Faculty of Business Administration - University of New Brunswick

With the sun shining outside and the temperature in the upper teens the faculty of business administration celebrated UNB’s 180th Encaenia with a reception and awards ceremony to honour the accomplishments of this year’s graduating class.

Of the class of 2009, 178 students graduated with BBA degrees including 71 students earning honours degrees, 114 earning concentrations, and 10 earning co-op designations. Thirty-five students graduated from the MBA program, including the first two ever to graduate with our new concentration in entrepreneurship designation.

On the international front 24 students graduated from the BBA program in Trinidad and Tobago along with 18 students from the BBA program in Singapore. Ten students graduated from the BBA program in Egypt, with many more expected to graduate in October.

During the faculty of business administration’s awards ceremony the following graduates received prizes for their academic achievements.

MBA Encaenia Prizes:

E.D. MAHER GRADUATE STUDENT PRIZE IN ADMINISTRATION: Mr. Colin M. Simpson. Awarded to the graduating MBA student with the highest GPA.

MBA SOCIETY GRADUATION AWARD: Mr. Colin M. Simpson. Prize of $800. Awarded to the graduating MBA student with the highest cumulative GPA.

MBA SOCIETY GRADUATION AWARD: Ms. Vinithra Srinivasan. Awarded to the graduating MBA student with the second highest cumulative GPA.

MBA SOCIETY GRADUATION AWARD: Mr. Edgar Gallibois. Prize of $400. Awarded to the graduating MBA student with the third highest cumulative GPA.

BBA Encaenia Prizes:

LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR OF NEW BRUNSWICK SILVER MEDAL: Ms. Kathryn L. MacKinnon. Awarded to the most outstanding graduating BBA student, based primarily on performance in the last half of the program.

FACULTY OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AWARD: Ms. Katie A. Wasson. Prize of $300. Awarded to the graduating BBA student with the second highest cumulative GPA.

FACULTY OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AWARD: Mr. Craig T. McLaughlin. Prize of $200. Awarded to the graduating BBA student with the third highest cumulative GPA.

BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION SOCIETY OUTSTAND STUDENT AWARD: Ms. Falen McNulty. This award is awarded by the business society to an outstanding fourth-year BBA student in recognition of participation in campus activities, scholastic standing, character and attitude.

MERRITHEW/DEGRANDPRÉ ACTIVATOR AWARD: Mr. Christopher Marhsall. Prize of $1,500. Awarded to a student leader enrolled in the Activator program in the Faculty of Business Administration on the Fredericton campus. Selection is based on scholastic attainment in the Activator courses and leadership abilities.

ACTIVATOR FELLOWSHIP(S): Mr. Christopher Marhsall. Prize of $4,000. Awarded by the International Business and Entrepreneurship Centre to students who demonstrated excellence in their role as Team and Co-Team Leaders while in the Activator Program.

Posted at 10:50 AM

A group of investment finance students at the University of New Brunswick have achieved impressive returns on their portfolio of nearly $2 million in spite of the turbulent global financial environment. While stories of bank failures, Ponzi schemes and catastrophic financial losses in the financial markets dominated the news in 2008, student investors in the University of New Brunswick’s Student Investment Fund program significantly outperformed professional money managers during the year.

Students in the program began investing real money in the capital markets in 1998 with the allocation of $1 million from program partner the New Brunswick Investment Management Corporation. By October 2006 the Fund had surpassed $2 million solely from investment returns, by mid-2008 $2.5 million with a subsequent return to roughly $2 million by yearend reflecting global market volatility.

The student-managed fund enjoyed its best results ever in 2008 outperforming many professional asset managers including pension plans and endowment funds. Program director Prof. Glenn Cleland is impressed with the portfolio performance over the ten-year period since its inception. “ This is no coincidence. The students have successfully navigated the markets over a ten-year period.”

“We started up the program investing real money in September 1998 during turbulent times in financial markets stemming from the collapse of Long Term Capital Management. Over the subsequent ten years, student investment decisions were made with the backdrop of the technology bubble, the sub-prime mortgage crisis, US$145 oil prices and the current financial meltdown.”

The students’ abilities extend well beyond their impressive portfolio management skills. The students have a long and distinguished record of success at investment competitions. Last year, a team of students from the program placed first in the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute’s North American valuation competition in New York City and, was subsequently ranked second in the world in the Institute’s Global Investment Research competition in May 2008. If there was ever any doubt that SIF students could compete on a global basis it was erased by this achievement.

Nathan Ough, a current student in the Student Investment Fund program, speaks highly of the hands-on investment learning experience. “The record speaks for itself. Over the past ten years students who have been accepted into this demanding program have developed a skillset that is highly sought after by the financial sector. The integration of theory and practice provides a knowledge base which has contributed to our ten years of outperformance.”

The Student Investment Fund was the first student-managed fund in Atlantic Canada, one of a few in Canada, and unique in North America. Its market neutral equity portfolio construction approach combined with an embedded study program for the Chartered Financial Analyst Level I exam making it leading edge.

The SIF is offered through UNB’s Centre for Financial Studies in the faculty of business administration.

- 30 -

Posted at 4:04 PM

Two of Canada’s next top ad executives are students at the University of New Brunswick.

Elizabeth McCleave and Matieu Daigle, students in the master of business administration (MBA) program at UNB Fredericton have won Volkswagon’s national marketing competition, beating out teams from universities across Canada.

The students will each receive a new Volkswagon Golf and will be offered internships with ad agencies for winning the competition, Canada’s Next Top Ad Executive.

A second team of UNB students, Mitchell Bernard and Laura Noseworthy also made it to the top ten contestants in the final round.

The students were selected from among 143 teams, representing 36 different universities from across Canada. All of the top ten finalists will be offered internships with ad agencies.

“Winning this national competition, where so many teams from so many universities across the country participated, directly speaks to the outstanding qualities and skills of Matt and Liz,” said Daniel Coleman, dean of the faculty of business administration. “It also speaks to the quality of our programs.”

The theme of the marketing campaign had to be consistent with Volkswagen Canada’s positioning strategy for the Routan, and the marketing campaign had to stay within a $250,000 budget.

The competition was conceived and hosted by the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University and required the students to deliver a 30-minute marketing pitch to a panel of academics and industry experts.

Liz and Matieu will also see their marketing strategy in action as Volkswagen Canada unfolds it over the next few months.

Elizabeth-Anne, 24, and Matt, 23, as well as Laura, 22, and Mitchell, 21, all traveled to Toronto to compete. The teams of students were picked from 143 applications and made it through the top 25 phase. The winners were announced at an awards dinner on March 31, 2009.

Established in 1785, UNB is one of the oldest public universities in North America. One of the top five comprehensive universities in Canada, according to Maclean’s, UNB has more than 12,000 students from more than 100 countries. As the largest research institution in New Brunswick, UNB conducts 80 per cent of the province’s university research. The university has more than 3,500 faculty and staff, and an annual operating budget of more than $160 million. UNB’s two main campuses are located in Fredericton and Saint John, N.B.

- 30 -

Posted at 10:00 AM

UNB’s Activator team, “KnowCharge," won the silver prize of $60,000 in investment equity and in kind services at the New Brunswick Innovation Fund (NBIF) Breakthru competition held on March 25, 2009.

The company, made up of team leader, Chris Marshall and MBA teammates Rob Morrow and Edgar Gallibois, was formed through the Activator program, which is coordinated by UNB’s International Business and Entrepreneurship Centre (IBEC). KnowCharge produces a special conductive paper that, when used as an alternative to plastic based protective packaging, could save electronics manufacturers millions by eliminating the damage that static can cause during shipping.

In addition to the silver prize, KnowCharge Inc. shared the prize for best university venture with another UNB team, “Smart Skin”.

The Smart Skin team is made of up of MBA and Engineering students (Imran Khan, Irenia Roussel, Sabeer Zaman and Dr. Felipe Chibante), led by Kumaran Thillainadarajah. Using nanotechnology to detect and measure pressure, Smart Skin is an artificial touch-sensitive skin for prosthetic limbs. The super-thin film works with existing myoelectric control systems to provide control of touch, much like the skin of a real hand.

The Smart Skin team also won the $60,000 prize for best young entrepreneur as well as the prize for the most outstanding presentation and the viewer's choice award. They won the viewer's choice award after more than seven thousand people voted on the CBC website; the team will travel to Toronto to pitch their business on the set of CBC's Dragon's Den.

Posted at 1:05 PM

Two teams of UNB Fredericton business administration students have been selected to be among the top ten finalists in Canada’s Next Top Ad Executive “Face the Fear” Competition, taking place in Toronto March 30-April 1.

Volkswagen Canada, the leading sponsor of the competition, is the “client”; the student teams are the ad executives who must develop a marketing plan to promote the new Volkswagen Routan. The best campaign wins.

