Month: April 2015

Celebrating Our Ties to Business

jlansber Notes from the Dean

Dean Ray WhittingtonThe close relationship between the Driehaus College of Business and the business community began more than a century ago, when DePaul became the first university to locate its business college in Chicago’s Loop. The move downtown fostered collaboration between professors and business leaders to bring real-world knowledge from the city’s center for commerce into our classrooms.

Over the years, the college’s relationship with the business community has grown, strengthening our academic programs and centers, enriching faculty teaching and research, and broadening career and networking opportunities for students and alumni. Generations of alumni have gained practical knowledge and connections for professional advancement through the college’s links to top companies. In return, the corporate community has profited from the professional contributions of our alumni, who have assumed leadership roles across Chicago’s business landscape and beyond.

In this spring/summer 2015 Business Exchange, we focus on our distinctive bond with the business community and how it benefits alumni, students, the college and the business community itself.

Our main feature story explores four examples of the power of these connections: our Sales Leadership Program’s success at preparing students for roles at Fortune 500 companies, bolstered by its corporate partners; our new Marriott Scholars program, which is exposing students to the real world of hospitality leadership; and our educational collaborations with McGladrey and, through the CEO Initiative, Medline, which are preparing professionals to be leaders within these firms. The theme continues in our coverage of Corporate Connectors, a successful DePaul program that links alumni and students to career leads at companies nationwide through a network of alumni professionals at these organizations.

Our college is always seeking new ways to expand professional relationships among students, alumni and the business community. One of our newest initiatives is a mentorship program that is being developed with the help of alumni and executives on the Dean’s Advisory Council. The pilot program will provide a more structured, ongoing mentoring network for our full-time MBA class and undergraduate transfer students involving fellow students and recent alumni. It will be supported by technology that will help match participants, facilitate training and track outcomes. I look forward to sharing more about this program as it comes to fruition, adding one more link between the college and the business community.

Ray Whittington
Dean, Driehaus College of Business

An Alumni Workplace Welcome

jlansber Connections
Gustavo Marquez (BUS ’14), a financial analyst with Morgan Stanley in New York, learned about trading industry opportunities from Corporate Connectors volunteers.
Gustavo Marquez (BUS ’14), a financial analyst with Morgan Stanley in New York, learned about trading industry opportunities from Corporate Connectors volunteers.

When it comes to your career, with a little hard work and perhaps some help from DePaul, you just might land your dream job. DePaul’s Corporate Connectors program, a part of Alumni Career Services, offers a great way to get your foot in the door at a company that interests you, and best of all, it is a free resource for all DePaul students and alumni.

The Corporate Connectors program provides professional alumni contacts at hundreds of organizations nationwide, from Amazon to Zurich North America. Through the program, DePaul alumni offer to meet or correspond with fellow alumni and students who are applying to their companies or who want to find out more about a particular industry. The program is also useful for employees to meet fellow alumni (and new co-workers) to transition smoothly into their new job.

The program began in 2009, when the Rev. Dennis H. Holtschneider, C.M., DePaul’s president, was interested in identifying alumni who could greet DePaul graduates on their first day of work. What started as a “meet and greet” evolved into a program where Corporate Connectors volunteers answer questions about their companies, help prepare fellow alumni for interviews and facilitate networking within the ranks. Many alumni volunteers have filled internships and jobs through this program.

“Since the inception of the Corporate Connectors program, there have been over 4,300 requests to connect, and many of these requests have led to informational interviews or networking opportunities within the companies,” says Colleen Fashing, associate director of alumni relations. “Many people don’t hear back from potential employers when they apply for a job—so this is a great way to get that direct connection. These volunteers can’t necessarily get you the job, but they can get you directly connected with the company.”

Gustavo Marquez (BUS ’14), a financial analyst at Morgan Stanley in New York City, used the Corporate Connectors program to great benefit.

“I first found out about the Corporate Connectors program while taking classes at DePaul,” says Marquez, who majored in finance. “I knew that I was interested in the financial industry specific to trading, so the Corporate Connectors program connected me with a chief operation officer of a trading firm who gave me industry insight and great career networking advice.”

Colleen Fashing, associate director of alumni relations, advises a student about the Corporate Connectors program.
Colleen Fashing, associate director of alumni relations, advises a student about the Corporate Connectors program.

The Corporate Connectors program helped Marquez get a better understanding of the financial industry and the jobs available. Marquez was able to network with DePaul alumni and other key contacts in the financial industry and eventually landed an internship the summer of his junior year in the sales and trading division of Morgan Stanley. He continued to network throughout his internship and was offered a full-time position as an analyst as soon as he graduated from DePaul.

