by Amanda Pittman | Jan 19, 2012 | Careers In..., COBA Events, College Decisions, Current Students, Special Speakers
After being pushed from the fall, due to their appearance in the World Series, we are thrilled to welcome the CFO of the Texas Rangers, Kellie Fischer, to our campus on Feb. 7th.
Here’s Kellie’s bio, from the Rangers website:
Kellie Fischer was appointed Chief Financial Officer of the Texas Rangers in March of 2005. She oversees all financial matters, human resources, information technology and legal operations for the Texas Rangers. Kellie joined the Rangers in 1999 and has served in many roles for the Rangers former parent company, Southwest Sports Group and the Dallas Stars.
We're excited to welcome Mrs. Fischer to our campus this semester
Prior to joining the Rangers, Kellie spent four years at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in the audit division of the Dallas office. She earned her B.A. in accounting from Baylor University in 1995 and is a Texas CPA. Kellie serves on the Executive Board of Directors for the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Directors for the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation, the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas, and the Baylor Hankamer School of Business Advisory Board. In addition, Kellie recently served on the Baylor Accounting Department Advisory Board.
In October 2010, Kellie was awarded Chief Financial Officer of the year for private mid-size companies by the Dallas Business Journal.
Kellie and her husband Scott reside in Dallas and are active in promoting cancer awareness for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life.
The luncheon event, where Mrs. Fischer will be speaking, is free and only open to ACU students and faculty. For more information, click here.
by Amanda Pittman | Oct 8, 2011 | Careers In..., COBA Events, College Decisions, Special Speakers
In early September, COBA hosted two successful event planners, Luanna Cole and Rachel Hollis, for a Career Connect: Event Planning event. Over 75 students turned out to hear these two women share advice, insights and experience from their careers in wedding and event planning. You can read more about the events here.
And this past week, Rachel Hollis appeared on The Nate Berkus show, a nationally syndicated talk show focusing on interior design, decorating, entertaining and homemaking. Rachel is the Entertaining Contributor for Traditional Home magazine and she recreated a table scape from her September column for Mr. Berkus. Enjoy the clip! (Click on the sentence)
The Nate Berkus Show with special guest Rachel Hollis
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Rachel Hollis on The Nate Berkus Show
by Amanda Pittman | Sep 29, 2011 | Careers In..., COBA Events, Current Students, Special Speakers
Earlier this month we hosted our first Career Connect event of the fall semester. We were honored to welcome two very successful wedding and event planners – Luanna Cole of The Plantation House in Pflugerville, Texas and Rachel Hollis of Chic Events based in Los Angeles, CA. Event planning and hospitality are two industries that our students have become very interested in lately. As two seasoned and successful entrepreneurs and veterans of the wedding and event industries, Luanna and Rachel brought lots of stories, wisdom, advice and encouraging words to our students.
Luanna and her husband, Norris, has been owner/operators of The Plantation House for 17 years, having hosted over 700 weddings, receptions and corporate events at their venue. Rachel begin Chic Events almost 8 years ago in her basement and has planned and styled weddings, corporate events and parties for various celebrities, motion picture studios, non-profit organizations and magazines. She was named one of Inc. Magazine’s Top 30 Under 30 Entrepreneurs in 2008.
Event Planning panel featuring Luanna Cole (L) and Rachel Hollis (Center)
We sat down with two students who attended the event. Calli is a sophomore journalism and mass communication major from Carrollton; Kelsey is a senior management major from San Angelo.
1) What’s one thing you learned (or that really stuck with you) about the business of wedding and/or event planning?
Calli: “One thing that really made an impact on me about the business of event planning was how much of your time you have to invest in order to be successful, therefore those with passion for the business will most likely be more motivated to devote themselves to their work.”
Kelsey: ” I found it interesting that a common misconception in regards to event planning is that it is a glamorous line of work. Hearing Rachel and Luanna talk about their experiences allowed all of the girls in the room to recognize that a great amount of time, energy, and hard work is placed into their event planning jobs. I enjoyed learning tactics that each of the women used to balance their careers and family lives. It was interesting to hear that from an early age, Luanna involved her children in the process of setting up events at their home. Her stories about her daughters ending their dates by inviting the guys over to help set up an event were quite comical. It was neat to see that each member of the family contributed in some way to ensure the success of their family owned business.”
Career Connect: Event Planning
2) Did you learn something that will change how you approach the rest of your time here at ACU or has encouraged to try something you wouldn’t have otherwise?
