Faculty member's research addresses future needs of the workplace.

Irma Becerra-Fernández

Tomorrow’s businesses likely will eschew the vertical structural models of today in favor of assembling teams of experts for time-limited, project-specific collaborations, said Irma Becerra-Fernández (PhD ’94), associate professor, Department of Decision Sciences and Information Systems in the College of Business Administration. In this new environment, how will businesses amass the human capital and expertise needed to meet their goals for productivity and efficiency?

In “Searching for Experts on the Web: A Review of Contemporary Expertise Locator Systems,” Becerra-Fernández discusses the potential for knowledge management systems (KMS) to help companies adapt to this reality. The paper—published in the Association of Computer Management’s Transactions on Internet Technology, a leading journal—details her development of two prototypes of such systems for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

“NASA asked me to design KMS that would identify experts within and outside their organization,” Becerra-Fernández said. “Similar systems existed but relied on individuals’ self-assessments of their capabilities. NASA needed something more reliable.”

She constructed the first Searchable Answer Generating Environment (SAGE), using a searchable, online database of researchers in Florida universities with sponsored research projects.

“Funded researchers undergo a peer-review process that objectively establishes their expertise in certain areas,” she said. “I could guarantee NASA that those the system identified had been validated.”

The second KMS she developed, Expert Seeker (ES), helps NASA pinpoint expertise across its centers, extracting information from NASA sources—employee performance evaluations, skills assessments, etc.—and combining it with data from employees’ web sites to produce updated profiles.

Expert locators can expedite businesses’ access to critical expertise.

Becerra-Fernández envisions myriad scenarios in which expert locators could aid organizations and companies: a car company compiling an auto design team or a professional organization searching the country for conference speakers, for example.

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“Expert locators are faster and more efficient than other approaches, like making calls to personal networks or searching the Internet using Google.”

— Irma Becerra-Fernández (PhD ’94), associate professor, Department of Decision Sciences and Information Systems, College of Business Administration

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“Expert locators are faster and more efficient than other approaches, such as making calls to personal networks or searching the Internet using Google,” Becerra-Fernández said. “A Google search yields broad results that may lack the level of validation SAGE and ES can provide.”

SAGE and ES continue to garner interest from private companies and public agencies. NASA uses ES to track and maintain agency expertise. SAGE is currently offline (its funding cycle concluded), but Becerra-Fernández is seeking funding to resurrect an upgraded version of the system.

“I really want to move this work forward,” she said. “I think the use of expert-locator systems will be intrinsic to the organizations of the future.”

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“Biofuels in the Americas” conference explores technology, investment, and the path forward.

Ed Glab

More than 170 energy experts, executives from multinational corporations, and high-ranking government officials from across the Western Hemisphere gathered at Florida International University on January 24, 2008, to discuss the state of biofuels in The Americas at a day-long conference that reinforced the College of Business Administration’s commitment to international business.

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“We discussed how biofuels can complement or displace traditional fuels and examined investment opportunities for bringing technologies to the marketplace.”

—Ed Glab, clinical professor, Department of Management and International Business and director, Knight Ridder Center for Excellence in Management

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“Topics focused on how hemispheric collaboration can help The Americas collectively secure our energy future,” said Ed Glab, clinical professor, Department of Management and International Business, College of Business Administration, and director of the college’s Knight Ridder Center for Excellence in Management. “We discussed how biofuels can complement or displace traditional fuels and examined investment opportunities for bringing technologies to the marketplace.”

Dr. Brenda Haendler, Science and Technology Officer and International Energy Coordinator Liaison, Bureau of Economic, Energy and Business Affairs, U.S. Department of State U.S. Energy Policy and the U.S.-Brazil Biofuels Initiative, addresses attendees.

Keynote speakers included Ambassador Craig A. Kelly, principal deputy assistant secretary, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, U.S. Department of State; Arnaldo Vieira de Carvalho, Inter-American Development Bank, Energy Division, Infrastructure and Environment Department; and Robin Speer, vice president of public affairs, Canadian Renewable Fuels Association. Glab served as conference master of ceremonies.

Dr. Brenda Haendler addresses participants.

U.S. pioneers in cellulosic ethanol, along with government and private-sector representatives from Canada, Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, Argentina, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Brazil participated in several discussion panels. George Philippidis, associate director of the university’s Applied Research Center, chaired the panel on “Technology” and presented during “The Path Forward” session.

The university’s Energy Business Forum, which Glab and Philippidis co-direct, hosted the conference.

Numerous other organizations sponsored the event, including the Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy and Citizenship Studies, Chevron Products Company, The Organization of American States, ETH BioEnergy Inc., Florida Crystals Corporation, GovTec Corporation, and General Motors.

2008 GM Malibu Hybrid

Biofuels topic generates positive response.

