shareholder SPRING 2015
JOHN COOK SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ALUMNI MAGAZINE /// SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY
GETTING TO KNOW THE NEW
DEAN MARK HIGGINS, PH.D.
FROM THE
DEAN
2 /// NEWS AND NOTES 24 /// ALUMNI EVENTS 25 /// REFLECTION
As I continue to meet with alumni, I’m increasingly struck by the pride and loyalty you have toward your alma mater. It’s infectious. From the first moment I stepped on campus last fall to interview for the dean position, I could sense just how special this University is. There are so many wonderful programs, resources and people here. Because you may have limited opportunities to interact with the current generation of SLU students, this issue of Shareholder features candid photos captured by several of them during a typical day on campus. I hope you’re as inspired by their lives as I am.
THANK YOU FOR THE INCREDIBLY WARM WELCOME TO SLU. I’VE EXPERIENCED AN OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT SINCE STARTING MY NEW ROLE AS DEAN OF THE COOK SCHOOL AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
A vital part of the student learning experience involves stepping out of the classroom and into the business world. We’re excited to highlight a few recent examples of students contributing their knowledge, insights and creativity to help solve real-world business challenges. Working with Tesla Motors, several undergraduate and graduate teams developed innovative ideas for expanding the electric charging infrastructure in the St. Louis region. Students from another class helped guide a new pre-apprenticeship recruitment and training program to build a more inclusive construction workforce. And a former MBA student invented a new process for disinfecting water mains that holds great promise for Missouri American Water, his employer. These practical, hands-on learning opportunities equip students for business success and contribute to impressive rankings for many of our programs.
ON THE COVER
08 /// GETTING TO KNOW THE NEW DEAN Learn more about the background, interests and goals of Mark Higgins, Ph.D.
13 /// A DAY IN THE LIFE
Four undergraduate students share a glimpse into their lives on a typical day.
18 /// PLUGGING INTO BUSINESS Cook School students play a vital role in helping real businesses solve challenges, gain momentum and innovate.
In a poignant “Reflection” article, Brett Rufkahr shares his perspectives on the Cook School’s evolution from his unique vantage point as a two-time student, alumnus, Executive Advisory Board president and Billikens season ticket holder. I also invite you to learn more about my background, interests and goals in the cover story featured in this issue. I would be remiss if I didn’t thank Scott Safranski, Ph.D., for his capable leadership as interim dean after former dean Ellen Harshman, Ph.D., J.D., was appointed interim vice president of academic affairs in 2013. I’m grateful to both of them for their commitment to academic and service excellence. It’s a mission I promise to uphold as dean. Thanks again for welcoming me to the University. I look forward to working together to enrich students, communities and the world. is published twice yearly for alumni and friends by Saint Louis University’s John Cook School of Business.
MARK HIGGINS, PH.D.
EDITOR
DESIGN AND ART DIRECTION
PLEASE ADDRESS ALL MAIL TO:
Camilla Ferrario Hall
Nicole Cook
CONTRIBUTORS
PHOTO CREDITS
Jeanette Grider Kate Flatley
Nate Cowen Steve Dolan Matt Fitzpatrick Luke Yamnitz Greg Rannells
John Cook School of Business Shareholder Saint Louis University 3674 Lindell Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63108 Email: ferrario@slu.edu
WRITER Mike Plotnick
PRINTING Universal Printing
Past issues of Shareholder can be found at business.slu.edu/shareholder
© 2015 Saint Louis University All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
SPRING 2015 | 1
NEWS AND
NOTES INAUGURAL SLU PURE IDEA GENERATOR COMPETITION SLU students participated in the inaugural SLU Pure Idea Generator competition hosted by the Center for Entrepreneurship last fall. The competition culminated with three finalists presenting their innovative ideas at St. Louis City Hall in response to a challenge presented to them by Mayor Francis Slay.
Museum’s rooftop Ferris wheel, where they were given 30 minutes to generate new creative ideas. The top three winners – Dan Gehring, Raymund Foronda and Jaisel Patel – were awarded $500 and whisked away in a limousine to lunch at Bailey's Range, which is owned by SLU alumnus Dave Bailey (A&S '97).
Students were invited to follow along with the hashtag #SLUPureIdea to discover a challenge presented by the Center for Entrepreneurship and to tweet their solutions back.
Mayor Slay presented the final challenge through an iPad video in the limousine, and he tasked the students with developing a solution for retaining college graduates in St. Louis. The finalists were given 24 hours to develop solutions and then asked to present their ideas to the mayor and his senior staff at City Hall.
The 24 finalists were invited to the final round event at the City Museum, where they were given a fresh challenge. The twist? Their brainstorming session would take place with a buddy on the City
PHILIPP STOEBERL, PH.D., RETIREMENT
“Phil is one of the most thoughtful and generous people I have known,” said David Kaplan, Ph.D., chair of the department of management and associate professor. “He has been a great mentor and friend, and I wouldn't be the professor I am without him. I also know that I am not alone in this, and many other faculty and students have benefited from his time and wisdom.” Stoeberl served as the Mary Louise Murray Endowed Professor of Management and specialized in strategy, management theory and current issues in management. He has been recognized for his significant service to the University as well as for his teaching and research, receiving a number of awards and accolades. Professionally active in the community, he holds lifetime certification from the Society of Human Resource Management and is a member of numerous academic organizations, including the Academy of Management. Stoeberl has written articles in such publications as the Journal of Business and Psychology, the International Journal of Human Resource Management, the Journal of Management Studies, the Journal of Business Ethics and Benchmarking: An International Journal.
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This summer, the John Cook School of Business will once again welcome high school students from around the U.S. as part of our annual high school summer academies for sports business, entrepreneurship and international business. For more information and to register, visit business.slu.edu/summer. The International Business Summer Academy will be held June 17-19. The on-campus program introduces high school juniors and seniors to an international business curriculum and a practical understanding of local companies doing business internationally. The Sports Business Summer Academy will be held June 23-27. High school juniors and seniors are introduced to sports business concepts through presentations by faculty and industry professionals, behind-the-scenes tours of sports facilities and working together on a group presentation.
TO VIEW ALL SUMMER PROGRAMMING, VISIT SUMMER.SLU.EDU
SUMMER
AT SLU
The Allsup Entrepreneurship Academy attracts entrepreneurial-minded high school students with experiential learning through field trips to area businesses, hands-on group projects where students pitch their ideas to a panel of successful entrepreneurs and more. The academy will take place July 27-31.
SLU Pure Idea Generator competition finalists meet with St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay at City Hall.
