October 2006

Articles for the October 2006 edition of InFormation are now available.
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Bill Hewitt remains a seminal force on the CSBA Advisory Board

Bill Hewitt hadn't had any interaction with The Citadel prior to joining the School of Business Administration’s Advisory Board in 2002. But as a graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and the US Naval Postgraduate School, he said he had a strong interest “in that kind of education, because I think it is a great education.”

Hewitt, who serves as the non-executive Chairman of Polymer Group Inc (POLGA), Global Vantege, Inc, and Water Missions International, attributes his place on the board to Dean Earl Walker.

“I met Earl and was impressed with what he wanted to do and where he wanted to take The Citadel,” he said. “I was honored when he asked me to join the board and I was even more honored when he asked me to be the first chair.”

“Bill Hewitt has been a seminal force in the creation, ongoing operations and success of The Citadel School of Business Administration Advisory Board,” said Dean Walker. “Bill has not only led this board with energy, passion and commitment, he has also been enormously generous with his time and his resources.”

The role of the Advisory Board is two-fold, Hewitt said, and the school has been successful to both ends. The first aspect is fundraising for the school. Second, he said, is giving another level of feedback on "ways that help make the School of Business Administration better, broadly, and that means better for the students, both undergraduate and graduate, and to help to spread the reputation of the school, to help to enhance that reputation, any number things like that."

Hewitt has served as CEO of the Union Corporation (UCO) and was a founding partner of the First Manhattan Consulting Group, a premier management consulting firm serving the financial services industry. Bill has been active in the Charleston community, serving as a Trustee of the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), immediate past Chairman of the Spoleto Festival, USA, past Chair of the MUSC Health Sciences Foundation, and Senior Warden of St. Michael's Church among others.

The Citadel awarded Hewitt an honorary doctorate in business administration in 2004 and also inducted him into its chapter of the Phi Kappa Phi, the premier academic achievement organization.

“Without Bill’s encouragement and imagination, we would never have enjoyed the success we have had in the Citadel School of Business Administration over the last five years,” said Dean Walker.

Hewitt and his wife Laura live in Charleston and have four grown children and 14 (soon to be 15) grandchildren.

Cadets find opportunity in the "Big Apple"

Jason Russell is a firm believer in placing classroom skills in the context of the real world, and in giving students the opportunity to make connections in business fields that may help in a job search upon graduation. With both of these goals in mind, the rising senior from Oscar Company and president of the Finance and Investment Club worked to organize a trip for 10 cadets – five juniors and five seniors – and advisor Prof. Lawrence McKay to visit New York City for what was deemed “Wall Street Week.”

“The purpose of the trip was to give a select group of Citadel students an opportunity to have an inside look at the vast job opportunities within New York City,” said Russell. “Many of the students had never visited NYC, and we felt it was impossible to really understand the financial markets without visiting them first-hand.”

Dr. Earl Walker, Dean of The Citadel School of Business Administration, said that the trip was something the school has dreamed of for a while. “We very much wanted to get our cadets and our MBA students to this remarkable cultural and financial center,” he said.

The group departed Charleston on the evening of April 5, and beginning the following morning, the cadets were immersed in a whirlwind visit to one of the world's centers of business. Over the next two days they visited Merrill Lynch, the New York Stock Exchange, Pali Capital, Bradley Woods, Pfizer, Bank of America and Bloomburg. Many of these visits were arranged by contacting alumni of The Citadel who reside in the city.

“Our visits to the various firms in New York permitted us an inside look at the world’s financial center,” said Russell. “The speed of business was amazing. I love a high-paced, high-stress lifestyle, and New York certainly offered it to those willing to take it. By visiting over ten firms in the course of two days, I was able to learn more about each sector of finance and make some definitive career decisions.”

“Finally, I was able to see how the things I have learned in the classroom are applied in a work environment. I found my accounting classes to be especially helpful in understanding the ‘lingo’ of the investment world. The visit also highlighted the things that I needed to learn in order to be successful, many of which are never taught in a classroom.”

But the trip was not simply an experience in learning about the mechanics of the city. It was a hands-on effort in planning and organizing for some of the students involved. Russell said he learned how to put together a large-scale, expensive endeavor under time constraints. Club Vice-President Mauro Bria, Treasurer Tripp Cone, and James Purgason were essential in fundraising for the trip. The cost was paid for by contributions from local alumni and businesses.

Prof. McKay said that the students are to be commended for their hard work. They had laid the framework of the trip, raised much of the funds for travel, and had arranged all of the schedules. “It was very obvious that they had put in a great deal of time,” he said.

“It was a tremendous opportunity for the cadets that went to meet a diverse group of very successful business people in New York City,” McKay said. “About half were alumni, half were not, and I think it opened up so many eyes that it was very, very positive.”

The end result, in addition to enhancing the cadets’ knowledge of the fast-paced business world, came in the form of networking, internship and employment opportunities. Russell and club member Nick Leone both earned internships in NYC this summer. Bria has also been offered a job opportunity with a hedge fund manager.

