Canisius MBA

I am now in the hunt for an apartment or house somewhere within walking distance of Canisius or around the Elmwood area. The surrounding area of Canisius is very nice especially around Elmwood. There are parks, restaurants, and bars all within a couple of miles. I could either go for a coffee and relax or go bar hopping in many popular locations. This city has something for everyone.

While looking for a house, I just hopped on Craig’s List and typed in Canisius College. Hundreds of different links appeared and I was already collecting potential property information within a few minutes right where I wanted to live. The city of Buffalo has a lot to offer and is a great college hot spot that hosts many other Division I, II, and III colleges, which makes it great for job opportunities, entertainment, and a social life. Niagara Falls is only 15 minutes north, and the Buffalo Bills and Sabres are close by.

All in all the city of Buffalo is for people of all ages and personalities and Canisius is right in the heart of it. My only hope is that I get to experience as much as I can while I’m here!

New MBA student experience

After going to a small school for my undergrad I knew that I wanted to further my education at a small school with a tight knit, family type of atmosphere. Canisius seemed like a perfect candidate. I got my BS in Finance and wanted to obtain my MBA. Canisius offered 7 different evening MBA programs, from Global Supply Chain Management to their new International Business program, and also a one-year full-time MBA program. Along with its AACSB accreditation, I had heard many good things about the faculty and staff and the price seemed very reasonable.

After browsing through the website I noticed the opportunity to get a scholarship or a graduate assistantship. Both of these would provide financial support and the latter of the two the chance to work on campus and pay for part of my tuition. I applied online, went to the office, had an interview, and was offered the grad assist position.

Getting my student ID card and parking pass was very simple. I was lucky enough to have someone give me a small tour of the campus and was beginning to feel at home right away. Needless to say, after a few days at work I am already comfortable and get along great with the staff. Before classes have even started I am really enjoying myself and am looking forward to my first class during the summer.

Stay tuned for updates and my journey through the Canisius MBA program.

Billy Gustafson

If anyone has a chance to study abroad or has ever even thought of it. Do it!  In a changing global economy it is very important to grasp what is happening on other parts of our globe.  As we have learned the winds of change can blow quickly and unexpectedly, and it is important to understand what others are doing to brace themselves for the storm.  As an International Business MBA I was blessed to be able to attend the European Union Seminar MBA 686, Doing Business in the EU.  I attended the program the previous year where we experienced programs and lectures by Loreal Paris, Stella Artois, US Commercial Services, EU Government Offices, Lobbyists, Euro Disney and Mercier Champagne.  This year I was able to attend as an observer through the International Office and was really given the opportunity to see what the value of this information is.  This year without the pressure of being in the class I watched as students from SLU and Canisius interacted as remarkable talent from a variety of industries spoke about their strategy to hedge the coming winds of change.  The trip’s focus was on the financial and economic decisions of firms in different industries, and what they were doing considering the economic downturn.  The major noted difference between US firms and those in the EU is the focus on price stability.  This year we met with the Secretary General of the European Private Equity & Venture Capital Association, a representative of Galerie Athena a vendor of million dollar art pieces being used as investment tools, an Engineering firm known as “Setec” responsible for Paris’s drainage system as well as the construction of a high speed railway into Spain, Huertry Petrochem which is a firm that develops refining equipment for major institutions such as Exxon and EuroDisney where a senior member of their staff discussed the changing market and what they have done to capitalize on it.  Each discussion with our presenters led to phenomenal questions and answers that really exposed the scope of knowledge our hosts had.  We even met with acclaimed journalist for the New York Times and Canisius Alumni Elain Scoilino in the NYT Paris office.  It was close and personal each time, which led to the opportunity of my lifetime.  Learning about doing in business in the EU is one thing, but doing business in the EU is another.  And on our visit to US Commercial services in Brussels this year I was able to sit down with a Senior Trade Advisor to develop a four phased plan to export my small businesses services to European markets.  They spent four hours with me and constructed a plan to work in Brussels and Berlin in the comming months all as a result of a relationship developed with our International Office and our class experience.  Brussels, Paris, and Bright future in an economy focused on price stability.  Its good to see the new parts of the globe it is also great to know that one can become a part of them.

my two cents
Clark Banach

Chris Collins really put on an exceptional presentation for the MBAA Event.  Being at the Buffalo Club with the MBA Alumni was a really great opportunity.  Chris Collins spoke about running the city as a business; it was a great opportunity to understand his “Six-Sigma” approach to municipal operations and financial management. A lot of the obstacles he discussed had to do with something many of are used to, human imperfection.
It seems that the best plans still require the faith of those executing it.  It is something I feel most of will or have encountered in our life.  It all seems to work out on paper, hours have gone into drawing what seems to be a precise road map; however when it comes time to follow the map it is hard to get everyone on the same page.  Though each of us in our MBA learn how to become “aggregate planners” the most important skill of all is to get it done.  Human behavior resists change, and though it seems simple, appears to be the County Executives greatest obstacle.  He is definitely open minded,  and open to change which is what this region, as well as many other around the country, is in desperate need of.  It was good to hear his embrace of a new beginning as well as a hopeful vision of the future where we serve an incoming population.  I cant wait to see how his leadership will unfold over the next few years.

