Students Take Home $35,000 in Scholarships and Recognition at ELC’s National Gala

Two MBA students from the C. T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston won first place last week in The Executive Leadership Council’s (ELC) 2012 Business Case Competition. Emeka N. Akpunonu and Clyde McNeil were named the top team in the final round of competition on April 20.

Sponsored by ExxonMobil, the competition in the finals included teams from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School and Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School of Business. Judges represented leading corporations and non-profits, such as the Compass Group, 100 Black Men of America, AETNA, Inc., Aztec Worldwide Group, United Way Worldwide, the Silver Parker Group and the League of United Latin American Citizens.

ELC’s Business Case Competition challenged this year’s teams to develop strategies for strengthening ties between the corporate social responsibility community and African-American nonprofits during tough economic times. Specifically, the competition examined how corporations can expand their global philanthropy efforts to African-American non-profits and other community groups at sustained or higher levels.

“The team from Bauer College made a strong case, presenting exceptional recommendations on the steps corporations and African-American non-profits need to take to strengthen their ties,” said Arnold Donald, ELC’s president and CEO.

He added, “The team offered powerful solutions for helping corporations retain and increase charitable giving to African-American non-profits while expanding their philanthropic footprint around the globe.”

In recognition of their first place win, team captain Akpunonu and McNeil will share a $35,000 scholarship cash award and will be recognized during ELC’s 2012 Annual Recognition Gala in October before an audience of more than 2,000 corporate, education and government leaders.

For the full story, visit http://bauerticker.uh.edu/events/bauer-mbas-take-first-place-in-elc-business-case-competition/.

ENTR TEAM WINS BIG AT BIZ PLAN COMPETITION

UH Student Team Takes Top Honors for “UNLimiters”

A group of four students at the University of Houston C. T. Bauer College of Business Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship bested 21 teams at the Richards Barrentine Values and Ventures Business Plan Competition on April 20, bringing home a first place win and a $15,000 grand prize.

Competitors Tattiana Reznick, Louis McEneny, Randy Hannemann, Adam Trojanowski and Justin Farley impressed at the competition hosted by Texas Christian University’s Neely School of Business, which included a judging panel of entrepreneurs, investors, marketing and financial experts and venture capitalists. The team presented their business plan for “UNlimiters,” an e-commerce website that sells products to people with disabilities.

The competition, which incorporates values, ethics and service into a for-profit business, encourages undergraduate business students to create ventures that have strong business viability, meaning for the organization and significantly improve quality of life.

For the full story, visit http://bauerticker.uh.edu/degrees-and-programs/entr-team-wins-big-at-biz-plan-competition/.

(Filming and Photo Opportunity)

UH STUDENTS COOK UP BUSINESS PLANS AT WOLFFEST
Entrepreneurship students who have studied how to open a business will find out if they can really stand the heat during this week’s Wolffest (formerly called Burgerfest), an annual business plan competition organized by the UH Bauer College Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship that challenges students to come up with a winning concept for a retail burger operation. Student teams who have been raising capital and preparing for the launch of their burger stands this Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday will vie for customers to visit their locations on campus. It’s a contest of creativity, business aptitude and teamwork ― and of course, grilling up the tastiest burgers.

To read more about Wolffest, visit http://bauerticker.uh.edu/events/entr-students-put-b-plans-to-the-test-at-apr-17-19-wolffest/. To interview students involved or to attend this year’s Wolffest, see Media Contact section below.

UH Bauer Planning First Ever Financial Symposium for Community on April 14

It’s never too early (or too late) to get control of your finances — that’s the message from the C. T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston and its upcoming financial symposium open to the community on April 14.

The event comes as the college is rolling out two courses focusing on financial literacy, Personal Finance Planning (offered to business majors) and Introduction to Personal Finance (open to all UH students). This will be the first time the college has organized the event, being held in conjunction with Houston Money Week.

“Our goal is to promote financial literacy,” says Frank Kelley, associate dean for undergraduate studies for Bauer College. “We aim to serve as a resource for financial planning to our students, the rest of the university and the Houston community.”

Bolstered by faculty support, mentorship and involvement from students and alumni, the financial symposium serves as a way to launch the college’s overall program for financial literacy, which offers resources and support to current students along with K-12 educators and Houstonians.

The symposium includes several facilitated sessions and activities covering a range of financial topics, including money management, understanding a credit report, embedding personal finance into education, and careers in finance.

