imba inside | spring 2011

Announcements ................................ pg 2

imba around the World .................... pg 3

students getting involved ................... pg 4

imba at home .................................. pg 5

Study Abroad Experiences ................. pg 6

Alumni & Student Notes ..................... pg 7

Engage ............................................ pg 8

neWs about the netWorK : imba p ioneers around the World

imba overseas experience in tanzania…pg 3

daniels college of business | university of denver

pg 4 pg 5

Front cover photos by: Morgan Marks and Tom DowdAdditional photography provided by: Brian LaCarrubba, Adam Cheatham and Doug AllenContributing Writers: Katie Strickland

The opinions expressed in the international business Communiqué are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent official positions of the Daniels College of Business or the University of Denver.

2 | COMMUNIQUÉ | spring 2011

Dear Friends,Daniels continues its forward momentum with good news from many of our key programs. First, I am happy to report that IMBA enrollments virtually doubled during the Fall quarter. This is a powerful indication that the IMBA focus on global business and cross-cultural management is resonating with increasing numbers of applicants who share an awareness that all business is increasingly global business.

Meanwhile, in the recent Financial Times survey, the Daniels Executive MBA program was ranked, yet again, among the top 100 Executive MBA programs in the world. Most recently, good news was received from Bloomberg BusinessWeek who ranked the Daniels undergraduate business program 64th in the nation—up 10 places since last year.

While these milestones are cause for celebration, Daniels and the University of Denver continue to plan for the future. The University of Denver has just initiated an expansive “strategic realignment” study involving a large number of the University community in an initiative to position the University for success in the 21st century. Concurrently, Ascend: The Campaign for the University of Denver has been launched with a focus on the development of the “human infrastructure” (the people and programs) that represent the heart and soul of the campus.

There are many ways to get involved in this new initiative, including the contribution of money, time and experience toward this audacious and far-reaching vision. Check out the Ascend page on the University website, www.du.edu/ascend, and let us know if we can help you get involved!

With warmest greetings,

Doug AllenDirector, International MBA Program

a note from the director of international mba programs

In the 21st century almost all business involves crossing borders and cultures, and the daniels international mba (imba) provides a powerful preparation for careers in this highly complex and integrated business environment. Accredited as one of the daniels mba degrees, the imba offers a solid business foundation sharing many of the compass and core courses required in the daniels mba. study of a rich set of international business courses as well as offerings from the highly acclaimed Korbel school of international studies provide practical international management skills and broad global perspective. Required international travel courses to locations such as tanzania, brazil or china, an internationally focused study body and faculty, and a second language proficiency requirement at graduation combine to differentiate the imba as a special preparation for leadership positions in 21st century organizations.

Thirty--five years ago, the Daniels College of business began offering master’s level training in international business. Today, almost 900 daniels international mba and Master’s in International Management alumni can be found throughout the world—in global and domestic business positions—always benefiting from the global perspective, business skills and cross-cultural acumen gained in this popular program.

iMBa Board of advisors Ms. Myrna Ann Adkins, Dr. Douglas Allen, mr. roy becker, mr. paul bergman, mr. ian bird, mrs. leslie carter, mr. dennis Chrisbaum, Ms. Sally Covington, Dr. David m. hopkins, dr. lloyd lewan, mr. trip Mackintosh, Mr. Tim McCune, Dr. Ved Nanda, Mr. Jim Reis and Mr. Tom Ritter

why the international MBa?

AnnouncementsThe winter 2011/spring 2011 incoming class of graduate imba students is an academically gifted group from a wide variety of backgrounds. Join us in welcoming these outstanding individuals as they launch their international--focused academic careers at the daniels college of business:

in addition, we would like to extend our congratulations to the following imba alumni who completed their degrees in November 2010 and March 2011.

