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Black tie affair helps mark the accomplishments of new Executive MBAs. At a gala ceremony, Andrew Manton-Zamora, president and CEO of Bretannia Worldwide, was named most outstanding student in the 2006 Executive MBA (EMBA) class in the College of Business Administration and Matthew Millheiser, managing director of Paravel, was honored for achieving the highest GPA. The program, which has been designed for mid-to senior-level executives who have at least eight years of professional work experience, five of those in management, drew 24 students to the 2006 class.
In his remarks to the assembled group, Manton-Zamora reflected on his experiences. “It was just under two years ago that I remember writing a personal essay as one of the admission requirements for this program,” he said. “At that time, the program was an opportunity that had just crossed my path—an opportunity that I felt could help me improve my knowledge base and help me strengthen my decision-making skills. I had no idea how much more rewarding this program was going to be. It is an opportunity that I am so proud to have followed.” In addition to acknowledging the many contributions of the faculty, staff, and his classmates, he drew particular attention to the international residency trip to India and the role that Sumit Kundu, associate professor in the Department of Management and International Business and faculty director of the EMBA, played in its success.
“India was a breath of fresh air,” Manton-Zamora said. “It was more than a business school international residency. It was a spiritual journey. It certainly is a culture from which we can all learn. Thank you, Dr. Kundu—your passion and your vision were the key elements in such a successful experience.” Millheiser, who credits establishing and keeping to a weekly schedule with helping him maintain his award-winning GPA, shared his fellow honoree’s assessment of the value of trip. “Without question, the trip added an extra dimension to our studies and was the most valuable component of the program from my point of view,” said Millheiser, who served as emcee for the student presentation of awards to faculty members.
The students named John Zdanowicz, professor in the Finance Department, as best professor and José de la Torre, dean of the Alvah H. Chapman Graduate School of Business, as the most challenging professor. They acknowledged Krishnamurthy Surysekar, associate professor in the School of Accounting, for teaching the most applicable class and Christos Koulamas, chair of the Decision Sciences and Information Systems Department, for being the best in terms of commitment and mentoring. More than 100 people, including many college faculty and staff members, attended the dinner, dance, and awards ceremony for the graduates of the program. “The event, which a student committee helped organize, provided an elegant setting in which the group celebrated their achievement with classmates and family members,” said Sarah Peréz, director of the Executive MBA and the college’s new Professional MBA (PMBA). ”They also were treated to a speech by Dean de la Torre.” Class members will receive their diplomas at the Spring, 2006, commencement ceremonies on the evening of May 2, 2006.
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