SPRING 2022
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
FROM THE DEAN • ALUMNI STORIES • MAKING A DIFFERENCE • FACULTY & RESEARCH
45 Years of Excellence
b u si n ess.g mu .ed u
Creating a better world Designed for today’s ever-changing world, the School of Business at George Mason University prepares leaders through rigorous, stimulating programs based on global perspective, industry demand, and leading-edge academics. We offer a range of opportunities for career advancement in the nation’s capital and around the globe. To learn more, call 703-239-2670 or email gradbus@gmu.edu MBA MS in Accounting MS in Finance MS in Management MS in Real Estate Development MS in Technology Management PhD in Business
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Pictured: Kevin Scott MS in Technology Management IT Strategy and Digital Transformation Certificate ’19
CONTENTS DEPA RT MENTS George Mason University School of Business
business.gmu.edu Maury Peiperl, Dean Christina Spring, Director, Advancement and Alumni Relations Kiel Stone, ’07, Interim Director of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Braun Anzaldi, Managing Editor Morgan Davis, Graphic Designer Rachel Chasin, Copyeditor Greg Johnson, ’13, Copyeditor Cover Illustration by Morgan Davis
MASON BUSINESS NEWS_______________________________4 FROM ALUMNI CHAPTER PRESIDENT _____________________8 ALUMNI STORIES____________________________________10 MAKING A DIFFERENCE_______________________________21 FACULTY & RESEARCH________________________________24 ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE_______________________________29 CAREER SERVICES___________________________________32
FEATURES MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN_____________________________2 CELEBRATING OUR 45TH ANNIVERSARY __________________14
For more information, contact Jennifer Braun Anzaldi George Mason University School of Business 703-993-9618 janzaldi@gmu.edu
MASON’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY__________________________16 ALUMNI-TO-ALUMNI: SHARING THOUGHTS AND INSIGHT____18
W This symbol designates that the full article can be found online on our website at business.gmu.edu
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SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
MISSION STATEMENT
We prepare a diverse student body to succeed in a global business environment. We produce outstanding scholarship in business and work to maximize the impact of our expertise. We endeavor to instill a strong ethical compass, and a lifelong habit of learning, in our students and stakeholders.
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For 45 years, Mason’s School of Business has been advancing learning, applying research to practice, and charting pathways to success for our graduates as well as for our business and community partners. Our vision, to be a place of opportunity where learners at any stage come to develop, enterprises find talent and expertise, and business is a positive force in the world has not only guided our actions but is already becoming a reality. As I approach the conclusion of my five-year term as dean this summer, I am particularly proud, not only of our growth in enrollments, research, programs, and our many collaborations across disciplines and institutions, but of the way we are increasingly becoming a hub of access and impact where thousands are making a real difference in the world. Our achievements are made possible because of our people—students, alumni, staff, and faculty who perform exceptionally, remaining steadfast in their commitment to our wider community. I’m proud of our people. Of students, like Guillermo Palencia who aims to create a more sustainable future for international communities, and Juhee Jain who selflessly focuses on improving the Mason experience for prospective students (see page 30). Of our alumni, like Trevor Montano whose gift to our student-managed investment fund is providing hands-on experience for finance students (page 4). Of our staff, like Kerry Willigan and the Careers team she leads, who reimagine ways to engage our network to help prepare students for the ever-changing job market (page 32). And of our faculty, who not only fulfill their call to educate students, but who continuously seek to advance knowledge that betters society, like Professor Toyah Miller (page 24).
These are just a few specific examples of Mason people changing the world for the better. Beyond individuals, our work is all about building bridges to solve global challenges that none of us can tackle on our own. We have worked hard to develop your School of Business as the heart of business learning and networking for the entire Mason community—local enterprises and government, not-for-profits, alumni, students, and our colleagues in the 13 other schools across the University, from Arts to Engineering, from Health to Education, and from Peace and Conflict Resolution to Mason Korea. Through our five practice-oriented centers, we bridge research and learning with industry, constantly expanding partnerships to broaden our impact: • The Business for a Better World Center • The Center for Real Estate Entrepreneurship • The Center for Government Contracting • The Center for Retail Transformation • The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Please visit the centers page (www.business.gmu.edu/ centers) on our NEW website to read more about our centers and see the schedule of events connecting their work with the wider community. We recently engaged in a series of business roundtable discussions to hear from our partners in industry about the challenges they face and the ways in which Mason could help. We heard loud and clear that companies are experiencing a shortage of new talent, that they are working to improve their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, and that they are seeing or making increased investment in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors. At Mason, we are preparing for these challenges by, among other efforts:
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS SENIOR ADMINISTRATION Maury Peiperl, Dean
• Embedding more and more experiential learning into our curriculum • Bringing panels of leaders from a variety of industries to engage with students • Launching the first Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer executive program • Launching a minor in Managing the Energy Transition, together with the College of Engineering and Computing and the College of Science • Spotlighting faculty research with clear societal impact, such as The Strange Effects of Sexist Humor and Police Bodycams are Making NYC Safer (p.26). In 2021, Mason was named the most diverse university in the Commonwealth, and one in four Mason undergraduates takes at least one business course. That opportunity to blend the learning experience for students from myriad ethnic, academic, and economic backgrounds is central to the mission of the School of Business, and provides them excellent preparation for the world of work, as well as developing them as effective and responsible global citizens. In closing, I want to thank you for your support over the past five years, which have been a deeply rewarding experience for me. I look forward to continuing to work with our alumni and friends as well as our colleagues across Mason and in the wider world in my new role as Senior Fellow in the Office of the Provost, as well as continuing as Professor of Management and a leader in executive development and global outreach. Your School of Business is making a difference in so many places, sectors, and lives, and I am incredibly proud of the progress we have made together. If our past 45 years are any indication of our next 45, we are in for an amazing adventure. Maury Peiperl Dean, School of Business
Cheryl Druehl, Interim Senior Associate Dean, Faculty Diane Spence, Executive Director & Chief Business Officer Richard Klimoski, Associate Dean, Research Patrick Soleymani, ’07, ’09, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs & Strategic Engagement Paige Wolf, Associate Dean, Graduate Programs Brett Josephson, Associate Dean, Executive Development Nirup Menon, Associate Dean, Arlington Ventures Jackie Buchy, Senior Assistant Dean, Graduate Enrollment Meggan Ford, Assistant Dean, Undergraduate Academic Services & Initiatives Kerry Willigan, Assistant Dean, Career Services Kiel Stone, ’07, Interim Director, Marketing and Communications Christina Spring, Director, Advancement and Alumni Relations Christine Landoll, ’89, ’92, Director, Business Engagement
Sara Williams, Director, Strategic Initiatives Lisa Gring-Pemble, Director, Global Impact and Engagement, and Co-Executive Director Business for a Better World Center Anne Magro, Co-Executive Director, Business for a Better World Center Roderick Maribojoc, Executive Director, Center for Real Estate Entrepreneurship Jerry McGinn, Executive Director, Center for Government Contracting Gautham Vadakkepatt, Director, Center for Retail Transformation Rebecca Howick, ’15, Interim Director, Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship JK Aier, Area Chair, Accounting Jackie Brown, ’12 Area Chair, Business Foundations Claus Langfred, Area Chair, Management Saurabh Mishra, Area Chair, Marketing Pallab Sanyal, Area Chair, Information Systems and Operations Management Alexander Philipov, Area Chair, Finance
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS DEAN’S ADVISORY COUNCIL Elaine Marion, ’95, Chair ePlus Inc. Anne K. Altman, ’82 Everyone Matters Inc. Marc E. Andersen, ’90 Ernst & Young LLP Shaza L. Andersen, ’89 Trustar Bank Tom Anderson, ’06 Centre Law & Consulting, LLC Horace Blackman, ’93 CGI Kristina J. Bouweiri Reston Limousine Chris Cage Leidos Nancy Collins, ’80 Everest Care Management Debi Beck Corbatto, ’86, ’03, ’18 The Beck Foundation Michael Creasy, ’91 Grant Thornton LLP Paul Cusenza, Nodal Exchange and Nodal Clear James C. Fontana Fontana Law Group PLLC Michael Gallagher, ’94 The Stevie Awards Kaylene H. Green, ’87 Flagship Government Relations R. Jerry Grossman Retired, Houlihan Lokey W. Craig Havenner The Christopher Companies Ginny Heine City National Bank Lillian T. Heizer LCH Consulting Services Mary Davis Holt Mary Davis Holt Enterprises, LLC Rick Hubbard, ’85, ’90 Gemini Communications LLC The Honorable Allen F. Johnson, ’83 Allen F. Johnson & Associates
Jeffrey M. Johnson, ’75 Retired, Johnson & Strachan Inc. Brian E. Kearney, ’02 Kearney & Company PC Craig B. Kendall Financial Investments, Inc. Gary N. Loveland Jr., ’84 Retired, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Deepti Malhotra Vision|Mission|Drive Edward J. Newberry, ’84 Squire Patton Boggs John T. Niehoff, ’84 Baker Tilly Jerry T. Pierce, ’92 KPMG LLP Scott Plein Equinox Investments LLC Natalie M. Randolph The Sidwell Friends School Harold C. Rauner, ’81, ’86 National Capital Bank of Washington Mark D. Rothman MYTA Technologies LLC Ola Sage, ’99 Cyber Rx Sumeet Shrivastava, ’94 Independent Board Director and Advisor Courney B. Spaeth growth[period] Bill Strachan Brown & Brown Insurance William L. Walsh Jr., Esq Hischler Fleischer Geoffrey Weber, ’91, ’98 KPMG LLP Teresa A. Weipert Maximus Katharyn M. White IBM Dale “Dusty” Wince, ’12, Former Chair Aligned2 Raymond L. Winn III, ’82, ’85 Deloitte LLP
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MASON BUSINESS NEWS Newly Renamed Montano Student Investment Fund Attracts Attention from Finance Community BY GREG JOHNSON, ’13
Trevor Montano took the stage as a keynote speaker at the Montano Student Investment Fund’s inaugural Alpha Challenge, a stock pitch competition for Mason students. Judged by industry leaders in consulting, investment banking, private equity, and asset management, the event offered students the opportunity to showcase their skills, as well as build their networks. The competition’s objective was for student teams to choose, research, and pitch a stock for potential inclusion in the Montano Student Investment Fund. Students were provided resources to help them improve their skills in equity research and stock pitching. Photo credit: Sierra Guard
After living in New York City for 13 years, Trevor Montano, BS Accounting ’00, returned to the region and reconnected with George Mason University. He joined the George Mason University Foundation (GMUF) Board of Trustees and began considering ways he could help improve experiential learning offerings and assist in job placement for finance students. Noticing the university did not have a student managed investment fund, Montano enlisted a student (now alumnus), Brandon Nestor, BS Finance ’17, to assist in establishing one—which launched in 2018 with an initial capital investment from the GMUF endowment. Thanks to an enabling gift from Trevor and his wife Regina Montano, the Montano Student Investment Fund, as it is known today, is thriving, and giving business students hands-on experience in portfolio management and attracting the attention of top employers. “The creation of the Montano Student Investment Fund required detailed diligence; we consulted with schools across the mid-Atlantic regarding process and operations, drafted a proposed structure, presented our thoughts and findings to the GMUF Board of Trustees along with relevant decision makers, in addition to anything else needed to get the fund off the ground,” says Nestor. “Turning Trevor’s foundational idea into a reality required commitment and teamwork, so it’s very satisfying to see it start paying early dividends.” Derek Horstmeyer, professor of finance, and Tiago Requeijo, assistant professor of finance, teach the class that was created for this purpose, and their students present a semi-annual performance report to the GMUF Board of Trustees.
