asper school of business growing e 2015 3...

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A S P E R S C H O O L O F B U S I N E S S

SPRING 2015

From class project to world-class startup 3

Asper named School of the Year 6

Ag sector invests big in actuarial research 13

New research in social media, augmented reality 19

Asper Co-op and International Exchange programs, which enhance our student experience. Opportunities made possible through generous funding from donors and government, which extend our reach into new markets and industries, generate new avenues for innovative research, upgrade our facilities, and attract world-class faculty.

Our community is strong. We thrive because we work together

to create, and make the most of, every opportunity to challenge ourselves.

Opportunities like our new MBA and MSc programs, experiential learning projects, and our expanded Executive Education course offerings. Opportunities like the

NEVER STOP GROWINGWelcome to Update 2015. In the following pages, you’ll discover stories of the people who make the Asper School of Business much more than a business school. We are a community – of students, faculty, researchers, alumni and partners – dedicated to the future of business, and to the social and economic wellbeing of Manitoba, Canada, and the world.

The “Commerce Commodores”, members of the Asper Athletics Program, ran the 2014 Manitoba Marathon mixed relay and finished in the top 50!

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A S P E R S C H O O L O F B U S I N E S S2

James Bruce Flatt [BComm(Hons)/87], CEO and Senior Managing Partner of

Brookfield Asset Management Inc., visited Asper in January. Over the past 25 years,

Flatt has expanded Brookfield into one of the world’s largest asset management

companies, with over $200 billion of investments in property, power, infrastructure and

private equity around the globe. This year, he ranked fifth on Canadian Business’s list

of Canada’s 50 Most Powerful Business People. “Winnipeg gave me grounding people

don’t get elsewhere, which was an enormous benefit in my life,” he told students,

encouraging them to work for an “organization with an entrepreneurial culture,

whether it is a big or little company.”

Asper alumni Ernest Epp [BComm(Hons)/70], Jonathan Epp [BComm(Hons)/09]

and Jeremy Epp [BComm(Hons)/04] presented 2014-2015 Commerce Students’

Association (CSA) President Dale Camuyong with a beautiful new Senior Stick –

the CSA president’s symbol of office – at this year’s BComm Luncheon. The Epp family

owns Independent Jewellers. They provided creative direction and a generous

donation toward the creation of the new Stick. The original dated back to Morrey

Lawrence’s inaugural presidential term of 1944-1945.

We’re proud of the programs and resources our community offers. But it’s what our people do with these opportunities that make the Asper School of Business such a tremendous success.

As you’ll see in the stories that follow, our students are innovators who start businesses of their own, champions who break records at international student competitions, adventurers who seize every chance to widen their perspective on the world around them, and change-makers who lead incredible fundraising initiatives. Our award- winning researchers are explorers, using their insights to solve problems and make the world a better place. Our partners in business, industry and government are believers who make us stronger. Our friends, such as the Associates and Young Associates, are mentors who share the benefits of their experience. And our alumni are proud supporters who give back to their community and lead by example.

Everyone in the Asper community understands that we each have a responsibility to something beyond ourselves. Together, we reach farther. We’ve grown a lot over the past year.

May we never stop growing.

Dr Michael BenarrochDean, I.H. Asper School of Business and CA Manitoba Chair in Business Leadership

NEW SENIOR STICK STICK

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS

S P R I N G 2 0 1 5 3

Exigence began as a business plan developed in the Asper MBA’s Business Venture Analysis class. Taught by Stuart Henrickson, I.H. Asper Executive Director of the Stu Clark Centre for Entrepreneur-ship (SCCE), the course challenges students to commercialize new technologies developed by research-ers from the University of Manitoba and around the world. The anti- microbial compound was patented by Dr Song Liu from the U of M’s department of Textile Sciences in the Faculty of Human Ecology.

As Wolff and Governo immersed themselves in the project, the fun-damental business knowledge and analytical skills they were gaining in the Asper MBA armed them with the confidence to pursue their plan as an actual business venture.

the “courage to build the company, stand on our own,” and pursue per-sonally and professionally fulfilling careers “beyond the relative security” of corporate management.

The company is now conducting applied research to develop

the technology for commercial purposes, such as anti-microbial plastics that help prevent food spoilage. And according to recent tests, the compound is over 1000 times more effective than a cur-rently recommended disinfectant at destroying PED, a virus which has wreaked havoc in the North American swine industry.

Not bad for a company that began as a project in the Asper MBA program.

“When I joined the Asper MBA, I hoped the program would propel me from aerospace process engineer straight into the director’s office,” says Exigence co-founder Zach Wolff. Only two years into the program, and still a few courses away from graduating, he’s already CEO of the company he helped create. Co-founder Sheri Governo (MBA/14) took on full-time COO duties in November. She says the MBA program gave her and Wolff

FROM CLASS PROJECT TO WORLD-CLASS STARTUPWinnipeg startup Exigence Technologies is poised to revolutionize the global fight against infection with an anti-microbial compound that renders fabrics and other materials impervious to bacteria.

Asper MBA student Zach Wolff and Asper MBA grad Sheri Governo show off a sample of the revolutionary anti-microbial compound their company, Exigence Technologies, is poised to introduce to the marketplace.

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KEEP UP TO DATE on all the latest stories, news and events at the Asper School of Business.

Visit our blog on the UM Today Network: news.umanitoba.ca/network/asper

Asper’s SCCE also opened doors to mentorship, resources and support they would have found nowhere else. The Centre’s goal is to encourage and facilitate the development of new businesses and entrepreneurial thinking. “Stuart Henrickson was – and still is – our coach and mentor,” says Governo. “He connected us with patent agents, lawyers, funding organiza-tions, commercialization specialists – anyone and everyone who could help us take the next steps.”

The Centre also introduced Exigence’s founders to Winnipeg’s growing startup community, which helped accelerate their momentum. Wolff and Governo were soon drumming up major investors, validating the technology, securing intellectual property and regulatory approvals, and incorporating the company. Now they’re preparing Exigence for full-scale operation.

Wolff says going through the Asper MBA program transformed his thinking about success. “I learned that you can define it however you want – there are no boundaries, and there is nobody holding you back but yourself.”

Governo agrees, and adds: “My desire to grow things from nothing has always driven me. With Exigence, all the pieces have fallen into place.”

As full-time entrepreneurs, they’re exactly where they wanted to be in their careers – but they’ve reached their destination much sooner than expected.

the imagination of society, such as global product safety and economic inequality.”

His work is already making an impact on industry. His findings have influenced international opinion about China’s role in global product safety by demonstrating that design flaws, not manufac-turing errors, were responsible for many product recalls. In 2007, he received worldwide media atten-tion for his research on toy recalls that prompted one of the world’s largest toy companies to apologize to China.

