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Spring 2008 Past Events Recap
Topic: Business and Social Etiquette Workshop
Date: Saturday, April 19
Professionalism today goes beyond firm handshakes, eye contact, and thank-you notes. Join Ms. Nancy Mitchell, a protocol expert, for a 2-hour business etiquette seminar followed by a 1-1/2 hour dining etiquette workshop to polish your etiquette and protocol skills in order to build strong and effective business relationships and represent yourself and your organization with poise and confidence. This workshop will also provide an in-depth look at the etiquette and protocol of specific areas of the world. By examining and understanding the customs and courtesies of various regions of the world, you will prevent embarrassments, distractions and insults that may affect your relationship with foreign visitors or clients.
The speaker, Nancy Mitchell, is an established protocol and etiquette consultant and advisor with more than 25 years of experience in the field. Currently, she is an adjunct faculty member at The George Washington University, Washington, D.C., where she developed and teaches protocol courses in the School of Business and Public Management's Event Management Certificate Program. Ms. Mitchell also serves as the protocol and special events consultant to the Library of Congress.
Topic: Hands on D.C.
Date: Saturday, April 26
Please join AMA volunteers for Hands on DC, organized by the MBA Association, an annual citywide work-a-thon to improve the condition of DC public schools. Donations are tax deductible and will go towards scholarships for inner city public schools for DC students who would otherwise not be able to afford to go to college. This is a great opportunity for GW to be part of a great cause in the community.
Topic: "Preparing for the Big Leap: Full-Time Student to Full-Time Employee"
Date: Tuesday, February 19th
On February 19, the GW AMA brought back a few of the members of the class of 2007 to speak with current students about their transition to post-graduation. In a program entitled, “Preparing for the Big Leap: Full-Time Student to Full-Time Employee,” four recent grads, Kevin Anderson, Amy Ganderson, Keiko Fukasawa, and Nancy Krikawa spoke about their current positions and answered questions ranging from their specific day-to-day responsibilities to advice for students.The recent grads represented companies in the DC Metropolitan area including AOL, Discovery, Choice Hotels, and McKinley Marketing. Although the grads constituted varying marketing fields, students from various backgrounds attended. The speakers went over information regarding how they were able to get their full-time jobs and internships, and what skills they felt were valuable for the workforce.
Topic: “Burt's Bees: Marketing Corporate Social Responsibility, Responsibly”
Date: Friday, February 29th
Over 70 students from various schools, disciplines, and backgrounds gathered on February 29 to hear from Paula Alexander, the U.S. Director of Marketing for Burt’s Bees to the GWU School of Business.
Burt’s Bees’ business model is based on “The Greater Good”, a leadership philosophy that encompasses everything that makes the company’s products special. This core value has made Burt’s Bees the leading natural personal care brand with over $250 million in retail sales and current growth rates of over 60%. Alexander leads the Body, Sun, Baby, Lip and Face Care Categories managing marketing communications and strategy and new product development.
In the event, sponsored by American Marketing Association and Net Impact, Alexander discussed the business model in conjunction with the importance of “Marketing Corporate Social Responsibility, Responsibly”, focusing on Burt’s Bees efforts to set an industry standard for the definition of “natural” products. This responsibility also includes being honest with consumers and making concerted efforts to educate them on ingredients and production processes that are harmful for them and the environment.
Alexander began her career in brand management at Unilever where she spent eight years, managing the $600 million Dove Personal Wash business. She was part of the launch effort for Dove Calming Night as well as the turnaround of the Dove Face Care Business returning it to profitability.
Topic: “Brandonomics”: Why Branding is so hot!
Date: Tuesday, March 4th
Why branding is so hot and what makes a brand powerful? A speaker event, entitled “Brandonomics” featured Pecanne Eby, the founder of Brand Mentoring. The event, held on March 4, 2008 was sponsored by the American Marketing Association. Pecanne is a former adjunct professor of George Washington University and comes with over 20 years of experience in the marketing industry. She has successfully developed, launched, revitalized and re-branded various organizations and products in the private, public and non-profit sectors.
In this interactive event, Pecanne discussed the fundamentals of branding, the importance of brands, how to establish one, and why it is important to be first to market. She also gave us an idea of the brand equity of the best known brands, with Coca Cola topping the list at $65 billion. The event also focused on the difference between branding services – a sector that dominates the Washington D.C. area – including non-profit organizations, sports teams, and technology services at various organizations.
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