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HCEG: Boston Networking Event Summary
HCEG_Allard 61214The Holy Cross Entrepreneurs Group of Boston held its spring networking event at McGladrey on Thursday evening, June 12, 2014.A remarkable number of Boston alumni attended the event, along with the students participating in the Holy Cross Summer Business Program.  This opportunity gave students the opportunity to practice their networking skills and expand their alumni circle in a professional setting. Professor David Chu, Director of the Ciocca Office of Entrepreneurial Studies and HC’s Pre-Business Adviser, also attended the event accompanied by several other members of the College administration and the Pre-Business Office.

While the event cultivated that classic Holy Cross spirit, the evening’s host, Bob Allard ’91, proved most energetic of all, with his insights on Servant Entrepreneurship: How to Survive in a Not-Just-for-Profit World. The Managing Partner of ExtensionEngine LLC explained how “Servant Entrepreneurship” is in fact NOT an oxymoron, but rather a strategy that all successful business gurus recognize and utilize.

Allard placed significant focus on the benefits of networking, giving anecdotes and valuable advice that have aided him in the ongoing process of entrepreneurship. He explained how it is often “who you know” along with (and sometimes more important than) “what you know” that will help you succeed in business. However, Allard took this philosophy one step further to note how it is also “who you help” that will lead you to success. He explained how “paying it forward” in the world of networking will come full circle — a sort of entrepreneurial “karma,” per se.

After Allard’s discussion of “Servant Entrepreneurship,” the alumni and students returned to more networking fueled with even more enthusiasm than before, as his insights gave more purpose to the event. Alumni Tom Brennan, CFO of AbilTo, Inc and Ray Jorgensen, Co-Founder & CEO of Priority Management Group, Inc. (PMG), also helped to facilitate discussion regarding these topics of entrepreneurship and networking.

Many thanks to those who helped in organizing this successful event. A big thank you to Bob Allard ’91, Tom Brennan ’86, and Ray Jorgensen ’91 for facilitating such valuable discussion of entrepreneurship during the event.

It is always an honor to host such successful alumni at events that bring together a variety of stories and passions, as each attendee is linked with the same drive of entrepreneurship and Holy Cross identity. The connections made during these events are instrumental in furthering the HCEG mission of creating more entrepreneurial relationships.  Our goal is to foster the Holy Cross community as not only a group of “men and women for others,” but also a community of men and women for each other.

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Thanks AGAIN to Sydney Pugliares ’16 for helping to organize, attending and writing this summary of the event!  Be sure to like us on FACEBOOK and follow us @HCPrebusiness!

Cassie Gevry
Associate Director, Entrepreneurial Studies
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HCEG: NYC Networking Event Summary

HCEG_AlumThe Holy Cross Entrepreneurs Group of NYC hosted its inaugural event on Thursday evening, April 3 at the Time Warner Center Screening Room in midtown Manhattan.

The event was bustling with alumni representing classes from the 1970s to 2013. Also in attendance were members of the College administration, and Professor David Chu, Director of the Ciocca Office of Entrepreneurial Studies and HC’s Pre-Business Advisor.

Many thanks to those who helped organize the event, including Kristen O’Hara ’92, CMO of Time Warner Media Group, who generously secured the Screening Room, HCEG-NYC co-founders Andrew Cialino ’10 and Colin Cunningham ’09 who managed marketing and social media outreach along with the Holy Cross Alumni office.  The event was financially supported by a number of individuals and two company sponsors.  Those sponsorships were arranged by J.D. Rehm ’88, co-founder of Mercury Group and Patricia Werner ’97, attorney at Bryan Cave LLP.

HCEG-NYC co-founder and the event’s host, Dan Barrett ’93, opened the event with a question: Why a Holy Cross Entrepreneur’s Group?  In response, he expounded on two points. First, that alumni involved in entrepreneurial activities or servicing entrepreneurs have lacked a networking organization that has so long existed in other fields, such as law and finance. And second, alumni and students would greatly benefit from efforts to raise the profile of the College among entrepreneurial leads in the NY Metro area.  HCEG-NYC would provide a professional networking organization in to help fulfill these goals.

