Winter 2010 / Volume 2, Issue 1
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What does
it take
The risks and rewards of entrepreneurship 14 11 Overheard Sharing advice for successful start-ups
20 Alumni profile Running a business like a marathon
21 Executive M.B.A. Celebrating 16 years of excellence
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A panel of judges comprising experienced entrepreneurs and business leaders, including Jenn Dodge, managing director of Accounting Principals, evaluates student pitches during the ACG Richmond Business Plan Competition. “What does it take?� on Page 14 follows two teams on their journey.
Features 14 What does it take? Fifteen student teams learn the risks and rewards of entrepreneurship as they vie for top prize in a business plan competition.
20 In for the long haul Whether running a marathon or a business, Atlanta-based alumnus David Yu takes calculated risks to stay on track.
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21 Executive edge More than a decade after its inception, the executive M.B.A. program continues to deliver innovative and relevant education.
Virginia Commonwealth University
Departments From the dean Newsmakers Overheard Making a difference From the boardroom VCU Business Alumni Society Class notes By the numbers Calendar
4 5 11 12 23 24 26 29 31
ON THE COVER:
Students Lindsay Wallo (left), Brittany Sholar, Mary Scruggs and Brian Lantz savor the thrill of victory just moments after their team, Just Like Home, took the top prize in this year’s ACG Richmond Business Plan Competition. Turn to Page 19 to read about their winning story. Winter 2010 3
Vol. 2, Issue 1, Winter 2010
From the dean Alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends: As Virginia Commonwealth University and the School of Business continue to navigate the uncertainties presented by economic recovery, we find it encouraging to reflect upon our recent achievements. Over the past few months, we have added 12 new faculty members and renewed our focus on the student experience and alumni engagement. This fall we welcomed the Class of 2014, immersing them into our community through programmed interaction with faculty, students, staff and alumni. And, as I write this message, the VCU Fed Challenge team prepares for rigorous competition at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors in Washington, D.C. Additionally, the School of Business can look forward to welcoming our first cohort of master’s students from Christ University in India, and we continue to forge international initiatives that will not only broaden our student base but also provide international opportunities to our American students. Later this month, we will wrap up an intensive five-year review and submit our report to the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) for reaccreditation. And recently, the School of Business was featured in the 2011 edition of the Princeton Review’s “The Best 300 Business Schools.” Schools selected were determined to be the country’s best institutions for earning an M.B.A. This recognition is a testament to the commitment and determination of our teachers, staff, alumni and donors. Recognition on a national level by the Princeton Review means that the VCU School of Business is making a difference for students, the Richmond community, the state of Virginia and beyond. We pride ourselves on being a student-centered organization with state-of-the-art facilities that can meet the needs of a diverse population. Our mission is to ensure that students leave our campus with the academic and practical skills they need to be competitive in the global marketplace. We have a great program that is bolstered by incredible support from the business community in Richmond. The VCU School of Business is a great value and our story is just beginning to be told. Despite challenges and obstacles presented by an uncertain and volatile economic climate, the VCU School of Business will not stray from its mission of excellence in teaching, research and innovation. We will continue to retain talented faculty and push to recruit even more first-rate researchers and educators. Inspired by the continued success of our students, we look to the future with eagerness and optimism. Sincerely,
Ed Grier Dean
Editor’s note: The VCU team finished fifth in the College Fed Challenge on Nov. 30.
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Dean Ed Grier Associate Dean, External Affairs and Executive Director, School of Business Foundation Kenneth C. Blaisdell, Ph.D. Editor L. Katherine Oliver Writer Susan T. Burtch Contributors VCU Office of Communications and Public Relations Design VCU Creative Services Photography VCU Creative Services Business & Main is published twice each year by the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Business. The views and opinions expressed in Business & Main do not necessarily represent the opinions of its editors or the policies of the university or school. Send address changes or comments to: Business & Main Editor Virginia Commonwealth University School of Business P.O. Box 844000 Richmond, Virginia 23284-4000 E-mail: BizandMain@vcu.edu www.business.vcu.edu ©2010, VCU School of Business an equal opportunity/affirmative action university 100330-01
NEWSmakers Elite Indian business students continue their studies at VCU
Members of the Virginia Commonwealth University Fast Track Executive M.B.A. Class of 2010 hold a charity golf tournament to help rebuilding efforts in Chile.
Students of Christ University in Bangalore, India, will soon be studying at the VCU School of Business. Professors Van Wood, Ph.D., Nanda Rangan, Ph.D., and David Urban, Ph.D., PCM, traveled to Christ University in February to sign the agreement. The Indian students will gain a world-class business education by first earning an M.B.A. at Christ University, then coming to VCU for a business M.S., with either a finance or global marketing concentration. They should be on campus by fall 2011. One of India’s top business schools, Christ University considers only students ranked in the top 75th percentile on their standardized admissions exam.
M.B.A. students extend the Chile-Virginia connection Last year, the Fast Track Executive M.B.A. Class of 2010 visited Chile for a 10-day, firsthand perspective on international business. This year, an earthquake off the coast of Chile devastated much of their host country. “The Chilean people were exceptional hosts, welcoming us into their communities,” remembers M.B.A. student Ken Coll. “But many of those communities were destroyed by the recent earthquake, and we wanted to help them rebuild.” So, together with fellow students Parker Nash and Sabine le Marquis, Coll organized a charity golf tournament in Richmond, Va., to benefit the American Red Cross Chilean Earthquake Relief Fund. Nine four-person teams participated, and three volunteers donated their time. The result: Good friendship and good business do, indeed, coexist. The charity golf tournament raised $3,100 to help rebuilding efforts in Chile.
Experimental economics research ranks in world’s top 10 percent
New joint master’s program fills need for computer, IS security
Research Papers in Economics recently ranked VCU’s department No. 69 in the world in experimental economics. This ranking places VCU in the top 10 percent of all institutions for its work in experimental economics. The coveted top 10 percent honor is also held by economics professor Doug Davis, Ph.D. RePEc, a collaborative international database, ranked Davis No. 71, placing him in the top 10 percent of authors worldwide in the area of experimental economics.
In response to a critical business need, the schools of Business and Engineering have teamed up to offer a new master’s degree in computer and information systems security. The program takes a broad interdisciplinary approach designed to get students to see the larger organizational, social, political, ethical and economic aspects of information security. Graduates of the 30-credit program are expected to take on leadership positions in computer and information systems security, including the position of chief security officer.
David J. Urban, Ph.D., (left) executive associate dean of the VCU School of Business, meets with Father Thomas Matthew, vice chancellor of Christ University.
VCU da Vinci Center introduces Certificate in Product Innovation Coordinated by VCU’s da Vinci Center for Innovation, the new Certificate in Product Innovation allows undergraduate students in the schools of the Arts, Business and Engineering to develop competency in the area of product innovation. Employing an interdisciplinary perspective that embodies concepts from each of the three schools, students receive a robust learning experience that leads to an understanding of the challenges associated with and means for managing product design, product development and newproduct introduction endeavors. The 15-credit certificate runs concurrently with a student’s major. Winter 2010 5
NEWSmakers
Popular speakers attract crowds to annual business school events The school brought several leading business professionals to campus in 2010 for events highlighting real estate, marketing, global business challenges and insurance. • In October, the Real Estate Trends Conference welcomed the economic insights of Ed Friedman, director of Moody’s Economy.com. Regarded as the leading real estate conference in the region, the soldout event attracted more than 800 industry leaders from all sectors of the real estate market. • As part of the Verizon Lecture Services, Anthony A. Lewis, vice president of wholesale development and operations for Verizon Wireless, presented a dynamic lecture in September about next-generation wireless communications to a crowd of more than 100 students, faculty, staff, alumni and executives. • In April, the 16th Annual VCU International Business Forum featured global pollster John Zogby, author of the 2008 best-seller “The Way We’ll Be: The Zogby Report on the Transformation of the American Dream.” Zogby, an expert political and business trends forecaster who writes a weekly column for Forbes,
spoke about the realities of 21st century business and the new challenges facing America’s work force. • Keynote speaker John Martin (M.B.A. ’85) addressed some 160 people at the Fifth Annual Risk and Insurance Studies Center Conference held in March. Martin is with the Southeastern Institute of Research and The Boomer Project.
