NOTABENE 201 2
INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE
table of contents 1. Dean’s Message: Lessons from Oreo Cookies 2. 25 x 25 3. C++Lan 4. The Coach: Lt. Gen. Michael Gould, USAFA Superintendent 5. Corner Office: Graybar’s Kathy Mazzarella 8. Being Local and Global: Tat Kwan MBA ‘99 9. Road Warrior: Beverly Bland MBA ‘03 10. Excelling: Dr. Tom Quirk, Author 12. Excellence Recognized: Dr. Debbie Psihountas, ACE Fellow 14. Speaking for the Silent: Yolanda Kakabadse, President, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) International, WSBT 2012 Global Leader in Residence 16. Diversity vs. Conformity: Finding a Balance 17. WSBT Program Highlights 18. 2011-2012 WSBT Timeline 20. Headlining Around the World Inside Back Cover: George Herbert Walker School of Business & Technology Advisory Board
Dean’s Message lessons froM oreo cookies This year the iconic black and white Oreo cookie celebrates its centennial. One hundred years since the chocolate wafer sandwich first went on sale in the U.S., this favorite treat is now beloved around the world with $2 billion in global sales. Second only to the U.S. in Oreo cookie consumption is the world’s most populous country, China. But if you’ve traveled to the Far East, you’ll find the cookie you dunk in Shanghai is nothing like one you savor in St. Louis. In fact, the first Oreos sold in China crumbled. Consumers in a country not hooked on desserts thought the treat was too big and too sweet. Kraft went back to the kitchen and came up with a culturally conscious cookie that sells and satisfies. Kraft got it. As a global business they understood that diversity can drive and dictate the market. At Webster, diversity is the tie that binds our institution. As a center of higher learning, it is our job to bring people together to achieve things they could never accomplish on their own. Our students and faculty represent 129 countries. And our programs mirror the world in which we live. We call it “inclusive excellence,” and it means drawing from all our generational and cultural strengths. This year’s Notabene 2012 is dedicated to that diversity in our students, faculty, alumni and programs. Inside you’ll read about students like Sara Gunn, whose passion for travel propelled her to visit 25 countries before turning 25, and Beverly Bland, whose unique lifestyle meant earning her degree on a journey of more than 2,000 miles. You’ll meet our Global Leader in Residence Yolanda Kakabadse, president of World Wildlife Fund International, whose drive for sustainability is changing the world. Our alumni are as diverse as the university they call their alma mater and include the man in charge of education for the United States Air Force Academy, and the Fortune 500’s newest female CEO (one of only 19 in the world), Graybar’s Kathy Mazarella, a Walker alumni. The ultimate competitive advantage emerges when you listen and learn from others and create something that is very distinctive and transformational. This inclusive excellence can be found in our new international programs like the MBA Global Track and our Global Hybrids. Each is designed so students graduate from the George Herbert Walker School of Business & Technology as true global citizens. Those who like their information fast and at their fingertips will want to learn about our new computer science degree, which equips students for cutting-edge careers in “all things mobile.” I always like to define competitive advantage as what you do that no one else can do even if they tried. You gain it through the ability to bring different perspectives and people together. That’s what we do at the Walker School of Business. We create the environment and provide the knowledge base that enable people to flourish in a world of uncertainty. By celebrating them we are making a true investment in the continued power of diversity. So we raise a glass (of milk) in celebration of the unique strength that collective and diverse minds bring to our world. Dunk some Oreos and enjoy Notabene 2012!