The presidents and vice presidents of the Montano Student Investment Fund. Photo credit: Sierra Guard
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Chaitanaya Manya Vij, a senior studying finance and president of the Montano Student Investment Fund Investment Committee says, “The fund not only forces student analysts to have a broader understanding of market conditions, but also pushes them to look for market growth opportunities in narrow sectors of the S&P 500, meaning that we must approach investing by thinking both inside and outside the box.“ He also notes how it offers participation in many invaluable opportunities and events like the CFA Challenge and case competitions where students receive mentorship and training to further sharpen their skills. Recently, the fund hosted the Alpha Challenge, the group’s first stock pitch competition on George Mason University’s Fairfax Campus. Proposed by Vij after participating in the CFA Challenge, the event brought together more than 50 students from across Mason and awarded $3,000 in cash prizes. “The [Montano] Student Investment Fund gave me the opportunity to pitch investment ideas and face pushback and questions from fellow students, professors, and the foundation’s Board of Trustees,” says Rudy Kessinger, BS Finance ’18. “As a sell-side equity analyst, I spend a lot of my time doing the same thing, both internally with our sales force and with institutional investors. My experience with the fund prepared me well for this and gave me a lot more confidence starting out than I would have otherwise had.” In establishing the fund, Montano wanted to provide a more effective launching pad for students who seek to begin their careers in finance and investment management. He appreciates the differentiated experience gained from managing real money through his firsthand experiences interviewing young college graduates over the years. As for the future of the Montano Student Investment Fund, he hopes it continues to improve outcomes. “I would love to see more students move into challenging and high-level investment management jobs,” says Montano. “And I hope that those who graduate from the program decide to give back and help the students who follow them.” While the fund is still young, it already has several former participants who are highly successful financial industry professionals. As the number of alumni continues to grow, they will help drive additional career opportunities for upcoming graduates.
School Community Mourns Loss of Longtime Professor of Finance BY JENNIFER BRAUN ANZALDI
Esteemed professor of finance, Gerald A. Hanweck Sr., passed away peacefully on December 6, 2021. Faculty and staff at George Mason University School of Business mourn the loss of their long-time colleague. Hanweck joined Mason in 1986, teaching courses in corporate finance, applied global macroeconomics, financial institutions, and financial markets at the undergraduate and MBA levels. “No one on our faculty was more dedicated to Mason, nor a longer standing, more central member of our school community than Jerry, and we will miss him terribly,” said Dean Maury Peiperl. Quoted by the media numerous times during his 35-year tenure with the School of Business, Hanweck’s research interests included financial institutions and markets performance, public policy regarding these institutions and the structure of their markets, economic stabilization and monetary policy as they influence financial institutions and markets performance, and economies of scale and scope and mergers in the financial service industries. In addition to this research, he was published frequently and throughout his career in academic and professional journals, including the Journal of Banking and Finance, Journal of Monetary Economics, Bankers Magazine, Journal of Economics and Business, The Antitrust Bulletin, and the
Journal of Money, Credit, and Banking. Hanweck co-authored two books with Bernard Shull, Interest Rate Volatility: Understanding, Analyzing, and Managing Interest Rate Risk and Risk-Based Capital, published by Irwin Professional Publishing, January 1996 and Bank Mergers in a Deregulated Environment: Promise and Peril, Quorum Books, 2001. Hanweck was also a visiting scholar in the Division of Insurance and Research of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) from 2000-07 where he concentrated on the use of financial market information in bank risk management strategies, for use in establishing federal deposit insurance pricing, improvements in identification of banks in financial distress, and the subprime mortgage crisis implications for bank financial soundness. Hanweck served as the area chair for finance and as the associate dean for graduate programs during his tenure. He received his BA in economics from Stanford University and his PhD in economics from Washington University. He is survived by his wife, Barbara, and children, Gerald Jr., Julia and Gregory Hanweck.
Gerald Hanweck sr. ENDOWED LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP FUND Created to honor the legacy of beloved faculty member Gerald Hanweck Sr., this fund will increase opportunities for undergraduate finance students. To Support: advancement.gmu.edu/HANW Gerald A. Hanweck, Sr.
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MASON BUSINESS NEWS Kaiser Permanente Grant Will Advance Mason’s Community Health Efforts BY ROBERT RIORDAN
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Even more than other businesses, the business of health needs to focus on the well-being of our community. — Dean Maury Peiperl
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Kaiser Permanente, one of the nation’s leading health care providers and nonprofit health plans, has committed $175,000 to advance George Mason University’s community health initiatives. The grant, jointly supporting the Mason and Partners Clinics (MAP Clinics) and the Business for a Better World Center, will enable Mason to serve as the lead anchor partner in a collaborative initiative to remove barriers to health and expand access for residents in the Bailey’s Crossroads/Culmore neighborhood of Fairfax County. The grant extends Kaiser Permanente’s partnership with Mason, which began in 2019 with a $500,000 investment to establish the Kaiser Permanente Community Wellness Hub in partnership with Mason’s College of Health and Human Services Population Health Center. “Kaiser Permanente is honored to expand our partnership with George Mason University, an organization that shares our mission for improving the health of the communities we serve,” said Tonga Turner, interim executive director of Community Health at Kaiser Permanente. “Collaboration with organizations like Mason is critical to transform Northern Virginia communities such as Bailey’s Crossroads and Culmore into places where residents have equitable access to high-quality health care, nutritious food, good jobs and thriving schools.” MAP clinics serve the uninsured and refugee community in Prince William and Fairfax counties. Located in Manassas, Springfield, and Culmore, these bridge-care model clinics provide free health care, school physicals, screenings, and mental health services for people living in low-income and medically underserved areas. “We are excited about our continued collaboration with Kaiser Permanente in the delivery of care with attention to the social determinants of health on behalf of vulnerable populations to ensure health equity,” added Germaine Louis, dean of Mason’s College of Health and Human Services. The grant establishes Mason as the lead partner organization in Northern Virginia for Kaiser Permanente’s Mid-Atlantic Community Network (MACN), launched in partnership with Unite Us, a shared technology platform available to community organizations to serve social health needs ranging from food access and housing assistance to workforce development and health care services. The MACN has launched in Washington, D.C., suburban Maryland, Greater Baltimore, and Northern Virginia. Since 2018, Kaiser Permanente has led a community-based initiative to address health disparities in the Bailey’s/Culmore community and create access to the resources people need to thrive. Local community organizations involved in the initiative include Columbia Baptist Church, the Medical Care for Children Partnership Foundation, Culmore Clinic, St. Anthony’s Parish, Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center and Just Neighbors, along with county leadership, local businesses and philanthropic organizations. Accomplishments have included partnering with local food pantries to deliver hundreds of pounds of food to those in-need and connecting more than 200 Bailey’s/Culmore residents with low or no-cost medical care. Those community-based efforts will also benefit from partnership with Mason’s Business for a Better World Center, which focuses on preparing tomorrow’s business leaders to further the common good. “Even more than other businesses, the business of health needs to focus on the well-being of our community,” said Maury Peiperl, dean of Mason’s School of Business. “This is an opportunity to activate our substantial industry network to fuel economic development and entrepreneurship in the region. Kaiser Permanente is known as a leader for moving health forward, and partnering on this initiative is another way we are using business as a force for good.” Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, about 240,000 people in Northern Virginia were underinsured or lacked health insurance, and 160,000 lived in poverty. The pandemic has increased levels of unemployment, as well as housing and food insecurity across the region. Unemployment spiked in Fairfax County by more than five percent over the past year, and the number of county residents seeking emergency food assistance doubled.
Center for Government Contracting Wins Study to Examine Department of Defense Intellectual Property Management Policies BY CHARLES DOLGAS
The Center for Government Contracting in Mason’s School of Business has been awarded a $671,000 contract from the Department of Defense (DoD), through the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)). The Center will generate policy recommendations intended to assist in accelerating commercialization and innovation in dual-use technology. The Laboratories and Personnel Office in the OUSD(R&E) is the sponsor for this study, which was required under the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. Jerry McGinn, executive director of the Center for Government Contracting, remarked, “We are thrilled to have been selected for this important study on intellectual property practices for
DoD and we very much look forward to working with our colleagues across the University on this effort.” Dean Maury Peiperl added, “I am particularly pleased that DoD recognized the interdisciplinary nature of our proposal and we are excited to partner with our colleagues in the Scalia School of Law on this critical study.” Ken Randall, Allison and Dorothy Rouse, dean of the Antonin Scalia Law School, said, “The Scalia Law School is pleased to be involved in this interdisciplinary collaboration, including with Mason’s outstanding Business School. Intellectual property is a focus at our law school, and we are honored to share the faculty’s expertise on this important project.”
Transforming Retail: Center for Retail Transformation Supports Startups and Small Businesses BY JENNIFER ANZALDI
According to National Retail Federation, the retail sector is the nation’s largest private sector employer, supporting more than 52 million jobs. In 2020, total retail sales in the U.S. surpassed 5.6 trillion dollars, representing sales from more than one million retail establishments, which makes the work of the Center for Retail Transformation at George Mason University School of Business truly critical. Launched in November of 2020, the center is dedicated to developing transformational retail leaders, advancing retail research, and convening thought leadership around changes in retail. Since its inception, the Center has been focused on assisting startups, small-tomedium sized retailers, and other members of the retail ecosystem navigate the transformation of retail. “The retail industry is changing at a dizzying pace, here in the Washington, D.C. region and around the world,” said Gautham Vadakkepatt, the center’s director. “While the industry is one of the largest private sector employers in the United States, COVID-19 has revealed challenges that retailers, their consumers, and vendors still face. Our goal is to support this sector of the retail industry by leading the way on retail research, developing future retail leaders, and shaping the global conversation around transformation in retail.” Over the past year the center has worked hard to do just that - offering panels that brought together startups and retailers, hosting business problem roundtables, assisting startups and smaller retailers to find solutions to their problems, and even connecting students with retailers to be part of the solution. Working directly with Microsoft, who will sponsor and participate in thought leadership events, the center will create opportunities for retailers to understand how the digital transformation of their business can benefit from emerging
technologies across retail. The center also served as a resource for Fairfax County as the county looked for ways to assist small businesses. “The Center for Retail Transformation has been a tremendous asset to understand industry trends and to explore the needs and opportunities for our smaller, local retailers,” says Rebecca Moudry, director for the Department of Economic Initiatives for Fairfax County Government. “This has been especially important through the pandemic and dynamic shifts in the economy.” “Retail has always been an extraordinarily competitive and creative segment of the business community, and our present environment has forced many to reimagine their approach,” said School of Business Dean Maury Peiperl. “Despite these challenges, innovators continue to carve out opportunities for success through a growing variety of retail business models. The Center for Retail Transformation provides leading-edge expertise for the new world of retail, including artificial intelligence and automation, supply chain efficiencies, predictive analytics, and novel market strategies—all to meet and exceed consumer expectations.”