Mitchell Bernard and Laura Noseworthy, both BBA students in their fourth year, form one of the teams from UNB’s faculty of business administration, while MBA students Elizabeth-Anne McCleave and Matt Daigle make up the second. Both teams, chosen from among 143 teams representing 36 different universities across Canada, were coached by Dr. Kirby Shannahan who teaches marketing courses at UNB.

Operating within a shrinking minivan market and a shrinking minivan segment, students in the competition are tasked with the challenge of creating a marketing campaign to promote awareness of the new Volkswagen Routan. The theme of the marketing campaign students develop has to be consistent with Volkswagen Canada’s positioning strategy for the Routan, and the marketing campaign budget must stay within $250,000.

The top ten finalists will deliver a 30 minute presentation to a panel of academic and industry experts. All of the top ten finalists will be offered internships with advertising agencies; the two members of the winning ream will each receive a new Volkswagen Golf, in addition to an internship.

Organized by engineering management and commerce students, Canada’s Next Top Ad Executive Competition aims to promote learning through active participation in service experiences, provide opportunity for students to apply their knowledge and skills in real-world situations, and extend learning beyond the classroom into the community.

Posted at 10:46 AM

Thor Jenson, a fourth year bachelor of business administration student at UNB Fredericton, was one of six business students studying at an Atlantic Canadian university to receive $10,000 last week as a recipient of the 2009 Frank H. Sobey Awards for Excellence in Business Studies. “Year after year, it is inspiring to see the recipients of the Frank H. Sobeys Awards for Excellence in Business Studies continue to demonstrate dedication, entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to not only succeed, but excel as business leaders,” said David F. Sobey, Chair of the Board of Directors for the Frank H. Sobey Awards for Excellence in Business Studies.  “It is both an honour and privilege to meet these remarkable students from Atlantic Canada whom we recognize today, and we offer each of them our sincere congratulations for their achievements and best wishes in their future endeavours.”This year’s award recipients along with their respective Business School Deans were formally recognized today at a presentation ceremony held at Crombie House, home of the late Frank H. Sobey, in Abercrombie, Nova Scotia.  The event was attended by Board members of the Frank H. Sobey Awards as well as executives of Empire Company and its subsidiaries, Sobeys Inc. and Crombie REIT.  Thor Jensen, of High River, A.B. is a fourth-year bachelor of business administration at the University of New Brunswick. He is a member of the Student Investment Fund (SIF) as well as the Law in Society program, which explores the economic, social, and philosophical interactions of law. In addition to his studies, Thor volunteers with a literacy program designed to help children develop reading skills.  Upon graduating from university, Thor looks forward to completing the Chartered Financial Analyst designation or studying law. Each year, the Frank H. Sobey Awards for Excellence in Business Studies presents six awards of $10,000 each. All full-time business students attending Atlantic universities are eligible for consideration. Deans of Business at each university are asked to nominate candidates – based on academic standing, entrepreneurial interest, extracurricular and community activities, employment history and career aspirations.Since their establishment in 1989, the Frank H. Sobey Awards for Excellence in Business Studies have awarded more than $700,000 to business students in the four Atlantic Provinces. Each university in the region offering a business program has had more than one recipient of a Frank H. Sobey Award.- 30 -

Posted at 2:02 PM

The huge global economic crisis is making Corporate Social Responsibility all the more important in today’s business world. With industries needing to be bailed out by the government, people need to be assured that their tax dollars are being spent properly. Here at UNB, students in the new MBA Professional Development program are being taught to think about more than just the bottom line.

Students helped contribute to the over $19,000 raised by the Fredericton community for the Canadian Cancer Society. The students raised the funds and competed in the annual Curl for Cancer fundraising event held recently at the Fredericton Curling Club.

In addition to the funds raised for cancer research the event provided the students an opportunity to learn about corporate social development. Students had the opportunity to network with members of the business community while learning how not-for-profit organizations raise their funds.

Mike Randall, President of Mike Randall Communications, also recently gave a presentation on Corporate Social Responsibility to the students. He emphasized that Corporate Social Responsibility has to be embedded into what a company is doing and if it is used only as a public relations tool it generally will not be effective.

By participating in events such as Curl for Cancer, and presentations from professionals like Mike Randall, MBA students are learning more than they ever could from reading a text book or listening to lectures.

As one MBA student, Christine Hartnoll put it, “The Professional Development course is a valuable new addition to the MBA program. I feel like I have developed a lot of new skills that I could not have learned in the classroom”.

However the true success of the events didn’t come from the amount of money raised or the lessons learned, but from the community support. One of the biggest things for Lloyd Chambers, Western Director of the New Brunswick chapter of the Canadian Cancer Society, was being able to attract the MBA students.

“Having a long business career, I think it’s very important for tomorrow's leaders to
participate in events like the Curl for Cancer,” said Chambers.

“As these MBA students turn into tomorrow's leaders, I would hope they remember the value of being socially responsible. It’s important in tough economic times to focus on community support, as that's when the community needs their leadership the most. They must learn to focus not just on their bottom-line, but to look to the future and recognize the value of supporting the community”.

-30-

Posted at 2:00 PM

UNB's Marketing Student Association, in partnership with the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce, invites students and the public to hear Jody Richards, Director of Product Development with WestJet, speak about the airline industry, the five secrets to WestJet’s success, as well as WestJet’s Guest Experience and Marketing Department.

WestJet is Canada's leading high-value low-cost airline offering scheduled service throughout its 55-city North American and Caribbean network. Named one of Canada's most admired corporate cultures in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, WestJet pioneered low-cost flying in Canada.

Jody Richards is responsible for the development and management of new products including the loyalty program, customer relationship database, in-flight entertainment, onboard sales, fare products and development of new ancillary revenue streams. In addition to product development, she oversees the guest experience team which plays a key role in coordinating and developing programs that drive guest loyalty. Prior to joining WestJet, Jody spent 7 years at SAIT (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology) working on the development and implementation of new business systems followed by another 7 years at Nortel Networks in a variety of roles focusing on business process and solutions implementation in many aspects of the business.

The event will be held on January 21st, 2009, at 6:00pm in the Petitcodiac Room at the Crown Plaza.

The cost per ticket:

- Marketing Student Association members: $5
- Non-Members (students): $7
- Public: $10

Appetizers will be served. The dress code for this event is business-casual. To RSVP, please contact Kerrie Bowman at unbmsa@unb.ca. Payment will be at the door, cash only.

Posted at 10:03 AM

The University of New Brunswick’s Marketing Student Association, in partnership with the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce, invites students and the public to a discussion by Francis McGuire on the topic of Competitive Advantage.

Francis McGuire is the current Chair of the Board for NB Power and has also served as vice president of business development for MITI Information Technology Inc., as well as deputy minister of the Department of Economic Development and Tourism of New Brunswick.

The event will be held on November 26th, 2008, from 6.00pm to 9.00pm, in the Petitcodiac Room at the Crown Plaza.

The cost per ticket is:

• Marketing Student Association members: $2
• Non-Members (students): $ 3
• Public: $10

Guests will pay be at the door, (cash only). The dress code for this event is business-casual. Appetizers will be served. To help us plan for the event and to reserve a seat, please RSVP to Kerrie Bowman at q0a3r@unb.ca.

- 30 -

Posted at 9:11 AM

The Faculty of Business Administration at the University of New Brunswick held its 21st annual Business Awards Dinner on Wednesday, November 5, at the Delta Fredericton Hotel.

Three hundred guests joined the faculty to celebrate the academic achievements of business students, the professional accomplishments of graduates, and to show appreciation to donors and friends. The audience was made up of students and their families, faculty members, university officials, donors and business partners.

More than $326, 683 in scholarships, bursaries and prizes were awarded this year to business students. These students, as well as those on the BBA and MBA Dean’s Lists were recognized during the awards ceremony.

Glenn Goucher and David W. Stevenson both received 2008 Certificates of Achievement. This certificate is given each year to business graduates who have made significant contributions to their professions and communities. Glenn Goucher, CFA (BSE ’86, MBA ’92) is the senior vice-president, Financial Markets, for The Montreal Exchange. David W. Stevenson, FCA, CAIRP (BBA ’68) is a partner with Stevenson & Partners LLP.

This year, two Certificates of Appreciation were presented to the following: The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC), and Kathleen and Terry Malley of Malley Industries Inc. Phillip Filleul, Associate Vice-President, NB, CIBC Retail Distribution, accepted the Certificate on behalf of CIBC. Kathleen Malley is the human resources and communications director for Malley Industries Inc., while Terry Malley is the chief executive officer.

- 30 -

Posted at 3:15 PM

Lynn Haley and Candace Morgan, two human resources instructors in UNB’s Faculty of Business Administration, were swamped with requests last year from students wanting to be more ‘networked’ and informed about the HR opportunities available in the region upon graduation.

Looking to fulfill this student need, the pair brainstormed ways in which they could play a larger role in connecting their students with the business community.

