F I N D I N G O U R A R C HGEORGE HERBERT WALKER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY

WEBSTER UNIVERSITY

Dean Benjamin Akande (center) pictured with Walker School students

Walker School by the Numbers

33 Degrees offered:

14 undergraduate, 18 graduate, 1 doctoral

13,237Walker School students

worldwide

114,100Walker School alumni

worldwide

St. Louis, Missouri, USA

The East Academic Building, home to the Walker School, gains LEED level gold, the second highest level for the

sustainability certification, by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Accra, Ghana

Webster University opens its newest campus in Accra,

providing students from around the world access to

higher education in the areas of business, international relations

and media communications.

Chengdu, China

Webster University and the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC) celebrate the 10th anniversary of the joint international master’s in business administration (IMBA).

Vienna, Austria

Webster University Vienna relocates to Palais Wenkheim, a neoclassical building in the city’s 2nd district, just a few steps away from the historic center.

Bangkok, Thailand

All graduate and select undergraduate classes are moving to Webster University’s new Bangkok Academic Center at the Empire Tower in Sathorn, Bangkok.

Leiden, the Netherlands

With campuses in Leiden and Amsterdam, Webster University

celebrates 30 years of teaching and learning in the Netherlands.

4 Continents, 8 Countries, 60 Cities, 1 University

New Arrivals: 1-Year MBA, MS in Cybersecurity, Entrepreneurship Certificates

993Walker School

faculty worldwide

When she isn’t teaching and serving as director of the doctoral program, Associate Professor Julie ‘JP’ Palmer-Schuyler, Ph.D. is pushing

her physical limits. This year, she completed her 17th Ironman, the GoPro World Championship, in Kona, Hawaii. Considered the most prestigious Ironman because athletes have to qualify to compete, the World Championship combines a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike race and marathon in one event.

Palmer-Schuyler said being an endurance athlete is time consuming, sometimes taking up as much as 25 hours per week. She said this has forced her to become fastidious about time management.

Cutting corners on workouts, she said, is simply not an option. “You have to keep fitness a priority every day and every week. Even skipping the easy workouts isn’t an attractive option.”

Neither is skipping even her smallest responsibilities at work. So, she has learned to multi-task.

“I spend many hours on the bike trainer reading through doctoral student dissertation chapters, grading under-graduate papers and reading journal articles,” she said. “I also make a point to squeeze in swims and runs between meetings and classes.”

The key, she said, is balance.

“My priorities are: family first, career second and then training and events come third. This isn’t to say that I don’t sometimes shift things around, but I keep things in perspective and work to ensure that I balance my personal and professional commitments.”

A board member of the St. Louis Triathlon Club, Palmer-Schuyler spends some of her spare time mentoring newer and less experienced endurance athletes. She has also helped students in her classes at

Webster University prepare for their own events.

“My introduction to the world of long-distance racing was facilitated by many who helped me along the way,” she said. “These accomplished athletes certainly could have ridden faster, but they chose to ride with me as a beginner, and that has shaped my desire to do the same for others. ”

In the classroom, her passion for endurance racing comes full-circle as she combines it with wellness projects. “In my undergraduate human resource

management courses, my students are asked to identify an area in their life to focus on during the semester,” she explained. “They set goals for themselves, track their progress and share strategies for improvement. I’ve found this to be a great way to build a connection with my students and put course concepts into practice while we celebrate each other’s success.”

“You have to have goals and you

have to strive for excellence every day.”

– Jacob H. SchmidtAdjunct Professor of Finance

Webster London

Global Citizen Brings Real-World Experience to the Classroom

Adjunct Professor Jacob H. Schmidt, a multi-cultural, multi-lingual international financial market expert and global hedge fund consultant, began teaching at Webster University’s campus in Vienna 15 years ago. He joined the teaching faculty at Webster’s London campus in 2002.

A former banker and seasoned financial analyst, Schmidt is a regular guest contributor on The BBC, Bloomberg TV, CNBC, Reuters and other prominent TV and cable networks. In addition to pursuing his Ph.D. in finance, he runs his own investment advisory and risk management firm, Schmidt Research Partners Limited, and serves as a director of SFP-International Ltd., an international training and consulting firm with clients in Asia, Europe and the United States. He also sits on the board of several charities and community organizations.

