Kaushik Dutta

The web sites that fuel e-commerce rely increasingly on applications that generate dynamic content to provide visitors with personalized, interactive experiences. As Internet traffic continues to grow and web sites become more complex, performance and scalability are fast becoming major issues for many organizations. At the same time, today’s e-commerce companies are looking for more cost-efficient ways to balance the need to meet growing customer demands against the pressure to control IT costs.

These issues are addressed in recent research and a pilot study conducted by Kaushik Dutta and Debra VanderMeer, both assistant professors in the Department of Decision Sciences and Information Systems in the College of Business Administration, who collaborated with three colleagues to publish their findings in an article titled “Proxy-Based Acceleration of Dynamically-Generated Content on the World Wide Web: An Approach and Implementation.” The work appeared in ACM Transactions on Data Systems, published by the Association of Computer Machinery—an organization that delivers resources to advance computing as a science and a profession.

Caching 101 and beyond.

Debra VanderMeer

Simply put, caching is a way to store bits of data to be reused, eliminating the need for repeated computations each time someone requests that data. Cached data can be stored on an Internet browser, a web server, or on a node somewhere in between. In this context, proxy-based caching refers to a computer machine—or “proxy”—that serves cached content in place of the site of origin.

“It’s easy to cache a static image or text,” VanderMeer said. “It’s much more difficult to cache personalized or dynamically-generated content. That’s where our research comes in. Our dynamic proxy caching technique is novel in that it enables proxy-based caching in a fully-distributed mode, allowing both the content and the layout to be dynamic. In less technical terms, this means that we devised a way to cache part of a web page instead of caching the whole web page seen in the browser.”      

The research team’s subsequent analysis of the performance of this approach indicated that it is capable of providing significant reductions in bandwidth and response times—with the ability to scale with respect to the number of cached fragments as well as with the number of proxies.

Pilot demonstrates results with real business value.

Dutta, VanderMeer, and their colleagues were able to run a pilot deployment of their proposed caching technique at a major financial institution.

“The results indicated that our technique is capable of providing up to three times the reductions in bandwidth and response times in real-world dynamic web applications when compared to existing caching solutions,” Dutta said. “This result provides a viable solution for delivering more processing power to support more users—without having to purchase more hardware and software.”

Such a technology solution in turn translates into real total cost benefits that resonate equally well with both the IT and business sides of any e-commerce company.

FOCUS ON

In our dynamic community, it's not surprising to discover our college’s alumni are making huge strides in a variety of industries. Not only are our 30,000 plus business school alumni empowered with the knowledge they acquired in the college, but also, they possess the drive and integrity to lead South Florida's future.

Alex Vega

Take Alex Vega, for example. Vega earned his BBA from our School of Accounting in 1990 and went on to receive his Master of Science in Taxation in 1996. Today, Vega is responsible for the leadership and supervision of the City of Hialeah’s financial matters.

"My goal, in a collaborative effort with 1,800 individuals who work for the city of Hialeah, is to implement Mayor Julio Robaina's vision for the city,” he said. “ My job, specifically, is to communicate that vision across the organization." 

Vega has gained invaluable experience throughout his career. Before working for the city of Hialeah, he spent four years as an international consultant for Resource Global Professionals, Inc., a consulting spin-off of Deloitte & Touche LLP, and as a litigation consultant/audit manager for Rachlin Cohen and Holtz LLP.  Additionally, Vega has ten years of progressive experience in multinational, national, and large local accounting firms, including Ernst and Young, LLP; BDO Seidman; and Grau & Company P.A.

Vega advises students and young alumni seeking to become CFO's to focus on polishing themselves in the following qualities:

• intelligence
• capacity to operate at either macro- or micro- level
• broad business experience
• willingness to take reasonable risks to grow a business
• social insight  
• skills to analyze an issue from all angles and foresee its solutions

Above all, Vega stresses the importance of education.

"All of us have to be committed to continual learning, either by obtaining additional degrees or by reading everything we can get our hands on," he said.

.: Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame ceremony enjoys sweet success.

Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame Inductee (Founder) Albert Santalo, President and Chief Executive Officer, Avisena; College of Business Administration Executive Dean Joyce J. Elam; and SunTrust Bank President, Miami-Dade County, Nicholas Bustle.

Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame Inductee (Builder) Glenn J. Rufrano, Chief Executive Officer, New Plan Excel Realty Trust, Inc.; College of Business Administration Executive Dean Joyce J. Elam; and SunTrust Bank President, Miami-Dade County, Nicholas Bustle.

2006 South Florida Entrepreneur of the Year Manuel D. Medina, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Terremark Worldwide, Inc.; College of Business Administration Executive Dean Joyce J. Elam; and SunTrust Bank President, Miami-Dade County, Nicholas Bustle.

