BIZCLUB VISITS FERRARI & MASERATI COLLECTIONS

Modena-bound, AUR Business Club members and guests boarded a bus for the ride to what turned out to be a fabulous field trip to three treasures of the Emilia-Romagna region: the Ferrari Museum, a private collection of Maserati’s and antique automobiles and motorcycles, and the “Hombre Hacienda”, a Parmigiano Reggiano production facility. First stop on Friday morning, April 18, was the Ferrari Museum, where a guide led the group through a two-hour hands-on overview of the history of this most Italian of brands. Original Ferraris from the beginning of the company’s history through last year’s Formula One racing winners are exhibited in five huge showrooms, along with memorabilia, films and artefacts such as founder Enzo Ferrari’s original office. It was exciting to have a chance to examine the engines and chassis of these incredible driving machines up close and personal. The group left with a good understanding of the history of the firm, the contributions it has made to the industry and to the sport of auto racing.

BizClub members, guests and Advisor Prof. Kathleen Fitzsimmons with the famous Ferrari “Cavallino”

After a stop at the Ferrari shop to pick up such fun items as Ferrari Cavallino Lambrusco, the bubbly red wine typical of the region, the group had lunch in a local pizzeria and headed to the Hombre Hacienda. The farm is owned by Benito Panini, one of the founders of the company that since the early 70’s has produced the Italian equivalent of baseball and other collectable cards, the Panini sticker collections. When he retired in the early 80’s, Mr. Panini founded an organic farm dedicated to the production of Parmigiano Reggiano. Modena is one of only five zones in Italy authorized to make this highly valued cheese. The Hombre Hacienda has 500 head of cattle, and makes 14 wheels of Parmigiano every day, with two milkings. Each wheel is valued at 500 euros, and spends two years aging in the temperature-controlled, robot-managed warehouse. Students got to observe the entire process, from milking (normally not open to the public), through cheese making to the process of the robot methodically going up and down the long aisles of 40 foot high shelves, turning each round of Parmigiano to ensure it ages properly. Grabbing their calculators, one group of students estimated there were 14000 rounds in the warehouse.

In addition to the cheese production, the Hacienda is home to a unique collection of automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles and other antiques. Mr. Panini’s passion is the Maserati, and a spectacular array of these sports cars are the stars of his collection, housed in a reproduction of the old Forlì train station. The building houses the actual fittings for the old train station, which was built during Mussolini’s time and have the symbol of the Fascist party (the “fasces” or rods and axe) emblazoned on the lamp posts. Students marvelled at the incredible array of vehicles, which includes not only the two dozen or so Maserati’s which date from the beginning of the company through the 1970’s but also an antique Cadillac limousine, a lilac colored La Salle roadster with rumble seat, a Lambretta prototype scooter, early Harley Davidson motorcycles, and a bicycle equipped with a carrying case for the “lupara” (shotgun), among dozens of other intriguing vehicles.
The Modena trip was just one of the activities organized by the BizClub this year, in line with the “service” aspect of its mission. The AUR Business Club was founded in 2003 and was the first student club at AUR. Its mission is threefold: service, functional and social. It serves the AUR community by managing the AUR merchandising business, which it launched in 2004. Its functional mission is fulfilled by sponsoring trips like this one to business locations and by inviting guest lecturers to address club members. And it provides a social networking connection for its members, who find in the BizClub a group of people with similar interests.
The Ferrari/Maserati/Parmigiano trip was declared a huge success and the Business Department with the help of the BizClub will offer an encore of the trip, for a wider audience of students, in the Fall semester.

 

Fullbright

The 2008 Strategic Management class (graduating seniors) with Italy Fulbright Commission Executive Director Dr. Maria Grazia Quieti (seated at right) and Business Studies Department Chair Prof. Kathleen Fitzsimmons.

Italy Fulbright Commission is "Client" for Strategic Management class

Graduating business majors are currently working on a consulting project for a "real world" client, the U.S.-Italy Fulbright Commission.  For the second year, Dr. Maria Grazia Quieti has agreed to act as client for the students in the Strategic Management class, the capstone course in the Business program.  While last year the focus of the project was a competitive review and positioning strategy recommendation, this year's mandate, delivered to the group on April 11 by Dr. Quieti during a meeting at Fulbright headquarters in Rome, is to formulate a communications strategy for the Commission's primary communications medium: its website. 