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LETTER FROM THE ALUMNI CHAPTER PRESIDENT
Dear Alumni,
Scott Hine
BS, Decision Sciences ’85
School of Business Alumni Chapter President LOOKING BACK: Alumni Chapter Presidents 2019 - present: Scott Hine ’85 President-Elect: Pamela Maple, MBA ’09 (formerly Maines) 2018 - 19: Becky Forbush ’10 (formerly Anderson) 2017 - 18: Jason Howell ’97 2016 - 17: Sumeet Shrivastava ’94 2015 - 16: E. Ryan Najjar ’13 2014 - 15: Mark Cummings ’94 2013 - 14: Polina Zhuravlev ’05 2010 - 13: Michael Gallagher ’94 2009 - 10: Erika Spalding ’07 2008 - 09: Daniel Aldis ’03 2007 - 08: Thomas Donohue, Jr. ’93 2006 - 07: John Blair ’04 2005 - 06: Nancy Sydnor ’99 2004 - 05: Bryan Felder ’98 2003 - 04: Michael Hamrick ’96
I am continually impressed to see the strides that the George Mason University School of Business makes—in classroom performance, through faculty research, and the extraordinary achievements of our alumni. It is an excellent time to be associated with the School of Business. As the president of the alumni chapter, I have had the opportunity to see much of the progress up close, in my work with fellow alumni, students, faculty, and staff. Over the past year, the narrative has shifted from finding a way to manage and work through the pandemic to now resuming in-person classes and meetings in a changed landscape. But the fact of the matter is that the School of Business never slowed down and from my point of view we improved our reach and optimized many of our processes. For instance, our alumni chapter went full steam ahead and formally initiated our partnership with the Mason business fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi, Pi Sigma Chapter. This partnership positions the two organizations to work closely in advancing each other’s missions as well as the overall mission of the school. We also created a Student Advisory Leadership Board which provides an exciting opportunity for future alumni to take on unprecedented roles in helping steer the School of Business. Students get to drive change for themselves, their peers, and for future students in the School of Business. After all, nobody can speak to the needs of students better than the students themselves. I personally cannot wait to witness the growth from these partnerships, especially as more and more people are meeting on campus and in person elsewhere. Additionally we strengthened our relationship with other chapters such as the Black Alumni Chapter and established new relationships with chapters such as the Green Machine Ensembles Chapter.
While many businesses are back to moving full steam ahead, we know that many others have not reopened or are struggling with challenges brought upon by the pandemic. I encourage all alumni to take advantage of the abundant resources that Mason has to offer. Remember that the university, the School of Business, and the Business Alumni Chapter continue to support you long after graduation and want to help you achieve your personal and professional goals. For more information on how the School of Business can help, please see the following: • •
•
Call Us: 703-993-4833; or Email: bizalum@gmu.edu Continuing your professional education through seminars, workshops, and certificate programs, email execdev@gmu.edu, or call 703-993-6715. You can also schedule an appointment with the School of Business Office of Career Services by emailing mycareer@gmu.edu or calling 703-993-2140.
The School of Business is here for you through the ups and downs, so please take advantage of all of its resources and also let us know if you would like to get involved in impacting the next generation of Patriots. I have enjoyed connecting with many of you at in-person and virtual events and I cannot wait to meet more of you this coming year. Best,
Scott Hine School of Business Alumni Chapter President
S C HO O L O F B USI NESS ALUM NI C H APTER B OAR D President Scott Hine, BS Decision Science ’85
Chair of Diversity and Inclusion Falahyar Fatmi, MS Technology Management ’05
President-Elect Pamela Maple, MBA ’09 (formerly Maines)
Chair of the Program & Events Committee Clivia Lainez, BS Finance ’04, MBA ’10
Immediate Past President Becky Forbush, BS Accounting ’10 (formerly Anderson)
Chair of Outreach Sameet Singh, BS ISOM ’20
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Chair of the Fundraising Committee Jason Howell, BS Accounting ’97 Secretary Vacant Treasurer Keith Callahan, BS Finance ’86
DIRECTORS-AT-LARGE Cassie Schupp, MS Real Estate Development ’15 Eleri Burnett, BS Finance ’19 Amanda Houlihan, BS Marketing ’15
Jennifer Rhodes, EMBA ’05 Sid Subramanyam, BS Finance ’06
ALUMNI STORIES Latino Business Alumnus Continues to Lead at Mason BY GREG JOHNSON, ’13
Daniel Logrono, BS ISOM ’20
Recently graduated from George Mason School of Business, Daniel Logrono, BS Information Systems and Operations Management ’20, didn’t wait to give back. Still fresh in his mind, Logrono’s memories as a student inspired him to serve as president of the Latino Alumni Chapter, and impact more students and alumni, encouraging them to remain Patriots for life. Though he’s the first in his family to be born in the United States, he’s not the first to have graduated from college stateside. In fact, both his mother Veronica Enriquez, BS Biology ’93, and aunt Elsa Wright, BS Decision Science ’90, are alumnae of Mason, his aunt from the School of Business. “Education was very important to my grandfather,” says Logrono. “He moved the family from Ecuador to the United States, where they became citizens, pursued higher ed, and began successful careers.” Logrono’s father, too, came to the country in the 80s from Ecuador to pursue his American dream. Guided by the examples of his parents, Daniel Logrono embraced his studies at Mason, and got involved with the Hispanic Student Association (HSA) and the Aguilas Mentoring Program, where he became vice president before graduating. He excelled academically, continuing the Mason legacy begun by his mother and aunt.
At the School of Business, Daniel Logrono sees students from many backgrounds and cultures pursuing a common goal. To him, the biggest advantage of a multicultural environment is learning about diverse perspectives and ideas. “I strongly encourage business students to keep an open mind and learn from others who may have a perspective different from their own,” he says. “Come to as many Mason and School of Business events as possible and don’t be complacent in doing things a certain way just because that’s how you’ve always done it.” Through his continued involvement at Mason, Logrono has enjoyed not only celebrating his own culture, but also learning about others. He hopes that non-Latino alumni feel welcome to participate with the Latino Alumni Chapter. Alumni engagement is important to Logrono. After transferring to Mason from Northern Virginia Community College, he made connections with older students and alumni through extracurricular organizations, enabling him to hone his leadership skills. “My biggest objective as president of the Latino Alumni Chapter is to increase our member base,” he says. “I want to remind alumni of their positive experiences at Mason and give them a reason to reconnect.”
Dean’s Excellence Fund For 45 years, George Mason University School of Business has prepared innovative, critical thinking students to stay ahead of the curve in an ever-evolving business landscape and to be the catalysts for progress. Graduates are well positioned to be leaders in the future of business, both here in the reigion and abroad. Shape our students into the business leaders of tomorrow. Your gift to the Dean’s Excellence Fund enables the school to respond to student opportunities as they arise.
DONATE TODAY: advancement.gmu.edu/22BUSIMP
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ALUMNI STORIES Alumna Stays Connected to Support the Next Generation BY GREG JOHNSON, ’13
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When I was younger, I was inspired whenever I saw women of color really make it in the corporate world. Now is my chance to pass encouragement along to others. — Ola Sage, ’99
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If there’s one thing that stuck with Ola Sage, MS Technology Management ’99, from her time studying at the School of Business, it is the importance of preparation. More than two decades later, she continues to prepare herself, her clients, and the next generation. As a business leader strongly invested in the community, Sage hopes that traditionally underrepresented communities, especially African Americans and women, feel encouraged by seeing her as a role model. Sage wants her clients to be as prepared as she is. Her career has been dedicated to assisting organizations in identifying and avoiding cyber threats and disaster. As CEO of CyberRx, she works with private sector companies in assessing and mitigating their cybersecurity risks. CyberRx is the second company she has founded since graduating from Mason. Almost immediately after receiving her master of science, Sage started and grew a government focused information technology professional services company for 18 years, until she sold it in 2018. The rewarding experience she had as a student brought Sage even closer to Mason as an alumna. For more than 15 years, she has served on the panel of judges at Capstones for students pursuing the master in technology management. “I find it incredibly fulfilling to give students constructive feedback to help them reach their potential,” she says. Additionally, she leads by her representation on the Dean’s Council and the Government Contracting Advisory Board. Clearly
influenced by her growth as a School of Business student, Sage is inspired to give back to her alma mater in many ways. Sage is here to help all Patriots, but the impact of being involved as a successful Black businesswoman is not lost on her. “When I was younger, I was inspired whenever I saw women of color really make it in the corporate world,” she says. “Now is my chance to pass encouragement along to others.” Sage, who received the Prominent Patriots award in 2013, knows that the school’s talent is the cream of the crop. In 2016, she hired Ingrid Shipton, MS Management of Secure Information Systems ’13, as the director of cybersecurity for CyberRx. “Ola is an inspiration. She takes her role as a leader and mentor to heart,” says Shipton. “More than anyone else I’ve ever worked with, she is very deliberate and thoughtful about how she mentors and coaches me.” Staying connected to Mason may have started as a way for Sage to give back, but she has ultimately found the experience quite rewarding and it has allowed her to develop a remarkable professional network of fellow alumni and industry friends of the school. Surrounding herself with industry leaders gives Sage that extra edge to push even further. “I know I represent many people who don’t feel they have a seat at the table, and I don’t take that responsibility lightly,” she says. “But, most of all, I hope that young Black people can see that business is a world they can thrive in as well.”
Leave a Legacy For 45 years, the School of Business has prepared alumni and allowed faculty to make a difference in the world. A legacy gift allows you to make a lasting impact that is appreciated by future generations. How It Works You can remember the School of Business in your estate plan in a variety of ways: ☐ Give a specific dollar amount or percentage of your estate through your will or trust.
☐ Designate the School of Business as a sole or partial beneficiary of a retirement plan, such as a 401(k) or IRA.
☐ Leave a specific asset, such as artwork, jewelry, or real estate.
☐ Recommend that the School of Business be considered as a successor beneficiary of your donor-advised fund.
☐ Name the School of Business as a residual beneficiary of your estate so that the school receives the remainder after all other bequests have been satisfied.
☐ Consider an income-retained arrangement that would benefit you now and the School of Business later.
Let’s Work Together The Advancement and Alumni Relations Office can help you craft a gift that fulfills your financial and philanthropic goals. To learn more, contact Christina Spring, director of advancement and alumni relations, at cspring4@gmu.edu or 703-993-5297.
