A Capitol Class

By Neil Watson
MSBA Class of 2013

The US Capitol

When we talk about capital in business school, it is usually in relation to economics.  However, for CUA’s MSBA Class of 2013 discussion last night, that was not the case.  Our discussion was less on capital and more on Capitol – Capitol Hill that it is.

Congressman
Jeff Fortenberry
(R-Nebraska 1st)

Of the many incredible professors that teach us here in the MSBA program, few have a better view from their office than Congressman Jeff Fortenberry.  It is a privilege and an honor to have a US Congressman for a professor – an experience unique among business graduate programs.  It is an especially great opportunity because his work on the Hill exemplifies the aims of this program – using a specific skill set in service to society.  Beyond the explicit lessons of his lectures, it is easy to learn from him because he “walks the talk.”

Congressman Fortenberry
with the author in his
Longworth Building office

From his office in the Longworth Building (complete with a sweeping view of the Potomac River), the Congressman welcomed the Leadership class he co-teaches with Prof. Brach for a lecture on several various topics ranging from American political philosophy to family life.

I was personally struck by our discussion on how and why a leader must communicate his vision in a compelling way.  The topic came up as we discussed the results of the recent election (an inevitable topic when you are meeting a Congressman on the Hill so shortly after an election).  Regardless of what side of the aisle my classmates and I sit on, we all agreed that one of the reasons the GOP did not perform better in the election was an ineffective communication of their vision.

A non-traditional classroom-MSBA
students met their professor,
Congressman Fortenberry
at his Capitol Hill office

To illustrate the point, the Congressman gave the example of a Republican leader who tried to make his point on economic growth with charts, graphs, and formulas.  His Democratic counterpart instead told the story of a young woman and her child living in a car.  Despite the logic of the Republican leader’s vision and strategy, the Democrat’s vision – communicated through a heart-rending story – will always win over the people.

From that conversation, I took away that being a leader requires more than just having a vision.  To lead effectively, one must be able to communicate his or her vision in a compelling way that moves the intended audience towards the right goal.  

Whether you are a politician trying to convince the electorate to vote for you or a CEO trying to grow your company, the ability to communicate a compelling vision is absolutely essential.  It is one of many lessons from our classes with Congressman Fortenberry that I think many of us will remember long after we leave CUA.

 

Neil Watson

MS in Business Analysis graduate Student

November 18, 2012

 

Read More »

Culture: It Starts at the Top

A lot is written in the press and the academic journals about culture and its importance in guiding the employees and activities of any organization.  The culture or tone of an organization has to be top down.  Its an essential part of leadership and one of the most important responsibilities of a leader.  

I was fortunate to work for 35 years in an organization that has a strong and unwavering culture; Exxon and ExxonMobil.  In all areas of the business; safety, financial controls, procurement, operations, dealing with vendors, business partners, shareholders and customers, there was no ambiguity about what was expected of employees.  There is a sense of discipline that permeates the organization.  Employees understand that there is a right and a wrong way to conduct business and it is good for the financial health of the business.  I have talked to many employees over the years that left to pursue other interests and without exception they missed the controls and standards the company established because it made their job easier and less risky.

So we shouldn't be surprised to learn recently that employees of the Metropolitan Airport Board have been abusing travel policies, contracting standards and hiring rules.  A recent article in the Washington Post listed numerous circumstances of ethical lapses by managers and executives, some of whom resigned after an audit uncovered some pretty outrageous violations.  It was just a month ago that I wrote a blog about the same audit uncovering the same types of violations among the appointed Board of Directors of the MWAA.   

And this is not the first hint of problems at the MWAA.  A decade ago, another audit uncovered problems in contracting practices.  This is an organization that oversees a budget of two billion dollars and employs 1400 people.  That's not trivial and they are stewarding the taxpayers money.

So let's connect the dots here.  The appointed board members violate policies and the managers and executives see this and decide the rules don't apply to them either.  You're left to wonder when the next shoe will drop as they drill down further into the organization. Will employees take their cue from their managers and rationalize it is also ok for them to violate policies?  It's not a stretch to think so.  That's how a culture works. 