This spring, Philipp A. Stoeberl, Ph.D., will retire from the John Cook School of Business. Please join the Cook School in thanking him for his years of service and outstanding commitment to the University.
SUMMER ACADEMIES
“PHIL IS ONE OF THE MOST THOUGHTFUL AND GENEROUS PEOPLE I HAVE KNOWN. HE HAS BEEN A GREAT MENTOR AND FRIEND, AND I WOULDN'T BE THE PROFESSOR I AM WITHOUT HIM. I ALSO KNOW THAT I AM NOT ALONE IN THIS, AND MANY OTHER FACULTY AND STUDENTS HAVE BENEFITED FROM HIS TIME AND WISDOM." - DAVID KAPLAN, PH.D.
ELLEN HARSHMAN SCHOLARSHIP IN BUSINESS
ACCOUNTING PROGRAM ACHIEVEMENTS
The John Cook School of Business is establishing an endowed scholarship to honor the leadership and commitment of Ellen Harshman, Ph.D., J.D., on the occasion of her retirement after 43 years of service to Saint Louis University and the Cook School.
In the recent National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) report on candidate performance on the 2014 CPA examination, Saint Louis University students ranked No. 28 in the nation for first-time candidates from a mediumsized (21-60 candidates) program.
Harshman has been an integral part of creating SLU as we know it. As an educator, advisor, administrator and more recently as Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Harshman has shaped the lives and careers of thousands of Billikens. This scholarship and the support it provides to the next generation of community and business leaders is a fitting complement to and representative of Harshman’s career of service in higher education. Please join us in establishing the Ellen Harshman Scholarship in Business by making a generous gift in her honor. The envelope included in this Shareholder issue includes a field for this scholarship or you can contact Ted Cox at coxrt@slu.edu or call 314-977-2064 for more information.
Additional accolades include ranking as a top 50 undergraduate accounting program in the U.S. by Bloomberg Businessweek and a top 100 business school ranking based on recent research contributions in the top three accounting journals: The Accounting Review, the Journal of Accounting and Economics, and the Journal of Accounting Research.
SPRING 2015 | 3
/// NEWS AND NOTES
ALUMNI AWARDS Three Cook School alumni recently received special awards recognizing the positive impact they have made on their industries. Christopher Lydon (BSBA '98), a director at PwC, received the prestigious St. Louis Business Journal 40 Under 40 Award. More than 750 individuals were nominated for the award, and recipients were recognized during a ceremony on Feb. 19 and featured in the print and online editions. Left to right: Allison Carmen (MBA '11), Christopher Lydon (BSBA '98) and Nicole Doeschot (BSBA '08, MACC ‘09).
Alumna Allison Carmen (MBA '11), founder of Material Mix, has earned the St. Louis Business Journal Innovation Award in the sustainability/energy category. The award recognizes the creativity and success of top professionals and companies leading the charge in innovation in the St. Louis community. And Nicole Doeschot (BSBA '08, MACC '09), a supervisor in tax services at Anders CPAs + Advisors, received the Missouri Society of CPAs (MSCPA) Woman to Watch-Emerging Leader award during the society’s 2014 Awards Gala event.
EMERSON $3 MILLION CONTRIBUTION SEEDS NEW LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE Continuing its long-term commitment to supporting ethical leadership development, Emerson has pledged $3 million to launch the Emerson Leadership Institute within the John Cook School of Business. The funding builds on the nearly 25-year partnership between the Cook School and Emerson and focuses on business ethics, expanding the scope and reach of the institute to create an ethical leadership “hub” that supports impactful academic research and outreach programs.
“THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN EMERSON AND THE COOK SCHOOL HAS REACHED A MAJOR MILESTONE AS WE LAUNCH THE EMERSON LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE.” - MARK HIGGINS, PH.D.
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“The collaboration between Emerson and the Cook School has reached a major milestone as we launch the Emerson Leadership Institute,” said Mark Higgins, Ph.D., dean of the John Cook School of Business. “Through this significant contribution and the formation of the institute, we plan to better serve the business community in developing ethical leadership through outreach programs, executive education, hosting events, and supporting research and scholarships.” “Emerson has a long-standing commitment to ethical business practices,” said David Farr, Emerson chairman and chief executive officer. “Through our latest collaboration, we intend to further develop existing programs and bring forth new initiatives that will prepare future leaders to enter the field of global business. We believe the St. Louis-area business community also will benefit significantly from the Emerson Leadership Institute’s academic research on ethical leadership and its new outreach programs.” Tim Keane, Ph.D., has been named as the Emerson Leadership Institute’s founding executive director. An associate professor of management and the director of the Emerson Ethics Center, Keane is one of the chief architects of the ongoing partnership between Emerson and the Cook School.
TESLA CAPTIVATES CAMPUS A couple of entrepreneurial heavyweights rolled onto campus last fall, attracting a crowd of adoring fans without even trying. Parked in the center of campus, these two shiny Tesla Model S electric vehicles were tough to resist as students walked past. But this temporary exhibit of steel and glass was about more than just turning heads. It also helped recruit budding entrepreneurs for the Center for Entrepreneurship’s annual Real Elevator Pitch competition. “Everyone wanted to check them out, but the only way you could get into the vehicle is if you pitched your idea in the front seat, looking in the rearview mirror while we filmed it from the back seat,” said Tim Hayden, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship. The top 24 finalists advanced to the next phase of the competition, pitching their ideas to real investors in real elevators at One Metropolitan Square in downtown St. Louis, the tallest building in Missouri. Students who earned the highest marks had an unexpected surprise waiting for them in front of the building. One by one, each winner was ushered into the back seat of a brand-new Tesla SD vehicle and asked to pitch their idea to a high-profile judge. The three for-profit winners pitched their ideas to Dave Peacock, former president of AnheuserBusch and owner of the world’s largest Jamba Juice franchise. And the nonprofit winners pitched to Jackie Joyner-Kersee, one of the greatest female athletes of the 20th century and a successful social entrepreneur.
“It was such a sensory overload for these kids, who had to pitch their ideas at the same time the car is rocketing down the streets of downtown,” Hayden said.
Saint Louis University students participate in the Weekly Innovation Challenge held at Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology. The Cook School collaborated with Parks and Tesla Motors to present a Tesla-themed challenge for students. The judges included representatives from Tesla.