One attendee, Margaret Cullen, trade commissioner with the Consulate General of Canada in Miami, commented that the event “raised the bar for everyone involved in this industry in Miami.” She offered congratulations for “pulling together such a diverse audience with one common goal.”

Another attendee, Saif Y. Ishoof, president, FCT Technologies, Inc., found the conference to be “world-class and informative,” adding that “as a South Florida business that is engaged in the marketing of process machinery and technology services in the support of the energy sector, I would like to continue to stay engaged with the university on future initiatives.”

To learn more about the Energy Business Forum, visit http://krcem.fiu.edu/Energy.html.

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Simulation offers taste of the real world—and success.

Students in Strategic Management in the Multinational Corporation, taught by Randall Martin (BA ’76), a member of the Department of Management and International Business, achieved repeated successes during the fall semester in the Business Strategy Game, used by 2,000 teams at 161 universities around the world. Players take a global athletic shoe company through five years of its business cyle, making all management decisions—with lots of surprises thrown in by the instructor and the game’s creators to mimic the challenges such enterprises actually face.

The course is one of many that builds the college’s students’ expertise in international business.

Martin’s students have excelled during the eight or nine years he’s used the game. This time, however, the traditional classroom group of 45 and the fully online contingent of 63 achieved exceptional results:

• On the November 29, 2007, report, seven teams ranked in the overall score, including one tied for the second-highest score, and five placed tops in the ROE category.
• On December 4, 2007, seven teams made it into the top 100 and the eighth-place team was only one point—out of 110—below the leader.
• On December 10, 2007, nine teams landed in the overall score category’s top 100, along with many other new awards, including three in the highest stock price category.

“Winners split about evenly between the two groups,” said Martin, the first faculty member to build a course around the simulation.

Game provides both review and grounding for the future.

“We opted for a high-end strategy, focused on high prices and high quality,” said Egle Petrauskaite, a senior international business major, who wants to land a position in a large corporation. “The game was very exciting, gave me a real life view, and showed me how to manage rather than simply work for someone.”

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“The course gave us opportunities to practice concepts we’d learned in many other business courses and to solidify our knowledge.”

—George Kozarov (BBA ’07), team leader at a large retail store

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For her teammate, George Kozarov (BBA ’07), the course “gave us opportunities to practice concepts we’d learned in many other business courses and to solidify our knowledge.”

Currently a team leader at a large retail store and thinking about a finance career and graduate school, Kozarov “sees the course’s concepts in my current job and I know I will see it in others.”

Acknowledging that the game requires a great deal of hard work, Martin said that once the students learn it, the time commitment diminishes because “it’s like rebuilding an old car for the first time. Initially, you know little and move slowly. Then you begin to see how all the parts fit together and can move faster.”

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Rubik’s cube adds new dimension to statistics course.

Christopher Ellis

The American Heritage Dictionary defines statistics as “the mathematics of the collection, organization, and interpretation of numerical data, especially the analysis of popular characteristics by inference from sampling.”

Many of the College of Business Administration’s undergraduate students view required statistics courses as a barrier that stands between them and their diploma. But they should not fear.

Christopher Ellis (EMBA ’97, BS ’92), instructor in the college’s Department of Decision Sciences and Information Systems, teaches business statistics with a twist—using the devilish little puzzle known as the Rubik’s cube to provide students with a real, engaging reason to study statistical methods by giving them a business context in which to apply them.

In Ellis’s Quantitative Methods in Business class, he engages students in a business simulation game in which teams compete in the unlikely service industry of solving Rubik’s cubes for others.

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“The purpose of this course is for students to develop their capability to apply statistical thinking to improve business processes.”

—Christopher Ellis, instructor, Department of Decision Sciences and Information Systems, College of Business Administration

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“The purpose of this course is for students to develop their capability to apply statistical thinking to improve business processes,” Ellis said. “I first got the idea to use the Rubik’s cube as a classroom tool when, at a local yard sale, I found a worn, tattered little book from the early 1980s claiming that any Rubik’s cube can be solved using a simple five-step process. Eureka! The idea for the “Jiffy Cube!”—the farcical Rubik's-cube-solving business—was born.”

Get real with statistics.

As part of the “Jiffy Cube” experience, students learn to use the five key components of statistical analysis: defining the processes, measuring performance, analyzing results, improving the process, and establishing control for permanent improvements.

“The activities give the students many opportunities to put newly developed skills for problem solving and process improvement to work,” Ellis said.

One student, marketing major Martin Giian, who expects to graduate in 2008, found the class both entertaining and practical.

Christopher Ellis

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“I have taken many theoretical classes, but this one made connections between course material and its application in the real world.”

—Martin Gilian, undergraduate student

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“I learned that statistics is not just about formulas and calculations but that it carries real meaning and application in the business world,” Gilian said. “I have taken many theoretical classes, but this one made connections between course material and its application in the real world. Thanks to this class, I see statistical processes at work every day—as I drive to school, study for exams, or play soccer.”

