Fresh Faces: Faculty Preview, Part II

Lisa Austin

Adjunct instructor in accounting. Austin (MSA ‘09) was a teaching assistant and part of the faculty search committee as a student at Wake Forest. She earned the Federation of Schools of Accountancy Award for exemplary academic achievement, leadership and motivation and was a member of Beta Gamma Sigma and Phi Beta Kappa honor societies. She has industry experience at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Elizabeth Baker

Visiting Assistant Professor comes to Wake Forest University Schools of Business from Virginia Military Institute where she was assistant professor of economics and business. She earned a Ph.D. in Business with a Concentration in Information Systems from Virginia Commonwealth University. She has a MBA from the University of Arizona and a B.A. in Physics from UNC-Chapel Hill. Her primary research and teaching interests include Management Information Systems and Entrepreneurship.

Anna Cianci

Assistant Professor of Accounting, graduated with a B.S. in Accounting from Villanova University, a M.A. in Pastoral Theology at St. Joseph's College, a M.S. in Psychology from Wake Forest University and a Ph.D. in Accounting from Duke University. A CPA, her academic research primarily focuses on judgment and decision making behavior in financial accounting and auditing settings. She is published in numerous journals, including, Auditing: A Journal of Practice and Theory, Accounting, Organizations and Society and the Journal of Applied Psychology. Her teaching interests include financial accounting, managerial accounting and auditing.

Christoph Hinkelmann

Visiting Assistant Professor of Finance, graduated from the University of Virginia, Phi Beta Kappa, with a B.A. in Mathematics and Economics and went on to complete his Ph.D. in Business Administration from the University of Rochester. Last year, he served as a vice president and portfolio manager for Allianz Global Investors Capital. He has taught Advanced Investment courses to MBA students at Auburn University and has published numerous journal articles focusing on macroeconomic risk and student performance in finance classes.

Melenie Lankau

Associate Professor of Leadership and Organizational Behavior, received her B.A., MBA, and Ph.D. from the University of Miami, School of Business Administration. She has worked at the University of Georgia, Terry College of Business as an Associate Professor of Management and at Cornell University, as an Assistant Professor of Management. Lankau is the recipient of numerous academic awards and honors, including the Lothar Tresp Outstanding Teacher award from the Terry College of Business. She is widely published in Organizational Behavior and Management journals including The Academy of Management Journal and The Journal of Management.

Charles A. Lankau

Professor of Practice; Business Law, Communication and Negotiation, completed his B.A. in Psychology/Business Management at the University of Miami and received his J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law. He spent 10 years as a criminal prosecutor and civil trial lawyer before transitioning into academia at Cornell Law School and The University of Georgia, Terry College of Business. He has received nine Teacher of the Year Awards at UGA, and the MBA Teacher of the Year Award in 2007 and 2008. His academic interests are in Business Regulation, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Legal Aspects of Insurance, and Tort Reform.

The 2nd Year Begins!

What an amazing, crazy, busy, relaxing, unexpected three and a half months it has been. I find myself back on campus for the start of my second, and final, year of the MBA program at Wake Forest University. I've had a full slate of classes, met some of the first years, and begun the madness that is sure to be the remaining two semesters.

*****

China
In a word, China was absolutely amazing! The trip started with us being deplaned due to the smell of smoke and further delays, meaning our arrival was much later than anticipated. First stop was Beijing and all the sites and attractions it has to offer. Highlights were definitely the Great Wall and the Forbidden City. Xi'an and the terra cotta Warriors was next, followed by the World Expo in Shanghai. The trip capped off with a few magical days in Hong Kong. We saw tons of cool sites, met amazing people and learned a ton about doing business in China. If you have the means, I can't recommend it enough.

The Internship
Again, awesome. My number one choice sent me to Chicago for the summer. Anyone who's ever been to Chi-town knows how awesome it is during the summer and I can assure you, it lived up to its hype ten fold! My internship saw me getting lots of exposure to parts of the business I never expected, traveling to many different cities and learning from great people. It reaffirmed why I wanted to work there in the first place and I remain committed to making that work.

The Second Year
So now, the second year has begun. I don't know why, but I had the impression the second year was easier than the first. WRONG! It seems like there is more work, less structure, and much more responsibility. It's one thing to work on three group projects simultaneously when you're in one group for all three; it's quite another to have three separate groups. On top of that, we are now the head dogs in terms of clubs and organizations. No more learning from the older class on what it takes to lead a student club, now it's up to us to keep things moving forward and motivate and include the new first years. It'll be quite a challenge, but one I'm sure we're all up for!

Here's to a great second year!

~ Justin Berthelot is a second year in the full-time MBA program.

