Mays Business Online

November/ December 2006

By Ashley N. Coker

Sitting in a pitch-black room, in an unfamiliar place, a group of executives who are prone to being in control of situations are suddenly robbed of their authority. When then asked to blindly pet the unknown inhabitant of a pet carrier, their unease is only heightened.

No, this is not a hostage situation. Rather, it’s a portion of a course taught by Texas A&M’s Center for Executive Development (CED)—an exercise to initiate critical thinking for creative management.

CED is a provider of innovative and creative training, primarily teaching lessons that include all five of the business school’s disciplines—what center administrators like to call “a mini MBA.” While its previous courses were based on open enrollment or customized training, the center’s newly found success is the product of complete customization for all clients.

CED Director Ben Welch explains that because of Texas A&M’s geographical location, the open enrollment or after-work courses that are commonly taught by universities in large cities are not feasible. This is why, Welch said, Texas A&M’s program offers the opportunity for companies to get a tailored program, making their attendance worth the travel.

And they come from far and wide.

The U.S. Army’s marketing managers, for instance, come from six countries each year to attend sessions. And according to the center’s staff, these soldiers just eat up southern hospitality.

But if a tailored program can’t reel a customer in, CED will cast itself out to clients. For corporations with many employees, it would be costly to send in large groups. To help their clients cut costs, Welch and CED Executive Director Clair Nixon do the traveling instead.

“We were just on three continents at the same time,” said program coordinator Ashley Hilgemeier.

Thanks to CED’s ability to adapt, she explained, administrators have taught courses to Halliburton employees in Malaysia, Australia and the U.S. simultaneously. And the upcoming year will entail 30 weeks of Halliburton training, sending Welch and Nixon to London, Buenos Aires, Calgary, Dubai and even Cairo.

CED’s got it all
Ever wonder where your traffic ticket payment goes? Well, one of CED’s many courses, a nine-week training program for upper-level law enforcement, is funded by court costs. The program is taught in conjunction with two other universities and covers an array of concepts, such as leadership, accounting, negotiations, media relations, human resources, critical thinking and ethics.

CED courses are primarily taught by Mays professors, but to accentuate the desire to serve all occupations, the center’s administrators sometimes bring in experts from other fields. The Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, for instance, teams up with CED to teach a program on golf course management.

Nixon is the founder of yet another program that doesn’t strictly target those in business. A fellowship and prior work experience with the Boeing Company, in conjunction with familial ties to engineering, inspired Nixon to create an engineering program for CED.

The program, held full-time for three weeks during the summer, is geared specifically for engineering undergraduates at Texas A&M who have just completed an internship and are entering their senior year. The course curriculum is focused on what Nixon found most companies think engineers should already have when they come onboard—skills in accounting, finance and communication, and the ability to manage people.

“There’s a demand from firms for people to understand business,” Nixon said. “The program is an opportunity to provide training before they enter the workforce.”

Completion of the program earns the student a business management certificate—a diploma accompaniment that Nixon said will make a difference to employers.

Giving back
Mays’ Center for Executive Development has been providing business related training for more than 50 years, but it’s CED’s own innovative management that has spawned its recent success.

CED has evolved tremendously over the past three years, turning its static growth around and enabling itself to financially give back to Mays. CED is now approaching another year of giving that will be the third annual gift to Mays of $250,000.

And while the annual contribution is appreciated, the center’s success brings in more than just dollars—it brings in support faculty and staff.

“It’s an incentive for faculty to be in the business school,” said Pam Curry, administrative assistant and program coordinator for CED. “We couldn’t function without the services they render.”

Hospitality earns return
The center’s administrators pride themselves in retaining customers, such as Halliburton, for which CED is now the sole-source provider of training. Apart from retention, though, CED has another goal—to gain a new client each year.

One roadblock for the center is that more and more clients are going to corporate universities, Welch said. To counteract this trend, CED offers a competitive edge through faculty familiarity with the client and a broad course plan that includes all aspects of an MBA.

“It will be a challenge,” Hilgemeier said, “but I can see us growing.”


