The University of Toledo

News & Events

In the News...

Global Perspective: Innovative Business Practices for Area Businesses, August 2010

The Business of a Stronger Economy, March 2009

Teaming Up with Regional Businesses for Enhanced Economic Development, November 18, 2008

COBI/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

Third Women's Leadership Forum - May 1, 2013

The Third Women’s Leadership Forum is scheduled for May 1, 2013.  We are very excited to share with you that this year’s keynote speaker will be Captain Shoshana S. Chatfield, former United States Navy Commander, Helicopter Sea Combat Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet.  During her presentation, "Soaring Your Way to New Leadership Heights," Captain Chatfield will address leadership challenges faced by women in today's complex world of work. Participants will take away a personal guide to developing a Self-Knowledge Action Plan. 

UT’s College of Business and Innovation and 13 esteemed community partners are the proud sponsors of this forum.  Sponsoring partners include:

• 2-Scale
• Ballas Buick GMC
• Black and White Transportation
• Buckeye CableSystem
• First Solar
• HCR ManorCare
• Huntington
• IET
• O-I
• ProMedica
• SSOE
• Tenneco
• The Blade

Please join us for this highly popular leadership event.  Past forums hosted approximately 250 business women leaders from throughout our region. If you wish to be a participant at this spring's forum, please fill out the linked registration form to reserve your seat.  If you have any questions about the forum, please call us at 419-530-2036.

Internet and Digital Marketing Certificate Program - March 15-April 26, 2013

COBI's Department of Marketing and International Business developed an up-to-date, market relevant and comprehensive certificate in Internet and Digital Marketing.  The program focuses on helping marketers build and sustain successful, integrated digital media marketing programs. Marketing professionals or aspiring marketers are encouraged to sign up for this certificate in order to update or acquire expertise in this area. Deadline for registrations is March 7, 2013.

4th Annual Internet Marketing Conference - October 2, 2012

The University of Toledo Department of Marketing & International Business is pleased to announce its Fourth Annual Internet Marketing Conference scheduled for October 2, 2012, from 8am to noon, at the Student Union.  The conference is intended to build upon and expand the knowledge areas addressed during past conferences and seminars conducted by the UT Interactive Marketing Initiative. Toledo-area businesses will be provided with critical insights into the successful use of today’s powerful Internet marketing tools and techniques.

The overwhelming success of prior UT IMI events has made it possible for us to attract a national-level keynote speaker and expand our traditional format. In addition to the two sequences of parallel sessions, the half-day event will feature a renowned speaker and author Joe Pulizzi. He will address the development of digital marketing strategies from the perspective of storytelling and content creation.

Other featured speakers include Jeff Rohrs, (ExactTarget), Jason Therrien, president of thunder::tech), and Kelley Hynds, President and Executive Producer, Hyndsight Productions). They will address the topics of Social Media Marketing Segmentation, Mobile Apps development, Using Video to Market Your Business, and Marketing Automation. Conference attendees will have an opportunity to connect and partner with several Internet marketing service providers and vendors who will be sharing their expertise in the Exhibition Hall during the conference. Continental breakfast and networking breaks will provide great networking opportunities among conference attendees and exhibitors. Group discounts are available.

For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Conference Coordinator Iryna Pentina via email at iryna.pentina@utoledo.edu or check out the following link for additional conference information:  http://www.utinternetmarketing.info/

Northwest Ohio Lean Six Sigma Collaboration Quarterly Meeting - April 18, 2012

As one of the founding members of the Northwest Ohio Lean Six Sigma Collaboration (LSS), ECGC would like to invite you to our quarterly meeting this month to discuss the Lean Six Sigma Organization Journey and Development.  The LSS was created to enhance the effectiveness of LSS users in the NWO area through the partnership of core groups from The University of Toledo, IET, Cooper Tire & Rubber, Marathon Petroleum, SSOE and St. Rita's Hospital.  Our quarterly meetings are open to LSS practitioners or those who are interested in process improvement methodology.  This month's meeting will be held on April 18, 2012, from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at St. Rita's Hospital in Lima, Ohio. Refreshments will be provided, with small donations appreciated.    

