Archive for September, 2010

Dallas philanthropist and entrepreneur Scott Walker — who endowed the Walker Center for Global Entrepreneurship in 2005 and is also a member of the Board of Trustees — recently shared his thoughts on “Vision” in the Utah State Huntsman Alumni Magazine.

In the magazine, Walker said, “I define vision as the ability to see what others do not, or to create value in new ways that have not yet been discovered. It’s about anticipating what will come to be. It is the definition of how an entrepreneur thinks about the world. It means seeing rough outlines and shapes and then defining and translating them into actionable items.”

By Jaime Schilling ’06
Institutional Advancement & Alumni Relations

Each time I travel for Thunderbird, I am impressed and inspired by the alumni I meet, and by the various ways they are making an impact on the world through their professional and personal endeavors.

In my role as Development Officer for Thunderbird’s Institutional Advancement & Alumni Relations office, I have the pleasure of regularly visiting with Thunderbird alumni and supporters throughout the U.S.  I spent last week in Boston, where I was welcomed warmly both by the unseasonably beautiful weather, and by a group of exceptional T-birds.  I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know these individuals; so with their permission, I share the following stories:

I met Mike Hart ’94 for breakfast at the Charles Hotel in Cambridge, near Harvard’s campus.  Mike works for Middlesex Savings Bank, a leading Massachusetts financial institution with a strong community orientation.  Mike suggested the Charles as our meeting place because it was convenient from the bed & breakfast where I stayed in Cambridge, and because he (on behalf of his employer) is part of the syndicate that finances the hotel.  Sipping coffee at a luxury hotel that has welcomed the likes of Barbra Streisand, President Bill Clinton, Ben Affleck and even His Holiness the Dalai Lama (an honor Thunderbird shares with the Charles!), it was fascinating to learn a bit about the property’s history and ties to the local community.  Mike also gives back to the local community by volunteering with the Young Entrepreneurs Alliance, a local organization that helps low-income teens become financially independent by learning to own and run viable businesses.

During my visit, I also had the pleasure of meeting with Lisa Lillelund ’87.  Lisa and her husband, Mads Lillelund ’87, met at Thunderbird, and continue to work as a team on various projects that embody the Thunderbird mission.  After the devastating earthquake in Haiti last January, Lisa organized a drive for solar cell phone chargers and solar/crank radios to assist with relief efforts, and Mads’s company, Bluesocket, donated a wireless network to the Pierre Payen Hospital in Haiti.  Lisa’s business, MANGO Networks, works with companies to enhance profitability through the incorporation of sustainable and green technologies, and she also commits her time and talent to helping local schools implement recycling programs.

Babs Ryan ’81, another alumna I chatted with on a sunny Starbucks patio in Reading, MA, is an entrepreneur, inventor, and product developer who has leveraged her leadership-level experience in Fortune 100 companies to start her own firm that helps multinational clients capitalize on global consumer trends for new product development.  Her current focus is mobile technology solutions to drive economic growth in emerging markets, and she shared with me the incredible statistic that 50% of Kenyans make purchases with their mobile phones.  Babs has also volunteered her time to serve as a mentor for Thunderbird’s Supporting Entrepreneurs and Development (SEED) program in Jordan, assisting women entrepreneurs.

I wish to thank each of these T-birds for sharing their stories with me, for inspiring me, and for making me feel so honored to be part of the Thunderbird community.

Photo: T-bird Fred Cefalo ‘83 & his daughter, Ariel, before dinner meeting in Gloucester, MA

C. Michael Bennis, ’66, was recently featured in the Lincoln Daily News for his new romance novel Rules of Engagement and the book signing he held to promote the novel. Bennis told the press that the idea for the story had been in his mind for four or five years before he wrote it. The storyline is about an emotional summer romance between a Parisian debutante and a Boulder, Colo. graduate that resulted in a breakup until the pair reunited decades later.