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The 2008 Entrepreneur Challenge: New name signals new opportunities.

In recent years, the New Venture Challenge business plan competition gave budding entrepreneurs the chance to pitch their business plans and turn those plans into viable, profitable businesses. This tradition has been part and parcel of the College of Business Administration’s commitment to preparing its students for entrepreneurial endeavors.

This year, the tradition continues with a new name: the 2008 Entrepreneur Challenge. The scope of the challenge has changed as well, introducing two new competition tracks—investment and social entrepreneurship. The college’s Eugenio Pino and Family Global Entrepreneurship Center will host the event with sponsorships from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. In both tracks, the top-prize winner receives $10,000 and the runner-up receives $2,500.

In another change, the center has opened the competition to not only Florida International University students and alumni but also to local residents.

Two challenge tracks broaden and strengthen the competition.

To qualify for the competition’s Investment Track, the proposed venture must address the complete business concept—from startup through implementation—and qualify as an original seed stage, for-profit, start-up venture. The plan should demonstrate a significant return on investment and scalability. This track is open to all university students and alumni.

For the competition’s Social Entrepreneurship Track, the plan should focus on the creation of social value in a significant, sustained manner. The business plan mission and practices should incorporate a quantifiable social or environmental bottom line. The proposed venture must be an original seed stage, start-up social venture. All university students and alumni are invited to participate—as are residents from Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe, and Palm Beach Counties.

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“We feel this business plan competition gives the university and the Southeast Florida community an unprecedented opportunity to showcase new ideas while providing a forum to attract investment for innovative business models and sustainable social messages.”

—Colleen Post (MBA ’03, BFA ’00), associate director, Eugenio Pino and Family Global Entrepreneurship Center

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“We are excited to expand the Entrepreneur Challenge into new areas and to welcome new participants,” said Colleen Post (MBA ’03, BFA ’00), associate director, Pino Center. “We feel this gives the university and the Southeast Florida community an unprecedented opportunity to showcase new ideas while providing a forum to attract investment for innovative business models and sustainable social messages.”

You be the judge.

The Pino Center wants to make new connections with potential judges for this year’s Entrepreneur Challenge.

“Typically, judges are professionals experienced in the investment or social entrepreneurship sectors,” Post said. “Entrepreneurs. Lawyers. Accountants. People working in operations or finance. All make excellent judges.”

For more details about the 2008 Entrepreneur Challenge, visit http://fiuchallenge.com/. For more information abut being a judge, please contact Post at 305-348-0418 or postc@fiu.edu.

Erica Courtney, winner, New Venture Challenge 2007

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Chapman School spreads holiday cheer to teens in foster care.

José de la Torre, former dean of the Chapman School, addresses the attendees at the Educate Tomorrow holiday party. (Ralph Ventura Photography)

When Educate Tomorrow, a mentoring program for teens aging out of foster care, approached the Chapman Graduate School of Business in the College of Business Administration about hosting its holiday party, the staff leapt into action. In just a few weeks, they pulled together an evening of games, raffle prizes, goody bags, and a step performance by the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority sisters that catapulted participants out of their seats. Burger King and local party planner Signature Gardens lent their support to the evening’s festivities.

Left to right: Prisciliana Berríos-Martínez, recruiter, graduate programs; Priscilla Ferreira (MSHRM ’06, MBA ’00) senior manager of graduate recruiting, Chapman School; and Gekisha Smith, program graduate assistant, Master of Science in Management Information Systems, during the raffle. (Ralph Ventura Photography)

The party, said Senior Manager of Graduate Recruiting Priscilla Ferreira (MSHRM ’06, MBA ’00), was the first public event held in the Special Events Center of the new College of Business Administration Complex. The location seemed apt, she said, given that the event coincided with the departure of Chapman School Dean José de la Torre, who had championed development of the complex and was gratified to have his tenure end with such a meaningful gathering in the space.

De la Torre provided attendees with a moving account of his early struggles in life, how he came to the United States in 1960 with very little money, and how he worked as a dishwasher to put himself through college. He urged audience members to set their sights high, suggesting that the “only limitations we have in this world are those we place on ourselves.” He spoke of education and hard work as “enabling you to do anything you desire to do,” and added that “while material things come and go, an education stays with you.”

Mentees and mentors converse before dinner. (Ralph Ventura Photography)

Staff’s enthusiasm for event reflects sense of connection, belief in mission.

Ferreira recalled that the period leading up to de la Torre’s leave-taking was “a very emotional time for our staff,” but that they “channeled those feelings into creating a memorable event for Educate Tomorrow.” They pitched in to purchase raffle items and prizes and worked to have specially designed backpacks—brandishing the Chapman School and Educate Tomorrow logos—made for all attendees.

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“The event really highlighted our closeness and the level of enthusiasm we feel about our mission.”