Melissa AikenMohammed Al-BostanNathan BawdenStefan BurrisAdam CheathanKeegan ClayDevin CummingsBlaine D’ArgonneKevan Degryse

Nicole DubordJarrod GibbonsMichael GlunkJordan HahnJay HazenRyan HowsamJillian HumphreyDavid IshamMichael Jacobs

Kristen JanssenDevaki JordanJesse KajerNatalie KleopferJennifer LindgrenDustin LendermanTimothy LittleKatie MurphyAndrew Ray

Jennifer RezvanMarie RyanDylan SteeleMatthew ThompsonYeling WangJames WeingartenDaniel Zale

Ricardas BabonasJeffery BarnesNatalie BuiHeidi Cortez

Gilbert DevlynAshley DiGiacomoAaron DuncanRyan Hulme

Agne JaruseviciutePeter KnoxDana LewisMarvin Lummis

Devin MulhernSebastian Roesinger Stephan TrainerPaul Truba

upcoming iMBa Trips Spring ’11 – China fall ’11 – brazil

iMBa Communiqué is now online visit: daniels.du.edu/imbanews

spring 2011 | COMMUNIQUÉ | 3

imba around the World

“ Tanzania was an incredible experience. In just 2 weeks, we managed to meet with a number of business leaders, see non-profits doing amazing work, discuss education with high-ranking government officials, watch entrepreneurs in action and even witness part of the international criminal tribunal bringing architects of the Rwandan genocide to justice. Not to mention three amazing days of safari in the middle of it all. As the only MBA student on the trip, it was also a great chance to meet many fascinating IMBA and Korbel students.”

–brian lacarrubba

“ I find that when visiting third world and developing countries, I am forced to push aside all notions I have about business and witness it in its purest form. Business is about the exchange of goods and services and many times we get lost in the convoluted web of bureaucracy and structure that comes with doing business in the modern world. Having the chance to observe individuals partake in the roots of business as they barter and negotiate for anything from a tomato to a microfinance loan really makes me appreciate all of the tools, information and technology available to me. I think it would be beneficial for everyone in the modern world who is used to being overwhelmed with information and material goods to simply go back to the basics so that they can get an authentic understanding of the true foundation of business. This is exactly what the trip to Tanzania achieved for me.”

–Jennifer lindgren

“ The IMBA trip to Tanzania was an amazing adventure. Not only did we learn about business in emerging markets and the business environment in Tanzania but also we were given a glimpse into the Tanzanian culture and had a chance to interact with the locals. These first-hand experiences have given me insight into how global business works today and how I can prepare myself for a future in a shrinking world. This is the most valuable learning experience the IMBA program has to offer, and it’s the most fun!”

–Jennifer Rezvan

“ My biggest takeaway was how dedicated Tanzanians were to helping each other regardless of their social status. Everyone worked together as a team at all times. I remember three specific times when a vehicle had a flat tire. Everyone on the streets came to help, holding up traffic, while a group of people changed the tire at a quick pace. In addition to this during my time here, people never once complained. The Tanzanians work so hard, doing so many jobs I never could have imagined. The citizens never openly complained about working long hard hours 7 days a week in order to support a family and put food on the table.”

–Matt Thompson

“ The Tanzania course proved to be an excellent method of implementing and expounding on invaluable skills learned through my IMBA courses at Daniels. While in-class learning is very significant, this trip added learning components that cannot be attained by sitting in a classroom in Denver. Having lived, worked, and extensively traveled abroad, I was a bit skeptical of the value I could derive from this trip. However, even for the seasoned traveler, this course offers experiences, insights, and perspectives that will be integral elements of any professional career.”

–Matthew Davis

“ The travel trip to Tanzania was an amazing opportunity. I never expected to get such a complete picture of the components of business operations in the country, from the Ministry of Education, Peace House School, and University of Dar es Salaam Business School to importers of worldwide goods, microfinance banks, and local nonprofits.“

–Adam Cheathan

IMBA 4500 Overseas Experience: Tanzania

During winter break 2010 a group of students from Daniels traveled to Tanzania. Take a look at some of their key takeaways.

4 | COMMUNIQUÉ | spring 2011

students getting involved

The International Business Association (IBA) is a revamp of the existing Association of International Management (AIM) organization at the Daniels College of Business. Its two presidents, Ryan Hubbell and Brian Carroll, decided to take on the task of growing AIM into the dynamic campus group it is today.

