loyola executive spring 2009

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS MAGAZINE LOYOLA UNIVERSITY NEW ORLEANS SPRING 2009

EXECUTIVE MENTORS LEND A HAND • AWAKENING, ENLIGHTENING, AND TRANSFORMING STUDENTS

DOING BUSINESS IN CENTRAL AMERICA • PROFESSOR INSPIRES OTHERS

Getting Down to BusinessCoB freshmen jump right in

to the world of business

ExecSpring09Cover:SummerCover 4/8/09 3:11 PM Page 3

LOYOLA UNIVERSITYNEW ORLEANS

Loyola University New Orleans PresidentThe Rev. Kevin Wm. Wildes, S.J.

DeanWilliam Locander

Interim Assistant DeanCoordinator of Internships

Kathy Barnett

Associate DeanDavid Luechauer

Associate Dean Educational SystemsAngie Hoffer

Area Chairperson of Accounting,Economics, and Finance

Lee Yao

Area Chairperson of Management,Marketing, and International Business

M.B.A. DirectorKendra Reed

Major Gifts Officer College of BusinessTraci Wolff

Loyola Executive EditorPublications Editor

Ray Willhoft, A’00

Loyola Executive DesignerCraig Bloodworth

PhotographersHarold Baquet

Dan Helfers, B’09

Contributors

Valerie AlombroKathy Barnett

Michelle JohnstonCatherine I. KoppelWilliam LocanderDavid Luechauer

Len J. TreviñoTraci Wolff

ExecSpring09_2-5:128_loyolaSpring_2-4 4/6/09 11:14 AM

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS MAGAZINELOYOLA UNIVERSITY NEW ORLEANSSPRING 2009 • VOL.2 • NO.1 • WWW.BUSINESS.LOYNO.EDU

COVER FOCUS6 Getting Down to Business

FEATURES12 Learning From the Best

16 Awaken, Enlighten, and Transform

20 Doing Business in Central America

24 An Inspiration for Others

26 Soul, Spirit, and Saddle Shoes

28 Off to the Market

Loyola Executive is published bi-annually forLoyola University New Orleans College of Business

alumni and friends.Please address correspondence to:

Loyola ExecutiveOffice of the Dean

6363 St. Charles Avenue, Box 15New Orleans, LA 70118

News and photographs for possible use in futureissues may be submitted by readers.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:Loyola Executive

Loyola University New Orleans7214 St. Charles Avenue, Box 909

New Orleans, LA 70118

Loyola University New Orleans has fully supportedand fostered in its educational programs,

admissions, employment practices, and in theactivities it operates the policy of not discriminatingon the basis of age, color, disability, national origin,race, religion, sex/gender, or sexual orientation. Thispolicy is in compliance with all applicable federal

regulations and guidelines.


http://business.loyno.edu/mba/index.html

ADVANCE YOUR CAREERWI T H A N MBA F R O M LOYOL A !

Earn an MBA in the evenings. Our full or part-time programs are idealfor business undergraduates and working professionals.

For more information, e-mail [email protected] or call (504) 864-7965.

THE PRINCETON REVIEW LISTS LOYOLA’S COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AMONG ITS 2008 “BEST BUSINESS SCHOOLS”.

A W A K E N . E N L I G H T E N . T R A N S F O R M .


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Our freshman class (2008 – 2009) will mark Loyola’s 100th graduating class in 2012.As such, I am pleased that this issue of Loyola Executive contains an article about someof the names and faces that began their college career with us last fall. I think you willfind that they, along with the freshmen highlighted on the cover, represent some of thebest and brightest students in college today. We are proud of the experiences we offerour freshmen and have featured some of those programs in this issue. The article introducing our new college mantra, “Awaken, Enlighten, and

Transform,” points the way to the college embracing cutting-edge issues in educationtoday. In short, a college education should be a transformative experience for our stu-dents during their four years at Loyola. The leaders of tomorrow will not only be smartand well-trained, but also stand out for their authenticity, character, and self-confi-dence. The article in this issue addresses the value added that College of Business stu-dents receive at Loyola.Professor of Economics Bill Barnett is featured in this issue. I am very proud of Bill’s

numerous accomplishments during his years at Loyola. The factthat his past students took the initiative to create theWilliam Barnett Professorship in Free Enterprise Studiesin his name is testimony to how many lives he hastouched.A new faculty member, Dr. Len Treviño, who holds

the Gerald N. Gaston Eminent Scholar Chair inInternational Business, writes to us about doing busi-ness in Central America. Len brings to Loyola addedsenior leadership in the area of international business.Welcome aboard, Len!I should mention that much of what the College of

Business is able to do comes from the generosity of alum-ni and friends. Annual giving and major gifts sup-port much of what you read about in thisissue. Thank you for your continued gen-erosity to the college.

Sincerely,

William B. Locander, Ph.D.College of Business Dean

Spring 2009 www.business.loyno.edu 5

From the Dean


6 Loyola Executive

Getting Down to BusinessCoB freshmen jump right in

to the world of business

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Every fall, a new crop of students leave the comfortsof home and show up on college campuses around thecountry. The experience is often fraught with a mix-ture of excitement, anxiety, and anticipation. Andthat’s just the parents. Students have their own set ofadjustments to make. Many are away from home andtheir parents for the first time in their lives. Havingmom do laundry and fix their favorite foods now onlyhappens on semester break. Freshmen are faced withnew choices, new decisions, and new people. Theymust now rely on alarm clocks and often sheerwillpower to pull themselves out of bed and get toclass on time—if at all. There are roommates from helland roommates that become lifelong friends.Whatever the situation, freshmen face a period ofadjustment both academically and personally. Loyola’sCollege of Business addresses that period of adjust-ment in a variety of ways.

