Howard MBA Featured on Ernst & Young's Meet Our MBAs

Ernst & Young gives the scoop on the  ey.com career's section from a few MBAs that chose Ernst & Young upon graduating. Below you will find the interview of a Howard MBA recruited onto their Financial Services team in New York.

Jason

MBA school: Howard University School of Business
Undergraduate degree: Finance, University of Hartford
Office: New York
EY business group and specialty: Advisory — Financial Services Office — Performance Improvement
Rank: Senior
Time with Enst & Young: One year

EY: What was the transition from business school to Ernst & Young like?
Jason: The transition from business school to Ernst & Young was pretty smooth. The first month or two was a definite change, as you have to get used to the longer work schedule, and learning curve associated with consulting. However, Ernst & Young has a great team of people that assists in acclimating new individuals into the team. What surprised me was how fellow Ernst & Young colleagues welcomed me with open arms.

EY: Which MBA courses have helped you the most since joining Ernst & Young?
Jason: Various classes at my business school helped me achieve some success at Ernst & Young. I think two classes in particular — Project Management and Cases in Finance — were very valuable. Project Management helped me understand the traits and characteristics that are needed to serve on a project, and ensure a project is completed in a timely manner and provides value to the client. In my Cases in Finance class, I was able to give group presentations and work in a team environment. These skills are expected at Ernst & Young.

EY: What was Ernst & Young's interview process like for you?
Jason: The interview process was challenging, yet exciting. I met with Senior Managers, Partners and Directors who asked questions about the various work and school experiences that would translate to success at Ernst & Young. I got the opportunity to meet other colleagues from various schools throughout the Northeast and learn about their experiences. The most challenging aspect of the interview was participating in a group presentation in front of senior leadership at Ernst & Young. Fortunately, I did well.

EY: What's a "week in the life" at Ernst & Young like for you?
Jason: Monday morning is spent traveling to the client site to perform work on my engagement for the week. I communicate with my Senior Manager and get a solid understanding of my responsibilities. During the week, I'm busy performing client work, conducting interviews and documenting my findings and recommendations. The end of the week consists of providing status updates to the client and Ernst & Young senior management on our progress. On Friday afternoon, I head back to New York to enjoy my weekend.

EY: What has been your favorite project or client experience so far?
Jason: Helping a large financial services organization in establishing a vendor and affiliate management program has been a great experience. The client truly needed our assistance in establishing an effective management structure of their vendors that would improve their operational efficiency, and would help them satisfy external regulators. The client has been satisfied with our work thus far, allowing us to expand our relationship with them.

EY: What interests or hobbies do you have outside of work?
Jason: In my spare time, I enjoy running, lifting weights, playing basketball and relaxing at the beach during the summer.

EY: Why did you choose Ernst & Young?
Jason: I chose to join Ernst & Young due to the extensive experience I would get working on challenging projects within exciting industries for Fortune 100 companies. Also, I knew choosing Ernst & Young would allow me to work and foster relationships with like-minded driven, ambitious individuals.

Source: Ernst & Young websit Meet our MBAs

Howard (MD '94/MBA '11) Alum, Wayne A. I. Frederick, Named Howard's Provost and Chief Academic Officer of Howard University

