STEM STUDENTS REACHING OUT WOMEN OF BUSINESS

TAKE ON BREAST WITH DIVERSITY ANALYTICS CANCER CHALLENGE INITIATIVE Page 40 Page 4 Page 12

THE CULVERHOUSE COLLEGE OF COMMERCE EXECUTIVE MAGAZINE

FALL 2014 VOLUME 19 • ISSUE 1

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Powerful Women of Culverhouse

CEO and President of Lockheed Martin Corp. and University of Alabama Alumna, Marillyn Hewson FALL 2014 VOLUME 19 • ISSUE 1

http://www.culverhouse.ua.edu

DEAN CONTENTS J. Michael Hardin

EDITOR OUR WOMEN'S ISSUE IS IN HONOR OF BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH. Edith Parten

WEB COMMUNICATIONS 2 FROM THE DEAN 36 INNOVATIVE ADVANCE Kyle Fondren DIRECTIVES IN NURSING 4  STUDENTS TAKE ON HOMES GRAPHIC DESIGN BREAST CANCER Natorio Howard CHALLENGE 40 WOMEN OF BUSINESS Office of Design and Production ANALYTICS The University of Alabama STEM STUDENT FINDS KEY 8 TO SUCCESS IN ADVERTISING 44 STUDENTS STUDY BUSINESS CONTRIBUTING WRITERS SLOGAN ANALYTICS ABROAD Brittany Downey, Kyle Fondren Jean McLean, Edith Parten 12 REACHING OUT WITH 46 LEADER OF CENTER FOR Carolanne Roberts DIVERSITY INITIATIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MAKING STATEWIDE IMPACT COPY EDITOR 14  POWERFUL WOMEN OF Benita Crepps CULVERHOUSE 50 MARKETING STUDENTS BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS 16 FORBES FOURTH MOST BIRMINGHAM ICONS Jeff Hanson, Bryan Hester POWERFUL WOMAN IN Zack Riggins, Matthew Wood BUSINESS 54 HARRISON JONES TRADES FOOTBALL JERSEY FOR MBA OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT 20 WALL STREET MOM TRADES Hill Rowan ROLES AT HOME 58 AMBASSADORS BOOST CULVERHOUSE IMAGE ALUMNI AND CORPORATE RELATIONS 22 ALUMNA FINDS HER PASSION Kathy DeShazo, Diane Harrison IN MERGERS AND 60 ALUMNI NEWS Dana Merchant, Susan Newman ACQUISITIONS Courtney Page 64 FACULTY AND STAFF NEWS 24 THE ART OF BALANCE: 1987 CULVERHOUSE COLLEGE OF CULVERHOUSE ALUMNA 66 STUDENT NEWS COMMERCE SHARES HER KEYS TO Box 870223 SUCCESS 68 PHILANTHROPY GIVES Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0223 STUDENTS OPPORTUNITY 27 UA INTERNSHIP TURNING COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS, POINT IN CAREER 72 CULVERHOUSE CONNECTIONS QUESTIONS MENTOR PAYS IT FORWARD 205-348-8318 30 DRIVING PASSION AT 74 SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE [email protected] MERCEDES-BENZ CLASSROOM The University of Alabama is an equal-opportunity 32 THE DEAN MEANS BUSINESS educational institution/employer • MC8640 76 10 SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS TO 34 BUSINESS SURVIVAL 101 — BOOST YOUR ENGAGEMENT PUT A WOMAN IN CHARGE ON TWITTER

NOTE TO OUR READERS: THE ANNUAL DONORS LIST IS MOVING TO THE NEW CULVERHOUSE ANNUAL REPORT PUBLICATION COMING SOON. 3

FROM THE DEAN

DEAR FRIENDS AND ALUMNI

We welcomed more than 7,800 is ranked eighth in the nation. That they graduate becomes, “Is corporate students to the Culverhouse College is its highest ranking in the history Alabama ready to create opportunities of Commerce this fall, and a record of the College. And we continue to and hire these students?” number of students have enrolled in have 100 percent placement rates with In the year ahead, we will continue to the University’s STEM Path to the MBA our management and information accelerate efforts to produce graduates program. The 2014 STEM class is the science program. who stand ready to solve the challenges largest ever with an enrollment of 306 We are also recruiting diverse of our global economy. We will continue freshmen. That brings the total number students from all backgrounds, recruiting the best and brightest to of students enrolled in the program to in and out of state, who are ready achieve excellence in the business world. more than 650 since its inception in to become future leaders like the Creating leaders, innovators and 2011, and our first group will graduate women highlighted in this issue of jobs — it is the goal of Culverhouse and with their MBAs in 2016. the Executive Magazine. We profile how we build a better business school. This innovative program allows some of the most successful women to Now we can build a better Alabama by students majoring in science, graduate from Culverhouse, including hiring these students and investing in technology, engineering and math to Marillyn Hewson, CEO of Lockheed our future. earn an MBA in one additional year Martin; Sharon Oswald, dean of the after completing their undergraduate business school at Mississippi State; degrees. It is one example of how and Cynthia Day, president and CEO Culverhouse is positioning itself to of Atlanta-based Citizens Bancshares become a top 25 business school — a Corp. and Citizens Trust Bank. business school with relevance, rigor Since 2002, we have offered a and innovation. By developing these graduate-level specialization in business J. Michael Hardin, PhD rigorous and innovative programs we analytics, and we continue to look for Dean, Culverhouse College of Commerce are preparing our students to meet innovative ways to increase our role as Russell Professor of Business and and exceed the challenges of global a leader in this ever growing field. This Professor of Statistics business needs. year, we will develop an undergraduate The University of Alabama Our MBA program at the Manderson curriculum in business analytics. Graduate School of Business was At Culverhouse, we teach students recently ranked the top over- to be creative and to create value, and performing program in the nation we prepare them for the challenges by Poets & Quants, and our online of a global business world. We have a master’s program is ranked 12th in the corporate recruitment program that nation by U.S. News & World Report. matches our students to key positions The Culverhouse School of Accountancy at companies. The question after 4 CULVERHOUSE 5

STEM STUDENTS TAKE ON BREAST CANCER CH LLENGE BY EDITH PARTEN

ctober is Breast Cancer 2014 worldwide Avon Foundation Breast commercially marketed products. The O Awareness Month, but events to Cancer Startup Challenge. And they students presented their business plans shine the light on fighting the disease were the only undergraduate teams to a panel of biomedical industry judges. are prevalent throughout the year on — mostly freshmen and sophomores “The Breast Cancer Startup UA’s campus, such as the Alabama — in the global competition of more Challenge is designed to accelerate and gymnastics team’s annual Power of than 40 university teams. The Avon increase the volume of breast cancer Pink. However, the gymnastics team is Foundation for Women, the National inventions in development,” said Marc not the only group on campus to join the Institutes of Health National Cancer Hurlbert, executive director of the Avon fight against breast cancer. In early 2014, Institute and the Center for Advancing Foundation Breast Cancer Crusade. “In students in the STEM Path to the MBA Innovation launched the challenge to addition to improving public health, program were busy developing business advance biomedical inventions to treat we hope to spur economic growth plans to market new treatments breast cancer and bring breast cancer and provide universities a platform and diagnostics for breast cancer technologies to market. to develop their entrepreneurship- during a national competition among Student teams from universities learning portfolios.” selected universities. across the globe were presented the Sophomore and STEM student Megan Three UA teams — all from the opportunity to start new companies by Torman served as the CEO of team one. science, technology, engineering and developing a 10-page strategic business Although none of the UA teams made mathematics program — gained real- plan for one of 10 selected diagnostic it to the final round of the competition, world experience in breast cancer or treatment technologies projects Torman said her team was perfectly research when they competed in the and then turn their inventions into happy with the outcome. 6 CULVERHOUSE 7

“It definitely opened our eyes “They are some of the most Each of the students had different UA’S AVON BREAST CANCER to another whole side; we never inspirational, humble and bold kids on reasons for getting involved in the thought any of us would be working in the face of the earth,” he said. “A lot of challenge, but all of them said they CHALLENGE TEAMS AND pharmaceuticals or anything like that,” the kids at the camp are told they will now have a deeper understanding and THEIR HOMETOWNS Torman said. “It was interesting to see a not be alive next year, and so any chance appreciation for medical research. TEAM 1 — IMMUNOTHERAPY USING different perspective and be working in I can get to fight cancer is something I Sophomore Rachel Ramey said she GRANULYSIN ACTIVATED something that had actual potential to want to be a part of.” learned just how much time is involved • JAKE GREEN, SOPHOMORE, change people’s lives.” For freshman Sheela Kailasam, the in making a product readily available. SPARTANBURG, SOUTH CAROLINA As part of the STEM program, timing of the project made her even “I was surprised at how much • RACHEL RAMEY, SOPHOMORE, DAYTON, OHIO students are required to work in teams more interested in joining a team. goes into taking a drug from the point • MEGAN TORMAN, SOPHOMORE, UMATILLA, FLORIDA to develop business plans and solutions of research until it’s commercially • JIMMY WITT, SOPHOMORE, BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA for real-world problems over a course “IT DEFINITELY OPENED available,” Ramey said. “It can take 8-10 of several five-week projects. The Avon years. Realistically, it’s not going to be TEAM 2 — IMMUNOTHERAPY USING Breast Cancer Startup Challenge was OUR EYES TO ANOTHER that one day somebody discovers a cure Left to right: Megan Torman, Jimmy Witt and Rachel Ramey. Not MODIFIED SELF-TUMOR CELLS pictured: Jake Green one of those projects. for cancer in the lab, and that’s the cure • SHEELA KAILASAM, FRESHMAN, “It added a complete new perspective WHOLE SIDE; WE NEVER for cancer. There’s a whole lot more that COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO to our five-week projects because THOUGHT ANY OF US goes into it.” • WILL MACGAVIN, FRESHMAN, most of us complain about the petty “Dreaming big, looking big but TEMECULA, CALIFORNIA things like having to do this project WOULD BE WORKING IN having the humility to accept failure • MICHAEL ROYKO, FRESHMAN, and present, but this project took less PHARMACEUTICALS OR when you know that you’ve gone too CROSSVILLE, TENNESSEE than five weeks and we came out with far with something” is what Shannon • CHRISTIAN SHANNON, SOPHOMORE, DALLAS, TEXAS so many results,” Torman said. “It was ANYTHING LIKE THAT. IT said he learned from the experience. TEAM 3 — DIAGNOSTIC FROM BIOPSIES an entire new level of work that we had “All these teams here today were the WAS INTERESTING TO SEE WITH SOFTWARE ANALYSIS done. It made us see that we are capable Davids in the David and Goliath story. • JIM KRAFCIK, JUNIOR, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI of so much more than we think we A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE We were the only undergrad teams in • ANDREW TALBERT, SOPHOMORE, ORLANDO, FLORIDA are sometimes.” the competition versus graduate teams. AND BE WORKING IN • ABBY WHITE, SOPHOMORE, DALLAS, TEXAS Each of the UA teams was made up We set our aspirations high, and we had • MIA MCCLINTIC, FRESHMAN, OSWEGO, ILLINOIS of three to four students as well as a SOMETHING THAT HAD a lot of energy compared to the other seasoned biomedical entrepreneur, an teams, but at the end of the day it was a ACTUAL POTENTIAL TO MENTORS AND ADVISERS experienced biomedical researcher and great learning experience.” Left to right: Michael Royko, Sheela Kailasam, Christian Shannon and Will MacGavin • DR. NADEEM ANWER, EGEN INC., an attorney experienced in patent law. CHANGE PEOPLE’S LIVES.” “This was probably one of the most HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA (HUDSON-ALPHA INSTITUTE) Most of the students said they saw the —Megan Torman meaningful experiences that we’ve had • BOB CRUTCHFIELD, HARBERT VENTURE PARTNERS, competition as an opportunity to get in STEM,” he added. BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA involved and gain experience, but for “My great aunt died right before Although the UA teams did not • LOYE BUCK, FORMER FDA COUNSEL, others it hit close to home. we were offered the project,” she said. advance to the final round, one team has HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA “I have had relatives die of cancer,” “I also was involved in a breast cancer an investor interested in its technology, • TOD OPICHKA, ENTREPRENEUR, HOUSTON, TEXAS sophomore Christian Shannon said. project my senior year in high school. and a second team has been encouraged • NICK CONTI, VICE PRESIDENT OF RESEARCH AND “I’ve always shared a passion for the After that, I became really interested by a Pacific Northwest company to DEVELOPMENT FOR QUEST DIAGNOSTICS, battle against cancer. Mine was not in breast cancer research and started develop and market their product. . NEW JERSEY specifically breast cancer, but there is researching treatments on my own. • DAN DALEY, ALABAMA INNOVATION AND MENTORING a history of colon cancer in my family.” For freshman Michael Royko, his OF ENTREPRENEURS, UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA During the summers, Shannon mother is a nurse, and one of his • RICK SWATLOSKI, OFFICE FOR TECHNOLOGY works at a camp with children who relatives had a jaw removed because TRANSFER, UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA are battling cancer. He said his dream of cancer. Royko started work this past • ROB MORGAN, CULVERHOUSE COLLEGE OF job is to be an oncologist at St. Jude summer with a chemistry professor to COMMERCE, UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA Left to right: Andrew Talbert, Jim Krafcik, Abby White and Children’s Research Hospital. begin research on colon cancer. Mia McClintic 8 CULVERHOUSE 9

STEM STUDENT FINDS HER KEY TO SUCCESS IN A POPULAR ADVERTISING SLOGAN

BY EDITH PARTEN

or sophomore Megan Torman, and the STEM program, is Torman’s “Josh and I looked at each other and one of the most successful academic adviser. Morgan said he is in thought, why not?” F marketing slogans in the world awe of Torman’s accomplishments. The University of Alabama approved contains three simple words she lives “Megan is entering the MBA portion the patent pursuit, and it is moving by, words that have led to her unbridled of the STEM program a year early,” forward. The STEM duo is now seeking success in academics, in life and at The Morgan said. “Most people have a business partners to help create a University of Alabama. really difficult time finishing chemical prototype and investors to produce and Her decisions and outlook on life engineering in four years, and she’s market the device. and her education follow just three finishing it in three. I would even guess And, by the way, Torman accomplished simple words — three simple words the average is closer to five.” this during her freshman year. that have propelled her to a National The STEM program and the words she “It all makes my head spin. It’s so Merit Scholarship and a 4.0 GPA in lives by have also led Torman to become exciting, and I never anticipated this chemical engineering. Torman is in the a co-inventor on a hybrid mechanization happening, especially not during our STEM Path to the MBA program at the device that’s designed to provide for freshman year,” Torman said. Culverhouse College of Commerce’s better fuel efficiency for vehicles. She Torman also loves music. She was Manderson Graduate School of has a provisional patent pending in the the drum major in her high school Business. The science, technology, District of Columbia on the invention band, and she plays the piano and alto engineering and mathematics program she co-created with STEM partner saxophone. She said it was a natural fit and the National Merit Scholarship are Josh Stoddard. That makes them the to major in chemical engineering. what attracted this inspirational student youngest students at The University of “Well, you know they say music and to the University. Alabama to receive a provisional patent. math go hand in hand. I completely “Alabama offers one of the best The first concept started with an agree with that. I have always loved National Merit packages that I have engineering professor who came up math. It’s always been one of my found,” Torman said. “I narrowed my with the idea of creating a push-dinghy favorite subjects.” choices down to chemical engineering, device to pull behind semitrucks. The She added that she wanted to major so the STEM program was very device would use the energy collected in a subject that would challenge her appealing to me,” she added. “I saw to kinetically power the semitruck. and provide career opportunities and the STEM brochure and that helped me Torman and Stoddard expanded on job security. make my decision. It’s a great program the idea after Torman got some advice Then she heard about UA’s STEM and I thought, wow, that’s awesome, I from her dad, a mail carrier in her program and knew it would also be a can get my chemical engineering degree hometown of Umatilla, Florida. The perfect fit. at the same time and get a completely initial idea was to hybridize 18-wheelers, “I realized at a STEM conference, different experience.” but now they have incorporated the idea talking to different people in different Although Torman started the STEM into an air-assisted, hybridizing device industries, trying to get a feel for what program with 133 other classmates, for smaller vocational vehicles like mail I wanted to do and realized that I really she moved ahead of the other students and garbage trucks. didn’t want to be a mathematician. But I to start her online MBA courses earlier Morgan suggested to Torman and knew I wanted to use math, so I decided this year. Dr. Rob Morgan, executive Stoddard that they pursue a patent on to go the engineering route. I do like director for innovation initiatives at their device. science, but I didn’t have a lot of science the Culverhouse College of Commerce or chemistry. I only had one chemistry 10 CULVERHOUSE 11

