<<  January 10 , 2005

cba.fiu.edu/cbaevents     January 10 Spring Semester Classes begin Business Student Council Meeting RB 358 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.     January 12 MSIS Advisory Board Meeting MARC 145 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. Social: 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.     January 14 Martin Luther King Breakfst 8:00 a.m. GC Ballrooms     January 17 Campus closed Martin Luther King Day observed     January 21 IMBA Advisory Board Meeting MARC 115 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. (Breakfast & Lunch included) MSMHR Advisory Board Meeting MARC 145 8:00 - 10:30 a.m. (Breakfast included) Meeting: 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. Social: 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.     January 25 Dean's Council Meeting 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Green Library       January 26 International BizFest RB South Lawn 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. World City Business Connexions "Global Economic Outlook 2005" 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Hotel Sofitel

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  Fall commencement went off without a hitch on December 21st, with an afternoon ceremony for graduates of the Landon Undergraduate School of Business (except for accounting) and an evening ceremony for Chapman Graduate School and School of Accounting graduates. The traditional program featured remarks by President Mitch Maidique, Executive Dean Joyce Elam, Provost Mark Rosenberg, and members of the FIU Board of Trustees and the Alumni Association.

  Following their stellar performance at last Spring's Commencement, Chris Ellis sang the national anthem and, together with Donald Roomes, sang the FIU Alma Mater. Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez (BBA '74) delivered the commencement address during the evening ceremony.

  Also during the evening program, Adolfo Henriques (BACC '76), chairman and CEO of Union Planters Bank of Florida and chairperson of the FIU Board of Trustees, offered remarks. Among other notable alums featured at the ceremonies last month, Justo L. Pozo (BBA '80), president of Preferred Care Partners, received the Distinguished Alumni Service Medallion. Last spring, he was inducted into the Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame, along with his business partner, Joseph Caruncho (BBA '81). Caruncho also presented the alumni message at the afternoon commencement. The pair master-minded South Florida's first and only state-licensed Provider Sponsored Organization (PSO), an alternative Medicare health plan that allows physicians to bypass HMOs.

From left to right: Sergio Pino, Executive Director Alan Carsrud, President Mitch Maidique, Eugenio Pino, Governor Jeb Bush, and Carlos Pino.

  At a private reception in President Mitch Maidique's home on December 22, Sergio Pino, Chairman and CEO of Century Homebuilders, and also a member of the FIU Board of Trustees, formally presented his $2 million donation to the Global Entrepreneurship Center. The Center has been christened the Eugenio Pino and Family Global Entrepreneurship Center in honor of the entrepreneurial spirit of the Pino family. The gift is eligible for matching funds from the State of Florida, making the total endowment $4 million. Governor Jeb Bush was on hand to show his support.

  "It's a pleasure for me to share this day with people who have worked so hard and now are giving back to fellow Floridians," Bush said.

  The Pino family came to Miami in 1969, and within three years, Eugenio Pino had saved enough money to start his own plumbing business. In 1977, Eugenio and his oldest son, Sergio, founded Century Plumbing Wholesale, which is now the largest plumbing wholesaler in Florida. Today, Century Plumbing is still the family business, run by the younger son, Carlos Pino. Sergio Pino sought to establish a new venture and founded Century Homebuilders, which has become one of South Florida's leading developers.

  "Here we have successful entrepreneurs leading the way for the next generation," said the Pino Family Global Entrepreneurship Center's Executive Director, Alan Carsrud. He said he hopes the Pino gift will encourage new donors to contribute to the Center's "dynamic entrepreneurial environment."

  The Center, which includes four institutes and an Entrepreneurial Academy, facilitates course development throughout FIU to educate future entrepreneurial leaders, fosters new technology firms and community enterprises, and strengthens existing family-owned and managed businesses, which will significantly contribute to improving the economic vitality of South Florida and the Americas. More information is available at the Center's web site.

Angel Medina, Jr., (BA'92), chair of the Dean's Council, thanks the College for the opportunity to serve and for the Wall expressing appreciation for that service.

