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Program NewsMAYS P R O GR A M NEWSGeneral newsSTRAWSER APPOINTED VP, CFO OF TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITYJerry Strawser was appointed vice president for finance andadministration and CFO of Texas A&M University on Sept. 3, 2014.Under Strawser’s leadership as dean of Mays Business School, the school firmlyestablished itself as one of the leading business schools in the world. Followingare highlights of the many successes Mays accomplished during his distinguished13-year tenure:Susan and Jerry Strawser The most recent rankings by Bloomberg Businessweek identified Mays as onlyone of 16 U.S. institutions (and one of only seven U.S. public institutions) havingboth its Full-Time MBA and undergraduate programs ranked among the top30 in the country. Philanthropic giving to Mays exceeded 134 million, with primary focuson faculty endowments, merit-based undergraduate scholarships, MBAfellowships and endowments and funds to support student travel andhigh-impact learning experiences. Annual programming and revenues from custom non-degree executiveprograms have increased in the last 10 years from 655,000 to 6.1 million. A Business Honors major was created to attract high-achieving high schoolstudents and provide them with enhanced learning opportunities. The mostrecent Business Honors class had an average SAT of 1400 and a top 4 percentaverage high school class rank. The Executive MBA program was relocated from The Woodlands toCITYCENTRE Houston and a Professional MBA program was launchedin 2012. Research and Teaching Councils comprising Mays faculty were createdto enhance the research and teaching environments at the school, as wellas to devise means to proactively encourage and reward research andteaching excellence.@Mays Magazine, Spring 2003 “A New Perspective. Dean Jerry Strawser’senergy, drive brings new focus toMays Business School.”6@ M AY SFA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 1 4An overall communication and branding strategy was implemented toraise the profile of Mays Business School in both the business and academiccommunities. This ongoing effort includes annual multimedia advertisingcampaigns, as well as Mays Business Online (a monthly electronic publication),Benefactor (an annual donor recognition publication), @Mays (a semiannualalumni publication) and Business Research in Action (a semiannualpublication that features important research by Mays faculty).

Program NewsMAYS STUDENTS LAUNCHGRIFFIN NAMED INTERIM DEANMULTICULTURAL ASSOCIATIONRicky W. Griffin wasnamed interim dean ofMays Business School inSeptember. He will serve in thisrole until the national search forthe school’s next permanentdean is completed.Griffin is a University Distinguished Professor, currentholder of the Jeane and John R. Blocker Chair and formerhead of the Department of Management. In addition to hisleadership service as department head, Griffin served Maysas interim dean from June 2007 to August 2008 and asexecutive associate dean from June 2000 to June 2007. Hejoined the Texas A&M University faculty in 1981.The Texas A&MMulticultural Associationof Business Students(MABS) launched itsinaugural membership drivein October 2014. MABSwas created to encouragean inclusive environment atMays that reflects the general and cultural diversity of theentire student body. Annie McGowan, associate professorand director of the Deloitte Professional Program, willserve as the adviser for the group, which seeks to establisha stronger presence of underrepresented groups at MaysBusiness School through outreach, professional development,academic achievement and community involvement. Theorganization will also serve as a link between corporaterecruiters and its diverse membership.Undergraduate programsA group of Mays Regents’ Scholarsspent two weeks visiting South Africaand Zambia last summer. Phillips 66sponsored the trip with a 50,000 giftin addition to its annual giving to TexasA&M University. Regents’ Scholarsare first-generation college studentsfrom low-income families. The studentswere selected for the