William Riley, ’75, was recognized in Cambridge Who’s Who for his dedication, leadership and excellence in management.  As executive VP of Marina Development Co., Riley is responsible for providing financial and management consulting to clients interested in improving profitability. Riley has held positions as a president, executive vice president, general manager, vice president operations, and plant manager at multiple sites. He became involved in his profession because of his enthusiasm for business and desire to help companies become profitable. Riley has served as President of the American Chamber of Commerce of Panama, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of The Panama Canal College, a U.S. Army Department of Defense Dependent School. He also served as President of COSPAE, a scholarship organization that sent 800 students from the Republic of Panama to U.S. Colleges and Universities.

Bill Decker, ’02, was recently recognized in the business magazine Inc. for his successful Philadelphia-based company, The Hub. Decker’s company was ranked as one of the top 5,000 fastest-growing businesses for its 140 percent three-year growth and 2009 revenue of $2.3 million. The business was founded in 2005. The Hub Meeting and Event Centers offers offsite meeting management services and onsite facilities management to companies that own their own meeting space and want to operate it more efficiently or want to generate revenue from it. Prior to launching The Hub with his business partner, Decker felt that meetings were generally ineffective and dull. However, the T-bird graduate soon changed his mind after he and his business partner developed a new way to make meetings dynamic and interesting. Decker’s professional background includes pharmaceutical marketing and sales, strategy and process management consulting and energy.

Alexander Aginsky, ’03, was a recent guest columnist in the Portland Business Journal. In his column, Aginsky, who owns Aginsky Consulting, wrote about opportunities in exporting products to the BRIC countries, including China.

Patty Tsao,’04, was recently featured in Hong Kong-based newspaper Apple Daily for her successful jewelry business called Georgia Tsao. Tsao started the business in Taiwan five years ago with two of her sisters and today has three stores that boast $700,000 revenue in Taiwan dollars per month. The company remains profitable by carrying fewer numbers of a large variety of items to keep costs down.

“Foreign competition is about to pay off in a big way.” 

That’s the first line in class of ‘03 graduate Alexander Aginsky’s recent guest column in the Portland Business Journal. 

In the column, Aginsky — owner of Aginsky Consulting – writes about opportunities in exporting products to the BRIC countries, including China.

Many experiences have shaped the life of Eric Henderson ’97 — but none of them quite so much as Thunderbird and a 1950s camera.

Born and raised in Dallas, a self-described “Texas kid,” he now lives in New York and is grabbing international attention for his fine art photography. Currently, Henderson is featured in a global campaign by UK brand Bombay Sapphire gin, including appearing in GQ Magazine ads and working with clothing designer Marc Ecko on an international photography contest.

While some people may not understand how a successful businessman and former Thunderbird TSG President becomes an artist, Henderson explains it simply.

“It’s just the disposition of the typical T-bird student. You are open to discovery, whether its business or art…T-bird has always taken a more expansive view,” Henderson said.

And it was precisely this openness that prompted Henderson to buy a 1950 Kodak Brownie Hawkeye camera from a makeshift street bazaar while walking through Harlem in 2003.

With no former training, Henderson took to the streets, clicking away on his camera. It wasn’t long before people took notice. The Studio Museum in Harlem featured his work and the press declared him a standout newcomer.

“The first two years were pivotal because I put more hours into shooting than I ever would have in a classroom,” Henderson said.

Shot only in black and white, and usually after midnight, Henderson’s long-exposure photos are urban and unexpected. They depict cities and people without hiding any flaws. 

“I simply hold very still while I’m letting the light come into the film,” Henderson says, describing his technique.

Prior to picking up the camera, Henderson worked in global marketing, including client and agency-side work for GE, Pepsi-Cola, Citigroup, Xerox, Siemens and high-profile not-for-profit organizations.

Today, Henderson is a full-time artist and has been commissioned for work in France, Morocco, Brazil and across the U.S., working with such entities as Starbucks and The World Bank.