IBA’s primary objective is to carry on and expand the original and continuing mission of AIM. The overall mission of IBA is driven by a global inquisitiveness that encourages students, professionals, faculty and alumni to build meaningful relationships that foster intercultural understanding within the Denver business community. Specific aims include:

• Fostering an increased awareness of international business perspectives and global business practices

• Enhancing capacity for cross-cultural business communication

• Connecting the Daniels community to international business and educational opportunities

• Assisting with the cultural acclimation of students to the Daniels community

Since Ryan and Brian took on the leadership of AIM and turned it into IBA, it has grown from only four members into an astonishing 93 members. IBA is currently one of the largest student organizations on the University of Denver campus.

IBA focuses on facilitating students’ desire to get involved in campus organizations. To do this, it developed various committees that directly address the differing needs of students. Ranging from Local Business Committee to Marketing, each member has the opportunity to get involved, which assists in IBA’s mission to reach as many students as possible.

During its first few quarters of establishment, IBA has held numerous events. Each biweekly all-member meeting is focused on expanding international knowledge. As an organization, IBA strives to

host guest speakers from all facets of international business. This initiative has brought in several speakers—most notably one from The World Trade Center—to educate the members on the current state of internationally focused business. In addition, IBA hosted an extremely successful event in celebration of the Chinese New Year as well as a culture and protocol dinner for students traveling to the post-Soviet Union over spring break for a microfinance course. In addition to events, IBA has developed a language lab program that meets once a week to assist students learning second languages, as well as a buddy program that brings international and local students together.

The Spring quarter brings IBA members and the Daniels community a plethora of opportunity. Some highlights include: hosting of prominent guest speaker Tom Byrne, assisting with International Week, and an international-focused lunch and learn. In addition, due to the success of the Winter Quarter’s culture and protocol dinner, IBA is looking forward to hosting another dinner focused on the upcoming IMBA trip to China in the first weeks of the Summer quarter.

The International Business Association is a growing organization within the University of Denver community. Future goals include reaching out to other University of Denver schools and increasing the active member count to the highest on campus. With its focus on developing the international mindset of students, IBA is an organization any student can benefit from.

Student Focus: International Business Association

the overall mission of iba is driven by a global inquisitiveness that encourages students, professionals, faculty and alumni to build meaningful relationships that foster intercultural understanding within the Denver business community.

spring 2011 | COMMUNIQUÉ | 5

imba at home

ASCEND: Invest in Daniels

Sustainability: Simply Good Business

The Deans’ Tour: Doing Business in China

Did you hear? The University of Denver, including the Daniels College of Business, recently announced the public campaign, ASCEND: The Campaign for the University of Denver! As we enter the second decade of the 21st century, Daniels continues to be a pioneer, and both a nationally and internationally recognized business school.

Paralleling the Daniels Tomorrow Strategic Plan, Daniels faculty and staff are excited to focus on our five strategic areas:

• Creating innovative and market-relevant learning experiences

• Competing in a global world• Attracting and supporting talent• Being known as a community of choice

• Building a state-of-the-art learning environment.Are you interested in learning more?

Contact us, or keep your eyes and ears posted for exciting updates and information as we strive to achieve our goals! Visit: www.daniels.du.edu/ascend

When it comes to sustainability, many people only think in terms of “green sustainability”; in reality it is so much more. Social, economic and environmental sustainability make up the ideal structure. These areas reach into all aspects of the core of the business decision-making process. Amy Hutton, co-president of Net Impact states, “At Daniels and Net Impact, we see the idea of sustainability not as being ‘green’ or being a ‘do-gooder’ by any means —when you get to the core of sustainability, it is simply good business.”

While sustainability is not currently an official concentration here at Daniels, student lead group Net Impact is working hard toward developing a curriculum and implementing the concentration idea into a reality.

hopes for the FutureDaniels prides itself on being innovative in terms of what it offers its students. One area of interest that has been gaining a large following is sustainability. Bruce Hutton, a leading professor at Daniels, Dean Emeritus and director of Ethics Integration, stresses the importance and value of sustainability in current and future business environments.

Hutton sees the future of sustainability as a full implementation into business practices as opposed to a special focus. In today’s business environment we try to incorporate sustainability into our thought process when making impactful decisions. The hope for the future is that those thoughts will become fluid and an effortless embodiment of business practices.