25 x 25 by sara gunn
My room is my travelogue. The photos on the walls are from exotic places: museums in Austria, beaches in the Netherlands, ancient ruins in Cambodia and baskets of hot chili peppers in Thailand. The trinkets on the shelves include candles from Spain, a hat from Ireland, postcards from Italy and keepsakes from Guatemala. I look at these treasures and think. At 15 I did not know a world outside of St. Louis. Then, my parents won a trip to Scotland and brought my twin sister and me along. We added trips to France and England. Exploring three countries as a teenager widened my perspectives on what the world had to offer. My love of international travel had begun. As an undergrad at Webster University I was given the opportunity to live abroad. This time, it was a bigger risk. I had never lived outside of St. Louis or traveled on my own. It was not easy to leave home and live in Vienna for four months. However, I knew that by taking advantage of the study abroad opportunities offered by Webster, I would grow independently and learn about myself. While studying in Austria, I lived in the moment and visited other countries on the weekends. My twin sister and I studied abroad in Thailand the following semester, and I learned to value experiences and people. I fell in love with culture and communication, even more so after completing summer internships in Ghana and Guatemala. At 23 I moved to the Netherlands for graduate school and realized I had been to 18 countries. That was the moment I set my goal to see 25 countries before the end of my 25th year. November 4th is my 26th birthday and I am grateful to have seen 24 countries: Austria, Belgium, Cambodia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Laos, Luxembourg, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Poland, Scotland, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand and the United States. This summer I hope to visit my number 25, the beautiful land of Turkey. Read more about Sara’s travels at www.webster.edu/notabene2012.
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sara gunn sits in Webster’s university center, where flags hang representing the home countries of our Webster students.
Sarah Woodward graduated from Webster with a degree in computer science and a command of some pretty hefty languages (C++ and HTML). The St. Louis native has a knack for IT, but don’t look for her next big accomplishment online; you can buy it at your local bookstore. Just months before earning her bachelor’s from the Walker School in 2011, the computer scientist became an author.
c++lan
“ Computer scientists, like everyone else out there, have other hobbies,” Woodward reveals. ”I loved writing before I ever decided to get my degree in computer science. The two worlds are complete opposites, although it doesn’t hurt to have the technological knowledge under my belt when I need to describe something technical in my stories.” Woodward’s story for her science fiction novel The Clan was inspired by the books and movies she’s loved and critiqued her whole life. Idea sparks will flare, Woodward admits, and from there her inspiration runs wild. Her own vivid and memorable dreams don’t hurt her thought process either. In the end, the computer scientist/author strives to keep the plot running and the dialogue as clear as if she were writing code for a computer program. “ They are the same in that each can become extremely complicated very quickly if you don’t set up and organize your elements properly before preparing to plug in all your data,” says Woodward. “As an author, for example, not keeping characters consistent can throw off an entire storyline for the reader. With code, blindly plugging in random data without a basic outline for the structure of each line will produce an error.” At Webster, there’s always been more to our students than their majors. Going to school at the Walker School, Woodward says, gave her a broad spectrum of knowledge. From her classmates to her textbooks the writer now draws on all the information she’s collected for her writing. “ Most students will resell their books at the end of the semester. I’ve kept every last book I ever bought toward my education, ranging anywhere from business and management, C++ and historical literature, to Spanish and medical terminology/interpretation,” says Woodward. “Having so many aids at my fingertips makes having the facts required in my fiction writing much simpler than having to get at things and then later being second-guessed by a reader!” Woodward, who admits to incorporating a little bit of herself into every character she develops, is already extending her story and herself in a sequel. The Clan: Rise of the Shaman is due out this year. Read an excerpt of The Clan at www.webster.edu/notabene2012 and then share your story with us.
sarah Woodward sits in one of the two rain gardens outside the east academic building, home of the Walker school of business.
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the he oach: coach: lt. gen. Michael goulD, oulD, usafa superintenDent
In 2011, Webster University honored Lieutenant General Michael Gould as our outstanding alum. This year, the Academy’s enlisted Airmen inducted Gould into the Order of the Sword, an award given to only 241 others in the history of the United States Air Force. The Order of the Sword is the highest recognition enlisted Airmen can bestow on a senior leader. And, they chose their coach.
