T Creating the future business research and education. Our graduates

A S P E R
S C H O O L
O F
B U S I N E S S
SPRING 2009
Creating the future
T
he Asper School of Business is a leader in
business research and education. Our graduates
have shaped Manitoba's economic past, and are
laying the foundation for its future.
At the fall 2008 Convocation
ceremonies, we granted the Asper
School’s 15,000th degree.
We are mapping out an exciting
future for our students, colleagues
and community, and are superbly
positioned to chart our own course.
Enrolment is up by over 4%. Our
faculty members continue to engage
in meaningful research that is picked
up by media worldwide. Our graduates continue to excel. For example,
the pass rate for Asper graduates
on the Uniform Evaluation (UFE),
a national exam to become a
Chartered Accountant, was 16.5%
above the national average (88.2%
vs. 71.7%). Eighty-nine Bachelor of
Commerce students were inducted
into the prestigious Beta Gamma
Sigma Society, in recognition of their
outstanding academic achievements.
Through our relationships with the
Associates and Young Associates,
we are becoming more connected to
our community than ever before.
“We have reached milestones
that speak to the maturity of
our School and the continued
reach it has beyond the walls
of our classrooms.”
Glenn Feltham, PhD
Dean, Asper School of Business
CA Manitoba Chair in Business Leadership
Last year also brought changes in
the make-up of our faculty, with
new members arriving, long-serving
colleagues moving on, and new
people assuming leadership roles.
Sadly, the Asper School lost a muchloved colleague and teacher with
the passing of Dr. Allister Hickson
in December; he will be missed.
On a personal note, it was very
satisfying to co-chair our local
United Way’s Universities & Colleges
Committee campaign with Dr. Jeff
Zabudsky, president of Red River
College. We helped raise over
$490,000 for the Winnipeg community. As part of a three-person
delegation of the Arthur V. Mauro
Centre for Peace and Justice, I also
had the opportunity to explore
the role that entrepreneurship could
play in achieving peace. Insights
were gained through meetings
with individuals who had made
exceptional contributions to peace
in Ireland, Jordan and Israel.
As I look to the future, I am
confident the Asper School of
Business will continue to fulfill its
commitment to students, faculty,
alumni and Manitoba through
providing excellent and relevant
programs and research.
2
M A N I T O B A ’ S
B U S I N E S S
S C H O O L
Lee credits his entire experience
at the Asper School of Business with
setting him up for success in his
career, which took off when he was
hired as product manager with
Roadtrips, a local company founded
t was a $600 cheque that put Lee Klassen [BComm(Hons)/98]
by Asper grad David Guenther
on the road to what he believed was his dream career.
[BComm (Hons)/90], who was looking for young, energetic contributors
“My parents are both entrepreneurs and, one day when
who would be a good fit for his
growing firm. “I had
I was about 12 years old, their tax accountant came
learned by interviewto the house for a meeting,” explains Lee. “As he
R OA D T R I P S I N C.
ing with larger companies that, for me,
A privately held Winnipegwas leaving, my mom handed him a cheque for
bigger wasn’t necesbased company in the
sarily better,” says
Leisure,
Travel
&
Tourism
$600 and I remember thinking, ‘wow, how do you
industry, Roadtrips was
Lee, “so I was happy
founded in 1991 by David
earn so much money in just one hour!’ Ever since
to land a great job in
Guenther.
a smaller company.
that day, I planned on becoming an accountant.”
The not-so-structured
Today it has 20 employees,
environment really
six of whom are graduates
“At Asper, I did a double major in
accounting. I found
suited my personality.”
of the Asper School.
Finance and Marketing,” says Lee,
myself increasingly
Lee was only the
“but my initial focus was solely on
interested in Professor
fifth employee hired,
accounting. Within my first few
Malcolm Smith’s marketing classes,
and within just 5 years he became a
weeks at school I realized I didn’t
and I realized that that subject was
member of the Roadtrips executive
have the passion for a career in
my passion!”
team as VP of Operations. “Every
member but one of the exec team is
an Asper grad and I really think our
similar educational experience helps
us work and succeed together,” says
Lee. “Our brains have been trained
in the same way and, when we sit
down as the leadership team, we
tend to make decisions by following
a similar process of analysis.”
Roadtrips is keen to take ongoing
advantage of that Asper edge by
hiring additional staff through
the School’s Co-op Program. “The
students we’ve brought in have been
so sharp,” enthuses Lee. “They have
that Asper wiring: They’re ready to
hit the ground running with marketing tasks. They pick up on project
essentials almost instantaneously –
and that’s invaluable to us.”
Asper education key to
“road” to success
I
Are you an Asper grad with a
story to tell? Email your details to
Judy Wilson, Director of Marketing
& Communications, at
[email protected]
A S P E R
From crayons to
CrackBerry.com
K
evin Michaluk [BComm(Hons)/04] launched his first
entrepreneurial venture in Kindergarten. His parents
had given him a boxed set of crayons they found in
the United States, which contained many colours not yet available
in Canada. Kevin's crayons were the envy of his classmates, and
he saw an opportunity: He rented out the crayons, colour by
colour, for a dime, nickel or penny a turn!
Despite that early spark of entrepreneurship, Kevin, now 28, graduated
from high school without knowing
clearly what he wanted “to be” or
do with his life. So he signed up for
U1 at the U of M and followed his
friends into a Bachelor of
Commerce (Honours)
degree. Kevin, who double
majored in Finance and
Entrepreneurship, describes
a business degree as a
springboard to infinite
the risks and
problems
inherent to endotracheal intubation.
While he remains a director of
PlasiaTEK and is pleased with
the steady progress it is making in
the marketplace, his consuming
passion is for the
website he
founded,
“At the Asper School, I learned how
to move from idea to action, and
I gained the confidence to trust
my own judgment about decisions
that affect my business.”
possibilities. “In business, you make
your own luck, and a business
degree positions you to become
lucky. It opens so many different
doors to you,” he says.
Even before Kevin left the Asper
School of Business in 2004, he
had launched PlasiaTEK – his
fourth venture,
a medical-device
company based on
patent-pending technology that eliminates
S C H O O L
O F
B U S I N E S S
CrackBerry.com – the #1 Site for
BlackBerry Users (& Abusers!).
