While Boston is the home territory for another business school, the Wharton Club of Boston keeps the Wharton flag flying for more than 4,000 Wharton alumni in New England. Recently Richard D. Lane, W’76, WG’81, assumed the club presidency from Jennifer Nichols, WG’91, who concluded a five-year run. During Nichol’s tenure, the Club developed partnerships with local business school clubs (e.g., Sloan, Kellogg, Chicago) to cross-promote events and expand networking opportunities with free and discounted admission to other clubs’ events listed on the Wharton Club website, <www.whartonboston.com>.
On October 14, the Club held a kickoff to welcome Lane in his new role. He spoke to the group about his vision, which includes improving the Club’s website with its online partner AlumniMagnet. Another important goal for Lane is to expand the roster of future events to engage Wharton alumni who have been out of school for many years.
Wharton Club of Boston events are include:
• National and local speakers, including William Winkenwerder, Jr., assistant secretary of defense for health affairs; Eric Kriss, Governor Romney’s administration and finance secretary; and Wharton professors Jeremy Siegel and Peter Fader
• Business and career events such as Entrepreneurship & Fundraising and Choosing a Career with Passion
• Community service events including the Boston Food Bank and renovating homes for Rebuilding Together
• Sporting and social events like happy hours and (the World Series-winning!) Red Sox and Celtics games
THE WHARTON CLUB OF WASHINGTON, DC
Club has increased membership more than 100% since last year!
In November 2005, the Club held three programs that demonstrate its wide range: a reception hosted by the Ambassador of Lithuania at that country’s historic embassy; a breakfast with Dr. Cynthia Glassman, SEC Commissioner (who holds an MA and PhD from Penn); and a luncheon with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.
Other successful initiatives include the Leads Council, which helps members get strategic input from other members, while generating added revenues for their businesses. The Professional Development series has dealt with topics critical to career success — from how to make a career transition and using a career coach, to overcoming obstacles
Since 1968, the Wharton Club of Washington, DC, has provided members with access to the unique people and resources of the U.S. capital. Now under the leadership of Alan N. Schlaifer, W’65, the Club has increased membership more than 100% since last year!
In November 2005, the Club held three programs that demonstrate its mide range: a reception hosted by the Ambassador of Lithuania at that country’s historic embassy; a breakfast with Dr. Cynthia Glassman, SEC Commissioner (who holds an MA and PhD from Penn); and a luncheon with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.
Other successful initiatives include the Leads Council, which helps members get strategic input from other members, while generating added revenues for their businesses. The Professional Development series has dealt with topics critical to career success — from how to make a career transition and using a career coach, to overcoming obstacles in your career and secrets of working with recruiters. One of the more recent career-oriented initiatives is a Transitions Group for those considering a new career path, a return to the workplace after a hiatus, or part-time paid or volunteer work during retirement.
For 37 years, the Club has held Joseph Wharton Award Dinners — the longest continuous event among the entire Wharton network. Honorees include leading alumni such as Former Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan, W’28, top executives, entrepreneurs, former government officials, and Wharton deans and professors. The funds raised by the dinners provide financial aid for Wharton students from the DC area.
To view the roster of events for 2006, visit <www.whartondc.com>.
THE WHARTON CLUB OF NEW JERSEY
Members of the WCNJ recently celebrated the first three years of the club and the transition to the next generation leadership team during festivities at The Maplewood Club.
Founding President Jonathan “JP” Perelman, W’79, offered welcoming remarks and entertained attendees with a creative and hilarious video commemorating the history of the Club. (The ability of incoming President Ken Wolf, W’87, to smoke a pipe and drink wine simultaneously may well be the signature moment of his administration.)
