July 2006

Articles for the July 2006 edition of InFormation are now available.
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Business Hall of Fame honors Leaders of Principle

Each year, The Citadel School of Business Administration dedicates one evening to business leaders who embody the ideals of the school. Dubbed the Business Hall of Fame Dinner, this year's event took place on Thursday, April 13 and was attended by approximately 200 people.

Jeanne Mehrtens, budget and event coordinator for the School of Business Administration, said it is a "great opportunity for goodwill for our Citadel family." Mehrtens has organized the event since its inception.

Each year, prominent Leaders of Principle are inducted into the Hall of Fame. These leaders have enjoyed substantial success in business or public service and have made significant contributions to their communities. Anyone can nominate a person for this award, and candidates may be living or non-living residents of South Carolina or another state and/or graduates of The Citadel or other colleges or universities. Moreover, the recipient’s values should support those of the School of Business. This year, three prominent Leaders of Principle were inducted into the Hall of Fame. These leaders included President Ronald Wilson Reagan, the 40th president of the United States; Mr. Raymond G. Johnson, a founding Citadel School of Business Administration Advisory Board member and founding Chair of the Board’s Leadership Committee; and Mr. Gerald Ogier, President/CEO and Chairman of the Board of ContraVest, an active member of The Citadel School of Business Administration Advisory Board and Chair of the Board’s Undergraduate Committee.

A venerable receiving line welcomed guests to the 2006 School of Business Hall of Fame Banquet held in the Holliday Alumni Center April 13.

During the event, the Alvah H. Chapman, Jr. Distinguished Leadership Award, an award recognizing an outstanding young leader, was given to John A. McAllister. McAllister founded John McAllister Realty Consulting in 2001 and serves as Broker in Charge. He has over 24 years experience in the real estate profession and is licensed to practice real estate in South Carolina and Georgia. McAllister is a graduate of The Citadel Class of 1980 and has served on the Board of Visitors.

Students in the top 10% of the senior class, the top 7% of the junior class, or the top 20% of the master's program were also honored with invitations to join Beta Gamma Sigma. By accepting membership, the students receive lifetime recognition for their outstanding academic achievement in the study of business.

"The Citadel Business Hall of Fame continues to astound," said Dean Earl Walker. "This year the induction of President Ronald Reagan, an award accepted by former Marine Corps Commandant Gen. P.X. Kelley, provided one of the most inspirational speeches ever given at The Citadel. Furthermore, the other leader of principal awardees, Ray Johnson and Gerry Ogier, are models of highly ethical, principled leadership. Finally, the Alvah Chapman Distinguished Leadership Award winner, John McAllister, is a model of an emerging leader who has already had a dramatic impact on his community.

"Our fervent hope is that more Citadel stakeholders will attend this spectacular event coordinated by Ms. Jeanne Mehrtens who continues to provide a spectacular experience for all who attend."

The Hall of Fame dinner is underwritten School of Business Administration Advisory Board members from The Class of 1965: James J. Kerr, William A Moody, Jr., Gerald Ogier and Edward T. Pendarvis.

Mehrtens said that planning is already well underway for next year's Hall of Fame dinner.

Mentor's Association offers guidance for undergraduate, graduate business students

Looking back on his tenure at the University of North Carolina where he earned his bachelor's degree, Prof. Bruce Strauch remembers that there were elements of education that students of the humanities were not receiving.

"You were just supposed to figure everything out on your own," he said. "It's a fault of the liberal arts and social sciences to this day that they don't make any huge effort to help their people with careers."      

To remedy this potential problem for undergraduate and graduate students in The Citadel's School of Business Administration, Strauch founded the Mentor's Association, a program that pairs students with professionals who provide guidance in their current studies, their current jobs, and their future careers.

Strauch said that everyone gets a job, but, he asks, "Are you prepared to even know what you are doing?"

Strauch initiated the program without any finite plan or model as a guide. "There was nothing, so anything would be better, I thought," he said.

The goal of the program has become one based around the enrichment of students by providing access to individuals who have demonstrated that they have what it takes to be successful. The experience of sharing in an exchange of ideas with executives is of immeasurable long-term value to students. This initiative also provides an opportunity for successful executives to "give back" to the community. These mentors are encouraging students to develop career ideas and to enhance their prospects for success.