“I recommend the program to all students and alumni who take their careers seriously,” says Marquez. “It is extremely useful for anyone who wants to find out about a company or industry and go after what they want.

Marquez is so pleased with the program that he is interested in giving back to DePaul by becoming a volunteer to help alumni and students connect with his company.

The Office of Alumni Relations facilitates all initial connections made through the program, but it is up to participants to decide how to use it to their benefit. “It is important to be ready to talk to the Corporate Connectors volunteers,” Fashing advises participants. “They are performing this service on their free time, so do your research on their company ahead of time and be ready to use this benefit to your advantage.”

By Andrew Zamorski

Bidding on Success at Ebay

jlansber Alumni Profiles

Robert ChatwaniAlumnus Profile

Robert Chatwani (BUS ’97) 

Residence: Fremont, Calif.

Occupation: I work for eBay Inc. as Senior Director of Consumer Marketing. I have the privilege of leading buyer and seller marketing for the world’s largest online marketplace. We’re a dynamic marketplace with over $80 billion in annual trading volume and over 800 million listings of items for sale. More than 1 million people earn their part-time or full-time living on eBay.

Education: My education has been the single most important factor contributing to my career progress. I went to Maine West High School in Des Plaines, Ill. I decided to pursue a degree at DePaul due to the reputation of the school’s business and economics programs. Attending DePaul also allowed me to continue helping my parents manage their small business. While at DePaul I took advantage of a foreign study program in Osaka, Japan, where I lived with a family and studied Japanese. Eventually, I was drawn to California and pursued an MBA at the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business.

Vital stats: After DePaul, I was fortunate to work in global management consulting at McKinsey & Co. After three years at McKinsey in Chicago and Washington, D.C., I moved to San Francisco to start a venture-backed Internet company. I eventually joined eBay in 2003, where I have been for the past 12 years. My wife (and best friend) and I have been married for 14 years and have three kids.

What I like best about my job: I work for a company with a very meaningful purpose, where we focus on creating economic opportunity for people throughout the world. I’ve been lucky to have five or six different positions within the company, allowing me to develop a broad set of leadership skills, as well as contribute to the company’s growth across different functions. What energizes me most is building great teams and helping individuals develop their careers.

The biggest challenge I face in my job: Managing my energy and the energy of my team. I believe that the way people feel at work influences how they perform, and the way people feel is defined by their level of energy. Energy can take several forms—physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. I’ve found that helping my team manage their energy— not their time—helps improve engagement, focus and productivity. There are lots of ways to help them with this, but I’ve found the best way is to create an environment that fosters renewal, flexible schedules and decision-making empowerment. 

Chatwani’s advice for new alumni:

  • Do what you love—every day—and enjoy the people you work with. If you don’t love it, invest in making a change. Be authentic and be honest with yourself.
  • Take your best idea—and dream one size bigger. It doesn’t matter if it’s about your career, about starting a new venture or about serving your community. Make your plans as audacious as possible.
  • Don’t get too comfortable. When you’re early in your career, move around. Spend time working in a foreign country, changing roles or even changing companies. Doing so grows your capabilities and makes you a more valuable leader.
  • Take responsibility for your own development. Play to your strengths, find great mentors and take measured risks. Most great careers are discovered, not planned. Embrace those unexpected opportunities that occasionally come your way.

 

College News

jlansber College News

Executive Doctorate in Business Administration to Debut

Seasoned professionals who want to take their business knowledge—and their careers—to the next level have a new option: the Executive Doctorate in Business Administration (EDBA). The degree, which the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business will begin offering in September, is a three-year, part-time program for working professionals who previously earned business-related master’s degrees and have 8–10 years of experience in management or consulting.

Students in the program will learn to solve complex, real-world business problems using applied, evidence-based analyses of data. The program emphasizes practical business research techniques and will enroll a small cohort of 20 students to deepen networking relationships among students and research-focused faculty.

“We wanted to meet the learning needs of people who say, ‘I have my master’s, I continue to work but I still want to know more and dive deeper,’ ” says Robert S. Rubin, associate professor of management and the EDBA faculty board chair.

Ray Whittington, dean of the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business, says “DePaul’s EDBA is a practical, career-advancing doctoral program that equips executives with the tools to rigorously analyze real business data and find hidden solutions.”

Visit go.depaul.edu/EDBA for more information.

Sandra Shelton with three of the DePaul professors she helped mentor through The PhD Project: James Mourey, Stephani Mason and Willie Reddic.
Sandra Shelton (third from left) with three of the DePaul professors she helped mentor through The PhD Project: James Mourey, Stephani Mason and Willie Reddic.

