Queen's School of Business News Blog

Queen’s School of Business re-accredited by prestigious international association

admin — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:34:20 +0000

Kingston, February 3, 2012 – The European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) has awarded Queen’s School of Business EQUIS re-accreditation. The European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) is the leading international system of quality assessment, improvement and accreditation of higher education institutions in management and business administration.

Queen’s School of Business (QSB) is also accredited by the U.S.-based Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the other leading global academic quality assessment organization.

“EQUIS accreditation is yet another validation of the quality educational experience Queen’s School of Business offers,” says Dean David Saunders. “Being a member of this exclusive group speaks to QSB’s reputation as an innovative global leader in business education.”

QSB received its initial accreditation for a five-year term in 2006 and, following a thorough review process in the fall of 2011, its re-accreditation was confirmed in December.

To be accredited, institutions must demonstrate high academic quality and professional relevance, as well as a high degree of internationalization in keeping with the increasingly global business and educational environment. EQUIS also looks for innovation, especially in program design and pedagogy.

The fundamental objective of EQUIS is to raise the standard of management education worldwide. EFMD’s diverse membership of international academics and professionals form the pool from which the international peer review teams are drawn. As of December 2011, 133 business schools in 38 countries have been awarded EQUIS accreditation.

Share This

Inter-Collegiate Business Case Competition hosts Canadian and Australian competitors

admin — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:05:36 +0000

KINGSTON, January 9, 2012 – The final round of competition in Canada’s largest and longest-running undergraduate business case competition took place January 5 to 7 in Kingston. The preliminary round of the Inter-Collegiate Business Competition (I.C.B.C.) drew 165 submissions from teams representing 38 universities across Canada and internationally. The top six teams in each of the eight disciplines that make up the competition were invited to participate in the finals.

Some of the best and brightest students from 15 universities across Canada and from the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane Australia competed in the final round. Accomplished business leaders served as event judges, including Paris Aden, Director of Mergers and Acquisitions at RBC Capital Markets and Eric Morris, Head of Mobile Advertising for Google Canada. The competition was supported by more than fifty Commerce student volunteers as well as faculty advisors. Corporate sponsors included KPMG, Bain & Company, and Target.

The following winners were announced at the event’s concluding banquet on January 7:

Accounting Event (Presented by Ernst & Young): Dalhousie University, Mark Allen and Jennifer Watson
Business Policy Event (Presented by Level5): Queensland University of Technology, Ben Dunphy, Caroline Clarke and Emily Clark
Ethics Event: Okanagan College, Bianca d’Errico & Zach Webster
Finance Event (Presented by BMO Capital Markets): York University, Matthew Lee and Mark Santos
Minerva Health & Safety Human Resources Event: University of Regina, Dale Diekrager and Laura Poure
Marketing Event (Presented by Target): University of Calgary, Courtney Tanaka and Lindsey Welch
The Flip Development MIS Event: Dalhousie University, Deanna Burke-Courage and Trevor Nelson
Debating Event: Dalhousie University, Samantha Begelfor and Lauren Mitchell

For further information, visit icbconline.ca or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Cara Fletcher
Commerce Society Public Relations Officer
(613) 929-8902
cara.fletcher@queensu.ca

Share This

Queen’s Entrepreneurs’ Competition on the move – Toronto hosts Jan. 19-21 annual event

admin — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:09:03 +0000

Toronto, January 10, 2012 – For this first time in its 24-year history, the Queen’s Entrepreneurs’ Competition (QEC) will take place in Toronto. Previously held on campus in Kingston, the competition finals move to Toronto to provide greater accessibility for the competition’s international competitors, judges and speakers. The QEC is Canada’s largest international undergraduate business plan competition and attracts young entrepreneurs from around the world. The competition’s mandate is to foster innovation and provide aspiring entrepreneurs with opportunities to launch successful and sustainable businesses.

After a preliminary round of judging competitors’ business plans, the top 16 teams were invited to compete in the finals in Toronto from Jan. 19 to 21. Competitors will present their business plans to a judging panel comprised of Canadian business leaders who will select the winning entries and award $25,000 in cash prizes.

