Constant Change

Fall Semester 2007

2008-01-18T10:36:00.000-05:00

Since returning to New Haven from Seattle my time has been consumed by the Yale School of Management. Between class, extracurricular activities, and the job search I have had to squeeze what little time was remaining for myself, my family, and my friends (obviously, blogging was not included in my things to do list). While my time with school has been busy it has also been successful.

My courses during the fall semester were excellent. It was my first opportunity to take a full elective schedule; so, I took Marketing Strategy, Corporate Finance, Macroeconomics, Financial Statement Analysis, Developing Winning Strategies, and Behavioral & Institutional Economics. To go along with my 20 credits of classes, I was also selected as an advisor for the Leadership Development Program, interviewer for the Admissions Office, and coordinator of the Net Impact Deloitte Case Competition. And most importantly, I found a job. There were three criteria that any position I considered needed to meet: 1 - a rotational leadership development program, 2 - a product I can support, and 3 - a midwestern location. Of the positions that I pursued, one opportunity rose to the top as an ideal fit, Whirlpool Corporation. The company is the number one producer and marketer of major appliances worldwide. I will be a marketing manager in the Brand Portfolio Leadership Development Program, rotating through product management, category management, and merchandising management. I am very excited about the prospects of this position!

While free time was in short supply, I did my best to enjoy what little was available to me. The highlights of the fall and winter were an early October New England Foliage Color Tour and hiking Sleeping Giant State Park; a New Haven Halloween with all of my wife's family; the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with all of my family; My daughter's first Birthday; Christmas in Michigan; and purchasing a home. I could elaborate on the beauty, fun, and excitement of these events, but I will instead let the pictures speak for themselves.

Northwest Massachusetts, just south of Vermont

The base of Sleeping Giant State Park, Mt. Carmel, Connecticut

A great float at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Thanks for the new hat, Mom & Dad!

As you can tell from the date of this post, the winter semester (and my last) has started. I am taking fewer classes and many of my extracurricular activities have been completed, so I plan to be spending a lot more time doing the things that I enjoy. Graduation is at the end of May and it is amazing to me that my MBA experience is nearly complete, but I am very fortunate to have been blessed with such a great time!

Summer Internship Review

2007-09-20T08:50:00.000-04:00

This summer I worked as a Marketing and Strategic Planning Associate at World Vision’s U.S. headquarters near Seattle. World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. In 2006, World Vision served more than 100 million people, worked in 97 nations, and more than 3 million children benefited directly from child sponsorship. World Vision employed 23,000 staff members and raised $2.1 billion in cash and goods for its work.

At World Vision I worked closely with the organization’s marketing leadership team. My primary responsibility was to assist product managers in establishing three-year marketing and operations strategic plans by completing market and trend analysis. The product managers, in conjunction with my project team, ultimately presented their plans to the Senior Vice President for approval. In addition to this work, I assisted multiple product categories on various projects, including the creation of a metric-based core report, category launch plan, and financial models.

What I enjoyed most about my summer experience was the opportunity to learn from outstanding leaders and practitioners. In addition to daily interaction with marketing directors and product managers, I had lengthy one-on-one conversations with the entire executive team, including World Vision U.S. President Rich Stearns. My experience at World Vision proved to be an exceptional opportunity and helped me clarify many goals for my career going forward.

Fourth of July*

2007-07-07T16:24:00.000-04:00

What a great 4th this year! We decided to venture out and see the Oregon Pacific Coast. Destination: Cannon Beach, home of the famous Haystack Rock. It was a beautiful day and an even more beautiful drive as we headed west. We decided early on that we were going to enjoy the journey and not just rush to the destination - a big step for us! Doug found a parking spot in a prime location, we toured the quaint town and then hit the beach! The beach was sandy, like the beaches in Michigan. The beach was also chilly, like the beaches in Michigan. So we were right at home.

Haystack Rock

The little one did great. She's still at the stage where she wants Mama and Daddy and doesn't really care what else is going on around her. Unless it's a kid. Or a puppy. And then she's mesmerized. So she wasn't excited that we were at the beach, but she was happy as ever. She even napped on the blanket that we brought, under an umbrella.

We ate dinner at a little diner and then back to the beach to stroll along the rocks jutting up out of the ocean. This was our favorite part. Haystack cut the waves, so on our side of it the waves were coming from two different directions and left a very shallow area. We stayed here for a while and watched the beginning of a wedding on the beach!

Waves crashing in near Haystack Rock

Then off to Portland for the next two nights. Great hotel - 4 stars won off Priceline. Great location - right downtown. Great company - the three of us without an agenda! Portland is a nice, smaller scale, clean city. It doesn't seem too unique or special - nothing about it really stood out to us. We were glad that we stayed there, though, and we all really did enjoy our time there.

Next stop: Mt. St. Helens. Amazing. We were just in awe of it. The Johnston Ridge Observatory was the way to go (named after the volcanologist on duty when she exploded and lost his life as a result). We were 5 miles away, looking straight at the "new" lava dome which is still exloding, albeit less dramatically than in the past. The steam was evident in the center of the "new" mountain that is rebuilding within the "old" mountain. The rangers were very knowledgable, friendly and excited about it all which made it all the more interesting for us. And the movie was definitely worth seeing - what an amazing feat of nature. God's creativity and power never ceases to amaze me. Another amazing thing: we saw friends from the midwest! Friends we haven't seen in quite a while! That just made our day.

Mt. St. Helens from WA-504

The "new" lava dome is currently steaming amid its eruptions!

We can't believe the opportunities we've had this summer. I have a feeling we'll look back and 1) be so grateful for our time here.....2) be so grateful that the little one is so good, so flexible, and so happy.......3) be so grateful that we did it all together!

*post written by Doug's better half

Yellowstone National Park

2007-06-05T22:42:00.000-04:00

On Thursday, May 17th, my family and I visited Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. It was a fantastic experience! The wildlife and scenery in Yellowstone are breathtaking. I will let the pictures below speak for themselves...