Professor Earns PhD Project Hall of Fame Award

When Sandra Shelton received her PhD in accounting two decades ago, she was a rarity. There were only a handful of minorities enrolled in accountancy doctoral programs nationally then. Today, there are more than 1,200 minority business professors with PhDs, thanks in part to the tireless work of Shelton and other pioneering professors at The PhD Project.

Founded by auditing and accounting firm KPMG in 1994, The PhD Project is an award-winning nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing diversity in business education. Shelton, the KPMG Distinguished Professor of Accountancy at DePaul, was inducted into The PhD Project’s Hall of Fame in November for her role in mentoring diverse faculty and students. DePaul has the most professors nationally who are alumni of The PhD Project.

“The PhD Project gave me the opportunity to give back,” Shelton says. “I am so grateful to the program and KPMG. It has definitely made a difference.”

Alumni Connect Students With Sports Management

DePaul students got an inside view of Chicago athletics organizations, including the Bears, from alumni and others who work in sports management.
DePaul students got an inside view of Chicago athletics organizations, including the Bears, from alumni and others who work in sports management.

DePaul business students got an inside look at the internal operations of Chicago sports franchises through a unique management course that connected them to alumni and other professionals working in these organizations.

During five days in December, the class visited 14 sports organizations, including the Chicago Bears, Bulls, Cubs and Blackhawks, as well as the corporate offices of athletics-related products, such as Gatorade. Faculty member Andy Clark, director of the college’s sports management programs, and his class were given extraordinary access to front offices and sneak peeks at new facilities, products and services by the 75 management and marketing professionals they met.

About 20 percent of the sports management professionals they visited were DePaul alumni.

“It was a great chance to meet people who are important in the industry,” says MBA student Ryan O’Neill. “We really got to know them and network with them. If you’re interested in the sports industry and looking to learn more about it, this course is a great experience.”

Faculty Focus: Mariana Girju, Data Guru

jlansber Faculty Focus

Marina Girju, assistant professor of marketing in the Driehaus College of BusinessBy Jennifer Leopoldt

With the rise of big data, marketers are finding new and better ways to analyze and predict consumer behavior—and Marina Girju is preparing DePaul students to do the same.

“We have a hands-on approach. For every model that I’m introducing, I also have a project where the students have to apply the model to the data set. They put everything in the perspective of the consumer or business so we can understand how the analysis is going to influence all of the parties involved,” says Girju, assistant professor of marketing in the Driehaus College of Business.

The term “big data” refers to the collection of large, complex data gathered through multiple methods. For marketing, data can come from point-of-sale scanners at a store, loyalty cards or online shopping, among other sources.

“The data can be very overwhelming—not only the size, but also the richness,” Girju says. “Most data sets have at least 100 variables that explain consumer behavior, and in my course, it’s usually over 300. You can cut it in a million ways and get a million answers.”

Girju knows about putting data into context. Before joining DePaul in 2012, she worked for TNS, a leader in consumer market research, as a data analyst. Her job for the company’s client Frito-Lay was to study the data generated by thousands of U.S. consumers who recorded details about their snacking habits. Girju and her co-researchers then developed DemoImpact, a forecasting model for predicting snack consumption for hundreds of snacks in dozens of categories.

In her own research and in the classroom, Girju continues to examine the connection between big data and business strategy. She gets her undergraduate and graduate students excited about research and analytics by engaging them in real-world projects. No matter the class, Girju reaches students by combining the theoretical with the practical. “A piece of analysis is important, but it is so much better if it’s actually put in context of trends and challenges in the industry,” she says.

It Takes a Community to Raise a Brand

jlansber Scholarly Pursuits
Marketing Professor Al Muñiz studies communities that form among people devoted to popular brands, including LEGO.
Marketing Professor Al Muñiz studies communities that form among people devoted to popular brands, including LEGO.

When DePaul Marketing Professor Al Muñiz completed his dissertation back in 1998, he didn’t foresee that his research would eventually change the way the marketing discipline and industry—and even other social sciences—thought about brands.

Muñiz’s dissertation was the basis of a Journal of Consumer Research article that introduced the concept of “brand community.” The term describes people who, united by their loyalty to a particular brand, feel a responsibility to share brand narratives and offer support and solutions associated with the brand. Examples include devotees to the Apple, Saab and Volkswagen brands.

“It was the first paper to acknowledge explicitly the social nature of certain consumer brands,” says Muñiz, who co-authored the article with University of Wisconsin Marketing Professor Thomas O’Guinn. “Prior to that, the field of consumer research viewed brands rather narrowly as summations of attitudes and conceived brands and their consumers as a simple consumer brand dyad. Our work called attention to the consumer-to-consumer relationships centered around the brand and showed that these relationships were just as important. It made the social aspect of brands explicit.”