Networking events will introduce students to representatives of some of Canada’s top companies including TD Bank Financial Group Wealth Management, ONCAP, IBM Canada, Manulife Bank, Level5, LoyaltyOne, Ricoh Canada and Freshii. Keynote speakers include Chris Hodgson, Head of Industry Retail for Google Canada; John Poulos, President and CEO of Dominion Voting Systems, and Ted Zittell President at Ted Zittell & Associates.The competition’s founder, Meredith van Binsbergen, BCom’90, will be attending the finals with her husband Steven van Binsbergen, MBA’91.

further information, or to arrange an interview, please contact:

Charlotte Gadon
Queen’s Entrepreneurs’ Competition Public Relations Officer
(613) 532 5695
charlotte.gadon@theqec.com

Backgrounder
Founded in 1988, the Queen’s Entrepreneurs’ Competition is under the management of undergraduate Commerce students at Queen’s School of Business in Kingston, Ontario. The QEC is part of the Queen’s Commerce Society, the largest and most successful business student government in Canada. As Canada’s largest international undergraduate business plan competition, the QEC seeks to provide student entrepreneurs with the opportunity to network with like-minded individuals and mentors, and develop and bring their business ideas to reality through competition for cash prizes.

Share This

Suncor Energy Foundation donates $500,000 to Centre for Responsible Leadership at QSB

admin — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:37:20 +0000

January 10, 2012—Suncor Energy Foundation has donated $500,000 to the Centre for Responsible Leadership (CRL) at Queen’s School of Business to support its education, community development and sustainability initiatives over the next five years.

The Centre for Responsible Leadership supports education, research, outreach and advocacy to develop outstanding socially responsible leaders across undergraduate and graduate business programs at Queen’s.

“This funding will support our ongoing development of responsible corporate and community leaders through programs that have a positive impact on society,” said the Centre’s Director, Professor Tina Dacin. “We are very excited to welcome Suncor as one of our Signature Sponsors.”

Suncor Energy Foundation’s grant will enable the Centre to expand its programming in aboriginal education, community development, environmental sustainability and support for volunteerism.

“There is great alignment between the Suncor Energy Foundation’s focus on building skills and knowledge for our current and future workforce and what Queen’s School of Business seeks to achieve through its Centre for Responsible Leadership,” said Patricia O’Reilly, director of Environment and Social Issues Management at Suncor Energy. “What we hope will emerge from this collaborative partnership are socially responsible leaders with the ability to creatively solve problems and develop stronger, more sustainable communities for the future.”

Queen’s School of Business Centre for Responsible Leadership
Founded in 2004, QSB’s Centre for Responsible Leadership (CRL) is working to develop the next generation of socially responsible leaders through education, research, outreach and advocacy. The Centre fosters leading-edge education and research in the fields of responsible leadership, social responsibility, social innovation, social entrepreneurship and sustainability. It also provides support for the non-profit community and, through its membership in the Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative and the European Academy of Business in Society, acts as a global advocate for responsible leadership. Learn more about the CRL’s initiatives at responsibleleadership.com.

Suncor Energy Foundation
The Suncor Energy Foundation is a private, non-profit charitable foundation established to receive Suncor’s contributions and support registered Canadian charitable organizations. Funded entirely by Suncor, the Foundation seeks unique opportunities to build sustainable communities through effective collaborations and to enhance the quality of life in key operating areas. To help communities achieve greater sustainability, the Suncor Energy Foundation has developed five integrated funding priorities which include cultivating community leaders, building skills and knowledge, inspiring innovation, engaging citizens and collaborating for our energy future. Since its inception in 1998, the Foundation has contributed more than $74 million to Canadian communities. For more information about Suncor Energy Inc. and its community investment program, please visit www.suncor.com/community.

- 30 -

For further information, please contact:
Prof. Tina Dacin, Director, Queen’s School of Business Centre for Responsible Leadership
613.533.2366 / tdacin@business.queensu.ca

Suncor: 403-296-4000 / media@suncor.com

Share This

International Mining Program for executives attracts top presenters

admin — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:42:05 +0000

QSB Executive Education launches International Executive Program in Mining Leadership

On November 21, Queen’s School of Business welcomed executives in mining and related industries who attended the inaugural session of its newest executive education program offering. The International Executive Program in Mining Leadership is offered in two one-week modules, the first delivered in November with the second module running from February 27 to March 2, 2012. These modules can be taken in any order which affords participants maximum flexibility.

The program provides participants with a strategic framework and the practical tools to address contemporary issues and opportunities in the mining sector. The first module attracted participants from industry leading companies such as Goldcorp, Agnico Eagle, Colt Resources and Codelco from the mining sector, as well as those from AMEC, the global engineering company, and Accenture.