VCU, NCI partnership offers access to bachelor’s degree in accounting Thanks to a partnership between the VCU School of Business and New College Institute, students in
Southside Virginia are finding it easier to earn an undergraduate accounting degree. NCI offers classes in the Martinsville area, enabling students to complete the final two years of their four-year bachelor’s degree. NCI participants are typically graduates of a community college or students whose college education was interrupted. Those seeking a B.S. in Accounting take the same classes at NCI they would take on the VCU campus, and they graduate with a VCU degree. The publicly funded NCI was founded to improve access to higher education after thousands of area manufacturing jobs disappeared during the 1990s.
@alumni .vcu.edu
Association offers free lifetime VCU alumni e-mail address In partnership with Google, the VCU alumni associations now offer alumni a free, lifetime VCU e-mail address. By signing up for your @alumni.vcu .edu e-mail address, you also gain access to the tools available through Google Apps. To get your VCU alumni e-mail, visit www.vcu-mcvalumni.org.
Former School of Business building serves new purpose on campus The consolidated Student Services Center is now open on the first floor of Harris Hall, the old School of Business building located at 1015 Floyd Ave. Open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., this new, centralized location houses Financial Aid, Records and Registration, Student Accounting and the Cashier’s Office. Formerly, many of these services had separate locations. 6
Located in the former School of Business building, the new Harris Hall Student Services Center provides VCU students with a centralized location for all their enrollment services needs.
NEWSmakers
VCU stars in the spotlight
Faculty and administration • This May, the VCU Board of Visitors recognized three School of Business faculty members for excellence. They promoted Jayaraman (“Vijay”) Vijayakumar, Ph.D., and Carolyn Norman, Ph.D., to professor of accounting, and awarded tenure to Kenneth Kahn, Ph.D., professor of marketing.
Business faculty members share their expertise worldwide School of Business professors travel widely as visiting scholars and conference presenters. From Turkey to South Korea, from research theory to security policy, professors’ varied destinations and timely topics help spread the name of VCU throughout the world. • Randolph Barker, Ph.D., recently spoke at a series of lectures in Seoul, South Korea. He was invited by the Graduate Institute of Management of the Seoul School of Integrated Sciences and Technologies, and by the Helsinki School of Economics. • Alisa Brink, Ph.D., presented a research paper in May at the European Accounting Association’s 33rd Annual Congress in Turkey. • Gurpreet Dhillon, Ph.D., presented an article at the World Computer Congress in Brisbane, Australia, as part of the 25th annual IFIP TC11 meeting on “Security & Privacy – Silver Linings in the Cloud.” He coauthored the article, “Using Actor Network Theory to Understand Information Security Management,” with Karin Hedström and Fredrik Karlsson of the Swedish Business School at Orebro University. • David H. Downs, Ph.D., director of The Kornblau Institute, made several stops in Europe during June to speak about VCU and his research. At the invitation of the University of Regensburg, he spoke with executives in Cologne at Generali Immobilien, the real estate arm of Germany’s second-largest insurer. He also was a participant at conferences in Rotterdam and Milan where he served as a session chair and presented “The Determinants of Fund Openings: The Case of German Real Estate Funds,” his research on German open-end funds.
• The VCU School of Business Administrative Council recognized E.G. Miller, Ph.D., for his 18 years of distinguished service as associate dean for administration, interim dean and senior associate dean. • Econometrica accepted an article by Asen Ivanov, Ph.D. He is the first VCU author published in the prestigious journal.
Students • Recently graduated School of Business students Michael Duncan, Josh Ridpath, Will Marlin and Kristen Corwin won $3,000 at Villanova University in April. The team of senior real estate majors was awarded second prize in a national competition in which they matched wits with teams from 10 other universities. At issue was whether — in this economy — a developer should buy a 323,101-square-foot parcel in Tyson’s Corner for $116 million.
• Kenneth Kahn, Ph.D., served as the keynote speaker at the University of Manchester’s (UK) Consumer, Retail, Innovation and Service Research Centre research seminar in June. His presentation was titled “In Search of New Product Development Best Practices: Considerations for Research Goals, Method, and Theory.” • Oleg Korenok, Ph.D., recently traveled to Barcelona to present his paper “Nominal Price Shocks in Monopolistically Competitive Markets: An Experimental Analysis” at the first LeeX International Conference on Theoretical and Experimental Macroeconomics hosted by the Universitat Pompeu Fabra. • Nanda Rangan, Ph.D., presented the study “The Relative Importance of Information Asymmetry, Litigation Risk, and Expropriation Risk: International Evidence from Seasoned Equity Offerings,” (co-authored with fellow VCU faculty members Manu Gupta, Ph.D., and Oghenovo Obrimah, Ph.D.), at the INFINITI Conference in Dublin in June.
Michael Duncan (left), Josh Ridpath, Will Marlin and Kristen Corwin place second in a real estate case competition. Winter 2010 7
NEWSmakers
Faculty experts VCU business faculty members provide analysis and commentary for national media.
“We haven’t pulled out of this recession yet. It’s still a little sour,” said Michael Pitts, a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University who teaches a class on the business of NASCAR. “How will we fare as we get into the middle of the season? Are the fans going to have the money to come back? Are sponsors going to be willing to stick around?” Reuters, Feb. 12, 2010, “NASCAR Race Circuit Aims for Smoother Ride in 2010”
Of course, there’s little incentive for employers or interns to blow the whistle, says Robert Trumble, a management professor and the director of the Virginia Labor Studies Center at Virginia Commonwealth University. Workers want experience and the connections that come along with it. Time April 12, 2010, “Working for Free: The Boom in Adult Interns”
The whole point of the depositinsurance system is to remove fear of possible bank failures as a factor in people’s decision-making, said Kenneth Daniels, a finance professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. Bank customers, Daniels said, “know from experience that the FDIC will step in and clean things up and make them whole. After the event occurs, things are pretty much business as usual.” Seattle Times
“Disability is one of the topics every financial planner should discuss with clients because the likelihood of being disabled is greater than the likelihood of dying young,” said Etti Baranoff, an assistant professor of insurance and finance at Virginia Commonwealth University. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette May 6, 2010, “Disability coverage often is the first thing to go”
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March 26, 2010, “Local Banks’ Struggles Don’t Rattle Most Customers”
It is not unusual for a convenience store chain to locate two stores within a half mile of each other to make it easier for customers to enter the store without having to make left turns, said David Urban, professor of marketing at Virginia Commonwealth University. Houston Chronicle March 23, 2010, “Experts Reveal What Makes a Retail Spot Hot or Not”
The sensitivity of job hunting while employed — and keeping the process under wraps — varies from industry to industry and can also depend on the corporate culture, said Robert Trumble, Ph.D., professor of management and director of the Virginia Labor Studies Center at Virginia Commonwealth University. “In some, it could be the kiss of death,” he said, while other fields such as the tech industry, where talent is at a premium and individual skills are highly appreciated, fielding outside offers is expected. “If you have a talented employee, you assume they will be approached with advantageous opportunities. And if they aren’t being wooed by competitors, you wonder just how talented they really are.” Forbes.com Aug. 17, 2010, “How to hunt for a job from work and not get caught” – Contributed by Tom Gresham, VCU Office of Communications and Public Relations
NEWSmakers
Business school welcomes three new research faculty members
Body symmetry
0.120.20 Study discovers smartness reflected in body symmetry According to a VCU study published online this June, intelligent people are slightly more symmetrical than their counterparts. The Intelligence article summarized 14 past studies of 1,871 people and estimated the correlation between intelligence and body symmetry at between 0.12 and 0.20. Authors George Banks and John Batchelor are doctoral candidates in business specializing in management and Michael McDaniel, Ph.D., is a management professor. “So far, cognitive ability has been demonstrated to be the best predictor of job performance,” Banks says. “This article provides evidence for one potential cause of differences in individual intelligence.” Intelligence is an important predictor of health and mortality, and research suggests that intelligence may be part of a general fitness factor that increases reproductive success and general survival. If this is the case, the VCU researchers reasoned, a relationship should exist between intelligence and other reliable indicators of fitness.
Information systems professor wins prestigious Stevens Award Peter Aiken, associate professor of information systems at VCU, CEO and founding director of Data Blueprint, and president of DAMA International, received the 2010 International Stevens Award Oct. 13 at the 17th Annual Working Conference on Reverse Engineering in Beverly, Mass. Aiken received the award in recognition of his “evangelism of data reverse engineering and data-focused software development techniques and methods.” The Stevens Award
is given annually in recognition of outstanding contributions to the literature or practice of methods for software and systems development. Aiken founded Data Blueprint, a Richmond-based data management and IT consulting firm, in 1999. The firm, which is partially owned by VCU, focuses on improving organizational data and data management practices. Data Blueprint clients include Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Merck and Co., the U.S. Department of Defense, Nokia and six of the world’s 10 largest banks, among others.