“We would never have received these opportunities without taking some initiative and putting together such a life-changing trip,” Russell said. “I hope that we will continue this in the future to help students reach out beyond the classroom.”

“Thanks to the help of alumni, Wes Jones and Larry McKay, we have realized that dream,” said Dean Walker. “We are hopeful that we can continue these trips on a yearly basis because they are truly remarkable opportunities to be exposed to the fast pace, the intellectual creativity, and the wonders that are New York City.”

CSBA focuses on globalization with student, faculty trips

What is “globalization,” and why is it important that Citadel students pay attention to global events? Does the interdependence of world governments and businesses affect every Citadel student and graduate? What if a Citadel graduate wants to work for a multinational company or agency abroad? What skills do students acquire at the Citadel which will prepare them to compete for jobs in the global marketplace?

Shouldn’t The Citadel’s illustrious position as a training ground for exceptional military leaders require that their students get a solid education about the world’s geo-political complexities? After all, US citizens serving in the military are the first to be directly affected by war, an outward expression of our foreign policy.

To answer these questions, it is necessary to look at what is currently underway at The Citadel School of Business Administration as administrators gradually “globalize” their programs. This article is the first in a series which will explore programs and new projects at the school which may help graduates build competency as true global citizens.

The Citadel’s School of Business Administration is a fertile laboratory for a new generation of business leaders who could choose to work in companies with interests world-wide. Internships and job connections can take Citadel graduates farther than they ever imagined, as long as they are prepared.

According to Dr. Earl Walker, Dean of the Citadel’s School of Business Administration, it is a priority to focus on “preparing and educating leaders of principle to serve in a global community.”

Dean Walker has been particularly successful these past few years in attracting private funds from donors who wish to help with that mission. In the past year, Dr. Sheila Foster, CSBA Professor, was appointed Director of Global Experiences for the business school. In this role, she will create and encourage faculty to plan international study trips that “open student’s eyes to the wider world out there,” said Foster.

“Trips abroad get students interested in cultures that they have never been exposed to. So many students just do not know what the world is really like. My goal is to give them a chance to travel and learn and grow personally.”

Foster took students to Egypt last summer. Exotic photos of her group atop camels in the desert adorn her office door. Over this past winter break, she and another group of students traveled to Paris and London.

Students can travel with CSBA professors or choose a program through the Study Abroad Office run by Robert Pickering.

So, where in the world are Citadel students, faculty, and staff traveling to learn more about our complex world? This summer, CSBA faculty has cast off for South America, Australia, New Zealand and Europe. In addition, a link to China has been proposed by Dr. Steve Silver and Dr. Jeanette Moody that could open up opportunities for students to learn about the rapidly growing Chinese economy.

Dr. William Woolsey recently returned from a conference in Sao Paolo, Brazil, where he studied the economic and banking systems of South America’s largest country. Woolsey teaches economics and was fascinated by the social forces in Brazil that influence day to day economic life in a country struggling with enormous debt and poverty.

Dr. J. Michael Alford and Dr. Mark Bebensee, assistant dean of the School of Business, spent the last week of June in Melbourne, Australia, presenting a paper about ways to improve students’ awareness of ethical issues in the workplace. When asked what he learned about Australia, Alford commented, “There is much more government involvement in a citizen’s everyday life in Australia as compared to the US. An 80 percent government tax is levied on petroleum. The few big cities in Australia are so cosmopolitan that you would never know about life in the countryside … the closest I got to the Outback was sitting next to a man in a big cowboy hat!” He and Dr. Bebensee did visit the zoo in Melbourne so they could get a close up look at koala bears and platypus.

Dr. Silver will soon take off for Florence, Italy, to present a paper entitled, “The Emerging Stock Market in China.” Dr. Liz Arnold departs for Wales this summer for an accounting conference, and Dr. Don Sparks returns to Austria where he has taught for many summers.

Editor’s note: This is part one in a series that will explore student and faculty opportunities focused on better understanding globalization.

Dean Earl Walker to step down as head of CSBA

Dean Earl Walker, PhD, established a vision for The Citadel School of Business Administration shortly after becoming the founding dean on August 1, 2001. It states: “By 2007, the School will have: diversified and upgraded its undergraduate and graduate curriculums, embedded student career visioning and planning into its curriculum, provided opportunities and incentives for faculty and student involvement in regional and global activities, integrated practitioners into all programs, added at least three new leaders-in-residence, updated its classrooms to include state-of-the-art multimedia equipment, and deployed a Center for Leadership Development that includes a student mentoring program.”

Earl Walker, Ph.D. Colonel, USA (Ret.) Dean of Business Administration

With 2007 quickly approaching and The School of Business Administration basking in the accomplishment of this goal, Walker has announced that he will step down as dean, returning to teaching and allowing a new dean to work to develop a new short-term vision.

