Winter 2017 Villanova Business Magazine

Winter 2017

BUSINESS

Meet Dean Russell

The new Helen and William O’Toole Dean of the Villanova School of Business

FACULTY / P12

Shawn Howton, PhD, faculty director of The Daniel M. DiLella Center

SPOTLIGHT / P22

Brady Acton, an Entrepreneur You’re Going to Want to Follow

DONOR / P26

Gift from Kevin M. Curley ’80 VSB Transforms The Exchange

THE HELEN AND WILLIAM O’TOOLE DEAN

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Joyce E. A. Russell, PhD DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION AND MARKETING

Cathy J. Toner

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ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION

Shannon M. Wilson CONTRIBUTORS

22 FEATURES 2 COVER STORY Meet Dean Russell, the new Helen and William O’Toole Dean of the Villanova School of Business

8 FACULTY SPOTLIGHT Shawn Howton, PhD, faculty director, The Daniel M. DiLella Center for Real Estate and professor, Finance

10 FACULTY FOCUS 14 STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS 16 INSIDE VSB 22 STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Brady Acton ’18 VSB, an entrepreneur you’re going to want to follow

24 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHTS Stephen Wemple ’16 VSB Patricia Lo ’82 VSB

26 DONOR SPOTLIGHT Kevin M. Curley ’80 VSB transforms the Exchange

Carrie Adkins-Ali Siobhan Arnold Claire Asmussen ’16 VSB Nicole DiPaolo ’18 VSB Lizandra Fiske ’16 VSB Lauren Higgins Ian MacPherson ’20 VSB Isabel Manfredonia ’17 VSB Maddie Martini ’19 CLAS Madison Meyer ’18 VSB Thomas D. Rodriguez ’16 VSB Brad Warmhold DESIGN AND PRODUCTION

Matthew Schmidt Design

Villanova Business is published semiannually for alumni and friends of the Villanova School of Business.

It is available in print or online at business.villanova.edu.

Send comments and questions to: VSBCommunicationsandMarketing @villanova.edu.

Villanova Business 800 Lancaster Avenue Villanova, PA 19085-1678 610-519-5424 business.villanova.edu Follow us: @VU_Business @VillanovaBusiness Villanova School of Business

Cover: Joyce E. A. Russell, PhD; The Helen and William O’Toole Dean of the Villanova School of Business. Photography: Ed Cunicelli

Villanova School of Business

DEAN’S UPDATE

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“

Villanova’s firm foundation in liberal arts and its Augustinian heritage are what drew me to apply.”

–Dean Russell

COVER STORY

Villanova School of Business

Dean Russell

Lifelong learner, teacher and scholar It doesn’t take long to realize just how much Joyce E. A. Russell, PhD, brings to the Villanova School of Business in her new role as the Helen and William O’Toole Dean.

In the six months since she officially joined VSB, she has brought a clear vision for the future of the business undergraduate school, ranked #1 by Bloomberg Businessweek.

And she’s just getting started!

When former dean Patrick G. Maggitti, PhD, was selected to serve as the University’s first Provost, the year-long search for the new Helen and William O’Toole Dean of VSB commenced. There were more than 400 candidates.

“Villanova’s firm foundation in liberal arts and its Augustinian heritage are what drew me to apply,” said Dean Russell, the first female dean of VSB. “I saw this as an opportunity to merge my Catholic faith with my skillset as a business educator to further enhance VSB’s mission of developing ethical business leaders.”

Dean Russell earned her PhD and MA in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from The University of Akron, Ohio. She brings more than 30 years of consulting experience with organizations such as Lockheed Martin, Marriott, the U.S. Department of Defense, Under Armour, National Institute of Health, Black & Decker, CSX Transportation, McCormick, Sprint and Boeing, just to name a few. Her expertise is primarily in the areas of negotiation tactics, leadership and management development, executive coaching, and change management— perfect qualifications for a business school dean.

“Joyce has a winning combination of deep curricular knowledge and innovative ideas around the future of business education,” said Provost Maggitti, who served on the search committee. “Her experience in these areas were key to our hiring decision and we are excited to elevate VSB’s prominence.”

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COVER STORY

Dean Russell serves as VSB’s chief executive, academic and fiscal officer, representing the school to the University community and to all external constituencies locally and nationally.

Dean Russell earned much of this experience in her 18 years at the University of Maryland’s (UMD) Robert H. Smith School of Business, where she recently served as both senior associate dean and vice dean. She oversaw the school’s undergraduate, MBA, online, specialty masters and executive programs, as well as the development of the school’s global, university and corporate partnerships, all while being consistently ranked in the top 15 percent of UMD’s professors.

Prior to joining UMD, she was a tenured full professor in the College of Business Administration at The University of Tennessee (UT), where she received numerous teaching and research awards from students, faculty and alumni for her work with Executive MBAs, MBAs, doctoral students and undergraduates.

She also led the school in securing funded research and applied contracts with leading firms such as Frito-Lay, Alcoa, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Quaker Oats, among others.

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Dean Russell considers herself a learner at her very core, which stems from her upbringing.

Growing up near Annapolis, Md., as the middle of five children, she playfully credits her negotiation and mediation skills to her birth order. She was taught the value of education, independence and a competitive spirit at a young age. Her mother, a savvy businesswoman, and her father, a CPA/CFO, instilled these values early on; in fact, each of her siblings has an advanced degree and professional certifications or licenses.

She remembered several early conversations that really stayed with her about the role of teachers. “My grandfather told me that his second grade teacher had a significant impact on his learning and I thought it was so profound that a teacher could have that kind of lifelong effect,” Dean Russell remembers. “My mother also told me how her eighth grade teacher really took the time to mentor and guide her, and this helped to set the successful course of her life.”

“ In a way, I’ve been a learner and a teacher my whole life.”

Dean Russell shares, “my oldest sister would play ‘practice school’ with me and my siblings in the basement. In my teen years, as a competitively ranked tennis player, I also started teaching tennis to ‘kids’ from three to 83 years old! I also taught Sunday school and volunteered at summer camps as a teen.

“I had so many outstanding teachers, mentors and coaches who gave so much to me, and the joy I got from helping others grow in their knowledge, skills or faith was a powerful way for me to give back and contribute.”

“I always loved researching and writing as well,” Dean Russell said.

Noted by her teachers at an early age for being intellectually curious and always the one to ask “why?” she began her quest for understanding and disseminating knowledge. Conducting research that can be translated and applied to businesses is a passion of hers, as evidenced by her scholarly research record, business contracts and extensive consulting experiences.

COVER STORY

“ Joyce has a winning combination of deep curricular knowledge and innovative ideas around the future of business education.” –Provost Maggitti

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COVER STORY

Driven by Mission, Dedicated to Mentoring

A Clear Vision for VSB

In addition to supporting VSB’s academic excellence, part of Dean Russell’s role as VSB’s chief academic officer also includes working closely with educational and external organizations to carry out the mission of the University.

Dean Russell brings a vibrant approach to her leadership, combining her love for teaching and business with her dedication to VSB’s mission. “I believe the power of a well-rounded education can transform society,” she shared.