Suzanne Makarem, Ph.D., is an assistant professor who will be teaching Buyer Behavior. She received her B.S. and M.B.A. from the American University in Beirut, Lebanon, and recently completed her Ph.D. in Marketing from Temple University in Philadelphia. Her particular interest is consumer decision-making, with a focus on health care. In-Sue Oh, Ph.D., is an assistant professor who will be teaching Organizational Behavior. He comes to VCU from the University of Alberta in Canada, where he was an assistant professor of human resources and organizational behavior. He earned his undergraduate and master’s degrees at Sungkyumkwan University in Seoul, South Korea, and his doctorate at the University of Iowa. He is especially interested in personnel selection, leadership development and meta-analysis. S. Douglas Pugh, Ph.D., will be teaching Organizational Behavior and Negotiations. He earned his doctorate from Tulane University in New Orleans and has been teaching at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte since 2005. His research focuses on the study of organizational climate in service organizations, emotional labor and work-family balance. Winter 2010 9
NEWSmakers
Faculty research
Kenneth N. Daniels, Ph.D.
I
n today’s challenging economic climate, small-business owners need to “remain flexible in their financing plans and stay vigilant about growth opportunities,” says Kenneth N. Daniels, Ph.D., finance professor. Daniels, whose research recently hit the 2,000-download mark on the online Social Science Research Network, spoke with Business & Main about his research findings in the areas of financial services and community development and also about his work with agencies focused on strengthening local and state economies.
our global competitors. Hopefully, the Great Recession will get the attention of policymakers to concentrate more on job creation and the role of “business education” in preparing U.S. workers for their economic challenges.
Tell us about your research.
What advice would you give small-business owners as we move into the last quarter of the year?
My research has been shaped by my practical experiences as an asset liability manager earlier in my career and by my experience as a board member for Virginia Community Capital and the Treasury Board for Virginia. Financial distress and credit risk is a critical management issue for each of these entities. In trying to understand financial distress and credit risk, I have established a comprehensive research program that looks at the many angles of how credit risk and financial distress permeates its way into the economy and impacts corporations, small businesses and consumers. This interest also has allowed me to study many financial markets such as municipal bonds, credit default swaps, corporate bonds and syndicated loans. What have been some of your interesting discoveries? My research has had some impact on the decision-making of practitioners. One of my papers, “Debt Restructuring, Holdouts and Exit Consents,” illustrates how changes in the corporate bond contract through an exit consent impact bond holders of the firm. Many lawyers find this work helpful as they try to explain the impact of debt restructuring on the firm. I also was surprised that many researchers and practitioners are unaware of the role of the clawback provision in corporate bonds. A recent paper, “An Empirical Analysis of the Determinants and Pricing of Corporate Bond Clawbacks,” demonstrates what a clawback provision is and why it is important. 10
What do you think of the popular news commentary on business? Most news commentary has a dual function to inform and entertain. I think the popular news commentary on business is fine as entertainment. However, it is paramount that we give consumers, business owners and corporate managers the tools to be successful. In this regard, I think we are falling short of the goal that is required for the 21st century and we are increasingly lagging behind
In my role as chairman of the Virginia Community Development Corp., I see many financing deals, and we also try to increase the local economic capacity of Virginia’s major economic markets through affordable housing and economic development. I am encouraged by the resiliency of Virginians, as we have weathered the financial crisis. However, I don’t see a mild recovery occurring until mid-2011, and a return to some form of “economic normality” will not occur in the short term. It is paramount that small-business owners stay vigilant about growth opportunities and “new markets” as we transition out of the current economic cycle. Also, forming partnerships and joint ventures are ancillary ways to strengthen current resources and form more competitive alliances, which may produce stronger business results.
Publication highlights Daniels, K., & Vijayakumar, J. (2007). The impact of electronic auctions and auction types on the market for municipal bonds. Municipal Finance Journal, 28(2), 25-47. Daniels, K., Diro Ejara, D., & Vijayakumar, J. (2009). An empirical analysis of the determinants and pricing of corporate bond clawbacks. Journal of Corporate Finance, 15(4), 431- 446. Daniels, K., Diro Ejara, D., & Vijayakumar, J. (2010). Debt maturity, credit risk, and information asymmetry: The case of municipal bonds. Financial Review, 45(3), 603-626. Daniels, K., & Morgan, I. (2010). The impact of arrangers and buyout sponsors on loan pricing in leverage buyouts: A cross border study of US and European leverage buyouts. In L. P. Blenman, H. A. Black & E. Kane (Eds.), Banking and Capital Markets: New International Perspectives. World Scientific Publishing. An expanded list of Daniels’ publications and downloadable papers is available on the Social Science Research Network at http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth .cfm?per_id=179517.
OVERheard
What is the one thing
you wish you had known when you first started your business?
“Start an advisory board for your company. I had great mentors, but with a board, you have experts providing counsel and rooting for your success. It’s the only way for your business to grow properly.”
“Figure out what your passion is. Do that, and the money will come. I get up at 4:30 every morning because I love what I do. Don’t get into something just because it pays the bills.” Jesse Lennon (B.S. ’87/MGMT; M.B.A. ’88) Founder, Pioneer Realty, 1989; 3 Talents (real estate investment syndication), 2007; Sloan Construction II, 2009
Curtis Stephens (M.B.A. ’97) Founder, Marketing Xchange Worldwide, 1997 Athlete representation, branding and marketing
“Starting a new business in a down economy was really a blessing in disguise. For six to eight months there, it was really scary. But I went back to basics, wrote a new business plan. I saved money and weathered the storm. Hang in there, dig deep and you’ll come out of it.” Lori Jennings (M.B.A. ’06) Founder, CRT ProSearch, 2008 Placement firm for IT professionals
“What not to do is as important as what to do. If you need funding, you’ll find raising capital is probably the hardest part. And don’t immediately go to friends and family — called ‘angel investors.’ They naturally want to help you, but you risk losing relationships when you lose their money.”
“Never compromise on the quality of the people in your organization. If you put the right people in the right places with the right resources, you’ll do fine. I’ve been more patient in that area than I should have been.”
Jon Hill (B.S. ’85/ACCT; B.S. ’85/ INFO; M.B.A. ’99) Founder, Omega Business Solutions, 2000 Strategic and financial management consulting for small businesses
Chris Grandpre (M.B.A. ’00) Founder, Outdoor Living Brands, 2008 Franchise business operator for decking, lighting and mosquito prevention Winter 2010 11
MAKING A
difference
Fueling students’ passion for practical economics By Susan T. Burtch
G
eorge Hoffer, Ph.D., sprinkles his conversation with numbers: He has taught between 16,000 and 18,000 students; he has published 78 articles in academic and professional journals; he has served as a consultant to automobile manufacturers for the past 20 years. Restyling a car is 10 times more effective than reducing its price by 10 percent; passengers in cars rated poorly on crash tests have a 43 percent greater death rate; today, the entire American auto industry has a lower market share than General Motors in 1985. Yet Hoffer wants to make perfectly clear that he is an economist, not an accountant. And although numbers are an important component of his economic models, they are merely a part of the evidence he uses “to make a reasoned decision.” “I am not a deep thinker, nor in any sense a philosopher,” he says. “I have a low-key, rational perspective. I teach economics from the perspective of a pragmatic way to get through life.” Economics has not only gotten Hoffer through life, it has been his life. In 1970, he became an assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University and retired this spring after teaching for 40 years, all without missing 12
a single day of class for illness. “Oh, I did have pneumonia one time,” he recalls with a dismissive wave of his hand, “but that was over spring break.”
Hoffer the professor During his tenure at VCU, Hoffer has taught countless students who have gone on to apply their understanding of economics in different fields. “That’s the satisfaction of teaching,” he says with a smile. “You get it from their success.” In fact, Hoffer plays a game with himself every time he boards an airplane in Richmond. As he walks down the aisle “to the cheap seats in the back,” he guesses at least one person will recognize him and say, “Hi, professor.” And here comes the number — about 75 percent of the time, someone does. Ask his students what sticks with them, and they say it’s the examples, not the theories. “What you observe every day is just plain economics,” Hoffer says. “As I cover a topic,
“As I cover a topic, I relate it to something they’ve seen firsthand — preferably in Richmond — and that helps them understand.” – George Hoffer
I relate it to something they’ve seen firsthand — preferably in Richmond — and that helps them understand.” For example, he asks his students: Q Why was it easier for McDonald’s to break into the breakfast market than Burger King? A They could cook bacon and eggs on the same griddle they used for hamburgers. Burger King flame-broiled their hamburgers, so they needed a separate piece of equipment to cook breakfast.
to depreciate in value. But Hoffer and Harless found the V-6 model, which did not share this front-end design, depreciated at the exact same rate. “So, of course, we won!” grins Hoffer. – Susan T. Burtch is a freelance copywriter based in Richmond, Va.