Lake Yellowstone

The wolf on the left was part of a pack that hunted an elk the night before this picture was taken. The pack briefly left the carcass and the grizzly bear promptly stole it. In this picture the grizzly feels that the wolf is getting too close, so its stands on its hind legs to challenge the wolf. The wolf promptly lays down.

Elk

From the East Entrance to Yellowstone

Hayden Valley

Artist's Point

Boiling mud

Bison

While not a part of Yellowstone, we did stop at Mt. Rushmore in Rapid City, SD.

So, I'm not very good at this...

2007-05-01T12:22:00.000-04:00

Not that my readership level was very high to begin with, but I am sure that my 3 month absence did not help maintain what I did have. For those of you who, for some reason, ended up back at my blog, thanks!

There are four main things that have happened this second semester of school. My daughter has been developing at an extremely fast pace, my family and I went to Michigan for a whirlwind tour, I secured an internship, and my car was stolen.

My daughter was 20 weeks old yesterday. She rolls over, laughs & smiles, and is on the verge of sitting-up on her own. I am extremely bias, but I think she is the most beautiful baby ever. My wife is absolutely wonderful with her and it is amazing to watch the two of them interact. I am so proud of both of them.

During my spring break we went to Michigan. It was the first time my daughter flew in an airplane (14 weeks) and met a lot of her family and friends. We had a great time visiting everyone. After flying into Detroit we drove over 1000 miles. We made stops in the southeast, southcentral, southwest, central, and northwest parts of the state. Here is a picture of the lighthouse at Ludington Beach.

This summer we are looking forward to another adventure. I have an internship with World Vision in Seattle, Washington. I targeted World Vision as the organization I wanted to work for from the very beginning and they offered me an excellent opportunity in their donor engagement and strategic planning divisions. You can check them out by following the link along the right-hand side of this page. We are hoping to get to know the area well and hopefully get to see Seattle in person like it is depicted in this photo.

As for my car, it was a sad farewell to the highest quality vehicle I have owned (which is a good sized dataset considering I have owned nine vehicles). We purchased the Civic with 60.000 miles and said good-bye to the car with 174,000.

I will try to do better with updating this blog. Maybe with some consistent posting I can rebuild the readership...

An Amazing Two Months!

2007-01-20T21:36:00.000-05:00

To say that a lot has changed since my last post is an understatement. The two biggest changes/events were the birth of my daughter and my trip to China. In addition to those two events I attended the Yale - Harvard football game, celebrated my birthday, finished my first semester of school, had family visit, and spent a good amount of time with my wife.

The birth of my daughter was an absolutely amazing experience. My wife was fantastic and so strong. We were supported by a great staff at the Yale-New Haven hospital. Everyone finished the long day healthy and in great spirits. It has since been wonderful spending time with my girls.

January 3 - 14 I was on the other side of the globe. I spent time with 43 of my classmates in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing. Each city was very unique and provided a great experience. We visited some of the premier companies in the world and high-ranking Chinese governement officials. The significance of what I learned will remain with me throughout my career. I am grateful for the opportunity!

View of Hong Kong Skyline from Victoria's Peak, the highest point on Hong Kong Island.

View of Shanghai's skyling in the Pudong District. Nothing existed in this area prior to '95.

"Center of the City" Monument in Tiananmen Square.

Lufthansa Case Competition

2006-11-18T09:57:00.000-05:00

On November 3, a few of my classmates and I joined together to form a case competition team. We were competing with other teams from SOM on a case presented by Lufthansa airlines. After a long weekend together, our team put together a great proposal and was chosen for the finals. This is where the story gets exciting. The finals were to be held on Long Island on November 17. If we were chosen as the grand prize winners, we would each receive round-trip airfare to Europe! So, we put in a great amount of time and effort going into the finals and were very prepared. Our presentation went great and we thought we were in good shape to win. However, that wasn't to be. We ended up finishing in second place by one point. It turns out that we had the best presentation and all of the judges wanted us to win, but we were missing a major component of the case requirement: revenue generated through the implementation of our recommendations. We couldn't believe because we considered this and decided that "if you can't do it right, don't do it at all." Our team couldn't do it right because we didn't have enough data available! With that said, our team learned a significant lesson and we walked away with a nice new suitcase.

Basketball Hall of Fame

2006-11-07T21:59:00.000-05:00

On Sunday my wife took me to the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. We decided to celebrate my birthday about a month early because we will most likely be celebrating someone else's inaugural birthday around the time of my 27th. We had a great time, to say the least. The Hall is comprised of three floors. The top floor is the Ring of Honor. Each inductee's accomplishments is highlighted with the other players, coaches, or contributors from their induction class. The rules of the game are also chronologically discussed. The second floor is very interactive. I measured my wingspan, call a play as a radio announcer, recapped the day's action as an ESPN sportscaster, and made the call as a referee (I was 5 of 5 and the program asked if I ever considered a career in officiating - little do they know). Also on the second floor were shoes, balls, statues, jerseys and displays about the development of the game. Great teams and coaches were also highlighted. The main floor was a full size basketball court with regulation NBA hoops at each end. Along the sides of the court was the progression of hoops, from a peach basket without a backboard to a glass backboard with a breakaway rim.

We continued to celebrate with a great dinner in New Haven at Soul de Cuba. The food and environment were fantastic. After dinner, we went to small group and ate birthday cake (chocolate with bananas in the middle) and ice cream. Overall, it was a great day!

PepsiCo Presentation

2006-11-01T21:09:00.000-05:00

The latest corporate presentation I attended here at Yale was for Pepsi. We were fortune to have our most illustrious alum give the presentation. Indra Nooyi is the president and chief executive officer of PepsiCo, which is the world's fourth-largest food and beverage company. On August 14, 2006 she was named the next to succeed Steve Reinemund as chief executive officer of the company. Reinemund, 58, retired on October 1, 2006. And speaking of Steve Reinemund, he is now the Chairman of the Board at Pepsi (Indra's boss, so to speak) and will be speaking at the Yale School of Management Christian Business Conference in February. Check out the link below, which details Indra's #1 most powerful businesswoman ranking according to Fortune Magazine (she is ranked #4 in Forbes). She was extremely impressive at the presentation and my respect for her increased greatly.