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A Mason Family Legacy BY GREG JOHNSON, ’13
“I don’t think I would be sitting here today as a professor and general counsel if my parents had not gone to Mason.” Yvonne Demory, associate professor of business legal studies at George Mason University School of Business, had the value of education impressed upon her at a young age. Like many Mason students and alumni, nothing was handed to her parents Will Demory, BA Economics ’71, and Mary Demory, BS Business Administration ’81. Humble as their beginnings were, they were just that, beginnings. Many years later, their daughter finds Mason to be a place where she can build her own successes. Yvonne Demory’s earliest childhood memories include going with her mom to drop off her dad for night classes at the old Fairfax High School, where Mason courses were taught. After Will Demory graduated in the early 1970s, it was his wife Mary’s turn to go to school, graduating from the School of Management (now the School of Business). Neither were raised with higher education as an emphasis, but the couple soon decided it was of high importance in their lives. “In a lot of ways, my parents did things in reverse, in getting married right out of high school, having me, and then going to college while working full time,” says Yvonne Demory. “However, I do think there are a lot of families like mine at Mason.” She even took classes herself at Mason, while at home during a summer break when she was pursuing her degree at the University of Virginia. A native of Northern Virginia, Yvonne Demory has long considered George Mason University to be of tremendous importance. “Decades ago, Mason was a convenient and financially feasible option. Today, it’s still both those thing, but also a prestigious institution wielding a lot of influence,” she says. For more than twenty years, ever since she responded to an advertisement for an open teaching position, Demory has been a part of that growth. She’s even worked with a handful of professors who taught her mom. “Bob Johnston, Richard Coffinberger, and Gerald Hanweck are a few who had profound influence on my mom through teaching and also on me as colleagues,” she says. As children often do, Demory learned a lot growing up by watching her parents’ actions. Their dedication instilled in her a life-long belief in the importance of education. Mary Demory worked in an administrative position to support Will while he went to Mason first. Then she entered the federal 12 IMPACT
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government workforce after graduating, and quickly rose to high ranks, becoming assistant inspector general of the Department of Justice. After leaving the government sector, she joined Will in the company he started, Pelerin Capital Management LLC, a Fredericksburg, Virginia-based commercial real estate management and development company. The company is now a family effort with Yvonne serving as general counsel. Their experiences illustrate that life events don’t have to be carried out in a particular order and that education opens doors to opportunity. “My parents defied the odds to build rewarding careers and a strong marriage despite coming from meager backgrounds,” says Demory. “I’m proud of them as a daughter, I’m proud as an educator seeing so many students do the same, and I am proud to work at Mason where it’s all made possible.” Photo Credits: Yvonne Demory
Yvonne Demory with her parents, Will and Mary Demory
Photo Credits: Yvonne Demory
Yvonne Demory with her parents, Will and Mary Demory in the 70s.
Shrivastava Diversity and Inclusion Scholarship Advances Culture of Inclusive Excellence BY GREG JOHNSON ’13
At George Mason University, anyone, regardless of background or financial situation is presented the opportunity to attend, learn, and excel. Mason students develop the skills needed to establish a new pattern of success for their generation and the ones to follow. Long a university point of pride, it remains a constant work in progress. One reason a high-quality education is so readily available at Mason, and particularly at the School of Business, is thanks to a robust pool of benefactors. Sumeet Shrivastava, EMBA ’94, has been dedicated to the success of the school and university ever since he became a Patriot. Shrivastava, also president of the George Mason University Alumni Association, has established the Shrivastava Diversity and Inclusion Scholarship Endowment to recognize student leaders from underrepresented groups, who are contributing to diversity and inclusion at the university. “What I hope this scholarship can create is a networked ecosystem, where recipients go on to successful careers and then connect with the recipients who follow them,” says Shrivastava. At other institutions, students from underrepresented backgrounds are often left behind without proper resources and support, but scholarships like the Shrivastava Diversity and Inclusion Scholarship Endowment ensure that doesn’t happen at Mason. The scholarship’s aim is to achieve success that can be passed down through generations, inspired by the legacy of Sumeet Shrivastava’s late father, SP Shrivastava, who was an award-winning business owner, Mason adjunct professor, and member of the Mason Foundation Board of Trustees. “When my dad passed away in the summer of 2017, we decided that one of the ways we wanted to honor his legacy was through a scholarship,” says Sumeet. After last summer’s nationwide movement and
renewed emphasis on racial equality and equity, he decided it was the right time to focus the scholarship on those from underserved backgrounds. “It was my dad’s legacy to help everyone, regardless of where they were from, to gain that access to capital and opportunity to succeed,” he says. Through perseverance and dedication to education, SP Shrivastava, who grew up in poverty in India (which delayed his education multiple years), became a prominent business leader in Northern Virginia, all while contributing his time and treasure to students. Those students’ growing successes are now a major part of his legacy. For Shrivastava, in giving to his alma mater, his broader emphasis is centered on continuing to shape an environment where people from all walks of life can become leaders. Mason’s diversity and inclusion, further augmented by the scholarship endowment, is helping to create a better workforce, with more people of color sitting on boards and serving as executives. The immigrant story of SP Shrivastava is a microcosm of the George Mason University experience, where first-generation students and students from every background share in pursuit of knowledge and advancement. His story is the American dream, and now his son Sumeet is continuing his legacy in building a culture of inclusive excellence.
Sumeet Shrivastava with his late father, SP Shrivastava
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“I joined the Mason faculty in the fall semester of 1976. At that point, we were a department of business administration. I think we had 25 to 30 full-time faculty, a lot of part-time faculty, and only about six staff members.” -Robert Johnston, Associate Professor Emeritus of Finance
A group of Mason students celebrating during Homecoming in the 1990s.
45 ANNIV Celebrating our
th
A group of School of Management staff and faculty in the 1990s. Amitava Dutta, information systems and operations management professor (pictured in the front row, second to the left), is still a member of our faculty today.
An article about the School of Business Administration from Mason’s 1983 yearbook.
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Group photo of the Business Honor Society from Mason’s 1985 yearbook.
School of Management Times Magazine Cover from the Fall 2004 Issue.
ERSARY 1977: School of Business Administration (SBA) is founded
2014: Mason Korea Campus in Songdo, Korea launched
1979: SBA moves to Robinson Hall
2019: SBUS launches Bachelor of Science degree program
1986: SBA’s first dean, Lloyd DeBoer, steps down 1991: SBA earns AACSB accreditation in business 1995: SBA moves into Enterprise Hall
2021: SBUS launches PhD program 2022: SBUS current alumni network: nearly 40,000 alumni
1995: SBA graduates 10,000th alum 1998: SBA becomes the School of Management (SOM) 2012: SOM graduates 25,000th alum 2014: SOM becomes School of Business (SBUS)
“When I started in 1983 parking was plentiful and free. The only food service was a single cafeteria line in SUB I. The bookstore was a single area in SUB I about 30x30 feet. In 1985 the first PCs were provided to area staff - one per area - but little knowledge what to do with them. No word processing, no spreadsheets, and no Internet. Currently I teach over 200 students asynchronously online each semester.” - James W. Harvey, Associate Professor of Marketing
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50 Anniversary th
We’ve Always Been Green and Gold—and Now We’re Golden What started in just a single building in 1957, with only 17 students, has grown into a community of more than 39,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Today, Mason is the largest public research university in Virginia with three campuses in Virginia and one in Songdo, Korea. From George Mason University’s origins as a branch campus of the University of Virginia to its current status as Virginia’s largest, most inclusive, and most innovative university with more than 220,000 alumni around the world, Mason has experienced 50 remarkable years of growth and achievement. “Mason at 50” represents an inflection point for the university, as we look to the half century ahead and focus on the university we are becoming, the students we are graduating, and the world we are helping to shape. For more information you can visit: 50th.gmu.edu
The original quad at George Mason University.
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Big Moments in the History of George Mason 1972 On April 7, 1972, Governor A. Linwood Holton Jr. signed legislation establishing Mason as an independent member of Virginia’s system of colleges and universities, separating George Mason College from the University of Virginia. 1986 James Buchanan wins the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences. 2002 University Libraries hits 1 million volumes. Vernon Smith wins the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences. 2004 With an enrollment of 28,750, Mason becomes the largest public university in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
2006 The Mason men’s basketball team becomes the original “Cinderella” team of March Madness as it made its exciting run from an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament’s Final Four.
2016 Mason is designated as an R-1 research institution.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE Sheryl and Bill Magro’s Gift to Impact Fellows Honors Legacy of Sally A. and Albert W. Kaider BY GREG JOHNSON, ’13
Despite their own limited resources, Sally A. and Albert W. Kaider always made helping others a priority. Their legacies will now be honored as the new name of the Business for a Better World Impact Fellows 2021-2022 First Year Experience. The generous gift to the program was made by their daughter and son-in-law, Sheryl and Bill Magro.
Sheryl and Bill Magro. Photo Credit: Anne Magro
Launched in the fall of 2020 out of the Business for a Better World Center (B4BW) at the George Mason University School of Business, the Impact Fellows Program was created to help first-year students from underrepresented groups develop the skills required to take on the grand challenges the world faces today. Over two years, the Fellows learn about the United Nations sustainable development goals and how they can directly drive social change. Co-Executive Director of the Business for a Better World Center Anne Magro is the daughter of Sheryl and Bill Magro. Always ones to give back, Sheryl and Bill were galvanized by Anne’s enthusiasm for the program, finding that its mission was very much aligned with their own views. “I have an enormous amount of respect for Sheryl’s parents, who really epitomized the true spirit of giving, especially Sally,” says Bill Magro. “Here was a woman who literally took off her new coat in the freezing Western Michigan winter and gave it to someone in need.” While the Kaiders were challenged to pay their own bills, they never failed to help those around them experiencing even greater hardships. That sense of responsibility for those in need has been passed down to their daughter and son-in-law. From funding a free dental
clinic to stocking food pantries, Sheryl and Bill consistently step in to support their community. Sheryl and Bill are quick to note that they didn’t decide on the gift because of their daughter’s involvement, but Anne’s passion for the program was highly contagious. Still in its infant stages, the success of the program is so far best characterized by feedback from students. Ashanti Martin, a sophomore studying marketing, credits Impact Fellows with opening her eyes to sustainability practices. “I’ve gained a great understanding of the United Nations sustainable development goals, and I know that I can take those practices to companies I work at in the future,” says Martin. “Another takeaway from Impact Fellows was learning about cultural intelligence and different forms of bias.” Selassie Fugar, a sophomore studying business analytics, also interns in the B4BW’s Summer Team Impact Program project. “It’s been an amazing program with faculty who have been so helpful in setting me up with the right resources and internships,” says Fugar. “I don’t think I would have been able to make those connections without Impact Fellows.” First-generation students represent a significant portion of the School of Business, and the Magros can’t help but find themselves relating to them. “Our students really mirror my parents’ experiences, as my mom was the first in her family to go to college, and my dad was in the first generation to graduate from college in his family too,” says Anne Magro. “My mother worked to make sure that people’s immediate needs were met, and then also their needs to sustain themselves in the future, whether that be through job training or education,” says Sheryl Magro. “My husband and I passed the value of education down to our children, and now it’s really come full circle, with this program being named in my parents’ honor.” Sheryl and Bill Magro see their gift to Impact Fellows as an investment, and the objective is twofold— equip students with the tools they need to sustain success in their own lives and act as catalysts in solving many of the world’s most pressing problems. In the end, the Magros hope that their gift motivates others to pay it forward, just like Sally and Albert Kaider always did. To learn more about the B4BW Center or the many ways you can make a difference in our students’ lives, please contact the center at b4bworld@gmu.edu
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Alumni-to-Alumni: Sharing Thoughts and Insight LISA FEATHERNGILL
BS Accounting ’85 National Director of Wealth Planning at Comerica Bank
Find a profession that interests you early in your career and stay with it. The longer you can focus on an area of expertise, the more known you will be in that field, which opens up a lot of possibilities. Focus and work hard. Learn as much as possible. This makes you valuable to an employer, which gives you the opportunity to make more money and have more flexibility. I started with Arthur Andersen right out of school. I had the job lined up in December prior to graduation thanks to the Career Center. I specialized in tax and financial planning early in my career and have stayed in the field in a variety of roles ever since. The field has evolved immensely, which will be true of other careers. Don’t be afraid to follow your interests!