class in high school prior to coming to “It’s stuff like that, that really makes “It didn’t even matter if we won or and watch little kids walking around in “The networking is amazing,” Alabama, and I was hoping that I would you feel blessed about what you’re doing placed. It was such a great experience diapers. And I thought what a fun job “IT MADE US SEE THAT Torman said. “Where else are you going enjoy it once I got here. I absolutely as a teacher,” he added with a smile. getting to know each other that much that would be. And you get to be around to get to talk to the world-renowned love it.” Those first-year jitters are long better and seeing each other grow along kids all day. Maybe something kind of WE ARE CAPABLE OF SO author of reverse innovation, Dr. Vijay Before Torman arrived on campus, gone. Torman has not looked back, and the way and having that contact with interesting like that.” MUCH MORE THAN WE Govindarajan? There are so many she said she was worried and didn’t she has not been busier. She also seems our advisers.” What advice would Torman offer amazing opportunities. There are so know what to expect, especially since to find time to volunteer for projects Three teams from UA participated in future UA students trying to decide THINK WE ARE SOMETIMES. many opportunities and resources she came from a small town. outside of her class projects. She the challenge. All three teams, including whether to take the STEM Path to the THE ENTIRE COLLEGE available for you.” “That first semester was really volunteered for the Avon Foundation Torman’s, were the only undergraduate MBA program? Torman said the STEM program is a rough for me. Being away from home, Breast Cancer Startup Challenge earlier teams in the competition. The other “Definitely do it. It is the most EXPERIENCE SO FAR HAS place to challenge yourself and to meet being away from friends and family. this year. The worldwide challenge was 40-plus teams were composed of amazing thing. Once you get in, learning JUST BEEN PROVING THAT people who change your life. Students It was completely new, difficult and open to university students and offered graduate students. is so much fun. It’s real-life stuff. You and professors genuinely care about challenging. But once spring rolled the opportunity for teams to develop “It made us see that we are capable are thinking things through in a different OVER AND OVER.” you, your success and your life. around it got a little bit better, and the business plans for breast cancer of so much more than we think we way. It really broadens your perspective. —Megan Torman, Torman is an inspiration to those next thing you know you’re done with inventions. Torman’s team nominated are sometimes,” she said. “The entire It makes you get outside your box. around her and the epitome of an the first year and you’ve made friends.” her to serve as CEO. college experience so far has just been “That’s one of the things I love most Torman had the opportunity to meet ambassador for the STEM Path to the Although her time on campus was “I am one of those people who goes proving that over and over. I look at about the STEM program, is being able Dr. Vijay Govindarajan, nationally known MBA program. It makes one wonder not easy at first, she said her faith after every little opportunity I see. myself from when I just came in and to build relationships with students. Tuck School of Business professor at how three simple words can have such helped her through her first year. I have no experience whatsoever in now what I’m doing, and I would not They’re not just classmates when you Dartmouth College, when he visited a great impact, but they haves definitely “It's always really nice knowing breast cancer research or that kind of have seen myself doing these things. It graduate. They are going to be other University of Alabama STEM students in made an impact on Torman’s life. no matter what you go through it’s all science, pharmacy science, other than definitely surprises me whenever I try people in industries. You will keep the the fall of 2013. “I was talking to my dad on the phone going to be OK. It doesn’t matter if you chemistry. So I texted a few friends something new. That’s why I like trying connections you make. It’s unique that Govindarajan said of his visit to UA, and told him I have pretty much figured succeed or not.” from class whom I had worked with on something new, because you push you get to stay with the same group of “Of all the keynotes I gave this year, the out the secret to college and success. She is now well-settled in life on previous projects and got them together yourself and get out from behind the students throughout the program and one I gave to The University of Alabama I stole it from Nike, ‘Just Do It.’ You’ll campus, and she does not seem to be to talk about it. We decided, hey we’re wall and experience new things.” connect on a deeper level.” STEM students is the highlight.” just be amazed at what comes out of it,” passing up any opportunities that come gonna do this thing. Why not?” If that’s not enough, Torman also she said with a smile. her way. The team had a month of crunchtime volunteered for the Target wellness “I know once I start doing something to prepare for the challenge for which competition. Her team members I enjoy it. I just have to do it. I just have they had to create a 10-page business came up with a business model for to get there.” report and present via phone to “Live Healthy, Live Happy,” where STEM FACTS As part of the STEM Business Honors executives from the Avon Foundation they created a display at Super Target class, students work on a business and National Institutes of Health. stores. The in-store display included The STEM Path to the MBA program in 2011. The first class will graduate Recruiters continue seeking STEM innovation project every five weeks. “We hunkered down and divided up recipes and the food items for creating focuses on attracting high-achieving with MBAs in 2016. As of fall 2014, MBA graduates as manufacturing, They are given a theme and are charged the tasks, researched and researched healthy meals. Target was impressed undergraduate students majoring in the more than 800 students have enrolled software engineering, computer devising an idea for a new product and researched. We spent every single with the presentation. The four-member science, technology, engineering and in the STEM Path to the MBA program science, alternative energy, high- or business. moment of free time the last two weeks UA team won first place and received mathematics disciplines. The program at The University of Alabama since its tech steel production, infrastructure “Megan came to me and said, ‘Dr. making final preparations. We were $4,000. is an innovative approach to engage inception. replacement, commercial construction, Morgan, if you told me a year ago working on it literally up to 2 minutes When asked about the future and students early on as undergraduates To enroll, STEM path applicants health care and evolving forms of that I would spend all of my free time before the deadline for submission. career opportunities Torman is taking and employs nontraditional classroom must hold a minimum high school communication create demand for dreaming up ideas for new products and Once we turned it in and pushed the a wait-and-see-where-the-road-leads- methods that allow top students to GPA of 3.5 and a minimum ACT score engineers, technicians and scientists businesses, I would have told you that button to submit, it was such a relief. her mindset, but she did hint at what complete the MBA in one additional of 28 for early admission to the MBA from a variety of fields. There is a you are crazy, but now I’ll be walking We felt so accomplished,” she said. she finds interesting. calendar year. program. During their junior years, substantial demand for professionals around campus thinking about what new Her enthusiasm and positive outlook “I just read an article about The Culverhouse College of students will apply for admission to in these fields who also possess product or business I can come up with shined through during the entire Proctor & Gamble. They have a baby Commerce welcomed its first group the Manderson Graduate School of communication, leadership, decision- to solve problems,’” Morgan said. interview. department in the diaper segment of of STEM students for the Manderson Business for the MBA program. making and business-analytical skills. the company where they sit and observe Graduate School of Business MBA 12 CULVERHOUSE 13

CULVERHOUSE REACHES OUT WITH NEW DIVERSITY INITIATIVE: MAJORS AWARENESS PROGRAM BY EDITH PARTEN

new initiative at the different backgrounds to increase Culverhouse College of the diversity of the University and A Commerce aims to recruit Culverhouse. In future efforts, we and reach out to rising high school will also focus on recruiting military seniors from diverse backgrounds veterans,” Hardin added. who are enrolled in magnet and The inaugural CMAP camp was ACAP students enjoy lunch outside Alston Hall. accelerated programs. held in June and included 30 rising The Culverhouse Majors high school seniors from Alabama and “WE TRAVELED TO SCHOOLS ACROSS ALABAMA AND GEORGIA, SEEKING THE BEST AND Awareness Program, headed Georgia. Some 25 faculty and business by lecturer Lisa McKinney, is a professionals presented at the BRIGHTEST DIVERSE STUDENTS.” residential summer institute for weeklong camp. —Lisa McKinney exceptional students who are “We traveled to schools across typically underrepresented in the Alabama and Georgia, seeking the ever-growing Culverhouse College of best and brightest diverse students but also to leaders of successful interactive formats. Students will also year and also took place in June. ACAP Commerce. This can include students to encourage them to attend this businesses, faculty and the UA campus. explore such specializations as sales is a program of the National Association with disabilities, different ethnic camp so they could learn more about The goal of the camp is to provide the and entrepreneurship. of Black Accountants’ Center for backgrounds or different cultures. the benefits of obtaining a business students with a better understanding of The camp is not all work. Students Advancement of Minority Accountants. “We had been recruiting and degree and specifically a degree business and how Culverhouse can help enjoy nights of fun and entertainment, ACAP’s primary objective is to conducting outreach for 10 years, from UA’s Culverhouse,” McKinney them on their paths to success. including a pool party, scavenger hunt increase the number of high school but this year we decided to focus our said. “The camp is an exploratory Participants interact with professors and campus tour. students from underrepresented ethnic efforts on students with a wide variety opportunity to find out what we have and working professionals in a variety of Students in the initial camp had to groups who attend college and major of backgrounds,” said Dr. J. Michael to offer so the students can make presentations and experiences. Each of apply and must have been seniors in the in accounting. Through ACAP’s efforts, Hardin, dean of the Culverhouse an informed decision about their the business disciplines — accounting, fall of 2014 with 3.2 GPAs. students receive educational enrichment College of Commerce. “We feel future.” finance, economics, marketing, Another diversity program that experiences and the practical help like this is what is most important: CMAP exposes the rising high management, management science and complements CMAP, the Accounting needed for college preparation and a bringing in talented students with school seniors not only to Culverhouse information systems — are explored in Career Awareness Program, is in its fifth career in accounting. 14 CULVERHOUSE 15

POWERFUL WOMEN hey have moved beyond the glass ceiling. From the CEO of Lockheed Martin and one of Forbes Ttop 50 most powerful women in business to an of SEC business-school dean and a Wells Fargo executive, Culverhouse is the alma mater to some top-level executives who have broken the glass ceiling. Although there are dozens of alumnae who have made it to the top of the corporate ladder, the following pages of PROFILES the Executive Magazine profile seven of some of the most powerful women to have graduated from the Culverhouse College of Commerce. 16 CULVERHOUSE 17

POWERFUL WOMEN of ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL WOMEN IN BUSINESS IS CULVERHOUSE ALUMNA

BY EDITH PARTEN

ne of the most powerful women in business today is UA Culverhouse alumna Marillyn Hewson, CEO and president of Lockheed Martin Corp. O In 2013 Hewson was making headlines and headway. It was a year that included her being named to the top position at Lockheed Martin and being ranked No. 4 on Fortune magazine’s list of 50 most powerful women in business. She was also named to Forbes’ list of the world’s 100 most powerful women. She was also appointed by President Barack Obama to the President’s Export Council, the principal national advisory committee on international trade. Hewson received her bachelor’s degree in business administration and master’s degree in economics from UA’s Culverhouse College of Commerce. She is also a current member of the Culverhouse College of Commerce Board of Visitors. So when Executive Magazine had the opportunity for a Q&A with Hewson, we took the opportunity to find out more about her career, life and path to the top.

1. What was your reaction to finding out that you were named 3. What is the biggest lesson learned, to date, from by Forbes as one of the world’s most powerful women? your career? Well, it’s certainly exciting to be named to that very The most important lesson I’ve learned in my career is prestigious list and humbling to be in the company of so that you must always stay grounded in your values. And many brilliant, successful women. One of the primary that means the company you work for should share those reasons I’m on the list is because I lead a world-class values. Strong values are where leadership really begins. company. Lockheed Martin is a $45 billion global enterprise One of the many reasons I have loved working at Lockheed that’s performing very well for our customers and our Martin all these years is because our values as a company stockholders. That’s a credit to the 113,000 talented align with my personal values. They’re very simple: Do men and women of Lockheed Martin, who are delivering what’s right, respect others and perform with excellence. outstanding work. I’m simply a reflection of all of their good These are the values that guide every one of my work, and I’m very proud to represent them. decisions. You’ll face many turning points and tough decisions throughout your career, and I can tell you from 2. What advice would you give to female business students? experience that, for the really tough decisions, you have to My advice for women — or, in fact, for anyone who aspires be standing on a solid foundation of values. to have a successful business career — is don’t set limits on yourself. Sometimes it’s hard to see the growth 4. Do you feel the way has been paved for women to rise in opportunity in a potential new assignment if it’s not what the leadership ranks of the business world? you had envisioned, so you may dismiss the assignment Absolutely. I’m encouraged to see a growing number of before you fully explore it. So my advice is, as you go remarkable female leaders take their place in business, as after what you want in your career, remain open-minded well as politics, the military, academia and every profession. to the opportunities that will push you out of your comfort I’m especially proud of my industry, which has been opening zone, challenge you and give you a new set of experiences doors for women for decades. In fact, the aerospace and that will strengthen your expertise. I’ve found that it’s defense industry was one of the first to hire women into Marillyn Hewson often the unexpected opportunities that provide the most nontraditional professional roles. During World War II, many CEO and President of Lockheed Martin Corp. valuable experiences. women went to work hammering, riveting and welding the 18 CULVERHOUSE 19

products that would help defend our That experience turned out to time, my husband I and do love to father worked as a civilian in the Department of the Army, and my mother served nation and advance freedom around be one of many turning points in my play golf, so we try to work that in the Women’s Army Corps during World War II. They were both drawn by a call the world. Such empowerment of career. And it was all because a vice in regularly. to serve our nation, and they instilled that same love of country into me and my women built momentum for the kind of president in my company recognized I enjoy traveling with my family. brothers and sisters. The work we do at Lockheed Martin in support of our men inclusion we have today. It’s rewarding my potential and was willing to get My husband and two sons and I take and women in uniform is my way of serving our nation and ensuring they have NEW $3.9 BILLION to see so many women carrying on the involved. a family vacation every year. It’s an the best equipment and technology to protect our peace and freedoms. One of CONTRACT A BOOST legacy of those women who helped opportunity to spend time together my favorite quotes, which is engraved in the wall at the Korean War Veterans FOR LOCKHEED build the modern workplace. Today, 6. What led to your decision to attend and explore a new part of the world. Memorial, says, “Freedom Is Not Free.” MARTIN FACILITIES women represent more than half of The University of Alabama? It’s a reminder that we must be grateful for and always remember the IN ALABAMA the professional workforce, and the My family lived nearby the school, 10. What would you do differently? sacrifices that our men and women in uniform have made while protecting our number of women leaders continues so I was aware that The University of Because I feel very fortunate to have personal freedoms. to rise. I’m proud of how far we’ve Alabama had an exceptional business a supportive, loving family and a Lockheed Martin has been come and confident that there’s even program. It aligned with my academic rewarding and fulfilling career, there 13. Do you see any future partnership opportunities with the University awarded a $3.9 billion contract more opportunity ahead. strengths and career aspirations, and isn’t anything I would do differently. of Alabama? for THAAD Weapon Systems for I was working full time in Tuscaloosa The breadth of experiences I’ve had Yes, in fact, Lockheed Martin is working in partnership with the University on a the U.S. Army and United Arab 5. Who was your mentor? to pay for my college education, so it personally and professionally have new data analytics laboratory. Emirates. When I began my career at Lockheed was a natural fit. allowed me to continuously learn The lab will focus on using data-driven models to make better decisions in Lockheed Martin will provide Martin more than 31 years ago, and to grow as a wife, mother and areas such as program management and supply chain management. And most parts of the Terminal High mentoring and talent development 7. What is the biggest lesson you business leader. I believe strongly importantly, it will give students a great opportunity to meet with our engineers Altitude Defense Weapons played a huge role in getting my learned from your time at the that if you stay true to your values and develop skills in a technology area that is critical to our future. System — known as THAAD — career on the right track. When I was Culverhouse College of Commerce? and surround yourself with others We’re excited about this partnership opportunity, and I hope that it under the term of a new $3.9 a relatively new supervisor, the vice I enjoyed my time at the Culverhouse who share those values, you will will help develop the next generation of University of Alabama alumni at billion contract for the U.S. Army president of operations nominated College of Commerce and learned rarely have regrets. Lockheed Martin. and United Arab Emirates. me for the Lockheed General many important lessons that I’ve The contract includes the Management Development Program, carried with me throughout my 11. What are the latest books you’ve manufacture and delivery of which was a very selective program career. I couldn’t point to just one read? up to 110 interceptors that will with only four employees of 21,000 lesson; however, the diverse and I recently enjoyed Malcolm Gladwell’s be used by the Army at Fort applicants accepted. interesting people I met and their “David and Goliath.” It’s all about Hood, Texas. It also includes It required the vice president to willingness to share their knowledge ordinary people who have taken interceptors and other hardware do more than just put forward my and experiences so openly was on huge, oversized challenges, for UAE. nomination. He had to commit to a highlight. some driven by emotion or passion, The contract is a boost for having a job for me when I graduated others just by circumstance. What continuing missile work in from the program. It was clear that he 8. What is the best piece of advice given you learn from these stories is that Alabama. THAAD interceptors genuinely wanted me to be successful to you by a teacher? the outcome is not always what you are produced at Lockheed at Lockheed, and he went out of There wasn’t only one. The faculty might expect, and, sometimes, one Martin’s Pike County facility in his way to support me. When I was was top notch, and they consistently person’s adversity or suffering can Troy and the Missile Defense accepted into the program, he mapped challenged me to remain intellectually be a catalyst for positive change in Agency’s THAAD program office out where I should go and how long I curious and to perform my best on the world. I gave copies of it to my is in Huntsville. should stay in each rotation to ensure every project and assignment. Also, entire senior leadership team as my experiences were diverse and they showed me that great leaders a reminder that challenges can be that I would be prepared for my next never stop learning. a good thing, and when we work Excerpt from Al.com article by role. At the end of the two years, he together, we can overcome them. Leada Gore, Sept. 23, 2013 promoted me into my first department 9. What do you enjoy doing in your manager role and I felt prepared to spare time? 12. What is your favorite quote? be successful. While my role at Lockheed Martin I grew up in a very patriotic family, doesn’t leave me with a lot of spare and I consider myself a patriot. My 20 CULVERHOUSE

POWERFUL WOMEN of WALL STREET MOM TRADES ROLES AT HOME The fact was, she hated New York. “I’m not a New Yorker, but BY CAROLANNE ROBERTS I’m glad I tried it,” she said. “If I hadn’t moved there, I always would’ve wondered. …” Her time back in Charlotte, where she continued her path, has been a journey within a journey. In 2004, she joined Banc of America Securities’ investment-banking division, ehind every highly successful as a sophomore. There weren’t many proud of that,” she said. “You can’t just shifting from writing reports about stocks to reports about woman is a good business undergraduate teaching assistants.” mail that one in.” bonds. Then Black returned to First Union Capital Markets, B school — and, in the case of In her “spare” time, Black provided Looking back, one of the traits Black which had become Wachovia by that time; in 2008, Wachovia Nicole Black, also a husband to tend the play-by-play radio commentary for cited as a guiding force — in addition was acquired by Wells Fargo. Now, as she marches up the home fires and the offspring while she the UA women’s basketball team. to her firm academic foundation in corporate ladder, the analyst travels about a third of the year. achieves in the workplace. the Culverhouse program — is self- When she is home, her days start with a 7:15 a.m. meeting Black, managing director of fixed- confidence. That said, after graduation before moving onto the trading floor. income research at Wells Fargo “I HAVE ATTENDED TWO and all its accolades, she recalled “I’m on the floor; the activity is constant; and no two days Securities LLC, in Charlotte, North INSTITUTIONS, ALABAMA AND having no idea which direction to turn. are alike, which I love,” Black said. “But I joke that I live only Carolina, has been a master juggler HARVARD, AND I GIVE MONEY Despite a 98th percentile score on the two songs from work. I could never do a commute.” since the day she entered The University GMAT, she knew she needed a job — Her husband, Drew Skinner, keeps the home humming of Alabama as a student majoring EACH YEAR ONLY TO BAMA preferably two to three years of solid for their sons, Baylor, 5, and Beckett, 3. Black describes her in engineering. It took about one BECAUSE OF THE FOUNDATION experience — before she could apply to husband — an Indiana native who proposed to her on the 20- Nicole Black semester and the encouragement of an advanced business program. yard line of Bryant Denny Stadium after a Bama win — as a Managing Director of Fixed-Income Research AND THE FINANCIAL the Culverhouse College of Commerce’s “I did what every other student does: “low-ego male” displaced from his advertising job in the 2008 Wells Fargo Securities LLC legendary Dr. Billy Helms to entice her ASSISTANCE I RECEIVED I dropped off my résumé at the Career economic downturn. into the business curriculum. He also Development Center and had a very “I went back to work from maternity leave, and we didn’t offered her a pioneering role in a unique THERE.” successful interview with a bank I wasn’t bat an eyelash,” she said. “The game plan was that he’d stay Randall’s influence is still very much alive. Randall served as program he had designed. “It was a —Nicole Black familiar with,” she said. But in First home until the ad market came back, but when we found the director of the Computer-Based Honors Program at The quantitative finance degree, and I was a Union Bank’s materials, Black noticed out we were pregnant again in 2010, he had already gotten University of Alabama and earned a bachelor’s, two master’s willing guinea pig,” she explained of the a small paragraph about its investment quite good at the baby-rearing duties. So we evolved into this and two doctoral degrees from the University. mix of corporate finance with graduate- “I had a very robust four program. “They needed a blend of arrangement; it was not our expected path, but here we are.” “She held many positions at the University, all the while level statistics and math courses. years on campus,” she said. quantitative and communication skills,” So the boys go to bed a little later than their peers so raising three really outstanding people,” Black said, adding Her generous scholarship offered The National Merit scholar from she recalled. “Within a week, I was on they can visit with their mom when she gets home. Dad takes that she will forever be grateful to Helms for his influence and time to be a college student, in all Decatur, Alabama, was also a member a plane to Charlotte, where I made the them to play dates and does the preschool drop-off. “In this to Dr. Lonnie Strickland, professor of strategic management, senses, so Black (known then as Nikki of the Computer-Based Honors cut in their investment-banking-analyst day and age, I don’t even wait until the end of the day to be who “demonstrated that you can be hard-nosed and intelligent Black) embraced campus life. In addition Program. At graduation, the University’s program.” part of what’s going on,” she said. “I get photos of lessons but still have fun.” to her demanding Culverhouse program, National Alumni Association named It was the beginning. After two years at school, a text message after pickup, and maybe an email The years in the Culverhouse College of Commerce remain she was president of Alpha Chi Omega her the Outstanding Female Graduate in Charlotte, Black went to Harvard or a video of the kids playing. I know there’s a loving parent strong building blocks in Black’s success. “I have no regrets sorority, played six intramural sports of the 1995 class. She also received Business School, then on to New York with our children, which helps me concentrate on my job until about my decision to come to Alabama,” she said. and served as a teaching assistant in the Amanda Taylor Watson Outstanding City. I’m home with them. And Drew says that even his worst day “I have attended two institutions, Alabama and Harvard, economics for five semesters. Quantitative Finance Student Award “I had my heart set on trying sports with the kids is better than the mediocre days when he was in and I give money each year only to Bama because of the “Thanks to Billy Helms, I got to take from the department of economics, marketing, so I worked at the NBA, the workforce.” foundation and the financial assistance I received there.” 300-level economics early, so I was able finance and legal studies. Black proudly which was a dream job on paper.” She The family plans a trip to Tuscaloosa in the coming months to be a teaching assistant for five of my cited her MBA from Harvard, which found her brain underused and that she to introduce Baylor to the Bama football tradition. Although Carolanne Roberts is a freelance writer based in Birmingham, eight semesters at Alabama, starting followed several years later, as yet sorely missed finance. A move to Bear Black’s career will no doubt keep her in Charlotte, her Alabama, and is a former travel editor of Southern Living another academic achievement. “I’m Stearns in equity research did not help. memories and allegiance trace to the University. Dr. Cathy magazine. 22 CULVERHOUSE 23