He brings this broad real-world experience to the classroom and deftly combines it with theory when teaching finance, derivatives and investment courses. “I try to explain complex topics, such as derivatives, in a way that all students can understand them and appreciate how they are applicable to their fields,” he said. “In finance, you have to listen. The market is always right because the market does what it wants to do. The same is true in life. We have to listen and be open to feedback; and that’s a concept I work to instill in my students.”

Outside the classroom, Schmidt has provided internship opportunities to several students at his research firm. He also makes a point to stay in contact with his students after they complete his course. “In today’s increasingly global world, it’s important for us to build and maintain our network,” Schmidt explained. “While many of our students come from around the world to study at Webster, I always make an effort to stay in touch with them. Social media sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter make it easy; and it’s a beautiful thing to have a global network.”

“I really have not created anything on my own with respect to racing,

but instead have learned from those who have

gone before me and have taken the time to share

their experiences.”– Julie ‘ JP ’ Palmer-

Schuyler, Ph.D.Associate Professor

Racing to the Top

A Sample of Faculty Excellence in Scholarship and Service

Patrick Rishe, Ph.D.,

Professor of Economics

From the Olympics to the Super

Bowl, the World Series and the

Stanley Cup, Rishe has authored

more than 100 articles for Forbes

Sports Business. A recognized expert in

the field of sports economics, he appears

regularly on CNBC, The CBS Evening News, Bloomberg TV

and Fox Sports Radio. Adding to this service, his academic

research has also been recognized. This year, he received

the Distinguished Paper Award at the Mustang Academic

Journals Conference for his paper, “Pricing Insanity at March

Madness: Exploring the Causes of Secondary Price Markups

at the 2013 Final Four.”

Barrett Baebler, Ph.D.,

Department Chair and

Associate Professor of

Entrepreneurship

For more than a decade, Baebler

has been instrumental in developing

academic programs to help students and

entrepreneurs turn their dreams into reality.

This year, students from 44 different majors are

enrolled in the Walker School’s entrepreneurship courses.

In recognition of his contributions to entrepreneurial

education, Baebler was named a Hero in Education by

St. Louis Small Business Monthly.

Tom Quirk, Ph.D.,

Professor of Management

When he’s not teaching courses

in marketing statistics, marketing

research and pricing strategies, Quirk

spends his time writing statistics

books. In fact, in less than three years,

he has had 10 books published by Springer,

a global leader in scientific and technical publishing.

Quirk’s latest book, “Excel 2010 for Engineering Statistics:

A Guide to Solving Practical Problems,” was released in

December, 2013, and he plans to complete two additional

books this year.

Janet Kourik, Ph.D.,

Professor of Math & Computer

Science, and

Xiaoyuan Suo, Ph.D.,

Assistant Professor of Math

& Computer Science

As an alternative to text-based

passwords, Kourik and Suo conducted

exploratory research into the use of graphical passwords on

touch screen devices. Since humans can remember pictures

better than text, and touch screen devices dominate the

mobile world, their research has the potential to influence

and enhance mobile user experiences the world-over.

Their work, which included expert reviews and usability

experiments, was published in the proceedings of the

4th International Conference on Applied Human Factors

and Ergonomics.

Simone Cummings, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Management

Cummings teaches several courses in the Master of Health Administration

(MHA) program including health care finance, health care statistics

and the capstone course. Prior to joining the Walker faculty, she

worked for a number of hospitals including Barnes-Jewish Hospital,

St. Louis Children’s Hospital, St. Louis Regional Hospital and

Columbia Hospital for Women in Washington, D.C. She has also

held faculty positions at Simmons College in Boston and Washington

University in St. Louis. (Ph.D., UNC-Chapel Hill)

Joseph Roberts, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship

Roberts teaches entrepreneurship and management courses and is

the director of entrepreneurship at the Walker School. He also

serves as the program coordinator of the Coleman Foundation

Faculty Fellows Program, a nationwide initiative that works to

infuse entrepreneurship concepts into non-business disciplines.