Incoming Club officers Jess Germansky, W’80, EMTM’02, (vice president, events and programming) and Eddie Monteiro, W’01, E’01, (executive vice president) recognized the contributions of the founding board, including Ray Cohen, W’67, WG’68; Sharon Kornstein, W’80; Raj Kumar, WG’83; Bob Stein, W’71; Gregg Stover; WG’90, and founding Officers Frank Arcoleo, WG’93; Perelman; Andy Shaiman, WG’83; Stan Weilgus, W’66; and Wolf. JP was specially recognized with a coffee mug inscribed, “I founded the Wharton Club of New Jersey and all I got was this lousy mug!” More seriously, JP was presented a plaque symbolizing the appreciation in his role in the Club’s creation and growth to over 250 members with more than 2,000 event participants in just three years.
In his first public appearance as new president, Wolf introduced newly elected board members Peter Benton, WG’98, Mark Hurwich, WG’78, and Dushyant Pandit, WG’79. Germansky gave special thanks to Greg Botvinik, who organized the evening. Wolf closed the evening with brief (at least that’s what he promised) remarks on the Club’s new strategic plan, the creation of a new Marketing Committee, and news on upcoming events. The evening concluded with a rousing chorus of “Drink a Highball.”
Hari Ramsubramani, WG’03; David Brotman, E’81, GEE’84, WG’03; Howie Kaufold, director of the MBA Program for Executives; and Alex Bangash, WG’04, attended the MBA Exec all-class reunion in New York.
MBA EXEC ALL-CLASS REUNION EVENTS HELD IN NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON
While alumni of the Wharton MBA Program for Executives are active members of the full Wharton network, two recent events allowed graduates of the program to network with those who shared the intensive MBA Exec experience. All-class reunions for MBA Exec grads were held November 1, 2005, in New York at the Citigroup Executive Center and November 7, 2005 at the Washington, DC, Four Seasons.
“The kick-off events held in New York and Washington, DC, have enabled this passionate constituency to become more involved in the life of the School,” said Scott A. Wieler, WG’87, president and CEO, Signal Hill Capital Group, LLC, as well as a co-head of the MBA Exec Leadership Committee. “Virtually all 30 classes and each reunion class have engaged at some level.”
The two locations were chosen because of their high concentrations of MBA Exec graduates, while far-flung alumni will converge May 13, 2006, at Wharton’s Philadelphia campus for an All-MBA Exec reunion.
Nicole I. Meyer, WG’97, a managing director at Citigroup who hosted New York reunion, looked forward to more events. “The strength of this community is just now coming into focus,” she said. “From that night alone, I collected a dozen cards and am already in conversation with three people on a professional basis. There’s an immediate connection among MBA Execs. I think this is the start of something big for us professionally, personally, and for the School.”
Ellen Change, C’88, WG’98, center, is on of the organizers of the Wharton Aerospace Conference. She is pictured at last year’s Wharton Aerospace Conference in Jon M. Huntsman Hall with Mike Francis, Defense Advanced Projects Agency; Mark Lovenguth, EMTM’00, Boeing; Vincent Oakley, Northrup Grumman; and Rob Berkovits, Northrup Grumman
WHARTON AEROSPACE CONFERENCE
Space has no geographical limits — and neither does Wharton Aerospace, an affinity club started by Michael Langman, WG’98, of Rockwell Collins, and Ellen Chang, C’88, WG’98, of Northrop Grumman, and drawing membership from many locations. Langman and Chang, with the support of Alumni Affairs, have created an annual conference that has attracted attention in executive suites across the aerospace industry.
The Wharton Aerospace Conference brings together industry leaders and alumni within the aerospace and defense industries. “In 2004 Ellen and I decided we would form an industry-based alumni group that would become the envy of alumni associations at other schools,”said Langman. They contacted Alumni Affairs Director Monty Harris about the idea, and Harris provided a contact list of aerospace alumni and made Huntsman Hall available for annual events. Chang said they were pleasantly surprised at the high turnout rate among invited alumni, and especially that all four aerospace CEOs who were invited agreed to speak.