Dr Bapuji says the Rh Award will support his research into how societal income inequalities under-mine innovation in the long run. “I aim to contribute my findings to develop strategies that create prosperous corporations as well as better societies.”

“Getting business to work for a better society is not just a nice

thing, but a necessary thing,” he says.And he’s not alone in his convic-

tion. The U of M has honoured Dr Bapuji, Associate Professor of Business Administration at the Asper School, with an Rh Award in the Social Sciences category to support his work. The award goes to academic researchers in the early stages of their careers who display exceptional innovation, leadership and promise.

“I firmly believe my role as an academic is to help society understand the complex challenges organizations and societies face,” he says. “I naturally gravitate toward problems that organizations struggle with everyday, such as learning, innovation and change, and those issues that capture

BETTER BUSINESS, BETTER WORLDDr Hari Bapuji believes his research will help businesses and organizations become corporate citizens who make the world a better place.

RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT:

S P R I N G 2 0 1 5 5

Pawluk says being part of a closeknit team on the

ice has sharpened her com-munication skills and boosted

her confidence in the classroom. At the same time, what she’s learning in the classroom has made her a better leader on the ice: “My understanding of teambuilding and conflict man-agement has helped me manage a diversity of teammates and create a positive environment where we want to put forth our best effort.”

Rosenbaum, who received the Peter Gossman Memorial Scholar-ship for marketing and leadership and a U of M Emerging Leader Award, says her dream job is to work in marketing for True North Sports and Entertainment, where she can combine her athletic and professional passions. She says discipline and time management are critical to achieving multiple goals – a skill all four teammates share. “You want to put your best performance on the ice, and then in the classroom. One can’t take priority over the other.”

According to Sharman, a 2014 U of M Leader of Tomorrow recip-ient, that mentorship extends off the ice as well, and helps her meet the rigorous demands of balancing athletic and academic excellence. “Jessica and Michelle are a huge support. Whenever Erin and I have questions about school, they help us out with advice. We’re always studying together, completing assignments on the road, keeping each other on track.”

Forward and Marketing major Jessica Rosenbaum was named

a CIS Academic All-Canadian last season. Defence and Accounting/Human Resource Management major Michelle Pawluk was named Alternate Captain and selected as Second Team All-Star in the Canada West conference. Rookie forward Alanna Sharman won the Cana-dian scoring title with 40 points, is the 2014-15 Canada West Rookie of the Year, and was named to the Canada West First Team All-Star as well as the Canada West All-Rookie Team. All three will likely rack up even more honours when the CIS announces the overall Canadian awards mid-March.

Rookie centre Erin Kucheravy received multiple entrance schol-arships, including the Jerry Kruk Memorial Hockey Scholarship from Hockey Manitoba for academics, leadership and community involve-ment. She says the four teammates share a special bond. “We’re together almost all week, and on weekends, so we feel like family. They under-stand what I’m going through as an athlete and a business student.” She describes the senior players, Michelle and Jessica, as “my hockey mentors, always pushing Alanna and me to do better by going against us in drills.”

SHE SHOOTS SHE SCORESFuelled by passion for hockey, leadership, and dedication to academic excellence, four Asper students have risen to the top of their game this year – in the classroom, in their community, and on the ice as members of the Bisons women’s hockey team.

“‘Team first’ is a cliché used far too often, but it really does encapsulate what Jessica, Erin, Michelle and Alanna [below, left to right] are all about. Our program is fortunate to have them,” says Jon Rempel, Head Coach of the Bisons women’s hockey team. The team won the silver medal at this year’s Canada West conference.


The Asper School’s commitment to the competition – including support from faculty, staff, alumni, and leaders in the community – provides students with applied learning opportunities that develop professional and lead-ership skills transferrable to the real world of business, says team co-captain Luke McKim. “This year we received an outstanding level of support.”

Rawluk says, “The destination is glorious, but JDC West is as much about the journey that got us there.” Team Toba put in more than 2,450 volunteer hours in 2014 to raise over $21,000 for the United Way of Winnipeg. McKim says JDC West shares and enhances the Asper School’s commitment to commu-nity involvement by “encouraging students to give back whenever and wherever possible” and “striving to build the most well-rounded business student possible.”

Asper’s Team Toba also brought home the Academic School of the Year title, scored first place in Social and Marketing, second place in MIS, International Business and Taxation, and third place in Athletics, Entrepreneurship, Debate, and Business Strategy.

Eben Rawluk, co-captain of Team Toba, says, “Travelling to Victoria, we knew we had hundreds of supporters cheering us on back home, and to win School of the Year for the first time in Team Toba history is a special feeling, matched only by the friendship and bonds the team has formed.”

The Asper School captured the title of School of the Year at the

2015 Jeux du Commerce (JDC) West. The achievement marks the highest JDC West finish ever in the School’s history. The largest undergraduate business student competition in Western Canada, JDC West showcases academics, athletics, debate, community involvement, and an out-of-the-box social competition. More than 600 delegates from 12 of Western Canada’s top universities compete annually.

Guided by faculty advisors Mary Brabston and Howard Harmatz,

Comp

etitiv

e Edg

e Asper students triumphed on this year’s national and international competition circuit – and brought home a record-breaking win!

SCHOOL OF THE YEAR

TEAM TOBA ROCKS THE HOUSE!

S P R I N G 2 0 1 5 7

the team put into preparing for the Games were worth it. “The Games were a great chance to build camara-derie, network with other schools, and develop incredible school pride.” Highlights included an opening ceremonies performance set to a mash-up of hit songs and choreographed by teammate Jon Anthony, and a spirit challenge to build forts out of cardboard and duct tape.

ICBCGraham Halford and Quinn Kirkpatrick scored third place in the Ethics category at the prestigious Inter- Collegiate Business Competition (ICBC). Hosted by the Queen’s Business School in Kingston, Ontario, ICBC is Canada’s oldest and longest-run-ning case competition. To qualify for a coveted spot in the final round, Halford and Kirkpatrick competed in the fall semester against 29 other Canadian and international univer-sities. Only teams whose submission ranked in the top five were invited to face off in the finals.

