Last year, the Asper School collectively developed a new stra-tegic plan that will guide us in the years ahead, and ensure that our commitment to excellence never wavers. As you’ll see in the pages of this year’s Update, we’re making great progress.

One of our most important goals is to provide an even richer, more interactive student experience – one that empowers students to succeed in the classroom and beyond.

For the past 77 years, our com-mitment to excellence has helped us achieve a bold vision:

to be recognized as a leading busi-ness school with a reputation for high-quality teaching and research, an exceptional student experience, and strong engagement with the business and greater community.

To continue to achieve our vision of excellence in business education, the Asper School is adapting and growing.

Upd

ate

a s p e r s c h o o l o f B U s i n e s s

spring 2014

Business competition success 4

new asper MBa 8

students look beyond the bottom line 10

investing in asper 22

The Asper School of Business stands at the forefront of knowledge creation by educating innovative business leaders who contribute ethically to the social and economic well-being of Manitoba, Canada, and the world.

Mission of Excellence

A S P E R S C H O O L O F B U S I N E S S

Science programs in Finance and Actuarial Mathematics..

We enhanced our exceptional student experience by strength-ening the Stu Clark Centre for Entrepreneurship’s capacity to support student business ventures. We expanded our Executive Education program offerings with more custom and open enrollment courses. We continued to grow our Co-op program and the services offered by our Career Development Centre to better link our students with career opportunities.

To achieve this, we set our sights on growing our graduate programs,

and launched an exciting new MBA curriculum, an

MBA Executive Mentor Program that connects students with inspiring senior executives across

the country, and an inter-national MBA study trip

that gives them real-world international business

experience. As well, we launched

new Masters of

2

We made it a top priority to open new pathways for Aboriginal stu-dents to study business and create the next generation of Aboriginal business leaders – and this year, we welcomed the first students accepted into our School via the Canadian Aboriginal Ancestry Admissions Category.

We aimed to engage more high-quality faculty, staff, and community partners in the life of our School. This year, we hired two new Executives in Residence: successful, seasoned business professionals who will serve as consultants to faculty and mentors to students.

We strove to engage alumni in helping us build a cutting-edge School that meets the needs of our entire community, and now we stand in awe at the generosity of donors who gave so much this year. We cannot achieve our goals alone in today’s financial climate, and we are grateful to be part of a larger community that truly believes in investing in the future of business.

While our job is to create oppor-tunities for all members of the Asper community to succeed, what impresses me most is how they continue to achieve excellence through their own creativity and initiative. They pursue research that not only wins awards but improves business practices in the real world. They give generously. They drive themselves to embrace new experiences, reach for gold, and make a meaningful difference in the lives of those around them.

They embrace the highest qualities of leadership – and for that, they inspire me each and every day.

Dr Michael BenarrochDean, Asper School of Business and CA Manitoba Chair in Business Leadership

UnDergrADUATe enrollMenT 2008-2013

0

250

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750

1,000

1,250

1,500

1,750

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Female students Male Students International Students

1601students

55.5%M

44.5%F

14.6%Int

1637students

56%M

44%F

14.1%Int

1604students

56%M

44%F

15.7%Int

1698students

55%M

45%F

20%Int

1742students

54%M

46%F

20.4%Int

1752students

52%M48%

F

22.8%Int

grADUATe enrollMenT 2008-2013

0

25

50

75

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125

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175

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Female students Male Students International Students

174students

57.5%M

42.5%F

3.4%Int

186students

61%M

39%F

7%Int

169students

61.5%M

38.5%F

8.3%Int

170students

64%M

36%F

7.6%Int

151students

60%M

40%F

13.9%Int

159students

57%M

43%F

18.2%Int

S P R I N g 2 0 1 4 3

Richert began building the busi-ness side of Richert Racing after graduating from the Asper School. From day one, his business degree has given him the street cred he needs to connect with potential sponsors and partners: in fact, he describes it as the “little ‘in’ that I need and then I can talk to them and they can get to know who I am and what I can do.”

And what he can do is go very far, very fast, while still keeping his feet planted firmly on the ground of a solid business strategy. “It’s a hum-bling experience,” he says, “to have so many successful business leaders give you a chance to succeed.”

And so, back home in Winnipeg, he’s developed a creative business plan he hopes will take him straight to the finish line. He’s selling shares in his racing career – and prominent business leaders such as Hartley Richardson, Michael Silver, Don Streuber and Paul Thiessen have already signed on as investors.

“I like to invest in good people and I am impressed with the plan David has put together. It’s a unique business concept, so I am excited to be an investor and help to give David the opportunity of making this venture a success,” says Hartley Richardson [BComm(Hons)/77], President and CEO of James Richardson & Sons, Limited.

Richert has already raised over half of the $500,000 in capital he needs, which he’ll combine with corporate partnership dollars to accelerate his career to the highest levels of racing.

Racecar driver David richert [BComm(Hons)/06] is speeding to the top levels of professional

motorsport, thanks in part to his Asper School of Business degree.

In March, Richert signed a con-tract to drive for Inter Europol Competition, a Polish-backed race team operating out of Germany. This season’s schedule will see him com-pete at prestigious racing circuits throughout Europe against some of the best young drivers in the world.

Off the track, Richert faces another kind of challenge: to raise the big bucks he needs to compete in world-class racing championships like Formula 1 and Indy Car. “In auto racing, you could be one of the fast-est drivers in the world, but if you don’t have the financial ability to pay the hundreds of thousands – or even millions – of dollars necessary to move into higher levels, you go absolutely nowhere,” he says.

Fast Track to Success

From day one, david Richert’s business degree from the Asper school has given him the street cred he needs to connect with potential sponsors and partners.

David Richert (right) with Richert Racing investor and Asper grad Hartley Richardson.

A S P E R S C H O O L O F B U S I N E S S

ICBC

Eleven Asper students represented their School at the 36th annual Intercollegiate Business Competition (ICBC), hosted by Queen’s School of Business. Three of our five teams placed in the final round at this prestigious interna-tional case competition. The business policy and MIS team each took second place, and the marketing team took third.

