Connections

Which course(s) do you teach, Professor? Do you stick to one course only or do you teach more than one?

I'm just finishing my second quarter at DePaul. So far I taught MGT 502 Operations Management. I may be asked to teach other courses such as Strategic Supply Chain Management (MGT 501) or Managing Service Operations (MGT 545). Also, in the near future I'd like to offer a special topic elective, possibly on Humanitarian Supply Chains. Additionally, I'd like to take some students abroad to Turkey with a Driehaus International Business Seminar.

Can you tell me a little bit about your background? For example, are you from the Midwest area? Did you grow up here, or did you move from another area? How is it that you find yourself here now? Are there any interesting stories associated with your being here now?

No, I'm not from the Midwest. I am from the Mideast; the Middle East that is. I was born and raised in Turkey (born on the Aegean coast and raised in Istanbul). I left home in 1993 for Edinburg, TX to get an MBA degree. I could not find Edinburg on the map when I was leaving home so it was a rather nervous trip. From the get-go I was planning to finish my MBA as soon as possible and go back home to find a good job. I even promised my mother that I will be back in two years. But just when I was finishing my degree my then girlfriend (now wife) announced that she is coming to Texas A&M to pursue a PhD; so I changed gears and moved to College Station, TX to get myself a PhD degree, too. The new post-PhD plan was to return to Turkey to teach but when I heard about academic salaries back home I moved to Richmond, VA. After nine years of teaching at the University of Richmond when it was time to move on, the new plan was to stay below the Mason-Dixon Line because I don't really like cold weather. But I found myself in Chicago! I guess life is what happens to you when you are busy making plans (was it John Lennon who said that?).

Where did you earn your undergraduate degree? And your graduate degree?

I received my B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Bogazici University in Istanbul, Turkey. I have an MBA from the University of Texas-Pan American, and a PhD in Operations Management from Texas A&M University.

What has been your work experience, Professor? Have you any regrets? Any unfinished symphonies, so to speak? What about accomplishments- what are your greatest? What have you yet to achieve? Do you have any particularly funny or poignant stories you would like to share?

I went from school to school to school. As far as work experience outside academia is concerned, I worked as a Consultant at the Small Business Development Center of the University of Texas-Pan American during my MBA. I wrote the business plans and help start numerous businesses ranging from corn-stands for a thousand dollars, to frozen food companies for four million. However, when people ask your work experience they usually refer to the corporate world or as students put it "the real world". Professors routinely are asked to provide "real world examples" to explain concepts in class. What they don't realize is that academia is a huge industry in the US. We design, market and deliver products and services like any other "real" business. We compete with other institutions for tuition dollars and government funds. We even export education. For example, DePaul gives degrees to graduate students in Bahrain, Taiwan, and Greece. Universities provide as complex of a business environment as a for-profit corporation, if not better, but we still ignore them as legitimate business examples.

Any unfinished symphonies you ask? I do have an entrepreneurial side that I take from my dad. When I was 7-8 years old I was organizing lotteries for neighborhood kids, and I converted my grandfather's unused chicken shack to a shadow theater. I was the writer, director, producer, and puppeteer of each show. While in college I had a tutoring business, a used-textbook business, and I was trading stocks in the Istanbul Stock Exchange (on the floor until they closed it to the public). Even today, I keep coming up with bunch of ideas for start-ups. Maybe one day I'll actually try one of them.

Regrets, accomplishments? I have no regrets. I had a great time studying and learning stuff and am now doing what I love; teach. I don't think I have accomplished anything big yet. If after my passing I am remembered as a good father, husband, friend, and teacher, I'd consider that an accomplishment.

What is the best part, in your opinion, about teaching at DePaul University? What do you wish more students knew? What do you wish you knew before you started teaching at DePaul?

There are several things I enjoy. First, I find DePaul to have an entrepreneurial culture in the sense that there is openness to new ideas and willingness to try them. That wasn't at all the case in my previous institution. Second, the Vincentian mission is very appealing to me. There are a lot of good, smart, hard-working people in this world. All they need is an opportunity to excel. DePaul provides that opportunity. Some of my students will be the first to graduate from college in their families. To be part of that is a great thing.

What I wish my students knew is that these days do not come back. We cannot inventory time and refer back to our stocks when we need more time. You are not going to get the same degree again so make the most out of it.

What do I wish I knew before I started teaching at DePaul? I wish I realized that a quarter is a lot shorter than a semester. I mean, I knew that, but I really didn't realize it until my first quarter here.

Can you tell us something about you that most people would never know if it wasn't for my prying? Any special talents, favorite foods, hobbies, et. al.?