The class will work in teams to formulate a web strategy and design the structure of a site that must meet the needs of the diverse stakeholders of the Commission.  Like all non-profit organizations, the Commission must communicate effectively with a wide array of publics, including university students (prospective Fulbright scholarship applicants), University staffs and faculties, the US and Italian advisory boards and respective ministries, the Commission's Board of Trustees, Fulbright alumni (former Fulbright grant recipients) and the media. 

It will be a challenge for our seniors!  The teams will present their recommendations on April 24.  Class members, Fulbright staff and AUR Business faculty will vote for the best Fulbright Web Communication presentation.

Photograph: The 2008 Strategic Management class (graduating seniors) with U.S.-Italy Fulbright Commission Executive Director Dr. Maria Grazia Quieti (seated at right) and Business Studies Department Chair Prof. Kathleen Fitzsimmons.

 

BizClub head to Ferrari

The AUR Business Club, in line with the “service” aspect of its mission, is organizing a Business Department field trip to the production facilities of two of Italy’s most famous automakers: Ferrari and Maserati, in the Modena area. Club officers have set up tours for 40 participants at the two factories, where students will meet company managers and get an overview of the history of the firm, the contributions it has made to the industry and, especially in the case of Ferrari, to the sport of auto racing.

The Business Department is covering the transportation costs and participants will pay 65 euros, which includes the entry fees, the guide and the hotel. The bus will leave AUR on Thursday April 17 at 6:45, to return on Friday evening April 18. Students can sign up in Student Life or with BizClub President John Persico.

The AUR Business Club was founded in 2003 and was the first student club at AUR. Its mission is threefold: service, functional and social. It serves the AUR community by managing the AUR merchandising business, which it launched in 2004. Its functional mission is fulfilled by sponsoring trips like this one to business locations and by inviting guest lecturers to address club members. And it provides a social networking connection for its members, who find in the BizClub a group of people with similar interests.

 

Supporting Jenewodie School in Liberia: a Marketing for-non profit class project

Professor Signorini’s marketing for non-profit class is working to raise money for Jenewondie School in Liberia. Liberia is trying to rebuild their communities and peoples’ spirits after decades of civil war. And the Jenewondie School is trying to do their part with this effort by providing students with a guaranteed meal program. With this program students are guaranteed a lunch and girls, in an effort to promote education among women, are guaranteed food rations to take home as long as they come to school.

Jenewondie receives money to provide these meals through the United Nation's World Food Program. However, a criterion for the WFP is that the school provides shelter for students to eat their meals under. Jenewondie does not have this shelter. The Jenewondie School is looking to us for support. In addition to not having an eating facility Jenewondie does not have a library to accommodate the growing number of children seeking an education.

Please help us to raise money for their shelter and library through events taking place this month.

April 14 Rock Concert, Alpheus (in Testaccio), 9PM-12AM
• Live bands
• Free to get in
April 14-16 Waffle Week, AUR Courtyard
• Hot, fresh waffles
• Toppings of your choice
April 22 Drink Social, Aperitivo (near Piazza Navona)
• Take a break to socialize with friends over food and drinks
April 23 Art Auction, Lettere Café (in Trastevere), 6PM-9PM
• AUR student artwork
• Art ranging from canvas paintings to photographs
• Food and drinks served

Help build a place for knowledge to grow!. For more information on the fundraising events being held contact Professor Signorini at a.signorini@aur.edu and look for flyers posted around campus.

After its valuable help for the Ghana project, MIB Flags chose also to support our project in Liberia. Established in Italy in 1936, MIB Flags is an internationally-recognized producer of high quality flags for official and unofficial purposes. MIB provides not only financial support for the school in Liberia, but also designs posters and flags for our events.
Again, if you need a flag, you know where to look for it…

The Business Studies Department invites you to the next guest lecture in our

Business Leader Series

How to Create a Great Advertising Campaign
Joseph Fratangelo, Product Manager, ANSA
(Italy’s leading news agency)

Mr. Fratangelo oversees the advertising for the Local Public Administration and International Market, and is a former Assistant Account Manager for Armando Testa, the leading Italian advertising agency.

Auriana Auditorium, 6:30 pm, Wednesday April 2.

