Brittany

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1980

Hans Brattskar, MBA ’80, was appointed State Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Deputy Foreign Minister) in the new Norwegian government. He is Norway’s former ambassador to Kenya and Somalia, and permanent representative to the United Nations offices in Nairobi.

1981

Kenneth Githens, BBA ’81, telecommunications program coordinator for ExxonMobil, worked on a large Angola Subsea Fiber Optic Program the past three years and has been working the program out of the Houston information technology (IT) office. In February 2013, he was offered a new assignment as the telecommunications engineering lead in a managerial capacity for three to four years. Now, he is in an expatriate position as of May 1, 2013, working for ExxonMobil Business Support Centre Canada ULC, an ExxonMobil subsidiary in Canada. Githens will work in the Canadian oil sands industry at Syncrude Oil Limited in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, of which ExxonMobil is a partner and is IT operator. He will manage the telecommunications engineering technology selection process through the evaluation and selection of technology solutions for the voice radio replacement and data radio replacement projects.

David P. McGee, BBA ‘81, is leading the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce as the 2014 Chairman of the Board. He met with councils and committees to share his priorities for each area early this year. McGee is the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Amegy Bank, N.A. San Antonio Region.

1988

Paul Lee, BBA ’88, was named chief financial officer (CFO) of Mortgage Contracting Services (MCS) in October 2013. Before joining MCS, Lee most recently served as vice president and treasurer of Texas-based Safety-Kleen Systems Inc., North America’s leading provider of used oil re-refining, parts cleaning and industrial waste management. As CFO, Mr. Lee will provide oversight for finance, accounting, compliance and internal audits at MCS. He also is responsible for financial and strategic planning, risk management and cost controls.

1991

Keith Parrott, BBA ’91, was selected as the new CEO of Baptist Health System in December 2013. Parrott most recently served as Baptist’s executive vice president and chief operating officer (COO), positions that allowed him to oversee the system’s four hospitals and engage in “patient experience, marketing, strategic planning and business development.” He joined Baptist in February 2008 as president of Birmingham-based Princeton Baptist Medical Center.

1992

D. Stuart White, BBA, MBA ’92, was named vice president, professional services at Riskonnect, the leading provider of risk management information system technology, in September 2013. White brings to Riskonnect an extensive leadership background, with a foundation in programming and data analysis. Previously, White was instrumental in the leadership and rapid growth of the professional services team at Aprimo (a Teradata company).

1996

Gabrielle Welch, MBA ’96, created the “All Girls Can Cook” program, which teaches girls to plan meals, shop for groceries and cook safely. In addition, Welch teaches girls about nutrition and meets with moms to help them put their family on a path to healthier eating. She is a nutritional consultant and is the author of The Pizza Trap. Her book discusses how to get kids off of junk food and also has valuable information about genetically modified food, which organic foods to buy and the dangers of the “kid’s menu.”

2002

Shelton McDonald, BBA ’02, co-founded Kopis Capital Management, LLC, a non-traditional investment firm based in Irving, Texas, and assumed the role of COO in December 2013. Upon the launch of Kopis Capital, McDonald transitioned to an of-counsel position with the law firm of Doyen Sebesta, Ltd., L.L.P., where he will continue to manage the firm’s corporate and transactional practice.

2004

David Mercer, BBA ’04, formed a general contracting firm after graduating from the Entrepreneurship Program. The firm later merged with a student housing development company to serve as its internal general contractor. The last six years, that general contracting firm was responsible for the construction and development of just under $500 million and 10,000 beds of student housing developments across the country. Last year, he sold his previous interests and formed a new general contracting entity, Merck General Contracting, with a renewed focus on the multi-family and residential markets in the South and Southeast U.S. The company is looking forward to a bright future in the Central Texas market with its current revitalization.

2005

Andrew B. Smith, BBA ’05, joined Sentinel Trust Company as a client relationship officer. Sentinel Trust, located in Houston, provides custom integrated planning, investment, fiduciary and administrative solutions to affluent families and their closely held businesses and entities.

2006

Paul Christopher, BBA ’06, started and sold Uptown Popcorn. Christopher founded PopcornPaul with Baylor as his first client. The company is known for Paul’s Caramel, a flavor loved by Baylor fans since 2009.

2007

Lindsey (Oden) Skinner, BBA ’07, was recently promoted to manager within the accounting & business consulting department of Pattillo, Brown & Hill, L.L.P., located in Waco, Texas. Skinner has six years experience in preparing financial statements, payroll, sales and income tax returns.