—Priscilla Ferreira (MSHRM ’06, MBA ’00), senior manager of graduate recruiting, Chapman School, College of Business Administration

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“The event really highlighted our closeness and the level of enthusiasm we feel about our mission,” Ferreira said.

Games and activities kept everyone amused. (Ralph Ventura Photography)

The school will explore the potential for future partnerships that capitalize on the natural connection between its and Educate Tomorrow’s shared goals of expanding educational access to students from all backgrounds.

“We’d love to have these young people consider Florida International University as their first choice for college,” Ferreira said. “I think we made a lasting impression.”

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Alumnus: Juan Carlos Ruiz (BBA ’85)

Juan Carlos Ruiz (BBA ’85)

Background: Ruiz has quite a diverse background, having workied in several different industries during his career. Like many of the College of Business Administration’s alums, he worked full time while attending school. He began his career in pharmaceutical sales, working for Flint Labs and Boots Pharmaceuticals. He then moved to the biotech industry and worked for Amgen Inc, J&J Inc., and Serono Labs. He entered the medical surgical field when he assumed a position with B.Braun/McGaw Inc., where he sold medical surgical tubing and installed a needle-free system at Jackson Memorial Hospital that is still used today. While regional manager of a firm the owner wanted to sell, Ruiz saw the future potential in hearing aids and made the decision to transition from an employee to an employer. He has been leading and growing the company since he acquired it in 2004.

Company: Micro-Sharp Hearing Center provides hearing aid sales and services to residents of the Greater Miami and Florida Keys areas. The centers offer hearing exams and fittings, hearing aid evaluation, repairs, cleanings, and service for the lifetime of the hearing aid. Currently, Ruiz oversees eight locations with four more to be built in 2008.

Growth of the Company: Since Ruiz purchased Micro Sharp Hearing, he has grown the “mom and pop” operation to a new level by partnering with Navarro Pharmacies and with BJ’s. The company uses a NETVG Network database that can manage 4,000 patients. The schedules and data can be seen in cyberspace. All files are set up for rapid expansion and have the flexibility to service anyone with a hearing device in any part of the world. Ruiz foresees the company expanding to between 50 and 100 locations, and he plans to grow the business through many different avenues.

Sustainability: No surgery can replace hearing loss. There are 40 million baby boomers today, and a large majority of those individuals will need hearing devices. With the rise of cell phones and i-pods, there has been a significant increase in hearing loss among younger individuals as well.

Niche: There is a tremendous need to educate the Hispanic population about hearing loss and to talk to them in their own language. Ruiz saw an unmet need and acted upon it by advertising in Spanish.

Advice: “Make sure you are cautious with every step you take; align yourself with people that are experts in the areas in which you are not, and associate yourself with the right people to attain a great network.”

Core Belief: “Change is inevitable, so be ready to turn on a dime.” Ruiz definitely is not afraid of change. He believed so much in his ability to build and grow the business that he put everything on the line. He does not regret it; he keeps his eye on the map in his office that tracks the expansion he envisions for his firm.

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Art of Networking series continues.

Business, Honors, Real Estate and Law Chapters gathered at Texas de Brazil-Miami Beach for the Art of Networking.

Two hundred alumni and guests from the Business, Honors, Real Estate and Law alumni chapters gathered at the beautiful new Texas de Brazil on Miami Beach on January 24, 2008, for part two of a multi-part series on the “Art of Networking.” Senior students from the College of Business Administration’s student organizations also were invited to the function to test their networking skills.

Guest speaker David Suarez (MBA ’04) of Interactive Training Solutions helped those attending develop their two-minute elevator pitches and elaborated on important practical tips for them to use when networking.

“The event was exceptional,” said Duane Wiles, assistant executive director, Office of Alumni Relations. “It was great to see the alumni chapters network with one another, and the university’s Alumni Association looks forward to supporting the next business school’s next “Art of Networking” event.”

The “Art of Networking” series is presented by Progressive. The Business Alumni Chapter would like to thank Texas de Brazil for hosting the event and the Honors, Law and Real Estate Chapters and BP Media Partners for making it a huge success. View the Art of Networking pictures.

Be sure not to miss the next “Art of Networking” event featuring guest speaker Howard Shore (BBA ’91) of Activate Group, Inc., on April 17, 2008. The location will be announced later.

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Alumni Business and Technology Conference will take place in March, 2008.

Join presenting sponsor Microsoft Corporation, media partner South Florida CEO magazine, Florida International University alumni. and other business and technology professionals for an afternoon of briefings about current trends, emerging opportunities, and issues that continue to threaten our economy in 2008.

The 2008 College of Business Administration’s Alumni Business and Technology Conference on March, 27, 2008, will open with a keynote luncheon address by a leader from Microsoft and will close with a powerful networking reception, including grand give-a-ways, like the Xbox 360 and Zune! Stay tuned for more details.

The conference will take place from noon to 6:30 p.m., with reception to follow, in the College of Business Administration’s new building complex at University Park.