POWERFUL WOMEN of CULVERHOUSE ALUMNA FINDS HER PASSION IN MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS Honors Program, directed at the time by Dr. John Conroy and Culverhouse’s Dr. Dave Heggem. As a member of the BY CAROLANNE ROBERTS prestigious Avanti Team, Leonhardt welcomed new students to campus in orientation programs while also serving as counselor for the summer Capstone Honors Programs. “I was heavily involved with Avanti; it was a tremendous athy Leonhardt’s conversation was the No. 1 mergers and acquisitions brands. The career score card at Peter experience,” she said. “It captured you and made you love the is warm, confident and infused bank in the world, so I joined that group J. Solomon includes TA Associates’ University.” C with moments of joyous for seven years and M and A became acquisition of Dutch, which is the holding All the while, her future prospects were growing and laughter. The 1990 Culverhouse finance my career.” company of contemporary brands Joie expanding in the business school. “For such a large university, graduate has plenty on her plate: She started as a generalist — and Equipment; several transactions you could develop personal relationships and ask questions traveling to the West Coast and Europe working on transactions in oil and for French luxury conglomerate Kering; in this program, getting assistance as you navigated both your for retail mergers and acquisitions; co- gas, paper and forest products, PVH’s acquisitions of Tommy Hilfiger academic curriculum and what to do after that.” It was Dr. heading Peter J. Solomon Co.’s Global pharmaceuticals, retail and apparel — and Warnaco; Deckers, the parent Robert Brooks who helped guide Leonhardt forward. Beyond Retail Group in New York; and, even but one area stood out. “I really liked company of UGG, in its acquisition taking such advanced courses as Brooks’ options, futures more importantly, enjoying a rich family the retail sector,” she said. “Then, of Sanuk; the sale of Athleta to The and derivative securities class, Leonhardt gained advice and life that includes two young daughters. Gap; and the sale of Kate Spade to Liz direction. Cathy Leonhardt Yet she is easy, engaged, even relaxed Claiborne Inc. Leonhardt appears in “He brought a real-world perspective to the academic Managing Director and Co-Head as she reminisces about her days at the “I THINK WOMEN, ESPECIALLY the media, particularly in Bloomberg experience because he was on boards, advising banks and Peter J. Solomon Co.’s Global Retail Group Culverhouse College of Commerce. TV interviews, on subjects ranging doing other things. He became an important professional in “It ended up being a really good NOW, MUST BE AGGRESSIVE from Internet shopping to fashion what ultimately happened in my career.” place for me,” she said of her choice IN THEIR CAREER SEARCH. business trends. The sector suits her. Leonhardt graduated summa cum laude. Brooks named Leonhardt offers advice based on principles she has to study in the Culverhouse program. “I love M and A, the tactics and the her Finance Student of the Year, an award “I was really proud learned along the way. “When I went into my career, I wasn’t YOU HAVE TO SEEK OUT strategic aspect of thinking through of, but I think my parents were even prouder.” “I think women, especially now, must be aggressive in playing catch-up. I had good skills. OPPORTUNITIES THAT AREN’T strategic situations,” Leonhardt said. Tuscaloosa remains important to Leonhardt, who will their career search. You have to seek out opportunities that You go to these big firms, and they put “I love positioning companies for sale, return soon to the fall meeting of the Culverhouse College of aren’t so obvious. And you have to focus on being personable. you through a training program — and SO OBVIOUS.” finding the highlights to get the deal Commerce Board of Visitors as a member. It is also the city You can be proficient and analytical and all the other things it was easy. I was very well-prepared. —Cathy Leonhardt done, what to bring out when you’re where, 10 years ago, Leonhardt married Michael Urness, a that your job requires to fulfill the obligations, but at the end The business school really gave me the selling a business and when you’re native of Seattle and a Kellogg business-school classmate. of the day, people like working with people they like. You have foundation to do good work right out of buying a business, and thinking through She and Urness, a brand manager with his own Connecticut- to be personable and likable and influential.” the gate.” when I represented Sears in acquiring how this is going to be a winner. I do based consulting business, are parents to Carson, 7, and Perhaps this explains that gentle laugh, which comes The first stop out of that gate was Lands End, Peter J. Solomon and a lot of retail apparel, footwear and Jemma, 4. at just the right times, accompanying her authoritative Wachovia Bank’s corporate training his team were representing Lands accessories work. To be successful in How does Leonhardt strike the balance between family commentary. Which brings Leonhardt to another word of program in Winston-Salem, North End.” That transaction resulted in yet this business you have to have a sector and career? praise for her alma mater. Carolina, and a subsequent move another merger: Leonhardt and the focus. You have to know everybody; you “Someone once told me, ‘If you want something important “I have gratitude for my experience in the to Atlanta to join Wachovia’s large Peter J. Solomon Co. With its large have to own it.” done, ask a working mother. They do the most and have the business program, the education and the foundation corporate-lending group. From focus on retail, the move has proved This specialty direction had not capacity to do the most,’” Leonhardt said. “We live pretty Alabama gave me,” she said. “You can do a lot from there she went to the Kellogg School a perfect fit for Leonhardt these past come into focus during the days full lives. We have a big community with our daughters and that platform.” of Management at Northwestern 10 years. In addition to being a partner at The University of Alabama, but their school and our church. We ski; we exercise; we travel to We would say she already has. University for an MBA and on to and managing director, she co-heads the coed from Nauvoo, Alabama, in our place on the Gulf Coast as often as we can. We definitely Morgan Stanley in New York. “I liked the firm’s retail group. Walker County knew she wanted both spend time in Alabama at the holidays, and my husband is Carolanne Roberts is a freelance writer based in Birmingham, banking, but I wanted something more Her résumé in the retail space reads a career and success. On campus, now a Bama fan.” Alabama, and is a former travel editor of Southern Living rigorous,” she said. “Morgan Stanley like a who’s who of brands meeting she was a member of the Capstone magazine. 24 CULVERHOUSE

POWERFUL WOMEN of

THE ART OF BALANCE: merge smoothly into another. Again, her pursuit of excellence was the Balance and 1987 CULVERHOUSE ALUMNA CYNTHIA DAY catalyst that would ignite a future of community SHARES HER KEYS TO SUCCESS smooth transitions. Committed to Mastering her skills as a CPA and sharing her hard work at KPMG led Day to a position experience and BY JEAN M. MCLEAN as an audit manager. One of her clients expertise with was Citizens Federal Savings Bank of youth and future Birmingham. Impressed by her skills, the entrepreneurs, bank’s CEO offered Day an opportunity Day is a seasoned ynthia N. Day’s multitasking succeed, and Cynthia’s experience and but first you must be good where to join the firm. Day accepted the offer, parent-volunteer. C aptitudes were evident in the expertise will be invaluable to us as we you are.” motivated “to move that company to a She also serves 1980s when she was a Culverhouse fulfill that mission.” Day also encourages students to level where I knew it could perform.” The University College of Commerce student majoring “When somebody asks about the focus on their own gifts rather than She later became the executive vice of Alabama as in accounting. She balanced her classes, keys to success, I tell them it’s nothing whatever is temporarily trending, the president and chief operating officer. a member of sorority commitments and work-study glamorous, Day said. There’s not a pursuit of what she calls the “major The balance she achieved led to her the Alabama schedules as adroitly as she balanced secret formula. Success is just about flavor of the day.” She equates career appointment as executive vice president Entrepreneurship a baton during halftime performances hard work, consistency and always doing balance to someone consistently and chief operating officer. She would Institute Board. with the Million Dollar Band. your best because somebody is always traveling in one direction rather than retain the title when the institution was In both roles, Now this president and CEO of watching. A lot of people will tell you being sidetracked by offramps. acquired by Georgia’s Citizens Trust her mentorship Cynthia Day Atlanta-based Citizens Bancshares “I think we’re most successful when Bank in 2003. and dedication President and CEO, Corp. and Citizens Trust Bank balances we’re operating in our own lanes, Nine years and an Atlanta to sharing her Citizens Bancshares Corp., Citizens Trust Bank more complex responsibilities. Day is a “IT’S GOOD TO HAVE GOALS TO where we can be most successful. I tell relocation later, Day became the first business and wife and mother serving on the boards MOVE FORWARD, BUT FIRST others to find where your strengths and permanent female president and CEO life experiences of Primerica Inc. and Aaron’s Inc. She talents lie and play to those. Play to in Citizens Trust’s 90-year history. That produce a steady “Alabama’s business school is one is a board member for the National YOU MUST BE GOOD WHERE your passions. You’ll be very successful accomplishment led to others asking stream of requests for career and of the best business schools in the Banker’s Association and the Atlanta YOU ARE.” because you’re in the right lane.” how to maintain a balance among work, business advice. She is an enthusiastic country. It prepared me for my job and Business League. She is a member of life and philanthropy. supporter of AEI because she believes the start of my career. They can’t teach both the Georgia Society of CPAs and the —Cynthia N. Day Balance and commitment “The success and balance of work- in nurturing small businesses. you everything in four years, but it gave Rotary Club of Atlanta. Upon entering the University as a pre- life responsibilities require the same “That’s the lifeblood of the community me a great foundation. I was prepared In each role, Day is praised for the medical student, Day did not imagine focus as developing and sustaining bank and the fabric of our country,” said when I came out of college. The rest was same cheerful excellence that won her that getting a mentor is a key to success. finding her career path in the financial a strong work ethic,” she said. “I’m Day of the small-business-community on me.” applause while twirling in front of more And that’s OK. I have mentors, even to services industry. Third of six siblings, just like every other mom and every link. She wants to help AEI participants Those who meet this Atlanta executive than 70,000 Bryant-Denny fans. this day. But setting and maintaining she realized as a sophomore that she other wife who is challenged every day understand how they can get working often assume her expertise evolved “We are thrilled to have Cynthia join a standard of excellence is what really needed to finish college in four years. with balancing career and personal capital not only to create a company but from Ivy League-level preparation. She our board,” said D. Richard Williams, opens doors.” Since medicine would require another obligations. Building and sustaining also grow it to benefit the surrounding is quick to correct them, explaining chairman of the board and co-CEO of "Consistency is compelling, Day said. eight years, she reconsidered her great relationships with my husband, community. what she learned in the classroom Primerica. “As a result of her many Excellence opens doors. Successful major and redirected her analytical my daughter and family are extreme There is another reason Day as well as on the practice field. years with Citizens Bancshares, she people focus on skill mastery rather skills to accounting. Her senior priorities. I achieve balance by not only is involved with the Culverhouse- understands the needs of middle-income than vocational shortcuts." year interview with KPMG snagged recognizing but also demonstrating sponsored AEI program. She wants to Balance and learning households and the financial challenges “I tell people just do the best at the her first postgraduation job. It also that my personal relationships remain give back to the University. She is proud Day intentionally teaches the glass- faced by these families. Primerica is job you’re in. Focus your attention there. turned out to be her last job interview. paramount and are among my most to be a Culverhouse alumna. half-full perspective: “With a positive, focused on helping these households It’s good to have goals to move forward, One employment lane seemed to important responsibilities.” 26 CULVERHOUSE 27 can-do attitude you can do a lot of things. A negative attitude the classroom but also what she learned from her entire CULVERHOUSE GRADUATE CREDITS UA doesn’t produce long-term results.” college experience: juggling work, studies, sorority and those She said such optimism for women — including her Crimsonette practice sessions. INTERNSHIP AS TURNING POINT IN HER CAREER daughter — is justified, as corporate climates are changing. “I’m extremely proud to be a graduate of The University Although Day believes family-friendly balance will always of Alabama and Culverhouse. Crimson forever runs through BY JEAN M. MCLEAN be a challenge, she sees “tremendous strides” across my veins. My educational and life experiences gained while all industries. attending the University helped build a strong foundation for “I work with accounting firms and law firms, which have a successful life and career. traditionally been very conservative. But even they are “That taught me how to do things now,” she said. “Being becoming extremely flexible because they don’t want to lose academically off the charts is great, but what happens when talent. One of the firms we work with has done a women’s you have to balance life? I always tell people that you want to s Karen Russell Miller outlined an opportunity to intern during busy also makes time to advise young power project, hiring coaches for women to see how they can be able to do a lot of different things. You’ve got to have not the professional journey that season. I know it took a lot of time by professionals, both those inside transition to the next level and still have a balanced life.” only the intellect but the people skills when you’re running a A led to her becoming a tax Dr. Tom Howard and Sandy Davidson and outside her firm, on what they Day believes corporations are also seeking different company. partner at the Birmingham, Alabama, to put that program together. It has should know if they want to pursue an gender and ethic perspectives on their boards. “You’ve got to learn to balance.” office of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC, provided an excellent foundation for all accounting career. "Companies seeking better balance in both their workforce she frequently used the word “blessed.” the students who came in after me.” “As I look back over the years, and in their advisory boards can better meet competitive Jean McLean is a freelance writer based in Montevallo, That is because this 1996 Culverhouse Miller’s internship attention was between starting at PwC and making challenges,"she said. Alabama. graduate is grateful not only for the soon riveted on corporate tax, especially partner in 2011, the highlights for As she reflected on her 1988 graduation from the insights provided by her father, who as it related to insurance and financial me are the interactions I’ve had with University, she remembered not only what she learned in majored in accounting, but also for all services firms. Such a specialty not only leaders, particularly the strong female the other role models who provided provided the highly analytical work she mentors and role models I’ve had,” said career guidance along the way. enjoyed but also allowed her to offer Miller, who also serves with Culverhouse “I was always one that loved what she calls “value-added” assistance Connections, a mentoring program numbers,” Miller said of her early to clients. After graduate work at the that started as a women’s mentoring interests. “Math was my favorite high initiative at the College. school subject. My father had gotten “Those mentors helped keep me his accounting degree from Alabama “LOOK FOR THOSE focused and encouraged along the way. in 1970. Although he never practiced in OPPORTUNITIES TO NETWORK They advised me on how to balance public accounting, I knew how versatile AND LOOK FOR THOSE family and work. I’ve had a number of an accounting degree was and how it people I’ve interacted with who provided had helped his career.” MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS.” encouragement.” “Once I arrived at the University, I was Such encouragement was —Karen Russell Miller blessed with a lot of faculty members particularly welcomed in 2006. That who gave me advice and taught courses was the year Miller’s son was born. It that confirmed my interest.” University of Virginia, she pursued her was also the year she was accepted into Miller credited her senior-year current specialization: providing tax PwC’s partner-candidate program. The internship as a turning point. That was planning and compliance services to program included an extended rotation when she was able to sample real life property, casualty and life insurance in New York City. For several months, during busy season of tax preparation in companies and other entities connected Miller and her husband coordinated her a public accounting firm and to narrow to the insurance industry. Her work weekly commute between Birmingham her professional focus to tax practice. includes evaluating federal consolidated and PwC’s New York office. “I was blessed in that when I came tax return issues and conducting due "During that time, I affirmed the through, ours was only the second diligence reviews for large insurance importance of family and found ways to accounting class to be eligible for the company acquisitions. be flexible and creative with schedules.” spring internship program. Before then, Miller advises corporate leaders Miller brings that flexibility and the accounting students didn’t have on complicated tax matters, and she creativity to the table as a member of 28 CULVERHOUSE

POWERFUL WOMEN of the Culverhouse College of Commerce’s Board of Visitors, “The former ‘up-and-out’ accounting workplace demands in which she provides her corporate perspective on how to that propelled many talented workers out of public practice prepare a new generation of leaders for today’s business are changing,” she said. climate. In her interactions with Culverhouse students, PwC “My advice to new graduates coming out of the accounting interns and current employees, she emphasizes how her program is to keep your mind open and to not shut the door industry is evolving to meet the needs of a new generation. too early. The best thing that’s happened in the accounting profession is we’ve opened the dialogue. We’ve realized the value of flexible work arrangements and sabbaticals, so we can retain the top talent in our field. “Too many young female accountants came to believe they could not combine a satisfying personal life with a challenging career,” Miller said. That is why she encourages students to think ahead as they pursue internships, advanced degrees and first jobs. “Female accountants now have more advocates than before. One of the blessings of my position right now is that I’m heavily involved in a lot of women’s initiatives through PwC. It’s encouraging to see that.” Since the largest national public accounting firms — known in the industry as the Big Four — compete for top talent, they also tend to set the benefits bar for regional and local employers. Those leading companies are now more attuned to female employees’ concerns, Miller said. As she talks with young professionals about their career paths and life goals, she also urges each individual to think Karen R. Miller ahead, evaluating not only which specialty paths to take Tax Partner but also which firms are most likely to make those paths PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC more accessible. “A lot of my friends in accounting had children at about the same time. One thing they said they wished they had done was to think ahead. When they started work, they were their best and brightest employees is changing the accounting focused on the best opportunity for them at that time, but they profession for the better,” Miller said. didn’t think about what their lives would be like in three to As leaders like Miller think ahead to better the industry, five years. For example, a lot of them wound up in situations she suggested that Culverhouse students, pursue every where they didn’t have good maternity benefits. When they opportunity the College provides. accepted their first jobs, they didn’t stop to think, ‘Where do I “Look for those opportunities to network and look for want to be five years from now?’” those mentoring relationships,” Miller tells business students As public accounting firms initiate policies aimed at within every interest area. “Start early in your College career retaining female talent, the benefits of those policies extend to look for someone who can teach you the business skills and far beyond their targeted market. answer the questions you don’t yet know to ask. Find someone “Across the industry, what you’re seeing is a willingness who can be both a sounding board and someone who can offer to allow not only variances in the 9-to-5 schedules for constructive feedback.” both males and females but to dial back with yearlong Miller said she was blessed by others willing to share sabbaticals and a lot of part-time arrangements that allow their perspective from her professors to her PwC mentors. people to work during busy season and then take summers Now this executive is sharing that same blessing, offering off to be with their children. I think those arrangements her partnering perspective to the next generation of business are taking a number of forms. Some are tailoring leaders at Culverhouse. their schedules to allow care for their elderly parents. “That sort of thinking ahead on the part of the firms to keep 30 CULVERHOUSE