Approximately 500 alumni and community leaders attended the seventh annual Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame (EHOF) Induction Ceremony and Luncheon—the premier alumni event of the year which celebrates the college’s ongoing commitment to entrepreneurship and honors alumni who not only are successful entrepreneurs but who also have contributed significantly to the entrepreneurial business community.

The 2006 induction took place on May 17, 2006, at Parrot Jungle Island. Jackie Nespral, NBC 6 news anchor, and Ambrosio Hernandez, Telemundo 51 news anchor, hosted the event alongside William Plasencia, editor of South Florida CEO, Joyce J. Elam, executive dean of the college, and Nicholas Bustle, Miami-Dade County president for SunTrust Bank.

“The college is a significant player in fueling entrepreneurship in the community,” said Annabelle Rojas (MBA ’98, BBA ’87), director of external relations and resource development in the college. “It is only natural, then, that we should put all the effort we do into this premier alumni and community event, which celebrates—in a grand way—the entrepreneurial accomplishments of our alumni, students, and business community.”

This year’s prestigious “Founder” and “Builder” awards were presented to Albert Santalo (EMBA ’97), president and CEO, Avisena, and Glenn J. Rufrano (MSM ’74), CEO, New Plan Excel Realty Trust, Inc., respectively. Manuel D. Medina, chairman and CEO, Terremark Worldwide, Inc., was named 2006 South Florida Entrepreneur of the Year.

The college also recognized Manuel Garcia Jr. (BBA ’89), founder and president of Pan American Food Brokers, as the finalist in the Founder category and Thomas E. Byrne (MS ’84), Florida International University real estate instructor and founder and former president of Esslinger Wooten Maxwell Realtors, as a finalist in the Builder category.

Since its inception, the Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame has been well received by alumni and local businesses in South Florida that continually support the college in ensuring the success of this event.

“The Induction Ceremony would not be possible without the support of our media partners, NBC 6/Telemundo 51, and South Florida CEO magazine, and of our sponsors—SunTrust Bank, Miami; Morrison, Brown, Argiz, & Farra LLP; and Adorno & Yoss,” said Monique Catoggio, (EMBA ’03), the college’s director of alumni and partner relations.

At the conclusion of the event, alumni and guests received parting gifts from alumnus Fernando Panizo (BBA ’00), general manager of Helena Chocolatier, who donated fine chocolates from one of the largest confectionaries in South America, and Monique Hamaty-Simmonds (BBA ’96) president and CEO of Tortuga Rum Cake Company, who provided cake cutters for all of the attendees. The 2006 Induction Ceremony and Luncheon was truly a sweet success thanks to their gifts.

.: Alumni Circle launches survey to assess readiness of undergraduate business students as observed by recruiters.

The college’s Alumni Circle has been working during the last few months to develop a survey that will ask recruiters to evaluate the “business readiness” of the college’s undergraduate students. The Circle was given this project by Executive Dean Joyce J. Elam and Associate Dean Clifford Perry in order to complement the college’s Assurance of Learning assessment, mandated by its accrediting body, AACSB International—The Association of Collegiate Schools of Business.

  All accredited business schools are tasked with designing systems that will
tell the colleges’ administrators whether or not their students are actually
meeting their learning objectives.

“We feel that the results of our survey, coupled with the results of the college’s Assurance of Learning assessment, will give us a good picture of what undergraduate students may still need to work on prior to beginning their careers and meeting the expectations of their employers,” said Jose Hernandez-Solaun (BBA ’98), Alumni Circle member and co-chairman of the Circle’s “Business Readiness Committee.”  

“The survey is just the beginning of the project”, said Demian Bellumio (BBA ’00), chairman of the Alumni Circle. “Our committee is looking forward to proposing a program for the college that will address the specific needs of the student body to help ensure our graduates indeed are business-ready.”

Results from the survey will be evaluated in early June and the Circle then will take next steps to continue their work on this project. According to Executive Dean Elam, these types of initiatives make a significant difference for the college.

“When I think of ways in which our alumni can work closely
with us to identify areas of need and get us critical feedback, I immediately
think of our Alumni Circle. No group is more passionate about helping us to achieve success than our alumni. I am grateful to our Circle members for taking on this project with such passion. I am looking forward to some great results.”

For more information about this specific project and/or about the Alumni Circle, please contact Monique Catoggio, director of alumni and partner relations at 305-348-4227 or catoggio@fiu.edu.