Exams Are Over

2006-10-28T11:55:00.000-04:00

In addition to exams being over, 1/8 of my MBA education is done, as well. I can't believe how fast time is going by. It seems like just yesterday we moved to New Haven, but that was 4 months ago!

Anyway, about exams. All I can say is that it was a humbling experience. The exams were extremely challenging and so was taking three three-hour exams on three consecutive days. I am confident that I did fine on all of them, but there were a lot of challenging questions that pushed the limits of what I had studied. Econ was the hardest, I felt best about Accounting, and Data & Decision Analysis I think I did pretty well. Overall, it was a good experience and I learned a lot about the subject matter and myself.

After our last exam the school treated us to pizza and microbrews at Bar: The Bru Room, a hip New Haven pizzeria. It was nice to talk to my classmates about the first six weeks and what their hopes are going into the next set of classes. Speaking of the next set of classes - there is no rest for the weary... During exam week we received some emails from the professors who will be teaching the next set of classes about upcoming assignments. I just got done printing off the syllabus for each class to find that we have assignments due on Monday.

Back to work!

Another two weeks has flown by...

2006-10-20T16:03:00.000-04:00

And next week will go even faster. Unbelievably, I have mid-terms next week! The funny thing about it, however, is that I am really looking forward to it. My mindset toward school has really changed since I got here. Knowledge and understanding, not grades, are my motivation...so spending 15-20 hours studying for an exam doesn't seem like a bad thing. After mid-terms I will have a whole new set of classes; again, something I am looking forward to.

In addition to classwork, I have been working on my resume and internship possibilities. I am also trying to decide if I should pursue a Graduate Certificate in Development Studies from the Yale International Relations Department.

Next time I come up for a breath I will make sure to post how exams went...

Special Guest Blogger: My wife

2006-10-08T21:09:00.000-04:00

Doug thought I would make a better blogger than he on this topic, so here it goes......

Since Doug and I are so far away from our Michigan friends and family, Doug's sister decided to throw us an unconventional baby shower. All of our wonderful (and very generous) loved ones spoiled our little baby to no end by sending us all sorts of fun gifts in the mail throughout the last month and we got to open them all today! We ate molasses cookies, drank hot apple cider and welcomed tons of baby stuff into our home. We had a great time, although we were overwhelmed with everyone's generosity.

It's amazing how much STUFF babies come with: stroller, carseat, crib, blankets, bath tubs, bottles, highchair, stuffed animals, toys, a swing and many, many other brightly colored things. We are well on our way to being prepared for this baby - at least when it comes to all the gear. We've still got a lot to learn about taking care of a newborn and raising kids, that's for sure. Thankfully, my friends here are experts in cloth diapers, nursing bras and butt paste so I'm not lacking any guidance in that department:) This baby is going to change our lives for the best in ways we can't even imagine - we just can't believe that it's only a couple months away!

Thanks for having me on your blog, Doug - I've had a great time:)

Reasons Why My Wife Is In The 99th Percentile

2006-10-02T19:29:00.000-04:00

Number 1: Two weeks ago I said to my wife, "We have been having dessert too frequently." So, she didn't buy any ice cream or do any baking for the past couple of weeks. This past weekend, however, I completely went back on my previous statement and said that we needed to have dessert. My wife's response was to make 4 dozen of my favorite cookies, oatmeal butterscotch. They are fantastic!

Number 2: My friends and I have been trying to carve out some time for a round of golf. My wife, first of all, thought it was a great idea for us to hit the links. When we were having a hard time coordinating everyone's schedule, she said to me, "I know how much you want to go golfing, so why don't you and I go. I will just drive the cart so you can play."

Number 3: After reading Gandhi's autobiography, I was surprised by his pride. My presumptions about Gandhi led me to believe that he was a humble man, but I found his writings to the contrary. He seemed to boast about the righteousness of his experiments with truth and denial of self. After expressing this to my wife, she sent me the following exerpt from a C.S. Lewis sermon.

"If you asked twenty good men today what they thought the highest of the virtures, nineteen of them would reply, Unselfishness. But if you asked almost any of the great Christians of old he (or she!) would have replied, Love. You see what has happened? A negative term has been substituted for a positive, and this is of more than philological importance. The negative ideal of Unshelfishness carries with it the suggestion not primarily of securing good things for others, but of going without them ourselves, as if our abstinence and not their happiness was the important point. I do not think this is the Christian virtue of Love. The New Testament has lots to say about self-denial, but not about self-denial as an end in itself. We are told to deny ourselves and to take up our crosses in order that we may follow Christ; and nearly every description of what we shall ulitmately find if we do so contains an appeal to desire."

Number 4: My wife has to be the most beautiful pregnant woman to have ever walked the earth! Not to mention that I haven't heard the faintest complaining about the changes her body is going through.

Number 5: I haven't packed my own lunch since school started.

Number 6: My wife sent me a reminder to update my blog so that the people who care about me can keep up with us.

Busy, busy, busy...

2006-09-29T10:01:00.000-04:00

I am starting to establish a routine with school. The only problem is that there isn't quite enough time to do all of the "extra" things that I would like, say blogging, emailing, and reading. With that said, I believe I am learning at an exponential rate. My professors keep the train moving and we just have to keep up.

Along with the classes, I have been able to attend some conferences and workshops. Last weekend I attend the Sarah Smith Memorial Conference at the Yale Divinity School titled, Crumbs From the Table? The Creation of Wealth and the Persistence of Poverty. The focus of the conference was on the role of Christian entrepreneurs and business people in eleviating poverty. The speakers were exceptional, both in speaking and in practice. Included on the roster were Collin Timms (Trustee, The Bridge Foundation, India), Vinay Samuel (Co-Founder, The Bridge Foundation), Susy Cheston (Senior Vice President, Opportunity International), Dale Hanson Bourke (Former Board Member, World Vision International), and Tony Hall (US Ambassador to the UN Agencies for Food and Agriculture, 3-time Nobel Peace Prize Nominee), among others.

