In the News...
The Business of a Stronger Economy, March 2009
Teaming Up with Regional Businesses for Enhanced Economic Development, November 18, 2008
COBA/ECGC Help with New UT Office of Quality and Continuous Learning, December 11, 2006
UT ECGC assists organizations and businesses, Toledo Business Journal, December 2006
Center offers customized training, Toledo Free Press, November 8, 2006
Events of Note
The University of Toledo's College of Business Department of Marketing offered a unique and timely special program on Internet Marketing for Toledo area businesses. In one information-packed morning, participants gained critical insight into the successful use of today's powerful Internet marketing tools and techniques, including search engine optimization, email campaigns, social networks and more. Instructors included Internet marketing experts, including an executive from Google.
Women's Leadership Forum held on September 22, 2009
The Women's Leadership Forum luncheon turned out to be a smashing success! Over 300 women professionals attended this one of a kind event. This select event was designed specifically for an exchange of ideas for Women Leaders, with Key Note Speaker, Rebecca Shambaugh, President and CEO of Shambaugh Leadership. Ms. Shambaugh is a leadership strategist and an author of "It's Not A Glass Ceiling, It's A Sticky Floor."
This highly interactive and informative forum delivered an exciting dialogue about a spectrum of leadership issues and business challenges affecting women in the global marketplace. Ms. Shambaugh and a panel of respected and successful women leaders from area organizations led the participants in a spirited discussion on ways of avoiding or getting beyond the sticky floors. The panel included Dr. Christa Adams, President of Owens Community College, Ms. Marianne Ballas, Dealer Principal of Ballas Buick GMC, Ms. Carol F. Campbell, Vice President of Human Resources for First Solar, and Ms. Barbara Steele, Regional President of the ProMedica Health System. Feedback from participants has been outstanding.
Many thanks are due to the partnering UT Centers, area businesses and organizations who collaborated on this exciting event. We look forward to offering more of these types of forums in the future. Check back with us for updates!
Doing Business in Asia Breakfast Forum held on June 4, 2008
The Executive Center for Global Competitiveness sponsored a Doing Business in Asia breakfast forum in collaboration with the Center for Family Business, the International Business Institute and the Office of Global Initiatives. The breakfast was held on Wednesday, June 4, 2008, at the Toledo Club. The forum gave executives an opportunity to hear several presentations on doing business in Asia by local companies, as well as by a non-local presenter. They shared a variety of helpful information and individual experiences, with time set aside for networking and for a question and answer session. The presenters included: Mr. John Asher, CEO, US-China Business Solutions, Washington, DC - Doing Business in China; Mr. Tony Damon, CEO, SSOE, Inc. - Doing Business in China: A Professional Services Perspective; and Ms. Carol Campbell, Sr. VP HR, First Solar - Doing Business in Malaysia: A Manufacturing Perspective. If you were unable to attend this event but are interested in future forums, please contact the ECGC by calling (419) 724-2592 and we will add you to our invitation list.
Inaugural Sales Symposium was Offered by ESSPS on May 9, 2008
The Edward H. Schmidt School of Professional Sales offered its Inaugural Sales Symposium on Friday, May 9, 2008. The agenda for the symposium featured three Speakers and Sales Experts: Mr. Greg Knudson, President, GHK Sales Consulting, LLC, Miller Heiman Consulting Partner, and VP, Technology Development, Regional Growth Partnership; Mr. Howard Stevens, Chairman and CEO, The HR Chally Group; and Mr. Dave Kahle, President, DaCo Corporation. Mr. Knudson presented the Conceptual Selling Refresher, Mr. Stevens discussed The New Sales Professional: The First and Only Customer-Defined Portrait of Sales Excellence, and Mr. Kahle led the session on Mastering the Challenges of Selling Effectively in the 21st Century Economy.
If you wish to attend next year's symposium or receive information on the topics of presentation, visit www.sales.utoledo.edu or call 419-530-4604.
NW Ohio Architecture, Engineering and Construction Industry Cluster Update
During its ten months in existence, the first Architecture/Engineering/Construction Industry Cluster in the NW Ohio area has made impressive progress in achieving its organizational and operational objectives. Every month since last November, the AEC has met on The University of Toledo Health Science Campus in order to define its operating guidelines and processes for pursuing shared opportunities, and to further refine the collaborative strategies of its members. 