Winners also earned the use of a chauffeured Tesla Model S with their friends for one weekend night. These activities were part of an ongoing series of Tesla-related events designed to engage students and the broader St. Louis community. “We took it upon ourselves to do some cool stuff to raise awareness for the Tesla brand, the Center for Entrepreneurship and the academic entrepreneurship program,” Hayden said. Tassos Kaburakis, Ph.D., assistant professor of management and sport business, initiated the partnership with Tesla Motors after he met a group of Tesla enthusiasts at the 2013 St. Louis Auto Show. He convened a series of follow-up discussions with Hunter Johnston, ownership advisor at Tesla Motors, to explore the many benefits of bringing Tesla and SLU together. “It’s really exciting when students can learn through an actual business, and there’s no better way to do it than through one of the most innovative businesses out there,” Kaburakis said. “You can see students’ eyes get wider when they start hearing about Tesla – when they start playing around with features, learning more about the direct-toconsumer model, the pricing, the battery, the charging station issues. It’s just fascinating and really enlightening for them.”
“IT WAS SUCH A SENSORY OVERLOAD FOR THESE KIDS, WHO HAD TO PITCH THEIR IDEAS AT THE SAME TIME THE CAR IS ROCKETING DOWN THE STREETS OF DOWNTOWN." - TIM HAYDEN
SPRING 2015 | 5
/// NEWS AND NOTES DEAN’S BREAKFAST SERIES 7:30 A .M . J OHN A ND LUC Y C OOK HA LL, A - B A UDI TORI UM
1
2
1. Cook School student Abby Voss visits with a student at one of the area schools in Belize City.
BELIZE TRIP ADVANCES SLU PARTNERSHIP WITH JESUIT PARISH
2. Service Leadership students from the Cook School and service leaders from St. John's College, a Jesuit junior college, gather for a group photo during a team service project.
Four Cook School students and members of the Service Leadership Program joined a larger group of SLU students and staff during a two-week service immersion trip to Belize.
3. Ryan McWay, a Cook School freshman, works with school children on a classroom activity.
Coordinated by Campus Ministry, the trip helped advance SLU’s new five-year partnership with St. Martin de Porres parish in Belize City. The Jesuit parish is located in one of the poorest and most violent communities in the world. “Over the last year and a half, there’s been an effort to leverage the resources of the SLU community toward creating positive change for the parish, primary school and junior college in Belize,” said Benjamin Smyth, manager of co-curricular and service learning at the John Cook School of Business. “We want to help kids and families of the parish have more opportunities and a brighter future.” SLU students coached the primary school teachers on how to use the laptop computers and projector donated by the Cook School and helped them develop practical teaching tools, such as an online grade book and student database. SLU participants also had opportunities to teach classroom lessons and build relationships with the kids. “Working in the school was very rewarding,” said Abby Voss, a marketing and entrepreneurship major. “Yes, we were there to help them, but I think they helped us in more ways than they could ever imagine.” On the final day of the trip, the four business students visited St. John’s College, a Jesuit junior college, to collaborate on a service project with the school’s service leadership program.
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3
“Unlike a mission trip, where you go for the purpose of building or changing something, we were on an immersion trip to simply learn about and better understand their culture,” said Austin Smith, a entrepreneurship, finance and marketing major and intern in the Center for Entrepreneurship. “Their problems are very relevant to many of ours in the city of St. Louis.”
T UESDAY, M AY 5
Classes begin in August!
Mark Higgins, Ph.D., Dean, John Cook School of Business
All sessions begin at 10:30 a.m. and include lunch. To register, visit gradbiz.slu.edu.
“The Future of Business Education”
JOHN COOK SCHOOL OF BUSINESS 2015 SPRING CALENDAR
SAT URDAY, M AY 2 SAT URDAY, J UNE 20 SAT URDAY, J ULY 18
FRIDAY, MAY 8 SMURFIT-STONE ENTREPRENEURIAL ALUMNI HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY DUBOURG HA LL, P ERE M A RQUET T E GA LLERY
This annual event will celebrate the newest class of inductees as well as up-and-coming students. Contact ecenter@slu.edu for more information.
TUESDAY, JUNE 2
“What I like about this trip and this partnership is that we are in it for the long run,” Voss said. “I really hope to go back next year, to keep forming and building these relationships.”
J OHN A ND LUC Y C OOK HA LL, AT RI UM
Interested in growing your business career internationally? Learn more about our Master of International Business – Executive Format (EMIB) at an upcoming information session. EMIB is a 21-month program with classes meeting two Saturdays a month with optional virtual delivery.
- ABBY VOSS
During the visit, SLU staff members met with leaders from the Center for Community Resource Development and other parish stakeholders to identify potential ways of collaborating on social economic development initiatives that are part of the five-year Belize 2020: an Ignatian Partnership program.
7:30 A .M .
You are invited to join the Cook School for the following Dean’s Breakfast event. The complimentary networking breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. and the presentation begins at 8 a.m. in the A-B Auditorium. Read more: deansbreakfast.slu.edu.
6 P.M .
“WORKING IN THE SCHOOL WAS VERY REWARDING. YES, WE WERE THERE TO HELP THEM, BUT I THINK THEY HELPED US IN MORE WAYS THAN THEY COULD EVER IMAGINE.”
MASTER OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS INFORMATION SESSION
BOEING DISTINGUISHED GUEST LECTURE
GRADUATE BUSINESS INFORMATION SESSION 5:30 P.M . J OHN A ND LUC Y C OOK HA LL, AT RI UM
Attend an information session and learn how a SLU graduate business degree can work for you. All sessions begin at 5:30 p.m. and include a welcome reception with faculty, roundtable discussion with alumni, our Career Resources Center and admissions representatives. To register, visit gradbiz.slu.edu. One-onone sessions also available by appointment: gradbiz@slu.edu or 314-977-6221.
5 P.M . J OHN A ND LUC Y C OOK HA LL, A - B A UDI TORI UM
Andy Taylor, executive chairman of Enterprise Holdings, will be the guest speaker. The presentation is at 5 p.m. with a networking reception to follow. To register, visit: business.slu.edu/andytaylor.
T UESDAY, M AY 12 WEDNESDAY, J UNE 10 T UESDAY, J ULY 14 T HURSDAY, A UG. 6
F OR UP DATE S ON E V E NTS P L E A S E V I S I T: BUS I NE S S . S L U. E DU/E V E NTS
SPRING 2015 | 7
GETTING TO KNOW THE NEW
DEAN MARK HIGGINS, PH.D., IS A STRONG ADVOCATE OF COMMUNITY SERVICE, A COLLEGE SPORTS ENTHUSIAST AND A FAN OF THE ST. LOUIS ARCH. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NEW DEAN OF THE JOHN COOK SCHOOL OF BUSINESS.
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SPRING 2015 | 9
/// NEW DEAN
Dean Mark Higgins presents an award to Brian Josephson, retired Senior Vice President of Rawlings Sports Company, during a Cook School event.