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In the summer of 2009 Lieutenant General Michael Gould returned to Colorado Springs to become the eighteenth superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy. A lot had happened in the 37 years since a teenaged Gould first reported to the Academy to earn his wings and serve his country. The “doolie” had earned numerous academic honors including a bachelor of science degree at the Academy and a master of arts in human resources development (‘86) from Webster University as well as completed advanced management programs at the National War College, the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. He clocked more than 3,000 hours as a command pilot, served as director of mobility forces for Operation Joint Endeavor, commanded the task force for troop deployment into Darfur and earned a chest full of Air Force Distinguished Service Medals. He commanded the Third Air Force in Mildenhall, England, the Second Air Force at Keesler Air Force base in Mississippi and personally trained hundreds of others to fly, to fight and to win for the United States of America. “ For me, military service means living the Air Force core values of integrity, service and excellence,” Gould reveals. “Integrity is about knowing the right thing to do and doing it. Service is about understanding one’s roles and responsibilities to the team, and always putting the needs of others before one’s own. In the Air Force we call it being a good wingman. Excellence is about being personally accountable for one’s actions, being 100% committed to a task, and always doing one’s best. Serving in the world’s most feared and respected air, space and cyberspace force with such outstanding Airmen is the greatest honor I’ve known. My wife Paula and I are so grateful to be a part of the Air Force family.” Over the years, Gould’s rank and assignments changed. But one thing remained the same: no matter where he was, he helped others develop their skills. This pilotturned-instructor-turned-leader used his words, actions and management ability to enable those around him to utilize their own individual strengths. Lieutenant General Mike Gould is, and always has been, a “coach.” For those who don’t know it, “Coach” is Mike Gould’s call sign. A call sign is a nickname given to a pilot by his peers. It’s bad luck to pick your own call sign. Most are a play on the pilot’s name or a personal characteristic. Sometimes for the unlucky, a call sign highlights a past—and not necessarily positive—exploit. The more a pilot complains about his or her call sign, the better the chance that name will stick! Were the pilots who picked Coach’s call sign referencing his time with the football and golf teams at the Air Force Academy? Were they thinking of the men and women he’s trained over the years? Or, did they somehow know that this father, son and even husband of a pilot would end up back at the Air Force Academy as superintendent? “ As the superintendent, my job in many ways parallels that of a coach. I establish the strategic vision to make sure Team USAFA has a plan to move the ball in the right direction, and my faculty and staff (assistant coaches) execute ‘the plays’ to make sure the ball keeps moving in the right direction. We consistently remind each other how fortunate we are to be at the Air Force’s premier institution with the opportunity to train, motivate, develop and inspire our replacements and how important this mission is for the nation. The cadets understand that at the end of four years, receiving a commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force carries a tremendous responsibility of commitment and service. The cadets represent the best our nation has to offer. They are the future of our Air Force—they stand prepared to answer our nation’s call!”
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corner office: graybar’s neW ceo, kathy Mazzarella Some say 2012 is a record year for women because as of January 1 more are seated as CEOs of Fortune 500 companies than ever in history. At Webster, we applaud this trend in diversifying the corner offices of corporate America. It’s a win for women. It’s an even greater win for business when among those in this elite group of leaders is Walker School alumna Kathleen Mazzarella (MBA ’02). The promotion of Mazzarella to president and CEO of Graybar (effective June 1, 2012) makes her one of only 19 female CEOs of Fortune 500 companies nationwide and the only one in the St. Louis area. Other businesswomen elevated to the corner offices of their companies this year include Heather Bresch, CEO of pharmaceutical firm Mylan, and Virginia “Ginni” Rometty at IBM, who succeeded Webster’s 2011 CEO of the Year Sam Palmisano at Big Blue. “The Webster University community congratulates Kathy Mazzarella, our distinguished alum, on her appointment as Graybar’s next president,” says Dr. Elizabeth (Beth) J. Stroble, president of Webster University. “This region has long benefitted from her singular accomplishments, and we take pride in the unusual position of leadership she will occupy regionally and nationally with this presidency of a Fortune 500 company.” “Kathy’s accomplishments exemplify the global leadership and citizenry we value most here at Webster and for our graduates,” says Dr. Benjamin Ola. Akande, dean of the Walker School of Business. “It is our job as educators to open the world of knowledge to our students. Kathy has taken that knowledge to new heights, not only for herself but for businesswomen everywhere. We couldn’t be more proud to call her one of our own.” Mazzarella’s personal philosophy has always been to “earn trust through integrity, build a strong team and expect only the best from yourself and those around you.” While moving forward professionally at Graybar through multiple sales, marketing and management positions, she also pushed herself to advance personally with an MBA in 2002 from Webster University. That has allowed this leader, whose passions include supporting children’s charities, and formulating business networking groups for other women, to continue investing in the development of others. “ It is an honor to be appointed as the next president and CEO of Graybar,” Mazzarella says. “As an employee-owned company, Graybar takes pride in working to the advantage of its customers, suppliers, employees, shareholders and the communities where we do business. I am passionate about Graybar’s mission and am committed to sustaining the culture of integrity that makes it such a remarkable organization. I also have the utmost respect for Graybar’s senior leadership team and look forward to working with them to build a bright future for the next generation.” “For those of us at Webster, Kathy is more than just the newest member of the Fortune 500 CEO list. She’s more than one of our outstanding graduates,” says Dean Akande, who was also one of Mazzarella’s professors at Webster. “She is an exceptional individual dedicated to her industry and committed to those around her. She’s now the one teaching us what great leadership looks like.”
