The Story of the Terrace

The Story of the Terrace

This is one of the images we created to help us conceptualize what our new building complex might look like, and to use for fundraising purposes.
In this image, you can see a terrace that overlooks the campus. This location provides a great view looking west toward the Quad and Old Main, and a nice view of the corridor that runs between the business buildings and the library. Right off the bat, this terrace resonated with donors.

This terrace could serve as an event space, and when not booked for events, this terrace could be used by students as an outdoor place to study with an inspiring view.

But we have a problem. In the design phase, the terrace was eliminated. In the original concept plans, the building had two sets of stair cases. But because of the anticipated load, or number of people, that will be using Huntsman Hall, it is required that we have three sets of stair cases. The beloved terrace was booted out to fit the required third stair case.

When donors realized the terrace would be missing, we got resounding feedback to get it back. We are now trying to find a way to retain the terrace despite these changes. Below is a sketch which provides for the third stair case as well as the terrace. The stair case would be a little tight fitting, but the terrace would be able to fit. It might even save us some money.

Ken Snyder

The Camera Guy Salutes Dr. Stephen R. Covey

The camera guy salutes Dr. Stephen R. Covey

The first time I saw Stephen Covey he was surrounded by people seeking his autograph.

I don’t think any of them wanted it as a keepsake or something they might be tempted to resell to a collector. They just hoped they would be able to get into in his very crowded class and needed him to sign an add slip that gave them permission to come even though the class was full. I was one of those students.

That was back in 1979 and while the rest of the world hadn’t discovered Dr. Covey, Brigham Young University students had. He was a popular teacher. Instead of forcing yourself to pay attention in his class so that you could pass an exam; students were attentive because he seemed to know how to prepare them for life’s real tests.

I remember one time I sat on the front row and was surprised when he reached down and took the glasses right off the face of a student a few seats down from me. I was even more troubled when he then took my glasses off and put her glasses on me. Suddenly he was staring down at me with a very stern look and asking, “What do you think of those glasses?”

“Well, they are kind of blurry,” I said hesitantly. I had no idea what was going on.

He snatched them back and put them on himself and said, “There is absolutely nothing wrong with these glasses. In fact, your mother and I have worn them for years, with no problems. You, young man, have a bad attitude.”

He was sort of menacing when he role-played like that.

He put them back on my face and said, “Now, what do you think of those glasses?”

I tried to have a better attitude and he laughed. He was teaching us all that just because we see things a certain way, doesn’t mean others see them the same way. Even though it was a lesson given 33 years ago, I’m still trying to master the principle he taught that day.

When I was a custodian at BYU, I helped him move some boxes from one office to the other. He treated me like an old friend and gave me a Day Timer, which is a pocket calendar, as a reward. Little did either of us know he would eventually consider Day Timer a competitor in the day-planner marketplace.

He got mildly upset with me one time when, as a student reporter, I talked one of his kids into sharing with me his private cabin number where he would go to in a nearby canyon to spend quality time with his family. I promised him that I would destroy the phone number after the interview and explained the predicament I was in. He softened and then graciously gave me the interview. Even back then he was serious about guarding his family time. (I don’t know if that was before or after his children started making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on his head if he took calls during family time.)

Dr. Covey teaches students.

When Dean Douglas D. Anderson announced that Dr. Covey had agreed to become the first Jon M. Huntsman Presidential Chair in Leadership I was so pleased that I offered to let Dr. Covey share my office. On his last visit to campus I told him if he would just use my basement office one time to make a phone call or do anything, I could brag for the rest of my life that I had shared an office with the famous
Stephen R. Covey. He promised to use my office on his next visit.

When I interviewed him for the Huntsman Alumni Magazine he showed me around his home and one wall was covered with pictures, awards and other honors he had received from the world for his contributions. There were even awards leaning up against the walls as if they were waiting in vain for some prime wall space to open up. The other wall which was much larger, two stories tall, was packed from floor to ceiling with pictures of family and friends – including and a picture of Dr. Covey with a peanut butter sandwich on his head. He was clearly proudest of the family pictures.

Dr. Covey speaks at seminar for faculty and staff.

He’d consulted with many powerful people and heads of state, including several U.S. Presidents, and I asked him if he was ever intimidated to meet anyone because they were so important. He said that of course he wasn’t and acted like that was sort of a strange and silly question to ask. I later realized that he treated everyone with equal respect, regardless of their position or rank. A president would be no more intimidating than a custodian under that paradigm.