The College of Business’ approach is to get the stu-dents involved in the college from the first semester,engaging them in classes and activities that focus onthe Jesuit ideals of thinking critically and acting just-ly. Freshmen in the College of Business (CoB) startwith the university’s Common Curriculum, receivinga well-rounded education in the tradition of liberalarts institutions. But the CoB takes the freshmanexperience one step further by placing these studentsin the BA100 Introduction to Business course fol-lowed in the spring semester by BA101 BusinessCommunication. Classes are taught in small sectionstwo days a week, and then all the students cometogether on Thursday nights for a third class meeting.These two courses have been taught the last threeyears by the freshman faculty team: Dr. Kendra Reed,Professor George Howard, Dr. Michelle Johnston, andDr. Kathy Barnett. “Many business schools do not letfreshmen take a course in business until their sopho-more year. At Loyola, we immediately put our fresh-men into the business curriculum so they can start

The Loyola College of Business Approach


8 Loyola Executive

Olive Tree to attempt to explain the ideas and ten-sions associated with globalization. We felt itimportant that students understand that businesstoday requires a nuanced view. This book helps usillustrate the fact that success in business, intoday’s inter-connected world, demands not onlyan understanding of entrepreneurship, finance,etc., but, rather a holistic approach; one that

requires a deep understanding of cul-ture and values. The fact that TheLexus and the Olive Tree—with itsemphasis on the importance of trans-parency, integrationist social safety netpolicy, and connectivity—was not onlypredictive of the current global finan-cial crisis, but offers a way forward,allows for a deeply relevant classroomexperience,” states George Howard.

A new addition to the Intro to Business coursein the fall was the inclusion of an assignment uti-lizing CareerBeam, a state-of-the-art, web-basedstrategic career management tool made availablethrough Loyola’s Career Development Center.Roberta Kaskel, director of the center, explains the

value of the software program for freshmen. “TheLoyola Career Development team tailored the self-assessment and market exploration exercises in theCareerBeam tool to guide first-year studentsthrough both self exploration and market explo-ration exercises. CareerBeam was originally

learning about business from their first day of class.It’s a great way for students to begin to clarify theirinterest in business and explore career options.These two courses serve as the foundation for thebusiness curriculum,” says Bill Locander, dean ofthe college.

Reed explains, “In the Freshman YearExperience courses, we strive to accomplish two

objectives: 1) to increase students’ knowledge,understanding, and desire to learn business, and 2)to facilitate a sense of connectedness with theirpeers, college, Loyola, and the Jesuit values.” In theIntro to Business course, Reed and Howard teachstudents the basic concepts of management,accounting, economics, marketing, finance, andinternational business. Students gain an apprecia-tion as to what each of these specialties entail aswell as how these areas of businesswork in tandem to create a successfulbusiness environment. Concepts aretaught through guest speakers, com-mon readings, class assignments, serv-ice learning projects, and ExecutiveMentoring events (see related articleon page 12).

In fall 2008, the common reading assignment forthe class was The Lexus and the Olive Tree byThomas L. Friedman, a text chosen for the fresh-man class because of the book’s focus on globaliza-tion. “We initially decided upon The Lexus and the

“I enjoy getting to know the freshmen through myclasses. It’s their first year and they are discoveringso much about who they are and who they want tobe. The possibilities are endless, and it’s great to bethere when you see things starting to click andcome together for them.”

—Dr. Kathy Barnett

“Many business schools do not let freshmentake a course in business until their sophomoreyear. At Loyola, we immediately put ourfreshmen into the business curriculum so theycan start learning about business from their firstday of class.”

—Dean Bill Locander

CareerBeam

Common Reading



designed for the M.B.A. marketbut, by introducing these con-cepts early in their academiccareers, students are given anopportunity to begin to explorehow their interests and valuesmight tie in with the professionalchoices they will eventually haveto make. Using CareerBeam inconjunction with class assign-ments reinforces the culture ofpersonal and professional devel-opment valued by the College ofBusiness.” Based on theirCareerBeam findings, studentswrote personal mission state-ments in order to begin to clarifyhow their thoughts and beliefsrelate to their hopes and goals fortheir futures.

Another component of theFreshman Year Experience isLoyola’s Wolves on the Prowl.“Rather than simply talkingabout social responsibility andassisting those in need, werequire students to participate inthe university-wide Wolves onthe Prowl community serviceevent,” explains Reed. Sponsoredby LUCAP (Loyola UniversityCommunity Action Program),alumni, students, faculty, staff,and the entire College ofBusiness freshman class meets at8 a.m. on one Saturday inNovember to participate in vari-ous community-based serviceevents. In past years, CoB stu-dents have worked on projects

“I love my freshman experience in Loyola’sCollege of Business. I love the ExecutiveMentor Program because I get the perspectiveI need from a professional person. I havelearned more about how business meetings areconducted. We observed our mentor in amarketing meeting and it was very informative.

The best thing about Loyola is the smallerclasses. Professors really get to know you andthey care about what is going on in youracademic and personal life. And New Orleansis a great and diverse city. There is alwayssomething going on, and the city never sleeps.I love it.”

Edie BurnsInternational Business MajorSt. Petersburg, Florida

Community Service


10 Loyola Executive

such as helping local schoolswith a fun fair for kids, doing artsand crafts projects with SMILE(Students Moving into the Livesof the Elderly), painting commu-nity buildings, and cleaning localparks and hurricane-affectedschools. Reed adds, “By partner-ing with LUCAP, CoB studentsexperience the power of themasses actively engaged and visi-bly adding value to the NewOrleans community. We hopethis experience nurtures theirsense of social responsibility inall they do from personal tocareer choices.”

