Top 5 Benefits of the Alabama EMBA Program

• February 25th, 2022
• in Helpful Tips and Advice

Are you ready to return to graduate school?  Is the EMBA Program at The University of Alabama right for you?  UA’s EMBA program is designed for working professionals and allows students to continue working while completing their degree in four or five semesters. Students may earn an MBA degree in one of two locations, Tuscaloosa or Huntsville.

Students enter the EMBA program with specific needs and set expectations. Interviews conducted before starting the program show that the number one reason for enrollment is “increasing business knowledge.”

What are the top 5 benefits for UA EMBA students?

1. Increased business financial skills

Students are given tools to assess new financial strategies and develop a deeper understanding of annual reports and related financial data. Students report a better understanding of how their businesses run.

2. Building a business network

Without a doubt, one of the greatest benefits is the strong network forged in the UA EMBA.  Students form lifelong friendships and make valuable business contacts.  Diversity in student backgrounds, academics, industry, and culture provides a rich environment to learn.

3. Achieving Personal and Professional Goals

Students set goals at the beginning of the program and encourage each other to reach their personal and professional goals by the end of the program. Achieved goals run the gamut from company promotions to running a marathon, from improving business skills or starting a company to becoming a more effective leader or even learning how to skydive.

4. Improved Negotiating Skills

In combination with other courses, the negotiation class helps students understand their businesses better and teaches them to make more informed decisions. Graduates attribute the skills they learned to negotiating savings for their companies, as well as obtaining better raises and signing bonuses.

5. Thinking Strategically

A boardroom approach to learning encourages the exchange of ideas, discourse, and executive-level strategic thinking. The program builds to a final semester focusing on strategic communications, management, implementation, and global strategy, including a final project that provides valuable ROI to companies.

https://manderson.culverhouse.ua.edu/programs/mba-programs/emba/

For more information, visit: https://universityofalabama.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5jYBLMIMPkR8rBj

EMBA Alumni Return to Campus for Annual Conference

• October 22nd, 2021
• in EMBA Alumni Network, UA EMBA Latest News/Events

By Jameson Hollis

Alumni returned to Tuscaloosa on October 7-8 for the eighth annual EMBA Alumni Network (EMBAAN) conference. In attendance were alumni, current EMBA students, faculty, staff, and guests. This year’s conference focused on reframing the workplace: how disruptive companies are navigating the post-pandemic world.

The alumni kicked off the conference Thursday evening with a reception in the new Hewson Hall before heading out for dinner in Tuscaloosa. On Friday, October 8^th, the conference began with keynote speaker Bill Schaninger, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, discussing how automation impacts the post-pandemic workplace, why workers leave their companies, and workplace values. Next, Tom Leddo, Chief Strategy Officer, MD7, discussed impacting workplace culture through knowing who you are, valuing relationships over transactions, and focusing on teams that create a culture of innovation.

The attendees also heard from a panel of human resource professionals about how their organizations worked through the challenges of COVID. The panel included Brandon Barnhill, Director of Human Resources, Pilot Catastrophe Service; Harry Hobbs, Vice President Employee Engagement, Huntsville Utilities; Warren Wills, Strategy Principal, North Highland, and Co-Founder, S(w)service; and moderator Angie Sandritter, Co-Founder and CEO, RippleWorx. The panel discussed the impact of employee well-being on their organization and offered advice on developing leaders while promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. They also talked about how they have guided their company through supply chain shortages and touched on the potential long-term impacts of the pandemic on their respective organizations.

Ryan McDaniel, EMBAAN past president, presented the 2021 EMBAAN Alumnus of the Year award to Ray Curry (EMBA 2013), President, United Auto Workers International. He thanked the Board for their leadership and commitment to the EMBA Alumni program. He also commented on how the “UA EMBA program generated an immediate return on investment for him in multiple career promotions and continues to benefit him, as well as the importance of giving back to The University of Alabama and the Culverhouse College of Business.”

Also, at the conference, the 2021 EMBAAN Board President Angie Sandritter recognized outgoing board members Lacey Schoff, David Lyles, and Ryan McDaniel. The annual event concluded with the introductions of the new 2022 EMBAAN Board members.