Roberts consults for small and medium-sized businesses and

has extensive experience helping entrepreneurs procure start-up

funding. (Ph.D., University of Chicago)

Dustin Smith, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Management

Smith teaches courses on corporate social responsibility and

business strategy. His research examines stakeholder reactions

to social initiatives and country-level predictors of firm social

performance. His other research interests include firm resource

deployment, social value capture and social entrepreneurship. His

work has been featured in the Academy of Management Proceedings

and has won best paper from the Western Academy of Management. He

has also worked for the Boeing Commercial Airplanes division and for the Hanford

Nuclear Reservation in southeast Washington State. (Ph.D., Washington State)

“Investing in talented faculty has been

a mainstay at the Walker School for years and it

continues today.”– Benjamin Akande

Dean, Walker School

David Hults has spent much of the last 20 years coaching professionals who aspire to have thriving careers eliminate psychological roadblocks. A common theme of his message to audiences: never stop learning and never

stop pushing yourself. The author of five books, Hults derives much of his knowledge from personal professional experience, having worked in human resources for Express Scripts, a Fortune 100 company, and BJC, one of the nation’s largest healthcare systems.

“If you want to be a star performer in your career, you must accept that what you know today will not be enough to take you where you want to go tomorrow,” said Hults, a 1993 human resources graduate of the Walker School, whose latest book is, “Ringmaster: 8 Strategies for becoming a Star Performer in the Midst of Change. ” He said this is not simply a cliché.

“True stars are always considering their career options for the next leg of the journey,” he said. “True stars see their career as a time and space to learn new skills and new things about themselves.”

Hults uses the analogy of circus performers who consistently work at getting even better at their daredevil acts to illustrate his point.

“Do you think a circus’ star performer stops trying to improve once his or her act gets pretty good? Of course not,” he said. “Trapeze artists try even higher-flying stunts. Lion tamers teach their cats new tricks. This is because true stars know that continually upping their game will open up more opportunities to shine – and that directly leads to a longer career.” In his book, he offers a few suggestions for staying on top of your game throughout your career:

Career Advice for Professional Stardom Remember that careers are journeys, not destinations.

Don’t look for a job where you will sit comfortably until you retire. Seek challenges and changes. Stay in contact with individuals within your industry, and read the signs of where the industry is going – and how you can stay ahead of the curve.

Seek roles that let your passions shine.

Take the time to see where your passions fit within your professional plan. Does your current industry complement your passions? Are there other industries or careers that you can relevantly apply your passion and experiences equally?

Know your DNA – Defined Natural Abilities.

Your career DNA is what you do that gives you energy, feels natural and is always engaging to you. The goal is to define it and then develop and deepen your niche.

For more insights, visit his website at http://activ8careers.com.

New Faces, New Faculty

Internships By partnering with different companies, Walker EDGE students have access to a wide range of internship opportunities in areas such as business administration, computer science, financial services, information technology, management and marketing. In addition to interning at companies across the United States, students from the Walker School have secured internships at companies in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Austria, Germany and Mexico.

Career Development Mock interviews, etiquette dinners and management courses focused on career development are helping students build their personal brands. Adding to these experiences, Industry Insight Nights connect students with industry professionals and recruiters to gain insight, advice and perspective on their careers. This year, nearly 200 students took advantage of Walker EDGE Industry Insight Nights.

Global ImmersionWalker Global Hybrid Courses are helping shape students into global citizens. These courses enable students to explore global businesses, technology and management issues for eight weeks online. During the last week of class, students come together for a global immersion experience of a lifetime.

MentoringIt’s all about who you know, and the mentoring connections available through the Walker EDGE are a powerful avenue for students to develop their professional networks. Whether they are meeting one-on-one with Webster University alumni or top executives from the Regional Business Council (RBC), student mentees are receiving the guidance they need from a professional support system at a critical time of their career development.

Meet Hannah: Walker EDGE Rockstar

A native of Sunnyvale, Texas, Hannah Joseph is blending her passion for business and helping people into her career path. A driven student, she is on track to graduate with her bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Management and her master’s degree in Human Resources Development in May 2015, just four years after entering college.

During her time at Webster University, she has taken advantage of study abroad opportunities, spending a year at Webster campuses in Vienna, Austria and Cha-am/Hua Hin, Thailand. “My time abroad helped me grow as a person and reshaped me into a better version of myself,” she said. “Not only did I gain an international perspective, but I learned how to adapt, think on my feet, work with others and build long-lasting relationships.”

In addition to these cultural experiences, she’s made professional development a priority. Through the Walker EDGE, she was paired with mentors who helped guide her career development and strengthen her interviewing skills. She also took on new leadership roles in various student organizations and started volunteering. As a result of her hard work, she secured a highly-competitive internship at Amazon.com. This internship will provide her with invaluable experience in human resources; from benefits and compensation to performance management, recruitment and retention.