The BA101 Business Com-munication course focuses oncommunication skills that areinvaluable for students as theymove into upper-level coursesand begin preparing for careerlife after college. After gainingan understanding of the commu-nication theories that framebusiness communication, stu-dents apply theory to practicethrough written and oral presen-tation assignments. They writememos, give informative presen-tations, master PowerPoint, andlearn how to adapt their messageto their audiences for greatercommunication effectiveness.The CareerBeam work wascontinued in the BusinessCommunication course thisspring. Students completed moreassignments that eventually ledthem to career options that

“I have really enjoyed my freshman experienceso far at Loyola. The most interesting thingabout Loyola is the amount of activities that arealways going on. The first few weeks took alittle while to get use to. Even though this is asmaller campus than other colleges, I still feltlike an ant trying to find my way around apark. As of now, I have really adapted to theuniversity and feel comfortable in calling it home.The best thing about Loyola is the close

connection between the professors and thestudents. At this particular time in my life,there is no better place for me to be attendingcollege than here at Loyola UniversityNew Orleans.”

John McCannMarketing MajorKenner, Louisiana

Communication Skills


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matched with their individualvalues, skills, and interests. While many students are

apprehensive about giving theirindividual business presenta-tions, the course provides a sup-portive environment for stu-dents to overcome their fearsand become more comfortablein speaking in public. AsMichelle Johnston explains,“Many students still don’t relishthe idea of public speaking, butthey realize they can do it andbe good at it.” The ability to puttogether a presentation chal-lenges students to think critical-ly about the facts and figuresthey include in their presenta-tions. Johnston and Barnettspend time teaching studentshow to access sources and deter-mine what is appropriate topresent to their audiences.And Barnett sees the payoff.

“As the internship coordinator, Iget the chance to work with thefreshmen again when they arejuniors. To see their transforma-tion just in that two-year span isvery rewarding. It helps to clarifythat what we are doing in theFreshman Year Experience has alasting impact.”The freshman faculty team

knows one thing for sure: fresh-men have an incredible sense ofenergy and wonder about theworld before them. The CoBstrives to channel all that energyin ways that will allow these stu-dents to leave a lasting impact onLoyola and the surrounding com-munity for years to come.

“My first few weeks here at Loyola were verydifferent from what I was normally used to, but asI began to progress through the semester I foundthat I felt at home at Loyola. Now, during mysecond semester, I feel that although timemanagement has gotten progressively harder, I stillfeel as though this is the place for me.

I feel that being a freshman in the College ofBusiness, I have had a great experience, especiallyin the Executive Mentor Program. I also like thatfreshmen are automatically enrolled into theCollege of Business. Other colleges I looked atdidn’t have the Mentor Program and you had towait until your sophomore year to even apply tothe college of your choice within the university.”

Katherine KittokAccounting MajorPonchatoula, Louisiana


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If you were to pick up just about any career advicecolumn these days, the message would be the same: Findyourself a mentor early in your career. Finding some-one in a chosen field who has experience in businesscan help students assimilate more easily and quicklyinto the work environment, avoid some mistakes, andfigure out how to handle mistakes that may well bemade. Loyola’s College of Business (CoB) provides allfreshmen with their own mentor through theExecutive Mentor Program—an advantage not manyfreshmen at other institutions can boast about.

Michelle Johnston, Ph.D., associate professor ofmanagement and director of Loyola’s ExecutiveMentor Program, was in on the start of the program in2003. “Pat O’Brien, dean of the college at the time,invited me, along with other university and businessleaders, to dinner at Bill and Pam Ryan’s house to dis-cuss program ideas that would benefit our studentsand the New Orleans business community. We cameup with the idea of a sort of ‘business boot camp’ for

freshmen. From our discussion that evening and sub-sequent follow-up meetings, the Executive MentorProgram was born in the fall of 2003,” says Johnston.

Now in its fifth year, the program has grown fromits start in the Ryans’ living room to 30 business men-tors from all walks of business life. Incoming freshmenare matched with a mentor that closely mirrors theirinterests. They meet with the executive and fellowmentees in a small team once a month for their entirefreshman year. Meetings with mentors often includedinner at a local restaurant or the mentor’s home, atrip to the mentor’s office to meet colleagues and gaina first-hand look at business operations, and field tripsto business locations such as the Superdome and theWorld Trade Center. Sometimes they even play agame of laser tag—followed by a conversation onleadership and team communication. The program has proven to be a favorite among

freshmen. Free meals not withstanding, students real-ize the value of connections and the opportunities