“The burden for financial independence or financial security is being put on the individual,” said John Lopez, the Bauer professor who teaches the personal finance courses and will be speaking at the April 14 symposium. “It is going to become more complex for the individuals and here at Bauer, we are taking a leadership role to roll out financial literacy programs to prepare them for these eventualities.”

For the full story, visit http://bauerticker.uh.edu/events/financial-literacy/. If you would like to attend or cover the event, see Media Contacts section below.

Research by a professor at the University of Houston C. T. Bauer College of Business reveals that language is a powerful tool in resisting temptation. Vanessa M. Patrick, a Bauer marketing professor, found that consumers are more empowered when they say “I don’t” than “I can’t.” The findings by Patrick and Boston College professor Henrik Hagtvedt will be published in the August 2012 issue of Journal of Consumer Research.

For the full story, visit http://bauerticker.uh.edu/recognition/uh-bauer-professor-finds-ways-to-help-consumers-say-no/. To interview Prof. Patrick, see Media Contacts section below.

Consumers who are relatively unaffected by economic downturns spend less on luxury items during a recession because social standards shift along with the cycles of the economy. In addition, the role of social status in household spending decisions is strongest for non-essential goods that are more visible.

These are among the findings of researchers from the University of Houston C. T. Bauer College of Business and  Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, whose study, “How Economic Contractions and Expansions Affect Expenditure Patterns,” will be published later this year in the Journal of Consumer Research. To see an advance copy of the research report, click here.

The researchers examined U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics data on spending by more than 66,000 American households from 1982 to 2003, a period spanning three recessions: July 1981 – November 1982, July 1990 – March 1991 and March – November 2001.

The authors suggest consumers derive utility not only from direct consumption of a good, but from how much others are spending on the same good.

“Our research indicates consumers draw more value from consuming the same quantity of a certain non-essential good if they see others consuming less of it,” said Rex Yuxing Du, marketing professor at UH Bauer College. “This phenomenon can have significant implications for marketers of luxury goods during recession, when people generally have less to spend and feel less compelled to visibly demonstrate their wealth by purchasing luxury items.”

The study also found non-essential goods and services have a ‘positional value’ that signals social status. The findings challenge the traditional assumption that consumers change their spending habits during economic slowdowns simply because of budgetary constraints.

“Non-essential goods like jewelry, clothing and travel maintain their attractiveness regardless of the state of the economy,” said Wagner Kamakura, marketing professor at Duke’s Fuqua School of Business and lead author of the study. “But the positional value of non-essentials is reduced during recession. When households affected by recession spend less on positional goods, households not directly affected by recession — even though their overall consumption budgets may remain constant — can follow suit and still maintain their social status. Those households whose budgets are not significantly impacted by recession may choose to divert more money into savings.”

To schedule an interview with Du, see Media Contacts section to the left. For Du’s bio, visit http://www.bauer.uh.edu/search/directory/profile.asp?firstname=Rex&lastname=Du.

Whether it’s on TV, in print, or on the web, advertisements pack a powerful punch for audiences, whether it’s telling them to buy a certain product in a commercial that airs during the big game, or giving them reasons not to vote for “the other guy” in a political race. Partha Krishnamurthy, an associate professor of marketing at UH Bauer, can talk about all things advertising — including negative advertising and consumer response to ads.

Krishnamurthy’s research focuses on customer insights and consumer behavior advertising.

To schedule an interview with Krishnamurthy, see Media Contacts section to the left. For Krishnamurthy’s bio, visit http://www.bauer.uh.edu/search/directory/profile.asp?firstname=Partha&lastname=Krishnamurthy.

BAUER STUDENTS SPEND THE DAY WITH ORACLE OF OMAHA

Students from the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship at UH Bauer rubbed elbows with one of the world’s foremost businessmen during a trip this month to Omaha where they met with Warren Buffett at Berkshire Hathaway headquarters. Since 2009, Buffett has looked to Houston as a resource for mentoring young entrepreneurs, inviting students from the UH Bauer entrepreneurship program to spend the day with him and ask questions.

For the full story, visit http://bauerticker.uh.edu/current-students/bauer-students-invited-to-spend-the-day-with-oracle-of-omaha/. To schedule an interview with the students, see Media Contacts section to the left.