GIVEN HIS PASSION FOR HIGHER EDUCATION, COMMUNITY SERVICE AND COLLEGIATE SPORTS, IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG FOR MARK HIGGINS TO FEEL RIGHT AT HOME AT SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY. When he stepped foot on campus to learn more about the dean position at the Cook School, he discovered a welcoming environment with an abundance of assets: talented faculty, loyal alumni, respect within the institution, a vibrant business community. “I began to look at what SLU had to offer – and it was a lot,” Higgins said. “Everything just added up and it was a good fit for me. It’s the total package.” SLU’s Jesuit mission also appealed to Higgins, who had initiated and participated in numerous community service programs during his 26½-year tenure at the University of Rhode Island. “I think giving back is what it’s all about,” he said. As dean of the business college at URI since 2006, Higgins developed a coordinated service-learning project as part of the freshman acclimation course. “We decided to come up with a single project each year that would unite the whole freshman class, get people excited and do something good for the community,” he said. The fall 2014 project generated $25,000 to support The Matty Fund, an organization for children and families living with epilepsy. He’s excited by the expanded outreach opportunities available at SLU, where service is a core value. “The faculty and students really embrace the mission, they love what’s going on,” he said. “We’re sitting on the opportunity to have a really innovative, great transformation of SLU, and that’s one of the things that attracted me.”
For 2½ years, he commuted to the city every day from his home in New Jersey, maintaining a particularly grueling schedule during tax season. “I used to joke that you’d leave in the dark and get home in the dark, so they could paint your house and you wouldn’t know what color it was until Saturday,” Higgins said. He met his wife, Annie, on his birthday in 1983. The introduction took place at a party he and his buddies hosted during the New York City Marathon (the apartment he was renting at the time was situated at the 18-mile mark).
PATH TO LEADERSHIP
The relationship must have been destined to occur, as he later discovered that the two had originally met a year before on New Year’s Eve.
Higgins began tapping into his leadership potential early in life.
The couple got married in 1985.
As a second grader, he started attending a brand-new Catholic school in East Brunswick, NJ. “Every year they added another grade, and we were the ‘upperclassmen,’ so we were always asked to do things that eighth graders would have done if it wasn’t a brand-new school,” he said. Those experiences included his taking on a series of prominent roles – whether it was starring in the class play or serving as a lector in church. “We had this advantage and this experience that, looking back on it, was pretty unique,” he said. “Because of it, I wasn’t afraid to speak in front of people and wasn’t easily intimidated.” He further honed his leadership and teamwork skills through his love of sports – playing, coaching and watching. When it came time to attend college, Higgins decided to study business at the University of South Carolina. Originally planning to pursue a history degree, his dad convinced him that a business education would be more practical. Higgins initially chose to major in management, assuming that his eventual career would involve managing people. But he changed his mind when a classmate told him about the lucrative job opportunities within the accounting field.
Higgins served as a panelist for a COCAbiz event.
Though Higgins liked his job and enjoyed living in Manhattan, he and his wife wanted to start a family, so he decided to pursue alternatives to a lifetime of commuting back and forth to the city. He enrolled in the doctoral program at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, earning his Ph.D. and joining the business faculty at the University of Rhode Island in 1988.
“I USED TO JOKE THAT YOU’D LEAVE IN THE DARK AND GET HOME IN THE DARK, SO THEY COULD PAINT YOUR HOUSE AND YOU WOULDN’T KNOW WHAT COLOR IT WAS UNTIL SATURDAY.”
He proceeded to take on a series of new assignments at URI, including as director of the master's in accounting program and associate dean for undergraduate programs, before assuming the reins as dean of the business college in 2006. As Higgins discovered, the role of dean had some similarities to his initial job in public accounting. “This job is the most like public accounting because you just never know what’s going to walk through the door,” he said. “And a university is primarily a service business because you’re providing students with a quality education.”
Higgins, his wife Annie, and Cook School alumnus Christian Stein ('97), enjoying a Billikens basketball game during the A-10 tournament. Dean Higgins meets with Cook School students who are part of the Dean's Student Advisory Board.
“I had taken accounting in high school and it was relatively easy for me, so it made sense,” he said. Higgins also discovered his love for teaching when he accepted an opportunity to teach a self-paced astronomy lab to fellow college students. After earning both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from the University of South Carolina, Higgins launched his public accounting career in New York City. He worked as a tax manager for Arthur Young & Company, which later merged with Ernst & Whinney to become Ernst & Young.
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SPRING 2015 | 11
/// NEW DEAN
AN ARCH ENTHUSIAST It hasn’t taken long for Higgins and his wife to acclimate to life in St. Louis. They reside downtown in an apartment on Washington Ave. “We’re finding city life to be great. People are very friendly here and very accommodating,” he said. And, as he has learned, St. Louisans aren’t much different from Rhode Islanders. “Both places are like a boomerang,” Higgins said. “You might leave, but you’re probably coming back…it’s just a matter of time.” The boomerang concept also extends to SLU. “I’ve come across many people who say, ‘When I was here last time.’ And I think they come back because they love the mission of the institution,” he said. “So do I.”
MARK HIGGINS, PH.D. EDUCATION /// University of South Carolina, B.S. Accounting University of South Carolina, M.S. Accounting University of Tennessee, Ph.D. Accounting FAMILY /// Wife: Annie Son: Will, 26, graduated with a political science degree from the University of Rhode Island and is employed by Grainger in Braintree, Massachusetts. Son: Dan, 24, majored in advertising and communications at Endicott College in Massachusetts. He currently lives in San Francisco. Son: Tom, 21, is currently a junior at the College of Charleston studying communications and coaching. HOBBIES /// Playing golf, coaching soccer and basketball, watching college basketball and football
“I’VE ALWAYS BEEN IN LOVE WITH THE ARCH. I THINK IT’S THE COOLEST THING I HAVE EVER SEEN, MUCH COOLER THAN ANY BUILDING IN WASHINGTON, D.C. I THINK IT’S JUST PHENOMENAL.”
Higgins enjoys his daily four-mile commute to SLU. “I park on Vandeventer and walk through the middle of campus every day and it’s just beautiful,” he said. "It is just a gorgeous city campus.” He also admits to a lifelong fascination with the St. Louis Arch. “I’ve always been in love with the arch. I think it’s the coolest thing I have ever seen, much cooler than any building in Washington, D.C. I think it’s just phenomenal.”
A
DAY LIFE IN THE
FOUR JOHN COOK SCHOOL OF BUSINESS UNDERGRADUATES SHARE A GLIMPSE INTO THEIR DAY-TO-DAY LIVES AS SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY STUDENTS. EACH PROVIDES A DIVERSE PERSPECTIVE ON THEIR PASSION AND COMMITMENT TO SLU, INCLUDING THEIR ACADEMIC, SERVICE AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES.