Q Why, until recently, have most professors been male? A Females didn’t face the draft, so they had to give up a salaried job to go to graduate school. Q Why is it first-generation immigrants tend to be merchants? A They have the time, the drive and the sizeable families needed to work the store.
Hoffer the consultant In addition to teaching, Hoffer is a widely recognized expert in the automotive and transportation industry. His walls are covered with vintage car signs and his office is crowded with models of trains, cars and planes. “I never outgrew my fascination with transportation equipment or my admiration of technical proficiency,” he muses. The newest addition to his collection is the American Flyer engine and boxcar he received from the economics department on the occasion of his retirement in May — “the perfect gift.” However, Hoffer has no plans to retire from his consulting work for Hoffer in the news the auto industry. For many years, The VCU Office of Communications and Public Relations says George he and colleague David Harless, Hoffer is the most widely quoted member of the university faculty. Ph.D., have performed the “diminuAcross the past several decades, his observations have added authortion in value” economic assessments, ity to transportation coverage ranging from Associated Press articles to which have helped domestic and Internet newsfeeds. foreign manufacturers defend themselves against class action lawsuits. “This consulting work really energizes my teaching,” he says. “It has allowed me to bring practical experiences into the classroom. I get data and insights that wind up in academic publications. And, it’s fun. It gives me a chance to go out and play in the real world with the big boys.” Asked to give an example of an economic analysis that made a difference, Hoffer cites the case of the $70,000 Mercedes CLK, often dubbed the “midlife crisis car.” The V-8 model had a low, front-end overhang that could scrape the curb; plaintiffs argued this caused the CLK
“The time to be alarmed is when — early in the product cycle — there is a series of recalls. A product can get tagged as a lemon, and then anything bad about it gets magnified.” – The Wall Street Journal, “The Year of the Recall,” Feb. 24, 1994
“I would argue that the decline in U.S. market share of the American carmakers is in fact not really about quality, but more about the fact that they are being ‘out-newed’ with new product from their overseas rivals.” – MSNBC.com, “Automakers ‘Borrow’ Successful Vehicle Styling, Outflank their Rivals,” April 22, 2006
“The consumer could be negatively affected. That’s one less carrier to get nervous about its declining market share or weak consumer demand (for air travel) and to respond by launching a big sale, or by putting more seats into the lower-price categories. It’s also one less airline that can refuse to go along with the fare increase.” – USA Today, “Consumers Could Bear Brunt of US Airways-United Merger,” April 9, 2010
Winter 2010 13
?
What does
it take
Student start-ups vie for top prize in entrepreneurship competition By Susan T. Burtch
M
atthew Rutherford’s New Venture Strategy and Initiation course in the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Business attracts students with both a practical bent and a passionate motivation — all of them entrepreneurs-in-the-making. The course focuses on developing a workable business plan solid enough to attract private investors, bankers or venture capitalists. At the end of the course, students pitch their ideas to Association for Corporate Growth Richmond members, who serve as volunteer judges during the annual ACG Richmond Business Plan Competition. This past spring, Rutherford’s students came up with 15 new products and services. At the beginning of the semester, without knowing the outcome of the April competition, Business & Main chose to follow both a sole entrepreneur, Manny Morgano, and an entrepreneurial team, Book-By-Book, composed of Margaret Stalnaker, Ricky Henry, Aaron Tilman and Alex Seamens.
Manny Morgano pitches his plan for a business that organizes video game tournaments.
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Feb. 5
Bullpen lunch
Professor Matthew Rutherford (second from left) checks in with members of the Book-By-Book team before their preliminary presentation.
Lunch and informal discussion with ACG volunteers at the Commonwealth Club Ricky Henry, student (textbook rental) There’s a market for textbook rental, but it’s all online now. Nobody does a brick-and-mortar location. We plan a store with study rooms. Students could even share memberships and books. We figure we need $780,000 to start. Manny Morgano, student (video game tournaments) I’ve already got the video game equipment and an investor. I’ve actually been doing this for a while now on my own, but to expand, I need $500,000 — and tournament locations with lots of electrical outlets. Mike Paulette, ACG member Those are both good plans, but you’ve got to ask yourself: Would you loan that much money? It’s a lot. Think how much you’d be willing to put up yourself, or how much you’d be willing to give up in control to have some investor back you. John Helm, ACG member You’ve got to think of ways to be creative with the financial aspect. Start conservatively and watch your cash flow build. If you go in too deep, you’ve got no life line, and you go down too fast. Paulette Just a hint here — you need a tight financial plan, a realistic one. That’s been the biggest weakness of competitors in the past few years.
Feb. 15 and 17
Pitches A five- to eight-minute overview presentation of the proposed business to fellow students in the classroom Margaret Stalnaker, student (textbook rental) I felt nervous. That bullpen lunch made us all go back and do some research, after they [the businessmen at the table] said our business could be easily replicated. And it turns out, Barnes & Noble is starting book rental in 10 schools. So we had to either change our strategy or establish a strong market presence before them. We really didn’t change our business model too much, though we did bring a new aspect to it — going into technology with Kindle or electronic media used with books. The class seemed to like our business because, of course, they would all benefit from it. But I guess I was disappointed, because our group went last. With only five minutes left before the end of the class, we didn’t get many comments. Winter 2010 15
March 22 and 24 Ricky Henry (left), Alex Seamens and Margaret Stalnaker of the Book-ByBook team prepare for their financial presentation.
March 3 and 8
Marketing Identification of the target audience and possible competitors to fellow students in the classroom Morgano (video game tournaments) It went pretty well, I think. This step was important because of honing down on the target audience. I got more realistic. The total gaming market is 228 million, but the competitive gamer in seven states around Virginia is only 0.0002 percent of that. I broke it down five times, into how many people would actually travel to compete in big events. We already had a functioning business, but now I do see better what I need to be doing and how to budget to reach these gamers.
“Just a hint here —
you need a tight
financial plan, a realistic one.” – Mike Paulette, judge and managing director, Core Consulting
16
Financials Presentation of a cash flow statement, balance sheet and profit-and-loss statement to the class Aaron Tilman, student (textbook rental) Well, we’d actually done financials last semester for Small Business Finance, a class that’s required for the entrepreneur major. All four of us were in that class together, which is why we are together as a team again now. But this semester, we changed our target market some. We took more time and went into more detail. We did more research. Last year we just estimated; this year we had better numbers. The hardest part was that we were all in different places the week before, over spring break. We only had the weekend to prepare, but we divided up the responsibilities within our group — because, you know, you have to do the presentation and a written report at the same time. It must be pretty intensive for those guys doing this alone: I can’t even imagine.
April 5 and 7
Dehydrated plan Presentation of a dehydrated plan to students in the classroom. Entrepreneurs and teams who received an A on both previous presentations were exempted from this step. Morgano (video game tournaments) I’m happy I got to present. It’s all just practice to me. During this presentation, I talked too much about the whole story; I got caught up and didn’t have enough time, so I had to rush through it toward the end. The story is to hook ’em, but then you’ve got to go straight to the key points. You can talk to the professor and the graduate assistant after class. They take notes. David Burns, the GA, helped me out with my financials. He told me not to spend a lot of time on trivia, but jump to marketing and financials. That’s what the investors want to hear. I think everybody should have presented, even if they already got A’s. We never got to put the whole plan together before, and this is going to help me when I turn in my business plan.
The Book-By-Book team presents their plan to judges in the preliminary round.
April 21
Preliminary round Final presentations by all students to ACG judges in Snead Hall Alex Seamens, student (textbook rental) We didn’t win, but I thought our group presented well. We didn’t get stumped on any of the questions. We had no hiccups; we didn’t stumble over words. Walking out of the building, our group thought the judges were pretty tough, especially compared to the feedback we’d been getting all semester. Some students thought the judges related a lot more to products than services, maybe because it’s easier to see the financial outcome with a product than a service. But I’m definitely not upset about the experience; it’s one of the more helpful things I’ve done. Now if I ever want to do something similar, I have sort of a blueprint in my mind for the future.
