Welcome
We are pleased to bring you the May 2007 edition of your DeVos Alumni Quarterly Newsletter. We would like to extend a special note of congratulations to our most recent Managerial and Executive MBA graduates who enjoyed commencement on Saturday (May 18). Welcome to the DeVos alumni network! We hope you enjoy your first installment of this electronic newsletter.
To all of our existing alumni and friends, much has occurred over the past few months and we have compiled merely a few of the highlights since our February issue. This quarter has brought awards to fellow DeVos students and alumni, the introduction of our Executive Advisory Council, as well as a new addition to the great American pastime…The Great Lakes Loons. We are also pleased to provide you once again with a timely Recommended Reading selection by Dr. William T. Busby.
In addition to these and many more feature stories, we are excited to pilot another innovative and helpful business tool, your Quarterly Link to Harvard. We have worked in collaboration with our friends at the Harvard Business School Press to provide you an initial Quarterly Case Study link regarding a timely business topic that we trust you will find of value.
We hope you enjoy this edition of the DeVos Quarterly Newsletter and look forward to engaging you this summer!
Regards,
Matthew L. Bennett (’00)
Director of Marketing
T) 800.622.9000
F) 989.837.4800
E) mbennett@northwood.edu
Outstanding Adult Learner Award
The Capital Area Higher Education Network (CAHEN) hosted the 2007 Outstanding Adult Learner Awards in Lansing on April 11. CAHEN is a coalition of colleges and universities in the Lansing metropolitan area working collaboratively to market and promote undergraduate and graduate education.
As a CAHEN member, faculty and staff from Northwood University and the DeVos Graduate School of Management had the opportunity to nominate and select individuals proven to be exemplary students, citizens, and community leaders throughout the Lansing area.
Northwood University’s 2007 Outstanding Adult Learner Award recipient was Ms. Nicole Murphy. Nicole is currently enrolled in the Lansing Executive MBA Program and is expected to graduate in May 2008. Nicole has an extensive background in community involvement which includes the Salvation Army, St. Vincent’s Home for Children, St. Lawrence’s Substance Abuse Unit, and Tabitha House. Nicole is currently employed in Mason, MI, at Origami Brain Injury Rehab as the Operation Manager and chairs the events committee.
The keynote speaker for this event was Mr. Larry Meyer, Chairman and CEO of The Michigan Retailers Association and prominent DeVos Executive MBA alumni. Larry provided a candid and meaningful account of his experience as an adult learner and how his experience assisted in achieving the personal and professional goals he established. Larry holds an MBA from DeVos and a bachelor’s degree from North Central College in Illinois. We congratulate Nicole on her coveted award, and wish Larry all the best in his efforts at Michigan Retailers and beyond.Back to TopDeVos Alumna Kathleen Vertin Honored By Northwood University
The 2007 Northwood University Outstanding Alumni Achievement Awards were held Friday, April 27, on the Midland campus. The Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award is presented to alumni that exhibit: achievement in their respective careers; dedication to their careers; support and involvement in their local communities; support and commitment to Northwood University and the Northwood Idea; their commitment to promote and better the university whenever the opportunity arises; and for their interest in other Northwood alumni living in their communities. This year’s recipients were: Jenny Anderson, Michael Cassidy, Richard Portwood, Daniel Reichard, and Kathleen (Kathy) Vertin.
Kathy received her BBA from Northwood University in 1988 and her MBA from Northwood University’s Richard DeVos Graduate School of Management in 1995. She is the CFO of Visioneering, Inc. in Fraser, Michigan, and has played an integral role in further advancing Northwood University and the DeVos Graduate School.
Kathy remains actively involved with Northwood University. Currently, she is President of the DeVos Alumni Association, an adjunct professor for the Evening MBA program, and an advisory member of the “Friends of Northwood.”
On behalf of all of us here at DeVos and our fellow alumni throughout the world we congratulate Kathy for her outstanding achievement!