Haley and Morgan invited students, both BBA and MBA, who were honouring, concentrating or simply interested in a career in HR to an information session on forming an HR student group. An impressive influx of approximately 50 students attended the meeting. The student interest was obvious, and Haley and Morgan had the passion and contacts to get a HR student group off the ground.

An informal student group was established for the 2007/2008 academic year, composed of BBA and MBA students, as well as recent alumni.

Morgan, an executive member of the Human Resources Association of New Brunswick (HRANB), Fredericton chapter, organized an information session for the students on the Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation, the highest level of qualification in human resources management in Canada. The positive response from students led Morgan to set up a study group for those writing their CHRP examination upon graduation. All three students - Stephanie O'Donnell, Laura Campbell, and David Goodland - made passing grades.

Student interest for a more formal student association was becoming clearer, sothe 2008/2009 academic year marks the inception of the Human Resources Student Association (HRSA) at UNB.

The HRSA’s inaugural meeting will take place in the coming weeks. Students and alumni are welcome to attend. Available positions for the executive (2008/2009 academic year) will include President, Vice President and Treasurer.

Championed by the duo, Haley and Morgan see the HRSA being a successful student-driven group in the years to come.

“It is critical for students to be aware of the different careers within the HR profession,” explains Morgan. “The HRSA will give students the opportunity to be exposed to the business community before graduation through information sessions by HR professionals as well as valuable networking opportunities.”

“Networks are critical,” agrees Haley. “Students need mentorship opportunities with professionals and the HRSA will help make these links.”

Through the events held by the HRSA, students’ connections with the business community may see them acquire HR internships and Co-op placements.

“Connecting students with those working in the industry is a win-win situation,” says Morgan. “It’s also important for students to see the practical side of HR, to complement the theoretical learning done in the classroom,” she adds.

This year, the HRSA will offer study sessions for the CHRP designation as well as information sessions with guest speakers from the business community. On top of this, the HRSA executive will plan other events of interest to its student members.

There will be a general e-mail going out to all students by the end of next week explaining how to join. Interested alumni may contact Lynn Haley or Candace Morgan.

lhaley1@unb.ca
morgan@unb.ca

Posted at 10:10 AM

With the sun shining outside and the temperature in the mid-20s the Faculty of Business Administration celebrated UNB’s 179th Encaenia with a reception and awards ceremony to honour the accomplishments of this year’s graduating class.

Of the Class of 2008, 160 students graduated with BBA degrees including 60 students earning Honours degrees, 75 earning concentrations, and 14 earning Co-op designations. Twenty-eight students graduated from the MBA program, including three from the MBA/LLB program, and three from the MBA in Sport & Recreation Management program.

On the international front 45 students graduated from the BBA program in Trinidad and Tobago along with 3 students from the BBA program in Egypt with another 40 expected to graduate in October. Six students graduated from the MBA program in Ukraine.

During the awards ceremony the following graduates received prizes for their academic achievements.

MBA Encaenia Prizes

E.D. Maher Graduate Student Prize in Administration: Ms. Elizabeth J. Healey. Awarded to the graduating MBA student with the highest GPA.

MBA Society Graduation Award: Ms. Elizabeth J. Healey. Awarded to the graduating MBA student with the highest cumulative GPA.

MBA Society Graduation Award: Mr. Navid Kheradmand. Awarded to the graduating MBA student with the second highest cumulative GPA.

MBA Society Graduation Award: Mr. Marc W. Rodgers. Awarded to the graduating MBA student with the third highest cumulative GPA.

Merrithew-deGrandpré Graduate Prize in Entrepreneurship: Mr. Ian L. MacDougall, Mr. Shaun P. Nadeau, and Mr. Evan P. Theriault. This prize of $1,000 (and is shared equally amongst the team). Awarded to the team of students who prepare the most outstanding business plan in MBA6314, New Venture Creation & Entrepreneurship, and TME3413, Technological Creativity & Innovation.

Activator Fellowships: Mr. Robert A. Hennessey, Mr. Michael Lee, and Mr. Bradley Pierce. Prize(s) of $4,000. Awarded by the International Business and Entrepreneurship Centre to graduating students who demonstrated excellence in their role as Team and Co-Team Leaders while in the Activator Program.

BBA Encaenia Prizes

Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick Silver Medal: Mr. Ronald L. Girouard. Awarded to the most outstanding graduating BBA student, based primarily on performance in the last half of the program.

Faculty of Business Administration Award: Ms. S. Delarnee D. Goh. Prize of $300. Awarded to the graduating BBA student with the second highest cumulative GPA.

Faculty of Business Administration Award: Ms. Jennifer D. Pezel. Prize of $200. Awarded to the graduating BBA student with the third highest cumulative GPA.

Arun Datta Prize - Economics: Mr. Elisha R. Taylor. Prize of $250. Awarded annually to a UNBF graduating student who achieves high standing in ECON3401, International Economics: Trade.

Merrithew-deGrandpré Undergraduate Prize in Entrepreneurship: Mr. Jeremy M. Deering, Mr. Jeffrey S. Gregor, Ms. Lisa H. Look Kin, Mr. Alexander J. Hendry, and Mr. David A. Warren. Prize of $500 (to be shared equally amongst the team). Awarded to the team of students who prepare the outstanding business plan in ADM4175, Venture Start-up & Entrepreneurship.

W.H. Harrison Prize for Conversational French UNBF: Mr. Ronald L. Girouard. Prize of $200. Awarded annually on the recommendation of the French Department to the graduating student who has shown the highest achievement in the oral skills of French.

Click here to see pictures from the reception and awards ceremony.

Posted at 10:14 AM

A team of four students from the Faculty of Business Administration’s Student Investment Fund (SIF) won the North American championship at the second annual Global Investment Research Challenge on April 30th in New York City. The University of Houston placed second, while the University of Pittsburgh placed third.

In the competition, students from universities around the world presented and defended their stock recommendations and were judged on their performance by industry experts. Dustin Besaw, Jason Misener, Jack Ma and Brian Bagnell of Fredericton competed on the team, while Nathan Ough and Ian McAvity of Saint John were observers.

During the competition, the student teams were given 10 minutes to pitch their stock recommendations to panel members from companies such as UBS, Neuberger Berman, Strategas Research partners and the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute.

In the Global championship on May 1 the SIF team placed second overall behind The University of Hong Kong. Over 80 countries were represented in the competition.

After placing first in the North American round of the Global Research Challenge in New York City, Student Investment Team members visit the Merrill Lynch trading floor. L-R: Glenn Cleland (Director, Centre for Financial Studies and SIF Instructor), Brian Bagnell, Dustin Besaw, Guofeng (Jack) Ma, and Jason Misener.

Posted at 2:39 PM

Three Faculty of Business Administration students, Edgar Gallibois, Justin Murray and Matthew Corey, won the Enterprise 2008 Business Plan Competition run by the Business Development Bank of Canada. The competition is the largest business plan competition in Canada, and this is the second consecutive year that winners of the regional qualifying competition, Enterprise Atlantic, have claimed top spot in the nation.

Gallibois, Murray, and Corey represented UNB as VerifyRX and defeated 11 other teams en route to capturing the top spot in the competition. Originally 90 schools attempted to qualify for the national competition in Vancouver.

For their victories in the regional and national competitions the team received $23,000 in prize money.

Posted at 9:47 AM

Third year BBA student Lynn MacKinnon (pictured below) is a 2007-08 recipient of the prestigious Frank H. Sobey Award for Excellence in Business Studies. Lynn is one of six students across the Atlantic Provinces selected to receive this award, worth $10,000.

The Frank H. Sobey Fund for Excellence in Business Studies was established in 1989 in memory of Frank H. Sobey, the late chairperson of Sobey Inc. and Empire Co. Ltd. The Sobey Fund supports as many as six awards each year. To be eligible, candidates must be residents of the Atlantic provinces, have completed one year of business studies, and be enrolled full-time in a faculty of business at a university in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island or Newfoundland and Labrador. After the Deans of business schools recommend recipients, the board of the scholarship fund make the final selections.

“We were really pleased to recommend Lynn for this award,” said Dr. Stephen Grant, Associate Dean of Programs with the Faculty of Business Administration. “She is an excellent ambassador of our program and will be the same for the Frank H. Sobey Foundation.”

A graduate of Hampton High School, Lynn is completing a BBA at UNB Fredericton with honours in human resource management. This term she is in Sweden through the UNB Study Abroad Program studying business from an international perspective at Umea University. As well as maintaining high academic standards, Lynn is involved in volunteer and community activities that make a significant difference in peoples’ lives. She a member of the UNB Dance Club, and volunteers for such groups as UNB’s RedShirt Orientation, UNB’s branch of Best Buddies Canada, Relay for Life and Hampton’s Food Bank.

