startling discovery. Many of the patients weren’t recovering, and some were consuming medications too quickly.
Some adults were doubling up on blood-pressure medications. Children were guzzling liquid acetaminophen from the bottle. And, compounding the problem, many of the patients were illiterate. Sometimes parents would leave the clinic with as many as 20 different prescriptions for their four children, leading to endless confusion.
Everyone on the medical mission was frustrated with the situation, but Graf just couldn’t let it go.
“I thought, ‘This is a terrible thing. I don’t understand how this could be,'” he said. Graf, now a UConn senior majoring in healthcare management, thought about the problem often after he returned from the trip in May of 2013.
How do you give clear and memorable instructions to someone who can’t read? The clinic had tried using illustrations, showing a sun or a moon, but that didn’t seem to work.
“We approach problems given our education and training,” Graf said. “Because we learned to read at age 6, we absorb information visually. Illiterate folks do not. Their traditional learning is verbal.”
Graf thought if the prescribing physician could give medical instructions using an inexpensive recording device, like the one found in a musical greeting card, patients would be able to more easily follow dosing instructions.
He mentioned that concept one day in front of friend Charles Fayal, now a UConn senior majoring in molecular cellular biology and biomedical engineering.
“The moment I heard the idea, I got pretty excited because I instantly knew how beneficial the prescription device could be—and how simple the idea is,” said Fayal, a Stonington native. “It’s funny how somebody else’s excitement spreads, because when I got excited about his idea, Steve got more excited. After that moment we knew we had to pursue this journey.”
After a great deal of research, experimentation and cost analysis, Graf and Fayal have found an inexpensive recording module, manufactured by a Chinese company, that they will be using as their first prototype. The “Parrot Device,” as they’ve nicknamed it, will allow a medical expert to record up to 60 seconds of medical instructions. The casing could be color-coded to match the medications, and both would be placed together in a travel bag.
Neither Graf not Fayal is looking for profit—or even much recognition. A successful solution, they both said, would be rewarding enough.
“We’re hoping this will save lives. That means everything to Charles and me,” said Graf, of Westport, who is the president of the UConn chapter of Global Brigades, a student-led organization that provides medical, public health, clean water and environmental relief trips to countries such as Ghana, Panama, Nicaragua and Honduras.
Graf and Fayal presented their idea at the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) annual meeting in San Antonio recently. It was well-received there, as it has been by physicians who are familiar with the challenges of working in third-world nations.
The biggest challenge for the two entrepreneurs has been keeping the price reasonable. Right now it is about $2 per device, and with a large order can probably be dropped to $1. Graf said he would like to try to get the price even lower. The cost of AIDS or blood-pressure medications can be several dollars per day, Graf said. The cost to resolve damage done by consuming prescriptions too quickly—or slowly—can be several times that, he said. The cost-versus-benefit of the Parrot Device is the focus that Graf and Fayal need to persuade organizations interested in their project.
Graf got his start-up funds for the project by winning a Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation pitch competition last year, which gave him $1,000 in seed money for the sound modules and plastic mold for the casing. He and Fayal are now seeking funding for a January trip to Haiti to test the device with patients.
“Haiti is somewhat of a make-or-break trip for us,” said Graf. “We hope to test our prototypes. Our main questions are, ‘Will the patients use the device as intended? Will the community adopt it? Will the patients benefit from it?'”
Beyond the initial concept, Graf and Fayal envision additional uses, such as education in infectious disease areas, such as Ebola-plagued villages. Prevention might become an even greater tool than treatment, they said.
Next semester Graf will take an entrepreneurship class and plans to write a business plan focused on the device. Graf and Fayal are hoping a large charitable organization will adopt the cause and fund the project.
“It has been a journey bringing this device to fruition,” Fayal said. “Some days we’ll realize that we have a mound of work in front of us, or a major obstacle to tackle regarding manufacturing or approval.
“On these days we get bummed out, but we know we have to power through because when we get to talk to somebody who has been to a place where this device is useful, it makes it all worthwhile. These people, whether they grew up in an impoverished area or worked in one, will get excited about the idea,” he said. “Just like when Steven first told me about the idea, we get excited about it all over again.”