Back to TopDeVos Establishes Global MBA Footprint Abroad
Northwood University’s DeVos Graduate School of Management answers the global demand for diverse and well-educated business leaders. DeVos has established a strategic alliance with The Hotel Institute Montreux (HIM) to offer a Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) program abroad. This innovative academic option, scheduled to begin in September 2007, provides students the opportunity to pursue a world-class, fully accredited U.S. graduate degree is Montreux, Switzerland.
The academic offering marks the first international graduate program delivered exclusively by Northwood University overseas. The accelerated, one-year MBA program is designed for high-caliber students from undergraduate programs and companies throughout the world. The program structure includes four, nine-week interactive discussion based modules that utilize the signature DeVos case study methodology.
According to Dr. William T. Busby, Dean and COO of the DeVos Graduate School of Management, “Each course module in this program is driven by key student outcomes focused on the development of business acumen, critical thinking, and personal effectiveness, including emotional intelligence. We are eager to engage a global mix of diverse students to build a dynamic learning environment with this unique MBA program!”
Emily Yeager Joins the DeVos Team!
We are pleased to announce that after careful consideration we have filled the position of Associate Director of Graduate Admissions for our Evening MBA Program in Midland. We welcome Ms. Emily Yeager to the DeVos team!
Emily joined DeVos in February of 2007. Her office is located in Midland. She graduated with honors from the University of Michigan, earning a Bachelor’s of Science degree. Emily is also a recent graduate of the Managerial MBA program at The DeVos Graduate School of Management. If you are aware of a friend, colleague, or family member that may be considering investigating the DeVos Evening MBA program, feel free to contact Emily at 989.837.4175 or via email at yeagere@northwood.edu.
Executive and Managerial Students Reach the Finish Line!
In conjunction with the Northwood University Freedom Seminar, The Richard DeVos Graduate School of Management hosted its annual Integration Course for Executive and Managerial MBA students in Detroit the weekend of April 20-21.
Integration is the final academic requirement for both Executive and Managerial MBA students in their respective programs of study. This year the course was offered in an innovative on-site residency format over three days in Southeast Michigan. This unique delivery brought together Executive and Mangerial students from each of our Midland, Lansing, and Troy Program locations to further enhance their leadership development and networking skills as they completed their MBA coursework. Integration for Managerial MBA students was held at our Troy location. Executive MBA students gathered at the Atheneum Suites Hotel located in Greektown (Detroit), MI
A special reception was held on Thursday, April 19th, to “kick-off” The Freedom Seminar and DeVos Integration Weekend. Students, alumni, and faculty gathered for an evening of networking, socializing, and fun at Fishbone’s Restaurant in Greektown. Please join us in welcoming our new Executive and Managerial MBA graduates to the DeVos alumni family!
Great Lakes Loons “Play Ball”
Midland’s own Great Lakes Loons held their home opener on Friday, April 13th. The Loons are Midland, Michigan’s, new Class “A” Minor League Baseball affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Northwood University and the DeVos Graduate School were proud to participate in the inaugural Loons tailgate party held in downtown Midland. Thousands came out to celebrate and share in the excitement of the new team and their home opener at the newly constructed state-of-the-art Dow Diamond baseball facility.
To continue the excitement of Loons baseball this inaugural season, DeVos will be hosting a series of games exclusively for our DeVos alumni in Northwood University’s Corporate Suite. The first “DeVos Night” at the Dow Diamond was held April 24th with record attendance. The excitement was felt throughout the suite as the Great Lakes Loons won the game 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Please plan on joining us for at least one Great Lakes Loons game this season! It is a tremendous opportunity for baseball, food, and networking with fellow DeVos alumni at the Dow Diamond. Space is still available for the June 22nd and August 23rd games. For more information, or to RSVP, contact Brandi Cramer at 989.837.4425 or email us at devosalumni@northwood.edu. You can also learn more about Great Lakes Loons baseball online at www.loons.com.
DeVos Introduces Executive Advisory Council
Back Row (L to R) William Parlberg,
Fadi Baradihi, Terence Moore;
Front Row: Keith Pretty The DeVos Graduate School is pleased to introduce its newly appointed Executive Advisory Council. The formation of the DeVos Executive Advisory Council is to provide a key link with external stakeholders to assist us in carrying out our purpose, increasing the awareness and prestige of DeVos, and to support DeVos in our development and fundraising efforts. The members of the DeVos Executive Advisory Council will be asked to assist DeVos in the following ways:
- Provide guidance and feedback on the strategic direction of DeVos.