Dan also shared interesting data on entrepreneurship among HC alumni. Using information gathered from the alumni office database, he noted that approximately 200 alumni have ‘founder’ or ‘co-founder’ in their job title. These individuals come from classes as far back as 1945 and as recent as 2013. The majority of these alumni reside in Metro NY, Boston, California, Maryland/DC and Florida as the top five locations. The list also revealed a wide variety of fields in which these alumni worked, including non-profits, finance, and consulting in addition to traditional entrepreneurial fields, such as technology and communications.

The evening culminated in the hour-long discussion with Tom Keirnan ’92, serial entrepreneur and currently co-founder and CEO of ClickPay, and Jack Hanlon ’06, co-founder and VP of Product and Data at Kinetic Social. In January, Jack also received the distinction of being named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 for the Marketing and Advertising industry for his transformational work at Kinetic.

Tom discussed how his early involvement in web development during the early days of the internet played a transformational role in his career and development as an executive or founder of several digital ventures over the past two decades. The concept of working for himself came as a result of advice from his father, as well as the training he received as a student. He stressed the value that a broad-based, liberal arts education provides an entrepreneur not only with the ability to think critically, but also with the skill set to solve problems and learn new tasks quickly. These skills, he claimed, were instrumental to his success thus far.

Jack added that his time at Holy Cross allowed him to explore various avenues which jumpstarted his passion for entrepreneurship. He was one of only four Music majors in his class, and he organized a thriving Ultimate Frisbee club on campus. These activities at Holy Cross required many of the same skills he leverages today at Kinetic.

It was a privilege to host such successful alumni speakers and hear their entrepreneurial stories. It is our hope that they provide an inspiration to all in their efforts, and that HCEG as a community can in the future cultivate even more talent and ideas to further our mission of connecting with each other on a professional, entrepreneurial level.

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Thanks to Sydney Pugliares ’16 for attending and adding to this great review of the event!  Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the HCEG: Boston Networking Event  on June 12th, 2014.  Be sure to like us on FACEBOOK and follow us @HCPrebusiness!

Cassie Gevry
Associate Director, Entrepreneurial Studies
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SAVE THE DATE: Women in Business Conference 11/1/2014

Women in Business LOGOOn March 12, students came together to kick off the 2014 Women in Business Conference in the Dinand Browsing Room  with sweet treats and great conversation. The guest speaker for the evening was Sheila Cavanaugh ’81, School of Theology and Ministry, Boston College. Sheila took students through her career path as a member of the Holy Cross community and offered her profound wisdom to attendees.

Sheila has had a very exciting career. She has worked as a banker at The Chase Manhattan Bank in New York, The Long-Term Credit Bank of Japan, and the Union Bank of Switzerland in Zurich. Along with additional international experience and volunteer work, she was a Senior Vice President at Fidelity Investments. Currently, Sheila is pursuing a graduate degree in Theology and Ministry at Boston College.

As a Student Organizer for the conference and a graduating senior, Sheila gave inspired advice for my remaining time at Holy Cross. Her perspective on creating a fulfilling life was both motivating and promising, as all students were able to connect to her compassion and optimism.

Key Takeaways

Set goals –First and foremost, have a plan. Sheila had three main goals that she wanted to accomplish before her thirties- go to graduate school, live aboard and move to New York City. She encouraged students to set their minds on something and continue to work toward every day.

Network – With her set goals in mind, Sheila used the Holy Cross network to land an incredible job in New York City. She advised students to form relationships and to take advantage of the purple pride that is fostered at Holy Cross.

Take risks – Sheila inspired students to take a chance and do something that will yield great benefits as a result. By taking opportunities in both Asia and Europe, she was able to pursue her life ambitions and become adaptable to different cultures. In the long run, these risks have contributed to the fulfillment of her personal and professional life.

Everything will work out ­­– Although there are times when things do seem to be going the right way, stay positive and life will work out how it is supposed to.

Thanks for a great guest post from Christie Cannone ’14 – a WIB student organizer! Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the 9th Annual Women in Business Conference on November 1, 2014! Follow @HCWIB and “Like” WIB on Facebook!

Cassie Gevry
Associate Director, Entrepreneurial Studies

 

 
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For the Love of Buildings

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On February 24, Holy Cross alumni who have distinguished themselves as leaders in the commercial real estate business shared their wisdom, advice and experiences in a COES event focused on educating students about careers in real estate.