WASHINGTON (June 11, 2012) – Today, Howard University President Sidney A. Ribeau, named Director of Howard University Cancer Center, Interim Deputy Provost for Health Sciences, and Howard alumnus Dr. Wayne A.I. Frederick (B.S. ’92, M.D. ’94, MBA ’11) Provost and Chief Academic Officer. The appointment is effective June 18, 2012.   “A trusted leader, a revered expert in his field and a champion in his community, Dr. Frederick embodies Howard’s unwavering pursuit of ‘Truth and Service.’ With his appointment, we reaffirm our commitment to the vision of a University prominent in research and education across all disciplines,” said Ribeau.  This appointment follows a rigorous, open, national search chaired by the Dean of the College of Pharmacy, Anthony K. Wutoh Ph.D., that included discussions with constituents throughout the entire Howard University community.   Dr. Frederick’s knowledge of the University is broad and deep. As interim deputy provost, he demonstrated university-wide leadership, engaged in academic planning, implemented priorities and worked collaboratively with deans, faculty, staff and students on all levels.   Dean Kurt Schmoke, interim Deputy Provost for Academic Affairs, points to this diverse background as a major strength that Dr. Frederick brings to the new role of Provost. “I have been impressed by his keen intellect and his wonderful enthusiasm of the future of Howard University," he said.   As Professor in the Department of Surgery at Howard, Frederick is a master teacher who has received teaching awards every year since the beginning of his tenure. As a member of the faculty, he fulfilled what he called “a career aspiration” of working with his mentor, LaSalle D. Leffall, Jr., M.D. – an opportunity that was expanded during this current academic year when Dr. Leffall asked Dr. Frederick to serve as Interim Deputy Provost for Health Sciences. “We are indeed fortunate that Dr. Frederick has accepted President Ribeau’s request to serve alma mater,” Leffall said. He is an accomplished surgeon, teacher, administrator, leader and public servant.”  Frederick, originally from Port of Spain, Trinidad, is a bright and passionate son of Howard. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology, his medical degree from the College of Medicine, and his Masters in Business Administration from the School of Business.  He completed a post-doctoral research fellowship and a surgical oncology fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center, where he spent his final year as Chief Administrative Fellow. At the University of Connecticut Health Center, he became the Associate Director of the Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Director of Surgical Oncology and Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery.  Dr. Frederick is a respected clinician and researcher with dozens of peer-reviewed publications including articles, book chapters, abstracts and editorials. His research focuses on health disparities with a particular emphasis on cancer outcomes among African Americans and other underrepresented groups. He has also served as the principal investigator for major collaborations with the National Cancer Institute, Johns Hopkins University, as well as local and national minority-serving oncology programs. He has received several awards including being named a “Super Doctor” by the Washington Post and listed on Ebony Magazine’s Power 100 in 2010. Beyond his innumerable outstanding achievements and international recognition, Dr. Frederick is a well-rounded scholar, with a passion for the arts and service.  ------------- Source: Media Contact: Rachel Mann Communications Specialist 202.238.2631 rachel.mann@howard.edu

HUAA MBA Network Re-Launch & Workshop

The Howard University Alumni Association MBA Network (HUAA MBA) Coordinating Committee, with support of the Office of Graduate Programs, extends a special invitation to fellow HUMBA Alumni on Friday, March 9, 2012, twelve o'clock P.M. at the Howard University School of Business, 2600 Sixth street NW Washington, DC, for the official Howard University Alumni Association MBA Network re-launch.

The coordinating committee encourages you to join the Howard University Alumni Association MBA Network, and commit to a lifetime of an influential network of friends and colleagues that can make a difference. There will be a 1/2 day workshop at no cost that includes:

*HUMBA Program Updates from the Director of the Howard University MBA & office of Graduate Programs, Verna Supel, and the Dean of the School of Business, Barron Harvey Ph.D.
*Re-establishment of the HUAA MBA Network discussing plenary stakeholder engagement, officer responsibilities, HUAA dues, & vision
*HUMBA Alumni Networking
*Lunch

Please RSVP no later than February 20, 2012 to humbaalumni@gmail.com. Please include your first and last name, and year of graduation. Pass along this invitation to all HUMBA Alumni.

The Howard University Alumni Association(HUAA MBA)MBA Network Coordinating Committee are:
Dexter Webster, AT&T Associate Director, HUMBA c/o '07
Latonya Clark, IBM Managing Consultant, HUMBA c/o '07
Travay Jacks, Genentech Sales & Marking, HUMBA c/o '07

Click The Howard University Alumni Association MBA Network Facebook page

Howard University Charter Day Dinner Gala Invitation from the HUMBA c/o 2007

Dear HUMBA Alumni and friends:

145 years ago, March 2, 1867, the 17th president of the United States Andrew Johnson, approved the Howard University Charter for an institution dedicated to the betterment of humanity. Each year the University-wide celebration is marked by a special Charter Day Convocation on Friday morning and the gala Charter Day Dinner on Saturday evening.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, the Howard MBA Class of 2007 cordially invites you to join us at the 88th Annual Howard University gala Charter Day Dinner, Saturday evening March 10, 2012. The Charter Day Dinner gala is a fabulous black tie event, where Howard University honors alumni who have achieved distinction in their professions. It is also the flagship event for rallying alumni and friends to provide philanthropic support for the University. Some of the most distinguished and famous Howard Alumni in industry attend this black tie fund raiser.