“I love the mission-based mindset here and am thrilled to be in a place where I can take pride in my faith and serve our students through the Augustinian values of truth, community, caring and leading through service,” Dean Russell explained after she proudly noted that she received a Catholic school education from elementary school through college.

Among her top goals are elevating the national prominence of VSB by building stronger bridges with the business community, supporting innovative teaching, providing unparalleled student experiential learning, enhancing research, and making VSB a Best Place to Work to retain the strongest faculty and staff to support its students.

Above all, she feels passionate about mentoring young people. “They are so optimistic and futuristic and I love helping them find their paths,” she said. To fulfill this passion in her personal life, Dean Russell has served on her high school’s board for the annual fund, the board of trustees at her daughter’s school and as a Girl Scout troop leader to help inspire kids—especially girls—to become interested in business and act as advocates for themselves. “We have to help all younger people, especially girls, see business as a noble profession and one that needs their creative talents.”

To do this, she’s already started to embed herself as a presence in the Greater Philadelphia business community, and is connecting with VSB’s alumni base and students around the nation. She also plans to conduct student and alumni workshops and webinars on negotiations and leadership in the workplace. With an unrelenting work ethic, Dean Russell won’t settle for VSB just being the #1 business school in the nation, stating, “In my short time at VSB, I’ve found VSB’s students are passionate about wanting to make a difference as ethical business leaders. Now, we want to be #1 in the world!” \v/

“I believe the power of a well-rounded education can transform society, and that’s what we aim to provide.”

–Dean Russell

Dean Russell and her family participate in the St. Thomas of Villanova Day of Service

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COVER STORY

Dean Russell also serves as an executive coach, providing career and leadership guidance to leaders at all levels, especially senior executives. In addition, she wrote a weekly “Career Coach” column for The Washington Post during her tenure at UMD to help answer readers’ career questions. One of her favorite topics to write about is leadership and strategies to enhance employees’ engagement at work.

“There is so much that all of us can and must do to serve as positive, ethical role models.

If we don’t try to make an impact on the world around us, then who will?”

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Things you Didn’t Know About Dean Russell 1. Her parents instilled the value of education in her and her four siblings; they have all completed postgraduate education.

2. She is passionate about educating today’s youth and serves on the Annual Fund Board of Archbishop Spalding High School—her alma mater.

3. She received a Catholic school education from elementary school through college when she attended Loyola University Maryland.

4. A competitive athlete herself in college, she is an avid sports enthusiast— and a fan of the UT Lady Vols, the UMD Terps and the VU Wildcats!

5. She loves reading, traveling and spending time outdoors hiking and biking with her family.

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FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

Real Estate for a Better World Faculty Spotlight on Shawn Howton, PhD

Villanova School of Business students routinely acknowledge the accessibility and genuine support of faculty. Shawn Howton, PhD, faculty director, The Daniel M. DiLella Center for Real Estate and professor, Finance, is no exception. In fact, his commitment to fostering relationships among students, faculty and real estate professionals has fueled the exceptional growth of the DiLella Center—with more to come.

Learning Through Experience Dr. Howton knows first-hand how relationships and mentoring can shape a career. While pursuing his MBA at Southern Illinois University, Dr. Howton served as a research fellow for several faculty members whom he admired—for their work as well as their career path.

The mix of teaching and research in academia appealed to Howton, so he turned to these faculty members for career advice, which ultimately led to a PhD program at Florida State University.

Dr. Howton joined VSB in 1999 as a finance professor, but ten years ago he was tapped for a unique opportunity.

At the time, Villanova lacked a real estate curriculum.

Daniel M. DiLella ’73 VSB, president and chief executive officer of Equus Capital Partners, wanted to provide Villanova students with the skills and experience for a career in commercial real estate and made a significant contribution to establish the endowed program that bears his name. DiLella asserts, “The Center empowers alumni and friends to support students interested in real estate with the opportunities they need to enjoy successful and rewarding careers.”

When Dr. Howton became the faculty head of the newly estab­lished DiLella Center, he brought to the role a deep understanding of VSB values with a willingness to create ties to the industry. “Real estate strategically aligns with the VSB curriculum,” Dr. Howton explains. “Our liberal arts foundation makes the difference. Our students are well-rounded —strong problem-solvers and excellent presenters. They also benefit from having great [industry] mentors.”

Before developing VSB’s real estate curriculum, Dr. Howton sought out industry experts for perspective. He attended investment committee meetings, soaking up industry strategies, decision-making metrics and development processes. His dedication to preparing students for the

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Villanova Business / Winter 2017

practical realities of a real estate career earned him the respect of industry professionals—many of whom have become instrumental to the program’s success.

“ I enjoy research because it’s like solving a puzzle, but I love teaching.

Teaching and mentoring are where I make a difference.”

— DR. SHAWN HOWTON Among them are Visiting Professor Charlie Davidson, a 25-year industry veteran with leading real estate firms including Equus Capital Partners; Center Fellow Tony Ziccardi, vice president of development at Brandywine Realty Trust; and Center Director Jessica Taylor, a former commercial real estate banker. Dr. Howton recruited Davidson and Ziccardi to share their deep industry experience, and Taylor to manage day-to-day center operations and alumni engagement.

“Students thrive when they see how to apply what they’re learning,” Dr. Howton says of experiential learning. The DiLella Center hosts the premiere undergraduate real estate case competition—an opportunity for students from around the country to test their analytical skills against real-life cases. VSB has collected an impressive number of trophies over the years, including two first-place finishes, four in second place, and one in third place.

“At first, students from Cornell, Wharton, New York University and Wisconsin would underestimate Villanova,” Dr. Howton says wryly. “That doesn’t happen now.”

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

Growing the Program Dr. Howton wants to build even stronger connections to the real estate industry.

The newly launched Nova Next Council of real estate alumni is an important step in that direction. He also looks to strengthen cross-campus relationships.

“In ten years, this program will touch on all the ways that real estate impacts the world, from economics to civil engineering to government, even sustainability,” explains Dr. Howton.

Above all, the Center looks to uphold Augustinian values. “Whether it’s with government agencies, employers or especially communities,” Dr. Howton emphasizes, “we need to work together in pursuit of the highest quality of life.”

The Nova Next Council: Fortifying the Network The Nova Next Council was established in 2016 to foster connections with the next generation of real estate leaders.

The council, which will include those with five to 15 years of industry experience and who are viewed as rising stars in their organizations, will provide strategic, actionable guidance on programming and curriculum within the DiLella Center.

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FACULTY FOCUS

Faculty Achievements Ray Taylor, PhD

Quinetta Roberson, PhD

Appointed Silla Corona Distinguished Professor by The University of Los Andes

Awarded Fellowship for Scholarship and Service to the Field of Industrial and Organizational Psychology

Ray Taylor, the John A. Murphy Professor of Marketing and Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Marketing and Consumer Insights, was invited by the top-ranked university in Colombia—The University of Los Andes in Bogotá—as part of their Silla Corona Distinguished Professor visitor program to discuss his research on Super Bowl advertising and brand equity.

Dr. Taylor presented his research on the benefits of using a 30-second commercial with a $5 million price tag as a marketing strategy. Dr. Taylor explained that advertising during the most-watched sporting event in the world “could be a huge waste of money, or a fantastic marketing opportunity.” Dr. Taylor also presented his research about the perceptual changes of 115 brands that aired television commercials between 2008 and 2012. He found television commercials have the greatest effect on a brand’s recognition within four weeks; after that, he said, it starts to fade.