Confronting external challenges facing the mining industry was the theme of the first module. Queen’s faculty and industry experts covered such topics as doing business in developing nations, corporate social responsibility, sustainability, government relations and permit regulations, the role of industry associations, and strategic leadership in the mining industry.

Bob Buchan, founder and former CEO of Kinross Gold, was a keynote speaker during the inaugural session that also featured presentations by such industry experts as Larry Phillips, former VP Corporate Relations of IAM Gold; Ed Opitz, VP Corporate Relations at Kinross; Stephen Wilkinson, Executive Director of the Zinc Institute; and Diego Hernandez, CEO of Codelco, Chile’s state copper company and 2010’s “Copper Man of the Year”.

The second module that debuts in February focuses on leading and managing within the internal environment and includes such topics as operations strategy, managing large-scale strategic projects, labour relations, and leading and managing organization and culture change. In addition to faculty experts, featured guest speakers will include Ken Thomas from Kinross, and Sebastian Conde, Vice President of Human Resources from Codelco.

Applications are being accepted for the Program that starts with Module 2 in February followed by Module 1 repeating in November 2012. Upon completion of the program, participants receive a Queen’s International Executive Program in Mining Leadership Certificate of Achievement—a widely recognized symbol of excellence in executive education.

Learn more about the Mining Leadership Program.

Share This

School of Business experts make predictions for 2012 at 30th annual Business Forecast Luncheon

admin — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:05:15 +0000

Be cautious and continue to prepare for the unexpected – that’s the advice from members of the Business Forecast Lunch, which was recently hosted by Queen’s School of Business.

A group of business professors – Lynnette Purda, Barry Cross and Ken Wong and fourth year Commerce student Danny Hertz – made their predictions to a luncheon that attracted business leaders from across the Kingston community.

Overall, the panel predicted that uncertainties in the Euro zone and slowing growth from emerging markets will drive both business and personal spending decisions in 2012. While businesses have shown recent signs of stronger corporate profits in the third quarter of 2011, they remain hesitant to invest in large scale growth opportunities while uncertainty remains high. Smaller corporate investments combined with lower levels of government spending will result in small gains for Canada’s economy next year, the panel predicted.

“Despite another year of volatility and tremendous uncertainty due to global events, such as the Japanese Tsunami, European sovereign debt crisis and the US credit downgrade, 2011 has not been a bad one for Canada,” said Dr. Purda, a finance Professor and Business Forecast Lunch moderator.

Locally, a survey of Kingston businesses and consumers revealed conflicting levels of optimism regarding the local economy.

“Relative to the rest of Canada, the recession was relatively kind to Kingston. This can primarily be attributed to its public sector base,” said Professor Wong, noting the many government jobs in Kingston such as Corrections Canada and CFB Kingston.

The trade off, Professor Wong says, is that public-sector based economies tend to remain stable during recovery periods and, as a result, Kingston’s overall economy did not rank as highly as other Canadian municipalities.

The Business Forecast Lunch was founded 30 years ago by Queen’s School of Business professor emeritus Merv Daub to establish an important link between the business school and the Kingston business community.

Share This

Queen’s Commerce Society spreads holiday cheer

admin — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:54:46 +0000

On Friday, December 2nd, the Goodes Hall atrium transformed into a winter wonderland for the wrap-up event of the Commerce Society’s annual Holiday Hope initiative. Started three years ago, Holiday Hope gives student groups the opportunity to partner with the Kingston Children’s Aid Society to purchase holiday gifts for underprivileged families in Kingston, who otherwise may have not received gifts. Numerous faculty and staff members from QSB also supported the campaign.

This year, students brought gifts for 49 families including 81 children. Students signed up with their committees, housemates, and groups of friends. Holiday Hope is one of the Queen’s Commerce Society’s Outreach Commission’s most popular initiatives. The ComSoc Outreach Commission is comprised of two fourth year students, Rachel Williams and Warren Duncan, as well as third year student, Nicola Plummer.

Nicola describes the spirit behind this popular event; “It means so much to see the Commerce community come together and give back to the Kingston community. They have been so welcoming to us during our studies, so we think it is fitting to give back during the holiday season, to show our appreciation.”

With another successful year under its belt, the Commerce Society hopes to continue this mutually beneficial partnership with the Children’s Aid Society for years to come. Other valued sponsors and partners include the NetImpact Support Centre, Oil Thigh Designs, the Tea Room and the Queen’s School of Business.

