COBI to offer MBA program through arrangement in Egypt

The University of Toledo College of Business and Innovation (COBI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt to offer a joint Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) degree in Cairo.
The program will enable Egyptian students to obtain an MBA from UT without leaving Egypt. Consisting of 11 courses over 15 months, all of the classes will be conducted at the American Chamber’s Career Development Center in Cairo, Egypt.

“This cooperation will benefit both the Egyptian and American people by creating jobs, fostering innovation, and sending a message of confidence to the world that Egypt is a world-class destination for tourism and foreign investment,” said U.S. Ambassador Anne W. Patterson. “Moving forward, we are eager to work with the Egyptian government and the Egyptian people on more projects of mutual benefit to our two countries.”

“The UT College of Business and Innovation and the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt recognize that both business and academia need to effectively function in a true global community,” noted UT COBI Dean Thomas Gutteridge, who participated in the December 11 signing of the memorandum. “COBI seriously pursues its mission of developing lifelong, ethical business leaders of tomorrow, and this agreement further demonstrates how we strive to be the preferred learning partner for students and the business community worldwide.”

“Egyptian students are very anxious to improve their education, and this partnership is a major step, especially because COBI is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business international,” he added. “This will mean excellent preparation for better jobs, providing them a competitive advantage in a global marketplace.”

COBI currently provides an MBA program on-site in Cairo through an agreement signed in 2010 between The University of Toledo and the Sadat Academy for Management Sciences (SAMS). SAMS students are also obtaining bachelor’s degrees as a result of a 2009 agreement through which they undertake their first two years of study at SAMS, and then complete their coursework either at UT COBI, or through distance learning and classes taught by COBI faculty in Cairo. However, these agreements will be discontinued after the initial cohorts graduate.

COBI also offers MBA programs through agreements with Zhejiang University of Finance & Economics, China ; Humanitarian Academy in Kharkov, the Ukraine; and PSG Institutions, Coimbatore, India.

Employees recognized for completing professional development certificates

University of Toledo employees from both the main and Health Science campuses were recognized at a July 12 breakfast for their successful completion of a series of professional development certificates. UT President Dr. Lloyd Jacobs and College of Business and Innovation Dean Thomas Gutteridge presented the certificates of achievement.

“It was a great culmination of a full year of hard work for both students and the instructors,” noted Carrie Herr, Director, Executive Center for Global Competitiveness, College of Business and Innovation, which implemented the series. “This UT certificate ceremony recognized the accomplishments of the many employees who devoted a tremendous amount of time and study to pursue a learning journey that will directly benefit not only themselves, but our students and others served by the University.”

Courses, which were presented between September and June, were offered in three different certificate tracks: Managerial Finance and Budgeting (five courses), Leadership (eight courses) and Exceptional Customer Service (seven courses). While 45 people completed all of the courses necessary to earn one of the certificates, a total of 495 people enrolled in the courses.
Instructors included several COBI faculty members, UT administrators and other subject matter experts.

“As we go through turbulent times, people have to reinvent themselves and develop their skillsets. The people within a university will make or break the university’s success,” Gutteridge observed.

“COBI frequently talks about the importance of lifelong learning, and these certificate programs are what lifelong learning is really about. It is a marvelous thing for people to take advantage of the opportunities- - in a peer-to peer environment - - that exist. Their efforts advance the mission and vision of The University of Toledo. It personifies the focus of action learning, which is to apply what you learn in the real world, in your day to day job,” Gutteridge said.

This sentiment was echoed by Nancy Koerner, UT’s Director of Planned Giving, who completed both the Managerial Finance and Budgeting series as well as the Leadership series.

“We built relationships throughout these classes, and I now know people to call while working on certain projects,” Koerner said. “It was great to be involved with people from both the main and Health Science campuses throughout this series, because none of us functions in a silo. I’ve gained insight into how we are all inter-related and how one decision impacts the whole University.”

