THE BUSINESS JOURNAL

Archives: Spring 07 | Fall 06 | Spring 06 | Fall 05

The theme for the convention was “Create a Better World” and featured culinary health experts Graham and Treena Kerr (of Galloping Gourmet fame) and Olympic speed skating champion Catriona Le May Doan.

Convention attendees learned how to plug into the resourcefulness of poor people as they try to fashion better lives for themselves and their families, and how wealth creation programs can overcome poverty by harnessing God-given imagination.

Following are responses written by several students who attended the convention:

Bryce Bergey
The MEDA convention was a meaningful time. Learning more about MEDA, as an organization, was helpful in understanding the different ways in which economic development is approached. Making an impact on the world and in local communities around America , MEDA is working hard at serving, educating, and empowering the people that they work with, in hopes that they can then help themselves and others in their lives. Some other highlights of the convention were networking and catching up with others in the organization and the keynote, as well as seminar, speakers. They challenged us to first find our strengths and use those talents and gifts to then help and strengthen others.

Ben Stutzman
“Business as a Calling” is an appropriate name for MEDA’s annual member convention. More than anything, the event was a gathering of people whose life calling is to do business. It was clearly stated by a friend I met there, who said, “We just want to do the right thing.” While a wide variety of perspectives and interests were represented, there was no clearer message than theses people want to make a difference in the world, and they believe it starts with them. (Excerpts from Ben’s response)

Dung Nguyen
My first impression of the Mennonite Economic Development Association Convention was that it was very well organized... the people were very friendly and they did well at making newcomers and students feel welcomed and comfortable. While I was at the convention, I attended three seminars... the first seminar was the most interesting to me because it was new material that I have never heard before. Brothers Vern and John Toews presented the greenhouse technology that they used and were successful with. They also showed that greenhouses were very efficient and environmental friendly... I was very fortunate to be able to attend this convention. It was such a great experience. It helped me to understand another side of business other than... making as much money as possible.

Ron Stoltzfus on Sabbatical
The Department of Business & Economics has enough long-term faculty members to have a series of sabbatical the next few years. This year Professor Ron Stoltzfus is taking a sabbatical working in industry. Next year Professor Spencer Cowles will be on sabbatical for the spring semester, followed by Professor Chris Gingrich the following year.

Stoltzfus is working on a variety of tasks at Dynamic Aviation Inc., where he is working under the direction of one of his former students, Merle Zook. His primary task is helping to develop and implement a Balanced Scorecard (BSC) system. In addition, he performs other non-routine tasks as needed.

Highlights of the sabbatical include attending a Balanced Scorecard Conference in Chicago and working with an outstanding consultant on gathering information and implementing the BSC. So far, the team has developed the Strategy Map for the corporation, which tells the story of the company’s strategy and identifies the key objectives for success. In addition, they have developed the measures for the key objectives.

With the corporate scorecard and measures in place, the scorecard team will work at cascading the measures down to operating divisions of the company. When all the measures are in place, Stoltzfus will assist in developing a report system for the managers.

Upcoming Department Events
Department Picnic , Sunday, April 23, 5:00 p.m. at the Discipleship Center. Catering provided by Hank’s Smokehouse.

Graduation Breakfast for graduates and their families, Sunday April 30, 8:00-9:30 a.m. in Campus Center 226

Department Field Trip
On February 1, a group of students from the department of business and economics took a field trip to Richmond , Virginia . The group visited The Fed, Dominion Virginia Power, and Ukrop’s Grocery Store. Following are reflections from two students who attended the Field trip:

Magidellawit Worku
After our visit to the Federal Reserve Bank and Dominion, we set off to a small shopping center where Ukrop’s is located. Though it is just a grocery store, it differentiates itself by having a restaurant in the store as well as a wide selection of ready made food which ranges from pastries and baked goods to sea food and salads. Our group was served a variety of cuisine in the form of a buffet.

We were amazed by the employees’ dedication to satisfy their customers, as well as experiencing it for ourselves as we went about the store to shop and look around. Ukrop’s has four team values that it operates with, and these are: be honest, be safe, be helpful, be hard working. These team values along with the company’s vision, purpose, business commitments, and leadership principles, are printed on a wallet size card for everyone to own and carry around with them, reminding them of what drives Ukrop’s to be successful.

Our group had a wonderful time at Ukrop’s, making the day unforgettable. Later on that day, I found myself reading online reviews of the grocery store and was amazed by how much people love Ukrop’s. Based on my own experience, I recommend Ukrop’s to anyone. You can not go to Richmond and come back without paying a visit to Ukrop’s!