I got to see this demonstrated over and over because when Dr. Covey made visits to the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business and to the Shingo Prize for Operational Excellence international conferences, I got a chance to spend time with him. I drove him across campus in a golf cart. Usually I was the guy taking pictures at the events he attended.

It made no difference who approached him, he gave them his full attention and never complained when yet another person wanted to have their picture taken with him. (I guess he didn’t treat them all equally. Men who were bald seemed to get an extra dose of love and teasing from him. He was always rubbing their heads and pointing out they had something in common.)

Dr. Covey recognizes something he and Al Warnick have in common.

He had a great sense of humor. He thought it was funny and strange when he sat next to me before he was about to speak at USU to a group of about 300 students and I started whispering words of encouragement to him like, “You can do this! You just have to believe in yourself!” It was sort of like telling Michael Jordan you knew he could make the team if he applied himself. Or the time that I told him before a Shingo presentation that if anything went wrong he should point at me and I could come up and clog behind him.

“There’s nothing like a fat man clogging behind you to make a presentation memorable,” I said.

He burst into laughter and after he spoke he joked with me that maybe he should have had me clogging behind him. (By the way, he did a great job speaking and had no need of any diversions.)

I went to his funeral held at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University. When they rolled in his casket there was a wide line of family members who came in behind it that must have numbered in the hundreds. It was very impressive. That was his real legacy. And the funeral wasn’t about all his vocational accomplishments or the books he published. It was all about family and his deep faith. Each of his nine children spoke and shared memories of their father and how he made them each feel loved and special.

President Henry B. Eyring of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spoke and even he felt compelled to share a memory of a time he was impressed to see the respect that Dr. Covey showed for his wife Sandra.

One of my best memories of Dr. Covey was of the time I saw him just after he arrived at the Calvin L. Rampton Salt Palace Convention Center for a Shingo conference. He was going up an escalator on the other side of a room about 100 feet away and I was going down an escalator. In an unusually rash burst of spontaneity, I shouted “Dr. Covey!” He turned to look to see who had called him. I called out, “Captain, my captain!” quoting a line from the "Dead Poets Society" movie that I was sure he had seen. Then I saluted. He broke into a huge smile, squared his shoulders, stood at attention and saluted back as the escalator slowly took him up to the next level. I was just the camera guy that day but I felt like the president of the United States.

So, Dr. Covey, this is just a blog but if you are allowed to read such things in heaven, I have a message for you.

I still salute you and so do the many, many others you served, lifted, and empowered. We will miss you.

--Steve Eaton

Business Principles From Batman

As I sit and watch movies like Batman, Iron Man and Avengers, I often ask myself how these movies can get any better?

The answer: they are living proof that things can always be improved upon. Batman, Superman, and the Hulk, have all been done before, but because of advancements in technology and imagination, we are seeing a better story than ever.

I think we can apply the same principle to business. The majority of great business ideas have already been discovered. Instead spending our time trying to come up with new ideas, maybe we should be more time looking to improve things. 

I was recently talking to an MBA graduate from the Huntsman School of Business. When I asked him what his goals were for the next five years he said that he wanted to be able to sell his own business by that time. I then followed up by asking him what kind of business he wanted to create. He simply stated, “Just any business that I can make better than it already is.”

Our professors encourage us to be creative and think out of the box because it might be the only thing that can make us stand out. So today I encourage you to think of an existing business and dissect it. How could you make it better?

Then go out and do it.

Klydi Heywood

Important Lessons Learned From China

Important Lessons Learned

If you are on your way to Asia, there are some important lessons I learned that I think one should learn before going.

First, it is actually a good idea to stay up all night packing, the night before you leave. It will help ease you out of jet lag and into a comfortable sleep upon arrival at midnight, in Vietnam.

Second, bring bug spray. Cu Chi Tunnels = hot jungle; enough said.

Third, learn to read a map. Using the subway in Shanghai was my first time ever to use underground transportation and I actually enjoyed it! As we escalated our uses it became easier to navigate, even from city to city. The subways were clean, easy to use (thanks to English signs), and a cheap way to get out and explore the city!

Fourth, doing your homework and research about each culture is extremely important. Learning about the way Asians do business was an important lesson. One example is the respect the Asian people have for each other. Also known as “saving face” it is the attitude that one never wants to disrespect someone to their face causing them embarrassment. Another example of respect is the act of bowing. In Korea, more so than China, I saw people bow very deeply to those of greater age and authority than themselves. This form of respect varied from culture to culture, so I always made it a point to follow the lead of the people I saw in each country. For example, in China and Vietnam the bowing was more of a distinct, sometimes deep, downward nod of the chin.