MBA GAMESAsper MBA students Amanda MacDonald, Henry Tse and Geeta Chopra placed second out of 20 in the Finance case compe-tition at this year’s MBA Games. Twenty-six Asper MBA students led by team captain Peter Wheatley and volunteer coach Judith Jayasuriya (MBA/14) traveled to Hamilton, Ontario on the weekend of January 2 to participate in the Games, hosted by McMaster University’s DeGroote Business School. MBA programs from across Canada compete in academics, athletics, and spirit. This is only the second time Asper MBAs have participated in the Games. Team-mate Amanda Gebhardt says the “long days and longer nights”

MOLSON CASE COMPETITIONThe Asper MBA team won their divisional championship and placed fourth overall at the John Molson MBA International Case Competition in Montreal. This is the first time Asper has won a Molson divisional. The largest competition of its kind, Molson brings together top business schools from Canada, the US, and around the world. Team members Faith Kaplan, Ali Almalaki, Amandeep Sekhon and Brian Chipman did their school proud in the face of stiff competition – including teams from HEC Montreal, Haskayne, Schulich, Kent State, Moore School of Business, University of Chicago, and high-ranking business schools from Germany, Israel, Singapore, Australia, and South Africa. “It was an intense week. The team worked incredibly hard before and during the competition,” says Marci Elliott, Executive Director of the Asper MBA. She adds: “The team owes much of its success to coaches Marilyn Brennan and Judith Jaya-suriya, and a host of MBA alumni and business volunteers, for their dedication and team support. Bravo Asper MBA team!”

Left: Molson division champs Brian Chipman, Ali Almalaki, Faith Kaplan, Amandeep Sekhon

Quinn Kirkpatrick and Graham Halford at the 2015 ICBC

The Asper MBA team goes wild over their success at the 2015 MBA Games.


Dr Wanda Wuttunee, a professor of Native Studies at the U of M, says the concentration will benefit any-one pursuing a career in Aboriginal economic development, regardless of their ethnicity.

“Aboriginal people are potential customers, suppliers and partners. Anyone with knowledge in this area is a definite asset to businesses, employers, and communities looking to move forward with their economic plans.”

ABORIGINAL BUSINESS AND ECONOMYThe Asper MBA has introduced an Aboriginal Business and Economy elective course under its Sustain-ability theme. In addition, students can now pursue an interdisciplinary concentration in Aboriginal Business and Economy to gain a deeper understanding of the complex factors that impact how Aboriginal businesses contribute to the Canadian economy.

ASPER MBAThe Asper MBA celebrated growing enrolment and was recognized by Canadian Business as one of Canada’s Top 10 MBA Programs in 2014. By offering new concentrations, drawing on the strengths of a diversity-rich student body, and opening doors to real-world business opportunities, it continues to create leaders others want to follow.

2014 Asper MBA graduates celebrate their achievements at the annual

MBA Gala.

Students who take the new con-centration will enhance their core MBA program with courses in Aboriginal traditions, organizations, economy and leadership, and the relationship between environment and economics. They’ll also have the opportunity to conduct feasi-bility studies and develop business plans for Aboriginal organizations.

ENGAGING INTERNATIONAL STUDENTSIn 2014, the Asper MBA welcomed more than four times as many international students into the program as it did in previous years. To help the rising number of international students feel more at home in their new community, a group of MBA students, faculty and alumni created the Student Engagement Representative (SER) Program, which matches incoming international students with volunteer “Buddies”– veterans of the program who answer ques-tions, accompany new students to events, facilitate conversations, and provide a familiar, friendly face inside and outside the classroom.

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the recent MBA Games better represent the full diversity of the program’s student body, says Gebhardt. “Inclusion has really strengthened our connections inside the classroom, too, and promotes better discussion by ensuring we’re all benefiting from the broad perspectives and experiences every student brings to each course.”

CARDINAL CHALLENGEAsper MBA students Sam Fay, Michael Deluca and Kathleen Bluesky won first place in the Idea Pitch category at this year’s Brown- Forman Cardinal Challenge in Louisville, Kentucky. On behalf of the team, Fay pitched Allview Informatics, a retail intelligence service that uses newly designed software to detect people and track movement through video surveil-lance to produce information useful for business decisions. Allview was the only Canadian team to make it to the semi-finals and receive the invitation to Louisville.

Amanda Gebhardt, 2014 Chair of the Asper MBA Students’ Association (aMBAsa), played a key role in launching and coor-dinating the program. She says many international students don’t find it easy to “engage in classroom discussion or extracurricular activities.” By September 2014, she already had 10 Buddies signed up and ready to help – and the results have been spectacular. “The pro-gram was instrumental in getting almost every new student to turn out to our Welcome Back BBQ in Assiniboine Park. SERs encouraged international student participation in activities such as the MBA Games, aMBAsa functions, and casual Winnipeg events like Nuit Blanche and Festival du Voyageur.”

Aayush Katkar, who moved to Winnipeg from India last year to join the Asper MBA, says the SER program connected him with other students “before I even settled in Winnipeg. That’s a wonderful thing for someone coming to a completely new city and culture. It didn’t take long to feel like part of the Asper community and I’m so glad I made the decision to come here.”

More international student participation means events like

RICK WAUGH: HONORARY DEGREEThe U of M honoured Asper alumnus Rick Waugh [BComm(Hons)/70] (right) with an Honorary Doctor of Laws at the 2014 Fall Convocation. Waugh’s career started from humble beginnings as a bank teller and culminated in trailblazing achievements as Scotiabank’s President and CEO. His leadership in the banking industry is matched only by his commitment to his community. The Asper School considers Mr Waugh to be an out-standing role model and inspiration for the next generation of business leaders who seek to create a better world.

International Asper MBA students and their “Buddies” visiting the Costume Museum of Canada

REG LITZ LUMINARY TEACHING AWARD

The Asper MBA Student Association (aMBAsa) presented the 2014 Reg Litz Luminary Teaching Award to Dr John McCallum, Professor of Accounting and Finance. Students described him as their “most influential professor” who shares “a treasure trove of insights sculpted from real-life experiences and astute observations.”

umanitoba.ca/asper/mba

Dr John McCallum (centre) with Dr Michael Benarroch and Lois Litz (widow of the late Dr Reg Litz) who spoke at the Luminary Teaching Award presentation about her husband’s love of teaching.


CONNECTIONStuart Henrickson, I.H. Asper Exec-utive Director of Entrepreneurship, has forged strong ties with Winnipeg’s thriving startup community, and connects student ventures to potential funders, supporters, and community resources such as Futurpreneur, Ramp Up Manitoba and Innovate Manitoba – organizations dedicated to helping innovation emerge, grow and thrive.

ACCELERATIONOnce a venture has taken wing, the Stu Clark Centre connects student entrepreneurs with organizations such as the Manitoba Technology Accelerator and the Eureka Project, which offer more advanced mentor-ship, facilities, and financial/invest-ment opportunities for technology startups.