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Blum Shapiro, Travelers and Priceline.com were just some of the companies seeking employees and interns at the inaugural Career Connections event for graduate business students at UConn.
More than 200 candidates earning advanced degrees in business—including MBA, Master of Science in Business Analytics and Project Management, Master of Science in Financial Risk Management and Master of Science in Human Resource Management—attended the November 12 event, which was at the UConn School of Business Graduate Business Learning Center (GBLC) in downtown Hartford.
Also among the 16 companies in attendance were: Aetna, Boehringer Ingelheim, Fiduciary Investment Advisors, Fitch Ratings, GE, The Hartford, Henkel, Infosys, iTech Solutions, Northwestern Mutual, Stanadyne Corp. and VoiceGlance.
All companies were represented at the career-fair style gathering on the Observation Deck, where students were able to talk individually with each company representative. Almost half of the companies also chose to offer a presentation in one of the adjoining classrooms, where interested students were able to learn more about each organization and possible career paths. In addition, companies were able to interview immediately in private conference rooms.
“This highly attended, successful event demonstrated the positive impact of having all graduate business programs together in Hartford,” said Meg Warren, assistant director of the Graduate Career Development Office. UConn’s Full-time MBA program recently moved from Storrs to Hartford. “Recruiters and hiring managers alike were pleased to see the range of graduate business talent all under one roof, in one venue.”
How many student interns can say they attended a speech by President Obama, met several Cabinet Secretaries, and watched the Marine One helicopter land on the South Lawn of the White House?
David Rifkin, a UConn senior majoring in Business Management, has done all three, while spending this semester as a White House Intern, conducting research and writing reports for government officials.
Simultaneously, Rifkin is researching leadership styles of early presidents, as well as more recent administrations, as part of an independent research project. He plans to present his findings when he returns to campus in the spring semester.
“It is incredible to walk through the White House gates every morning on the way to work,” said the Glastonbury native. “It is truly inspirational to consider that I am working at the very same place as some of the greatest leaders in American history.
“The thrill has not remotely begun to wear off,” said Rifkin, who is also a member of the UConn Honors program. “I still feel the same magic that I did on the very first day.”
Rifkin is no stranger to public service. Last year, he interned for U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, and also at the international human rights organization Lawyers Without Borders. He has also been active in student government at UConn.
“I thought that an internship at the White House would take my government and public service interests to the highest level,” he said. “My experience as a White House Intern is incredible. To say I’m enjoying myself would be an understatement. The work is quite demanding, but no work I have ever done has been so rewarding.
“On a more personal level, I hope my White House Internship will give me insight into what career path I want to pursue professionally,” he said. “I also hope to further develop my leadership and professional skills, to prepare myself for future personal and career endeavors.”
Rifkin’s research project is under the supervision of Management Professor Zeki Simsek, who describes Rifkin as focused, engaged, mature, observant, reflective and professional.
“I suspect that he will uncover some intriguing contrasts, as well as commonalities among the U.S. presidents in terms of leadership variables, such as openness to new information, belief systems, interpersonal styles, motivation and more,” Simsek said. He has asked Rifkin to explore whether presidents tend to display a dominant leadership style or a multifaceted one, and whether their styles shape their job performance.
Although Rifkin isn’t yet ready to reveal what he’s learned, he looks forward to presenting his findings upon his return.
“I intend for my research to be of value to all those interested in what constitutes effective leadership,” he said. “I aim to become better informed, through my exploration, of what factors contribute to successful management style at the highest level, in a way that can be generalized to leadership positions in all areas from business to government.”
Rifkin said his UConn experiences, both academically and in student government, helped prepare him for his internship.
Asked whether it will be hard to go back to being a student again, Rifkin said no.
“Although a White House Internship is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, I certainly miss college at the same time,” he said. “I think the skills gained from this internship will actually enhance my future academic experience. I don’t want this internship to end, but I look forward to being back with my college friends, attending classes, and, of course, watching UConn Basketball.”