“This was an amazing opportunity offered to staff,” she added. “The University has invested back in their own people, and there have been immediate and long-term payoffs for the employees and for the divisions in which we work. I have utilized on a daily basis what we have learned in the classes.”
Reflective of their commitment to providing quality service, the entire staff of Rocket Solution Central completed one series.

“The staff of Rocket Solution Central is thankful to have been given the opportunity and support to participate in the Exceptional Customer Service Certificate program,” said Lisa Hasselschwert, Director. “Each session was presented in a professional, enthusiastic and well thought-out manner. Each series provided an opportunity to develop individual steps to implement the new skills into our daily interactions with customers.”

“Since we work with students, parents and others on a daily basis, we are always concerned about providing exceptional service,” Hasselschwert added. “This series allowed us to review techniques as well as learn new techniques to improve listening, communication and conflict resolution skills.
We will continue to incorporate these skills into our daily interactions with students as they seek our assistance with registration, financial aid and payment processes.”

Congratulations to all who successfully completed one or more of the certificate series: Managerial Finance and Budgeting: Gracie Brown, Diane Eisel, Aimee Falk, Christine Filzer, Duana Huggins, Nancy Koerner, Janice Kusowski, Kelly Manahan, Jacki McBee, Stephany Mikols, Sheryl Milz, Diana Raider, Gail Simpson, Lansing Stoll, David Walczak; Leadership: Diane Eisel, Ecole Eisenhard, Kim Govan, Reynaldo Guerra, Sadik Khuder, Nancy Koerner, Vickie Kuntz, Misa Mi, Roxanne Ring, Sherris Schwind, Carol Stamm, Rodney Theis, Joanna Tyson, Charles Williams; Exceptional Customer Service: Joe Bendix, Donna Buza, Bill Connolly, Debbra Cooper, Jennifer Dietsch, Tamika Dobbins, Charlene Hansen, Lisa Hasselschwert, Gerri Jacobs, Adelina Jaime, Elizabeth McKnight, Tenley Petersen, Lee Reany, Mary Schneider, Terrina White, Jason Woodward, Lisa Young

“Talent management is a very critical component for UT’s future success in today’s changing global marketplace,” Herr said. “I think everyone’s commitment to these certificates is a great milestone for UT.”

Dr. Longenecker keynote speaker at Heidelberg University Commencement

Clinton Longenecker, Ph.D., COBI professor of Management and Stranahan Professor of Leadership and Organizational Excellence, was the speaker at the 158th commencement ceremonies for Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohio. The title of the speech was “Life is…”

Second annual IE Challenge awards cash for eight business plans

The winners of the second annual University of Toledo IE Challenge Business Plan Competition were announced on Thursday, November 10 at the annual Entrepreneurial and Business Excellence Hall of Fame Awards at the Pinnacle in Maumee.

“We congratulate all 18 entrants for the extremely high quality proposals they submitted,” noted Richard Stansley, Jr., UT Innovation Enterprises. “These technologically innovative ideas clearly demonstrate creative thinking within the UT campus, which is exactly what this competition strives to foster. We are pleased to see the IE Challenge Business Plan competition become a critical step in developing an innovation system that includes the proper infrastructure and business tools to foster the creation of legitimate new products and services.”

“We believe the winning carefully constructed business plans in this year’s competition form a solid foundation on which these entrepreneurs can build successful businesses,” said Dr. Sonny Ariss, UT College of Business and Innovation (COBI) said. “The College of Business and Innovation is pleased to have coordinated judging of these entries and stands ready to offer guidance to help these teams emerge beyond the University into the community. We want to see these ideas and business plans effectively implemented, creating jobs and enhancing the economic growth of the region.”

The winning proposals, the entrant’s name and a brief description of the winning entries are:

First Place Winner ($10,000) is Sunnyfuels LLC (Mahabala Adiga) Sunnyfuels LLC: The products that Sunnyfuels LLC will be manufacturing will be: 1) Cost-effective, energy efficient PEM/membrane electrolyzers for cheaper hydrogen production from solar, wind, or other power sources and 2) Low cost, light weight portable hydrogen compressors to compress hydrogen greater than 200 psig for small fuel cell generators.