(Top right) Alex Seamens reviews his notes before his team’s turn. (Bottom) Manny Morgano puts on a winning smile for the judges.
“Twenty years ago, teaching people how to start their own businesses was a sideshow at B-schools, of scant interest to future consultants and Wall Streeters. Today entrepreneurship education is everywhere. More than two-thirds of U.S. colleges and universities — well over 2,000, up from 200 in the 1970s — are teaching it. …” Fortune, March 11, 2010, “Can you learn to be an entrepreneur?” Winter 2010 17
ACG Richmond Business Plan Competition 2010 volunteer mentors and judges Matt Andrews Director Core Consulting Kenneth Blaisdell Associate dean of external affairs VCU School of Business Park Dodd CFO StarScientific Jenn Dodge Managing director Accounting Principals Mike Eisenman Director VCU School of Business Career Services Bill Evans Managing director Northstar Business Consulting LLC Peggy Fajon Lender relations specialist Small Business Administration, Richmond District Office John Helm Associate director for strategic sales Verizon Wireless Viren Kapadia CEO and president Gyrus Systems Rex E. Knechtly Owner First Avenue Advisors Charles Link President C&F Bank Maureen McKay Certified public accountant Mike Paulette Managing director Core Consulting Mary Jo Sisson-Vaughan Project finance manager Virginia Department of Business Assistance Smokie Sizemore Principal Smokie Sizemore and Co. Janet Thomas Attorney Hirschler Fleischer
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Members of ACG Richmond, including Mike Paulette (left) and Mary Jo Sisson-Vaughan (right), gather at Hirschler Fleischer headquarters in downtown Richmond to hear presentations by the five finalists.
April 28
Final competition day Presentations by the five finalists to ACG judges at Hirschler Fleischer, a downtown Richmond law firm • • • • •
Fantom Brewing; team leader Eric Halverson Ambiance; Unique Williams Cleaner Surroundings; team leader Justin Baxter East End Storage; team leader Benjamin Straight Just Like Home; team leader Mary Scruggs
Matthew Rutherford, professor Being in the Hirschler Fleischer offices gives legitimacy. The students feel it’s a bigger deal here. The focus of this program is to wed theory and reality. I can handle the theory, but the reality is harder. Most people don’t have the opportunity to do something like this as undergraduates. Mike Paulette, judge This was a good group tonight. There was consensus among the judges. All five of them had good oral and written presentations. They handled the Q&A really well. And they put a lot of work into their financials. That’s always the toughest part. Rutherford I never know who’s going to win. They all had good points. We’ve had boring winners and we’ve had exciting winners before. Even if the product is boring, it can be done very well. And if it’s an exciting business, well then, it’s probably risky. I’ve taught this course for five years now and this is my fourth competition. It’s lots of work, but this night makes it all worthwhile. If I didn’t do this competition, I’d feel like my students didn’t get what they need. You know, my students are my product. It would be a lot easier to keep them behind closed doors. It’s a lot of pressure on me to bring them out and show them off like this. Janet Thomas, judge I’ve done this for three or four years now — enough to see a progression in how well the teams have done since year one. Matt does a really good job, and I learn something every year myself.”
“It’s all about
the story. If the numbers are wrong, they can be
fixed.”
– Matthew Rutherford, professor
The winner Just Like Home, this year’s ACG competition winner, had a winning story. The team proposed a product called the Snappy Shirt, first conceived when Mary Scruggs’ grandfather was hospitalized. As Scruggs explained it, her grandfather, a dignified elderly man, was embarrassed to be seen by visitors dressed in the regulation, open-in-the-back hospital gown. So Scruggs’ mother altered a classic, oxford cloth button-down shirt so it closed down the back and sleeves with Velcro and fit neatly over the hospital gown. An idea was born. Just Like Home planned to produce the Snappy Shirt in China and sell it wholesale to hospital gift shops and pharmacies nationwide. Mike Eisenman, judge But what about a competitor doing the same thing for a dollar cheaper? Mary Scruggs, student Our idea is to be the front-runner and establish our brand quickly. Eisenman But your sales numbers show a spike in the first year and then flatten out to only 3 to 4 percent growth the year after that. If your sales advantage is to get there fast, then you can’t stop making money. If you need to grow faster, your concern is going to be finding money to make more shirts so you can stay out in front. Scruggs A business plan is just a plan. After you get started, you kinda have to go with the flow. Matt Rutherford, professor It’s all about the story. If the numbers are wrong, they can be fixed. And unless you can predict the future, the numbers are usually wrong.
Students Lindsay Wallo (left), Brittany Sholar, Mary Scruggs and Brian Lantz win the competition with their product idea, the Snappy Shirt.
Mike Paulette, judge This team won because they had a unique idea they were passionate about. They’d done their research and there was full team participation — good discussion by all. Also, they had flexibility, the ability to be adaptive if necessary. Lindsay Wallo, student We were really surprised to win. We were really even surprised to be in the top five. Last Wednesday, we were worried about passing the class and graduating! Brian Lantz, student We asked for a bank loan. No equity. We were worried since we heard investors like equity. Brittany Sholar, student But I think being that nervous showed that we really cared. So, will the team use its $1,000 prize money to start producing the Snappy Shirt? Probably not. Scruggs You know, we had a guest speaker in class this semester, and what he said really resonated with me. He said, “If you want to be an entrepreneur, go out and get a job with someone else for a few years, and make all your mistakes on their dime.” Susan T. Burtch is a freelance copywriter based in Richmond, Va. Winter 2010 19
In for the long haul
Alumnus David Yu takes calculated risks, commits to crossing the finish line
The finish line
“It’s not about how you start, but how you finish,” David Yu says. Whether he’s running a marathon or a business, the 1974 Virginia Commonwealth University graduate uses the same language. “Being an entrepreneur is being a risk-taker,” he explains. “You take a calculated risk and go for it — and 26.2 miles is a long way.” Yu has a pretty impressive track record. He came to the U.S. at the age of 20 and honed his language skills living in a VCU dorm. “There weren’t many Chinese then. You just had to speak. There was no other choice.” After graduation, he moved to Atlanta, got his M.B.A. from Georgia State University, and worked for the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. In 1987, he founded Summit National Bank to serve the growing community of immigrants in Atlanta.
20
An entrepreneurial start “During the 1980s, there was a big influx of immigrants from Taiwan and Korea, but the market in Atlanta was too small, so we decided to go for multiple markets. And what’s their common denominator? Small businesses. So we focused on smallbusiness lending.” Yu raised capital from Chinese, Indian and traditional sources, and started the bank with $11 million. “And Summit did well for us,” he says with satisfaction. “We were a pioneer in Atlanta.” The entrepreneurial spirit came naturally to Yu. “You have to look for the opportunity,” he says. “Know what you want to do, and then when the opportunity arises, do it.” When Summit bought a bank in San Jose, California, in 1998, it beat Nations Bank by just two weeks. “You have to take advantage fast, constantly examine your own position and see what the possibilities are for expansion,” Yu says. “We did that.”
In fact, Summit Bank was so successful, it was bought out by United Commercial Bank in 2006. Yu stayed on as southeast regional director, then took early retirement in 2009 — when he started running marathons in earnest. His first was the Richmond Marathon in 2005, because he hadn’t been back since graduation. He has now run 13 marathons, including races in China and Brazil. “My kids think I’m a crazy old man,” he says, laughing. Meanwhile, he’s back to running another business. Called Dafeng International Trading Co., Yu’s latest venture is exporting coal to China. “I’m the instigator,” he says. “Initially I’m setting it up, but then there’s not a lot of supervision. You spot an opportunity. I think this one’s going to work, but before you take the risk, you have to calculate if you can afford it — and have a fallback plan.” Yu does, but he doesn’t know if this new company will succeed or not. After all, he hasn’t finished yet.
Advice from an entrepreneur • Stay curious. • Look for good ideas that can be applied in new ways. • Learn the history of your hometown. • Be open to new ideas. • Keep balance in your life.
executive
edge Fast track M.B.A. program marks 16 years of leadership excellence
Bill Miller has served as the executive director of the Virginia Commonwealth University Fast Track Executive M.B.A. program since the first class began in 1994. He’s the ideal person to gauge its success, since he not only leads it, he proposed it 21 years ago. “Back when I was in grad school,” he remembers, “I wrote a business plan to develop an executive M.B.A. program at VCU for Dr. Michael Little, [then] dean of Graduate Studies. Three Bill Miller, M.B.A. years later, he contacted me and said, ‘Why don’t you help us launch this?’” Miller is glad he seized the opportunity, and so are the more than 700 program graduates, 102 of whom are CEOs, presidents and vice presidents of their companies. What differentiates the VCU program is its integrated modular approach, which helps make connections across curricula. So instead of “silo” classes in traditional subjects such as accounting and economics, for example, executive M.B.A. students take classes in “global challenges” and “organizational culture,” which have information about accounting, economics and other traditional M.B.A. subjects woven throughout.