Class structureIn regard to class structure the sustainability concentration will allow for freedom when choosing courses to take based on the specific area of sustainability a student hopes to study.

Feedback from alumniIMBA alumni are using sustainability in their current jobs and see the value in offering it as a concentration. Katie Sewell, an IMBA graduate and director of marketing for Starbucks™ Shared Planet™ & US promotions discusses the importance by saying, “It’s critically important to what I do every day at Starbucks. What I see in marketing are consumers increasingly factoring in a company’s overall commitment to the communities in which they operate (both social and environmental) when they evaluate the overall ‘brand value.’ From a brand and messaging standpoint you should develop a strong point of view on what your point of differentiation is in this space.”

In relation to the value of future Daniels’s students studying this area, she states, “I think what you’re going to continue to see is the integration of sustainability across disciplines. So whether you are in marketing, supply chain or operations, you should be conversant enough in sustainability to understand how it can positively impact your top line and bottom line long term.”

It’s obvious based on the input we’ve received from current and past members of the Daniels community how beneficial the addition of this concentration would be for the IMBA program. We look forward to the progress it continues to make.

Join Daniels College of Business Dean Christine M. Riordan and Associate Dean Richard Scudder for the inaugural offering of a new signature high-content travel program for alumni, Corporate Partners and Friends of the College:

In visits and tours designed for instruction and insight, this program will provide rich content, intellectual stimulation and cross-cultural engagement focused on the challenges and rewards of doing business with and in China. If you would like to explore China further, a post-program extension will be offered.

The Deans’ Tour: Doing Business in ChinaOctober 8–16, 2011Hong Kong/Shenzhen, Shanghai, Beijing

For further information, contact:Tom DowdSenior Director, Office of GlobalizationUniversity of Denver Daniels College of BusinessPhone: 1.303.871.4606 Email: Thomas.Dowd@du.edu

6 | COMMUNIQUÉ | spring 2011

IMBA in Practice: Working Abroad in Jordan By Kaley Williams, BSBA 2008, IMBA 2009

After graduating from Daniels in March 2009, I was contacted by the International Institute of Education saying I had been selected for a

fellowship supported by VEGA and USAID. Shortly after, I moved to Amman, Jordan. I worked for an NGO called the Architects & Engineers Business Council. There, I was utilized as a project manager working in establishing a Marketing Intelligence Unit for the A/E consulting sector in the region. I was also fortunate to have the opportunity to work with the Council, for-profits in the sector and a variety of newly established NGOs to create Jordan’s first highly technical Green Building

Unit and Capacity Building Center for green buildings and regulations in Jordan. At the end of 2010, I extended my contract and I am now currently working for Jordan Stone and Tile

Exporters Association where my time is spent building the capacity of SMEs to export their products in the region and internationally.

My IMBA has been an incredible tool for me and my work here in Jordan, and through the foundation of my education, I have not only been able to adapt professionally in a variety of roles, but also in understanding how to work, communicate and live successfully within a vastly different culture. I hope to continue my work in emerging markets and development.

Study Abroad Experiences

A Semester Working in Management at the U.S. Embassy in ArgentinaBy Jenni Stanford, JD/IMBA 2011

I spent the fall semester living in Buenos Aires, Argentina, working at the American Embassy. I was utilized in the Management section

doing local employee human resources. I coordinated meetings and visits for senior officials from Washington, D.C. I also spent time in the consular section where I dealt with visa and passport fraud prevention. Many aspects of working at the state department are similar to that of a multinational abroad. I have learned about the life of an American ex-pat, working cross-culturally, and what it is like to engage in both a foreign culture and U.S. culture while abroad.

I plan to utilize this experience as well as the skills I have developed through my IMBA studies to work in marketing or human resources in a transnational setting. This experience mirrors the concepts we frequently discussed in the International Business classes at Daniels.

spring 2011 | COMMUNIQUÉ | 7

Alumni & Student Notes

Kimberly Bohr, IMBA 2002Kimberley Bohr is now working for a global leadership development and training company called Fierce, Inc. based in Seattle, WA. Kim’s role is as the

senior vice president, Client Development where she leverages her passion for developing environments that create good business practices around the world. Kim’s position allows her to leverage her expertise within business analysis and planning, developing and executing strategic initiatives, implementing change management plans and cultivating key business relationships around the globe. Additionally, Kim leads a team of amazing individuals committed to changing the world one conversation at a time.