Finally, make the most of your trip. Keep a good attitude and try new things. Always remember to be safe, like always staying with a buddy; and stay alert to possible dangers, such as eating unpeeled fruit off the street. This is going to be a once in a life time opportunity. Not only will you get to know a great group of students very well (you are with them ALL the time), but you will also become well acquainted with the professors and staff who accompany the trip. These relationships will be of value to you for years to come.

Have a great trip!

Cassie Flitton on her Global Learning Experience in China

USU Alumnus Stephen Nielsen Takes Third Place at Entrepreneurial Competition

Out of thousands of participants, USU Alumnus Stephen Nielsen, took third place in the first Grow America Competition in Utah this spring.

Grow America is an organization devoted to growing companies, creating jobs and stimulating the economy by helping to ignite the dreams and fuel the ambitions of real entrepreneurs with real ideas.

Each contestant has three minutes to make their case before a panel of business executives, and then answer follow-up questions for four minutes. They are judged upon a set of criteria such as how good the general idea is, does the contestant have an organized business plan, and the overall quality of the other team members. Grow America then narrows the competition to 12 contestants for the final pitch show which is presented in front of an audience. As well as being judged more critically on the previous criteria, at the final pitch, they are also judged on charisma.

Steve’s business, Geek In A Day, will teach anyone to computer code through a single day seminar. He believes there is a language barrier that exists between IT people and everyone else.

“Developers may charge double or triple if a customer seems tech illiterate, because it’s going to take that much more work to make them happy,” Steve said. “A business person feels stress explaining their needs a developer. They can feel mistrust, because they have no way to gauge the progress of the coder.”

That is where Geek In A Day comes in.

Geek In A Day breaks down these stumbling blocks by providing a framework to understand technology and explain the average person’s needs.

“Business people armed with the right paradigm will save time and money, lead with greater empathy and vision, and achieve success that creates jobs,” Steve said.

Steve won $3,500 to invest in his company because of his idea and presentation. He will spend part of his winnings on resources such as accounting, marketing and the legal technicalities of the business. The other part of the money will go straight into the business itself.

The first Geek In A Day class will be offered August 17, 2012. For more information go to geekinaday.com.

Steve Nielsen with his third place Grow America trophy.

Contruction for Huntsman Hall has Started

Started!

Construction for Huntsman Hall has officially started. This week, excavators came in and started the construction project by clearing the grounds. In order to extend the tunnel system, a large trench must be dug to connect the Eccles Business building and Huntsman Hall to the utility tunnels. This trench will be fairly deep and wide, and will be approximately 300 feet in length.

Here are some photos so that all of you can see some of the work happening on campus right now.

Before Construction Started

Construction work on July 20, 2012

Due to the necessity of clearing the grounds and making way for the trench, unfortunately a small number of trees were taken down. The good news is when the building is completed, we will plant many new trees. According to fire code, there must be a 25 foot wide fire access road leading into campus between the new Ag building and Huntsman Hall. If the fire code permits it, we will plant trees along both sides of this road.

Ken Snyder

Eric Schulz's New Book

For the past several months, I've been working on an update to the marketing book I wrote back in 1998 entitled "The Marketing Game, How the World's Best Companies Play to Win.”  What started out as an update turned into almost an entirely new book. It is amazing to look back over the past 25 years to see how much marketing has changed. I think back to the day I started at Procter & Gamble. No internet. No email. No computers that we could use. If you wanted to write a memo, you had to dictate it into a hand-held cassette player and give it to your administrative assistant to have it typed. 

Even going back ten years, you didn't have social media, DVR's, Smartphones, Wi-Fi, apps, or any number of hardware/software solutions that can now aid in marketing efforts. Even websites were in their infancy. Nowadays, marketing revolves around technology. It didn't used to be so, and so the changes that needed to be made to the book were significant.

The new book is entitled "The Smart Marketer's Toolbox - the latest marketing innovations and how to use them to grow your business." The new book is now available through Kindle and Amazon. There is a lot of new material that is pretty cool. Give it a read and let me know what you think.

Eric Schulz

International Student Adds Business to Engineering

An International Student Adds Business to Engineering

Dominican Republic and MBA student, Samuel Mosquea

When Samuel Mosquea came to USU five years ago, he could not have imagined where the MBA program would take him.

Samuel came with a group of 100 students from the Dominican Republic in 2007. He received his undergraduate in aerospace engineering in 2011 and immediately started his MBA at the Huntsman School.

