"We need to have an ethical standard that's higher than ourselves," said Jason Pierce, CEO of the Eugene-area company My Little Salesman, in his keynote speech at the business school's first-ever Ethics Case Competition. Sponsored by the Lundquist College undergraduate honors program together with seven of Lane County's Rotary Clubs, the event drew eleven teams of four undergraduates each.
"Proost!" The traditional Dutch toast rang out as glasses of jonge jenever were hoisted to celebrate the first official reunion of the UO | Nyenrode Business Exchange Program. Braving stormy spring weather, about eighty guests came to the cocktail event in the Lillis Atrium, where they were greeted by our own Dean de Kluyver and Maurits van Rooijen, the rector magnificus of Nyenrode Business Universiteit, who had come all the way from the Breukelen campus for the occasion.
It looks so easy when it's done right. The art and science of selecting the right athlete to represent a brand was the central topic of this year's Women in Sports Business Symposium, April 28. Nike's Kristin Harrer moderated as the panel's four women shared their insights and experiences.
Students aiming for a job in the financial world had a terrific opportunity to learn and network at the recent Careers in Banking and Wealth Management event. Industry pros shared their savvy in panel discussions and representatives from twenty-one companies met with students out on the floor of Lillis Atrium. Among the crowd of financial pros were several UO alums, including Alexandra Iosif '10, who came back to share her experience. Her key tip? "If you're looking for a job or internship, I suggest one thing: confidence!" She should know.
A new $12,000 grant from the university's Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity has provided seed money for the debut of the business school's Diversity in the Workplace Symposium, scheduled for winter 2012. Developed by the Lundquist College of Business Diversity Committee, the day-long event will bring together students, faculty, staff, and community members to discuss the value of workplace diversity, how businesses can promote and affirm it, how students can best prepare themselves for working in diverse environments, and more.
A global outlook, plus a deep understanding of the principles of finance and accounting: these are core attributes of the Finance and Securities Analysis Center (FSAC). They also describe Jeffrey B. DeBoer, the center's newly appointed managing director, who joins the UO on July 1. DeBoer brings a wide range of career experience to his new position, thanks to more than a decade as CFO of Lithia Motors--a Fortune 700 auto retailer and one of Oregon's largest public companies after Nike.
With the warmer weather and (at least a few) sunnier days, comes another inevitable spring ritual: tax day. Luckily for the tax-phobic among us, help is at hand. Starting each February, members of the UO branch of the national accounting society Beta Alpha Psi team up with law students to offer free tax preparation to students and area residents, as part of VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance), a nationwide program run by the Internal Revenue Service. Still haven't filed? You're in luck--VITA volunteers will be available two more Saturdays: April 9 and April 16, from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Business students from the Center for Sustainable Business Practices worked with with master's candidates from the architecture and landscape architecture programs to compete in the ULI/Gerald D. Hines Urban Design Competition. "The MBAs wanted to really crunch the numbers before putting pencil to paper," said MBA candidate Andy Fenstermacher.
Congratulations to Richard Reynolds, Ryan Bennett, and Liam Bain, three undergraduate finance students who recently won the Oregon round of the CFA Institute Global Investment Research Challenge.
Ever wondered how much carbon you're saving when you pedal your bicycle instead of taking your car? Soon you'll know, thanks to the Ride Your Bike There smartphone app. Created by a team of MBA candidates from the Center for Sustainable Business Practices working with students from disciplines across the university, the app was powered by a grant from the Student Sustainability Fund. What sets this carbon calculator apart?
Two start-up teams from the Lundquist Center for Entrepreneurship are racking up a string of successes--and some nice cash prizes, too. At the Stuart Clark Investment Challenge held in Winnipeg, Canada, Sonas LLC took second place and $10,000 for their presentation of a business concept based on a technology that uses acoustic waves to precisely identify any liquid in sealed containers. Sonas had previously competed at the University of Cincinnati's Spirit of Enterprise, where they won the trade show competition.
With the recent opening of the Business Research Institute, the school has gained a dedicated, state-of-the-art space for conducting market research, focus groups, video conferencing, and more.
A grand new tradition began last month, with the presentation of the first-ever Jim Warsaw and Annalee Thurston Award at a festive dinner gala during the BNP Paribas Open in southern California. Created to honor the legacies of Jim Warsaw and Annalee Thurston, the award recognizes individuals, female or male, who have created and advanced opportunities for women in the business of sport. Its first recipient was Stacey Allaster, chairwoman and CEO of the Women's Tennis Association, who has led the way in securing equal prize money for male and female tennis players.
