Home > Gazette > July 2007

July 1, 2007

Professor to Present Work on Global Warming-Climate Change Risks Relating to Insurance Industry

Dan Anderson, Leslie P. Schultz Professor of Risk Management and Insurance, has been awarded a $10,000 stipend to present his paper, "Sustainability Risk Management as a Critical Component of Enterprise Risk Management: Global Warming-Climate Change Risks," as it relates to global warming and climate change to two of the world's leading international insurance organizations.

Anderson was given the stipend by the Geneva Association, Switzerland, and the International Insurance Society, Inc., New York as one of three winners of the collaborative insurance research program. Other winners include: Jeungbo Shim, Ph.D. candidate, Department of Risk Management & Insurance, Georgia State University; and co-authors Shaun Yow, Boston Consulting Group, and Michael Sherris, School of Actuarial Studies, Faculty of Business, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.

Now in its third year, the insurance research program award was designed by the Geneva Association and the International Insurance Society to foster high-quality, practical research on current issues. Anderson, whose research focuses on sustainability risk management issues, will present his paper during the International Insurance Society's seminar in Berlin, Germany this July.

Deborah Mitchell Named Associate Dean for Enterprise MBA Programs and Marketing Services

Deborah Mitchell, executive director of Enterprise MBA Programs, has been named to the new position of associate dean for Enterprise MBA Programs and Marketing Services.

Mitchell will continue to lead the Enterprise MBA Programs, consisting of the Executive MBA and Evening MBA, which are designed for working professionals.

As head of Marketing Services, formerly the business school’s Office of Marketing and Communications, Mitchell will be responsible for strategic marketing and branding for the school, including its undergraduate, graduate and executive education programs. Marketing Services will provide expertise and act as a resource hub in the areas of branding and marketing strategy, print and online communications, design and public relations.

School of Business Dean Michael Knetter said that in her new role Mitchell would continue to focus on capturing potential synergies provided by the Enterprise MBA platform and would work to expand the scope and value of the school’s overall marketing efforts.

In announcing her appointment, Knetter called Mitchell “a dynamic leader whose experience and expertise bridge the academic and business worlds. We are fortunate that Deborah will also continue to teach some courses to MBA students, as she has done since 2003. She has twice received the teacher of the year award given by students.”  Mitchell, who has a Ph.D. in Marketing and Behavioral Science from the University of Chicago, began her academic career as a faculty member at Wharton.

Marketing Services will host an Open House on Thursday, August 16 from 1 to 5 p.m. in Room 5151 of Grainger Hall. All School of Business faculty and staff are invited to attend. Refreshments will be served and Marketing Services staff will be on hand to offer information on the marketing resources available to School of Business units.

In the News

News of the people and programs of the School of Business.

National

The New York Times discussed a study co-authored by Associate Professor Francois Ortalo-Magne, Real Estate and Urban Land Economics, in the June 8 article “Home sellers do better on their own in one city.” The study focused on the for-sale-by owner real estate market in Madison, Wis., versus using a real estate agent.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/08/business/08home.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

CNNMoney.com quoted Associate Professor of Real Estate and Urban Land Economics Francois Ortalo-Magne in the article “Madison Wisconsin do-it-yourself home sellers beat the pros.” The article detailed the study co-authored by
Ortalo-Magne.
http://money.cnn.com/2007/06/08/real_estate/home_selling/index.htm?cnn=yes

Director of the Business Career Center Steve Schroeder was interviewed by Businessweek.com. Schroeder discussed the services available through the career center and offered advice for undergraduates majoring in business.
http://www.businessweek.com/print/bschools/content/jun2007/bs20070606_456828.htm

Treasury and Risk Magazine featured Larry Rittenberg, Ernest & Young professor of accounting, in the article “The 100 most influential people in finance.”
http://www.treasuryandrisk.com/article.php?article=991&pagenum=2

Success Magazine quoted School of Business Dean Mike Knetter in the article “The Economics of Giving” from the July/August issue. The article described how businesses can make charitable investments pay off for their company.
http://www.successmagazine.com/article.php?article_id=288

Second-year Applied Security Analysis student Erica Healey appeared on CNBC’s Fast Money on Thursday, June 7. The show’s “Face 2 Face” segment featured Healey’s question about buying real estate investment trusts (REITs). Healey is currently working at Callahan Capital Partners in Chicago.

The May/June issue of Nonprofit World magazine featured an article by former Director of Development Betsy Liotus. The article, “The power of partnership,” discussed collaboration in the nonprofit business world.