12 Loyola Executive

Learning From the BestBusiness Execs Mentor College of Business Freshmen

The Beginning

The Program


they present. Conversations with mentors often cen-ter around topics such as the role of communicationand technology in business, how to build a network,finding an internship, proper business etiquette,entrepreneurship, what to expect from the jobsearch, and the mentor’s own experiences in timeand money management. When asked what mentor’sadvice they find most valuable, students demonstrat-ed a keen awareness for what would serve them wellin a few years. One freshman student says: “My men-tor taught me the most important dos and don’ts onyour first job. He also taught me to never underesti-mate myself when searching for an internship or job.”Another student sums up her experience succinctly:“Everything was valuable because I learned some-thing new every time.”Johnston stresses the value the program adds to

the Freshman Year Experience: “There are few pro-grams like this one on other college campuses. Ourstudents are so fortunate to be a part of a programlike this—to be able to interact with business profes-sionals from the start of their college experience.And, I am continually amazed by the amount of time

these volunteer mentors put into this program. Witheverything else they have going on in their busylives, they are truly there for our students. The stu-dents sense that and appreciate their commitment.”As director of the program, Johnston is responsi-

ble for recruiting and training new mentors eachyear, planning events and meetings, and coordinat-ing the events with the students enrolled in BA100and BA101 courses, in which the program is embed-ded. New mentors are recruited through referralsfrom existing mentors and other business contacts. Assisting Johnston with all of the day-to-day pro-

gram details is Valerie Alombro of the CoB.Alombro handles much of the scheduling for theevents and coordinates communication between stu-dents and their mentors and enjoys being involvedwith the program. She says: “As the assistant to thedirector, I find my job to be very challenging, butalso very rewarding. We’ve made many positivechanges to the program since its inception. It is apleasure meeting and interacting with so many out-standing mentors who make this a unique programfor our business students.”

14 Loyola Executive

Spring Networking Event

“One of the challenges of working on a programthat has been around for five years is to keep it newand interesting for both the students and the men-tors,” explains Johnston. “So, when Loyola’s CareerDevelopment Center suggested we work together tohost a networking event for the students, we wentwith the idea. It had been a while since we had doneanything like this, and since we spend so much timetalking about networking it seemed only natural to fol-low-up with an event. One Thursday evening we gotall the mentors and the freshmen together in the St.Charles Room in the Danna Student Center for anhour of networking. We wanted the event to closelymirror an actual business networking event, so weserved hor d’oeuvres and beverages (non-alcoholic ofcourse).” By all accounts the evening was a huge suc-cess. Students were given an assignment for theevening—practice their introductory speeches andcollect five business cards by the end of the event.And mentors were told not to give a business card tostudents until the students had demonstrated a com-petency in professional networking. The college knew that this exercise would serve as

the first real networking event for most freshmen. To

lessen any apprehension and anxiety about meetingnew people or not knowing what to do, the studentsattended a workshop on networking earlier in theweek. Taught by Jan Moppert of the CareerDevelopment Center, the workshop included tips onhow to network successfully, what to wear, and evenhow to shake hands professionally. In addition to the mentors in attendance that night,

many of the professors and administrators from theCoB and the staff from the Career DevelopmentCenter attended the event as well. Freshmen wereable to meet some of the professors they wouldencounter in classes in a few semesters, ask aboutmajors, and get a sense of what their years as sopho-mores, juniors, and seniors would be like.

The Future

The future of Loyola’s Executive MentorProgram will continue to rest on the dedication ofits mentors and the bright minds of freshmen stu-dents. As one student comments on his experiencein the program: “I gained a relationship with a veryimportant person that I can trust to be there in thefuture if I need him.” And that’s what mentoring isreally all about.

“I never realized how important networking was inbusiness. My mentor explained that it’s important to startbuilding networks now. She told us to always be professionaland courteous when networking because you never know ifyou’ll end up working for that person in the future.”

—Business Freshman

Spring Networking Event

The Future


Executive Mentors Fall 2008 – Spring 2009

Erin Berning Allen; Executive Director, Berning Marketing, L.L.C.

Joseph Bonavita; Senior Vice President, Investment Banking Group,Capital One Southcoast

Meaghan Ryan Bonavita; Sales Associate, Carlisle Collection

H. Jude Boudreaux; Director of Financial Planning, Bellingrath Wealth Management

Tara Burnaman; Director of Procurement, The Standard Companies, Inc.

Francisco (Frank) Cestero; Division Controller, Walton Construction Co., L.L.C.

Christopher Coulon; CRE Credit Specialist, Regions Bank

Mason G. Couvillon; President, Principal/Owner, Dardis Couvillon & Associates

David R. Crais; President and Co-Owner/Registered Investment Advisor,Crais Management Group, L.L.C.

Rodney Crosby; Assistant Vice President, Regions Bank Commercial Real Estate

Aaron Dirks; Owner, Dirks Companies (Limousine Livery, Lazarus Medical,Grey Hog Industries)

Darryl Glade; Associate Broker, RE/MAX N.O. Properties

Andrew Goodwin; Staff Accountant, Fraud Investigation & Dispute Services,Ernst and Young, L.L.P.

Brian A. Gueniot; Owner, Brian A. Gueniot Consulting

Michelle Lucas Huck; Consultant, Business Consulting &Forensic Accounting Services, Bourgeois Bennett, L.L.C.

David M. Jacobs; Project Manager, Unisys Corporation

Kelly Lambert; Analyst, H2 Performance Consulting

Robert A. LeBlanc; Owner, Republic New Orleans; Managing Partner,Lifestyle Revolution Group

Ralph A. Litolff; Director of Business Consulting Services, Bourgeois Bennett, L.L.C.

Julie McDonald; Assistant Vice President/Customer Service Manager/Project Portfolio Manager, Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC)

Leslie O. Monson; Advertising Manager, Harrah’s New Orleans

Eric K. Morgan; President, Morgan + Company

Michael Morgan; Business Development Analyst, Walton Construction, Co., L.L.C.

Carl H. Neuenhaus, Sr.; Chairman and Vice President, CHN, Inc.

Lee F. Pitre, Ph.D.; President and CEO, TechComm Associates, Inc.

Allison Plaisance; Manager, Risk Advisory Services, Ernst & Young, L.L.P.

Mark Samuels; President and Owner, Basin Street Records

Lee Vorisek; President, Alta Max, L.L.C.

