Gochnauer inspires at Business Week final event
In front of a full Weidner Center stage, Richard Gochnauer provided inspirational advice to a Business Week dinner crowd that included University of Wisconsin-Green Bay students, faculty, staff and alumni, and the many regional business executives who support UWGB’s annual Business Week events.
Gochnauer, retired (2011) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of United Stationers, Deerfield, Ill., presented the keynote address at UWGB’s Business Week Keynote Networking Dinner, March 31.
His advice? 1. Choose to work at a place that values family and culture. Gochnauer said working for Schreiber Cheese CEO Bob Bush fresh out of Harvard graduate school, when he could have started elsewhere in a more prestigious opportunity and at a higher salary, was the best decision of his career. 2. Learn business from the bottom-up. Managers should start “on the floor” and understand the mechanics and dynamics of a company. 3. The performance of the team members, and their ability to communicate and problem solve, will lead to success. 4. Work for a purpose-driven organization. Give a team a purpose, and it will succeed.
Also that evening, longtime UWGB lecturer and one of the key founders and organizers of UWGB Business Week, Larry McGregor, was honored for his dedication and commitment to the annual event. “Larry, you are the only person here that probably knows every single person in this room,” commented emcee Tim Weyenberg, Cofrin School of Business Executive in Residence.
Click to advance slideshow or view the album on Flickr.
– Photos by Dan Moore, Marketing and University Communication
A number of students were recognized at the event hosted by the Austin E. Cofrin School of Business and UWGB Career Services:
Elevator Pitch Competition:
- Mallory Woloszyk, First Place
- Amanda Haessly, Second Place
- Casey Aschliman, Third Place
- Jack Ambrosius, Third Place
Receiving Phoenix Trader of the Year recognition:
- Ben Lindberg, First Place
- Bryan Boeck, Second Place
- Sam Manders, Third Place
Recognized Scholarship Recipients:
Trevor Olsen plans to graduate in May of 2018 with an Accounting degree. Trevor has actively served the UWGB campus community as a supervisor for A’viands and served his community while earning his Eagle Scout Award. He also served as a missionary for his church in Hungary for two years and was responsible for leading, training, and supporting a team of other missionaries. Trevor is currently a finance and accounting intern at Schreiber Foods and plans to become a CPA. He hopes to continue his education with an MBA degree and to one day become a Chief Financial Officer for a corporation.
Kyle Marshall plans to graduate in May of 2017 with degrees in Accounting and Business Administration, focusing on both finance and management. He is active in the Cofrin School of Business serving as the current treasurer for the Student Finance Association. He was a recent member of the Entrepreneurship Professor Recruitment Committee, which helped the School of Business interview and hire a new faculty member. Kyle will present findings of a student research project at the Posters in the Rotunda event in Madison this spring. He is also a member of the Phoenix Nordic Ski team. Kyle has accepted a summer internship at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Minneapolis as an assurance intern.
Natalie Eckstein plans to graduate in May of 2017 with a Business Administration degree and emphases in both human resources and marketing. She is a member of UW-Green Bay’s cheer team and participates in various community events throughout Green Bay, focusing on the development and mentorship of young children and teens. With an interest in human resources and air transportation, Natalie aspires to work as a human resources manager for a major airline. She is focused on employee development and has an interest in working outside the United States as a way to expand her own experiences.
In its sixth year, Business Week has proven valuable to both business leaders and students in the Austin E. Cofrin School of Business. Students are able to add to their classroom learning by participating in a variety of events, all of which include community business leaders. Events leading up to the keynote, such as the Learning to Dine Like a Professional Etiquette Lunch and Mock Interview Day help students develop the interpersonal and professional acumen expected of business professionals. The Job and Internship Fair and Elevator Pitch Competition & Networking Night give students the opportunity to stand out from the crowd and become more than a name on a resume. The event is sponsored by UWGB’s Austin E. Cofrin School of Business and the Office of Career Services and supported by many community businesses and organizations.
For more on Business Week coverage, see A busy start to Business Week 2016.
