Intellectual Contributions

Presentations

Publications

Getting Ink

Briefcase

GWSB Professor Leads ‘Green’ Presidential Task Force

GW President Steven Knapp has created a presidential task force on sustainability. The task force — co-chaired by Mark Starik, professor and director of GWSB’s Institute of Corporate Responsibility's Environmental Sustainability Program and Lew Rumford, senior advisor for business development, comprises students, faculty, and staff. It is charged with developing recommendations to enhance GW's academic initiatives in the areas of environmental stewardship and climate change, as well as examining and recommending improvements in relevant University policies.

"I am very pleased to join GW faculty, staff, students, alumni, and other stakeholders who are dedicated to advancing sustainability throughout our university," commented Starik. "I welcome everyone in the GWSB community to join our collective efforts by suggesting ways that GW can promote environmental, social, and economic sustainability in its research, curricula, infrastructure, and outreach."

The task force will spend the academic year evaluating GW's existing academic and administrative programs and it will develop recommendations to address the following topics and areas: energy conservation, resource and waste management, sustainability awareness, research programs, learning/curricular opportunities, procurement policies, and service initiatives and partnerships. The task force will issue its report on June 1, 2008.

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GWSB Honors Staff

This year's staff appreciation luncheon honored seven staff members for their many years of service including:

• Margaret Vann, 40 years
• Elizabeth Huff, 30 years
• Frederick Ross, Department of Audio Visual Services, 25 years
• Amsale Hailu, Department of Finance, 20 years
• Wafa Abou-Zaki, Department of Management, five years
• Rene Thomas, Department of Undergraduate Programs, five years
• Charlice Williams, Department of Doctoral Programs, five years

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Princeton Review Ranks GWSB Among Best Business Schools

GWSB has been included in the 2008 Princeton Review annual "Best 290 Business Schools," for the fourth year running. The GW School of Business was ranked No. 2 in the "Best Administered" category of the survey, following NYU. The Princeton Review is known for its college rankings based on how students rate their business schools.

The best administered category is based on student assessment of how smoothly the school is run, and the ease with which students can get into required and popular courses.

"We're proud that our students hold us in such high regard," said, Susan M. Phillips, dean of GW's School of Business. "Our students are exposed to a wide variety of courses that aren't even offered at other business schools, such as energy management, sports law, and business representation and lobbying."

The Princeton Review compiled the lists based on its surveys of 19,000 students attending the 290 business schools listed in the publication. Conducted during the 2006-07, 2005-06, and 2004-05 academic years, the student surveys were primarily completed online. The 80-question survey asks students about their school's academics, student body and campus life, themselves, and their career plans.

GWSB's newly revamped F. David Fowler Career Center also received high marks from students. "The school hired professional consultants, and they are absolutely fantastic!" says one student surveyed. "I can't say enough about the advisors or the resources they provide!"

The survey also revealed that many students, both domestic and international, cited generous scholarships as a deciding factor in choosing GW.

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GWSB Banking on Success at Finance Conference

Theodore Barnhill, professor of finance and GW’s Global and Entrepreneurial Finance Research Institute Director (GEFRI) and GW research fellow, Marcos Souto have been invited to present their paper on modeling bank risk in Brazil at a world-wide banking conference. The paper, "Systemic Bank Risk in Brazil: An Assessment of Correlated Market, Credit, Sovereign, and Inter-Bank Risk in an Environment with Stochastic Volatilities and Correlations," was selected by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, and the Journal of Banking and Finance, for presentation at a conference on the interaction of market and credit risk. Eighty-two papers were submitted worldwide, but only 14 were accepted for the conference, which will be hosted by the Deutsche Bundesbank in Berlin in early December.

Barnhill and Souto’s research examines the correlated impacts of market risk and private sector, sovereign, and inter-bank default risk on both individual banks and groups of banks (i.e. a banking system), for 28 of Brazil’s largest banks. To learn more about the Conference on the Interaction of Market and Credit Risk, visit http://www.bis.org/bcbs/events/imcr07.htm.