.: Alumni Notes

• The South Florida Business Journal honored three of the college’s most successful alumni at its 2006 Ultimate CEO Awards in May, 2006. They are: Antonio L. Argiz (BBA ’74), CEO and managing partner, Morrison, Brown, Argiz & Farra LLP; Joseph L. Caruncho (BBA ’81 ), CEO, Preferred Care Partners, and Angel Medina, Jr. (BBA ’92), regional president, Regions Bank.

• Carlos Castellon (BACC ’82) has joined Florida International Universiity’s Community Advisory Board for the Honors College. Eric Rodriguez (BA ’87) was named chairman of ArtCenter/South Florida’s Board of Directors. Carlos E. Arguello (BBA ’89) has been named managing director of institutional banking and structured financing at BAC Florida Bank.

• Lisa Peniche (BBA ’90) has joined David Wood Personnel as a recruiter.

• Todd Schwartz (BBA ’95) has been named head of front-desk-service operations for Continental Group property management.

• Jose A. Marina (MACC ’96, BACC ’95) was appointed senior vice president, controller, and director of banking operations at TotalBank.

• Ricky Sant (MBA ’05, BBA ’99) was named coordinator of the Graduate Admissions Office at Florida International University.

• Juan P. Poggio (MSMIS ’03) has joined Telefónica USA as a global service and project manager.

Chris Ellis, Department of Decision Sciences and Information Systems instructor, looks on during an exercise using matches and dice designed to teach the theory of constraints.

Jerry Haar, associate director of the Knight Ridder Center for Excellence in Management and professor in the Department of Management and International Business at the head of the table, and to his right, Irma Cavillo, director of the Foreign Trade School at AGEXPRONT, join Guatemalans from private business and non-profit organizations.

Three Florida International University faculty members traveled to Guatemala in March, 2006, to help train trainers in international marketing—specifically exporting—at AGEXPRONT, the business association for non-traditional exports. 

Jerry Haar, associate director of the Knight Ridder Center for Excellence in Management and professor in the Department of Management and International Business in the college, led the teaching team. Chris Ellis, instructor in the college’s Department of Decision Sciences and Information Systems, and Marc Resnick, of the College of Engineering, joined him.

The project is part of the U.S Trade and Development Agency (USTDA)-funded contract won by the college and Decision Analysis Partners. As co-director, Haar is responsible for all training activity. He shares directorship responsibilities with Wayne Henderson of Decision Analysis Partners.

“By participating in the AGEXPRONT program, we are training volunteer trainers who each commit to delivering seminars that will ultimately give more than 2,000 Guatemalans the opportunity to take short courses in topics such as market intelligence, financing, business plan development, and pricing policies,” Haar said. 

Training sessions focus on hands-on learning.

One of several courses presented by the university team, the train-the-trainers session taught by Ellis focused on teaching techniques. He used seemingly simple activities and basic tools—like scissors, tape, paper, matches, and dice—that required active participation to drive home more complex theories.

“Experiential learning is always an effective way to get people really involved,” he said. “It leaves the mind open. I simply have to ask ‘what did you learn?’ and students reach their own conclusions—which can be more powerful than my standing there and pontificating.”

Other courses offered during this Guatemalan program covered quality, productivity, and innovation as well as effective information usage.

The general assessment is that the volunteer trainers—some of whom are also university professors—had fun and learned something along the way.

“The classes were all very well received,” Ellis said.

What the attendees learned will now be shared exponentially across Guatemala.

.: Life-affirming event brings college and business community closer.

Participants in the Relay for Life of Blue Lagoon

Participants in the Relay for Life of Blue Lagoon

The stars twinkled, the breeze wafted, candlelight flickered, and approximately 150 volunteers—including a team from the American Marketing Association (AMA) chapter in the College of Business Administration—donned comfortable shoes to help bring a cure for cancer closer to reality, one step at a time. It was all part of the Relay for Life of Blue Lagoon on May 19-20, 2006.

The event, which took place in the area between the two FedEx buildings in the Blue Lagoon area, raised $28,500 for the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) many programs, including research and education. Equally important: Relay for Life walk-a-thons take place all over the country celebrating life to honor and remember those touched by cancer.

A heartfelt connection highlighted the event.

Jennifer Weiss (BBA ’06), an account manager with AFRAM Import & Export and past president of the college's AMA chapter is such a person. Her mother died of breast cancer a little more than two years ago.

 “Of all the attendees, it was the cancer survivors who were the most enthusiastic and appreciative of the event. That’s what made the effort worthwhile to me,” said Weiss, who served as AMA team captain—a role she also played in 2005—as well as serving as one of the fundraising board members this year.

That effort began months ago and included three previous fundraisers, which enabled AMA to raise $3,000 before the Relay itself.