Though higher education continues to face numerous challenges, Higgins believes that SLU is well positioned to meet the evolving needs of students while equipping them with the skills and knowledge demanded by the business community. “We have to offer students value; that’s going to be a differentiator,” he said. Sh
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SPRING 2015 | 13
/// A DAY IN THE LIFE
HANNAH McENERY FRESHMAN STAUNTON, ILLINOIS MAJORS: MARKETING AND FINANCE MINOR: ENTREPRENEURSHIP
My name is Hannah McEnery, and I am a SLU freshman from Staunton, Illinois. I am studying marketing and finance with a minor in entrepreneurship. I am a Senator in the Student Government Association (SGA) and a Liaison in the Residence Hall Association to SGA. Within the Cook School, I am a member of the Service Leadership Program. Currently, I am the Director of Liquid Assets for SLU Dance Marathon, as well as a member of SLU Wishmakers. In my free time, I enjoy working out, crafting, and spending time with my family and friends.
7:30 A.M. /// Starbucks stop with my friend Courtney. 8 A.M. /// International Business class with Mamoun Benmamoun, assistant professor of international business. 11 A.M. /// Management class with Jintong Tang, associate professor of management. 12 P.M. /// Lunchtime in Busch Student Center! 1:15 P.M. /// I signed the "I Love SLU Because" banner with fellow classmates. The SLU Student Alumni Ambassadors held special events including a banner signing as part of Student Engagement and Philanthropy Month. The SLU community was invited to share why they love SLU.
SOPHOMORE CANFIELD, OHIO MAJOR: ECONOMICS
7:30 AM
The Saint Louis University student chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation raises funds to adopt wishes of children facing life-threatening diseases and promotes community in and around SLU's campus. Visit facebook.com/ SLUWishmakers for more information.
5 P.M. /// The Senate meeting of Student Government Association where we voted on a letter of support by SGA for SLU President Fred Pestello. Here I am with the other Residence Hall Association Senator, Molly.
7:45 AM
Ciao! My name is Byron Abrigg and I’m a sophomore at the John Cook School of Business studying economics. This semester I am studying abroad in the eternal city—Rome, Italy—at the Loyola University Chicago John Felice Rome Center ( JFRC). My first month and a half here has been amazing beyond belief and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for me the rest of the semester. Arrivederci!
8 AM
11 AM
3 P.M. /// At the SLU Wishmakers event where we raised $5,000 and granted the wish of #SuperSamuel to go to Disney World.
1:15 PM
5 PM
3 PM
7 PM
7 P.M. /// At my Zumba class in the Simon Rec Center with my roommate Haileigh.
7:45 A.M. /// The day begins with cornetto (Italian for “croissant”) and a cappuccino in our campus bar, Rinaldo’s.
1:30 P.M. /// Taking a break in the courtyard outside, between my two classes: international monetary relations and Italian 1.
8:30 A.M. /// After catching the 990 bus down into the city for my "Art in Rome" class, we visit one of the many cathedrals in Rome.
6 P.M. /// Doing some after-dinner homework, which will be followed by household chores (laundry, packing, etc.)
While most of the classes at JFRC are held within the building, some, such as “Art in Rome” and “Roman Catholicism,” are on-site, meaning that students visit various artistically significant locations in Rome. Students can have class in places like the Roman Forum or St. Peter’s Basilica.
JFRC students do not have classes on Fridays. This means that Thursday evenings mark the beginning of the weekend, allowing time for students to explore Rome or travel to other cities.
11:30 A.M. /// Grabbing a snack at a panino shop where they have treats like this! 12 P.M. /// Unlike my morning, my afternoon is spent entirely on campus.
8 P.M. /// At the Dance Marathon meeting. SLU Dance Marathon plans and facilitates the annual Dance Marathon, a 12-hour dance event that raises money for the Children's Miracle Network each fall on campus.
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BYRON ABRIGG
8 PM
The JFRC's multi-level, residential campus spans five acres in the upper Balduin district of Monte Mario, Rome's highest hill. Located near the site of a former Olympic village, the neighborhood is home to diplomats, senators, judges and other distinguished families.
8 P.M. /// It's time for an evening out in Rome!
8:30 AM
11:30 AM
12 PM
1:30 PM
6 PM
8 PM
11 P.M. /// We cap off a fun night out with a visit to one of Rome’s many fine gelaterias.
11 PM
SPRING 2015 | 15
/// A DAY IN THE LIFE
TASSO PETTIGREW
JUNIOR ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS MAJORS: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS MINOR: MANDARIN CHINESE Hi! I’m a third-year undergraduate student at Saint Louis University, studying international business and economics with a minor in Mandarin Chinese. I’ve been a resident advisor for the Diversity and Unity Learning Community for two years. I’m an executive board member of the international business club and an avid member in the economics club and African American Male Scholars. Additionally, I’m a member of Alpha Kappa Epsilon – the international business fraternity – Beta Gamma Sigma – an international business honor society and Omicron Delta Kappa – a national scholastic achievement honor society. As a certified peer educator, I teach a class to current students promoting responsible behavior and focusing on decision making and goal setting.
8:45 A.M. /// Walking through the quad to my first class. 11:30 A.M. /// Listening to a lecture during my Chinese 315 class. 1:17 P.M. /// Lunch with friends at Griesedieck dining hall.
6:30 P.M. /// Speaking to students as a peer educator during a Billiken 3C's session. Each class I teach is biweekly with a partner peer instructor.
8:55 P.M. /// Practicing free throws before the Resident Advisor Co-ed Intramural basketball game at Simon Rec Center.
5:45 P.M. /// Having a bite to eat in my room in Griesedieck before teaching my class. I am a resident advisor for the 9th floor of Griesedieck Complex, which is the first floor of the two-floor Diversity and Unity Learning Community.
Resident advisors are student leaders who help create a more dynamic campus experience for their fellow students. They provide direction for student learning and academic success including helping individuals with personal needs and concerns.
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SENIOR SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS MAJOR: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MINOR: SPANISH
8:45 AM
11:30 AM
1:17 PM
10 P.M. /// Collective procrastination with my friend in the form of playing video games. 11:26 P.M. /// It's mid-terms week, so I’m studying and doing homework.
