A Blended Life is a Busy Life

Most part-time MBA students try to strike a balance between their MBA studies and work, family, and social commitments. Katz part-time student T.J. Greenier has developed what he calls a “blending process” that is yielding great results, both for him and his employer.

Read about Greenier’s work, school, and extracurricular endeavors. >

Choosing the Road Less Traveled

Rising CBA senior Suraj Bhatt is preparing for a career that combines his interests in business and health care. Bhatt plans to pursue an MBA/MD dual degree once he graduates from CBA.

Read more about Bhatt and his ambitious plans. >

High Honor for Katz PhD Student

WeiLei (Stone) Shi, a Katz doctoral student, and John Prescott, Thomas O’Brien Chair of Strategy and director of the Katz doctoral program, were honored to have their paper, titled “Rhythm and Synchronization of Firms’ M&A and Alliance Behaviors: An Entrainment View”, selected for publishing in the best paper proceedings of the 2007 Academy of Management Meeting.

Read more about Shi’s and Prescott’s research on mergers and acquisitions and alliances. >

Emerging Enterprise, Emerging Leaders

Pitt students are taking an active role in the region’s economic revitalization through the Emerging Enterprise Program of the University’s Small Business Development Center. These students are providing market research, business plan review, and financial plan development services to entrepreneurs in a number of different industries.

Read more about the Emerging Enterprise Program and three student consultants. >

Public vs. Private

According to Katz/CBA faculty members Leonce Bargeron, Frederik Schlingemann, and Chad Zutter. if a company you own stock in is ripe for a takeover, you should hope that the company acquiring it is not a private equity firm.

Read more about their research recently featured in two New York Times Articles. >

Hot Stuff

IEE Executive Director and Katz/CBA Assistant Dean Ann Dugan knows hot stuff when she sees it, particularly when a family business is concerned. Dugan was quoted in the March 30 New York Times regarding the McIlhenny Company, a fifth-generation family business and maker of Tabasco.

Read about how the fiery condiment maker weathered Hurricane Rita in 2005 and why Dugan says, “They have a good process for how they make decisions.” (PDF) >

Focus on Economics

The faculty members of the Economics Interest Group, though few in number, produce a great many scholarly returns.

Read about the diverse research interests and recent scholarly ventures undertaken by our economics faculty. >

Stay tuned! Future issues of Pitt Business will feature news and updates from our various interest groups.

Pitt Alumnus Steps Into the Winner’s Circle at Churchill Downs

James B. Tafel, a 1950 Pitt business graduate, stepped proudly into the Churchill Downs winner’s circle May 5. His horse Street Sense, ridden by jockey Calvin Borel, won the 133rd Kentucky Derby last month.

Read more about Tafel and his Derby victory. >

She’s Got a Ticket to Ride

Katz Alumna Kim Taylor (MBA/MPIA ’96) desperately needed some down time from her busy life as an entrepreneur, so she spent the summer of 2005 on the back of her Harley-Davidson motorcycle. The 3,664-mile solo motorcycle trip took her across nine states and taught her an important life lesson…ride like there’s no tomorrow!

Read the story about Taylor’s summer sabbatical that appeared in the April 30 Chicago Daily Herald. (PDF) >