April 2007

CSBA recognizes Ronald Reagan’s leadership with DVD

Ronald Wilson Reagan, the 40th President of the United States, stepped into the annals of history at The Citadel on May 13, 1993 when he stood before the graduating class of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets and delivered an inspirational speech that marked the end of the college’s sesquicentennial year. Entitled “Keepers of the Peace,” the speech touched upon the rich history of the Military College of South Carolina, the vibrant history of Charleston, and, most notably, the leadership borne of the college, carried on by its graduates, and needed by the United States.

Last Spring, during its annual Business Hall of Fame ceremony, The Citadel School of Business Administration honored President Reagan by presenting him with the posthumous Leader of Principal Award. The award was accepted, upon the request of the late President’s family, by General P.X. Kelley who served under President Reagan during his administration as the 28th Commandant of the Marine Corps and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Accompanying the awards presentation was a video of President Reagan’s commencement speech, created and produced by Michael Colgan which, again, touched those in attendance that night.

The video and the Business Hall of Fame Seminar held prior to the event are now available together on DVD through The Citadel Gift Shop. “This DVD is the first of what we hope will be an ongoing series of videotapes recognizing inductees into The Citadel Business Hall of Fame,” said Dr. Earl Walker, Dean of the School of Business Administration. “It recognizes President Ronald Reagan whose inspiring speech at The Citadel stirred us all. It also contains a record of the seminar of the other inductees talking about leadership and ethics.

“We feel it is a significant contribution to the mission of The Citadel and the business school.”

Dr. Bluford Putnam urges MBA candidates to value the basic principles of business

The Citadel School of Business Administration’s mission is to “educate and develop leaders of principle to serve a global community,” and Dr. Bluford Putnam’s presentation on the themes that confront business leaders in the multi-cultural world as part of the fall Leadership Forum couldn’t have been more fitting.

Dr. Putnam is the CEO and Director of Research for Bayesian Edge Technology and Solutions, Ltd., a financial risk management and portfolio advisory service specializing in financial market research utilizing Bayesian statistical techniques integrated with the disciplined application of economic theory. He formed Bayesian Edge in 2000, after a long and distinguished career on Wall Street. Dr. Putnam has authored five books on international finance, many academic articles, and an eclectic assortment of articles for the business press. At various times, he has served on the adjunct faculties of business schools of The Wharton School, New York University, and Columbia University.

Dr. Putnam delivered his talk on international business to a group of MBA candidates utilizing a series of seven issues often found in the ever-evolving global business world, particularly when working in a foreign country. Peppering his talk with dry-witted humor, Dr. Putnam addressed the business tone set by government, labor practices, payment, business practices, language differences, personalities, and leadership. Ultimately, he emphasized that in a multi-cultural business community, players in the business world must revert to the basic business principles of listening and flexibility.

He also expressed the positive impact openness in business practices has on success, and the need for leaders to admit mistakes and to allow their team to make mistakes.

“Leadership is how you come to these decisions,” he said, “and how you get people to follow you even when you make bad decisions.”

The biannual Leadership Forum series is series presented by the school and underwritten by South Carolina Bank and Trust.

Dr. Susan Phillips gives MBA candidates insight into the challenges of leadership

Dr. Susan Phillips has spent much of her career in leadership positions. Yet standing before a room of Citadel MBA candidates and professors, she was candid in stating that leadership isn’t always about preparedness. “You find yourself thrust into a leadership position,” she said. “Sometimes, there is nothing in your tool kit that can help you prepare for that leadership position.

“Sometimes the only things you have are your own powers of personal persuasion,” she said.

Dr. Phillips, the second speaker in the fall Leadership Forum series presented by The Citadel School of Business Administration and underwritten by South Carolina Bank and Trust, gave students a glimpse into the challenges she has faced as a leader, a role she with which she is all too familiar. She joined The George Washington University School of Business as Dean and Professor of Finance in July 1998. Previously, she was a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System from December 1991 through June 1998. Before her Federal Reserve appointment, Dr. Phillips served as Vice President for Finance and University Services and Professor of Finance at the University of Iowa (1987 to 1991).