I love tattoos, choppers, and heavy metal music. Seriously!

I love cooking. I am no top-chef but am considering going after a culinary degree just for the fun of it.

I love scuba diving. I don't need to see anything; just being under water, weightless, in a three-dimensional environment is an amazing feeling. I feel like an astronaut. Of course, while you are 115 feet under water, being able to touch a WWII U-boot or a sand tiger shark is also nice.

Please respond to the following (as briefly or as detailed as you wish):

Favorite Artist (free to interpret): Metallica

Favorite Movie and/or TV Show: Mediterraneo (movie)

Favorite Book: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (by Jules Verne)

Favorite Restaurant/Dish: Maria's Place (in Istanbul) / Grilled Octopus

Favorite Holiday: Any day off work is a holiday and would be most welcomed J

Favorite Word: not a word but I love the sound of "are you kiddin me?"

Favorite City: Prague

Who is your role model? I can't say I have one.

What is your idea of perfect happiness? Being lazy on a Mediterranean beach on a hot sunny day while listening to the cicadas and breathing in the potpourri of rosemary, pine and the sea.

What is your greatest fear? Being trapped.

What is your greatest extravagance? Spoiling my wife.

Who is your favorite hero of fiction? Harley Davidson in the movie "Harley-Davidson and Marlboro man".

What is your motto? WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get).

Published on March 2010

Professor Profile: Dr. Rafael Tenorio

Q. Which course(s) do you teach, Professor?

Economics for Decision-Making, Game Theory, Business Strategy, and Microeconomics of Market Organization.

Q. Can you tell us a little bit about your background?

I was born in Lima, Peru, and stayed there until my early twenties. I came to the US in the mid 80's for graduate school, and moved to the Midwest in the late 80's. Hard to believe that I have been at DePaul for ten years already!

Q. Where did you earn your undergraduate degree? And your graduate degree?

I earned my undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of Lima in 1982, and my PhD in Economics from Johns Hopkins University in 1989.

Q. What has been your work experience, Professor?

My first job, right out of undergraduate, was at the research department of the Central Bank of Peru (1982-84). After finishing graduate school, I worked at the Mendoza College of Business in the University of Notre Dame for ten years (1989-1998). I moved to DePaul in 1999. I have also spent two sabbatical periods at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management in Northwestern (1999-1 and 2005-2006).

Q. What is the best part, in your opinion, about teaching at DePaul University? What do you wish more students knew? What do you wish you knew before you started teaching at DePaul?

My teaching experience at DePaul has been delightful. I have taught exclusively at our part-time MBA program, and the students have been fantastic. I especially value the students' maturity and desire to learn beyond what is in the book.

What I wished more students knew? This is an easy one. I wish more students knew that Economics was widely applicable to business and decision-making, and not just a dry and abstract discipline that you are forced to take as a requirement. Quite often, students shy away from Economics courses because of this pre-conceived idea and I find that to be a shame.

As for what I wished I knew before starting at DePaul, not much really. I enjoy the fact that each day I teach is full of discoveries and surprises. I would not have liked that part of my experience to be taken away.

Q. Can you tell us something about you that most people would never know if it wasn't for our prying? Any special talents, favorite foods, hobbies, et. al.?

Most people do not know I am a big boxing aficionado. I am an avid boxing video collector, and have also occasionally free-lanced as a boxing writer (google it!)

Please respond to the following (as briefly or as detailed as you wish):

Favorite Artist: Singer: Ruben Blades

Favorite Movie and/or TV Show: Zorba the Greek/Lost

Favorite Book: Don Quixote

Favorite Restaurant/Dish: Ceviche at any good Peruvian restaurant

Favorite Holiday: None in particular (spring break if it applies!)

Favorite Word: Tenacious

Favorite City: Rome

Q. Who is your role model?

My father.

Q. What is your idea of perfect happiness? .

Any pressure-free time with my family.

Q. What is your greatest fear?

Missing-up on the opportunities that life gives me.

Q. What is your greatest extravagance? .

Hmmm, perhaps the ability to be consistently free of a rigid schedule.

Q. Who is your favorite hero of fiction?

Lieutenant Commander Data (from Star Trek, the New Generation). For his ability to make decisions free of emotions, while at the same time striving to understand (and even emulate) human behavior.

Q. What is your motto?

Never let a majority squash your individual initiative.

Published October 2009

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Lanre Kalejaiye

Please describe your educational and professional career path prior to your MBA at DePaul.

