Leadership


Negotiation Challenge Participant: ‘I Learned How to Stand My Ground’

Cropped shot of businesspeople arm wrestling in an office
(istockphoto.com)

Although MBA student Nishant Jain and his team won first-place in the 6th Annual Business Law Negotiation competition last week, there really was no way to lose, he said.

“The ability to negotiate is a necessary skillset for any professional, and to be able to develop and refine this skill was a fantastic opportunity,” said Jain, whose teammates were law students Magdalena Klin and Jacqueline Cushing. “It is going to be very useful, especially when I am job hunting or trying to move up the ladder in an organization.”Continue Reading


Former Walmart CEO Bill Simon: Business Will Be Pivotal In Post-COVID Rebound

Photo of former Wal MArt CEO Bill Simon posing at UConn Stamford.
Former Wal Mart CEO Bill Simon, pictured above, posing at UConn Stamford. Bill was the keynote speaker for the Rosenberg McVay Lecture Series. (Nathan Oldham / UConn School of Business.)

Long before he became the President and CEO of Walmart, UConn alumnus Bill Simon ’81, ’88 MBA worked as a production manager in an RJR-Nabisco cigarette factory.

With a freshly minted UConn bachelors degree, and having served as an officer in the U.S. Navy, Simon was less than thrilled to be designated the factory’s third-shift supervisor. Within weeks he recognized that if he didn’t take charge of his career, he would be in the same job for 30 years.Continue Reading


Geno Auriemma Supports New Program to Further Boost UConn Grad Students at the Recruiting Table

UConn Today – Geno Auriemma, head coach of the UConn Huskies women’s basketball team, is again partnering with the UConn School of Business – this time by supporting a new lecture-and-workshop series to help 2,000 graduate business students enhance their leadership skills.

The series, which began Oct. 13, focuses on value-centered leadership, learning to reset and transform, and intentional networking. Each executive lecture will be followed by workshops led by a career coach to reinforce the lessons.Continue Reading


Former Walmart CEO Bill Simon: In Challenging Times, the Wisest Business Leaders Triumph

Former Walmart CEO Bill Simon poses in front of an escalator in the UConn Stamford campus.
Former Walmart CEO Bill Simon ’81, ’88 MBA is the keynote speaker for the Schools of Business’s Rosenberg McVay Business Leadership series. (Nathan Oldham / UConn School of Business)

Even in a year of unprecedented upheaval like this one, exceptional business leaders must persevere, said former Walmart CEO and UConn alumnus Bill Simon ’81, ’88 MBA.Continue Reading


A Recipe for Success (and Cauliflower) from Chef Geoff

Plated Honey Sriracha Cauliflower (Nathan Oldham / UConn School of Business)
Honey Sriracha Cauliflower (Nathan Oldham / UConn School of Business)

Entrepreneur and restaurateur Geoff Tracy spoke about his career journey and how he tackles complexity, uncertainty and ambiguity at the Geno Auriemma UConn Leadership Conference in Stamford earlier this month. He also shared his popular recipe for honey sriracha cauliflower with the audience and prepared a sample for them to taste. After the conference, we received many requests from attendees who wanted a copy of Chef Geoff’s recipe, so we’re sharing it here.Continue Reading


Auriemma Leadership Conference: ‘Do the Brave Thing’

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)
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

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)
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

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)
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



Marketing’s Kevin McEvoy Earns Recognition as UConn Standout

Assistant Professor Kevin McEvoy, pictured above, will be honored with the University's Faculty Excellence in Graduate Teaching Award, presented by the UConn Foundation Alumni Relations Office. (Nathan Oldham / UConn School of Business)
Assistant Professor Kevin McEvoy, pictured above, will be honored with the University’s Faculty Excellence in Graduate Teaching Award, presented by the UConn Foundation Alumni Relations Office. (Nathan Oldham / UConn School of Business)

Kevin McEvoy, an assistant professor-in-residence in Marketing, has been selected to receive the University’s Faculty Excellence in Graduate Teaching Award.Continue Reading