One thing Samuel enjoyed about his experience at the Huntsman school is the opportunity he has had to travel. He has visited countries such as China, Jordan, Israel, and South Korea, all because of the MBA program.

Samuel said that a lot of people told him that the skills of the MBA program would not contribute to his undergraduate engineering degree.

But Samuel strongly disagrees.

“I think the skills from engineering complement what I am learning at the school of business,” he said.
Samuel is a dedicated student who desires to be a leader.

“I think an engineer with a MBA can have a bigger impact,” Samuel said. “As an engineer you build things, but as a leader you can do that, plus more.”

Last October Samuel was invited to attend the National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) in Anaheim, on behalf of the Huntsman School. The networking opportunities there led to a full-time job at Ernst & Young in Austin, Texas.

For the complete story, click here.

Expansion Tunnel System

Huntsman Hall Getting Connected to Campus – Literally

The first construction project for the Huntsman Hall addition will be to extend the existing campus underground utility tunnels. The tunnels are 10 feet by 10 feet and built out of concrete. They are 15 feet underground and stable enough to have vehicles drive over them. In fact, these utility tunnels look a lot like the tunnels that provide access to the parking lots across the highway (see picture below). The tunnels carry campus-wide steam, chilled water, network and data wiring, and miscellaneous piping and electrical services.

Parking lot tunnel under the highway

In 2000, the facilities department built a mile long tunnel system to connect the utilities from the central plant throughout campus. These first underground tunnels were built along the perimeter of the quad. This piping allows the utilities from the central energy plant by the Spectrum, to reach all over campus. The system will be extended approximately 300 feet east to connect to the Eccles Business Building as well as Huntsman Hall.

There are two main advantages of being connected to the tunnel expansion system: it’s more reliable, and it is more economical over time. There is a high initial investment required for both the cost of building the steam plant, as well as building the tunnel system, but the running costs are much lower. Once a building is connected to the system, there are rarely any utility problems.


We are anxiously awaiting construction to start in order to be completed in August before Fall Semester starts.

Ken Snyder

America: Still the Land of Great Opportunity

America: Still the Land of Great Opportunity

In August my husband started his first business. He first went on the internet and registered with the state and federal government, which cost him $120. He then got his business name approved, and the application was mailed to the city. A couple days later he received his business license in the mail and that afternoon, he went to work.

The approximate time it took my husband to start a business: three days.

This would never be the case if he didn’t live in the U.S.

Bill Van Dyke is a Huntsman student who traveled to South America on a study abroad last fall. One of the biggest things that shocked him was the difficulty he encountered when starting a business in South America.

“In the U.S. we can get online and start a business within a few hours, but in South America it can take weeks or months to start a business legally,” he said.

He explained that in those countries there is a lot of paper work and “red tape” to go through in order to start a business.

According to the website doingbusiness.org, it takes over 38 days to start a business in China.

In an article by Allen Hall, a business column contributor for the Standard Examiner, he explains that we are the generation of entrepreneurs. He stated that “in 2012, 29 percent of entrepreneurs are ages 20-34.”

I’m putting two and two together here. Not only are we as college students, at a prime time in their lives to start a business, but we are also blessed enough to live in a country that makes these opportunities so accessible. So be bold and start that business idea you have. We live in the United States, home of the free because of the brave.

I hope every has a happy 4th of July.

Klydi Heywood

Father of Three Goes to Graduate School

Father of Three Goes to Graduate School

In 2010, Bryce Huff quit his job of five years at a bank, sold his home, and decided to further his education. First, he went to Oregon to obtain a master’s in conflict resolution, but after finishing there, Bryce came to the Huntsman School to earn his MBA.

“When I came through that door, I knew I wanted to be involved in everything I could,” Bryce said.

With his wife pregnant with their third son, Bryce endeavored to make the most of his MBA experience. He became the account manager for The Agency, an internal, student-run marketing group. It was because of his position with The Agency, as well as his involvement with the Entrepreneurship Club, that Bryce landed a full-time job when he graduated.

Bryce Huff

At a weekly lecture that Bryce helped to organize with the Entrepreneurship Club, Mike Glauser invited Jackie Butler, owner of Med Quest Pharmacy in North Salt Lake, to speak to the students. Med Quest is an innovative company that takes a scientific approach to prescribing important health-supporting supplements.

“I sat next to her at the dinner and really reached out to her,” Bryce said, and after a recommendation letter from Dr. Glauser, Bryce was offered a position with the company.

Because he was so involved at the Huntsman School, “things are really starting to fall into place,” Bryce said.