Fourth year BBA student Ronald Girouard from Renous, NB received an honourary award from the Frank H. Sobey Fund for Excellence in Business Studies worth $500. This is the first year the Sobey Fund has recognized non-winning nominees selected by their respective universities as the Best All-Around business students in Atlantic Canada with a monetary award.

- 30 -

Posted at 1:43 PM

A team from the University of New Brunswick impressed the judges and took top prize at this month’s New Brunswick Innovation Foundation’s (NBIF) BREAKTHRU business plan competition.

Greenlight Geomatics won the platinum prize for its invention of a GPS system that attaches to a railcar and maps and controls herbicide spray without affecting environmentally sensitive areas. Railway companies across North America spend millions of dollars per year to manually get rid of plant growth that threatens track safety. This invention will save the industry money and provide it with a more effective and efficient method of keeping railway tracks clear.
As the platinum winner, Greenlight Geomatics will receive $100,000 in equity investment from NBIF. It will also receive $39,500 in in-kind branding and marketing, legal, accounting, IT consulting, business mentoring, and website and hosting services.

Based in Miramichi, N.B., Greenlight Geomatics is lead by Herman Koops, owner of Miramichi surveying company ABOUND, and is comprised of Brad Pierce second-year MBA student; Khaled Taha, third-year BBA student; Anthony Llukwe, second-year software engineering student; and John Lord, fifth-year mechanical engineering student.

All members of the Greenlight Geomatics team are participants in UNB’s Activator Program, an initiative of the faculty of business administration and International Business and Entrepreneurship Centre (IBEC). The program is designed to help MBA students earn a concentration in entrepreneurship while getting experience working on real-life start up ventures. Students are matched with entrepreneurs looking to transform their ideas into a business reality.

The Activator builds on close partnerships between faculties on at UNB. Currently the faculty of business administration and the Dr. J Herbert Smith Centre work very closely in delivering courses and student teams to the Activator program.

UNB MBA graduate Rivers Corbett and the Trivnet Media System team received the gold prize for their tabletop multimedia device that entertains, informs, and bills customers at their restaurant table. Mr. Corbett is president and co-founder of The Chef Group. The Trivnet Media System team also includes William Trivett, an electrical engineering student at UNB.

BREAKTHRU, New Brunswick’s Business Plan competition, is a unique opportunity for entrepreneurially minded New Brunswickers to transform their innovative business ideas into viable business ventures. It provides participants with everything needed to launch a business successfully including access to expert feedback, mentoring, start-up capital and support.
- 30 -

Posted at 10:10 AM

Continuing to outperform their competitors, UNB’s Student Investment Fund program will represent Atlantic Canada at the 2008 Global Investment Challenge, held for the first time last year in New York City. The team of four SIF students claimed first place at the Atlantic Canada Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Society Valuation competition held at Saint Mary’s University on the weekend beating out contenders Acadia, Dalhousie and Saint Mary’s universities.

The Atlantic Canada CFA Society (ACFA) held its first valuation competition at Saint Mary’s University’s Sobey School of Business on November 2 and 3. Teams of students representing participating universities were given 20 minutes each to deliver a convincing argument in favour of buying the stock of a Canadian publicly-traded company. The presentation was followed by ten minutes of grueling questioning by the judges, a group of three senior industry professionals. The students’ skill was further put to the test by the requirement to submit a brief report summarizing the reasons for their recommendation.

In the end, the judges would decide which team presented the most persuasive argument and would represent ACFA at the 2008 Global Investment Challenge.

Fourth year business students Brian Bagnell, Dustin Besaw, and Guofeng (Jack) Ma along with Jason Misener, a second year master of business administration student, formed the UNB team. They came away the winners of the regional investment competition with their persuasive “buy” recommendation on TD Bank Financial Group (TSX:TD). Besides earning the opportunity to challenge for the global title they earned $1,000 in prize money. The team will be awarded $2,000 by the CFA Institute to offset their travel costs to the global competition.

"Given the amount of time and effort everyone contributed to the competition I was very pleased with the results. I look forward to competing at the international competition this spring," said Jason Misener.

Glenn Cleland, SIF professor in the faculty of business administration and the team’s coach, commented that “the SIF team put in countless hours to prepare for the challenge. They went there to win.” Mission accomplished.

According to the judges, it was a split decision with UNB narrowly beating out the Saint Mary’s team. The judges were Moncton’s Marc Lalonde, President, Lalonde Investment Consulting; Tom Robinson PhD CFA, head of educational content for the Charlottesville, Virginia based CFA Institute; and Toronto-based John Smolinski CFA, managing director, portfolio management and research, TD Asset Management.

Cleland remarked that UNB’s win “reflected the level of thoroughness that went into their analysis. They knew their stuff. Our students showed that they know how to value a company based on their comprehensive industry and company analysis.”

“And when they were asked tough questions by the judges the students retained their composure under duress.”

The SIF program and its students continue to break new ground. UNB will be the first Canadian university to compete in the CFA Institute’s Global Investment Challenge. As the winner of the Atlantic CFA Society’s competition, UNB will represent ACFA at the international investment contest.

The inaugural Global Investment Challenge was held in New York City in April 2007. Having won their regional CFA Society’s competition, last year’s contenders were Boston-based Babson College, Stillman School of Business at Seton Hall University in New Jersey, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Management at Rice University in Texas. Babson emerged the victor of the first global competition.

“Consistent with the mission of the CFS, building investment expertise in the Atlantic region, our students continue to make a mark,” Cleland remarks. Last weekend’s victory at the valuation competition marks the fifth business competition won by SIF students in the same number of years ---- three wins at the prestigious, international Redefining Investment Strategy Education symposium in Dayton, Ohio, USA and a first-place outcome at Dalhousie University’s inaugural Credit Risk Competition.

UNB’s Student Investment Fund program is the flagship program of the Centre for Financial Studies in the faculty of business administration. The SIF is a student-managed fund which began with $1 million in 1998 and, through thoughtful decision-making, now surpasses $2 million. The initial funds for students to invest came from SIF program partner, New Brunswick Investment Management Corporation.

Posted at 1:56 PM

Dean Daniel F. Coleman of the Faculty of Business Administration at the University of New Brunswick’s in Fredericton announced that twenty-two of the faculty’s Master of Buiness Administration students have earned a place on the Dean’s List for 2006-2007.

Students on the list had attained a sessional grade-point average of at least 3.9 for the academic year.

During the 2006-07 academic year, 106 students were enrolled in the faculty’s bachelor of business administration program.

Click here to download the 2006-2007 graduate Dean’s List.

Posted at 2:24 PM

Dean Daniel F. Coleman of the Faculty of Business Administration at the University of New Brunswick’s in Fredericton announced that one hundred and fifty-one of the faculty’s Bachelor of Buiness Administration students have earned a place on the Dean’s List for 2006-2007.

Students on the list had attained a sessional grade-point average of at least 3.7 or A- for the academic year.

During the 2006-07 academic year, 889 students were enrolled in the faculty’s bachelor of business administration program.

Click here to download the 2006-2007 undergraduate Dean’s List.

Posted at 2:09 PM

The Student Investment Fund (SIF) at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton continues to outperform other student-managed funds, both nationally and internationally.

Students in the SIF program took first place at the international Redefining Investment Strategy Education (RISE) global student investment forum in Dayton, Ohio last month.

“It’s no fluke,” said Glenn Cleland, professor in the faculty of business administration. “This is our third win at the prestigious RISE competition. This time we placed first in the undergraduate equity growth category. UNB was the only Canadian university to win in this year’s competition. ”

RISE attracted 1,700 students, faculty and industry professionals representing 218 colleges and universities from 60 countries.

“Attending the RISE forum in Ohio was a great opportunity for me to hear topical insights from experienced Wall Street professionals,” said Ken Fox, fourth-year business student. “Competing with many other student-managed funds from around the world on the basis of our 2006 investment performance figures was quite exciting also.” Mr. Fox, research analyst and portfolio manager for the SIF, has secured an investment banking job with TD Securities in Toronto following graduation.

Speakers and panelists at the investment forum represented the senior ranks of investment firms, industry service providers and regulatory agencies. They included Fidelity Investments, Merrill Lynch, UBS Investment Bank, Morgan Stanley, Reuters, Bloomberg & Morningstar, and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“One of the features that makes the SIF program unique is the enhanced indexation approach to investing which allows the students flexibility in making investment decisions,” said Prof. Cleland.

Prof. Cleland and Mr. Fox made a stop in Chicago on their way to the RISE competition. They visited the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) and the Chicago Board of Trade and went on the floor of the Chicago Board Options Exchange amidst a flurry of activity. CME became the first publicly traded financial exchange on Dec. 6, 2002. It is the largest and most diverse financial exchange in the world.

The SIF program was created in 1998 through the collaborative efforts of UNB Fredericton’s faculty of business administration and the New Brunswick Investment Management Corp. The corporation entrusted SIF with investment stewardship over $1 million of its pension assets. Students, under the guidance of faculty advisers, have grown the initial investment to over $2 million through thoughtful investment decision-making.