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kathy Mazzarella sits in the lobby of the new home of the Walker school of business, the east academic building, near the grand staircase.
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being local anD global
tat kWan (Mba ‘99) Business was different when Tat-cheong Kwan (MBA ‘99) first joined the Bank of East Asia (BEA) in 1978. China had not yet opened its doors to the world, and services for those in the country were limited. Now this executive director/CEO of BEA (China) Limited is concerned that the supply of banking professionals may not match today’s demand. “ Back in the late ’70s and early ’80s, the customers could only deposit and withdraw money at the banks,” remembers Kwan. “Now most of their banking needs can be served, such as personal loans and even wealth management” While a student at Webster, Kwan says he was pleasantly surprised to find the diversity of its faculty. They came from all over the world to teach in China, and Kwan says that helped broaden his horizon. “ The most important thing I learned from Webster China (Shanghai) is that you must focus on the local market but with an international vision.” That’s important these days as the finances of the world remain headline news. Because China is so international and many multi-national corporations operate there, the economy is heavily driven by foreign trade. “You catch a cold and I will sneeze,” Kwan says in regards to the world economy. He sees relief coming two to three years down the road but only after the European debt problem is solved. Kwan’s advice to the next generation of leaders mirrors Webster’s mission to bring reality-based education to all our students. “ Your market always comes before book knowledge,” Kwan says. “You need to know your market very well before you can effectively apply your learned knowledge. The advice I would give is to be more aggressive and not afraid of failing.”
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roaD Warrior: beverly blanD (Mba ‘03) It’s Monday morning and Beverly Bland (MBA ‘03) is on the road again. 50 weeks each year this Arkansas grandmother wakes in a new city for her job with The Audit Group where she reviews the finances of large health systems across the country. Every few months Bland’s commute to work is different. Every few months her colleagues and customers change. The one constant in her life is the love of her family and a drive to succeed. Both brought her to Webster. “ I went back to school because I was about to be a grandma,” Bland reveals. “Each generation should raise the bar for the next. I wanted to be able to say to my grandchild ‘Do better than me.’” So Bland decided to go back to school to influence her family’s next generation and motivate her own daughter to return for a MBA. Because she’s a woman whose lifestyle of continual travel is as different as her job locations each month, Bland needed an institution that could match her unique situation. She needed the Walker School of Business. “ I picked Webster because I wanted a valid, solid degree from an established institution. Webster had a brick and mortar building, so I had more confidence that I was enrolling in an accredited school.” With the Walker School’s help Bland combined online classes with travel for her job all those weeks. Regardless of the city, Bland could go to class, order books online and even have them delivered wherever in the world she found herself. Instructors were available when she had questions, and online classroom chats with other students opened up more understanding about each subject. Bland could set her own schedule so going to school never interfered with her work. In fact, it enhanced it. “ Through my job, I cultivated strong working relationships with all my clients, ensuring repeat business,” says Bland. “Earning my degree has made me more positive and self- assured. My Webster education helped me enhance my confidence.” Taking one class per semester of graduate work, Bland literally earned her degree on the road, set a new high educational example for her family, injected herself with self-assurance and graduated with a 3.92 GPA. Now that’s a great road trip!