“People always say that I ‘left corporate,’ but that’s not true,” Henderson said.  “Now I’m dealing corporations, museums, and high net worth collectors and it loops me right back into the business world. I can speak their language in business.”

He added, “I don’t believe that an artist must always show up in a room with polka dot pants and his hair on one side of his head. If that’s you, God bless; but just be you.”

While Henderson continues to ride his wave of success, he is also clicking away with his camera. His goals include full gallery representation in New York, London, and other major centers. He plans to continue selling his work to collectors and developing his craft.

“I want T-bird students to understand that you have to be ready for anything,” Henderson said. “This has been a seamless move, though I do say to myself ‘whoa,’ I found this little brown box and it’s taking me around the world.”

Theodore “Ted” Bregar, ’80, has joined Carter Wind Energy as Chief Operating Officer. Bregar brings an extensive background in product development and launch, commercial operations, general management and profit and loss. A former Navy officer, he began his civilian career in 1980 as a strategic and business planning analyst for Caterpillar’s Solar Turbines Inc. subsidiary. After spending 21 years in various roles with Caterpillar, Bregar was recruited by DTE Energy Technologies to manage marketing and new product launches for the company’s gas turbine and distributed power generation products. Most recently, he worked for Italy’s Fiat Group as the North American general manager for Fiat Powertrain Technologies, one of the top three engine manufacturing companies in the world.

Mark Unglaub, ’80, has started a new position as Global Architectural Consultant for Stanley Security Solutions, part of worldwide Stanley Black & Decker. This position has Unglaub traveling everywhere in the world outside of North America. In the upcoming year, he will be headed to the Middle East, China and Latin America. 

Steve Pitkin, ’86, has been appointed Head of Investor Services for Citi’s Hedge Fund Services unit within Global Transaction Services. In his new role, Pitkin is responsible for providing leadership for Investor Services globally within the Hedge Fund Services business. His focus will be on enhancing Citi’s Investor Services proposition, growing capabilities in key markets and developing Citi’s operating model and technology to improve client and investor experience and firm profitability and controls. Pitkin joined Citi from Citco Fund Services, where he was Global Head of Investor Relations for the past five years. Prior to that, he was Director of Operations at FrontPoint Partners. He also spent 12 years at Morgan Stanley in several positions in Prime Brokerage and operations risk management.

Stephen Jacques, ‘87, recently accepted a new assignment as the Senior Commercial Officer for the U.S. Department of Commerce at the U.S. Embassy Tripoli Libya.

Enrique Figueroa, ’91, was recently appointed Managing Director of Wealth Management and Equity Research for Glovista Investments. In this role, Figueroa is responsible for the independent advisory firm’s global wealth management in the United States West Coast and Mexico regions. Figueroa brings more than 20 years of investment experience to his new position. He most recently worked for Merrill Lynch- Bank of America, where he was an International Wealth Advisor at the Private Banking and Investment Group (PBIG). Previously, Mr. Figueroa was the Chief Investment Officer, a Senior Wealth Manager, and an Executive Committee Member at Sand Hill Advisors. Before relocating to the San Francisco Bay Area, Mr. Figueroa worked in equity research in New York, where he was ranked the top Latin American food and beverage analyst by Greenwich Associates and runner up by Institutional Investor Magazine. He was a First Vice President at Merrill Lynch, a Vice President at Oppenheimer & Co., and a Vice President at HSBC James Capel. Mr. Figueroa began his career as an Associate for McKinsey & Company management consulting firm and as the Manager of Financial Planning for a PepsiCo subsidiary in Mexico.

Carla Hassan, ’98, has been promoted to Vice President, Sparkling Beverages, PepsiCo International. In her new role, Carla will lead the strategic and platform development for the company’s international sparkling beverage portfolio. Most recently, Hassan served as the senior marketing director for Gatorade Marketing Communications. In this role, she led the transformation of the brand with consumers, cementing a new brand architecture and platform for future communication and consumer-brand relationships. Hassan joined PepsiCo in 2004 as marketing director for Quaker Ready-to-Eat Cereals. She was then promoted to senior marketing director for G2 and Gatorade Tiger. Prior to joining PepsiCo, she worked for Kellogg’s.