The list of professionals participating in the program presents a vast cross-section of the business world, with the binding tie being success in their respective industries. From CEO's of major corporations to presidents and vice-presidents of lesser-known industry leaders, the program offers students insight into the qualities needed for success as well as the day-to-day challenges often encountered.

Strauch said that the success of this program has been aided by The Citadel's location in Charleston. "What we did, and I saw here, I don't think would work on most campuses, and that is all of these retirees that we have," he said. "They have just been a gold-mine of successful people and we say that frequently."

Students sign up for the program by filling out an application and providing a copy of their resume. Connie Anthony, Mentor's Association coordinator, then matches them with professionals based upon common interests or intended career path. The relationship between the mentor and mentee is then allowed to develop naturally.

"The Mentor's Association has exceeded our wildest dreams," said Dean Earl Walker. "Here we have over 115 retired executives who are spending time, one on one, with our cadets and our MBA students. There is no question that these mentors are transforming young lives."

"I think it has just gone great, and is going to get better and better," said Strauch, and the program is entering what he calls the second phase, which, while not part of the Mentor's Association, is a whole career orientation for business majors when they join the business school.

"We have had students who have gone on to remarkable opportunities, some found by the mentors, some not," Dean Walker said. "As this is not a jobs program, that is just another testament to the dramatic impact the mentors are having on helping students envision a career, a career that is spectacular and fully exploits their many talents.”

"The mentor's thing just keeps growing," Strauch said. "It's wonderful."

Peter Sulick brings experience in accounting, media to Advisory Board

Like many graduates from The Citadel, Peter Sulick had relatively little contact with the school after his graduation. He spent years building a career first in accounting and later in media and technology.

Things changed just over a year ago when he joined the Citadel School of Business Administration's Advisory Board. He is now working to find where his expertise fits into the stacked deck of successful professionals that make up the board which helps guide the business school.

Sulick had the military in mind when he enrolled at The Citadel, he said, although he was also drawn to Charleston. "I liked the school," he said. "I had a wonderful time when I came down for a weekend visit, and didn't completely understand, I think, what I was about to get myself into."

While a freshman he did experience the difficulties inherent in being a cadet, but Sulick did well in his business classes, focusing on accounting. After graduating, he earned his Master's in finance from the University of Massachusetts, then began his career with Arthur Andersen & Co. in New York City. Following this, he joined International Telephone & Telegraph Corporation. He later became a financial officer for Cablevision Systems Corporation where he participated in the company's IPO, numerous large debt and equity financings, a $350 million leveraged buyout, cable franchising and a host of other transactional activities.

Over the past 25 years, Sulick has founded four companies, including Independence Broadcasting Corporation, PowerFone Inc., SSPCS Corp., and, most recently, AmeriSite LLC, a real estate investment and development company he started in 1998 with his children. He now serves as president and CEO of AmeriSite LLC, with development projects both in his home town of Naples, Fla., and in Nashville, Tenn.

While he didn't have direct contact with The Citadel until recently, Sulick paid attention to its progress over the years. With the help of Dean Earl Walker, he finally reconnected with his alma mater. "I came to the conclusion that there were actions taking place at the school that were going to be beneficial overall," he said. "I decided to re-engage when they asked me to."

He attended one of the Advisory Board meetings to see if it was something that would work for him and would give him the opportunity to have a positive impact on the school. He said he found "there were some really wonderful people on the board that I would enjoy spending time with, and the board was going to have some influence on what is going on."

His first meeting as a member of the Advisory Board was in October, and Sulick said he is taking things as they come. He spent the first several meetings acclimating himself to the setup and to the other members, but he said he is optimistic about the help he can give the business school in the future. "We'll see what I have to offer. Visiting Charleston for several days around the board meetings is a wonderful added bonus.”

Steven Good talks leadership during forum's second installment

Steven L. Good's take on real estate is slightly different than most. The chairman and CEO of Sheldon Good & Company International, a Chicago-based real estate auction group, traveled to The Citadel to lead the second installment of this spring's Leaders on Leadership Program, and set out to not only reveal his profession, but to tell MBA students the ethical value inherent in his work.

Good, an attorney whose work in Washington D.C. has included stints with the U.S. Senate, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the U.S. Attorney, has been involved in the sale of more than $4 billion in real estate. He has been vital in the expansion of Sheldon Good & Company, which is ranked the largest firm in the country conducting real estate auctions. Good recently penned his first book, "Churches, Jails, And Gold Mines: Mega-Deals from a Real Estate Maverick," which describes his company's rise to its current stature.