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Villanova Business / Winter 2017

Quinetta M. Roberson, Fred J. Springer Endowed Chair in Business Leadership, and professor, Management & Operations, has been named a Fellow by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP), a division of the American Psychological Association.

SIOP Fellows are selected for their unusual or outstanding contributions to the field, and Dr. Roberson was nominated and supported by multiple current fellows for her many exceptional roles both inside and outside of the classroom.

“I am honored and humbled to become a SIOP Fellow, as I join a list of distinguished industrial and organizational psychologists who have made innovative and outstanding contributions to the field,” said Dr. Roberson.

“Because the title is reserved for a small subset of I-O psychologists that represent practice, research, teaching, administration and service achievements, I am proud to be part of such an esteemed group.”

FACULTY FOCUS

Jack Pearce, PhD

Tina Yang, PhD

Honored for Contributions to the Field of Entrepreneurship

Awarded China National Science Foundation Research Grant

John A. “Jack” Pearce II, VSB Endowed Chair in Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship, and professor, Management and Operations, was honored by the Academy of Management for his esteemed contributions to the field of entrepreneurship and small business development. Dr. Pearce was named the first chair of the Academy of Management‘s Entrepreneurship Division at its International Conference in Anaheim, Calif. in August.

In his remarks to the 300 international scholars in attendance, Dr. Pearce discussed the development of academic theory and research on entrepreneurship and the role that major journals play in increasing the impact of scholarly activity.

Dr. Tina Yang, associate professor, Finance, has been selected to receive a research grant in the amount of 180,000 Chinese yuan—approximately $25,000—by the China National Science Foundation. Nearly 173,000 applications were submitted and only 22 percent were selected to receive funding.

This honor follows awards presented to Dr. Pearce for his contributions to the advancement of entrepreneurship from the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, the National Association of Small Business Investment Companies and the Association of Management Consulting Firms.

The grant will be used to produce two high-quality journal articles over the next five years. Dr. Yang and her research partner, Zu Jigao, PhD, associate professor at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, are currently researching the impact of directors and officers liability insurance on independent directors’ voting behavior using a comprehensive sample of listed Chinese firms.

“It is a true honor to have been selected by the China National Science Foundation,” said Dr. Yang. “I look forward to collaborating with elite Chinese researchers and presenting our findings at international conferences.”

FACULTY FOCUS

Brava!

Associate Dean Melinda German Appointed Ambassador for the University of Urbino Melinda German, MBA, associate dean, Undergraduate Business Program, was named Academic Ambassador to the University of Urbino, Italy. Urbino University Rector Vilberto Stocchi, PhD, and Vice Rector Giorgio Calcagnini, PhD, presented Associate Dean German with a diploma to express their esteem, trust and respect for both her and the Villanova School of Business.

For 25 years, Villanova University and the University of Urbino have worked together to offer language and culture studies at Urbino, and for the past four years VSB sophomores have had the opportunity to spend a semester on the Italian campus as part of the customized Business and Culture in the Italian Context (BCIC) Program.

BCIC is designed to support VSB sophomores interested in International Business and Italian language and culture. Students complete their course requirements while consulting for an Italian company, learning about the modern Italian economy, completing intensive language study and working toward an International Business co-major/co-minor.

“VSB students have an incredible opportunity to learn from the excellent faculty at the University of Urbino, and I am truly honored to be part of this collaboration by serving as an academic ambassador.� –Associate Dean German

Denise Downey, PhD Receives AAA’s Teaching Innovation Award and a Research Grant from IAASB Denise Hanes Downey, Downey, PhD, ’05 VSB, assistant professor, Accountancy & Information Systems, recently received the Teaching Innovation Award from the Forensic Accounting Section of the American Accounting Association (AAA) for her teaching case “Simply Soups Inc.: A Teaching Case Designed to Integrate the Electronic Cash Confirmation Process into the Auditing Curriculum” last August at the AAA’s Annual Meeting in New York City. The AAA is the largest community of accountants in academia, and the Forensic Accounting Section’s mission is to improve teaching and research in the field.

“ It is critical for today’s auditing curriculum to reflect the exciting changes that are occurring in practice with respect to technology.”

The case provides auditing students with an opportunity to improve understanding of current audit practice, strengthen technical knowledge of applicable standards, and develop the professional judgment skills necessary to appropriately evaluate and document the persuasiveness of audit evidence. It also gives students the chance to learn about and practice electronic cash confirmations, one of the most current auditing technologies.

“ Gaining exposure to and exploring the leading confirmation technology in the classroom has been extremely beneficial to our students.” –Dr. Downey Another one of Dr. Downey’s projects, “Coordination and Communication Challenges in Global Group Audits: Evidence from Component Audit Leaders,” has also received notable recognition from the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB). As part of its “Informing the IAASB Standard Setting Process” program, the IAASB selected her team’s project to receive support in the form of 20,000 British pounds— equivalent to $28,500—to help further strategic objectives. Downey’s team was one of only two teams to receive grants for their work.

The study focuses on concerns that have been raised in specific aspects of group audits such as inadequacies within the planning phase, the execution and completion phase, and overall lack of group audit leader involvement in the audit. Through a survey of component auditors located across three different countries, it seeks to identify what factors create these challenges, determine strategies that might overcome them in the future and discover how these challenges ultimately influence engagement performance.

“This grant affords our team a tremendous opportunity to study an area of auditing that is of key concern to practice and regulators, both in the US and abroad,” explained Dr. Downey when asked about the grant’s impact on the project. “I am excited to be able to examine the audits of large multinational corporations from the perspective of those engaged to assist with the work in foreign jurisdictions, and to share our results with key stakeholders.”

“ I am honored that our work is being recognized by the AAA Forensic Accounting Section and thrilled that this case has been used by more than 175 universities.”

–Dr. Denise Hanes Downey

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS

Two VSB Seniors Earn Scholarships from CREW Network Foundation Stephen Milo ’16 VSB Recognized in Adam Smith Research Paper Contest VSB senior Stephen Milo received second place honors for his paper, “College Education and State Regulation as Output Frontier Inefficiencies in US States,” in this year’s annual Adam Smith Research Paper Contest.

Open to all economics majors and minors, the Adam Smith Research Paper Contest encourages students or recent graduates to submit research papers on any topic in economics. Milo tied for second place with Miguel Corte-Real ’17 CLAS, and the first place prize was awarded to Ryan Zalla ’17 CLAS. Finalists are scored on both the written content and an oral presentation.

“I’m incredibly thankful for the support from my professors in guiding me through the research process so that I could get hands-on experience in exploring economic relationships and add my voice to the ongoing dialogue,” said Milo.

The contest was named in honor of Scottish philosopher Adam Smith, whose book, The Wealth of Nations, laid the foundation for the modern academic study of economics. The contest is sponsored by John Haines ’79 CLAS, who graduated with honors as the Adam Smith Scholar in Economics.

