Greetings, Alumnus! You are receiving this e-newsletter because you are a McCombs undergraduate alumnus or friend. Stay plugged in to what is happening at the school by updating your profile and preferences. 

On Friday, February 17, the annual Endowed Scholarship Recognition Reception was hosted by Dean Gau.  In its ninth year, this event brings together donors and students, giving donors and endowment representatives a chance to see their gifts in action. Read more about student scholarships in the student profile below or online. Photo: Blair Abernathy and Wilma McAngus.

  IN THIS ISSUE 
New MPA/PPA Director - Recent Speakers at McCombs
New Job Postings - Sarbanes-Oxley Discussion

Corporate America Needs More Female Leaders, Says McCombs Advisory Council Chair
Lynn Utter, chief strategy officer for Coors Brewing Co. and McCombs Advisory Council Chair, opened the Women in Business Leadership Conference Feb. 10 with spirited remarks about her journey through the corporate ranks. The day-long conference, now in its fifth year, was hosted by the Graduate Women in Business and employed the theme, "Let the Journey Begin," inviting keynote speakers and panelists to share with the 300-plus participants anecdotes and advice from their career experiences. Get the full story.

Strict Values Best Bet for Sports Business
Just how well do movies like Jerry Maguire and Any Given Sunday capture the complex world of athletic contracts, player drafts and politics in professional sports? Leigh Steinberg, widely recognized as the world's leading sports attorney, provided insight into this world in his talk for the McCombs Plus Program Feb. 8. For the aspiring sports agent, Steinberg offered several personal strategies for success. Photo Credit: Rodolfo Gonzalez, Austin American-Statesman.  Get the full story.

Limberg Named Director of MPA and PPA Programs
Stephen Limberg, the PricewaterhouseCoopers Centennial Professor in Accounting, has been named director of the MPA and PPA programs at the McCombs School of Business. Rick Joseph, the director of the MPA and PPA programs for the past six years, has stepped down to resume his full-time role on the school's faculty.  Get the full story.

Ben Love, Houston Banker and Philanthropist, Dies
Houston banker and active philanthropist Ben Love, BBA '48, died of cancer Jan. 13 at the age of 81. Love's devotion to education was honored by The University of Texas and Austin and the McCombs School in numerous ways, including recognition as a Distinguished Alumnus in 1975 and induction into the McCombs Hall of Fame in 1985. Love was also a longtime member of the McCombs Advisory Council. Read more about Love's life.

McCombs Recalls History of His Success for Alumni
Red McCombs has been interested in business for as long as he can remember. Speaking to a roomful of graduates from the Texas Executive MBA Program (Option II) at the Etter-Harbin Alumni Center Jan. 27, the benefactor of the McCombs School of Business recalled, "I was an entrepreneur before I knew what the word meant—and certainly before I could spell it." Get the full story.

Culture Has Changed Since Sarbanes-Oxley, but Problems Remain
After the accounting scandal at Enron came to light in 2001, the federal government was compelled to conjure a definitive and firm response. When, the following year, Congress passed the Sarbanes-Oxley Act—the most drastic piece of legislation in recent years to affect corporate governance, financial disclosure and public accounting—the business world scrambled to comply with the new restrictions. Michael Granof, professor of accounting, discussed just how much corporate culture has been transformed by Sarbanes-Oxley in his Executive MBA case study talk Jan. 27. Get the full story.

Team of Undergrads to Compete in USC International Business Competition
After winning the McCombs Undergraduate Case Competition last fall, a team of undergraduates will compete in the Marshall School of Business International Case Competition Feb. 22-25. The McCombs team, which includes Melissa Chu, finance senior; Shawn Mathew, MPA student; Roshan Nair, BHP and PPA senior; and Sarang Parikh, BHP and MIS senior, will take on 23 other top-ranked international and national business schools participating in the competition. Learn more about the international case competition.

Get Your Horns Up! 
While most of us watched it on TV, several McCombs alumni celebrated in California when the was there when the Horns won the National Championship.  "It is still like a dream," said Brian Wells, MBA '89, the co-owner of Crew Bar + Grill in Chicago. That’s him on the right. Another alum in attendance, Roger Ghalla, MBA '93 said, "It was the best game for UT that I've ever attended in person.  UT fans showed up big in USC's back yard!"

Attend a Texas Executive MBA (Option II) Information Session
Considering applying to the Texas Executive MBA (Option II)?  Join alumni and program representatives at one of these upcoming program information sessions. Upcoming information sessions in Austin are March 1, April 5 and May 3 at 6:30pm at the MCC Building in Austin (3925 W. Braker Lane).

A change in your life?
Email us, alumnewseditor@mccombs.utexas.edu, your professional and personal news, but please include your degree and graduation date as well as your maiden name or name used while in school if different from your current name.

Hire McCombs Alumni through the McCombs Job Board
Search for a job or promote employment opportunities to both current students and alumni of the McCombs School of Business.  Current job openings include a senior strategy analyst at Alliance Data Systems, senior consultant at XRoads Solutions Group, several openings including Sarbanes-Oxley Manager at Avvantica Consulting and Director of Marketing at Inquisite.

More McCombs News
Professor Konana's Research Deconstructs Outsourcing Options
Man Behind Poker's Popularity Reveals His Strategy
Internet Fraud Complaints Run Rampant in Austin 
Fair Trade Market Becoming Harder to Manage
Compliance Regulations Much Like Seat Belt Safety, Says Alum

View more McCombs School of Business News Online...
McCombs Monthly Archives