Winter Villanova Business Magazine 2024

Winter 2024

BUSINESS

Dean Wen Mao, PhD The New Dean of the Villanova School of Business

MISSION / P9

Helping a Dream Become a Reality

ALUMNI / P10

Delectable Innovations

STUDENT / P12

Pursuing Goals with a Winning Attitude

The Helen and William O’Toole Dean

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Wen Mao, PhD

Assistant Dean, Talent & Staff Development, Community & External Outreach Cathy J. Toner, JD, MJ, ’23 MSCM

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Associate Director of Communication and Editor Shannon M. Wilson

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Contributors Kate Lowe Amy Swift Meghan Winch ’15 MA

Principal Photography Melissa Kelly

Design and Production Matthew Schmidt Design

FEATURES 2

FEATURE STORY Wen Mao, PhD, the New Helen and William O’Toole Dean

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FACULTY AND STAFF ACHIEVEMENTS

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INSIDE VSB

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MISSION SPOTLIGHT Helping a Dream Become a Reality

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Anish Patel ’16 VSB, Jenna Wilson ’12 CLAS and Warren Wilson Jr. ’12 VSB, Elissa Lawson ’11 VSB

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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Meghan Mitchell ’24 VSB

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DONOR SPOTLIGHT Kevin J. Hughes Family Endowed Funds

Villanova School of Business Villanova School of Business Villanova School of Business

DEAN'S LETTER

A Message from Dean Mao The Helen and William O’Toole Dean Professor of Management Villanova School of Business

I am so grateful to be starting my journey as the Helen and William O’Toole Dean of the Villanova School of Business (VSB). Although I have been at VSB for 28 years, transitioning into this leadership role as of August 2023 presents exciting challenges and opportunities.

The core ethos of Villanova—Veritas, Unitas, Caritas or Truth, Unity, Love—is enduring and foundational to everything we are and do. Reflecting upon VSB’s rich history over the past century, we’ve collectively created an environment that fosters learning, collaboration and education of the whole person through our Augustinian Catholic values. I am in awe of the continuous improvement of VSB and admire each individual’s commitment to VSB and the University so that we may continue to build upon the legacy that has been laid before us.

This past semester, I have been engaging with the community from this new vantage point as dean and I have learned so much in the process. I am grateful for all of you who have helped me along the way. I am more committed than ever to leading VSB with our mission as our guide and an eye towards the future of business education. I look forward to working together to further our mission and envision the next great chapter in VSB’s history.

Wen Mao, PhD

Dean Mao Wen Mao, PhD, was appointed the new Helen and William O’Toole Dean of VSB on August 1 after a rigorous national search by a committee of faculty, administrators, students and alumni.

But she is certainly no stranger to VSB. Dean Mao first came to Villanova in 1995 as an assistant professor of Economics.

“I was drawn to Villanova for its commitment to research and teaching because both are equally important to me,” she explains. Her father and great grandfather were professors, and they had a profound influence on her desire to pursue teaching. Once she was here, she was immediately drawn to Villanova’s strong commitment to community.

During her 28 years at Villanova, Dean Mao has served in a variety of academic and administrative roles. In 2007, she was named chair of the Economics Department and continued to progress in her career, serving as associate dean of faculty in 2017 and vice dean in 2022.

University President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, ’75 CLAS stated, “given Dean Mao’s long and productive history as a Villanova faculty member, coupled with her deep understanding of Villanova’s distinctive Augustinian approach to education, it quickly became clear that she was the right candidate to lead VSB.”

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Villanova Business Winter 2024

Dean Mao on Leadership: “A strong leader is a good listener, open minded, able to think from different perspectives, willing to admit when she’s wrong and not afraid to make decisions involving risks.”

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COVER STORY

Scholar and Teacher Dean Mao received her PhD and MA in Economics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and her BA in Management from Shanghai Maritime Institute (People’s Republic of China). While pursuing her PhD, she chose to specialize in game theory. She credits that decision to professors who shared their passion for this area of microeconomics that explores strategic decisionmaking.

Much of her academic research relates to game theory and its application to strategic situations such as pricing, competition, stock market decision-making and election behavior. Her work has been published in numerous leading academic journals. She has also received multiple research awards and was honored with the Executive MBA Teaching Award in both 2020 and 2021.