Over the course of her 30 minute talk, Dr. Phillips highlighted some of the traits that make a good leader. She said leaders must have an edge, an attribute that can be lost if a leader becomes too confident. Leaders must have people to follow them – not everyone, but people who will go with them. “You may find that if you don’t have very good ideas,” she added, “people will stop following you.”

Dr. Phillips also recognized that all leaders will make mistakes, but what people remember is “not the mistake, it is how you pick yourself up and move on.”

While her talk featured examples and anecdotes from the many facets of her career, from the federal government to academia, the consistent theme centered on the difficulties of leadership. “Leadership takes a lot of work,” she said. “If it were easy, it probably wouldn’t be worth doing.”

Kathy Jones becomes founding Director of Business School Operations

Kathy Jones took the reigns as Director of Business School Operations for The Citadel School of Business Administration just last fall; however, she is no stranger to the Military College of South Carolina. Jones, who graduated from Youngstown State University with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Sciences and Bowie State University with a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology, spent 20 years in the Army. She came to The Citadel in 1997, assigned to Army ROTC detachment as assistant professor of military science. She was the first female Army officer at the college.

Jones worked as Assistant Director of Admissions and later Assistant Commandant for Administration and Coeducation. She was also involved in recruiting women; the college began admitting female cadets in 1995, and the numbers were increasing steadily each year. The year she arrived, the college brought in 10 women, and she served as a role model to show that “women can succeed in the military.” Jones and her husband, Dr. Ray Jones, who is the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies at the college, have always been passionate about academics, and while she said she enjoyed her position in the Commandant’s Office, “I thought that coming back into this position would be beneficial for me and for students.” She said that she enjoys being able to work with MBA candidates, while still interacting with cadets as she has for much of her career at The Citadel.

The fall was a period of transition for Jones, who took over duties from Marna Stilley. However, it didn’t take long for her to make an impact. “As the founding director of Business School Operations, Col. Kathy Jones is a Godsend,” said Dr. Earl Walker, Dean of the School of Business Administration. “She has, in short order, reorganized our staff, ensured outstanding customer service to all of our stakeholders, and been a warm, concerned force in continued business school operations. And with all of this, she also is the administrative leader of our MBA program. She meets with MBA candidates, works extensively in getting them admitted, and spends hours counseling them.”

She has also been looking toward future goals. “I am looking forward to working with faculty on maintenance of accreditation,” she said. “A lot of times faculty are focusing on classes, and I want to help them better the classes and the program.

“We want to be proud to say ‘Those are our students,’” she added.

Walker said that this motivation is an invaluable asset to the school. “We have been waiting for her a very long time,” he said, “and we are very glad she is here.”

Lt. Gen. John Moellering links business, military on Advisory Board

Lt. Gen. John Moellering’s ties to The Citadel can be traced much farther into the past than the day he became a member of the School of Business Administration’s Advisory Board. He was a White House Fellow with Dr. Earl Walker, Dean of the Business School, and they were both stationed at West Point together. Former Citadel President Maj. Gen. John Grinalds is a close friend; the two were classmates at West Point.

When Walker was looking for an Advisory Board member with military and business experience, he looked to Moellering since those two elements have been the hallmark of his career.

Moellering graduated from West Point in 1959, received his M.S. degree from the University of California (Berkeley), and retired from the U.S. Army as Lieutenant General in 1987. He was selected as a White House Fellow serving on the White House staff in 1973. During his distinguished military career he served as Commandant of Cadets at West Point from 1982-84; was Commanding General at Ft. Leonard Wood 1984-85; and served as Assistant to the Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 1985-87. He then embarked on a business career, serving as President and CEO of Lear Siegler Services, Inc. for over twelve years.

Moellering said he “agreed to join up because of his life-long interest in education of young people and because his background seemed to fit.” According to Dean Walker, it has.

“As a founding business school board member and founding chair of the board’s graduate committee, John Moellering has been instrumental in the development of the business school,” Walker said.

The Advisory Board, by nature, is constantly looking for new and out-of-the-box ideas, Moellering said, and it has explored a host of issues, from increasing the quality of applicants to the School of Business Administration to “making sure the curriculum is robust enough.”