POWERFUL WOMEN of CULVERHOUSE ALUMNA FINDS HER PASSION AT MERCEDES-BENZ

Preparing for jobs that do not exist yet BY JEAN M. MCLEAN Since Culverhouse faculty work closely with leaders in tech- driven corporations like MBUSI, they know workforce needs lthough Tonja Cochran has it takes to keep the parts flowing, this is “I think that diverse course of study may change dramatically during any student’s course of study. witnessed dramatic industry not the sort of job she imagined during prepared me for coming into a company With new specializations seeming to emerge as regularly as A changes since she earned her her MBA studies. like Mercedes, a company that offers smartphone applications, UA professors often tell students degree in 1996 from The University of “I had gotten my undergraduate so many opportunities to build your that they are preparing them for jobs that do not exist yet. Alabama’s Manderson Graduate School degree in accounting from Evangel portfolio of skills.” Cochran’s career illustrates that truth. Much of what she of Business at the Culverhouse College University in Springfield, Missouri, and Cochran’s specialized training in now does was unimagined in 1996. Although the industry of Commerce, she believes basic worked for about five years. But I wasn’t Vance included logistics and supply has changed since she joined MBUSI, her commitments — to business principles have not changed. totally where I wanted to be,” said this chain management as well as finance the company, its products, its people and her own sense of "Today’s managers are still Tuscaloosa native about the beginnings and corporate controlling. She then mission — have not. This accountant-turned-vice-president seeking the same character qualities of an unexpected career path. moved into one of her favorite job still loves her daily duties and finds purpose in every task. in millennials that served previous “By the time I went back to school, I assignments: leading a production floor “I love the products that we build. I’m very proud of generations so well,” said this vice was a little bit older. I think that helped project team that used time studies and them. I can see how what we do in logistics makes that president of purchasing and logistics for me explore my options a bit. And since improvement trials to reduce waste and product possible. But I can’t overemphasize the importance Mercedes-Benz U.S. International. the MBA itself is very diverse, for me cost on a station-by-station basis. She of teamwork, and the importance of respecting coworkers, When asked for career advice, it offered a more balanced approach. I spent 18 months as a logistics manager because nobody succeeds on their own. I admire the people Cochran listed respect, integrity took courses in production operations, before being promoted to senior that I work with here. It’s very much a family culture. I’ve and hard work as keys for opening business law, human resources and, of manager of supply chain management. learned so much from my teammates over the years.” Tonja Cochran opportunities at every level. course, finance and accounting.” Her team’s responsibilities were Learning is one of Cochran’s passions. She counsels Vice President of Purchasing and Logistics Cochran’s MBA concentration was complex but included supply chain students to pursue excellence while still in school, as that Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Partnering for success in finance. That study, combined with optimization for current and future sets a tone for lifelong learning. Cochran’s latest opportunity focuses her accounting background, led her products, critical supplier management, “I think it’s just important that you always try to keep on managing a team responsible for an to assume her subsequent specialty a parts consolidation center and foreign learning and growing and never really get settled in. There’s “There’s a lot that has changed in the marketplace and the expanding automotive manufacturing would involve corporate mergers trade zone operations. always another opportunity out there. There’s always workforce,” she said. “But there’s still no substitute for hard supply chain. That team ensures each and acquisitions. “Then I took a two-year assignment something to strive for. If you don’t like where you are, work, determination and willingness to go the extra mile and MBUSI vehicle part is where it needs to be “But Mercedes-Benz offered me a with our truck division in the Carolinas, focus on changing that. There’s opportunity for those willing take ownership of your work. That kind of person is always when it needs to be there, from supplier job in logistics, and I chose to go this leading a team responsible for freight to take it.” going to stand out. And if you can make yourself stand out in to warehouse, assembly to delivery. The route because the job and this company planning and procurement for all that way, opportunities generally come to you.” team plays a role in the production of seemed more exciting. After my first Daimler entities in the NAFTA region. Planning for opportunity Undergraduates undecided about their career tracks each of the M-Class, R-Class and GL- years in logistics, I was able to take We purchased the freight services Those who spend much time around Cochran soon realize her might be encouraged by Cochran’s vocational route. Although Class sport utility vehicles MBUSI ships advantage of the opportunity to do job used to bring parts from suppliers to motivation runs deeper than pursuit of knowledge or career she worked hard as a student, she wasn’t always sure about from Vance, Alabama, to more than rotations within the company.” the production plant and to deliver advancement. her post-graduation plans. Still, she earned what she calls 136 countries. finished products from the plant to “I am a Christian. My faith in Jesus Christ guides my life, a “solid” degree that opened doors. Then she pursued every The team’s responsibilities are Pursuing the career cross-training the customer.” and I feel very strongly that he has a plan for my life and leads resulting opportunity. growing. MBUSI begins building the circuit After establishing that first North me through these opportunities and through my career. So I Cochran declines to make predictions about advances in C-Class this year, while preparing to add Cochran then pursued MBUSI’s cross- American Free Trade Agreement region feel that as I do my part, he opens up doors for me. That’s who manufacturing or of any trends related to future careers. its fifth model in 2015. training process, working in various function for Daimler’s cars, trucks, vans I am and what I believe.” “I do think that as technology, new generations, new ideas Cochran is equally proud of the roles with varied teams. In retrospect, and buses, she was asked to return to That faith base not only defines Cochran’s approach and creativity change the workplace, the core values of respect people she works and the products they her MBA studies paved the way for Vance. In December 2013, she assumed to opportunity but also provides a foundation for complex for others, integrity and hard work remain timeless.” make. Although she and her team have developing those assorted skill sets. new duties as a vice president. problem-solving and decision-making. She said certain become quite skilled at doing whatever timeless values persist, even during uncertain times. 32 CULVERHOUSE 33

POWERFUL WOMEN of

THE DEAN MEANS enthusiastic traveler shows her followers that lifestyle can mix with career. Her secret weapon: making full use of every moment. “The busier I am, the happier I am,” she said. “When I was BUSINESS in school, the more hours I took, the better I was.” As dean of a program with 2,600 students, she is busy and DR. SHARON OSWALD, DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AT MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY, happy. EARNED A DOCTORATE IN MANAGEMENT AT ALABAMA — AND CHANGED HER LIFE’S PATH “We have a lot of student entrepreneurs in our business school,” she said. “Students run from 30 to 50 businesses BY CAROLANNE ROBERTS here with the faculty working along with them. We are so big into entrepreneurship and helping students start businesses while they’re young.” The MSU program also includes the Center of Family f the many reasons a candidate books and dissertations. She found her realized this path was really great,” she Enterprise Research, which studies the strategic management Oaims for a doctorate in the true role in life: not health care, not the said. “It’s the most rewarding thing I’ve of family businesses and all aspects relating to success and Manderson Graduate School of traditional business world, but another ever done in my life.” failure of those enterprises. Business, Sharon Oswald’s motivation path altogether. Her dissertation focused on gender All this from a person who might never have entered the must be a stand-alone first. “I had no aspirations to teach before biases and arbitration. academic world except for the self-discovery the Manderson “My brother had one,” said Oswald, my time at Alabama, though I’d taught “That has nothing to do with doctoral program offered. An Auburn undergraduate earning who received her management degree courses at Samford University and at anything I do today or have done for an advanced degree at Alabama, no less. in 1988. “If he could do it, I could do it. Birmingham Southern College and I years,” Oswald said. But it does bring “I’m not really into football,” Oswald said, thereby SHARON OSWALD It’s competition within a family with a kind of liked the experience,” she said. to mind the changing roles of women dismissing rivalries. “I really related to my time at Alabama; I Dean of the College of Business sibling I’m extremely close to. We laugh Then came a semester of leading a in business, which the doctoral work loved my time there. I know there were faculty who preferred Mississippi State University about it.” human resources honors class at The addressed. traditional students rather than students who are also She laughed, but she also worked University of Alabama at the behest of “What I found was that women are working full time, but the University gave me the chance.” hard, balancing the doctoral demands Dr. Chuck Odewahn, a human resources much, much tougher on other women. Getting the chance can be a deal breaker. Nobody realizes Carolanne Roberts is a freelance writer based in Birmingham, with a full-time job in hospital health professor and big Oswald supporter. When I started in academia, it was a good that better than Oswald, the determined dean one state to the Alabama, and is a former travel editor of Southern Living care. “I had the best possible class I could old boy’s network, and I’ve watched it west who is out to make a difference for business students. magazine. “I’m lucky that the business school ever have, and, after that, I was hooked change over the years. I felt I had to prove Just as the Manderson program made the difference for her. allowed me to do that,” Oswald said, on academia.” myself back then and decided to go for recalling the regimen in which she got There has been little time in the tenure. I wanted it more than anybody little sleep. Armed with a bachelor’s in ensuing years to look back. She has else. I worked harder and set goals for QUOTES FOR THE ROAD “I love this one. Chuck Odewahn (from The University of journalism from Auburn University and been publishing research (more than myself. When I became a department Sometimes the advice you hear sticks — and you heed it. Alabama) and his wife, Toppy Ezell (former Culverhouse a master’s in business administration 70 scholarly articles and one book), head, there were no female department Sharon Oswald recalls the following bits of wisdom that College of Commerce marketing professor) stopped by my from The University of Alabama at teaching (24 years at Auburn University), heads. I’m excited because this year guided her along the way: office and didn’t tell me they were coming,” she said. “And Birmingham, Oswald acknowledged rising in the ranks (department head several of the women I mentored have I was working at 4 o’clock on a Friday afternoon. There’s that she did have a career path in mind. at AU) and repeatedly traveling to the become full professors.” Sometimes people, like plants, need to be repotted. a message.” “The plan was that I’d stay in health Czech Republic to speak on the health Oswald shares her secrets with “A former dean and mentor of mine helped me with the care then go on to consulting,” she said. care reform. In 2011, Oswald ascended young women: “Don’t take yourself too decision to leave Auburn for Mississippi State. And it’s so true To make one person’s life a little better, this is to Done deal. to her current role as dean of the seriously,” and “be true to who you are.” that we sometimes need to make a change,” Oswald said. succeed. But doesn’t life often talk back? College of Business at Mississippi State Always readily available for student “From Henry David Thoreau, this is probably my favorite In the course of her doctoral work, University. conversations, Oswald tailors those I thought I taught you better, not to be in your office at quote,” Oswald said. “Through what I’ve done, I hope I’ve the candidate from Cleveland, Ohio, “Once I decided my direction during sentiments to the individual women 4 p.m. on a Friday. made other’s lives better.” learned an important lesson beyond my years in the Manderson program, I she inspires. The avid walker and 34 CULVERHOUSE 35

PUT A WOMAN IN CHARGE SOURCE: CORNELL UNIVERSITY —REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION

he key to long-term survival for many businesses educational services and dance studios, clothing, gift giving Tis having a woman in charge, according to Cornell and alcohol sales and service. University researchers. “One of our more surprising findings was that eating Many businesses survive longer under female ownership, establishments that serve alcohol as well as drinking according to research by Michele Williams, assistant professor establishments survive longer under female ownership,” said of organizational behavior in the ILR School, and Arturs Kalnins. “This goes against some stereotypes that restaurants Kalnins, associate professor of strategy at the School of and pubs are male-dominated businesses.” Hotel Administration. In cities with populations of more than 500,000, female- “We find that female-owned businesses consistently owned businesses lasted longer. Elsewhere, male-owned out-survive male-owned businesses in many industries and businesses survived longer, according to the report. areas,” Williams said. “Our study contributes to the debate “For 25 years, economy-wide aggregate studies have not about gender and business ownership by going beyond typical distinguished between different types of industries. These questions asked by researchers and policymakers.” studies often show that male-owned businesses survive longer. “We explore the often-ignored third possibility – that New kinds of studies will show that that is only true in certain female-owned businesses systematically out-survive male industries,” Kalnins said. owned-business in specific industrial sectors and regions.” Williams co-authored the study with Arturs Kalnins, The authors found that many of the largest industries in associate professor of strategy in Cornell’s School of Hotel which survival rates of female-owned businesses outpaced Administration. The study is available at ScienceDirect.com. those owned by men were related to four broad sectors: 36 CULVERHOUSE 37 INNOVATIVE ADVANCED DIRECTIVES IN NURSING HOMES BY JEANETTE BROWN

r. Jullet A. Davis, MHA, is an I discovered one national dataset of innovations are associated with Dassociate professor of health that measured two other advance the use of these advance directives care management at The University of directives, and I wanted to propose the and the differences in use by nursing Alabama, where her research focuses on idea that nursing homes that used these home characteristics. issues related to nursing facilities and instruments were uniquely different The POLST paradigm program institutionalized populations. She has from those that did not. Thus, this work documents final wishes in the form published in various journals, including adds to the extant literature on both of medical orders. The POLST guides the Gerontologist, Advances in Health the use of advance directives in nursing the treatment decisions of all medical Care Management and the Journal of homes and measuring nursing home personnel including emergency medical Applied Gerontology. innovative activities. technicians, physicians and nurses. The following article appeared in I think this issue is important because POLST is in use in 16 states, with another ElderBranch following an interview with more than half of all people who die in 27 states developing programs. Davis on her study, “The Use of Innovative the United States die in either a hospital Five Wishes, on the other hand, Advance Directives Programs in or nursing homes. Many of these addresses the individual’s wishes in Nursing Homes.” individuals die in a way inconsistent with five distinct areas: (1) the appointment his or her wishes. of a surrogate decision-maker; (2) the What led you to research the use From a personal point of view, I find kind of medical treatment desired or of innovative advance directives this to be extremely sad. From a policy not; (3) the level of comfort; (4) how programs in nursing homes? Why perspective, honoring final wishes people should treat the patient; and (5) is this important? How does your improves a person’s overall quality of what information should be shared with current research augment other life, which is consistent with federal loved ones. work in this area? resident rights guidelines. Five Wishes and the POLST paradigm My primary research interests are program each represent an innovation nursing homes and the strategies Please describe your study. What in advance directives programs in that employed by management to improve were your methods? What were they either attempt to address final performance. Recently, I became your in-going hypotheses? wishes comprehensively or they are interested in better understanding how End-of-life service providers continue written as medical orders for providers, innovation in this industry is associated to seek improved instruments for which may increase the likelihood of with performance. But the issue has individuals to convey their last wishes. compliance. Although both programs been how to operationalize innovation. Two such instruments are Five Wishes have been nationally available for well After working with a colleague whose and Physician Order for Life-Sustaining over a decade, use among institutional research focused on end-of-life care, I Treatment (POLST). This project explores providers lags behind that of other became interested in how nursing home the relationship of nursing home profit advance directives. residents communicated their final status and innovativeness to the use of I hypothesized that if a nursing home wishes using methods other than the these advance directive programs. is innovative in other areas, it will be more traditional do-not-resuscitate or The specific aims of this study do-not-hospitalize orders. are to determine what other types 38 CULVERHOUSE 39

Two separate models are presented. The first model Other facilities place copies in critical locations within the an individual follows as he or she attempts to communicate explored the likelihood of the nursing home using Five Wishes, residents’ rooms. It is crucial that more is understood about final wishes. and the second model examined the use of the POLST program. how the effect of the physical location of these directives The sample characteristics reveal that approximately 16 improves or hinders communicating final wishes. Is there anything else about your research that you percent of nursing homes participated in the POLST program Additionally, this study does not reveal the degree to which think is important for our readers to understand? and/or Five Wishes. The findings of the three logistic models final wishes are actually honored even with a POLST or Five Regardless of the actual instrument used, everyone should support the hypothesis that the use of an advance directive Wishes document in place. More research is needed to better discuss final wishes with family members, friends and medical innovation may be associated with other appropriate staffing understand the use of these documents. personal. Having the proper documents completed and on file and clinical innovations. Finally, future research should explore residents’ in relevant locations is important, but verbally communicating Offering gardening, pets or pet therapy, inter-generational perspectives on choosing one directive over another. It would these wishes to relevant individuals should increase the activities and also having in-house hospice services were be helpful to better understand the decision-making process likelihood that those wishes will be honored. associated with an increased likelihood that the nursing home would offer the POLST program. The presence of Five Wishes was associated only with having an in-house hospice program. The second hypothesis suggested that nursing homes that are both independent and nonprofit would be more likely to offer these advance directives than would other categories of nursing home. The findings of the logistic regression models reveal that for the Five Wishes model, nursing homes that are both nonprofit and members of a multi-facility chain were more likely to offer this advance directive than were other categories of nursing homes. For the POLST program model, nursing homes that were Dr. Jullet A. Davis, MHA for-profit and not members of a multi-facility chain were Associate Professor of Health Care Management more likely than other types of nursing homes to offer these advance directives. more likely to offer one or both of these advance directives than What are the implications of your findings? a nursing home that is not innovative. The commitment to nursing home innovations needs to be Also, nursing homes that are both nonprofit and not evidenced across multiple organizational levels. This includes members of a multifacility chain will be more likely to use one both the clinical and top management levels and the structural or both of these directives than would any other category of and process levels. Without resource commitment and facilities. investment, innovations may be less effective. Data for this project come from the 2004 National Nursing Furthermore, while the concept of a “good death” may vary Home Survey (NNHS). This dataset is used as it remains the between the resident and the institution, representatives of only nationally available sample documenting the presence both groups may agree that one component of this is having of the POLST Program and Five Wishes in the nursing home final wishes honored. Implementing appropriate instruments setting. The NNHS is a publicly available series of nationally to communicate these wishes is one step toward achieving a representative surveys of nursing homes across the nation and good death. includes information on the services, staff, and residents of these homes. What are the next steps to further your work in this area? After removing observations with missing data, the This study used quantitative data analysis to explore national final sample for this study consisted of 949 nursing homes trends, yet, little is known about how nursing homes practically (weighted sample = 13,261). The data were analyzed using communicate residents’ wishes to relevant service providers. logistic regression. Some facilities place copies of the directives in resident medical records. Providers must first access those records. 40 CULVERHOUSE 41 Women of BUSINESS ANALYTICS