The Student Investment Fund is the core program within UNBF’s Centre for Financial Studies. The centre’s next event is the futures Atlantic Symposium, a financial recruitment and educational forum, being held Sept. 13 and 14. For further information, visit www.futuresatlantic.com .

For more information, contact Susan Boyce at sboyce@unb.ca or (506) 453-4895.

Dr. Bob Froehlich (centre), Chairman, Investor Strategy Committee, Deutsche Asset Management, and Moderator of the R.I.S.E. Global Student Investment Forum, with UNB student investor, Ken Fox, and Prof. Glenn Cleland on stage at the Forum banquet in Dayton, Ohio following the announcement of UNB Student Investment Fund program’s first place ranking in the undergraduate equity growth category.

Posted at 10:57 AM

The University of New Brunswick in Fredericton swept the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation (NBIF) Student Entrepreneurship Competition last month, taking first, second and third place in the university category.

MBA students Edgar Gallibois, Karen Freeman and Robert Morrow took home the $20,000 first prize for their company VerifyRx.

VerifyRx provides physicians and pharmacists with a real-time decision support solution that enables them to better determine the risk of abuse, allowing valid prescriptions to be processed, while quickly identifying and stopping fraudulent prescriptions and individuals engaged in doctor shopping.

Second place went to engineering students Wei Zhang, Tao Peng and Riu Zhou for their company Dynamic Restaurant Customer Management. They received $10,000.
The $5,000 third place prize went to engineering students Brent Crawford, Jonathan Gravel, Laura Paul and Travis Skinner for their company Extra Vision.

Recipients of the NBIF Student Entrepreneurship prizes were selected for the quality and financial consideration demonstrated in their business plans, innovation, and commercial viability, as well as for their potential business and leadership skills. The funds will allow recipients to build a foundation for development and growth.

NBIF focuses on stimulating innovation in New Brunswick in order to improve productivity and advance the knowledge based economy.

For a complete list of prize recipients, visit www.nbif.ca/news/2007SEPrecipients.html.

Posted at 9:26 AM

A team made up of MBA students from the University of New Brunswick in
Fredericton will compete this month in the IBK Capital - Ivey Business Plan
Competition at the Richard Ivey School of Business in London, Ont. The
competition, taking place March 30 and 31, is Canada's largest MBA business
plan competition

VerifyRx, was selected as one of the top 12 innovative business ideas from
all across Canada. The two-year old New Brunswick company was founded by
UNBF MBA students Rob Morrow, Karen Freeman, and Edgar Gallibois. They are
looking to commercialize their technology which is designed to help
pharmacists quickly verify prescriptions by determining the potential risk
of abuse.

"VerifyRx is proud to represent UNB, the faculty of business administration,
and the province at this national event, and we are very thankful for all
the support it has received," said Edgar Gallibois president and chief
operating officer of VerifyRx. "Prescription drug abuse is a very large
problem that affects not only New Brunswick, but all of North America. We
believe that there is a significant opportunity to help people by reducing
the problem of prescription drug abuse and creating a successful business."

VerifyRx will also compete at the local New Brunswick Innovation Foundation
Student Entrepreneurship competition later this month.

Big Ideas in NB. Government Encourages Innovation and Supports Higher Education


From left Marcel Lebrun, CEO of Radian6 and chief business advisor for
VerifyRx; Edgar Gallibois; Shawn Graham, premier of New Brunswick; Dan
Coleman, dean of the faculty of business administration at UNBF; and
Greg Bryne, minister of Business New Brunswick

Posted at 9:38 AM

At the Canadian Interuniversity Sport Men’s Hockey Awards Gala held March 20th at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Moncton, N.B., Colin Sinclair was recognized as the 2006-07 recipient of the Dr. Randy Gregg Award. This award honours the player who best combines outstanding hockey ability, academic achievement and community involvement. Colin is the first UNB hockey player to ever receive this award.

“It’s an unbelievable award for Colin and for the University of New Brunswick. To be the top student-athlete in Canadian University Hockey speaks highly of the character and the outstanding contribution Colin has made to our program and to CIS hockey and we hope that is a real good sign of things to come at this tournament,” commented coach Gardiner MacDougall.

Colin is a three-time CIS Academic All Canadian and Dean’s List student who fast tracked his four-year Business Degree at UNB Fredericton and graduated in three years; he is currently enrolled in a two-year Master’s program there. He is the hockey team’s representative to Athletes Council and is also actively involved in the Fredericton community with the ‘Read with the Reds’ and ‘Heads up with the Reds’ volunteer programs at UNB

Sinclair recently received the AUS most prestigious award, the James Bayer Scholarship, which is awarded annually to an outstanding student athlete in Atlantic University Sport for excellence in academics, athletics, leadership, sportsmanship and citizenship.

“It’s overwhelming to receive these awards. It mean’s a lot to me, but I couldn’t have done it without my team-mates and the support of my family. I deeply honoured to receive both of these awards,” commented Sinclair.

Sinclair, from Brooks, Alberta, was the co-captain of Canada’s gold medal winning Winter Universiade 2007 team. He is UNB’s best defensive forward and is an assistant captain on the V-Reds squad.

"Colin is simply an outstanding individual,” stated Dr. Daniel Coleman, Dean of the Business Administration Faculty at UNB Fredericton, when he learned of Colin’s award. “He’s obviously a superb athlete, but he's also a very good student, having graduated with distinction from our BBA program, and doing very well in his MBA studies. He's also a nice guy. We in the FBA have benefited from his presence in our programs, and we congratulate him on receiving these well deserved awards."

Posted at 3:06 PM

At an awards ceremony during the AUS men’s basketball final at the Metro Centre, Halifax, on Saturday night, Atlantic University Sport announced UNB’s men’s hockey player Colin Sinclair as the 2007 recipient of the James Bayer Memorial Scholarship.

The James Bayer Memorial Scholarship Award was established in 1985 and is awarded annually to an outstanding student athlete in Atlantic University Sport for excellence in academics, athletics, leadership, sportsmanship and citizenship. This memorial scholarship is the most prestigious award offered annually by the conference.

“It is a tremendous honour,” said Sinclair. “I am thankful to the Bayer Foundation to be chosen from this prestigious group of student-athletes. Any one of the group deserved to win and I congratulate each and every nominee for their achievements,” continued Sinclair.

Sinclair co-captained the AUS All-Star squad at the World University Games in Turin, Italy, in January and helped lead the team to a gold medal. He is an assistant captain with the Varsity Reds and has scored 15 goals and 22 points in regular season play this year.

Sinclair, of Brooks, Alberta, is a three-time Dean’s List student and Academic all-Canadian. He fast tracked his four-year Business degree and graduated in three years and is currently enrolled in the two-year Master’s program.

He is the hockey team’s representative to Athletes Council and is also actively involved in the Fredericton community with the ‘Read with the Reds’ and ‘Heads up with the Reds’ volunteer programs at UNB.

“Colin is an outstanding individual who reflects the highest qualities of commitment, work ethic and respect, and is an outstanding ambassador for university sport in Canada,” commented Kevin Dickie, UNB’s Director of Athletics, who was on hand to see Colin receive the award.

View image

Posted at 2:50 PM

The University of New Brunswick’s elite Student Investment Fund (SIF) program continues to break new ground.

On Jan. 10, students from the SIF program, along with Frank McKenna, deputy chair of TD Bank Financial, opened the market at the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). TSX Group CEO Richard Nesbitt was also present for the occasion.

The students are in Toronto this week as part of an experiential learning component of the SIF program. The integration of theory and practical learning is a key element of the prestigious program.

The Student Investment Fund program is the core program within the Centre for Financial Studies, housed within the faculty of business administration at UNB Fredericton. TSX has given accolades to the SIF program calling it Canada’s leading university undergraduate financial services education program. In 2006, both the TSX Group and TD Bank offered multi-year financial gifts to support the work of the centre and the SIF.

Students in the SIF program manage real money. The current portfolio is at about $2 million, a considerable increase over the $1 million they began with roughly nine years ago.

The SIF program’s financial learning lab, the TSX Group boardroom, is set up to replicate a small investment firm. Sophisticated, leading-edge, industry-standard equipment, such as the Bloomberg professional dual monitor terminal, allow students access to current information to make informed investment decisions. Students work individually and in groups, learning group dynamics and collaborative team-building. Industry professionals also make guest appearances to the boardroom to enhance students’ learning experience by providing practical insight into relevant subjects and issues.

For the past several years, Glenn Cleland, founder of the centre and the SIF program has made the visit to Canada’s financial heartland a staple of the investment students’ learning experience. Over a three-day period the students put miles on their shoes as they trek around downtown Toronto with Prof. Cleland to meet with investment industry leaders from more than 20 firms.