CORNELL HARRIS
Executive MBA ’96 Practice Partner, Wipro Limited
Beginning your career, it is important to pace yourself and take things one step at a time. No one expects you to be perfect on day one. No one expects you to know the answer to everything. They simply desire that you know where to get the information. So, as you adopt a growth mindset and focus on learning, I suggest that building your network is critical. It is important that you become an “information broker” —a person who occupies a key role in connecting with varied groups of people. Networks deliver three unique advantages: private information, access to diverse skill sets, and positional power. Executives see these advantages at work every day but might not pause to consider how their networks regulate them. When we make judgments, we use both public and private information. In the Information Age, public information is so easily available from a variety of sources. Precisely because it is so accessible, public information increasingly offers significantly less competitive advantage than in years prior. Private information, by contrast, is gathered from personal contacts, who can offer something unique that cannot be found in the public domain. This may be the release date of a new product, unpublished software code, or knowledge about what a particular interviewer looks for in potential candidates. Private information, therefore, can offer an edge. Consequently, the value of your private information to others, and the value of others’ private information to you, depends on how much trust exists in the network of relationships. Those relationships can be in the form of mentors, work groups and social encounters with working superiors.
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TIEN HUYNH
BS Finance ’16 AVP, Portfolio Manager, Capital Bank, N.A.
Experience with an internship is a very important first step to landing the first big job right out of school. Through the internship, you will not only gain firsthand experience in the field, but you also find out if that career path is suitable for you. If you were not able to get an internship during school, seeking one after graduation is not too late. Instead of settling for a job that pays, but might not be relevant to your field, get an internship that might lead to a full-time position in a field of your interest. Second, networking gives you a better chance of landing a job than simply submitting your resume online. Network as much as you can through attending career fairs and even calling professionals whose positions you are interested in. Schedule a visit to shadow their job. Invite them out for a coffee or lunch. Their company might have an entry-level position open, or they might know who is hiring. However, your goal is to genuinely learn about their jobs and the company, not to ask for a job. Last but not least, be who you are and be comfortable in your own skin. Reflect on what your strengths and weaknesses truly are. You might be an introvert, so social skills might not be your A-game. But at the same time, you could be analytical, someone who pays extra attention to the details. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. Elevate your strengths and learn to mitigate your weaknesses. Congratulations and best wishes on your next journey!
ISABELLA BAH
BS Finance ’21 Staff Acountant, Burdette, Smith, & Bish LLC
I believe that it is important to try and venture into different areas in your career to find out what is best for you. As I am beginning to navigate the different areas of accounting, I have gained more of a well-rounded perspective on what area I would like to specialize in. I do not believe that I would have come to this realization had I not pushed myself out of my comfort zone and challenged myself to learn new information and unconventional learning techniques. Second, I believe uncovering my zone of genius has been crucial to my success. With this tip, I have taken the time to identify what my natural talents and passions are and utilize them in spaces that allow me to accomplish my personal and professional goals. The last piece of advice I have adopted was to discover my sense of self. I find this to be very important, especially after graduating college. These last few years have allowed my ability to assess the person I was and compare it to the person I want to become. So, be sure to keep an open mind and welcome various opportunities in your life for growth.
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CHUCK LA ROCK
BS Finance ’07 Senior Vice President, Jones Lang LaSalle
Value internal relationships. It is very exciting to get into the working world, start a career, and take the next steps following completion of school. You want to make your mark on the world! Wherever you end up, whether that is a temporary position or your dream job, don’t underestimate the importance of internal relationships. Particularly in a sales position, it is easy to direct focus solely to external prospects or that next sale. However, the relationships and respect you have with your peers, colleagues, and superiors can be equally as important for both your personal and business development, mentorship, and advancement.
PHAT PHUONG
BS Finance and Accounting ’17
Force yourself to become better than you are. Whether it is continuing your education, developing networking skills, or initiating leadership roles, no one is going to invest in you better than you. I cannot stress enough about continuing education. Take courses or earn certifications to stay relevant and competitive. Hiring managers will view and compare you against other applicants to see if you met the role requirements, are a good fit for the team, and what you can bring to the team. Having more knowledge in performing your job tasks or having certificates to demonstrate you can do your job would give you a comparative advantage over other applicants. For networking, it takes humility to stretch out your hand, not knowing if the other person will reach out to you. Endure with the mindset that networking is about what you can do for the other person—only then will you understand your value and your weaknesses. Lastly, take on leadership roles whether it is in the workplace or your community. Volunteer work can be an opportunity you create for yourself. For example, volunteer at your local church or for a local small business owner in your desired professional field, such as performing bookkeeping or helping with taxes if you are in the accounting field. Another leadership initiative is to join a local Toastmaster group to build your confidence and your ability to influence others in accomplishing a common and ethical task.
JACKIE KALINOWSKI
BS in Management ’18 Management Consultant, Accenture Federal Services
When an opportunity presents itself, always say “Yes!” When you receive requests to learn a new tool or become involved in a new process, it’s always beneficial to take advantage of new opportunities. Though not every experience is inherently positive, all experiences expand your knowledge which you depend on the rest of your life. I got my current (dream job) as a consultant by accepting new experiences. During my sophomore year, I attended a weekend event hosted by Accenture, which led to an internship and subsequently a full-time position. It would’ve been easier for me to relax and study that weekend, but by saying “Yes,” it has led to a career that aligns with my interests and fulfils me! 20 IMPACT
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MAKING A DIFFERENCE
The Diversity and Inclusion Committee What Brings Us Together BY GREG JOHNSON, ’13
Each voice is a resource that becomes a true strength when everyone’s perspectives are valued. With diversity in spades, George Mason University has plentiful resources. Now, the School of Business Alumni Chapter’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee relentlessly pushes for every Patriot to feel welcomed and included so that the school can continue ascending to new heights. Founded by Jason Howell, BS Accounting ’97, and Inaugural Chair David Atkins, BS Decision Science ’90, the Committee’s mission is to “Foster a culture of inclusion and proactively leverage diversity to enhance alumni engagement.” Jennifer Rhodes, EMBA ‘05, served as the chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee on the School of Business Alumni Chapter Board for the fiscal year 2021. “I chose Mason because I saw strong female students and leaders, professors who cared, and diverse perspectives from students being raised in thoughtful classroom discourse,” she says. “Now, I’m giving back to ensure diversity and inclusion remains a pillar of strength for the School of Business.” Her voice is a critical addition to the Board in ensuring that alumni businesses exhibit the inclusion that they preach. Today the Committee is led by Falahyar Fatmi, MS Technology Management ’05. Paramount to the Committee’s objectives are open communication and collaboration. “Leaders at Mason want to include everyone’s input, but many people don’t know who to ask or talk to,” says Howell. The central relationships that the Committee develops are with Mason’s alumni chapters— Black Alumni, Latino Alumni, and Lambda Alumni Chapters. “The Committee even works to collaborate with student chapters to foster diversity and inclusion in the day-to-day goings of any chapter so that every Patriot feels welcome in any student organization,” says committee member Michael Ly, BS Accounting ’12, MS Accounting ’13. Within the School of Business, inclusion is advanced through personal outreach. It consists of engaging with alumni about board leadership positions and other recognitions, interacting with future business alumni, and encouraging alumni to participate in school events. “Personally, attending those events and interacting with my peers opened my eyes on new perspectives in life,” says committee member Ava Nia, BS Marketing ’19. “We should embrace our differences and celebrate them—something organizations at Mason thrive to do.” When every member of the School of Business community contributes their time and ideas, it pushes everyone involved to be more effective leaders and to think more critically. In April of last year, the School of Business completed the Diversity and Inclusion Workshop Series to coincide with Celebrate Diversity Month. Jointly presented by the Diversity and Inclusion Committee of the School of Business Alumni Chapter and the School of Business Office of Student Success and Academic Services, the series provided a judgement-free zone where participants could share experiences, ask questions, and learn from each other and from the moderators. “Whether the attendees were in Herndon or in Albuquerque, New Mexico, our Patriots came together and created a space for virtual adult learning and sharing,” says Jennifer Rhodes. “Each personal contribution enriched the experience for all those involved.” The feedback from workshop series participants illustrates how effective the sessions were. “This was an excellent series. All of the presenters were amazing. The content was fuel to move our advocacy forward,” says Melissa Hartman, MBA ‘95. Laura Niel, BS Accounting ’87, added, “Thank you to the School of Business for a great series and encouraging us to be diversity and inclusion ambassadors. I’m very proud to be a Mason Patriot.” Another participant, Renée Harrison, MBA ’12, said, “I really appreciate this type of free workshop being available as a graduate of Mason.” The Committee encourages businesses to challenge themselves in the ways they operate by being more inclusive. You do not have to be a committee member to give valued feedback. “We are always considering new ideas, new perspectives, and asking if we heard from every group,” says Rhodes. The members like to repeat a mantra that resonates with them and their mission: “What makes us unique is diversity, what brings us together is inclusion.”
David Atkins, Inaugural Chair BS Decision Sciences ’90
Jason Howell BS Accounting ’97
Jennifer Rhodes Executive MBA ’05
Ava Nia BS Marketing ’19
Michael Ly BS Accounting ’12 MS Accounting ’13
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MAKING A DIFFERENCE
School Welcomes Newest Dean’s Advisory Council Members The School of Business welcomed nine new board members to the Dean’s Advisory Council in 2020 and 2021. The council acts as a partnership between the school and business leaders in order to deepen the business community’s participation in the development of Mason business students. Members of the council represent a variety of industries and provide a real-world perspective that ensures the school’s program curricula meet current industry needs. “Crucially, council members share our story, which is essential in helping raise our profile and in celebrating the way Mason makes it possible for so many people to tackle real-world business issues in a holistic, sustainable fashion,” says Dean Maury Peiperl. Active on several advisory boards within the School of Business, Dale “Dusty” Wince, Jr.’s (’12) leadership on the Dean’s Advisory Council has been instrumental in establishing and strengthening partnerships between the School of Business and the surrounding business community. He continues to be a passionate advocate and leader at Mason. With Wince now stepping into the role as the immediate past council chair, the School of Business is pleased to announce that Elaine Marion, ’95, chief financial officer at ePlus Inc, has taken the reins as new council chair as of 2020. “The Dean’s Advisory Council is an important contributor to the George Mason University School of Business on two fronts,” says Marion. “First, the Council advises the business school with trends in industry to prepare graduates with the skills and traits that employers are seeking. Second, the Council promotes George Mason to their network and colleagues to further the business school’s partnership with industry and the community.” The School of Business looks forward to continuing to advance on both fronts with Marion at the helm of the council.
