Sam M. Walton College of Business: July 2011

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Chuck Dudley - Building Your Network

Chuck Dudley is a 1976 Graduate of the Sam M. Walton College of Business with a degree in Marketing, and holds an MBA from the Walton College in 1977. In addition, he has a degree in banking from the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at Rutgers University. Chuck has 34 years experience in investments, banking, trust, and executive benefit planning. He has spent the last 15 years helping bankers and small business owners retain, reward and retire their key executives as a Vice President for Argent Financial Group.

Chuck and his wife, Martha, live in Hot Springs and have two sons, Robert, a 2010 Information Systems graduate of the Walton College, and Thomas, currently enrolled in the Walton College. Chuck, Robert, and Thomas are members of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. Chuck is a Past President of the Arkansas Alumni Association, and currently is Past President of the Walton College Alumni Society.

DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE VALUE OF THE U OF A NETWORK

WHY NETWORK?

In this age of instant communication, one might wonder about the necessity of belonging to groups that network. Alumni groups, church groups, civic groups and the like.

The fact of the matter is that people still hire people, and fancy worded resumes might get you in someone’s door, but……..any employer worth their salt will look past the wonderful language and get to the heart of who you really are.

So, that means that you need to have personal relationships to help you build people skills that will set you apart from the run of the mill applicant. Here’s the deal: if you are looking for a new job or career, you won’t find that person who can help you on Dickson Street on a Friday night. You might, but it would be a lucky break, for sure!

That is why building your network(s) is highly important. It has been written that the current generation graduating from college might have ten different jobs by the time they are 40 years old. Mind boggling for sure as most people want some stability. If you are fortunate, you may get that. Many will not.

BUILD YOUR NETWORK

Okay, so how is this done? Well, for starters, look no farther than the best business network in the state of Arkansas and beyond…….the University of Arkansas Alumni Association! It is the best place to start.

As a young graduate, I joined as a Life Member in 1977. What I have found is a lifetime of contacts that would not have been possible had I not attended the University of Arkansas, and specifically the Walton College. I made friends while at school, and have made new friends and contacts over the years because we had common ground. Common Ground is what a salesman understands is the key to working with a client. My dad taught me this over 40 years ago. Find something in common with a prospect, and then you have a basis for a conversation. Maybe it’s about financial products and planning, or developing a relationship with a person that might hire you in the future.

But first, you have to run in the proper circles. My highest recommendation is to make sure you are a member of the Arkansas Alumni Association, and then jump in and get involved in a local alumni chapter. You will begin to expand your network, and make contacts in all walks of life. You will find people you can help, and people that can help you. And, you can talk about the Razorbacks while expanding your network!!

DON’T HESITATE….

The Arkansas Alumni Association has a lot of tools to help you connect, and better yet, put you in touch with the kinds of people you need to be associating with. To be fair, church groups, civic clubs and other similar organizations are helpful, as well. Don’t underestimate their value to your network building. But the cornerstone of your network should be the one you were in most recently, the Walton College at the University of Arkansas. It has been a great network for me, and I hope it can be for those of you that read this blog.

If you need help getting started or finding an alumni chapter, contact me or go to: http://www.arkansasalumni.org/index.php. They have great people at the Alumni Association in Fayetteville. Here’s a link to the Walton College, as well: http://waltoncollege.uark.edu/.

Get involved, build your network, expand your relationships. It is an integral part of your lifetime plan.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Ashley Jancuska - Final Post

Sorry for the delay in posts. I traveled after the program and did not have internet access to submit the posts as we jumped from one hostel to the next. Here is a recap of the last week of class and then my travel afterwards.

I am done with classes! This last week went by quickly. After we returned from Rome, we had plenty of assignments and activities to keep us busy. On Monday night, CIMBA sponsored an etiquette seminar, reinforcing the importance of professional business behavior at the dinner table. Who knew there could be so many cups and pieces of silverware?! It was also very interesting to learn how business dining practices differ based on the country. We got to use the skills we acquired at a formal dinner held on Tuesday night. Everyone got dressed up, and we were treated to a four-hour long affair with several courses. Earlier Tuesday afternoon, we toured Fila, a floor care manufacturer. We were able to see how a multinational, family-run business operates and also witness how the company determines formulas for new products and then tests these products before distributing them worldwide. On Wednesday, we got the afternoon off to prepare for finals. When classes were over on Friday, a friend of mine and I headed to Cinque Terre, “The Five Lands.” Some of our friends from the program visited during the first weekend and loved their time there. The five different villages – Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso – are connected by walking trails. These small towns certainly fulfilled our expectations! They offered breathtaking ocean views and delicious seafood. After hiking, we spent the afternoon on the beach and simply relaxed. Since the beginning of the program we have been busy with schoolwork and traveling so it was nice to be able to unwind and simply enjoy the beautiful scenery around us in Cinque Terre.