James Whelan ’00, Senior Vice President at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and Colin Blair’00, Account Manager in the Corporate Services Group at Cushman and Wakefield, described some of the opportunities in the industry before introducing keynote speaker John Power ’80, Principal and Co-Founder of Fairley, White.  Four panelists, Matt Harvey ’02, Principal at Cresa Partners ; Sean Duffy ’86, Executive Director, Brokerage, at Cushman and Wakefield; Catherine Britt ‘04, Senior Project Manager at Northstar; and Tim Mulhall ’10 of Colliers International  also offered advice on how to stand out as a potential intern and job candidate.

As someone who has been knocking on the door or real estate companies for the past several months, I was especially interested in hearing their views on what it takes to break into, and succeed in, the industry.  Their response:  passion, persistence and networking.

John Power, who has more than 30 years of experience in the field , sought advice from another Holy Cross alum,  Bill McCall,  and  described how standing in McCall’s office, he became fascinated by the buildings he saw through the window.  He began to imagine the possibilities for the building and knew from that moment that he wanted to be involved in commercial real estate.   “Commercial brokerage is the best profession. It involves no risk, and it offers high rewards. But you must be willing to invest your time,” stated Powell.

 Here are some other insights:

— All majors can apply.  Both Whelan and Blair pointed out that commercial real estate offers opportunities for students of all majors and with a variety of interests, whether it is sales, finance, law, or marketing. Work ethic and personality matter more than major.

— One building, many opportunities. Every building offers a range of transaction/business opportunities:  sales, rentals, leasing, purchasing, financing, management/operations, etc.  This is what makes the industry so dynamic.

— Learn the business first.  Harvey stressed that new recruits should take the time to learn the business and not be frustrated if they aren’t  involved in big deals right away.  Knowledge about the business will help you in future deals.

— Sell, grind and build relationships. Duffy emphasized that every day you need to sell both yourself and the product.  He reminded attendees that relationships matter, always – and that persistence pays off.

— The Holy Cross advantage.  Power pointed out that Holy Cross students have an advantage in the field because of the school’s high reputation in the real estate industry. Mulhall added that his Holy Cross education boosted his confidence and gave him an edge because his writing was stronger than his peers.

The lesson? Holy Cross’ liberal arts curriculum and the reputation of its alum can help open doors to a vast array of career opportunities in commercial real estate.

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Thanks to Kevin Kennedy ’16 for covering this event and to all the alum sharing insights to the real estate industry! As always, don’t forget to “like” us on FACEBOOK and follow us @HCPrebusiness Watch for our next blog post…

Cassie Gevry
Associate Director, Entrepreneurial Studies
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Holy Cross Students Meet Warren Buffett on Trip of a Lifetime

Buffett_HCBanner

Another guest post, from Kevin Dufault ’14. who reflects on a once in a lifetime opportunity – meeting Warren Buffett!
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Just a week ago on January 31, 2014, Warren Buffett welcomed 18 Holy Cross students into Berkshire Hathaway’s headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska.  Warren Buffett, widely recognized as the world’s greatest investor, is admired by aspiring financers across the globe. He is a true source of inspiration for the millions of motivated students who see investing in their future. Smart, motivated, and driven students look up to Warren Buffett as an example of just what can happen when you dedicate yourself to your true passion in life. As Mr. Buffett tells undergraduate and business school students, “Find your passion in life and never stop pursuing it. If you haven’t found it yet, don’t stop searching”.

For me, it all began in mid-August when I received an email notifying me of the opportunity Holy Cross received to take a trip to Berkshire Hathaway in Omaha and spend a day with Warren Buffett. Bobby Sullivan ’08 initiated the event by contacting Professor Chu, Director of Entrepreneurial Studies. At this time, I was not officially selected to attend the trip but rather, simply considered a candidate. All I can remember is immediately grabbing my cellphone and texting my family about this amazing opportunity. Flash forward to today, when I find myself reflecting back on the experience I and eighteen other students recently had. There was one particular theme I began realizing throughout all the preparation our group had in anticipation of our trip to Berkshire Hathaway – defining the experience of meeting Warren Buffett. Personally, I could not synthesize a sufficient title for this opportunity. After all, how do you label something that so drastically exceeds your deepest desires and highest expectations? Eventually, however, “Once in a Lifetime Experience of Meeting Warren Buffett” seemed to catch on with the group.