M. Wheeler, III; Law Partner, Gordon, Arata, McCollam, Duplantis & Eagan, L.L.P.

John J. Zollinger, IV; Senior Vice President and Market Manager,Commercial Real Estate Lending, Regions Financial Corporation

ExecSpring 09_12_15:128_loyolaSpring_10_17 4/8/09 3:40 PM Page 13

16 Loyola Executive

Awaken,Enlighten,

and Transform

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These words are the new mantra of the College of

Business (CoB) and are at the center of our Vision

Statement. More importantly, they will soon be the founda-

tion of all we attempt to do to move the CoB from the

proverbial good to great or as we would like to think, from

great to exceptional!

For us, the process of awakening, enlightening, and trans-

forming is deeply rooted in a concept known as adult trans-

formational learning. This style of teaching and learning

requires both faculty and students to replace the traditional

command and control style of experts teaching novices

about things with a cooperative approach to knowledge co-

creation. In short, adult transformational learning is all

about learning by doing, learning by reflecting, and learn-

ing by doing over instead of memorizing and regurgitating.

In the business school, the change to the transformation-

al process often starts in the area of leadership and manage-

ment. In leadership, faculty stop teaching students about

how to be like other leaders and focus on “developing” indi-

vidual leadership skills, abilities, and mindsets inherent in

all the students.

Embedding the “awaken, enlighten, and transform” per-

spective in all CoB programs and new initiatives is even

more beneficial when one stops to consider that this

process, particularly transformation, is intertwined with

many if not all the ideals of a Jesuit education! Thus, the

CoB will do with our faculty, staff, students, and key stake-

holders that which the Jesuits have been doing for hundreds

of years—transforming spirit.“Awaken, enlighten, and transform” describes a process

of personal development where learners are open to thevista of new possibilities and given the opportunity toengage those possibilities in a personal manner. As a result,they will grow into a more values-centered mature personregardless of their age, experience, or position in the corpo-rate hierarchy.


18 Loyola Executive

So, what does it mean to awaken? Awakening isto become aware, alert, or attuned. For us, awaken-ing starts with the realization of a new perspectiveabout one’s self. Awakening usually occurs when weencounter new experiences that allow us to look atourselves and critically reflect on personally impor-tant questions. Questions like…

Do we dwell on our problems or focus on ouropportunities?

Are we short-term thinkers or do we see thelonger and bigger picture?

Do circumstances or personal purpose guideour behavior?

Do we put too much emphasis on control andforfeit adaptability?

What is my purpose?

What legacy would I like to leave?

Through such processes as Loyola’s ExecutiveMentor Program, the Freshman Year Experience,Wolves on the Prowl, CareerBeam assignments,Portfolio Program, and the transition from life athome to life at Loyola, students begin the awaken-ing process. Regardless of the process or the setting,once awakened, our students will possess a height-ened awareness of their mission, their limitations,and their fullest potential.Someone once said, “a question well posed is

90% answered.” We all know that asking theright question at the right time can lead to an“Aha” moment. Those “Aha” moments are anal-ogous to becoming enlightened. Enlightenmentis the wisdom that transcends the mere acquisi-


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tion of new information or even new perspec-tives. While it may be true that an informedperson knows the rules and a wise personknows the exceptions to the rules, we believethat an enlightened person knows the excep-tions to the exceptions or how to make up therules as they go along. Thomas Edison, theinventor of the light bulb, provides a classicexample of enlightenment—no pun intended.When asked how he felt about failing to inventa battery after 5,000 attempts, Edison purport-edly responded, “I haven’t failed, I now know5,000 ways not to make a battery.”

Our students will learn by doing, by rollingup their sleeves and getting their hands dirty.Required internships, managing an investmentfund, participating in regional and nationalMarketing Case competitions, participating inan ethics simulation, and participating inmicro-finance ventures are but a few of theways our students will do more than justacquire information about the disciplines theystudy. Study abroad and hosting visitors fromafar will enlighten our students to the com-plexities and opportunities possible in our evershrinking world.

The result of the journey through awakeningand enlightening is transformation. Withtransformation, a person gains authentic con-viction about their identity and character.Transformation is not as simple or quick asflicking on a light switch, it happens over timeas one does the self-reflective work to move toa more mature identity. It is our hope and ourconviction that on, near, or shortly after gradu-ation, our students will be transformed fromnovitiates into inner-directed, other-focused,purpose-driven, results-minded, values-basedself-leaders who live fully and completely in theJesuit ideals upon which Loyola was founded.


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Dr. Len J. Treviño

ave you been contemplating establishing orextending your company’s business operationssouth of the border? If so, two of the countries

that you have probably already considered areMexico and Brazil, the two largest markets inLatin America. Before you move ahead fullthrottle, however, youmight consider CentralAmerica. Bridging Northand South America,Central America includesBelize, Costa Rica, ElSalvador, Guatemala,Honduras, Nicaragua, andPanama, and it has apopulation exceeding 40million people. In 2005, all of the countries inthe region, excluding Panama but including theDominican Republic, signed a free tradeagreement known as the Central American FreeTrade Agreement–Dominican Republic(CAFTA-DR). At nearly $20 billion per year,the CAFTA region accounts for the secondhighest amount of U.S. exports in LatinAmerica, trailing only Mexico. Not as wellknown as NAFTA but equally as powerful,CAFTA eliminates tariffs on U.S. goodsexported to member countries and it locks in and

expands the duty free access that those countriesenjoy in the U.S. market.