“Acquiring a job or an internship takes a lot of dedication, preparation and work, but it’s worth it,” Joseph said. “These experiences not only have helped me develop myself as a person, but they have made me more qualified and better positioned for success in the ever-increasingly competitive job market.”

Walker EDGE Explore. Develop. Grow. Experience.

“Acquiring a job or an internship takes a lot of dedication, preparation and

work, but it’s worth it.”

– Hannah JosephWalker EDGE Student

Human Resources Major

Students at the Walker School are gaining a competitive advantage in the job market through the Walker EDGE. Opportunities coordinated by the Walker EDGE Professional Development Office provide

students with comprehensive career management resources and guidance, setting them up for success in achieving their professional goals.

We are the preferred higher education provider for more than 100 organizations that operate in the United States and around the world. The Walker School’s deep ties to the business community uniquely positions us to create exceptional opportunities for our students and support our corporate partners through career development initiatives and programs.

To learn more, visit Webster.edu/Corporate-Partnerships.

The Power of Partnerships. Webster University is an institution with 100 years of experience in developing and harnessing talent.

®

Your Story is Our Story

You are students. You are entrepreneurs. You are business leaders. You are computer programmers. You are alumni. You are faculty. You are part of the Walker School.

The Walker School is excited to begin a new campaign, “This is My Story, The Walker Experience,” to unite our worldwide community of students, alumni, faculty and friends.

We know that each of us has a personal connection to the Walker School, and as we fulfill our mission to prepare students for excellence and global citizenship, we invite you to help us tell the Walker story by telling your story.

To join us in this campaign, take a photo of yourself holding our sign in a setting that helps convey the work you are doing now and provide a brief caption. Visit Webster.edu/WalkerStories to submit your story.

Stephen Penn: My Walker StoryAfter high school, I studied at a state university in my hometown of New York. A management major, I thought London would be the perfect city to deepen my international business knowledge. I spent two semesters studying alongside of Webster University students in London and I fell in love with all that Webster had to offer. So, I decided to transfer.

The student body at Webster is very diverse, and I’ve really enjoyed that. It’s been great to have class with students from different backgrounds because each of us is able to offer a different perspective. This approach truly broadens our point of view, exposes us to new ways of doing things and provides us with food for thought.

In order to learn how business works in Asia, I chose to spend a semester at Webster University’s campus in Cha-am/Hua Hin, Thailand. While completely different from New York and London, I’ve enjoyed taking in the culture and scenery. Thailand is a beautiful place, serene and quiet, and unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.

When I graduate in December 2014, my next step is law school. I want to become a corporate lawyer at a global firm, and I know the international perspective I’ve gained from Webster University will help position me for success in my career.

Tracy Meriweather (pictured above in red) embraced her decision to return to school with passion after nearly two decades. A talented singer and pianist, Meriweather studied music education after high school, but later realized her true interest.

“I have always been intrigued with what makes things happen behind the scenes,” she said, reflecting on the time she and a friend took apart and reassembled a computer motherboard. Shifting her focus from music to systems, Meriweather earned her A+ certification and her C++ certification and went on to hold positions in inventory control and risk management at Shell Oil and Ameren Corporation. The work excited her, but she wanted more.

In 2012, she decided to return to college to complete her bachelor’s degree in information systems. “After doing my research, I chose Webster University because the program was aggressive, well-designed and flexible,” she said. “Webster’s program is exactly what I want to do.”

Now in the second year of her degree program, Meriweather has secured a co-op with Monsanto. Through this competitive program, she works as a business analyst in the company’s IT department and attends class in the evening. While it’s a lot to balance, she wouldn’t have it any other way. “My supervisor Tina Wolf and my team are part of the reason I love going to work every day,” she said. “They have mentored, trained and aided in my development since day one, and their experience not only is helping guide the future of IT within Monsanto, but it is building better people.”

An enthusiastic student and dedicated employee, Meriweather is on her way to achieving her dream. “I have a vision and I’m keeping it in front of me,” she said. “I want to be an inspiration to my family as a first-generation college graduate, and I know there is nothing I can’t do if I want to make it happen.”