Share This

Gold-mining Executive-in-Residence brings a world view to QSB

admin — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:29:44 +0000

Larry Phillips has spent a lot of time in airports. In his 21-year career as a founder and later EVP Corporate Affairs of Toronto-based IAMGOLD, he would typically spend upwards of 20 weeks per year outside of Canada. The travel came with the territory in his role as an executive of one of the largest publicly traded gold mining companies in the world, with 6,000 employees producing nearly one million ounces of gold annually on three continents.

After retiring in June, he received numerous offers to serve on corporate boards but saw something different in a proposal from QSB. Would he be interested in becoming the School’s Executive-in-Residence? He’s certainly familiar with Queen’s as a proud parent of Andrew, Artsci’10, and Emily, Comm’12, and also as a guest speaker in Prof. Keith Rogers’ undergraduate International Business class. The corporate directorships may follow, but for now, a one-year term as the School’s newest Executive-in-Residence fits the bill.

“What appeals to me is the opportunity to look at some of the challenges in international business from a fresh perspective by really engaging the students, seeking their ideas and tapping into their enthusiasm,” he says. “I see it as an exercise in challenging the students to realize that their new ways of approaching problems can really be valuable.”

The word is already out that this former mining executive is willing to share the wealth of his experience. In November, he was a featured speaker at ComSoc’s annual Queen’s Conference on the Business Environment Today (Q’BET) and a guest speaker in the International Executive Program in Mining Leadership offered by QSB Executive Education. There will be ample opportunities for more dialogue during his periodic visits to QSB throughout the school year.

Share This

Queen’s Finance Association Conference descends on Bay Street

admin — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 20:23:16 +0000

QFAC 2011 aims to forge and maintain lasting connection between today’s greatest financial minds and the leaders of tomorrow’s markets.

TORONTO, Nov. 17, 2011 – The Queen’s Finance Association Conference (QFAC) was held at the Fairmont Royal York hotel in the heart of downtown Toronto’s financial district November 17th to 20th.

Delegates were exposed to all aspects of the financial services industry, from investment banking, to sales and trading, to private equity. Diverse topics were covered by speakers Dave Roland, CEO of Paradigm Capital, Howard Green, anchor of “Headline” on BNN, Jim Fasano, VP and Head of Principal Investing at CPPIB, and Mike Durland, co-CEO of Scotia Capital. The flagship event, co-hosted by Rotman School of Business, was the Desjardins stock trading simulation held on the trading floors of the old TSX that mirrored activity in trading pits without the use of computers. The winning team opened the Toronto Stock Exchange. Delegates also got the opportunity to experience first-hand the operations of their choice of one of ten Bay Street firms in addition to attending three unforgettable socials.

Echoing Tio Charbaghi, founder of QFAC and an analyst at Citadel Group, “Our generation needs to be constantly seeking to gain edge … to get ahead.” QFAC provided the perfect opportunity for delegates to gain an edge in their intended careers in finance.

QFAC is Canada’s first student-run conference focused entirely on finance and the capital markets. Its mission is to provide delegates with practical knowledge and tangible experience in order to facilitate their transition into careers within the financial services industry. For further information, please visit http://www.qfac.ca/.

Share This

QLEAD Conference brings high school students from across Canada to hone their leadership skills

admin — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:43:19 +0000

QLEAD delegates and the conference’s executive in front of Goodes Hall

KINGSTON, Nov. 14, 2011— Queen’s Leadership, Excellence and Development (QLEAD) has concluded its twelfth annual conference, this year showing delegates what it means to “Own Your Path” and find success through choosing unique avenues.

QLEAD is a weekend-long conference that aims to excite and motivate high school students who are passionate about leadership and interested in its application in the business world. The conference, which attracted 120 delegates from Vancouver, Halifax and across Ontario, featured six prestigious speakers who demonstrated that entrepreneurship is not limited to a certain age group. As explained by QLEAD Logistics Coordinator Charlotte MacDonald, “Many students come to QLEAD thinking there is only one structured path to success. Several speakers were entrepreneurs who emphasized the option of developing your own path to success and happiness.” Notably, university student entrepreneur Dave Wilkin spoke of the importance collaboration and mentorship have played in the launch of his companies Redwood Strategic and CampusPerks.ca.

QLEAD was sponsored by Chubb Insurance, Scotiabank, and the CMA. To learn more about QLEAD, visit www.qlead.ca.

Share This