“I love a good mystery. Whether it be a book or TV show, it’s one of my favorite pastimes. It probably relates to my enjoyment of creative problem-solving!”

A Natural Leader

The Power of Community

Throughout her more than 15 years in VSB leadership, Dean Mao has played a key role in strengthening the undergraduate and graduate student experience, supporting increased faculty research productivity, and furthering the mission of the school and University.

The Villanova community and Unitas spirit are what have been most meaningful to Dean Mao during her nearly three decades at the school. “My favorite thing about Villanova is what everyone loves about Villanova: our community, and how everyone is involved and passionate.

Whatever the initiative may be, people want to know about it and how they can help. And that is exciting!”

As vice dean, she advised the dean on internal strategies and policies, led the academic operations of VSB (including all undergraduate, graduate and executive education, as well as the Centers of Excellence), strengthened VSB’s budget process, and collaborated with the advancement team to support fundraising efforts.

Dean Mao has a long history of supporting and advancing faculty excellence within VSB. Since 2017, she has been involved in the recruitment and retention of dozens of faculty members and shepherded critical improvements related to faculty administration, increasing the efficiency, effectiveness and equity of key processes such as annual evaluation, rank and tenure, and workflow. She has championed and implemented numerous initiatives that helped increase funding for research, teaching excellence and innovation. According to University Provost Patrick G. Maggitti, Dean Mao has a collaborative leadership style and deep understanding of what distinguishes a VSB education: “I am confident that with Dean Mao as its leader, VSB will continue to advance its standing as an institution of excellence and increase its impact as it produces leaders who drive positive change.”

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Did you know?

Villanova Business Winter 2024

An advocate of inclusive community building, Dean Mao has been integral in fostering global learning experiences at VSB, helping to establish the school’s first study abroad program in Asia in the 1990s. In recent years, she has directed the school’s Asian Internship program, an immersive learning experience that places VSB students in nine-week internships with global firms in cities such as Singapore and Hong Kong. She has also played a major role in VSB’s successful recruitment of underrepresented faculty, staff and students.

Dean Mao recalls an experience early in her career that demonstrated the power of the Villanova community and what the Augustinian Caritas value truly meant. She was a new faculty member when renovations for Bartley Hall necessitated many staff and faculty moving to offsite trailers and remote offices. A senior faculty member in her department offered his office to her, explaining that it was more important for her to be near the department since she was new. “Besides being an incredibly kind and welcoming gesture, it showed me that we take care of each other at VSB,” Dean Mao says. “We are a family who looks out for one another. That kindness still touches my heart years later.”

COVER STORY

Direction for the future Over the next few months, one of Dean Mao’s immediate goals is to conduct a listening tour to gain input from all of VSB’s stakeholders. “Since I have worked at VSB in various roles, I want to be sure that I bring various perspectives to this role. At the same time, I want to listen to all members of our community and learn their perspectives as well.”

While longer-term initiatives will evolve from her listening tour, Dean Mao’s vision for VSB begins with continuing the upward trajectory of recent years. “From the quality of the educational programs we deliver, the outstanding research conducted by our faculty, the caliber of the staff we recruit, it’s been amazing to be a part of the growth we’ve experienced,” she says.

Her top priorities for VSB will be: • Strengthening the student experience at the undergraduate and graduate levels through outstanding teaching, rigorous curriculum and career preparation opportunities so VSB students are prepared for the future of business.

• Elevating VSB research through continued emphasis on impact and quality, faculty-student research collaboration, and research that has positive societal impact.

• Ensuring financial stability and support for new initiatives through fundraising and external engagement.

“I am proud of all we have accomplished thus far in our history and I’m excited for the amazing opportunities ahead.” –Dean Mao

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FACULTY FOCUS

Faculty and Staff Achievements VSB boasts world-class faculty and staff members who are both nationally and internationally renowned. Our faculty excels in research, instruction and innovation. Our staff helps create VSB’s unparalleled learning environment in the world of business education.

