Summer is over and a new academic year has started for the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business. As I promised the faculty at the end of the spring semester, they did not hear from me very much during the summer as my way of rewarding them for a job well done in achieving AACSB International accreditation. With the new school year, we now approach the time of important reengagement. While I traveled to different universities in our country and abroad this summer, receiving positive statements of congratulations extended toward the business school, a similar question always arose: How did the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business go about building a higher-quality business program resulting in the recognition it sought? I answered that question with these rather basic points:

• The faculty and staff did not specifically focus on the final outcome but rather on a coordinated effort and hard work that had to go into the journey. All involved labored extremely hard, leaving no stones unturned, no assignments incompleted and we left the results to others to judge. There was peace of mind coming from creating a well-thought-out game plan and executing it.
  
• Everyone worked toward the same goal and paid attention to detail. We met, we had discussions, we planned, we organized and we chose not to operate in a crisis mode. We broke the job down into bite-size pieces, we divided up responsibilities, and we trusted in the outcome. When gaps had to be closed, we simply went about closing them.
  
• We bonded together as a team through the theme of "productivity through collegiality." We knew an effective organization was going to be composed of people with strong ideas, and that was good. Different points of view bridled with a team spirit led to better alternatives. Success was the ultimate result.

HALPIN-HARRISON HALL: UPDATE NO. 4

Still on schedule for a November/December 2007 completion date, alumni have recently made the following statements about the new home of the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business:

"It's taken a long time and much planning has gone into this structure. Now it is finally beginning to take real shape."

"I drive by the building site every day and am truly excited about the new building. I let my business associates and friends know that I am a proud graduate of the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business."

"Can I come back and take courses in Halpin-Harrison Hall? I'm only kidding. My stellar 2.0 GPA might not stand up with some of the faculty that have been added over the last few years."

"This facility will truly inspire both professors and students."

"The structure will build a new attitude toward teaching and learning."

"Halpin-Harrison Hall will perpetuate the memory of its namesakes. They have helped the university's dream become a reality."

"The inspiring space at the corner of Millwood and Pleasant Valley brings business into the business school. What a professional statement this building will make!"

"This structure provides a much-needed venue for the Winchester community." "The building represents the change in business education now taking place at Shenandoah University."

Dean Randy Boxx and Vice President Tracy Fitzsimmons

BUSINESS SCHOOL RECOGNIZES OUTSTANDING FACULTY

Professor John Winn and Dean Boxx

Dr. Robert Bonometti, far left, Dr. Sally Kim, Dean Boxx and Dr. Bingguang Li

Dr. Dan Pavsek

Dr. Bruce Gouldey and Dean Boxx

At the end of the spring semester, the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business recognized its award-winning faculty at the annual faculty awards ceremony. Taking the honors this year was a group of faculty who furthered the accomplishment of the school's mission.

Overwhelming support was provided by the student body for John Winn, associate professor of business law, who received the Byrd Award for Excellence in Teaching. The Byrd Award for Outstanding Scholarship went to three extremely productive scholars: Dr. Bob Bonometti, Byrd chair in information systems and computer technology; Dr. Sally Kim, associate professor of marketing; and Dr. Bingguang Li, assistant professor of supply chain management and quantitative methods. Receiving the Byrd Award for Exemplary Service was Dr. Dan Pavsek, Durell professor of money and banking. A newly created award, the Byrd Outstanding Journal Article, was awarded to Dr. Bruce Gouldey, associate professor of finance. These five faculty members have set a high standard for productivity and accomplishment. Congratulations are extended to each of them.