Second Place Winner ($5,000) is Expandable Intervertebral Cage (Mohammad Elahinia) - Expandable Intervertebral Cage will manufacture a shape memory alloy (Nitinol) cage that will be used in the correction of spinal injuries, providing a smaller surgical footprint, leading to a faster recovery period.

Third Place Winner ($2,500) is Nanospection (Christopher M. Hessler) - The products that Nanospection will develop are cost-effective nano gold/silver coated slides which have a number of potential applications such as optical sensing, environmental monitoring and chemical detection.

Honorable Mention ($500)
• BestCustomers.com (Jake Moritz)
• Dynamic and Smart Systems Lab (Ahmadreza Eshghinejad)
• MySport Highlights (Zac Rosenbauer)
• Resonance Group Ltd. (Jason Owens)
• Swankr.com (Dane Theisen)

Entries for the second IE Challenge Business Plan Competition were due in October. Finalists made an oral presentation about their businesses to a panel of judges on November 3. Prize money is awarded to established business entity, not to the individuals.

UT student on second place team at KeyBank competition

Tiera Austin, a junior majoring in human resources in the UT College of Business and Innovation, participated in the 4th Annual KeyBank Leadership and Creativity Symposium at Ohio State University on November 11 and 12. Her team won their competition bracket and ultimately placed second in the event, with each team member receiving a $750 prize.

The case presented to the students concerned a cell phone company that was having issues with their batteries. Teams had to develop answers surrounding the news media, addressing the company’s stakeholders, and what action they would recommend to the company CEO.

“We knew of the case in advance, but did not know the actual questions until we were at the competition,” Austin said. “You can read about something, but you don’t know what to expect until you get there. But we brainstormed, and I think we were very powerful as a group.”

Austin, who is a COBI Searles ambassador, said she believed she was representing both UT and herself.

“It was a great experience,” she added. “I’m really happy I went; I learned things to further my own future endeavors, and the networking was great. I gained so much out of it, and I would recommend it to others who have an opportunity to participate.”

Other universities represented at the symposium were Michigan State University, Ohio State University, University of Cincinnati, University of Minnesota, University of Oregon, University of Washington, Case Western Reserve and University of North Carolina.

Brighter surroundings emerge from Stranahan Hall refurbishment project

Stranahan Hall (South), the 25-year-old home of the UT College of Business and Innovation, was brightly transformed by the start of the fall semester with its first ever bottom to top refurbishment.

Chipped paint and traffic-worn carpets yielded to the arrival of gallons of fresh ivory-colored latex paint and contemporary high-traffic-strength floor coverings. From the first to the fifth floors, no room was left untouched.

“Stranahan Hall was ready for this refurbishment project, as it still had the painting and original carpeting from when the building opened more than 25 years ago,” noted Sandy Whitman, Administrative Assistant to the COBI Dean’s office. “With 3,000 students using this building every semester, it was time to address the basics: namely fresh paint, new carpeting and window treatments in each room and hallway, and new lighting in the hallways.”

Refurbishment of the first floor lobby and the fifth floor offices took place during the break between the last fall and spring semesters, while the painting and carpeting of floors two, three and four occurred during the summer to minimize the impact on faculty and students. Classrooms in the ground floor of Stranahan Hall South received fresh paint a couple years ago, so they did not need to be painted this year.

“Making this happen truly required a team effort,” Whitman said. “Every office and conference room in Stranahan Hall South had to be emptied for a few days, so we went through a lot of cardboard boxes and cleaning of files.”

“It’s important to emphasize that the money for this project did not come out of student fees, but from private donations” Whitman said. When donors - - including COBI alumni, faculty and staff - - contributed during the fundraising campaign to build the new Savage & Associates Complex for Business Learning and Engagement, they also contributed $1 million specifically for these physical improvements to Stranahan Hall South.