“These events were very valuable because they allowed me to realize how much money single individuals can raise through spreading the word and marketing for a great cause,” she said.

At about 10:00 p.m., the traditional Luminaria Ceremony took place. Participants lit candles in memory of those who have been lost to cancer and especially to recognize those who are surviving and thriving. Weiss found that part of the experience particularly moving.

“When almost all the other candles had burned out, my mom's was still glowing strong. It felt as though she were inside the flame, making her presence felt,” she said.

Forging a new partnership with business offers more hope.

Relay for Life of Blue Lagoon brought together the community of Blue Lagoon—a professional sector of Miami with many university associations and home to corporations such as Burger King, Oracle, and Hewlett Packard.

Melany D. Michelena (BBA ’05), marketing research specialist, TotalBank, participated for the first time. She’s still active in the college’s AMA chapter, serving as its alumni chair.

“I hope that next year, my employer also will become involved,” she said. “It is a great cause.”

Though it took added effort to convince the corporate world to partner with a university group, Weiss feels it was worth it.

“Once you have the commitment of a business, the bond is a lot stronger and more likely to be long term,” she said.

.: Seniors help others understand money matters.

Tantalized by a steady flow of letters announcing, “You’ve been pre-approved for a credit card,” some students are finding themselves in credit card debt. And they may not have the additional financial savvy to know how to budget and save. Two recent graduates from the College of Business Administration and the Honors College recently set out to help change that.

Nicholas Valverde

Nicholas Valverde (BBA ’06) a finance major with a certificate in banking, and one course shy of a minor in economics, and Richard Bruguera (BBA ’06), who had a double major in finance and accounting, took advantage of an independent study option to complete their required Honors College coursework—and assist their younger classmates. Robert Hogner, associate professor of management and international business, coordinator of the college's Civic Engagement Initiative, and a senior fellow in the Honors College, supervised the project.

“Some parents haven’t taught their kids how to manage money, and many students who aren’t finance majors haven’t had the opportunity to learn what we have,” said Valverde, who now is working for a private equity fund. “We wanted to help them understand how to manage their money, from controlling their use of credit cards to determining a budget, to investing, to creating a savings plan.”

Piloting the presentation was a priority.

Robert Hogner

The duo developed a PowerPoint presentation and piloted it on new associates in their fraternity, Pi Kappa Phi, before offering it as “Financial Literacy” information sessions through the “First Year Experience.” All students entering Florida International University with fewer than thirty semester hours must take the one-credit course designed to help acclimate them to college life and its expectations.

“I was never very good at using credit and was dipping into savings when I shouldn’t have been,” said college MIS major Randy Borges, a member of the pilot group.

He gave the experience “two thumbs up.”

“The presentation was really informative and presenters laid it out in a way that was very understandable,” he said. “I am now managing my money much more effectively.”

Students leave a legacy.

Valverde and Bruguera planned a twenty-minute presentation but received so many questions and so much interest that they expanded it to a full hour.

“When we started, I didn’t think students would be that interested, and it was very satisfying to see how involved they became,” said Bruguera, operations manager of nonprofit Parent to Parent of Miami, Inc.

Although the two creators of the program have now graduated, they have establish the foundation to leave a legacy—one of the requirements of the independent study project.

“Richard was a member of the Financial Management Association (FMA) and I belonged to the Financial Honor Society (FHS), two organizations that work closely together,” Valverde said. “We met with the two boards and got them to agree to continue the project as a community service project and provided them our presentation to use in future sessions.”

“The idea for this project seeded when an BBA major was offered a full Fund for the Improvement of Post Secondary Education (FIPSE) scholarship from the Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) plus $3000, to study in Spain,” Hogner said. “She had to decline, citing needing a job to make payments on her new car lease. Why a car? She answered, to get back and forth to work!”

According to Hogner, “Valverde and Bruguera’s senior project is a fine example of experiential learning with a responsive and substantive community impact. They already have changed lives, and the project they developed will change many others.”

3:00 p.m.: Approximately 675 undergraduate business students take part in the Commencement Ceremonies on May 2, 2006.

7:30 p.m.: Chapman Graduate School Commencement Ceremony, held on May 2, 2006, is celebrated by graduates throughout Pharmed Arena.

Alumnus Gerald C. Grant (MBA ’79, BBA ’78), director of corporate and individual financial planning, AXA Advisors LLC, South Florida, receives Florida International University’s Medallion during the Commencement Ceremony on May 2, 2006.

Amid the traditional pageantry of commencement, approximately 675 undergraduates and 150 graduate students from the College of Business Administration received their diplomas on May 2, 2006. In the afternoon ceremony, undergraduate degrees were conferred to all but those from the School of Accounting. In the evening, business masters and doctoral diplomas, along with those for undergraduates in the School of Accounting and the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, were handed out. Executive Dean Joyce J. Elam spoke at both ceremonies.