trip based on theiracademic performance, extracurricularinvolvement and a short essay. HenryMusoma, chaperone and lecturer inthe Undergraduate Special ProgramsOffice at Mays, said the purpose of thistrip was to expose the students to globalbusiness dynamics as they play out inSub-Saharan Africa.The Communication Lab exceeded100 consultations in the first two weeksof the fall semester. This is its sixthsemester of operation.WALKING TOUR PROVIDESINSIGHT FOR MAYS GROUPIn May and June, Kris Morley, directorof the Business Honors Program, andNancy Simpson, a clinical professor,Mays teaching fellow and director ofUndergraduate Special Programs,and 12 undergraduates walked ElCamino de Santiago —a 490-miletrek across northern Spain. The groupvisited numerous small businesses andlearned how area residents are livingin a struggling economy. The trip alsotaught leadership skills, as the studentsrotated as leader of the group by takingturns planning the routes, meals andaccommodations for each day.Business Honors students visited thePort of Houston in April. They visitedthe Container Yard and had a boat tourof the entire port. Jim Stark, a memberof the Dean’s Development Council,arranged for the students to meet withthe CEO of the Container Yard.The incoming Business Honorsclass in 2014 had the highest academiccredentials to date—an average SATscore of 1423 and a top 4 percentaverage high school class rank.FA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 1 4@ M AY S7

Graduate programsPMBA CLASS OF 2015 VISITS HUNGARYThe 44 members of the Professional MBA programClass of 2015 visited Hungary, Slovakia and the CzechRepublic for a one-week International Business Policycourse in August. The class members attended culturalevents, visited eight companies, heard eight entrepreneurpitches and participated in two case studies. While in Prague,the class members partnered with Orbi Pontes (Czech for“Bridges to the World”) to help the Czech hearing-impairedcommunity by spending a day volunteering and fundraisingat Ticha Kavarna (Czech for “Silent Café”). The cafe isoperated by the hearing-impaired for the hearing-impaired.The class was also paired with Czech sign languageteachers and interpreters. They travelled across Praguelearning Czech sign language and distributing pamphletsto commuters in hopes of bringing Ticha Kavarna somenew business. “The opportunity that our class had to learnabout the deaf culture and to provide a small service for themwas an affirming experience,” said Brent Prigge, PMBAstudent. “Knowing that our trip was able to serve more thanthe needs of our classmates, even in such a small capacity,made the trip that much more valuable.”The MBA Programs Office hostedthe Women’s Leadership Initiativein April at the Mays CITYCENTREHouston facility. Rebecca Cooke,strategy consultant and leadershipresearcher, shared a series of conceptsand strategies on the topic of “ExercisingPower and Influence” with the 90 womenin attendance.The following concepts were discussed: The difference betweenpower and influence The difference in communicationpatterns between men and women Types of power that emerge inthe workplace Constraints that tend to holdpeople backCooke also led a program in September2014 on “Defining Effective Roles.” She isscheduled to speak again on April 1, 2015.8@ M AY SFA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 1 4Fifteen Full-Time MBA students teamed up with Camp LIFE to create andhost the first Camp LIFE Family Day Camp, which attracted 51 campers inApril. Camp LIFE is a unique and inclusive camping adventure for children withdisabilities and their siblings. The Mays students are members of MBA StudentsHelping Our Community (SHOC), an organization for graduate students thatfocuses on giving back to the community. Chad Riley, president of MBA SHOC,said the event helped members exemplify selfless service, a Texas A&M Universitycore value. “Our organization felt that creating an event with the campers wouldallow us to be a more effective partner, broaden our experiences and give us anopportunity to have a great time while serving others,” he said.