Calli: “Yes. I learned that I want to attain as much experience in the field as possible before I graduate so that I feel prepared for the “real world”.
Kelsey: “I was encouraged to dream big just as Rachel and Luanna did, but to realize that with big dreams comes great responsibility and time commitments. Pursuing a career that you are passionate about has many phenomenal rewards but comes with a lot of hard work.”
Luanna Cole shares with ACU students interested in event planning
3) Did these events encourage you to pursue this career track? If so, how?
Calli: “I definitely want to get more hands on experience. Both Rachel and Luanna encouraged us to work in all sides of the field such as the florists, rental companies, caterers, photographers, etc.”
Kelsey: “I am not drawn to this particular career track, but I feel like the speakers gave great advice that can be carried over into any future career.”
Rachel Hollis sharing with ACU students
4) How does hearing from industry professionals (no matter the industry) enhance what you are learning in the classroom?
Calli: “I have never really heard experience first hand like this so I was incredibly inspired to hear what they had to say. It affirmed every idea i had about the field and reassured that this is exactly what I want to do with my life.”
Kelsey: “Hearing real life experiences straight from a successful business person, enables us (students) to learn far more about a specific industry and/or valuable life lessons that could not be communicated as effectively from a textbook or lecture. One of my favorite parts about listening to the “powerful” speakers that ACU brings to campus, is hearing how the individual overcame a variety of failures and conflicts to get to where they are today. The wisdom that we receive through hearing about other’s past failures gives us the opportunity to avoid making the same mistakes and the ability to put into practice the tactics that the speaker has found to be the most effective. We are encouraged to live humbly just as the speakers do. It seems like usually one of the main differences that sets ACU speakers apart from other successful career people is the fact that the speakers we listen to are so down to earth and exhibit humility as they share their stories with us.”
by Amanda Pittman | Sep 9, 2011 | Careers In..., College Decisions, Current Students
Aaron is a sophomore marketing major from Burleson. He came to ACU interested in pursing a career in sports management or sports marketing. After attending a job fair in Dallas centered around the corporate side of sports, Aaron made connections with the front office of FC Dallas. He accepted the unpaid internship because he was excited about the opportunity and experience and knew it would be a great resume builder. We’ve asked Aaron to share about his summer internship experience with us:
Every experience gained throughout this internship was a vital building block in my understanding of life, business, and personal goals. This thirteen-week experience of trials, setbacks, and successes was a much-needed real world encounter. I came into this internship with expectations of what a professional soccer team would be like, and I was very please with what I found.
Aaron at Cowboy Stadium for an FC Dallas game
The business side is completely different from the game played on the field. These two sides have to work together in order to compete well against other teams and stay profitable and sustainable. FC Dallas has the one of the most consistent organizations in the MLS with numbers to back it up. They’re growing in popularity every year, and are consistently staying competitive. These are great signs for what the future holds for the game here in the United States of America.
When I first interviewed for the Team Administrative & Player Personnel Intern position, I wanted to make it clear that I wanted to learn the business of sports. Wherever they were going to put me, I was going to soak up as much information as possible through this experience. Come to find out when I started I was given just what I was asking for. My position gave me the ability to work and help with the team at practices and games.
FC Dallas at Cowboys Stadium
I also worked in the corporate office dealing with scouting databases, budgets, and logistics for the Team Administration and players to which it gave me the other perspective. Both sides of the puzzle were at my grasp to learn from multiple supervisors that were either directors, managers, or coaches. All of which have amazing stories that helped with me understanding more insights in today’s complex sports niche. I am extremely thankful for the trust that they gave in me with passing sensitive information in order for me to learn.
Time was my only downfall to this experience with which I wanted more time to be a part of this great organization. These thirteen weeks flew by with so many different scenarios that I was able to learn from for future successes. The projects given to me to be responsible for at FC Dallas were great challenges for me to start, but now the projects must be passed to the next intern for furthering them in benefiting the company. There is still much to learn about this sport and how things are done, but I have a feeling it wont be my last time in this related field. I thank God for my opportunity with FC Dallas, and I hope that I made a lasting impression.
by Amanda Pittman | Aug 3, 2011 | Careers In..., COBA Events, College Decisions, Current Students, Special Speakers
The College of Business Administration is excited to announce our Fall 2011 Distinguished Speaker Series special guest. On Thursday, November 3, Cheryl Bachelder, the President of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen and chief executive of AFC Enterprises, Atlanta will be visiting our campus, teaching in a Consumer Behavior course, engaging students in one-on-one mentoring conversations and will speak at luncheon in the Hunter Welcome Center.