*Microsoft is a trademark of the Microsoft group of companies.

College of Business Administration’s new building complex

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To buy or not to buy? To sell or not to sell? Assessing South Florida’s real estate market.

William Hardin

Buy. Sell. Sit tight for now. What signals the right move to make in today’s South Florida real estate market?

William Hardin, professor, Finance and Real Estate Department and director, real estate programs in the College of Business Administration, confirms that selling now does not make sense for most property owners.

“In the residential market, we’ve seen a substantial downturn in activity with a large increase in inventory,” he said. “But we’ve not yet seen significant changes in prices. Ultimately, a downward turn in pricing will drive what’s needed to clear the market.”

Study looks at one facet of the market: condo conversions.

In an article soon to be published in Real Estate Economics, a top academic real estate journal, Hardin and Zhonghua Wu, assistant professor, Department of Finance and Real Estate, plus two other colleagues, examine the condominium conversion market.

“We started with a simple question: can clienteles change market dynamics?” Hardin said. “In the case of condo conversions—when investors convert multi-unit apartments into condominiums—we found that the answer is ‘yes’.”

Condo conversions soared in South Florida between 2004 and 2006. Initially, rental investors actively bid against condo converters for apartment buildings, but converters often out-bid them. Over the entire period, converters paid a premium of seven percent more than rental investors. At the peak of the conversion boom in the last half of 2005, converters paid seventeen percent more than rental investors. By early 2006, the premium declined to zero, and the end of 2006 saw few sales to condo converters. In the present market, apartment sales are based on income rather than on conversion.

“The competition between converters and rental investors drove a sharp rise in per-unit apartment prices,” Hardin said. “Condo converters led all buyers to pay more, including those who intended to operate the properties as rentals.”

According to him, “No one is doing condo conversions now. It makes no economic sense. Really, it’s indicative of what’s happening today in the South Florida marketplace . . . what I call the ‘local bubble’ mindset—and that bubble is bursting.”

Hardin believes that activity for both multi-unit and single-family properties won’t rebound very quickly.

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“With proper pricing, properties will sell in today’s market. However, the era of large short-term gains in value has ended.”

—William Hardin, director, real estate programs, College of Business Administration

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“I hope we’ll see a pick up in sales next year,” he said. “But first, unfortunately, prices need to drop. With proper pricing, properties will sell in today’s market. However, the era of large short-term gains in value has ended.”

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Graduates hear a gem of speech at Fall Commencement.

December, 2007, Commencement

At the Fall Commencement on December 17, 2007, approximately 810 undergraduate students and 241 graduate students became the newest alumni of the College of Business Administration. Undergraduates from the Landon School, with the exception of the School of Accounting, received their diplomas during an afternoon ceremony, with the Chapman Graduate School and the School of Accounting ceremony taking place in the evening.

Joyce J. Elam, executive dean and vice provost, FIU Online, spoke at both gatherings, recapping the college’s many achievements—including the recent completion of the first phase of the new College of Business Administration Complex—and communicating to both audiences the idea of GEM: gratitude, engagement, and meaning.

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“While you’ve each earned your degrees yourselves, I hope you also feel grateful to all those who made it possible . . . and to your good fortune to have had access to the opportunity.”

—Joyce J. Elam, executive dean, College of Business Administration and Vice Provost, FIU Online

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“While you’ve each earned your degrees yourselves, I hope you also feel grateful to all those who made it possible . . . and to your good fortune to have had access to the opportunity—afforded to only a few people in the world today,” she said.

Tying the idea of gratitude to the notion of engagement, she explained that their engagement “facilitates our reputation for educational excellence,” expressing her hope that they would continue to stay engaged in the college.

Finally, she brought together both concepts to help graduates grapple with the all-important question: What gives meaning to your life?

“I suggest that being aware and grateful for who and what surrounds you provides one clue to creating and finding that meaning,” she said. “I think engagement in all you do represents another.”

Former Colombian ambassador and Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) President Luis Alberto Moreno gave the commencement address at the afternoon ceremony.

While special for all, ceremony holds heightened significance for three.

Eduardo Baez and Mairim Avila

When the top three students in the Master of Science in Management Information Systems (MSMIS) program received their diplomas, the moment culminated a long journey toward academic distinction and to a recovered friendship, renewed by an almost unbelievable coincidence.

“Eduardo Baez, Veysell Naranjo, and I were born and raised in a very humble city in Cuba and attended the same school, although years apart,” said Mairim Avila, who knew both of them. “We lost contact for years and became unaware of what had happened in each other’s lives. The first day of class, we met, but time had passed, and we did not recognize each other. Before that day ended, though, we discovered each other’s identity. It was an amazing coincidence.”

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College launches popular graduate programs in Mexico and Panama.