The Walker School of Business provides 115 distinct online courses supporting eight graduate programs and five certificates for our students on the go. For a complete list of everything from Accounting Theory to Web Development Technologies visit www.webster.edu/notabene 2012 for more information.
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excelling in excellence Dr. thoMas Quirk, professor of Marketing, author Experience is the teacher of all things, even for professors. If it had not been for Tom Quirk’s experience in the classroom other educators and students outside his classroom might not have the opportunity to learn from his new books. According to Dr. Quirk, the inspiration from students in the classroom and information from years of perfecting lesson plans prompted the management professor to write Excel 2010 for Business Statistics: A Guide to Solving Practical Business Problems (Springer, 2011) and Excel 2010 for Educational and Psychological Statistics: A Guide to Solving Practical Problems (Springer 2012). “ I have always used worksheets in my courses to explain concepts to students while asking them to solve business statistics problems,” Dr. Quirk says. “These worksheets have since been revised many times to develop more realistic business problems that would be interesting for students to solve using Excel.” Dr. Quirk started researching and found sharing his work would help both students and educators. Before Excel 2010 for Business Statistics, the typical business statistics book totaled close to 900 pages with more information than could ever be covered in a one-year statistics course! What was needed was something new. Springer will publish four more books by Dr. Quirk this year: Excel 2010 for Social Science Statistics, Excel 2007 for Social Science Statistics, Excel 2007 for Business Statistics, and Excel 2007 for Educational and Psychological Statistics.
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excellence recognizeD Dr. Debbie psihountas, associate professor of finance Students at the Walker School are always in a class of their own. Now so is one of their professors. Dr. Debbie Psihountas, associate professor of finance, has been named an American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow for the 2012-2013 academic year. For the next year she will focus on an issue of concern for Webster University while working with a college or university president at a host institution. Dr. Psihountas is one of only 57 educators in the country chosen for this prestigious honor. “ I’m looking forward to studying leadership within the higher education space, and learning about higher education from both the back office as well as view-from-the-top perspectives,” said Dr. Psihountas. “I’m honored to join the ACE Fellows 2012-2013 class, and I look forward to bringing back to Webster all I learn during my fellowship.” ACE is the major coordinating body for all of the nation’s higher education institutions. The ACE Fellows Program strengthens American higher education by identifying, then preparing, promising senior faculty and administrators like Dr. Psihountas for advanced positions in college and university administration. Of the more than 1,700 participants in the first 47 years of the program, more than 300 have become chief executive officers and more than 1,100 have become provosts, vice presidents or deans. Dr. Psihountas joined Webster University in August 2001 and has served as chair of the business department and acting chair of business/management programs for Webster’s campus in Geneva, Switzerland. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international business, an MBA with an emphasis in quantitative analysis and a PhD in finance from the University of Cincinnati.
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Dr. psihountas sits inside one of the unique building features of the East Academic Buildling, the Walker School’s new home.
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speaking for the silent: yolanDa kakabaDse, presiDent, WorlD WilDlife funD international Wsbt 2012 global leaDer in resiDence
Yolanda Kakabadse has said defending the environment is a passion. Once it gets into your blood it does not go away. For Kakabadse, now the president of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) International, the passion started to burn inside her when the activist was in her 20s. “ I volunteered to work in an environmental NGO (non-governmental organization) that we created in Ecuador, and the first project I got funding for was an environmental profile,” Kakabadse remembers. “It gave me information on what environment and conservation was all about. I decided to move into conservation the moment I understood the risks.” That was nearly 30 years ago and Kakabadse was already a mother of two. Her children were small when she learned that the threat to ecology and their generation was so big. It scared her into a lifetime of action. She served as executive director of Fundacion Natura in Quito and created one of Latin America’s most important environmental organizations. As leader of Fundacion Natura, she helped bring environmental, political, cultural, industrial and economic sectors together in her native Ecuador and managed or prevented social-environmental conflicts in Latin America. “ I think that we need to overcome the separation gap between north, south, east and west where people point fingers and say, ‘You were the bad guy.’ We all have a responsibility and we cannot go back in history. We have to move forward.” Her passion has taken her around the world from serving as the Minister of Environment for the Republic of Ecuador to the presidency of the World Conservation Union, from board membership for the World Resource Institute to a co-chairmanship for the Environmental Sustainability Task Force of the United Nations’ Millennium Project. In January 2010 Kakabadse became president of WWF International, a position that only solidified her status as one of the most prominent environmental leaders of our time. Now at Webster as the 2012 Global Leader in Residence for the Walker School of Business she’s meeting with students who she knows will take over her mantle in the future.