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GEFRI Awards

The Global and Entrepreneurial Finance Research Institute (GEFRI) awarded its 2007 faculty and student research excellence prizes.

Reid Click, chair and associate professor of international business, won the $5,000 faculty prize. The award recognizes faculty members who have published an article in a highly regarded journal. Click's paper, "Financial and Political Risks in U.S. Direct Foreign Investment," was published in the Journal of International Business Studies. Chintal Desai, a Ph.D. candidate in the finance department, won the $2,500 student prize for his paper, "Determinants of Acquisition Premium and Time to Acquisition: Case of Equity Carve-Outs.” Student papers need not be published to be eligible for the award. To learn more about GEFRI, visit, http://www.gwu.edu/~gefri/awards.html.

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Corporate Responsibility Pays

Funding for the Institute for Corporate Responsibility (ICR) has been renewed for another year. ICR Executive Director, Timothy Fort, the Lindner-Gambal Professor of Business Ethics, says the $100,000 award will allow ICR to continue building its program of corporate responsibility. “We’re very pleased with the announcement. The aim of ICR is to be the world's leading intellectual center for scholarship in the field of corporate responsibility and to be recognized as such. The funding will allow ICR to expand its efforts and partnerships throughout the GWU community.” ICR has four primary program areas: peace through commerce, environmental sustainability, corporate governance, and global stakeholder strategies. To learn more about ICR, visit http://business.gwu.edu/research/icr/index.htm.

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The Institute for Integrating Statistics in Decision

The Institute for Integrating Statistics in Decision Sciences (I²SDS) received a $105,000 special endowment for the 2007-2008 academic year. I²SDS fosters the integration of modern statistical methodologies into the decision sciences. To learn more about I²SDS, visit, http://business.gwu.edu/decisionsciences/i2sds/index.htm

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Student Returns to Class

GWSB graduate, Michael Orenstein, B.B.A., '07 wore a new hat when he returned to GW from Los Angeles, where he has been working as a marketing coordinator for ESPN. On October 2, Orenstein was on the other side of the desk visiting students in Marilyn Liebrenz-Himes’ basic marketing management classes. Orenstein was an intern in the marketing department at ESPN before being hired to cover the 2007 summer X GAMES for ESPN upon graduation; he will also be working on the 2008 winter X GAMES in Aspen, Colorado. Orenstein, co-founder of VarsityDrinks.com, and a Red Bull Student Brand Manager for three years while at GW, was responsible for creating colorful promotions for Red Bull around campus and the Washington, D.C. area. In his lectures on the value of new media, specifically utilizing the internet and social utility platforms, such as Facebook, Orenstein provided the students with real-world examples and shared best practices them. He credits the GWSB curriculum and relat ionships with his professors as being instrumental in his professional development, was thrilled to be back at GW and looks forward to continued involvement as an alum.

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GWSB Alumni Inspires Readers with New Book

"Tests and trials, we all have them. It's not the test; it's our performance that counts," says Toya Evans, B.S.A.A.,'85, author of "C'ing Your Way Clear: Every Woman's Guide to Handling Life's Storms." Evans', self-help book is a quick and easy-read that focuses on seven C's that can enable change in a difficult experience – Consult God, Confront your Fears, Conceptualize a Solution, Create a Plan, Commit to Making it Happen, Cherish Your Experience, and Continue.

"The Cs are simple concepts but sometimes when we are facing a challenge we are so focused on the challenge that it's difficult to see a way out," said Evans. "We also think that the challenge is unique to us. Many times that is just not true. The stories in my book from everyday women highlight how any situation can be overcome."

Evans' book was self-published through Haci Publishing, a company she founded. She says her education at GW was instrumental in this endeavor. "I had to handle all of the business aspects of publishing the book such as contract and vendor negotiation, marketing, and administrative tasks. The business education I received at GW has served me well throughout my career."