Combine solid economies in countries with strong U.S. ties, proven graduate programs offered by the College of Business Administration, and the college’s commitment to sharing the expertise of its faculty to benefit students globally, and you have the foundation for the expansion of the Master of Accounting (MACC) to Mexico and the Professional MBA (PMBA) to Panama.

Leading university and practicing accountants participate in Mexico.

Catedral Metrapolitana, Mexico City

“We are partnering with Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM), described by AmericaEconomía as the number one business school in Latin America,” said José de la Torre, former dean of the Chapman Graduate School, with Tomislav Mandakovic, associate dean, adding, “The school attracts the best professionals in the area and has extensive contacts in the community.”

But why would trained accounting professionals want to obtain a degree from the Chapman School?

View of Zocalo, Mexico City

According to de la Torre, “With the growing integration of Mexico into North America through the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Mexican companies are finding it increasingly important to integrate accounting systems with U.S. standards—thus the need to train Mexican accountants in U.S. accounting practices so they can sit for and pass the CPA exam.”

To faculty director Leonardo Rodríguez, emeritus professor, School of Accounting, the timing is ideal.

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“Our MACC program arrives at an opportune time for ITAM and for Mexican accountants.”

—Leonardo Rodríguez, emeritus professor, School of Accounting

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“Our MACC program arrives at an opportune time for ITAM and Mexican accountants because it will enhance the participants’ professional mobility at the precise moment that Mexico and the United States increase their international trade under NAFTA,” he said.

Leonardo Rodriguez

PMBA Panama prepares leaders for flourishing business environment.

Patterned on the PMBA Dominican Republic, the PMBA Panama program, offered in partnership with Quality Leadership University, responds to a different set of opportunities and needs, as noted by de la Torre and faculty director Jerry Haar, associate dean for international affairs and projects, and professor, Department of Management and International Business.

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“Panama has experienced an investment boom, with multinational companies rushing there to set up distribution, service, and training centers for the region.”

—José de la Torre, former dean, Chapman School

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Left to right: Tomislav Mandakovic, associate dean, Chapman School; Oscar León, president, Quality Leadership University in Panama; and José de la Torre, former dean, Chapman School

“With an average economic growth rate exceeding nine percent per annum over the past three years, a privileged geographic position, expansion of the Panama Canal, and a stable and pro-business government, Panama has experienced an investment boom, with multinational companies rushing there to set up distribution, service, and training centers for the region,” de la Torre said.

“This economic boom has caused the country’s entrepreneurial classes to realize they need graduate and executive-level education to maintain and increase their competitiveness—a need the PMBA program will help fill,” Haar said.

Learn more:

For more information about each of these programs, contact Onyeka Okoli (MIB ’06), program manager, Global Programs, at 305-348-1987 or okolio@fiu.edu .

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“Aetna Day” panel discussion examines health care disparities.

How to best address inequities in the availability of quality health care remains one of the more pressing aspects of our country’s health care dilemma.

On November 15, 2007, concerned students, faculty, and staff joined representatives from the health care community in the Ocean Bank Auditorium in the new College of Business Administration Complex to hear experts shed light on dissimilarities in health care coverage and availability in the United States.

The panel discussion provided the cornerstone event for the first Florida International University “Aetna Day,” hosted by the college and sponsored by Aetna, one of the nation’s leading diversified health care benefits companies.

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“Addressing racial and ethnic disparities is one of the most important challenges facing tomorrow’s health care leaders. Aetna hopes to engage the university’s students in helping us meet that challenge.”

—Orlando Mendoza, vice president, strategic market development for Miami, Aetna

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“Addressing racial and ethnic disparities is one of the most important challenges facing tomorrow’s health care leaders,” said Aetna’s Orlando Mendoza, vice president of strategic market development for Miami. “Aetna hopes to engage the university’s students in helping us meet that challenge.”

The panel included Valerie Beckles, Aetna South Florida medical director; Julie Zaharatos, health analyst, Health Council of South Florida; and Thinh H. Tran, corporate vice president and chief quality and patient safety officer, Baptist Health, South Florida. James Patrick O’Leary, executive associate dean of clinical affairs in the university’s College of Medicine, served as panel moderator.

According to James Bussey, chief of staff, Executive Dean’s Office, both the panelists’ presentations and the question-and-answer session that followed them successfully blended different perspectives to offer valuable insights into the challenges surrounding health care costs and availability.

“O’Leary provided the glue that kept the discussion focused, relevant, and cohesive,” he said.

Event provides students with opportunity to learn more about Aetna.

Following the morning’s continental breakfast and panel, representatives from Aetna remained on campus, holding student information and recruiting sessions throughout the afternoon.

“We are delighted that Aetna spent the day on our campus and brought us this quality program on a topic important to people of all ages in our country—health care availability,” said Joyce J. Elam, executive dean. “We also are glad that they engaged our students in this important subject and in working toward solutions to what many are calling a national health care crisis.”

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Walgreens makes two-part gift to college and two donors complete their contributions.