This past week I attended a workshop by McKinsey & Company's Nonprofit Consulting Practice titled Measuring What Matters in Nonprofits. This concept is relatively new to the nonprofit sector and difficult to employ. However, donors are holding organizations more accountable for efficient use of money. Many different methods of evaluation were presented and I am confident that the information will help me be a stronger leader in the future.

As I mentioned in the first paragraph, I am starting to form a routine. With that, I hope to be able to find more time to update you on what is going on. My goal is a weekly summary of changes and exciting events...

The Last Three Weeks

2006-09-17T08:56:00.000-04:00

As you can tell from the amount of time between this and my previous post, the last three weeks have been very busy. The first official day of class was the Tuesday after Labor Day. Unlike most first days of class, we had assignments due before every class started. We spent about ten minutes on each of the syllabi and got right into the lessons. Since that day it hasn't stopped. I have been thrown to the wolves in accounting, economics, decision analysis, problem framing, and communication. Our final exams for these classes are in three weeks! Then we start another set of classes...I wouldn't have it any other way.

A lot has happened in addition to classes. I have heard from a lot of successful SOM alumni about different career paths, which has confirmed my desire to pursue a career in relief and development. Also, I just found out that I will be spending two weeks in China during second semester! We will be visiting businesses, government officials, and sites in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing.

On another note, I have finally included a picture of me at the New York Stock Exchange Trading Floor. I have always wanted to know what happens there and I was fortunate to have one of my classmates (a former trader) tell me all about it.

We have also had more visitors. Over Labor Day weekend we had a great time showing friends the sites in NYC. We even went to the Today Show and a Mets game. We were sad to see our last scheduled visitors (before the baby comes, of course) leave just about an hour ago. With all of the visitors we have had, our apartment certainly feels like home now. Our new friends, church, and semblance of a routine have also helped us get comfortable in New Haven.

2006-08-25T17:17:00.000-04:00

Tuesday - The first day or Orientation. My entire class arrived for registration at 8:30 even though it was available from 8:30 - 9:45. We were welcomed and addressed by our Dean, Joel Podolny. Lunch was provided to each cohort so that we could meet the 70 students that will be in all of our core courses together. I am in the silver cohort, which seems to be a lively bunch with a lot of great experiences to draw from. After a dessert social hour we then discussed the expectations for the Yale classroom. This was fundamental stuff, but hopefully it will prevent any issues. In the evening, all the students and their families (if applicable) went to Lighthouse Point in New Haven for a picnic. Overall, the day was busy and tiring. I am really looking forward to working with and learning from some great classmates.

Wednesday - To start the day we had an interesting dicussion of the SOM Honors Code, which governs all students actions both in and out of the classroom. It is an exceptional premise that leads to unsupervised exams and few out of class mishaps. Lunch was a buffet of many restaurants (manbe twenty) in New Haven. The food was great and so was the socializing. After lunch we met the Career Development Office Staff and discussed many of the programs they provide. Fittingly, three successful alumni later spoke about their careers and progression from SOM to their current stage in life. We finished the day with a wine and cheese gathering in the courtyard.

Thursday - New York City Trip - After riding the Metro North Railroad to Grand Central Station, we went to the Yale Club for lunch. The keynote speaker was a '82 grad of SOM and recently named vice-chairman of Merrill Lynch. He did an excellent job sharing his experiences and recommending what we should do to get the most out of the next two years. After lunch, a small group of us visited IBM Consulting. We were presented the operational goals of the IBM Global Business Management Services division and discussed the relationship between an MBA and successful consulting. Very interesting. If the lifestyle for consulting were to fit with my commitments, I may be interested. After IBM we went to the New York Stock Exchange for a Gala Reception. Our Dean was privileged to ring the closing bell and we helped him celebrate. The floor of the NYSE was reserved for us to mingle and converse. It was a great time and one of my classmates (who was a trader) took the time to describe the entire process.

Friday - Language Assessment - Yale has an outstanding Language Center that we will have access to throughout our studies at SOM. For this particular exercise, we were asked a series of questions after which our responses were recorded. The recording will be assessed by language and linguistic experts and evaluated on everything ranging from tone to speed. I enjoyed the process and am looking forward to getting the results and working to improve.

Overall, it was an amazing week filled with terrific people and great experiences. My time is going to be sparse, but I plan to take advantage of as many of the things that fit in with my priorities as possible.

The Final Countdown

2006-08-19T09:24:00.000-04:00

During the last couple days before school starts, I have been able to meet a number of my classmates and finish up the required summer reading. I am impressed, just as I was at Welcome Weekend, with the diversity of experiences and common belief in social responsibility of my classmates. As I posted earlier, the SOM Orientation schedule will lend to both great experiences and community builing.

Also, our apartment is now completely set. We sold an extra couch that we had and I repainted some patio furniture for our screened-in porch. The place is very comfortable and certainly feels like home to me. One of my favorite parts about our apartment is the study nook. I should be able to get a lot of good work and studying done here.

My Summer Workout

2006-08-15T09:32:00.000-04:00

Since moving to New Haven, I have made a concerted effort to do a few things in particular; spend time with my wife, read, practice guitar, practice spanish, and exercise. While I haven't done great in all areas, I have been consistent in working out. By following a Vern Gambetta six-week core workout, I feel like I have gotten a little tune-up. The workout focuses on functional sports training by addressing aerobic, strength, flexibility, and especially core facility. I am grateful that the workout doesn't require a gym. Instead, I take a couple dumbells and a medicine ball to a local track. The track is in great shape and best of all, it has a spectacular view of East Rock Park, which the photo below doesn't do justice.

Meeting with Fred Sievert

2006-08-11T12:55:00.000-04:00

Since the beginning of my career, I have always had an interest in what skills and characteristics separate executives from workers who never reach that level of management. In my search for answers I have met with and interviewed a few executives in the life insurance and educational industries. Thursday I had the privilege of meeting with Fred Sievert, president of New York Life Insurance, at his office in New York City. Mr. Sievert and I have been communicating since the beginning of my career, but this was the first opportunity we had to meet in person. He has always been very open with his time and knowledge, which is contrary to many of the executives with the companies I have worked for in the past three years. In the life insurance industry, New York Life is one of the top sellers of life insurance on an annual basis dating back to the early nineteen hundreds. The most significant lesson I have learned from Fred is that no matter what your job title, respect for others' time and requests is essential to successful leadership.

