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July 30, 2006
Upcoming Networking @ Noon Events
Are you looking to network with other Massey students and alumni, or simply catch up with old friends and acquaintances? If so, Networking@Noon (N@N) is the perfect opportunity for you! N@N luncheons are held on the third Thursday of each month. The calendar for the remainder of the year is as follows:
September 21st - Ellendale's Restaurant, 2730 Old Elm Hill Pike, Nashville
October 19th - Franklin Chop House, 1101 Murfreesboro Road, Franklin
November 16th - Calhoun's, 2001 North Gallatin Road, Madison
December 14th - Sunset Grille, 2001 Belcourt Avenue, Nashville
Contact Londa Morgan (MBA 2004) to add your name to the N@N mailing list and to make reservations, (615) 500-1443 or londa@hardcastleconstruction.com.
July 25, 2006
Massey Students Visit Wal-Mart Distribution Center
On July 10, three Massey graduate classes had the privilege of touring the Wal-Mart distribution center in Shelbyville, TN. Upon arrival the students were given a presentation outlining the trendsetting methods Wal-Mart uses to house and distribute its inventory to each store across the United States. The presenters were Michael Cook, Dan Scango, Charles Housch, and Bill Dyer. In addition to an overview of the distribution process, the presenters also outlined some growth areas for Wal-Mart and how the company is positioning its distribution channels to meet those needs.
After the presentation, students were given a tour of the facilities. The Shelbyville distribution center’s primary inventory is composed of perishable food items. It has different temperature zones to house all the various foods that can be found in the grocery section of a Wal-Mart. Most students would agree that the tour through the ice cream freezer (which remains at a constant minus 20° Fahrenheit) was the most educational and intense part of the experience, especially for those with short sleeves. Upon thawing, the students said their goodbyes and boarded the bus for the trip back to Nashville. The trip to Wal-Mart was a valuable learning experience as students were able to see many of their classroom lessons being used in practice.
July 23, 2006
Massey School Director, Dr. Ian Stewart, retires home to England
Dr. Ian Stewart retired from The Jack C. Massey Graduate School of Business on July 11th. While at Belmont, Dr. Stewart increased recruitment and marketing of the Massey program, expanding its breadth and reputation within the Middle Tennessee business community.
Dr. Stewart began his career in academia at the University of Richmond where he taught international management, marketing management, marketing strategy, and strategic management at the graduate level, along with several undergraduate courses. Dr. Stewart also was the associate dean of the E. Claiborne Robins School of Business at the University of Richmond.
Dr. Stewart's career and education was truly global. Before entering academia, Dr. Stewart spent many years working in several companies where he held a variety of management positions, including terms as chief executive at a number of pharmaceutical companies. For fourteen years, he served at A.H. Robins Co., Inc. During that time, he served as managing director of U.K./Irish operations and European Consumer Products, vice president of International Operations and Divisional Finance for the Medical Instruments Division, and financial controller for the Africa and Middle East Division. Dr. Stewart currently serves as chairman of Europlan, Inc., a consulting company that provides services for a number of industries in the areas of strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions, and cost control.
Dr. Stewart holds an M.B.A. from the University of Richmond. He is a native of the United Kingdom. He and his wife Mandy have two daughters and a son and will be splitting time between Portugal and the United Kingdom.
July 21, 2006
A Special Love Story
Many of you know Abby (nee Hardee) and Louie Caputo. Abby and Louie met during their days in the MACC and MBA programs. Upon graduation, Abby joined Arthur Andersen, and Louie was at HCA. Louie was accepted into HCA’s COO program in 2005, but had to relocate to Florida, and he certainly did not intend to leave Abby in Nashville. In July 2005, Abby and Louie were married in a lovely wedding at the downtown Presbyterian Church and headed for their new home in Kissimmee, Florida.
However, the love story is merely beginning. I received an email from the Caputos in May, 2006 with some very exciting news! Abby and Louie were adopting! But it gets better. Abby and Louie are adopting two beautiful children from Guatemala—a little girl, Catalina who is almost 3, and her baby brother Gus, who was born in April. Abby and Louie have a blog: dearahc.blogspot.com which provides such a touching detail of their experiences—detailing all the many, many steps that must be completed for an international adoption to their first visit to meet the children. I encourage you to visit their web site just to share in this very beautiful story. You cannot read this blog and not feel the love. Hopefully Abby and Louie will have Cati and Gus with them very soon and hopefully they will visit Nashville for a Massey reunion so that we all may have the pleasure of meeting the latest additions to the Caputo family.
Jane Finley
Accounting Program Coordinator
July 13, 2006
Venture Capital and Private Equity Symposium Held at Belmont University
On April 27, 2006, Dr. Mark Schenkel and Dr. John Gonas hosted a symposium for the College of Business Administration focusing on current trends in venture capital and private equity markets of Middle Tennessee. Over 100 attendees from Belmont University and the surrounding Nashville community gathered to hear about the alternatives available to business owners and financers of small businesses.
The panel of discussants included three prominent representatives from local investment firms:
Linda Costello
Managing Director of Investment Banking
of Avondale Partners
Stuart McWhorter
Managing Partner of Clayton Associates
Gary Peat
Partner of Council Ventures
The event focused on current trends in venture capital and private equity markets of Middle Tennessee. Specific topics included entrepreneurial, mezzanine and growth capital demand in addition to deal flow differences between industries such as investment banking, technology and healthcare.
“This discussion represented an outstanding opportunity for students and alumni to learn about the breadth and growth of private equity funding availability in Middle Tennessee from an interactive discussion with three knowledgeable and well-respected members of local investment companies,” said Dr. Mark Schenkel, assistant professor of Entrepreneurship. It also represented an excellent opportunity for students to solidify the knowledge Belmont wants students to gain while earning their degrees. In the words of undergraduate student Brittany McCullough, “I just finished my last business class [Finance] before I graduate. During our final, we covered topics focusing on Venture Capital and IPO. I wouldn't have been able to understand or respond so easily if I hadn't attended the panel discussion or written the paper about it.”
The Center for Entrepreneurship at Belmont University (www.belmont.edu/ce) is recognized nationally as a leader in entrepreneurial education. Belmont’s School of Business grants Bachelors of Business Administration (BBA) degrees through its innovative undergraduate program (http://www.belmont.edu/business/).
July 12, 2006
Massey Matters
Teresa Kuharsky, Massey ‘02 has been named assistant vice president of acquisitions and development at Symbion Healthcare in Nashville.
Dr. Mike Stabile, Massey '99. In addition to a busy anesthesiology practice, Mike continues to work with Operation Smile on an international basis, scouting new third world locations for doctors to change the lives of children through surgery.
Angelo Bruno, Massey '00, has been named vice president, treasurer and financial planning at BMI.
Special thanks go to Carrie Hininger, Katherine Beakes, Jim Stefansic, and Dimeta Smith for contributing to the recent Massey Information Session.