- Interact with the graduate school student body in the classroom and through other formal events.
- Mentor a select number of graduate students.
- Provide financial support for the DeVos development function through direct and indirect assistance.
Each member of the Executive Advisory Council will serve a three year term in their role. Members of the inaugural Executive Advisory Council include: Terence F. Moore,
President & CEO, MidMichigan Health; B.N. Bahadur, Chairman and Founder BBK, Ltd.; William A. Parlberg, President and Chief Operating Officer, Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth; Fadi Baradihi, General Sales Manager and Senior VP, Hantz Group; and Andreas Karl, Human Resources Development Global Director, The Dow Chemical Company. We look forward to working with these industry leaders and thank them for their commitment to assist Northwood University in enhancing the graduate school.
Quarterly Link to Harvard
This is a newly adopted segment to the DeVos Quarterly Newsletter. With your feedback we look forward to providing you with a new case study and/or article from Harvard Business Press each quarter. This feature will be provided via a specialized link devised in collaboration with our colleagues at the Harvard Business Press. For this, the inaugural link to Harvard, we have selected a business strategy article entitled: “Finding Your Next Core Business.” With this pilot link we have established a tracking system to assess your interest and use of the offering. If a significant number of you, our alumni and friends access the link, we will consider providing a case and/or article each quarter moving forward. We hope you find this tool of value and your activity will determine whether or not this feature is available in future installments.
Click here for this quarters Link to Harvard
Upcoming Events
In response to the positive feedback received from our first installment of Recommended Reading we present you another reading selection. This month we present you a management selection entitled Executive Intelligence. This preferred reading option comes to us from Dr. William T. Busby, Dean and COO, in our effort to provide DeVos alumni with valuable reading selections provided by academic administrators, faculty and fellow alumni.
Executive Intelligence, written by Justin Menkes, discusses the success of executives and how to measure and predict it. Years of research provide a discussion of the specific skills needed to be successful in the workplace. The book provides stories and anecdotes that offer real-life examples the reader can easily relate.
We hope you enjoy this recommendation, and look forward to your feedback! We also encourage you to provide personal recommendations that could benefit those that receive this e-newsletter. If there are any publications that you would like to recommend, please forward the information to devosalumni@northwood.edu.
Back to TopUpcoming Events
Great Lakes Loons
“DeVos Night at the Ballgame”
Northwood University Suite Friday, June 22 6 p.m.
Northwood University Suite Thursday, August 23 6 p.m.
Wills & Trusts Basics! Learn the Basics of Estate Planning
Detroit Program Center
Wednesday, June 20 6-8 p.m.
Please RSVP via email at devosalumni@northwood.edu.
Information Sessions
June 2007
- Lansing Evening Information Session
Thursday, June 7 6 p.m. - Midland Evening Information Session
Tuesday, June 12 6 p.m. - Troy Evening Information Session
Tuesday, June 26 6 p.m.
July 2007
- Midland Evening Information Session
Tuesday, July 10 6 p.m. - Midland Full-time Information Session
Thursday, July 12 6 p.m. - Troy Evening Information Session
Tuesday, July 24 6 p.m.
August 2007
- Lansing Evening Information Session
Thursday, August 2 6 p.m. - Midland Full-time Information Session
Thursday, August 9 6 p.m. - Midland Evening Information Session
Tuesday, August 14 6 p.m.
GMAT Sessions
- Midland GMAT Prep Session
Monday, July 16 4 p.m.
If you are interested in more information on any of these sessions, please contact 800.MBA.9000 or mba@northwood.edu.
Back to TopComments to the Dean
This is your newsletter, if there is something you want to see or that you want to help make happen please let me know. We are always open to suggestions, your feedback and ideas are vital in our planning of alumni events and services.
Bill
Dr. William T. Busby
busby@northwood.edu
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DeVos Graduate School | Tel. 800.MBA.9000 | Fax: 989.837.4800