In celebration of our five year Alumni reunion, the class of 2007 will be coordinating the Howard MBA tables at the gala Charter Day Dinner. I am excited to reconnect, celebrate and network with Alumni and friends while contributing back to our Alma Mater.

CHARTER DAY DINNER 2012
Saturday, March 10, 2012, at six o'clock
Hilton Washington and Towers Hotel
1919 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20008
Tickets: $250
RSVP: Dexter Webster (HUMBA c/o '07) at drwebster162@gmail.com

CHARTER DAY CONVOCATION
Friday, March 9, 2012 at nine o'clock A.M.
Cramton Auditorium
455 Sixth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20059

Sincerely,
Dexter Webster

Howard University Alumni Association (HUAA MBA) MBA Network Coordinating committee:
Dexter Webster, AT&T Associate Director, HUMBA c/o '07
Latonya Clark, IBM Managing Consultant, HUMBA c/o '07
Travay Jacks, Genentech Sales & Marking, HUMBA c/o '07

HUMBA Alum, John McCargo is now the Vice President, Portfolio Manager at City First Bank

City First Bank Taps John McCargo as VP, Portfolio Manager

Howard MBA Alum, John McCargo c/o'98 has joined City First Bank of DC. The Washington, DC commercial bank focused specifically on community development. As Vice President, Portfolio Manager, he will focus on relationship management and commercial lending.

Most recently McCargo served as a Vice President and Commercial Lender at Millennium Bank in Sterling Va.

With nearly 15 years of banking experience, he has also held positions at PNC/Mercantile Bank, Chevy Chase Bank and Wachovia/Wells Fargo Bank. McCargo holds a BS in Finance from Hampton University and an MBA from Howard University.

While other banks may focus on larger deals, City First Bank focuses on small business and start-ups with a legal lending limit of $3 million. Much like Silicon Valley bank, City First Bank grows with their clients. The bank finances dozens of small companies, non profit and social service agencies, charter schools and real estate developers, particularly those involved in developing or renovating affordable housing.

City First Bank work very creatively with socially responsible investors, public agencies and financial intermediaries to provide a double bottom line – permitting their depositors to earn a superior return while their deposit goes to work in the DC neighborhoods that need financing most.

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Source: City First Bank

Co-founders, HU JD/MBA Alum Omar Hashmi and Darius Graham Esq., showcased District Innovation's Social Entrepreneurs

Darius Graham and HU JD/MBA Alum Omar Hashmi c/o'09 are the co-founders of the DC Social Innovation Project. The DC Social Innovation Project identifies and invests in creative new ideas that tackle pressing social issues in Washington, DC. Through two programs, DCSIP provides funding and resources to help individuals and community groups launch projects and social ventures in order to improve their communities. The Community Lab grants program provides $3,000 grants to small or early-stage non-profits in DC to launch innovative new programs. The Bright Idea Challenge, enlists 18-35 year olds in the DC area to propose creative social ventures that address a local issue, and the best idea receives up to $10,000 in funding and other pro bono services to help them launch their venture.

On Tuesday November 29, 2011,the Social Innovation Project presented District Innovation: A Showcase of Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation in DC. The District Innovation event showcased the recipients of their Community Lab micro-grants program and the finalists of the Bright Idea Challenge venture competition.