Launched in February 2007,
CrackBerry.com has quickly become
one of the Internet’s leading smartphone community websites,
receiving over 6 million visits and
35 million page views per month –
or more than one million page views
a day! The site is currently rated as a
Top 1000 website in North America
by The Web Information Company
(alexa.com): 950th in the U.S.A.,
991st in Canada, and 3,816th in
the world – statistics that, arguably,
make CrackBerry.com the single most
successful website ever launched by
a Manitoban or an Asper grad.
“I took away two key things from
my entrepreneurship studies,” says
Kevin. “The knowledge of how to
take an idea from concept to reality
and, maybe more importantly, the
knowledge, courage and belief that
I can take an idea from concept
to reality.”
Today, Kevin works out of a home
office in Winnipeg, has business
partners
across the
United States
with whom
he is in daily
contact, and enjoys the excitement of entrepreneurship.
3
4
M A N I T O B A ’ S
B U S I N E S S
S C H O O L
Where creativity,
team building
and recognition
come together to
create opportunity
for student
entrepreneurs
Ken Cooper was named the
Stu Clark Centre’s Entrepreneur in
Residence in Spring 2008. With
more than 35 years’ investment and
management experience, including
15 years in the
U.S. market, Mr.
Cooper’s expertise
ranges from lending and investing
funds to business
strategy development, long-term
planning and
board leadership.
As chief executive of the Winnipeg
Stock Exchange, he worked with
business owners, securities dealers
and government to facilitate access
to capital for new and emerging
businesses. Mr. Cooper is a
professional engineer with a civil
engineering degree from the
U of M and an MBA from the
Ivey School of Business.
Stu Clark [BComm(Hons)/76] donated $5 million to the School, resulting in a new name for the
Centre for Entrepreneurship and the ability to expand programming for young entrepreneurs.
International Challenge
T
he Stuart Clark Venture
Challenge, a graduate-level
business plan competition
showcasing the next generation
of entrepreneurs and their ideas,
was held in Winnipeg in April.
Now in its fifth year, the Challenge
has become one of the top-ranked
business plan competitions in North
America attracting numerous teams
from internationally renowned
universities such as Brown University,
Carnegie Mellon University, Penn
State University, University of IllinoisChicago, University of Texas-Austin,
and many more.
Internationally recognized business
professionals from across North
America, including individuals from
MIT, NASDAQ, Pittsburgh Life
Sciences Greenhouse and, of course,
Stu Clark himself – namesake of the
Asper School’s Entrepreneurship
Centre – complemented local professionals in judging the Challenge.
Twenty participating teams vied
for over $90,000 in cash and prizes,
a berth in the prestigious MOOT
Corp. competition -- the Super Bowl
of business planning held each year
at the University of Texas, and the
chance to attend the NASDAQ
Market Open in New York in
August. For competition results, visit
our website: umanitoba.ca/entrepreneur/stuartclark_venturechallenge
A S P E R
S C H O O L
O F
B U S I N E S S
MILESTONES MARK CENTRE’S
IMPACT ON INDIVIDUALS AND
REACH INTO INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY
$1,000,000+ won by business planning
teams since 1997.
No. 1 business school advisor in
North America is our very own Rob
Warren, I. H. Asper Executive Director
for Entrepreneurship.
42 wins at worldwide competitions
David Mowat and Taren Gesell, Advotech Medical Sciences team members and Grand Champions
& Elevator Pitch Competition winners ($10,000US) at HKUST 2008 MBA International Business Plan
Competition in Hong Kong.
MANITOBA CHALLENGE
The Asper School of Business is
partnering with accounting firm
Deloitte and Touche; law firm Aikins,
MacAulay & Thorvaldson; and
Manitoba Competitiveness Training
& Trade to run the Manitoba
Venture Challenge. Now in its second
year, this province-wide competition
is open to new and existing businesses
seeking outside investment or in
need of advice to launch or expand.
Last year’s Challenge was very
successful, with finalists presenting
plans on products ranging from
cell phone skins to organic food,
and three businesses receiving investment funds.
The program is placing greater
emphasis on education with a series
of boot camps to teach managers
and entrepreneurs how to evaluate
their ventures as potential investors,
with an emphasis on building
business plans and presentations
that have investment appeal. In
June, based on performance at the
boot camps, four of the ventures
will be selected to present to a panel
of local, national and international
investors, entrepreneurs and support
organizations. The winning venture
will receive a prize package worth
$20,000, split evenly between cash
and in-kind services.
In 2008, 16 students graduated
from the Restorative
Resolutions Entrepreneurship
Program (RREP). Five have
successfully opened a business,
and 17 new students will join
the program this year. RREP
is run by the Stu Clark Centre
for Entrepreneurship in
collaboration with Restorative
Resolutions, which is an
alternative-to-incarceration
program based on restorative
justice principles. RREP offers
13-week sessions to offenders
who have shown an interest in
learning entrepreneurial skills
to enhance their employability.
100% winning streak. For the first
time ever, every Asper team won a
competition last year: team Advotech won
the HKUST 2008 MBA International
Business Plan Competition at the Hong
Kong University of Science and Technology;
team CiviTech won the McGinnis Venture
Challenge at Carnegie Mellon University
and the Stuart Clark Venture Challenge
at the U of M; team ExtendaLife won
the Northwest Venture Championship at
Boise State University.
24 businesses can trace their roots
back to work done by the Centre.
1,000+ kids have graduated from
Curry BizCamp, a summer business camp
for children aged between 12 and 20,
that marked its 10th anniversary in 2008.
NASDAQ, the largest electronic screenbased equity securities trading market
in the U.S. with 3,200 companies and
more trading volume per hour than any
other stock exchange in the world, is
teaming up with the Stu Clark Centre:
The winner of this year’s Stuart Clark
Venture Challenge will be invited
to NASDAQ Market Open in August.
The Purus Technologies team won the
Cardinal Challenge at the University of
Louisville, Kentucky in February, earning
$15,000 and a berth in the MOOT Corp.
competition. Purus is an early-stage
dental device company using technology
licensed from the National Research
Council of Canada for their first product
that will detect cavities earlier than
traditional methods, reducing the need
for painful, surgically invasive procedures
like drilling and filling.