Shanahan losing his cool

All organizations have a culture, not just businesses.  Consider our beloved Washington Redskins.  Does the culture start at the top?  Of course it does.  This is an organization that is the second most penalized team in the NFL.  And not just any penalties, fine generating penalties; Offensive Coach Kyle Shanahan berating an official ($25k), Josh Morgan throwing a football at an opposing player ($8k), DeAngelo Hall being ejected from a game for arguing with and cursing an official ($TBD).  If it's ok for the coach to do it, it must be ok for the players.  And let's not forget this is a team with a 3 and 6 record.

Fred Davis

To me the problems are more deeply rooted than just lack of discipline resulting in penalties.  Consider last year when first round draft pick Trent Williams and veteran tight end Fred Davis were suspended for half a season for substance abuse.  An organization with a strong and unwavering culture does not tolerate such behavior.   But the leadership of this organization named Fred Davis, who had just ditched his team for his selfish purposes, their franchise player at the end of the season.  Not only were there seemingly no consequences for his illegal behavior (other than losing a few paychecks), there was a reward!  The franchise player must be paid the average of the top 5 players at his position!  I think its a sign that the organization and it's leadership has not established the right kind of culture that enrolls employees in a higher purpose and provides them with a sense of personal responsibility and devotion rather than a selfish mindset. 

Culture is real and it's important and it starts at the top.

Stewart McHie
Director, MSBA Program
mchie@cua.edu

  

Read More »

Welcome our Newest MSBA Member

Ms. Klaire  Marcela Crenshaw
celebrates Halloween

Congratultions to Nicole and Michael Crenshaw on the recent birth of  Klaire Marcela Crehshaw.  Nicole was in our inaugral MSBA class in 2010 and is preparing to enter Dental School. She was a 2009 graduate of The University of North Dakota with degrees in Chemistry and Biology.   Michael received his Law degree from Georgetown and is due to begin JAG training with the Air Force in January in Phoenix, AZ. 

MSBA teammate Ann Moran is  little Klaire's godmother and will be traveling to North Dakota this weekend for the baptism.  (Hint:  Take a coat Ann!)

Mom and baby are doing great and father has not yet returned to earth.

Read More »

To Our Veterans

       THANK YOU for your service and your sacrifices to ensure our continued freedom.

Read More »

Good Education Benfits Info for our Veterans

A big shout out to Cecillia Barr, Veteran's Financial Advocate for America's Debt Help Center.  Cecillia provided this important information about educational benefits for our veterans.  We owe than all the support possible.  And don't hesitate to contact our financial aid office with questions. 

Private University Financial Aid Options for Veterans

Since the end of World War II, various versions of the GI Bill have helped generations of veterans afford a college education.  Over the years, millions of honorably discharged veterans have had some or all of their school costs covered by these government grants.  Today's veterans have two different GI Bill options available to them to help cover the costs of attending a private college or university.

For veterans who enlisted before August 2009, the Montgomery GI Bill's financial aid program provides up to 36 months of education benefits by paying a monthly stipend directly to them while they are in school. This money can be used for any purpose, including private college or university tuition and general living expenses, and is payable for up to 10 years after release from active duty. The current monthly payment is $1,473 for full-time students.

For veterans who enlisted after August 2009, and for those who enlisted after September 2001 and choose to use the program, the Post-9/11 GI Bill expands payments for costs associated with college but makes those payments directly to schools rather than to individuals. Honorably discharged veterans who have a minimum of 90 days of active duty service after September 10, 2001, are eligible. Based on their length of service, they can receive between 40 and 100 percent of the maximum allowable benefit.

For private universities, that maximum was originally computed on a sliding scale based on the most expensive state schools where a veteran lived. However, a 2010 update to the provision, commonly referred to as GI Bill 2.0, created a national maximum rate for private institutions, currently set at $18,077.50 per academic year. Several states have exceptions: Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Texas. Veterans attending a private college in these states need to check with the Veterans Administration (VA) for current rates.

In addition to tuition and fee payments, under the Post-9/11 Bill, veterans may be eligible for a monthly housing allowance while attending school, as well as an additional stipend for books and supplies. If a veteran is eligible for the yearly maximum payment of $18,077.50 for attending a private college, but the school's cost exceeds that amount, extra financial aid may be available under the VA's Yellow Ribbon Program (YRP).

