EMBA Elite Spotlight: Patrick Ellinger

• June 6th, 2014
• in EMBA Elite Spotlight Series

This month’s edition of the EMBA Elite Spotlight Series is about Patrick Ellinger, who graduated from the Huntsville program with a 4.0 GPA this May. After earning his MBA, Patrick accepted a position as Senior Product Manager for Professional Services for Emerson Network Power. A Huntsville native, Patrick graduated Cum Laude with his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Marketing from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in 1995. He now has almost twenty years of experience in sales, operations, delivery, and management of IT Technical and Professional Services. He allocates much of the credit for his success to his early mentors as well as his wife and college sweetheart, Jennifer.

Patrick was inspired to pursue his Executive MBA because of his strong belief in education, learning, and continuous improvement. Although he is an Auburn fan, Patrick knew that UA’s EMBA program was the best choice for him. “I was born, raised, and am still very much today an avid Auburn University man. When my friends and family found out I was attending the University of Alabama’s EMBA program, they were in complete shock. After these two years, I can tell you I have made many close friends in my classmates, faculty, and administration.  I initially selected Alabama over other programs as it was a strong program and a better fit for my busy schedule with the Huntsville location option every other weekend. I now see the rivalry in a bigger picture and have a new appreciation for the Crimson Tide in my heart and am very grateful to the University for this experience and new life-long friendships.”

As Senior Product Manager for Professional Services, Patrick is responsible for validation and alignment of the pricing, positioning, and marketing of Emerson Network Power’s wide portfolio of Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) services. “This is truly an exciting opportunity for me and my career and the perfect launching point from my graduation from the EMBA program,” says Patrick. He also works with the product management and professional services delivery teams to ensure pristine customer satisfaction. Patrick describes his leadership style as transformational: “I strive to be a role model for growth and positive change that can motivate others through my optimistic nature and detailed commitment.” This transformational leadership style is one asset that helps Patrick fit seamlessly into his new role.

Emerson Network Power is driven by creative ideas and actions. The company provides innovative solutions for renewable energy, AC & DC power, precision cooling systems, and embedded computing, just to name a few. Not only does Emerson Network Power protect and optimize critical infrastructure for data centers, but also for communications networks, healthcare, industrial facilities, and more.

For more information about the Culverhouse College of Commerce Executive MBA Program, contact Cheryl Altemara at caltemara@cba.ua.edu or (205) 348-4501.

Top 5 Reasons an EMBA Should Visit the Career Services Office

• May 29th, 2014
• in Career Development Series, Helpful Tips and Advice

As members of the Culverhouse College of Commerce family, The University of Alabama Executive MBA students are given access to all of the same career services and resources as graduate and undergraduate students. How might these resources be used differently by EMBAs? Gary Ward, Director of Graduate Career Services at the Manderson Graduate School of Business, has the answer.

Career Counseling

Career counseling is essential to ensure that each student is informed and focused on meeting their goals. Since EMBAs at The University of Alabama have an average of 15 years of experience, they usually have a good idea of where they would like to be; career counseling provides them with the knowledge and resources to get there. Instead of forcing each individual into pre-packaged options, the Manderson Career Services office helps students construct their own personalized plans based on their unique desires. By adopting a position of neutrality, Gary understands each student’s aspirations and transforms them into reachable realities. This transformation includes prioritizing and planning by dividing an overall vision into smaller, more manageable steps.

Interview Advice

Since EMBAs have interview experience, many believe that there isn’t much room for improvement; however, practice and advice are always beneficial. The Career Services office can keep EMBAs refreshed on the basics as well as up-to-date on the latest interview etiquette. Recently, interviews on video chat services such as Skype and Google Hangout have become popular and require their own customs and norms. Mock interviews can give EMBA students the familiarity they need to feel calm, collected, and comfortable during innovative as well as traditional interviews.

Resume Building

If a picture says a thousand words, a resume says a million. Since UA EMBA students must have 5 years of experience, they have at least half of a decade of knowledge to shrink onto one page. The Career Services office can assist EMBA students in writing and formatting to ensure a clean and informative document. For example, Gary helps refresh resumes by replacing an unoriginal list of responsibilities with achievements and skill development. Gary can also give advice about building Linkedin profiles, which are becoming a leading resource for hiring companies.

Online Reputation Management

The Internet is constantly evolving, and with this evolution comes increasing opportunity for expression via social media. But exactly how much should we share and who should we share it with? From Facebook and Twitter to Pinterest and Linkedin, the Graduate Career Services office can help EMBA students understand what information to reveal or conceal to ensure a professional online reputation. For more about managing your online reputation, check out this blog post.