For more information on the UA EMBA Program and our EMBA Alumni Network, contact Cheryl Altemara at caltemara@culverhouse.ua.edu.

Adventures with August

• June 4th, 2021
• in EMBA Elite Spotlight Series

By Donna Blackburn

UA EMBA Welcomes 2020 Incoming Classes

• December 7th, 2020
• in UA EMBA Latest News/Events

The University of Alabama’s Executive MBA Program is proud to welcome this year’s incoming classes.  The Huntsville EMBA class started in August and will graduate in December 2021.  The Tuscaloosa EMBA class completed orientation on November 20 and will graduate in May 2022. Forty-five students enrolled for the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters.

Our new EMBA students represent diverse industry and functional backgrounds. Industries include manufacturing, government, non-profit, defense, technology, engineering, media, consulting, energy, legal, education, aeronautics, healthcare, agriculture, services, and financial.  The average age is 36, with an average of 12 years of work experience.  Students living in Alabama are joined by classmates from across the U.S. Thirty-six percent have military backgrounds.

Changes to EMBA included taking the Tuscaloosa EMBA (TEMBA) hybrid with students meeting face-to-face one weekend per month for the four semesters. The Huntsville EMBA (HEMBA), a hybrid program, has moved from a five to four-semester program. Both classes will come together in November 2021 to attend the international trip as part of their global business course.

Congratulations to all of our new EMBA students. Roll Tide!

Huntsville EMBA (HEMBA)

• Eric Chism, Aviagen
• Desmond Clay, Torch Technologies
• Aaron Joyner, Department of Justice
• Kevin Neal, QuantiTech Inc.
• Emily Newton, The Boeing Company
• Will Patton, Adhere
• Clark Roper,  Piggly Wiggly Alabama Dist. Co.
• Ty Sackett, EOS Defense Systems USA, Inc.
• Shannon Sullivan, Lockheed Martin
• Cody Vanderford, Mazda Toyota Manufacturing U.S.
• Mike Weigart, CAE
• JD Williams, S3 inc
• Tyler Wilson, PeopleTec, Inc.

Tuscaloosa EMBA (TEMBA)

• Brian Albritton, Leidos
• David Bath, PeopleTec
• Ben Bourgeois, RJ Mechanical
• Maleah Cousineau, U.S. Army
• Michael Emfinger, Accenture
• Michael Gallant, Halliburton
• Kelli Gant, Warrior Met Coal, Inc.
• Peyton Hartzell, Clear Inc.
• Matthew Hayne, The Valletta Group, Inc.
• Dr. Jack Heath, Huntsville Hospital System
• Patrick Hogan, DIPRA
• Rodney Holmes, Birmingham Fastener
• Joshua Horton, Meredith Corporation
• Shannon Kynerd, Hunt Refining Company
• Katie Masoor, Deloitte Consulting
• Jayson McConnell, Tronox
• Mona Lisa Morris, Birmingham Business Resource Center
• Sudheer Nagam, GEODIS
• Rob Norris, Southern Nuclear
• Brooks Padgett, Truist
• Edward Patton, Phifer Inc.
• Ryan Pew, Spatial Networks
• Lily Posey, Altec
• Natasha Shumpert, Jefferson County Department of Health
• William Simms, BLOX, LLC
• Casey Smith, Simulation Technologies (Simtech)
• Chris Spann, Collins Aerospace
• Caleb Story, CareView Communications
• Cade Warner, The Westervelt Company
• Colin White, Carl W Consulting
• Flynn Woods, Inteva Products
• Dominic Yeager, The University of Alabama

To apply for the next UA EMBA program, contact Cheryl Altamara at caltemara@culverhouse.ua.edu or 205-348-4501 to request more information and attend a virtual information session

Sullivan Named Executive Vice President at Bryant Bank

• September 30th, 2020
• in EMBA Uncategorized

Mark Sullivan, an alumnus of UA’s Executive MBA Class of 1994, has been named Executive Vice President at Bryant Bank.