The global M.B.A. “You work in the real world of business. So should your M.B.A.,” asserts the program’s promotional materials. Today, that “real world” is global. Miller says one of the program’s highlights is its yearly study trip to cities as far-flung as Tokyo and Melbourne (Australia), Cape Town (South Africa) and Santiago (Chile). Miller was with his class in Hong Kong two weeks after China took over, and in Ireland on 9/ll. “Now, that was hard,” Miller recalls. “But the warmth of the Irish people was overwhelming.”
The practical M.B.A. Many lessons are learned closer to home. Students spend orientation weekend on the Civil War battlefield of Chancellorsville, examining the decisions Gens. Lee
and Hooker made during the battle. “That sends students immediately into issues of leadership, communication and team building,” explains professor Randy Barker, Ph.D., who joins Miller in leading the creative field exercise. For Miller, another program highlight is a relatively recent focus on entrepreneurial skills. Nine months into the program, students write individual business plans, then deliver their 90-second elevator pitch to the class — standing in front of a screen showing an elevator full of simulated, life-size images of Donald Trump and other potential investors. Later, entrepreneurial teams move on to tackle a larger issue for an actual company: the “strategic dilemma” project.
The M.B.A. of the future Miller is proud of the program’s growth from 32 students in 1996 to 96 students in 2010. “Our program has been fully sold out each year since its inception,” he says. “I believe there’s no more coveted degree today than an M.B.A., and the competition for students is fierce. But then, that’s our challenge. How do we stay innovative and continue to expand? For one thing, we’ve got a great new dean, and he comes from the real world of business. He’s bringing a lot to the table. We’re already discussing the possibilities for the future, and they’re really exciting.”
The executive
M.B.A. difference
1999 graduate “The big thing for me was the exposure to other disciplines. Eight years after I graduated, I did a buyout of Yukon, the company I was working for at the time. The year after that, I acquired a Tampa company and doubled the company’s revenues in four years. Would I have been able to do that if I hadn’t gone through the program? Maybe, but it certainly would have taken me longer and I might not have been as successful.” Chris Ayers President and CEO, Yukon Group Inc.
2010 graduate “The integrated curriculum worked well for me. After the very first weekend, the material covered in the program had immediate applicability that I could use that next Monday at work. It also helped me greatly with my presentation skills as a corporate spokesperson. The program gave me confidence in my skills.” Cindy Phaup Condyles Director of wealth management, BB&T
Winter 2010 21
FROM THE
boardroom
A financial planner
speaks from the heart
He’s a Chartered Financial Consultant and Chartered Life Underwriter, with credentials in Advanced Estate Planning, Pension & Profit Sharing, and Employee Benefit Planning. And he’s been in the financial business for the past 50 years, so clearly, James C. Lester knows the best way to manage assets. In 2001, when Jim and his wife, Faye, made a donation to Virginia Commonwealth University they chose to set up a charitable trust, which will continue to generate income for VCU in perpetuity. “A charitable trust can provide excellent income and be a good estate tax savings vehicle,” Jim says. “But today, it’s even more advantageous, because as of 2011, the government has lowered the bar on estate taxes from $3.5 million to $1 million per estate.” V 22
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But the real reason Jim decided to use a trust? “I like to help people. I am not a scholar, but I did go to RPI on the Thalhimer Department Store Scholarship. Scholarships are what I care about. I’m proud of VCU and its determination to grow stronger. I want to continue to be a part of the university community.” If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of planned giving, contact Kenneth C. Blaisdell, Ph.D., at (804) 828-2694 or kcblaisdell@vcu.edu.
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Above: Student Dillard Watt (left) with James C. Lester
FROM THE
boardroom
Business students from several Virginia universities represent the state at the national Future Business Leaders of America conference.
Extracurricular organizations enhance the student experience By Kenneth C. Blaisdell, Ph.D.
Woody Allen famously said that “80 percent of success is showing up.” For our best students in the school, that means not simply attending class, but also joining extracurricular organizations and fraternities, which give them an in-depth opportunity to learn more about their chosen disciplines, work in teams and, perhaps most importantly, develop leadership skills which they will use the rest of their lives. Just recently, the School of Business Foundation supported two such programs using funds generously provided by alumni and friends.
Providing firsthand fund management The Student Managed Investment Portfolio, advised by Cory Bunting, associate director of our Capital Markets Center and a Wall Street veteran, is led by 18 hand-picked students who research and choose the investments, track their performance and recommend changes as needed. Last spring, the foundation turned over $100,000 of the “Unrestricted Quasi Endowment” to the students to manage. Sophomores and juniors eagerly lined up to take the slots of graduating seniors who, thanks to their experience on the team, were able to compete in the job market extraordinarily prepared and in the best tradition of VCU “business ready!”
Hospitality Management, placing fifth, sixth and 10th, respectively. The foundation provided $3,600 for seven students toward their fees, lodging and transportation. The students secured other funding on their own. We are very proud of our talented team, and they embody all that is special about VCU.
Supporting student successes I look forward to reporting back to you on the VCU School of Business students’ experiences and successes. Your continuing generosity makes these and other programs possible, and they truly do enrich the student experience which, ultimately, is why we exist. – Kenneth C. Blaisdell, Ph.D., is executive director of the School of Business Foundation and associate dean of external affairs.
Fostering future business leaders The Future Business Leaders of America student organization ( ß ), advised by Maureen Carley (B.S. ’93/MKTG; M.B.A. ’95), an associate director in our information systems department, excelled in spring statewide competitions, earning an eye-opening 22 first-place, four second-place and one third-place award. Their performance earned them the right to participate and compete in the National Leadership Conference discipline-related competitions in Nashville, Tenn., in July. Seven students competed with three teams, Business Presentation, Microeconomics and
Through support from the VCU School of Business Foundation, students Danny Moss (top left), James Atchison, Eris Jones, Salman Saeed, Crystal Thomas (bottom left), Danita Butts and Francisco Coleto travel to the National Leadership Conference in Nashville, Tenn.
Winter 2010 23
VCU
business alumni society
Perfect weather for a new tradition. On a warm sunny day last spring, 72 golfers gathered at Independence Golf Club in Midlothian, Va., to kick off the inaugural VCU Business Alumni Society Open. More than 20 companies and organizations purchased sponsorships and 14 provided door prizes. Mike Malinsky (B.S. ’89/MGMT; M.B.A. ’96) is ready to tee off.
An ideal networking situation. School of Business students volunteered to stand at each hole, giving them ample opportunity to network with VCU alumni and members of the Richmond business community. The students all wore nametags with their major and year of graduation. Garima Prasai (B.S. ’10/ACCT&B) (left) and Alex Cameron, who’s graduating this spring, enjoy the tournament.
The VCU golf team competitive edge. As a number of players discovered, there was more than one way to lower your score. By paying $10 per shot, golfers could have a member of the VCU golf team make their shot for them. Chase Sargent, VCU golf team member, shows how it’s done.
Going for the gold. Forget the Masters’ green jackets. Tournament winners looked like champions in their gold jackets. Richard Neisz (left), Glenn Davis (B.S. ’86/INFO), Melvin Jones and Van Williams show off their winning smiles.
A warm welcome. The golf open provided a great opportunity for the new School of Business dean to meet VCU alumni, just one month after he arrived in Richmond. From left: Steve Brincefield (M.S. ’74/FIRE), Valerie Grier, Dean Ed Grier and Bill Ginther (B.S. ’69/MGMT; M.S. ’74/B) celebrate the conclusion of this successful, first-time tournament.
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We have been able to
more fully realize
creativity, innovation leadership the
and
capabilities at all levels of our organization.
Kevin W. Nattrass
President and Chief Executive Officer Berkley Mid-Atlantic Group, LLC
Strengthen your organization. Call the Center for Corporate Education at 804.828.3165 www.business.vcu.edu/corporate-education e-mail: corp-ed@vcu.edu
CLASS CLASSnotes notes
Updates Please send information about your professional and personal accomplishments to BizandMain@vcu.edu. Or, mail your news to Katherine Oliver, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Business, P.O. Box 844000, Richmond, VA 23284-4000.