The YRP allows degree-granting, private universities to partner with the VA to partially or fully fund tuition and fee expenses that exceed the national maximum rate. A yellow ribbon school agrees to offer scholarships or tuition forgiveness for eligible veterans, with that amount matched by the VA. Veterans must apply for the program at their chosen, participating school.

Like any other post-secondary student, veterans can seek financial aid via scholarships and grants either from the private school they are attending, or from any other outside source. They can also apply for any one of the Department of Education's federally backed student loan programs, or seek loans from a private lending institution.

However, before borrowing money for their college education, eligible veterans should explore all of the options available to them under the most appropriate GI Bill. The federal government can make a private university education more affordable, and money that doesn't have to be paid back is always a better choice than saddling oneself with interest-bearing obligations that may take many years to repay. 

Jeffery Sterner writes and blogs about personal financial well-being and issues that influence it for Debt.org, America’s Debt Help Organization.

Stewart McHie
Program Director, MSBA
mchie@cua.edu

Read More »

Faculty Profile - Lecturer Jack Yoest

Jack Yoest joined the CUA Faculty upon the recommendation of one of our first MSBA students, Jenna Antos.  Jenna completed her Principles of Management prerequisite course under Mr. Yoest's tutelage at NOVA and made me promise to hire him for the MSBA program.  The rest, as they say, is history.  Jack teaches both graduate and undergraduate classes at CUA and is a popular lecturer.  

Professor Yoest

Mr. Yoest advises senior leaders on best management practices. He is a former Captain in the United States Army and earned an MBA from George Mason University. He completed graduate work in the International Operations Management Program at Oxford University.

Jack served as Assistant Secretary for Health and Human Resources in Virginia, acting as the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer of the $5 billion budget 16,000-employee unit.  He also served with Menlo Care, a start-up medical device manufacturer. He was a part of the team that moved sales from zero to over $12 million that resulted in a buy-out by Johnson & Johnson.

Widely published, he was a finalist in the 2006 Weblog Awards in the Best Business Blog category and has received over one million unique visitors. Mr. Yoest and his wife, Charmaine Yoest, Ph.D., who is president and CEO of Americans United for Life, live in the Washington, DC area with their five children.

 Learn a bit more about "Your Management Professor" here.

SM: What was your first job out of high school and college?

 JY: The day after high school graduation I answered a (print!) newspaper ad for a door-to- 

       door salesman selling Kirby vacuum cleaners. I wanted the position because it was 

       100% commission: I ate what I killed.The incentive was that my performance (or any
       lack thereof) was immediately rewarded by income. I was money-motivated, as sales

       managers are wont to say.

     On graduating from university I had an entirely different compensation structure. I was

     commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Army where pay and promotions were in a

     set salaried pattern. This is where I learned a different motivator besides money in

     accomplishing organizational goals. The Army teaches what real leadership is -- and

     where failure is a matter of life and death.

SM: What did you want to be when you grew up?

 JY: In high school I listed that my career goal was to be a “merchant.” I have been a sales

       guy ever since.

     SM: What’s your favorite restaurant in D.C.?

 JY: Ruth Chris Steakhouse or Morton’s in D.C. Ray’s [Heck] Burger in Arlington.

SM: Makes sense given your story about eating what you kill! 

SM: What made you realize you wanted to go into business?

 JY: I have a high tolerance for risk and ambiguity--the fog of war. I was a gear-head before

       getting married-I would buy broken cars, fix them then sell at a profit. The returns on my

       time and investment were higher than any hourly wage I might realize at the time. I

       learned to seek and enjoy compensation based on projects and not merely “work a 40-

       hour week for a living and send it on down the line” as the country song goes.

             I have spent most of my business career with minor equity positions in medical device

             start-up companies. I moved to a tour of duty in government, consulting, non-profits, 

             and now academia.

The Yoest Family

     SM:  What do you do in your free time?
JY:  Your Business Professor is the husband of but one
       wife and has five of the best children on the planet. 
       Our oldest is in university.  I have no surplus time.
       I have no surplus money.
SM:  I think we can agree you married up Professor!