Each team had only five and a half hours to prepare a case analysis to present to a panel of industry judges. Of the 16 schools that had a podium finish, only one other university had three teams place in the finals.

To be invited to the finals, each team’s preliminary round case study analysis had to rank in the top five of all submissions in their functional area. This year, 29 universities from around the world participated in the preliminaries – and the Asper School qualified more teams for the finals than any other university.

JDC WEST

Jeux du Commerce (JDC) West is the largest business student competition in Western Canada: a three-day event that showcases academics, athletics, debate, and an out-of-the-box social competition. Nearly 650 students from 12 of Western Canada’s top universities unite annually to compete. Under the guidance of faculty advisors Mary Brabston and Howard Harmatz, a team of 50 Asper students trav-eled to Regina’s Paul J. Hill School of Business for this year’s competition, where they did our School proud! Decked out in Don Cherry-inspired yellow plaid suits, “Team Toba” rocked the house, finishing first place in the social and business strategy catego-ries, second in athletics, taxation and management information systems (MIS), and third in finance. For the second time in two years, Asper qualified for School of the Year – and took home the third-place trophy!

4

Comp

etitiv

e Edg

e talk about a banner year for Asper students, who rocked the national and international business competition circuit with amazing wins and showed the world why We’re Number One!

Decked out in Don Cherry-

inspired yellow plaid suits,

“Team Toba” rocked the house

at JDC West!

S P R I N g 2 0 1 4

CFA InSTITuTE RESEARCh ChAllEngE

The CFA Institute research Challenge is an annual global competition that provides university students with hands-on mentoring and intensive training in financial analysis. Students assumed the role of research analysts and were tested on their ability to value a stock, write an initiation-of-coverage report, and present their recommendations. At this year’s national round of the competition in Calgary, the Asper team, led by coaches Howard Harmatz and Ying Zhang, placed second.

“It was great to see students at all stages in the business program participate – both accounting and non-accounting students,” says Dr Robert Biscontri. “Asper students did an amazing job with their pre-sentation to judges and ultimately claimed second and third places. In fact the team securing second place had never participated in a case competition before!”

MIMC

Our team came in first place at the Asper student-run Manitoba International Marketing Competition & Conference (MIMC). MIMC is the only interna-tional marketing competition and conference in Canada. Twelve teams from around the world participated in an eight-week online simulation and a final round of presentations judged by members of the Winnipeg business community.

IvEy BuSInESS PlAn CoMPETITIon

Two Asper MBA teams competed in the 2014 IBK Capital – Ivey Business Plan Competition in January. Fifty teams from around the world entered the competition. One Asper team, Exigence Technologies, reached the semi-finals. Exigence presented a technology invented by U of M researcher Dr Song Lui, and the team is now working closely with the U of M’s Technology Transfer Office and Dr Lui to com-mercialize the technology and incorporate the company. The other Asper team, Don’t Be Skiddish, not only won their division, they were the top Canadian team and the only one to make it to the finals.

gAAPS

The Asper School of Business Accounting Association (ASBAA) student group organized the 13th annual gAAPS (gathering of Accounting Associates, Professionals and Students) Conference in Winnipeg this past February. The highlight of the con-ference was an accounting case competition where 12 teams from schools in Ontario, Manitoba and Alberta competed for cash prizes. Three of the four finalist teams were from the University of Manitoba.

5

(left) Don’t Be Skiddish team-mates, left to right: Gillian Kirby, Peter Wheatley, Angela Simpson, Matthew Wheatley. The team placed first in their division at the Ivey Business Planning Competition. Peter Wheatley also won for best pitch at the Innovate Manitoba Pitch Day.

MIMC teammates, left to right: Scott Friesen, Graham Halford, coach Howard Harmatz, Ryan Suchit, Ashley Williams, and MIMC ambassador Dan O’Connor.

CFA Institute Challenge teammates, left to right: Zifeng (Joseph) Qian, Alexander Sachs, Dylan Musgrove, Elise MacDonald, Nathan Moncrief and coach Ying Zhang.

A S P E R S C H O O L O F B U S I N E S S6

Comp

etitiv

e Edg

e

nSCC

The Asper School took first place in the MBA division of the national Strategy Consulting Competition (nSCC) this March – our first time at the competition. The team, Northern Consulting, included students Judy Jayasuriya, Mark Taylor, Brad Tole, Samantha Wong, and coach Marilyn Brennan.

Hosted this year by the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business, the NSCC is a demand-ing case competition and an oppor-tunity to network with top industry professionals. The team received a $1500 cash prize and first-round interviews with Deloitte.

AnFP

Also in March, our team took first place at the Alberta not-for-Profit Case Competition. The competition partnered with Youth Empowerment Support Services

(YESS), one of Edmonton’s most established and influential not-for-profit organizations, to present

competitors from across Canada and the US with a live case that outlines the organization’s current challenges and opportunities.

NSCC teammates, left to right:

Samantha Wong, Judy Jayasuriya,

Mark Taylor, Brad Tole and Deloitte

COO Kurt Ritcey.

lIFE, lovE AnD lEADERShIP WITh PAul MAuRICE

Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice delivered a rousing lesson in leadership to an audience of more than 150 students at the Asper School of Business on February 24, 2014.

Maurice, who describes himself as a perpetual student of business, started attending business school in 1986. “Every time I get fired, I go back to work on my degree,” he says. “I have one semester to go.”

The following excerpts from his inspiring talk highlight a philosophy that has served him well over the years.

“network!” Maurice hates that word, but networking is a key part of what he does. And it’s important to network outside your com-fort zone: “Coach a team, get into a dance class, take up music – do something that puts you out there in another group of people that you wouldn’t normally travel with.” Learning to handle yourself in different groups makes you a better leader – and a better person.

“Ask the girl out.” Take risks, especially when you’re young, because at this point you can recover from just about anything.

“How do we get better at our weaknesses without losing our strengths?” That SWOT analysis you learn in business school – the one you think you’ll never use in real life? Maurice uses it every single day.