1960s
1970s
James E. Tate (B.S. ’61/B) is enjoying his retirement in Winter Park, Fla., with his wife of 56 years, Betty. Tate entered VCU’s predecessor, Richmond Professional Institute, on the GI Bill in 1957. A former Army sergeant, he worked on the R.F. & P. Railroad as a brakeman while attending RPI. Tate owned his own business as an independent manufacturer’s representative before retiring in 1995. He’s a proud father to Richard, a retired naval aviator and current Lockheed-Martin executive, and Dixie, a retired editor of the Orlando Sentinel now working as a part-time college instructor.
Bruce M. Sedel (B.S. ’76/MKTG) and Jon F. Sedel (B.S. ’74/MGMT) founded Sedel
Daniel P. Small, P.C., (B.S. ’65/ACCT) a
first year as a professor of business with Westwood College in Annandale, Va. He also operates Family Financial Development, which assists consumers with financial recovery and career advice, as well as targeting the federal work force for financial services.
professor at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College and a practicing attorney, is proud to note that VCU has become a family tradition. Two of his sons, Karl and Ross, earned VCU degrees in criminal justice. Another son, John, earned his M.B.A. from the School of Business, and John’s wife, Tiffany, is a student in the School of Education. If the couple’s three-year-old son Benjamin attends VCU, it will mean that every member of the Small family, starting with Dan, will have attended VCU. William “Bill” Ginther (B.S. ’69/MGMT; M.S. ’74/B) was named to the VCU Board
of Visitors and elected to the Virginians for the Arts board of directors.
& Associates Realty Inc. and Sedel Construction Corp. based in Virginia Beach, Va. Entering their 32nd year of operation, the Sedel companies specialize in commercial real estate brokerage sales, leasing, property management and development. Outside of work, brothers Jon and Bruce enjoy gourmet cooking, family fun and working out.
1980s Brett Cole (B.S. ’83/MKTG) completed his
Glenn Davis (B.S. ’86/INFO) was selected by the Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council to participate in the Minority Business Enterprise Executive Management Training in the University of Richmond’s Executive Education Program. Davis is owner of BranCore Technologies. Kent Haselton (B.S. ’82/MKTG; Cert. ’09/ FIRE) is working as a mortgage loan
originator for Cornerstone Home Mortgage
LLC. He recently completed national and state Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System requirements specified under the 2008 SAFE Act. Mabel Washington Jenkins (B.S. ’81/MGMT)
was recognized by the Virginia Municipal Clerks Association as the 2010 Clerk of the Year in recognition of her accomplishments as city clerk for Newport News, Va. Kevin W. Johnson (B.S. ’83/MGMT) was
appointed pastor of ministry at Celebration Church in Columbia, Md., in May 2010. Garland Taylor (B.S. ’86/MKTG) is owner of Home Team Grill, a Richmond, Va.-based sports bar and restaurant. This fall, he is opening a new location in Fredericksburg, Va., at a development next to the University of Mary Washington campus.
1990s Aaron M. Dunn (B.S. ’99/INFO) was recently promoted to director of the Excellence First Group at Wells Fargo Advisors. A native of Mechanicsville, Va., he relocated his family to St. Louis when the company moved its headquarters there. In his new role, he oversees service issues that fellow employees require assistance with and rewards employees when they have met or exceeded expectations. He has been with the firm since 2000. Stuart Grizzle (B.S. ’96/MGMT&FIRE) moved to Philadelphia to start his insurance marketing firm, Secured Benefits Group LLC in May 2000, which just celebrated its 10-year anniversary. Grizzle is owner and president. He has 26 employees and was awarded the top agency in sales production nationwide for Transamerica in 2005 and 2006. He is married to Melissa Morera-Grizzle, who graduated with a journalism degree from VCU in 1997. She serves as marking director for Secured Benefits Group. Johnny Wilkinson (B.S. ’90/MKTG) is owner
of HomeWell Senior Care and Five Star Home Health Care in Dulles, Va.
2000s Jeremy Barbee (B.S. ’02/MGMT) graduated in May 2010 with a Master of Arts degree in Christian leadership from Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Ky. Brian Lee Christopher (Cert. ’09/ACCT) was licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in January 2010.
Welcome Week 2010. The School of Business welcomes freshman and transfer students to Snead Hall for a session on the “Art of Networking” followed by a cookout and student organization fair with business students and faculty. 26
Erica Lamberta (B.S. ’09/MKTG) recently started at VCU as program coordinator for the Executive M.B.A. program. She also serves as volunteer program chairperson for the Museum District Association.
CLASS
Cary Loeser (M.B.A. ’09) is a reserve district manager for Farmers Insurance, responsible for hiring, training and the ongoing development of new insurance and financial advisers in the Richmond and Central Virginia area. Last fall, he successfully completed his Six Sigma Black Belt at VCU, which, he says, has helped him streamline business processes and increased the efficiency of office operations. Marcella A. Mitchell (B.S. ’10/MGMT)
married O’Conor G. Ashby II on June 12, 2010. Christopher A. Parker (B.S. ’10/ACCT&FIRE)
passed the Level 1 Charted Financial Analyst exam. Chris Van Ramm (Pharm.D./M.B.A. ’07)
celebrated the birth of his second daughter, Amelia Marie, on March 22, 2010. Her proud big sister is 2-year-old Bailey Lyn. Van Ramm writes, “Our home is very active, but we wouldn't have it any other way!” Gaurav “G” Shrestha (B.S. ’03/FIRE) and
his wife, Megan, welcomed twins, Mia and Grant, on June 29, 2010.
notes
Marketing professor Heiko Wijnholds retires from VCU Associate professor of marketing Heiko de B. Wijnholds retired from VCU this spring after 31 years of service and dedication to the university. Chairman of the Department of Marketing from 1982 to 1992, Wijnholds, a native of Amsterdam, received his Doctor of Commerce from the University of South Africa and undergraduate and master’s degrees in marketing and business from the University of Pretoria. Wijnholds’ numerous refereed papers and presentations at international, national and regional conferences have enriched the academic community, and as a business journalist, he’s also helped to elevate the general public’s understanding of business. In addition, he has authored major research reports, co-authored a textbook published by McGraw-Hill and published a number of articles in leading publications. His research has focused on the marketing and regulatory environment with a global trade perspective. During his VCU career teaching international marketing and marketing research courses, Wijnholds has fostered an understanding of the global business environment and its impact to more than 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students. He also has recruited and mentored numerous faculty members. While not ruling out the occasional professional writing or speaking engagement, Wijnholds says he plans to spend his retirement traveling, collecting antiques and enjoying his role as a grandparent.
Gary Zhu (B.S. ’06/FIRE) received the
Chairman’s Compass Award from his employer, Genworth. The award is the highest individual honor at Genworth, recognizing associates at all levels who deliver outstanding results against the company’s strategy while also demonstrating one or more of Genworth’s values — heart, integrity and excellence.
Gerald M. Morgan (B.S. ’72/B), of Harrisburg, Pa., March 22, 2010. R. Dennis Morris (M.S. ’73/B), of Chesapeake, Va., May 13, 2010. Fred E. O’Connell (B.S. ’68/B), of Daytona Beach, Fla., Dec. 28, 2009, at age 88. Paul S. Oliver (A.S. ’68/B), of Henrico, Va., June 8, 2010, at age 63.
In memoriam Alumni Angelo W. Alexandri (B.S. ’63/B), of Richmond, Va., Dec. 29, 2009, at age 76. A.E. Berlinghoff Jr. (B.S. ’71/ACCT), of Hardyville, Va., March 7, 2010, at age 72. Dorothy M. Brewer (B.S. ’66/B), of Winchester, Va., March 30, 2010, at age 65. Carlton T. Davis Jr. (B.S. ’85/MKTG), of Richmond, Va., Feb. 19, 2010, at age 53. Aliceann N. Fleming (M.S. ’71/B), of Richmond, Va., June 2, 2010, at age 79. Cheryl Ellis Hager (B.S. ’92/B), of Rockville, Va., March 10, 2010, at age 48. Perry K. Mandaleris (M.S. ’78/ACCT), of Virginia Beach, Va., Jan. 14, 2010, at age 60. Dorothy C. McLeod (’83/B), of Richmond, Va., March 6, 2010, at age 94. Floyd L. Mitchell (B.S. ’52/B), of Richmond, Va., Feb. 17, 2010.