Hi! My name is Stephanie Sanchez, and I’m a senior graduating in May 2015 with an international business concentration and minor in Spanish. I am an Honors Program student, a Presidential Scholar finalist, Boeing Bold Scholar as well as the 2014 Novus Global Business Scholar. Currently, I’m vice president of the international business honor society, Alpha Kappa Epsilon; the co-chair of the Cook School’s Service Leadership Program, and a member of Zeta Tau Alpha. During my summers, I’ve volunteered with the Boeing Institute as a student ambassador for the high school summer academy. Currently, I’m interning with Maritz Motivation Solutions and expecting a full-time position after graduation.
8 A.M. /// Pre-class errands always go best with my morning Starbucks order, even if my name is spelled funny.
2:10 PM
6:30 PM
Billiken 3C's is a program through the Office of Student Responsibility and Community Standards and provides a healthy platform for students who have gone through the conduct process to discuss how they can improve their decision-making ability. There are about 15-20 certified peer educators.
2:10 P.M. /// Taking a "selfie" before Operation Management class.
Learning Communities are groups of students that live together on a floor or several floors of a residence hall, and are inclusive communities formed around common themes where students live and learn together. Engaging the Jesuit tradition of truth-seeking and reflection, Learning Communities invite students to integrate their learning in and out of class, cultivating holistic student growth.
STEPHANIE SANCHEZ
8:55 PM
10 PM
9:15 A.M. /// Thorough discussions in my World Religions class develop my knowledge of international cultures. 10:30 A.M. /// My favorite SLU agility skills test: crossing Grand Blvd. with friends while dodging traffic. 1 P.M. /// It’s a good day when I can enjoy a late lunch with friends at the new Fusz Dining Hall. Fusz Dining Hall recently underwent a major reconstruction and now includes an outdoor seating area and fire pit, along with new places to grab food including Qdoba and Jamba Juice.
11:26 PM
2:30 P.M. /// I always love using my break between classes to talk to my friends in the hustle and bustle of the Cook School atrium.
3 P.M. /// Studying for my International Marketing exam in the atrium can be really productive, especially while others are in class. 4 P.M. /// Tuesdays are best when I can spend time with my fellow service leaders talking about social justice advocacy issues. The Service Leadership Program, which began in 1996, inspires Cook School students to think critically, learn team building and communication skills, while also dedicating their time to community service. To date, more than 100,000 community service hours have been completed through the program.
8 AM
9:15 AM
10:30 AM
1 PM
2:30 PM
3 PM
4 PM
7 P.M. /// Tuesdays wouldn’t be the same without my weekly sorority chapter meetings, sitting and laughing with all of my sisters. Founded in 2007, the SLU Kappa Omega chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha has received many honors for community involvement and philanthropy.
7 PM
SPRING 2015 | 17
PLUGGING INTO
BUSINESS COOK SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE PLAYING A VITAL ROLE IN HELPING REAL BUSINESSES SOLVE CHALLENGES, GAIN MOMENTUM AND INNOVATE.
18 | BUSINESS.SLU.EDU
SPRING 2015 | 19
/// PLUGGING INTO BUSINESS
BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE WORKFORCE A more inclusive construction workforce in the St. Louis region is the long-term ambition of an experiential learning project led by Tim Keane, Ph.D., associate professor and executive director of the Emerson Leadership Institute.
Hunter Johnston, ownership advisor at Tesla Motors, listening as MBA students present their ideas. A group of MBA students present their ideas for Tesla Motors as part of their class project.
POWERED BY IDEAS Accelerating from zero to 60 mph in about 3.2 seconds, a Tesla Model S electric vehicle has a range of up to 270 miles and boasts the highest safety rating in America. But the mainstream market success of these sleek marvels of engineering depends on an infrastructure of electric charging stations to provide owners with convenience and peace of mind as they travel. Several teams of SLU undergraduate and graduate students tackled this challenge head-on. Working closely with Tesla representatives charged with advancing the local EV ecosystem, each group conducted a feasibility analysis of potential ideas for expanding the charging infrastructure in St. Louis. “Tesla strongly believes in the electric car movement and in developing the infrastructure to support EVs because that promotes sales of all electric cars, including their own,” said Laura Burkemper (MBA '94), adjunct professor of entrepreneurship, who taught the graduate students completing the assignment. “Students applied an entrepreneurial mindset to develop recommendations on how to be a catalyst for helping move the EV infrastructure effort forward for our region.” One undergraduate team proposed a network of trucks that would be available to charge vehicles, using supercharging technology, in about 20 to 30 minutes. “People could call this truck – like they would call AAA if they had a flat tire – and ask for a recharge,” said team leader Austin Smith. “But instead of an emergency service, the service would be based on convenience.” Subscribers would pay a monthly fee to have 24x7 access to the mobile charging network via a mobile app. For future phases, Smith’s group proposed permanent charging stations in prominent public locations as well as the implementation of Tesla’s battery-swap system, which replaces dead batteries with fully charged ones – faster than you could fill a gas tank.
20 | BUSINESS.SLU.EDU
“The project really opened my eyes that it’s acceptable to dream big, to come up with something that no one has ever thought of before,” Smith said. “It’s that kind of thinking that pushes the world into the next generation of technology.” Out-of-the-box thinking earned Smith an invitation to enroll in the graduate entrepreneurship course that is currently developing a full business plan to advance the ideas further. For the members of one graduate team, the breakthrough moment happened when they reached out to EV owners to get their first-hand perspectives. “We met with a group of EV owners at Starbucks and just asked them about their challenges when it comes to charging,” said Andrew Bouquet, a law student enrolled in the course. “One person mentioned he’d be willing to pay for and install his own public charging station if he could use it anytime he wanted.” This willingness of electric vehicle owners to invest their own money to help the greater EV community formed the seed of a crowdfunding solution called ChargeStarter. Potential charging station locations would be featured on a website, and stations would be built when they reached target funding. And the concept is currently progressing toward reality. “Rather than just using it as an idea for a class, we’re actually in the process of organizing a 501(c)3 organization and seeking additional board members for the foundation,” Bouquet said. Hunter Johnston, ownership advisor at Tesla Motors, is impressed with the innovation demonstrated by SLU students. “I think they did a really good job of focusing on the challenge and coming up with new ideas that were much more creative and comprehensive than our team could’ve come up with on our own,” he said. “The point was to explore possibilities, so even the ideas that weren’t viable helped expand our thinking.”
Evening MBA students applied concepts they learned in Keane’s advanced management course to guide a new pre-apprenticeship recruitment and training program aimed at bringing more women, minorities and disadvantaged groups into the union construction trades.
Apprentices of the Bricklayers, Local 1 receive training as part of the BUD initiative.