Clark

Thursday, February 19 at 4 p.m.
Buffalo, NY – Canisius College will welcome Douglas C. Pileri, vice president of IBM Global Services, to campus on Thursday, February 19 at 4 p.m. in the Montante Cultural Center. The lecture, titled “How to Outwit Your Global Future,” is free and open to the public. The event is sponsored by the Richard J. Wehle School of Business and the Canisius Entrepreneurs Organization.

Pileri has more than 25 years of leadership experience building global brands and guiding the strategies and operations of top-tier companies including Kodak, Thomson, and IBM. At IBM, Pileri is responsible for successfully driving Delivery Excellence (DE) across the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) global operations. Delivery excellence focuses on optimizing operations to deliver contracted services in the most efficient manner.

His prior responsibilities at IBM include optimizing a billion dollars in vendored services and managing the company’s CRM operations worldwide, which include 36,000 employees who serve millions of IBM’s client customers.

Pileri serves on the boards of directors of the Rochester Hemophilia Center and the Fine Arts Society of Indianapolis, and was selected by the White House as a nominee to the IRS Oversight Board.

He was awarded a fellowship to the Simon Graduate School of Business, University of Rochester where he earned an MBA. He received a bachelor of science degree in computer engineering from the Rochester Institute of Technology.

For more information, contact the Office of Public Relations at (716) 888-2790.

Canisius College is one of 28 Jesuit colleges in the nation and the premier private college in Western New York. Canisius prepares leaders - intelligent, caring, faithful individuals able to pursue and promote excellence in their professions, their communities and their service to humanity.

How do you encourage networking at an event aimed at connecting young professionals and business leaders? The Buffalo-Niagara program staff offered a unique answer to that question this past Thursday evening at their event, “Executives Unplugged”. We played a game! Now, I know that may sound a bit silly, but it proved to be quite effective. Those of us who attended as “young” professionals were directed to collect business cards from each executive in attendance. The first person to collect a business card from each executive won a sushi-tasting dinner from SeaBar. Motivated by the “thrill of competition”, we moved about the room talking to as many executives as possible (without forgetting to ask for a business card).

As I spoke to area business leaders, I was curious about what motivated them to attend these functions. Wallace Smith, V.P. of AAA offered a compelling response; he stated that local business leaders are committed to making Western NY a place where young professionals want to work and helping them become our area’s future leaders. After hearing that, I understood how fortunate I was that these individuals dedicate their time and offer their expertise.

At the end of the evening, I have to admit, I didn’t win the game. To accomplish that, one had to be very good at holding short, concise conversations. Those of you who know me understand that can be difficult for me…

Paula Fox
Canisius MBA Student

When you’re 16 or 17 years old, it’s hard enough to get out of bed early in the morning and head for school. Imagine how much harder it is when you’ve been up till 3 a.m. putting in a customer’s hair weave because your family needs the money to pay the rent. Imagine having to stay home from school because your parent didn’t come home last night, and you’re the only person around who can take care of your younger siblings. Imagine a horizon so narrow that you’ve never traveled anywhere beyond your school, the store, and the homes of friends and relatives.

For many students in the City of Buffalo, that’s life. That’s why they can’t imagine the future that an education would make possible, or the careers that might be within their grasp, or how their lives could be different from their parents’ lives.

Last year, a group of volunteers from the Canisius College MBA Alumni Association (MBAA) decided to do something about it by changing the odds for at-risk students at Buffalo’s Burgard Vocational High School. Since then, we’ve been meeting with the students one hour a week to help fill the tremendous knowledge gaps that stand in their way of furthering their education and pursuing meaningful careers.

Sometimes our interaction is as simple as getting them to open up about their lives and interests and helping them set goals. Sometimes we teach them a few of the basic life skills they’ll need to become independent: how to dress appropriately for a job interview (and for young men, how to tie a tie!), how to open a checking account, how to establish credit. We encourage them, guide them, and give them hope that something better is out there, and that they can achieve it.

Occasionally we take them on field trips to worlds beyond their sphere of experience. They’ve toured the Canisius College campus, marveling at the dorms and the academic atmosphere that’s so different from high school. Thanks to MBAA Past President Chris Golinsky, MBA ’79, they’ve also visited offices at M&T Bank, seeing for the first time how people dress, work, and interact in a professional setting. In the near future, we hope to introduce them to other work settings, including the New Era Cap factory and a local hospital.

The MBAA mentoring program was inspired by two people: Board Member Sherrida Davis, MBA ’00, who wanted MBAA members to mobilize their talents on behalf of the Western New York community, and Board Member Florence Krieter, MBA ’03, Principal of Burgard, who realized the influence MBAA mentors could have on the lives of the struggling students at her school. These two women lit the enthusiasm of our first six volunteers and got the program off the ground.