Visit the Stu Clark Centre for
Entrepreneurship online via the Asper
School homepage at umanitoba.ca/asper
5
6
M A N I T O B A ’ S
B U S I N E S S
S C H O O L
Invest in yourself
T
oday’s challenging economic times call for inventive
MICHAEL RODYNIUK
and courageous approaches to enriching your life and
Senior Vice President & Airport Chief
Operating Officer, Winnipeg Airports Authority
Part-time Asper MBA student
furthering your career. Now is the time to invest in
yourself, and the Asper MBA program will show you how to
take the lead in your professional life. Here’s what a few of our
current MBA students are saying about their experience in this
challenging and rewarding program.
ASPER
MBA
“...the MBA is
the ladder that
leads to an
incredible view.”
ANGIE BRUCE BA
President, AMR Planning & Consulting Inc.
Full-time Asper MBA student
An MBA provides me with
an exceptional education that has
opened doors to incredible opportunities. It has helped me
to identify my true
passion and allowed
me to better
understand how
to use my skills
and expertise in
the work world.
It's a great time
to be in the MBA
program! The job
market is getting
tougher and having an
MBA provides a competitive
advantage. One of the best benefits you’ll receive during your
time in the program is the
ability to network with
individuals who open
doors to limitless
possibilities. Investing
in an MBA is investing
in your future.
Don’t hesitate – every
moment spent dithering or speculating about whether the time is
right or if the school is right, is time
taken away from your ability to be
learning. Be deliberate and decisive
in your decision. Now is the time
to take an MBA. Build your career
by combining your work experience
with an updated skill set. Through
the Asper MBA, I enhanced my
position both within my industry
and within my community.
Ultimately, you will gain the
satisfaction that wherever you go,
your contributions will make that
place better than when you arrived.
A S P E R
S C H O O L
O F
B U S I N E S S
DUSTIN SPRINGETT
BComm(Hons)/07
Full-time Asper MBA student
My commerce undergraduate
degree gives me an edge over other
candidates for management positions,
but an MBA puts me ahead of all
other job candidates who have only
undergraduate degrees.
An MBA is absolutely an investment in myself. There is no better
time to take this degree. Baby
boomers are reaching retirement
age and typically hold many of the
middle and upper level management
positions in organizations, and
companies are going to be looking
to find qualified individuals to fill
these positions. I have already had
calls regarding possible employment
without even applying for jobs
because I’m enrolled in the MBA
program.
“Since the early 1900s, MBA education has addressed the
business needs of rapidly changing times. Today, the
MBA is the most sought-after graduate degree in the
world, with both employees and employers recognizing
the enhanced worth and flexibility of an MBA graduate.
Do yourself a favour: Apply today!”
Steve James, Executive Director, Asper MBA Program
ANOCHA JIVANUWONG
BArch. LEED AP. Green Building Specialist
Full-time Asper MBA student
Coming from the field of
architecture, I see an MBA program
as a vehicle to connect me with
business and management thinking
and that will complement and leverage my passion for sustainable-green
businesses. Now more than ever our
environment is being pushed beyond
the limits, but the pressure to cut costs
is even greater. An MBA will allow
me to build strong business models
that are green and save money.
AUDREY GORDON BA/07
Executive Director, Government of Manitoba,
Labour and Immigration
Part-time Asper MBA student
My decision to complete
the MBA program at the Asper
School of Business was very deliberate. The Asper MBA is doing for me
exactly what it purports to do; it’s
stretching my intellect, and broadening the depth and scope of my
leadership and management skills.
There is a Chinese proverb that
states: “If you want to see the view,
climb higher.” Although the MBA
program requires personal sacrifice,
determination, time, energy and new
learnings, I assure you from
experience that the MBA is
the ladder that leads to an
incredible view. Believe me,
it’s worth the investment
and the effort.
7
8
M A N I T O B A ’ S
B U S I N E S S
S C H O O L
Asper students “co-operate”
for business success
W
hen you combine skilled students with real-life
work experience you create a co-operative
education program that is a win-win, says Kelly
Mahoney, who oversees the Asper Co-operative Education
Program. “Our participating employers are extremely pleased
with the quality of students in our co-op program,” she says,
“and the students are thrilled with the experience they gain.”
EXAMPLES OF
CO-OP PLACEMENTS
Asper Co-op students have been
successfully placed at a wide variety
of local, national and international
companies.
At New Flyer Industries, our
student worked on several projects
that have resulted in annual savings
of $2million to the company. At the
North-West Company, our student
completed an inventory analysis that
resulted in savings of $1million to the
organization. At Manitoba Hydro,
our student designed the new
Commercial Power Smart Network
Energy Management Program over
three work terms and has been hired
on permanently after graduation to
manage its implementation.
Other placements include the
Department of Foreign Affairs in
Ottawa and a financial institution
in Chile.
To sign up as an Asper Co-op
Program employer, please contact
Kelly Mahoney: (204) 474-6548,
[email protected]
or umanitoba.ca/asper/co-op
“Each of my co-op placements has challenged me: I’ve created an international magazine ad,
developed advertising packages for world-class sporting events, and presented a development
plan to senior management. The Co-op Program has given me confidence, a renewed passion for
marketing, and optimism for a bright future,” says Kathryn Patrick, who was named the Asper
Co-op Student of the Year in March 2009 and nominated for the national Canadian Association
for Co-operative Education award.
For People First HR Services, the
experience was such a good one that
they kept their Asper Co-op student
on beyond the formal work term;
she worked part time for the
company while she was in school.
INCENTIVES FOR EMPLOYERS
The Manitoba government provides
incentives for employers to participate
in co-op programs: the Co-operative
Graduand Hiring Incentive program
provides up to $2,500 per year for
up to two years per co-op graduate
hired; a tax incentive of up to
$1,000 per student per work term is
available to eligible employers from
the Province of Manitoba; and the
Province provides wage subsidies to
eligible employers.
“We work with employers to define
the scope of the job,” says Kelly,
“then our students step up to prove
that they can translate their book
learning into practical contributions
in a business environment.”
And prove it they do! In exit
interviews conducted over the past
two years of the program, 86% of
participating employers have stated
that Asper Co-op students “exceed
expectations”.
