HBS Alumni Association Board of Directors: President's Report

Springtime Greetings from HBS!

The last few months have been exciting ones at the School. We have witnessed the announcement of a new Harvard president, sponsored another dynamic Global Alumni Conference, welcomed club officers along with current and emeriti board members for their annual meetings, and coordinated events for nearly two thousand alumni and guests celebrating MBA or Executive Education reunions. None of these activities would be possible without the generous support and commitment of our HBS volunteers.

Volunteerism at HBS takes many forms but always has an enormous impact on the School and its ability to reach out to its constituents. Without section correspondents Tim Calkins and Holly Decker Harrity, for instance, there would be no Bulletin notes for Section C, Class of 1991. The dynamic efforts of HBS club presidents such as Junichi Amano (75th AMP) in Tokyo and Anne Mayfield (MBA ’78) in Charlotte, North Carolina, make it possible for our graduates to gather together, network, and exchange ideas all over the world. Our creative and diligent reunion chairs — from Ashley Gordon Jacobs for this year’s 5th Reunion class to Oliver Ames and Guivy Zaldastani for the 50th — play an extraordinarily important role in galvanizing their classmates to return to campus.

We have recently completed another successful and well-attended Global Alumni Conference, an annual HBS event that relies heavily on the energy and commitment of its alumni chairs. Donald Hastings (MBA ’53) provided unstinting support and guidance for this year’s gathering in Cleveland, and we are immensely grateful. Next year’s conference cochairs Manuel Sacerdote (MBA ’68) and Bruce Coates (MBA ’75) are already working hard with their talented organizing committee to ensure that the 2002 event in Buenos Aires will surpass all expectations.

We are indebted, as well, to the extraordinary cadre of HBS Fund volunteers, who are uniquely qualified to articulate the reasons why HBS needs your financial support. Given the vast number of organizations vying for your time and attention, we appreciate your commitment to the School all the more.

Finally, I’d like to pay tribute to Monty Milner (MBA ’65), outgoing president of the Alumni Association Board of Directors. Monty has served HBS in so many ways throughout the years, but his work on the board is especially impressive. He has provided careful guidance and stewardship to a number of important initiatives, including global conferences, career services, and the nominating process. He has helped us streamline our work and encouraged us to operate more efficiently and effectively. Monty’s extraordinary efforts during his tenure have truly had an enormous impact on the quality of alumni programs and services. Monty, we salute you!

As I reflect on my two years as president of the HBS Alumni Association, I am moved by the potential we all have to help the School meet its goal of continuing to improve the quality of the student and alumni experience. In addition to the volunteer positions mentioned above, I realize that there are countless others of you working daily on behalf of HBS, committed to serving the School and to bettering the lives of its alumni. Dean Kim B. Clark has spoken often of the vital role alumni play in helping HBS achieve its mission of making a difference in the world. To all of you, we extend our sincere appreciation. And to the graduates of the Class of 2001 who join our ranks this month, welcome to the extended HBS community!

Edmund A. Hajim (MBA ’64)
June 2001

While HBS reunions are a time to get reacquainted with old friends, they also give graduates a chance to evaluate their professional lives. Inspiring many alumni to take a good look at their careers and think about their goals is Robert S. (“Bob”) Gardella, assistant director of HBS Alumni Career Services (ACS) and author of The Harvard Business School Guide to Finding Your Next Job.

Holding numerous seminars during reunion weekends, Gardella — with easel, flip chart, and Magic Marker at the ready — usually begins by reminding graduates that conducting a job search has both intellectual and emotional components. “This pep talk portion of the presentation can be particularly useful for those in a time of transition,” says Gardella.

“Bob gave us a chance to share personal experiences,” notes 5th Reunion attendee Thierry R. Foucaut (MBA ’94), who left France in 1999 to join a San Francisco dot-com. “Psychological support is important,” he adds.

Beyond emotional support, Gardella and his colleagues also offer countless services. He notes that ACS provides the best possible job-search tools — everything from résumé reviewing, to career counseling sessions, to linking graduates to other resources available to them as alumni. In fact, during reunions, Gardella devotes much of his time to thirty-minute one-on-one sessions with graduates.

A big believer in the power of networks, Gardella reminds all graduates that using networks — including HBS alumni from their undergraduate institutions, with whom ACS can help them get in touch — is key to getting results. “Graduates should keep up with Alumni Career Services whether or not they are looking for a new career,” recommends Foucaut, who attributes his own success in the gourmet import business (after his dot-com folded) to Gardella’s advice. “I keep a copy of his book on my bedside table,” says the enthusiastic reunion attendee.

