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April 30, 2007
First Annual Distinguished Massey Alumni Award
The Massey Alumni Association, in conjunction with the Massey Alumni Board, will present the first annual Distinguished Alumni Award on Thursday, May 17 at a reception held at Watermark, in the Gulch. The event will begin at 5:30 pm culminating with an award presentation at 6:30 pm. The occasion marks the 20th anniversary of the Jack C. Massey Graduate School of Business and is an opportunity to recognize a distinguished graduate of the program. The award will create broad community awareness of the caliber of Massey graduates.
The award was created to showcase the success that the Massey program has achieved to date. Nominees were requested from all former students and faculty. A survey conducted by the Alumni Board indicated the criteria students wanted to see in a distinguished alumni. The standards for selection include professional achievement, community involvement and commitment to the Massey School. The Alumni Board reviewed all the nominees and put forth the finalists who will go before a panel of judges to decide the award recipient. The panel consists of:
- Dr. Pat Raines, Dean of the Massey School
- Dr. Jennie Carter Thomas, Professor at the Massey School since its inception
- J. Bradbury Reed, Member of the Massey Advisory Board
- Townes Duncan, Member of the Massey Advisory Board
- Cate Loes, President of the Massey Alumni Board
- Anthony Anderson, President-Elect of the Massey Alumni Board
The winner will receive a framed medallion with a representation of the Jack Massey bust, currently located in the business school. The award presentation promises to be an exciting event connecting alumni from all 20 years of the Massey program. Class hosts include: Valerie Van Eaton ’90, Lucy Garrabrants ’91, Carrie Hininger ’99, Cate Loes ’04, Donita Brown ’06 and Elizabeth Kraft ’06. Invitations and registration information has been distributed. Please contact Sue Hopfensperger with questions.
Massey Students Travel to India to Work with Deloitte
Ten Massey students along with Professor Dr. Jane Finley traveled to India to experience the culture, perform an analysis of the Deloitte U.S. Accounts Payable outsourcing process, and gain a better understanding of outsourcing IT development and business processes to India.
The exciting trip began in Delhi where the group encountered the unique culture of a large metropolitan Indian city. Sara Jacobson, a MACC student who was fortunate to take the trip, stated, “I was unaware traffic laws are nonexistent in India - the lines on the road are merely suggestions, every time we drove somewhere it was an adventure!” During the group’s time in Delhi, they had the opportunity to visit a historical mosque in Old Delhi, Gandhi’s tomb, and view the capital city’s governmental building.
On the next day, the group took an exciting 5 hour bus ride from Delhi to Agra to visit the Taj Mahal. Although the trip was long, the group overwhelmingly stated it was worth it to view the “breathtaking” Taj Mahal. While in Agra, some members of the group even got to experience the annual Indian festival of Holi. Holi is a celebration of the new colors of the new season by throwing color paints and water on each other. Sara Jacobson shared, “Kristin McKnight and I noticed the locals putting a dot of paint on people's foreheads, and someone told us it means "greatness to you" and that the rest of the paint all over your face and body is just for fun!”
After returning to Delhi, the group took a 2 hour flight to Hyderabad to work with Deloitte and visit Infosys to experience and learn about outsourcing first hand. While at Deloitte, the group visited with the Region 10 Accounts Payable staff and gained a more complete understanding of the successes and failures of the current AP outsourcing process. The group also visited with the managing partner of the Deloitte Tax Services division to learn how Deloitte is successfully taking advantage of young intelligent Indian talent to offer tax services to the U.S. Following the visits to Deloitte, the group traveled to the Infosys campus to tour the gorgeously landscaped offices and visit with an IT development team currently working on a project for a company in Nashville, TN. At both companies, the group was able to experience both the professional and cultural interactions between the U.S. and India that are necessary to achieve success in outsourcing operations.
After arriving home, the group presented their findings concerning the Hyderabad AP outsourcing processes to senior management at the Deloitte Hermitage offices where the group’s analysis was well received. All members of the group expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to experience the unique culture of India and view first hand the rising economy of the country.