After retiring from Synovus at the end of March, he knew he would not stay retired for long.  According to Sullivan, “I still have a lot of energy, and hopefully, a little knowledge to help an organization move forward toward its goals.”  The new role at Bryant Bank will “allow me to expand my focus beyond just the local market while remaining very active and engaged in the Tuscaloosa community.”

“This job will allow me to continue to draw on the overall strategic knowledge and training I received in the EMBA program, but in an even broader way.”

To learn more about Mark Sullivan and his new role as Executive Vice President at Bryant Bank, click on the article below.

EMBA Spotlight: Julie Mathis, HEMBA 2020

• September 14th, 2020
• in EMBA Elite Spotlight Series

This month we are spotlighting EMBA Class of 2020 alumna Julie Mathis, Human Resource Business Partner at Pilot Company. Julie shares with us how The University of Alabama EMBA Program prepared her to move into an executive position.

Tell us a bit more about your company, Pilot, and your new role in the company today?

Pilot is a growth company focusing on innovative solutions across our retail, energy, and logistic operations. Our vast network of more than 900 retail and fueling locations provide travelers with convenient stops offering an incredible variety of amenities and products to make road travel easier.

The Pilot Flying J travel center network includes locations in 44 states and six Canadian provinces with more than 630 restaurants and 35 Truck Care service centers. Our One9 Fuel Network connects smaller fleets and professional drivers to the services they need at a variety of fueling locations. We supply more than 11 billion gallons of fuel per year with the third largest tanker fleet in North America. Our sourcing infrastructure, strong market presence, and expertise in energy and logistics optimize the distribution of fuel, DEF, bio, and renewables.

Our fleet also provides critical hauling and disposal services of our nation’s busiest basins. As an HR Business Partner for the Sales Division, I work with the leadership team to drive company initiatives and business strategies. Essentially my role is to make sure we have the right people in the right places.

You began your EMBA Program in the fall of 2018, what was that journey like for you?

At first, terrifying. But I quickly learned that there was nothing in my classes that was “over my head.” The challenge was not in understanding new theories and concepts, rather the volume of work and time management. This is a skill you MUST have in corporate America. There were times where things would get dumped on us last minute and when you think about it—that’s the real world.

How has the EMBA Program at UA helped you in your job roles thus far?

My MBA has made me a more well-rounded professional. I chose the MBA program over an HR Masters program because I wanted to understand the whole business. In doing so, I am not just HR, I am a thought partner to Senior Leaders of the organization and help drive company strategy.

Describe a UA EMBA project, assignment, or a particular class takeaway that you considered
invaluable to you and your company.

Simply stated, this is what I learned from Dr. Ron Dulek that I will remember for the rest of my life: Humility will take you a hell of a lot farther than book smarts. Humility is a life journey. Projects will come and go. It’s about how you change the lives of others that really matter most. That, in itself, is a legacy.

Also, Dr. Larry Baldwin’s negotiation class offered me the most practical knowledge that I use every day. We would work through everyday scenarios and learn how to negotiate the desired outcome. This type of knowledge is something that every professional can put to use right away.

What one piece of advice would you give any aspiring female business professional?

The investment in yourself now is truly an investment in your future self. You’re worth it. The advice is the same as I give my kids: stop whining and be the change you want to see in the world.

What advice do you have for others wanting to start an Executive MBA degree program?

I think this is best given as an analogy. It’s like when you were a kid and you would go to the very back of the diving board and then take a running leap into the pool. You’re a little scared, a little excited, and when you get completely submerged into the water you realize, it wasn’t so bad and totally worth it.

For more information on The University of Alabama Executive MBA Program, visit the UAEMBA website or contact Samantha Vasey at 205.348.0954 or svasey@culverhouse.ua.edu.

You’ve Heard the Lecture, Now Read the Book

• August 10th, 2020
• in Behind the Scenes: Meet our Staff & Faculty, UA EMBA Latest News/Events

Dr. Ron Dulek’s newest book, Sitting with Elephants: Lessons in Humility from the African Bush, has just been released.  The book shares lessons Ron and his wife, Sally, learned while spending fifteen summers living in an African bush house.  As we would expect from Ron, the story tugs at both your heart and your funny bone. The book’s content includes significant content from Ron’s opening day lecture to EMBA’s in Huntsville and Tuscaloosa.