“It is wonderful to see the enthusiasm that these students have for their undergraduate research topics,” said Suzanne H. Clain, PhD, associate professor of Economics. “We truly appreciate the support of their faculty mentors—Professors Curran [Michael Curran, PhD, assistant professor, Economics] and Kilby [Christopher Kilby, PhD, professor, Economics]— and our donor, John Haines.”

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The Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Network Foundation supports future female leaders as they pursue university-level education that will lead to careers in commercial real estate. VSB is proud to recognize two scholarship winners this year: Finance major Gianna Ciminello ’17 VSB is one of only 12 female undergraduates this year to receive a national scholarship from the CREW Network Foundation. As part of the scholarship, Gianna received partial funding for tuition, a paid internship opportunity, a CREW Network at-large membership and complimentary registration to the 2016 CREW Network Convention and Marketplace.

Kiera McCloy ’17 VSB was a recipient of the 2016 CREW Philadelphia Scholarship. Double-majoring in finance and real estate, she received partial funding towards her education expenses, complimentary attendance to a CREW Philadelphia meeting and the Past President event, as well as lunch with a CREW Philadelphia member.

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS

Summer Business Institute Alumnus Named

2016 Falvey Scholar Tom Cox ’16 COE was recognized by Falvey Memorial Library as a 2016 Falvey Scholar. Each year, the distinction of Falvey Scholar goes to undergraduate students who are nominated by faculty advisors for their demonstration of outstanding research and achievements, and whose work stands out as an exceptional example of a senior project.

Cox, who earned a business minor through VSB’s Summer Business Institute, was honored for his research project, titled “Measuring the Adoption and Deployment Rates of Disruptive Technologies.” His study examined how companies identify, pilot and deploy emerging digital technologies, and how companies should strategically position themselves for meaningful digital transformation in today’s modern world.

“As an engineer, the SBI program gave me a great foundational business knowledge,” said Cox. Cox was mentored and nominated by Stephen Andriole, PhD, Thomas G. Labrecque Professor of Business, Accountancy & Information Systems. Cox is currently working as a strategy consultant at AMR International.

Cox accepts his award with the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, ’75 CLAS, President, Villanova University

“ I feel incredibly grateful for the mentorship and support that I received in writing my thesis. I learned how to think descriptively, prescriptively and predictively about technological change and I could not ask for a better way to conclude my senior year before entering into the work force.”

–Tom Cox

Master of Science in Church Management Students Making an Impact Villanova’s MSCM program is producing big results around the country.

Recently, Joan Sheppard ’16 MSCM and Kevin Fitzpatrick ’16 MSCM were recognized for their achievements in church management.

Sheppard’s parish, Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Alexandria, Va., has been recognized as Stewardship Parish of the Year by the International Catholic Stewardship Council. She was also the recipient of the Bartley Medallion, which is awarded to outstanding students in the MSCM program.

Additionally, Fitzpatrick was recently named the director of the Office of Justice and Peace for Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. “I was told in the interview that my Villanova degree was a major asset in getting hired,” Fitzpatrick said. “I would like to thank the MSCM program for the two-year journey which has borne fruit I could not have anticipated!”

“ I consider Villanova’s MSCM curriculum a defining moment in my stewardship journey and relied heavily on what I learned as I composed our application for the award. What a great blessing the MSCM program has been!”

–Joan Sheppard

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INSIDE VSB

New Podcast Makes Waves This semester, VSB launched a new podcast series: Inspiring Minds. Hosted

by VSB students, these podcasts focus on students interacting with faculty about research, and serve to showcase the outstanding teacherscholars at VSB. Each month, the podcast will feature a different VSB faculty member discussing recent research projects that range across a variety of topics.

The first installment of this series featured Aronte Bennett, PhD, associate professor of Marketing & Business Law, in conversation with Thomas Rodriguez ’16 VSB. Dr. Bennett’s most recent research, “Shopping While Nonwhite: Racial Discrimination in the Marketplace,” offers insights into her work surrounding the shopping experiences of minorities and the varying perceptions of racial discrimination across minority consumer groups. Dr. Bennett’s paper has recently been featured in the Journal of Consumer Affairs. This and other installments of Inspiring Minds are currently available for streaming on SoundCloud, iTunes and on VSB’s website under the Faculty section.

Villanova School of Business

Wins Four 2016 MarCom Awards MarCom Awards is an international competition that recognizes the creativity of marketing and communications professionals from more than 34 countries.

Members of the Association of Marketing and Communications Professionals judged the awards, selecting work that they believed set new benchmarks for the industry. Winners were selected from more than 200 categories and 6,000 entries, and VSB earned three awards and one honorable mention.

Platinum Award – Villanova Business Magazine

Gold Award –F aculty Portrait Series –A nnual Business Leaders Forum Video

Honorable Mention –A lumni Website: VSB Connect

Dean Russell celebrates with VSB’s Communication and Marketing team members Kathryn Gentile, program coordinator; Colin Redick, marketing associate; Cathy J. Toner, JD, MJ, director of communication and marketing; and Shannon Wilson, assistant director of communication. Not pictured: Monica Allen, marketing manager.

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INSIDE VSB

PONTIFICAL LATERAN UNIVERSITY VISITS VSB FOR

Experiential Study in Church Management In early 2015, VSB came to an agreement to collaborate with the Pontificia Università Lateranense (PUL) in Rome.

This collaboration was organized by Charles Zech, PhD, faculty director, Center for Church Management and Business Ethics (CCMBE) and professor, Economics, and Jim Gallo, staff director of CCMBE. In order to provide online and in-person education to students from around the world, Villanova professors will now visit Italy several times a year to contribute to their new program. The collaboration also involves a one-week visit of nearly 30 PUL students to Villanova once a year to learn about American models of church management.

VSB welcomed the first-ever cohort of PUL’s students last April for the successful one-week experiential study. Most of the students who participated currently work for the Church as volunteers or as priests in Rome, and their visit to Villanova exposed them to new ideas and methods of church management that they will be able to apply to their daily work.

The PUL students were given several opportunities to learn more about the inner dynamics of how management systems operate within the parishes as well as new strategies for education in regards to church management. Some of these experiences included exploring the city of Philadelphia while being paired with 18 different parishes within the city’s Archdiocese, and engaging in a case study led by adjunct professor Mike Castrilli of the Master of Science in Church Management program.

The PUL students also traveled to the Archdiocese of New York, along with 31 other students currently enrolled in the MSCM, after being invited to attend a panel discussion with the CFO of the Archdiocese of New York, Bill Whiston. “The heart of our archdiocese is our parishes,” emphasized Whiston.

The next step for Villanova’s Church Management program is a new international conference on creativity in church management. The planning process has begun with the help of PUL, who is planning to hold the very first conference this March in Rome.

“ To ensure that we are good stewards of parish resources and that each facility is used effectively, we must manage the parish as if it were a business and closely monitor its operation.”

–Bill Whiston

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INSIDE VSB

A Life-Changing Enterprise MBA students often describe the mandatory Social Enterprise Consulting Practicum course as “life-changing.” For many, it’s a chance to discover how they can pursue their professional lives and their values all at once.