November/ December 2006
Learn more about CED’s programs. By Ashley N. Coker	Sitting in a pitch-black room, in an unfamiliar place, a group of executives who are prone to being in control of situations are suddenly robbed of their authority. When then asked to blindly pet the unknown inhabitant of a pet carrier, their unease is only heightened. No, this is not a hostage situation. Rather, it’s a portion of a course taught by Texas A&M’s Center for Executive Development (CED)—an exercise to initiate critical thinking for creative management. CED is a provider of innovative and creative training, primarily teaching lessons that include all five of the business school’s disciplines—what center administrators like to call “a mini MBA.” While its previous courses were based on open enrollment or customized training, the center’s newly found success is the product of complete customization for all clients. CED Director Ben Welch explains that because of Texas A&M’s geographical location, the open enrollment or after-work courses that are commonly taught by universities in large cities are not feasible. This is why, Welch said, Texas A&M’s program offers the opportunity for companies to get a tailored program, making their attendance worth the travel. And they come from far and wide. The U.S. Army’s marketing managers, for instance, come from six countries each year to attend sessions. And according to the center’s staff, these soldiers just eat up southern hospitality. But if a tailored program can’t reel a customer in, CED will cast itself out to clients. For corporations with many employees, it would be costly to send in large groups. To help their clients cut costs, Welch and CED Executive Director Clair Nixon do the traveling instead. “We were just on three continents at the same time,” said program coordinator Ashley Hilgemeier. Thanks to CED’s ability to adapt, she explained, administrators have taught courses to Halliburton employees in Malaysia, Australia and the U.S. simultaneously. And the upcoming year will entail 30 weeks of Halliburton training, sending Welch and Nixon to London, Buenos Aires, Calgary, Dubai and even Cairo. CED’s got it all Ever wonder where your traffic ticket payment goes? Well, one of CED’s many courses, a nine-week training program for upper-level law enforcement, is funded by court costs. The program is taught in conjunction with two other universities and covers an array of concepts, such as leadership, accounting, negotiations, media relations, human resources, critical thinking and ethics. CED courses are primarily taught by Mays professors, but to accentuate the desire to serve all occupations, the center’s administrators sometimes bring in experts from other fields. The Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, for instance, teams up with CED to teach a program on golf course management. Nixon is the founder of yet another program that doesn’t strictly target those in business. A fellowship and prior work experience with the Boeing Company, in conjunction with familial ties to engineering, inspired Nixon to create an engineering program for CED. The program, held full-time for three weeks during the summer, is geared specifically for engineering undergraduates at Texas A&M who have just completed an internship and are entering their senior year. The course curriculum is focused on what Nixon found most companies think engineers should already have when they come onboard—skills in accounting, finance and communication, and the ability to manage people. “There’s a demand from firms for people to understand business,” Nixon said. “The program is an opportunity to provide training before they enter the workforce.” Completion of the program earns the student a business management certificate—a diploma accompaniment that Nixon said will make a difference to employers. Giving back Mays’ Center for Executive Development has been providing business related training for more than 50 years, but it’s CED’s own innovative management that has spawned its recent success. CED has evolved tremendously over the past three years, turning its static growth around and enabling itself to financially give back to Mays. CED is now approaching another year of giving that will be the third annual gift to Mays of $250,000. And while the annual contribution is appreciated, the center’s success brings in more than just dollars—it brings in support faculty and staff. “It’s an incentive for faculty to be in the business school,” said Pam Curry, administrative assistant and program coordinator for CED. “We couldn’t function without the services they render.” Hospitality earns return The center’s administrators pride themselves in retaining customers, such as Halliburton, for which CED is now the sole-source provider of training. Apart from retention, though, CED has another goal—to gain a new client each year. One roadblock for the center is that more and more clients are going to corporate universities, Welch said. To counteract this trend, CED offers a competitive edge through faculty familiarity with the client and a broad course plan that includes all aspects of an MBA. “It will be a challenge,” Hilgemeier said, “but I can see us growing.”