Walgreen's vice president, store operations, presents check to Executive Dean Joyce J. Elam.

The Walgreens name, which beckons from more than 6,000 locations in 49 states and Puerto Rico, recently acquired another spot from which to make its presence known: the new College of Business Administration Complex at Florida International University.

The company donated $20,000 to name the Walgreens Study Room in Academic Hall and an additional $5,000 to support the operations of Career Management Services (CMS), whose activities have been instrumental in helping Walgreens recruit qualified students into its managerial training program.

“I believe that it is paramount that Walgreens and the university establish a strong relationship to help students understand career paths available with our company,” said Paul Bonk, vice president, store operations and a member of the college’s Dean’s Council, who presented the check to Executive Dean Joyce J. Elam on November 15, 2007. “Our donation helps students reach their goals and sends a message to the community that Walgreens is here to stay for another 100 years.”

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“Our donation helps students reach their goals and sends a message to the community that Walgreens is here to stay for another 100 years.”

—Paul Bonk, vice president, store operations, Walgreens

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Donation signifies deepening relationship between the company and the college.

About seven years ago, District Manager Maria Lecuyer started meeting with the CMS staff and subsequently with Elam and Annabelle Rojas (MBA ’98, BBA ’87), assistant dean, Department of Advancement, Alumni, and Corporate Relations.

Elizabeth Parnes (BBA ’77) presents IKON's check to Executive Dean Joyce J. Elam.

“We’ve gathered résumés, conducted interviews, and hired undergraduates—usually between ten and fifteen annually—” said Lecuyer, whose idea it was to name a space in the new complex. “We’ve increased our presence by participating in business etiquette and student organization events, by conducting information sessions about employment opportunities, and by speaking to classes.”

Many graduates opt for managerial careers in Walgreens stores in South Florida, but Lecuyer also places them nationally because she hires for diversity for the rest of the country.

“The college’s ability to provide a large pool of qualified, diverse students makes for an excellent fit between the business school and Walgreens,” she said.

Ocean Bank reception in December 2007.

“We feel a strong connection to Walgreens because, like our business school, the company is a well-kept secret of success, with exceptional management and a plan for significant and rapid growth,” Rojas said.

Ocean Bank and IKON finalize their donations in December.

In December, 2007, in the Ocean Bank Auditorium in Academic Hall, José A. Concepción, president, and Agostinho de Sousa Macedo, owner, Ocean Bank, presented the final check of their gift to Executive Dean Elam.

Also in December, 2007, Dean’s Council member Elizabeth (Liz) Parnes (BBA ’77), vice president, general manager, IKON document efficiency, presented the last check of IKON’s donation to the college’s new Building Complex and the IKON Office Solutions Study Room was unveiled in Commons Hall.

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Accounting and law students team up to aid small businesses, non-profits.

From left, Corally Rodriguez, MACC student; Illeana Charry, client; Indyara Andion, law student, and Tessie Brunken, professor, Accounting

Thanks to an innovative collaboration between the college’s School of Accounting and the College of Law, qualified small businesses and non-profit organizations can receive free accounting services in the latter’s Community Development Clinic. Launched in fall, 2007, the initiative has received $20,000 in support from Rachlin Cohen & Holtz, LLP, one of South Florida's largest public accounting firms, that will sustain it for two additional semesters.

Under the program, Master of Accounting (MACC) students work with their law-school peers to offer clients guidance on a range of contract and employment issues. They also attend weekly lectures that draw on their clinic experiences and address topics such as business plan development, entity formation, budgeting, licensing and tax compliance.

In addition to classroom instruction, Sharon Lassar, director, School of Accounting, explained that students also can seek counsel from staff at Rachlin Cohen & Holtz, which has agreed to provide “advice and confirming opinions” on individual client cases.

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“This is a great hands-on learning experience [that] provides accounting students with exposure to legal processes.”

—Tessie Brunken (EMST ’86, BBA ’81), assistant director of student services, School of Accounting

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“This is a great hands-on learning experience,” said Tessie Brunken (EMST ’86, BBA ’81), assistant director of student services, School of Accounting, who developed the initiative along with Peggy Maisel, associate professor of law and director of the legal clinic. “It provides accounting students with exposure to legal processes they will likely encounter at some point in their work.”

Maisel, whose receipt of a prestigious Kauffman Professor Award allowed her to expand the clinic by joining forces with the business school, said the initiative highlights the value of “interdisciplinary education” and the “opportunity for accounting and law students to learn from each other.”

MACC students gain valuable legal insights.

The chance to learn legal aspects of business formation was what piqued the interest of Coraly Rodriguez (MACC ’07). Rodriguez, an account supervisor at Miami-based Pinnacle Housing Group, said interacting with law students gave her another lens through which to view her work as an accountant.

“You gain a different mindset when you work with those in other fields,” she said. “I now look at documents and information from a broader perspective. Also, it’s great to have people to call when legal issues or questions come up on the job.”