“I want to be an inspiration to my

family as a first-generation

college graduate, and I know there is nothing I can’t do if I want to

make it happen.”– Tracy Meriweather

Walker EDGE Student Information Systems Major

Form Your Vision and Make it Happen

Stephen Penn

From banking to nonprofit, health care management, higher education and more, 25 executives representing a cross-section of industries received an educational experience of a lifetime at the Walker School’s leadership workshop, Raising Your Game and Driving Superior Performance. The week-long seminar, co-presented by faculty members from Webster

University’s Walker School and Oxford University’s Saïd School of Business, challenged participants’ thinking about leadership, guided their leadership development and showed them how to maximize their impact on their organization.

Among the sessions presented, David Pendleton, Ph.D., chartered psychologist, Oxford University associate fellow and Webster University visiting professor, offered a new approach to leadership that asked participants to consider what they bring to leadership and what they need from others. Benjamin Ola. Akande, Ph.D., dean of the Walker School, facilitated a session on the power of purpose and shared strategies for connecting an employee’s passion with the organization’s mission and vision. Oxford University Associate Fellows Owen Darbishire, Ph.D., Jennifer King, Ph.D. and Richard Olivier presented sessions on decision-making, building teams, setting strategic direction and inspirational leadership.

Some of the top business leaders in St. Louis also facilitated sessions as part of the leadership development program. Bill DeWitt lll, chairman and managing partner of the St. Louis Cardinals, shared advice for managing star performers; Kevin Demoff, executive vice president of football operations and chief operating officer of the St. Louis Rams, discussed the need for creating an environment that nurtures and attracts talent; John Messman, leadership development director at Boeing Corporation, presented strategies for developing leaders; and Joan Magruder, St. Louis Children’s Hospital president, explained how the hospital balances the daily needs of its patients while remaining focused on the future of medicine and healthcare management.

“Two years ago I had the distinct honor to attend the High Performance Leadership Seminar at Oxford University, and the experience transformed me and enhanced my leadership capacity,” Akande said. “Thanks to our collaboration with a team of international educators and executives from the St. Louis business community, our seminar has provided participants with a remarkable leadership experience.”

“We are like single bed sheets, but the

problem is that leadership is like a double bed. It doesn’t matter

which way you pull it, you’re going to

leave a gap.” – David Pendleton Visiting Professor of Leadership

Walker School Executive Leadership Seminar

Lesley Hoffarth

Forest Park Forever President

and Executive Director

H. Melvin Ming

Sesame Workshop President and Chief Executive Officer

Donald Ross

Enterprise Holdings Vice Chairman

Louis Susman

Former United States Ambassador

Randall Stephenson

AT&T Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Patrick Mulcahy

Energizer Holdings Chairman

Susan Polgar

Chess Grandmaster

For more than a decade, the Walker School has provided innovative leaders a stage to share their business knowledge, management expertise, values and career challenges with our community. The success of the speaker series has not only heightened the visibility of the Walker School in the community, but it has brought to the

forefront issues pertaining to change, innovation, transformation and leadership.

View presentations from the 2014 Speaker Series: Webster.edu/Speakers

From the introduction of lithium batteries and LED bulbs, to the marketing campaign for the creation of the Energizer Bunny, Patrick Mulcahy, board chairman of Energizer Holdings, has presided over key initiatives that have helped launch groundbreaking innovations.

“Patrick is a rare leader because he possesses two seemingly impossible attributes that are attributed to greatness: the ability to transform and serve the organization,” Dean Benjamin Akande said. “He is a pioneer of multi-billion dollar companies, and yet he will be the first to admit that his success has come from personal sacrifices, a willingness to collaborate with others, and the acknowledgment of their contributions. If there is one defining attribute of Patrick Mulcahy, it is that humility is his constant companion.”

During his lecture at the Walker School, Mulachy dispensed leadership lessons from his distinguished 40-year career in consumer product industries. He also shared 14 rules for achieving career success.

Patrick Mulcahy’s 14 Rules to Live by:1. Promote people you are comfortable with.

2. A career is not a sprint.

3. Take “challenge” over a position or a title.

4. When changing jobs, bet on people.

5. Do something; do anything.

6. Spending is not a substitute for creativity.

7. Consider the reversibility of a decision before making it. If you make a bad decision, reverse quickly.

8. Clear your desk; focus on the big stuff.

9. Live one day at a time. There is no way to plan a career, so if there is an opportunity, move on it.

10. The killer gets killed. Over time, an abusive person’s actions will come back to haunt him.

11. Have fun and keep a sense of humor.

12. Facts are not truth. You have to sort through the facts and create your own truth.

13. It’s the office, not the person. The office has the power and you have to be a good steward.

14. Disasters are wonderful. They force you in a different direction and force you to learn.

For more insights, watch Mulcahy’s lecture at Webster.edu/Speakers.