Proceeds from the sale of Sitting with Elephants will be directed toward an educational trust fund for African students desiring to attend the University of Alabama.

Dr. Dulek is the John R. Miller Professor of Management in the Culverhouse College of Business at The University of Alabama. Dulek teaches management communications in the EMBA Program. He is a devoted teacher and has received numerous awards and honors by his students, the college, and the university.

The book is available on-line at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, and Waldorf Publishing.

To become a part of our upcoming EMBA programs, contact Samantha Vasey at svasey@cba.ua.edu or 205-348-0954 to request more information and attend a virtual information session.

UA Executive MBA Announces New Format For Tuscaloosa and Huntsville Programs

• May 15th, 2020
• in EMBA Program Information, UA EMBA Latest News/Events

The Executive MBA Program offered by The University of Alabama’s Manderson Graduate School of Business announces new features to its format to better accommodate the schedules of busy working professionals.

“When considering adjustments to how we deliver the EMBA Program, we had a strong desire to preserve the valuable in-person classroom experience our programs offer. We recognized a need to make the required in-class session schedule more manageable for our students who have busy careers, plus active family and social commitments,” said Donna Blackburn, Director of Manderson Executive MBA programs.

What is new about the EMBA program is significant. Now professionals who choose the Tuscaloosa location will attend class sessions on Friday from 12:00 to 8:00 PM, and Saturday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM one weekend each month during the 17-month program. EMBA students were previously required to be on campus two weekends per month.

Each course provides online instruction and content to support monthly in-person class meetings. This blended-instruction model aims to allow students more control over their busy lives while growing their business acumen through a meaningful and academically rigorous degree experience.

The Huntsville EMBA location adopted the one weekend per month, blended-instruction format in 2015. As a result, enrollment for that program has steadily grown, and students appreciate the flexibility the blended format offers.

About the blended format EMBA format in Huntsville, Lakota Holder, current EMBA student, and Regional Service Sales Director for The Bailey Company, said, “I can’t image earning my MBA any other way.  The class sessions in Huntsville provide the face-to-face engagement with my classmates and faculty I wanted, and because it’s just one weekend each month, my performance and travel schedule for work doesn’t suffer.”

Additionally, students in the EMBA Huntsville location can now earn their MBA in four semesters rather than five.  The program previously spanned 21 months but will now cover 17 months, or four semesters, like the Tuscaloosa location. In both programs, students work through 16, three-hour courses to earn an MBA.

Furthermore, the immersive international study trip is now optional to allow students to save on their EMBA experience. Previous study trips have taken EMBA students to South Africa, Peru, Ecuador, and other locations to meet with and learn from local entrepreneurs and executives and to gain an understanding of business as it applies to international settings.

UA EMBA enrolls twice each year.  Huntsville location students start the program in August and graduate in December 2021. Tuscaloosa location students begin in December and graduate in May 2022.  Application deadlines are July 6 for Huntsville and October 19 for Tuscaloosa.

Successful applicants generally have a minimum of five years of professional work experience and must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university.  We typically do not require a GMAT, GRE, or Executive Assessment entrance exam score for applicants meeting or exceeding our work experience minimum.  EMBA prefers a 3.0 undergraduate grade point average but does offer conditional admission for some candidates with a strong professional profile.

To become a part of our upcoming programs, contact Samantha Vasey at svasey@culverhouse.ua.edu or 205-348-0954 to request more information and attend a virtual information session.

Celebrating the EMBA Class of 2020

• May 1st, 2020
• in EMBA Uncategorized

Although The University of Alabama Executive MBA Class of 2020 Graduation Ceremony, scheduled for May 2, is postponed until August contingent on how the summer health outlook progresses, we celebrate their achievement today as they finish their final semester.

We will also celebrate again in August so that they receive the recognition they so richly deserve. We look forward to honoring our EMBA graduates along with their families, faculty, and staff at the EMBA Ceremony. The ceremony will honor the achievement of our graduates who have earned their degree from one of the most prestigious universities in the world, during one of the most challenging times in recent history.