David Anderson, PhD

Corinne Post, PhD

Named one of the Top 50 Undergraduate Professors by Poets&Quants

Named Editor of Prestigious Journal

David Anderson, PhD, associate professor, Management & Operations, uses his analytics research to help solve issues in pay equity and healthcare operations management. His work has earned multiple research competitions.

He is also the co-founder of PayAnalytics, a tech startup that helps companies measure, close, and monitor pay gaps.

Corinne Post, PhD, the Fred J. Springer Endowed Chair in Business Leadership, was appointed as general editor of the Journal of Management Studies effective August 2023. JMS is one of the leading general management journals and is among the Financial Times’ list of the top 50 business journals. Dr. Post previously served as associate editor of JMS from 2016 to 2020.

FACULTY FOCUS

Denise Hanes Downey, PhD Named associate chair and authored award-winning paper Denise Hanes Downey, PhD, KPMG Endowed Professor in Accounting, was named associate chair of Accounting & Information Systems as of fall 2023. Her role is a strategic one, focusing on recruitment and undergraduate curriculum oversight. Dr. Downey states, “we must stay current so that our students are well prepared. Although it is the students’ responsibility to do the required work, we as teachers also have a responsibility to make the subject matter engaging and relevant.” Her recent paper, co-authored with colleagues from Virginia Commonwealth University and Providence College, provides an example of how tech can be used and taught in a hands-on, experiential way that increases student understanding of difficult material. The paper, “Wealthy Watches Inc.: The Substantive Testing of Accounts Receivable in the Evolving Audit Environment,” received the American Accounting Association 2023 Issues in Accounting Education Best Paper Award.

Kim Cahill Elected treasurer of the Mid-Atlantic District Export Council Kim Cahill, director of The Elenore and Robert F. Moran Sr. Center for Global Leadership, has been elected treasurer of the Mid-Atlantic District Export Council (DEC) and will serve a two-year term. “Assisting companies in our region to compete effectively in the global market is incredibly rewarding,” says Cahill, “and being an educator makes it even more so, since the DEC can help our students gain access to exciting professional opportunities.”

The Mid-Atlantic DEC is one of 61 DECs across the country charged with encouraging and supporting the export of goods and services that will strengthen individual companies, stimulate U.S. economic growth and create jobs. Cahill has more than 30 years’ experience in international business relations and has been a member of the Mid-Atlantic DEC since 2010.

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INSIDE VSB

VSB's VITA

Making a substantive contribution to students and the community Nicholas Galbato ’25 VSB serves along with Matt Catalano ’25 VSB as co-president. Nick and Matt met their first year at Villanova when they both got involved with VITA.

The Villanova Income Tax Assistance program (VITA) is just one of the wide array of business and honor societies and service groups from which VSB students can enhance their personal and professional development. These extracurriculars provide students with opportunities to gather information on an industry or profession, network with employers, and connect with students who share similar interests. The Villanova chapter of Volunteer Income Tax Assistance), a free tax-preparation service sponsored by the IRS, does all of these and then some.

VITA offers help to low-income tax filers, the disabled, those with limited English skills and the elderly. All VITA volunteers who prepare returns must take and pass tax-law training that meets or exceeds IRS standards.

VITA

With VITA, the results are tangible, and you can really see the difference you’re making.

Nicholas Galbato ’25 VSB

The work these students are doing is of real benefit to the communities they are serving.

Luke Watson, PhD

“The IRS provides all the training and the software,” says Luke Watson, PhD, associate professor, Accounting & Information Systems, who serves as the VSB VITA advisor. “You might assume our volunteers would all be Accounting majors, but paying taxes is something everyone will have to do. So while most members come from VSB, VITA is really a University-wide club open to students from every college. Our current co-presidents are Finance majors. In the course of their work with VITA, our volunteers learn a good bit about taxes and how to prepare their own returns, which will benefit them throughout their lives.”

“Our volunteers complete the IRS certification and then go out to VITA sites in the Philadelphia area to do actual tax-return prep,” says Dr. Watson. “During the pandemic, when face-to-face meetings were not possible, we operated a virtual site for the Villanova community, and our clients were student workers, those with taxable scholarships, international students, and faculty and staff.