My experience in Sicily
By Anastasia Victoria Safarian

Traveling has been my passion ever since I took my first trip to Prague. Organizing trips and being a tourist for a weekend is fascinating, adventurous and something that enables me to actually learn. At the moment, I am a senior at The American University of Rome and fortunate enough to have a school that not only teaches from the textbook but also takes time to show how things work in the real world. During the weekend of February 21 - 24, 2008 the Business Studies Department organized a field trip to Sicily. 40 students, 4 professors and a special guest boarded the airplane from Rome to Catania and embarked on the journey of what soon turned into one unforgettable weekend.

The airplane landed in Catania around 9:30PM and after arriving safely at the hotel and that only one student having lost her luggage, many students went to bed but few decided to explore the city at night in search for food. The Best Western hotel, where we stayed, was a five-minute walk from the center and allowed everyone easy access to the night life of Catania. We had been warned about the petty crime that occurs on the streets of Sicily. Nonetheless, walking on the streets of Catania at 11:00PM at night felt safe. The main street was full of life and even sketchy people seemed friendly. Looking for a place to eat was challenging; it took us about ten minutes to find a restaurant. After dinner we also visited a typical Italian wine bar. We returned to the hotel around 2:00am to get some sleep before starting a day that Professor Patania had planned with a very tight schedule.

The wake up call at 7:00am was not something I wanted to hear. After grabbing breakfast downstairs at the generous buffet I followed the crowd to the bus. Our first destination was the Condorelli candy factory. Chocolate at 9:00am in the morning was reasonably OK with me. The bus ride was not long, but we did manage to make few occasional stops. Streets of the little towns we passed through were very narrow and it was often tough for the bus to get around those who had not done a proper parking job! As soon as we arrived at the factory we were all handed a white hair net which we had to put on in order to enter the main factory room. Even before we entered the room I could smell the chocolate. There was chocolate everywhere, pipes full of chocolate running through the factory. The entire process of making it takes about 45 minutes. It felt like Christmas again especially when at the end of the tour we got a present, in the form of the box full of Torroncini.

The Torrisi coffee roasted plant company was next on the list. We were personally greeted by the senior Mr. Torrisi himself. After sharing his life story with us, he invited us to taste the best quality coffee he produces. Out of all the businesses we visited during the weekend, this was by far most memorable visit for me. I think it was Mr. Torrisi's hospitality and his humble character that left the biggest impression on me. Diamante is the name of the top quality Torrisi coffee and to be honest I am not a big espresso drinker, but I must say I did enjoy the taste of Diamante. The coffee beans are cooked at 240º Celcius. The Diamante blend is about 75 percent of Arabic coffee and 25 percent of Robust coffee. Mr. Torrisi is proud of what he does and one of the possessions about which he is most proud is a poster created by his son. When you first glance at the poster you only notice skyscrapers of New York City and Torrisi written at the top. However, looking closely one will notice that every skyscraper is a different package of Torrise coffee and the poster itself was designed by hand and photographed against a panel of an old Torrisi truck. It's impressive.

The rest of the trip aced along in two more packed days. From there was a chilly tour of the harbor of August, on a Coast Guard tug boat, a tour of the City Hall of Catania, visit to the Colleroni orange plantation and packing plant, and the Buccheri oil-production plant, and a lovely afternoon in the little town of Siracusa. Everything seemed to be moving at a super fast speed as if we were racing to the finish line. My memories are like photographs of borrowing a jar of marmalade, eating a lot of oranges, picking oranges and lemons, riding on a boat around the harbor, tasting olive oil, enjoying exquisite Sicilian food and dashing through around Siracusa in Professor Patania’s wake, in the search of the City Hall. Overall, I enjoyed the fact that we were able to see so much, but I do wish we had more time to really grasp and comprehend what we are seeing. Sunday was mor erelaxing, as we spent time sledding on at Mount Etna and lunching in Taormina. It was my second time in two years that I have seen snow, and being able to slide down the hill and have a snowball fight with a bunch of young children was very entertaining. The beauty of the Taormina on the other hand is indescribable. The view of the sea and the quaint streets were relaxing. It was nice not to have to rush; I felt for once I was truly enjoying this trip.