Compliance Risks Associated with Short-Term Business Travelers Roundtable - Feb. 3, 2012

Join us and other area professionals on Friday, February 3, 2012, for a free and very informative roundtable on Compliance Risks Associated with Short-Term Business Travelers.  The 2-hour program is brought to you by the Executive Center for Global Competitiveness and the Center for Family and Privately-Held Business. The facilitators of the roundtable will be Scott Pratt, Senior Manager, Ronald Laverty, Manager of Global Employer Services, and Doug Krizanic, Partner, of the Deloitte Tax LLP.  The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. with complimentary refreshments. The roundtable will be from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m., with an opportunity to earn CPE credits.

Many employers face challenges in identifying tax compliance and withholding obligations associated with short-term business travelers and assignees working in another tax jurisdiction. Identifying this population of employees within an organization and focusing on individual income tax and employer withholding tax considerations is a significant business imperative. This session focuses on international and US domestic business travelers, with some focus on Canada, and will provide you with information to approach these related challenges and reduce the risks of noncompliance.

Program Learning Objectives:

• Identify international and U.S. domestic individual income tax implications
• Identify employer withholding tax implications
• Understand corporate tax implications
• Understand the risks of noncompliance

While the event is free, registrations are required.  Please give us a call to register at 419-530-2036, or email us at eva.curtis@utoledo.edu.  We look forward to a lively and informative roundtable. 

8th Annual Executive Sales Summit - Moving Your Sales Organization to the Future - December 2, 2011

The 8th Annual Executive Sales Summit is scheduled for December 2, 2011, with the theme for the summit being Moving Your Sales Organization to the Future.  Please join us at the Student Union Ingman Room from 8am to 12:30pm and meet sales leaders who share a kinship and passion for sales. Learn from sharing challenges and best practices at this interactive half day summit that includes keynotes and panel discussions.  For sales executives only and by invitation.  Live and on-demand web cast available!

Information Flyer/Registration Details  and  Speaker Bios

Business Leaders Luncheon: Rapid Performance Improvement Presentation by Dr. Clint Longenecker - November 16, 2011

Please join us for a special, free Business Leaders luncheon meeting on November 16, 2011, at the Detroit Athletic Club.  The luncheon will be held from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.  At this powerful session, you will:

-Benefit from a special leadership presentation on Rapid Performance Improvement by Dr. Clint Longenecker, COBI Stranahan Professor of Leadership and Organizational Excellence, leading authority on rapid performance improvement, and a nationally acclaimed speaker.

-Learn how the College of Business and Innovation's new blended-model, family-friendly, Executive MBA program may be the perfect vehicle for you and/or your select management personnel to propel your business toward enhanced success in just 15 months.  UT's program is simply the best EMBA value in America!

-Discover the exciting resources available to your business at our new, state-of-the art Savage & Associates Complex for Business Learning and Engagement.

-Share your ideas on what the COBI can do for you.

-Enjoy a delicious lunch and networking with other regional business leaders.

This program is free, but registration is required.  To register, please email ECGC at ecgc@utoledo.edu or 419-530-2036.

 Third Annual Internet Marketing Conference - October 18, 2011

The University of Toledo Department of Marketing & International Business is pleased to announce its Third Annual Internet Marketing Conference scheduled for October 18, 2011, from 8am to noon, at the Student Union Auditorium.  The conference is intended to build upon and expand the knowledge areas addressed during past conferences and seminars conducted by the UT Interactive Marketing Initiative. Toledo-area businesses will be provided with critical insights into the successful use of today’s powerful Internet marketing tools and techniques.

The overwhelming success of prior UT IMI events has made it possible to attract a national-level keynote speaker and expand our traditional format. In addition to the two sequences of parallel sessions, the half-day event will feature a renowned speaker and author Christopher Penn. He will address the practical applications of social media and their strategic use by small and medium businesses.

For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Conference Coordinator Iryna Pentina via email at iryna.pentina@utoledo.edu or check out the following link for additional conference information:  http://www.utinternetmarketing.info/

Second Women's Leadership Forum - June 1, 2011

The Second Women’s Leadership Forum, held on June 1, 2011, was a resounding success!  Approximately 250 businesswomen leaders attended the forum, and based on their feedback, greatly enjoyed it.  This year’s keynote speaker was Dr. Holly Atkinson, Chief Medical Officer and Senior Medical Correspondent for HealthiNation, the leading consumer health video network. Dr. Atkinson addressed the health challenges faced by women in today’s Western lifestyle as they strive to achieve success in their professional and personal lives. As she insightfully explored women’s desires for food, love, work and pleasure, and the reasons why it’s so hard to satisfy them in our culture, her funny and inspirational presentation also tackled Freud’s famous, great question, “What does a woman want?”  UT’s College of Business and Innovation and esteemed community partners were the proud sponsors of the forum.  If you did not attend this year, but would like to be added to our contact list for future leadership programs, please call us at 419-530-2036.