A similar program is underway at Lafayette High School, thanks to the efforts of Board Member Anthony Marranca ’96, MBA ’06. Conducted through the Financial Academy and the Canisius College chapter of Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE), the Financial Literacy Program is directed at students with a strong aptitude for business, and is intended to prepare them for work at the college level.

We need more people on both of these teams – at least four who are willing to spend an hour per week for the general mentoring program at Burgard, and at least two who are willing to spend just a couple of hours per month at Lafayette with the Financial Literacy Program. If you’re interested in joining us, please contact the Gradate Business Programs Office at Canisius College, at 888-2140 or gradubus@canisius.edu.

Community service programs are facing cutbacks in these tough economic times, but here’s a challenge that can’t be solved with dollars. The students we mentor need the support of professionals who can open the world for them and help them unlock their potential. They need us.

Danielle Hawbaker, MBA ’05, Second Vice President
Canisius College MBA Alumni Association

Canisius College MBA Alumni Association present:

“Running Erie County Like a Business”
By: Chris Collins, Erie County Executive

Buffalo Club- Millard Fillmore Room
388 Delaware Ave
Buffalo, NY 14202

January 27, 2009 — 8 a.m.

Cost: $10 for MBAA Members, $15 for non MBAA members
(continental breakfast)

Contact the MBA office to register (716)888-2140 gradubus@canisius.edu

BUFFALO, N.Y., January 6, 2009 – The Buffalo Niagara Partnership’s Buffalo Niagara 360 program, aimed at regional young professionals and employers, will host its Executives Unplugged event on Thursday, January 22, 2009 from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at the elegant Brierwood Country Club in Hamburg. The event features an evening of cocktails and conversation with some of the region’s leading executives from companies including AAA of Western & Central NY, Greatbatch, Goldberg Segalla LLP, infoTech Niagara, MOD-PAC Corp, Rich Baseball Operations and representatives from the Erie County Legislature, NYS Assembly and Erie County Industrial Development Agency.

Buffalo Niagara 360 is focused on developing the next generation of regional business leaders. The Executives Unplugged event offers key networking opportunities with leading executives who can offer a wider breadth of knowledge about working and living in Buffalo Niagara. The Buffalo Niagara 360 membership consists of a wide range of experiences, backgrounds and age levels and program events like Executives Unplugged provide young professionals the opportunity to learn about the great diversity of businesses right here in the region.

To get the dialogue going, Executives Unplugged attendees will compete to meet as many executives as they can. The person who talks to the most executives will win a delicious six course sushi tasting dinner from downtown Buffalo’s contemporary sushi restaurant SeaBar.

This Buffalo Niagara 360 young professionals event is open to all. Those interested in attending will need to activate a Buffalo Niagara 360 membership first to register. Please visit the program website to become a Buffalo Niagara 360 member today!

Cost:

• $10 - Mover (Partnership and Buffalo Niagara 360 Member)
• $20 - Shaker (Member of Buffalo Niagara 360 only)
• $40 - Thinker (Non-Buffalo Niagara 360 member)

Whew,

For all the students who have taken a full course load and worked full time, bless you! Though this was one of the hardest semesters I have been through as an evening student it was a remarkable experience.  As the dust settles and my eyes turn toward the mess on my desk I cannot help but be amazed by how much actually happened and how impressive the people around me are.  It is really hard to grasp while time is flying by but as the books close on another semester I find myself being really amazed by the people and faculty in our program.  When you are trying to keep your head above water it can be hard to notice. In retrospect all the students in Dr. Shambu’s Global Supply Chain Management class knocked my socks off.  Each student had to give a presentation on research for the class.  I am saving everyone of the powerpoints for reference later in my professional life.  The ability to hear 40 professional adults from a alll different walks of life discuss their research with one another was an irreplaceable experience.  Dr. Gress who teaches Financial Accounting, giving the opening remarks at the UN meeting on education in NYC.  And Paula Fox constantly beating the curve in his class as he pushed us toward excellence.  Paula Fox is definitely impressive, if anyone ever has a class with her, she’s the person to study with.  One of the most amazing experiences I can speak of is being able to see Bob Wilmers of M&T speak.  Prof Piemonte was able to get our whole Financial Markets and Institutions class sponsored as guests of Rand Capital.  Personally I was able to present a business concept to 114 attendees of this Bob Wilmers event after he had spoke (what a trip). So now we look toward the holiday season as a chance to recharge and refresh our minds so as to be prepared for what lies ahead next time the books open.  I would truly like to take this space to again mention how impressed I am by our faculty and students.  It seems everyone I speak to amazes me.  Thank you all for helping one another and creating an atmosphere of excellence in our program.  Now its time to party!!!!   ….  See everyone at the Happy Hour at SoHo this Friday 5:30 !!!!

Clark Banach