Our trip to Berkshire Hathaway speaks volumes of the Holy Cross Pre-Business Program. The Pre-Business Program, led by Professor Chu and Associate Director, Cassie (Murphy) Gevry, has certainly put Holy Cross students on the map in the business world. It is truly amazing to see how far the program has come over the past few years. As a member of the advisory board to the program, it has been very exciting to be a part of the growing success. Holy Cross has always had a strong presence of graduates in business and in finance. Take a stroll down Wall Street, the finance capital of the world and you are sure to meet a number of alumni from the College. Still, many Holy Cross students graduate without ever realizing the value that can be derived from a liberal arts education upon entering business, finance, or investing careers. That is exactly the issue Professor Chu has worked so hard to solve through his work with the Pre-Business Program. “Businesses are about people”, Professor Chu consistently preaches to members of the program. The Holy Cross curriculum teaches students to think critically in a variety of subjects, solve problems, communicate effectively, and harness good ethics. These are traits every business needs, especially in managerial roles.

From Wall Street to Omaha, Nebraska, Holy Cross continues to make its presence known in the financial services industry. The lessons Mr. Buffett taught us during our time at Berkshire Hathaway are ones that we will never forget. He continuously expressed the value in his relationships with friends and colleagues. When asked what the greatest investment he ever made was, Buffett replied, “My marriage”. The friendships he has built with people such as Charlie Munger and Bill Gates, and the love that can be found in his home are Buffett’s most cherished possessions.

After spending a couple hours in Berkshire Hathaway’s headquarters, where Mr. Buffett answered the questions students never thought they would have answered by the finance guru himself, we were invited to tour a few of Berkshire’s largest subsidiaries. The tour included an inside look at Nebraska Furniture Mart, Oriental Trading Company, and Borsheim’s Fine Jewelry. In addition to our tours, we were lucky enough to be invited for lunch with Mr. Buffett at Piccolo Pete’s. The entire day was truly amazing. It’s one of those rare occasions when the reality of what you are experiencing does not fully register with you until it’s over.

The trip would not have been possible without the hard work and great leadership of a few people. They were the cornerstone to this entire journey and deserve great recognition for their long hours of commitment. Andrew Marzo ’14, President of the Holy Cross Finance Club, and member Christina Rudolf ’14 led the way as organizers of the trip. They were outstanding leaders throughout the months of preparation. From the beginning, we knew we could count on Andrew and Christina to keep us well informed, prepared, and supported on our journey to Omaha. Dan Riccardi ’06, from the Holy Cross Investment Office prepared us with an introduction to Berkshire Hathaway’s finances, and background on Warren Buffett’s life and career. Dan joined us on the trip and was always available to help make our trip the best it could be. Lastly, and perhaps most important to me, I cannot say enough about the group of students we had on this trip. As a senior at Holy Cross, I have met some great people over the past four years. And, I am happy to say that I recently met some of the kindest and most driven students on campus. I think we all gained some of the greatest memories we will ever have and it was a pleasure to enjoy this experience with them.
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Always great to hear directly from the students -Thanks Kevin, for your gracious post!

Don’t forget to “Like” us on FACEBOOK and Follow us @HCPrebusiness and be on the lookout for our next post.

Cassie Gevry
Associate Director, Entrepreneurial Studies
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Pitch It!

Inspired by alum who wish they had more experience in public speaking while on the hill, Pre-Business decided to host a workshop.  Professor Pat Bizzell of the English Department, who specializes in rhetoric, was happy to work with the Pre-Business students.   In the interest of time, we asked students to rsvp with either a product or personal pitch already prepared.  After a short intro regarding style, arrangement and delivery, Prof. Bizzell gave the students time to apply these techniques to the pitches they brought to the workshop.

We set up the video camera and one by one the students stood in front of the room to deliver their pitch.  Rather than show the footage in front of the group, it was emailed to each student to watch themselves on their own time.  This would bring Prof. Bizzell’s constructive criticism to the next level!

Do you have a personal or product pitch?  Keep an eye out for our next public speaking workshop!

Public Speaking 111213

Cassie
Associate Director, Entrepreneurial Studies
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The Atlantic on the Importance of Liberal Arts Colleges
In case you weren’t convinced, here’s a link to the Atlantic story that talks about the importance of colleges having an entrepreneur program:

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/09/how-liberal-arts-colleges-are-failing-america/262711/
Thank you for supporting the Entrepreneurial Studies program here at Holy Cross!
Not involved yet? REGISTER TODAY!

Cassie Gevry
Program Coordinator of Entrepreneurial Studies