Reinventing Your Company in a Challenging Economy - EMBA Luncheon

You are invited to attend a special presentation on "Reinventing Your Company in a Challenging Economy" by Dr. Sonny Ariss, Chair of the COBI Department of Management at The University of Toledo.  This timely and highly relevant presentation will be offered during our EMBA Luncheon scheduled for Thursday, May 12, 2011, from 11:30am to 1:30pm at the Findlay Inn and Conference Center.  At the luncheon, you will discover why UT's Executive MBA is the #1 value in America.  Please join us for a chance to network with other regional business leaders while enjoying a delicious lunch.  To register, please contact ECGS via email at ecgc@utoledo.edu or by calling 419-530-2036.  We look forward to meeting you on May 12th!

Second Annual Internet Marketing Conference to be Held on October 12, 2010

In order to help area business professionals effectively use the Internet to promote their products and services, The University of Toledo College of Business and Innovation Department of Marketing & International Business is presenting its Second Annual Internet Marketing Conferenceon Tuesday, October 12, 2010. 

Area industry experts will help participants understand and apply strategies in areas that can dramatically help their business. Topics and presenters include:

• Search Engine Optimization, by Traci Roberts, Fathom SEO
• Search Engine Marketing, by Mike Temple, Temple Development
• Web Analytics & ROI, by Carrie Bell, Google, Inc.
• Social Networks Marketing and Social Media Monitoring, by Tim Langhorst, ProMedica

An additional feature of this year’s Internet Marketing conference is the networking and learning opportunity. Participants can benefit from trade exhibitors who will share their expertise and services in the Exhibition Hall.   

The Internet Marketing Conference will be held in the new Savage & Associates Complex for Business Learning and Engagement (Stranahan Hall-North) on the UT main campus, from 7:30 – 11:45 a.m. To register, and for a detailed program description, visit http://utinternetmarketing.utoledo.edu.  Attendees of the conference will have access to convenient free parking, enjoy a continental breakfast, and have multiple networking opportunities. Group discounts are available. 

We thank this year's Presenting Sponsor of the conference - Toast. Net. For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Conference Coordinator Iryna Pentina via email at iryna.pentina@utoledo.edu.

2010 Interactive Workshop in Business Ethics for Human Resources Professionals

On April 2, 2010, the Business Ethics and Corporate Finance Program is sponsoring an Interactive Workshop in Business Ethics for Human Resources Professionals.  This free event will be held from 8 am to 11 am in the Savage & Associates Complex for Business Learning and Engagement, room 2100. The focus of this workshop will be the ethical dilemmas faced by professionals in human resource management.  Our 2010 Edwin Dodd Distinguished Lecturer on Business Ethics, Monica Dugan, Director of HR at SSOE, Inc., will give the keynote address. The address will be followed by a presentation by Dr. Fred Post on the use of the Inquiry Based Method of Ethical Decision Making.  The participants will have the chance to apply this information during the workshop in  a group exercise. Register today - seating is limited! Please contact Susan Welch at susan.welch@utoledo.edu or at (419) 530-2366.

Internet Marketing:  Applications, Opportunities and Challenges for Your Business was held on October 14, 2009

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.

Click here if you wish to view the program PowerPoint presentation.

-Welcoming Remarks, made by Dr. Tom Gutteridge, Dean, COBI
-Welcoming Remarks & Introduction, made by Bill Logie, VP, HR/Campus Safety
-Program Presentation, facilitated by Rebecca Shambaugh, President/CEO, Shambaugh Leadership

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.

NWOhio 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 and Innovation, was pleased to have COBI 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.

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 and Innovation (COBI) will administer the state’s Certified Business Advisor® (CBA) program, which is available through the Small Business Development Centers of Ohio (SBDC). 

COBI Awards Six Sigma Green Belt Certifications to Campbell's Employees

On February 17, 2006, Thomas Gutteridge, Dean of the College of Business and Innovation, 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.