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UA’s Culverhouse Set to Open Premier Business Analytics Lab Oct. 14 (full release, no link)

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Commerce will officially open its Business Analytics Lab Oct. 14 at 3:30 p.m. in 250 Bidgood Hall.

The grand opening event will include a ribbon cutting at 3:30 p.m. and analytics demonstrations on two 20-foot video boards from 3:30-5:15 p.m. Lockheed Martin, SAS and Healthcare Business Solutions provided funding and support for the lab, believed to be the first of its kind in the nation.

Rendering of Entrance to the Business Analytics Lab in Bidgood Hall

“This is an exciting time for the College and University as we continue to be a leader in business analytics education,” said Dr. Brian Gray, interim dean, Culverhouse College of Commerce. “Now we have the facilities and technology to bring together faculty, students and businesses to solve real-world, big data problems facing corporations today.”

The Business Analytics Lab will serve as a premier research center for data analytics that provides collaboration and research across government, industry, and academia to help companies anticipate and solve critical problems.

The unique lab setting will augment the traditional classroom experience by focusing on the development and application of analytics technology; strengthening the analytics labor pool to meet industry needs for a diverse workforce; and providing visual, hands-on experiences that represent the foundations for analytics applications and research.

UA President Stuart R. Bell, Dr. J. Michael Hardin, former dean of Culverhouse, and representatives from corporate partners will provide brief remarks and be among those cutting the ribbon to the lab.

The grand opening event will be held in conjunction with the 2015 Business Analytics Symposium Oct. 15-16, at the Bryant Conference Center. The two-day symposium explores the world of analytics with presenters this year from General Motors, ESPN, SAS, Regions, Healthcare Business Solutions and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

Contact

Edith Parten, UA media relations, eparten@Culverhouse.ua.edu 205/348-8318

Three Innovative Teams Win UA Business Plan Competition

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Three University of Alabama student teams are on their way to starting their own businesses after winning the Culverhouse College of Commerce’s third annual Edward K. Aldag Jr. Business Plan Competition.

A synthetic skin to aid in the healthcare industry, a medical surgical device with a panoramic camera created through a NASA technology project, and an application-based grocery delivery company targeting college towns are the three innovative business plan ideas that resulted in wins for the student teams.

UA Center Reports Alabama Economy Expected to Grow Slowly in 2016

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama’s economy is expected to grow 1.9 percent in 2016 while the state’s businesses remain relatively cautious about hiring, according to a midyear report released by The University of Alabama’s Center for Economic and Business Research. The expected growth for 2016 is slightly lower than the 2.4 percent grow seen in 2015.

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UA Alums On Fire with Urban Cookhouse | B’ham Biz Magazine, pg. 38-40

Birmingham couple David and Andrea Snyder had dreams of becoming entrepreneurs in the restaurant industry since college, and what better place to make that start than in Alabama’s Culinary Capital. The two began their journey together as students at the University of Alabama where they met— inspired by renowned chefs, professors and other entrepreneurs.

Since then, the couple has been on fire developing a business plan using their college textbooks for guidance, and they have opened four Urban Cookhouse restaurants in six years.

The latest Urban Cookhouse opened in February in Birmingham’s central business district in the historic, former Federal Reserve Bank building.

“I’m very intrigued and have always loved history,” David says. “And I always wanted to have a store in the business district. With this location, I get both.”

It’s their third restaurant in Birmingham and their fourth in Alabama since they set their entrepreneurial plan in motion more than six years ago. They opened their first in Homewood in 2010, then the Summit in 2011, and Tuscaloosa in 2016. And they don’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.

“We are always looking for new locations,” David says. “I would love to open a restaurant in Hoover or Trussville. I’m also not ruling out the possibility of another Tuscaloosa restaurant.”

David’s former business partner, Will Gillespie, has opened Urban Cookhouse restaurants in Nashville, Charleston, Atlanta, Montgomery and Columbia, South Carolina— with one opening soon in Huntsville.

The power couple graduated from the University of Alabama’s business school, the Culverhouse College of Commerce. David earned his undergraduate degree in 2002 and MBA in 2003 at Culverhouse while Andrea earned her degree in marketing in 2004.

Andrea proudly says the two relied on their textbooks from college and notes from favorite professors Dr. Lonnie Strickland and Dr. Ron Dulek when the time came to take the first step to becoming entrepreneurs.

“We saved our textbook from GBA 490 (strategic management) and used it to create the first business plan for Urban Cookhouse,” says Andrea with a smile.

“Dr. Strickland and Dr. Dulek’s ability to actually teach the subject matter made the textbook come to life,” adds David. “And the case studies they put us through inspired me to look at that textbook and say, ‘this is gold.’ I still have it, and I make sure that I go back to it. It guides my decisions a lot of the time.”

Upon graduating from UA, David went to work for Zoe’s Kitchen, a restaurant chain created by another Culverhouse alumnus, John Cassimus.

“I went straight to work for Zoe’s Kitchen right out of college and I moved to Birmingham,” says David. “At the time, there were only about five Zoe’s Kitchens. I was with them from mid-2003 to 2009. In that time period, I helped open 13 restaurants for the Cassimus family.”

To read the entire story click here.

Helping the Wheels Go Round | University of Alabama Research Magazine

UA Researcher Finds Link between Parenting Styles, Workplace Behaviors | UA and Culverhouse College of Business Websites

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — If you’re having problems at work, there’s a chance that your parents might share some of the blame, claimed Dr. Peter Harms, a University of Alabama researcher.

“It seems cliché, but, once again, we end up blaming mom for everything in life,” said Harms while laughing. “It really is about both parents, but because mothers are typically the primary caregivers of the children, they usually have more influence on their children.”