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“ The new tools for information and communication are so different than they were 20 years ago. It’s a very powerful and exponential change and the reason why this generation is ready to go into and change the world,” Kakabadse beams. “They are much more interested in the powers they hold, and that makes a tremendous difference. It has created a generation with fantastic new ideas.” One of the issues she passionately shares with them is the need to protect the earth’s water. Calling it the most basic need of humanity, Kakabadse draws attention to how it affects all of us, from national governments to every society. “ One of the reasons I like the issue of water being so important is because the individual is as important as the policy maker. In the household or at the office, in any group or in any town, both the child and the adult can take action to be responsible with the use of water.” When asked what she wants her legacy to be, Kakabadse shrugs. She admits to not thinking that much about it but adds she does want people to know there are two things in life she will never waver on: responsibility and attitude. “ When you talk about the environment you cannot excuse any sector of society. It’s everyone’s job to find solutions. The environmentalists aren’t the only ones or should never be the only ones looking for solutions,” Kakabadse stresses. “The other thing is an attitude towards life. Never stop being amazed by what you learn and what you see every day. There’s never space for either boredom or an attitude of ‘I know everything.’” Watch Yolanda Kakabadse’s keynote address, “Destination You: The Future of Our Planet,” and view pictures from her visit to Webster University at www.webster.edu/notabene2012.
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Diversity vs. conforMity
finDing a balance If conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth, why do businesses around the world over continue to put their success under lock and key? The 4th Webster Vienna Alumni Symposium tried to answer just that with its panel discussion Diversity vs. Conformity: Finding a Balance That’s Right for Business. Members of Vienna’s business community, along with Webster alumni, students and staff, tackled the topic’s effect within companies as well as the problems that can arise from having a diverse workforce and equally diverse clientele. University president Dr. Elizabeth Stroble and provost and senior vice president Dr. Julian Schuster highlighted Webster’s diversity. Dr. Eric Frey served as moderator and Dr. Benjamin Ola. Akande, Dean, George Herbert Walker School of Business & Technology, Webster University; Prof. Thomas Hintze, Managing Director, UPC Austria; Mr. Felix Thun-Hohenstein, Managing Director, 3M Austria and Switzerland; Mr. Erno Karl, IBM Intellectual Property Licensing, Europe; Mag. Doris Tomanek, Head of HR Austria and CEE, Member of the Board, UniCredit Bank Austria; and Ms. Samantha Yarwood, Marketing Director, Switzerland & Austria, Starbucks Coffee Company made up the panel. Diverse working environments help spark innovation and creativity, but difficulties can arise. All agreed some conformity is needed for success, like common values, which Karl said could be the “glue” that holds a team together. “ We need to bring the positive view of diversity into our schools and grow it as a value,” Thun-Hohenstein added. “The question should not be how diverse your workforce is, but how much do they embrace diversity as a value.” Watch Diversity vs. Conformity and see pictures from the event at www.webster.edu/ notabene2012.
