Welcome
We are pleased to bring you the March 2008 edition of your DeVos Alumni Quarterly Newsletter. We would like to congratulate our newest DeVos graduates who participated in commencement in early December. Welcome to the DeVos Graduate School of Management alumni network! We hope you enjoy your first installment of the DeVos Quarterly Newsletter.
To 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 last installment in November. This quarter has brought with it great change and opportunity at Northwood University and your DeVos Graduate School. We are excited to formally introduce a customized new look and layout for your electronic newsletter.
DeVos has worked diligently to launch an innovative new MBA program catering to the specific needs of the retail automotive industry and we enjoyed commencement in December in which we welcomed graduates to our esteemed alumni network. We also honored distinguished business leaders at our annual Outstanding Business Leaders Award Gala in West Palm Beach, FL.
In addition, we are pleased to provide you once again with a timely Recommended Reading selection and are eager for you to review this quarters Harvard Business Review. We hope you enjoy this edition of the DeVos Quarterly Newsletter and look forward to engaging you throughout 2008. Be sure to review our events calendar as we look forward to seeing you soon!
Sincerely,
Matt
Matthew L. Bennett
Director of Marketing
DeVos Launches New Dealership Executive MBA
In response to the increased demand for advanced degrees specifically tailored to retail dealership operations and allied industries, Northwood University’s DeVos Graduate School of Management, in conjunction with the Association of Finance & Insurance Professionals (AFIP), is proud to announce the first-of-its-kind Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) program for dealer executives. The formal announcement was made at the 2008 NADA Convention and Exposition in San Francisco, CA. This new academic offering marks the first Dealership Executive MBA in the world and is delivered exclusively by Northwood University.
The new MBA program will serve in-store executives employed by dealerships in the franchised new vehicle, independent used vehicle, RV, marine, motorsports, and motorcycle markets. The Dealership Executive MBA will also benefit executives working for captive and institutional lenders and aftermarket product vendors that support the retail trades.
Designed with the career demands of upper-echelon executives in mind, the accelerated 30-month MBA capitalizes on the best of distance and on-campus learning environments. The interactive discussion-based model utilizes the signature DeVos Case Study method. According to Keith Pretty, president, Northwood University, “The Dealership Executive MBA program builds on our strong undergraduate tradition of educating thousands of managers and dealer principals that are in leadership positions across the United States and around the world.”
If you are aware of an individual that may have interest in the new Dealership Executive MBA program, additional information can be collected by contacting Matt Bennett at 989.837.4325 or via email at mbennett@northwood.edu.
You can review the official release at:
Dealership Executive MBA-Press Release
New Look for NU
Northwood University and the DeVos Graduate School of Management have continued to focus on uniting the marketing and branding efforts of its various departmental units. Our goal is to strategically communicate and promote a unified Northwood University message in the competitive academic marketplace. We are pleased to introduce our new university tagline and logo. The strategic marketing and branding process has been quite involved and has included extensive focus group assessment and discussion to arrive at a universally accepted and appropriate message for your university.
To that end, we are pleased to announce that Northwood University’s official tagline is: “Discover the leader in you!”
Our research has found that this theme clearly and appropriately appeals to the multiple constituencies that Northwood University serves, and dynamically aligns with our mission to “develop the future leaders of a global free-enterprise society!” Furthermore, it defines our efforts to continue to provide unparalleled academic opportunities which enable students to discover and transform their careers and lives!
We are in the midst of writing an exciting and remarkable chapter in Northwood University’s history and our focus to continue to enhance the market and brand awareness of your university is paramount! In accordance we have updated the university logo as well as that of the DeVos Graduate School. With these and other improvements, we hope you are pleased with the new layout and design of your alumni newsletter.
We are also in the process of updating our marketing and promotional materials regarding our various graduate programs and should have the process completed by the spring (2008).
Northwood University Honors Outstanding Business Leaders
Northwood University recently held the 28th Annual Outstanding Business Leader Awards Gala on January 26, at the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida.
The Outstanding Business Leader Awards are presented annually by the Northwood University Board of Trustees. Each award recipient is selected on the basis of personal achievements which exemplify the unique philosophy of Northwood University. Criteria used in the selection of awardees include contribution to the philosophy of private enterprise, support of the integration of business and the arts, contribution to education, economic innovation, creative marketing ideas, community involvement, religious leadership, philanthropic contributions, as well as business success.
This year’s Outstanding Business Leader Award recipients include:
- Alberto Daire, President, Liberty Power, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Chuck Daly, Retired Coach, Detroit Pistons, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
- Patty DeDominic, Founder and Managing Partner, DeDominic & Associates, Santa Barbara, California
- Peter Kornafel, Vice-Chairman, CARQUEST
- Lorraine Kornafel, Former Regional Vice-President of Operations, General Parts, Inc., Raleigh, North Carolina
- Alred J. Molina, Chairman & CEO, The Molina Group, Phoenix, Arizona
- George Seay, III, CEO, Annandale Capital, LLC, Dallas Texas
Each Outstanding Business Leader is formally introduced by a Northwood University student from our Michigan, Florida and Texas, campuses as well as University College and the DeVos Graduate School of Management. This year, Maciek Turowski, a member of Cohort IV of the DeVos-Dow-Hantz Partnership MBA program had the opportunity to introduce and recognize Outstanding Business Leader Award recipient Chuck Daly.
Since the inception of the program, over 200 individuals from across the United States and several countries have been presented with the Outstanding Business Leader Award.
Freedom Seminar on Business and Economics coming to GREEKTOWN!