“Having been privileged to serve for six years as founding dean of The Citadel School of Business Administration,” Dean Walker said, “I realized that we have achieved our goals for 2007 and that new leadership is needed into the future.”

Walker came to The Citadel as Dean and Robert A. Jolley Chair in 2001, bringing with him a prestigious résumé and a host of accomplishments. He was a 1967 Distinguished Graduate and Phi Kappa Phi from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, he earned a PhD in Organizational Behavior and Political Science in 1980 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he served as a White House Fellow and a NATO Research Fellow, and he was President of the White House Fellows Association and Chairman of the Board of the White House Fellows Foundation.

Prior to his tenure at The Citadel, Dean Walker served as Director of Training at McLane Company in Temple, Texas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Wal-Mart. In that position, he started the McLane Leadership School and established company-wide management training initiatives for this $6 billion dollar company. He was also Professor of Public Policy, Program Director, and Division Chair in the Department of Social Sciences at West Point for 18 years and line Army officer who commanded armor units in Vietnam, Germany, and in the United States. He retired in 1993 as an Army Colonel.

Under his leadership at The Citadel, the School of Business Administration flourished. The school developed a mission statement and vision; created an Advisory Board to oversee its progress; created the Mentors Association which pairs business school students with knowledgeable business leaders for guidance in their academic and business careers; initiated the Business Hall of Fame to acknowledge business leaders within the community for their careers and contributions to the business world; and drew successful business leaders from across the country to address business students during the Leaders on Leadership forum, a series of talks held in the fall and again in the spring.

But teaching remains one of Dean Walker’s passions, and although he taught occasional classes, it is what he is now looking toward.

“After 26 years as an academic administrator, I long to return to teaching and voluntarily approached provost Don Stevens in the fall of 2005 to discuss this aspiration,” he said. “After considerable discussions, he and I agreed that I should stay on in academic year 2006-2007, so The Citadel will have the opportunity to search for a new dean to continue to develop this remarkable school and this most outstanding institution.”

The decision was completely voluntary, Dean Walker said, and he and his wife, Susan, plan to remain in Charleston. He will also remain at The Citadel, teaching as a tenured professor of management and leadership.

“I am so grateful to all of those that have helped us achieve our goals, particularly Citadel administrators, The Citadel School of Business Administration Advisory Board, The Citadel Mentor's Association, and so many others in the community whose encouragement and support have meant so much to the business school," Dean Walker said. "I am also enormously grateful to the faculty and staff who have worked so hard to establish the school and move it forward.”

Dean Walker's tenure as dean will end on June 30, 2007.

Executive Institute links CSBA, business community

It is not uncommon for members of the business community to knock upon business school doors seeking programs to educate their employees, and The Citadel isn’t any different.

Nearly two years ago, the School of Business Administration, backed by an anonymous contribution, set out to create a template to do just that. Dubbed, The Citadel Executive Institute (CEI), and with Helen Harloe at the helm as the director, the institute set out to find its voice in the business community as a means for focused, expedient, and convenient job-relevant workshops for busy professionals.

Harloe said it is aimed at drawing benefits for both the school faculty and local business. She said that by placing faculty in a business atmosphere sharing their expertise with professionals, “the collaborative effort brings professional development to both.”

The institute has developed customized training opportunities, and it offers the skills of talented faculty, the experience of retired top executives, and the perspective of nationally recognized consultants. It also has the ability to host corporate and professional groups which seek a state-of-the-art facility to conduct business away from office distractions.

School of Business Administration faculty offer programs in communication, finance, law and legal studies, management, psychology, economics, information systems, leadership studies, marketing and statistics. Also available to businesses are consultants from Fortune 500 companies, business authors, top level executives, and national award recipients.

The Executive Institute has had several noteworthy achievements, Harloe said, namely its ability to customize courses for businesses and cater to designated areas of expertise, like the Association of Professional Bookkeepers. More opportunities are knocking on the door; however, the institute is now in a transition period due to Harloe’s departure to pursue a degree in law.

“We’ve had some successes” Harloe said, although she envisions far greater things from the institute in the future. She said that one of the more difficult aspects of starting the organization was finding areas of emphasis that were effective. She said that during the end of her tenure with the institute, the Small Business Association in Columbia was interested in coming to Charleston to do seminars for minority business owners. There is a national allocation for small, minority-owned businesses through the SBA, and Harloe said she was interested in hosting these seminars to “teach how to get a piece of that pie.”

Harloe said that judging by the developments during her time with the institute, the potential for great success is within the grasp of CEI.

Dr. Earl Walker, dean of the School of Business Administration, said he feels the same. “We are enormously proud of the creation of The Citadel Executive Institute and the fine work of its founding Director, Ms. Helen Harloe,” he said. “Through the generosity of an anonymous donor, we have been able to create this institute and establish procedures at The Citadel so that faculty can contribute their time and talents to helping outside organizations prosper. Presently, we are undergoing a transition at CEI, with Helen leaving for law school. Our expectations are that The Citadel Executive Institute will continue to thrive in the decades ahead.”