The Social Enterprise Consulting Practicum is one of two required projects for all MBA students but the only one focused on nonprofit organizations and for-profit companies with a social concern. “We want students to see how they can give back now, rather than later in life,” explains Ronald Hill, PhD, the Richard J. and Barbara Naclerio Endowed Chair in Business. “For many, this experience is only the beginning.”

Gaining Professional and Moral Ground

Supporting the Community

Students work in teams and consult with local nonprofits to identify the organization’s challenges. They then focus on one or two key areas and develop recommendations to address those needs.

Since the Social Enterprise Consulting Practicum began six years ago, VSB MBA students have served a diverse array of organizations in the greater Philadelphia area, including:

“These organizations provide the passion and the mission but often lack the business background,” explains Associate Director of Graduate Business Programs Ann O’Connor. “Our students bring their business acumen and experience to enhance the mission.”

Animal Lifeline Cradles to Crayons

Since the program’s inception six years ago, Villanova’s MBA students have served more than

300 organizations.

Many clients participate on multiple occasions— a testimony to the quality of the students’ work.

Staci Levick, ’16 MBA, can appreciate the Social Enterprise course from all angles. She participated as a student, serves as an alumni advisor and also was a client in her capacity as the executive director of Beiteinu Synagogue. “The students brought us valuable recommendations about our bylaws and tax status,” Levick describes. “They begin to see, as I did, how their intellectual contributions can make a significant impact.”

Expanding the Enterprise During the Fall 2016 semester, VSB brought the new Social Enterprise Consulting Practicum to undergraduates. Students worked in teams to develop fundraising plans for the Youth Entrepreneurship Project, a Philadelphia-based program committed to fostering entrepreneurship among underprivileged kids.

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Domestic Violence Center of Chester County Girls Inc. Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce MANNA Northern Home for Children Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PSPCA) TERP, Inc. The Barnes Foundation

INSIDE VSB

Personally Transformative David Buzzard ’05 VSB, ’13 MBA, knows how life-changing the experience can be. Shortly after starting his MBA in 2011, David and his wife, Lynda ’05 VSB, learned their newborn daughter had cystic fibrosis. When it came time for the Social Enterprise course, Buzzard saw an opportunity.

Buzzard contacted the Delaware Valley chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. He and his teammates met with foundation management and their board to identify new ways to grow the chapter’s annual revenues from $2 million to $5 million over the course of five years.

“About 30,000 Americans are diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, so there’s a limited audience that’s directly impacted,” Buzzard explains. “Our recommendations focused on expanding the markets the chapter could target.” In particular, the MBA team encouraged the Delaware Valley chapter to try new events to reach those not otherwise touched by cystic fibrosis—a strategy that the board readily and actively embraced.

Since then, Buzzard and his wife have remained heavily involved with the organization. For the last four years, Buzzard co-chaired Philadelphia’s Finest, an annual fundraiser designed to engage younger professionals. It’s a direct link back to the MBA team’s recommendations— one that’s made a meaningful difference. Since its inception, the event has netted over $200,000 in new revenues for the chapter. “We expect to work with the [Cystic Fibrosis] Foundation for the rest of our lives,” Buzzard concluded. \v/

PwC Renovates Bartley Hall’s Auditorium and Creates an Endowed Fund for Accounting Faculty with $1 Million Gift This fall, VSB honored PwC with a dedication ceremony in celebration of their generous gift, which enabled the renovation of Bartley Hall’s 1011 auditorium—now named the PwC Auditorium— and created an endowed fund for the accounting department.

The gift was a result of fundraising led by PwC, including donations from active and retired partners as well as PwC staff. Through their individual gifts and matching corporate funds, the gift exceeded $1 million in total.

“As one of Villanova’s top employers, PwC has long been an important partner of ours and our relationship continues to grow,” said Dean Russell.

“Their generous support not only improves the functionality of our building, but also helps fund faculty initiatives so we can continue to support our students’ education through our top-tier accounting program. This gift is just one of the many ways PwC invests in our students, faculty and alumni.”

Pictured left to right: David Buzzard ’05 VSB, ’13 MBA; James (age 1); Calista (age 4); and Lynda Buzzard ’05 VSB.

“We are excited to have a branded physical space to represent our commitment to the University, and we are equally excited to celebrate the dedication of the PwC Auditorium as our way of thanking all of those who contributed to support its renovation,” said Valerie Wieman, PwC partner, ’92 VSB.

19

INSIDE VSB

App-titude at VSB Ever wanted to find a travel destination with great hotel deals and temperatures in the 70s? Have you ever wondered whether the weather conditions are favorable for boating and water sports?

Thanks to an agreement between VSB and The Weather Channel, students in the Spring 2016 section of Management Information Systems 2020 Adaptive Problem Solving and Programming had special access to real-time weather data to build innovative apps to help answer such questions.

A unique opportunity Creating apps isn’t a new assignment for students taking MIS 2020. The course requires all students to build a “mashup app” by combining data from at least two sources to design a meaningful user experience. As Sue Metzger, instructor, Accountancy & Information Systems, describes, the assignment offers many benefits to students. “Critical thinking, teamwork and time management all factor into the assignment,” Professor Metzger describes. “Most importantly though, students gain a working knowledge of programming to present data in an insightful way.”

Over the last couple of years, students struggled to access the data needed to power their apps. As more organizations recognize the value of their data, they don’t want to give it away—not even to students. Fortunately, The Weather Channel sees it differently. “Innovation has always been at the heart of The Weather Channel,” explains Mike Zarrilli ’93 VSB, global head of business development for The Weather Channel, an IBM Business. A leader in technology, The Weather Channel first launched their website over 20 years ago and were very early adopters in the mobile apps space, dating back to 2002.

“ Programming stretched my imagination and taught me that there’s not just one but hundreds of ways to solve a problem.”

–Morgan Savich ’18 VSB

Morgan Savich and Claire D’Arcangelo test their innovative apps using data from The Weather Channel

20

Villanova Business / Winter 2017

INSIDE VSB

“We believe in the value of building awareness for the company amongst the developer and student communities, and maximizing the reach of our data, which translates into more development opportunities and greater visibility as an employer of choice,” Zarrilli explains. Metzger partnered with Zarrilli to secure the licensing rights of The Weather Channel’s Application Program Interface, which allows programmers to connect with data sources and extract the information needed to run their apps.

Weather as the canvas For this assignment, students worked in teams to design, build and program their apps in just two weeks. By many accounts, the task was formidable but the end results were gratifying and diverse.

For Morgan Savich ’18 VSB and her team, the weather data was key. Their app, Night Owl, combined the user’s location (based on Google) with event data (from Eventful. com) to recommend suitable activities based on the forecasted weather for the chosen date. When nice weather is forecasted, the app lists outdoor events and activities but excludes those events when there’s inclement weather.

“I appreciated the constraints of the assignment and working through a solution as a team,” Morgan explains.

“Programming stretched my imagination and taught me that there’s not just one but hundreds of ways to solve a problem.”

When Claire D’Arcangelo ’17 VSB and Anthony Iannacone ’17 VSB created a gaming app called Where in the World?, they tested users’ knowledge of geographic locations based on hints purchased with token money in the app.