Flexibility

Just like the UA Executive MBA Program, the Manderson Career Services office goes the extra mile to work around students’ busy schedules. Since EMBA students are usually full time employees, Gary is available by phone, email, and appointment before, during, and after business hours. He also holds extended office hours on Tuesday evenings and Thursday mornings during the fall and spring semesters.

For more information about the Manderson Graduate School of Business Career Services, contact Gary Ward at gsward@cba.ua.edu or (205) 348-4502.
For advice about how the Executive MBA Program at The University of Alabama can enhance your career, contact Cheryl Altemara at caltemara@cba.ua.edu or (205) 348-4501.

EMBA Elite Spotlight: Wyman Hamilton & Scott Goldberg

• May 16th, 2014
• in EMBA Elite Spotlight Series

This month, our EMBA Elite Spotlight is Scott Goldberg and Wyman Hamilton, both members of the Culverhouse College of Commerce Tuscaloosa Executive MBA class of 2013. After meeting in the program, the pair combined Wyman’s expertise in senior living with Scott’s in entrepreneurship to found Atlas Senior Living.

With over ten years of experience in the field, Wyman has been passionate about serving senior citizens since high school. He received his BS in Health Administration from Auburn University. During his tenure with Brookdale Senior Living, he was responsible for the management and operation of 35 communities in Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi. His experiences led him to write a book about leadership style and inspiration, which reveals the importance of cooperation, enthusiasm, and originality to Wyman. This enthusiasm and originality prospered after Wyman’s experience in the Manderson Executive MBA Program.

“The program gave me the tools and confidence to branch out from corporate America and become an entrepreneur,” said Wyman.

Scott received his BS from Mississippi State University. After graduating, he became Senior Director of Texas Sandwich Investors, LLC, which owned the rights to develop 100 Lenny’s Sub Shops in North Texas. Scott also served as the company’s CEO & Managing Partner for four years. Before Atlas Senior Living, Scott left Texas Sandwich Investors to found GoldOne Group. Given his entrepreneurial background, Scott has the expertise to help make Atlas a success. According to Scott, “We will always implement key business strategies from past experiences, but what excites me the most (is that) this business, compared to others, significantly allows me a role in positively impacting lives.”

Atlas Senior Living aims to provide outstanding service to its residents by utilizing Wyman and Scott’s unique problem solving and management strategies. A quote from the Atlas Senior Living blog perfectly describes their notion of collaborative management: “The best solution to most problems comes from those closest to them.” As the blog explains, their style of leadership requires attention and respect for their residents, employees, and clients. Instead of delegating or demanding, the Atlas managerial staff utilizes the familiarity of those with the most exposure to problem to help get to the source of their issues. This gives residents and employees influence while creating an inclusive environment and ridding the community of conflict.

Atlas Senior Living will be opening their first community, Madison Heights, this September in Evans, Georgia. Madison Heights will be the first all memory care community in the area, tailored to the needs of residents with memory diseases such as Alzheimer’s or dementia. Atlas is also planning to begin construction on another new community this fall in Lexington, Kentucky. In addition to residential housing management, Atlas Senior Living also provides consulting services and mock surveys, which will help spread their resident-centered, collaborative management model to the rest of the industry.

To find out more about Atlas Senior Living, check out their blog and website.
For more information about the Executive MBA Program at The University of Alabama, contact Cheryl Altemara at caltemara@cba.ua.edu or 205.348.4501.

EMBA Elite Spotlight: Matt Bogue

• April 28th, 2014
• in EMBA Elite Spotlight Series

Last Friday, March 25, 2014, was a day of celebration and remembrance for the Dutch Pharmacies’ grand opening in Tuscaloosa.  Matt Bogue, EMBA Class of 2014, and Vice President of Dutch Medical Clinics for The Dutch Group and his wife, Amy, welcomed the Tuscaloosa community and the University of Alabama EMBA family (classmates, faculty and staff) to the opening of their 83rd store.  This is the first super store venture in Alabama for The Dutch Group, founded in 1972.

The company, founded by Matt’s grandfather-in-law, Joe Gillis, grew up not far from the new pharmacy located next door to Sprint Mart at 445 15th Street, East in Tuscaloosa.  “In the aftermath of the tragic tornado that struck Tuscaloosa on April 27, 2011, my grandfather wanted to do something for the community, to give back to a place that has meant so much to him,” said Amy Bogue.