DR. DANIEL A. PAVSEK RETIRES FROM SHENANDOAH UNIVERSITY

The Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business recognized at its August faculty retreat the retirement of long-term administrator and faculty member, Dr. Daniel A. Pavsek. The certificate that was presented to Dr. Pavsek read, "To Dr. Daniel A. Pavsek upon your retirement from Shenandoah University on August 15, 2007, a heartfelt statement of our deep appreciation for your 15 years of untiring service, dedicated leadership, loyalty and friendship. We honor you this day for helping us build a high-quality business school, recognizing you personally for superb performance as an administrator and faculty member." It was signed by the faculty and staff of the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business, and dated August 16, 2007. At the conclusion of the presentation, statements of appreciation and remembrances were offered by the faculty. Pavsek will continue for the next year in a very limited, part-time role to provide coordination services for the degree-completion program and the MBA program. We wish Dan well as he furthers the development of new personal business opportunities in China.

ASPIRING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ATTEND BOOT CAMP

Dr. Miles Davis poses with boot camp students.

A group of high school students spent a week on the Shenandoah University campus in July to learn the business fundamentals of becoming a successful entrepreneur. Using a group of faculty and regional entrepreneurs who are running successful enterprises, these students were exposed to a wide-ranging set of topics, including what it takes to be an entrepreneur, overcoming obstacles to launching a business, ethical considerations in the entrepreneurship journey, technology as a business enabler, financial management considerations, doing business in the real world and developing and implementing the business plan. A number of field trips provided the students with up-close exposure to the way enterprises actually work. A business plan competition rounded out the educational experience for the young entrepreneurs and $300 went to the winning student plan.

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME!

Darcy Justin, left, Kathy Ryals, Peter Justin (MyBiz Homepage, Inc.), Dean Boxx and Bill Ryals (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

The Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business tag line says, "Success Stories Start Here!" At the recent alumni picnic and Washington Nationals baseball game, it was wonderful to reconnect with graduates who are now fulfilling the tag line - they are truly success stories representing responsible positions in a wide array of organizations. The faculty is extremely pleased with the contributions these graduates are making to their respective enterprises as well as to society. Attending the picnic and ballgame were alumni of the business school and members of the advisory board.

ALUMNI FRESHMAN INITIATIVE

Dr. Bogdan Daraban, left, Dr. Bingguang Li, Dr. Mesut Yavuz and Professor John Winn

The Byrd Alumni Club co-sponsored with the faculty a cookout for new students and participated in the business school’s student orientation program. As a way of extending thanks to students and parents for selecting Shenandoah University as their new home-away-from-home, the social event was an opportunity for representatives from the school to meet, welcome and answer questions about business programs. Practical suggestions were offered to new students by members of the Byrd Alumni Club: develop close relationships with the faculty obtaining both academic and career advice, get involved in activities outside the classroom by joining student clubs and organizations, avail yourself of all campus resources, enjoy your time at SU, work hard in classes, be open to new ideas and experiences and set an academic goal and work to achieve it.

HOMECOMING 2007 SET FOR SEPT. 14-16


The faculty and the Byrd Alumni Club will host a lecture for alumni of the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business during Homecoming Weekend 2007, Sept. 14-16. All MBA and BBA graduates are encouraged to attend the lecture, “MBA Update,” which starts at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15, in Henkel Hall. Alumni should plan to stay for the entire day and join in the tailgate party and football game at Shentel Stadium. To register, go to www.su.edu/alumni/homecoming.

BUSINESS SCHOOL FACULTY RETREAT

For the fourth consecutive year, the faculty went off-site in August for two days to make plans for the new academic year. The broad agenda covered the following topics: sexual harassment; student advising; e-portfolios; assurance of learning; maintenance of accreditation; intellectual contributions of the faculty; student professional responsibility; and key business school strengths. Experiencing energized discussions enabled the faculty to reinforce the mission of the business school to "educate students to become successful, principled leaders with a global perspective." Plans have already been made for next year's off-site retreat.

NEW DURELL CHAIR NAMED

Dean Randy Boxx has been named the new George Edward Durell Chair of Management by President James Davis and President-Elect Tracy Fitzsimmons. The announcement to the university community was made at the fall 2007 general faculty meeting. The George Edward Durell Foundation has provided significant support to Shenandoah University and specifically to the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business for over a decade. Durell, an industrialist from Ohio, spent his retirement years researching the history of the monetary system. It was his wish that the American public benefit from a sound monetary system, and he provided his personal funds for that purpose.