Kristin Weikel, ‘99, has recently accepted a position as Director of Business Development with MediTech Strategic Consultants B.V. The Netherlands-based company is a Contract Research Organization firm specializing in medical devices. Weikel will be based in Houston. 

Jack Beldon III ,’05, recently accepted an offer at Northhighland Consulting as a Principal in their Banking and Capital Markets Practice.

If your phone rings today, it just might be a T-bird calling.

Twenty-five Student Campaign Ambassadors from nine countries will take to the phones today to kick off the first day of our annual phonathon.

Because you’re one of T-bird’s alumni, our student callers look up to you and would love to hear stories of your life and career path since T-bird. During the call, the students will make sure that your contact information is up-to-date so that you can receive Thunderbird Magazine and Thunder News. Also, please feel free to ask questions about anything from campus to curriculum!

Since this year is the final stretch of Campaign Thunderbird, we ask that you also consider making a gift. This year’s goal is 17 percent alumni giving participation, or 5,008 alumni donors. That’s 509 more than last year.  It will be a challenge but with your support, we believe we can get there.

But why is 17 percent so important?

For starters, broad alumni support helps establish a culture of philanthropy that is vital to the success and sustainability of our school. Also, there is strength in numbers. Our community is only as strong as the people who support it. Alumni participation is often viewed as a barometer of alumni satisfaction. Corporations and foundations consider alumni participation when making funding decisions. And lastly, this year is the final stretch of Campaign Thunderbird, so the gifts you give now will set us on a path to success for years to come.

So why do T-birds give? The reasons are as diverse as our alumni themselves. Here are some reasons provided by our Student Campaign Ambassadors:

-“To have a hand in the creation of global leaders” – Amy Boyer

-“It builds our brand and increases recognition” – Gonzalo Ariceta

-“T-bird is committed to its alumni and many want to give back” – Ekaterine Danelia

-“To continue offering pioneering programs from top-notch professors” – Nithin Vinyak

-“To provide students with quality resources on campus” — Karan Gupta

Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to connecting with you and all of our T-bird community over the phone!

The Economist recently featured an interview with Carlos Contreras ’96, US Education Director, Intel Corporation.

In the interview, Contreras addresses the issues of the role of math and science in elementary education, Intel’s impact on education in the U.S. and around the globe as well as other issues facing K-12 students and educators.

For the highlights of yesterday’s Thunderbird Global Council meeting in Salzburg, have a look at Dr.  Ángel Cabrera’s blog: Global Leaders Can Be Made. The meeting pushed the 2020  Global Vision one step further in identifying how  to measure impact and foster a global community of learning and practice. Don’t forget to take a look at photos from the meeting.

The Phoenix Chapter is holding its 2010 Entrepreneurship Event – The Capital Process on Sept. 29, 2010  at Wells Fargo Conference Center in downtown Phoenix.

The event is part of the chapter’s annual scholarship fundraiser and will feature a panel presentation discussing the various routes to obtaining capital. The chapter will partner with the Thunderbird Global Private Equity Center for the discussion.

Thunderbird recently hosted over 75 state legislators and private investors to campus for a discussion on how to invigorate Arizona’s economy through innovation and entrepreneurship.  A central theme of the discussion was focused on how to organize and attract capital for Arizona small businesses. The upcoming event will focus on these conversations. 

Speakers will consist of venture capital groups and community bankers, who will discuss opportunities for obtaining capital and how to successfully move forward in the current economic climate.  The event will also introduce the Thunderbird Angels Network, which is an exciting new program that partners entrepreneurs with investors. Also, the event will feature a silent auction, raffle and a chance to network and reconnect with alumni. Click here to register.

For more information:

Thunderbird Alumni Association Phoenix Chapter

Phone: 480-986-4666

Email: Chapter Leader, mike.cottrell@gmail.com