With just a few exceptions - - such as the new Ph.D. Seminar Room (the previous Neff Trading Room), and classrooms 3056 and 4050 that welcomed new tables and chairs - - the existing furniture from each office found its way back home.
The first floor student lounge went through a little greater transformation as it became a POD, or Provisions on Demand location. It’s a place where all students, faculty and staff can obtain a sandwich, salad, hot slice of pizza or snack.

“Aramark (UT’s food service provider) was looking for a location to provide this service in this area of campus,” Whitman said. “We thought it was an appropriate use of the space and a great idea that would benefit everyone on this side of campus.”

“We encourage the UT community to come see the fresh look to our COBI home, stop by the new POD for something to eat, and, of course, take some business classes in the newly refurbished Stranahan Hall South,” said COBI Dean Thomas Gutteridge.

Third Annual Internet Marketing Conference Draws Crowd

To help area business professionals best use the Internet to promote their products and services, The University of Toledo College of Business and Innovation’s Interactive Marketing Initiative presented its Third Annual Internet Marketing Conference on Tuesday, October 18, 2011.

“Innovative marketing tactics and techniques have never been more important than in these continually challenging times,” noted Dr. Iryna Pentina, Co-Director of the UT Interactive Marketing Initiative. “Our third annual event was specifically geared to help businesses improve their ability to use the latest Internet tools to grow their business. The conference was a tremendous success. This year we achieved a record attendance of over 180 participants representing various small and medium businesses of Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan.”

Nationally-known industry experts will help participants understand and apply new Internet marketing functions that can dramatically help their business, Dr. Pentina said. Topics and presenters include:
• Evolution of Video for Internet Marketing, by Steve Graft, Google
• 20 Steps and Tactics to Becoming the Content Expert in Your Industry, by Joe Pulizzi, Junta42
• 12 New Digital Technologies to Accelerate Sales, by John Edwards, the Pursuit Group
• How to Add E-Commerce to Your Business, by Joe Metzger, Metzgers
• Beyond the Toolbox: Using Social Media Integration for Business, by Christopher Penn, Blue Sky Factory

“Internet marketing techniques are now a requirement for business success,” Dr. Pentina explained. “Participants left this half-day conference with the game plan and ideas they need to take positive action.”

COBI Provides the #1 MBA/EMBA Value in America

As an alumnus of UT COBI, you may already know that the UT  business school  offers the largest and  most preferred MBA and EMBA programs in this region, with unmatched value and flexibility that help you expand your skills and enhance your career trajectory.

Now is the perfect time for you to consider obtaining your MBA and to help spread the word about this remarkable program. 

Here are some key points to remember:

Executive MBA Unique Benefits:

Short, Focused Timeframe — Just 15 months to complete your degree regardless of your undergraduate major, and all undergraduate majors from history to business and engineering are welcome in our program! You'll be busy during the 15 months, but you'll be proud of your accelerated career success upon graduation.

Position Yourself for Career Success — the UT EMBA program helps you develop the leadership skills and business acumen necessary to move ahead in your company or start your own business.

Community Business Involvement — Meet business leaders from the community through their active participation in our EMBA program.

Family Friendly — Our new blended model combines onsite courses and video-conferenced distance learning sessions, enabling you to reap the benefits of an Executive MBA while going to class on-campus only two weekends per month.

International Study Trip Included — The cost of traveling to and learning in an international environment is built into the program. You'll learn through a trip that combines company meetings, cultural immersion…and a dose of relaxation.

Relationship-Driven Program — develop lifelong friendships with classmates, mentoring relationships with faculty, and build a business network ready to help you in your career.

ROI — Emerge from the EMBA program with skills to address issues at your employer or your own business as you work on projects of your choosing.

Professional MBA Unique Benefits:

Short, Focused Timeframe — students with an undergraduate degree in business can complete the Professional MBA program in only 12 months going to school full-time, or in two calendar years going part-time.

You Decide When to Start — UT is the only MBA program in Northwest Ohio that allows you to start an MBA in the fall, spring, or summer semester.