May and July 2009 will see the
first round of Asper Co-op students
graduate with their Bachelor of
Commerce (Honours) having
successfully completed the three
required work terms and four years
of rigorous academic learning.
A S P E R
Milestone achieved in
international partnership
T
S C H O O L
O F
B U S I N E S S
The first six students from Ningbo University
are now studying at the Asper School of
Business. From left: Jingyi (Jane) Zhao.
Guofei (Jerry) Ding. Liang (Chris) Dong.
Xinyan (Cherry) Nie. Huanghe (River) Xu.
Inset: Yanjie (Ranie) Gong.
he strategic partnership between the Asper School
of Business and Ningbo University in
China has reached
a milestone: The first six
students from Ningbo
are now on campus, part
of the 2+2 program: two
years of study at their home
university, two years of
study at their sister university
in Winnipeg.
“This is a significant step in our
plans to build on each institution’s
expertise, for the benefit of individual students and also our academic
and business communities,” said Dr.
Charles Mossman, Associate Dean.
“The possibilities for learning from
each other are enormous. Having a
Chinese partner is part of our longterm internationalization strategy.”
For Jerry Ding, a finance major,
being a student in Canada is harder
than in China because of the frequent
assignments and tests along the way;
in China, he explained, the emphasis
is more on final exams as the testing
point for knowledge, while “in
Canada, you must do well in every
test, and it’s harder to get good
marks here.”
Since 2006, the Asper School has
welcomed professors from Ningbo
to experience our teaching and
research environment. And Asper
School representatives, including
Laura Bean, Undergraduate Program
Manager, have travelled to China to
establish strong
relationships with Ningbo counterparts. Our strategic partnership
will continue to evolve, with programs
for both undergraduate and graduate
students under development.
ASPER MBA STUDENTS TOP
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION – AGAIN!
or the second year in a row, Asper MBA teams in the international
Capstone Business Simulation, an interactive online business
strategy game, ended the competition among the top teams in the
world. Between the summer and fall sessions, nine of 12 Asper teams
ended in the top 10% among 1,500 teams worldwide, who were competing
against each other in the roles of CEO, president and director of virtual
$100-million corporations. “The game is an excellent tool to give students
hands-on experience in the formulation, negotiation and execution of their
business strategies. Students learn and evolve their strategic management
over successive rounds of the competition,” said Dr. Parshotam Dass,
Associate Professor, Business Administration, who uses the Capstone game
in his MBA Business Policy Seminar.
F
9
10
M A N I T O B A ’ S
B U S I N E S S
S C H O O L
Asper
students
leading by
example
T
rity!
r Cha
n’ fo
Chilli
he Asper School’s undergraduate Commerce degree is
a lot more than just an academic program – it’s the
gateway to a vibrant community of learning and living.
There are many groups, organizations and events on campus,
but the Commerce Students’ Association (CSA) is the major force
behind out-of-class activity for
Asper students. The envy of
business schools across Canada,
our CSA consists of 49 student
leaders and countless other volunteers organizing and promoting
multiple events throughout the year – events that are every bit
as integral to learning as daily classes and assignments. While
JDC
the specifics may vary from year to year, what
West
– Un
ited
Way
Day
of Ca
ring
clean
-up c
rew
remains constant is the students’
dedication to
creating experiences
that reflect the
School’s commitment
to excellence, relevance
and leadership.
The JDC West
Business
Competition is a
Izzy and Kyle
selling Biz Ba
nqu
prime example
of Asper students combining
academic endeavour with community
focus. The charity initiative is a major
component of JDC West and the
largest event of the year. In November,
Chillin’ for Charity was held on a
zero-degree morning: Students
jumped into an ice-cold outdoor
pool to raise over $16,000 to support
the United Way of Winnipeg.
JDC West is a
team-based, academic case study
competition for
business school
undergraduates
from Winnipeg to Victoria.
Evaluating excellence in academics, sports, school spirit
and sportsmanship in
students at different
levels, JDC West
has become the
most prominent
competition for
business students
in Western
Canada, with over
600 top business students from 14 schools
attending this past year
in Edmonton.
The weekend plays on
personal strengths and pushes
each student to be the very best
uet tix
A S P E R
individual they can be. This 3-day
competition helps create life-long
friendships and memories, and
nurtures innovation and creativity
for all participants.
Asper students live in the present but
keep one eye on the future, so the
popular Dr. Seuss story “Oh, the
Places You’ll Go!” was
the ideal theme for the
42nd annual Commerce
Business Banquet in
November. The Banquet
provides a valuable networking opportunity for
students and the business
community in a no-risk
environment; students are
not being interviewed, but
connections established at
this event often result in employment
for Asper students. With nearly 700
attendees, it is the largest student-run
event of its kind in Canada. This
year’s committee produced a video
that can be found on YouTube.
American entrepreneur Bill Rancic,
inaugural winner on Donald Trump’s
The Apprentice reality TV show,
gave the keynote address.
Special guest speakers included
Gail Asper, OC OM, and Honorary
CSA President Kirk Dudtschak of
RBC Financial Group.
In November, the CSA hosted
executive members of Canadian
business school student councils at
its annual National Business School
Conference. A Winnipeg institution,
the conference is entirely student run
by our CSA, one of Canada’s most
active and successful student associations. In small-group settings, the
130 delegates discuss the academic,
non-academic and administrative concerns and opportunities facing today’s
business school student councils.
In March, our School participated in
5 Days for the Homeless, a national
event that raises awareness about
homelessness, while raising funds for
a youth-oriented charity. The Asper
students, who lived ‘on the streets’
of the U of M campus, raised money
for Resource Assistance for
Youth, a community-based
social service organization
committed to helping
at-risk youth find a way
back from the street.
S C H O O L
O F
B U S I N E S S
In January, the 27th annual
Manitoba International Marketing
Competition (MIMC) – the U of M’s
largest student competition – was
hosted by Asper students. Fourteen
teams representing countries from
as far away as Ghana, Switzerland,
France, Germany and Colombia,
and as close as the United States and
Canada, participated in Canada’s
only student-run international marketing competition. The conference
is the final of a multi-phase process
that includes an online simulation in
which participants implement business strategy initiatives for a fictional
corporation; teams presented their
strategies to panels of academic and
corporate judges. This year, the
Stu Clark Centre for Entrepreneurship
sponsored the Walter Good Cup,
awarded to the winning team.