Amber Strang, MBA ’07, joined Transwestern’s Tenant Advisory Services (TAS) team as the executive managing director in August 2013. Based in the firm’s Houston headquarters, Strang will be responsible for expanding Transwestern’s national tenant representation platform, supporting regional efforts in recruiting, skills development, integrated services and securing multi-market business. She will also join the company’s board of directors and executive committee. Strang previously worked at Cushman & Wakefield as managing director of corporate occupier and investment services for that firm’s 22-state central region. Before that, she served as senior vice president of global corporate solutions at Jones Lang LaSalle.

Leticia Womack, BBA ’07, opened Lety’s Gluten Free Bakery, based in Waco, Texas, in November 2013. She takes orders online or over the phone. Every ingredient is 100 percent gluten free, using a wide variety of specialty flours for different recipes.
2008

Brinn Serbanic, BBA, MTAX ’08, was recently promoted to a manager within the tax department of Pattillo, Brown & Hill, L.L.P., located in Waco, Texas. She has five years of experience in financial planning and tax consulting services for individuals, partnerships, corporations, estates and trusts.

2010

Cesar Ramirez, BBA ’10, after graduating with a Management Information Systems degree, used his experience and family background in the restaurant and food service industry to start My3Solutions.com, a new web-based tool for family-owned restaurants, small independent restaurant owners and operators, and food service professionals seeking to lower food cost, arrange inventory, compare prices and place orders online. Each restaurant owner can create a unique profile in just three easy steps, and sales representatives can upload prices online.

Michael Schlegel, BBA ’99, MBA ’10, was elected Prorektor of a school called KBS in 2010, which is the equivalent of vice president in the U.S. The school is located in in Glarus, Switzerland. In 2012, he was elected to the administrative court of Glarus as judge. It is the highest state court in the state (canton) of Glarus. The next judicial step is the supreme court.

McKee Smith, MBA ’10, started a new video production company in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Modern Media Answers, LLC, helps businesses communicate more effectively with their customers, employees and investors by using video on the web, in presentations and in broadcast. Modern Media can stream company events live over the internet anywhere in the world with a data connection, with control of who can and cannot view it. Smith was a speaker at the Dallas Digital Summit in December on the subject of online video success. The conference had more than 1,000 attendees learning about digital marketing.

2011

Jacob Murray, BBA ’11, was recently named CEO of Cimarron Memorial Hospital in Boise City, Okla. Building on his experience in long-term care, Jacob works to improve rural Americans’ access to quality, affordable healthcare in the Oklahoma panhandle region.

Baylor Business Review, Spring 2014

UNIVERSITY BUSINESS MAGAZINE: “Baylor Regents Approve Construction of New Business School Campus, Phase Two of Track and Field Complex.” Baylor Regents approved construction of the $99 million Paul L. Foster Campus for Business and Innovation, a 275,000-square-foot facility.

FOX SPORTS SW: “Baylor’s S3 Program at Texas Rangers Game.” Article quotes KIRK WAKEFIELD, professor and holder of The Edwin W. Streetman Professorship in Retail Management and executive director of sports and entertainment marketing, about Baylor’s Sports, Sponsorship and Sales (S3) program, which is conducting a creative project in cooperation with FOX Sports. SPORTS NETWORKER: “Sports and Health Partner in Pittsburgh.” KIRK WAKEFIELD is quoted in reference to the partnership between sports teams and healthcare systems in Pittsburgh, Pa.

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: “How to Maximize Social Security Benefits.” Article quotes WILLIAM REICHENSTEIN, professor of Finance and The Pat and Thomas R. Powers Chair in Investment Management, who determined the best time to claim Social Security. YAHOO FINANCE: “Free Social Security Advice for U.S. Veterans.” Article cites research by WILLIAM REICHENSTEIN on the best time to claim social security benefits, which led to the development of a software tool that estimates an individual’s optimum time to claim benefits.

HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW: “Entrepreneurs Feel Closer to God Than the Rest of Us Do.” Interview with MITCHELL J. NEUBERT, associate professor of Management and Entrepreneurship and Chavanne Chair of Christian Ethics in Business, on his research that found that American entrepreneurs pray more, see God as personal and attend services that support business.

NETQUOTE.COM: “The Just-Married Insurance Checklist.” Article on how to change insurance policies after marriage quotes TOM POTTS, professor of Finance.

WACO TRIBUNE-HERALD: “Waco ISD Principals Sign Agreement to Meet Standards.” Article quotes BLAINE McCORMICK, associate professor of Management and Entrepreneurship, on how financial strain is making some schools act more like businesses. FORBES: “Who Are The Greatest American Entrepreneurs Ever?” Article cites a survey conducted by BLAINE McCORMICK of 41 business experts from history, economics and management to help rank the top 10 American entrepreneurs of all time.