Elaine Marion Chair, BS Accounting ’95 Marion has more than 20 years experience in accounting and finance including experience in the areas of corporate finance, risk assessment and management, strategic planning, human resources, business insurance, and information technology. Marion was named one of the Influential Women of Virginia by Virginia Lawyers Weekly, Class of 2012.
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Horace Blackman BA American Studies ’93
Nancy Collins BS Business Administration ’80
Horace Blackman is a senior vice president for Consulting Services and leads the Health and Human Services Markets at CGI Federal, a wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary of CGI Inc. In this role, he is responsibility for the strategy development and execution of business and technology solutions to a diverse set of clients within this market.
Nancy Collins is the board chairman and principal of Everest Care Management (ECM) a medical services company focused on workplace injuries. In this role, Collins sets the strategic direction for the company’s business expansion. She takes pride in maintaining positive client relationships and fostering an employee empowered culture at ECM.
Chris Cage
Paul Cusenza
Rick Hubbard BS Decision Science ’85, MBA ’90
Chris Cage is the executive vice president and chief financial officer (CFO) of Leidos. He oversees all financial activities of the company, including accounting and financial reporting, treasury, tax, planning and analysis, and investor relations.
Paul Cusenza is the chairman and CEO of Nodal Exchange and Nodal Clear. Nodal Exchange is a commodities exchange listing futures and options for trading and Nodal Clear acts as a central counterparty clearing house. The majority of U.S. power futures open interest is held at Nodal and represents over $50 billion in notional value.
Rick recently started a new position as CEO of Gemini Communications. Gemini operates in the fiber construction and telecommunications services arenas under two world class operations and brands. Cable Construction and Utilities LLC (CCU) provides services to traditional Cable Company customers and BlueStreak LLC serves telecommunication service providers.
Craig Kendall
Natalie Randolph
Mark Rothman
As president and owner of Financial Investments, Inc. (FII), Craig Kendall has created wealth and established financial security for hundreds of clients, from individuals who entrusted their life savings to him to large institutional investors who see the value of his unique investment approaches.
Natalie Randolph began her tenure as the director of Equity, Justice & Community (EJC) in July 2019. In this role she is the senior administrator responsible for leading and coordinating all institutional equity and inclusion initiatives.
Until its sale in April of 2002, Mark Rothman owned and operated The MYTA Corporation, one of the largest IT staffing firms in the Washington, D.C., area. He serves on the board of several private companies and works with numerous nonprofits including Junior Achievement, The Leukemia Lymphoma Society, and Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ).
A Strong Tradition of Building Partnerships through Advisory Boards and Councils Katharyn White In her current role as vice president of Federal Ecosystem at IBM, Katharyn While is bringing togerher companies to solve important global issues. Katharyn brings to this role a passion for positive change, and over twenty five years of GTM, channels, transformation and government experience.
More than 300 leaders representing 175 companies serve as advisors on School of Business boards and councils. If you’d like to get involved you can contact Christina Spring, director of advancement and alumni relations, at cspring4@gmu.edu or 703-993-5297.
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FACULTY
& RESEARCH How Can Companies Balance Profits with Social Responsibility? BY BENJAMIN KESSLER
“
My contribution is developing avenues for researchers to indentify social problems or investigate how business can be used to address social problems or play a greater leadership role in society. —Toyah Miller
”
It’s an exciting but also potentially confusing time for
Management Review paper Miller co-authored in 2012
business leaders, says Toyah Miller, professor of
posited compassion as a driving force for venture
strategy and entrepreneurship at Mason. Increasing
creation in social entrepreneurs. But she has also found
demand for social responsibility to be prioritized
that the emotional investment of social entrepreneurs
alongside profits can often create “an institutional
can make them highly resistant to inevitable trade-offs
contradiction” with “increased potential for conflict.”
between societal mission and business needs.
Bridging the areas of management, innovation and
The good news is that social and financial objectives do
entrepreneurship, Miller’s research illuminates the
not necessarily clash; in fact, they can be highly
issues that will determine whether companies succeed
compatible. A diverse leadership team, for instance,
or fail in their newly broadened mission.
may devise better strategies than a more homogeneous
This is well-trodden territory for Miller. She began her career as an Ernst & Young consultant who
experiences in life and different points of view…could
loved talking strategy with top leaders of organizations
help the firm have access to needed information to
such as Time Warner and Bell South. At the same time,
navigate change,” Miller says.
she sought opportunities to make a difference in the
Organizational reality, though, is often more
wider world, not just for companies. Growing up, she
complicated than that. In a 2013 paper in Organization
saw her mother organize outreach programs to help the
Science, Miller and her co-authors found that gender-di-
elderly and other vulnerable groups, driven by “a strong
verse boards improved the ability of the firm to enact
sense of values, connection to her community and the
strategic change under certain conditions and not
idea that she had a role to play even if no one assigned
others. When the board is not experiencing a threat due
her that role.”
to low firm performance and women directors have
Her career crossroads came after developing
Spring 2022
greater power, the relationship between board gender
educational programs for a children’s home and
diversity and strategic change is the most positive.
thinking “Could I turn this into a venture?” From there,
Conversely, when the board is threatened by low firm
she became fascinated by the often-overlooked
performance and women directors have greater power,
questions and problems of making social entrepreneur-
the relationship between board gender diversity and
ship work. Unpacking these dilemmas would require
strategic change is the most negative.
fusing her social mission with knowledge gained from her past experience as a strategy consultant. As she
Diversity and inclusion, then, could have good or bad effects, or no effect, depending on how it’s
terms it, “I got the PhD bug,” pursuing a doctorate at
done. Miller recommends that leaders ask themselves,
Mays Business School at Texas A&M University, and later
“‘How am I taking on this idea of being inclusive?’ It may
joining the faculty of University of Oklahoma, Indiana
need to look differently when you’re bringing people
University – Kelley School of Business, and University of
into the fold.” Miller will continue to delve into these
Texas at Dallas before coming to Mason in 2021.
issues as they overlap with her interests in entrepre-
Miller’s research on social entrepreneurs shows how
neurship. “My contribution is developing avenues for
identity and cognition help shape their entrepreneurial
researchers to identify social problems or investigate
strategy. “A lot of the way [social entrepreneurs] behave
how business can be used to address social problems
or react to challenges is influenced by their own
or play a greater leadership role in society,” she says.
background,” she says. For example, an Academy of 24 IMPACT
one, because “having different people with different
FACULTY
& RESEARCH Peleton’s Business of Well-Being BY BENJAMIN KESSLER
“
As I started observing Peloton and its members, as well as my own behavior being a part of the community, I started realizing that it wasn’t just physical fitness and meeting people....My idea of health and well-being was expanding. —David Miller
”
In November 2016, former Mason entrepreneurship professor and current affiliate faculty member, David J. Miller’s wife made a purchase that would change how he viewed our societal and economic future: a Peloton exercise bike. At first, Miller wanted nothing to do with it, preferring to stick with his established treadmill routine. However, curiosity eventually got the better of him. Soon after his first on-demand “Beginner Ride,” he found himself on the Peloton more and more, and using the treadmill less and less. Cut to five years later. Miller is now a die-hard Peloton fanatic. In addition to taking more than 5,000 Peloton classes, he has made several pilgrimages to the so-called “Mothership”—the main studio in New York City where Peloton’s famously charismatic instructors shoot their workouts for the platform. His book, Sweating Together: How Peloton Built a Billion-Dollar Venture and Created a Community in a Digital World (Ideapress Publishing), is the culmination of that journey. Sweating Together combines Miller’s personal story of falling in love with the Peloton brand with strategic lessons taken from the company’s meteoric rise. The book draws upon Miller’s extensive interviews with top executives (including the current CEO/co-founder John Foley), four superstar instructors and hundreds of devoted Peloton fans. Peloton has indeed enjoyed astonishing growth. Even before the pandemic, the company was doubling its registered membership every year. The first year of COVID saw Peloton’s revenue more than triple, as lockdowns made at-home workouts the only option. Sweating Together’s big takeaway is that Peloton’s appeal as a brand goes far beyond exercise equipment. Peloton users constitute a close-knit, voluble community of millions, interacting not just in Peloton’s online classes but also in dedicated Facebook groups and even in the flesh. Before COVID, groups of brand loyalists frequently met up to ride together in local Peloton showrooms. “As I started observing Peloton and its members, as well as my own behavior being a part of the community, I started realizing that it wasn’t just physical fitness and meeting people. I was going to museums and reading books that other members were recommending. My idea of health and well-being was expanding,” Miller says. The Peloton community perhaps owes its vibrancy to the fact that the company allowed it to grow organically, rather than trying to dictate its development. Miller says this leading-from-behind strategy aligns with Peter Drucker’s principle of “the unexpected success”, from the seminal 1985 book Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Drucker highlighted the spontaneous and unpredictable dimensions of human behaviour as golden opportunities that entrepreneurs should watch out for. As Miller writes in the book, “for the Peloton team, the community has been a surprise and an asset to be leveraged to expand and improve the business model and the value it generates for the members and others.” To cite just one example, the company’s referral program allows community members to convert their brand ambassadorship into cash rewards. Miller estimates that he and his wife alone have driven at least $70,000 in Peloton hardware sales alone through word of mouth. Community cohesion is further fostered by the positive vibes that infuse virtually everything connected with Peloton, from the high-end yet approachable brand identity to the tightly integrated elements of gamification and friendly competition. Users can see a leaderboard that ranks their performance against that of everyone else that has ever taken the same class. To Miller, what makes Peloton an exemplary company is the way it transforms something gruelling but good for us—heart-pounding workouts—into a fun, emotionally enriching experience. The Peloton story points to what Miller claims is the biggest untapped entrepreneurial opportunity in today’s world: “the business of well-being.” He refers to the official definition of well-being, according to Mason’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being: “building a life of vitality, purpose, resilience and engagement.” The recipe for successful capitalism is changing, Miller suggests. Selling guilty pleasures—fast food, fast fashion, etc.—is becoming a less tenable business model than helping consumers build lifestyles that are beneficial to themselves, as well as their organizations and communities in the long term. Peloton shows that conscientious consumerism isn’t always about choosing vegetables over dessert. Users can have their cake and eat it too. “If you can make people happy, they’re going to keep coming back,” Miller explains. “As obvious as that sounds, entrepreneurs often forget it. You fall into other things, like ‘I’m competing with someone else’ or ‘I want to be the lowest price’. But when you get on the bike or follow [Peloton] on Instagram, all of a sudden, you realize, ‘Oh, this is just a happy space’.”