LEARNING IN CHINA

Three faculty members from the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business accompanied a group of undergraduate and MBA students on a July study-abroad/international residency experience in China. Presented below are statements from one of the traveling students, Peter A. Forno, and from Associate Professor of Law John Winn and Professor of Accounting Charles Pineno.

Peter A. Forno: A Personal Reflection
“This trip was an extremely valuable one for me. I work for a high-tech company that does a significant amount of business and manufacturing in China. As I advance in my career, having some experience with the way business is done in China will be a priceless asset. Having this experience on my resume could also be beneficial, should I be in the market for another job in the future. I think it says a lot about the SU program that this international residency is part of it. China is in the news daily lately (both for positive and negative reasons), and having some experience in the country is important in order to have a global perspective on business. As I sit here and reflect on the entire trip and on my personal thoughts and experiences, I struggle with a few things. How can the United States (and other countries) help China grow smartly by sharing their experiences and history without seeming arrogant or controlling? The welfare of the entire planet could rest in the balance. How is the United States (as well as other countries) going to compete with China down the road? We are importing large volumes from China while exports continue to trail off. How can we sustain that long-term? In the future, what jobs are going to be available to people in the U.S. as more and more jobs move to China (and India, Singapore, etc.)? How long can China continue to grow at this break-neck pace? It is a bit sobering and scary to consider all of the potential future outcomes.”

John Winn: A Personal Reflection
“The 2007 China International Residency was one of the most rewarding and significant experiences of my academic career. Besides traveling abroad and learning from such outstanding young people, the opportunity to witness ‘up-close and personal’ an economy that has grown over 7,000 percent in less than 30 years was truly an educational experience. From the moment we arrived in Beijing, it was apparent that the business of China is ‘economic development above all things.’ For over a week, we toured industries and engaged with some of the 100 million Chinese people making and assembling goods for export. We were surprised to be informed that the Chinese government is directing the next phase of GDP growth toward development of the service sector. Such a large-scale shifting of international economic power requires any reasonable observer to re-evaluate our own nation’s economic, environmental and geo-political expectations. Troubling to me, however, was the pollution pervading the Chinese landscape from Hong Kong in the south to Beijing in the north. There was literally no escaping the dense smog, pea-soup fouled rivers and relentless industrial blight. Despite its stunning economic transformation, China has accumulated the world’s largest environmental debt-load. This looming environmental crisis may represent China’s next, and perhaps greatest, social and political challenge.”

Charles Pineno: A Personal Reflection
“The 2007 China trip was a very exciting and rewarding experience that allowed me to interact with my former MBA students and gain knowledge to enhance my classroom discussions. I saw firsthand the phenomenal economic growth taking place in cities such as Tianjin, Xi’an and especially, Beijing. The rapid growth has little regard for the pollution resulting from the manufacturing build-up. One industrial development area outside of Tianjin had investors from 20 different countries with a total of 70 percent of the investors from outside of China. The international investment is clearly driving the economic growth not only from the standpoint of capital but also expertise. Manufacturing operations are striving for quality assurance with compliance standards such as ISO 9001. Many international companies are located in China not for low labor costs but to be close to their markets. Students had many opportunities to ask questions during our visits to various company officials including the president of Lights Medical Supply Company. Also, the government’s devaluing of their currency over time will have a negative impact on profit margins and perhaps long-term economic growth. For now, investing in China’s industrial areas seems very profitable with the average payback of less than 24 years. About 10 years ago, their accounting methodology shifted from Russian accounting standards to U.S. accounting standards. There seems to be confidence in their financial information but a lack of disclosure. The rapid population growth in the cities has placed a heavy burden on housing. You have to witness the housing boom in the form of skyscrapers to believe it. The government is investing heavily to properly ‘showcase’ China during the 2008 Olympics. The government will need to do something drastic about the pollution during the Olympics and beyond.”