THE ENERGY B-SCHOOL IN THE ENERGY CAPITOL OF THE WORLD PLANNING SERIES OF ENERGY EVENTS

Several events focusing on the energy industry are planned this semester, including a Feb. 1 visit from Shell’s VP of Production in Nigeria and a Feb. 2 talk from the regional director of the federal group charged with regulating and enforcing oil and gas safety in the Gulf of Mexico. The college will also kick off the spring installment of its Distinguished Leaders Series on Feb. 23 with a presentation on energy supply chain.

For more information on all of the upcoming energy events, visit http://www.bauer.uh.edu/EnergyEvent.

The new year offers the promise of a fresh start, and the best way to keep a new year’s resolution may be a simple change in vocabulary, according to a marketing professor from the University of Houston C. T. Bauer College of Business. Vanessa Patrick recently co-authored a study forthcoming in the Journal of Consumer Research that suggests a person’s ability to refuse temptation can depend on the words used — framing a refusal with the words “I don’t” is more empowering and effective than using the words “I can’t,” Patrick says.

In the study, Patrick and co-author Henrik Hagtvedt from Boston College researched 30 working women who wanted to improve their overall lifestyles, dividing them into three groups, each with a different refusal strategy to use each time they faced temptation over a 10-day period. One group was given the “don’t” strategy, another used “can’t,” and the third followed a generic “just say no” strategy. Every day, each participant received a reminder email to use the strategy and to report instances of both success and failure. The results found that the most effective way to face temptation was to use “don’t,” increasing feelings of autonomy, control, and self-awareness among participants and leading to the greatest positive behavioral changes.

For more information on the study or to schedule an interview with Patrick, see Media Contact section to the left.

For some, November is synonymous with Thanksgiving and cooler weather, but for serious shoppers, it’s all about Black Friday. Retailers are beginning to release details of their plans for one of the biggest shopping days of the year, with many planning to open their doors for deals earlier than ever, at midnight. What does Black Friday mean for retailers and consumers alike? Marketing professor Jackie Kacen, whose research interests include impulse buying and consumers moods, is available for interviews about the phenomenon.

To schedule an interview with Kacen, see Media Contact section to the left.

BUILDING A BRAND

As the founder of Apple, Steve Jobs as a person was synonymous with the company’s brand, with his appearances at announcements and launches of new products discussed nearly as much as the technology itself. Earlier this week, Apple was included on a list compiled by Interbrand of the top 10 most valuable brands in the world, the first time the company had broken into the group that includes Google, Microsoft and Coca-Cola. Marketing professor Betsy Gelb can discuss Jobs’ role as the face of the Apple brand and what his death means for the company and how consumers perceive it.

To schedule an interview with Gelb, see Media Contact section to the left.

LOOKING AT LEADERSHIP LESSONS

From his days as a college dropout to founding Apple in a garage with Steve Wozniak and subsequently being fired and re-hired by the company, Steve Jobs’ career trajectory can be used as a real-life example of leadership to students studying business. Assistant Dean for Career Services Jamie Belinne, who teaches a required course to business undergraduates about setting career goals, is available to discuss Jobs’ place in classroom discussions and how college students can learn from his successes and failures leading a company.

To schedule an interview with Belinne, see Media Contact section to the left.

LEADING UNTIL THE END

Even as Steve Jobs’ health declined in recent years and led to a medical leave of absence, he remained deeply involved in Apple’s business, from reviewing releases and negotiating deals to making appearances at product launches, never “iPhone-ing” it in. Is Jobs’ role with Apple during his illness the exception to the rule for CEOs with health problems? What decisions go into leading while ill? Partha Krishnamurthy, a marketing professor whose research focuses on decision making and health care, can talk about how Jobs’ health factored into his leadership strategy.

To schedule an interview with Krishnamurthy, see Media Contact section to the left.

DEFINING JOBS’ LEGACY

Apple, Mac, iTunes, iPhone, iPad  — Steve Jobs’ legacy could be defined by the range of products his company brought to the mass market, redefining technology and communication as mobile, customizable and convenient. But those brand names only scratch the surface of what Jobs has left behind to future generations of business leaders, says Bauer Dean Latha Ramchand. Ramchand is available by phone to discuss Jobs’ legacy to the world, particularly the business community, as an entrepreneur and innovator.

To schedule an interview with Ramchand, see Media Contact section to the left.

It’s crunch time for the CougarPitch competition organized by the Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Houston C. T. Bauer College of Business. Submissions close on Oct. 31 for the elevator-pitch competition open to all UH students, with cash prizes for the top three ideas (as judged by a panel of local business owners and entrepreneurs).