The game incorporated weather data along with other geographic data such as state capitals and flags to populate the hints. Classmates voted this app best in the class. “I was a beginner at coding going into this project,” describes Claire, a dual major in Finance and Management Information Systems. “Having a partner who was more familiar with coding, along with the support of Professor Metzger who coached us along the way, was invaluable to our success.” \v/

Targets VSB Students for Sales Careers Jeff Travis ’03 EMBA, a business development manager in corporate marketing and sales for manufacturing company 3M, is passionate about getting VSB students to consider sales as a career path.

Within the next five years, 40 percent of salespeople in the workforce will be eligible to retire, providing a large window of opportunity for graduating college students going into the field.

Travis hopes to fill the void left by the retiring salespeople with VSB students. “In order to replenish our sales team, 3M has been actively targeting VSB students to fill these positions,” said Travis.

“Because of my experience in the EMBA program, I know first-hand how well-prepared VSB students are to have successful careers in sales, and 3M wants these students on our team.”

In order to give VSB students tremendous academic opportunities, Travis has worked alongside VSB’s Chair of Marketing & Business Law, Greg Bonner, PhD. “Since VSB became a partner school three years ago, 3M has provided more than $50,000 in grants to fund sales curriculum development and provide student opportunities, such as participating in national sales competitions,” said Dr. Bonner.

As a result of these efforts, 3M has hired five VSB students for sales internships and full-time positions in the past two years, and the numbers are continuing to grow. “VSB students come prepared to work hard and make meaningful contributions to our team from day one,” Travis added. “They are already on the path to success at 3M because of their VSB experience, and as such we are very excited about the future of our mutually beneficial partnership with Villanova.”

21

Brady Acton

An Entrepreneur You’re Going to Want to Follow It’s not easy keeping up with Brady Acton ’18 VSB. The third-year business major with a minor in philosophy is an entrepreneur with a passion for technology. A student who created four apps and had a part in filing three patents, Brady is poised to become very successful in the world of business entrepreneurship.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

With an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to help others, Brady launched a web and mobile app development consultation service geared towards college students.

Named App.ly Consulting, he offers his services at no charge. “It’s free because I don’t want to deter anyone,” he says. “My goal for the project is to help people like me—college students—build apps.”

There are plenty of reasons why Brady, who was a finalist for the 2015 Innovator of the Year Award by PECO, is being recognized for his expertise and hard work. When he was a freshman in 2014, he and two friends from his hometown of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., developed a mobile game app called FishFeast 3D that quickly became successful and resulted in a feature piece in The Philadelphia Inquirer that was then picked up by more than 30 media outlets around the world.

Brady is also filing a patent application this month for a product he co-developed called Reseo, a software recruiting tool that he describes as an improvement on the standard resume. He worked on Reseo as his final project at Stanford University’s Intensive Studies in Entrepreneurship program last summer. The software he developed provides a virtual resume in which recruiters can click on a video at the top and read the standard resume below. It’s worth noting that Brady presented Reseo in the same course at Stanford that the founder of Snapchat first presented his image messaging app.

But Reseo isn’t the only business Brady developed while at Stanford. He led a team of mechanical engineers in producing a model to construct a tamper-resistant pill bottle with a timed, single-pill delivery system to help combat prescription drug abuse and addiction. The medical device is now patent-pending.

In September, Brady was one of seven VSB students to be named a Forbes 30 Under 30 Scholar, awarded to students with highest achievements in business or technology. And it’s no wonder he was chosen. Just this fall he was busy filing a patent, developing a new business venture with a Philadelphia-area startup, and leading product development for a web app for a company founded by a VU grad, all while still focusing on his academics. He is a Villanova Scholar and a member of the National Honor Society, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, National Spanish Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta, a math honors society.

He chose to enroll at Villanova because “the culture is more collaborative than it is competitive.” He says, “I’m naturally competitive, but I see Villanova as a community, where everyone helps each other.”

Brady was recruited by Villanova to play baseball and was twice selected to the Big East All-Academic Team. But he gave up baseball to focus on entrepreneurship. “When I was still playing, I would go to the field and all I would think about was business,” he says. “It was the right decision to leave baseball to focus on entrepreneurship, but it wasn’t easy.”

He credits Academic Advisor Patricia Burdo for sparking his interest in entrepreneurship when she spoke about it during student orientation. Burdo says, “From day one, Brady has worked through the lens of an entrepreneur, always seeing opportunities in the everyday.” She adds, “What impresses me even more than his many abilities, vision and creativity, is how he genuinely embraces Villanova’s values of Veritas, Unitas, Caritas by giving back and generously sharing his talents with others.”

Brady has a great deal of support from VSB, including from II Luscri, executive director of the Innovation, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship (ICE) Institute. “II is my hero,” he says. “Any time I need something he connects me with the right person.”

“Brady is constantly seeking out the advice he needs to get things started,” says Luscri. “He is a mainstay of the Idea Accelerator at ICE, actively participates in our programs, and conducts his own workshops to get more students interested in technology, startup and innovation.”

He also seeks advice from Keith Wright, instructor, MIS and Steve Andriole, PhD, the Thomas G. Labrecque Professor of Business. “Whenever I have an idea, I go to Dr. Andriole because he’s very analytical. And when I need help with the tech side, I go to Keith Wright, who was an executive at the software company SAP.” What lies ahead? Brady’s long-term plans are twofold: he wants to go into the pharmaceutical robotics/artificial intelligence field to focus on finding the cure for cancer.

He also plans to have his own nonprofit organization in Costa Rica or the Dominican Republic—to teach people how to start and run a company so they can use those skills to launch social ventures in their communities. \v/

23

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Good Morning, Vietnam!

Stephen Wemple ’16 VSB greets each day with a new adventure on the other side of the world.

VSB alum go many places after graduation, but Stephen Wemple may have traveled the farthest. As a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Fellow, Wemple recently left campus for Vietnam for an 11-month stint teaching students English and business tips. “My VSB professors delivered the idea that business and entrepreneurship play a meaningful role in society and can be a means of connecting people in a community or across cultures,” he says. “This notion is what encouraged me to apply for the Fulbright, and directly translates into what I’m doing here in Vietnam.”

AUGUST 1, 2016

In Hanoi, “every intersection is packed with scooters dancing around cars dancing around buses dancing around pedestrians,” Wemple notes as he tries to adjust to the bustle and rhythm of the city.

AUGUST 8

Wemple joins 16 Fulbright students to spend two days and a night on sleeping boats in Halong Bay. The vistas, he says, unexpectedly rival Yellowstone and Glacier National Park. The students meet foreign service officers, whom they drill with questions about culture, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, relations with China and more.

AUGUST 25

Struggling with the complex, tonal language, Wemple has learned a crucial phrase: “Toi khung biet tieng viet”—“I don’t understand Vietnamese.” He stays with a local family and learns that they are concerned about Vietnamese “brain drain” due to the lack of democracy and often unethical actions of Vietnamese business owners.

SEPTEMBER 6

Wemple settles into his new home in Cao Lãnh City. He eats cooked quail fetus, sea snail and a tofu smoothie. “There is absolutely nowhere else I would rather be,” he reports. He continues: “I have had the chance to spend some time with a few students one on one, and they have so much to offer. Real stories, opinions, questions and a burning passion to learn from a foreigner.” He edits an essay for a student applying for a college scholarship. She lives by herself in a motel because her village is two hours away on the Cambodian border, he explains.