My In-Laws Came To Visit

2006-08-08T15:21:00.000-04:00

My wife's parents flew out to see us last week. We had a great time, and once again, gave the whirlwind tour. On their first day out here we spent the day in New Haven. After checking out the Divinty School, my in-laws showed themselves around downtown while I helped a classmate move into his apartment. After that we took the guided Yale tour, which was terrific. I had been on the weekday tour and it is a little over an hour long, but since we went on a Saturday tour it was close to two hours! After checking out the view of New Haven from East Rock, the days activities were complete.

The following day we made our way to Boston. We started the day on a whale watch and saw three adults and one calf. Then we had a late lunch (my in-laws opted for fresh lobster) and hit the freedom trail. Boston is really a great city with some amazing history and fun things to do. The picture above is of the oldest public building in Boston and the sight of both the Boston Massacre (1770) and the reading of the Declaration of Independence (1776).

On our last day of activities we ventured to NYC. While we took a very similar tour of the city as with my sister, it seems that the city has a different feel everytime I am there. A new wrinkle added to the tour was a carriage ride in Central Park. It was fantastic and I hadn't realized how many landmarks and sites there are in the 846 acres. When we returned from NYC we picked up Pepe's pizza. It was terrific. The thing about Pepe's is that it is in New Haven's Little Italy and it the rival pizza shoppe to Sally's. Most people in New Haven are loyal to only one, or at least have an opinion on which is better. We will get Sally's soon enough and I will let you know which I prefer.

Having my wife's parents at our place was terrific and I think they really enjoyed themselves.

Book Review: Sam Walton, Made in America

2006-08-03T16:28:00.000-04:00

Sam Walton's Autobiography, Sam Walton, Made in America, is the story of Walton's pursuit of the best retail company in the world. He got his start as a five and dime owner is the small town of Newport, Arkansas, and has since become the merchant king. The book is written with Walton's language style and makes for a simple and quick read. However, he clearly lays out his strategy for success while describing the progression of Wal-Mart from one store to the largest retailer in the world. The lesson I learned from this book is that hard work is always a key ingredient to success.

My Sister Came to Visit

2006-08-02T21:46:00.000-04:00

Last week my sister and her boyfriend came to New Haven to spend time with my wife and me...and to check out what the East Coast has to offer. They arrived at LaGuardia, so we used that day to check out NYC. I put together a one-day tour that hit most of the "must see" attractions. They will both admit that it was a whirlwind, but now they are acquainted with the city and excited to go back. The tour included the UN Buliding, Chrysler Building, Empire State Building viewing deck with audio tour, NY Public Library, Radio City Music Hall, Broadway Theatre District, Times Square, Central Park, Ground Zero, NY Stock Exchange, and finally the Staten Island Ferry for the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The photo below is of one of the great lions in front of the NY Public Library.

The following day we went northeast to Boston. We drove up and then walked The Freedom Trail, which was terrific. The trail is a red brick line throughout the city that highlights sixteen historic sights. While all sixteen are amazing, I most enjoyed the Old South Meeting House - where Samuel Adams gave the signal to proceed with the Boston Tea Party, the Old State House - where just outside the Boston Massacre took place in 1770 and six years later where the Declaration of Independence was read to the people of Boston, and the home of Paul Revere - built in 1680 and pictured below. To learn more about The Freedom Trail, check out thefreedomtrail.org.

Our last day of adventure led us first to relaxation at the West Beach of Hammonasset State Park, just east of New Haven. After the relaxing morning, we toured New Haven and Yale University. In the evening we joined 40,000 people on the New Haven Green for a concert by The Temptations. Here is a picture of the Green packed with community members.

Overall, we had a great time. Seeing my sister was really nice and I am glad that she could make it while we could entertain...

SoM Orientation Schedule

2006-08-01T11:37:00.000-04:00

The School of Management announced the schedule for our first two weeks, orientation and our first class. Here are some of the highlights.

Dean Podolny and members of the Yale SOM faculty and senior staff will provide overviews of the innovative new MBA curriculum, including special presentations on the Mentoring Program, the international trips scheduled for January 2007, and the professional communications program.

The Class of '08 and our families are invited to a barbeque at Lighthouse Point Park overlooking Long Island Sound.

A "Taste of New Haven" lunch will let us sample many of the excellent cuisines the Elm City has to offer.

A panel of distinguished SOM alumni will offer insights on their own careers, from their internships to their current positions.

The Class of 2008 will head to New York City for lunch at the Yale Club, featuring a keynote address by a distinguished SOM alumnus. Following an afternoon of company site visits, my classmates and I will attend a gala reception at the New York Stock Exchange, followed by small group dinners with Second Year Advisers in NYC.

My first official day of class will be Monday, August 28. We will spend 3 to 6 hours per day in the Team Effectiveness course. This class is interactive, experiential, and coupled with Professional Communications and laptop setup sessions for each Cohort.

Only 2.5 more weeks until the first day of orientation. July flew by and I am confident that August will be no different. Constant Change...

Book Review: Buffett, The Making of an American Capitalist

2006-07-22T18:10:00.000-04:00

Buffett, The Making of an American Capitalist, like most biographies, follows the progression of Warren Buffett's career, wealth, and personal life. However, at the same time, author Roger Lowenstein is able to report on the progress of the stock market and many major businesses throughout the text. Because Buffett has been a successful investor for over four decades, the author describes the prospects for success of such organizations as Coca-Cola, GEICO, and the Washington Post. Overall, the book remains engaging while being somewhat lengthy. Lowenstein gives an excellent blend of personal and business information about Buffett that the reader can gain of full understanding of the man.