Read more at http://bauerticker.uh.edu/events/all-the-way-to-the-top/. To schedule an interview, see Media Contact section to the left.

UH BAUER PARTNERS WITH INVESCO ON FINANCIAL BOOT CAMP FOR WOMEN

On Oct. 22, the University of Houston Bauer College will partner with investment management company Invesco for the 2011 Financial Boot Camp for Women, an all-day session that will be held on campus and designed to give female attendees the tools needed to take control of their finances. Session topics include Investing 101, Focus on Retirement, Ten Things Every Woman Should Know about their Finances, You Are Starting Your Own Business! Now What?, and more.

Read more at http://www.invesco.com/bootcamp/index.html. To schedule an interview, see Media Contact section to the left.

When students from the University of Houston C. T. Bauer College of Business put their minds to something, they think big — big, as in global. A four-woman team of Bauer MBA students put Houston and UH Bauer on the world map this week, taking the number one spot globally in Google’s 2011 Online Marketing Challenge. They earned their win by using a $200 budget for a three-week Google AdWords campaign for the Houston Symphony and impressed judges with their ability to analyze the smallest results for continuous improvement. As global champs, these Coogs will take an all-expenses-paid trip to Google’s headquarters in California, Googleplex.

Read more at http://bauerticker.uh.edu/recognition/a-global-google-win/. To schedule an interview with the students, see Media Contact section to the left.

ENERGY INDUSTRY VET JOINS BAUER FACULTY

To kick off the fall semester, the University of Houston C. T. Bauer College of Business is strengthening its relationships with the local business community, bringing in energy industry veteran John T. McNabb II as an executive faculty member. McNabb will serve as Bauer Executive Professor, teaching in the college’s Global Energy Executive MBA (GEMBA) program in Houston, Dubai and Beijing as well as instructing in the Executive Leadership program for Energy Executives. McNabb commented, “I am excited about this new opportunity.  I am committed to enhancing the significant contribution Bauer College is making to improve leadership in the energy industry worldwide.  Bauer College is very important to me, personally and professionally, and I look forward to participating in the great future Bauer College is poised to achieve.”

Read more at http://bauerticker.uh.edu/graduate/energy-industry-vet-mcnabb-joins-uh-bauer-faculty/. To schedule an interview with the students, see Media Contact section to the left.

YOUR IDEA COULD BE WORTH $1000

Got a business idea you’ve been wanting to pitch? The Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Houston C. T. Bauer College of Business would love to hear it.  Cougar Pitch is an elevator-pitch competition where the University of Houston students, faculty and staff are invited to submit their best business ideas. For more information about rules and eligibility, and how to submit your pitch online, visit www.cougarpitch.com. First place winners in each category will receive $1,000, while second place will take home $500 and third place $250.Remember: it only takes two minutes.

Read more at http://bauerticker.uh.edu/events/all-the-way-to-the-top/. To schedule an interview with the students, see Media Contact section to the left.

When students from the University of Houston C. T. Bauer College of Business put their minds to something, they think big — big, as in global. A four-woman team of Bauer MBA students put Houston and UH Bauer on the world map this week, taking the number one spot globally in Google’s 2011 Online Marketing Challenge. They earned their win by using a $200 budget for a three-week Google AdWords campaign for the Houston Symphony and impressed judges with their ability to analyze the smallest results for continuous improvement. As global champs, these Coogs will take an all-expenses-paid trip to Google’s headquarters in California, Googleplex.

Read more at http://bauerticker.uh.edu/recognition/a-global-google-win/. To schedule an interview with the students, see Media Contact section to the left.

After announcing its departure from the marketplace earlier this month, book retailer Borders told customers to prepare for a massive liquidation of all merchandise, but this week, shoppers are seeing price tags that in some cases, are even higher than before the so-called sale. Still, some consumers are likely to flock to Borders stores at the mere mention of words like “limited time” and “liquidation,” says Betsy Gelb, a marketing professor at UH Bauer who specializes in consumer behavior. Gelb is available this week to discuss why customers think they’re getting a deal when they’re not, and what the fate of Borders might mean for other booksellers.

To schedule an interview with Gelb, see Media Contact section to the left.

HOUSTON #1 IN TECH JOBS

Houston recently landed on the top of a list from CIO magazine on the 7 Best Cities to Find IT Jobs. Career experts at UH Bauer are available to discuss how the city’s strength in healthcare and financial services is contributing to growth in tech job creation, and how the management information systems program at UH Bauer is preparing students for jobs as business analysts, technology consultants and database administrators — including a unique partnership with the Executive Service Corps of Houston, where MIS students from the college are working on technology business projects for nonprofits.