Illuminating Lessons on Leadership

“If there is one defining attribute

of Patrick Mulcahy, it is that humility

is his constant companion.”

– Benjamin AkandeDean, Walker School

Alumni Gerard (Beer) Brinkers (BA ’04, MA ’07) and Hubert (Geert) Brinkers (BBA ’06) grew up in the Netherlands where their great-great grandfather started a wholesale margarine company in 1878. Over the decades, the company has grown to include an assortment of bakery products.

Before joining the family business, the brothers earned business degrees at Webster University’s campus in Leiden, the Netherlands. They said their experience at Webster shaped their global perspective on commerce. “At Webster, we had the opportunity to see and travel the world,” Beer Brinkers recalled, reflecting on the semester the brothers spent studying at Webster University’s campus in Shanghai, China.

“In addition to learning languages, we were able to meet and work with students from a variety of different backgrounds and cultures,” Geert Brinkers said. “Together, this helped position us to do business around the world.”

In 2011, the brothers purchased two brands from their father’s portfolio, and they have been business partners and bakers ever since. They jointly own Beuk, the largest apple pie brand in the Netherlands, and Goutier, a line of frozen cakes, strudels, Bavarian cream cakes, tiramisu and other pastry products, that are distributed throughout Europe.

While their success has not been without challenges, they have developed a strategy for ensuring that they are successful as business partners. “Before a decision is made, we both have to agree or we won’t move forward,” Geert Brinkers said. “When you work with family, you don’t have to be political. You can just be open with each other, and that’s the best part.”

The brothers admit that their first year in business was tough, and the stress was compounded because the factories where they purchased their products increased prices significantly. “We knew we had to act,” Geert Brinkers said. “So we decided to find our own production facility.” After months of research, they purchased a former Unilever ice cream factory and began developing plans to convert it into a facility that would meet their business needs.

Global Perspective and Business Acumen Form Recipe for Brothers’ Sweet Success

In setting up their production facility, the brothers had to account for the tough market and low margins. “We had to have an edge,” Beer Brinkers said. So rather than anchor their production on economies of scale, they targeted economics of scope. “Our design is built around having bakers on the line. This model enables us to optimize production and it gives us the flexibility to make changes in flavors and products faster than our competitors.”

Today, their company operates under the name Four Foodservice, and they have expanded their business to include new products under the Beuk and Goutier brands. They have also acquired contracts to produce private label brands for wholesalers and retailers, including Starbucks cafés in Spain and France. In addition, they have teamed up with another company to optimize its production of dairy and dairy-based desserts for distribution in New Zealand. “It’s exciting for us to put our ‘know-how’ into that company,” Beer Brinkers said. “This partnership definitely opens doors to the future.”

Geert and Beer Brinkers

“At Webster, we had the

opportunity to see and travel the world.”

- Beer BrinkersBA ‘04, MA ‘07

Gernot Mittendorfer (MBA ’96) manages commerce throughout Central Europe in his dual role as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Performance Officer of Erste Group Bank AG, Austria’s oldest savings bank. The 195-year-old bank, which went public in 1997, now has €48 billion ($66.2 billion) in assets.

Mittendorfer began his career as an Erste Bank branch employee nearly 25 years ago. A few years after joining the bank, he was one of two employees selected to pursue an MBA at Webster University’s campus in Vienna. “Webster University taught me how to work across cultures, with people from different countries, customs and backgrounds,” Mittendorfer said. “These experiences proved invaluable for my career and gave me access to a strong network. Today, many of my classmates are still part of my professional network.”

While he feels fortunate to have worked with people who set high standards for him throughout his career, he said climbing the career ladder is hard work, fraught with lots of risks. “It’s important to keep in mind that this journey is not a stroll through the park, but rather one that is filled with challenges, risks and consequences. If you are willing to take a chance, you have to be ready to seize the opportunity when it arises.”

Mittendorfer said he did just that when he accepted a position in 1997 that required him to leave Erste Bank’s headquarters and relocate to Rohrbach in the Czech Republic. “This small savings bank that Erste had acquired had four branches in the Czech Republic, and I knew it would give me the chance to learn about the business in a country which the group identified as one of its core markets for future development,” he said. Within three years, he received an offer to move to Prague and join the management team responsible for running the country’s largest bank. “While I did not foresee that my ‘big break’ would lead me to where I am now, the reality is that chances in life come and go, and they usually don’t appear when we are ready for them. Once that big chance comes your way, you need to think fast and act.”

