VOL. 6 , No. 1 January 2010	Success Stories Start Here
We welcome you to the January issue of the Byrd Business Review. As you will read below, a lot of work has recently taken place by the Byrd School’s Board of Advisors as we prepare to offer the 2^nd annual Business Symposium on March 11. You will also read about completing the review of the MBA program this semester. Much information has been collected and analyzed, and I want to personally thank Mike Hatfield, Director of Advancement for the Byrd School of Business, for his leadership in this important area. In addition, you are provided with detailed information about the School’s first winter break study tour to India. We appreciate the outstanding work of Dr. R. T. Good, an associate professor in our School, for his development and implementation of this academic experience for our student body. Alumni success stories from graduates of the Byrd School and our alumni facebook fan page are highlighted in this month’s e-letter as well.	W. Randy Boxx Dean & George Edward Durell Chair of Management rboxx@su.edu As we continue to prepare graduates for careers in various types of organizations, we welcome your feedback and suggestions on how we can better serve your individual needs. Please drop us a line or visit us in Halpin-Harrison Hall. We would like that very much.
SPRING BUSINESS SYMPOSIUM | STRATEGIES FOR GROWTH: A DIFFERENT WAY FORWARD We invite you to join us for the signature event of the spring semester on March 11, 2010. Now in its 2nd year, Shenandoah University's Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business Symposium is a forum designed to inspire and educate attendees of all ages, professions, and industries regarding business trends, challenges, and best practices. Taking place in Halpin-Harrison Hall, which houses the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business, the Symposium has become a signature event for Shenandoah University. Three general sessions in the morning provide participants with the following information—Networking: Building Your Business, Large or Small; Preparing for Success; and Marketing 102: Positioning for Success. The afternoon sessions are interactive and include the following panel discussions: · Technology · Financing · Organizational Strategy · Government Contracting · Business Management · Business Resources A full description of the event and the sessions can be found online by clicking here to visit the website. Online registration is available until March 8, 2010. If you have any questions regarding the Business Symposium, please contact Suzanne Conrad at shpconrad@aol.com.
MBA ALUMNI SURVEY COMPLETE The faculty and administration of the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business would like to thank those alumni who took the time to complete our most extensive MBA alumni survey to date over the December holiday period. As you know, we are in the midst of a comprehensive review of all aspects of the MBA program, and the feedback and data collected through the survey has been extremely valuable to our faculty review team. We were very pleased to have a strong response by alumni from all three decades of the MBA program’s existence, thus giving us a broad sense of the program through the years. Overall, the feedback was very strong and highlighted positive attributes of our school and faculty—strong teaching, faculty accessibility, real world classroom discussions, interaction with and background of peers, career preparation through an appropriate skill set and knowledge base, desirable location, AACSB accreditation, modern building, and small class sizes. We were also pleased by the suggestions provided in areas of improvement for the program. Your comments and suggestions have been shared with our entire faculty, as we strive for continuous academic improvement. The process of reviewing and redesigning curricula is an important part of our faculty’s commitment to ensure the quality of our graduates as they enter the marketplace and as they advance in their careers.  Believing in continuous improvement, our faculty realizes that student feedback is an important source of diagnostic input in the change process.  Our faculty wants to be sure that the needs and desires of employers for educated Byrd School graduates with the proper set of skills, competencies, and knowledge base has been met. To all the MBA alumni who took the time to complete the survey we say THANK YOU!
BYRD SCHOOL ON FACEBOOK Join the Byrd School on facebook, the social networking site! The Byrd School launched its fan page in September, 2009 as a portion of the marketing and awareness for the 25^th Anniversary of the naming of the Byrd School of Business event held on November 5, 2009. Now it is being used by students and alumni alike to keep connected with the school. Become a fan today at www.facebook.com/ByrdSchool
MBA FOCUS GROUPS: RECENT 2009 GRADUATES PROVIDE VALUABLE INFORMATION The Byrd School held 5 focus group meetings in December with recently minted 2009 MBA graduates in an ongoing effort to assist faculty in reviewing the MBA program. Recent graduates shared their feelings and impressions about different aspects of the MBA program and provided an open dialog on issues that are important to our newest alumni.  This information provides additional insights and considerations for faculty in curricula design, delivery, expectations in the marketplace, and assists in our preliminary analysis of our marketing and recruitment strategies.