After our trip to Cinque Terre, we embarked for Paris. We arrived late in the evening after long train and plane rides and managed to navigate the subway system and find our hostel on the other side of Paris without much trouble. Luckily, it was much easier than we imagined, and I think Americans could learn a thing or two from the ease and convenience of European public transportation. No trip to Paris is complete without a visit to the Eiffel Tower so despite the rainy weather, we were able to go to the very top of the structure and see the whole city. It is a definite “must-see” attraction for anyone visiting. While in Paris, we also visited the Arc de Triomphe, Sacre-Coeur, the Louvre, the opera house, Notre Dame, and Moulin Rouge. Furthermore, I participated in some souvenir shopping and also enjoyed a chocolate and banana crepe. Yum! I would have to say that Paris is my second favorite city from the trip.

It is bittersweet to be home now. I had a wonderful time during my study abroad trip and my learning extended beyond the textbooks. My experience abroad taught me more about myself and made me more appreciative and understanding of other cultures. I am ecstatic to see family and friends and indulge in a few American luxuries like ice in beverages, J but I will miss the European way of life and the friends I made there.

This was my first time to write blog posts so I hope you have enjoyed reading about my travel adventures. Have a wonderful summer!

Cinque Terre: Vernazza

Sacre-Coeur Church in Paris

Top deck of the Eiffel Tower

Eiffel Tower at night

Arrivederci,

Ashley

Ashley's Going to Italy!

Week One in Italy

Week Two in Review

Week Three

Friday, July 1, 2011

Ashley Jancuska - Week Three

This summer, the Walton College is proud to feature Ashley Jancuska, who will be guest-blogging for us while she embarks on a Study Abroad experience in Italy. Ashley will be sending posts and pictures so we can hear all about this unique opportunity. Links to her previous posts can be found at the bottom of this entry.

We just finished our third week of classes. I cannot believe how fast time has flown. This week was again packed with schoolwork. My medical school application materials were also due this week, so ensuring that these materials made it to the States added more stress.

In Global Consumer, we switched our studies to Africa, discussing the political and business environments, the vast differences in the countries on this continent, and the impact of foreign aid on these economies. Our afternoon class session provided an opportunity to leave Paderno and visit Hausbrandt, an Italian coffee company which also operates a brewery called Theresianer. It was fascinating to see how both factories functioned. In the brewery division, the company uses only four ingredients: hops, water, malt, and yeast. We then got to tour the Theresianer factory, which contains giant tanks that are used for mixing, heating, and storing the products, and also see the beer packaging facility. Theresianer does not sell many bottles of beer but instead concentrates on its keg sales. Each metal keg has a barcode on it to track where it has been around Italy and the world. Using machines, each keg is sanitized, refilled, and sent to its next destination. On our tour of Hausbrandt, I was again amazed at how automated the process was. There were very few workers present throughout the facility. After the coffee beans were roasted and subsequently cooled they were packaged into air-tight bags to be sold. After the conclusion of the tour, they kindly treated us to a Hausbrandt cappuccino.

In my second class, we continued our discussion of the international business environment. This week we focused on how differences in culture can make or break a business deal. We put this knowledge to use when we analyzed the strategic alliance between an Italian firm, Fiat, and an Indian firm, Tata.

On our last travel weekend, we toured Rome. We couldn’t have asked for better weather as it was bright and sunny, but never extremely hot. It definitely earned the title as my favorite Italian city because there was just so much to see. Naturally, we had to visit the Vatican and St. Peter’s. The basilica was gorgeous with marble statutes more than 20 feet tall. It was quite possibly the prettiest church I have ever seen and was full of history. The huge mosaics that lined some of the walls and the hand laid tiles on the floor are just two examples of the intricate attention to detail. Afterward, we climbed the dome at St. Peter’s. Beware that this adventure is not for anyone who is claustrophobic. J The stairs at some parts were literally a foot and a half wide at a maximum, and the ceiling and walls were curved. However, the trek was worth it because the top of the dome offered expansive breathtaking views of the Vatican gardens and the city of Rome, making the hot and tiring climb well worth it. We then went to the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel, spending a few hours just absorbing the art. According to a recommendation in the Rick Steves’ travel book, we didn't go to the museum until the early afternoon, and as a result, the crowds had subsided from the morning when people waited 2 hours to get in, and we didn't have to wait in line for a minute. Later that night, we did the night tour of Rome that Rick Steves also recommended. We visited the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, and Pantheon. All of these sites were incredibly pretty at night, and I definitely recommend taking this tour if you ever visit Rome. The next day we visited the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. We got a tour at the Colosseum from an official tour guide at the site, and it was a great investment. It was cool to learn all about the history of the venue and gain a better understanding of its structure and many uses both past and present.

Now that I am back in Paderno, I am off to start preparing for my final papers, presentations, and exams that the last week of class always brings…