Now that face-to-face interactions are possible again, our primary focus is off campus at the partner sites in the Philadelphia area.”

Matt Catalano ’25 VSB, Luke Watson, PhD and Nicholas Galbato ’25 VSB

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Villanova Business Winter 2024

Dr. Watson states, “The students are doing all the heavy lifting. They do the tax prep and Matt and Nick schedule the students and reserve the vans and drivers to the tax-prep locations. Other than acting as liaison to the IRS and addressing the odd complicated tax question, my primary responsibility as advisor is I get to brag on the students and what a great job they’re doing.”

MISSION SPOTLIGHT

Helping a Dream Become Reality A highlight of the Villanova MBA program is the Social Enterprise Consulting Practicum.

This capstone class is an opportunity for MBA students to work with a social enterprise or nonprofit organization to detect problem areas (such as branding, funding and logistics) and identify possible solutions.

During the 2023 capstone, Christine Measamer ’11 MS, ’23 MBA asked her cohort if they would consider helping Harper’s Home, an idea for a nonprofit that her friend Heather Hindin had shared. In 2021, Hindin’s daughter Harper, who was eight at the time, was diagnosed with leukemia. She underwent two years of treatment at Duke Children’s Hospital, which is only two miles from their home. After long days at the hospital, the family was grateful to be able to sleep in their own beds and enjoy the comforts of home.

They met many other families who were not so fortunate and had the added stress and cost of finding accommodations.

The vision for Harper’s Home was to build short-term housing units in the family’s backyard for those needing treatment. Measamer asked her MBA team if they’d be interested in taking on the task of launching Harper’s Home. “It wasn’t an established nonprofit, and I wasn’t sure if the other team members would go for it,” she explains.

“Thankfully, everyone was up for the challenge.” The team created a business plan for Harper’s Home by the end of the course.

Hindin says that before the MBA team’s “serendipitous” involvement, “Harper’s Home was something Harper and I daydreamed about. I knew that it had potential and would fill a very real need, but I didn’t have the knowledge, capacity or tools to bring it to fruition. We are incredibly grateful to the Villanova MBA team for helping us get as far as we have.” After the business plan was in place, the MBA team connected Hindin with Duke Law School to address legal details and begin implementing the project.

Harper’s Home recently became an official nonprofit. For the MBA team, turning a little girl’s dream into a reality is the best reward.

VSB MBA Team Emily Cotton ’23 MBA Priya Hattay ’23 MBA Sean Higginson ’23 MBA Sarah McLarty ’23 MBA Christine Measamer ’11 MS, ’23 MBA Steven Mucci ’22 MBA Aaron Peña ’23 MBA Ted Chronis ’04 MBA, adjunct instructor, Marketing Each team member brought a diverse range of skills and experience. “The road map the team developed helped bring Harper’s Home to life and I have followed it closely, with amazing results,” says Hindin.

To learn more or donate, visit www.harpershomenc.org.

We have an opportunity to usher others through these difficult moments in a very tangible way, offering a safe, comfortable, affordable place for weary families to rest and prepare for the road ahead.”

Photo: Ken Huth | HuthPhoto

–Heather Hindin

Heather Hindin with her daughter Harper

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Delectable Innovations

Some of the best ideas are created from unexpected circumstances. For three food and beverage startups created by VSB alumni, the paths to entrepreneurship were unique but the results are the same: delicious.

Tinto Amorío – Uncorking Success Anish Patel ’16 VSB always carried a small notebook with him in college to jot down potential business ideas. His notes are now on his phone instead of a notebook, but the habit—and entrepreneurial mindset—has never gone away.

Patel worked in investment banking for a year after graduating from VSB, but a devastating car accident left him bedridden and relearning how to walk for several months, which gave him time to reflect. “The accident transformed my approach to risk. I realized life is fleeting.

I began to trust my gut more, and my gut was pushing me to start my own business.”