Congratulations UA EMBA Class of 2020

• Alanna Aaron, Infomedia
• Brandon Barnhill, Pilot Catastrophe Services Inc.
• Chad Brennan, Dynetics, Inc.
• Jeremy Chism, Aerojet Rocketdyne
• David Coleman, Hunt Refining Company
• Mike DeWerff, Motion Industries
• Cynthia Dempsey, Decatur Morgan Hospital
• Danielle Devaney, The Boeing Company
• Shane Gandy, Pratt & Whitney
• Lonnie Golightly, BF Goodrich/Michelin
• Gilbert Goscicki, BASF
• Pamela Harris, The University of Alabama, AL-PTAC
• Joey Holdmeyer, Sonoco Products Company
• Jake Horner, Unison Environmental Services
• Bob James, Social Security Administration
• Gabe Lewis, Mobius
• Julie Mathis, Futaba Corporation of America
• Brian McCormick, Parker Hannafin
• Phil Monkress, All Points Logistics, LLC
• Jared Murray, The Reprieve
• Candace Padgett, Southwire Company
• Justin Padgett, DRD, LLC
• David Ramirez, Seimens
• Jennifer Ridgeway, PPG Aerospace
• Stephen Schlanger, Walt Disney World
• Robert Smith, Trustmark
• Adam Stephens, OYO
• Amanda Suddath, FirstGroup America
• Patrick Talley, o2ideas
• Wilson Townsend, Schneider Electric
• Tim Ware, Anheuser-Busch
• Mandy Watts, B.Braun Interventional Systems
• Stephan Williams, GAF – Tuscaloosa
• Ted Yonke, ThyssenKrupp Materials

The Power of the UA EMBA Network

• April 27th, 2020
• in EMBA Elite Spotlight Series

I wanted to share with everyone the power of The University of Alabama Executive MBA network and what it has done for North Alabama to save lives. I am the Business Manager of Surgery for Decatur Morgan Hospital in Decatur, Alabama.

At the beginning of April, I reached out to my HEMBA 2020 cohort asking for donations consisting of personal protective gear to use in my hospital. I asked the cohort to check within their network to find those who would be willing to donate supplies.

By taking advantage of the vast UA HEMBA network I was connected to Destin Sandlin, a local engineer that offered to print face shields for us through the use of a 3D printer. Much to my surprise, Destin has a YouTube channel with nearly 8 million followers. He made a video calling for everyone in North Alabama with a 3D printer to join us in our efforts to facilitate the fantastic work that our healthcare professionals are performing day in and day out.

Destin acquired local warehousing space and set up operations for the mask bands to be received from the community, sterilized, and then sent to Huntsville Hospital Logistics as a donation. We are expecting to receive thousands of these in the coming weeks which will surely save lives. To be honest, when I reached out and asked for donations, I was expecting a few hundred masks or gloves, certainly not thousands!

Throughout this process, Destin has been meeting with our supply chain team and the Chamber of Commerce. He is now looking to see if he is able to engineer and print culturettes for our lab and protective gear for our anesthesia team. Thanks to the connections within our cohort, our medical staff on the front lines will have proper protective gear. It’s so great to see our community come together to help!

Additionally, our cohort is working to raise money to buy meals for hospital staff at Huntsville Hospital, Madison Hospital, Athens Hospital, and Decatur Morgan. The idea is to help our local restaurants by purchasing the food from them and then to treat healthcare professionals to a warm meal. We are still working on the vast logistics of such an operation and then we will move into a funding phase generously provided by the Huntsville Hospital Foundation. We are also planning on raising funds for our friends in South Korea at Teach North Koreans Refugees (TNKR) once we are through the COVID crisis. Our EMBA class visited companies in Cambodia and South Korea, including TNKR during our EMBA international trip as part of our global business course.

For more information on The University of Alabama’s Executive MBA Program, contact Cheryl Altemara, caltemara@culverhouse.ua.edu, or call 205.348.4501.

Article contributed by Cynthia Dempsey (HEMBA 2020), Business Manager of Surgery for Decatur Morgan Hospital