Not having followed Buffett closely in the past, I was aware of his wealth and primary position with Berkshire Hathaway but surprised about five things in particular...
1. He is reluctant to change. My opinion on change, as you can tell from the title of my blog, is that it is unavoidable and somewhat exciting. Buffett, on the other hand, did everything he could to avoid change. As a teen he stayed in Omaha while the rest of his parents and siblings moved to Washington, D.C. He chose to live in Omaha as an adult even though he made his career primarily in New York City. Buffett's desire to remain in Omaha, eat the same foods, befriend the same people, and much more did not allow him to experience a lot of what I consider the pleasures of life.
2. He follows his convictions to a fault. In business, Buffett strictly adhered to his convictions on investing. I respect that. On the other hand, he is a distant father because of his overwhelming sense of responsibility to shareholders. He has a marriage that resulted in separate lives because of his determination to not lose money. He won't help his children financially because he wants to make sure that he will get a return on his investment.
3. He has been interested in making money since his youth. Buffett once stated to a friends' mother (who lived on a busy street), its too bad you can't charge a toll to everyone who drives by your house. It is and always was about making money.
4. Buffett's relationship with family was hurt by his career. Susie Buffett, Warren's wife, moved to California after all of their children were grown. He stayed in Omaha. At his wife's prompting, another woman moved in with Warren. Warren refused to help his sister get out of some financial trouble because she had done it to herself, but at the same time he was not willing to give advice. His youngest son bought him a book about fatherhood and Buffett didn't understand why it was given to him.
5. His investment skills may be the greatest of all time. Buffett had an amazing ability to select stocks that were undervalued. He could do this by both evaluating a balance sheet and by evaluating the business as a whole. This is why he is one of the wealthiest men in the world.

While Warren Buffett may be excessively wealthy, earthly powerful, and known around the world, he does not live a life I will strive toward. My impression is that he his is uncomfortable and unfulfilled. However, since the writing of this book, Buffett has continued his business success, mourned the passing of his wife, and become a major contributor to The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The donation of approximately $30 billion (!) may signal some significant changes in his perspective on life. I am also fully aware that there are many parts of his business practices, such as discipline, integrity, and knowledge, that I need to use if I hope to attain a successful career.

Cape Cod Vacation

2006-07-20T11:17:00.000-04:00

To celebrate my wife's graduation we took a trip to Martha's Vineyard and Cape Cod. Our hope was to have a relaxing time amongst beautiful scenery. On the first day of our trip we went to Martha's Vineyard. As you can tell from the picture above of the Clay Cliffs in Aquinnah on Martha's Vineyard, the scenery was spectacular. This day was especially relaxing because we were at the beach by the Clay Cliffs from early evening until sunset. Given the beauty around us, we were amazed at how few people were at this beach. But, this made our time all the more relaxing.

After staying the night at a quaint inn on Martha's Vineyard, we walked a couple hundred yards out our front door to spend the morning at the Oak Bluffs' Beach. While not as spectacular as Aquinnah, it got our day off to a good start. In the early afternoon we made our way to the furthest tip of Cape Cod called Provincetown. That evening we walked a couple miles to Herring Cove Beach on the Cape Cod Bay - another relaxing evening on the beach, especially after the longer than expected walk!

Day three was by far the most exciting of our trip. At 9:30 in the morning we set off on the Dolphin VIII for a whale watching tour. We sat right in the front of the boat by a few guys from the area's ecology club. Fortunately for us, we saw every behavior of the humpback whale, including multiple full breaches! The guys in the ecology club, who collectively have been on over 50 whale watching tours all said that this was one of the best viewings they have been a part of. While I didn't do a great job of getting pictures (I was too busy not blinking), this one will show you how close we got to the magnificent creatures.

In the evening we rented bicycles to check out the dunes that are a part of the Cape Cod National Seashore. The views were spectacular, again, and we ended our bike ride at the Race Point Beach on the Atlantic Ocean. The water was amazing and we saw a seal (I think) swimming right where we were! The beach was roped off in some areas because of shore bird nesting. I took the picture below right before we left the beach to get a late dinner - fresh lobster!

Overall, it was a fantastic trip. We are certainly enjoying living on the East Coast thusfar and hope to explore more of the region during the next couple months.

Yale SoM featured in Wall Street Journal

2006-07-14T15:30:00.000-04:00

On Tuesday, July 11, The Yale School of Management was highlighted in The Wall Street Journal. The following MBA Track article by Ronald Alsop appeared.

M.B.A. Programs Blend Disciplines To Yield Big Picture

Integrated...cross-functional...multidisciplinary. Those are the popular buzzwords these days for how some academics and corporate recruiters believe schools should redesign their M.B.A. curriculum.

In short, it's all about breaking out of so-called academic "silos" like finance, accounting, marketing and operations, and teaching students to take the big-picture view of how those functions blend together in business. Critics of M.B.A. programs complain that graduates too often struggle to solve complex, ambiguous problems that cut across different business units.

"Academic silos get in the way of what organizations want from their leaders today," says Joel Podolny, who was appointed dean of the Yale School of Management last year. "Recruiters and CEOs tell me they need people who can frame a problem and solve it by working across boundaries and drawing resources from different parts of the company."

Dr. Podolny has responded swiftly to concerns about academic "balkanization" with an ambitious transformation of Yale's M.B.A. curriculum. Instead of the traditional compartmentalized courses, students this fall will learn the basics from the viewpoints of a company's external stakeholders and internal constituents. These "organizational perspectives" courses will include customer, competitor, investor, employee, innovator, the state and society, the "operations engine," and the sourcing and managing of funds.

The customer perspective class, for example, will go well beyond marketing to touch on psychology, sociology, economics, operations, accounting, organizational behavior and information technology.

Other schools are taking steps toward a more integrated curriculum, too, but not on the scale of Yale's bold revision. Some are creating a single capstone course that attempts to pull everything together near the end of the M.B.A. program. In a twist on that approach, Georgia State University offers a new introductory "cornerstone" course -- "Managing in the Global Economy" -- that shows the complexity of international business and the way corporate functions interrelate.