The BUD – or Building Union Diversity – initiative grew out of several conversations Keane had with Jeff Aboussie, executive secretary-treasurer of the St. Louis Building and Construction Trades Council, about the need to address the lack of diversity in the labor unions. “They had been talking about the idea of a pre-apprenticeship program for a while, but never formalized the steps of how to make it happen, so I offered my MBA students to really dive into the issue,” Keane said. He divided the class into six groups and assigned each of them a different labor union to study. They benchmarked best practices across the U.S., interviewing union representatives and analyzing the structure and effectiveness of existing pre-apprenticeship programs. Throughout the semester, the student teams interacted regularly with leaders from the St. Louis Building and Construction Trades Council, the Carpenters’ District Council and the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment. Students shared their discoveries and recommendations for maximizing the effectiveness of the BUD program during final presentations to these groups.
“IT PROVIDED A WONDERFUL INSIGHT INTO REALWORLD PRACTICES AND HOW THEY DIFFER FROM – AND ARE MORE CHALLENGING THAN – WHAT YOU READ ABOUT IN THE LITERATURE.” - CONNIE WAGNER, J.D. “What we did as a group was to take the theoretical principles we were learning in class and apply them to a practical, real-life situation,” said Connie Wagner, J.D., SLU associate professor of law and a student in the class. Because most students had no previous experience working with the construction trades, the project expanded their understanding of the unique dynamics of the supply chain for skilled-craft labor.
An apprentice of the Glaziers, Architectural Metal and Glass Workers, Local 513.
“It provided a wonderful insight into real-world practices and how they differ from – and are more challenging than – what you read about in the literature,” Wagner said. “It was a very unique experience that you typically don’t encounter in a university classroom.” The student recommendations helped shape the eight-week BUD pre-apprenticeship skills training course, which has already trained its first group of candidates. “Eventually, it’s going to build the pool of minority candidates so unions will have no problem meeting the diversity requirements of a construction project,” Keane said. He is a strong believer in the importance of experiential learning. “In every course I teach, I look for ways that students can take the concepts, models and theories from the book and apply them in a very practical, experiential way,” Keane said.
SPRING 2015 | 21
/// PLUGGING INTO BUSINESS
To test his concept, he purchased some PVC piping and built a mock setup in the lab. “I intentionally contaminated that pipe with river water and any type of culture we had in our lab and tested it with the current method and with ultraviolet light,” Robison said. “They were both very effective, yielding no total coliform bacteria.” Content that he satisfied the class requirements, Robison wasn’t planning to pursue the idea any further, but Epner urged him to pitch it to Missouri American Water. So Robison arranged a meeting with several senior managers, who agreed the concept had merit and connected him with the company’s innovation development process team to help advance the idea. The company filed a patent application and is currently building a prototype for use in conducting field testing.
LIGHT BULB MOMENT By exploring a new way to approach a conventional process, Marty Robison (MBA '12) opened the floodgates to a potential breakthrough innovation for his employer. The water quality supervisor at Missouri American Water enrolled in a corporate innovation course as part of the MBA degree he was pursuing. In the class, Adjunct Instructor Steve Epner challenged students to generate a business idea that had the potential to earn their employers at least as much money as they were investing in the MBA degree. “A couple of things Steve mentioned struck a chord with me: that inventions come about as a solution to real-world problems and that many innovations are just a different way of looking at an existing product or technology,” said Robison, who currently serves as production superintendent at Missouri American Water. As he contemplated possible ideas, Robison considered that ultraviolet light, which is sometimes used to disinfect water, is also used in the medical field to disinfect surgical environments. “Combining the two ideas, I wondered if we could change the way that we disinfect new water mains that we install by mounting a UV light on a device that could travel through a new main to disinfect it,” he said. This new procedure would replace the current super chlorination process, which can be time consuming, complicated and expensive.
22 | BUSINESS.SLU.EDU
Meanwhile, Robison had a couple of high-profile opportunities to travel to the American Water headquarters in New Jersey and present his idea to a group of the company’s top executives at a conference and to investors at the annual shareholders meeting.
“SOMETIMES WE CAN OVER-THINK THINGS AND IT ENDS UP QUASHING THEM. INSTEAD, WE JUST NEED TO GET THE BALL ROLLING AND SEE WHERE IT TAKES US.” - MARTY ROBISON (MBA '12)
“If this comes to fruition, it will certainly have positive effects for my organization as well as the industry as a whole,” he said. And Robison continues to draw inspiration from one of Epner’s favorite mantras: Action trumps everything. “Sometimes we can over-think things and it ends up quashing them,” Robison said. “Instead, we just need to get the ball rolling and see where it takes us.”
A group of MBA students that participated in the X-Culture project gather with Mamoun Benmamoun, Ph.D., assistant professor of international business (also pictured, right).
WORLD CLASS MBA students enrolled in the global business courses taught by Mamoun Benmamoun, Ph.D., have an opportunity to consult with diverse businesses from around the world without ever leaving St. Louis. As participants in the global X-Culture program, they are challenged to help real companies solve real international business issues, such as how to expand into a new region, launch a new product or reposition a brand. In fall 2014, SLU joined more than 104 universities from 42 countries participating in X-Culture. Benmamoun applied to be part of the program as a way to expose his students to the opportunities and challenges of working as part of multicultural project teams. “The students meet on a weekly basis to work on feasibility studies that will help real companies solve real-life business challenges,” Benmamoun said. “They have to consider aspects such as international strategy, international marketing, finance and human resources management to provide a strong argument that will justify their recommendations. And their final reports are forwarded to the companies for their consideration.” Michael Awosemusi, an MBA candidate from Nigeria, led a sixperson team that included participants from Africa, China and the U.S. They chose to work with Sacona Entertainment, a gaming company in Bangalore, India, that wants to penetrate the American market. “Initially, the diversity of the group made it difficult to come to a decision on the approach to take, but eventually, everybody was on the same page and I feel like the diversity of the group really helped,” he said. Because X-Culture requires teams to achieve weekly milestones, time management was another challenge for students.
“WHAT I LOVE ABOUT X-CULTURE IS THAT STUDENTS DEAL WITH A REAL PROJECT WITH A COMPANY THAT WILL EVALUATE THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS. I THINK IT’S A GOOD LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR THEM.” - MAMOUN BENMAMOUN, PH.D. MBA student Tracey Van Puyvelde participated in a group that helped Pantofola d'Oro, an Italian-based footwear company, to identify the best markets to export its soccer shoes. “We recommended expanding first in the Spanish-speaking markets of Florida and southern California, because that’s where the popularity of soccer is growing the fastest,” she said. “I think the project was a great preparation for working at an actual international business.” Based on the quality of their contributions, Benmamoun and his students earned recognition from X-Culture. An international selection committee of eight professors chose Benmamoun as a “Best Instructor,” and 20 SLU students were named to the “Best Students” list, based on peer evaluations from all X-Culture projects completed during Fall 2014. “What I love about X-Culture is that students are exposed to real international business challenges. They are, indeed, getting a taste of the global marketplace,” Benmamoun said. “I think it’s a good learning experience for them.” Sh
“It was important to meet in person as much as possible and not depend solely on email and Skype to communicate,” Awosemusi said. “I think that really helped us throughout the whole project.”