Notwithstanding the world’s economicdownturn, estimates suggest that the net tradegained due to CAFTA will be well into thebillions of dollars. CAFTA will likely be the

most significant regional integration agreemententered into by the U.S. because it will serve asa template for agreements between other superpowers and developing countries. Experts saythat the net effect of CAFTA will be similar toNAFTA, and trade between the U.S. and Mexicohas more than tripled since NAFTA was ratified.

CAFTA is not the only positive elementassociated with the investment climate inCentral America, as many nations from theregion have pursued market reforms. Indeed,economic liberalization is evident in every


“Economic liberalization is evident in every Central Americannation, and my own research on institution building in Latin Americasuggests that this shift in the ‘managerial mindset’ of CentralAmericans will likely lead to increased investment into the regioncoupled with an enhanced ability of domestic firms to compete.”

—Dr. Len J. Trevi o

Doing Business inCentral America

H

ñ

22 Loyola Executive

Central American nation, and my own researchon institution building in Latin Americasuggests that this shift in the “managerialmindset” of Central Americans will likely leadto increased investment into the region coupledwith an enhanced ability of domestic firms tocompete. One notable reason for the increase ininvestment is the myriad protections granted toU.S. businesses and investors that choose tolocate in the CAFTA region. Protections nowgranted to all CAFTA investors include thosefound in NAFTA and the U.S.-Chile FTAs,including Most Favored Nation Treatment,National Treatment, and a Minimum Standardof Treatment.

In spite of these favorable trends, manyAmerican businesses have been skepticalabout doing business in this unstable regiondespite its proximity to the United States.The fall of communism in the Soviet Unionand the end of the Cold War, however,triggered a dramatic transformation in CentralAmerica. For example, Guatemala has gonefrom one of the most repressive militarydictatorships in Latin America to a newdemocracy in which Nobel Peace Prize winnerand military critic, Ramiro de Leon Carpio,became head of state in 1993. Thegovernment and the Guatemalan rebels signeda peace accord in 1996 after 35 years of civilwar. In 1992, the guerrillas in El Salvadorhanded over their Soviet-made weapons toUnited Nations’ peacekeepers and the warringfactions signed a peace agreement, bringingthe 12-year civil war to an end. TheSandinistas in Nicaragua conceded afterelectoral defeat in 1990. Guatemala and Belizehave settled a serious but little-known borderdispute, decreasing tensions between themand increasing economic cooperation.

Businesses wishing to trade merchandise withCentral American countries can obtain

assistance through the Export-Import Bank(EXIMBANK), which provides loans, creditinsurance, and loan guarantees to foreign buyers.By providing outside buyers with loans,EXIMBANK facilitates trade between theUnited States and other countries. The U.S.Department of Agriculture also offers a creditprogram with some Central American countriesto promote the trade of agricultural products.Finally, the U.S. Small Business Administration(SBA) provides programs designed to help smallbusinesses export their products to othercountries, including those in Central America,by offering loans and loan guarantees. The U.S.government also offers special incentives fordoing business in this region via the Section 936program. A company that does a major portionof its business in the Caribbean/CentralAmerican area can qualify for Section 936 of theInternal Revenue Code, which exempts it fromfederal income tax on earnings that are derivedfrom its business in this region. In addition, suchinstitutions as the Overseas Private InvestmentCorporation, as well as EXIMBANK, providefinancial assistance to businesses wishing toinvest in Central America.

Dr. Len J. Trevino holds the Gerald N. GastonEminent Scholar Chair in International Businessat the Joseph A. Butt, S.J., College of Businessat Loyola University New Orleans. Trevinograduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’sdegree in finance from the University of NotreDame and earned an M.B.A. in marketing fromIndiana University, Bloomington. He earned aPh.D. at Indiana University, Bloomington, witha doctoral dissertation that examined the theoryof the mult inational enterprise and foreigndirect investment in the United States. Loyolais very pleased to welcome Trevino to theCollege of Business.

~

~

Invest in Loyola University New OrleansEight Benefits of a Loyola Gift AnnuityWith low interest rates and roller coaster markets, people are thinking

twice about their financial decisions. Consider the eight benefits of a Loyolagift annuity:

1. Attractive Rates. Compare our gift annuity rates with current certificatesof deposit, and you will likely be pleasantly surprised. For example, theannuity rate for a 70-year-old is 5.7 percent. At age 80, the rate is 7.1percent, and if you are 90 or older, you would receive 9.5 percent.*

2. Regular Payments. You decide how often you want to receive yourpayments—monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually. Receivingyour regular payments on a specific, predetermined date is comfortingand also helpful for planning purposes.

3. Fixed Income. Your payment rate and amount will be locked in at thetime you obtain your gift annuity. It will not rise or fall with theeconomy. That can mean a lot in uncertain times.

4. Lifetime Benefit. Gift annuities are for life. And if you have a two-life giftannuity, when one person dies, the other can continue to receive thesame amount for the rest of his or her life. Ongoing payments canprovide security for each spouse as they enter their older years.

5. Dependable Source. Loyola backs up our annuity obligations with the fullfinancial resources of the university. We want you to feel safe andsecure and to have confidence that your payments will continuewithout fail.

6. Relief From Taxes. Since part of your contribution for a gift annuity isconsidered a charitable gift by the IRS, you will receive a substantialincome tax charitable deduction to apply on an itemized return. Also,during your life expectancy, you will be able to claim part of theannuity payment as tax-free income.

7. Simple Process. We provide you with a tailor-made illustration so you cansee how it all works with your age and contribution amount included.We also provide materials you can share with your familyand adviser(s).