Northwood University will host the annual Freedom Seminar, April 17-20, 2008 at the Atheneum Suites Hotel in the heart of Greektown in Detroit, MI. This seminar is led by key academic and business leaders from across the country exploring vital business and economic topics.
This year’s speakers include:
- Tom Bethell, Senior Editor, American Spectator
“Property Rights: The Basis of a Free Society” - Dana Johnson, Senior Economist, Comerica Bank
“The Outlook for the U.S. Economy and Michigan in the Aftermath of the Credit Crunch” - Dr. Tony Woodlief, President, Market Based Management Institute
“The Science of Success” - Eleanor M. Josaitis, Co-founder, Focus: Hope
“Passion and Partnership” (at Focus: Hope facility) - Christopher Ilitch, President and CEO, Ilitch Holdings, Inc.
“The Secret’s in the Sauce” - Steven Landry, Executive Vice President, North American Sales, Chrysler LLC
“Getty Ready for Tomorrow” - Jay Chandran, Professor of International Business, Northwood University
“To Make Good or Be Bad: The Dilemma of a Multi-National” - John Pafford, Northwood University
“The Vision of the Founders and its Relevance Today” - Jonathan Witt, Acton Institute
“The Call of the Entrepreneur” - Harry Veryzer, Professor of Economics, University of Detroit-Mercy
“Understanding Market Processes” - Clark Durant, Cornerstone Schools
“Leading Change” - Dale Matcheck, Professor of Economics, Northwood University
“Commanding Heights” - Joseph Rousseau, Professor of Entrepreneurship, Northwood University
“Rolling Back Government in New Zealand” - Lawrence W. Reed, President, Mackinac Center for Public Policy Studies
“The Power of Ideas”
For more information, contact Professor Dale Matcheck at 989.837.4256 or via email matcheck@northwood.edu. You can also visit http://www.northwood.edu/freedomseminar/ for more information.
Lansing Area YMCA - 4th Annual Sports Trivia Corporate Challenge and Auction
Northwood University and the Richard DeVos Graduate School were proud to be the VIP sponsor of the YMCA - 4th Annual Sports Trivia Corporate Challenge and Auction, on February 1, 2008. This year’s guest host and speaker was two-time NBA champion, Rick Mahorn. As part of the VIP sponsor package, Rick was seated at the special Northwood-sponsored tables, and was able to share some interesting stories from his days with the Detroit Pistons.
Along with sponsoring this event, Northwood University entered a team of four in the Sports Trivia Corporate Challenge, which provided an exciting opportunity! Current MBA student, Mike Kujansuu, and full-time faculty Christian Bechtel were two of the four team members. Although Northwood’s team did not make it past round one, it was a great night and an excellent opportunity to continue spreading the good word about Northwood University!
Quarterly Link to Harvard
We are pleased to provide you this edition's Quarterly Link to Harvard. This feature has been well-received by our alumni and friends, and we trust that you will continue to find the information both timely and valuable.
In past editions, we have provided links associated with business strategy and key management practices and leadership techniques. In our effort to continue to maintain a well-rounded leadership approach, we were compelled to provide a quarterly link centered specifically on managing yourself and most importantly your energy.
As many of us struggle with the increasing demands of higher performance in our respective organizations, the traditional standby of working longer hours is not “working.” In many cases we get exhausted, disengaged, and sick through this approach. Longer days at the office are ineffective because time is a limited resource. But personal energy is renewable, fostering deceptively simple rituals that help you regularly replenish your energy. In the end, you are able to build physical, emotional, and mental resilience. This article provides some concrete data supporting the concept of energy renewal and its positive impact on an organization’s bottom line.
We hope you enjoy this installment of the newsletter and encourage your feedback and suggestions on future management and leadership topics for consideration in upcoming DeVos Quarterly E-Newsletters!
Click here for this quarter’s link to Harvard.
Recommended Reading
Change Your Questions, Change Your Life, by Marilee G. Adams will make a difference in your life. This book provides insight into how the right questions will not only inspire individuals to achieve their goals, but also supply them with a greater overall satisfaction in everyday life.
This book provides the reader with a list of the top questions that enable change, along with real-world samples that can be utilized in a variety of everyday situations.
We hope you enjoy this recommendation, and look forward to your feedback! We also encourage you to provide personal recommendations you feel could benefit fellow alumni and friends. If there are any publications, articles, or works of literature you would like to suggest, please forward the information to us at: devosalumni@northwood.edu.
Upcoming Events
MBA Information Sessions
| DeVos Graduate School 4000 Whiting Drive Midland, MI |
Tuesday, March 11 | 6:00pm |
| DeVos Graduate School 1900 West Big Beaver Rd, Suite 200 Troy, MI |
Wednesday, March 26 | 6:00pm |
| DeVos Graduate School 4000 Whiting Drive Midland, MI |
Tuesday, April 8 | 6:00pm |
| DeVos Graduate School 2628 Lake Lansing Rd, Suite 102 Lansing, MI |
Thursday, April 24 | 5:30pm |
| DeVos Graduate School 4000 Whiting Drive Midland, MI |
Tuesday, May 6 | 6:00pm |
| DeVos Graduate School 1900 West Big Beaver Rd, Suite 200 Troy, MI |
Wednesday, May 7 | 6:00pm |
Comments 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 open to suggestions. Your feedback and ideas are vital in our planning of alumni events and services.
Tim
Dr. Timothy Nash
tgnash@northwood.edu
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Northwood University
DeVos Graduate School
4000 Whiting Drive
Midland, Michigan 48640
Toll free: 800.MBA.9000
devosalumni@northwood.edu