Elam focuses on achievements: past and forthcoming.

In her remarks, Elam called attention to the fact that the students had reached this milestone while they fulfilled many other commitments: to jobs and family, for example. Recapping the college’s many achievements in its drive to become one of the top urban, public business schools in the nation, she credited the students—along with the college’s programs and faculty—for their contributions to the college’s growing reputation.

She also talked about the future.

“I urge you to keep thinking about what you wish to achieve and how you plan to develop and use your gifts, talents, and knowledge in the years ahead,” she said. “And, always remember that obligation to give back to your country, your community, and your university comes with the privilege of the education you have received.”

Robert Hogner emphasizes commitment to community.

Robert Hogner, associate professor of management and international business, director of the college’s Civic Engagement Initiative, and senior honors fellow, spoke at the evening ceremony. Like Dean Elam, he zeroed in on service, using the image of helping hands drawn from sociologist James Stockinger, who describes the many times that helping hands save others.

“I ask all of you to think about and act—personally and professionally—in a manner which recognizes the immense responsibility we all carry, that of offering our hands to all those we can so that they, too, may share, as you are today, in the celebration of individual accomplishments,” he said. “You may offer your hands to the homeless in Miami, to the poor in Sri Lanka, to those orphaned by our actions in Iraq, or, as our international business students do, to disadvantaged children in Thailand. But, wherever, however, offer your hands.”

Business Alumni Chapter co-hosts post-graduation party.

For the second consecutive time, the Business Alumni Chapter and the college sponsored a reception immediately after the afternoon ceremony. The party provided an opportunity for graduates to celebrate with family and friends. As the very newest alumni, they had the chance to learn more about the Business Alumni Chapter, which offers monthly networking events, career development conferences, executive speaker events, and discounts to professional development programs, among other benefits.

.: Sophisticated computer model adds to knowledge about the impacts of hurricanes on insurance costs.

Shahid Hamid, professor in the Department of Finance in the College of Business Administration, director of Florida International University’s International Hurricane Research Center (IHRC)’s Laboratory for Financial, Insurance, and Economic Research, and lead investigator on the project.

Researchers who worked on the model, International Hurricane Research Center (IHRC) affiliates and board members, and other interested parties attended an unveiling of the model at University Park on May 9, 2006.

Hurricane season has arrived again, and South Floridians, among others, are understandably jittery—not only about the possibility of a strike but also about the reality of insurance rate increases. Since insurance companies use proprietary models to determine hurricane losses—and from that, insurance rates—how can regulators determine the appropriateness of requested hikes?

A computer model, developed over hundreds of thousands of person-hours and drawing upon the expertise of fifteen meteorologists, wind engineers, computer scientists, statisticians, financial analysts, and actuary scientists plus more than a dozen graduate students scattered throughout Florida, will help the insurance regulators do just that. Shahid Hamid, professor in the Department of Finance in the College of Business Administration and director of Florida International University’s International Hurricane Research Center (IHRC)’s Laboratory for Financial, Insurance, and Economic Research, was the lead investigator on the project. He was on hand when the “Hurricane Insured Loss Projection Model” was unveiled in the MARC Pavilion at University Park on May 9, 2006.

“Insurance companies use commercial models but keep the process secret,” he said. “The State commissioned a public model so regulators would not have to take the information on faith. Our model, which is independent of both the insurance industry and the State regulatory agencies, makes the information—including the underlying assumptions on which it is based—clear to the person reading the reports we produce.”

The principal objective of the computer model—which had to meet two hundred standards in computer science, actuarial science, meteorology, engineering, and statistics—is to estimate annual expected insured losses and probable maximum loss as a result of hurricanes, which companies use to determine their windstorm rates. It also can provide immediate estimates of losses from specific hurricane events like Charley, Katrina, and Wilma.

Future funding will expand applications.

Additional funding will make it possible to gather information on the impact of mitigation efforts: for example, the degree to which hurricane shutters mitigate losses. The information is important because hurricane damage must be lowered to sustain Florida’s economy. Increased funding also will enable researchers to expand the model to include commercial structures such as condominiums and apartment buildings, which constitute a large portion of Florida’s structures; currently, only residential structures are included.

The State began using the model in December, 2005. The model was calibrated mostly to pre-2004 storms and, in particular, to Hurricane Andrew. The project team currently is updating the model with data from more recent storms.

“Ten percent of the storms in the last 100 years have occurred in the last two years,” Hamid said. “We now are recalibrating the model with new data.”