To schedule an interview, see Media Contact section to the left.

With DVD and streaming video subscription giant Netflix announcing a change in its pricing structure this week, frustrated consumers have taken to social media to voice their displeasure with the company, angrily Tweeting and posting threats to cancel service. Websites like Twitter and Facebook can both help, and in Netflix’s case, hurt a brand, since they give consumers the power to share unfiltered opinions with each other, says Betsy Gelb, a marketing professor at the University of Houston C. T. Bauer College of Business. Gelb is available for media interviews to give her thoughts on how Netflix should respond to the virtual backlash and what she sees in the future for the company.

To schedule an interview, see Media Contact section to the left.

RESIDENTS SHOULD PREPARE FOR STORM DESPITE SO FAR QUIET HURRICANE SEASON, INSURANCE EXPERT SAYS

A so far quiet hurricane season shouldn’t lull Gulf Coast residents into a false sense of panic, according to Dan Jones, a professor at the University of Houston C. T. Bauer College of Business and expert in insurance and risk management. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts this year’s season could be one of the strongest on record, with 12-18 named storms, making early preparation more important than ever. In addition to stocking supplies, securing your home and determining where you would evacuate if needed, Gulf Coast residents should be educating themselves on property insurance. “It’s important to protect property from further damage, but those affected must also preserve the damages,” says Jones, who has teaches classes in international risk and insurance, risk management, insurance operations and regulations, and energy insurance and risk management.

To schedule an interview, see Media Contact section to the left.

As social media becomes more commonplace for everyone from tweens to grandparents, companies are looking for ways to quantify consumer activity on websites like Twitter, Facebook, blogs and search engines. A host of online consumer interest tracking measures already exist, but a marketing professor from the University of Houston Bauer College says there’s a better way.

Associate Professor Rex Du has co-authored a new study on “quantitative trendspotting” that is receiving accolades from the academic community, earning the 2011 Best Paper award at the American Marketing Association’s Advanced Research Techniques Forum.

“Our research shows that if somehow common trends can be distilled from a large set of those tracking measures, their collective explanatory power and insights can increase dramatically,” Du says. For example, the researchers found that on average, 73 percent of fluctuations in new car sales in the U.S. market can be explained by seven common trends behind the ups and downs of consumer online searches for 38 major car brands.

For interview or filming requests, see Media Contact section to the left.

Senior executives from one of China’s largest energy companies will travel from Beijing next week to receive their Global Energy Executive MBA degrees from the University of Houston C. T. Bauer College of Business.

The group includes 35 employees of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), who arrive in Houston on Saturday, May 7, and will meet with officials from UH Bauer during a welcome reception on Monday, May 9. Their week in Houston also includes a wrap-up of coursework in Strategic Management and Strategic Finance for Energy Executives, taught by professors from UH Bauer, capped off by a commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 14, in Hofheinz Pavilion with undergraduates, graduates and doctoral students from the college.

For interview or filming requests, see Media Contact section to the left.

TOP TIPS ON GETTING AN INTERVIEW — AND LANDING THE JOB!

For students who are graduating this month or those planning to earn their degrees in the next year, the thought of finding a career in this job market might be frightening. But, getting an interview and landing the perfect job just requires the mastery of a few simple areas, says Jamie Belinne, assistant dean for career services for the Rockwell Career Center at UH Bauer. Hear her talk about her top tips for job seekers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_Ull7xeqP4

• Career exploration. Know what you want to do.
• Self assessment. Be able to concisely say the unique skills and experiences you have to offer as a candidate. “If you don’t know what you want and what you have to offer, nobody else will either,” Belinne says.
• Self marketing. Tell everyone you meet about your goals and your qualifications.
• Networking. Ask for and accept advice from other professionals on how to reach your goals. “If you ask for advice rather than just asking people to give you jobs, your network and introductions will expand much faster, and you’ll start building an effective support system for your search.”

For interview or filming requests, see Media Contact section to the left.

COMMENCEMENT, CAREER AND COUGAR PRIDE TOP OF MIND
FOR THIS GRADUATING UH BAUER STUDENT FROM SLOVENIA

After only five years in the United States and a quick introduction to country’s language, culture and education system, Lina Dmitrovic will earn a bachelor of business administration degree from the University of Houston C. T. Bauer College of Business on May 14.