"C'ing Your Way Clear" is available through online retailers and via the book’s website http://www.changethings2day.com.

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Getting to Know: Jennifer Griffin

Title: Associate professor, Strategic Management & Public Policy Executive Director, International Association for Business & Society (IABS) Director, Program Coordinator for Global Stakeholder Strategies Program in GW's Institute for Corporate Responsibility (ICR).

Teaches: Strategy Formulation & Implementation; Global Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR); Corporate Social Impact--Comparing UK and U.S. Policies & Practices (a summer study abroad course); Business & Public Policy; Corporate Political Strategy; and Doctoral Readings in CSR.

Years at GW: 11

Best part of working for the GWSB: We have GREAT students and alums.

Current Projects: Examining industry-level factors of corporate social activities. Why do firms in some industries do a significant amount of corporate social action while others target just a few stakeholders or do relatively nothing at all?

Favorite place on campus: DJ's

What co-workers don't know about me: I was a process (chemical) engineer for GE in Bergen op Zoom, the Netherlands--the first female engineer in a plant site of 1500 people at BoZ--before getting my masters and doctorate; learned to love teaching when I became a certified, scuba-diving instructor in 1990.

Family: Husband, Bob, and two football-playing sons, Peter and Bobby. Peter's football team is currently undefeated and likely to go to regionals and perhaps nationals.

Favorite things to do on the weekends: Watch my boys play football, bike, and garden.

Favorite vacation spots: Anywhere we can go scuba diving, swimming, skiing, or hiking.

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Getting to Know: Kristen Nicole

Title: Executive Assistant, F. David Fowler Career Center.

Job Duties: First point of contact for the office. Other job duties include budgeting/bill paying, interacting with students and employers, managing FDFCC website, managing career center event logistics, and light tech support for the office.

Years at GW: Five months.

Best part of working for the GWSB: I came to work at GWSB after working at a public-private partnership firm that took me to a number of developing countries and having received my B.A. in international business I am naturally excited by the international aspects of GWSB. Current Projects: I am currently working with Logan Coker to coordinate on-campus recruiting and information sessions (this is our busy season); planning for the Goldman Sachs information session on November 9th; completing our new "Recruiter's Guide" publication; and planning promotions and logistics for other Career Center calendar events.

Favorite place on campus: Duques Room 151. It is the perfect space for events when it is available!

What co-workers don't know about me: I am proficient in Chinese because I lived in Asia (Beijing and Yokohama) for seven years. I look forward to moving back to Beijing in the future to work in the energy sector.

Wishes for GWSB: That every GWSB student owns at least one dark suit and we maintain and build stronger relationships with our target recruiting firms.

Family: Ladybug—five-year-old Springer spaniel / Labrador mix; Batman—10-month-old Podengo (medio/smooth); Boyfriend, 25-year-old M.A. International Service candidate at American University. We met during our Peace Corps service in Bangladesh.

Favorite things to do on the weekends: Save money! Spend time with my sister. Take my dogs to the dog park.

Favorite vacation spots: Rhode Island to visit my family and Boston to visit friends from college. Go Red Sox!

Colonials Weekend

Visiting parents and undergraduate students mingled with GWSB deans at the annual Colonials Weekend Breakfast on October 13.

The Pollack family is pictured with Larry Singleton, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs. Front row: Dad, Michael Pollack; Son, sophomore, Ben Pollack who is studying finance and international business; and Mom, Debbie Pollack.


Future GWSB student, Shelby Stewart was visiting Duques Hall with her big sister, Shayla Stewart, a junior studying finance and business economics, and their Mom, Patty White, when they stopped to have their picture taken with Dean Susan Phillips.

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Publications

Philip Wirtz, professor of decision sciences, published, “Advances in Causal Chain Development and Testing in Alcohol Research: Mediation, Suppression, Moderation, Mediated Moderation, and Moderated Mediation,” in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.