— Rogelio Fussa

Alumni Career Services can generate a list of HBS alumni who graduated from your undergraduate school. This “double hit” connection is an excellent starting point for networking. For more details, contact ACS at 617-495-6582 or career_advisors@hbs.edu.

Over three hundred fellowship donors and recipients were honored in early April at a dinner on campus at the new Spangler Center. Dean Kim B. Clark, who hosted the event, told the assembled guests that they are a vital part of the School’s legacy of investment in business leaders of the future. Other speakers included honorary guest C.D. (“Dick”) Spangler, Jr.(MBA ’56), and Senior Associate Dean and Director of External Relations Howard H. Stevenson (MBA ’65), whose keynote address drew on his own experience as a recipient of fellowship aid. Answering Stevenson’s “cold call,” James A. Stern (MBA ’74), donor of the Stern Family Fellowship, and Rob Lawrence (HBS ’02), recipient of the Amos B. Hostetter, Jr., Fellowship Fund, spoke eloquently of the important role fellowships play at HBS.

“Discovering different cultures is a way of life for me,” says Monsignor Frederick M. Dolan (HBS ’78), the Vicar for Canada of the Prelature of Opus Dei. After several years working abroad, Dolan settled in Montreal in 1998 and recently became president of the HBS Club of Montreal. Approached by a former president of the club early last fall, Dolan was invited to take on the role. “I gladly accepted,” he recalls, “and was eager to rekindle my ties with HBS.”

Dolan, a native of Maryland, studied at the School from 1976­77 but took a leave of absence after his first year. While preparing for his return in September 1980, Dolan was touched by a higher calling and decided to move to Rome. There, he studied philosophy and theology and in 1983 was ordained a Catholic priest. “The Spirit told me it was the right thing to do at the right time,” says Dolan, who did not obtain an MBA but is still considered part of the Class of 1978.

Dolan acknowledges that his circumstances are unusual, and even admits he had a few reservations about taking over the role of club president. “I was concerned,” he reflects, “that our graduates in Montreal might not want a Catholic priest as the head of their club. But I was reminded that there is a great openness here and a wide diversity of backgrounds.” He looks upon the role as an opportunity to interact with new people and a new culture. “Montreal is a city on a very human scale,” Dolan observes. “It’s easy to meet people by just walking around, and that quality is what makes Montreal so enjoyable and attractive.”

Working closely with Harry J.F. Bloomfield (MBA ’71) and Robert J. Cajolet (6th OPM), Dolan has already set several goals for the club. Plans are in motion for a private viewing of a Canadian art exhibit and for a series of brown-bag lunches where members can generate ideas for club activities or participate in classes covering ethics in business. Dolan also wants to create a course offering the opportunity to explore spirituality in the workplace — an area of his expertise. In addition, the club is working to establish a program that will give local high-school students the chance to spend time with HBS alumni in their workplaces. Dolan hopes the program will provide students with a taste of what the business world is like and give them something to aim for in the future. “It would be great if this project could continue throughout the years and create a sense of purpose and community outreach for the club,” states Dolan, who aims to establish these programs by the fall.

Club membership currently averages around one hundred participants, and there is potential for rapid growth. By connecting with local alumni through e-mail and phone calls, Dolan and other members share an overall feeling of growth and enthusiasm for the Montreal club. “While we’re realistic about what people can and can’t fit into their schedules,” notes Dolan, “we’ve heard a lot of positive feedback from people who are grateful we’re here. Alumni really want us to keep in touch.”

As for the future, Dolan is taking one step at a time and appreciating the opportunity he has been given. He says, “I can now give something back to the School, while meeting fascinating people, making interesting discoveries, and interacting in a whole new world.”

— Elena N. Berg

Last February, the HBS Club of Austin sponsored a Texas-sized get-together for the HBS students who participated in the 2001 Austin High-Tech Trek. More than one hundred alumni, students, and partners were treated to an authentic barbecue and the music of Grammy-nominated Jimmie Dale Gilmore. The event was sponsored by mTouring, Dell Computer, and the Texas Growth Fund. Pictured above are Martin Payne (MBA ’99); Jimmie Dale Gilmore; Elyse Gilmore Yates, president of mTouring; Allegra Young (MBA ’95); and Chris Bates (MBA ’98), copresident of the Austin club. Not shown: copresident Kate Agarwal (MBA ’96).