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ALUMNI NEWS AND
EVENTS
SHAREHOLDER LEADERSHIP THAT CHALLENGES US TO BE THE VERY BEST
TRIVIA NIGHT RECAP
JOIN THE JCSB ALUMNI BOARD!
On Saturday, Jan. 24, more than 250 alumni, students and friends of the JCSB gathered for the Annual Trivia Night, sponsored by the John Cook School of Business Alumni Board. Proceeds from the event will benefit the JCSB Scholarship Fund. The trivia night raised almost $14,000 for the scholarship.
The John Cook School of Business is recruiting new Alumni Board members. Candidates should have experience in leadership roles and embody the mission of the board in working with faculty, current and prospective business students, alumni, and the community to enhance and promote the image of Saint Louis University and the John Cook School of Business.
A special thank you to our blue level sponsors:
Board members are expected to: • Attend bi-monthly meetings and events supported by the board throughout the year. A special thank you to our bronze level sponsors:
• Serve on at least one sub-committee.
• Serve terms of three years or more.
If interested, please forward a copy of your resume to Kate Flatley, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations, at kflatle1@slu.edu or 314-977-2348.
HOMECOMING AND FAMILY WEEKEND SAVE THE DATE: SEPTEMBER 25-27, 2015 Join the SLU community in celebrating 2015 Homecoming weekend. Come back to campus to enjoy all of the traditional fun – a concert, campus tours, the golf cart parade, soccer game and fireworks. More information to follow.
VOLUNTEER AS AN ADVISOR TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF SLU ALUMNI! Join SLUvisors, the new Saint Louis University alumni advisor network and enable students to reach out to you for career advice. Register today at: slu.evisors.com.
How does it work? REGISTER /// Create a professional bio (or import your LinkedIn profile), indicate your availability and areas of expertise. GET DISCOVERED /// Your profile will show up for people searching for your know-how. CONNECT /// Connect with students who request a phone conversation. “SLUvisors provides a great way for students to connect and learn from the experiences of our alumni,” said Career Resources Director Barb Gradala. “It's an opportunity for our alumni to give back in an impactful way, whenever and how often they wish to, on topics that are professionally meaningful to them.” SLU alumni also can register as an advisee to tap the expertise of other alumni. Contact Barb Gradala at bgradala@slu.edu for more information.
24 | BUSINESS.SLU.EDU
In my 30-plus years of being part of the Saint Louis University community — as a student (twice), an alumnus, a board member and, yes, a Billikens season ticket holder — I have witnessed a University blessed with thoughtful, insightful and transformative leadership. Of course, as the old saying goes, a smooth sea never made a skillful mariner, and so neither has Saint Louis University evolved successfully amid a placid societal or educational milieu. In fact, in the last three decades, there have been no shortage of challenges, from significant changes in the way people think about education, to economic busts and booms, to internal disagreements and conflicting visions for the University. Yet, through all the inevitable disorder, Saint Louis University not only continues to grow and thrive, but more importantly, continues to enhance the lives and experiences of those it touches. And it is not just students, staff and faculty that are impacted, but also the larger community in St. Louis and well beyond. This does not happen by accident; it is a function of the deliberate, sometimes difficult, sometimes sub-optimal, but ultimately effective leadership displayed within the Saint Louis University community. There are academic leaders at the head of classrooms, athletic leaders on fields of play, administrative leaders in boardrooms, staff leaders in offices and student leaders everywhere. There is leadership with intensity — sometimes very significant intensity — but I would rather have passionate leadership that breaks some glass while stretching boundaries and improving the world than reluctant, timid leadership that simply sets out to maintain the status quo. It’s easy to maintain a sailing vessel on calm, windless seas, but quite frankly, it’s more than a little boring and you really don’t get anywhere.
REFLECTION
While there are capable leaders at all the schools within the University, I have been privileged to know two great leaders among many at the John Cook School of Business. Neil Seitz, Ph.D., a great leader in the classroom, really left his mark on the transformation of the business school throughout the 1990s. His passion for pushing the John Cook School of Business to a higher level is evident to anyone who walks through the atrium or attends an event in the AnheuserBusch Auditorium. Ellen Harshman, Ph.D., J.D. (who may have had more leadership posts at SLU than Jose Oquendo played positions on the diamond) took the rudder from Dr. Seitz and pushed the envelope even further, challenging the popular convention of a two-year MBA and instituting the One-Year MBA. She pushed faculty and staff to achieve higher and higher rankings for the school and programs within the school. I am personally thankful to both of them for all they have done.
BY BRETT RUFKAHR (BSBA '86, MBA '92), PRESIDENT, JOHN COOK SCHOOL OF BUSINESS EXECUTIVE ADVISORY BOARD
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AT ALPINE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
And now, we come to a new era at the JCSB. Interim Dean Scott Safranski, Ph.D., who willingly stepped forward when called upon to lead the business school as Dr. Harshman moved on to tackle other leadership responsibilities, has handed over the helm of the school to Mark Higgins, Ph.D. I was fortunate enough to participate in the search committee for the new dean and was truly impressed by the caliber of candidates attracted to the job. Dr. Higgins distinguished himself in that process, not for what he told us about himself, but rather, what he asked us about ourselves and our University, our mission and vision. It was clear to me that Dr. Higgins has come to Saint Louis University not with his own agenda, but, as his predecessors, with a passion for leading a community to challenge itself and to truly become what it strives to be. I am very proud to be part of a school with such a distinguished history of leadership: leadership that directs, leadership that accomplishes, leadership that empathizes and, perhaps most important, leadership that challenges the JCSB community to be the very best that we can be. Sh
SPRING 2015 | 25
Non Profit Organization U.S. Postage P A I D St. Louis, MO Permit #134
1 N. GRAND BLVD., DS 200 ST. LOUIS, MO 63103
FIND US AT: SLU COOK BUSINESS 800.SLU.FOR.U business.slu.edu
He is our future. We are his present. Invest in our future with a gift of scholarship. We’ll match it dollar for dollar. Together, we’ll go further.
your gift. our match.
giving.slu.edu/gofurther
Gregory Younkie • Hometown: Louisville, Ky. • John Cook School of Business • Class of 2015