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The University of Texas at Austin
McCombs Weekly Vol. 8, No. 02 Sept. 13, 2006   
McCombs School of Business
 
  Upcoming Speakers
  MBA Executive Speaker Series
  David C. Rader,
EVP and CFO, Frito-Lay North America, 9/20 More info
  Lyceum Speaker Series
  Bill Gradison,
Acting Chairman, Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, 9/20 More info
  Upcoming Events
  International Fest 9/13 More info
LeaderShape Info Session, 9/14, 5 p.m., GSB 2.120, More info
 

McCombs Welcomes New Professors for 2006-2007 
This week, McCombs welcomes 14 new faculty members to the school. This group comes from all over the world with research interests ranging from executive compensation and investor over-confidence to dynamic programming and social networks.   
Meet the new faculty.  

Peterson Named Associate VP for Research 
Robert Peterson, McCombs marketing professor and John T. Stuart III Centennial Chair in Business Administration, has been named associate vice president for research in the Office of the Vice President for Research at The University of Texas at Austin. “I am excited about serving the university in a new capacity and increasing its research stature globally,” Peterson said.
Find out more about Peterson’s new position.

In the News: Hispanic Business Magazine Ranks McCombs No. 4 MBA School for Hispanics
Hispanic Business, September 2006
Hispanic Business magazine ranked McCombs No. 4 in its 2006 list of top MBA schools for Hispanics. “With our variety of student organizations, both professional and social, and unique classroom offerings, we embrace diversity at every turn and view Latinos and Hispanic Americans as an integral piece of each and every MBA class," said Eric Hirst, associate dean for graduate programs.  
Get the full story.

In the News: McCombs Ranks Among Top Global MBA Programs for Latin Americans
América Economía, August 2006
The University of Texas full-time MBA Program ranked No.16 in América Economía magazine’s list of top global MBA programs for Latin Americans. The Latin American business magazine cites the opportunities to study language and culture and to develop business in the region as one of the school’s perks.

EDS Financial Trading and Technology Center Turns 10
A celebration was held this week to mark the 10th anniversary of the opening of the EDS Financial Trading and Technology Center at McCombs. The EDS center is a state-of-the-art trading, research and teaching facility that helps students, faculty, executives and the community understand the growing flow of financial data and its impact on financial markets. In May of 1996, then- Texas Governor George W. Bush dedicated the center; when it opened for classes that fall it was the only facility of its kind on college campuses nationwide. Dean George Gau (greeting students at this week’s party in photo) was the founding director. His vision for the facility became reality with the support of numerous corporate sponsors who contributed more than $6 million in funding and equipment toward the creation of the center. Since the summer of 1996, the center has grown to be valued at more than $10 million.
Learn more about the center.

In the News: Huang Finds Retirement Accounts Best Bet for Extra Funds
Philadelphia Inquirer, Sept. 7, 2006
Many grapple with deciding how to best invest their money. Recent research coauthored by Jennifer Huang, assistant professor of finance, suggests that some homeowners who make extra mortgage-principal payments could earn more by putting their money into retirement accounts. The study concludes that every dollar added to a tax-deferred retirement account may earn an average of 11 to 17 cents more than if applied to a mortgage prepayment.
Get the full story.

In the News: McCombs Advisory Council Member Wilkins Honored
San Antonio Business Journal, Sept. 1, 2006
Black Professionals magazine named McCombs Advisory Council member Ray Wilkins, BBA ’74, one of the Top 100 Blacks in Corporate America. The distinction honors black corporate executives who lead by example and demonstrate a commitment to community service. Wilkins, AT&T Inc. group president, will be featured in the magazine’s fall 2006 issue. This is not the first time Wilkins has received public attention. Fortune named him one of the nation’s 50 Most Powerful Black Executives in 2002 and Black Enterprise Magazine chose him as one of the 75 Most Powerful African-Americans in Corporate America in 2005.    
Get the full story.  

In the News: MBA Alum Sona Chandwani Shares Workday With BusinessWeek
BusinessWeek Online, Sept. 11, 2006
Sona Chandwani, MBA ’02 and CFO for AIDS Project Los Angeles, recently detailed her typical weekday timetable for BusinessWeek Online. From working on licensing for a dental clinic with client services and collaborating with development officers on the AIDS Walk, Chandwani’s schedule is full yet rewarding. After working for four years as an accountant with Arthur Anderson, Chandwani entered the McCombs full-time MBA program as a launch pad into corporate finance or equity research. “When I graduated from business school, I knew I didn’t want a job that involved sitting at a desk doing the same thing day in and day out,” she said. “That’s certainly not the case at APLA.”
Get the full story (subscription required).

In the News: MBA Alum’s Risky Move Pays Off
Albuquerque Tribune, Aug. 31, 2006
Despite having lucrative job offers “laid in front of him like a buffet,” Tom Stephenson, MBA ’95, chose to return to his hometown of Albuquerque after graduating from McCombs. “In the 1990s world of venture funding, leaving Austin for Albuquerque was like leaving the Virgin Islands for Iceland and expecting warmth and sunshine,” said Albuquerque Tribune columnist Gene Grant. Stephenson’s risky homecoming paid off; he is now a partner at Albuquerque’s Verge Fund—recently named a top 100 venture capital firm for entrepreneurs by Entrepreneur magazine.  
Get the full story.

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See past issues of McCombs Weekly.

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