I started as a Chemistry Premed Major for three years and later switched to Finance. Graduated with a Finance degree from Illinois State University with a concentration on Insurance & Risk Management. Upon graduation, I took on a position as a personal lines underwriter with Allied Insurance (owned by Nationwide Insurance) and after a year took on another position as a commercial underwriter responsible for $10M in agency premium for a part of the state of IL. After 1.5 years of being a commercial underwriter, I took on a consultant role to train and engage our commercial Lines agents in the states of OH, VA, MD and DE and six months later was promoted to a sales manager role in the state of IL where I was responsible for ¼ of the state (18 counties and approximately $33M in written premium). After 1.5 years, I decided it was in my best interest to finish my MBA, so I left the sales role and took on a position as a Senior Product Consultant with Allstate Insurance.

How has your DePaul experience aided you at your current position?

In my current position, I am responsible for monitoring the performance trends (Profit, Growth, Retention, Loss Ratios) for four states, and for assisting state managers with reversing or continuing particular trends. My MBA at DePaul, especially with the courses I plan to take, will allow me to have focus on my analytical skills while also developing the networking and people skills needed to engage the agents and sales forces within my states to continue to grow and do so profitably.

What courses have you found to be the most valuable to you in your work?

The MBA courses that I have taken so far have been invaluable, and ranged from the Economics courses down to the Human Resource courses, but most especially the analytical courses like GSB 420/ECO 509 and FIN 523.

Can you provide an example where networking within the DePaul community paid off?

As a result of my networking within the DePaul community, I was able to strengthen the membership of an African Diaspora Investment Club that I had founded in mid 2007 with 2 additional MBA students at DePaul.

What advice do you have for other current MBA DePaul students?

I would argue that it is important for all MBA students not to take their classes for granted. While there may be courses that are not relevant to their current positions or their future career paths, students should pay close and particular attention to ALL courses because of the invaluable experience that comes from not only the professors, but also the ranging career paths of the other MBA students. Also, it is imperative that MBA students Network, because I firmly believe that while it is important to know how to do something, knowing someone who has done it better and continues to do it is much greater.

Ron Vodicka

Each month, the Kellstadt MBA Association will feature a member on our Web site. Previous member profiles may be found on the Get Connected menu.

This month we are featuring Ron Vodicka, MBA Class of 2000, and founding president of the Kellstadt MBA Association. Ron will be a special guest at the Kellstadt MBA 10th Anniversary Celebration to be held on Friday, February 22, at the Union League Club. More information about the Celebration may be found on the home page of the KMBAA Web site.

1. Please describe your educational and professional career path prior to DePaul.

I earned my undergraduate B.A. in Economics from the University of Michigan in 1987. I worked one year in the insurance industry, which I quickly realized was not for me. I graduated from DePaul in June 2000 with a concentration in International Business & Marketing. My interest in financial markets led me to start my career with a currency options trading firm. I worked there five years, ultimately becoming a trader. I then bought into a for-profit trading Limited Partnership and did that for three years. I transitioned into a sales role at a bank working with corporate clients on managing their currency and interest rate risk. I did this both at the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi and now for ABN Amro.

2. How well did your DePaul experience prepare you for your current position?

Very well. The International Business degree program gave me a solid, comprehensive background on international matters. Equally important, it forced me to think globally. The one week trip to the Czech Republic was phenomenal. I still refer to that trip often. Additionally, my experience starting the Kellstadt MBA Association was phenomenal for the following reasons:

a. I made great contacts and was on a first name basis with Dean Kraftof the College of Commerce. Thus, I had wonderful recommendations.

b. My efforts confirmed how important being involved is as part of an education. As a result of my efforts and contacts, I became exposed to all sorts of DePaul opportunities and issues. Anyone who goes to a school and only gets the book education is missing out on 50% of the purpose.

c. The Kellstadt MBA Association was essentially a startup organization so taking it from an idea to writing a constitution for it to changing Administrations attitudes to recruiting members to trying to ensure survival was a great experience

3. What courses have proved to be the most valuable to you in your work?

The class trip to the Czech Republic, nearly all my International Business classes, Capstone and all of my Kellstadt MBA Association efforts.

4. Can you provide an example where networking within the DePaul Community paid off?

I was asked to become a Board member of the new DePaul Business & Technology Alumni group in 2001. This was a great experience and it exposed me to a whole new world of DePaul.

5. What advice would you give to current DePaul MBA students?

Be involved, make contacts, maximize the classes you take and maximize the educational experience. Grades are somewhat important, but it is what you learn and take-away that matters most.

Ron Vodicka, VP, Foreign Exchange & Derivatives, ABN AMRO Bank

ron.vodicka@abnamro.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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