SUCCESSThanks to the Stu Clark Centre, Asper students and grads are already making headlines with ventures such as Exigence Technologies, Digiplus, AdVolve Media, POSI, CitiGrow, Quality Concepts, and Consultica – to name just a few.

introduce them to patented new technologies ready for commercial ization through the U of M’s Technology Transfer Office.

COMPETITIONThe Centre hosts the Stu Clark Investment Competition and the Manitoba Undergrad New Venture Championships, where students pitch ideas and gain valuable feedback from experienced entrepreneurs and business leaders. The Centre also mentors students preparing for national and interna-tional business venture competitions.

INSPIRATIONHosted by the Stu Clark Centre, the Manitoba High School New Venture Championships inspire high school students to consider entrepreneurship as their life’s calling. CEO Manitoba, an Asper student group located at the Centre, introduces young entre-preneurs to the incredible startup resources and opportunities all around them.

PREPARATIONNew Venture Analysis and Business Venture Analysis courses show students how to build business plans ready to present to investors, and

Entre

prene

urship The Stu Clark Centre for Entrepreneurship at the

Asper School of Business helps young entrepreneurs turn big ideas into successful business ventures at every stage of their journey.

“Real” Elevator Pitch competitors outside the Richardson Centre, where they had 60 seconds to pitch new business ventures in a moving elevator.

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Left: Brendan McAndrew hasn’t even graduated yet, and he’s already running a success-ful business selling specialty bikes at The Forks.

Market, where he sold imported fixed-gear and single-speed bikes under the White Pine Fixies label for under $450 each.

The trial run was a success. In September, he pedaled over to a new location at The Forks’ Johnston Terminal. “We now sell several different styles of bikes, as well as parts,” he says. “We specialize in building up fully custom city bikes for customers – bikes you won’t get

STUDENT BIKE BIZ SHIFTS INTO HIGH GEARSecond-year Asper student Brendan McAndrew turned an award-winning idea for a specialty bike business into a successful venture at The Forks.

He got the idea for White Pine Bicycle Company after discovering the “hassle” of ordering a fixed-gear bike from California. “It cost a lot to ship and arrived damaged.” So he put together a business plan and pitched his idea to judges at the Wes Nicol Entrepreneurial Undergrad Competition, hosted by the Stu Clark Centre, in his first year at Asper. The pitch won first place and $5,000.

Encouraged by his success, McAndrew decided to give the business a trial run this past summer. He opened a tent-like “pop-up” location outside The Forks Public

anywhere else in Winnipeg. Sales have been great. Even in December and January, when you wouldn’t think people would be looking for bikes.”

This April, McAndrew will be back at the Wes Nicol competition – now called the Manitoba Undergrad New Venture Championships – to try his hand at another winning pitch.

STARTUP STUDENT GROUP PICKS UP SPEEDCollegiate Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO) Manitoba, an Asper entrepreneurship student group, is exposing a growing number of Winnipeg students to the incredible startup community thriving in our own back yard.

The group’s president, Asper student Christos Vasilarakis, says he got hooked on entrepreneurship two years ago when he climbed aboard the CEO Manitoba Startup Bus Crawl. “A school bus took 40 students on a tour of Winnipeg startups and resources. I couldn’t believe how much was happening in this city,” he says. Last year, the popular event expanded to two buses. Vasilarakis expects it will

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Below: Asper entrepreneurship students prepare to board the CEO Manitoba Bus Crawl.


double again this year, now that word is getting out about the opportunities and support available to Winnipeg’s young entrepreneurs.

CEO Manitoba takes a a distinctly creative, hands-on approach to inspiring students to pursue entrepreneurship. Last year, the group hosted the “Real” Elevator Pitch competition, which placed competitors in an actual elevator at Richardson Centre in downtown Winnipeg. As they hurtled from the 27th floor to the lobby and back, participants had less than 60 seconds to convince judges to invest in an original business idea.

And in February, the group partnered with Ramp Up Manitoba to offer a Ramp Up Weekend “Campus Edition” event that challenged student teams from the U of M, including Asper, Computer Science and Engineering, to take a business from idea to reality in only 55 hours. Sixty-two students

took part; 21 were from the Asper School. “Some of those businesses have already launched,” says Vasilirakis. “It’s amazing what can happen in two days.” TYCOONS IN TRAINING

The Stu Clark Centre has partnered with the U of M’s 36-year-old Mini U Programs to offer a day camp called Business Tycoons , which introduces 8- to 11-year-olds to the joys of business and entrepreneur-ship. Under the guidance of Asper students, campers will learn about marketing, customer service, sales, teamwork, finance, budgeting and human resources. Then they’ll put their business decision-making skills to the test by playing a video game that simulates amusement park management. The camp will also challenge participants to put together business plans and pitch their ideas to judges, Dragons’ Den-style.

The five-day Business Tycoons camp will run four times beginning July 6. To find out more, visit miniu.ca

umanitoba.ca/entrepreneur

Welcome to camp!

Right: Participants in the Manitoba

High School New Venture Champion-

ships prove you’re never too young

to launch a business venture.

Right: Agro- Aviation, pitching

a business that offers a cheaper,

more effective way to spray crops

using drones, won first place at

Ramp Up Weekend “Campus Edition”.

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Left: Dr Lysa Porth, Guy Carpenter Chair in Agricultural Risk Management and Insurance

between producer organizations, insurers and reinsurers, and the provincial and federal governments.

Dr Porth says her current research aims to stimulate sound, innovative risk management policy and new private-sector risk management and insurance initiatives in the agricultural sector. “Some of our research priorities include improving forage insurance in Canada, studying the feasibility and effectiveness of catastrophe bonds of agricultural insurance, investigating livestock mortality insurance, and examining weather modelling and derivatives,” she explains. “We have big plans.”

As Guy Carpenter Chair, Dr Porth will also supervise students conducting research related to agricultural risk management and insurance, including graduate students in Asper’s new Master of Science in Actuarial Mathematics and three new interdisciplinary PhD students starting this fall.

continues to be a driving force for the economy here in Manitoba and across Canada,” said Rod Bruinooge, Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South, at the November funding announcement. “We’re proud to support the continuation of this research chair, which adds tremendous value to Canada’s agriculture sector.”

The chair is the first ever to link agriculture and actuarial studies. Dr Lysa Porth [BComm(Hons)/ 03, MBA/06, PhD/11], an assistant professor at the Asper School’s Warren Centre for Actuarial Studies and Research, was appointed to the position in 2014. She says the funding boost will help “shape the next generation of actuaries trained in property and casualty generally, and agribusiness specifically.”