“Wear the damn tie.” Maurice has never heard of a woman who said, “I like that guy but he’s wearing a tie, I’m not going to talk to him.” In business, it’s always important to make a great first impression – and your appearance is where it all starts.

SToCK TICKer (above)Thanks to a generous donation from N. Murray Edwards, Asper students and faculty can now keep up-to-the-minute tabs on stock and currency prices on a brand-new stock ticker centrally located in the Drake Centre atrium.

ANFP teammates, left to right: André

Cadieux, Jessica Pushka, coach

Howard Harmatz, Deb Cautley

(Executive Director of YESS), Sinan

Leylek and Leanne Thiessen.

S P R I N g 2 0 1 4 7

applicants to fake, such as unemploy-ment and other forms of job market competition. Furthermore, I aim to discover how companies can reduce opportunities for applicants to fake, and how to train interviewers to be better lie detectors.

My research on this topic has already led to two publications: one that will appear in the next issue of the Journal of Managerial Psychology, and another that just received a conditional acceptance in Personnel Psychology, which is one of the top journals for HR and personnel management.

I am also conducting several research projects on other HR- related issues, including the use of social media in the hiring process and the influence of applicant smoking status on hiring decisions.”

umanitoba.ca/asper/research

ine to what extent interviewers can actually detect such behaviours.

So far, my findings suggest that when applicants use influence tactics, interviewers can correctly detect deception only about 20 per cent of the time. This is alarming, because it suggests that faking may help less-qualified applicants get hired instead of better-qualified but more honest applicants.

As my research continues, I hope to contribute to the understanding of applicants’ influence tactics. This involves investigating the impact of various forms of honest and decep-tive tactics used by applicants, but also the pressures that motivate

Iwant to understand what makes applicants fake it in job interviews and how companies can deal with

it. My research is mainly motivated by an interest in helping organiza-tions improve their hiring process.

When I talk with recruiters, hiring managers or HR professionals, many of them emphasize the importance of distinguishing between genu-inely competent applicants and those who are only pretending to be. Interestingly, many professionals think they can tell when applicants lie to them in an interview. Yet, when asked how they can tell, the most popular responses are generally, “I just know,” or “I listen to my gut feeling.” But they follow no clear strategy; nor is there any evidence their “gut feeling” is effective. In addition, some professionals tend to over-interpret non-verbal behav-iours, such as body movements and other signs of nervousness, as indicators of deception. My own research suggests that detecting faking is a very difficult task, even for experienced interviewers.

My methods of investigation include theory development, field studies and surveys to understand the factors influencing applicants’ use of honest and deceptive influence tactics (i.e., faking), experi-ments to see how interview format can help reduce such behaviours, and real-time video coding to exam-

lie Detector

“ I want to understand what makes applicants fake it in job interviews and how companies can deal with it.”

ReseaRch spotlight:

Dr Nicolas rouliNassistant professor human resource Management

A S P E R S C H O O L O F B U S I N E S S

goIng gloBAl

One of the key requirements of the International and Emerging Markets concentration in the new MBA pro-gram is an experiential course that includes an international study trip. The destination of the trip changes from year to year. In 2013, students in the course studied business in Brazil. This spring, a class of 20 travels to Hong Kong.

During the lead-up to the trip, students explore various issues related to business sustainability, one the course’s main themes. They meet local companies that trade with Hong Kong and China, and learn about the challenges these companies face in developing their business.

While abroad, the students will gain first-hand, real-world inter-national business experience by visiting companies that emphasize the value of sustainability in their mission, vision and business devel-opment. They’ll explore the barriers and opportunities of international trade and business between Canada and Hong Kong. When they return, they’ll present their findings to members of the academic, business and government communities.

also offers more opportunities for applied learning experiences in Canada and abroad as well as consulting and industry projects. “These changes take the Asper MBA program to the forefront of innovative program design,” says Marci Elliott, Executive Director of the Asper MBA. “By responding to current trends in the business world, we’ll continue offering our students even more opportunities to hone the competitive edge of their MBA in the global marketplace.”

nEW MBA PRogRAM

Asper MBA students now have even more options to tailor their courses to their professional goals, thanks to a brand-new MBA program cur-riculum. Students can now combine concentrations in functional areas such as Finance, Marketing, and Leadership and Organizations with new market-driven, themed con-centrations in Emerging Markets, Sustainability, and Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The new curriculum

8

Asper MBAexceptional leaders need an exceptional

MBA experience. The Asper MBA continues to achieve excellence with the introduction of a new program, executive mentorship opportunities, and international study trips.

“The 2014 MBA Games were the

perfect platform to show Canada what our students knew all along: not only

can Asper compete with the best –

we are the best! Hearing our com-

petitors cheers us on by chanting ‘Asper! Asper! Asper!’ will

stay with us forever.” – Team co-captain Amanda Gebhardt

S P R I N g 2 0 1 4

from 22 schools across the country competed in academics, athletics and spirit, as well as three “mystery events”. Our team of 20 students placed in the top five for academics and athletics, and took first place in one mystery event that challenged them to design and pilot a boat using only cardboard and duct tape.

umanitoba.ca/asper/mba

“The international study course provides a unique platform for stu-dents to view the issues surround-ing doing trade outside of Canada,” says Robert Biscontri, the professor leading the course. “The aim of the course this year is for students to think outside the box as we chal-lenge all the stereotypes associated with successful and sustainable international business.”

MBA student Faith Kaplan looks forward to experiencing what the course and the trip to Hong Kong have to offer, “not just because of the glamour and excitement of being in one of the world’s great cities, but because of the amazing itinerary. We’ll have several opportunities to visit Chinese businesses and witness firsthand the economic miracle that is modern China. And, of course, we plan to take full advantage of our Chinese classmates’ personal con-nections to visit places known only to the locals. We all expect it will be an unforgettable experience.”

