Smith Newslink Alumni

Product vs. Corporate Branding: What’s the Right Mix?

Product brand managers are often at odds with their corporate brand counterparts over the allocation of limited advertising budgets - with brand managers pressing product messages over the corporate branding. But product managers should take note of new research that finds important efficiencies in corporate branding when multiple products are involved. Read more about the latest research from the Smith School in this quarter’s edition of Leading the Digital Economy, with audio and video podcasts.

Financial Times: Smith Executive Education Tops in Value

The Smith School’s custom executive education program was ranked #8 in the world “value for the money” and #19 in the United States overall.

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Under Armour’s Kevin Plank '96 Awards Cupid’s Cup Prizes to Recent Alumni

Under Armour Chief Executive Kevin Plank ’96 put up $22,500 in prize money and helped pick the winner of the Dingman Center’s Cupid’s Cup Business Plan Competition. Goozex Inc., an award-winning, peer-to-multi-peer video game trading company headquartered in College Park, is run by Valerio Zanini, MBA ’06, and took home the $15,000 first-place prize.

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Wall Street Journal Features Insight from Smith’s Anil Gupta and Haiyan Wang, MBA ’95, on China and India

The Smith School’s Anil Gupta, Ralph J. Tyser Professor of Global Strategy and Entrepreneurship, is featured prominently in a multichannel media report on how firms can develop successful business strategies for China and India. A full-page newspaper article, coauthored by Gupta and Haiyan Wang, MBA ’95, was published April 28 in the Wall Street Journal as part of its “Business Insight” report, which also includes video and audio interviews as well as an online discussion.

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Smith School Honors Student and Business Leaders

The 7th Annual Dean’s Undergraduate Awards Banquet, held on May 3, honored outstanding students, faculty, alumni, and corporate partners. The Smith Leadership and Excellence Awards were presented to business leaders and organizations that have made significant and positive impact to their industries and the community in the mid-Atlantic region.

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Entrepreneurship in China

Interested in what's happing in business in the world's fastest growing economy? Check out news and articles from China Entrepreneur, a media sponsor for the 2007 Robert H. Smith School of Business China Business Plan Competition at http://www.cnemag.com/en.

Upcoming Alumni Networking Opportunities

Seattle Region Alumni Networking Event
Thursday, May 31, 2007; 6:00- 9:00 p.m.
Hyatt Regency Bellevue
900 Bellevue Way, NE
Bellevue, WA 98004

Join Smith School faulty, staff and fellow University of Maryland alumni for a networking event and reception. Professor Sandy Boyson, co-director of the Smith School’s Supply Chain Management Center, will discuss his latest research on managing the real-time supply chain and demonstrate the center’s award winning Distributor Game.

Frederick Region Alumni Networking Event
June 12, 2007; 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Ceresville Mansion
8529 Liberty Road
Frederick, MD 21701

Join the Smith School and members of the Frederick Network to hear the story of Hook & Ladder Brewing Company. Founded by firefighter Rich Fleischer and Smith alumnus Matt Fleischer, MBA ’05, Hook & Ladder is quickly becoming recognized as a company “providing a quality brew while giving back to the community.” You will hear the story of the founders’ entrepreneurial spirit and drive to be successful in business and community. In addition, you’ll enjoy sampling Hook & Ladder beers and networking with other Frederick alumni in a great atmosphere. Register by June 5, 2007.

Join Us for These Events!

Commencement
May 21, 2007
1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Comcast Center
Hear Teresa Iannaconi, MBA ’78, partner with KPMG, deliver the keynote speech at commencement. Iannaconi has an impressive accounting background with 40 years of experience in regulation and compliance, including nearly 20 years with the Securities and Exchange Commission and 12 years with KPMG, one of the Big Four accounting firms. Susannah Campbell and Vanessa Sitler are the student speakers. Shuttle bus service will be available from the College Park Metro station and campus parking lots throughout the day.

Cybersecurity Conference Brings Top Scholars, Business Leaders Together
May 23, 2007
Van Munching Hall
Information security is a key issue for most companies today. The fourth annual Forum on Financial Information Systems and Cybersecurity on May 23, 2007, will bring together top scholars and business leaders in the field.

Smith Alumni Invited to Learn the Business behind Disney Magic – June 6, 2007
The Disney Institute brings its renowned Keys to Excellence program to the Robert H. Smith School of Business June 6, 2007. This one-day conference is a must for members of any organization focused on customer and employee loyalty and retention. As the host of this event, the Smith School is able to offer the Disney program to Smith School alumni for $349 per person. Be sure to use discount code UMCPDISNEY07 when you register at http://www.disneydc.com.

Smith in the News

Associated Press – May 4, 2007 –Rhonda Reger, associate professor and co-chair of the management and organization department, is quoted in a story about the ethics scandal involving Duke MBA students.

Financial Times – May 4, 2007 – Business professor Peter Morici is quoted in a story about U.S. job creation.

Baltimore Examiner – May 5, 2007 – Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship Managing Director Asher Epstein is quoted in a story profiling the center’s Cupid’s Cup competition.

China Daily – May 9, 2007 – Associate Dean Scott Koerwer and the Smith School’s programs in China are profiled.

New York Times – May 12, 2007 – Dot-com research from Management and Organization associate professor David Kirsch and assistant professor Brent Goldfarb are profiled in a story in Strategy + Business.

CBS Evening News – May 14, 2007 – Business professor Peter Morici is interviewed in a story about private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management’s deal to buy Chrysler.

Wall Street Journal – May 15, 2007 – Business professor Peter Morici is quoted in a story about a private equity firm’s deal to buy Chrysler.

Baltimore Sun – May 15, 2007 – Office of Career Management Steve Tiufekchiev is quoted in a story about a virtual job fair, and other recruiting tactics using the Web.

May 2007