Information sharing is underway.

Team members—about 40 percent of them from the university—already have published a number of papers based on their findings and many more reports are expected. Though much of the information amassed by the researchers—such as reports and flowcharts—will be shared, the source code will remain proprietary.

A significant amount of background material on the wind, vulnerability, and insured loss components of the model as well as a list of the current publications is posted at http://www.cis.fiu.edu/hurricaneloss/.

.: Blended courses and online teaching veterans share insights at 2006 CIBER Business Language Conference.

Constance Bates, associate professor, Management and International Business Department

While online and blended (partly online, partly on-site classroom instruction) course formats bring convenience and flexibility to students, they require a complete overhaul in the way professors present material—a potentially painful process that two professors from Florida International University recently made a little easier.

In a paper titled “Teaching Spanish for Business and International Business Using an Online Format,” Constance Bates, associate professor in the Management and International Business Department, and Maida Watson, professor of modern languages in the College of Arts & Sciences, offered helpful advice to participants in the 2006 Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) Business Language Conference. The idea for the presentation evolved from discussions the two professors had about challenges they had faced as they responded to the increasing demand for online and blended courses.

Learning how to deal with surprises.

Maida Watson, professor of modern languages, College of Arts & Sciences

“There are a great many surprises, and what we tried to do was alert teachers who are new to web-based instruction about how to deal with those unexpected occurrences,” Bates said. “For many of us, our whole orientation has been on giving lectures, interacting with students face-to-face on a regular basis, and structuring our courses around a few milestones such as a midterm, a major paper, and a final.”

That formula doesn’t work in the online and blended course world. For example, Bates realized that assigning long research papers puts a burden on the professor who must print them all out, or read them on the monitor, and then figure out a way to provide feedback to the students.

“Among many changes, I have come to rely less on tests and papers and more on my students’ performance on exercises I assign frequently,” she said. “I constantly develop exercises that will keep students engaged as they read the text, and I think about ways to structure exams that can be computer-graded with accuracy.”

In the case of teaching a language online, Watson also discovered a number of challenges.

“There is the challenge of teaching the audio portion of a language and the skill of putting words together into sentences that communicate,” she said. “There is also the difficulty of establishing rapport with students when you don’t see their faces or hear their voices—both very important in teaching a language. Finally, there is the challenge of evaluating students’ language skills without that aspect of the language learning situation.”

Benefits exist in the web-enhanced process.

However, the challenges can be met—and there are benefits to faculty as well as to students.

“The college’s online learning capabilities provide an exceptional level of knowledge and support as we rethink how to approach the material in a technology-enabled course,” Bates said.

She also acknowledges the value of learning new skills.

“On the one hand, starting over is hard because we can’t use techniques that we know and are comfortable with,” she said. “But with the support from our college’s Online Learning team, we are learning new techniques and are benefiting from the experiences of others, which is helpful, as is communicating our knowledge to each other. Even though Dr. Watson and I think of ourselves as amateurs, we learned that our experiences are beyond those of many colleagues at other universities.”

The university’s CIBER was a co-sponsor of the 2006 conference, which was titled “Matters of Perspective: Culture, Communication, and Commerce.” Held in April at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, the conference brought together educators and administrators—from kindergarten through college—representing the fields of foreign language, cultural and area studies, business, and management.

Robert Garcia

As a graduate of the first Executive MBA class, Robert Garcia (EMBA ’97) is no stranger to the College of Business Administration.

“I’m very familiar with what Executive Dean Joyce J. Elam, and Dean of the Alvah H. Chapman Jr. Graduate School of Business José de la Torre, have done to transform the college,” Garcia said. “Also, when I was working in human resources (HR), I sent some of my direct reports to certification programs in what was then called the Office of Professional Education, so I have long been aware of the caliber of the programs the college offers.”

Now, he’ll have a chance to make his own contribution to the college as the newly-appointed director of the renamed office of Executive and Professional Education (EPE). During his distinguished career, he has developed corporate and executive management programs and sees the opportunity with EPE as a natural extension of his corporate experience. And though he just started in the position in early May 6, 2006, this former senior vice president of global accounts at Lee Hecht Harrison already has been actively engaged with faculty and an outreach effort to the business community.

Establishing short- and long-term goals is Garcia’s priority.

“EPE’s goal is to provide the business community with top-notch professional and executive education,” he said. “To ensure that we continue to do so, I am meeting with all faculty members who create content and facilitate our programs to evaluate what we are doing currently and to hear their many ideas about ways to expand and develop new programs. I’m also soliciting input from all department chairs.”

In addition, Garcia has been meeting with business people to identify ways in which EPE can develop courses to meet—or exceed—their requirements. One area in which he sees many possibilities is in customized programs.