Community Micro-grants Program Recipients:
Dreaming Out Loud, recently launched Aya Community Markets to provide fresh, healthy food and economic opportunities to residents of Ward 7
Moms on the Move, a healthy living workshop series for single mothers in Anacostia
I Saw!, pioneering experiental learning programs that puts students in the role of historians to teach them about history
Press Pass Mentors, pairing professional journalists with low-income high school juniors and seniors to help them become great writers, equipping students with the communication skills necessary to succeed in college and beyond

The Bright Idea Challenge Venture Competition 14 Finalists:
Anacostia Produce Auction, Co-op for DC,Dance 4 Peace, Everybody Eats, Food for Life, Grey DC, Manna, Re-Nuble, Splash Entertainment, Stock, Three Part Harmony Farm, and Young Doctors Project of Southeast

Contribute, Partner or Volunteer.
Make a tax-deductible contribution to the DC Social Innovation Project. Help identify and invest in creative, new ideas tackling pressing social issues in DC. Partner with the DC Social Innovation Project. Volunteer your skills to improve the community? Learn more about the DC Social Innovation Project by info@dcsocialinnovation.org.

Follow Twitter: @dcsocialinnov

The Founders:
Darius Graham, Co-founder
Darius received a B.A. summa cum laude from Florida A&M University and a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley - School of Law. Prior to working for DCSIP, Darius was an associate in the corporate restructuring practice group at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. See Board of Directors

Omar Hashmi, Co-founder
Omar received a B.S. from California State University, Fresno and a J.D./M.B.A. from Howard University. Omar is currently an associate in the corporate practice group at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. See Board of Directors

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Source: dcsocialinnovation.org

HUMBA Alum William Egbe – President, South Africa Business Unit The Coca-Cola Company will speak @ Afri-Tech Conference

William (Bill) Egbe is President of the South Africa Business Unit. Prior to this position he was President of the East and Central Africa Division.

Mr. Egbe began his career at The Eastman Kodak Company in 1989 as a Financial Analyst in Rochester, New York and held various positions before being transferred to Muehlhausen in Germany in 1991 as Assistant Plant Manager. He was named Operations Manager and Controller for the Kodak Health Imaging-Dental Business (Europe, Africa & Middle East), in 1994, and the following year, was appointed Managing Director, Kodak Dental Products Europe Inc.

Mr. Egbe joined The Coca-Cola Company as Deputy Region Manager, Coca-Cola West Africa in 1997. He was appointed Region Manager, Coca-Cola Mid-Africa & Islands in 2000, and a year later, was made Region Manager for Coca-Cola East Africa. Mr. Egbe held the position of Region Manager, Coca-Cola East Africa & Islands from 2002 until 2005, when he was appointed President of the East and Central Africa Division.

Bill holds a BS in Electrical Engineering and an MBA in Finance and Marketing from Howard University in Washington. He is an active member of the community and has volunteered for many organizations, including the Red Cross Society in Germany. Bill is fluent in English, French and German.

Bill was a featured speaker in the Africa Infrastructure Conference held in Washington DC on April 27th, 2010 focused on building dynamic growth in Africa. On June 15th, 2011, Bill will be a featured speaker at the Afri-Tech internet and marketing conference held in Nirobi Kenya.
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Source: www.afri-tech.com

HUMBA Alum Van Ewing, Managing Partner of New York Life

Van is a graduate of Howard University where he received a Masters of Business Administration in Finance and Banking in 1998. After graduating Howard, Van joined Texaco, Inc, located in Westchester County, New York. After completing the two-year management rotational program he was appointed to Director of Corporate Development of the Fuel and Marine Marketing division and written up in Forbes magazine as a 29-year old executive of the huge multinational Oil and Gas Company. Mr. Ewing resigned after a six-year tenure at ChevronTexaco Inc. with his last role being Director of Mergers & Acquisitions/Strategic Initiatives. Van is married to Dionne and they reside in downtown Chicago with their two dogs, Miles and Zsa Zsa. Van lives by the simple motto offered to him by his wife,"If it can be done, then I can do it.”

“New York Life has afforded me the balance of life issues that I always struggled with during my prior 8-year corporate career.”

