COBI ESSPS student wins Quicken Loans Sales Competition

UT COBI professional sales and marketing double major Alysa A. Malcolm won the Quicken Loans Sales Competition in February.

There were 150 students from 12 universities invited to Quicken Loans, but only 25 were selected to participate in the competition, which consisted of individual rounds where each student received immediate feedback from regional vice presidents in sales and banking.

"When you first arrived, you received a notebook containing all of the information you needed for each role play," Malcolm said.  "There were three rounds with three different scenarios.  Everyone participated in the first two role plays (or first two rounds) in which it was just you, your buyer, and one other judge who scored your overall performance. After those two role plays were finished, all of the judges gathered together and scored your two role plays.  Only the top four contestants with the highest scores got to partake in the third and final round."

"This round was definitely more nerve racking than the others.  In the final round, each of the top four participants did a role play on a stage in front of an audience (including Quicken Loans employees and the rest of the contestants), with judges sitting behind you on stage.  When you were finished the judges gave generous feedback while you were still on stage.  I was the first to go out of the other three top contestants.  Throughout the day, you also received feedback from multiple regional directors."

Malcolm said, "I was shocked when I learned I was the winner!  I wanted to participate to ultimately gain some experience, learn, and build up more confidence as a sales student. I could not have done it without the help of Dr. Ellen Pullins and her sales class, along with the confidence and support from the organizations with which I am involved, such as Alpha Kappa Psi, the co-ed business fraternity. "

"I honestly would not have had the confidence to participate in the sales competition if it wasn't for my friends and family.  I truly want to thank them for their encouragement and continual support. Some great advice I was given my first year at UT was to get involved and to take advantage of the opportunities that are in front of you.  I can confidently say, when it comes to the College of Business and Innovation, getting involved in Alpha Kappa Psi has helped mold my experience here at UT. I have learned much about myself as a business student, and gained many great friends along the way."

"The QL 1st Annual Sales Competition was the first competition I ever participated in, and I look forward to participating in many more sales competitions with the rest of my time here at UT!" Malcolm said. "Go Rockets!"

"Alysa doesn’t even graduate until May, 2016, and I know we are all confident that she has a strong career ahead of her," noted Deirdre Jones, Director, Edward H. Schmidt School of Professional Sales. "And yes, she is competing in the ESSPS Internal Sales Competition on March 20."

Longenecker to receive national healthcare executives' award for best published article

Clinton O. Longenecker, Ph. D. , Stranahan Professor of Leadership & Organizational Excellence in the University of Toledo College of Business and Innovation, and his brother, Paul D. Longenecker, R.N., Ph.D., are the winners of the 2015 Edgar C. Hayhow Award  from The American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE).

Dr. Clinton O. Longenecker

They received the award for their research article, “Why Hospital Improvement Efforts Fail: A View From the Front Line,” published in the March/April 2014 issue of the Journal of Healthcare Management.

The award, to be presented during ACHE's 58th Congress on Healthcare Leadership in Chicago March 16–19, represents breakthrough work in healthcare management.

Longenecker said, "Working with my brother Paul was terrific, as he has over 30 successful years of invaluable experience in a wide variety of healthcare professions. This allowed us an unique opportunity to combine his talents with my background in leadership and change."

"This recognition was very rewarding given the changing nature of healthcare," Longenecker continued. "It was great to be recognized for creating some discussion and practices around how to make changes in hospitals and healthcare systems more effective and timely, and we have been receiving a lot of feedback on our work since it was published."

Paul D. Longenecker is the senior instructor, department of health and sports sciences in the School of Professional Studies at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio, and is a graduate of both UT's nursing and MBA programs."

In their research study, the Longeneckers sought to help healthcare leaders improve their understanding of the barriers to effective organizational change and improvement from the perspective of frontline leaders. Focus groups were conducted in four community hospitals to explore why hospital change and improvement efforts struggle and are ineffective. Analysis of the focus group data was featured in the article, as well as leadership lessons and recommendations for success based on the findings.

Dr. Paul Longenecker concluded," Hospitals really need to become better at practicing the fundamentals of effective change and leadership to be able to compete in the new healthcare reality."

The American College of Healthcare Executives is an international professional society of more than 40,000 healthcare executives who lead hospitals, healthcare systems and other healthcare organizations.

100 companies recruited UT business students on campus at annual winter job fair

Approximately 100 major companies sought the talent their businesses need at The University of Toledo College of Business and Innovation (COBI) annual winter job fair in February in the UT Student Union auditorium. Local and national companies participating include Buckeye CableSystem, Chrysler, First Solar, HCR ManorCare, Libbey Glass, Marathon Petroleum, Owens Corning, Therma Tru Doors.

“The tremendous participation of so many well-known businesses at our semi-annual COBI job fair reflects very positively on the quality of both our programs and our students,” noted Terribeth Gordon-Moore, COBI Senior Associate Dean. “It also demonstrates the extremely dynamic and mutually beneficial relationship enjoyed by COBI and major national recruiting companies such as Coca Cola, JP Morgan Chase Bank and The Finish Line."

“Employers are looking for undergraduate students to participate in business internships and their leadership development programs, as well as for seniors and graduates seeking full-time employment,” she added. “We also strongly encourage all our students, including freshmen, to attend the job fair, engage these company representatives now and begin a relationship with these employers.”

“This job fair is part of what we do to prepare our students for their futures,” Gordon-Moore explained, adding that the college’s Business Career Programs office works year-round to assist students in acquiring internships and jobs upon graduation.  “We strive to provide the necessary resources so our students can conduct their own tailored job searches.”

More than 85% of COBI students participate in internships, and the job placement rate for COBI graduates is greater than 80%, even in recent economic times.