“There are national programs, but I think there is a great need for high-quality education offered locally for executive teams to help them become more productive and effective,” he said. “Given that South Florida is headquarters for regional offices to more than 750 multinationals, that our faculty has extensive international experience, and that we have an extraordinary network of partners in the region, we are particularly well-placed to offer regional solutions to management development needs and to help multinationals diagnose and implement organizational changes in their regional operations.”

Garcia boasts a wide-ranging background.

“Garcia brings a wealth of experience in the fields of sales and marketing, operations, human resources, training and development, leadership consulting, health care administration, and diversity,” Elam said. “He has worked with executive teams in the international banking, financial services, automotive, pharmaceutical, hospitality, medical, and transportation/logistics industries, and he is tenacious in securing customer loyalty and forging strong relationships with business partners throughout the United States, Latin America, and Europe.”

Garcia is interested in hearing from members of the local business community.

“If someone has suggestions, or requirements for a course, I hope he or she will contact me at 305-348-1144 or at garciar@fiu.edu so that we can arrange a personal meeting,” he said.

.: New Farmer-to-Farmer partnership plants seeds of opportunity in Central America.

Agricultural businesses and farming organizations in Central America may soon begin reaping the benefits of U.S.-developed agricultural technology thanks to a new partnership between the John Ogonowski Farmer-to-Farmer (FTF) Program, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Public Intellectual Property Resources for Agriculture (PIPRA).

In April, the College of Business Administration’s Knight Ridder Center for Excellence in Management and PIPRA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that enables the two institutions to work together to identify agricultural technology for potential transfer to program participants in that region.

Carmen Algeciras

“PIPRA’s objectives are to promote the management of intellectual property related to agriculture and to use agricultural innovation for research, commercial use, economic development, specialty, and humanitarian purposes,” said Carmen Algeciras (MIB ’03, BA ’01), director, USAID Farmer-to-Farmer Program, which falls under the umbrella of the Knight Ridder Center and the Eugenio Pino and Family Global Entrepreneurship Center.

As part of its program, PIPRA has built and maintains a database of what adds up to more than 40 percent of all agricultural technologies developed by scientists, universities, and private companies in the United States. The database makes these technologies more easily available to people in developing countries seeking to improve crop development and market distribution.

Algeciras believes the pairing of FTF and PIPRA opens the door to exciting new opportunities for agricultural advancement and growth in Central America.

“Our role focuses on selecting volunteer experts to evaluate the applicability of relevant technologies available through PIPRA,” she said. “Should they prove to be feasible for our FTF hosts, we will then collaborate to facilitate the licensing negotiation process between hosts and PIPRA members.”

An example: Program takes a fresh look at lettuce.

One of the first joint FTF-PIPRA projects focuses on improving post-harvest management of lettuce grown in Guatemala. Marita Cantwell, from the University of California-Davis, is the volunteer expert who will travel to Guatemala to examine the applicability of post-harvest technologies for lettuce that are readily available through the PIPRA database.

“Upon her return, Cantwell will make recommendations as to which technologies are most appropriate. We'll then work with PIPRA to begin the licensing negotiation process,” Algeciras said.

Strawberry fields aren’t forever.

A second project concentrates on improving strawberry production in El Salvador, where market demand for the crop exceeds land availability. 

“Since working with the FTF Program initially, producers in that country have established contact with Pizza Hut, GLO Jellies, and Paletasla Colmenita, an ice cream company,” Algeciras said. “However, local producers have not been able to satisfy their clients’ demands due to their lack of land.”

Coordinated through FTF and PIPRA, an expert volunteer is helping strawberry producers look at a variety of other factors—such as altitude and soil—to determine the best approach for creating higher-yield strawberry crops.

Program yields from this fruitful collaboration.

According to Algeciras, PIPRA also is providing support to the FTF Program in other ways. 

“Through PIPRA, we were able to gain access to Public Interest Intellectual Property Advisors (PIIPA), a Washington, D.C.-based organization that works with pro-bono attorneys,” she said. “This connection, in turn, put us in contact with Steptoe & Johnson LLP, a leading firm for assisting companies in developing and executing strategies to improve market access and minimize risk for international trade. The firm has demonstrated interest in working with FTF on a pro-bono basis, which should help us broaden the scope and effectiveness of our program.”

To learn more about the USAID Farmer-to-Farmer Program, visit http://entrepreneurship.fiu.edu/usaid/. For more details, contact Carmen Algeciras, program director, at 305-348-0399 or algecira@fiu.edu.

.: New Venture Challenge sets young entrepreneurs on the path to success.