Since its publication in 2001, the article has been referenced more than 3,000 times by other scholars, and Thomson Scientific named it as one of the most frequently cited articles in the business and economics disciplines in 2007. This past fall, the Association for Consumer Research recognized the lasting impact of this pioneering work by presenting Muñiz and O’Guinn with the prestigious Sheth Foundation/ Journal of Consumer Research Long-Term Contribution Award.

Muñiz continues to build on the work. He is currently researching the LEGO brand community, which has helped the toymaker develop new product ideas.

Beyond its contribution to business scholarship, Muniz’s research provides broader insight about human nature.

“A lot of cultural criticism has lamented the loss of community associated with modernity and the advancement of the marketplace,” Muñiz says. “Our work demonstrates that humans, as social beings, find and create community where they will. Sometimes, they will find it around a shared brand. Such a community form is a testament to the durability, resilience and centrality of community to human existence.

By Robin Florzak

College Centers Offer Links to Industry Knowledge

jlansber Professional Development
This year's annual Cyber-Risk Conference, co-sponsored by the Arditti Center for Risk Management, featured cybersecurity strategist and author Peter Singer.
This year’s annual Cyber-Risk Conference, co-sponsored by the Arditti Center for Risk Management, featured cybersecurity strategist and author Peter Singer.

DePaul University’s Driehaus College of Business delivers an abundance of resources to students, alumni, faculty and professionals through its centers and institutes. Leveraging the Chicago business community, these centers deliver a wealth of industry-related programming through networking events, continuing education, conferences and summits.

The following select list highlights some of the center-hosted opportunities available to alumni and other professionals.

Arditti Center for Risk Management

Celebrating the work of Fred Arditti, the late Chicago Mercantile Exchange chief economist and DePaul finance professor, this center bridges the gap between academia and industry by co-hosting topical events in risk management, such as the annual Cyber-Risk Conference.

For information on upcoming programming:

Arditti Center for Risk Management
arditti@depaul.edu
(312) 362-8513

Coleman Entrepreneurship Center

This center hosts a wide range of entrepreneurial events open to the Chicago business community, including a series of workshops that discuss various aspects of starting and growing new ventures. Its mission is to equip students and alumni with the knowledge and skills to awaken their entrepreneurial spirit.

For more information:

Coleman Entrepreneurship Center
cec@depaul.edu
(312) 362-8625

Center for Financial Services

This center holds a number of events open to alumni, faculty, students and staff throughout the year, including a joint conference with Truth in Accounting that explores issues involving pensions, government budgets and debt; a conference that focuses on the theme of sustainable business practices; a wealth management conference supported by LPL Financial; and an executive forum sponsored by PNC.

For more information:

Center for Financial Services
CFS@depaul.edu
(312) 362-8922

Center for Sales Leadership

This center provides educational opportunities for the business community interested in the sales profession. It holds five events annually, including a Career Expo where students connect with business partners.

For alumni who want more information:

Center for Sales Leadership
salesleadership@depaul.edu
(312) 362-6533

Center for Strategy, Execution and Valuation

The center hosts a variety of forums and seminars every year on the latest developments in high-performance company strategy and strategic risk management.

For more information:

Center for Strategy, Execution and Valuation
SEV@depaul.edu
(312) 362-8784

Institute for Business and Professional Ethics

Throughout the academic year the institute hosts events that are open to the public, including lectures with prominent business leaders who speak on various ethics topics. It also holds business roundtables where business leaders/owners exchange ideas in smaller, intimate settings.

For more information:

Institute for Business and Professional Ethics
IBPE@depaul.edu
(312) 362-8786

 Kellstadt Marketing Center

KMC offers a wide range of continuing education options, from certificate programs to seminars that help professionals improve their direct, interactive, integrated, Internet and word-of-mouth marketing skills. DePaul alumni receive a 15 percent discount on certificate programs.

For more information:

Kellstadt Marketing Center
jmurray9@depaul.edu
(312) 362-5914

The Real Estate Center

With an active network of students, alumni and industry leaders, the Real Estate Center is a great resource for engagement among real estate professionals from multiple industry disciplines. The center encourages alumni to participate in the DePaul Real Estate Alumni Alliance by networking or becoming guest speakers in the classroom or during the Collegiate Real Estate Conference.

For more information:

The Real Estate Center at DePaul
realestate@depaul.edu
(312) 362-5906

Click here to access a full list of Driehaus College of Business centers and institutes.