While acknowledging the intensity of the workload, Rodriguez described the opportunity to work in the clinic as one “that can’t be passed up. This is a chance to do something positive for your career and for someone who needs it,” she said.

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Alumni join forces to create niche firm.

Zameer Upadhya (BACC '02) and James Rivera (BACC '01)

Area of study: Bachelor in Accounting

Zameer Upadhya (BACC '02) and James Rivera (BACC '01)

There to here: Combine a seven-year friendship, several commonalities, and an entrepreneurial spirit and you get the creation of an innovative niche social networking website named Babyspot.com.

Company: Babyspot.com is a social networking tool for parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other loved ones to share pictures, videos, and other precious moments of their young with family and friends across the world.

Idea generation: Babyspot.com was created out of the need by Rivera to share information, pictures, and videos of his son and Upadhya of his nieces and nephews with family and friends without inundating their e-mail inboxes. Their passion for entrepreneurship and for their families led to the realization in December, 2006, that they should create a free, customizable, private web page where they could share pictures, videos, and blogs of their loved ones.

Commonalities: They met while working on their bachelor’s in accounting at FIU. Individually, they previously owned their own companies and worked for large companies. Rivera was the CEO for South Dade Wireless and an auditor with PricewaterhouseCoopers, while Upadhya was CEO for AMR Consulting Services, an auditor for BDO Seidman, LLP, and a financial analyst at Johnson & Johnson. They both worked at Advaion and had internships at Rachlin, Cohen & Holtz.

College's influence: "An education in accounting helped me develop a hard working attitude and to think analytically. Attending school is a great opportunity to get involved and get real world experience," Upadhya said. When he was the president of the FIU Accounting Association, he said he learned how to run a business, to manage people, and to sell.

Most challenging moment: Finding the right development team. The option to outsource is easy, Upadhya said, but he and Rivera wanted to find a strong team in Florida.

Most rewarding realization: "In life and in love, you have to find your soulmate; the same holds true with a business partner," said Upadhya. He and Rivera are two friends with many common values, ones that have led to a successful business partnership, but Upadhya never imagined they would own a business together. Rivera always knew he wanted to own his own business because of his passion for innovation, while Upadhya wanted to be the president of Johnson and Johnson. Being open to change and impulses can lead to exciting opportunities, they both said.

Next step for Babyspot.com: Finalizing investment capital for the continual development of the site. The development team next will work on phase 3, which should be completed by December 31, 2007. It will include forums, biweekly newsletters, widgets and gadgets, and downloadable tool bars. A viral marketing campaign is scheduled to launch January 1, 2008.

Ensuring the success of Babyspot.com: Babyspot.com currently serves a niche market. Adults want to meet people with whom they have something in common.

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Chapman Alumni Holiday Reception reunites friends and faculty and introduces alumni to new college facility.

Chapman graduates gather for networking and some holiday cheer in the “new” College of Business Administration Complex.

Chapman Graduate School Alumni gathered in the new College of Business Administration’s Complex on Thursday, December 6, 2007, to start off the holiday season by catching up with former classmates, professors, and program managers.

Executive Dean Joyce J. Elam welcomed alums back to the college and introduced attendees to the new building complex with guided tours. Former Chapman School Dean José de la Torre gave updates about Chapman’s graduate programs and introduced Barry Shifflet, director of Career Management Services and Robert Garcia, director of Executive and Professional Education. Both gave a brief introductions to the services their offices provide. Monique Catoggio, director of alumni relations, introduced a friendly ice breaker game of Chapman bingo.

Chapman graduates enjoyed a live accoustical guitarist as they ate, drank, and won prizes provided by the FIU Alumni Association.

Michelle Joubert, assistant director of alumni relations, said, "We are excited to welcome Chapman graduates to view the new building complex. I believe they were as excited to see it as we were to present it. We look forward to the new year to provide many other networking opportunities for alums to visit the beautiful new college facilty." View pictures of the Chapman Alumni Holiday Reception.

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“Art of Networking” event promises to be a hit.

David Suarez (MBA '04)

This will not be your ordinary networking event! The Business, Real Estate, Law and Honors Alumni Chapters and Councils have bonded together to create a mixer worth attending.

Guest speaker, David Suarez (MBA '04) will give you practical tips to improve your networking strategies and become better networkers.

Suarez is president, CEO, and lead facilitator of Interactive Training Solutions, LLC, and has worked with many organizations to create and implement customized corporate training and team building solutions using improvisation concepts and techniques. He has been in the field of corporate training for more than five years and uses his experience from being a director and performer at Just the Funny Improv Theatre.

Join the Alumni Chapters/Councils on Thursday, January 24, 2008, from 6:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m. at Texas de Brazil, 300 Alton Road, Suite 200, Miami Beach, FL 33139. This is an event you don't want to miss!

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