BY EDITH PARTEN

ulverhouse professor Denise for example, statistics, economics, MBA, on gross domestic product, predicting CMcManus, associate professor marketing, operations management and basketball performances to improve Burcu B. Keskin and assistant professor accounting — that have a common set of efficiencies on the court and predicting Cali Davis are three women with rather requirements, which includes four SAS homeowners insurance premiums in diverse backgrounds, but they all have courses,” McManus said. “All students Alabama. The analysis on homeowners one thing in common: a passion for currently enrolled in the analytics premiums provided guidance on the business analytics. curriculum are required to participate in safest places to live Alabama as it And the Culverhouse College of the SAS shootout competition as part of relates to hurricanes and tornadoes and Culverhouse professors in front of Bidgood Hall where they teach Commerce is the perfect place to have their analytics coursework.” identified the areas of the state with the that passion since Dean J. Michael Hardin “The analytics shootout is a lowest insurance premiums. helped create one of the first specialized competition that gives student and For Keskin, an associate professor to nonprofit. We helped Alabama business analytics program in the nation faculty teams the opportunity to solve of operations management, her focus is “EXAMPLES LIKE THESE KEEP state troopers optimize their routes at the College in 2002. a real-world analytics problem,” in the supply chain and logistics side of to maximize their coverage of more McManus, a professor of management McManus said. business analytics. She likes to work on ME MOTIVATED TO DO WHAT accident-prone areas to try to reduce information systems and the James McManus was one of the faculty plight problems, implementing solutions I DO AND KEEP WORKING ON crashes and save lives,” she said. C. Lee Jr. Faculty Fellow, focuses on sponsors for the UA Culverhouse team from theory in academia to solve PLIGHT PROBLEMS.” Keskin, along with one of her doctoral telecommunications, business analytics, that won the SAS competition in 2013. real-world problems in supply chain students, tapped into the CAPS data capital-project evaluation, crisis recovery and In addition, a second team from The management. —Dr. Burcu B. Keskin to capture the frequency of traffic knowledge management. University of Alabama was awarded “We used to call it supply chains offenses along targeted stretches of McManus has 12 years of industry honorable mention. because there was one input and one highway. They researched how some of experience with three Fortune 100 “In October 2013, we partnered output between two recipients of a When UA’s Center for Advanced these offenses could be avoided if they companies (IBM, Boeing and Motorola) as with Louisiana State University and network like in the link of a chain, but Public Safety announced it was looking increased the visibility of troopers along well as 14 years of academic experience Oklahoma State University for the now it has become what I call a spaghetti for researchers to tap into its data those highways through better ways of requiring analytics across projects and first graduate student symposium in network. Everybody is a customer of to conduct meaningful traffic-safety routing. courses. She specializes in SAS software. analytics: a special invitation to SAS everybody else, and everybody could be research, Keskin was one of the first to Recently, Keskin conducted an SAS is a worldwide business analytics professionals at the South Central SAS a supplier of everybody else,” she said. volunteer. outbound, logistics-optimization research and software company and Users Group conference,” McManus Keskin added that most of the time Several organizations have “When I looked at the CAPS research research project with Webb Wheel, of corporate partner with Culverhouse. said. “The symposium provided students businesses are results-driven, and in implemented Keskin’s ideas and and the challenges they were having, Cullman, Alabama; Dr. Charles Sox, McManus has worked with business and analytics professionals a venue for order to get to those results, one needs research, from Frito-Lay to Alabama I immediately saw that some of the department chair of information systems, analytics students on many research communicating analytics ideas, sharing to have the data. “So business analytics state troopers. problems they were having were very statistics and management sciences; and projects. She currently is working with SAS software techniques and learning is the connector from data to theory and Keskin helped Frito-Lay develop and similar to the traditional supply chain two doctoral students. The paper based analytics students who are engaged in from industry experts.” back to the results that are desired by design its outbound logistics system problems coming from the for-profit on this industry-academia collaboration projects with corporate partners. The students from The University of both practitioners and academicians,” to better identify the best source and domain,” Keskin said. “It was interesting was selected as a finalist for the 2013 “Our analytics program is comprised Alabama presented analytics projects she explained. location for supplies and shipments. for me to convert the theories that Daniel H. Wagner Prize for Excellence of students across many disciplines — for predicting the impact of broadband we built for the profit companies over in Operations Research Practice by the 42 CULVERHOUSE 43

Institute for Operations Research and the press? Then I realize why. We have or five of the teams all came to the IBA is an applied research center that Management Science. been busy training, educating, learning same realization about the aspect of the serves as a key focal point for business “WE ARE CELEBRATING 12 “Doing good work leads to good and integrating analytics into our data,” she said. “After talking to two of analytics research within the College implementation and hopefully ultimately culture.” the teams, I stopped class and said, ‘You of Commerce. The institute cultivates YEARS OF LEADERSHIP IN helping people have better lives,” Keskin Davis said her passion lies in know what, everybody is on the same University and industry partnerships ANALYTICS EDUCATION, AND said. “This collaboration was very predictive modeling in higher education track.’ We had gone weeks with each involving applied research in all aspects fulfilling for us. It started as a theoretical and the exploratory part of data analysis. team doing different things with data of business analytics. It also hosts an THE FUTURE OF BUSINESS exercise, but then things got real and we Before moving to the Culverhouse management, organization and cleaning annual symposium and the 2014 event ANALYTICS AT CULVERHOUSE started solving this real-life problem. The College of Commerce in 2013 to become of the date, and then here we all were in September was the seventh annual. IS VERY EXCITING.” company got excited about implementing a faculty member, Davis worked for … converging on a solution. And that’s Davis, Keskin and McManus are heavily it, and we all got excited. We were also 10 years in undergraduate admissions what they are trained to do. So that was a involved with the symposium. They —Dr. Denise McManus recognized for our good work nationally. at UA, where she developed business proud moment for Denise McManus and host, present and recruit nationally “Examples like these keep me solutions to issues facing enrollment. myself, that our students were coming renowned speakers. travels with students for a study-abroad motivated to do what I do and keep “During that time, I used analytics together and getting closer to that “The symposium is a two-day program involving international business working on plight problems and, to help facilitate the strategic plans for business solution.” event that explores the diverse analytics. hopefully, continue to help people while the University’s undergraduate growth,” Davis said she enjoys teaching landscape of analytics in business,” “The course introduces students to keeping rigor in research.” Davis said. “I built predictive models on analytics, but she especially likes McManus explained. “World-renowned the value and opportunities of business all of those disciplines and helped me Dr. Cali Davis earned her doctorate freshmen and transfer recruitment and hearing the great success stories from experts in the fields of statistics, analytics as implemented by leading understand and buy into that idea that from UA and specialized in statistics retention. The model for our regional her students. “After the first semester, a data mining, analytics and business international companies as well as you have to be an interdisciplinary person and mathematics. She said when she recruiter system at UA was built with the lot of these students already have jobs. attend. It also provides an excellent provides students an opportunity to learn to be successful in BA. You can’t be just attended Culverhouse more than 12 help of analytics.” The students come back and they tell opportunity for corporate executives and use SAS Enterprise Guide for their a data person; you can’t be a theory years ago, analytics was not a hot topic She has researched and presented at us that their first day on the job, their and Culverhouse analytics students assigned data project,” she said. person; you can’t be just a statistician to like it is today. UA’s Business Analytics Symposium on bosses are so impressed that they know to network.” This past summer, McManus traveled call yourself a business analytics person. “I was doing analytics before analytics whether winning a national championship how to use these analytic tools. They Topics range from applications of data with business analytics students It has to be in a melting pot, and I think was cool,” she said with a laugh. “Now in college football is a good predictor know how to use SAS; they know how to mining, forecasting, predictive modeling, from Culverhouse to study in Ireland that melting pot is business analytics.” as we are 12 years into the business for undergraduate enrollment. Davis use Enterprise Miner,” she said. text mining, operations research and and Spain. The group visited Kernel “Analytics is everywhere; I think it’s analytics program at Culverhouse, we discovered her answer by tracking public Davis also cautions students that credit scoring to corporate-academic Analytics, IBM, the Insight Centre wonderful,” Davis said. “We are seeing look back and think, wow, we have been student-enrollment data versus athletic- knowing the tools and the technical partnerships. Attendees interact for Data Analytics, Guinness and a interest increase in the fields of human doing this longer than just about any team records in addition to other data. aspects are not enough to be successful with other participants, including Roman Catholic church that has been resources, real estate and especially other business school in the country. So One of Davis’ proudest teaching as a business leader. practitioners, faculty and students under construction for more than in health care. That’s what makes it so why did we never stop and get noticed in moments came earlier this year. “One aspect of being successful in pursuing graduate degrees in statistics, 130 years. fun to teach and learn. You study the “We were working on the SAS analytics that is so important, and we business analytics and economics. “This allows the students to meet tools, and you can basically work and be analytics shootout competition in which tell our students, is that knowing how “It’s a good environment to really and discuss complex business problems successful in any industry.” the students analyzed demographic to do the technical work is great, but showcase the analytical work we do here with international corporate leaders, “We are celebrating 12 years of and climate changes to predict crime if you can’t stand up in front of a room not only in terms of our research but also while learning how these organizations leadership in analytics education, rates,” she said. “One day in class after of executives and explain what you did in terms of our higher quality and higher use analytics to manage their global and the future of business analytics we had been working on this project for in nontechnical terms, then who cares caliber students that will help close business,” McManus said. at Culverhouse is very exciting,” a few weeks. A project with millions of what you can do technically. You’ve got some of the talent gap that everybody So what does the future hold for McManus said. “Analytics, big data, data observations of data keep in mind, four to be able to communicate the business thinks is happening in the business business analytics? optimization and predictive modeling are solution and your result in layman’s world,” Keskin said. “We are starting to see the real value areas of research and teaching across terms.” “With the knowledge gained at the of business analytics and how it’s not Culverhouse faculty and College of “I WAS DOING ANALYTICS Each year, all three women come symposium, Culverhouse students just under the domain of statistics or nor Commerce disciplines. The demand for BEFORE together to plan the annual business will be able to better prepare for the just management information systems analytics talent continues to grow, and analytics symposium at UA. In addition to business of tomorrow and help lead the or data bases or not just operations Culverhouse is a key player in meeting ANALYTICS WAS COOL.” teaching, McManus is also the director of data revolution,” McManus said. research or management, but it’s actually that demand.” —Dr. Cali Davis the Institute of Business Analytics at the When she is not teaching or preparing a combination of all those,” Keskin said. Culverhouse College of Commerce. The for the analytics symposium, McManus “My real-life experiences cut across 44 CULVERHOUSE 45 USING BUSINESS ANALYTICS CULVERHOUSE STUDENTS LEARN THE SECRETS TO FRESH BREW, A ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH AND IBM BY BRITTANY DOWNEY

hat do an Irish beer, a construction of towers all have taken Dr. Pol Mac Aonghusa of IBM’s church that has been under place in the past 15 years, and there is Smarter Cities Technologies Centre, W still a long list of buildings left to go. part of IBM Dublin Research Laboratory, construction for more than 130 years and IBM all have in common? And what’s Since its beginning in 1832, La Sagrada took the students through three the connection to the Culverhouse has been defined as an expiatory church, practical examples of analytics in College of Commerce? The answer: running off the donations of millions action: health care, electricity demand They all use business analytics to drive of people over the years. The still- and public transport. Clea Zolotow, an their business decisions, and analytics unfinished church is a UNESCO World IBM senior technical staff member and students from UA’s Culverhouse College Heritage site that is using analytics to IBM Academy of Technology member, of Commerce had the opportunity to see drive its design and construction. shared examples of applied analytics firsthand how they do it. “What has surprised me the most in along with her career progression. Nine students were selected to my experiences is the types of analytics Students also visited Kernel travel to Europe to experience business performed at the various companies,” Analytics in Barcelona and the Insight analytics in a global scope with graduate student Magan Carver said. Centre for Data Analytics. The purpose their adviser, Dr. Denise McManus, a “Analytics can be a powerful tool, but of the trip, according to McManus, was professor in the Culverhouse College it makes the most difference when it to expose students to a global realm and of Commerce. The students were Kevin is used for daily benefit. Analytics isn’t to let them gain experience in analytics Allen, Magan Carver, Adrian Clark, all about the difficult data sets and the outside of campus and the country. Jeff Davis, Ken Gattie, Charles “Max” earth-shattering results.” “The great thing taking place is Krebs, Doug O’Toole, Erin Pence and The students were also given an that they're all like-minded, which Tyler Rigdon. exclusive invitation to visit IBM in Dublin makes them more open-minded,” They visited Dublin, Ireland, where to see analytics in action. Dublin is a McManus said. “Their views change they learned that business analytics temporary home to Culverhouse alumna as they participate in a study-abroad plays a role in keeping Guinness beer Kathy Allen, who invited McManus and trip, and it’s important for them to fresh. When the top is popped on a the students to visit. have experiences like this before they can of Guinness, nitrogen bubbles are “My son, Kevin, mentioned that the start working.” released into the beer, and the work University offered the International Carver said her biggest benefit of the of business analytics takes place. Business Analytics summer class in trip has been her newfound appreciation Guinness has used business analytics Barcelona and Dublin,” Allen said. “As for analytics on a “more global platform.” to create a system for keeping its beer my husband and I are on a two-year But current workers like Allen can tell fresh no matter how far it is shipped assignment to Dublin for IBM, and I you so much more about the importance around the world. am a Culverhouse alum, it seemed a and scope of analytics. In a much different example, La perfect fit. When I learned that it was “Our IBM CEO has described big Sagrada Familia, a basilica in the a business-analytics-focused class, data and analytics as a new natural center of Barcelona, Spain, designed by it seemed that the stars had aligned, resource,” Allen said. “Hopefully, the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi, has been as analytics are a key focus area for visit left the students with a greater under construction for more than 130 both IBM as a corporation and for our understanding of how analytics fits into years. Restoration of school buildings, research team in Dublin.” real-life examples and the high priority the building of choir galleries and the it is given.” Culverhouse business analytics students visit La Sagrada Familia, a basilica in the center of Barcelona, Spain. 46 CULVERHOUSE 47 TENACIOUS, DEDICATED AND SKILLED MBA ALUMNA NISA MIRANDA IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN ALABAMA’S ECONOMY BY CAROLANNE ROBERTS

ow much time do you have? “We could be a machine that turns out a lot of analysis, but H The telling of Nisa Miranda’s role — sometimes that’s not our role,” Miranda said. “We’re seeing it to results. quietly nose to grindstone, other times high profile and That’s one of the reasons our relationships with projects tend celebratory — runs up one Alabama road, detours down to be longer term, especially in small and rural communities. another and winds up somewhere altogether different. All We pull teams (campus and outside experts alike) together. her routes lead to strengthening local economies through “Maybe teams are part of our secret formula. Certainly projects as diverse as the Alabama Birding Trail, Black Belt caring is part of it and the wanting to make Alabama better, Treasures and the infusion of Americorps Vista into north but you have to listen to the client and respond to their needs. Sumter County. The hats Miranda wears could stack up to the Then we develop resources to support the work that we do. clouds — so can her high-minded strides to make Alabama a We do a lot of grant writing.” Although UACED operates under better place. UA President Judy Bonner, it also seeks outside resources to Miranda, the 10-year director of The University of Alabama support projects. Center for Economic Development and Culverhouse alumna Miranda and her teams often work with Alabama cities, sits at her office desk about three days a month. Her real towns and organizations — many in rural, underserved office is in the field, anywhere the project beckons and communities like Alabama’s Black Belt — fully analyzing anywhere she can be in touch with people and their pulses. It pertinent data, then presenting the findings to the people who is rather dizzying, really. The day we talked, Miranda swooped matter most: those who will be affected by positive change in by Birmingham for a quick meeting with an organization tourism or other economic platforms. Beyond the business advocating for clean water, then, within hours, she was off to and tourism sector, they delve into health care, the education Guntersville for an Alabama Trails Commission meeting and workforce, housing and neighborhoods, the nonprofit sector, zooming on from there. volunteer groups and local organizations. It is little wonder the Center for Economic Development “We’re straightforward as a business analyst would be, but balances up to 25 to 30 economy-strengthening projects we also say ‘here’s the good, the bad and the ugly.’ And here’s at any given time. Each is treated as a separate and very some area for growth. We don’t dwell on mistakes.” individual challenge. Instead, Miranda and the carefully crafted teams, assembled according to specific needs, help groups toward

THE EXTRA MILES

“We really don’t keep ourselves apart,” She stressed The University of about itself. But we are working beyond said Miranda of the University’s role Alabama’s role as a leader. “If a our own campus.” in developing its own state. “If you’re university is located in a region of a "An alliance of eight centers on the talking about evolving the economy of a state needing assistance, it could be UA campus joins UACED on outreach place, then education is the answer; it viewed as an elite village that only cares and business development for an gives opportunity.” empowered state," Miranda said.

Nisa Miranda takes a minute to relax in her downtown office. 48 CULVERHOUSE 49

A FEW OF THE MANY MEET UACED A few of the projects that Miranda and her team have worked on to enhance the economy and lives of Alabamians Full title: include the following. For more projects, visit http://uaced.ua.edu. The University of Alabama Center for Economic Development Alabama Birding Trails involve 67 counties, eight regions and about 270 separate birding sites. In its development, UACED has worked with the Alabama Department of Conservation and the Alabama Department of Tourism. Beyond the Staff actual sites, work included signage, wayfinding and promoting lodging, dining and other spending in host communities. • Nisa Miranda, director (second in UACED history) North Sumter County, with no grocery stores, no gas stations and few ways to earn a living, needs help. The project is • Lucas Blankenship, planning in its fifth year. A Persian-born Americorp Vista volunteer works with locals to develop community gardens for food and economic development and write grants to improve the one-room community center. An additional five Vistas are in place through UACED’s specialist partnering agencies throughout the Black Belt region. • Sally Brown, administrative coordinator Landmarks, a program with Culverhouse College of Commerce’s Joe Calamusa, sends business students to develop • Candace C. Johnson, marketing programs for such state treasures as the Alabama Theatre and Rickwood Field in Birmingham and the tourism and community Monroe County Museum in Monroeville, home of renowned author Harper Lee and her novel “To Kill A Mockingbird.” development project manager • Matthew Leavell, director of Black Belt Treasures represents folk art and craftwork by more than 400 Alabamians online and in the Camden-based Alabama Innovation Engine shop. The objective is to broaden the market for sales and to enhance the livelihoods of participating artists such as • Linda Vice, director of the Gee’s Bend quilters. Southwest Alabama Tourism and Film Office • Bob Weber, research assistant • Martha Whitson, special their goals. If a town has evolved to the business, prepared me to understand business direction. Then he understood projects point of recruiting a hotel or restaurant, Alabama,” she said. “You’ve got cities that there are different paths. I really the team identifies consultants and leading business and technology, but wanted to have an impact. I realized I Founded: 1987 brokers active in the industry who can then you have so much that’s untouched, could do things. And as a graduate of provide access to investors to help in underdeveloped or that hasn’t the business school, doors open.” Scope: seeking matching funds. In the case reached its potential yet. There’s lots She is quick to credit all the players To assist economically distressed of Montevallo, Alabama, plans have of potential.” when those doors do open. areas of the state with strategic been progressing over a period of four Miranda arrived in Alabama at the age “Everything we accomplish in UACED planning mayoral terms with UACED involvement. of 14 when her father accepted teaching takes a lot of people. It’s a team sport, “The University of Montevallo has positions at both Stillman College and and everyone has a role. I often feel like Alliances on UA campus: adopted some local wetlands and is The University of Alabama. After earning the mother hen moving things forward. the Culverhouse College of connecting the whole area with trails, an undergraduate degree in biology “I love what we have here,” Miranda Commerce’s Center for Business while the city put in a 1-cent tax to at UA, she entered the Manderson said. “I’m very fortunate to be a part of and Economic Research, improve the downtown,” she said of Graduate School of Business within the The University of Alabama with Judy the Alabama International that success. Culverhouse College of Commerce for Bonner, who is a multidimensional Trade Center, the Alabama Where some people see impassable an MBA with international emphasis. person. We have a lot of people like Small Business Development mountains, Miranda sees possibilities. “I’m really interested in the world that on campus with huge capacity Center Network, the Alabama She credits both her Brazilian upbringing and the condition of people. I’m sure and a range of interests. And they Productivity Center, UA Safe and her father, a New Testament my father had an influence on me,” want to make a difference. This is a State, the UA Cartographic theologian, for her worldview. she said. “Pretty much everyone in wonderful corporation for me to be Laboratory and the UA Office of “Being born in Brazil, and my my family were nurses, doctors or associated with.” Archaeological Research professional background in international ministers, and my father questioned my 50 CULVERHOUSE 51