Timothy Fort, professor of strategic management and public policy, published, "Business, Integrity, and Peace." The book provides historical understanding of the concept of peace through commerce, integrates three different and rarely connected approaches to corporate responsibility, and contains summaries of work being done by businesses to foster peace.

Sanjay Jain, assistant professor of decision sciences, published, "Integration of Incident Management Simulation-based Training Applications" in The Proceedings of the 2007 Fall Simulation Interoperability Workshop. The workshop is organized by the Simulation Interoperability Standards Organization in cooperation with the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). The paper was co-authored with C.R. McLean and T. Lee of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Young Hoon Kwak, professor of decision sciences, contributed to the chapter "Evaluating Project Management Effectiveness of Boston Big Dig and Three Gorges Dam in China" in the Project Manager's Handbook: Applying Best Practices across Global Industries.

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Getting Ink

Jennifer Griffin, associate professor of strategic management and public policy, was quoted in "Promoting CEO Engagement in Public Affairs." Griffin commented, "CEOs better understood what (a public affairs department) does and doesn't do, and how it can help with even small wins. The CEOs became far more involved, and the public affairs officers aggressively engaged the CEOs to become involved." "Promoting CEO Engagement in Public Affairs" takes an in-depth look at the best strategies for developing and enhancing CEO interaction with external audiences, as well as selecting the most appropriate engagement opportunities for CEOs.

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Classnotes

Eric Norman, Project Management Certificate,'95, was a awarded the Linn Stuckenbruck Person of the Year Award by the Project Management Institute (PMI®), the world's leading membership association for the project management profession. PMI's Person the Year Award recognizes an individual who has made a significant contribution to the profession as a leader in project management during the previous year. Norman is vice president and chief project officer for Atlanta-based ChoicePoint, Inc., where he is responsible for design, development, and implementation of project and program management processes across ChoicePoint business units. He also owns Brighton Consulting.

Sonya Lin Thesing , M.B.A.,'94, was honored by Business First newspaper as a member of "Columbus' 40 Under 40 class of 2007." Each year, the award honors forty individuals under the age of 40 for professional achievement, community service, and recognition from other institutions. Thesing is the director of family relations for The Columbus Nanny Agency, a nanny placement agency she co-founded earlier this year. She was recognized for her contributions to the Junior League of Columbus, the Kelton House Museum and Garden, and St. Matthew's Episcopal Church. She has recently been recognized for her outstanding contributions to the Junior League of Columbus as the recipient of the President's Award. She also received the President's Council on Civic Participation's Volunteer Service Award. Thesing lives in Westerville, Ohio with her husband David and their two sons, Maxwell (age 7) and Garrett (age 6). sthesing@marsgolf.com.

Jason Kuperman, M.A., '04, was promoted to vice president of investment banking at Viscogliosi and Company in New York. Kuperman was also awarded the right to use the chartered financial analyst (CFA) designation. jasonkuperman@yahoo.com

Katharine Denham, M.B.A.,'03, was promoted to senior manager within the law enforcement sector of BearingPoint, Inc., a global management and technology consulting company based in McLean, Va. Denham's teams provide business process reengineering and financial management support services to clients within the Department of Justice and most recently, the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Douglas Zarkin, B.B.A.,'92, has joined TheLadders.com, the world's leading $100,000+ jobs website, as vice president and general manager of the company's resume service. In this role, Zarkin will oversee all aspects of the company's rapidly growing resume business. TheLadders.com resume service, provides professional resume critiques, editing services, and advice to executive-level job seekers. Prior to TheLadders.com, Zarkin was a marketing and brand development consultant with the Gerson Lehrman Group. He lives with his family in New York City. douglas@theladders.com

Gregorio Pino, M.S.,'81, passed away on September 16, 2007.

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Upcoming Events

Complete Events Calendar

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