ASPER MBA ExECuTIvE MEnToR PRogRAM

The Career Development Centre, in partnership with the Asper MBA, has launched a new program that connects Asper MBA students with inspirational business leaders in Winnipeg. The goal of the Asper MBA executive Mentor program is to help MBA students establish a professional network and gain insight into organizational culture, while increasing their knowledge of a specific industry and profession. Asper MBA Mentors act as advisors, motivators and role models to Asper MBA students as they look to launch a new career, make a career change, or familiarize themselves with a new region.

MBA gAMES

The Asper MBA had a strong show-ing at the Canadian MBA games in Toronto this January, finishing in the top five of several competition categories. This marked the first time a team from the Asper MBA took part in the games, an annual event hosted this year by Queen’s University. Over 700 MBA students

9

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Sign up now for ongoing courses in executive leadership. Or tell us how we can take you and your company above and beyond by designing the perfect custom program for you.

executive education at the Asper School of Business.Learning for the next level.

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204.946.0232 ExecEdinfo@umanitoba.ca umanitoba.ca/asper/execed

GREAT LEADERS never stop learning

A S P E R S C H O O L O F B U S I N E S S

5 DAyS FoR ThE hoMElESS

Driven by the need to shine a light on youth homelessness, six Asper students slept outside on the U of M’s Fort Garry campus for five cold nights last March. The Winnipeg 5 Days for the Homeless cam-paign, organized by the Commerce Students’ Association, raised over $27,350 for Resource Assistance for Youth (RaY), a local organization supporting homeless youth. 5 Days for the Homeless began at the University of Alberta and became a national initiative in 2008. To date, the campaign has raised over $985,000 for charitable organizations across the country and has spread its message from coast to coast. Participant Justin Monton says, “Finding out there are still people out there who want to make even the smallest difference through their donations is what kept me warm those five freezing nights.”

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Social ResponsibilityBusiness is about more than making a

profit – it’s about making a difference. Inside and outside the classroom, Asper students lead annual fundraising drives and raise awareness for charitable causes in their community and across the country.

(above right) Shimerama students get

ready to show the world how

business is about more than the

bottom line.

“5 Days for the Homeless shows that Asper students are driven by more than just the bottom line. We used our voices to make a difference. We exceeded our fundraising goal by more than $2,000, and raised awareness about an issue many people overlook.” – Emily Ashley (second from right)

S P R I N g 2 0 1 4

a dodge ball tourna-ment, kickboxing lessons and a dating game,” MacDonald says. “One of the most successful fundraisers was a Videogame Olympics. Even when some events don’t succeed, the students have learned that everyone can make a difference.”

nathan greidanus challenges his students to raise money for charity in the final exam of his fourth-year Entrepreneurship course. Their task it to generate as much profit as possible in 30 minutes by selling small items such as pens, hats and bags of chips. Greidanus says students have turned $30 of initial products into as much as $360. The students then vote on a charity to receive the proceeds. One year it was an organization that built schools in Laos, and the other two years it was Habitat for Humanity.

Sean MacDonald’s undergradu-ate Leadership course is giving Asper BComm students a

unique opportunity to lead fundrais-ing initiatives of their own. “Giving back to the community is a vital component of strong leadership,” MacDonald says. “As future business leaders, our students are expected to contribute back to a society that is contributing to their development.”

In class, students study the qualities and techniques of famous leaders. They meet leaders in journalism, sports, health care, philanthropy and spirituality. Then, they divide into groups of five and identify charitable causes they wish to support in a final fundrais-ing project. Often they choose local charities such as CancerCare Manitoba, Siloam Mission, Winnipeg Harvest and the Christmas Cheer Board. How they raise funds is up to them. “I’ve seen everything from bake sales and socials to more inventive approaches, like a tea sale,

ShInERAMA

In September, hundreds of university students donned bright orange t-shirts and hit the streets of Winnipeg to shine shoes for a great cause. Shinerama is the national student fundraising campaign for the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Organized by Asper students, the U of M’s 2013 campaign raised over $35,000.

Campaign co-chair Dorian Rourke, a fourth-year BComm student, says, “Many of the young people that helped on this cam-paign are going to be future business leaders. Initiatives like Shinerama shape their values and change the corporate world for years to come.”

ChIllIn’ FoR ChARITy

At this year’s Chillin’ for Charity fundraiser in November, over 50 Asper students took turns leaping into an outdoor pool of icy water to raise money for the United Way of Winnipeg. They raised over $17,500 – and countless goose bumps – for their bravery. Each year, business schools across Western Canada host their own Chillin’ for Charity event as the charitable component of the Jeux de Commerce (JDC) West undergraduate business school competition. Team co-captain André Cadieux says, “JDC West highlights the ‘holistic business professional’ and Chillin’ for Charity is a fantastic way for our team members to take their student experience to the next level while creating a positive impact in our community. This event brought us closer together as a team and closer together as a community.”

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103.1 Virgin Radio host Ace Burpee, moments before he finds out what Chillin’ for Charity really means.

Courses in giving

Sean MacDonald believes the best way for his students to learn leadership is by “doing leadership” and exploring their capacity to make a difference.

A S P E R S C H O O L O F B U S I N E S S

BlooMBERg hAll oF FAME

Fifth-year Asper student Stefan Baluta achieved a jaw-dropping score on the Bloomberg Aptitude Test (BAT) that rocketed him to the 99th percentile of candidates world-wide and onto North America’s coveted Top Five list. He was the only Canadian student to be listed in the Bloomberg Hall of Fame. The BAT is a standardized, two-hour online test designed by the Bloomberg Institute in collabora-tion with leading academics and business professionals to assess the finance knowledge and career aptitude of college and university students. Over 100,000 students have taken the BAT from over 1,000 universities around the world.

Baluta was actually majoring in Actuarial Mathematics – not Finance – when he took the test. “After find-

athletics. As an alternate captain on the Canadian Intrauniversity Sport (CIS) women’s hockey team, she earned a gold medal in December at the 2013 Winter Universiade (World University Games) in Trentino, Italy.

In the final game against Russia, MacDonald racked up two goals and six assists – including an assist in the game-winning goal.