When Asper undergrad students are
involved, the School spirit is strong,
the energy awesome and the commitment to excellence unparalleled! Visit
the Asper CSA online at csaweb.ca
IMC
Asper M
Jan '09
team -
24 YEARS. 400 VOLUNTEERS. 20,000
DOLLARS. These numbers sum up Shinerama
at the U of M last September, which marked
the 24th anniversary of this national event
dedicated to raising funds for cystic fibrosis
research. Asper students lead the event
and helped raise over $20,000 this year.
Shinerama is Canada’s largest post-secondary
fundraiser involving students at almost 60
university and college campuses across
Canada.
11
12
M A N I T O B A ’ S
B U S I N E S S
S C H O O L
LEADERS IN
E
very Asper School of Business student works
hard in the classroom, but some push
themselves to work hard on the sports field, too.
A rare few of those who combine their commitment to academics
with their passion for sports excel at both and achieve Academic
All-Canadian status, maintaining a 3.5 grade point average or
better (out of 4.5) in their studies while being serious athletes.
We profile two of them who are, truly, at the top of their game!
How did you get into sports?
I first put on a pair of skates when I
was 3 years old. The rest is history!
Why did you choose business
studies at the Asper School?
I wanted to study in a faculty that
would offer a variety of unique
opportunities for me upon graduation.
NAME:
Katherine O’Rourke
YEAR OF STUDY: 5th
EXPECTED GRADUATION DATE:
December 2009
SUBJECT MAJOR: Marketing &
International Business
SPORT: Women’s hockey,
co-captain
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT:
Siloam Mission over the holidays
to prepare and serve food
YOUR PERSONALITY IN 3
WORDS: Funny. Bright. Driven.
NICKNAME: KO Show
the classroom, and this
has helped me become
a better teammate and
stronger group-mate
among my classmates.
What has been the highlight of
your athletic career?
Winning three bronze medals at the
National level in the last four seasons. Also, I really enjoy playing in
close games...when the score is tied
and there’s very little time left, the
crowd is restless and both teams
are looking for a big play from one
of their players. Over my five years
with the Bisons, I have made a “big
play” once or twice that has helped
our team win the game and there’s
no greater feeling.
What has been the highlight
of your academic career?
Being awarded the Academic
All-Canadian award for 2007/08.
What do you like most about
being a Bison athlete?
Describe yourself five
years from now
I enjoy having an identity separate
from the average student. Yes,
I’m a full-time student, but I have
the unique opportunity to represent
my school in sport.
I’d love to combine
my passion for
hockey with my
professional
expertise.
What do you like most about
being an Asper business student?
I enjoy knowing that each day I go
to school, I’m taking positive steps to
further my education at an internationally renowned university program.
How does your classroom
learning translate onto the sports
field for you and vice versa?
Working in groups is no different
than being a member of a sports
team. Everyone plays a significant
role, has a set of responsibilities,
and is expected to carry out those
responsibilities in order to help the
team. I have learned a variety of
leadership skills at the rink and in
A S P E R
S C H O O L
O F
B U S I N E S S
THEIR FIELD
Why do you combine two of
the most demanding commitments a university student
can undertake?
Football has motivated me to do
better in school. Needing to
maintain a certain GPA propelled
me to work hard.
What do you like most about
being a Bison athlete?
NAME:
Don Oramasionwu
YEAR OF STUDY: 5th
EXPECTED GRADUATION DATE:
May 2009
SUBJECT MAJOR:
Accounting & Marketing
SPORT: Football, co-captain
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT:
Bison Camp for young kids –
volunteer coach
YOUR PERSONALITY IN 3
WORDS: Persistent. Strong.
Hard-working.
NICKNAME: Big Don
Why did you choose business
studies at the Asper School?
My (older) sister is an Asper
grad and she told me it would
be a good idea to get a business
degree. She’s smart, so I listened
to her about education. I had
to struggle to raise my marks
because I was initially planning
to go to a college in Texas, but
due to its academic ranking,
I decided it was in my best
interests to go to the U of M.
I love playing the football game
on Saturdays. The entrance at
home games – I love it! That’s what
motivates me.
How does your classroom
learning translate onto the
sports field for you and
vice versa?
Being disciplined on the
field, listening in the
classroom – it’s the
same thing, but I’m a
way different person
on the field than in the
classroom: In academic
work, I make sure I
have the right answer,
but on the field I’ll
take more risks to
try a better play.
What has been the
highlight of your
athletic career?
Winning the Vanier Cup,
and being named a Canadian
Inter-university Sport Football
Second Team All-Canadian
2008.
What has been the highlight
of your academic career?
I graduated from high school with
just 50% in calculus. I had to
upgrade that mark to get into a
university course in calculus and I
ended up with an A in it. Well, I
figure that if I can do that, anything
is possible! It really motivated me.
That achievement, plus being
named an Academic All-Canadian
for the 2005/06 year – those are
my highlights.
Describe yourself five
years from now
Probably playing
pro football for
half the year
and being an
accountant
for the
other half.
Oramasionwu was the Winnipeg
Blue Bombers’ fifth-round draft
pick in the April 2008 CFL
draft. He won the Vanier Cup
with the Manitoba Bisons in
November 2007.
13
14
M A N I T O B A ’ S
B U S I N E S S
S C H O O L
CHRIS TELLIER, P.ENG., CD:
Federal civil servant.
Reservist. Mother. Student.
C
hristine (Chris) Tellier exemplifies a 21st-century
woman: mother, civil engineer with the Department of
National Defence (DND), part-time member of the
Naval Reserves, recipient of Canadian Forces
Decoration (CD) for long-term service (20 years)
as a reservist, and a part-time MBA student at
the Asper School of Business.
What keeps it all together for Chris,
37, is her own strong commitment
to her goals, the support of her
DND supervisor, and the love of her
family. “They allow me the time
away from work and family commitments to take the classes and do
the course work. Without their
support, I definitely could not be in
this program,” she acknowledges.
In her professional role, Chris is
a Structural Engineer with DND,
responsible for operational infrastructure (ex. hangars, air traffic control
towers, and other structures near
runways) for all Air Force bases across
Canada and the Canadian operational
infrastructure in Kandahar Air Field
(KAF), Afghanistan. She oversees the
structural design of the structures
and project manages the construction
of the buildings.
