EMBA Grads Grab a 'Once in a Lifetime' Chance to Show Their Gratitude By Helen Bond Alumni of UTD's Executive MBA Program know all about seizing opportunity. Their success, they say, is in part due to the advantages that came with the UTD degree. Now many UTD EMBA alums are seizing the opportunity presented by The School of Management's Building for the Future Fund to give back to the school. Thanks in part to generous donations by such alums as Rufus Green, M.D. (EMBA '96), Ann K. Utley (EMBA '97) through the Utley Family Foundation, and David Holmberg (EMBA '00), the new SOM building is becoming a reality that will offer new opportunities to future students and the surrounding community. The three EMBA alums have made their donations as part of a fundraising campaign that challenges each of the seven EMBA graduating classes to raise at least $25,000, the minimum amount to name a classroom in the school's new 204,000-square-foot building due to be completed by August. So far, four of the seven classes are within $10,000 of reaching their goal. The campaign has had a good beginning, according to Dr. Diane Seay McNulty, SOM associate dean for external affairs and corporate development, who is coordinating the fundraising effort. "We're off to a good start, especially with the major gifts that have come in, such as those from Rufus Green, Ann Utley and David Holmberg. But, we still have a ways to go. The goal is to have as many people as possible participate by donating in the campaign. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the EMBA classes to give back to the school in such a major way," Dean McNulty says. Dr. Rufus Green Dr. Rufus Green's motivation to give back to the school comes from a "sense of responsibility and duty." A retired Air Force colonel, Dr. Green was the first physician to graduate from the EMBA Program. Now enjoying his second career, he believes "we should all give back to our communities, which have given so much to us." "UTD is a vital part of the community," says Dr. Green, who was a 2002 Distinguished Alumnus. "The future of this community and country depends on the continuing education of our citizens. Education ensures our survival and enhances our quality of life. The university does an outstanding job in educating us." A graduate of the University of Southern California School of Medicine in Los Angeles, his initial experience as a physician-manager came while on active duty with the United States Air Force. Dr. Green leveraged his knowledge gained at UTD to adapt to the evolution of managed care in healthcare. His degree gave him the skills to run his medical practice as a business, he says. Dr. Green now works to pass on that knowledge to others. He helped create and serves on the advisory council for the Alliance for Medical Management Education (AMME) Program, a master's degree curriculum that The School of Management offers in partnership with The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. The program provides physicians with basic business knowledge not taught in medical school. Dr. Green encourages his fellow alumni to give of their talents in whatever way they can. "All of us (graduates) should support the university through time, talent or financial assistance," says Dr. Green. "I wish that I had the skills and time to come and lay a few bricks or paint a building." The Utleys Since the early 1980s when Bob Utley built a much-needed campus housing development, the Utley family has enjoyed strong ties to UTD. Ann K. Utley, an SOM Distinguished Alumnus in 2000, earned her Executive MBA in 1997; son Brian is also a UTD graduate. Their recent contribution, through the Utley Family Foundation, follows a significant financial commitment to the SOM's Building for the Future Fund. "I believe in what the school stands for," says Ms. Utley. "It is absolutely essential for Dallas and the surrounding area to have a state institution that is excellent and offers high-caliber opportunities far into the future." Ms. Utley considers her "invigorating" time at UTD and the EMBA Program's fortuitous focus on change management as "one of the best experiences of my life." She brings all her educational and life experiences to bear as chief executive officer of TextOrder.com, an online procurement and inventory management system for textbooks and instructional materials for school districts and state governments. A Texas native, Ms. Utley not only donates her financial resources but also gives her time to promote the family's passionate commitment to education and mental health. At UTD, she is a member of the SOM Advisory Council and the University Development Board. She served seven years as the chairwoman of the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation (MHMR), appointed by Governors Ann Richards and George W. Bush. She is an analyst for Utley Group, a private equity firm, and is the owner and financial manager for Salado Galleries, which specializes in art, gifts and antiques. "We leave a legacy that is one of appreciation," says Ms. Utley. "In giving of our time and talents to the university, we [alumni] strengthen selfishly that degree that we were so fortunate to receive." David Holmberg David Holmberg went after his EMBA to get "a leg up on the competition." It turned out to be his best career move, he says. When Mr. Holmberg began his studies, the economy was in the middle of the Internet boom, and most businesses were flying high. By the time he graduated in May 2000, the economy had become more challenging for everyone. His degree led to a turnaround opportunity to help a company in need of a new focus. "The EMBA Program helped me understand and affirm my existing skills and enabled me to improve my analytical ability through various evaluation techniques," says Mr. Holmberg. "The heavy emphasis on case study provided a great model for dealing with most decisions we face at work today." At Zales Jewelers Canada, Mr. Holmberg used his skills to help rebuild Canada's leading retail jeweler. In April 2001, he joined Cole National Corporation, where, as president of Cole Licensed Brands, he is responsible for more than 1,200 stores in the United States and Canada, operating in host stores under the names Sears Optical, BJ's Wholesale Club Optical and Target Optical. His SOM donation was a gift of thanks for "giving me the opportunity to leverage my MBA degree into a greater role in my career." "Somewhere before us, other alumni and interested parties made the investment in creating UTD," says Mr. Holmberg. "Each of us has been affected by attending UTD in some shape or form, and by giving back, we are able to ensure the next generation of graduates will have an even better experience than we did. A strong program at UTD can only create greater job opportunities and make the Dallas area an economic engine that we can all leverage."