Throughout his tenure with Erste, the organization has transformed its business from a small savings bank in Austria to one of the largest banks in Central Europe. With his experiences in management, commerce and acquisitions, Mittendorfer has become a valuable asset to the banking industry. “Experience is gained from doing, especially in banking,” he said. “You’ll learn more from what went wrong than from what you got right. And while mistakes are inescapable, you can’t afford to make the same mistake twice.”

Edward Adam Senior Vice President Human Resources Enterprise Holdings

Benjamin Ola. Akande, Ph.D. Dean Walker School of Business & Technology, Webster University

Raymond Bayer* Executive Director MOHELA

Peter Benoist President and Chief Executive Officer Enterprise Financial Services Corp

Dale Cammon (Board Chair) Chairman The Bryant Group, Inc.

Thomas Cornwell President Cornwell Associates

Omar Danial* Chief Executive Officer Finial Capital S.A.

Charles A. Dill General Partner Two Rivers Associates, LLC

Chuck Feltz* President, Global Products Group Korn Ferry International

Michael Gabriel Former Chief Information Officer HBO

Neil George, Jr.* Editor Agora Financial

Gilbert Hoffman Vice President and Chief Information Officer Mercy Technology Services

Michael Holmes* President RX Outreach

Donald Huonker, Jr.* Senior Vice President, Global Projects Walgreens

Kevin Hunt Former Chief Executive Officer Ralcorp Holdings, Inc.

Allan Ivie, IV Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Reliance Bancshares, Inc.

Keith Levy President Royal Canin

Katherine Lintz, CFP Founder and Chief Executive Officer Matter Family Office

Kathleen Mazzarella* Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Graybar Electric Co., Inc.

Lawrence K. Otto President Bank of America Missouri

Rodger Riney President and Chief Executive Officer Scottrade, Inc.

Julian Schuster, Ph.D. Provost and Senior Vice President Webster University

Anthony Thompson* Chief Executive Officer and Chairman Kwame Building Group, Inc.

Chris Varvares Senior Managing Director Macroeconomic Advisers

George Herbert Walker III Former United States Ambassador

Walker School Advisory Board

Walker School in the NewsAt the Walker School we know the importance of sharing our expertise with those outside of our classrooms. Members of the news media, professional organizations and industry conference coordinators regularly contact our faculty to tap into their knowledge. Walker School professors appear in many media outlets including:

Risk-taking and Preparation Propel Alum’s Ascent

“If you are willing to take a chance, you have to be

ready to seize the opportunity when

it arises.”– Gernot

MittendorferMBA ‘96

F I N A N C E

*Denotes Walker School of Business & Technology Alumni

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Credits: Editor: Gina Tarte, Walker School of Business & Technology Design: Michael Kilfoy, Studio X Photography: Rebecca Barr, TuSquare Studio

470 East Lockwood Avenue | St. Louis, Missouri 63119 | Webster.edu/NotabeneScan this QR Code or visit Webster.edu/Notabene to see more pictures and interviews from Notabene 2014.

Finding Your ArchBy Dean Benjamin Akande, Ph.D.

The future belongs to those who excel at doing a few things well, who are determined to surpass their expectations and are capable of consistently delivering on their promises. Tomorrow will be

owned by those who choose to be flexible and are unfazed by insurmountable challenges in life and at work. As you look ahead, may you be bold enough to clear your own pathway and may you muster the courage to find your arch no matter how far it may be in the future.

10 Codes to Live by:1. Remember the difference between success and failure is really a matter of time.

2. Don’t be preoccupied with doing things right. Pay more attention to doing the right thing.

3. Prepare a personal mission statement – your own SWOT analysis - then use it as a compass to navigate the journey for the rest of your life.

4. Learn how to manage your time because it’s the only thing that you can control.

5. Strive to be predictable in the same way that each can of Coke tastes exactly the same.

6. Learn from the mistakes of others because you can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.

7. Remember the sky is not necessarily the limit.

8. Don’t forget you cannot cover all of the bases yourself; learn to share the responsibility.

9. Maturity has more to do with what type of experience you have had and what you have learned and less to do with how many birthdays you have celebrated.

10. We were all born originals, but we often spend the rest of our life trying to be copies – stay originals!