8. Satisfaction. There is enormous satisfaction from making a gift in thismanner. Every time you receive a payment, you will be reminded ofhow your gift will eventually benefit Loyola.

For your personalized gift illustration, call our Office of Planned Givingat (504) 861-5565 or e-mail [email protected]. There is no obligation, andwe will not pressure you in any way to proceed with a gift annuity. Ourrole simply is to provide clear illustrations and to let the eight benefitsspeak for themselves.

*Note: Rates are slightly lower when the annuity is for lives of two people (i.e.spouses). Rates subject to change.

An Inspirationfor Others

Dr. Bill Barnett, B’67, L’82

ExecSpring09_24_25:128_loyolaSpring_10_17 4/6/09 11:09 AM Page 10

hen Dean Locander started in August 2008, heled the College of Business faculty through a

strategic planning process. An exercise designed todefine the college’s mission, vision, and values yieldedthe new vision statement: “Awaken, Enlighten, andTransform.” This new tag line is personified throughwork of faculty like Dr. Bill Barnett, B’67, L’82,professor of economics and Chase Bank Professor.“Remember always—students first,” says Barnett. “Weare here to educate the whole person. Mentally, morally,socially—have they learned something?”

Barnett has served on theeconomics faculty at Loyola for35 years. He and fellow financeprofessor, Dr. Ron Christner,both started teaching in the fallof 1974 and are now thelongest-serving faculty in thecollege. But that’s not whereBarnett’s Loyola story began. In 1958, he was a freshman atLoyola majoring in physics. An active social life and poorstudy habits earned him a four-year hiatus, serving the firstof those two years in the Navy.

When he returned to Loyola he had a mission: studyhard and avoid picking a major with a foreign languagerequirement. “I have absolutely no strength in foreignlanguages, none,” says Barnett. He found foreign language-free comfort in the College of Business and fell in love witheconomics because of the wonderful teachers. That’s whenhe decided what he wanted to do was teach. And not justanywhere, but at Loyola where he felt so much had beengiven to him. “I got a wonderful education here and wantedto be part of bringing that forward,” says Barnett. “I onlyhope that we’re as good today as the ones who taught me.”

The answer is, “Yes”—you are that good, a view sharedamong many of Barnett’s former students. To pay tribute to

Barnett’s impact on his own life, former student EricEckholdt, B`89, quietly started talking to a few of his fellowclassmates about funding a professorship in Barnett’s name.

The campaign was kept a secret and just announced toBarnett this past fall. “I’m not sure if shock is the right word.I feel unworthy—it is a very humbling thing. I feel there areso many other professors, people who taught me who aremore deserving. But I am honored,” says Barnett.

To date, more than $70,000 has been raised in cash andpledges from a small handful of Barnett’s former students toestablish the William Barnett Professorship in Free

Enterprise Studies. The gifts will be matched by $40,000from the Louisiana Board of Regents, creating anendowment that will live on in perpetuity at Loyola as atestament to Barnett and his legacy. Professors forgenerations to come will use interest generated annuallyfrom the endowment to continue to research, study, andtravel to promote the values of free market economics tostudents, academicians, and business leaders throughoutthe world.

With the campaign no longer a secret, efforts to raiseadditional funds in support of the professorship arecommencing. Letters will be mailed shortly to Barnett’sformer students, offering them the opportunity to maketheir own gift as a tribute to Barnett. To make a giftonline, visit www.loyno.edu/giving or contact TraciWolff at (504) 861-5453 or [email protected] formore information.


Students establish new professorship in honorof Bill Barnett, Ph.D., J.D.

“I had many great teachers and advisers at Loyola, butDr. Barnett stands out in terms of being a lifelong influence.I started this project because I am still inspired by my studiesat Loyola and I wanted to honor him and what he has done.”

–– Eric Eckholdt, B’89

W


Soul, Spirit, andSaddle Shoes

Dr. David Luechauer


n his tidy desk, College of Business Associate DeanDavid Luechauer, Ph.D., has a paperweight bearing his

personal motto: “You must first become the change youwant to see in others.” Judging from that motto, it is nosurprise that “Doc Dave,” as he is affectionately known,has fully embraced the College of Business mission to“awaken, enlighten, and transform.”Luechauer was lured by College of Business Dean Bill

Locander from Jacksonville University in Florida lastfall, where he served under Locander as associate directorof the Davis Leadership Center. In his current position,Luechauer relishes the opportunity to help encourageand ease the work of professors and instructors.

“I remember my deanshelping me, and now I am at astage in my life to return thefavor. Plus, I get to help play arole in creating a college,”Luechauer says.Before JU, Luechauer was

a s soc ia te p ro fe s so r o fmanagement and theleadership area coordinator at Butler University inIndianapolis, Ind., from 1992 to 2004, and he was avisiting assistant professor of management at MiamiUniversity of Ohio from 1990 to 1992. He hasreceived numerous awards and been recognized as anoutstanding teacher by his students, Who’s Who inHigher Education, and Beta Gamma Sigmainternational business fraternity. Since 2002,Luechauer has been a visiting associate professor inthe M.B.A. Program at the Helsinki School ofEconomics in Finland, where he was named 2005Saastamoinen Foundation professor of year.“Doc Dave” holds a doctorate in organizational

behavior and social psychology from the University ofCincinnati, a master’s degree in communication andpsychology from Miami University of Ohio, and abachelor’s degree in finance and communication fromOhio Northern University. He is a prolific writer and

presenter, whose works have been published in variousnational periodicals and heard in dozens of cities all overthe country and internationally. He and Locander alsohave written a series of management articles based onthe philosophies of Dr. Seuss for MarketingManagement magazine. Outside of academia, Luechauer has served as a general

manager of a radio station and as a group facilitator in a drugand alcohol rehabilitation center. He regularly consults forbusinesses, which include Georgia Pacific, Fidelity, NCAA,Bank One, Sandals Resorts International, Roche, AirJamaica, and the Indianapolis Colts.Locander says Luechauer’s breadth of experience and

popularity with students will serve the College ofBusiness well. Luechauer loves golf and wearing saddle shoes,

theater, and classic authors like Steinbeck and Hesse, buthe has found his three-year-old son, Michael, “to be thebest hobby and entertainment.” Luechauer and his family have settled into