Flexibility — UT’s Professional MBA program allows students to complete the MBA program at their own pace utilizing both in-class and online courses. The entire program can be completed while working full-time.

Choice of Majors — the UT Professional MBA program offers 9 majors, more than any other MBA program in Northwest Ohio. You can major in fields such as Finance, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, or Leadership, and you can choose electives in different disciplines.

To learn more about each of these MBA programs, contact Robert Detwiler at 419.530.2513 or email Robert.detwiler@utoledo.edu.

49th annual Pacemaker Awards honor Marianne Ballas, outstanding UT business students

The University of Toledo College of Business and Innovation and the Business Engagement and Leadership Council presented their 49th Annual Pacemaker Awards Friday, April 8 at the Inverness Country Club.

Each year the prestigious Pacemaker Award recognizes an individual for outstanding achievement in business as well as contributions to the community and the University.  The 2011 recipient of the Business Pacemaker Award is Marianne Ballas, President, Ballas Buick GMC.

In 2004, after 35 years in the car business, Ms. Ballas purchased her automotive dealership from her late husband George’s estate. She became the first woman car dealer in Ohio appointed by the Women’s Retail Network.  (Nationally, women own less than two percent of auto dealerships.)

In 2006, Ballas Buick GMC was awarded the Better Business Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics, the only dealership in the region to achieve this honor. The dealership has also received the Mark of Excellence award from General Motors, presented to less than one percent of dealers nationally for excellence in sales effectiveness, customer satisfaction and profitability.

Ms. Ballas was recently elected to the Buick/GMC National Dealer Council where she is one of just 22 dealers who meets with General Motors Corporation executives to assist in the direction of the Buick/GMC division.

Thomas G. Gutteridge, Dean, UT College of Business and Innovation, observed, “Marianne Ballas’ highly successful career, various community philanthropic activities and outstanding integrity and leadership in the regional business arena make her the ideal business professional  to receive this year’s Pacemaker Award, the College’s highest honor.”

In addition, the annual Pacemaker Awards are presented to UT College of Business and Innovation graduate and undergraduate students for their outstanding academic achievement as well as University and community service and leadership.

The 2011 student Pacemakers are: Applied Organizational Technology – Christopher Weisgarber; Accounting – Jaimie Morsillo and Jeff Warnke; Finance – Joe Corfman and Dan Hoover;  Information Operations & Technology Management – Alyssa Niese and Junjun Liu; Management – Alexander Ross and Caroline Sigley; Marketing and International Business – Jay Solarik and Cari Tubbs; Dean’s Office – Ryan Kremer; MBA – Nathan Syrek and Martina Turner; Ph.D. – Chenglei Huang.

BP donates $225K to provide diversity scholarships for dozens in business, engineering schools

In February it was announced that BP donated $225,000 to The University of Toledo to create the BP Scholars Program, devoted to increasing the number of women and minority professionals in business and engineering disciplines. The leadership gift will provide scholarships for both first-year and continuing students.

“Beyond our core business, BP invests in communities across more than 80 countries worldwide. One of our major priorities is supporting education and we are pleased to be partnering with the University of Toledo,” said Mark Dangler, president of the BP-Husky Refinery LLC in Oregon, Oh.

Paid out over three years, annual scholarships of $2,500 will be awarded to more than two dozen students in the Colleges of Engineering and Business and Innovation. BP will also mix the scholarships between high achieving current and incoming students and targeting residents of northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan.

Dr. Thomas Gutteridge, dean of the College of Business and Innovation, and Dr. Nagi Naganathan, dean of the College of Engineering, praised the long time partnerships BP has had with both colleges.

“BP has demonstrated repeatedly their commitment to the next generation of business leaders and this scholarship is just the latest example,” said Gutteridge, who pointed out that the scholarship fund is for students majoring in finance or entrepreneurial studies. COBI will also utilize $25,000 of its BP funding to establish a Minority Business Development Program and a Women in Business Development Program.