In her spare time, Kim enjoys the outdoors, playing golf, traveling and spending time with her young son and wonderful husband.

Lauren Carpenter, IMBA 2010After graduation in March of 2010, Lauren found out that she was expecting an addition to her family! Her son, Cassius “Cash” John Carpenter was born

December 9, 2010. She is now back at work managing finances and operations at a Denver nonprofit, but will be moving to the Tampa area to be closer to family. She hopes to get good use out of her IMBA once they are settled.

Lauren credits her time at Daniels for her ability to think outside the box and the confidence to voice those thoughts.

William Seitz, IMBA 2009William Seitz graduated in 2009 with a joint International Business BSBA and International MBA through the 4+1 program at Daniels. Over

the following months he worked in Sri Lanka as a fellow with Saaraketha, an agricultural development company based in Colombo. He started the PhD program in economics at the University of Milan later that year, where he specialized in economic development and poverty. In 2010 he began his dissertation research and spent several months studying methods of modeling and analysis at Bocconi University.

Will is currently a visiting student with the Department of Economics at Oxford University, continuing his dissertation on trade sanctions

and the effects of commodity price fluctuations on political stability.

Will’s work as an IMBA student was similar to his later research in poverty and development. He won a university grant (PinS) for research he completed with Daniels in Tanzania, as well as a public good grant from the Morgridge Family Foundation to publish a guide to homeless services in the Denver area.

Amy Walla, IMBA, MA 2003Amy has been a career Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State since 2005. From developing U.S. Africa policy in the UN Security

Council, to coordinating the move to a new embassy compound in the tiny West-African nation of Togo, and reporting on human rights and counterterrorism efforts in Poland, Amy has already had multiple opportunities to do just that. In addition to the diverse and changing nature of her assignments, Amy particularly enjoys that learning new languages and cultures is a requirement of the job.

While at Daniels, Amy took advantage of the cross-training component of the IMBA program to complete a dual-degree MA in global studies, emphasis on international security, from the Korbel School. Amy credits these programs with opening up new avenues for professional development and facilitating the contacts that led her to her current career. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Amy held sales engineering positions in the electrical equipment divisions of Schneider Electric and Siemens. She has an undergraduate degree in

mechanical engineering from Colorado State University. Amy is married to a Togolese-American and has two daughters. Next stop: an assignment in Quebec City, Canada, this fall.

Sharleen Wang, IMBA Candidate 2011 A current IMBA student, Sharleen Wang received a degree in pharmacy from her undergraduate school and she spent several years working in the pharmaceutical and

consumer products industry, sales administration and marketing. She then chose to join the MBA program at DU to better develop her career.

After the first quarter, she found the MBA program too focused on domestically in the U.S. She wanted a broader point of view since her future career plans focused on international business. Thus, she started to search for options and found the IMBA program. Classes such as Global Management and Multinational Finance and Investment, gave her exactly what she wanted: a global mindset. Also, the international politics and economics courses being taught by the Josef Korbel School of International Studies broadened her outlook, helping her to think from the angle of business as well as the angles of politics and economics that are very important to international business managers.

Alumni gathering in Beijing, March 16, 2011

From left to right: Shu Wu, Li Yi, Jack Rack-Gomer, Doug Allen, Jason Lin, Li Jing

Calling for alumni notesNew career, new promotion, new spouse? We want to know. log into alumni.du.edu using facebook connect to submit your update along with a photo.

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If you no longer have access to your DU ID number, or you need to update your contact information, please contact leslie Carter at lcarter@du.edu or 303.871.2037.

imba alumni move around a lot and that makes keeping track of former students difficult for Daniels staff. In an effort to keep our contact and mailing lists up-to-date, we encourage you to let the imba staff know where you are and where you’re going. Also, you may often be the best source of information about your fellow alums, so encourage your friends and classmates to stay in touch as well.

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