Program NewsGRADUATE BUSINESSCAREER SERVICESKim Austin wasappointed as the newdirector of GraduateBusiness CareerServices. Before comingto Mays, Austin wasexecutive director ofthe Career Management Center atSMU’s Cox School of Business. Inher new role at Mays, she will overseecareer services for current and formergraduate students.Master networker, internationalspeaker and best-selling author KeithFerrazzi served as the keynote speakerat the “Relationships for CareerSuccess” conference, sponsored byGraduate Business Career Services.More than 175 people attended theconference that featured a keynoteaddress, networking session and paneldiscussion. “Everything you want toachieve—every job, every volunteeropportunity and every interaction—depends on other people,” saidFerrazzi. “It is worth it to invest timein building a more purposeful peopleplan.” Ferrazzi’s books include the longtime bestseller “Never Eat Alone” and“Who’s Got Your Back.”Department updatesACCOUNTINGThe Professional Program atMays has received funding fromPricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)to support an initiative designedto increase the participation fromunderrepresented groups in theaccounting profession. The ProfessionalProgram and PwC will jointly host highschool juniors and their parents as theyexperience “A Day at Mays.” Theobjective of this program is to give highschool students access to professionalswho can offer firsthand insight into theworld of accounting and to provideprospective students and their parentswith an inside look at what MaysBusiness School has to offer.The Master of Science inAccounting (MSA) program andthe Bachelor’s in Accountingprogram have added a ProfessionalDevelopment Seminar to theircurricula. Both courses offeraccounting students the opportunityto enhance skills necessary to succeedas professional accountants. The onecourse-credit seminar for the MSA usesthe strengths discovery training offeredby the Evolve Performance Group as afoundation for helping students improveself-awareness and exposing them to avocabulary that helps them develop andarticulate their personal brands. Thecomparable seminar for the bachelor’sstudents, starting in Spring 2015, focuseson increasing students’ awareness aboutcareer paths and helping them developtheir personal brands.FINANCEFinancial analysts are in high demandnationwide, as a wide range of firmsfrom traditional banks and investmenthouses to energy companies seekindividuals with strong quantitativeand problem-solving skills. The U.S.Department of Labor projects thatthe demand for financial analystswill grow 16 percent a year between2012 and 2022, which is well abovethe average expected job growth of 9percent for engineers and 11 percent forall occupations. To meet this growingdemand for talent, the Departmentof Finance rebranded its Master ofScience in Finance (MSF) programthis summer to better target topscience, technology, engineering andmath (STEM) undergraduate studentsseeking careers in finance. The MSFis a 10-month, 36-credit-hour programthat places an emphasis on practicalfinance skills and experiential learning.This combination of hands-on learningand a solid theoretical frameworkuniquely prepares students to begin acareer in finance, giving them a leg upon the competition. “Graduates of ourMSF program will be equipped withthe skills, knowledge, experiences andfinance industry connections they needto make a successful jump from STEMto stocks,” said Kevin Moore, the newMSF program director.Since the fall of 2013, the Departmentof Finance has offered courses intechnical analysis taught by ExecutiveProfessor Kevin Moore, CFA, CMT.This fall, Mays became the first schoolin the country to participate in aunique pilot program with the MarketTechnicians Association (MTA),a global organization whose morethan 4,500 members are committedto raising professional standardsand ethics for technical analysis.Through the pilot program, sevenFA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 1 4@ M AY S9

Program NewsMays finance students qualified toreceive scholarships to take eitherthe Level I or Level II CharteredMarket Technician (CMT) exam.An additional six students will beawarded scholarships in the spring. TheCMT is the gold standard requiringcandidates to demonstrate proficiencyin a broad range of topics in the fieldof technical analysis. In November,the Mays finance department andthe Aggie Investment Club hostedPhil Roth, CMT, a noted technicalanalyst and former president of MTA.On Dec. 3, the finance departmentand the Aggie Investment Clubhosted David Keller, CMT, directorof technical research at FidelityInvestments and also a formerpresident of the MTA.INFORMATION ANDOPERATIONS MANAGEMENTThe Texas A&M Supply ChainConsortium in the Departmentof Information and OperationsManagement has hosted a number ofacademic enrichment events this yearto meet the professional developmentneeds of business leaders and workingprofessionals in the Brazos Valleyand Houston. These events allowattendees to network with other supplychain executives, learn about cuttingedge research and enhance theirknowledge of industry best practices.Events taking place this year includedTexas A&M’s 2nd Annual SupplyChain Symposium and AwardsBanquet in College Station in April,as well as a case study workshop atMays Business School’s CITYCENTREHouston facility this fall designed tohelp managers apply lean techniquesto create cultures of continuousimprovement and ultimately enhancetheir organizations’ customer service,profitability and long-term stability. OnDec. 