This year’s tour included a visit to Barclays Global Investors Canada Limited. During this visit, the SIF class presented the firm’s president and CEO Rajiv Silgardo with the 2006 Canadian Money Manager of the Year Award. The recipient of this award is determined each year by an in depth analysis of Canadian money managers undertaken by the students.

With many more miles on the soles of their shoes and significantly greater insight into the investment industry, the students conclude their aggressive road trip on Jan. 12.

“If you can survive this pace for five days, you may have a chance at succeeding in many areas of the investment business,” said Prof. Cleland to his students. “If you can do it for seven days a week you may be able to keep up with the investment bankers.”

For more information, contact Susan Boyce at sboyce@unb.ca or 453-4895.

- 30 -

Posted at 4:16 PM

A third-year business student at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton has received one of the region's top academic prizes. Gordon Margison (shown below) is the recipient of a Frank H. Sobey Business Excellence Award for 2006-07.

Valued at $10,000, the award honours outstanding academic achievement and community involvement. Mr. Margison, is the son of Douglas Margison and Jennifer Griffiths of Fredericton. He is a full-time student studying aviation and operations management. This unique three-year program integrates commercial flight training with essential business and management skills development.

Outside of university, Mr. Margison is a scout leader, volunteers with the ski patrol at Crabbe Mountain, and tutors fellow students in preparation for their pilot’s licensing exams.
"Gordon Margison is clearly an outstanding student," said Dan Coleman, dean of the faculty of business administration at UNBF. "We were very pleased to recommend him for the Sobey Award, pleased that he received it, and thankful to Sobeys for sponsoring this scholarship which recognizes excellence in business studies."

Mr. Margison feels honoured to even be considered for the award. "It was with great surprise and even greater pride that I received the Frank H. Sobey Award for Business Excellence and join a long list of admirable recipients,” said Mr. Margison.

Mr. Margison has his commercial pilot’s license. This award will allow him to continue his aviation career and obtain an instructor rating for his pilot’s license so that he can teach new students how to fly and share in one of his passions.

His future plans also include managing and flying with a corporate flight department or an international MedEvac operation, but for now he plans to continue working in the community and preparing for graduation in May.

The Frank H. Sobey Fund for Excellence in Business Studies was established in 1989 in memory of Frank H. Sobey, the late chairperson of Sobeys Inc. and Empire Co. Ltd. It supports as many as six awards each year. To be eligible, candidates must be residents of the Atlantic provinces, have completed one year of business studies, and be enrolled full-time in a faculty of business at a university in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island or Newfoundland and Labrador.

The academic qualification for these awards is a minimum overall average of 85 per cent or 3.67 grade points with no individual mark below 80 per cent. The recipients are recommended by the deans of their respective faculties of business. Final selections are made by the board of the scholarship fund.

This is the 11th time that a student from the UNBF faculty of business administration has received the Frank H. Sobey Business Excellence Award.

-30-

Posted at 9:06 AM

Aspiring entrepreneurs from across the Atlantic region gathered in UNB Fredericton on November 30 and December 1 to compete for over $20,500 in cash prizes at UNB’s CIBC Business Plan Competition. Over 20 teams from 7 different universities in Atlantic Canada and Maine competed in the 4th annual business plan competition hosted by UNB’s Faculty of Business Administration. The competition concluded on a dramatic and highly entertaining note with a keynote lecture from John Dunsworth, aka “Mr. Lahey” from Showtime’s The Trailer Park Boy’s, who is himself an entrepreneur with interests in over 8 companies.

The competition offered three tracks for would-be entrepreneurs to compete in: undergraduate, graduate, and private sector (for non-university students.) The two-day program also featured “elevator pitches” and “vodcasting”, in which teams pitched their business plans to judges within one-minute segments. Additionally, Robert Austin, with the Harvard School of Business, lectured to participants and coaches on the topic of entrepreneurship and technology.

One of North America’s most prominent financial institutions, CIBC donated $300,000 to the Faculty of Business Administration through UNB’s Forging our Futures campaign; $250,000 of this is supporting the CIBC Business Plan Competition over five years. The purpose of the competition, which has just completed the second year with CIBC as its major sponsor, is to help grow an entrepreneurial culture in the Atlantic Region.

In the graduate division, the UNB team that developed the business plan for VerifyRX. Inc. won the grand prize of $5,000 sponsored by CIBC. The runner up prize of $600, sponsored by UNB’s J. Herbert Smith Centre, went to the Dalhousie team that developed the plan for TROPE. A prize of $500, sponsored by LifeofSports.com, went to VerifyRX. Inc. for the best elevator pitch.

In the Undergraduate division of the competition, the team from Memorial University who developed the plan for The Autism Soccer Association won the grand prize of $5,000 sponsored by CIBC. The runner-up prize of $600, sponsored by UNB’s J. Herbert Smith Centre, went to the UNB team that developed the plan for Endurance Sport Camps. The St. Mary’s team that presented their business plan for PetLife Assurance Co. won best financials, a prize of $500 donated by ADI. The prize for best Vodcast, $250 donated by UNB’s MBA Society, went to the UNB team that presented the plan for Goal Detector Limited.

The grand prize in the private sector track, $5,000 donated by CIBC, went to John Bowles, who presented his business plan for Inversa Systems Ltd.; Paul Penderson, who presented his plan for a business called ePort won the runner-up prize of $600, donated by the J. Herbert Smith Centre.

Each of the three grand prize winning teams will receive an additional $1,000 towards travel expenses if they choose to compete in a business plan competition at the national level. The funding for this also comes from CIBC’s contribution to the competition. The schools represented by the 20 teams that participated in UNB’s CIBC Business Plan Competition include St. Mary’s, Dalhousie, Memorial, Atlantic Baptist, St. Francis Xavier, University of Maine at Orono and University of New Brunswick.

The following list provides more details on the participants of the winning teams:

Graduate Track

Grand Prize and Best Elevator Pitch:
University of New Brunswick, Fredericton NB
VerifyRx. Inc.
• Edgar Gallibois
• Robert Morrow
• Karen Freeman
• Steve Knox
• Mike Oliver (Coach)

Runner-Up Prize:
Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS
TROPE
• Jeff Temporale
• Tim Schmitt
• David Roach (Coach)

Undergraduate Track

Grand Prize:
Memorial University, St. John’s, NF
The Autism Soccer Association
• Heather Leaman
• Katie Saunders
• Jennifer Button
• Wayne King (Coach)

Runner-Up Prize:
University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB
Endurance Sport Camps
• Bill Walker
• Jordan Lorette
• Martin Wielemaker (Coach)

Best Financials:
St. Mary’s University, Halifax, NS
PetLife Assurance Col
• Karrilyn Wilcox
• Aaron Windsor
• Daniel Curren
• Ellen Farrell (Coach)

Best Vodcast:
University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB
Goal Detector Limited
• David Dion
• Tyler Smith
• Andrew Robertson
• Michael Springer
• Martin Wielemaker (Coach)

Private Sector Track

Grand Prize:
Inversa Systems Ltd.
• John Bowles
• Jake Arsenault (Coach)

Runner-Up Prize:
ePort
• Paul Pederson
• Ellen Farrell (Coach)

Posted at 3:00 PM

One hundred and eighty-two students in the faculty of business administration at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton have earned a place on the Dean’s List for 2005-06. The dean of business administration, Daniel Coleman, announced that the students who qualified for the list attained a sessional grade-point average of at least 3.7 or A- for the academic year.

During the 2005-06 academic year, 974 students were enrolled in the faculty’s bachelor of business administration program.

Click here to download the 2005-06 Dean’s List.

Posted at 9:30 AM

Despite overwhelming odds, UNB Student Investment Fund (SIF) Students outperform CFA Level 1 industry standard pass rates.

The CFA Level 1 exam results were out last week and seven out of nine of the students from UNB’s award winning Student Investment Fund (SIF) Program in the Faculty of Business Administration passed. This 78% pass rate far exceeded the industry average of 40%.

The six-hour Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exam is held every year the first week of June. According to the August Canadian Business Magazine, more than one hundred thousand people around the world are enrolled in one of the three levels of the CFA program this year, a graduate-level, self-study course on investing. There are roughly 69,000 CFA charter holders, in 120 nations and territories. About half of the world’s CFAs hold positions at institutional investment firms, mutual fund firms, banks, insurance companies, pension fund companies, and investment houses or foundations. It’s a difficult exam and usually only a third of candidates pass the first of the three levels that must be completed to attain the CFA charter.

Nine students from the SIF program sat for the six hour exam. Only fourth year BBA or second year MBA students with specific pre-requisites are admitted into the SIF program. Not only do students get to invest close to $2 million dollars of real money in the capital markets, but they also prepare for the CFA level 1 exam. “The attitude is that if the students pass the Level 1 of the CFA, this will separate them from other graduates when they apply for jobs in the investment industry” according to Glenn Cleland, CFA and Director of the Centre for Financial Studies and advisor to the SIF students.

