The Business Week Experience

The Business Week Experience 2023

Celebrating 100 Years of Business Education at St. Mary’s University

La Quinta Keynote Lecture: The Future of Work, the Workforce and Workplaces: The Next Decade and Beyond — Amar Maletira, Chief Executive Officer, Rackspace Technology Introduction by Rowena Ortiz-Walters, Ph.D., Dean, Greehey School of Business
Societal Impact Session: The Increasing Importance of Doing Good for the Future Workforce and Workplace — Kim Jefferies, President and Chief Executive Officer, Haven for Hope Introduction by Rowena Ortiz-Walters, Ph.D., Dean, Greehey School of Business
Suit Up: From the Runway to the Office — Co-Moderated by Donna James-Spruce, Contreras Executive-in-Residence for Risk Management and Guillermo Martinez, J.D., Visiting Assistant Professor of Marketing
Panel Session: Accounting for New Classes of Assets in Finance — Carl Crawford, Executive Director, Corporate Accounting, Valero, Patsy Valenzuela, Senior Manager, Assurance and Advisory, Frank, Rimerman + Co. LLP and Steve Dziuk, Private Wealth Investor, President, Mesquite Wealth Management Group. Moderated by Violeta Diaz, Ph.D., Professor of Finance
La Quinta VIP Networking Reception
Panel Session: Global Workplaces and Global Workforces: New Considerations — Zack Valdez, Ph.D., Chief of Staff, Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains, United States Department of Energy, Gerardo Galván, Former North American General Manager, Topo Chico and Armen Babajanian, Chief Executive Officer, World Affairs Council of San Antonio. Moderated by Jeff Johnson, Ph.D., Professor of International Business
Future Leaders Series: Faculty Session — Defining You as a Fearless Leader — Kathy McAfee, Executive Coach and Author, Kmc Brand Innovation, LLC. Introduction by Gregory Pool, Ph.D., Professor of Graduate Industrial Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior
Future Leaders Series: Student Session — Exploring your Major and Career through StrengthsFinder — Yesenia Marili Smith, Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and Founder, All Y’all Consulting, LLC. Introduction by Guillermo Martinez, J.D., Visiting Assistant Professor of Marketing
Executive-for-a-Day Sessions
“Research and Technology as Foundations for Entrepreneurship” — Rene Dominguez, President and Chief Operating Officer, Texas Research and Technology Foundation. Introduction by Zecong Ma, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Marketing
“Authentic Leadership: The Secret Tool to Succeeding in the New Workplace” — Tom Grothues, St. Mary’s University Trustee and President, Tom G Consulting. Introduction by Richard Priesmeyer, Ph.D., Emil C.E. Jurica Distinguished Professor of Management
“Innovation’s Role in Creating Experiences for the Future Customer” — Amela Ciric, Executive Vice President, Innovation, Customer Experience and Transformation, Broadway Bank. Introduction by Sergio Palacios, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Management
“Looking at Taxes From a New Perspective” — Rudy Gonzalez, Director, State and Local Tax, VACO. Introduction by Valerie Ballesteros, D.B.A., Instructor of Finance
Future Leaders Series: Student Session — Creating a Fearless Leadership Mindset — Kathy McAfee, Executive Coach and Author, Kmc Brand Innovation, LLC
Introduction by Cody Cox, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Industrial Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior
Chevron MBA Reception
Faith and Work Session: The Increasing Importance of Faith in the New Workplace — Kathleen Gushoney, Managing Director, Enterprise Management, Charles Schwab. Introduction by Jason King, Director, Center for Catholic Studies
General Student Session: Learning to Engage Artificial Intelligence Responsibly — Tamilla Triantoro, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Quinnipiac University. Introduction by Jialin Zhao, Ph.D., Chair of the Department of Finance and Quantitative Management
Career Trek to Methodist Hospital
General Faculty Session: Adapting to the Challenges and Adopting New Forms of Artificial Intelligence — Tamilla Triantoro, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Quinnipiac University. Introduction by Sung-Tae Kim, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Finance and Quantitative Management
Inclusive Excellence Session: Leveraging Inclusive Excellence to Create a Winning Workplace — The Case of H-E-B — Mayerland Harris, Group Vice President of Talent, H-E-B. Introduction by Rowena Ortiz-Walters, Ph.D., Dean, Greehey School of Business
Panel Session: The Interface of Business and Law in Practice and Academia — Mary Brennan Stich, St. Mary’s University Trustee and former Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Rackspace Technology, Sara Dysart, St. Mary’s University Trustee and Attorney, Dysart Law and The Hon. Nelson Wolff (B.B.A. ’66, J.D. ’66), St. Mary’s University Distinguished Service Professor and former Bexar County Judge. Moderated by Suzanne Oliva, LL.M., CPA, Assistant Professor of Business Law
Chevron Business Week Awards Dinner

Business Week 2021

Resilience Redefined: People. Planet. Profit. Power.

The theme invites participants adjusting to the recent historic circumstances to explore innovative solutions to develop, lead and motivate people; protect and defend the planet; sustain and grow profits; and ethically use power and influence for the greater good.

