Tommie Business

Spring 2011, Thursday Evenings
Family Business Strategy
ENTR449 (Prerequisites FIN321 and business in the family)

Reasons to take the class

Plan to join the family business. You will learn strategies to promote your family business career.
Want to help the family business.  You will work on a project designed to help the business.

Instructors

Mary Schmid Daugherty, CFA, PhD—Finance professor, family business owner and board member, co-author for next edition of Family Business by Poza, and speaker on financial issues in family business in the UST Family Business Center and elsewhere.

Ritch L. Sorenson, PhD—Opus Chair in Family Business, Director of Family Business Center, former business owner, Associate Editor for Family Business Review, and sponsor of annual Conference on Family Business at the University of St. Thomas.

Prerequisites  Finance 321 and a business in the family to use as the basis for course projects.

Course Purpose:

This course provides students with the analytical tools and decision-making models to strategically evaluate a closely held/private company.  Students will analyze the economic opportunities and competitive environment in the context of a specific business sector.  Topics will include analyzing financial statements, capital structures, governance structures, sources of capital, liquidity options and valuation.

The purpose of this course is for students to apply analytical tools and decision-making models to assess the performance of their own family’s business, when possible.  The student will determine how the family and business governance structures, patient capital and strategically driven financial metrics can add value to a family enterprise. The intent is to allow the student to learn and apply various best practices to their own family business. 

Family members are encouraged to participate with their student in this course.  All family members who participate will be expected to purchase texts read course materials and work closely with the student to complete the assignments outlined in the syllabus. 

Final Project Options for Your Family Business

• Strategic Plan
• Business Valuation
• Business Growth Plan

Contact Ritch Sorenson for more information: 651-742-2173  rlsorenson@stthomas.edu

Delta Sigma Pi presents…
Global Entrepreneurship Week!!!

What is it? A social networking event with entrepreneurs! Free appetizers and refreshments provided.

Where is it?  O’Gara’s Bar, on the corner of Snelling Ave. and Selby Ave.

When is it?   Wednesday Nov. 17^th, 7:30 – 9:30pm!

In partnership with … College Pro

Contact David England for details 651-747-7924 engl1731@stthomas.edu

The members of SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) spent Halloween Trick or Canning.  SIFE members spent the evening in the community collecting food donations for the Hanover Area Food Shelf.  To get involved with SIFE, or to join their next fun and rewarding community service event, contact SIFE at kjgayan@stthomas.edu.

Katelyn Atwell was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia when she was 12 and soon after she began chemotherapy she fell ill with Bacillus cereus meningitis (at the time only 6 cases of this rare disease had been documented). Within days Katelyn slipped into a coma for over a year. 

Katelyn not only miraculously survived, but she has since dedicated significant time to raising money for St. Jude Children’s Hospital, where she was treated. St. Thomas business alumnus Chris Scotch was in the audience on Valentine’s Day of 2009 when Katelyn told her inspiring story at a benefit dinner. According to Chris, “She had not an ounce of self pity. Not a speck of anger at the hand life had dealt her. Not even a fleeting thought of giving up despite her fragile physical condition. Quite the opposite – her amazing sense of humor and her charming old soul view of life and gritty determination instantly endeared me to Katelyn and brought tears to my eyes.  Before the end of Katelyn’s talk I had decided that I wanted to do something to for St. Jude on Katelyn’s behalf.”

Come and hear how Chris’s life has changed since then at the next Alumni Reflections lunch on Tuesday, November 9 in McNeely Hall Great Room from 11:45-1:00, and prepare to be amazed by his incredible story of passion and determination.