For over 40 years, The Dutch Group has introduced innovative business concepts from the design of commercial buildings to the operation of convenience stores with fuel, travel centers, fast food operations, pharmacies, and commercial shopping centers.  They pioneered many other new marketing concepts, such as starting a pharmacy business within a traditional convenience store in 1990, maintaining competitive prices and delivering personal touch. “Being part of the local community is key for The Dutch Group,” said Matt, “our pharmacies are independently operated to provide a true hometown service.”

In addition to celebrating the grand opening, Matt is also looking forward to graduating from the Culverhouse College of Commerce Executive MBA Program at UA, on Saturday, May 3.  Matt will become the second in his family to graduate from the EMBA program.  His father-in-law, Rex Gillis, President of The Dutch Group, graduated in 1991. Roll Tide!

CEO John Ferriola of Nucor Corporation Speaks to UA EMBA Class

• March 18th, 2014
• in UA EMBA Latest News/Events

On Saturday, March 15, John Ferriola, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Nucor Corporation, flew in from the company’s corporate headquarters in Charlotte to meet with the Tuscaloosa Executive MBA Class of 2014. The EMBA class has been studying Nucor both through case analyses and through examination of data presented in the IBISWorld Industry Report 33111: Iron & Steel Manufacturing in the US.  Nucor and affiliates are manufacturers of steel products, with operating facilities primarily in the U.S. and Canada. It is the most diversified steel products producer and North America’s largest recycler.

“It was an honor having Mr. Ferriola answer questions and discuss the company in depth with our class,” said Christopher Jones, TEMBA Class 2014 President. “It gave us great insight into the critical decision making process, issues and strategies from the CEO point of view.”
“I was especially pleased,” added Dr. A.J. “Lonnie” Strickland, the John R. Miller Professor of Strategy, “that Mr. Ferriola went beyond the domain of talking about Nucor and its strategic initiatives. He also offered excellent career advice and shared amazing insights about how to succeed as a professional and as a person.”

Mr. Ferriola joined Nucor Corporation in 1991 as Manager of Maintenance and Engineering, progressing up the corporate ranks to become CEO and President January 1, 2013. He also currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Steel Manufacturers Association (SMA) and is on the Board of Directors of the American Iron & Steel Institute (AISI). He has also been active for more than 20 years in the Association for Iron and Steel Technology (AIST) and has served on its board of directors as well as on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM).
“It was a great honor to have John so willingly accept an invitation to a visit with our class,” added Janet North, a Nucor employee and member of the TEMBA Class of 2014. “Early in my career with Nucor, as an intern out of Charlotte, I recognized what a special place Nucor is. And I quickly realized what a special role John plays in maintaining that valuable culture. His passion for Nucor, the steel industry, and for each and every employee is amazing.”

Mike Hardin, Dean of the Culverhouse College of Commerce, attended John’s presentation as well. “It was a thrill to witness John’s perceptive insights regarding the role of the CEO, the importance of communication and the strategic alignment of teams,” Dean Hardin observed. “Mr. Ferriola’s words obviously reflect the beliefs that have made Nucor a prized, valuable and innovative leader in the steel industry. To have him interact with our students so personally made it a wonderful experience for everyone present.”

Entrepreneurs and MBAs: Is it worth it?

• October 1st, 2013
• in EMBA Program Information, Helpful Tips and Advice

If you ask Robert Parfitt, “Was it worth it?” His answer would undoubtedly be “yes.” Robert graduated from the Culverhouse College of Commerce Executive MBA program at the University of Alabama in 2002, and is now CEO and co-founder of Waiting Game Publications.

Robert, along with company President and co-founder Bill Zapf, was recently featured in a CEO profile in Franchise Canada Magazine. You can read the full article here. The Waiting Game is a free, full-color, interactive, incentive-based monthly publication distributed to waiting rooms.

It offers low-cost advertising with extensive local reach to small businesses. Waiting Game Publications launched in 2009, began franchising in 2011 and now has 23 franchise locations with 15 more in the works for the coming year.

Many working professionals decide to break out on their own and become entrepreneurs AFTER they earn their MBA degree. But what about those aspiring entrepreneurs considering an MBA while trying to start a business? Is it a good idea? Would it be worth it in the long run? Here are some reasons why entrepreneurs selected the UA EMBA program:

• To fill in knowledge gaps and combine formal business education with on-the-job experience
• To connect ideas with other professionals in class to market and grow their business
• To become better negotiators
• To better understand financial aspects of business and become a more strategic leader
• To network

“The UA EMBA program gave me the tools and confidence to take my career to the next level. After graduation, I obtained a new position that doubled my previous salary. I then put my education to work by crafting out a plan to launch Waiting Game Publications, and I know this could not have happened without everything I learned from my fellow EMBA grads and the professors at Alabama.” – Robert Parfitt