Wharton Aerospace 2006 will be held on the Wharton campus on February 10, 2006, with an anticipated audience of 150 alumni. The event will include keynote speeches by the CEOs of three leading aerospace/defense companies; career development sessions with the aerospace practice leadership of search firms; and a panel on Network Centric Warfare that will be conducted by some of the leading thinkers and practitioners in what is the hottest emerging topic in the defense industry.
Wharton Aerospace is open to alumni in the aerospace and defense industries. To learn more about the 2006 event, contact Chang at Ellen.Chang.WG98@wharton.upenn.edu or Langman at Michael.Langman.WG98@wharton.upenn.edu. Wharton Aerospace thanks its event sponsors Russell Reynolds, Heidrick & Struggles, L-3 Communications and EDO Corporation.
Interested in starting a new affinity group for your industry? It’s easier than you think — contact Monty Harris at MontgomH@wharton.upenn.edu.
CAREER RESOURCE DIRECTORY
Wharton MBA Alumni
As a Wharton MBA alum, you have access to resources for managing your career at <mbacareers/Wharton.upenn.edu/alumni>.
Wharton Alumni Job Board — A global online job posting board with more than 6,000 postings year-to-date and 1,200 open positions at present
Career Search© — Online company contacts for more than one million companies
Career Tools® — A user-focused career resource portal
ExecuNet© Career Letter — A monthly e-newsletter with job market information and career tips
Factiva® — A comprehensive collection of business data compiled by Dow Jones and Reuters
Lippincott Library — Access to numerous websites covering all aspects of business and managing a professional career
Information about and access to executive search firms
More resources including non-U.S. international resources including specific industry and geographic sites;links to free and fee-based career and self-assessment sites a list of career coaches who can help alumni; ability to meet with a Wharton Career Management advisor
MBA Career Management also greatly appreciates your thinking of Wharton students and alumni for your talent needs. Contact them for recruiting on campus or posting positions, <employer.wharton.upenn.edu/recruiting/index.cfm> or <MBARecruiting@wharton.upenn.edu>.
Wharton Undergraduate Alumni and Wharton Doctoral Programs Alumni
As a Wharton Undergraduate or Wharton Doctoral Programs alum, you are welcome to use all of the services offered by Penn Career Services, with the exception of On-Campus Recruiting (OCR). (Alumni within one year of graduation are eligible for OCR with special permission from their counselor.) Penn Career Services include:
Job Opportunities
PennLink — Online job-listing service. Call 215.898.4827 to obtain your password. Career Services will verify your alumni status. <www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/pennlink.html>
Career Fairs — Alumni are welcome to attend career fairs held on Penn’s campus. <www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/college/careerfairs.html>
Posting Jobs — Alumni interested in recruiting Penn students and alumni can get more information on our Employers webpage. <www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/employers/employerinfo.html>
Continuing Education
Graduate/Professional School Advisors are available to offer guidance about applying to master’s or doctoral degree programs <www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/gradprof/gradprofmain.html>
Other Resources
Career Discovery and Planning (including Myers Briggs Type Indicator and Strong Interest Inventory) — For alumni who are seeking to develop in their current careers or explore other careers. <www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/discovery/careerdisc.html>
Credentials Service — How to have Career Services maintain a file of letters of recommendation on your behalf.
General Services — Alumni are welcome to schedule an appointment with a counselor (in person of over the phone) to discuss their careers. Topics might include general career counseling, resume/cover letter critiques, career change, etc. Reach the Career Services office via phone at 215.898.7533 (undergraduate alumni) or 215.898.7530 (doctoral alumni). Please visit <www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices> for additional information.
Mentoring Opportunities for All Alumni
Wharton Undergraduate Externship Program — Allows Wharton undergraduate students to shadow alumni at work to observe a “day in the life” in a given career field. Go to <www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/wharton/externship/ExternshipHostInformation.pdf> or call 215.898.7533 for more information.
Penn Career Network — A database of Penn graduates who have volunteered to answer career-related questions for Penn students and alumni. Accessible from the Alumni section of the Career Services website at: www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices.