A double major in finance and management, Dmitrovic was born and raised in Slovenia, a country in Central Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. She moved to Houston with the goal of getting a high-quality education that would prepare her for the workforce.

To read more about Dmitrovic, click here. For interview or filming requests, see Media Contact section to the left.

The Sales Excellence Institute at the University of Houston C. T. Bauer College of Business will mark its 15th anniversary next week in May with a week of “sellebration” to recognize the faculty, staff, alumni, students and partners who have built the program into the top sales program in the nation.

The program will hold a luncheon for media to announce the first 15 inductees into its Distinguished Alumni Hall of Honor and discuss the success of the sales program at UH Bauer, with opportunity for photo and filming.

• WHO: UH Bauer College leadership; Faculty from the Program for Excellence in Selling; Alumni from companies including 3M, Houston Rockets, Mattress Firm, State Farm and more
• WHAT: An announcement of the Top 15 Distinguished Alumni and celebration of the Sales Excellence Institute’s 15th anniversary
• WHEN: May 4, 2011; 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
• WHERE: Melcher Hall, Room 375 and first floor AIM Center lobby (University of Houston campus)

To read more about SEI’s “Week of Sellebrations,” click here. To RSVP to attend the May 4 media luncheon and announcement, see Media Contact section to the left.

Entrepreneurship students who have studied how to open a business will find out if they can really stand the heat during this week’s BurgerFest 2011, an annual business plan competition organized by the UH Bauer College Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship that challenges students to come up with a winning concept for a retail burger operation. Student teams who have been raising capital and preparing for the launch of their burger stands this Wednesday and Thursday will vie for customers to visit their locations on campus. It’s a contest of creativity, business aptitude and teamwork ― and of course, grilling up the tastiest burgers.

• WHO: UH entrepreneurship students
• WHAT: BurgerFest 2011 (business plan competition)
• WHEN: Wednesday, 4/13/2011 – Thursday 4/14/2011 (10 a.m.-4 p.m. both days)
• WHERE: University of Houston campus, University Center north patio

To read more about BurgerFest, visit http://ticker.uhbauer.com/events/what%E2%80%99s-on-the-menu-burgers-and-business-plans/. To interview students involved or to attend this year’s BurgerFest, see Media Contact section to the left.

As the federal government looks to a possible shutdown at midnight today caused by a budget deadlock, obvious questions are being raised — which services will be affected? How will air traffic continue? Will the IRS continue processing refunds for paper-submitted tax returns? But Partha Krishnamurthy, a marketing professor at UH Bauer and an expert in the area of behavior economics, is asking a different question — how could a government shutdown change the perception of the federal government in Americans’ eyes? According to Krishnamurthy, it might make citizens see the suspended services as more important than before. “Losing something is different than gaining something,” he says. “Only when things go away do we realize their importance.”

To schedule an interview with Krishnamurthy, see Media Contact section to the left.

TRADERS GET VOCAL AS SHOUT-FILLED TRADITION RETURNS TO UH

Finance students from UH Bauer will compete this weekend against students from business schools across North America at the Houston round of the CME Group Open Outcry Challenge, an annual competition that simulates the experience of being a broker in the trading pit of a mercantile exchange. Students will trade like the professionals in the trading pits in Chicago and New York, using fast paced hand signals and shouting to buy and sell.

• WHO: Students from business schools across North America, including dozens of students from UH Bauer
• WHAT: CME Group Open Outcry Challenge
• WHEN: Saturday, 4/9/2010; 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• WHERE: Melcher Hall, AIM Center lobby (University of Houston campus)

To schedule an interview with UH students participating in the event or to attend, see Media Contact section to the left. To see a video from last year’s competition, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yI6RXZJ3TNo.

As natural disasters and political unrest across the world dominate headlines, MBA students from the University of Houston C. T. Bauer College of Business are celebrating their global diversity this Saturday with the third annual Bauer MBA Global Experience. Organized by students from the college’s National Association of Women MBAs and Bauer MBA Society, the event aims to foster an appreciation and respect for international business and culture and will feature cultural food and entertainment, guest speakers (including Agua Marketing CEO Manuel Delgado) and representatives from international companies and consulates (with a consulate panel discussion featuring Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the Greater Houston Partnership). For more information about the event, including photo and video from previous years, visit http://www.bmge.org/.

To interview the students involved, see Media Contacts section to the left.