MBA students write business plans for 8 area organizations

Williams Bay, Wis., July 5, 2007 —For a fresh look at their business plans, eight area companies and organizations turned to George Williams College of Aurora University in Williams Bay.

Master of Business Administration students at GWC’s School of Professional Studies culminated their studies in May with the development of business plans.

The graduate students were enrolled in MBA 6610: Strategic Management taught by David Frost, assistant professor of business.

By serving local businesses, Frost said, students gain practical experience to boost their business-world knowledge and also make networking connections that help later in their careers or in landing jobs after graduation. He added that the hands-on program allows students to learn about a client, ask questions to determine the client’s needs and develop solutions for those needs.

Frost said, “After months of research and analysis of a client’s needs, each student presented his business plan to a simulated board of independent directors. They included a representative of the business being discussed, a local chief executive officer, a local chief financial officer or financial executive, a senior not-for-profit executive and a senior GWC dean or vice president.”

Student researchers were Eric Aschenbrenner, Chuck Thiesenhusen, and Toby Watts, Delavan, Wis. residents; Bill Herrick, Waukesha; Joyce Rudar, Elkhorn; Paul Thompson, E. Troy; and Dixie Turner, Elkhorn.<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]-->
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Thompson said, “As a recent graduate of the George Williams College MBA program, I frequently reference my education as it applies to my daily duties of running an outdoor education program at a Christian camp. 

“The MBA program offered a variety of subjects while continually focusing on the practical application of the information to the daily functions of a business.  This was most exhibited in the final project where we were instructed to create a business plan for a business of our choice. 

“I chose to focus my project on Phantom Ranch Bible Camp because of my career in Christian camping and because Phantom Ranch was the place where I first fell in love with the industry. 

“The project was beneficial for me in many ways.  It allowed me to choose a business that was of interest to me and therefore allowed me to apply the principles learned in the classroom to a real life situation that was pertinent to my own career. 

“The project also provided me with an opportunity with which to network with professionals within my industry and resulted in a final product that I was proud to share with my peers.”

Thompson added that having David Frost as an instructor was an “invaluable experience.  His vast experience in high levels of business shared in a small class setting was a unique opportunity.”

Thompson’s current work with East Troy’s Timber-lee Outdoor Education Program serves 18,000 school aged children every school year.  Over 80 percent of those children come from the greater Chicagoland area.  “I am a testament to the fact that Aurora University’s investment in the George Williams College directly benefits the people of Kane County,” he said.

Clients were Keefe Real Estate, Lake Geneva, Wis.; Remedy Staffing, Waukesha, Wis.; Nei-Turner Media Group and the GWC golf course, Williams Bay, Wis.; Phantom Ranch Bible Camp, Mukwanago, Wis.; Nick Clare Memorial Race, Hastings, Minn.; Red Lobster, Orlando, Fla.; and a prospective company to be based in Bulgaria.

Executives reviewing presentations were Rob Keefe , president, Keefe Associates; Tom Stuhley, CEO, MidAmerica Bank, Williams Bay; Linda Olbinski, dean, GWC School of Professional Studies; Barb Krause, associate publisher, Nei-Turner Media Group; Kevin Paluch, vice president and chief operating officer, Geneva National; Kent Oren, CPA and partner, Virchow Kraus; Jim Daleen, CEO, Affinity Express; and Brant Chappel, CEO, First Banking Center, Burlington, Wis.

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