Whistle While You Work: Researchers Try Unlocking Key to Happiness | UA and Culverhouse College of Business Websites

Lyrics from Pharrell Williams’ hit song “Happy” encourage listeners to “… clap along if you know what happiness is to you.”

This begs the question, what’s the key to being happy? More specifically, what’s the key to happiness at work? More money, more time off, family benefits?

That’s what researchers at The University of Alabama want to know, and they have found some answers.

The India Experience: STEM Students Seeking Global Solutions (full story, no link)

Dr. Rob Morgan tries his hand at feeding the residents at Elefriends 101, an elephant rescue center.

Students in UA’s STEM Path to the MBA program visited India for the second year in a row this past summer. Their mission: provide business solutions to communities in the developing country… and have a little fun along the way.

Rachel Ramey, one of the founding students of the STEM-MBA India program, returned for her second year. She made the trip along with 10 other students and Dr. Rob Morgan, director of the STEM Path to the MBA program. Ramey began working on a project to provide access to clean water during her trip to India last year.

The projects developed in India cover several needs, but access to clean water is a priority in several of the communities the students visited. Ramey, a chemical engineering major, is dedicated to eradicating the water concern. Ramey along with fellow students Josh Smith and Will Sansoucie are working to develop a solution.

“We focused on the lack of clean drinking water that seemed to contribute to a theme of sickness and hardship present in a lot of our interviews,” Smith said. “We had an idea for a water filter that could be installed in a village, service 200-250 families per day, and provide clean drinking water in areas that currently do not have it.”

The students visited six kinds of communities: a tribal village, farming village, migrant village, developing village, urban slum and a poor neighborhood.

The trip wasn’t all work though. This year, the students also visited an elephant rescue center, Elefriends 101. The center houses three elephants that were rescued from Hindu temples where they were often chained to posts.

“They were very docile because they’ve spent their whole lives in captivity around people so we got to feed and pet them — as much as you can pet a two-ton elephant,” Sansoucie said.

Other students think of it as the icing on the cake to their already incredible experience.

“If there was not already enough evidence to go to India, we also got to feed papaya to Asian elephants,” Ruth Bishop, a student majoring in biology, said. “So you can also love on a real Big Al!”

The rescued elephants, who once lived in chains, enjoy their new life.

While the students recognize their own culture shock, Dr. Rob Morgan, the trip’s faculty adviser, can see the students change during the trip with new perspectives.

“The first time they see a family living in a five-foot by six-foot room without electricity and without proper sewage, it has a tremendous impact on them and broadens the way they see the world,” Morgan said.

Bishop said the preconceived notions that many people in the U.S. have about places like India and Tanzania are misplaced.

“From a personal growth standpoint, this is huge. Seeing how people live in other countries and their challenges puts things into perspective and impacts your life’s direction,” Bishop said.

Bishop added that students shouldn’t be afraid to explore and go on a study-abroad trip.

“We can read and study all day long about how to make the world a better place and end poverty, but until we take that initial risk of going to and talking to the people we seek to help, our impact will remain on the drawing board,” Bishop said. “Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. I promise, you will not regret it.”

The University of Alabama, the state’s oldest and largest public institution of higher education, is a student-centered research university that draws the best and brightest to an academic community committed to providing a premier undergraduate and graduate education. UA is dedicated to achieving excellence in scholarship, collaboration and intellectual engagement; providing public outreach and service to the state of Alabama and the nation; and nurturing a campus environment that fosters collegiality, respect and inclusivity.

Most Powerful Women In Business | Executive Magazine

Business School Newsletter Example:

Pitch Examples | Earned Media

Subject: Student Innovations Helping Parents, Visually Impaired, and Pet Owners

Hi XX.

I wanted to share this news about student innovations with you. I think it’s relevant to the types of higher education and technology stories you write about.

Facial recognition software to help find missing pets.

Helping blind and visually impaired children read books using an innovative technique.

An app for renting kids clothes instead of buying to help parents and the environment.

These are just a few of the projects Rebelbase is helping fuel with its revolutionary platform to tackle global problems and put the keys of entrepreneurship into the hands of students.

The educational software allows students to plug in ideas while guiding them step by step to transform ideas into a reality whether it’s a business, project or global solution.

In the first year since a closed beta, early subscribers from small educational programs to major networks of universities and chambers of commerce generated a $25M annual revenue run rate and 65% growth quarter over quarter.

Ten international schools through OSUN (Open Society University Network), Bard and Oberlin Colleges in the U.S. are all using RebelBase in their courses.

Alejandro Crawford, CEO, RebelBase is available for interviews to provide a more detailed view. We can also connect you with current users and their success stories.

Subject: Lying at Work More Common Than You Think

Hi ______.

How many times a day do employees find themselves lying at work? It’s surprisingly common misbehavior according to J.S. Nelson, a Harvard law professor and business ethics expert. Nelson contends that a lot of people find themselves lying multiple times a day and over time, lying can cause lower-back pain, tension headaches, a rapid heartbeat, menstrual problems, and even infertility.

According to Nelson, many of the mistakes employees make start from small ethical lapses that get larger and larger. Researchers call this the ethical slide or ethical snowball; however, Nelson says the worst things for immediately derailing an employee’s career are the bright-line legal violations (e.g., stealing, safety violations, sexual harassment, etc.).

Nelson can also speak on a wide range of ethics topics from workplace surveillance and unionization to fraud, white collar crime and the great resignation. Please let me know if I can put you in touch with Nelson for comments on these ethical issues making headlines.

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