“Ultimately, for every five people who start the process, only one makes it through to receive the designation”, says Jeff Diermeier, CFA, and president of the CFA Institute. Candidates must not only successfully complete the three levels of the exam but have four years of industry experience with more than 50% of their time spent in investment decision-making. With the globalization of the markets, the CFA is becoming the global passport to an investments career.

The seven SIF students who passed the level one exam this year are: Michael Chang Kit,
Carlos Jabbour, Gibran Hameed, Jason Hoyt, Dan Picard, Xiaochun Gu , and Fei Liu

Since the inception of the SIF program, 57% of the students who have written the CFA level 1 exam have passed, versus 45% for the industry average.

Posted at 9:57 AM

Adam Martin, a 2005 graduate of UNB Fredericton’s BBA program has been accepted into Canada’s high-profile Accelerated Economist Training Program. One of 14 students chosen out of 700 applicants from across Canada, Adam is just completing an MA in Economics at UNB.

The AETP is geared towards high caliber students pursuing Masters Studies in economics or public policy, providing them with the opportunity to work with Canada’s top decision-makers on social, economic and international policy agendas. The two year program includes four six-month assignments in government departments that have economic and public policy sector responsibilities. Three placements are with the Treasury Board Secretariat, the Department of Finance, and the Privy Council Office. The fourth placement is chosen from a list of line departments. All assignments are located in the National Capital Region.

Martin applied for this program to gain a broad experience within public policy in Canada. “I realized that this was truly an exceptional and unique opportunity,” said Martin, “I have always been interested in how policies are created, how they are implemented, and who they will affect. So it seemed to make sense that I should have some part in this process.”

Seventy candidates participated in a two-day interview process in Ottawa last January. During the first day, candidates wrote a two-hour exam. The second day consisted of a face-to-face interview with a panel of five interviewers. The 14 successful candidates were notified of their acceptance in May. Martin starts his new position with the AETP on June 26.

Originally from Bathurst, NB, Martin graduated from UNB Fredericton in May 2005 with First Class Honours in Finance-Economics and a Co-op designation. As a BBA student he held a position of leadership in the Peer Mentor Program and received a variety of scholarships and bursaries for his academic achievements. “I value my experience in the Faculty of Business Administration’s Co-op Program and the three years that I spent with the Peer Mentor Program,” said Martin, “My advice to anyone in university is to get involved.”

Posted at 10:35 AM

The rain clouds looming over college hill did not dampen the smiles of business administration graduates at UNB Fredericton. Graduates, family members, faculty and staff celebrated UNB’s 177th Encaenia on May 17 with a reception and awards ceremony. In addition to celebrating graduates’ completion of the MBA and BBA degree programs, they saluted top achieving business students who received Encaenia prizes. Dean Coleman bid farewell to 24 graduating MBA students and 246 BBA students. The BBA class of 2006 included 75 Honours designations, 128 Concentrations and 15 Co-op designations. Also included in the BBA class, were 41 students who completed the degree through the Faculty’s partnership with RBTT ROYTEC in Trinidad and Tobago, and four students who completed the degree through the partnership with SAMS in Egypt.

During the Awards Ceremony, the following business administration graduates received prizes for their academic achievements:

MBA Encaenia Prizes

E.D. Maher Graduate Student Prize - Vishaal Baulkaran received the E.D. Maher Graduate Student Prize in Administration; this prize is awarded to the graduating MBA student with the highest CPA.

Merrithew-de Grandpré Prize in Entrepreneurship - Jeffrey Barrett, Kara Hachey, Baboloki Kgomotso and Sarah Prosser shared the Merrithew-de Grandpré Prize in Entrepreneurship. This prize of $1,000 is awarded to the group of students who prepare the outstanding business plan in MBA6314 New Venture Creation and Entrepreneurship.

MBA Society Graduation Award – The MBA Society Graduation Awards are presented by the MBA Society to the graduating students with the top three highest marks. Vishaal Baulkaran received the 1st place award, valued at $1,500; Marie Aliaga received the 2nd place award, valued at $1,000; and Feng Feng received the 3rd place award, valued at $500.

BBA Encaenia Prizes

Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick Silver Medal – Feiber Omana Silva is the recipient of the Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick Silver medal. This medal is awarded to the most outstanding graduating student, based primarily on performance in the last half of the program.

Faculty of Business Administration Award – Courtney Griffin received the Faculty of Business Administration Award of $300, awarded to the graduating student with the second highest cumulative GPA.

Faculty of Business Administration Award – Xiao Yu received the Faculty of Business Administration Award of $200 for achieving the third highest cumulative GPA in the graduating class.

Business Administration Society Outstanding Student Award – Victoria Garrett is the recipient of the Business Administration Society Outstand Student Award, presented to an outstanding fourth-year BBA student, as selected by the Business Society.

Merrithew-de Grandpré Undergraduate Prize in Entrepreneurship – Paul Crosby, Kendra Haines, Hailey Matthews and Kathryn McFarland shared the Merrithew-de Grandpré Undergraduate Prize in Entrepreneurship. This prize of $500 is awarded to the group of students who prepare the outstanding business plan in ADM4175 Studies in Small Business.

Arun Datta Prize – Liqin Lu received the Arun Datta Prize. This prize is awarded on the recommendation of the Department of Economics to a student who achieves high standing in the International Economics: Trade.

Posted at 1:15 PM

Kara Hachey, a student at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, is the winner of the inaugural Atlantic Business Magazine’s Top 50 Scholarship. This scholarship program was established this past year as part of Atlantic Business Magazine’s annual Top 50 CEO event. In addition to receiving a $5,000 scholarship, Hachey will receive a year-long mentorship with four of the Top 50 CEO award winners: Steven Burns of Bulletproof Solutions, Eleanor Humphries of Halifax International Airport Authority, Ken LeBlanc of PropertyGuys.com and Colin MacDonald of Clearwater Seafood Limited Partnership.

The mentorship provided by these top CEOs will be of exceptional value to Hachey, a soon-to-be graduate of the Faculty of Business Administration’s MBA program, as she is in the midst of launching her own business, Go Go Gymnastics. Last March, Hachey won $20,000 to go towards the start-up of this venture in the student category of the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation business plan competition.

The Atlantic Canada Business Magazine’s Top 50 CEO Scholarship is offered to students throughout Atlantic Canada who are studying business or management studies at the graduate level. To enter, students had to submit their grades, résumé, a summary of their community involvement and an essay about what they believe makes a smart business leader. The scholarship was awarded to Hachey on May 11 at the Atlantic Business Magazine’s 8th annual Top 50 CEO award ceremony and dinner, which took place at the Westin Nova Scotian in Halifax, NS.

Posted at 10:36 AM

Entrepreneurship and investment - two popular themes in UNB’s business administration degree program are realized in the extra-curricular activities of one UNB business student. Seth Richardson, a second year BBA student with UNB’s Business Administration Faculty might be the Province’s youngest president and CEO, according to an article in the NB Telegraph Journal. At 19 years of age, Seth runs one of the Internet’s top investment message board websites, Investor’s Paradise Inc., ranked number five among other sites of its kind by Alexa.com . Seth's company has also been recently profiled in the Daily Gleaner.

Seth founded Investor’s Paradise Inc. out of his love for trading stock, a love that dates back to when he was 13 years old and first started investing. From his experience he realized good information for investors was not easy to find over the Internet. The investment message boards he visited were not always helpful. This inspired him at the age of 18 to create his own message board for investors.

Currently, his website offers 18 message boards to 1059 members who correspond with each other about more than 1,374 different topics. The information available on the site ranges from advice from experienced investors and analysis from professional investors to explanations of investment terms. Investor’s Paradise Inc. also provides investors a place where they can talk about stocks, politics “and anything else, far away from the problems of the larger Internet.” One of the things that draws so many people to Investor’s Paradise Inc. is the fact that the site is closely monitored to keep it free from spam or false and misleading stock tips.

Seth is a resident of Hanwell, NB; his website can be viewed at www.investorsparadise.com. [See NB Telegraph Journal, March 18, 2006; and Daily Gleaner March 6, 2006.]

Posted at 11:48 AM

A team of UNB business administration students placed second worldwide in the Capstone Business Simulation game. Gary Inman, John MacDonald, Barnaby Riberiro, Tyler Richards and Justin Urquhart formed the “Andrews” team, one of a number of student teams formed in the Competitive Strategy course taught by Dr. Martin Wielemaker.

Students in the BBA program at the Faculty of Business Administration complete the requirements of the degree with the Competitive Strategy course in their fourth year. Participation in the Capstone Business Simulation game is built into Wielemaker’s course requirements because it provides hands-on involvement, teamwork and competition in a realistic simulation setting. Students are divided into teams and compete against each other in the Capstone game. Each team is responsible for running a company in a particular industry; together the students make decisions about their company’s marketing and sales strategies, research and development, production, and finance. One of the neat things about Capstone is that each team’s performance is based on how well the team competes with the other teams in the industry.