MacDonald is also the recipient of a U of M 2012-2013 Emerging Leader award. She says finding ways to balance athletics and academics hasn’t always been easy – but has always proven rewarding. “Balancing the two commitments has definitely improved my time management skills, as well as improved my ability to work efficiently and effectively, especially under stress.”

Caitlin MacDonald, fifth-year Accounting and Finance major and alternate captain and

defense on the Bison women’s hock-ey team, distinguished herself this year as a true leader in business and

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outstanding StudentsAsper students believe in the pursuit

of excellence – in leadership, athletics and academics. Their achievements do our community proud!

Asper gold

S P R I N g 2 0 1 4

PRouD oF ouR AluMnICHAU PHAM [MBA/2013] will receive the University of Manitoba

Young Alumni Award in May for her inspiring

professional and personal achievements. Pham

spent two years in a refugee camp battling

tuberculosis – an experience that motivated her

to become a doctor and establish Canadians

Helping Kids in Vietnam. She works tirelessly to

help children with insufficient medical care.

Third-year Entrepreneurship major Matthew Stewart trav-eled to St. Petersburg, Russia

last April as part of the U of M delegation to the 8th annual G20 Youth Forum. He joined over 1,500 students, academics, young leaders, business people and politicians from around the world to explore global problems and potential solutions.

“Students in developing countries lack so many opportunities we take for granted,” he explains, “from lack of technology to the basics, like clean running water and medicine. I want to connect Canadian stu-dents with ways they can make a difference in those countries – by building awareness, fundraising, and putting them in touch with resources and opportunities.”

Stewart is no stranger to making a difference. A Leader of Tomorrow scholarship recipient, he raised over $180,000 to build rainwater harvesting tanks in Tanzania – while still a high school student. He’s also

ing out about the BAT results, I rearranged my schedule to double major in actuarial math and finance.” Baluta says his exposure to finance has opened his mind to a wider range of career options.

MBA golD MEDAl

The Asper MBA’s T.A. (Stoney) Anderson gold Medal was presented to Josee lepine for graduating with the highest overall academic standing in the program. Lepine also won the Certified general Accountants Association of Manitoba Award for completing

the program in one year with the highest academic standing.

13

outstanding Studentscoordinator of the U of M’s World WISE Resource Centre, a student-run organization that connects uni-versity students with international development projects.

To Russia with love

The G20 Youth Forum was an opportunity for Stewart to meet like-minded students from Canada, Nigeria, South Africa and other countries. “I met so many people with a passion to change the world. It was a great opportunity for us to get together and start building a network that will help turn our ideas into realities.”

A S P E R S C H O O L O F B U S I N E S S

students the opportunity to explore their entrepreneurial spirit. This year, the SCCE also co-sponsored Vision to Venture, where Winnipeg’s top scientists and product developers showcased their latest patent- pending technologies to local entre-preneurs and potential investors.

The Stu Clark Investment Competition attracts grad student teams from prominent business schools across North America and beyond. The Manitoba High School Investment Competition and new Venture Adventure summer camp offer young

WES nICol EnTREPREnEuRIAl unDERgRAD CoMPETITIon

Brendan McAndrew, a first-year business student, won the 2014 Wes nicol entrepreneurial Undergrad Competition. Hosted by the SCCE and open to all U of M undergrad students, the competition challenges students to pitch their business ideas to a panel of business professionals, and reflects the real-world pressures entrepreneurs face when seeking financial backing and support for a new business idea. McAndrew’s business, White Pine Fixies, sells affordable new and restored fixed-gear and single-speed bikes in Winnipeg, and brands itself as an environmentally friendly business with a reputation for high-quality products specially suited to its customers’ lifestyles.

Winning the Wes Nicol Entrepreneurial Undergrad Competition gives McAndrew a chance to compete for the Nicol Entrepreneurial Award, a national prize designed to generate and reward entrepreneurship in under-grad students in any faculty at participating Canadian universities. In late March, six winners will rendezvous in Ottawa and battle for the national title.

umanitoba.ca/entrepreneur @StuClarkCentre

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new venture Adventures

the Asper school of Business and the Stu Clark Centre for Entrepreneurship (SCCE) are supporting student enterpreneurs with innovative events and competitions.

Brendan McAndrew pitches

his winning business venture,

White Pine Fixies, at the Wes Nicol Entrepreneurial

Undergrad Competition.

S P R I N g 2 0 1 4

treatment for hospital fabrics that completely eliminates bacteria. nick Danzinger [BComm(Hons)/13] placed first in the student category.

“Pitch Day was an impressive showing for our students,” says Stuart Henrickson, Executive Director of Entrepreneurship at the SCCE. “The two MBA technologies were unique and financially viable products with growing market potential. They meet all the require-ments needed to launch successful business ventures.”

approached Peter and his team to invest in the product. Patty rosher (MBA candidate), Dr Song Lui and Zach Wolff (MBA candidate) took first place in the research category for their project on an antibacterial

SPIRIT oF WInnIPEg

The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce has honoured Asper grads Bryce north [BComm (Hons)/12] and Kris luinenberg [BComm(Hons)/11] with the 2014 Spirit of Winnipeg Award in the Start-up Business Category. Their venture, Advolve Media, has developed interactive retail displays that track consumer analytics in real time. They launched the company in 2011.

PITCh DAy

Asper students cleaned up at the annual Innovate Manitoba Pitch Day competition. Peter Wheatley (MBA candidate) won the First Place and People’s Choice awards for his project on wireless rotational sensors to prevent tire blowouts on trucks. The idea was so impres-sive that three different financiers

15

new venture Adventures

BIg IDEASChip Wilson, co-founder and former chairman of Lululemon Athletica Inc.,

received the 2013 International Distinguished Entrepreneur Award (IDEA) from

the Associates of the I.H. Asper School of Business, a group of prominent business

leaders who support our school. The award honours business executives who

have achieved outstanding entrepreneurial success and made an exemplary

contribution to economic life.

linda Hasenfratz, Chief Executive Officer of Linamar Corporation, will receive

the 2014 IDEA this May. Linamar is a diversified global manufacturing company

of precision-engineered products.

linda Hasenfratz, Chief Executive Officer Linamar Corporation

(left) Advolve Media co-founders and Spirit of Winnipeg award-winners, left to right: Kris Luinenberg (COO), Bryce North (CEO) and Dave Noel (CTO).