Bagelista – Bringing the Bagel Shop Home When COVID-19 lockdowns shuttered their favorite bagel shop, Jenna Wilson (Feibus) ’12 CLAS and Warren Wilson Jr. ’12 VSB searched for other options. “It was hard to find fresh bagels,” explains Jenna. “Stores carried frozen bagels or shelf-stable packaged varieties with a lot of preservatives, but neither option tasted as good.” The couple began making their own bagels, using a 40-year-old family recipe to perfect the taste of an authentic New York bagel. With a background in the food industry—Warren’s parents, Warren Wilson ’74 VSB and Sara Wilson, are the creators of bagel chips and Pretzel Crisps—and a passion for entrepreneurship, they knew there could be a market for their bagels.

Patel began to develop a concept for a canned wine brand, Tinto Amorío, an idea influenced by his time during a Villanova study abroad program in Cádiz, Spain, where wine spritzes and cocktails were popular.

Without a distributor, he went door to door to find retailers to stock his product. He eventually secured shelf space at Albertson’s, one of the largest grocery stores in California. Within a year, Tinto was a top-selling canned wine.

COVID-19 restrictions meant Patel could no longer do grassroots marketing and he knew it was time to pivot or go bankrupt. He shifted the company’s focus to premium, organic, natural wines in bottles after noticing its increasing popularity when he visited niche bottle shops. “Natural wine is how wine was made thousands of years ago,” he says. “You start with organic grapes and let the grapes work their magic, without adding unnecessary chemicals or additives.”

Patel sold 80% of Tinto Amorío’s first natural wine vintage through TikTok Organic. Less than two years later, Tinto Amorío’s orange wine is one of the topsearched orange wines on Google, they ship to 40 states, and the wines are carried in stores in nine states. ➤ drinktinto.com

juicEitup – A Passion for Wellness Elissa Lawson ’11 VSB has always been passionate about health and wellness. So when her mother was diagnosed with lupus, she researched how diet could help. She began creating juices to target specific symptoms and her mother noticed an immediate improvement in her health.

As she shared her creations on social media, she realized there was a market for her products. “I had no intention of starting the business,” she admits, “but as more people started showing interest, one night I sketched out a menu and juicEitup was born.”

Tinto Amorío Anish Patel ’16 VSB

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Villanova Business Winter 2024

Photo: Jayme Burrows

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Jenna Wilson ’12 CLAS Warren Wilson Jr. ’12 VSB

Bagelista The Wilsons met during their junior year of college and credit Villanova for the business fundamentals, criticalthinking skills and understanding of consumer behavior that informs how they run the company. Jenna, a senior vice president for Macquarie Capital, helps manage Bagelista and Warren oversees the day-to-day operations.

In 2021, the Wilsons were named to Forbes Next 1,000 entrepreneurs to watch and Warren is currently a founder in residence at Target. “The barriers to entry in this business are very high,” says Warren. “I enjoy helping others navigate a very challenging process.”

Lawson launched juicEitup just as the global pandemic came into full swing and customers were looking for holistic ways to boost their immunity. With her family as taste testers—and her toughest critics—she worked to ensure that the products are healthy and also taste good, including her favorite juice, the Tropical Breeze, which is a perfect blend of sweet pineapple, tangy green apple and other immune-boosting ingredients.

To preserve the freshness and taste of an authentic New York bagel, Bagelista bagels are cooked part-way and flash-frozen for customers to bake at home. You can find Bagelista online or in the frozen breakfast aisle of over 2,000 stores nationwide.

Lawson credits VSB with laying the foundation of skills she uses in her business: “How to connect with customers, how to build loyalty, how I want to help others … all of that comes in some way, shape or form from my Villanova education.” Juggling a full-time career (she is a brand manager for Campbell’s Snacks) with her business is challenging, but she loves the work. She runs her business online and through local markets and events.

➤ bagelista.com

➤ juicEitupnj.com

juicEitup Elissa Lawson ’11 VSB

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One of my favorite things about being a student-athlete is what you learn and how to believe in yourself and the value of persistence.” –Meghan Mitchell ’24 VSB

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Pursuing her goals with a winning attitude Meghan Mitchell ’24 VSB got involved in team sports in grade school, starting with soccer and switching to field hockey in fifth grade. She earned six varsity letters—three each in field hockey and in track and field.

Career highlights include team captain her senior year and a league title and state championship her sophomore year.

