Oklahoma Business Week

Inspiring business leaders of tomorrow was the goal of Oklahoma Business Week and the foundation was established at the first-ever event on the East Central University campus, July 8-13. High school seniors, juniors and sophomores converged on the ECU campus to gain a firsthand experience in the world of business. Students got a chance to interact and learn from community business leaders as well as gain skills in leadership, communication, team-building, responsibility, money management, entrepreneurship, marketing and more. Students were also placed in a “company” where they worked together in various events and competitions with other “companies.” Volunteer mentors from the business community, serving as company advisors, each worked with a small group of 8-10 students and guided them throughout the week. The program was designed to engage teens in hands-on, experiential learning. Among the speakers for the event was keynote speaker Bill Anoatubby (‘72), governor of the Chickasaw Nation, along with Michael Prince (‘93), COO of Guess International; BI Bridgwater (‘78), retired director, president and COO for three multi-billion dollar information technology corporations; Craig Scheef (‘85), chairman, president and chief executive officer of Texas Security Bank; Brad Fenton (‘75), founder of Fenton Motors, Monica Neal (‘91), senior vice president of People’s Electric Cooperative; John Hargrave (‘77), president of ECU; Wendell Godwin (‘84), dean of the ECU School of Business and Stacy Bolin (‘00), Oklahoma Business Week camp director. All nine are ECU graduates. One other speaker, State Senator Susan Paddack, received her Master of Education from ECU and served as an adjunct faculty member in ECU’s education department. Several ECU alums served as company advisors for the week including Alan Marcum, Karen Hudson, Frank Crawford and Cliff Agee. One of the other company advisors, Mick Cowan, is a former professor in the business department at ECU. “One student commented that it was the best camp she had ever been to and didn’t expect that learning about business was so much fun,” said Bolin. According to Bolin, plans are underway for a bigger OBW camp next summer with the opening of the new Harland C. Stonecipher School of Business and ECU Conference Center.

Outstanding Speakers

Tom Cole U.S. Congressman Rep. Lisa Johnson-Billy Okla. State Rep. Susan Paddack (‘93) Okla. State Sen. Bill Anoatubby (‘72) Governor of the Chickasaw Nation

Above: Member of the 2012 Oklahoma Business Week. Top Right: Winners of $500 ECU Scholarship. Right: Winner of $1,000 ECU Scholarship and Dell Laptop.

Volunteers Make it Possible

Company Advisorsspent the week with the “companies”. Company advisors photographed with Gov. Anoatubby and President Hargrave include: Karen Hudson (‘85 & ‘94), Alan Marcum (‘90) and Mick Cowan. Row 2: Kyle Essmiller, Frank Crawford (‘85), Andrew Butler and Cliff Agee (‘79). Executive Committee dedicated hours developing the camp. Members include: Gov. Anoatubby (‘72), Bridget Forshay, Lisa John, Chenae Lippard, Shelly Miller, Charlee Lanis. Row 2: Stacy Bolin (‘00), Wendell Godwin (‘84), Daisha Chesser (student), Stacey Golightly (‘75 & ‘82) and Monica Neal (‘91).

Michael Prince (‘93) COO of Guess International

Brad Fenton (‘75) Founder of Fenton Motors

Craig Scheef (‘85) CEO & President of Texas Security Bank

BI Bridgewater (‘78), Retired Dir., Pres. & COO for three multi-billion dollar IT Corps

Business Alums Set the Stage for Future ECU Grads

Students in Dean Godwin’s Professional Leadership class listen intently to one of the many guest speakers.

As Wendell Godwin (‘84), dean of the School of Business at East Central University, tells his students “Every leader is different. You are in charge of the leader you will become.” To encourage them on their path to effective leadership, he invited some powerful alumni to campus to share their stories of success and failure.

The diverse group spoke to upper level students in Godwin’s Professional Leadership Experience seminar and included: Randy Harp (‘78), COO of Legal Shield, Craig Scheef (‘85), CEO and president of Texas Security Bank, Gaytha (‘02) and Kelly (‘01) Ziegelmeier, Ada entrepreneurs, Rita Brock (‘85), marketing and strategic sourcing executive, Jim Hamby (‘73), CEO of Vision Bank, Alan Marcum (‘90), executive vice president of administration for Devon Energy, Derick Bowers (‘82), National Football League referee, Dr. Darryl Fisher (‘60), chairman of the board of Oklahoma Heritage Bank, and Bill Anoatubby (‘72), governor of the Chickasaw Nation.

“Dean Godwin’s class was a great way to get motivated about your life and career after ECU,” Taylor Howard, 2012 spring graduate and financial advisor at Edward Jones, said.

“Every one of the guest speakers walked the same hallways we walk and some even had the same professors,” he said. “Now, they are Fortune 500 executives, bank founders, politicians and members of other great professions. The coolest thing about it is they came from ECU.”

From divorce to faith, the unemployment line to the corporate office, the stories were inspiring, emotional and pulled no punches. Many shared common messages and the speakers all impressed the students with their passion.

“Rita Brock was one of many people who really kept me listening,” Kendra Whitehead, Madill junior with a major in business finance, said. “She was enthusiastic about her career and enjoyed sharing it with us.”

The Ziegelmeiers, who built a successful business from something they love, toasted pecan butter, stressed finding true purpose and building a career path from there.

Craig Scheef suggested they step out of their comfort zone.

“The difference between successful people and failures is that successful people are willing to do the things that failures are not willing to do,” he said.

All emphasized the importance of knowledge but Dr. Darryl Fisher, attorney, banker and physician, drove it home with his lessons from the University of Hard Knocks.

“Study anything you wish in college but ultimately your objective should be to learn to read efficiently, to write compellingly and to speak correctly,” he said.

Randy Harp stressed the importance of involvement in campus extracurricular activities while Alan Marcum went a step further suggesting students also become active in community affairs.

Speakers also were candid about their mistakes and the importance of being flexible. Jim Hamby surprised attendees by telling about his time on the unemployment line and how it shaped him. Hamby, who graduated with a degree in chemistry but ended up in banking, reminded students that where they start is not always where they will end up.

Alan Marcum’s thoughts on finding individual strengths and exploiting them instead of focusing on changing weaknesses hit home for Tishomingo junior Phillip Davis.

“I learned to accept myself for who I am and how to accept others for who they are.”

Many of the speakers agreed networking was crucial to success but Derick Bowers, who climbed the ladder from high school football referee to head linesman in the NFL, gave students some lessons on a subject near and dear to their hearts, social networking. He warned them to be careful about what they post on the Internet and what they say around people.

Godwin plans to expand the seminar next year by inviting alums as well as other business leaders to speak. “I would recommend all business students take this class,” Whitney Bynum, Stonewall junior with a major in business administration, said. “It made me realize you have to be motivated and set goals to reach the top. By stepping out of my comfort zone, I can become the leader I want to be and find my niche.”

in the Spring...