The University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business is encouraging professors to collaborate more in its new full-time M.B.A. curriculum. Professors of marketing and economics might teach together now, or the same case study might be discussed simultaneously in finance, marketing and ethics classes. "Professors sometimes convey that their course is the be-all and end-all of business, but we want students to see the interconnections and not end up with one-track minds," says Ravi Kumar, vice dean and co-chairman of the curriculum innovation committee. To revitalize its executive M.B.A. program last year, Case Western Reserve University's Weatherhead School of Management in Cleveland restructured classes by themes -- the language of business, stakeholder management, global business, processes and systems, and execution. "Executives don't face academic disciplines," says Betty Vandenbosch, associate dean. "They face problems."

Such a major curriculum overhaul is usually met with some resistance. Students worry that they won't learn basic business skills in an integrated curriculum and some fear that recruiters might view it as an incomplete education. The biggest hurdle, though, is usually the faculty. Some professors are reluctant to teach outside their comfort zone or to share their classrooms for team teaching with other faculty.

But so far, there seems to be unusually solid support for Yale's M.B.A. facelift. Dean Podolny believes the curriculum change has advanced so quickly because Yale's M.B.A. program is relatively small and nimble (425 students) and its faculty already tended to work well across disciplines. Indeed, after overcoming some initial reservations, the faculty unanimously approved the new curriculum.

Professors aren't getting much rest this summer as they race to finish the curriculum by August. Senior faculty meet at least weekly to hash out course details and craft new case studies and other teaching materials. "This change is requiring the faculty to stretch, but it's incredibly exciting working around the clock on it," says Jonathan Feinstein, an economics professor. "In my 20 years in business schools, I've never experienced a curriculum development like this."

Yale is prepared to deal with the inevitable skeptics. It plans to administer a proficiency test to compare the basic business knowledge of students from both the old course structure and the new curriculum. "This will address any concerns about a loss of rigor when what used to be taught in a core finance class now shows up in several different classes," says Jake Thomas, an accounting and finance professor and head of the curriculum committee. "It will help convince other people -- and even ourselves -- that the new curriculum is working."

Already, Yale has tried to reassure incoming students who were anxious about the course redesign and feared there could be kinks in the system at first. "New students felt better when they learned that the school's all-star faculty would be teaching the first-year curriculum where the changes are most dramatic," says Spencer Hutchins, who served on the curriculum reform committee and will be a second-year M.B.A. student this fall.

Rather than discourage students, Yale believes the refashioned curriculum is at least partially responsible for a big jump in the number of applicants who accepted admission offers this year. "A lot of us were joking that if business school weren't so expensive, we'd like to start over and try the new first-year curriculum ourselves," Mr. Hutchins says.

AMA Racing

2006-07-13T17:56:00.000-04:00

I am not a race fan. I don't like Nascar, Indy, or any other major racing circuit for that matter. However, 20 motorcyclists going close to 100 mph on a dirt track is something else... While I was still in Michigan I went with my dad to the I-96 race track just south of Ionia. The AMA Dirt Track Series and all of its top riders were there for the evening. The event started with the heats, then went to semis, and finished with a 25 lap final. Kenny Coolbeth, from Connecticut nonetheless, was most impressive and ended up winning the race. The picture below is of him waving the checkered flag after dominating the final, which included the overall points leader Chris Carr.

So, as I explained before, I am not a race fan. But, these guys are ridiculous. The start is two straight lines of motorcycles one behind the other. There is much less than a quarter mile between them and turn one where all of them fish-tail through the corner - on purpose. That is the thing with flat track motorcylce racing. The riders slide their bikes through the turns and use his/her (there is one woman on the circuit - a fan favorite!) foot to prop themselves up. Kenny Coolbeth is in the picture below showing how it is done...

Fourth of July - New Haven

2006-07-08T16:44:00.000-04:00

On the evening of the Fourth, we decided to catch the New Haven fireworks from East Rock Park. The Park is the highest point in New Haven, approximately 400 hundred feet above sea level - the view of New Haven, the Long Island Sound, and surrounding communities is spectacular. Not only did we see the New Haven fireworks over the water, we saw four other sets of fireworks from neighboring communities. It was a great time and amazing to consider that we are in the "Constitution State" to celebrate our country's independence! I will post more pictures of East Rock Park in the coming days. It is only two blocks from our place, so we spend a lot of time in and around the park.

Budget Trucks - Moving

2006-07-05T11:13:00.000-04:00

On Thursday, June 22, we picked up the 16' Budget truck that we would be using for our move to Connecticut. We had decided to go with Budget for a few reasons. First, it was the cheapest. Second, we haven't had the greatest U-Haul trucks in the past. Last, Budget supposedly has the newest fleet. I can honestly say that our expectations were surpassed. The truck we rented had only 5,000 miles on it. In addition, the tow dolly we used for our car was brand new!

As for the move, I don't think it could have gone better. Our driving day was Friday, June 23, and we drove through rain the entire trip, but it wasn't heavy. Traffic was not heavy either. The only slow downs were before the Tappan Zee in New York and on I-95 north just before New Haven. Again, it was nothing significant. The truck drove great (althought the mpg had to be in the teens) and towing our car was not a hassle. We unpacked the bed and a couple other necessary items that evening to get some much needed rest. In the morning, one of our New Haven friends came over to help us unload the entire truck. The rain held off while we were unloading and then picked right back up when we were done. Now it continues to be a settling in process. All in all, I have no complaints about the move.

After our first adventure to New Haven, I returned to Michigan to work another week. I wrapped things up at work on Monday, July 3, and drove straight to New Haven in 11 hours. Since arriving, I have started to get acquainted with area and settled in the apartment. There are plenty of things to be done...

Welcome...

2006-06-30T13:05:00.000-04:00

For those of you visiting my "web log" for the first time, welcome! I have already started to chronicle some of the changes and activities going on in my life. You can check back frequently to find out what my family and I have been up to. There are fun times ahead this summer and challenges ahead this fall, along with an exciting winter forthcoming. So, the rest of this year should prove how fast time can fly...

Book Review: Confession Of A Reformission Rev.