Early on, “we were interested in seeing that The Citadel School of Business was one of the best in the country,” he said. In doing so, Moellering has contributed his business acumen and his leadership to various aspects of the school. “His leadership on the board, his presence in our classrooms and his lecture at one of our Leadership Forums has been remarkable,” said Dean Walker. “John is a terrific supporter of The Citadel and of the business school, and has been seminal force in getting the Citadel Executive institute established.”

Looking back at the many goals, Moellering said he feels the effort of all involved with the School of Business Administration has been worthwhile. “But I want to be quite clear that the driving force that made the Business School as good as it is, has been Earl Walker,” said Moellering. “We on the Advisory Board have merely given him ideas and options. He has sorted them out and implemented the really good ones, resulting in one of the premier business schools in the country.”

Spring Leadership Forum welcomes leaders from manufacturing, entertainment industry

It’s been five years since The Citadel School of Business Administration set out to reinforce its foundation of leadership and ethics through its Leadership Forum, and the biannual series continues to enhance the school’s mission creating leaders of principle. The CSBA has welcomed guest speakers from across the country, from an array of industries in both the private and public sector, and from government and academia.

This spring promises much of the same, and Dr. Sykes Wilford, W. Frank Hipp Distinguished Chair in Business Administration, has organized four speakers that hold true to the series’ goal. “This year we have a sterling group of leaders to speak to our MBA students, cadets and the community about leadership and ethics,” said Dr. Earl Walker, Dean of The Citadel School of Business Administration. “These speakers play an important role in our mission to educate and develop leaders of principle to serve a global community.”

While the series is presented by the business school, it is underwritten by South Carolina Bank and Trust. “We continue to be grateful to South Carolina Bank and Trust for sponsorship of our leadership forum,” Dean Walker said, emphasizing the importance of the program to the school and its students.

Each installment of the series begins at 5:45 p.m., and all MBA candidates who attend class on the nights of the installments attend; however, it is not uncommon for students and community members to make the trip to campus solely for the talks.

The spring 2007 series includes:

Tuesday, February 13, Jenkins Auditorium: Eric G. Friberg – “Leadership in a Collegial Environment: What Happens When Orders Don’t Work.” Mr. Friberg is a recently retired Director of McKinsey and Company, from the Atlanta office. Since retirement, Mr. Friberg is a Director Emeritus with the Firm, where he supports Firm mobility programs and is on the faculty of CLW. He recently completed his role with Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Company as a Senior Advisor. Mr. Friberg graduated from Harvard University with degrees in Engineering and Applied Physics in 1964. He received a Master’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1965.

Monday, March 19, Duckett Hall Auditorium: William “Bill” Barron Jr. – “Unwritten Rule of Management.” Mr. Barron joined Shaw Industries in 1969 as a trainee in Manufacturing Operations and held various manufacturing positions up to his current position of Vice President of Manufacturing. He is a member of the Senior Management Team which has led Shaw, the largest carpet manufacturing company in the world, to unequaled business accomplishments. Mr. Barron is a 1966 Citadel graduate with a B.S. Degree in Business Administration.

Thursday, April 5, Duckett Hall Auditorium: Tandy Price – “Pushing, Puffing, Placing Precocious People.” Mr. Rice is President and CEO of Top Billing International, a Nashville-based entertainment sales and marketing firm specializing in world-wide booking and management of some of the biggest names in country music. Mr. Rice also represents Gandy Ink, one of the largest image/spirit wear companies in the United States. He is the former host of WLAC Radio’s “Good Morning Nashville,” as well as co-host of Channel 5’s “Morning Line” television show. Mr. Rice graduated from The Citadel in 1961 and received a Masters Degree in Liberal Arts from Vanderbilt University.

Wednesday, April 18, Duckett Hall Auditorium: Ronald J. Naples – “From Managing to Leading: The Changing Demands of Business.” Mr. Naples is Chairman and CEO of Quaker Chemical Corporation, a worldwide developer, producer, and marketer of custom-formulated chemical specialty products and a provider of fluid management services for manufacturers around the globe. Previously, Mr. Naples was Chairman of the Board and CEO of Hunt Manufacturing Company, a manufacturer and distributor of office and art/craft products. He is a former White House Fellow and served in the Ford Administration. Mr. Naples holds a MBA with Distinction from the Harvard Business School and also a MA in International Economic Relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. He received a BS Degree from the USMA at West Point, where he was awarded the Military Order of World Wars Award.