NOVEMBER 8

The journey comes with some frustrations and loneliness, Wemple notes, but those feelings are a fundamental part of his experience. “I am here… to experience what it means to be an outsider, to push myself, to learn and to teach.”

For the next six months, that’s exactly what he will do. His cultural understanding, his contributions and his experiences will continue to grow as his adventure continues.

In June, Wemple will return to the United States, bringing with him a wealth of experiences that started with the foundation of his VSB education. This invaluable skill is something he will bring back to America. “It will inform and enrich my relationships, my business career and the ongoing adventure of my life.”

Follow Wemple’s adventure through his blog at vietwemple.wordpress.com.

24

Villanova Business / Winter 2017

“ At Villanova we often talk about being present, which can mean so many things.

This year being present means letting go of expectations and embracing the unexpected.”

–Stephen Wemple

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Focused on Business, Driven by Mission Inside the doors of Holy Family Home in Southwest Philadelphia stands a statue of St. Jeanne Jugan—a constant reminder of the home’s extraordinary mission. St. Jeanne founded the Little Sisters of the Poor more than 175 years ago in France to serve the neediest elderly of every faith and background with dignity and grace as one human family.

Today, the Little Sisters of the Poor continue St. Jeanne’s legacy at Holy Family Home— compassionately caring for residents’ physical needs while ministering to their faith.

Supporting that spiritual core with business sensibility is Patricia Lo ’82 VSB. A Calling Lo joined Holy Family Home 24 years ago, after a series of positions that she describes as preparing her for this work. Upon completing her MBA in Health Administration at Temple University, she started her career in an administrative role with the Province of St. Thomas of Villanova, which supports Augustinian communities on the East Coast and missions in Japan and Peru. She then held a similar role in the former Medical College of Pennsylvania in pediatrics and finally a job with an insurance agent.

Ultimately though, she wanted to return to a nonprofit, Catholic organization.

“I enjoy working in an environment where I don’t need to compromise my ethics or morals,” Lo explains. At Holy Family Home, she oversees financial matters including budgeting, general ledger, operations and even some aspects of fundraising, and yet her spirituality is never far from her work. In many ways, Villanova prepared her well. “The environment [at Villanova] allowed me to continue to grow in [my] faith,” she describes. “I received such a well-rounded education… with many opportunities to serve, although definitely not as many as there are [for students] now.”

Today, Villanova students visit the Holy Family Home regularly—a source of great pride for Lo. Every week, they come prepared to tackle a major service project, such as cleaning the on-site chapel or painting an office, and then stay to serve the midday meal and spend time talking with the residents. “We get a tremendous amount done with the support of dedicated people,” Mother Catherine, Superior of Holy Family Home says gratefully. That’s important, as the need is never in short supply.

Each year, Holy Family Home must fundraise approximately 40 percent of its $7 million budget plus any capital expenses—no small task in a city with intense competition for charitable donations.

Pictured with a statute of St. Jeanne Jugan (left to right) Mother Catherine; Pat Lo; and Evelyn, a resident.

Lo recognizes those who give of themselves—both as volunteers and staff. “Everyone here believes in what they do,” Lo explains. “They could be making more money elsewhere, but they choose to work here.”

To learn more about the Little Sisters of the Poor, visit littlesistersofthepoorphiladelphia.org.

25

DONOR SPOTLIGHT

$2.5 Million Gift from Kevin M. Curley ’80 VSB

Transforms The Exchange

into a Modern Space to Dine, Collaborate and Study

A

fter four months of extensive renovations, the cafeteria area in Bartley Hall is now the Kevin M. Curley Family Exchange, named after Kevin M. Curley ’80 VSB, chairman and CEO of Curley Financial Group LLC in Dallas, Texas.

“Villanova School of Business is the #1 undergraduate business school in the country, and now we have a modern, multi-use space to match that ranking so our students, faculty, staff, alumni and visitors can meet and collaborate,” said Curley. He added, “More than 60,000 people visit this space on the Villanova campus tour each year. It’s the last stop of the tour and I wanted it to have a wow factor to attract prospective students.”

Curley’s $2.5 million gift is part of the University’s Comprehensive Capital Campaign, For the Greater Great: The Villanova Campaign to Ignite Change.

“Villanova has been a great source of joy for my family in so many ways,” Curley said. “We are proud to be a part of the Campaign and trust our gift will positively impact Villanova and its students for many years to come.”

–Kevin Curley ’80 VSB The transformation of Bartley Hall reflects the modern collaborative business environments students will enter upon graduation. Several classrooms, study rooms, an auditorium and the Nydick Family Commons have also been upgraded with state-of-the-art design and technology.

“Our academic facilities are an important part of the Villanova experience, and the newly renovated Curley Exchange is an ideal environment to encourage the spirit of innovation and collaboration that we cultivate at the Villanova School of Business,” said University President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, ’75 CLAS. “We are grateful to Kevin for supporting this project, and for his ongoing dedication to the University.”

Curley’s service to VU extends to include roles on the VSB Dean’s Advisory Council and the President’s Advisory Council, as well as Chair of the VSB Capital Campaign Committee. He also served as president of the Villanova University Alumni Association from 1999–2000.

26

Villanova Business / Winter 2017

Conor, Kathleen and Kevin Curley enjoy the updates to The Exchange

“ The Curley Exchange is an attractive place for all Villanovans to socialize, study and explore new ideas. This gift has transformed The Exchange, creating an engaging space for all.”

–Joyce E. A. Russell, PhD The Helen and William O’Toole Dean Villanova School of Business

DONOR SPOTLIGHT

“After I graduated from VSB, I reconnected with Villanova through the alumni association in Houston. I subsequently became the Dallas Chapter Alumni President, and eventually president of the national alumni association in 2000,” said Curley. “Throughout this experience, I have been very fortunate to meet so many tremendous Villanovans. My connection and affection for the University has only grown stronger over time.”

In 2015, Curley received the Rev. Joseph C. Bartley, OSA Alumni Medallion, which is awarded annually to recognize alumni who have distinguished themselves in their careers while also demonstrating extraordinary service to their communities and to VSB. It is the highest distinction the school can bestow to an alum.

Curley is the founder of the Curley Insurance Group, one of the largest insurance brokers in the US, which he sold in 2007. He is a current board member of the American Ireland Fund and the Dallas Housing Crises Center and a past board member of the Dallas Opera and Dallas Performing Arts Center. He also provides annual scholarships to students from his grammar school, Visitation, in the Bronx, New York, and to his children’s high school, Highland Park, in Dallas.

Curley resides in both Dallas and New York City. He is the proud father of Kevin ’09 VSB, a financial advisor with UBS Securities in Dallas; Kathleen, an account executive with Wells Fargo in New York City; and Conor, an account executive with Construction Insurance Services, Inc. in Dallas; and is the father-in-law of Courtney Curley ’09 CLAS. \v/

The renovations provide a new vibrant setting that will inspire the global business leaders of tomorrow. Officially dedicated on September 28, The Curley Family Exchange features the following improvements: • Enhanced technology, including new large-screen LED TVs, stateof-the-art audiovisual equipment and charging stations • Increased capacity with café-style seating, booths and moveable tables and chairs for maximum flexibility • A newly-designed entrance, high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows and a floating wood trellis with lighting • New furniture and new carpeting and flooring for a modern look

27

INSIDE VSB

POW!