ALUMNI SHARE FEEDBACK THROUGH A SERIES OF DEAN’S LUNCHES In late November and early December, Dean Randy Boxx hosted luncheon opportunities for local Byrd School alumni to visit with him and share their thoughts on continuing to build a stronger Business School. Several alumni joined him in Halpin-Harrison Hall, the state-of-the art home of the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business. Alumni who participated in the luncheons were David Chandler (MBA ’03), Betty Jo Dickerson (MBA ’84), C. Ridgely White, Jr. (BBA ’80, MBA ’84), Judy Kay Schroer (BBA ’98, MBA ’00) and Pam Bell (BBA ’83). I want to personally thank all of the Byrd School alumni who have participated in our luncheons this past semester.  They have afforded me the opportunity to stay connected with our graduates, to share exciting news and upcoming initiatives, and to seek feedback on curricula and other issues related to building high quality degree programs.  By staying connected with the school, you can make a difference.
HARRY F. BYRD, JR. SCHOOL OF BUSINESS | SUCCESS STORIES START HERE Don’t be surprised if you bump into alumnus Bob Hein ’00 in the hallways of Halpin-Harrison Hall this semester. Hein is the Byrd School’s Senior Executive Counselor, helping business students along their path to career success and in the classroom. Hein is a familiar face to business students as he spends time as a guest lecturer in the undergraduate and graduate programs. He earned his MBA from the Byrd School in 2000, and has remained very close to the school ever since. He is the former Chief Financial Officer of Airbus North America and is now a consultant. Says Hein of his SU experience; “I earned my undergrad (BBA) at a well-respected and large business school in NYC.  While the education I received was excellent, I did not have any sense of being part of the university, and something was missing.  While earning my MBA at the SU Byrd School, I discovered what that something was - a sense of "family" or "community" where the student and faculty closely interacted and where the respect and caring attitude was tangible.”  Hein is a member of the Byrd School Advisory Board. Alumna Judy Kay Schroer ’98, ‘00 is the sole proprietor of JKSolutions for Business LLC, providing business consulting, strategic planning, and income tax services to businesses and individuals. Located in Historic Old Town Winchester, her business specializes in tax planning for business owners to assist in optimizing tax benefits between business and personal tax situations. Before opening JKSoutions in 2007, Schroer worked for nine years in a mid-size regional accounting firm. She received her BBA from the Byrd School in 1998 and earned her MBA in 2000, while also completing her CPA licensure. “The MBA prepared me to be a business owner by providing the knowledge and the confidence necessary to attain that goal. The program gave me a solid foundation through a blend of real world experience, theory, and case study wrapped up in a small classroom setting that offered exposure to numerous industries through fellow classmates.“ Recent graduate Lola Tashova ’07 ’09 just celebrated passing the Virginia CPA exam in November on her first attempt. She is a staff accountant with Cherry, Bekaert and Holland, LLP - a public accounting firm located in Tyson’s Corner, VA. Tashova first arrived at SU in 2004 as an international student from Turkmenistan. She immediately found the Byrd School to be friendly and accommodating; She graduated with her BBA degree in 2007 and immediately enrolled in the MBA program, which she finished in 2009. “SU was great for me. I appreciated the small classes, which made me comfortable and confident to share my thoughts and opinions. The professors were very attentive to their students and always took time to answer questions during and after classes.” Tashova is very thankful for her professors’ interest in her success at both the undergraduate and graduate level, and credits her professors for her successful transition from the classroom to the accounting profession. Alumnus Josh Phelps ’02 is currently the General Manager of Winchester Metals and is a member of the Byrd School Advisory Board. Phelps completed his undergraduate degree at Virginia Tech and went into the banking industry with Jefferson National Bank and Valley Farm Credit. He moved to Winchester Metals in 1998 as the Chief Financial Officer and oversaw a massive computer upgrade. He earned his MBA from the Byrd School while working full time in 2002. He recently moved into the General Manager position and credits the faculty of the Byrd School for making his MBA experience a positive one. “I thought that entering the MBA program in the Byrd School from a small family business perspective would present some challenges as most graduate programs focus on big business ideas and principles.  What I found though was that each professor made the curriculum universally applicable and at no time did I feel that what I was learning couldn't be applied in my business. We received a lot of individual attention in the program.”