Academically, the story is equally impressive: National Honor Society inductee, named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Academic Squad her junior year, and three-time STEM Scholar of Excellence award winner. “The STEM curriculum kept me busy, so sports were my main activity outside of academic work,” says Meghan.

When it was time to go to college, Meghan was familiar with Villanova, having grown up in the area and rooting for the Wildcats at basketball games. She liked what the school had to offer, but it was when she visited the campus that her decision was made. “I really liked the community and how supportive the faculty and the athletics staff are of their student athletes,” she says.

“We are fortunate to have coaches and staff who value the academic rigor that a Villanova education provides and who recruit student-athletes that are equipped to excel in the classroom and on the field,” says Jeremy Kees, PhD, the Richard J. and Barbara Naclerio Endowed Chair in Business, who serves as faculty athletics representative for VSB. And they do excel: In November 2022, Villanova achieved a record 99% NCAA graduation success rate (GSR) for student-athletes. It is one of only five schools nationally to have a 99% GSR. Thirteen of the athletics programs posted a perfect 100% GSR, including women’s field hockey. For the 2022–2023 academic year, Villanova student-athletes earned an average GPA of 3.44, and 52% of studentathletes graduated with honors.

CAPTAIN OF THE VILLANOVA FIELD HOCKEY TEAM, MEGHAN HAS AMASSED AN IMPRESSIVE

Meghan contributed to those impressive academic stats while at the same time turning in some news-worthy performances on the field, including being a top performer and leading scorer since her freshman year and serving as team captain her junior and senior years. She’s also been named to the NFHCA Mid-Atlantic All-Region team her sophomore and junior years and to Team USA’s Senior Nexus Championship her junior year. “The relationships and friendships I’ve formed with the members of the teams I’ve been on, both at Villanova and through Team USA, are ones that I will always value,” says Meghan.

ARRAY OF ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENTS DURING HER VILLANOVA YEARS, AND SHE HAS MATCHED THOSE WITH SOME EQUALLY IMPRESSIVE ACADEMIC ACCOLADES.

Meghan was named Big East offensive player of the year for the 2023 season.

Although Meghan was sure about wanting to play hockey when she started at Villanova, she wasn’t sure about a major: “All I knew was I wanted a business degree, so I used my intro classes as a way to find out.” She discovered finance and joined the Finance Group and the Wildcat Fund, the socially responsible $1 million fund managed by VSB students pursuing careers in financial services. As a sophomore, Meghan won a spot on the health care sector team. This past summer, she worked in New York City learning about investment banking. “It was my first experience of living in New York, and I loved it,” she says.

Because she started her freshman year during COVID-19, she has an extra year of eligibility as a student athlete. “I’ve decided to stay on the team and use my final season of eligibility before launching my career and I am so excited!”

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DONOR SPOTLIGHT

Kevin J. Hughes Family Endowed Funds Kevin Hughes ’84 VSB, ’87 JD and his wife, Danielle, recently donated a generous seven-figure gift to Villanova to establish the Kevin J. Hughes Family Endowed Funds. The gift will support faculty research, a student scholarship and athletics.

Hughes encourages others who are considering a gift to reach out to VSB to learn more about the unique ways your donation could be used.

“When you give back to VSB, you know your donation will have an immediate and valuable impact,” he says.

Senior Research Fellowship Hughes learned about the need to support tenured associate professors with their teaching and research. A significant portion of the family’s gift will establish a new endowment, the Kevin J. Hughes Family Endowed Senior Research Fellowship, to help attract and retain talented faculty and provide important research funding.

Student Scholarship

Supporting Villanova was an easy choice for Hughes. “When I think about people or organizations who have made a difference in my life, first there’s my family—especially my wife, Danielle, and my parents, Jack and Lee Hughes, who always encouraged and supported me,” he explains. “And then I think about Villanova and the impact it had on me. Without question, Villanova made an enormous difference in my life—from the education I received to the success I’ve enjoyed and the priceless friendships that have lasted over 40 years. We wanted to help Villanova continue to make a difference for others.”

The gift also creates the Kevin J. Hughes Family Endowed Scholarship, which will provide financial support to academically talented undergraduate students.

Helping deserving students was very important. “If there are remarkable students accepted to Villanova who have a financial need, we want to help them.”