Said Naganathan, “A longtime partner in our co-op program, BP has repeatedly supported the research and academic activities of this college and our students. I can think of no more fitting occasion for BP to demonstrate their continuing generosity than during this week, set aside nationally to honor engineers.”

Vern Snyder, vice president for institutional advancement, said that $25,000 of the donation would go to support women and minority initiatives in the College of Engineering. “BP is an organization that gives strategically, with purpose, and as a result sees a tremendous return on its investments in the community. I have no doubt that trend will continue with this gift,” he said.

Scholarship winners will also experience a tour of the Oregon, Ohio refinery and lunch with BP leadership.

“Northwest Ohio has so many talented men and women and BP is proud to support students in their studies,” said Dangler.  “Currently, our refinery in Oregon has over 50 University of Toledo graduates working at the site, by far the largest representation of any one University working at our refinery.  This scholarship program with UT is an excellent opportunity to support education in the communities in which we work, live and raise our families,” said Dangler.

UT President Lloyd Jacobs said BP was a great community partner.

“We strive every day to make sure the education UT provides is relevant to a student’s growth, professionally, personally and culturally. Partners like BP help students along that path and the result is an increase in college graduates prepared to thrive in the professional world.”

CPA exam pass rates for UT COBI graduates exceed state and national averages

Individuals who want to be certified public accountants know that preparation for the CPA exam is of paramount importance. Where you study is essential, and the higher the pass rate by graduates at a particular college, the better.

That is why it is important that UT accounting students are enrolled at a College with a proven track record of its graduates successfully passing the CPA exam. 

According to the recently released report (for 2009) from the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA), The University of Toledo College of Business and Innovation (UT COBI) graduates passed the CPA exam at rates exceeding both state and national averages.

Comparing the percentage of college graduates who passed all four parts of the CPA exam reveals:

                                                    Candidates with                                 All candidates
                                                   advanced degrees                                  with degrees

Across the United States:            38.21%                                          32.93%

Across Ohio:                                      43.08%                                          37.54%

UT COBI students:                           58.62%                                          40.91%

 “Our Masters of Science in Accounting (MSA) students did particularly well,” noted Dr. Donald Saftner, Chair, Department of Accounting at UT COBI. “Considering the auditing part of the exam, UT is ranked in the top ten schools nationally in pass rates among first-time candidates with advanced degrees.  Considering all four parts of the exam, advanced degree CPA candidates from UT COBI had a higher passing percentage than advanced degree candidates from all but two of the other 15 Ohio schools listed by NASBA”

“These results are a clear and powerful indication of the high caliber of our accounting programs, our dedicated faculty and the application of our students to achieve this important goal,” Dr. Saftner said. 

UT Business team claims first place in operations management district competition

The University of Toledo’s Chapter of APICS (Association for Operations Management) took the first place award in the APICS Mid-Atlantic District Case Competition, held February 12 and 13 in Pittsburgh.

“We were excited to beat teams such as Ohio State University, Michigan State University, Bowling Green State University, Penn State, the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Dayton,” said Jenni Jones, President of the UT APICS Chapter.

“Our team had six members, and none of us had ever participated in a case competition before,” she added. “However, with the encouragement of our professors, our professional contacts and internships, we were able to apply all our experience and bring home a first place for UT!”

“This is the best thing that has ever happened to UTAPICS in its 21-year history,” said Professor P.S. Sundararaghavan, who has been the faculty advisor to the group.

COBI’s APICS team consisted of Jones, Michael Erney, Aaron Seaman, Bethany Harding, Junjun Liu and Xin Ma.

Dr. Udayan Nandkeolyar, COBI department of Information Operations & Technology Management, travelled with the team and provided moral support, however faculty were not allowed to have any communication with the team during the event.

APICS provides training, certification and resources for professionals in production, inventory, supply chain, materials management and purchasing. With more than 2,500 student members worldwide, APICS sponsors competitions and programs that promote education and interest in the operations management profession.