Because agricultural insurance and risk management is an emerging academic field, the new funding offers a “tremendous opportunity for academics to take a global lead in this important and interdisciplinary effort.” The fund-ing will strengthen public-private partnerships and foster cooperation

Student demand for our programs continues to climb as more Bach-

elor of Commerce students choose to major in Actuarial Mathematics each year. Our students continue to excel – many receiving prestigious international awards. Our MSc program in Actuarial Mathematics, established in 2013, has already attracted eight new students. And more companies are turning to us for students to fill co-operative work terms – and hiring our actu-arial graduates – than ever before.

AG SECTOR INVESTS BIG IN ACTUARIAL CHAIRAgriculture and Agri-Food Canada has announced an investment of $500,000 in the Guy Carpenter Chair in Agricultural Risk Management and Insurance, strengthening the Asper School’s connection to a vital sector of the economy and placing us at the fore-front of interdisciplinary research.

“Our government’s top priority is the economy, and agriculture

ACTUARIAL GROWTHThe past year has been a time of incredible growth for actuarial studies at the Asper School of Business.

ACTUARIAL EDUCATION BY THE NUMBERS

Since the Warren Centre for Actuarial Studies and Research was named a Centre of Actuarial Excellence by the Society of Actuaries (SOA):

Student enrolment has increased from 65 to 175

Seven new actuarial scholarships and 2 new bursaries have been established

At least 75% of our graduates have received more than one job offer from traditional actuarial employers

82% of our graduates have passed at least two SOA examinations before graduating

64 of our graduates have received either FSA (Fellow of the Society of Actuaries) or FCAS (Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society) designations in the past five years

umanitoba.ca/asper/actuary


Acuity’s founder and president, Brad Lutz, has worked in human resource management for nearly 20 years. “From an employer perspective, co-op students are simply miles ahead of everyone else,” he says. “They have both the technical and practical background employers are looking for. They know what it means to work in an office environment. They perform like people who already have three to five years of experience.” Lutz says he’s hired many Asper Co-op students into full-time positions over the past five years. He was so impressed by two – Jaysa Toet [BComm(Hons)/13] and Devan Graham [BComm(Hons)/11] – that when he decided to launch Acuity two and a half years ago, he hired them to help grow the company.

Lutz says the Asper Co-op pro-gram gives businesses a head start not only in recruiting but shaping future professionals. His own company’s success in that regard has paid off. Acuity received the 2015 Co-op Employer of the Year Award. The company was praised for providing its co-op employees with “freedom and trust” to handle major projects independently, and for inspiring a philosophy of human resource management service and excellence. benefitted enormously from the

program’s ability to bridge theory and practice. “Courses were a lot more meaningful because I already knew what was being talked about in class. And when I went back for another co-op term, I could apply what I’d learned in class to real-world situations – including some I hadn’t read about in textbooks.”

Asper Co-op – the largest program of its kind at the U of M – placed

230 students with jobs at more than 80 leading-edge companies this year. Rachel Poppe, a fourth-year Asper student, completed her third co-op term at Acuity HR Solutions, a Winnipeg HR consulting and recruitment firm, in a position that immersed her in the day-to-day realities of employee recruitment for Acuity’s clients. She says she

CO-OP ADVANTAGE As the saying goes, “You can’t get a job without experience, but you can’t get experience without a job.” Which is why the Asper Co-operative Education program provides students with paid, real-world work experience before they even graduate. Over 97 per cent of Asper Co-op students are hired within three months of graduating.

HIRE AN ASPER CO-OP STUDENTAsper Co-op students are highly motivated, committed to excellence, and eager to put their knowledge and skills to work for leading-edge organizations in Manitoba and across Canada.

umanitoba.ca/asper/coop

Acuity HR Solutions, our

Co-op Employer of the Year: Devan

Graham (VP, HR Consulting), Brad Lutz (President),

Jaysa Toet (VP, Recruitment)

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Asper has more than 40 partner schools in 20 countries around

the globe. Before graduating in 2014, Maluzynsky took courses in Israel, Hungary and Mexico. Along the way, he discovered a passion for new cultures, people and languages, and gained valuable first-hand insights into the business cultures of other countries.

He also learned how to be com-fortable in uncomfortable situations. “I remember showing up in Mexico not knowing a word of Spanish – in a city where no one speaks English. So I taught myself Spanish. You have no idea how quickly you can adapt to a new situation or environment until you try.”

Maluzynsky says his trips were funded in part by scholarships of-fered through the Asper Exchange program and the U of M. He was careful to take courses abroad that he could apply toward his degree requirements and completed much of his BComm (Hons) overseas. “And between classes, I’d be exploring the Galapagos Islands, watching the sun set from a beach in Puerta Vallarta, or climbing a Mayan pyramid.”

He says even more Asper students would get hooked on international exchange if they knew how easy the program makes it to travel the world – and how much you get out of the experience. “Don’t ask why,” he says. “Ask yourself, Why not?”

ADVENTURES BEYOND THE COMFORT ZONEAntony Maluzynsky describes his hunger for travel as “an addiction” and blames the Asper International Exchange program for getting him hooked.

CAMERON TESCHUK was named the 2015 Asper Co-op Student of the Year for his outstanding community involvement, academic performance, and workplace accomplishments as a People Services Specialist at New Flyer Industries.

During his co-op work place-ment, Teschuk played a vital role in implementing a new human resource information system and independently developed a step-by-step security systems man-ual for managers. He also created standardized regulatory reporting tools for the company’s HR teams in the US and Canada, and trained the US teams to use the tools.

According to New Flyer, “At the interview, we explained that we would challenge him with tasks outside of his experience, with things he had never encountered before. He delivered like a veteran professional HR specialist with many years of experience. He came in a student, but more often than not, became a teacher and a leader within our team.”

Teschuk maintains a 4.16 GPA and has received numerous scholarships for athletic and academic achieve-ment, leadership, integrity and community outreach. He’s a CIS Academic All-Canadian, and a defensive back and team captain for the U of M Bisons football team.

Now he’s back in Canada preparing for his next adventure: a commercial banking career with CIBC in Toronto. “I majored in Finance and even worked two co-op terms in commercial and personal banking. But my exchange trips led me to double major in International Business, so who knows where I’ll end up? New York, Paris, Dubai... I wouldn’t rule any of those out.”

umanitoba.ca/asper/exchange

Left: Kelly Mahoney, Director of the Asper Career Development Centre, congratulates Cameron Teschuk, Asper Co-op Student of the Year.

Asper International Exchange adventurer Antony Maluzynsky hangs out at a Mayan temple in Chichen Itza, Mexico between classes.

CO-OP STUDENT OF THE YEAR


“With my experience from numer-ous boards I’m familiar with the dilemmas directors face and this program’s reputation for helping directors meet those challenges effectively. We’ve completed two of the course’s four modules and I’m well pleased at how I’ve already been able to take what I’m learning and apply it to my current board work. Being able to debate such informative course materials in this setting has helped us achieve deeper insights and a wider perspective on the diverse decisions directors have to make.”

keep us at the forefront of business education in Canada.”