Given her job, Chris does a lot of
travelling. In the last year alone, she
has been to KAF twice already and
will return at least once more as a
member of the design team responsible for the preparation and construction of a new Air Wing to house
increased numbers of CF helicopters
and personnel. Construction is due
to be completed by the end of summer 2009. [See sidebar for details.]
How does an
Asper MBA fit
into this work?
“I want to broaden
my opportunities
so that I don’t plateau
too early in my career,” explains
Chris. “I want to have career
advancement options.” Like many
MBA students, entering the program
was less about arriving at the perfect
moment to begin,
as it was about acknowledging that
“the timing would never be right,”
so she simply jumped into the
application process and found herself
accepted into the program in the fall
of 2008.
Canada and Kandahar
I
n December 2008, the Canadian Forces stood up the Joint Task Force Afghanistan
(JTF-Afg) – Air Wing. The Air Wing – composed of approximately 450 personnel –
is the first formation of its type that Canada has formed in a theatre of war since
1945. It will oversee all Air Force aircraft and operations in Afghanistan, including
CH-147 Chinook D medium-to-heavy lift helicopters, chartered commercial helicopters,
Heron Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), CH-146 Griffon helicopters and CC-130 Hercules
transport planes.
The Air Wing is the result of action taken by the Government of Canada to address the
requirements outlined by the Independent Panel on Canada’s Future Role in Afghanistan
(commonly known as the Manley Report) for the continuation
of Canada’s mission. These capabilities will ensure that Canada is
able to play a leadership role abroad and make a meaningful
contribution to international security while also protecting
Canada’s national sovereignty.
Chris is the project manager for the new hangars for the
Chinooks, UAVs and the Griffons; she is also the project manager
for an office building Canada is constructing.
A S P E R
S C H O O L
O F
B U S I N E S S
ALUMNI
Already Chris’s thinking has
broadened and she has gained an
appreciation for taking a “big
picture” approach to processes and
decisions. “The program has also
sharpened my project management
and supervisory skills,” she says.
“This learning will definitely relate to
my future work, as I plan on advancing my career into larger construction
projects and increased personnel
management responsibilities.”
Advice for others considering taking
the plunge into part-time MBA studies? “Stay focused on the end result,”
says Chris. “The benefits of having
an MBA down the line absolutely
outweigh any cons I may be experiencing during the journey. It is hard
work, but very rewarding. And I
want that reward: My Engineering
undergrad got me started in this
business, but an MBA will help me
drive my career to any height that
I want to go.”
WOMAN OF NOTE
RECEIVES DISTINCTION
2008 DISTINGUISHED
ALUMNI AWARD
Trudy Schroeder
[MBA/04] was
named YMCA/
YWCA Woman
of Distinction in
the Arts & Culture
category, at a gala
dinner in Winnipeg last May. Trudy,
who was Executive Director of the
Winnipeg Folk Festival from 1999
to 2008, has switched musical gears
and is now the ED for the Winnipeg
Symphony Orchestra.
Gregg Hanson [BComm (Hons)/76],
former president and CEO of insurance company Wawanesa Mutual,
received the 2008 Distinguished
Alumni Award in recognition of his
many and varied accomplishments:
During his
28 years with
Wawanesa,
Greg participated with
several charitable organizations including
the Winnipeg
Foundation,
the 1999 Pan
American Games and various
United Way committees. In 1999,
he was elected as a Fellow of the
Institute of Chartered Accountants.
DICKIE DEE
FOUNDER AWARDED
HUMANITARIAN
HONOUR
Earl Barish [BComm/63] received
the Variety Children’s Charity
of Manitoba 2008 Gold Heart
Humanitarian of the Year Award
in November, to honour his outstanding commitment to Manitoba.
Earl’s family developed the Dickie
Dee ice cream brand, and he was
the owner of the Winnipeg Cyclone
IBA (the International Basketball
Association) team. He is also
President & CEO and majority
shareholder in the Salisbury House
restaurant chain. He is the Chair
of the Board of B’nai Brith Canada
and contributes his time to
countless other organizations,
including the Chai Folk
Ensemble, Maccabi Manitoba
and Maccabi Canada.
For information about the Asper MBA
program, email [email protected],
call (204) 474-8448 or go to our website
umanitoba.ca/asper
Earl Barish
15
16
M A N I T O B A ’ S
B U S I N E S S
S C H O O L
A S P E R FAC U LT Y N E W S I T E M S
Dr. Bill Notz, Head of Business
Administration, Dr. Norm Frohlich,
Business Administration, and
Dr. Ed Tyrchniewicz, Associate Dean,
retired last July. Dr. Walter Good
retired as Head of Marketing
and was named Senior Scholar.
Dr. Nick Turner, Head of Business
Administration, has been appointed
Associate Dean. The Honorable Reg
Alcock, former Executive in Residence,
has been appointed Associate Dean.
Dr. Neil Fassina was named Head
of Business Administration, effective
September 2008. Dr. Malcolm Smith
was appointed Head of Marketing
effective July 1, 2009. Ken Cooper
was named the Stu Clark Centre’s
Entrepreneur in Residence, effective
Spring 2008.
The Associates’ Asper School of
Business Faculty Awards of $4,000
each were given in recognition of
outstanding teaching, research or
service to advance business education
in the Province of Manitoba and
N E W FAC U LT Y M E M B E R S O N B OA R D
Dr. Jijun Gao was named Assistant Professor, Business
Administration, effective July 1, 2008. His research includes business
sustainability, corporate social responsibility, competitive strategy,
and international business. Dr. Gao was a senior executive in
China (information technology, food & e-learning industries) before
completing his PhD at the Ivey School of Business.
enhance the School’s reputation:
Dr. Charles Mossman, Associate
Dean, for service; Dr. Hari Bapuji,
Assistant Professor, Business
Administration, for research;
Dr. Raj Appadoo, sessional instructor, Supply Chain Management, for
research; Dr. Neil Fassina, Assistant
Professor, Business Administration,
for teaching. Dr. Malcolm Smith
received the Dr. and Mrs. H.H.