2006-06-26T14:57:00.000-04:00

On a recent flight I completed the majority of Mark Driscoll's book Confessions Of A Reformission Rev. Driscoll is the pastor of Mars Hill Chruch Seattle (marshillchurch.org) and wrote the book to chronicle his journey of planting and growing the church. Once I got into the book it was easy to get through and Driscoll packs a lot of information into every paragraph.

Likes: Driscoll thoroughly describes the biblical research that went into his decision making as a church leader. The Notes section provides numerous resources to conduct your own research on nearly all matters discussed in the book. Furthermore, Driscoll presents multiple alternatives for addressing issues within the church, such as the size of an elder board or the ecclesiology of leadership in general. Driscoll's willingness to learn from pastors across the country and across denominations is commendable. Above all, I like Driscoll's call for men to rise up and fulfill their godly purpose. Our culture has effectively reduced what it means to be a man (see popular tv shows such as Rosanne, The Simpsons, According to Jim, The King of Queens, you get the point), but Driscoll challenges the men of his church and readers of his book to take the responsibilities we were given by God to care for ourselves and our families. Since there are more things I liked about the book, I suggest reading the book on your own.

Dislikes: First, I like the fact that Jesus is the senior pastor of Mars Hill Church Seattle. However, that makes me dislike the fact that Driscoll would on occasion refer to Mars Hill as my church. Other than that, because Dricoll is real and honest thoughout this work, I don't have any other significant dislikes.

Conclusion: This is an excellent book for all Christians and those seeking Christ. If the book is read with the understanding that it is basically a memoir it effectively challenges the reader to examine their faith, their ministry, and their church. I say that it is a memoir because it chronicles the growth of Mars Hill Church from just a few to a few thousand attenders. Driscoll includes with the memoir his doctrine, beliefs, and struggles. His willingness to be frank about himself and his failures makes the book real and applicable.

Jackson

2006-06-19T15:36:00.000-04:00

Today I put in my two weeks notice at work. The response I received, in my opinion, can be described as disappointment. I am taking this reaction as a very high compliment. I have greatly enjoyed my time at JNL and have made many friends and connections that I will keep in contact with for years to come. It has been an outstanding opportunity to develop as a professional and as a person. The responsibilities I was expected to meet were challenging and worthwhile. Although it is difficult to leave such a great company, I remain confident in the necessity of following my passion. Furthermore, my education at Yale will only add to my versatility as a businessman. If it is God's plan that I should return to the corporate world, I will only be a stronger leader after my experiences at Yale and in my future ventures.

Community

2006-06-14T10:39:00.000-04:00

During the past ten months, I have come to realize the importance of community. Considering "community" is a Christian buzzword, it may have a different meaning to you than it does to me. So, I will first define community from my perspective and then I will share why I believe it is important.

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines community as "the people who live in a particular place or region and usually are linked by some common interests." I think this is an excellent definition, however, I would add "and gather in fellowship." Therefore, the Doug Searles Vocabulary Bank defines community as "the people who share location and/or interests and gather in fellowship."

The importance of community, to me, can be summarized in a few words - support, accountability and purpose - the combination of which results in a sense of belonging. Amid the constant change that defines our lives, support is essential. This type of support can vary from giving advice and listening to celebrating accomplishments and mourning defeats. Realizing that a group of people will be sharing in my successes and failures creates an automatic sense of accountability. Not that I have been living my life to please someone else, but knowing that my decisions have effect others makes me more apt to carefully consider my decisions. Receiving the support and accountability of a "community" is a part of what has helped me understand my purpose. My purpose is to succeed, not as success is typically defined, but rather as Emerson* wrote, "To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded." Having a sense of and participation in community is essential in carry out my purpose for life because of the support and accountability that are created. The ability to at least attempt to carry out my purpose in life has given me a greater sense of belonging than any accomplishment. I belong here, now because I am working to achieve my purpose. This has given me a sense of peace about moving to a different part of the country because I realize that it will not affect my sense of belonging, as long as I have a community in place supporting me, holding me accountable, and help me fulfill my purpose.

While living in the Lansing area, my wife and I were extremely fortunate to have a great "community." I am endebted to the people of this community for helping forge who I am today, the man that I am supposed to be. It is my earnest hope that a "community" is awaiting our arrival in New Haven.

My final comment is that I intentionally never mentioned a number of people that are required for a community. I don't think a minimum number is necessary, because I believe any number of people greater than yourself alone can form a community.

I have a couple of requests. First, so that I can refine my definition of community, let me know what "community" means to you. Also, if there are some words that summarize why community is important to you, tell me what they are.

*Whether or not Emerson is the true writer of the quoted poem is another topic entirely

My First Assignment

2006-06-12T12:37:00.000-04:00

I received my first assignment from Yale on the Class of 2008 website. There are two parts to it. First, I need to read three biographies and second, I need to set up an interview with a respected professional in my field of interest. I am really excited about these assignments because of the people I will be reading about and interviewing.

The required biographies are Made in America by Sam Walton, Roger Lowenstein's biography of Warren Buffett, Buffett, and Gandhi’s autobiography An Autobiography; The Story of My Experiments with Truth. The three people I am required to read about are a mix that confirms my choice to attend Yale. While I know all business students will study the celebrated corporate business moguls Sam Walton and Warren Buffett, not all students will be asked to reflect on the thoughts of Gandhi. I think this assignment reflects the goals Yale has while training business leaders, to not only make us great businesspeople, but to make us contributors to society.

For the interview portion of the assignment, I am hoping to interview Richard Stearns, the President of World Vision. I have been in contact with several World Vision associates in the Human Resources department and hope that those connections will help me get onto Mr. Stearns busy schedule. He received his MBA from Wharton (Penn) and worked corporately before taking over the Presidency at World Vision. Hopefully, I will write in a couple of weeks that the interview has been granted. Check out the link to World Vision on the side bar.

Blog

2006-06-09T08:39:00.000-04:00

Well, the time has come. With our impending move, I have finally decided that it will be useful to have a blog. While I don't think there will be many readers, I do think that having an "online journal" for the next two years will be a useful way of documenting my life while back in school. And for those of you who do end up reading my blog, I hope it is interesting, funny, informative, or at least worth your time.