The DEP is taught by leading business faculty, experienced direc-tors and governance experts at only six other business schools across Canada. The program is a major step in achieving the ICD.D desig-nation, a symbol of commitment to ongoing learning and development. To date, over 3,200 directors have completed the program.

Small wonder the Winnipeg program was sold out shortly after registration opened.

“I signed up for the DEP as soon as I heard it was being offered in Winnipeg,” says George Bass, Q.C., Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Wawanesa Insurance.

The Asper School has partnered with the Institute of Corporate

Directors (ICD) to offer the pres-tigious ICD Directors Education Program (DEP) in Winnipeg. An immersive 12-day course developed by ICD and the Rotman School of Management, the DEP is designed to help board directors respond more effectively and responsibly to issues and challenges.

Dean Michael Benarroch says the ICD’s decision to bring the program to Asper speaks to the strengths of our school, and our province’s “vibrant and diverse community of directors.” The DEP “will enhance our commitment to serving the Manitoba business community and

Asper Executive Education helps you grow to the next level in your career, or create opportunities for your employees to contribute to your organization in new ways.

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UPCOMING COURSESSTRATEGIC PLANNING & THINKINGAPRIL 24, 2015

NEGOTIATION & CONSENSUS BUILDING MAY 7, 2015

NEGOTIATIONS - ADVANCED TOPICSMAY 21, 2015

CONFLICT RESOLUTIONMAY 28, 2015

GETTING THE RIGHT PEOPLE: EMPLOYEE SELECTION & HIRINGJUNE 4, 2015

CUSTOM PROGRAMSAny of our current workshops or programs can be delivered exclusively to your organization in its current format, or customized specifically for your company. Every program can be offered at the James W. Burns Executive Education Centre, conveniently located in the heart of downtown Winnipeg, or at your workplace or an off-site location.

umanitoba.ca/asper/exec

DIRECTORS EDUCATION PROGRAM COMES TO WINNIPEG

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ABEP CELEBRATES 20 YEARSAboriginal Business Education Partners (ABEP) celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2014. The program supports First Nations, Métis and Inuit students pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce degree.

Michael Benarroch, Dean of the Asper School, praised Dr Wanda Wuttunee for “her passion for helping Indigenous students in business.” Wuttunee, a professor of Native Studies at the U of M, served as director of ABEP until early 2015, when she passed the torch to Peter Pomart. During her tenure as director, she worked tirelessly to attract more Aboriginal students to Asper’s undergraduate business program.

ABEP’s most important contribu-tion to the School, says Benarroch, has been to help “students feel welcome in a place that feels like a home, a place you want to return to. And the proof is in the pudding. ABEP has an incredible success rate.” Many ABEP graduates are employed in key positions at major corporations and non-profit organizations, and have started their own businesses across Manitoba, Canada, and around the world. This year, 55 students were enrolled in the program – a record number.

umanitoba.ca/asper/abep

Alumni Award in recognition of her entrepreneurial success.

EABLA is one of Manitoba’s most prestigious events for honouring Aboriginal business leaders. ABEP Director Peter Pomart says, “The stories of our award recipients’ chal-lenges and accomplishments connect with our students and encourage them as they explore their full potential as future business leaders.”

EABLA CELEBRATES 10 YEARSThe 10th Annual Excellence in Aboriginal Business Leadership Awards (EABLA), hosted by Asper and Aboriginal Business Education Partners (ABEP), celebrated inspiring businesses, leaders and entrepreneurs at a gala event in October. Sagkeeng Superstore received the Excellence in Aboriginal Business Leadership Award. The Metis Economic Development Organization (MEDO) received the Excellence in Aboriginal Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Award.

In honour of ABEP’s 20th anniver-sary, Julie DesLauriers [BComm (Hons)/03] of EMOTiCOM Marketing was presented with the inaugural Beyond Excellence ABEP

EXCELLENCE IN ABORIGINAL BUSINESS EDUCATIONThe Asper School of Business is located on Treaty One Territory, on the traditional land of the Anishinaabe peoples and the homeland of the Métis Nation. Our school continues to create pathways for Indigenous students to thrive and succeed on their business education journey.

Left to right: Blake Russell (CEO of MEDO), Dr Wanda Wuttunee (ABEP), Marci Elliott (Asper MBA), Julie DesLauriers, Donavan Fontaine (former Chief, Sagkeeng First Nation)

ABEP students attending the EABLA gala are inspired by stories of Aboriginal business leadership and success.


2014 ASSOCIATES TEACHING AWARDSRESEARCHDr Nicolas Roulin, Assistant Professor, Business Administration

Dr Adolf Ng, Associate Professor, Supply Chain Management

TEACHINGDr Bruno Dyck, Professor, Business Administration

SERVICEDr Cameron Morrill, Associate Professor, Accounting and Finance

INNOVATIONDr Lukas Neville, Assistant Professor, Business Administration

Dr Sandeep Arora, Assistant Professor, Marketing. He received his PhD in marketing from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin. His research interests include emerging technology and innovation in marketing.

Tansey Buike, Donor Relations Officer. A Certified Fund Raising Executive, she most recently led the provincial development strategy at the Canadian Red Cross, and sits on the board of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Dr Changmin Jiang, Assistant Professor, Supply Chain Management. He earned his PhD from the University of British Columbia. His research focuses on transport economics and policy, industrial organization, and applied statistical and econometric studies.

Courtney Thompson, Alumni Relations & MBA Recruitment Officer. She engages our diverse national and international alumni community by planning and coordinating events and sharing stories of alumni success. She is also responsible for MBA recruitment.

Dr Luke Zhu, Assistant Professor, Business Administration. He earned his PhD in Organizational Behaviour at Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia. His research focuses on business ethics, organizational justice, workplace victimization, and psychological rationalization.

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FACULTY AND STAFF APPOINTMENTSDr Xuemiao (Samuel) Hao, Assistant Professor, appointed Acting Head, Warren Centre for Actuarial Studies & Research

Dr Gady Jacoby, Bryce Douglas Professor in Finance, appointed Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies

Dr Kelley Main, Associate Professor, appointed Head, Marketing Department

Amber Pohl, Co-op Coordinator in the Asper Career Development Centre, appointed Coordinator of Student Exchanges and International Cooperation/Student Advisor

Peter Pomart, ABEP Program Coordinator, appointed Director, Aboriginal Business Education Partners

Dr Subbu Sivaramakrishnan, Associate Professor, appointed Associate Dean, Undergraduate and MBA Programs

Dr Zhenyu Wu, Associate Professor, appointed Head, Business Administration Department

IN MEMORIAMEarl Rosenbloom 1948-2014, Senior Scholar, Supply Chain Management

Walter Willborn 1923-2014, Professor, Production Management

NEW FACES

NEW CHAIR INACTUARIAL SCIENCEDr Arnold Shapiro has been appointed the L.A.H. Warren Chair in Actuarial Science for a two-year term. Dr Shapiro will provide graduate students in Asper’s new Master of Science in Actuarial Mathematics program with mentorship and guidance in their research.