Hughes has a group of friends from his undergraduate days that he considers family. They speak often, reconnect at Villanova basketball games and even travel together. Just last year, the group traveled to Galway and Dublin in Ireland and then Munich in Germany for Oktoberfest.

Men's Basketball Fund

Before graduating from VSB with an accounting degree, Hughes received several offers from accounting firms, but his father encouraged him to consider law school. He chose Villanova Law, and although he did not pursue an accounting career, Hughes says the educational foundation and business skills he acquired as an undergraduate have served him well in his legal career. Hughes is currently co-chair of Cozen O’Connor’s Subrogation & Recovery Department, is a member of the firm’s board of directors, and serves on the management committee.

The Hughes family also includes Nicolle ’20 VSB; Tara ’22 VSB; and Sean, a junior at Bucknell. Hughes commends VSB for the quality of education and career preparation his daughters received, noting that both had jobs lined up going into their senior years.

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Villanova Business Winter 2024

The third portion of the family’s gift is an endowed fund in support of the men’s basketball program. More than just a fan, Hughes believes the success of the basketball program brings an important national focus and exposure to the University.

INSIDE VSB

2024

Villanova Sports Business Conference Hosted by Villanova University, the second annual conference will be held on Friday, April 19 at the Finneran Pavilion, Villanova University.

Kyoung Yong Kim, PhD, associate professor, Management & Operations, is the inaugural Kevin J. Hughes Family Endowed Research Fellow.

His research interests encompass strategic human capital, strategic leadership, employment relationships, diversity and entrepreneurship at both macro and micro levels. A shared element in much of his research is their substantial practical relevance and societal impact.

Contact VSB’s director of major giving, Brendan Glackin, at 610-519-7602 or brendan.glackin@villanova.edu to learn about giving to VSB.

This conference is the perfect opportunity for anyone interested in the sports industry. The Villanova Sports Business Conference will feature some of the biggest names in sports, including leaders in sports media, betting and analytics from a variety of organizations.

Students will have the chance to network with fellow attendees, VSB faculty and industry professionals, making valuable connections that could lead to internships, job opportunities or future collaborations.

The conference is a great opportunity for sports fans, budding entrepreneurs and seasoned veterans in the sports industry to learn from the best and take a career in sports to the next level. It is co-sponsored by the Business in Entertainment Society, the Sports Analytics Club and the O’Donnell Center for Professional Development. or more information, please visit us on LinkedIn at F Villanova Sports Business Conference

Conference photos from the inaugural event in April 2023.

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INSIDE VSB

Marketing for Social Impact Makes a Big Impression on Mended Little Hearts VSB was one of a few schools invited by the 3M Foundation to partner with them in 2023 to help emerging not-for-profit organizations move to the next level.

Amy Benchener, who has served as an instructor in VSB’s Marketing & Business Law department since 2021 and teaches Marketing for Social Impact, was responsible for selecting the organization and guiding students to develop proposals that were presented to both the organization and the 3M Foundation.

ONE IN

110 BABIES

IN THE U.S. ARE BORN WITH CONGENITAL HEART DEFECTS EACH YEAR

NEARLY

25% The goal of the course is to have our students take the skills they are learning and put them to use in a consultative way.”

–Amy Benchener For her spring 2023 class, Benchener chose an organization with a personal connection, Mended Little Hearts. “My daughter was born with a heart defect. We were extremely lucky with both access to excellent care and that her defect was easily corrected with no lasting health issues—she is now eight years old and doing beautifully,” Benchener says. “But even so, it’s a frightening, isolating experience and we needed support. I found a wonderful local chapter—Mended Little Hearts (MLH) Philadelphia Region.” MLH is an offshoot of Mended Hearts, Inc., a program supporting adults with the disease.

The timing was fortuitous: Denise Widzgowski, global MHI board president, wished to grow the organization and raise awareness of and

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OF THE 40,000 CHILDREN WILL NEED SURGERY OR A MEDICAL PROCEDURE TO SURVIVE

The class devoted a day of service to assembling 100 Bravery Bags for the families with patients at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Nemours Children’s Hospital in Delaware.

support for MLH—90% of donations to combat heart disease go to adult programs and research, with just 10% going toward funding for children.