  The College inaugurated the new Dean's Council Wall during an intimate celebration for Council members on Thursday, January 6. Plaques placed around the center walls above the "pit" of the Ryder Building lobby represent the Council's significant role in helping the College to advance its strategic vision and mission and to meet its goals and objectives.

  During the event, members of the Dean's Council were recognized by Executive Dean Joyce Elam and President Mitch Maidique. Dean's Council Chairman Angel Medina, Jr., (BA '92), president of Union Planters Bank in Miami-Dade, spoke on behalf of the Dean's Council. He extended the Council's thanks for this important tribute and, most importantly, for the opportunity to contribute to the future of the College.

  The Dean's Council Wall will be displayed for the public to see during the launching of the new Building for Business campaign that will take place on March 10. After the new building complex is completed, the plaques will be moved to grace the lobby of Commons Hall.

  This past November, Dr. Bob Hogner traveled to Bangkok, Thailand, to guest-lecture for the International BBA program at Chulaongkorn University. During his visit, he finalized arrangements for the International Business Honor Society (IBHS) Alternative Spring Break (ASB) project in Bangkok, developed in partnership with Chulaongkorn's International BBA Service Club.

  The ASB program, which runs from March 18-28, is part of the College's Civic Engagement Initiative, which promotes outreach and service learning as integral components of business education. This project takes Civic Engagement beyond the local community and prepares our students to engage with our global society.

  The College welcomes the following new employees:

	Luis Casas serves as Director of Marketing and Corporate Relations for the Chapman School. He will be responsible for marketing the Chapman School's programs as well as the value-added programs in the Landon School. He brings to his job more than 20 years of marketing and management experience. Prior to joining FIU, Luis worked as Vice President of Marketing at A&E Mundo/The History Channel (partnership between A&E and HBO Latin America), and as Managing Director of Latin American business segments for The Walt Disney Company.
	Annette Alonso joins the Communication, Publications, and Public Relations Office from the College of Engineering, where she worked in grant development as Editor and Proposal Coordinator. She will work on the College's newsletters and magazine. A Miami native, she received a BA in Humanities and an MA in Cultural Studies from the University of Michigan.

	Faculty and Staff: Nominations for induction into the Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame are due January 19. The nomination criteria for both the 2005 Inductee and 2005 South Florida Entrepreneur of the Year Award can be found at http://business.fiu.edu/web/ehof/ehof2005.htm. This year's Induction Ceremony and Luncheon will be held May 12, 2005, at Parrot Jungle Island in Miami, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Besides honoring this year's inductee and awardee, the event will recognize the winners of the Howard J. Leonhardt New Venture Challenge business plan competition.
	Third Annual International BizFest takes place on January 26. This event, organized by the College's Business Student Council, celebrates our multicultural diversity and serves to promote student involvement and community building. The celebration, scheduled from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., will be held on the Ryder Building's South Lawn. Our thriving student organizations will be showcased in their individual booths and, for the first time, corporate partners have been invited to sponsor mini-job fair booths or open international food stands. If you know of a company that might want to participate, contact Michael Potoczniak, our undergraduate career and internship counselor. If you are part of an organization that wants to become involved, contact William Levin, the Dean's liaison to the Business Student Council.
	Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) announces Spring 2005 Spanish language classes. Beginning Spanish (10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.), Intermediate Spanish Conversation (1:30-3 p.m.), and Advanced Spanish Conversation (12-1:30 p.m.) classes run from January 10 to April 21 in MARC 260. Please email ciber@fiu.edu to sign up.

	Microsoft Powerpoint: Changing from Caps to Lower Case (or Vice Versa)   If you have text in the wrong case, select the text, then click Shift+F3, and continue to click until it changes to the case style that you'd like. Clicking Shift+F3 toggles the text case between ALL CAPS, lower case, and Initial Capital styles. You'll be surprised how often you'll use this tip once you get the hang of it!