April 28, 2007
5th Annual Kaylen Foundation Golf Tournament
The Kaylen Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of children and families enduring an illness resulting in an extended hospital stay by providing financial and emotional assistance through fund-raising.
The Kaylen Foundation is signing up golfers to participate in the 5th Annual Kaylen Foundation Golf Tournament on Monday, May 21st at the Governor’s Club in Brentwood, Tennessee. Check-in for the tournament will be at 11:30 am with lunch provided by Outback Steakhouse. Tee off will be at 12:30pm. Entry fee is $175 per person/$650 per foursome and includes green fees, cart, driving range balls, beverages, lunch, dinner, and awards ceremony. Hole in one sponsored by Andrews Cadillac and Bayou Buggies.
The awards ceremony will begin at 6:00 pm with a guest speaker and our host Jennifer Kraus, Kaylen Foundation Board Member and News Channel 5 Anchor. Teams are asked to register by May 14th. All of the proceeds will benefit the children and families in the Pediatric Critical Care Unit at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. To register or for more information, visit www.kaylenfoundation.org or contact Carisa M. Burr at 615-791-9583.
April 21, 2007
Massey Students Visit Caterpillar in Aurora, IL
On March 12th, the spring MGT 6600 Cost/Price class flew to Chicago to visit the Caterpillar Plant in Aurora, Illinois. The class observed the manufacturing, assembly, and testing of Caterpillar’s innovative Wheel Loaders and Hydraulic Excavators. With revenues of $41.5 billion, Caterpillar is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, and industrial gas turbines.
The Aurora plant is situated on 370 acres and employs approximately 3000 employees. The facility features 45 robotic welders, monorail material movement, self-guided vehicles and Caterpillar built solar gas turbines, which provide electricity allowing the plant to be self-sufficient.
The class had the opportunity to speak with Caterpillar’s management and staff regarding the use of Six Sigma disciplines enabling the company to leverage their entire value chain to achieve growth, cost reduction, and continuous quality improvement. During the guided tour, students were able to observe several of Caterpillar’s cost of quality measures such as the examination of the welds through ultrasound, the loyalty of the work force, and the steel cutting automation process.
The Massey School of Business is grateful for the opportunity to visit a world class operation and appreciates the hospitality and willingness of Caterpillar to provide the class with an excellent practical learning opportunity.
April 20, 2007
Upcoming Massey Networking Events
N@N P.M. will now be held quarterly instead of monthly!
The next N@N P.M. social will be held on Thursday, June 21st at the Sounds game. Please email Tad Wood for more information on N@N P.M. events.
The Massey Networking Committee would like to thank those of you who have taken the time to complete our survey. Your feedback will help us plan networking and community service events that better meet your needs. If you have not had an opportunity to take the survey, you can access it here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=67883146653. Thank you!
April 16, 2007
Massey Matters Updates
Massey alum Annie Whiting has recently relocated to Charlotte, NC with the Wood Group, and was anxious to try to connect with other Massey Alums in the area. Annie had attended some of the Networking @ Noon gatherings here in Nashville and thought that would be a great vehicle to meet people in Charlotte. Other Massey alums agreeing to join Annie in pulling together a Massey Charlotte group are Heather and Philip Goodrum '96, and Bethany Frye '88. Valerie Wilhite Massey '01 is making the move to Charlotte with Lowe's Home Improvement and will link in with the group as well.
Fran Salamon Cook, Massey School '92, has informed us that she has had several changes in her life since we were last in touch. She has finished her DBA and moved from the corporate world to the academic world as Assistant Professor at Montreat College in Charlotte, North Carolina. Along the way, Fran has married and blended a family which now includes her two daughters and now two step-sons. Congratulations Fran and welcome to the world of Wife/Mommy/College Professor. Fran will be helping organize this Massey group in Charlotte as well.
We also heard from Jim H. Thompson, Massey School '98, who relocated to Charlotte two years ago with Bank of America in Compliance Risk Management. Jim says Charlotte is very "Nashville-like" and he's very happy there.