A S P E R S C H O O L O F B U S I N E S S

Dan Torbiak [BComm(Hons) /80, CA], Executive in Residence for the Asper School. After a 30-year

career as a Chartered Accountant, Torbiak joined the School in 2009 as a sessional lecturer in Taxation. He plans to develop and strengthen relationships between the Asper School and the Manitoba business community.

Dr David Duval, Director of the Transport Institute at the Asper School of Business. David has wide-ranging

business experience, having con-sulted with airlines, airports, national and local governments, and private sector firms. He has published in the areas of aeropolitics, the economics of international aviation emissions, and the relationship between regulation and competition in inter-national civil aviation. He served as the Director for Air Transport Research in New Zealand and as an advisor on air transport issues to the New Zealand Government.

emily Ashley, Alumni Relations Officer. Ashley is a fourth-year Asper student complet-ing a double major

in Marketing and Finance. A former Senior Stick (2012/2013), she has held various marketing/operations roles with Rogers Communications and Eph Apparel. She is also a board member of the newly formed Asper Alumni Association.

Dr nicolas roulin, Assistant Professor, Business Administration. He holds a PhD from the Institute of Work and Organizational Psychology at the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. His research interests include job applicants’ use of influence tactics in the selection process and organizations’ attempts to detect them, the use of social media as selection tools, and hiring discrimination.

Jeff Strong [BComm(Hons) /03, FCIA, FSA], Executive in Residence at the Warren Centre

for Actuarial Studies. He works as a corporate actuary for Manitoba Blue Cross and has lectured on Interest Theory for the Warren Centre since 2006. In addition to marketing the actuarial profession to high school students and raising the Centre’s profile, Strong serves as the U of M’s official liaison with the Canadian Institute of Actuaries and the Actuarial Mathematics Advisory Board.

Dr Yuvraj gajpal, Assistant Professor, Supply Chain Management. He holds a PhD in Management

Science from DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University. His research interests include the application of heuristics and meta-heuristics to transportation and logistics management. His current research focuses on retail supply chain management.

Dr Ying Huang, Assistant Professor, Accounting and Finance. She holds a PhD in Finance from the

University of Memphis. The focus of her teaching and research is corporate governance, cash hold-ings, dividends, M&A, market microstructure and real estate.

Deborah Knight, Budget Officer. She gained her BA(Hons) from the University of West London in the UK.

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new Faces

S P R I N g 2 0 1 4

Part of what motivates her research is personal experience: “Many years ago, I had a supervisor who was highly abusive, and it defined, in a very negative way, my experience at work. A job that I once loved turned into a job that I hated. I eventually quit. I think it’s important to understand that negative treatment, especially when it comes from a powerful source, can profoundly affect employee well-being. My research aims to understand these effects and what we can do to mitigate them.”

Dr Sandy Hershcovis, Head of the Business Administration department, received an

Rh Award in Spring 2013 for her groundbreaking research in work-place aggression. The award is given to academic researchers in the early stages of their careers who display exceptional innovation, leadership and promise. Dr Hershcovis says she and her collaborators will use the award funds to conduct studies needed to develop an intervention protocol that will hopefully reduce incidents of workplace aggression – and improve the lives of employees – wherever it is adopted.

2013 ASSoCIATES AChIEvEMEnT AWARDS

reSeArCH:Dr Wenxia geAssistant Professor Accounting and Finance

Dr Ying ZhangAssistant Professor Accounting and Finance

TeACHIng:Dr nathan greidanusAssistant Professor Business Administration

SerVICe:Dr Hari Bapuji Associate Professor Business Administration

FACulTy APPoInTMEnT

Dr Subbu Sivaramakrishnan stepped in for David Stangeland as Associate Dean, Programs and Administration. David is on leave until June.

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Investigating Workplace Aggression

“ I think it’s important to understand that negative treatment, especially when it comes from a powerful source, can profoundly affect employee well-being.”

– Dr Sandy Hershcovis

HICKSon reSeArCH DAYAt the 2014 Hickson Research Day poster competition, faculty and students showed off their latest research to the Asper community. PhD student Hamed Aghakhani and professors Kelley Main and Fang Wan took home first prize. Their poster highlighted research exploring weight loss and the power of before-and-after ads.

(left) Hickson Research Day event co-chair Adolf Ng and Asper MSc student Tianni Wang, with their respective posters.

company managed a vast archive of job descriptions. He played a key role on the recruitment team, and helped roll out the company’s MBO and manager bonus program for over 100 managers.

Traffilog north America was named the Asper Co-op Employer of the Year. Rianne Boekhurst, the third-year Asper student and co-op employee who nominated the company, said, “My manager and my team enabled me to develop my creative and critical thinking skills, increased my confidence in my abil-ity to contribute, and enhanced my understanding of my strengths.”

The Asper Co-operative Education Program, now in its seventh year, continues to grow

thanks to strong partnerships with leading businesses in Manitoba and across the country. By graduating with a year of professional work experience already under their belts, co-op students are prepared to make valuable contributions to Manitoba companies – immediately. And by partnering with us, employ-ers have a direct hand in training Manitoba’s future business leaders.

At the annual Celebrating Co-op event, sponsored by the Young Associates, Dale Camuyong was named Asper Co-op Student of the Year. He spent his first co-op work term as a People Services Specialist at New Flyer Industries. He took charge of a major human resource project for the leader-ship team, improving the way the

18

co-op allows students to bridge theory and practice, and results in a richer, more meaningful learning experience.

Kelly Mahoney, Director of the Asper Career

Development Centre (left) congratulates Danita Dubinsky Aziza and Sandy

Balamatowski, representing

Traffilog, the Asper Co-op Employer

of the Year.