The UT APICS Chapter received an award of $1,350 for their first place finish in the district competition. UTAPICS student chapter was started in 1990 and hosts an annual joint dinner meeting with the parent chapter (Toledo APICS Chapter) in April. UTAPICS is very thankful to the Toledo APICS for providing material support, scholarships, professional contacts and lots of encouragement.

“This is wonderful news,” noted COBI Dean Thomas Gutteridge. “Their success makes a powerful statement about the quality of UT College of Business and Innovation students, faculty and programs within the field of supply chain management. Congratulations to all for a job extremely well done!”

Proposal funded

The National Association of Graduate Admissions Professionals Research and Global Issues committee has selected Robert Detwiler’s proposal, “Assessing Factors Influencing Student Academic Success in Law School,” for grant funding. Detwiler is the adviser/recruiter for undergraduate and masters program at COBI.  Congratulations Robert!!

ESSPS team places fifth at National Collegiate Sales Competition

The UT COBI team of students from the Edward H. Schmidt School of Professional Sales once again did outstanding work at the annual National Collegiate Sales Competition in March. 

The UT Team of Lyndsay Desautels and Jacob Krause, with alternate Joe Sessin, accompanied by coach Michael Mallin, came in fifth out of 61 participating universities, thus claiming the fourth runner-up position! This latest success is a continuation of a long run of strong national level performances by our sales teams, and is a testimony to the quality of our program and  the dedication of our students and faculty.

The competition is very intense, and the ESSPS staff begins preparation for the event in December each year. Dean Gutteridge indicated  “Congratulations and sincere thanks to Lindsay, Jacob and Joe for all of the hard work they put into this competition, and to the entire ESSPS faculty who coached and role-played with the students over the past several months.”

Dr. Moore named Academy Fellow

Dr. Gary. S. Moore, UT COBI Professor of Finance, has been named the Academy of Economics and Finance Service Fellow, an award which recognizes outstanding service. 

Dr. Moore is a member of the John and Lillian Neff Department of Finance and has served in various leadership positions in the department and college.  He has been the Director of Graduate Programs, Chair of the University Graduate Curriculum Committee,  interim chair of the department and Director of the Honors program for the College of Business and Innovation.  He served as secretary of the Academy of Economics and Finance from 2004 to 2008 and on the Board of Directors for the Academy  from 2000 to 2008. 

Dr. Moore also served on the research award committee, and chaired the editor selection committee for the Journal of Economics and Finance. He has been a track chairman at numerous meetings such as the Financial Management Association and the Academy of Economics and Finance dealing with a wide variety of topics such as investments, real estate and insurance.  Dr. Moore was named “Volunteer of the Year” for 2003-2004 school year  by The University of Toledo Alumni Association.

The Fellow award will be presented at the 39^th Annual meeting of the Academy of Economics and Finance in Charleston, South Carolina in February of 2012.

Helpful lessons provided for Got A Minute? moments

If a co-worker asks if you’ve “Got a minute?” chances are good that the ensuing conversation will take several.

If you are in management or human resources, chances are even greater that you will need to take some action when the conversation is over.

Offering guidance for many of these situations is a new book appropriately entitled, Got A Minute?  The Nine Lessons Every HR Professional Must Learn.  The book provides lessons every human resource professional needs to be successful.

“This book is about mistakes, challenges, and the day-to-day frustrations faced by HR professionals in organizations everywhere,” noted Dr. Dale J. Dwyer, professor of management and former chair of the Department of Management at The University of Toledo, co-author of Got a Minute? with Sheri A. Caldwell, HR professional and an adjunct professor at The University of Toledo. “Sometimes by focusing on the misstep, it is easier to teach people how to avoid it.”

Real-life, often humorous, stories across a broad range of issues fill the book.  One story concerns an employee who called in to say, “I can’t come in today because the lady at the end of the road just hung her wash out to dry, and I don’t want to drive down the road and cause dust  so she’ll have to do her wash again.”

Another story quotes a man just offered a job who asks about his new coworkers, “How many are single women? I’m looking for a wife.”

Other incidents described are embarrassing, poignant, and inspiring.