WACO TRIBUNE-HERALD: “Forecasters to talk about local, national economies.” TOM KELLY, professor of Economics and director of the Center for Business and Economic Research, discussed local, state and national economic trends at the 2014 Economic Forecast Luncheon.

KUHF-FM: “Cell Phone Culture in Houston.” JAMES A. ROBERTS, professor of Marketing and The Ben H. Williams Professor of Marketing, was a guest on the “Houston Matters” radio program that focused on cell phone culture and how these devices have changed our lives in just a few short years. FINANCIAL POST: “Why Indebted Canadians Should Be Wary of a Cashless Society.” Article quotes JAMES A. ROBERTS on the effects credit card usage has on consumer spending habits.

THE NEW YORK TIMES: “Candy Crush and Mr. Christie.” An editorial on the legalizing of Internet gambling in New Jersey that cites the work of EARL L. GRINOLS, distinguished professor of Economics. WACO TRIBUNE-HERALD: “INFORM Act will bring long-overdue honesty to debt fight.” Column by EARL L. GRINOLS that advocated for the bipartisan INFORM Act as an “incalculable as a guide to sensible, pro-growth and inter-generationally fair fiscal policy.”

CULTUREMAP DALLAS: “Texas Earns Top Marks for University Entrepreneurial Programs.” Hankamer School of Business is ranked No. 5 in the nation on the Princeton Review and Entrepreneurship magazine’s annual listing of the top 25 undergraduate and graduate entrepreneurship programs.

RED ORBIT: “Oreos As Addictive As Morphine to Rats.” Article mentions a study by BRENNAN DAVIS, assistant professor of Marketing, which suggested when fast food restaurants are located near schools in low-income areas, obesity numbers are higher.

TEXAS ENTREPRENEUR NETWORK BLOG: “Greg Leman Talks about the Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative.” Interview with GREG LEMAN, professor and director of the LAUNCH Innovative Business Accelerator, about the program, the group’s mission and his advice for entrepreneurs.

BAYLOR LARIAT: “BU Announces $1.5 Million Donation to be used for Business School.” Paul and Carol McClinton of Waco have donated $1.5 million to be used for a 350-seat auditorium in Baylor’s new Paul L. Foster Campus for Business and Innovation, which will be used for classes, meetings and lectures.

WACO TRIBUNE-HERALD: “Paul and Jane Meyer Foundation donated $2.5 million for new Baylor business school.” The Paul and Jane Meyer Family Foundation donated $2.5 million to create the Paul and Jane Meyer Conference Center within the new home of the Hankamer School of Business.

INSIDE BIZED: “$1 Million Gift Given To Baylor University Business School.” Steve and Penny Carlile donated $1 million to Baylor that will create the Steve and Penny Carlile Plaza on the Paul L. Foster Campus for Business and Innovation.

Baylor Business Review, Spring 2014

“With customers in mind, Essilor’s hiring focus has always been on professionals who are well rounded. Our corporate culture is built on innovation, which drives our employees on a daily basis and makes it possible to continue creating life-changing solutions for our customers. Now working for an international company, I credit my education at Baylor for exposure to more diversity than I had received in my pre-college days. It helped me to learn to evaluate the message rather than the messenger. In my years of hiring Baylor grads, I’ve noted that along with their exceptional education, they bring real-world experience, with a focus on accountability and responsibility to everything they do. I’m confident that our current Baylor University grads will continue to deliver high quality and innovative work, and I look forward to seeing how new graduates will impact our business in the future.”

Rick Long, BBA ‘76
Senior Vice President, Corporate Initiatives
Essilor

Essilor is the leading manufacturer of optical lenses in the United States and is the market leader in progressive, high-index and anti-reflective coated lenses. A pioneer in the development and production of ophthalmic lenses, Essilor employs more than 10,000 people throughout North America. Essilor manufactures optical lenses under the VARILUX®, CRIZAL®, XPERIO®, DEFINITY®, THIN&LITE® and other Essilor brand names. Essilor Laboratories of America, Inc. is the largest, and most trusted, optical lab network in the U.S. and offers a wide choice of services and lens brands, including Essilor premium lenses, to eyecare professionals across the nation. Dallas, Texas, based, Essilor of America, Inc. (Essilor) is a subsidiary of Paris-based Essilor International, a publicly held company traded on the Euronext Paris stock exchange (Reuters: ESSI.PA). For more information, visit www.essilorusa.com.

Baylor Business Review, Spring 2014