Asper Co-op Student of the Year Dale

Camuyong (left) and John Jabs, Finance Board Chair of the Young Associates.Celebrating

Co-op

A reCenT SUrVeY oF ASPer BCoMM grADUATeS SAYS:

100% were employed after graduation

97.9% were employed in Manitoba

92.4% said their degree was relevant to being hired

80% used the services of the Career Development Centre

umanitoba.ca/asper/coopumanitoba.ca/asper/cdc

S P R I N g 2 0 1 4

ABEP, Asper Co-op and International Exchange work together to create oppor-tunities for students to grow. Sabourin discovered the co-op opportunity at RBC thanks to the ABEP program coordinator. (RBC is one of ABEP’s corporate partners.) And ABEP helped offset her inter-national exchange travel expenses with an international study award.

Sabourin says that after she grad-uates, the sky’s the limit. No matter where she lands, she’s confident she’ll succeed. “I believe my time at Asper has prepared me for anything that comes my way.”

And thanks to the Asper School’s International exchange Program, she recently spent a summer abroad at the Kedge Business School in France. While overseas, she explored Europe, from the island of Santorini to Rome, Prague and Berlin.

“Experiencing different cultures and finding myself in challeng-ing situations while travelling has definitely helped me mature as a student and as a person. As a future business professional, the experi-ence provided me with countless connections all over the world.”

Karine Sabourin’s friends and professors may call her “down to earth”, but that hasn’t

stopped this third-year Finance major from seizing every opportuni-ty the Asper School offers to expand her horizons and take flight into an exciting future.

Sabourin is a proud member of Aboriginal Business education Partners (ABEP), which provides her with a supportive community that helps her “navigate the waters of balancing schoolwork and kick-starting my career.”

She plans on pursuing a career in finance – and she’s already gained valuable work experience at RBC through the Asper Co-op Program. “My co-op experience allowed me to get real insight into what being an account manager in commer-cial banking entails. I was able to apply the concepts I learned in the classroom to real-life scenarios. I had great co-workers who went out of their way to ensure I was learning and being challenged.”

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Flying high

Sabourin (left) and a fellow traveller bask in the sunshine of Santorini, Greece. This summer, she’ll undertake her second co-op term in Toronto with TD Securities in Investment Banking.

Karine sabourin has seized every opportunity the Asper school offers to expand her horizons and take flight into an exciting future.

A S P E R S C H O O L O F B U S I N E S S

ABEP STuDEnT WInS gEnERAl ElECTRIC AWARD

ABEP student Brayden Harper has been named a GE (General Electric) Scholar-Leader. The

national GE Scholar-Leader Award program is open to Aboriginal students enrolled in business or engineering, and provides $4,000 per year for 3 years – in addition to mentorship opportunities with a GE executive. ABEP students have been selected as GE Scholar-Leaders every year since the program began in 2011.

Leadership Award. Neechi Foods first opened its doors in Winnipeg’s North End in 1990 and has grown to include a neighbourhood super-market, produce courtyard, cafeteria restaurant, bakery, fish market, and specialty foods boutique. The com-pany operates under the principles of an Aboriginal-owned and -oper-ated worker co-operative, and has remained a commercially self-reliant enterprise committed to community economic development.

Brenda Parsons, owner of All nations Print ltd., won the Excellence in Aboriginal Small and Medium Enterprises Award. She began the company out of her home in 2002. All Nations Print has since taken a leadership role in the Aboriginal business community and serves Federal, Provincial and Crown corporations with their Aboriginal Business Procurement Strategy. In addition to printing stationary, it offers promotional items and signage, and creates digital files of Cree syllabics for clients wishing to preserve their languages.

The EABLA dinner is one of Manitoba’s most prestigious events for

honouring Aboriginal business leaders. The

stories behind their successes motivate and

inspire students to pursue work in a wide variety

of sectors, or establish businesses of their own.

umanitoba.ca/asper/abep

The 9th annual excellence in Aboriginal Business leadership Award (eABlA),

hosted by the Asper School of Business and Aboriginal Business Education Partners, celebrated inspiring businesses and entrepre-neurs at a gala event in October.

neechi Foods Co-op ltd., an Aboriginal grocery and specialty store, won the Aboriginal Business

20

Louise Champagne, President of Neechi

Foods, winner of the Aboriginal

Business Leadership Award, and Brenda

Parsons, owner of All Nations Print

Ltd., winner of the Excellence in Aboriginal Small

and Medium Enterprises Award.

47Th AnnuAl CoMMERCE BuSInESS BAnquET

Jeremy Bloom, the keynote speaker at this year’s annual Commerce Business Banquet, offered some inspiring advice to future busi-ness leaders attending the event: “Never stop moving.” And he would know. A former Olympic skier and NFL player, Bloom is founder of Integrate, an award-winning mar-keting software and media services provider. He was named one of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 in Technology in 2012, and an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalist in 2013. He also told students, “What defines you is the character you have when nobody is looking.”

Aboriginal Business Excellence

S P R I N g 2 0 1 4 21

DR REg lITz1958-2013Dr reg litz, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Stu Clark Chair in Entrepreneurship, was a passionate and innovative teacher, researcher and mentor. His courses showed students how to realize their entrepreneurial potential and make the world a better place. His remarkable teaching talents

were recognized throughout his career by numerous awards from the University of Manitoba, the Asper School of Business and the Canadian Council for Small Business & Entrepreneurship. In 2006, the Maclean’s Guide to Universities listed Reg as one of the U of M’s most popular profs. He was also honoured at the most recent Academy of Management for his teaching excellence.

“ The real exam – that is, the real measure of what

you have learned – doesn’t happen, indeed can’t

happen, in the classroom. Evidence of what you have

really learned happens ‘out there’ in daily practice,

and the exam typically lasts not for two hours at the

end of a semester, but for three to four decades over

the course of a lifetime.” – Reg Litz

DR xIAoyun WAng1964-2013Dr Xiaoyun Wang, Associate Professor of Business Administration, began teaching at the Asper School in 2001. She received the CMA Award on Research & Teaching and the Associates’ Achievement Award on Research from the Asper School in 2006. “Dr Xiaoyun Wang was one of those rare individuals who was not only a bright and gifted academic, but also a beautiful soul,” says Dr Usha Mittoo. “She had the courage and determination to face challenges with grace and kindness. It was an honor and privilege to know her.”