Getting back on the bus to leave for the airport was heartbreaking. I felt like a little kid who was given a toy to play with and as soon as I started to enjoy it, it was taken away from me. While some parts of the trip were overwhelming, overall the Business Field trip was memorable, enjoyable and educational. If I could have added one stop to this trip, it would be an excursion to the crater on the Mount Etna. It's a world wonder and I wish we could have seen it. As I boarded the airplane back to Rome, those photograph- memories kept running through my head: all the boys marching off the bus to physically lift a car to move it off the road so the bus could pass, smuggling cannoli filling through security at the airport, entertaining bus rides, eating too many oranges, and running around little cities of Sicily. These memories will stay with me forever. It wasn't just a business field trip to Sicily; it was a bonding experience of a life time.

 

 

 

Business Etiquette Seminar &
Dinner Party Goes into 5th Edition
By Daniela Fiorentino, AUR Resident Student

The AUR Business Club recently hosted the 5th Annual Business Etiquette Seminar and Holiday Dinner Party. Professor Kathleen Fitzsimmons graciously opened her home once again to BizClub members and to this year’s special guest lecturers, author and speaker Sharri Whiting and her husband, Ambassador Piero DeMasi, Italy’s first Ambassador to Namibia, and most recently, Ambassador to the Netherlands. Ms. Whiting has lived in various cities and countries and has written a wide array of feature, business and travel articles for American and Europe publications. She has also written for South African travel magazines and Internet magazines. This southern United States native is not new to AUR; she has been a frequent guest lecturer. Her many years of experience of traveling, entertaining and working with other cultures made her a wonderful speaker for the seminar.

Guest Speakers Author Sharri Whiting and Ambassador Piero DeMasi

The evening kicked off with a traditional aperitivo and was followed by the seminar lecture. The husband-and-wife team of Whiting and DeMasi led students through a discussion of issues pertaining to business etiquette such as attire, table manners, business cards, conversation topics, gift-giving suggestions, and general cultural tips pertaining to Italy. Certain rules might be considered common knowledge but many of the things learned were new to everyone. Even things that seem trivial such as when to arrive at a social event can differ from culture to culture. Students learned how to dress to impress without being ostentatious, how to properly introduce people, the best times to schedule meetings, the proper seating arrangements when planning a dinner party, topics to avoid in conversation, and differences in Italian and American approaches to networking. For example, in Italy, it is much more common to discuss something in person whereas in America, people are more likely to use the telephone when making business transactions. Despite where business is held, general courtesy and politeness should always be the order of the day.

The AUR BizClub

After the informative and interesting seminar, the participants and guests moved to the dinner room, where they got a chance to practice what had been preached at the seminar. The meal was a delicious and abundant holiday dinner prepared by Professor Fitzsimmons. Everyone reminisced of home as a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings unfolded. All in all, the evening was a wonderful opportunity not only to gain invaluable information but to socialize with fellow students and classmates as well. As midnight approached, the BizClub members - now not only well fed but more elegant, refined, polished, polite, charming and well-rounded than before - hopped into the waiting bus and headed back to Rome. The students are looking forward to putting into practice the tips they learned and the skills they had honed, now confident of making a bella figura when entering the business world.

 

The AUR BizClub begins its fifth year with a donation to the next “smart classroom"

It is a BizClub tradition that at the end of each academic year its members re-invest a portion of the proceeds generated by the AUR Merchandising Business, which the Club manages with the generous authorization of the University. As the Club Gift to AUR for the 2006/7 academic year, students have chosen to donate €2,090 euros to AUR, to finance the next "smart classroom". These funds are being used by the IT department to purchase the relative equipment:

• mixer system and speakers
• high resolution projector with ceiling mount
• DVD/VCR combo
• additional video card for pc

The equipment will be installed in Room B-105 over the winter break, and will be ready for use at the beginning of the Spring 2008 Semester.

 

After graduation (When an alumnus speaks)
By Anastasia Safarian, Class of 2008

Each year graduates all over the world are faced with the thought of what to do after graduation. The obvious answer of course is to find a job; however, the most important question that everyone is trying to answer is what career path to pursue. On Wednesday, September 26, 2007, the Business Studies Department invited Sean Becker, a 1993 AUR alumnus, to share his work experience with AUR students. Mr. Becker works as an Account Director at JWT in Rome, a part of JWT global advertising agency, and he shared his insights with a presentation titled, “Managing Chaos: The Life of an Account Exec.”