Sheldon Good was started in the early 1980s with 20 people. It has now become a borderless company, Good said, which has been a key to its success. How did it get there? He said it was through identifying a niche, identifying clients to fill that niche, and expanding geography and asset classes. While doing this, it was integral that the company maintained a high level of performance.

"In a service business," Good said, "You are only as good as your last deal."

Good said his company has excelled at listening to clients, many of whom represent some of the brightest minds in the world. Through these clients and partnership opportunities, Sheldon Good was able to grow from a family business to a partnership. Even through the transition, one thing the company has done to ensure success is develop career paths for its employees and cultivate a team culture. There has also been a sense of collaboration whereby, instead of competing with some competitors, Good said the company has collaborated with them.

Through his 45 minute talk, Good provided several comments that tied together his thoughts on ethics and success: "You can't do a good deal with a bad guy;" "The papers are only as good as the guy behind them;" and "We all get by with a little help from our friends."

Before parting with the students of The Citadel's MBA program, Good offered one last insight into success: "If you have a clear vision, share your vision, and it will come back amplified."

Good is a member of The Citadel School of Business Advisory Board.

The Leaders on Leadership Forum is held each spring and fall, and features talks aimed at MBA students in The Citadel's School of Business Administration regarding leadership and ethics.

Students discover link between business, Washington D.C. during spring break

The link between Washington, D.C. and the world of business is something Prof. Robert Freer and The Citadel School of Business Administration are eager for students to explore. Over this year's spring break, Prof. Freer and Dr. Stephen Silver traveled to the nation's capital with a group of graduate and undergraduate students to experience this symbiotic relationship.

Over the course of five days, students visited a variety of landmarks, including The Brookings Institution, the National Defense University, The Heritage Foundation, the SEC and others. The group also spent an entire day in Congress, where Prof. Freer said Congress "really turned out for us," offering insight into the inner-workings of government through a series of talks. Some students, through a 1980 alumni of The Citadel who serves as a special assistant, enjoyed a tour of the White House, including the West Wing. One day was spent at the Smithsonian, and students also visited Kennedy Center to see how the government invested in the arts.

Those attending were required to keep journals and turn in a paper upon their return to the Lowcountry.

Prof. Freer said that it is integral for students to understand how business and the capital interrelate. Trips like these are aimed at these goals. He called it "one of the more worthwhile experiences" for students.

"One of our dreams is that all of our cadets and MBA students will take at least a one-week trip to national centers of government and business, or abroad," said Dean Earl Walker. "These trips transform their understanding and their appreciation of the global and increasingly more sophisticated nature of our economy.

"The Washington trip, in itself, was a model of providing young people exposure to the highest levels of government, and thereby helping them better understand the importance of our political system to our economy," he added. "Robert Freer, the John S. Grinalds Leader in Residence, also serves as the CEO of the Free Enterprise Foundation, and we are delighted with this trip that he engineered to Washington, D.C."

Students enhance studies with internships

Students in The Citadel School of Business Administration are already enhancing their resumes with upcoming internships this spring and summer. Steven Good and Gerry Ogier, who both serve on the school's Advisory Board, agreed to accept students as interns to explore their respective fields.

Good, chairman and CEO of Sheldon Good & Company, recently welcomed Chase Tarkenton to Chicago, IL. to experience the real estate world. Sheldon Good is at the forefront of the real estate auction industry, offering auctions, brokerage, consulting and financing. Tarkenton spent a week with the company in April.

This summer, Taylor Senter and Rainer Cooke will spend eight weeks working with ContraVest, a construction, management and development firm in Lake Mary, Fla. founded by Ogier who is owner and chairman. The company has successfully developed units in Florida, Georgia, Arizona, Colorado, North Carolina, Texas and South Carolina. ContraVest recently broke the $1 billion mark in cumulative development and construction.

Dr. Earl Walker, dean of The Citadel School of Business Administration, said this is part of a three-pronged goal for each and every student in the school.

"We have three dreams for all our students," Walker said. "That they will have a mentor, that they will have a school-related trip, and that they will have an internship. The internships provided by Steven Good and Gerry Ogier at ContraVest are models of the types of opportunities that we want to provide to our students. We are hopeful that other Citadel graduates and stakeholders will provide such opportunities."