Conference for Women in Business Makes an Impact

In November, more than 120 students, alumnae and corporate sponsors convened in the Driscoll Hall Atrium for the student-led Women in Business (WiB) organization’s 10th annual POW! Presenting Opportunities for Women conference.

To celebrate the anniversary, this year’s WiB leadership team, led by Jen Ryan ’17 VSB, invited previous WiB president Megan (Evans) Baldwin ’07 VSB to present the keynote address on reinventing yourself and creating your own brand. Baldwin, a vice president of the finance division at Goldman Sachs, earned a bachelor of science in accountancy. Before joining Goldman Sachs in 2010 she began her career at EY. She is an active Villanova alumna, a recipient of the 2015 Villanova Young Alumni Medal, and serves on the President’s Advisory Council. In her keynote address, Baldwin shared “10 Pearls of Wisdom.” Her presentation was followed by a panel discussion featuring WiB’s past student presidents (see photo below).

“ The executive team’s leadership and thriving membership engagement provides a wonderful complement to the VSB educational experience.” –Mary Kelly, PhD WiB was started in the early 1980s led by Ellen Murphy ’82 VSB. It had fallen by the wayside until 2006, when Baldwin joined with Mary Kelly, PhD, ’83 VSB, assistant professor, Economics; faculty director of Assessment; and a founding member of the original group, to revive and strengthen the organization.

WiB has continued to grow ever since. “I am thrilled to see how WiB has evolved since my time as a student. I was truly impressed by the quality of the event, the members and the leaders of the organization,” Baldwin says.

Baldwin’s 10 Pearls of Wisdom e open, be flexible and B expect the unexpected.

Take time to understand your strengths, weaknesses, likes, dislikes.

Be willing to step outside your comfort zone. nderstand what the U company’s culture is and execute on it.

Treat your coworkers like your roommates—baseline of respect.

Careers are built, they don’t just happen.

One team, one dream— be accountable and take ownership.

Be the best at your current job.

Never stop networking and do your best to not burn bridges.

The only thing you can control is attitude and effort.

Left to right: Jen Ryan (current WiB president); Aminah Fawad ’15 VSB, Deloitte; Sarah Choi ’14 VSB, Deloitte; Jen Sullivan ’11 VSB, Anomaly; Megan Evans Baldwin ’09 VSB, Goldman Sachs; Kathleen Negri ’12 VSB, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP; Catherine Emmert ’10 VSB, Thomson Reuters; and Danielle Raniolo ’09 VSB, Corsair Capital Management. Not pictured: Annette Palen ’16 VSB, RBC Capital Markets

28

Villanova Business / Winter 2017

To take advantage of all that WiB has to offer, contact the leadership team at wibvillanova@gmail.com.

DEAN’S ADVISORY COUNCIL

VSB Dean’s Advisory Council (DAC) The DAC provides advice and guidance to the dean of the Villanova School of Business on important strategic initiatives under consideration at the school.

Josef “Joe” Allen ’89 VSB General Manager, Global Operations Center GE

Robert “Rob” Arning P ’17

Martin “Marty” Hughes ’79 VSB

Francis I. “Frank” Perier Jr. ’81 VSB

Christine James ’91 VSB

Michael “Mike” Petrane ’93 VSB

CEO & Director Redwood Trust

Vice Chair, Market Development KPMG LLP

Managing Director Institutional Client Services Wells Capital Management

Dax Basdeo, PhD

William M. “Bill” Kelly ’72 VSB

Richard “Rick” Betz ’84 VSB

Peter Knobloch ’75 VSB

James R. “Jim” Boyle P ’14

Joseph “Joe” Lamastra ’83 VSB, P ’12, ’15

Chief Officer Cayman Islands Government CEO Resolute Energy Corporation Chairman & CEO Zillion

Robert B. “Bob” Burke ’83 VSB

CEO Par-Four Investment Management, LLC

Kevin M. Curley ’80 VSB, P ’09 President & CEO Curley Financial Group, LLC

Joseph V. “Joe” Del Raso, Esq. ’74 VSB, ’83 VLS Partner Pepper Hamilton LLP

Peter P. DiLullo ’72 VSB CEO LCOR

Christine Dorfler ’97 VSB

SVP and CFO NBC Owned Television Stations

Kevin J. Dunphy ’82 VSB

Managing Director, Head of Public Finance Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ. Ltd

Mark Ford P ’11, ’15

CEO Blue Tee Corporation

Retired Chief Investment Officer Assembly

Chairman & CEO Sandbridge Capital

Gerard S. LaRocca P ’14

Managing Director & Chief Administrative Officer Barclays Capital

John G. Maxwell ’82 VSB

Chairman of the Global Board of Partners PricewaterhouseCoopers

John McCarthy P ’15

President & COO McCarthy Tire & Automotive Centers

Bill R. McDermott

Co-Managing Partner Convergence, LLC

Paul D. Ridder ’00 MBA President Tasty Baking Company

Kenneth M. “Ken” Roessler ’84 VSB President & CEO BWAY Corporation

Christopher G. “Chris” Ryan ’83 COE President, Americas; Pharmaceutical Packaging Systems West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.

Michael A. Scully ’70 VSB Co-Chairman Scully Company

William M. “Bill” Shockley ’83 VSB, P ’14, ’16 Partner Tinicum Capital Partners

Celestine “Tina” Simmons, ’89 VSB

Michael “Mike” McLaughlin ’88 VSB

Stephen “Steve” Spaeder ’88 VSB

US Country Head and Head of Credit Markets Macquarie Group Limited

Robert A. “Bob” McMahon ’79 VSB President, US Market Merck & Co., Inc.

Christopher Gheysens ’93 VSB - Chair

Jeffrey “Jeff” Miller ’79 VSB

Lisa M. Gray ’86 VSB

Robert Mulhall ’80 VSB, P ’07 – VUAA Liaison

Peter Hofbauer ’84 VSB

John F. Phinney P ’17

Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Central Division Comcast Corporation

Robert J. “Rob” McNeill Jr. ’88 VSB

Co-Founder & Managing Partner Phoenix IP Ventures

Partner, Assurance Services EY

CEO SAP SE

Executive Vice President Global Advertising Time Inc. President & CEO Wawa, Inc.

Retired EVP Finance and CFO Forest Laboratories, Inc.

Managing Partner, Greater Philadelphia Deloitte & Touche LLP President, Studio Operations The Walt Disney Studios

Partner, Assurance EY

SVP, Acquisitions and Development Equus Capital Partners, Ltd.

Christopher J. “Chris” Swift P ’17

Chairman & CEO The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc.

Michael J. “Mike” Thomson ’80 VSB President and COO SunCoke Energy, Inc.

William “Bill” Tucker ’81 VSB, P ’15 Executive Vice President, Media Relations 4A’s

Susan Wolford ’77 CLAS

Managing Director, Group Head of the Business Services and Media Group BMO Capital Markets Corp.

COO Concord International Investments Group

29

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