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Walker school neW prograMs Mba global track Advanced competitiveness, increased income and an enhanced career are all great reasons to get an MBA. Add “international experience” to the list and students also advance their business savvy into the global market. Today companies don’t limit their business to across the street or even across the country. Why should students limit their education? Webster University’s new part-time MBA Global Track combines the steadfast education of an MBA with the advanced knowledge of a chosen international degree program.
bs coMputing With eMphasis in Mobile coMputing For those who insist on skills fast and at their fingertips, high tech and hands on growth there is the Walker School’s new BS in Computing with Emphasis in Mobile Computing. This new undergraduate program equips students for cutting-edge careers in “all things mobile,” from app design to implementation.
Ma nonprofit leaDership Today’s new “normal” business environment can seem anything “but” for nonprofit leaders. To help those who help others the Walker School is now offering an MA in Nonprofit Leadership. By developing real-world nonprofit business skills Webster’s new MA in Nonprofit Leadership prepares nonprofit professionals for managing the challenges and complexities of today’s world.
global hybriDs Thailand, Turkey, Hong Kong and Geneva are just a sampling of the places the Walker School’s Global Hybrid program may take students to give them an international edge in their education. The online-plustravel courses provide a one- to two-week global business experience for students who are unable to study abroad for a full semester. To help pay the way is the Walker Travel Award which allows qualified Walker School students to receive up to $1,000 towards airfare expenses when they participate in one of the Walker Global Hybrid courses.
Ma international business The need to keep up in real time with today’s marketplace is behind the Walker School’s revised MA in International Business. The degree now includes special Global Topics courses, like ethics, sustainability and global citizenship, which are designed to freely adapt to changes or new topics in the world of international business.
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2011-2012 Walker August 2011
lieutenant general Michael gould, MA ’86, USAFA superintendent, returns to his alma mater for a special address and leadership recognition.
pring Press publishes the latest book by management S professor Dr. tom Quirk, Excel 2010 for Business Statistics: A Guide to Solving Practical Business Problems.
September 2011
Managing the Demands of Accreditation: The Impact of “ Global Business Schools,” by Drs. Janet kourik, peter Maher and benjamin akande, is published in the Research in Higher Education Journal.
he Walker Speaker Series welcomes author gig gwin, one of the T most traveled men in the world, to campus to tell his globetrotting story.
October 2011
oren schroder, president s & CEO of Bunge North America, addresses the Walker Speaker Series.
November 2011
alker School Dean Benjamin Akande is appointed to Financial W Times’ Agenda International 100.
ieutenant General Lloyd Austin, MA ’89, is nominated by L President Barack Obama for U.S. Army’s vice chief of staff.
December 2011
The New York Times honors the late Webster professor anna barbara sakurai in its special section “The Lives They Lived.”
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school tiMeline January 2012
On Economy, MLK Would Have Demanded Better, written by Dean Benjamin Akande, is USAToday’s most popular op/ed over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend.
February 2012
he Walker Speaker Series T welcomes two speakers to campus: Judge Jimmie edwards, founder of the Innovative Concept Academy, and People Magazine Hero of the Year and retired Pepsi Co. executiveallen Mckeller, the first AfricanAmerican hired by corporate America.
March 2012
he Walker Speaker Series welcomes Jay rasulo, senior viceT president and chief financial officer for Walt Disney Company to campus.
Dr. Debbie psihountas, associate professor of finance at the George Herbert Walker School of Business & Technology is named an American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow for the 2012-13 academic year. Dr. Psihountas is one of only 57 people throughout higher education in the U.S. chosen for this honor.
April 2012
eadership Lessons from the Corner Office brings harlan L steinbaum, former chairman of Express Scripts, reginald brack, former chairman/CEO, Time Inc., les loewe, former chairman/ president/CEO, Angelica Corporation, John graham, chairman, Fleishman Hillard and Mike staenberg, president/co-founder, THF Reality, together for a special Walker Speaker Series panel discussion.
eader of the world’s largest L operator, franchisor and licensor of convenience stores, Joe Depinto, president/CEO of 7-Eleven, addresses the Walker Speaker Series.
May 2012
he Walker School of Business and Technology commences T 120 undergraduates and 500 graduates representing all of the U.S. and more than 100 other countries. Jeff Minnis, BA ’06, and chuck feltz, MA ’89, are honored as the Walker School’s Outstanding Undergraduate Alumnus and Graduate Alumnus respectively.