Ambassadors Needed for 2010-2011 Year

We want you … to carry on the tradition!

Help recruit the next class of WFU Graduate Business Students. Apply to be a Graduate Business Ambassador.

Ambassadors partner with the Office of Graduate Business Admissions to help with student hosting, contacting admitted and prospective students, and volunteering during admissions events.

Ambassadors are energetic graduate business students (full-time MBA, Working Professional MBA, and MA) who are dedicated to recruiting top students to join the Wake Forest Schools of Business.

Interested? Applications and program expectations will be distributed via email. Stop by the Ambassadors table at the Club Expo on Sept. 9 if you have any questions or want more information. Interviews will be scheduled the week of Sept. 13. Applications are due Friday, Sept. 10, by noon.

* Selected applicants will be invited to serve as a 2010-2011 Ambassador. More detailed information regarding volunteer requirements will be reviewed during the interview process.

Have questions or need an application? Contact MBA Ambassador Director, Brian Price, brian.price@mba.wfu.edu or Staff Advisor, Allison Neal,allison.neal@mba.wfu.edu

Facts About Incoming Graduate Class

Several hundred new graduate students are soaking in the Wake Forest University Schools of Business experience and getting to know fellow classmates and faculty.

Classes started for the School’s Full-time MBA, Winston-Salem and Charlotte Evening Working Professionals MBA, and Master of Science in Accountancy (MSA) programs on Aug. 26. The Master of Arts in Management (MA) began in July.

Of the 64 incoming full-time MBA students, 15 are international students from countries such as Trinidad and Tobago, India, South Korea, Nigeria, Panama and China.

Seven of the incoming MBA students came directly from the military, including Bridget and Jon Wilson, who met as platoon leaders while deployed in Iraq. Bridget (left) is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and Jon is a Vanderbilt graduate. Both served more than five years as engineer officers in the Army.

“The family environment and support systems here are unbeatable. We are both excited to dive immediately into our studies,” Jon Wilson (right) said. “It is enthralling to return to an academic environment and mentally challenge ourselves, hopefully making some good friends along the way.”

The MA program reached record numbers this year with 96 students from 62 different undergraduate institutions. This was also the first year the program enrolled international students, who are citizens of Sierre Leone, Uganda, Zimbabwe, China and Vietnam.

The incoming MSA program totals 87 students. The students are from 33 different undergraduate schools, including 35 students who graduated from Wake Forest University. Seven percent are international students.

The 79 incoming Working Professional students in the Winston-Salem and Charlotte MBA programs represent more than 60 companies from across North Carolina, including BB&T, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Bank of America/Merrill Lynch, PepsiCo., Boeing Co., SPEED Channel, and R.J. Reynolds.

Of the incoming students in all of the programs combined, 37% are female students, and 25% are traditionally underrepresented groups - up from 21% from last year.

WFU Schools of Business MBA Orientation Student Panel from WFU Schools of Business on Vimeo.

Community Plunge 2010 from WFU Schools of Business on Vimeo.

Orientation: "Character is About Being Authentic"

Leaders are more likely to fail due to a compromise in character versus overall competence. That was the message stressed by nationally recognized consultant, author and psychologist Tim Irwin, as he presented the keynote address to incoming Wake Forest University Schools of Business graduate students on Aug. 19 at Bridger Field House.

“Character is about being authentic, it’s about being humble, it’s about being self-managed and it’s about being courageous,” Irwin said.

Irwin’s presentation, “What Should I Learn in Business School?” featured videos showcasing the recent career “derailments” of several high profile leaders including former BP CEO Tony Hayward, journalist Helen Thomas and professional golfer Tiger Woods. Irwin said most leaders have fine business educations. However; arrogance, a lack of self awareness, a sense of entitlement and missed warning signals lead to catastrophic failure.

Rationalization is the killing ground of character, according to Irwin. “Do you ever think of rationalize as rational lies? It’s not good to lie to someone else. What’s even worse is to lie to ourselves, saying I don’t have to follow the rules, I am entitled, I am too important to fail.”

To avoid career derailment, Irwin urged business students to develop good habits like journaling, giving and receiving frequent feedback, keeping commitments, and practicing self-discipline.

Dean of Business Steve Reinemund joined Irwin in a town hall style question and answer session in which students asked introspective questions about ethical challenges, leadership development and career advancement.

Andy Jones, (MBA ’12) questioned how to quickly recover from a mistake and move forward. Reinemund responded, “We are all going to make mistakes. When you build that sense of credibility over time, you have assets in the bank, a checkbook of sorts and the people who have been there for a while will know your true character. If you are honest and transparent and your record supports your character, you can survive.”