Dr Shapiro graduated from the U of M’s actuarial program with a BSc (Hons) in 1969. He has been Professor Emeritus at Pennsylvania State University since 2008.

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our behaviour in the real world. “We’ve all lost ourselves on Face-book or Twitter without realizing how much time has gone by. But the effects of social media can be more dangerous. We theorize that social media and search engines are training our brains not to work for information. Overindulging in curiosity can also lead to all kinds of impulsive, aimless behaviours in our daily lives.”

Lavoie hopes the studies will uncover ways to facilitate positive flow and mitigate negative flow in many emerging products and tech-nologies. His overall hypothesis, he says, is simple: “If an experience is truly good for you, it probably requires you to put in some effort.”

umanitoba.ca/asper/research

surrounding environment. “It’s new technology, so it’s the perfect opportunity to find out how curiosity affects a user’s experience when we don’t tell them what to expect, and force them to treat the game as a puzzle or a problem.”

In another study, he plans to investigate the negative effects of social media and how they change

“Technologies like these are conducive to putting us in

flow states,” he explains, “because they give us a sense of control and immediate feedback.” Although flow is typically seen as an ideal, positive state, Lavoie argues that flow can turn negative when fuelled or reinforced by the wrong kind of curiosity. “If we confront a puzzle or problem, curiosity drives us to put effort into solving it. The process isn’t immediately enjoyable, but achieving the solution offers long-lasting rewards. However, social media also fosters curiosity by allowing us to keep clicking and discovering new things, but afterwards we’re more likely to feel we’ve just wasted time on an empty experience.”

Lavoie is specializing his doctoral work in Marketing. He and his research team have partnered with Winnipeg startup ZenFri Inc. to explore how users engage with augmented reality games (ARGs). ZenFri has developed a location- based ARG called Clandestine: Anomaly. Using the camera and GPS functions of the user’s smartphone, the game augments characters and objects into the

GO WITH THE FLOWAsper PhD student Ray Lavoie is studying how flow — the psychological state of “being in the zone” — leads to positive and negative user experiences in new technologies such as augmented reality and social media.

Ray Lavoie and his research team have partnered with a Winnipeg startup to explore how users engage with augmented reality games

Ray Lavoie gradu-ated with an Asper BComm (Hons) in Marketing in 2011. After working for StandardAero, he was enticed into graduate studies by the compelling work being done by Asper researchers.

FIND OUT MORE about Graduate Programs at the Asper School

of Business at umanitoba.ca/asper

GRAD STUDENT SPOTLIGHT


ASPER NYCTwenty-one Asper students from the University of Manitoba Finance Organization (UMFO) and the University of Manitoba Investment Group (UMIG), two Asper student groups, took a bite out of the Big Apple when they travelled to New York in January. The five-day tour of the financial capital of the world included visits to Bloomberg, Goldman Sachs, NASDAQ, the Federal Reserve, KKR, Onex, LeFrak, Citigroup and Deutsche Bank.

Students got a rare inside look at how the finance and investment knowledge they’re gaining from their Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degrees is put to work in the real world. UMFO president Justin Gagnon says the trip was also a one-of-a-kind chance to gain personal and professional insights from “senior financial executives we wouldn’t normally have access to.”

At one of the companies they visited, the students were hosted by a hometown face: Asper grad Selena Kasdorf [BComm(Hons)/12]. Now an analyst at multinational private equity firm KKR, Kasdorf says she was “beyond impressed with the calibre of students that met with us. They asked insightful questions and I could tell they were eager to learn.”

Asper student Carla Janzen says she never imagined grads who were in her shoes only a few years ago could achieve so much so quickly:

“Working in New York, the finance capital of the world, on the 47th floor, in an office overlooking Central Park or the Brooklyn Bridge, is a reality, and achievable for anyone who wants it badly enough.”

MAYAA recognizes outstanding accomplishments of Indigenous youth in culture, employment, traditional lifestyle, business and academics.

Maclean’s reported on the in-spiring story of MAYAA recipient Ashley Richard, who surmounted incredible obstacles to become an award-winning Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) student, a proud Métis, and youth role model. Her future plans include an MBA and a career with an Indigenous economic authority, “helping to forge business partnerships with the wider community.”

ABORIGINAL YOUTH ACHIEVEMENTFour Aboriginal Business Education Partners students were honoured with Manitoba Aboriginal Youth Achievement Awards (MAYAA) in 2014: Brayden Curtis Harper – Business Entrepreneurship Award

Ashley Richard – 20th Anniversary Award

Karine Sabourin – Athletic Senior Award

Zachariah Unrau – Personal Achievement Award

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Asper students are leaders, innovators, trailblazers and community builders who define success not by how much they gain, but by how much they grow.

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online fundraising campaign in February called Get Gone Cancer. Thanks to their tireless efforts, their campaign raised $3,330!

Guy says he and Ryplanski committed to taking action after they began volunteering at the Winnipeg Children’s Hospital a year and a half ago. “We’ve worked with so many children at the hospital who have inspired us.

VOLLEYBALL STARBison volleyball middle hitter and Asper student Ken Rooney was selected as a 2014-15 Canada West First Team All-Canadian and later as a Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Second Team All- Canadian. He was second in CIS for total blocks per set at 1.29. He also received the Dr Dale Iwanoczko Memorial Scholarship for 2014-15. Head coach Garth Pischke describes Rooney as “a leader on and off the court over the last three seasons.” Rooney was previously named a CIS Academic All-Canadian for 2013-14.

PAYING IT FORWARDAsper students raised more than $70,000 last year from annual fundraising drives such as Chillin’ for Charity, Shinerama, 5 Days for the Homeless, Race for Space and the Manitoba Marathon, in support of charities including the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, United Way of Winnipeg, and RaY (Resource Assistance for Youth).

GET GONE CANCERAsper student and Bison track and field athlete Eric Guy, along with U of M student and friend Wade Ryplanski, set out to raise $500 for CancerCare Manitoba through an

Chillin’ for Charity helped raise $70,000 last year

We felt there was more we could do outside of volunteering to help our friends, and now we want to inspire others to do the same.”