Last year, the Dr Xiaoyun Wang Fellowship in Business Administration was established to provide support to outstanding graduate students in Xiaoyun’s areas of research.

DR noRMAn FRolICh1941-2013norman Frohlich, Professor Emeritus of Business Administration at the Asper School, served on the faculty for over 30 years. He was a valued researcher and dedicated teaching scholar in distributive justice and social welfare. He will be missed by his family, friends and colleagues.

(left) Dr Reg Litz. In honour of his passion for teaching, the Asper School has launched the Reg Litz Teaching Day, an annual event where faculty share ideas and strategies to help students learn, grow and succeed. The first teaching day takes place on March 21, 2014.

In Memoriam

A S P E R S C H O O L O F B U S I N E S S

FACIlITIeS & TeCHnologY The Asper School will provide a world-class business education facility that exposes students to the technologies they will encounter in the workplace, such as podcasting, videoconferencing and real-time financial data feeds.

enTrePreneUrSHIPThe Asper School will provide stu-dents and recent graduates from all U of M faculties with access to entrepreneurial expertise through mentorship, consultation and skill development opportunities that help them take their business ven-tures from conception to market, and position the U of M as the hub of innovation in Manitoba and beyond.

ABorIgInAl CoMMUnITY CAPACITY BUIlDIng The Asper School will increase finan-cial support for Aboriginal students and offer unique programming in Aboriginal Leadership in order to develop the next generation of Aboriginal leaders, and build the capacity of Aboriginal communities through increased business knowl-edge and access to resources.

To make a gift in support of any of the Asper School’s strategic priorities, please contact:

Dr Michael BenarrochDean, Asper School of Business and CA Manitoba Chair in Business Leadership

Phone: 204.474.9712Email: m.benarroch@umanitoba.ca

Vanessa Shaff Donor Relations

Phone: 204.474.9985Email: vanessa.shaff@umanitoba.ca

grADUATe STUDenT SUPPorT The Asper School will better attract top-quality graduate students from across Manitoba and beyond, and keep more Manitobans studying and working in Manitoba. We will double the enrollment of PhD and MSc students, and develop a cutting-edge research culture at the U of M.

STUDenT eXPerIenCeThe Asper School will offer students innovative, hands-on learning opportunities through a student-managed venture capital fund, executive mentorships, international study programs, internships, real-life consulting projects and enhanced career services.

22

Invest in Asperthe Asper school of Business is trailblazing a new approach to business education. By integrating hands-on learning opportunities in real-world business environments, we’re positioning our graduates as the drivers of economic change in Canada and beyond. Alumni, donor and community support is vital to our success. Invest in the Asper School – and help us provide a transformative, world-class education to the next generation of business leaders. Your gift will support:

(right) Our new Donor Wall, located on the third floor of Drake Centre: a shining

testament to a community that believes in the future of business education.

S P R I N g 2 0 1 4 23

forward to announcing the first recipients in September 2014.

Thank you Howard Morry [BComm(Hons)/81] for establish-ing the Howard Morry Leadership Seminar. This annual event gives stu-dents direct access to outstanding business leaders, entrepreneurs and business owners, fosters collabora-tion between students and the business community, and enables students to move beyond textbook learning by bringing business theories into real-life application. Speakers at the inaugural seminar included Howard Morry, Bob Silver, Jim Carr, Chuck Loewen, Bob Tallman and Phil Fontaine.

Thank you to the Associates of the I.H. Asper School of Business, who pledged

$1 million to the Asper School to support international student travel awards, state-of-the-art technology in Drake Centre, our Executive in Residence program, and graduate student programs and opportunities.

Thank you CMA Manitoba for establishing the CMA Manitoba Foundation Scholarship in Aboriginal Business Education. This scholarship will recognize out-standing academic achievement by student members of Aboriginal Business Education Partners (ABEP) majoring in Accounting. We look

Making a Difference! For more information, visit umanitoba.ca/asper/alumni

“ over the last 30 years, the Associates

has evolved into a membership of

over 260 business leaders who under-

stand the importance of investing in

the economic future of this province.

Our commitment of $1 million in

funding over the next four years will

ensure that the School can maintain

its status as a world-class business

school, and will have a direct and

immediate impact on the quality of

the student experience.”

– Joe Cyr, Chair of the Associates

A S P E R S C H O O L O F B U S I N E S S24

asper_info@umanitoba.ca@ asperschool

umanitoba.ca/asper

For more information, contact: Judy Wilson, Director Marketing & Communications204.474.8960

Wri

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: Rya

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n: F

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Des

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no matter where in the world their business education takes them, Asper grads agree: there’s no place like home!

homecoming 2013

Senior Sticks, left to right: Jim Pitblado (1953), Jaysa Nachtigall (2011), Gabriela Rosales (2010), Riley George (2013), Mike Gould (2009), Edward Acuna (2008)

Earl Barish [BComm(Hons)/63], Doneta Brotchie [BComm(Hons)/73] and Scott McCulloch [BComm(Hons)/04] at the Asper Homecoming Reception.

The Class of 1953, celebrating its

60th anniversary reunion, enjoyed

a dinner at the Manitoba Club,

followed by a luncheon hosted by U of M Chancellor

Harvey Secter.

It was “back to school” for the Class of 1988, who returned to the Asper School for a

Homecoming reunion that included a “lecture” from

professors Howard Harmatz and Marvin Bartell. The class also took in a Bison game and

a tour of the Investors Group Field stadium led by former Winnipeg

Blue Bomber and CSA 2013-2014 Honorary President Wade Miller.

Monis Uddin [BComm(Hons)/06], Bob Michaleski [BComm(Hons)/75], Lorena Prakash [MBA/02], Dr Michael Benarroch (Dean of the Asper School and CA Manitoba Chair in Business Leadership) and Andy Wu [BComm(Hons)/03] at the Asper Alumni Calgary Reception in May.