When asked by James Cain (MA ’11) about what has brought meaning and perspective to his career, Reinemund said, “As I look back at my last professional chapter as chairman and CEO of PepsiCo, the single most significant memories I have are around contributing to the development of leaders.”

The presentation and town hall discussion was an opportunity for 320 incoming Schools of Business graduate students to come together to begin their Wake Forest experience. Students received a copy of Tim Irwin’s book Run with the Bulls without Getting Trampled prior to coming to campus.

Irwin is also author of the book, Derailed: Five Lessons Learned from Catastrophic Failures of Leadership. He is Managing Partner of IrwinInc—Psychologists to Business. Irwin is a licensed psychologist and adjunct professor of psychology at the University of Georgia and at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Fla.

What Should I Learn in Business School by Keynote Speaker Tim Irwin, Ph.D. from WFU Schools of Business on Vimeo.

Character and Courage: Interactive Discussion with Incoming WFUSB Graduate Students from WFU Schools of Business on Vimeo.

Family Business Center Unveils Fall Schedule

Leadership development and leveraging the family name are topics to be highlighted in upcoming Wake Forest University Family Business Center forums.

Steve Swavely, director of leadership development at Farr Associates, will present “High Performance Leadership: Preparing the Next Generation of Leaders of Family Business” at the first of the quarterly forums Sept 22. He will discuss personality as a tool of leadership, highlighting the Leadership Strategies Model (LSM) and the Strength Deployment Inventory (SDI).

Swavely earned his Ph.D. in clinical neuropsychology from Georgia State University, and founded the Neuropsychological Assessment Laboratory in the Department of Physical Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). His current professional interests focus on the application of behavioral and neuropsychological technology to leadership development, executive coaching, and team development.

“High Performance Leadership” will run from 8 am to 1 pm at the Graylyn Conference Center, 1900 Reynolda Road, in Winston-Salem.

In the second quarterly forum on Nov. 2, Wendy Yuengling Baker will talk about the marketing strategy behind Yuengling Brewery’s latest ad campaign, which focuses on the family heritage of the 180-year-old business. Baker, a member of the sixth generation, will share her family history and the factors that have contributed to their company's success and remarkable longevity.

The forum will include a marketers, moderated by Brad Bennett of Wildfire Ideas. Representatives from companies including Cheerwine, Neese Country Sausage, TW Garner, Carswell Distributing Co. and The Monaghan Group will share the strategies behind their marketing communications. Professor Roger Beahm will provide an academic framework for the real life case studies from the previous segments, and highlight the pros and cons of leveraging the family name in developing a brand.

“Branding the Family Name: The Pro’s and Con’s of Putting Your Name of the Line” will run from 8 am to 1 pm, and will also be held at Graylyn.

Family Business Center forums are only open to Family Business Center members, sponsors and their guests. For information on FBC membership and guest policies, please contact Kathy Baker at (336) 758-3568. Member dues and corporate sponsors BB&T Wealth Management and Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice fund the Family Business Center in the Triad.

The Family Business Center, established in 1999 under the Angell Center for Entrepreneurship in the Wake Forest University Schools of Business, addresses issues faced by closely held and family firms. The member-based organization uses the capabilities and educational resources at Wake Forest, in the community and beyond to provide closely held and family firms the assistance they need to grow and succeed from generation to generation.

Venture Out

For those of you who want to learn more about venture capital and compete in a premier event, then you should attend the first information and working session on Monday, Sept. 20, in the innovation lab on the 3^rd floor. Every year there is a national Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC) that attracts the best students from the top MBA programs. Last year, we did quite well in this competition (http://www.vcic.unc.edu/ for more details). Our regional competition round will be held on Feb 4, 2011, and will most likely include UNC, Rice, Georgia Tech, Emory, Duke, and Wake Forest.

Leading our effort will be Todd Johnson, assisted by Kim Westmoreland. They are both serial entrepreneurs who have extensive experience in launching venture backed companies. Additionally there will be guest speakers on selected topics (opportunity evaluation, intellectual property, and term sheets).

We will most likely schedule meetings on Monday afternoons @ 4–5:30 pm. You will find that this is a great learning opportunity, especially for those of you wishing to pursue careers in finance, consulting, or entrepreneurship because it makes your experience look more compelling.

Regarding how to proceed:

1. Send an email to me indicating your interest, and attach a resume.
2. Prepare. Readings can be found at  Shared Data > Mandel > VCIC. I suggest you start with the articles and vocabulary
3. Attend the first session > Monday, Sept. 20, 4-5:30 at the Innovation Lab.

Let me know if you have any questions

Best regards,

Stan Mandel