Regional

Professor Rodney Stevenson was quoted in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article “Oil tax seen as raising gas 7 cents.” The article discussed the proposed new tax on oil companies in Wisconsin.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=609450

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel featured an article on Robert Creighton, a graduate of the Wisconsin MBA program and a G. Steven Burrill Technology Business Plan Competition contestant. The article discussed Creighton’s company, Wind Lift, which uses kites and wind power to create energy and recently received a second place finish in the Burrill Competition.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=617775

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel featured an article on MBA and Weinert Applied Ventures in Entrepreneurship program alumnus Craig Heim. Heim was recently hired as the licensing manager for start-up companies by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=622923

Local

The Wisconsin State Journal quoted Professors Jim Seward and Antonio Mello in the article “Is Spectrum Brands next buyout target?” The article questioned whether or not Spectrum Brands would be sold.
http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=/wsj/2007/05/27/0705270221.php

The Capital Times featured an article on finance Professor Mark Fedenia. “A hedge for small-time investors” discussed hedge-type funds, such as the Nakoma Absolute Return Fund co-managed by Fedenia, aimed for smaller investors.
http://www.madison.com/tct/business/139757

Steve Schroeder, director of the Business Career Center, was quoted in the Wisconsin State Journal article “Have you been hired?” on June 6. The article detailed the search for summer employment and internships.
http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=/wsj/2007/06/06/0706050301.php

Capital Region Business Journal quoted Phil Greenwood, lecturer in the School of Business, in the article “Use debt to get a leg up.” The article discussed how debt can be used to help or hurt businesses.
http://www.madison.com/crbj/200706/index.php?ntid=135745&ntpid=4

Andrew Taylor, director of the Bolz Center for Arts Administration, was quoted in the Wisconsin State Journal article “State’s arts spending ranks near the bottom.” The article focused on the arts as an industry and how it affects the economy.
http://www.madison.com/tct/news/182399

Business Watch quoted Professor Steve Malpezzi, chair of the department of Real Estate and Urban Land Economics in the June article “Feeling the sub-prime pinch.” The article examined the sub-prime mortgage crisis occurring nationally and locally.

The Wisconsin State Journal discussed the $10,000 stipend awarded to Professor Dan Anderson in the article “Professor recognized for climate work.” Anderson was awarded the stipend by the Geneva Association and the International Insurance Society to present his paper at an upcoming seminar in Berlin, Germany.

WISC-TV ran a story on recent G. Steven Burrill Technology Business Plan Competition contestant Robert Creighton.
http://www.c3ktogo.com/news-video/?mgid=10407

Two UW Student Companies Are Making Headlines

Recent MBA grad Rob Creighton’s company, WindLift, LLC, was featured in an article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and WISC TV 3 in Madison.

WindLift is designed to develop wind power technologies that will reduce the cost and pollution of pumping water and oil. The company currently has a working prototype of the system installed at University Research Park in Madison. The design features a large traction kite, a swing set, a series of pulleys and a hockey stick for steering. The system efficiently harnesses the power of the wind to motivate a reciprocating pump --an ideal application for irrigation and water supply in remote areas.

The WindLift team, comprised of Creighton (SMILES); Sean Ebert, an MBA student in Entrepreneurial Management; and industrial engineering student Arnav Anand, placed 2nd in the G. Steven Burrill Technology Business Plan Competition in April.

Colo-Glow, now known as Medical Imaging Devices LLC, won first prize in the MITEF/RPX Whiteboard Challenge on June 19. The team won $3,000 and a one-year membership to the MIT Enterprise Forum of Chicago.

Medical Imaging Devices is developing a cheaper, faster and safer way of screening for colon cancer. Ben Durkee and Matt Christensen, two medical physics PhD students, are currently building a prototype and taking steps to patent through WARF. They expect to start pre-clinical studies in the fall. Durkee and Christensen were awarded a mini competition prize for early submission at this year’s Burrill Competition.

FACULTY-STAFF NEWS

After nearly three years as associate dean for the Undergraduate Program, Mark Browne has elected to return to a regular faculty appointment. During that time, Browne has been a part of several large projects; including the Ad Hoc committee study, the launch of the Accenture Leadership program and the effort to obtain differential tuition. Until a permanent replacement is found, Jim Johannes has agreed to serve as interim associate dean of the Undergraduate Program.

Professor Mark Ready will assume the position of academic director of the Applied Security Analysis Program effective August 15. Ready will replace Professor Mark Fedenia who has run the program since 1986. This change will allow Mark Fedenia to assume a more traditional faculty role in teaching, research and service. Mark Ready has spent his entire academic career with the School of Business. Dean Michael Knetter, in making the appointment, said of Ready, "His blend of academic research, extensive teaching experience in investments, and professional service as chief economist at the SEC will enable him to bring new and relevant perspectives to the program." Kevin Spellman will continue to serve as director of the program.