Culverhouse Marketing Students Breathe New Life into Birmingham Icons BY CAROLANNE ROBERTS

arketing students are taking The University of Alabama Center for Results from the team included the Mon landmark projects and Economic Development. Students met following: providing real-life consultation to weekly with clients in person or on the • a series of themed films for summer, Alabama clients — with win-win phone, visited the sites for presentations among them “Girls Night Out,” results. Two recent projects involve and devoted a minimum 10 hours a week “Christmas in July,” “Bollywood” or giving new life to Birmingham’s historic to research and brainstorming. The “Back in Time” (accompanied by a tourism icons: the Alabama Theatre results were win-win for all. list of film titles for each theme plus and Rickwood Field. Here is how they selling materials) took theory from the classroom to Alabama Theatre • a list of 60 area summer camps and the boardroom. Executive Director: Brant Beene; contacts for possible theater tour and The classroom morphs into a reality Graduate Project Manager: Lillie movie field trips show when the students in MKT 437 Leonard; Team: Lillian Goodman, • a list of 275 area schools and contacts, Advanced Sales hit the road to apply Jake Gurkin, McCall Besten, along with 135 film ideas, divided into well-honed theory to actual clients Lauren McKeever, Rachel Minor and age groups in need of help. In this experience, Morgan Marks • some 200 potential corporate or known as a collaborative learning business sponsors in Jefferson project, seniors in the Culverhouse The property: Fully restored 1927 County and a tiered funding approach College of Commerce’s most advanced Moorish-style theater with 2,173 seats, (from $2,500 to $10,000 packages) marketing course take on professional noted for its Mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ, • various concepts for a membership clients, listen to their problems, team- film series, concerts, dance events and strategy plus reams of research on approach the solutions and return plays. The first air-conditioned theater marketing with recommendations. in Birmingham. They make more than a grade — they Student reaction: “The fact that they make a difference. Here is how the first Challenges for the Culverhouse team: were willing to listen to us was a great round of landmark projects worked in “Our needs are so broad, it’s like drinking win for our team,” said Leonard, now in the spring. Two six-member groups, the ocean,” Beene said. “We narrowed it the Merchant Leadership Development each led by a graduate candidate to the bottom line: increasing summer Program in Planning with Wal-Mart in in marketing, took their skills to attendance and general revenue through Bentonville, Arkansas. “The process is Birmingham. The Alabama Theatre, a sponsorships and memberships.” always challenging, but I think that’s vintage movie palace, and Rickwood what gives us a competitive advantage Field baseball park accepted the help when talking to prospective employers. from marketing teams with backing from We have done it.” Culverhouse marketing students at the Alabama Theatre in Birmingham 52 CULVERHOUSE 53

contract charter, which described the Alabama treasure, we were a part of top-notch involvement with a number of scope of our expectations,” Brewer said. promoting Alabama history.” corporate clients. “Our most pressing needs were giving Jarvis, a newlywed living in “The Alabama Theatre and Rickwood new life to our website, which was 10 Mississippi, said, “The sales program Field are the first of the landmark years old and ancient, and to developing took us out of the classroom to use what projects that focus on state treasures,” a social media strategy. There is a clear we learned in the major and apply the said Joe Calamusa, managing director of need for us to get with the times.” skills to the project.” The University of Alabama sales program and clinical professor of marketing, who Results from the team included the The final grade: “The team’s youthful oversees the landmarks program. “The following: enthusiasm and generational knowledge fact that the two Birmingham projects, • specific measures for a new website has been invaluable,” Brewer said. plus big corporations like Regions Bank, addressing the weakness of the “And with the school of business and are running with the ideas presented is current effort and positive aspects to the University coming to the table, testament to the talent of our students.” be retained it’s huge for a small nonprofit with With Calamusa fully informed of • potential new design for the website limited resources. One of our biggest every step of every project, MKT 437 and an easier template-driven Web challenges is finding individuals to share reached out over the summer to Black server for Rickwood’s volunteer the passion and the sense of Rickwood’s Belt Treasures, a craft and art co-op in webmasters importance as we do, someone who will Camden, and the Monroeville Museum • examples of how other entities take over the project and carry it on into in Monroeville, setting for Harper Lee’s (similar size, similar limited budgets) the future. Their enthusiasm for the “To Kill a Mockingbird.” use social media project was sorely needed.” “These landmarks projects are a • encouragement of social media piece of the larger context,” Calamusa possibilities What’s next? “Implementation,” Brewer said. “I’m confident we can take on two • potential festivals and events that said. “We’ve formed a small committee landmarks sites a semester (of the 14 would engage the public with on our board, but we are also happy total MKT 437 projects). The students Rickwood Field that in the fall semester another are definitely interested.” Culverhouse marketing team visits Rickwood Field for their project. • list of advertising prospects group of students from the University will come help us go forward with the Carolanne Roberts is a freelance writer based Gurkin, a 2016 MBA candidate at that. We don’t radically change around Rickwood Field Student reaction: “We have watched the recommendations.” in Birmingham, Alabama and is a former Culverhouse, said, “It’s just like the here, but we may go with their themed Executive Director: David Brewer; Friends of Rickwood board begin to use travel editor of Southern Living magazine. real world, there were deadlines and film nights in the future. The place Graduate Project Manager: Claudia our social media strategy,” said Calhoun, Landmark Projects deliverables to meet, which will be good they really aced it was sponsorships Calhoun; Team: Iris Sanders Jarvis, now in Plano, Texas, with Crossmark, a For the past three years, the marketing experience for me going forward.” and finding sponsors to match up with Shanna Herrington, Max Kaska, Austin sales and marketing firm. “And because department at Culverhouse has provided Goodman, who is at Emerson College movies.” Beene and his staff also plan Braasch, Bradley Kidd and Evan Pierce this program focuses on furthering an in Boston, Massachusetts, for advanced to use the contact lists. “Recruiting degree work, said, “I really liked that I schools could basically pay our bills if The property: Built in 1910, with input was working to help something greater we had one school every week. We really from famed Connie Mack, for use than my GPA. Making the marketing want to mine that.” by the Birmingham Barons and the materials was good practice.” Birmingham Black Barons (of the Negro What’s next? “The Alabama is a National League). Considered the oldest The final grade: “You got an A, an A, constant work in progress, and I could surviving baseball park in the country. an A,” said Beene, gazing around the see a continuing effort where next year’s Serving city schools and traveling teams presentation table. “We were able to class would look at this year’s and see in addition to its role as a “working come up with new ideas for this past what we do next,” Beene said. “These museum” of baseball history. summer’s films, and within 20 minutes students are our target audience, and of putting the schedule out, we had 300 we’d do this again in a heartbeat.” Challenges for the Culverhouse team: Rickwood Field Facebook shares and 1,000 not long after “Claudia Calhoun and I formed a 54 CULVERHOUSE 55

Trades His Football Jersey for an MBA BY CAROLANNE ROBERTS

ama football is well underway It’s an immovable object in the middle brother (former Bama offensive lineman Bin Bryant-Denny Stadium and of your schedule that you have to Barrett Jones), how it will be difficult but Harrison Jones is front and center—in work around. It was definitely not wiser to be watching and not playing in the the stands, next to his parents, cheering fun, but I learned a lot when I had the 2014 season. on his younger brother, linebacker football season and my first semester When Jones talked of his MBA Walker Jones. This time last year he of MBA.” work, his voice changed, brightened was out there as tight end. This year, at He was successful on both playing and resonated with enthusiasm. He peace with his decision to forego his last fields. Then came his personal decision did not recite history. He addressed season with the Tide, Jones is equally to leave the team following the Sugar his future with every solid trait of a proud of another accomplishment—his Bowl game. “People see it from their business professional in the making. status as a candidate at the Culverhouse own perspectives. Some say to me, One immediate benefit from his life, College of Commerce in the Manderson ‘What a shame you don’t get to play your other than removing that big block in Graduate School of Business last year,’ and others say, ‘I’ll bet you’re the middle of his schedule, turned out MBA program. super happy not to worry about that to be his internship this past summer. At 21, fresh from completing a anymore.’ But it’s neither of those. I had For several months, Jones worked Culverhouse marketing degree in only multiple surgeries — back surgery after at FedEx in Memphis, Tennessee, his three years, he was the youngest to the Miami championship game, which hometown, in the company’s Trade enter the MBA track in August 2013. took a toll on my body; hand surgery and Networks headquarters. In this area, he Gaining admission was a challenge. shoulder surgery; and I have to have the experienced ocean freight, air freight “I was originally told I wouldn’t be other one done eventually. I weighed the and customs brokerage arms of the able to work on an MBA and play football pros and cons, knowing I didn’t see a company. at the same time,” he said. “I couldn’t career in football.” “It’s a lot of supply chain, operational let it go, so I went to admissions and Jones did, with firm and resolve, see stuff. That’s what I’m interested in,” talked to them. We ended up working out a career in business. he said. “I knew it would be a dream the schedule.” “I’ve prayed about it a long time and place to go and learn.” Almost as an And what a schedule. talked to my family. Physically, I think it afterthought, he added, “You know, I “I really planned out my days, and was time for my body to stop playing and couldn’t have done this if I was still it was definitely a step up in terms of for me to focus on my business career.” playing football.” time management,” he said. “There He has told this story so many times: A world is opening up, starting with was that big block in the middle of the how leaving football was the right the MBA program. day that I had to commit to football. decision, how he feels pride in his older 56 CULVERHOUSE 57

THE JONES DYNASTY

Crimson is standard apparel for the Jones family. “If Walker in Crimson a little longer, but they’ve already had to buy a stays for five years, it will be 10 years straight that one of little navy and blue for the Rams.” Barrett Jones is a guard us (Jones brothers) has been on The University of Alabama for the National Football League’s St. Louis Rams. He campus,” Harrison Jones said. “My parents will be dressed wears No. 67.

“I’ve already been part of the SEALS (Strategic This is real life. I’m building toward a career and finding out Entrepreneurship and Leadership Students) program what I want to do with the rest of my life.” under Dr. Lou Marino,” he said. The short-term, high- Jones will complete his era at The University of Alabama impact assignment, designed to plunge students into with an expected MBA graduation in May 2015. Then what? real-time situations, sent him to the support of a “I can’t give you a job description, but I envision a job that Tuscaloosa-based online company whose savvy founder works a lot with people and operations and supply chain or faced marketing challenges. Jones and a Culverhouse consulting,” he said. One thing he does know for certain is undergraduate, who double majored in economics and finance, this: His identity is wrapped up in his future and not his past. paired to guide the founder on a successful path. “There’s a lot more to a person than just playing football. After being an undergraduate and living in the football You’re not going to be able to do that forever. I know that, and bubble, Jones also welcomed the diverse makeup of the MBA I think the way God laid out my path was that he prepared my program. “It’s a melting pot,” he explained. “It’s interesting mind to go forward.” to be working with people who are married, people who have been in the military or people who have worked in a law firm Carolanne Roberts is a freelance writer and former travel editor of for five years before returning to get the degree. You have all Southern Living magazine, based in Birmingham, Alabama. different people. And I don’t feel I’m just sitting in a classroom.

WORDS FROM THE “MIDDLE KID”

At two-year intervals, Harrison Jones falls squarely between me, if I’m jealous because Barrett gets so much attention, big brother, Barrett, football star and Culverhouse School but I’ve never felt that. of Accountancy graduate, and younger brother, linebacker “What are the negatives about having a great older Walker Jones, a current UA student on the pre-med track. brother who everybody knows? People love Barrett. He’s “About 75 percent of the people I meet on campus suddenly great, and I appreciate his setting such a high standard click and say, ‘Oh! You’re Barrett Jones’ little brother.’ When and example for me. Not just in football but in the way he I was little, it was ‘Oh! You’re Rex Jones’ son.’ (The senior lives his life and the choices he makes. He’s one of my best Jones played UA basketball in the 1980s.) It never bothered friends. And my younger brother is a stud. I can’t wait to see me because I know my own identity. People ask if it bothers what he does in the next few years.” Jones with students from his MBA class — Front row, left to right: Jennifer Johnston, Lauren Yarnish and Warner Watkins. Back row, left to right: Harrison Jones, Matthew Grayson and Sarah Silverstein. 58 CULVERHOUSE 59

Ambassadors Boost Culverhouse Image BY BRITTANY DOWNEY

he face of the Culverhouse College endowed scholarship is in the works from the ambassadors Tof Commerce community is making a to give to students who they believe deserve the award. They statement as the Culverhouse Ambassadors take also throw an annual barbecue in the fall that raises money not just the Capstone but also the city of Tuscaloosa for scholarships for students at the Culverhouse College. by storm. As if their philanthropy efforts were not enough, the Twenty students, who are selected through ambassadors’ main purpose is to serve as the representative application and interview processes, create a branch of Culverhouse. Giving tours and making appearances diverse, but sharp group prepared to represent are just two examples of an ambassador’s job description, the Culverhouse community in several as well as hosting football tailgates and helping visiting different ways. professors around campus. Ambassadors also appear at the The ambassadors have taken on several Business Hall of Fame induction each year and at meetings of philanthropic efforts, such as a competition the board of visitors. between the College of Arts and Sciences with “Meeting the prospective students and their families and “Beat A&S, Beat Hunger.” They also represented telling the Culverhouse story really makes me appreciate the school at Sleep Out on the Quad this past what we have here,” said Ben Johnston, president. “Without spring to promote awareness for the hungry exception, we hear about the school’s great reputation, the and homeless. The ambassadors also partnered friendly atmosphere and the beautiful campus. That makes with campus organization Beta Alpha Psi to host me feel great. And having the opportunity to work closely a toiletry drive for Jesus Way, a homeless shelter with Dean Hardin, the faculty and staff, the alumni and the built in Tuscaloosa after the April 2011 tornado. board of visitors creates all kinds of learning and networking “Most people expect that the ambassador position opportunities that I would not have otherwise.” is just about giving tours to prospective students,” Overall, the Culverhouse Ambassadors are proving to be a ambassadors’ secretary Corinne Jenkins said. “What worthwhile investment by the Capstone and their success is I have found is that the role is more about serving growing. our community in whatever capacity is needed. That “When you need the ambassadors, they’re going to be there can range from giving tours, to helping alumni and for you,” adviser Lynsey Madison said. “We always look for a donors see the positive direction of our college, to group that’s sharp, approachable and relatable to represent engaging our peers through philanthropic projects. Culverhouse, and I think this group is a good representation The last is especially rewarding because success is of that.” tangible.” Not only do they give back to the community, the To find out more about Culverhouse Ambassadors, contact Lanette L. ambassadors also give back to their classmates. An Samaniego at [email protected]. 60 CULVERHOUSE 61

recipient of this year’s Paul H. Frankel Hall began his banking career when business development for Baptist Health Award for Outstanding Achievement in he joined Regions’ management training Systems. Shufflebarger will continue to State and Local Taxation. The group said program in 1980. Hall was elected vice oversee the areas of strategic planning, it was honoring Ely “in recognition of his chairman and a member of the boards of business development and physicians unparalleled contributions in all areas directors of Regions Financial Corp. and recruitment but will also take on a ALUMNI NOTES of state and local taxation.” Regions Bank in 2008. He was named more significant role in identifying and Ely accepted the award at the school’s president and CEO in April 2010 and developing innovative models of health 32nd annual Institute on State and Local assumed his current roles of chairman, care delivery for Baptist Health System. 1968 Citi, he served as the global CEO of 32nd on the Business Journal’s Taxation in New York City. president and CEO in May 2013. She is a fellow of the American Stevenson T. Walker retired as PricewaterhouseCoopers. DiPiazza is a Birmingham 100 list of the metro’s A partner at Bradley Arant Boult Hall serves on the board of directors College of Healthcare Executives and is president and CEO of the Virginia native of Birmingham, Alabama, home to largest private companies last year Cummings LLP in Birmingham, Ely for Zep Inc., the Economic Development the founding president of the Alabama Manufacturers Association. Walker the headquarters of ProAssurance, and and is an endoscope-repair, surgical- has 32 years of experience as a tax and Partnership of Alabama and Children’s Healthcare Executives Forum. A native is an active volunteer in the historic is the co-author, with Harvard professor instrument-management and sterile- incentives adviser. of Alabama and is the 2014 chairman of of Birmingham, Alabama, Shufflebarger Northern Neck of Virginia, a six-county Robert Eccles, of “Building Public Trust: processing consulting company. Steris the Birmingham Business Alliance. is also a member of the Women’s region bordered by the Chesapeake Bay The Future of Corporate Reporting.” He said IMS’ revenue for the current year 1978 Network and a sustaining member of and the Potomac and Rappahannock serves on the board of trustees of the is expected to be around $150 million. Rick Burch , a pharmaceutical executive, 1984 the Junior League of Birmingham. rivers. He is president of the area’s Mayo Clinic, the USA Foundation Board IMS has about 1,200 employees and was named president of Innovative Don Anders Scivley has been promoted land conservancy, past president of its of the World Economic Forum and the has facilities in Birmingham, Florida Med Concepts LLC, a biotech company to vice president of corporate affairs 1988 historical society and regional president UN Global Compact. and Maryland. based in Tuscaloosa. Burch previously at Alabama Power. Scivley will be Cynthia N. Day has been elected to the of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. served as a vice president and general responsible for facility and fleet board of directors of Primerica Inc. He resides on the Yeocomico River in 1975 Stanley F. Slater appeared in a profile manager of UCB, a biopharma company management in addition to real estate. Day has been the president and CEO of Westmoreland County. Gary P. Fayard, executive vice president article on Coloradoan.com on Dec. 17, based in Brussels, Belgium. Prior to Scivley began his career at Alabama Citizens Bancshares Corp. and Citizens and chief financial officer of Coca-Cola, 2013. Slater holds bachelor’s degrees UCB, Burch had a 30-year career with Power in 1984 as a junior accountant. Trust Bank since February 2012. She 1969 retired in May 2014 after 20 years of in both English literature and history pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, starting Since then, he has served in several served as chief operating officer and Paul Newton Clark has been appointed service with the company. from The University of Alabama. He also as a sales representative and working management positions and was an senior executive vice president of to the BIOLASE board of directors. Fayard joined Coca-Cola in 1994 received his MBA at the Capstone with a his way up to senior vice president assistant to the senior vice president of Citizens Trust Bank from 2003 to 2012. BIOLASE is the world’s leading as vice president and controller and concentration in finance. overseeing several divisions as large Alabama Power. Day serves on the boards of directors manufacturer and distributor of eventually climbed the ranks. He was Slater, a professor of marketing and as 6,500 people and $11.5 billion in of Aaron’s Inc., Citizens Bancshares dental lasers, including the company’s promoted to executive vice president First Bank Research Fellow. He has revenue. Burch has launched more 1986 Corp. and Citizens Trust Bank. She proprietary WaterLase. The company in 2003 and has more than doubled been published in Harvard Business than 20 pharmaceutical products with Ben Ayers was named the new dean of also serves as a member of the boards is a pioneer in laser surgery in other revenues for the company. For the Review, the Journal of Marketing, the accountability for many blockbuster the University of Georgia’s Terry College of directors of the National Banker’s medical specialties. past three years, Fayard was named Journal of the Academy of Marketing brands, such as Celebrex, Lyrica, of Business July 1, 2014, following a Association and the Atlanta Business Clark previously served as CEO, Institutional Investor’s Best CFO in the Science, the Journal of Product Aricept, Lipitor and Vimpat. 15-month national search and seven League. She is a member of the Georgia chairman and president of ICOS Corp. beverage industry. Innovation Management and the Burch serves on the executive publicly named finalists. Society of CPAs and the Rotary Club of from 1999 to 2007. He is a board member Strategic Management Journal, among committee of the Culverhouse Ayers has taught at the school Atlanta. of Agilent Technologies Inc., Catalent Farrell E. “Gene” Robinson, Integrated others. Slater enjoys the outdoors with College of Commerce and is a for 18 years and was the director of and Cerevast Therapeutics. Medical Systems Inc. president and his wife, Paula, and sister, Beth Cheney. member of The University of Alabama the university’s J.M. Tull School of Kathi Mettler was appointed director CEO, announced the company is being President’s Cabinet. Accounting. He has won numerous of learning and education for WTP 1972 acquired by Steris Corp. for $165 million, 1977 teaching awards at UGA, including Advisors, a global tax and business Samuel A. DiPiazza Jr. has been elected plus $10 million for the purchase of real Bruce Ely, a Birmingham tax attorney 1980 the Beta Alpha Psi Outstanding advisory firm. Mettler is also an to the board of directors of ProAssurance estate. Steris is an infection-prevention, who for a decade has fought for Alabama O.B. Grayson Hall Jr., chairman, Teacher Award from the Terry College assistant professor of practice teaching Corp. DiPiazza will serve as a member decontamination, and surgical and to adopt a statewide independent tax- president and CEO of Regions Financial of Business. at Fairfield University. She formerly led of the audit committee. critical-care company. appeal system, has received a national Corp., was appointed to the Federal PricewaterhouseCooper’s international He most recently served as the The acquisition includes the 15-acre award for tax attorneys. New York Reserve Board of Governors’ Federal 1987 tax-learning and education program. vice chairman in the Institutional campus that IMS has been developing University School of Continuing and Advisory Council. His term began Jan. 1, Teresa Shufflebarger has been named She will also have a role in developing Clients Group of Citi. Prior to joining near Sloss Furnaces. IMS was ranked Professional Studies named Ely as 2014 and ends Dec. 31. vice president of strategic planning and WTP’s women’s group. Her experience 62 CULVERHOUSE 63