Saunderson Award for Excellence
in Teaching. Dr. David Stangeland
received the Students’ Teacher
Recognition Award for the fourth
time – the most times any faculty
member at the U of M has received
this award.
Dr. Xiaoyun Wang has been
appointed to the Manitoba
Immigration Council for a 3-year
period. Dr. Debbie Mortimer
[BComm (Hons)/94, MAcct/95],
FCGA, sessional instructor, was
elected President of the Certified
General Accountants Association
of Manitoba.
Wendy Schultz, CA was named Assistant Professor, Finance &
Accounting, effective July 1, 2008. Her research includes financial
reporting and disclosure, international accounting, and the
interaction between financial reporting incentives, accounting
standards, and enforcement. She is a PhD candidate in Accounting
at Queen’s School of Business.
ALLISTER B. HICKSON SCHOLARSHIP IN SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT
F
riends, family and colleagues have established a fund at the U of M in memory of
Dr. Allister Hickson, who, after many years of association with the Asper School’s
Transport Institute, was named Assistant Professor in Logistics & Supply Chain
Management in 2008. In December, Allister passed away after a courageous battle with
cancer. He loved teaching and research,
and he cared deeply about his students and
colleagues. The fund will support an annual
$1,200 scholarship for a student enrolled in
the Supply Chain Management Department
at the Asper School of Business.
To make a contribution or receive more
information, please contact Brooke
Baines, Development Officer, Student
Awards, Department of Development,
University of Manitoba, (204) 474-7835.
R E S E A R C H U N D E R WAY
Asper faculty members have received
more than six hundred thousand
dollars in external grant funding to
support research over the next three
years that includes the following
topics: anti-smoking activism
(Dr. Rajesh Manchanda), large
grain cooperatives (Dr. Paul Earl),
the valuation of pension assets and
liabilities (Dr. Janet Morrill and
Dr. Cam Morrill), the effect of
incongruity between brand associations on attitude toward the brand
(Dr. Subramanian Sivaramakrishnan
and Dr. Sergio Carvalho), applicant
attraction across the stages of the
recruitment process (Dr. Krista L.
Uggerslev and Dr. Neil Fassina),
branding capabilities development
in emerging economies (Dr. Fang
Wan), immigrant employees as a
segment of the Canadian workforce
A S P E R
S C H O O L
O F
B U S I N E S S
(Dr. Xiaoyun Wang), young workers’
response to workplace hazards
(Dr. Nick Turner), effects of obesity
on mortality & morbidity, and
mutual reinsurance pooling for crop
insurance in Canada (Dr. Jeffrey Pai),
top management and workplace
safety climate (Dr. Sue Bruning),
and observing workplace aggression
(Tara Reich, PhD candidate).
CONFERENCES
Dr. Kelley Main
Family focus: Leading scholars in
family business research from
across North America will convene
in Winnipeg in late April for the
2009 Family Enterprise Research
Conference (FERC). Co-hosted by
Dr. Reg Litz, Professor of Marketing
at the Asper School, and Dr. Allison
Pearson of Mississippi State
University, FERC is dedicated to
developing a community of scholars
interested in improving understanding of the family firm and creating
usable knowledge for those engaged
in family businesses. The conference
showcases research applicable to
family firms. “This year’s conference
theme of ‘ethics and social responsibility’ asks whether family makes a
difference in a business setting when
it comes to ethics, stakeholder management and sustainability,” says
Dr. Litz, whose research focuses on
entrepreneurship and specifically
on new, small and family businesses.
Redesigning the chain: The 5th
annual Supply Chain Connections
conference, “An Inland Port in a
Storm”, was held in February, on
the theme of supply chain re-design
in turbulent times, with special
reference to the role of inland ports.
Keeping it moving: The 13th annual
Fields on Wheels conference was
organized by the Transport Institute
in November, bringing together
experts in the field of transportation
of agriculture and grain marketing.
Research in the news
A
sper faculty research continues to be reported around
the world in the mainstream media, including:
Dr. Sandy Hershcovis’s work on workplace bullying;
Dr. Raymond Lee’s research on aggressive patients; and
Dr. Kelley Main’s work (see below) on consumer behaviour.
See umanitoba.ca/asper/research for more details.
WHEN IS THE VALUE OF A
RETAIL COUPON DIMINISHED?
When stigma by association, or
‘courtesy stigma’, occurs. Here’s
how it works: Person A uses a
coupon at the checkout. Person C
witnesses that use and extends their
negative view of that behaviour
(‘What? You need to use a coupon
to make that purchase?!’) to
encompass Person B who becomes
associated with Person A’s actions.
This intriguing consumer behaviour
was jointly researched by Dr. Kelley
Main, Assistant Professor, Marketing,
Asper School, and Dr. Jennifer Argo
[PhD/03], Associate Professor at
the University of Alberta School of
Business. Their findings were published in December in the Journal
of Consumer Research and covered
in mainstream media, including
The New York Times, CBC.ca, the
Canadian Press, The Winnipeg Free
Press, The Amherst Daily and The
Chatham Daily News.
“Jennifer and I wanted to investigate consumer behaviour that is
not explicitly negative, but, when
looked at more closely, in fact, does
have a negative impact,” explained
Dr. Main. “Our question was:
How is the coupon user, and how
are others, perceived by those
around them, and does the value of
the coupon being used impact the
degree of stigma by association?”
Their research uncovered the stark
truth: The coupon user is perceived
as cheap, and so is the person
associated with the coupon user.
Further, the lower the value of
the coupon being used, the greater
the associated stigma is.
17
18
M A N I T O B A ’ S
B U S I N E S S
S C H O O L
The Associates of the Asper School of Business are an external group
of more than 250 business leaders who provide support and a valuable
network connecting the business community and the School.
Recognizing international
entrepreneurial excellence
O
n June 2nd this year, Jim Balsillie, Co-CEO at Research
In Motion (RIM), maker of the world-renowned
BlackBerry wireless solution, will be honoured with the
2009 International Distinguished Entrepreneur Award (IDEA).
“We are thrilled to name Mr. Balsillie
to this prestigious award,” said
Arni Thorsteinson, Chair of the
IDEA Committee of the Associates
and President of Shelter Canadian
Properties Limited. “As a worldrenowned entrepreneur, who stands
among very few Canadians in terms
of what he has done and what we
Jim Balsillie
anticipate he has yet to do, Jim encapsulates the very essence of this award.”