    

     SM:  What is your favorite sport and why?

      JY:  I was captain of my basketball team in high-school.  
      My favorite sport these days is whatever my children
      are playing in season: baseball, football, basketball, lacrosse, volleyball and crew 

            (rowing). Yes, five children, five teams. Every. Single. Season. My wife Charmaine and I 
      have run three Marathons. We ran the Marine Corps Marathon with our oldest 
      daughter a few years back here in DC. Two of our children will run it again this year. I 
      hope the race  route takes them by Ruth Chris or Morton’s. So Charmaine and I can
      cheer them on from our window table.

SM:  Why aren't you running again? 

     SM:  What was your worst job growing up?

      JY:  As a teenager, I worked as a painter and in construction under bosses whom I really,

             really did not care for. I have come to appreciate more the role and competence of 

             those young managers with each passing year. And I may-or may not-have been the 

             ideal hourly employee…

     SM: No question that all of those experiences, good and bad, that we have all had as

             managers and employees shape our perspective and I believe add to the value of what

             we are able to pass on to our students.

      SM: Why is the MSBA program important to you?

Prof. Yoest at work

       JY: I am now motivated to encourage students to not  
       make some of the blunders I made in my career. 
       Make your own, new mistakes. Once.

        I am excited about the MSBA program at CUA 
        because the faculty and students can openly discuss 
        the issues of character and integrity as well as the 
        competence, knowledge, skills, and abilities needed
        to get business done.  We teach excellence in the 

        quantitative sciences.  The graduate will also continue
        his or her career with a practical classroom experience on building trust while adding
        value. Think of the CUA MSBA degree as a reliable brand name to help get your next
        career move. - Jack Yoest

Stewart McHie
Director, Master of Science in Business Analysis
mchie@cua.edu

Read More »

Department of the Interior Benefits from MSBA Grad

Ryan Brown was recently promoted after 6 months at the Department of the Interior and handed more responsibility in his role as Budget Analyst.  He recently spent two weeks traveling with Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and department executives on their annual visit to bureaus in Alaska.  Following that trip, Ryan was appointed lead for the offices' financial accounts to ensure all outstanding negotiations are finalized by the end of September. 

Prior to his new responsibilities, Ryan  developed a webpage used for seamless communication between Congress and Bureaus within the Department of the Interior. He assisted the finance department in preparing financial documents regarding the bureaus' involved in the deepwater horizon oil spill. These documents were sent to the Department of Justice to be used in BP’s trial. Also, he prepared the weekly reports to be sent to Congress which include updates on specific issues (i.e. deepwater horizon oil spill, fires in Colorado Springs, etc.), how any bureau has been affected, and futures needs of restoration necessary. 

Ryan is a Maryland native and earned his bachelor's degree in Mathematics and Actuarial Science at High Point University.  While at High Point, Ryan participated in track and field, lacrosse, the math and actuarial science club and the investment club.  he has a keen interest in finance and lists as one of his hobbies researching companies.  Ryan interned at the Department of Justice during his undergraduate years and moved over to Interior for his MSBA internship.  

In describing his current duties at DOI, Ryan says, "I am assisting in the purchase of a new budget formulation system, meeting with bureaus to develop a list of necessities. This will be in preparation for a formal presentation to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to discuss pros and cons of government systems as well as software offered by private sector companies. I am also compiling the Budget Object class data, required for submission of the president’s budget, of each bureau, certifying they are accurate and within the 2012 estimations.  Also, I am assisting with the year end process of the newly integrated Financial and Business Management System (FBMS)."

Prior to attending Catholic University for his MSBA degree, Ryan also interned at the Department of Justice.

"Catholic University’s MSBA program certainly enhanced my communication skills, through intense presentation training. Also, complementing my quantitative background, the program allowed me to further my knowledge of business while pushing my moral boundaries through class discussions and case studies. Without this program I would not have to confidence to vocalize my opinion, defend that position, and ultimately see a project through, which is the main factor of my success at DOI." - Ryan Brown, MSBA Class of 2012    

Stewart McHie
Director, Master of Science in Business Analysis
mchie@cua.edu

Read More »