Cheryl Bachelder via New York Times, Dan Dry
We couldn’t be more thrilled and honored to host Mrs. Bachelder. Take a few minutes to read more about her in this recent New York Times article and here, in this article in the Franchise Times Magazine. Mrs. Bachelder has worked for Proctor & Gamble, RJR Nabisco (general manager of the LifeSavers division), and Domino’s Pizza. We are looking forward to hearing from Mrs. Bachelder and we hope you can join us for lunch on Thursday, Nov. 3rd.
by Amanda Pittman | Jun 1, 2011 | Careers In...
Josh Stites has a passion for the city of Nashville. And he has a desire to serve the city by running for the Nashville Council. Stites graduated from ACU in 2003 with a degree in Management. While a student, Stites was involved in Students Association, Habitat for Humanity and Leadership Camps. He also said he was a student in the Bill Fowler School of Golf – where you learned secrets to networking while working on your short game.
Josh Stites - COBA Alum and Candidate for Nashville Council
Recently, we caught up with Stites to talk about his passion for civil service and how COBA helped prepare him for this path.
What office are you running for exactly?
I am running for the Nashville Council. It is the legislative body of the Metropolitan government of Nashville Davidson County.
And when is the election?
August 4, 2011 (Early Voting is July 15-30)
What issues are you passionate about that make you the best candidate for this position?
Nashville has great things going for it but its best days are still ahead. We are the healthcare capital of the country, an education mecca, and of course we also play a little music. But, like almost every government in the country, the current economic downturn has been hard on our city. The mayor’s budget for 2011-2012 avoids tax increases but dips significantly into the city’s reserves. It will require careful management by the Council to avoid a tax increase over the next four years. Maintaining fiscal discipline is a top priority. The business background that I received at ACU and later with an MBA from Baylor will be crucial to my ability to help lead our city through this crisis without any additional taxes.
Nashville is about to undertake an extensive conservation effort to provide miles and miles of trails for walking and biking. As an Eagle scout and someone who has always enjoyed being outdoors, this effort is near to my heart. This is a project that can change the face of Nashville forever, but it must be done responsibly and in a way that doesn’t over-burden the tax base. We must balance visionary conservation efforts with the development efforts of our city’s investors. Continued development/redevelopment is the only way a city can grow its tax base without raising taxes.
Finally, Nashville is struggling through some tough conversations right now about what as a society we will honor and protect. I am most excited about being a voice of reason and Truth during these discussions. Jenny and I believe that our country is hungry for men and women who will fearlessly and lovingly share Truth. If given the opportunity to serve, I look forward most of all to this aspect, having a larger podium from which to share the love of Christ. Without a doubt, my time at ACU has impacted my faith more than any other. I may not be the best candidate to accomplish this aspect of the responsibility, but I guarantee that no one wants it more.
How do you feel your experiences in COBA and at ACU have prepared you for this position?
Being in COBA for four years gave me the opportunity to sit at the feet of great men and women who share a passion for displaying excellence in their work. Because of their commitment to excellence in their profession they have credibility in what they say. My time at ACU taught me that if I want my words to be taken seriously, then my actions must lead the way. I must be an excellent Councilman in the way that I represent my city before anyone will hear the good news that I want to be able to share.
Also my time at ACU gave me confidence in what I stand for. I think I had a head-start because I come from what I consider a pretty awesome family, but the faculty and staff in COBA and throughout ACU really displayed what a Christ-like life looks like in the marketplace. This aspect of my ACU experience is priceless.
Finally, at Leadership Summit we read a book entitled Roaring Lambs. And although I don’t remember many details about the book, its core message was hammered home by Lytle and Winegeart, and that message was that we don’t need more Christian rock bands, Christian authors, or Christian ministry executives. What instead we needs are authors, writers, artists, accountants, IT professionals, teachers, and engineers who are Christian and who live out their faiths in the marketplace. This is what I am striving to do when running for the Council.
I want to be the best representative for my city, someone who is capable of solving complex problems, bringing people together, and building a healthy society for the next group that comes along. But, if I am able to do all these things but I do not share the love of Christ then it is all meaningless.
What advice do you have for current students that are interested in civil service?
The media always finds the bad examples of “public servants” but there are also a lot of great examples, our very own Bob Hunter and Ted Poe being two shining examples. Find the good ones and learn. Listen to people when they talk, always be honest; people can handle the truth, and never forget the greater purpose of your calling.
Josh and Jenny Stites
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