Uptown New Orleans, and now he, who was thepresident of the nonprofit Children’s TheaterInstitute in Indianapolis, is looking for ways toengage in civic and charitable pursuits.Luechauer, who once considered becoming an

ordained minister, feels in higher education, and atLoyola, he has been able to merge his vocation andcalling to “be a facilitator of people’s dreams.” “Anybodycan espouse their values,” Luechauer says. “Noteverybody can live them. Helping people to identifytheir values and live them, that’s exciting to me.”


David Luechauer, Ph.D.,brings new perspective to the CoB

“Dr. Luechauer brings to Loyola a rich background in leadershipdevelopment and team management. He will play a vital rolein our M.B.A. Program and soon be known to our students assimply ‘Doc Dave’.”

–– Dean Bill Locander

O


28 Loyola Executive

Off to the Market


creo

hile many well-known investors are havingtrouble figuring out the stock market these

days, a group of Loyola students are taking aturn at investing in the market through a newstudent-managed investment fund class. Theclass, taught by Dr. Ron Christner, financeprofessor, challenges students to applyinvestment and portfolio concepts in order tomanage a $100,000 securities portfolio, fundedby Loyola University. As Christner explains,“the class is divided into groups of three to fivestudents, and each group follows a sector orindustry. Eachstudent in thegroup conducts anin-depth analysis ofone stock in theirsector. The studentsthen turn in bi-weekly reportswhere they evaluatethe performance oftheir individual stocks and sectors relative toan appropriate index.”

Based on all of their analyses andevaluations, each student group presents theirinvestment recommendations to the class for avote on which stocks to purchase. The classspent $25,000 on a mixture of individual stocksand exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Anexchange-traded fund is an investment vehiclethat is traded on stock exchanges, much likestocks. ETFs hold assets, such as stocks orbonds, and trade at approximately the sameprice as the net asset value of its underlyingassets over the course of the trading day. MostETFs track an index, such as the Dow JonesIndustrial Average or the S&P 500.

This semester, students purchased fourstocks and five ETFs. The stocks include:China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation

(Sinopec), a petro and chemical companybased in China; Waste Management (WMI), aHouston-based company that is the leadingprovider of comprehensive waste andenvironmental services in North America;Rio Tinto, P.L.C., a mining and mineralscompany with home bases in both the UK andAustralia (founded in 1873 to mine ancientcopper workings at Rio Tinto in southernSpain); and Ford Motor Company, a U.S.-based automotive company started in 1903.

Domestic ETF purchases include SPY,

which mimics the SNP500 and the QQQQcomparable to the NASDAQ. Foreign ETFsare PIN (India), FXI (China), and EWZ(Brazil). Class groups are responsible fortracking the stocks and ETFs and reportingtheir findings to the class. At of the time ofpublication, the class’s portfolio was upslightly, which given the current market, is anaccomplishment in and of itself.

The primary group leaders for the course areJuan Danzilo, Christine Mainguy, and RobertSwanton. All three are graduating seniors.

The investment class provides students withthe opportunity to sharpen and apply theircritical thinking skills to real-worldinvestment experience. The students enrolledin the class are appreciative to have such anopportunity and encourage other students toenroll in the future.


Students gain real $$$ experienceinvesting in stocks

“It’s been very educational to see how two or more stocks fit togetherin a portfolio and how to go about reducing unnecessary risk. Inorder to assess the performance of our investments meaningfully, wemust evaluate the portfolio over the long term. That will determinewhether or not we chose the right stocks.”

—Juan Danzilo, Finance/International Business Major

W


TheCollege ofBusinessPicnicEvery semester,

the College of

Business faculty

and staff host a

picnic for our

students to let

them know just

how much we

appreciate them.

Last fall’s picnic was held the

day before Halloween. Some

folks that attended were

definitely transformed…

Gold-medal Professor Brett Matherne

Wouldn’t be a picnic without

Good food and good friends at the CoB Picnic.

CoB Picnic brings out

Professors Hickman

ExecSpring09_30_31:128_loyolaSpring_10_17 4/8/09 3:12 PM Page 10

creo

poses for a photo op.

t burgers.

the smiles.

n and Yao debate proper grilling techniques.

Students enjoy the opportunity to relax.

Dr. Kendra Reed channels herinner pumpkin.

Sunshine and smiles make the day a sucess.

Dean Locander pitches out wolves to picnic goers.

CoB staff Mary Sue, Valerie, and Janet –Picnic Planning Superheroes!

ExecSpring09_30_31:128_loyolaSpring_10_17 4/8/09 3:13 PM Page 11

Campus Box 9097214 St. Charles AvenueNew Orleans, LA 70118-3565

Non-Profit Org.

US Postage

PAIDBurlington, VT 05401

Permit no. 185

ExecSpring09Cover:SummerCover 4/6/09 10:22 AM Page 2

loyola executive spring 2009

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