Van enjoys the flexibility and learning/ development atmosphere of New York Life. As an agent, he was able to help a lot of families. In his current role as partner, he is able to recruit, develop and train agents to do much of the same on a larger scale.

Luke and Van are Managing Partners for New York Life's award winning Chicago Northshore General Office. As Managing Partners they oversee the operation and activities of one of New York Life’ s largest producing agencies, with over 111 agents throughout the greater Illinois area.

Mr. Ewing is a board member of the American Lung Association of the Metropolitan Chicago, a board member of the NAIFA Illinois Foundation and and corporate advisory member of Larabida Children's hostpital.

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Source: New York Life website

HUMBA Alum Fred Shadding: Gauging the effectiveness of your inbound call center

Support Services: Are You Watching the Farm?

Gauging the effectiveness of your inbound call center.

You've produced a winning spot, created supporting marketing collateral and assembled solid media placement for your DR campaign. Now, your call center is fielding calls, converting orders and giving you a good return on marketing dollar. But are they, really? Can you get more output from your center? Are you effectively evaluating the center's performance?

Evaluating your media efficiency ratio (MER) on the back end is no doubt a good measuring stick, but it does not provide specific insight as to how your call center actually performs, since it is commonly a calculation of all media costs against all sales.
In an attempt to offer some key elements of what to look for in a performance dashboard, there are two areas worth highlighting: pre-call readiness and agent call performance, which yield four metrics that offer any marketing, operations or non-call center management personnel immediate intelligence on how a center is performing against desired targets. With these metrics, you can evaluate and act upon areas that may need enhancement or areas of strength that can be reinforced through incentives for the call center team.
While there are numerous analytics one can use to monitor and evaluate your center, these four metrics tend to impart a solid assessment of a center's performance.
Pre-call Readiness — before your customer gets to your agent.
1. Abandonment rate — This metric represents the percentage of calls received, not answered, by an agent and subsequently dropped by the caller.
Performance indicator: An abandon is a lost sale opportunity. When abandons are high, it signals a possible staffing issue whereby staffing needs to be increased or, perhaps, calls routed to a secondary center to address calls within a reasonable abandon level (less than 5 percent).
2. Average speed of answer (ASA) — This measurement represents the time the caller has to wait to get to an agent.
Performance indicator: The longer a caller waits increases the phenomenon of "buyer's remorse" and can lead to a dropped call. Therefore, providing a timely pickup to a call is critical. Technologies, such as IVR and prompter messaging, can aid in minimizing ASA by prompting the caller through a queue or pre-recorded message prior to being handed off to an agent. An industry standard ASA is 80 percent of calls answered within 20 seconds.
Agent Call Performance — when your customer is engaged with your agent.
3. Conversion rate (primary and upsell) — This metric represents the percentage of calls converted into orders.
Performance indicator: At the end of the day, when the call comes in, the first "interactive" representation of the ad, TV spot or radio spot that the caller just read, viewed or heard is the "voice" and "demeanor" of the agent on the other end of the phone. Thus, effective sales training and listening skills are critical to yield the desired conversion rates to ensure your campaign's performance expectations are met and marketing dollars well placed.
4. Average handle time (AHT) — This measurement is the average time of a transaction.
Performance indicator: AHT should always be a metric of constant observation, largely due to the cost component it represents in a center. If external, most call centers charge on a per-minute basis, and most internal centers calculate their costs through agent efficiency. AHT can be quite impactful on costs, whereas if AHT is minimized (i.e., cost of call) and conversions improved (i.e., revenue per call), the optimum situation exists. Moreover, when AHT is reduced, it increases agent availability to handle more calls, thereby potentially reducing both abandons and ASAs.
Through frequent evaluation of these key metrics, you will begin to understand the underlying mechanics of your internal or external center and develop approaches to ensure it delivers maximum value to complement, not contort, your marketing campaigns. Remember: always watch your farm.
Fred Shadding is vice president of business development for Cyber City Teleservices (CCT), a company delivering bilingual direct response call-center services. He can be reached at (800) 405-1486 or via E-mail at
fshadding@cctll.com.
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Source: Response Magazine March 2009