Step by step, Sean took everyone through his presentation about his ‘pitch’, as well as his success story of the advertising campaign that he developed for Monte Dei Paschi Di Siena, the world’s oldest bank. He described what he does as being the heart of the advertising agency: the planning department being the science and creative department being the magic behind the closed doors of any advertising agency. His presentation did not require students to have an extensive knowledge in advertising, but without a doubt provided them with profound insight about advertising firms and how advertisements come to life. Leaving the auditorium that night, all students were chatting about Mr. Becker’s presentation and his advice, “Don’t take rejection as a failure” that will probably help every one of them find their path to success in the near future.

________________________________

BizClub Elects New Officers

At its traditional year-end BBQ, the AUR Business Club elected new officers to lead the organization into the next academic year. The BizClub was launched in 2003 and is the largest student organization on campus, with 23 registered members. In addition, outgoing officers reviewed the Club’s accomplishments over the past year and celebrated the incredible impact the Club has had on student life at AUR. Outgoing co-Presidents Jaden Rocco and Mike Park reported the major initiatives of the year, which included :
1) financial support for the student team that represented AUR at the Harvard Model UN session in February and for the fundraising project mounted by the students in the Non-Profit Marketing course in support of the Cape Coast School for the Deaf in Ghana,
2) organization of the first annual AUR “Spirit Day”,
3) the third-annual Business Etiquette Seminar and Dinner Party at Christmas,
4) two field trips to the New Expo Center of Rome while it was under construction, with the guidance of Prof. Silvano Susi, a leader in the Lazio construction industry,
5) special lectures during the year on issues related to European Union development, careers in financial services and investment banking, and project management in Italy,
6) hosting of the joint AUR/JCU Job Fair in April,
7) creation and publication of the third AUR DVD Yearbook,
8) ongoing management of the University’s merchandising business.
The Co-Presidents noted in particular the continuing popularity of the Club’s product line-up (AUR pen drives, souvenir kits and polo shirts were added this year to the traditional array of sweatshirts, T-shirts, sweatpants, etc).

Club Members thanked Rocco and Park (both Class of 07) for their dynamic leadership over the last year, which saw the Club’s membership double in size. They also recognized the leadership of outgoing Secretary/Publicity Chair Tony Sala (07), and outgoing Treasurer Giulia Rizza (07), as well as Operations Manager Mike Maury (08), who is going into his third year in this critical role. After socializing over burgers and hot dogs, members listened to speeches by the candidates for the 2007-08 BizClub Executive Board and cast ballots for new officers. Results were astounding, in that every single election was decided by a single vote. This is a testament to the depth of leadership and enthusiasm in the Club. New officers for AY 2007-8 are:
 President: John Persico, Class of 2008
 Vice President: Anastasia Safarian, Class of 2008
 Secretary/Publicity Chair: Sofia dos Santos, Class of 2009
 Treasurer: Steven Segar, Class of 2010
Nino Zozzaro and Diego Sarchiapone were lauded for having run for office and pledged to lead committees or special projects in the new year.
Among the participants at the BBQ, which is now in its 4th edition, were a number of professors who have worked closely with the Club on a variety of projects over the last year. These include Profs. Clare Iscra, Aldo Patania, David Pollon, Alessandro Signorini and Bob Sonnabend, as well as Club Advisor and Business Studies Department Chair Kathleen Fitzsimmons. One of the Club traditions that is consummated at the year-end BBQ is the taking of the official Club photo. The official 2006-07 BizClub Photo appears with this article.

The Italian Fulbright Commission acts as client for
Strategic Management Class at AUR

Students in the Strategic Management (SM) class at AUR gained a practical experience in applying skills and concepts learned in class to the Italian Fulbright Commission here in Rome. The Italian Fulbright Commission is a binational organization that promotes cultural and educational exchange between the U.S. and Italy and is funded by both the Italian and U.S. governments.

We bring the business community into the classroom and take the study of business out into the world! Each semester corporate leaders from Italy and the United States are invited to participate in Business Roundtable discussions and events such as AUR's Business Speaker Series. The Business Studies curriculum is enriched by seminars that allow student interaction with executives from international companies such as Nestlé, Swatch, and CNN. Last year the AUR Business Club teamed with The American International Club of Rome to sponsor occasions like the International Business Fair where students worked side by side with local entrepreneurs and managers from the United Nations and the American Embassy in Rome. All Business Studies Events are open to the public. Come join us!