2005 undergraduate winner Mike Anestor of Infinity Dance Project with 2006 undergraduate winners, Phoenix Tutoring and Mentoring’s team members William Hatcher, Mike Sylvestre, Steven Benyard; 2005 graduate winner Hein Nguyen of Intelligent Math, Starex Smith of Phoenix Tutoring and Mentoring; Alan L. Carsrud, executive director of the Euegenio Pino and Family Global Entrepreneurship Center; and Gerald Nievas-Caro of Phoenix Tutoring and Mentoring

2005 undergraduate winner Mike Anestor of Infinity Dance Project; 2005 graduate winner, Hein Nguyen of Intelligent Math; 2006 graduate winner Alexis Nogueras of G-Force Tools, and Alan L. Carsrud, executive director of the Eugenio Pino and Family Global Entrepreneurship Center

What might have seemed like the longest fifteen-minute period of their lives also was one of the most significant for the student entrepreneurs who presented their business plans to the panel of distinguished judges assembled for the 2006 Howard J. Leonhardt New Venture Challenge Business Plan Competition.

Participants had been preparing and polishing their plans for several months leading up to the actual events. The Semi-Final Round of presentations was held on May 5, 2006, at University Park, with nearly 150 team members, judges, and supporters attending. The judges then whittled the candidates down to the final five teams—both graduate and undergraduate—who presented at the Final Oral Presentation Round on May 16, 2006, also at University Park. Close to fifty attendees were there to cheer them on.

Students rise to the competitive challenge.

Hosted by the Eugenio Pino and Family Global Entrepreneurship Center, the annual New Venture Challenge Business Plan Competition is open to all upper-division undergraduate and graduate students who currently are enrolled or who recently graduated. Their business ideas must be for an original seed-funded, start-up venture. The top four winning teams receive cash and in-kind contributions to help them fund their new businesses.

To help students prepare for the New Venture Challenge, the college, in conjunction with the Pino Center, offers entrepreneurship classes and a series of free workshops that run in tandem with the competition. Students learn how to pitch an idea, uncover market niches, write business plans, and present them convincingly. 

Along the way, the young entrepreneurs get a feel for the demanding, competitive environment they are preparing to enter.

“I’ve been wearing red boots for over a decade at business plan competitions like this as a reminder to students that it can get bloody in the real world,” said Alan L. Carsrud, executive director of the Pino Center. “But I do try to have a little fun with them along the way.”

Clearly, the participating students were up for the challenge.

“This is the third year in a row that I’ve been a New Venture Challenge judge,” said Noel J. Guillama, president and chief executive officer of The Quantum Group, Inc., a South Florida-based business that delivers health care solutions. “Each year, the quality and level of professionalism gets better and better. It’s really a positive reflection of the quality of the program and the skills and maturity of the staff and administrators who prepare these students.”

Innovative, diverse business plans take home the top prizes.

The New Venture Challenge winners were announced at the 2006 Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Luncheon, held on May 17 at Parrot Jungle in Miami.

G-Force Tools, which brings an original ergonomic design to lawn and garden tools, won at the graduate level.

“Conceiving G-Force Tools was truly an ‘ah-ha’ moment for me,” said Alexis Nogueras (MBA ’06), who was a powerful team of one at the competition. “Throughout my graduate program, I’ve remained committed to becoming an entrepreneur. This whole experience—developing my business plan and pitching my idea to judges with such impressive credentials—has given me the self-confidence to achieve my goals.”

Phoenix Mentoring won the undergraduate competition with a business plan for creating a non-profit company focused on mentoring inner-city children in the arts as well as in academics. This team consisted of four undergraduate students and team leader Starex Smith (BS ’05), now a student in the university’s Master of Public Administration program.

“The concept behind Phoenix Mentoring started a year or two ago as a community service project,” Smith said. “But we saw this business plan competition as an opportunity to grow our efforts into a sustainable non-profit organization, serving children who might otherwise not get the chance to learn more about art, theater, and music, not to mention receive extra tutoring support for their regular school work.”

Both Nogueras and Smith are grateful for the guidance and encouragement they received from the Pino Center’s staff supporting the New Venture Challenge.

“Everyone at the Pino Center was always there for us, mentoring and motivating us every step of the way,” Smith said. “They even helped us tap into college resources that we did not know were available.”

Nogueras is equally appreciative.

“Dr. Carsrud kept telling me to move ahead and to believe in my project because it ‘had some legs on it,’” he said. “I don’t think I could have done it without the skills I acquired in my MBA program and the tremendous support from the Pino Center team.”

For more information on the 2006 Howard J. Leonhardt New Venture Challenge Business Plan Competition, visit nvc.fiu.edu or call 305-348-7156.