Neeraj Arora, associate professor in Marketing, was appointed to the editorial board of Marketing Science. He also serves on the editorial board of Journal of Marketing Research.

Professor Steve Malpezzi, Real Estate and Urban Land Economics, spoke at the April and May meetings of the Commission on Growth and Development on the roles of real estate markets and urbanization in economic development. A partnership among several governments, foundations, and international organizations, and chaired by economist Michael Spence, the Commission is undertaking a two-year review of the best in economic development theory and practice, to assist developing countries in making better informed economic policy choices.

Duane Cooper is now a student services coordinator with the Business Career Center. A familiar face, Cooper was previously working in the BCC as a corporate recruiting assistant. He will be the BCC's Career Fair coordinator. Tena Krummel has also been named a student services coordinator in the BCC. Krummel previously was the BCC's office manager. She will be the BCC's technology services coordinator.

Susan Sauer, university services associate 2, MBA Programs, ended her employment with the School of Business in June.

Timothy Welnetz, senior lecturer, General Business, has been granted a leave of absence beginning August 27, 2007 until May 25, 2008.

Assistant professor Joann Peck was chosen as Mu Kappa Tau’s Outstanding Educator for the 2006-2007 academic year at their spring banquet on May 3.

Changes to CIBER Grant Guidelines

The UW-Madison Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) has recently changed some aspects of the two grant programs available to School of Business faculty, academic staff and PhD students. These changes were adopted largely in response to new requirements by the U.S. Department of Education, the federal agency that funds and overseas CIBER. Information on CIBER’s Global Research/Curriculum Development and Applied Funds programs is available at http://www.bus.wisc.edu/ciber/facphd/grants.asp.

Among the most significant revisions are:

• Adoption of a quarterly grants submission policy for the Applied Funds grants. This change was adopted primarily because the U.S. Department of Education now requires CIBER to obtain their approval for all grantees traveling internationally with CIBER funds. Given the administrative burden of this new requirement, CIBER will submit travel approval requests on a quarterly basis rather than monthly. The next application deadline for the Applied Funds program is Sept. 4, 2007.
• The revised Applied Funds grant application form requires applicants who wish to use CIBER money to travel to an international conference to submit additional information. First, as part of the U.S. Department of Education’s new travel approval process, CIBER is required to inform the Department about additional activities related to CIBER’s goals that the grantee will undertake while abroad. Second, CIBER requires more information than in the past about the nature of the conference and, if applicable, content of the research the applicant plans to present. The fact that a conference is held overseas does not mean it is necessarily related to CIBER’s goals.
• In order to receive reimbursement for their expenses, the revised guidelines require Applied Funds grantees to submit a one-page report describing their trip or other funded activity.
• Finally, the revised guidelines include a section on the Fly America Act. This Act is the source of the U.S. Department of Education requirement that CIBER grantees use U.S. airlines when they travel between the U.S. and an overseas destination.

Please keep these changes in mind as you develop your application for a CIBER grant. If you have any questions, contact Suzanne Dove, CIBER outreach director, at 265-4938 or sdove@bus.wisc.edu.

Women in Business Council Golf Outing Slated for August

The Women in Business Council, Inc.'s third annual scholarship golf outing will be held on Monday, August 20 at the Lake Wisconsin Country Club, Prairie du Sac. Cost is $110 per person, which includes lunch, 18 holes of golf, networking reception, dinner and prizes, $400 for a foursome, or $35 for the social hour and dinner only starting at 5 p.m. Sponsorships are also available: full event ($500) or individual hole ($125).

For more information or to register, contact Debra Lins at drlins@cbbwi.com or 1-877-839-6301. Proceeds from the event will be used to fund scholarships for women MBA students at the UW-Madison School of Business.

Use New Fund Number in Ordering Business Cards

Each July 1, the fund number for ordering business card changes. If you need to order business cards and do not have the new fund number, please contact Lari Fanlund, lfanlund@bus.wisc.edu. Business cards are ordered through campus. Directions for ordering are posted on the School of Business' administrative resources Web site.

About the Gazette

The School of Business Gazette is published the first of the month by the Office of Marketing and Communications for faculty and staff of the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business. Send submissions or other feedback to Editor Lari Fanlund, lfanlund@bus.wisc.edu. The deadline for submitting items for the Aug. 1 issue is July 25.