Richard F. Roberts (B.S. ’73/MGMT), of Charlotte, N.C., Feb. 12, 2010. Edward S. Robson (B.S. ’78/MGMT; M.B.A. ’84; Cert. ’00/ACCT), of Richmond, Va., May 21, 2010, at age 55. William D. Sheffey (B.S. ’90/MGMT), of Overland Park, Kan., May 2, 2010, at age 42.
Students Kerolos Makhloof, of Lorton, Va., July 24, 2010, at age 20. A management major, he served as the investment officer for the Established Leaders Society.
Faculty Howard P. Tuckman, Ph.D., of Union, N.J., Oct. 13, 2010. Dean from 1993 to 1999, he led initiatives to renovate classrooms, raise scholarship support and launch an executive M.B.A. program. Paul Mitchell Umberger, of Henrico County, Va., July 28, 2010, at age 79. Umberger taught business mathematics, calculus and economics for 33 years at VCU and Richmond Professional Institute.
Abbreviation Key Business degrees are noted with year and department; other VCU degrees are designated by year. DEGREES Cert. Certificate B.S. Bachelor of Science M.A. Master of Arts M.Acc. Master of Accountancy M.B.A. Master of Business Administration M.S. Master of Science M.Tax. Master of Taxation Ph.D. Doctor of Philosophy
DEPARTMENTS ACCT Accounting B Unknown/General Business ECON Economics FIRE Finance, Insurance and Real Estate INFO Information Systems MGMT Management MKTG Marketing
Winter 2010 27
CLASS CLASSnotes notes
Share your news
Tell us about yourself, and we’ll update your official alumni record and share the news with your friends and classmates. Send information about your professional and personal accomplishments to BizandMain@vcu.edu. Or mail your news to Katherine Oliver, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Business, P.O. Box 844000, Richmond, VA 23284-4000.
I am submitting information on the following:
o Promotion o New job o Address change o Wedding o Family addition o Death notice o Other (Please attach separate sheet to report awards, etc.) o Do not publish this information.
I am submitting for record purposes only.
About y oui
Marriagei
Maiden name (if applicable)
Spouse’s name
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If VCU alumnus/alumna, class year
Street address
Wedding date
City
State
ZIP
Spouse’s employer
Home phone Cell phone
Familyi
Home e-mail address
Boy
Girl
Name E mplo y ment i
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28
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BY THE
numbers
| today
73 Years in operation
937 144
Graduates last year (2009-2010)
Full- and part-time faculty
89
%
11
%
In-state students
Out-of-state students
40 Ranked in the
TOP
1
5
Are you a CEO, chairman, president or owner? Areas of study
% of business schools in the world (AACSB accreditation)
st business school in the nation to have an ABET-accredited undergraduate information systems program
According to our records, 804 Virginia Commonwealth University School of Business graduates hold the title of CEO, chairman, president or owner of a company. Are you one of them? Congratulations on your success! Please make sure you’re on our roster of top-ranking alumni. Send your name, title, company and contact info to BizandMain@vcu.edu. Winter 2010 29
School of Business
Foundation Trustees Chair
Steven A. Markel Vice chairman Markel Corp. Treasurer
Robert E. Rigsby (M.S. ’75/B; Cert. ’77/ACCT; M.B.A. ’81) President and COO (retired) Dominion Virginia Power
Secretary
Ranjit Sen President and CEO CXI
A. William Hamill President H3 Companies LLC
Robert C. Sledd Chairman (retired) Performance Food Group Co. Managing partner Pinnacle Ventures LLC Senior economic adviser to Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell
Robert E. Henley Jr. (B.S. ’71/ACCT) Managing partner (retired) Ernst & Young
Kenneth C. Blaisdell, Ph.D. Executive director School of Business Foundation
Allen B. King (B.S. ’77/ACCT) Chairman emeritus Universal Corp.
Treasurer
Gail L. Letts President and CEO SunTrust Bank, Central Virginia Region
James A. Buzzard President MeadWestvaco Corp. L. Dans Callans Jr. (B.S. ’66/ACCT) President Sunset Ford Phyllis L. Cothran (B.S. ’71/ACCT) President and COO (retired) Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield Josée G. Covington President and CEO Covington International Travel T. Kent Cox (B.S. ’78/MGMT) Senior vice president Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Richard Cullen, Esq. Partner/chairman McGuireWoods Nancy C. Everett (B.S. ’78/ACCT) CEO Promark Global Advisors
30
Brenton S. Halsey Chairman and CEO (retired) James River Corp.
John P. McCann Chairman emeritus United Dominion Realty Trust Principal McCann Realty Partners LLC James V. Meath, Esq. Partner and vice chairman, board of directors Williams Mullen G. Gilmer Minor III Chairman Owens & Minor Inc. Thurston R. Moore, Esq. Chairman, Executive Committee Hunton & Williams LLP John R. Nelson, Ph.D. Executive vice president Chief technology officer Altria Inc.
Thomas G. Snead Jr. (B.S. ’76/ACCT) President and CEO (retired) Southeast Region, Wellpoint Inc. Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield Harry R. Thalhimer President Thalhimer Headwear Eric P. Whittleton (B.S. ’84; Cert. ’86/INFO) President Rigaud LLC F. Dixon Whitworth Jr. (M.S. ’69/B) Regional president (retired) BB&T Ex-Officio
Joseph E. Becht Jr. (M.B.A. ’80) Director Deloitte and Touche LLP President, VCU Business Society Michael Rao, Ph.D. President Virginia Commonwealth University Ed Grier Dean VCU School of Business
Charles H. Foster Jr. Chairman emeritus (retired) LandAmerica Financial Group
Baxter F. Phillips Jr. (B.S. ’75/B; M.B.A. ’76) President Massey Energy Co.
Emeritus
George C. Freeman III Chairman, president and CEO Universal Corp.
Charles F. Phillips III Richmond office managing partner Ernst & Young
Bryan E. Kornblau CEO Eagle Construction of Virginia LLC
Mark M. Gambill Managing director and CEO Cary Street Partners
James E. Rogers President SCI Investors Inc.
W. Austin Ligon Co-founder and CEO (retired) CarMax
William M. Ginther (B.S. ’69/MGMT; M.S. ’74/B) Corporate executive vice president (retired) SunTrust Bank
S. Buford Scott Chairman Scott & Stringfellow
Michael Dinkins Executive vice president and CFO USI Insurance Services
CALendar
Good friends, good fun A photo booth at the school’s Welcome Week 2010 event captured the fun side of students and faculty.
December 2010 Dec. 11 VCU Commencement and School of Business Graduation Ceremony www.commencement.vcu.edu
Dec. 13-17 Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Course Snead Hall, Room B3189 (804) 828-3165 www.business.vcu.edu/corporateeducation
January 2011 Jan. 29 VCU Business Alumni Society Tip Off reception and men’s basketball game Stuart C. Siegel Center (804) 827-1805 www.business.vcu.edu/alumni
February 2011 Feb. 3 VCU Business Spring Career Fair Snead Hall Atrium (804) 827-1801 www.business.vcu.edu/career
April 2011 April 6 17th International Business Forum “Sustainability in the Global Marketplace” University Student Commons www.ciba.vcu.edu
April 29
To get ahead, go back Thinking about returning to school? Contact the programs below for information session and application details. Fast Track Executive M.B.A. (804) 828-3939 www.business.vcu.edu/emba Fast Track Executive M.S. in Information Systems (804) 828-7074 www.business.vcu.edu/ftems Traditional M.B.A. (evening or full time), master’s, certificate and Ph.D. programs (804) 828-4622 or (877) 828-4540 www.business.vcu.edu/graduate
Center for Corporate Education • • • • •
Certified Financial Planning Program Insurance Planning Income Taxation Society for Human Resources Management Learning System Professional in Human Resources/ Senior Professional in Human Resources Review Course Lean Process Management Program Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Project Management
VCU Business Alumni Society Golf Open Independence Golf Club (804) 827-1805 www.business.vcu.edu/alumni
• • • •
For a complete list of events, visit www.business.vcu.edu/events.html.
For program dates and details, call (804) 828-3165 or visit www.business.vcu.edu /corporate-education. Winter 2010 31
VCU
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Business Snead Hall 301 West Main Street P.O. Box 844000 Richmond, Virginia 23284-4000
Non-profit Organization U.S. Postage Paid RICHMOND, VA Permit No. 869
The VCU Business connection “It’s inspiring to see that the professionals in the Richmond area are looking to get connected with you (as a VCU student) while you’re looking for that person to get you to that spot, wherever you’re trying to go.” – Ryan Swan, management major, Fredericksburg, Va.
www.business.vcu.edu