running the Women’s Network Circle Armstrong was recently appointed to and federal solutions businesses. graduates who made the Birmingham 2013. The accounting and advisory firm in the Stamford, Connecticut, office of the national board of directors for the He also managed several technology Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40 list also has an office in Fairhope, Alabama. PwC for several years has bolstered her Partnership of Philanthropic Planning. programs of national importance, in 2014. Ethredge’s area of special belief that successful firms will be the serving as lead researcher for cutting- concentration includes litigation, ones that best leverage the women in Ed Caldwell has joined MediTract as edge geospatial, imaging and location- 2000 financial analysis, loan underwriting, their organizations. senior vice president of sales and based technologies. He earned an MBA Lindsay H. Gill is one of six Culverhouse business valuations and advance Mettler has 24 years of experience marketing. Caldwell brings more from The University of Alabama. College of Commerce graduates spreadsheet design. He is a member with big four public accounting firms. than 20 years of experience to his role who made the Birmingham Business of the American Institute of Certified Previously, she was a director in the at MediTract. Robert W. “Bob” Kinard has been Journal’s Top 40 Under 40 list in 2014. Public Accountants, Alabama Society International Tax Services Group of named a partner in the Nashville, of Certified Public Accountants and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in the 1990 Tennessee, office of Subsidium Julia Summer Scruggs was named National Association of Certified Stamford and Chicago offices as well as Bonnie Blalock has been named a senior Healthcare. Subsidium is a premier the Rising Republican Star on ALGop. Valuation Analysts. a manager in the Chicago and Boston vice president for commercial banking management-consulting firm focused com. After a year working at Dell in offices of Ernst & Young LLP. at FSG Bank. Blalock has more than on the health care industry. Kinard is Nashville, Tennessee, Scruggs moved Bart Everett McBride is one of six 20 years of banking experience serving one of four additions to the senior level to Birmingham, Alabama, to receive Culverhouse College of Commerce Crawford Pounds has been appointed the needs of business, commercial at Subsidium in an effort to support her doctorate in law from Birmingham graduates who made the Birmingham market managing partner for and corporate banking clients in the growth in the company. Kinard has School of Law in 2006. Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40 list PricewaterhouseCooper’s Carolinas Chattanooga, Tennessee, area. more than 20 years in the health care Scruggs is the first female circuit in 2014. markets. Pounds is a certified public Prior to her current position, Blalock industry with expertise in mergers clerk in Clarke County, Alabama, and accountant in Alabama, North Carolina was executive vice president and director and acquisitions, business planning first Republican in the position in 2004 and New Jersey. He will lead a practice of client services for CapitalMark Bank. and strategic development, and over 100 years. In addition, Scruggs James Heath Phillips is one of six of more than 900 PwC professionals She began her career with SunTrust. corporate finance. is a member of the Clarke County Culverhouse College of Commerce throughout North Carolina and South Republican Committee, ALGOP State graduates who made the Birmingham Carolina and will direct the strategy and 1992 1994 Executive Committee and Rotary Club Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40 list operations of PwC’s offices in Charlotte, Michelle Bentley has been named Lance McAlindon has recently taken the in Jackson. She also is on the Clarke in 2014. Raleigh, Greensboro and Spartanburg. vice president for Trustmark. With position of director of global insights County Salvation Army board. Pounds has been with PwC since 1988 more than 21 years of experience in at Wal-Mart, leaving his post as the 2009 and was admitted to the partnership in the financial industry, Bentley is a chief research officer at Front Porch 2002 Sam Lynd has been hired as administrator 1999. He began his career with the firm commercial relationship manager in Researcher in Nashville, Tennessee. William Henry Bruser IV is one of six and CEO of Baptist Memorial Hospital- in Birmingham. Mobile, Alabama. She is a certified bank McAlindon began his career at Ford Culverhouse College of Commerce Tipton. Lynd came to Baptist Tipton auditor and holds a certification in risk Motor Co., moving to Proctor & Gamble graduates who made the Birmingham from NEA Baptist Hospital in Jonesboro, 1989 management assurance. She serves as in 1999 and Front Porch in 2010. He Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40 list Arkansas. Lynd manages all of Baptist Thomas Armstrong of Beauchamp, vice chair of the board of trustees and serves on the board of trustees for in 2014. Tipton’s operations. Woodke & Armstrong in Birmingham chair of the committee of trustees for Franklin Classical School and is a guest The Memphis, Tennessee, native was named to the National Association St. Luke’s Episcopal School. lecturer at Williamson College. 2003 joined Baptist Memorial Health Care of Board Certified Advisory Practices Blake Ethredge has passed the uniform Corp. as a Frank S. Groner administrative list of Premier Advisors in June 2013 Joseph Fehrenbach has been 1996 certified public accountant examination fellow in 2011. He then served as an for the second consecutive year. The appointed president and CEO of John Patrick Lamoney is one of six this year. The four-part examination assistant administrator at Baptist NABCAP is a nonprofit that assesses 20 Intergraph Government Solutions, Culverhouse College of Commerce tested his knowledge in auditing and Memorial Hospital-Union County and at categories of practice management and a subsidiary of Intergraph Corp. graduates who made the Birmingham attestation, business environment and NEA Baptist Hospital. compares and evaluates all participants Prior to IGS, Fehrenbach launched Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40 list concepts, financial accounting and numerically. The winners are then listed Intergraph’s global software research in 2014. reporting, and regulation. Ethredge in alphabetical order in the Birmingham and development center and served as joined the Mobile, Alabama, office of Business Journal. vice president for Intergraph’s Security 1998 Wilkins Miller Hieronymus LLC in 2011 Government & Infrastructure global John Brooks Harris is one of six and was named a senior accountant in sales operations, homeland security Culverhouse College of Commerce 64 CULVERHOUSE 65

ECONOMICS AND FINANCE Dulek also nominated Ryerson, for for upperclassmen and graduate students. PROFESSOR APPOINTED TO whom he had this to say: “Frank served for Zumpano was appointed to the Alabama PRESTIGIOUS FRENCH INSTITUTE over a decade as an associate reviewer for Association of Realtors Chair of Real Estate the Journal of Business Communication. in 1985. Dr. Harris Schlesinger, professor of This journal was and still remains the economics and finance, and the Frank premier journal in the field. Frank spent Park Samford Chair of Insurance, has been SPENCE NOMINATED FOR enormous time with all of his students — appointed to the International Scientific PROFESSIONAL STAFF ASSEMBLY insisting that he have one-on-one meetings FACULTY AND STAFF Council for the Institute Louis Bachelier in AWARD with each student twice a semester.” France. The institute organizes and reviews Nidia Spence was nominated for the NEWS research funding for financial and economic UA Professional Staff Assembly’s RETIRED PROFESSORS HONORED models of risk. 2014 Outstanding Professional Award. FOR TEACHING METHODS AND Spence is the finance director at ACHIEVEMENTS SCHOOL OF ACCOUNTANCY RANKED Out of the Workplace,” outlined what PARSONS NOMINATED FOR FASB FORMER CULVERHOUSE FACULTY Culverhouse. She was nominated by The following faculty members were Nancy Bostwick. triggers resilience among employees Accounting professor Dr. Linda Parsons INDUCTED INTO HALL OF FAME EIGHTH IN NATION honored in May during a retirement and how resilience can help them has been nominated for the Not-for- Dr. Frank Ryerson and Betty Loomis The Culverhouse School of Accountancy reception at Alston Hall: Dr. Edd Mansfield, overcome stressors both at home and in Profit Advisory Committee of the Financial were posthumously inducted into the 2014 STAFF MEMBERS HONORED AT is ranked eighth in the nation, its highest professor of statistics; Dr. Chuck Schmidt, the workplace. Accounting Standards Board. Parsons Culverhouse Faculty Hall of Fame at a RETIREMENT RECEPTION ranking in 25 years, according to the 2014 professor of operations management; and was one of 20 committee members reception May 23 at Alston Hall. Family and Culverhouse staff members Mary Burnett Public Accounting Report. That is up 10 Dr. Len Zumpano, professor of finance and REYNOLDS APPOINTED ASSOCIATE who met for the first time in March in friends were present to accept the awards and Fay Hicks were honored at a retirement spots from No. 18 last year. the Alabama Association of Realtors Chair Norwalk, Connecticut. in honor of the former faculty members. reception at Alston Hall in May. Hicks joined Dr. Rich Houston is director of the EDITOR of Real Estate. Marketing professor Dr. Kristy Reynolds Dr. Ron Dulek, the John R. Miller the College in 1988 and worked in student Culverhouse School of Accountancy. Mansfield has been recognized for his was appointed associate editor of the professor of Management, wrote in his services. Burnett joined the management RICHEY AWARDED FOR outstanding teaching with awards from the Journal of Service Research this spring. nomination of Loomis: “Betty was known and marketing department in 1989. Both CULVERHOUSE ADVISERS TO INTERNATIONAL MARKETING AMOCO Foundation and The University of Published quarterly, the journal is as caring, considerate and rigorous. In retired in 2013. PRESENT AT ANNUAL CONFERENCE RESEARCH Alabama National Alumni Association. considered essential for an increasingly addition to teaching, Betty willingly provided Advisers Heather Ammons and Tiffany Dr. Glenn Richey, professor of marketing Schmidt’s research focused on supply service-based economy and looked to career counseling to students whenever NEW INTERN TO ASSIST WITH Labon will present their “Developing and international business, received the chain and inventory management and by many professionals who want to gain requested. She was also the first editor of COMMUNICATION EFFORTS Your Personal Advising Philosophy” at S. Tamer Cavusgil Award for an article he production scheduling. He is the co-author knowledge in the field. the College’s promotional newspaper, the Brittany Downey has joined Culverhouse the 2014 National Academic Advising published with coauthors Simon Harris of two textbooks in management science Reynolds was also recently nominated as Executive. Her work on the Executive laid as a public relations intern. Downey Association conference Oct. 9–11 in and Margaret Fletcher. Their article, and has been elected to the honorary a candidate for editorship of the Journal of the groundwork for much of the outreach is majoring in communications and Minneapolis, Minnesota. Ammon’s and “Internationalization Knowledge: What, societies Sigma Xi (science) and Beta Academy of Marketing Science. and the fundraising activity for which the minoring in business. She is assisting with Labon’s presentation has been selected Why, Where and When?” was published Gamma Sigma (commerce) and to the College has become known today. Betty communication efforts, such as publicity, by the Advisor Training and Development in the Journal of International Marketing Operations Research Society of America. donated half of her estate to the College’s news releases, the quarterly newsletter Commission to be a sponsored session at MCKINNEY NAMED 2014 in 2013. Zumpano joined the Culverhouse care. This gift has enabled management to the conference. OUTSTANDING EDUCATOR College of Commerce in 1975, where he and the Executive Magazine. regularly award more than $50,000 a year Each NACADA commission can select a Accounting faculty member Lisa taught courses in real estate and finance DR. WILLIAM RABEL RECEIVES in scholarships to deserving students.” maximum of three proposals for this honor. McKinney has been named the 2014 LIFETIME AWARD Outstanding Educator by the Alabama Dr. William Rabel received the Asia Pacific State Society of CPAs. The ASCPA is the HALBESLEBEN PRESENTS KEYNOTE Risk and Insurance Association’s 2014 association of professional accountants in ADDRESS Kyobo Life Contribution Award. The award the state. McKinney graduated from The Dr. Jonathon Halbesleben, HealthSouth recognizes a lifetime commitment to the University of Alabama with a bachelor’s Chair of Health Care Management at APRIA and risk management discipline. degree in 1994, followed by a master’s Culverhouse, delivered the keynote address Rabel serves as the John and Mary in 1995. at the Annual Congress of the International Louise Loftis Bickley Endowed Teaching Stress Management Association in Porto Chair of Insurance and Financial Services Alegre, Brazil. His speech, titled “Bouncing at UA’s Culverhouse College of Commerce. Back: Understanding Resilience In and 67

INTERIM STUDENTS TRAVEL TO GRADUATES APPOINTED TO positions upon graduation. Sara Hoggle, GHENT FACULTY POSITIONS AIS president, will work for CRC Insurance Services Inc. in Boca Raton, During the Interim 2014 term, a record Two graduating doctoral students will Florida. Tianze Cao, AIS board member, number of 22 students enrolled and begin working in faculty positions. Dr. will work for American International traveled in the accounting study- Nickolas K. Freeman will become a part Group Inc. in New York. abroad class. Led by Dr. Tom Lopez, of the University of Houston, where he STUDENT NOTES students visited Ghent University Several AIS members have CULVERHOUSE STUDENTS SHINE HERE AND ABROAD will join the Bauer College of Business. internships in major industries during in Ghent, Belgium, and also visited He will teach in the decision and the Culverhouse School of Accountancy, Brian McWilliams, a chemistry the summer: Danen Gu and Emma BLIGHT RECEIVES AUSTIN CUP London, England. Students attended information sciences department. Dr. was chosen as one of the five finalists student at the Capstone, received the Kattman, both at Protective Life; Casey Senior Lauren Blight of Mobile, Alabama, a number of tours, including KPMG’s Belleh Fontem will join the University for The University of Alabama Student John Fraser Ramsey Award, given to a Pickett, at ALFA Insurance; and Alex was awarded the Austin Cup during The London office and the International of Mary Washington in Virginia at the Employee of the Year award. junior with broad humanistic interests Masenheimer, at Americas Insurance Co. University of Alabama’s Honors Week. Accounting Standards Board. According College of Business. The Austin Cup is the highest student The award recognizes student- who has exerted a positive influence to Lopez, the course “is dedicated Three AIS board members made honor in the Culverhouse College of workers at UA for their contributions on his peers. McWilliams is one of to the importance of international ALABAMA INSURANCE SOCIETY the top 10 of the 2014 Spencer Risk and achievements. More than 50 two students who will enter the MBA Management Challenge a three-month, Commerce. Blight double-majored in financial accounting standards as major LEADS STUDENTS economics and math and maintained student-employees were nominated program a year early and begin MBA corporations increasingly adhere to case-study competition. Two students who were members of the a 4.0 GPA while at the Capstone. She by their supervisors for demonstrating classes this summer. IASB pronouncements, and the world Alabama Insurance Society received received a Presidential Scholarship upon exceptional reliability, quality of work, Al Gilani, a pre-med student, was also strives for harmonization.” entering the University and received initiative, professionalism and their recognized. Gilani received the William other numerous honors. She served as unique contributions to the University. P. Bloom Award, given to a junior who a mentor and teaching assistant and The Capstone employs more than has improved intergroup relations at the volunteered for several community 4,000 students each year, offering University. He led a team of students service projects. quality professional-development to Serbia this summer to study health Blight graduated in May and is opportunities. conditions while also completing three working with dunnhumbyUSA, a global MBA courses. company that builds customer loyalty WHITSETT RECEIVES BOYD for different businesses. MCWHORTER AWARD MBA STUDENTS PRESENT Student-athlete Cory Whitsett, a AT ACRE CONFERENCE PRIESTER FEATURED IN member of the 2014 NCAA national Manderson Graduate School of BLOOMBERG HALL OF FAME champion Alabama men’s golf team and Business MBA candidates concentrating William Priester is listed in the a management major at the Culverhouse in real estate presented to the Alabama Bloomberg Hall of Fame’s Americas College of Commerce, received the SEC Commercial Real Estate Market Review Top 5 as a result of his high scores on Boyd McWhorter award. The award is at the annual Alabama Commercial the Bloomberg Aptitude Test. The BAT given each year to the top male and Real Estate Conference, hosted by the is a free aptitude test offered by the female athletes in the Southeastern Alabama Center for Real Estate. More Bloomberg Institute that connects best- Conference. Whitsett is the only Division than 500 of the state’s top real estate fit students to the right careers. Priester I golfer to win the NCAA Elite 89 twice. leaders gathered for professional is in his third year in Culverhouse’s Former Crimson Tide football center development, networking and education. finance program and plans on applying Barrett Jones won the award in 2013. The MBA students presented a review by to the master’s in finance program with property type of the four major Alabama University Scholars. TWO STEM STUDENTS RECEIVE markets: Montgomery, Huntsville, PREMIER AWARDS Birmingham and Mobile. The students ARNDT SELECTED AS FINALIST Two STEM-path students at the were Donald Gambril and Carter Hash, FOR STUDENT AWARD Culverhouse College of Commerce both of Birmingham; Garrett Moody, of Tallahassee, Florida; and Andy Gus Arndt, a graduate student in received Premier Awards from Tompkins, of Rhinebeck, New York. accountancy who is also employed by the University. 68 CULVERHOUSE 69 CULVERHOUSE PHILANTHROPY GIVES STUDENTS OPPORTUNITY BY CHRIS BRYANT

arly in his law career, Hugh Culverhouse Jr. faced a “If you can’t give $50,000, lower it,” Culverhouse said. Echoice. “Maybe you can give $500. There is nothing too small. Every Stay with a job providing remarkable experience or opt for dollar helps.” one with a higher salary but less responsibility. He selected the Jennifer Park, a UA senior majoring in accounting from former, the option that best honed his skill-set, a move from Auburn, Alabama, and one of the Culverhouse scholars, said which he has benefited, he said with hindsight, for more than the scholarship positively impacted her daily life. three decades. “This year has been the most rewarding year possible, and I “I would have never had that choice if I had had student think it all started with Mr. and Mrs. Culverhouse’s generosity,” loans,” Culverhouse said. said Park of her senior year. “I had three (part-time) jobs at the Eyeing an opportunity to provide options to University of same time while I was a full-time student,” she said. “I went Alabama students, Culverhouse, 65, and his wife, Eliza, have down to two jobs. I could definitely focus a lot more on school, donated $2 million to The University of Alabama for scholarships which is so nice.” to defray student debt. UA announced the establishment of the Park said the scholarship also provided her with the gift of Eliza and Hugh F. Culverhouse Student Assistance Scholarship time, enabling her to pursue an optional internship experience with the couple’s $1 million donation in August 2013, and then during the spring 2014 semester in Warren Averett’s came an additional $1 million donation in early 2014. Birmingham office. Without the scholarship, she said she Six students in UA’s Culverhouse College of Commerce would have felt pressured to pack in enough credits to graduate were selected last fall as the 2013–14 Culverhouse scholars, the previous December, rather than obtain the experience and additional scholarships will be made available, also in made possible from the internship with the accounting, tax and perpetuity, with the addition of the latest million-dollar gift. advisory firm. The UA business college is named for Culverhouse’s late father, “I love the internship,” she said. On track to graduate in May Hugh Culverhouse Sr., a UA alumnus (BA ’41, JD ’47). 2014, she is planning to pursue a master’s in accounting and The son said although he takes a different approach to apply for a certified public accountant license, she said. giving than did his dad, who, along with his widow, Joy McCann Randi Arrington, a native of Silas, Alabama, in Choctaw Culverhouse, was also a generous benefactor to UA, he learned County, remembered when she received the phone call telling about both the responsibility and the personal gratification her of her scholarship selection following her application from philanthropy by observing his dad. and interview. He said he hopes the gifts he and Eliza have made “I was really excited … beyond words,” said Arrington, a motivate others. senior double majoring in finance and accounting. “When your “I’m trying to get other people to realize that having their name gets drawn out of 30,000 kids,” she said with modesty, names on a building and bringing in an endowed professor “it was a big shock. I am so thankful. It was such a big help.” impacts the kids in a different way than does providing direct She said she met Eliza Culverhouse during the scholarship scholarship support.” interview process and attended a luncheon along with the other “I know a lot of parents’ only options — especially after this recipients, Hugh Culverhouse and UA guests during the fall. recession — are student loans for their kids. We are doing this Arrington said one of her goals is to eventually return the to help. It’s a good feeling. favor to a future student.