The IDEA award is presented
each year by the University and
the Associates to a business executive
who has achieved outstanding
entrepreneurial success and has
made an exemplary contribution
to economic life.
Claude Wilson [BComm/52] with Diane Francis
at her talk at the Asper School in November.
DIANE FRANCIS
GUEST SPEAKER
inancial journalist and author
Diane Francis gave the keynote
address at the Associates
AGM in November. She spoke on
the topic of her latest book, Who
Owns Canada Now?, which profiles
dozens of Canada’s billionaires and
is about how Canadian business,
the Canadian economy and Canadian
entrepreneurs have mastered the
challenges of globalization, the North
American Free Trade Agreement,
the threat of Quebec seceding from
Canada, U.S. protectionist threats,
recessions and the depression then
explosion in commodity prices. Ms.
Francis’ presentation was insightful,
humorous and challenging.
Earlier in the day, Ms. Francis
presented to faculty, staff and students on the roots of the current
financial crisis, which she traces back
to mortgage lenders, banks and other
financial institutions (who, through
“greed and lack of proper regulation,”
made un-credit-worthy loans) and
to New York investment firms that
repackaged these “questionable
credit risks” into “saleable vehicles”
that were, in turn, re-sold to unsuspecting investors. Ms. Francis stated
that, in her opinion, persons and
companies should be charged
with fraud.
F
For more information visit
associatesmb.ca or contact
Sheila Molloy at (204) 474-6201.
A S P E R
Asper Executive Programs
A
sper Executive Programs provide relevant high-level
business and leadership education to middle and senior
managers, and support life-long learning of business
S C H O O L
O F
B U S I N E S S
HOMECOMING
2009
Dr. Glenn Feltham, Dean of
the Asper School of Business,
and Mike Gould,
leaders and other decision makers.
President of the
EXPANDING THE REACH
Naomi Levine, Executive Programs
Director, has assumed responsibility
for the Centre for Higher Education
Research and Development. Under
the auspices of the Asper School,
CHERD is Canada's leading institution dedicated to research and the
professional development of faculty
and administration in post-secondary
education. It was established in 1987
as a centre for graduate preparation,
research and publication in higher
education, and offers regional,
national and international courses,
seminars, symposia and publications.
IN THE HEART OF
BUSINESS
Commerce Students'
In September, the Asper School
announced its expansion into
Winnipeg’s downtown business and
financial district. The School will
take over the second floor of a heritage building that, at one time, was
the headquarters for Great-West
Life. The space will be totally renovated and transformed into executive offices, classrooms and breakout
spaces, and a large reception and
event area. While Asper Executive
Programs will be the primary user
of the new site, the possibilities are
exciting for other Asper School of
Business programs to take advantage
of this central location.
all alumni to the
For information about Asper
Executive Programs, contact Naomi
Levine (204) 474-9624 or
[email protected]
ENERGY SYMPOSIUM
Leaders from all sectors gathered
at the second annual Manitoba
Competitiveness Symposium to
discuss energy and related issues.
A panel discussion brought together
(from left), Dr. Glenn Feltham,
Dean, Asper School of Business.
David Runnalls, President & CEO,
International Institute for Sustainable
Development. Paul Vogt, Clerk for
the Executive Council, Manitoba
Government. Kevin Kavanagh, former Chair of the Crown Corporation
Council. Bob Brennan, President &
CEO, Manitoba Hydro (not pictured).
177 Lombard
Avenue, in
the heart of
Winnipeg’s
Exchange
District
19
Association, invite
Sept
9-13
Asper School
of Business
Homecoming
2009 Reception
YO U R
MARK
DARS!
CALEN
Friday, September 11th at
2:00 pm in the Drake Centre.
RSVP to Scott McCulloch
(204) 474-6482
[email protected]
20
M A N I T O B A ’ S
B U S I N E S S
S C H O O L
Asper programs enhance
learning experience
Bookmark
it!
umanitoba.ca/asper
The Asper School of Business website has all the information you need!
Dylan captured his passion for the experience
in photographs, which have won first prize two
years in a row in the U of M’s International
Centre for Students’ Photo Contest.
School of Business students headed
to partner schools in Asia, Europe,
North America and South America
to broaden their learning beyond
the classroom.
For more information about
Manitoba’s Business School,
please contact us at:
306-181 Freedman Crescent
Winnipeg MB R3T 5V4
Phone: (204) 474- 8960
email: [email protected]
MANITOBA’S BUSINESS SCHOOL
umanitoba.ca/asper
Design: Flamingo Design
Seventeen years ago, the
Asper School began the
International Exchange
Program as part of its
global vision and goal of
providing students with
a first-rate international
business education.
For Dylan Hoemsen, who has
just completed his undergraduate
studies, travelling to foreign
countries opened
his eyes to the
world and strengthened his desire to
work internationally.
“My exchange
experiences have reinforced my interest in
international business,
which was my major
(along with finance),”
he explains. “I have
taken a lot away from my
international experiences.
I’ve grown as a person and
become more understanding
of others and more skilled at
interacting with people from
other cultures where English is not a
primary language.”
Dylan enjoyed international
placements in Spain, Singapore and
Bangladesh. Last year, 35 Asper
Writing: Clear Thinking ink
T
he Asper Aboriginal Business
Education Program has
reached a milestone with the
graduation of Sarah Cook [BComm
(Hons)/08] – the 50th ABEP student
to earn her degree. Sarah majored in
Accounting & Aboriginal Business
Studies and, today,
is employed at
BDO Dunwoody
and working
toward her CA
designation.
“My time at
Asper was greatly
improved for being
a part of ABEP,”
says Sarah. “I was
Sarah Cook, Asper grad
on the Association
of Aboriginal Commerce Students
and helped organize potlucks,
cultural retreats, bowling nights,
the ABEP grad supper, and a trip to
Montreal to attend the Aboriginal
Finance Officers Association's
(AFOA) National Conference.
I became more confident and...I was
able to gain work experience through
the sponsors, enabling me to get
closer to my goal of becoming a CA.
ABEP made my experience at the Asper
School of Business and my adjustment to living in the city extremely
enjoyable and unforgettable.”