2, the Texas A&M Supply ChainConsortium hosted a quick response10@ M AY SFA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 1 4and business-to-business industries.The PSI will include enhancementsto sales course offerings and moreextensive professional developmentactivities (competitions, workshops,job shadowing, internships, etc.) forMANAGEMENTstudents who choose to pursue thiscareer path. In addition to providingDan Chiaburu received the Superiordirect contact with many potentialMerit Award for the third year in aemployers, PSI involvement will alsorow for serving as the student chapterallow students to signal their training inadviser of the Society for HumanResource Management. The award is and commitment to a sales career. Thefor excellence and achievement during PSI staff members are Director JanetParish and Assistant Director Andrew2013-2014. His chapter was. Partner firms are beingLoringalso recognized for outstandingrecruited, and major announcementsachievements in the student/facultywill be coming in 2015.conference on-site brochure, the 2014Annual Conference and ExpositionThe marketing faculty approveddaily newspaper listed on SHRM’sa major curriculum innovation inStudent Member Center page and theFall 2014 edition of SHRM StudentFocus which future marketing majors willmagazine, distributed electronically as structure their advanced courseworkby choosing one of four directeda supplement to HR magazine.elective tracks: Retail Strategy,The management department hosted a Advertising Strategy, ProfessionalSelling and Sales Management,reception at the annual Academy ofand Consulting/MarketingManagement convention on Aug. 2 atAnalytics. In each track, to enhancethe Hard Rock Cafe in Philadelphia.preparation and attractiveness toStudents in the Mays MS-HRMfuture employers, students will takeprogram won case competitionsa set of required courses and chooseat SHRM Southwest Regionalamong a set of relevant electiveStudent Conference March 28courses that enable them to build29 in Phoenix, Ariz. Practice sessiona critical mass of knowledge andcoaches were Murray Barrick, Lenskills to secure a full-time position.Bierman, Deidra Schleicher andWithin each track, students have theDan Chiaburu.option to enhance their credentialsby selecting a certificate option thatMARKETINGincludes an internship, participationin competitions and other professionalThe Department of Marketingdevelopment elements.is in a soft-launch phase of a newprogram called the ProfessionalSelling Initiative (PSI). To enhancestudent abilities, career knowledge andplacement opportunities in sales, theMays Marketing PSI will dramaticallyincrease the amount of engagementstudents have with sales executives fromcompanies across a range of consumermanufacturing workshop designed tohelp manufacturers rapidly introducenew products and improve productquality while reducing manufacturing,lead times and overhead costs.

Program NewsCentersCENTER FOR INTERNATIONALBUSINESS STUDIESThe Center for InternationalBusiness Studies (CIBS) wasawarded a four-year federal granttotaling 1.13 million. The U.S.Department of Education awardedthe funds as part of its Center forInternational Business Education(CIBE) program in September, 2014.CIBE grants are intended to enhanceAmerica’s capacity for internationalunderstanding and economicenterprise and promote educationaland training activities that will helpthe United States prosper in aninternational economy. CIBE fundingat Mays will be devoted primarily toenhancing programs for students ininternational business studies and highimpact overseas study experiences.These include study abroad andinternational internships, as well assupport of international businessresearch and outreach activitiesby faculty.The Texas A&M Career Center,Mays Communication Lab andthe Center for InternationalBusiness Studies (CIBS) held aworkshop for students who had orwere considering international jobopportunities. The “Leveraging YourInternational Experience in Your JobSearch” seminar described importantways students can share the valueof their international experienceswith a potential employer. Speakerswere Katy Lane, CIBS programcoordinator; Lisa Burton, MaysCareer Center coordinator; and JeanaSimpson, Mays CommunicationLab administrator.CNVE 3 DAY STARTUPStudents from around the Texas A&M University System came together in earlyNovember to create a business in only three days. Every semester, the Centerfor New Ventures and Entrepreneurship (CNVE) hosts a 3 Day Startupand challenges students to compress three months’ work into one weekend. Thissemester was the first time West Texas A&M, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, TexasA&M at Galveston and the Texas A&M School of Law sent student participantsto College Station.CENTER FOR NEW VENTURESAND ENTREPRENEURSHIPThe University of Texas at Austin,Rice University and Texas A&MUniversity received a three-year, 3.75million grant from the NationalScience Foundation (NSF) tobecome a regional innovation hubthat translates academic res

FALL/WINTER 2014 @MAYS ofc Mays Business School Texas A&M University Fall/Winter 2014 Creating knowledge, Alumni update p. 30 spurring innovation p. 26 Business Research in Action @Mays Update on faculty research p. 41 One Mission. Many Partnerships. page 18 72564texD1R1.indd 3 12/11/14 12:16 PM