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FACULTY
& RESEARCH
Even Smart Investors Get the Rainy Day Blues
The Strange Effects of Sexist Humor
BY BENJAMIN KESSLER
BY BENJAMIN KESSLER
Large institutional investors are often presumed to be cut from a different cloth than your average retail trader. But Lin Sun, an assistant professor of finance at the George Mason University School of Business, has uncovered that even top investors share a very human weakness—inclement weather. For institutional investors, bad weather may dull ordinarily sharp market reflexes. When surprising earnings announcements come through, it takes more time for them to register a proportional response. This amounted to an approximate ten percent reduction in the range of immediate response, compared to normal-weather announcements. The delayed reaction was corrected over the following months, producing a higher-than-average post-announcement price drift. For firms as a whole, whether their actual earnings were surprising or not, institutional investors affected by bad weather gave a higher price discount during the pre-announcement period. Once the earnings were announced, there was a correction, resulting in higher average returns during the announcement period. Bad-weather conditions such as washed-out weekends and sunless skies produce a malaise that weighs on our minds, limiting our attention to work. Practical inconveniences such as longer commutes and residential damage may worsen the distraction. Adverse weather also heightens anxious feelings of being out of control, explaining why investors may discount shares of firms in the suspenseful period preceding the earnings announcement. W
Management professor Mandy O’Neill’s forthcoming paper in Organization Science, written with Natalya M. Alonso of Haskayne School of Business, documents the “sexist culture of joviality” among trainees at a Latin American site run by a major U.S. tech company. A main theme—if not the main theme —of the trainees’ non-work-related conversations was what they themselves called “Guerra de los sexos” (war of the sexes). Jokes expressing a dim view of the opposite sex were routinely told in mixed company. Several women trainees showed they could dish it out as well as take it. Indeed, women who took part in the sexist banter reaped social rewards. Their peers hailed them as “bromistas,” or comedians. Also, the trainees were surveyed on their social ties within the training program. Bromistas were more likely to hold central positions in this web of social relationships. Put another way, they enjoyed higher esteem or status than non-bromistas as a rule. For the male trainees, however, an opposite effect was evident: The more they participated in sexist banter, the lower their status on the whole. For O’Neill and Alonso, social sophistication helps explain these unexpected findings. Bromistas are rewarded for fitting into a culture where sexist humor is a common pastime. But men who enthusiastically promote this culture are seen as lacking tact. Therefore, it seems that even as men and women participate in a sexist working culture, they may secretly resent it and view it as out of date. W
In an Algorithmic Workplace, How Can Humans Excel? BY BENJAMIN KESSLER
Most executives would argue there’s much more to making decisions than just the numbers. A smart, experienced human has gut instinct and familiarity with how the real world of business operates. You can’t capture that on an Excel spreadsheet. Tarun Kushwaha, a professor of marketing at the George Mason University School of Business, recently ran an experiment that pitted the brainpower of actual human executives against trained algorithms. He and his research partner collaborated with an automobile replacement parts retailer to launch a randomized controlled trial (RCT) centered on the corporate buyers responsible for stocking the shelves for affiliated stores across the United States. The retailer had created an AI tool to flag underperforming products for removal. However, the buyers rejected the algorithm’s choices more than half the time, opting to hang onto the flagged products rather than remove them. The researchers found that stores that honored the human overrides were 5.77 percent less profitable than those that obeyed algorithmic recommendations to the letter. However, the algorithmic advantage was confined to mature- and late-stage products. The professors theorized that AI’s vaunted data processing capabilities fell flat when faced with new products, which by definition have no past performance record on which to base decisions. By contrast, buyers can tap their networks for priceless clues. The main takeaway? Smart humans have private information that should be extracted and added to the data-driven decision making that algorithms perform much better. W 26 IMPACT
Spring 2022
How Tax Uncertainty Threatens Economic Recovery
Police Bodycams Are Making NYC Safer
BY BENJAMIN KESSLER
BY BENJAMIN KESSLER
With her co-authors, Kelly Wentland, an accounting professor at the George Mason University School of Business, recently published a paper that specifies and quantifies firm response to tax uncertainty. Its main analysis focuses on exceptional or “lumpy” investments as analogous to constructing a new chemical plant or expanding factory equipment. The researchers surmise that because tax uncertainty exposes firms to greater financing costs, it would affect large investments more than, say, incremental R&D or hiring. The paper hinges on the Internal Revenue Service’s phased rollout of Schedule UTP from 2010-2014. The new policy requires firms to list their uncertain tax positions—i.e. claimed tax liability adjustments that often fall into gray areas in the tax code—on their annual return. Over the course of the phased rollout, the researchers compared investment activity of firms that barely made the cutoff for Schedule UTP to those whose assets fell slightly short of the requirement. They found that the onset of Schedule UTP eligibility was associated with lumpy-investment delays of 4.5 months on average. But even this non-trivial number understates the chilling effect of tax uncertainty. When Wentland and co-authors compared firms that were never affected by the new policy to those that were, the relative delay rose to 18 months. Wentland says that in calculating costs and benefits of legislation such as the American Families Plan, policymakers should take into account the drag on investment that could come with increased tax uncertainty. W
For Brad Greenwood, a professor of information systems and operations management at the George Mason University School of Business, the NYPD—one of the world’s largest urban police forces—mandating body-worn cameras (BWC) across the board on an indefinite basis was a research godsend. He and his collaborators combed through publicly available datasets detailing all NYPD stops, as well as arrest records and civilian complaint databases for the period January 2017-December 2019. The three years covered by the study enabled the researchers to draw before-and-after comparisons for all 77 New York City police precincts. The results of the study showed three clear patterns. First, fears that BWC would deter police from doing their job appeared unfounded. In fact, the number of investigative stops increased by nearly 17% after police were equipped with BWC. Second, citizen complaints against police decreased by roughly 20 percent post-BWC, after accounting for the increase in stops. The category of complaint that saw the biggest decline was so-called “abuse of authority”—allegations of mistreatment or intimidation that may include improperly stopping, threatening, or seizing property from citizens. Of all the types of complaints investigated by NYC’s Citizen Complaint Review Board, abuse of authority is the most common. Third, after adoption of BWC, the likelihood that a stop resulted in arrest went down by 16 percent. Taken together, the findings indicate that, far from inhibiting police work, BWC emboldened police to undertake more investigative activity than they had before, without crossing the line into abuses of authority. W
Top Ten
The top ten most-cited Mason School of Business scholars have more than 42,000 citations among them.
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Leading Research
from School of Business Faculty Premier Journal Publications in Academic Year 2020-2021
Bret Johnson, PhD Accounting, Assistant Professor “Information Leakage Around SEC Comment Letters” Management Science
Abhishek Ray, PhD ISOM, Assistant Professor “A Graph Based Ant Algorithm Approach for the Winner Determination Problem in Combinatorial Auctions” Information Systems Research
Chi-Hyon Lee, PhD Assistant Professor, Management “Competing both ways: How combining Porter’s low-cost and focus strategies hurts firm performance” Strategic Management Journal
Young Hoon Kim, PhD Accounting, Assistant Professor “Do PCAOB inspections of foreign auditors improve global financial reporting comparability?” Contemporary Accounting Research
Kelly Wentland, PhD Accounting, Assistant Professor “Real Effects of Tax Uncertainty: Evidence from Firm Capital Investments” Management Science
Serdar Aldatmaz, PhD Finance, Assistant Professor “Determinants of International Buyout Investments” Journal of Financial & Quantitative Analysis
Hang Ren, PhD ISOM, Assistant Professor “Opaque Selling and Inventory Management in Vertically Differentiated Markets” Manufacturing & Service Operations Management
Pallab Sanyal, PhD ISOM, Area Chair & Professor, Dean’s Scholar “An Empirical Examination of the Economics of Mobile Application Security” MIS Quarterly
Jingyuan Yang, PhD ISOM, Assistant Professor “Iterative Prediction-andOptimization for E-logistics Distribution Network Design” INFORMS Journal on Computing
Shun Ye, PhD ISOM, Assistant Area Chair & Associate Professor, Dean’s Scholar “Who Forgoes Screening in Online Markets and Why? Evidence from Airbnb” MIS Quarterly
Heather Vough, PhD Associate Professor, Management “Excuse me, do you have a minute? An exploration of the dark-and bright-side effects of daily work interruptions for employee well-being” Journal of Applied Psychology
Wei Yang, PhD Management, Assistant Professor “Corporate Investment Relationships and the Search for Innovations: An Examination of Startups’ Search Shift Toward Incumbents” Organization Science
Olivia (Mandy) O’Neill, PhD Management, Associate Professor “Going along to get ahead: The asymmetric effects of sexist joviality on status conferral” Organization Science
Tarun Kushwaha, PhD Marketing, Professor
Gautham Vadakkep, PhD Director of the Center for Retail TransformationMarketing, Associate Professor
Kevin Rockmann, PhD Management, Dean “Transitioning the study of role transitions: Four challenges for management researchers” Academy of Management Annals
“Field Experiment on the Profit Implications of Merchants’ Discretionary Power to Override Data-Driven Decision-Making Tools” Management Science
“Shedding Light on the Dark Side of Firm Lobbying: A Customer Perspective” Journal of Marketing
Mehmet Altug, PhD Information Systems and Operations Management (ISOM), Associate Professor “Managing Opportunistic Consumer Returns in Retail Operations” Management Science
“Marketing Agility: Conceptualization, Research Propositions, and a Research Agenda” Journal of Marketing
Nirup Menon Associate Dean for Arlington Ventures ISOM, Professor “The Economics of Security in Mobile Apps” MIS Quarterly
Matthew Cronin, PhD Management, Professor “The Theory Crisis in Management Research: Solving the Right Problem” Academy of Management Review
Sharaya Jones, PhD Marketing, Assistant Professor “Raw Ideas in the Fuzzy Front End: Verbosity Increases Perceived Creativity” Marketing Science
“Retailer Marketing Communications in the Digital Age: Getting the Right Message to the Right Shopper at the Right Time” Journal of Retailing
“Should Firms Invest More in Marketing or R&D to Maintain Sales Leadership? An Empirical Analysis of Sales Leader Firms” Journal of The Academy of Marketing Science
“Sustainable Retailing” Journal of Retailing
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE School of Business Launches PhD By Benjamin Kessler The brand-new PhD program at George Mason University School of Business is off and running, as of the start of the 2021-22 academic year. The launch of the program marks a milestone in the school’s rapidly advancing global research commitment and achievement. “We have instituted lower teaching loads for research-intensive faculty, summer stipends and a Dean’s Scholars program, as well as increased hiring of research faculty,” says Program Director and Professor of Management Kevin Rockmann. “The PhD program was the next logical thing to make the most competitive environment for talented research faculty possible.” The program consists of four concentrations—organizational behavior, strategic management, information systems, and operations and supply chain management. In addition to core seminars, research methods courses, comprehensive exams, and dissertation, the program seeks to train students to conduct impactful research that will shape business for generations to come. Inspired by the need to foster strong communicators, the steering committee for the PhD program instituted a required writing course, so that graduates will be able to translate their innovative ideas and solutions for any audience. Another unique element of the curriculum is a credited course in field research. “Students need to go out and engage with an organization, or an organizational data-set, or other real-world problem,” Rockmann says.