Through their last meeting in September 2007, the AEC participants worked together on the logistics of their Association's formation with the objective that, as members of the AEC, they will be able to ultimately influence relevant issues affecting their industry locally and globally. Plans under development include the establishment of a formal organizational structure and membership criteria, the collaborative branding & marketing strategies of the Association, future joint projects, talent pipeline and growth, and winning support from local government agencies, educational institutions and economic development organizations. Among successes to date is the anticipated support that was offered in various forms, i.e. grant funds, administrative assistance, research and organizational support, educational, recruitment and talent support. The AEC Industry Cluster will continue with its incremental formation and implementation as it progresses to formal association status as a vital contributor of the industry and local community.
How to Build Company Wide Accountability Seminar: June 29, 2007
An executive workshop, designed specifically for Presidents, CEOs and Business Owners entitled How to Build Company Wide Accountability, was held in our Board Room on June 29, 2007. The workshop was offered by Six Disciplines Leadership Center of NW Ohio in collaboration with the Executive Center for Global Competitiveness.
Administrative Professionals' Day Celebration: April 25, 2007
A unique celebration took place on April 25, 2007, in the MUO Foundation Building. The program, entitled Working with People in Today’s Changing Environment, was specifically customized and presented by Dr. Jack Simonetti to celebrate and motivate the invited administrative professionals. The invitation-only audience represented some of the preferred partnering organizations of the event’s sponsors. The sponsors of the gratis program included Supplemental Staffing as the main sponsor, with The Employers’ Association, UT’s Center for Family Business and UT’s Executive Center for Global Competitiveness as the co-sponsors.
Participants’ feedback was extremely positive. The general consensus was that “the energy and passion of the facilitator” made the program “informative, upbeat” as well as “fast-paced, entertaining,” and “motivational.” Many participants’ comments indicated that the highly interactive, educational, “relevant to every day” program and the “enthusiastic, great speaker” inspired them to improve their approaches to communicating and working with other people.
ECGC to Host First Executive Summit for the Toledo Area Architecture, Engineering and Construction Industry
On November 17, 2006, the Executive Center for Global Competitiveness will be hosting its First Executive Summit for the Architecture/Engineering/Construction Industry for CEOs in the Toledo area. The main issues to be discussed during the meeting will be Attracting and Retaining Talent, Growing Your Business – Opportunities for Collaboration, and Health Care Costs. Mr. Pete Douglas, President of The Douglas Company, will facilitate the breakfast meeting, which will be by invitation only. The ECGC is already planning future Industry Cluster breakfasts for other markets, including the Health Care and Retail sectors. Successful outcomes will be posted!
SSOE Getting Results
Dr. Thomas G. Gutteridge, Dean of the College of Business Administration, was pleased to have COBA host a two-day leadership development session at Stranahan for 30 employees of SSOE, Inc., an award-winning architectural and engineering company founded in 1948 and headquartered in Toledo.
Campbell Soup Participates in LEAN-Six Sigma Training
Campbell Soup brings employees from numerous global locations to attend training offered by ECGC.
Public-Enrollment Courses are Now Available in Project Management and PHRM
The ECGC is pleased to offer its Fall 2006-Winter 2007 public-enrollment courses in the areas of Project Management and Human Resource Management.
Lieutenant Governor Bruce Johnson Announces Ohio Certified Business Advisor Program Partnership
Lieutenant Governor Bruce Johnson today (April 4, 2006) announced that the University of Toledo College of Business Administration (COBA) will administer the state’s Certified Business Advisor® (CBA) program, which is available through the Small Business Development Centers of Ohio (SBDC).
Keynote Address for Libbey Corporate Event
The Executive Center for Global Competitiveness was pleased to have Dr. Clinton Longenecker, Professor of Management at COBA, participate in Libbey’s Corporate Meeting held at the Dana Center auditorium on February 22, 2006.
COBA Awards Six Sigma Green Belt Certifications to Campbell's Employees
On February 17, 2006, Thomas Gutteridge, Dean of the College of Business Administration, and Carrie Herr, Director of the Executive Center for Global Competitiveness, attended a Six Sigma Green Belt Project Presentation and graduation ceremony at Campbell’s Soup Supply Company in Napoleon, Ohio.