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heaDlining arounD the WorlD USA Today
Column: On Economy, MLK Would Have Demanded Better (Benjamin Ola. Akande)
NY Times Magazine
The Life She Lived: Anna Barbara Sakurai (Benjamin Ola. Akande)
Bloomberg
NBA Christmas Start Makes Sense (Patrick Rishe) Schmidt Talks UBS on Bloomberg TV (Jacob Schmidt)
Forbes
Indianapolis Teaches Future Super Bowl Host Cities that Convenience Is King (Patrick Rishe) The Relegation of the Big East and Big 12 Football (Patrick Rishe)
National Public Radio (NPR)
World Series Cash Brings Relief to St. Louis (Patrick Rishe)
MoneyShow.com
Is It Safe to Buy Financials? (Neil George, Jr.)
LA Times
New Dodgers Owner Can Follow One of Two Paths (Patrick Rishe)
FOX News
Jaco Report: Failure in the Political System (Benjamin Ola. Akande) Business of St. Louis Sports (Patrick Rishe)
Saint Louis Business Journal
Webster Accountants Take Aim at Forensic Evidence (Rich Dippel) Leadership Is an Activity, Not Authority (Benjamin Ola. Akande & Brad Wolaver) Monsanto on Anonymous Hacker Attack: “We Remain Vigilant” (Al Marcella)
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the Walker school aDvisory boarD George Herbert Walker School of Business & Technology Advisory Board
Michael Gabriel Exec. VP Information Technology & CIO HBO
Katherine Lintz Founder and Partner, Financial Management Partners
Raymond Bayer, MBA ‘97, MA ‘02 Executive Director, MOHELA
Dr. Neil George, Sr. Chancellor
Kathleen Mazzarella, MBA ’02 President /CEO, Graybar Electric Co., Inc.
Dale Cammon (Chairman) Chairman, The Bryant Group, Inc.
Neil George, Jr., MBA ’89 Managing Director, Green & Gold, LLC
Rodger Riney President /CEO, Scottrade, Inc.
Omar Danial,’91, MBA ’97 CEO, Finial Capital S.A.
Gilbert Hoffman, MA ’93 CIO, Maritz
Julian Schuster Provost & Senior VP, Webster University
Charles A. Dill General Partner, Two Rivers Associates, LLC
Debra Hollingsworth, MA ’97 Vice President, External Affairs, AT&T
Jim Theiss President, CEO, Centric Group, LLC
Michael Holmes, MA ’93 President, RX Outreach
Anthony Thompson, MBA ’88 President, Kwame Building Group, Inc.
Donald Huonker, Jr., MBA ’00 Senior VP of Innovation, Walgreens
George Herbert Walker III Former United States Ambassador, Hungary
Alyn Essman Civic Leader Chuck Feltz, MA ‘89 President, Lominger International Robert A. Fischer Executive Director, World Affairs Council of St. Louis
Allan Ivie, IV Chairman/CEO, Reliance Bancshares Inc
Patricia Whitaker Chairman, Arcturis
leaDership teaM The George Herbert Walker School of Business & Technology
Lauren Bommarito Coordinator, Analysis and Research
Dr. Benjamin Ola. Akande Dean
Lauren Brown Coordinator, Research and Technical Support
Patricia Masidonski Associate Dean
Academic Programs
Dr. Peter Maher Associate Dean
Dr. Doug O’Bannon Chair, Department of Business
Caprice Moore Director of Operations
Al Cawns Chair, Department of Math & Computer Science
Charla Lord Director of Communications Ron Van Fleet Director of Alumni & Development Anne Browning Director, Programs
Dr. James Brasfield Chair, Management Department
Notabene 2012 Editor Charla Lord Designers Falk Harrison Photographer Rebecca Barr, Tu Square Studio, LLC www.webster.edu/wsbt Twitter: @WebsterU_Biz Facebook: www.facebook.com/SBT.Webster Visit webster.edu/notabene2012 and share your story with us
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