“Many of the true incidents relayed in the book are funny, but every story offers a useful lesson for life in the everyday work world,” Dwyer said.  Issues addressed include substance abuse, invasion of privacy, culture clashes, sexual issues, job terminations, and more.

Each chapter summarizes key messages through “Helpful Tips” and specific steps to achieve results are detailed throughout the book.

Got A Minute? The Nine Lessons Every HR Professional Must Learn is published by the Society for Human Resource Management and is available at their website, http://shrmstore.shrm.org.

80 area companies participated in UT COBI Spring Job Fair

As they build their futures in a recovering economy, 80 regional and national companies participated in a job fair for COBI students and alumni earlier this year. This sets the record for the largest number of participating companies at COBI’s annual Spring Job Fair and is 26 more companies than last year.  Employers were looking for students to participate in business internship programs as well as for seniors and graduates seeking full-time employment. 

Among the companies participating were Eli Lilly, Frito Lay, Kraft, Owens-Corning, Savage & Associates, the Internal Revenue Service and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“The fact that so many well-known companies are coming to UT COBI to find the talent they need reflects very positively on the quality of both our programs and our students,” noted Terribeth Gordon-Moore, Associate Dean, UT College of Business and Innovation. “It also demonstrates the extremely dynamic and mutually beneficial relationships enjoyed by COBI and the business community.”

 “This semi-annual job fair is part of what we do to prepare our students for their futures,” she added. “We strive to provide the necessary resources so our students can conduct their own tailored job searches. “

South Africa’s Ambassador to the US and UT alum explore business and academic collaborations during Toledo visit

Possible business partnerships  between companies in Northwest Ohio and South Africa as well as academic opportunities linking South African universities with UT were explored during a March visit by a distinguished alum of The University of Toledo and the South African Ambassador to the United States.

Papi Molotsone and the Ambassador, His Excellency Ebrahim Rasool, met with Toledo Mayor Mike Bell, University of Toledo President Lloyd Jacobs and several Northwest Ohio business leaders.

“South Africa has an emerging economy and could be a global economic power,” the Ambassador said. “I see many similarities between the United States and South Africa.  We want to align with the US, which is the global leader.  UT is a globally relevant university, offers research and development, and is centrally located.  Academia is a global currency and is a very good medium to create opportunity. This visit and our relationship can help us discover our natural partners.”

Molotsane, a business and engineering graduate of The University of Toledo, is currently executive director of Altius Investment Holdings, a South African company with diverse interests in agriculture, supply chain, financial services and information technology.  His career also includes leadership positions with businesses in fields including Internet services, telecommunications, transportation and food services. 

 “It is important for colleges to collaborate, to link like-minded institutions,” Molotsane said. “No man is an island. I was educated at The University of Toledo, and progress happens through relationships with people.”

“Enhancing regional economic development and building academic partnerships are critical components of the UT College of Business and Innovation’s mission, and we certainly welcome opportunities to play a vital role facilitating such activity on a global scale such as this,” noted COBI Dean Thomas Gutteridge. “Molotsane is one of UT’s most distinguished alumni, and his extensive business success and humanitarian endeavors reflect positively on the value of a UT education. We hope these initial discussions will lead to the pursuit of mutually beneficial economic and academic relationships between Northwest Ohio and South Africa.”

UT President Lloyd Jacobs said, “The University of Toledo was honored to host the South African Ambassador as well as a distinguished UT alum for these discussions with government, corporate and academic leaders, and dialogue how UT and Northwest Ohio can best partner with entities in South Africa, one of the most important emerging areas of the world.”

Rubin Patterson, Chair of the UT Sociology and Anthropology Department and Director of Africana Studies at UT, observed, “Hosting this visit was a major first step in developing multidisciplinary linkages between UT and counterpart universities in South Africa, as well as building the global social, cultural and economic networks for this region. Africa is a major economic growth market, and we would like to see UT students expand their knowledge about the exciting things happening in many countries of this fascinating continent.”