“That is what I want to do one day,” she said. Hugh Culverhouse Jr. and Dean J. Michael Hardin with scholarship recipients 70 CULVERHOUSE 71

he said his dad told him. Following his Florida graduation, “Nothing has felt as good as this,” he said of helping Culverhouse told his dad he wanted to pursue a master’s at University of Alabama students. New York University and then a law degree. “Any dollar you can give, you can have that same feeling. His dad responded. “‘If you get into NYU, I will pay your It doesn’t have to be a certain amount to generate the feeling. tuition and board; however, you have to give five years to the If you put a hundred bucks toward a scholarship, that’s $100 federal government as an attorney.’ toward a kid who doesn’t have to take out a loan for that “I took the deal,” Culverhouse said. amount.” He earned his MBA from NYU in 1972 and then returned to the University of Florida, where he earned his law degree in 1974. When he got out of law school, he held up his part of the bargain, going to work for the Securities and Exchange Commission. “I loved working for the government,” Culverhouse said. “It didn’t pay (much), but I felt richer than Howard Hughes.” Today, Culverhouse is CEO and owner of Palmer Ranch Holdings, a planned community encompassing some 10,000 acres in Sarasota County, Florida. He is also the principal in Culverhouse Limited Partnerships and invests in real estate,

Hugh Culverhouse Jr. chats with scholarship recipient. securities and hedge funds. Eliza Culverhouse founded SPRINGFEST, a Sarasota Scheduled to graduate in August, McCann Culverhouse attended UA on if he made senior partner, would have to community event that raises money for local charities, including Arrington said she would like to return a golf scholarship, graduating from live to be, as he puts it, “304 years old” the Police Athletic League. Together the Culverhouses have to school in three or four years and start the Capstone in 1942) if she heard before he would try as many cases as he supported various charitable causes, including Kristi House, work toward an MBA after earning some him mention quitting again, Hugh already had. He opted to stay put. a child advocacy center for victims of sexual abuse, and the full-time work experience. Culverhouse said. Hugh’s father, Hugh Culverhouse Sr., neonatal intensive care unit of Sarasota Memorial Hospital. The experience that Hugh Culverhouse “After about 10 trials, it clicked,” eventually became a wealthy man. Also an Eliza and Hugh have four children. cited as especially valuable was his role Culverhouse said. “I had the best times attorney, the elder Culverhouse became “It is something I am passionate about,” Culverhouse said as a federal prosecutor, specifically, as of my life.” a real estate developer and business of Kristi House. “My wife helped form it 30 years ago.” an assistant U.S. attorney, working in the Culverhouse, who would later practice executive, owning an NFL franchise, the In later years, Hugh Culverhouse said their gifts took the fraud division in Miami, Florida. law privately for 20 years and who had Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But, those were form of challenge grants in an attempt to bring in more money “I tried 30 trials my first year,” the previously worked for the Securities and not the family’s circumstances when it for the cause. Coral Gables, Florida, resident recalled. Exchange Commission as a trial attorney came time for the younger Culverhouse “In the last year I informed them, ‘You now have all the “I was incompetent the first five. After for its division of enforcement, said it was to apply to colleges. different cultures in Miami supporting you. You are a success. about that fifth trial — I had lost three or his stint as the assistant U.S. attorney in “He borrowed the money to send me You bring in over a million dollars at one function. You don’t four out of five — I called my mother up Miami that made him fearless. to school,” Culverhouse recalled of his need me anymore. I have accomplished my goal.’” and said, ‘Mom, I’m not meant for this. I “I am not afraid of anybody,” he said. dad. “He made his wealth later in life. At Culverhouse credited his parents’ influence for multiple think I should join Dad’s tax firm.’” “And, I’m not afraid to lose. I’ve lost. The this point, he was in private practice.” facets of his personality. Culverhouse said his mother quickly next day, I woke up and ate my yogurt, He and his dad made a deal. “I got my aggressive, driven life from both my mom and dad. and clearly voiced her disdain with her raisins and honey. Losing is not the end Actually, they made a couple of them. They were not meek and mild. God help anybody who messed son’s attitude. of the world. Not trying is.” Hugh Culverhouse Jr. would attend the with Dad. “‘You keep trying,’” he recalled her At some point after the two-iron University of Florida (he said out-of-state “Kids are never going to learn how to do something, to have ordering. “‘At some point, it is going to threat, he was offered a chance to join tuition was not an option for his family or it engrained in their souls, if their parents don’t show them.” come to you.’” a law firm and earn a $23,000 annual he might have followed his parents’ path At points in his younger life, Culverhouse said he The conversation quickly ended salary versus the $15,000 he was making to UA). He would go straight through. remembered looking at his dad’s philanthropy and wondering after the son’s ears were blistered as a federal prosecutor. He would not get about the potential negative impact on himself. “‘Forget this nonsense of working Hugh Culverhouse Jr. with the threat of a two-iron (Joy to try his own cases, though, and, even in the summer and going out at night,’” Today, of course, he views things differently. 72 CULVERHOUSE 73 CULVERHOUSE CONNECTIONS MENTOR PAYS IT FORWARD BY JEAN M. MCLEAN

onnecting business students with resulting workshops are open to all to participate in mock interviews, pitches Cmentors is nothing new at the students, providing tutorials that span and receive résumé critiques. Culverhouse College of Commerce, even specialties from interviewing skills to For student Catherine Perez, one though the name of the student-mentor business etiquette and from résumé intense day at Regions’ headquarters program has changed. preparation to social media cautions. in Birmingham collecting information Culverhouse Connections, the new on career fairs, salary negotiations and name of the mentoring program, is technology resulted in an introduction to modeled after the College’s former another professional willing to play an Women’s Initiative that was created “I HAVE HAD AN ALMOST advisory role. by Dr. Diane Johnson, associate dean, 35-YEAR CAREER IN “Now, both check in on me. Both call and that paired mentors with female me for lunch. They’re always encouraging business students. MARKETING OF ONE SORT me,” Perez said. “I would encourage Today, Culverhouse Connections OR ANOTHER. AT THIS other students to take advantage of offers learning, shadowing and all that Culverhouse Connections has Michele Elrod, executive vice president of marketing at Regions Catherine Perez, student at Culverhouse College of Commerce mentoring opportunities for all students. POINT IN MY CAREER, to offer, as well as getting involved in And it is making an impact. Just ask I’M VERY INTERESTED IN campus with a range of organizations. mentor Michele Elrod, executive vice I’ve learned it helps to have leadership president of marketing for Regions. WORKING WITH COLLEGE- and work experience on your résumé. age people. I think this is an opportunity for professionals to “I’ve seen other opportunities now. I would love to do “It’s an opportunity to do what you AGE PEOPLE. I THINK THIS A mentor can guide a student in give back, to actually shape our future.” traditional marketing for a midsized company. One of the want done for your own children, to that direction.” Elrod said many students choose their majors without professionals I talked to at Regions does commercials and help guide them in an area of interest,” IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR Culverhouse Connections has access to professionals working in their fields. They may be the print ads. That sort of specialization intrigues me,” Perez said. Elrod said. “As a mentor, you can bring PROFESSIONALS TO GIVE recruited dozens of professionals first people in their families to express interest in marketing, Elrod urges her peers to take interest in helping prepare a student into a company and show from diverse industries who are information systems or finance. Their parents may not be able future professionals. She calls it a “responsibility for alumni them all the aspects of their job and BACK, TO ACTUALLY SHAPE willing to become mentors. Elrod is to advise them on the realities of those careers or help them to give back to the University and to the leaders whom the real-world applications. Armed with OUR FUTURE.” one of the executives committed to narrow their best-fit options. University is shaping.” that information, students can better yearlong mentoring relationships with “I get students who are juniors and seniors. They know in This executive also encourages parents to help their students —Michele Elrod focus their studies and pursue related students. An alumna of UA’s College general terms what marketing is. So many are interested in prepare for today’s competitive market. Whether a student is internships and other opportunities,” of Communications and Information sports marketing, but they don’t know about other aspects of exploring corporate, small business or entrepreneurial roles, she added. Sciences, Elrod has mentored four marketing," Elrod said. “They may not have considered content the workshops, job shadowing and mentoring opportunities Students can participate in all or part Other professional partners are students within four years. She said she management and creation. They may not understand the provided by Culverhouse Connections are impacting lives and of the program’s components as they willing to serve as mentors or host considers Culverhouse Connections a intersection of digital and direct. There are so many different making a difference. explore careers, sharpen professional job-shadowing opportunities, allowing “pay-it-forward” opportunity. ways they can apply their knowledge and talent, but not all are acumen and receive customized advice students to observe what it is like to “I have had an almost 35-year career going to be of interest to them.” from industry leaders. be in a real-life workplace. Sometimes in marketing of one sort or another,” Perez is one of several students in Culverhouse Connections Want to learn more? Connect with Culverhouse Connections at Some business partners of the students spend a few hours observing Elrod said. “At this point in my career, I’m benefiting from Elrod’s expertise. Initially attracted to sports http://www.culverhouse.ua.edu/academics/programs or call program share their knowledge through daily life. Others are given the opportunity very interested in working with college- marketing, Perez now has a more expanded view, thanks to program manager Jennifer Hayes at 205-348-8897. seminars or professional panels. The her mentor. 74 CULVERHOUSE 75

may not exist today but will be sorely needed in the future. Graduates with the ability to combine the understanding of solid business fundamentals and the knowledge of how to guide a brand’s Web presence to meet its goals will be a powerful asset in the future as the digital universe continues its rapid expansion. “Social media will continue to increase in importance, and as social media analytics and metrics continue to improve, more businesses will be hiring people to create social media content and to analyze social media data as a major platform for their messaging needs,” Fant said. “Lead generation, brand awareness and new customer outreach are all business areas that will continue to benefit from social media.” Fant said that more business owners are interested in increasing their understanding of social media and how to best use it by reaching out to schools like Culverhouse, which can help provide answers and best-practices information. “I’d encourage any business or organization leaders to reach out and see what they can learn and how they can work with our students on their own use of social media,” Fant said. “Many businesses — big and small — have not fully realized the impressive power of social media done Susan Chesley Fant, marketing instructor at Culverhouse well.” She said that professionals in social media can help social media companies and individuals reach their goals and broadcast minded people. If you learn how to be social-media savvy, then their messages to specific target audiences. IN THE CLASSROOM it is a great skill to help meet many various goals,” Fant said. “Sometimes businesses may find that they have a follower- But how does one teach social media savvy? Fant’s class customer base they did not know about before,” Fant explained. BY KYLE FONDREN takes a direct approach, challenging students to develop their “Many businesses have social media accounts that are not goal personal brands before diving into the theories behind social specific. Working to create goals for your social media and a t first glance, you might think investment perspective, both for their that students going to work for small media marketing. plan to reach those goals is the best way to start seeing the Athat an entire classroom of organizations and themselves. businesses, or starting up their own, will “The students really like learning these skills and then return on your time spent online.” business students with browsers fixed “It is important to find the return on not have the luxury of dedicated public applying them to real-life cases,” she said. “We’ve been Fant also said that finding the right people who can prove on Twitter were ignoring the instructor investment in your social media practice relations or information technology able to provide students with the tools they need to earn they have the skills to help you is important. and wasting time. That is not the case — in both time and money,” Fant said. professionals to set up and guide their Google AdWords certificates and internship opportunities in “Contacting Culverhouse and our network of faculty and in Susan Chesley Fant’s MKT 597 Digital “We focus on social media goals and how Web presence, which Forbes argues is social media.” students who can help you with social media projects is a great and Social Media Marketing class. As organizations can achieve goals through the new linchpin of being taken seriously Once students have gained an understanding of representing first step to keep your social media working the best it can for social media continues its meteoric social media strategy and application. as a growing business. themselves as a marketable product on various platforms, you,” she said. rise in importance to a company’s We study how to measure if and when “Your personal Internet presence and Fant guides them through a path of expanding perspective marketing and public relations, these goals are achieved. We also look your organization’s Internet presence is and scope. Culverhouse has taken the initiative at how graduates can enter the job something that you can always be working “We have looked at a variety of case studies from how Nike To keep up with the social media activities of Culverhouse in launching new courses focused on market and how to best make their way on and improving," Fant said. "Having uses social media and Internet technology globally to how local students, follow @culverhouse and @susanchesley on digital-communications platforms and into the marketplace with these skills the skills and the know-how to wield organizations like Alabama Credit Union utilize social media to Twitter and check out the #coolestclassatUA hashtag. management communications. that they can prove their proficiency in this presence to connect you with new connect with their members,” Fant said.” Online: In Fant’s MKT 597, students learn how very quickly.” people and organizations offline can be Culverhouse’s focus on the business of tomorrow means Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/thesba/2013/11/25/ to look at social media from a return-on- The thinking behind these new helpful when selling a product, creating constantly re-evaluating course offerings and using the insight how-much-is-online-presence-helping-small-business classes stems from the understanding something new or looking to meet like- of faculty and alumni to pinpoint potential career paths that 76 CULVERHOUSE

SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS TO BOOST YOUR ENGAGEMENT ON SHOW YOUR

BY SUSAN CHESLEY FANT CULVERHOUSE PRIDE 1. KNOW YOUR GOAL 7. RETWEET OFTEN Establish the goal of your Twitter account. Is it to Retweet other organizations, colleagues and partner reconnect with colleagues and friends or is it to promote your companies that include information you want followers business or organization? Know your goal upfront so you can come in with a game plan. to know. This can help spread the word about community interests and good work. 2. CHOOSE YOUR USERNAME To gain more followers, choose a username either based 8. TWEET VIDEOS, PHOTOS, POWERPOINT SLIDES AND HASHTAGS on your real name or your organization’s name that people You can add your own thoughts to Twitter by tweeting your can easily find. photos, videos and PowerPoints via http://www.slide- share.net; and thoughts and shootouts by using hashtags 3. UPDATE YOUR PROFILE (#). Consider creating your own hashtag for your compa- Include a profile picture that represents you best. Choose ny or company campaigns. MKT 597 at Culverhouse uses a professional photo of yourself for a personal account #CoolestClassAtUA. or a logo for a business account. Include a great descrip- tion of yourself or company in your profile information and 9. TWEET @ OTHERS include any updated personal or company website where If you think other users would be interested in followers can find more information about you. sharing your tweet or you want them to know you are speaking to them directly, tweet at them by using the @ sym- 4. A COVER PHOTO IS WORTH 1,000 CHARACTERS bol. You can tweet @culverhouse or @MandersonUA or even Choose and upload a cover photo that is an image that al- @susanchesley. You can tweet anything, but know that your lows other users to see what is interesting to you. If you tweet will be visible on your own profile, too. Generally, if you have a personal account, upload a cover photo you like. If say something nice or useful at other users, they will retweet you have a business account, upload a photo from a recent your tweet, too. campaign or project. 10. TRY NEW TWEETS 5. FOLLOW, FOLLOW, FOLLOW When in doubt, do not tweet anything you do not want Follow other accounts — colleagues, news organizations, on the front page of your local newspaper. However, @MandersonUA, @Culverhouse and other organizations try new types of tweets. Tweet information about the — that best represent you and your interests. organizations you support; tweet about local events; or tweet a great picture of a beautiful sunset. Tweet what matters Show off your Culverhouse College of Commerce pride 6. FAVORITE OTHER TWEETS to you or your company and watch your followers tweet you with items containing our logo. The “Bidgoods” online Favorite (gold star) tweets that you like so people you right back. store is stocked with T-shirts, golf shirts, fleeces, spirit are following know you are interested in what they jerseys, mugs, writing pads and other cool stuff that sport are tweeting. the columns of Bidgood and the Culverhouse brand.

Susan Chesley Fant is an instructor in digital and social media marketing at Culverhouse. She created and teaches MKT597 Shop the store today at culverhouse.ua.edu/store. Digital and Social Media Marketing (also known as the #CoolestClassAtUA) as part of the Master of Science in marketing program. Contact her at [email protected] or on Twitter @susanchesley. NONPROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID Culverhouse College of Commerce Box 870223 THE UNIVERSITY Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0223 OF ALABAMA CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

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Alumni and Corporate Relations Center for Business and Economic 205-348-2929 Research Facebook.com/UAbusiness Culverhouse Career Center 205-348-6191 205-348-2691 Alabama Productivity Center 205-348-8956 Twitter.com/Culverhouse Student Services 205-348-4537 Alabama Center for Real Estate Manderson Graduate School of 205-348-4117 Business Alabama Entrepreneurship Search "Culverhouse College of Commerce" 205-348-6517 Institute EMBA/Executive Education 205-722-5171 205-348-0954 YouTube.com/Culverhouseonline