BYRD MBA STUDENTS LEARN IN INDIA DURING WINTER BREAK While many were relaxing during the holiday break over the last several weeks, two MBA students along with Dr. R.T. Good, dean for global & community education and associate professor with the Byrd School of Business, completed SU’s first winter break study-tour in India. Andrew Mollohan and Yohan Seevaratnam joined Dr. Good for a two-week study tour of Northern India during which they visited the cities of Chandigarh, Amritsar, Delhi, and Agra. The focus of their study was on international business. During the tour the group met with many business leaders, toured business facilities, and learned from government leaders about the growing economy of India and the areas visited in particular. Company visits with senior management included Infosys, Drish Infotech, Pavilions & Interiors, Aegis, Connoisseur Infotech, Midi Extrusions, JK Lakshmi Cement, Tech Mahindra, Hotel Aroma, Quark, and Dell Computers. The group also enjoyed time with the head of the Confederation of Indian Industry for Chandigarh, who served as the corporate host for the visit. Additionally, the group met with important public leaders including the Chief Secretary for the Government of Punjab and the Vice Chairman for the City of Agra. Visits with leaders of higher education institutions were also made including the University of Punjab, Gurukul Vidyapeeth University, Desh Bhagat Group of Institutes, and the Center for Management Training and Research. Not all of the visits were focused on business and the group enjoyed some downtime to see important cultural sites as well, including the Taj Mahal. Regarding his observations in India, Mr. Mollohan stated, “India is experiencing an exciting time in their nation's development and this was evident to us through our visit. The global mindset that is instilled in us here at SU is very prominent in their outlook on future growth. Understanding India's perspective is crucial to understanding the future of our global economy. This hands-on experience is invaluable." His thoughts are reinforced by the comments of Mr. Seevaratnam who commented, “There is only so much you can learn from reading a book about outsourcing. It is much more educational to visit a major outsourcing company and ask questions and get to see the whole business operations first hand. The study-tour trip to India was remarkable. We had the opportunity to sit down with CEOs and directors of various corporations and discuss their strategy, outlook on growth and how outsourcing is a huge part of their business." With the success of this study tour, Shenandoah University looks forward to continuing the new winter break Global Experiential Learning (GEL) program. The Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business, in which the GEL programs first started at the University in 1999, will continue to lead future study-tours like the trip to India to ensure its graduates have a ‘global perspective.’ The next program will occur this July with a return to Oxford University in England. For information on how to participate in this upcoming program, please contact Dr. Good at rgood@su.edu or (540) 665-1290. Mr. Man Mohan Kohli, host for the study group in the city of Chandigarh, and his wife (far left) welcome Dr. R.T. Good, Mr. Yohan Seevaratnam, and Mr. Andy Mollohan (center to right) to the city during a dinner reception with the business community of Chandigarh. Andy Mollohan and Yohan Seevaratnam listen carefully as a business leader shares his perspective on international business in the Punjab region. Dr. Good discusses future cooperation opportunities in higher education with the former minister of education for the Punjab government and the host, Mr. Kohli. The SU delegation stands with representatives of higher education institutions in the Punjab region. The SU delegation is positioned in front of the Infosys facilities after a tour in Chandigarh, India. Dr. Good shares about Shenandoah University during a visit with Mr. S.C. Agrawal (center), Chief Secretary for the Government of Punjab, who oversees higher education in the region while others listen in. The sign at Gurukul Vidyapeeth University welcomes the SU delegation. The SU delegation concludes their trip with a visit to the Taj Mahal.
FORMER SU BASKETBALL STAR AND BYRD SCHOOL ALUMNUS SIGNS PRO CONTRACT IN GERMANY Information released from the Shenandoah University Department of Athletics on January 5, 2010 Former men's basketball standout Jeremiah Lawrence '08 has signed with Landsberg of the German Regionalliga in a transaction announced Sunday by the organization. Lawrence, who was named both the USA South Conference Player of the Year and an NABC All-America following his senior season, moves to the new club after starring for BG Leitershofen/Stadtbergen last year. Lawrence, who joined BG Leitershofen/Stadtbergen after graduating in December 2008, averaged 26.2 points in 12 contests last season for the Red Kangaroos. Visit the SU Hornets website for the full release: http://www.suhornets.com/sports/mbkb/2009-10/releases/20100105nijak5.