At the 2015 Canada West Track and Field Championships in February, Guy earned two medals – gold in the pentathlon and silver in the 60m hurdles. He also racked up four personal bests and qualified for the CIS Nationals in March, where he will compete in four events. He was also named Canada West Male Rookie of the Year and won the Canada West Male Community Service Award for his work with the Children’s Hospital and his Get Gone Cancer fundraiser. All this while maintaining a GPA of 3.87. Not bad for a rookie!

Eric Guy shaved his head right before the 2015 Canada West Track and Field Championships to raise awareness for his fundraising campaign, Get Gone Cancer.

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GET CONNECTEDVisit umanitoba.ca/asper/alumni or contact our Alumni Relations Officer at [email protected] to share your story, or find out about upcoming alumni events, reunions, networking opportunities, and career services.

Arnold graduated in 2009 with a major in Actuarial Science, and was finishing up his FSA (Fellow-ship of the Society of Actuaries) designation in Hartford, Connecti-cut when those early conversations took place. He says it didn’t take long to figure out what kind of business they should build together. “Danielle and I excelled in math through high school and university,

Rombough, who majored in Finance/Human Resource

Management, graduated from Asper in 2006 and moved to Toronto to pursue a career in finance. She explains where the idea to start the business came from: “Both of us were feeling a bit tired of the corporate scene. We often talked about how cool it would be to run a business and be our own bosses.”

ARNOLD TUTORING and private tutoring was a really successful part-time job for both of us during our BComm. So we asked ourselves, why not take it to the next level?”

In 2012, Arnold and Rombough launched Arnold Tutoring in Toronto. Thanks to a proven talent for teaching complex concepts in simple ways, the brother and sister tutoring team now serve nearly 60 regular private clients, and run exam and test prep seminars for high schools, universities and colleges in Manitoba and Ontario. They also have online tutoring clients in Manitoba and plan to ex-pand this service in the near future.

Rombough and Arnold say their BComm degrees gave them a grounding in marketing, account-ing, finance and business planning that helped them face “every new challenge that came up.”

Arnold adds that the confidence to start their own business came, in good measure, from their involve-ment in the Commerce Students’ Association (Rombough was CSA President in 2005-2006, and Arnold was Director of Programming in 2007-2008). “We learned to work with people, handle public speaking and media, and hone our leadership skills,” says Arnold. “We now use those skills every day.”

Arnold and Rombough are still actively connected to the Asper community through alumni events and running Grade 12 exam prep seminars at Asper for the provincial pre-calculus exams.

For brother and sister Asper alumni Mike Arnold and Danielle Rombough (née Arnold), math tutoring began as a part-time job to help pay their way through school, and ended up becoming a major (and successful) full-time business venture.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

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keep more Manitobans studying and working in Manitoba. We will increase the enrolment of MBA, MSc and PhD students who will power our knowledge economy and enhance our vibrant research culture.

Research ExcellenceThe Asper School will enhance our international research reputation by establishing research chairs and professorships in key areas of business, including venture capital, business ethics, and workplace health. We will be-come internationally renowned leaders in these key areas and produce research that has practical applications for the business community.

Outstanding Student ExperienceThe Asper School will offer students hands-on learning opportunities through a student-managed venture capital fund, executive mentorships, international study programs, internships, real-world consulting projects, and enhanced career services. We will provide students with innovative, immersive and interactive study opportunities that prepare them for current and future work environments.

Places and SpacesThe Asper School will provide a world-class business education facility through enhanced class-rooms, an e-library commons, and a dedicated graduate student centre. Our physical learning space will provide opportunities to connect ideas with innovators, learners with leaders, and work-place advances with classroom improvements.

and offer innovative Aboriginal leadership programming. We will develop the next generation of Aboriginal community and business leaders, and build the capacity of Aboriginal communities through increased business knowledge and access to resources.

Graduate Student Support The Asper School will better attract top-quality graduate students from across Manitoba and beyond, and

Alumni, donor and community support is vital to our success.

Invest in the Asper School – and help us provide a transformative, world-class education to the next generation of business leaders.

Indigenous Achievement The Asper School will provide increased scholarship and bursary opportunities for Aboriginal students pursuing business studies,

INVEST IN ASPER

The Asper School of Business is trailblazing a new approach to business education. By integrating hands-on learning opportunities in real-world business environments, we’re positioning our graduates as the drivers of economic change in Canada and beyond.

To make a gift in support of any of the Asper School’s strategic priorities, please contact:

Michael BenarrochDean, Asper School of Business and CA Manitoba Chair in Business [email protected]

Vanessa Shaff Donor [email protected]

Tansey BuikeDonor [email protected]


2014 marked the 60th reunion of the Commerce Class of 1954. Seven members of the original graduating class were here to celebrate the milestone: Charles Grierson (Vancouver), Keith Fewster and Fred Wise (Calgary), Ken Clark (Toronto), Rich Allden, Peter Martin, and John Mundie (Winnipeg). Over the course of their reunion weekend, the alumni toured the Drake Centre, attended a lecture with Dr. Barry Prentice, and visited the new Canadian Museum for Human Rights.Alu

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umanitoba.ca/asper

news.umanitoba.ca/network/asper

@asperschool

[email protected]

For more information about the Asper School of Business, contact: Judy Wilson, Director Marketing & Communications204.474.8960

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CLASS OF ‘54 REUNION

Asper alumni and special guests at the Rideau Club, attending a reception in March held jointly with the U of M’s Faculty of Law

The Calgary Asper Alumni Chapter hosted its annual Fall Networking event in October with record-break-ing attendance. In February, the chapter launched an Executive Boardroom Lunch & Learn Series hosted by guest speaker Laurel Wood (MBA/86), Executive Vice President, Clients and Services, MNP. On April 21, David Richert [BComm(Hons)/06] of Richert Racing will speak about the business side of auto racing at the annual Calgary Alumni Reception. Above: Hailey Misanchuk [BComm(Hons)/13], Laurel Wood, Andy Wu [BComm(Hons)/03].

Alison Darling (BComm/64), Laird Rankin (BComm/64) and Rick Pinchin (BComm/67) at Homecoming 2014

Cecilia Lowe [BComm(Hons)/08], Lovepreet Dhunna [BComm(Hons)/08], Ashley Monette [BComm(Hons)/07] celebrate Homecoming 2014 at the Pinnacle Club overlooking Investors Group Field, home of the Bisons.

Jeff Vilar [BComm(Hons)/92], Josée Lemoine [BComm(Hons)/99], Erasmo (Raz) Cardillo [BComm(Hons/93] at Homecoming 2014

OTTAWA

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