To further foster links between academics and business practitioners, Rockmann hopes to recruit a diverse group of candidates with career paths both on and off the tenure track. Mid-career professionals looking toward a future as adjunct or affiliate business school faculty are just as welcome to apply as dyed-in-the-wool career academics. These two camps have much to offer one another, Rockmann says. Executives bring practical knowledge of organizational contexts and a deep pool of contacts; academics contribute vital research and analytical skills. “The ideal in five years is to have a very strong mix of these students, who are progressing together, who are starting to graduate or at least at dissertation stage,” Rockmann says. “It’s been an entire-school effort to bring this to fruition, with the broad support of the faculty and several administrations. We’re excited to see where this can go,” he says.
“When It’s been an entire-school effort to bring this to fruition, with the broad support of the faculty and several administrations. We’re excited to see where this can go.” — Kevin Rockmann, PhD | Director and Professor of Management
Mason School of Business Launches Master of Science in Finance BY ROBERT APPEL
The School of Business at George Mason University launched a Master of Science in Finance for the 2021-22 academic year, the first standalone finance master among public universities in Virginia. The curriculum is structured around corporate finance, investments, and financial institutions, but also takes advantage of George Mason University’s strategic location in the national capital region to prepare graduates for positions in government. “The Mason MS in Finance provides students with a solid foundation in contemporary finance principles, including advanced skills to analyze complex financial issues using quantitative and analytical methods and techniques,” says Associate Professor of Finance Jim Hsieh, the director of the program. “No matter how the world of finance changes, the MS in Finance will prepare graduates for future success in careers in large industrial corporations, commercial banks, investment banks, portfolio management companies, and government.” The curriculum has been designed to meet the requirements of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute’s Candidate Body of
Knowledge and the CFA’s Ethics and Professional Standards. The 33-credit-hour courses can be completed in just one year for full-time students and two years for part-time students. The unique capstone experience in the MS in Finance curriculum gives students firsthand experience in portfolio management through the Montano Student Investment Fund. The fund provides students the opportunity to experience the real-world responsibilities of managing a large mutual fund. “For those who are serious about a focused career in finance, a master’s degree and CFA certification are essential credentials for success,” says Hsieh. Graduates of the MS in Finance program at Mason will master the skills necessary for financial planning, portfolio management, and mitigating risks—and how to communicate recommendations and solutions to finance professionals, clients, and top executives.
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ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
MBA Fulbright to Develop Sustainable Social Enterprise Model for Honey Bee Initiative BY JENNIFER BRAUN ANZALDI
Guillermo Palencia MBA Student and Fulbright Scholar
For Guillermo Palencia, there was nowhere else he saw himself completing his graduate studies than George Mason University School of Business. A Fulbrighter, Palencia says, “Mason just was the right fit, for me. It wasn’t just about choosing a degree and University, but I was deciding what my cultural experience was going to be like once moving to the United States. Mason has everything that I was looking for in a university: diversity, size, excellent professors, and proximity to the U.S. capital, just to name a few.” The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides grants for student-designed research projects, while also facilitating the cultural exchange between students and the people of the host country through the sharing of daily experiences. The hope is that the grantee gains an appreciation of others’ viewpoints and beliefs, the way they do things, and the way they think. Since starting the MBA program in fall of 2021, Palencia has been working with the Business for a Better World Center on its Honey Bee Initiative (HBI), focusing on the pilot project in rural Colombia and developing a self-sustainable social enterprise model for future funding and expansion in South America and beyond. “He brings his industry experience, mature
thinking and team work to the initiative,” says M. Rashed Hasan, executive-in-residence for the Business for a Better World Center at George Mason School of Business. “I am happy to have him on our team and look forward to seeing the results of his excellent contributions to this initiative and to our center.” Palencia says that his most rewarding experience at Mason so far has been being able to collaborate with the Business for a Better World Center in the School of Business, specifically in the Honey Bee Initiative Program. His interactions with Hasan have had a great impact on him since starting in August. “Knowing that he once came to the U.S. from a different culture clicked with me as to why he is passionate about the Business for a Better World Center. I would say he transmitted that to me and made me understand that sometimes we are more alike to others than we think we are,” says Palencia. Palencia is looking forward to continuing to conduct his studies at Mason. “I’m very proud to be a Fulbrighter and a cultural ambassador from El Salvador,” says Palencia. “I look forward to graduating and returning to my country to put all the knowledge and experience gained here to use to create better living conditions for Salvadorans through innovation in the insurance field.”
Student Ambassadors Bridge Connection with Incoming Students BY JENNIFER BRAUN ANZALDI
Juhee Jain ISOM Student and Student Ambassador
30 IMPACT
There are many fears and concerns for incoming freshmen, but at George Mason University, Student Ambassadors create a link from prospective students to new freshman, answering questions, calming nerves, and sharing advice. Established in 2016, the Student Ambassador program employs current students to help create a connection with prospective students and campus visitors. “Student Ambassadors speak about the student side of the program,” says Max Gocala-Nguyen, director of undergraduate recruitment and engagement. “Often we pair students with faculty members who speak to the program structure and course work, while the students lighten the language to help make it more real for visitors.” In addition to speaking with students, Ambassadors also give impromptu campus tours to groups, lead panels during events, and provide insight into the school’s email
Spring 2022
marketing campaign. Currently there are nine Student Ambassadors ranging in majors and class years. “Outside of recruitment events, having a diverse cohort of engaged and passionate students to give feedback about the undergraduate business student experience is invaluable to our ability to create positive change across the academic unit,” says William Hailey, a former undergraduate recruitment and engagement coordinator at Mason. “Our hope is that students that arrive at Mason having connected with a Student Ambassador will have a better understanding of the opportunities and resources available to them within the School of Business, easing their transition and increasing engagement throughout their time at Mason.” Information Systems and Operations Management (ISOM) student Juhee Jain
Management (ISOM) student Juhee Jain has been a student ambassador since her freshman year. “I think the Student Ambassador program is really great because it allows students to gain insight directly from Mason business students,” says Jain, who wished she had the same opportunity before joining Mason. “As an ambassador, I have the chance to do that for other students, which not only helps them, but also helps me learn what other students are looking for when searching for a major.”
School of Business ambassadors serve for a year, and must have at least a 3.0 GPA and be in their second semester at Mason. Two recommendations, with one being from a faculty member, are needed to apply. “Even though I am educating future students, I learn more about the school and my major and have developed more confidence in my path towards graduation,” says Jain.
School of Business Celebrates More Than 1,000 Graduates During Spring and Winter Ceremonies
BY RACHEL CHASIN
George Mason University School of Business celebrated 1,397 graduates in 2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2021, the School of Business held mini degree ceremonies limiting the number of attendees at both the May and December celebrations. Mason held the 54th Spring Commencement virtually. During his remarks, Dean Maury Peiperl applauded students for their resolve during these challenging times. “We remain aware of our many challenges, but we’re also beginning to look at the bigger picture—engaging to create a better future, whether in fighting disease, advancing equity and inclusion, supporting working individuals and families, rebuilding our infrastructure, or re-establishing viable global systems and our leadership within them.” Several graduating seniors were nominated by faculty for Outstanding Student in Major, and were recognized for their exceptional scholastic achievements during the May ceremony. Recipients included Junfei Dong (Accounting); Stephanie Leah Fincher (Finance); Luke Wetherington Forister (Management); Nhu Quynh Hoang (Marketing and Information Systems and Operations Management);
In a speech to graduate students, Dean Maury Peiperl said, “Mason business graduates look for opportunity and contribution. They learn how to build new connections across disciplines, markets, fields of knowledge, countries and cultures. By bridging and integrating across diverse sets of stakeholders, they create wider opportunities for value creation, for contribution, for partnership and for impact.” Graduate-level students were also highlighted for their extraordinary academic successes during the May ceremony. Recipients included Karen Chipman (Online MS in Accounting); Giuliana D’Adamio (MBA); Elizabeth Farley (MS in Accounting); Danh Nguyen-Huynh (MS in Technology Management); Katherine Jacobs (MS in Real Estate Development); Christopher Murphy (MS in Technology Management); Joshua Rachford (MBA); Thomas Schaffer (Federation of Accountancy); Dongli Sun (MS in Management); Craig Swaner (Online MBA); and Benjamin Zemek (MBA). “You and other leaders are stepping forward to bring us together and to create a common, safe, and equitable future for all,” said Peiperl.
and Emily A. Konchan (Management).
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CAREER SERVICES
Support Students while Helping Build a Talent Pipeline BY KERRY WILLIGAN, ASSISTANT DEAN, CAREER SERVICES
Alumni can play a critical role in the growth and success of our students as they begin their professional and career development journeys. If you are looking to get involved with Mason and give back to students, the Office of Career Services has a number of opportunities for you to choose from: Become a Mentor Mason Mentors and Mason MINDS (Mentoring Initiative for Need-based and Diverse Students)—a group specially designed to support accounting students of diverse backgrounds—both offer students the chance to build relationships with professionals who can offer insight into career related topics. Support an Internship Internships have become increasingly important as gateways to employment post-graduation. They are also crucial opportunities for students to learn about themselves, identify passions, and enhance career skills. However, often offered with low, or no pay, or in locations that require students to incur additional temporary living expenses, internships remain out of reach for many. Created in partnership with the Business for a Better World Center, the Internship Access Awards are designed to help offset expenses while allowing our students to gain valuable work and industry experience. Made available through the generosity of alumni donors, Business for a Better World Center, Management Advisory Board, Fairfax County Economic Development Council, Women in Business Initiative and the Office of Career Services, $15,000 was awarded to 11 School of Business students in the summer of 2021. Additionally, the Internship for Credit Class is a 3-credit course designed to give students the opportunity to gain practical, professional experience in conjunction with their academic endeavors. The Office of Career Services is always looking for new internship partners.
32 IMPACT
Spring 2022
Introduce Yourself Our students gain experience and understanding in the global business environment not only through academic courses, but also through experiential learning and participation in our employer-related programs and events. ProfessionalQuest is the signature Career Services event series where students interact with employers across multiple industries sectors while building their professional network. Students network with industry professionals, get information about employment opportunities and attend a panel discussion where panelists share insights and answer questions. Mason Meets: Whether you hail from a Fortune 500 or a startup, students want to meet you! This endeavor allows you to create a virtual profile of your company so students are able to learn about your organization, virtually visit your location and see what a day in the life might look like. Hire our Students Whether you are seeking a top-level executive or a summer intern, the Office of Career Services can help you interact with students and alumni who are bright, resourceful, and prepared to make immediate contributions to your organization’s mission. The Career Services team will work with individual organizations to create the best recruiting strategy to meet your hiring needs. Excited yet? Contact Kerry Willigan at kwilliga@gmu.edu for more information and to get involved with any of these great opportunities.
THE MASON MBA Start here. Go far.
Advance your career with the region’s best kept secret.
business.gmu.edu/mba
Once a Patriot, Always a Patriot Stay Connected with the School of Business Join the conversation /GeorgeMasonBusiness @georgemasonbiz @georgemasonbiz George Mason University School of Business
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