Capstone also allows student teams to compare their results with teams in other schools worldwide. This year, out of more than 370 business schools worldwide, (which includes such schools as Harvard Business School and Georgia Tech) the above UNB team placed second in terms of their final profit in the 8th and final round of the game. They achieved fourth place worldwide in terms of their cumulative profit across the game’s eight rounds.

Posted at 3:29 PM

Hats off to Kara Hachey and Jeff Barrett! These two UNB students won $20,000 to start their own business in a recent business plan competition sponsored by the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation (NBIF). Their business plan for Go - Go Gymnastics Inc. won the 2006 Student Entrepreneurship Prize in the university category of the contest. Their award was presented during an award ceremony held on March 29, hosted by Barrie Black, President and CEO of NBIF.

Go – Go Gymnastics Inc. has been a winner for Kara and Jeff since they first developed the business plan last fall as a class project in their New Venture and Entrepreneurship class and won the Merritthew de Grandpre prize in Entrepreneurship (this $1000 prize is awarded to the student(s) who write the business plan in the class). Two other students were involved in the business plan as well, Baboloki Kgomostos and Sarah Prosser. Kara and Jeff next entered the plan for Go – Go Gymnastics Inc. in the CIBC Business Plan competition, hosted by the Faculty of Business Administration last December, where they won the “pitch” contest, bringing in cash prize worth $250. After Dr. Wielemaker suggested they enter this idea for a new business into the NBIF contest, the two students worked for hours to refine the business plan. Their work paid off in March, when they won the top prize of $20,000 to go towards starting their business. They will also benefit from free mentorship provided by seasoned business people involved with NBIF.

The NBIF contest was open to New Brunswick students attending university and community college and who expect to graduate in 2006. Applicants were invited to enter the contest by submitting business plans for innovative products, services and technology. Kara Hachey is just completing the MBA program at UNB Fredericton, while Jeff is completing a degree in Engineering; both students expect to graduate in May 2006. Already incorporated with a pilot project in the works for School District 18 next fall, Go – Go Gymnastics Inc. will be the only mobile gymnastics center that offers recreational gymnastics programs to school aged children in the greater Fredericton area, primarily in the after school hours. In addition to its recreational programs, gymnastics classes will be offered at various events such as school fairs, community days, birthday parties, etc. Mobility is one of the defining features of this company, as it will reach communities where gymnastic services do not exist. Members of the UNB community are looking forward to hearing more about this innovative company.

Posted at 3:27 PM

Stephanie Marie Brady, of St. Catherines, Ontario, has been awarded the Sir Howard Douglas Award in recognition of her academic standing and contribution to the community. Now in her third year of the BBA program at UNB, Stephanie is planning to enroll in the BBA/LLB joint degree program.

Having a lawyer as a father, Stephanie grew up hearing and learning about the law all the time. This had a great influence on her decision to take law courses in high school. After visiting a few universities in the Maritimes she chose to attend UNB because she liked the campus and the people were very helpful. The most important factor in her decision to attend UNB however, was the opportunity to enrol in the BBA/LLB program.

The newly established Sir Howard Douglas Award is open to full- and part-time undergraduate students who have completed at least two years of an undergraduate degree program at UNB, and have achieved the Dean's List in the previous year. Candidates must be nominated by their Faculty. Selection is based on scholastic attainment and demonstrated involvement in extra-curricular and/or curricular activities. Twenty-five students from UNB Fredericton and UNB Saint John were selected to receive the award, which will be presented at a dinner hosted by President John McLaughlin on February 27.

Posted at 1:41 PM

With March Break coming up soon most students are planning to head somewhere warm to get away from the snow and cold of New Brunswick. Not Andrea Kelly though, she plans to spend the break on the ice at the John Labatt Centre in London, Ontario. Kelly and her rink from Fredericton’s Capital Winter Club will be New Brunswick’s representatives in the 2006 Scott Tournament of Hearts.

Already having success on a national stage (she is a national junior curling bronze medalist and the 2005 gold medalist), the importance of representing her province in the Canadian championships was not lost on Kelly.

“It’s pretty important to us because we’re going to the Scott Tournament of Hearts, which is, really huge. I always thought, ‘well someday I might get to go there.’ When I think of some people who said ‘well she went to the Scott Tournament of Hearts,’ it actually meant something to me. I think that’s huge. I never treated Juniors the same way I guess. Women’s is a whole different competition.”

The third year UNB Fredericton business student from Aroostook, New Brunswick, has had to find a balance between curling and school.

“I think it’s busy but, really, I’m not too stressed with school. I am taking six courses, and I took six courses last term, too, but last year when we won Nationals I dropped down to four. All my profs have been really understanding too, so I think that’s been a huge help. Other than that I just do work when I can and try not to conflict the two though, it’s not really good for either one. But, it works. I really don’t know how, but it does.”

Kelly says she hopes to major in human resources and has thought about getting her MBA.

As for the Scott, she and the team haven’t set any goals yet.

“We never really sat down and thought about this because we didn’t expect this to happen. We do want to do well. New Brunswick isn’t known to do very well at the Scott so we do want to represent them well and get quite a few wins,” she says.

“I do know we want to do well and I do want to go there playing well; and, really, anything can happen.”

Posted at 1:38 PM

He is arguably the best student UNB Fredericton’s bachelor of business administration program has ever had.

That’s certainly saying a lot, but Feiber Omana has delivered both academically and socially at UNBF.

“Feiber Omana is clearly one of the best, if not the best student currently in the BBA program,” said Daniel Coleman, dean of business administration. “He’s probably one of the best students we’ve ever had. He is a focused and dedicated young man. I’m sure he will succeed wherever he puts his efforts and considerable abilities.”

High praise indeed.

Mr. Omana, who has a 4.3 grade point average, will take those abilities with him to Cambridge, Mass., where he has been accepted into the Harvard Business School, an elite program considered a worldwide leader in financial training and education. He will graduate from UNBF in May.

Mr. Omana’s admission to Harvard has been deferred until 2008, an ideal arrangement for his plans.

“Harvard deferred my admission so I could gain some work experiencing prior to commencing my MBA,” said Mr. Omana, who arrived at UNBF in 2001. “When I do attend Harvard Business School, it will no doubt be a transformational experience. I know I will learn more about myself and my responsibilities as a member of society.”

Originally from Columbia, Mr. Omana wasted little time immersing himself into academics and social activities at UNBF.

His background is impressive.

From 2001-05, he achieved the highest cumulative GPA in the faculty of business administration. He was awarded 13 different internal and four external scholarships including the prestigious Frank H. Sobey Business Excellence Award in 2004 and the Sany Leckie Memorial Bursary, one near to his heart, from donor Irene Leckie.

Mr. Omana also won the Atlantic Canada CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) Society award which recognizes the best student in UNBF’s Student Investment Fund (SIF) program. The SIF program, under the guidance of Glenn Cleland, director with the Centre for Financial Studies, allows students to invest nearly $2million in capital markets and is rapidly becoming a national leader in this area of education.

Mr. Omana was responsible for conducting industry analysis, making equity investment recommendations and devising bond investment strategies. He covered the Upstream oil and gas sector and implemented investment decisions using enhanced indexation or a short-long approach.

“I can’t say enough about the importance of the SIF experience and the student investment fund in my studies,” said Mr. Omana. “Glenn Cleland and [SIF mentor] Susan Boyce were so important to me through their commitment to excellence and integrity. They have both greatly impacted the lives of many students including myself. The entire faculty, particularly those in the area of finance, has also been essential through research and teaching excellence.”

The feeling was indeed mutual, says Prof. Cleland.

“Feiber is a natural leader who was highly regarded by everyone here,” he said. “The news of his acceptance into Harvard has inspired other faculty of business administration and SIF program students to set the bar higher and follow their dreams. I hope we assisted him in some way to meet his goals.”

Mr. Omana, who majored in finance with a minor in international business, in addition to completing the requirements for the co-op program, excelled outside of the classroom as well.

He has worked as a peer mentor, represented UNBF in major international financial competitions, volunteered with the Canada Revenue Agency, helped Colombian children learn English, and still found time to work on his growing interests in kayaking and canoeing.

At times, he has to take a deep breath to draw in all he has accomplished during his time at UNBF.

“The first years here were particularly difficult because I had to cope with the transition to university life and the fears and uncertainties of being in a foreign land all on my own,” he said. “With persistence and a firm commitment to build my future in Canada, I became active in the community and earned the trust and support of many people who are now an integral part of my life.

“I’ve always remained faithful to my ethical principles and moral duties to society. A Harvard Business School MBA will allow me to interact in a truly unique global community. I can learn and share my unique perspective as an accomplished new Canadian originally from Colombia.”

Posted at 10:05 AM