Archives
May 2008
A Message from Associate Dean Becky Mitchell
Reunion: Meet Friends Here
Admissions posts another record-breaking year
Entrepreneurship@Cornell Celebration 2008
Alum teaches course on renewable fuel sources
Cayuga MBA Fund Generates 2.65% Return for the First Quarter 2008
Send your future business leader to Camp $tart-Up
Featured Alumni
News Highlights
Alumni in the News
Events
A Message from Associate Dean Becky Mitchell
I'm pleased to announce that the Johnson School Board of Alumni Leaders (JSBOAL), the school's exciting new alumni volunteer board announced in February's Sage Connection, convened for their first annual meeting on Saturday, April 19, 2008. Members of this board are responsible for strengthening the class officer and regional clubs programs and serving as a collective voice for our alumni.
Sam Flowers, MBA '93, of the school's Brazil club, serves as board president and as an ex-officio member of the Johnson School Advisory Council during his term. Meredith Ryan-Reid, MBA '07 (E), of the school's New York City club, serves as the board's vice president. Learn more about them and other board members at the new JSBOAL Web page.
During their first meeting, JSBOAL members received an orientation on the scope and objectives of Johnson School alumni activities, including the roles of the Office of Alumni Affairs & Development, regional clubs, class officers, and Advisory Council. They also discussed areas of focus for the first year.
I'm delighted to have this energetic and important group of alumni volunteers on board. Please join me in congratulating them!
Reunion: Meet Friends Here
We are thrilled to invite you to return to campus for Reunion Weekend 2008 and join fellow alumni, faculty and staff in celebrating the graduation anniversaries for the classes of 1948, 1953, 1958, 1963, 1968, 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1998, and 2003. Coming back to Sage Hall is a great way to connect with your classmates and former professors, and to learn about a number of changes that have taken place at the Johnson School since you graduated. There are dozens of fantastic events planned that you won't want to miss!
Alumni can register online -- and be sure to check out the See Who's Coming page!
Admissions posts another record-breaking year
The Johnson School received 2,662 applications for the two-year MBA program, up 22 percent from last year, says Randall Sawyer, director of Admissions and Financial Aid. As of early May, 286 admitted students had made deposits to hold their spots in the class of 2010, Sawyer says, which represents a 20 percent increase in yield over last year. The school has received 60 deposits from students admitted to the Accelerated MBA program, a yield of 68 percent.
Acting on the belief that if you "build a better applicant pool, [you] build a better class," Sawyer and his staff have actively sought an increase in applications by significantly increasing the school's outreach. More...
Entrepreneurship@Cornell Celebration 2008
If you missed Entrepreneurship@Cornell Celebration 2008, which took place on the Cornell campus April 10-11, 2008, you can visit E@C's Web site to view videos and photos, download podcasts, and read press coverage of the campus-wide event.
The site includes a video of the keynote speech delivered by Entrepreneur of the Year Howard Milstein '73, chair, president and CEO of New York Private Bank & Trust and Emigrant Bank.
Among other things, Somaiya spoke of the challenges and opportunities inherent in working within India's strictly regulated economy. For example, sugar mill owners can't own the land on which sugar cane is produced. So Godavari buys cane from 20,000-30,000 farmers. Godavari's interest in securing sugar cane over the long haul, combined with its philanthropic bent, has led the company to introduce programs designed to raise the income and secure the stability of these farmers - for example, by promoting health and education among its farmer/suppliers, and by working to increase their incomes through creating higher yields as well as more products in order to make use of every part of the sugar cane. "We actually use what used to be disposal problems," said Somaiya. At the same time, converting sugar cane to ethanol is a successful, market-driven venture. "Only 2 to 5 percent of our purchases are for fossil fuels, and we're looking at getting to 0 percent in two to three years," said Somaiya.
Furthermore, Somaiya believes ethanol production has the potential to eventually free India from dependence on fossil fuels altogether. As he says in a message on Godavari's Web site: "In our opinion, with the right public policy, biology, extension services, micro finance and product distribution, the country can produce more than enough ethanol to substitute all the current petrol consumption in India." For more information about Godavari Sugar Mills and its many products and programs, visit the Somaiya Group Web site.
Cayuga MBA Fund Generates 2.65% Return for the First Quarter 2008
Beats all major indices including S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average
Send your future business leader to Camp $tart-Up
Consider giving a special young woman in your life – daughter, granddaughter, or niece – a first look into business school through the Johnson School's annual Camp $tart-Up, an eight-day camp for young women ages 13 to 19. This year's camp session will be held from June 21-28 on the Cornell University campus. Camp $tart-Up is a student run-program organized by five female MBA students who are enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge and experiences with this year's campers. For more information about Camp $tart-Up and how you can involve your future business leader in the program, please visit the Camp $tart-Up Web site
Featured Alumnus
Ian J. Mehr, MBA '99: Creating biotech startups: a wild and exciting ride
A managing director at biotech seed fund Golden Pine Ventures (Research Triangle Park, N.C.), Ian J. Mehr, MBA '99, PhD, describes his job as " a ton of fun," noting that it's "very exciting to be at the cutting edge of the intersection of science and business." With a BS in microbiology (from the University of Illinois) and PhD in genetics (from Northwestern) plus an MBA (Johnson School), Mehr has the ideal background for a seed fund focusing on company inception in the life sciences. More...
News Highlights
The right client for the job
Fortune Small Business - 4/8/08
Professor Zach Shulman weighs in on how businesses can attract new clients and make a real profit, suggesting entrepreneurs need to attract the right kinds of customers first.
Not-So-Personal Finance
New York Times - 4/27/08
Economics Professor Robert Frank is quoted in an article about young professionals who freely share their salary information with others.
GE results tarnish reputation as earnings master
Thomson Reuters - 4/11/08
Professor Sanjeev Bhojraj comments on how companies can use their accounting systems to manipulate earnings.
Don't Blame All Borrowers
Washington Post - Online - 4/26/08
Professor Robert Frank authors an article on the underlying economic causes of the housing crisis including looser lending terms and the desire to purchase homes in the best school districts, which also tend to be more expensive.
Job Searchers Face a New Reality
BusinessWeek - Online 4/04/2008
MBA career office directors, including the Johnson School's Karin Ash, offer tips to students to help with a possible downturn in hiring.
Alumni in the News
Ithaca company wins $100,000 prize; Gov. Paterson declares N.Y. "open for business"
Post-Standard - 4/22/08
Past Entrepreneur-in-Residence Brad Treat, MBA '02, and his new company, Mezmeriz, won first place and $100,000 in New York's Creative Core Emerging Business Competition for the company's video projection technology for cell phones, personal digital assistants and MP3 players. The story also appeared in the Cornell Chronicle (5/7/08).
"40 under 40"
Capital District Business Review
James Mastrianni, MBA '06 (E), president of JEM, Inc., a Schenectady-based company founded by his father that administers federally funded affordable housing programs, was featured in an article celebrating young business leaders in the Capital District. More...
Events
For upcoming events, check out the Alumni Events Calendar