Her students got to work, doing site visits and benchmarking MLH against not-forprofits that are best in class. They created proposals that included creative fundraising campaign ideas, and from there, the class’s top team presented its proposal to 3M and the MHI leadership. "Some families arrive at the cardiac department of the hospital straight from the emergency room with only the clothes on their backs. We include toiletries, comfort items and other necessities, but we also make the bags age-specific— blankets for the babies, coloring books for young children, sudoku for teens and adults,” Benchener says.

Although Bravery Bags serve a practical purpose, providing families with some of the things they’ll need during a stay at the hospital, they even more importantly let families in crisis know they are not alone and that there are people who care about them and will support them.

“My students all participate in life at Villanova, both academically and with extra-curricular activities. Finding time to source ingredients for the Bravery Bags could be difficult.

So, I challenged them in class to be creative,” Benchener says. “First, we created a wish list of items for our bags. Then I had them take five minutes in class to ask their networks to consider buying Bravery Bag items. In about 90 minutes, we had enough purchased to fill 100 bags with 15 items each, and we had a great time building the bags—my own little Heart Warrior and a mother from the Philadelphia MLH chapter joined us to share their stories.”

DEAN’S ADVISORY COUNCIL

VSB Dean’s Advisory Council (DAC) The DAC provides advice and guidance to Wen Mao, PhD, the Helen and William O’Toole Dean of VSB, on important strategic initiatives under consideration.

Greg Wilson ’95 VSB; Chair Partner Goldman Sachs Kenneth Bodmer ’87 VSB; Vice Chair CFO PANTHERx Michele Etzel ’87 VSB; Past Chair CFO and Executive Vice President National Graphics, Inc.

Jennifer Barbetta ’95 VSB Chief Operating Officer and Senior Managing Director Starwood Capital Group Eileen Barker ’93 VSB Former General Manager IT Cosmetics Arthur Batson III ’98 VSB President and CEO Lucas Tree Expert Anthony Chiarello ’77 CLAS Principal/Owner Lighthouse Maritime Advisors LLC Susan Ciccarone ’95 VSB Partner Further Global Capital Management L.P. Brian Collie ’95 CLAS Managing Director and Senior Partner Boston Consulting Group

Stephen Delaney ’91 VSB Partner, Audit and Assurance Services, Office Audit Leader– Philadelphia Deloitte LLP

Karin A. Risi ’94 VSB, ’99 MBA Managing Director, Head Retail Investor Group The Vanguard Group, Inc.

Dante D’Egidio ’94 VSB Americas Vice Chair of Assurance EY

Michael Russomano ’79 VSB Retired President and CEO, Global Business Head Nestlé

George Eberle ’87 VSB, P ’23 Partner PJT Park Hill

Brian Scanlon ’94 VSB Founder Acuitas Advisors

Richard Furtek ’91 VSB, P ’18, ’20, ’23 Principal Furtek & Associates

John Samuel Shamsey ’91 VSB President Evoke Navience

Michael Grossi ’91 VSB CEO and Board Member Operative

Kevin M. Sherlock P ’23, ’26 Managing Director Bank of America Merrill Lynch

Alana Hoskin ’00 VSB Vice President, Global Audit and Chief Risk Officer Nike

Scott M. Steel ’01 VSB Chief Operating Officer, Investment Solutions Morgan Stanley Wealth Management

Debbie Kolman P ’23 Retired Investment Banker Goldman Sachs

Terence Sullivan ’95 VSB Global Head of Financial Institutions Group UBS

Greg Mancini ’95 VSB Co-Head Global Research and Portfolio Manager Nuveen Investments Katrina McCloskey Mead ’93 VSB Institutional Portfolio Manager MFS Investment Management Christopher E. Morris ’84 VSB Vice Chairman Wells Fargo

Marc Tilker ’82 VSB, P ’24 President and CEO Marathon Group LLC/BEI Hawaii Brian Vescio ’97 VSB Head of Structured Credit – Managing Director StoneX Financial Inc. Timothy Zuber ’96 VSB, P ’19, ’20 Partner, Tax KPMG

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