Student Trivia Bowl — Moderator Capt. Kelly Elmlinger, U.S. Army, Ret., Paralympian 2021
La Quinta Keynote Speaker: Resilience Turns Wounds Into Wisdom — Jacqueline Darna, N.M.D. CEO and Medical Inventor, NoMo Bands
Panel Discussion: Managing for Resilience — Moderator Jeremy M. Grace, MBA Programs Director, St. Mary’s University with Anamaria Suescun-Fast, CEO and Managing Partner, talkStrategy, Kelly Contreras, Talent Acquisition Specialist, SWBC and Morgan Jones, Senior Manager Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Strategy, Spurs Sports & Entertainment
Discussion: Culture in the Time of COVID — Frank Guerra, Founder and CEO, GDC Marketing and Ideation
Interactive Session: Social Impact Through Entrepreneurship — Sarah Woolsey, Founder, The Impact Guild
Career Trek: Jordan Ford
Interactive Session: Create Your Perfect 30 Second Pitch and Win Every Time! — Jacqueline Darna, N.M.D. CEO and Medical Inventor, NoMo Bands
Virtual Career Fair

Business Week 2020

Ethical Leadership and Innovation During Times of Change

The Future of Careers: Virtual Job Searching Techniques — T. Tylor Behrens, Ed.D. Associate Vice President for Career Services, St. Mary’s University
Networking Through Your Career — Abraham Saldivar (B.B.A. ’07) Director, Napier Park Global Capital
How to Prepare for Interviews — Francisco Ramirez-Gaston (B.B.A. ’11), Investment Banking Coach, SEO (Sponsors for Educational Opportunity)
The 3 Paragraph Cover Letter — Kathe Lehman-Meyer, Director, Academic Media Center, St. Mary’s University
Resume Tips – Dos and Don’ts — Sarah Vasquez (B.B.A. ’15), Human Resources Executive Team Leader, Target
La Quinta Keynote Speaker: Innovations Promoting Health Equity in our Communities — Angela Yochem, Executive Vice President and Chief Digital and Technology Officer, Novant Health with special guest Carmen Canales, Chief Human Resources Officer, Novant Health
CPS Energy Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Panel — Paula Gold-Williams (B.B.A. ’84), President and CEO, CPS Energy, Shelton Goode, D.P.A., CEO, Icarus Consulting and Norma Ramirez Montague, Ph.D., Associate Dean of Master’s in Management Program and Associate Professor of Accounting, Wake Forest University with moderator Thomas M. Mengler, J.D., President, St. Mary’s University
Destined to Fail, Destined to Succeed — Think tank hosted by the StMU Harvey Najim Center for Business Innovation and Corporate Social Responsibility
Hosts — Ana Paula Saravia, St. Mary’s University Senior and Daniela Duran, St. Mary’s University Junior
Moderatiors — Luis De La Fuente (St. Mary’s University Senior) and Daniela Morales (St. Mary’s University Senior)
Judges — Steve Nivin, Ph.D., Chair of the Department of Economics and Professor of Economics, St. Mary’s University, Sergio Palacios, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Management, (Entrepreneurship and Innovation), St. Mary’s University, Hugh Stevens, Executive Director, Harvey E. Najim Center for Innovation and Career Advancement, University of Texas at San Antonio and Mariangela Zavala (B.B.A. ’15, M.B.A. ’17), Executive Director, Maestro Entrepreneur Center
Being Marianist During Times of Change — Brother Bernard J. Ploeger, S.M., Ph.D., Assistant Provincial, U.S. Marianists, Rev. Tim Eden, S.M., Ed.D., Vice President for Mission, St. Mary’s University, Sister Nicole Trahan, F.M.I., Provincial Assistant for Education, Daughters of Mary Immaculate and Henry Van de Putte, CEO, American Red Cross Texas Gulf Coast Region
Moderator — Jessica González Uhlig, Ed.D., Executive Director, Marianist Educational Associates, St. Mary’s University
Risky Business: How to Plan for your Career Goals During Uncertain Times — Facilitators: Devan Hartung (B.B.A. ’15), Store Director, Target, Sarah Cantu (B.B.A. ’16), Content Marketing Manager, Earth Class Mail, Elijah Lopez (B.B.A. ’16), Financial Advisor, Manske Wealth Management, Priya Bhakta (B.B.A. ’18, M.B.A. ’19 ),Treasury Analyst, USAA, Ginnette Garcia (B.B.A. ’14), Sales Manager, Union Pacific, Sabrina Martinez (B.B.A. ’19), Programs Coordinator and Small Business Advisor, Maestro Entrepreneur Center, John Diaz (B.B.A. ’18), Associate, Bain Capital, Ryan Salts (B.B.A. ’13), Director, Launch SA, Fernanda Sandoval (B.B.A. ’20), Global Market Analyst, Goldman Sachs; Co-founder, Bulli$h and Quinton Smithwick (B.B.A. ’18), Digital Strategist, Springbox
The Economy and Society: How Does It Keep Moving Forward? — Julissa Carielo (B.B.A. ’95), Founder and President, Tejas Premier Building Contractor, Inc.; Founder, Maestro Entrepreneur Center and Rene Garcia, President, DreamOn Development Company, LLC.
Future Leaders Series — Albert Cruz (B.B.A. ’06), Global Knowledge Management, International Finance Corporation (IFC), Kevin Barthold, C.P.A., City Auditor, City of San Antonio and Morgan Playle (B.B.A. ’19), Community Manager, MullenLowe U.S.
Future Leaders Series Susan Gonzales Lexington Energy PLM and Vice President, AIGRM Branch Manager/AIGRM National Energy Leader, AIG, Chris Talley, Former Chief Communications Officer, USAA and Luisa Rodrigues-Holland (B.B.A. ’13), Business Unit Director, H-E-B
Virtual Career Fair
Business Week Awards Ceremony
Follow-up Friday Recruitment interactions between students and employers