By Andrew Zamorski

Zink Scholarship Advances Opportunity and Excellence

jlansber Giving Back

Bill Zink (BUS ’70, MST ’77)

“I’ve always tried to be a gladiator for the client,” says Bill Zink (BUS ’70, MST ’77) of his career in public accounting. “If you’re going to be a gladiator, you had better have a good army behind you.”

That’s one reason Zink and his wife, Kathleen, are longtime donors to DePaul, and why they established the Kathleen A. and William J. Zink Endowed Scholarship in the Master of Science in Taxation Program. “I am devoted to the profession,” says Zink. “I want to help assure that students going into the profession have the very best education.”

Nobody does it better than DePaul”
— Bill Zink (BUS ’70, MST ’77)

In his 46-year career at Grant Thornton International, Zink has overseen the tax practice of more than 120 firms worldwide; one of his main responsibilities is the ongoing education of the tax accountants in the firm.

“The scandals of the 1990s—Enron chief among them—showed the vulnerabilities of the profession and the damage that poor training can do to companies and to the confidence of clients and the public,” Zink says. “It is essential that we have good education and training.”

Zink’s father wanted him to go to Northwestern, but at the time the school had no undergraduate business program. He chose DePaul, and when he met with the legendary accounting professor Eldred “El” Strobel, he saw his future.

“He listened to me, what my interests were and my strengths, and within minutes he had mapped out not only my academic program, but also my career path,” Zink recalls. “He was an incredibly dynamic person, a truly great teacher, passionately committed to his students and to integrity and excellence in the profession.” Strobel served as a member of DePaul’s faculty from 1946 to 1980 and is credited with establishing many of the foundations of the School of Accountancy. The school’s Strobel Scholars program is named for him.

“Kathleen and I are so happy to be able to help future generations of students have the kind of experience that I had when I was at DePaul,” says Zink. “It’s so important that tax professionals get a good education and acquire the kind of learning skills they will need to continually adapt their expertise to a changing business and tax landscape. DePaul gave my family a wonderful life together, and maybe we can do the same for others.”

 

Top Tax Firm Partners with DePaul

jlansber Features
Diane Kuhlmann, McGladrey MST program instructor.
Diane Kuhlmann, McGladrey MST program instructor.

When Tom Blaze (MST ’08) decided to earn his Master of Science in Taxation, he benefited from a partnership between McGladrey and DePaul. “McGladrey had a program where DePaul instructors would actually come to our seminar room, which made it very, very convenient. It was almost like it would be foolish not to do it,” says Blaze, a partner in McGladrey’s State and Local Tax group, who earned his degree in 2008.

The partnership program began in 2005, and at first, DePaul faculty would go to McGladrey’s main office and teach classes that were broadcast online through the company’s technology. Two years ago, DePaul took over the technology, and now classes are taught and broadcast from DePaul’s Loop Campus. Students can either come to class on campus or log on remotely to view the lectures. While most of the students are located in Chicagoland and the Midwest, the program also draws McGladrey employees based as far away as California, New York and Washington, D.C.

The partnership between McGladrey and DePaul came about in part because an advanced degree is a necessity in the tax field. “The MST brings the knowledge you need in order to function as a tax professional. It takes a lot longer to get this knowledge if you’re just getting it doing client work. You’ve got to have both—you need that real-world experience as well as this knowledge,” says DePaul Instructor Diane Kuhlmann.

Kuhlmann offers an interesting perspective on the program. “For 10 years, I was the director of training for tax professionals at McGladrey. I was involved with the MST program when working there, and now I’m at DePaul working on the other side,” she explains. “What we’ve worked really hard to do is to make sure this online program is equivalent to DePaul’s regular program. Students who are attending the McGladrey program are not getting an ‘MST light.’”

Blaze also has seen the program from both sides, first as a student and now as an instructor. “While I was in the MST program, I developed a lot of respect for the DePaul instructors. They all had practical experience, and they brought examples of what they were doing in their day-to-day jobs,” says Blaze, who now teaches ACCT 570: State and Local Tax at DePaul.

After 10 years, the program is still evolving. The format used to be synchronous, meaning it was designed so all students were watching together at the same time, no matter where they were located. Now, Kuhlmann says, DePaul is moving to an asynchronous platform with prerecorded lectures. The class also includes a weekly webcast. Students can choose to attend the webcast and interact with the instructor in real time or access the recording whenever is convenient for them. “As time goes on and as technology and platforms change, we’re continuing to upgrade the program.”

Continue reading with CEO Initiative Brings the Classroom to the Workplace.