University of Arkansas at Little Rock

UALR MBA student Robert Airo of North Little Rock, who worked on a team that completed a sustainability assessment for the City of Little Rock, was recently hired as the sustainability coordinator at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

Airo was in Dr. Nancy Landrum’s Corporate Strategy course in the spring when he worked on the City’s sustainability assessment. Dr. Landrum, an associate professor of management in the College of Business, said the City wanted to know the state of the industry (urban sustainability), an internal analysis of how the City compared to similar cities around the country, and some recommendations on how to be more competitive on urban sustainability indicators. The team presented their research to the Little Rock Sustainability Commission (LRSC).

“The LRSC project was the deciding factor to hire me,” said Airo. He said it was a direct correlation of school work to obtaining a job, adding that people have told him that they “never actually knew anyone who had it happen. I am the first one UAMS hired to specifically work on sustainability.” Airo said he never before would have considered sustainability as a career path.

“To continue building upon this success, with Robert’s help, my current students in Sustainable Business (MGMT 7398) will be completing a self-study for UAMS this semester following the Green Guide for Health Care,” said Landrum. “They will also conduct industry research to identify best ‘green’ practices in the health care industry. By the end of the semester, we expect Robert and this new team of students to make recommendations to UAMS on how to be more green and sustainable in their operations.”

Airo started in the MBA program in fall 2007 and will complete his graduate degree this December.

Dr. James Bullard, president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, will speak to MBA students, business alumni, and other interested parties from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27, in an event cohosted by UALR College of Business and the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

Bullard’s 45-minute presentation — “Monetary Policy and the Economic Outlook” — will be followed by question-and-answer session and a reception. The event will be in the atrium of the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Business and Economic Development on the UALR campus.

Bullard took office as president and CEO in April 2008 directing the activities of the bank’s head office in St. Louis as well as its three branches in Little Rock, Louisville, Ky., and Memphis, Tenn. He also represents the Bank on the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), the Federal Reserve’s chief monetary policymaking body.

The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, one of 12 regional reserve banks, along with the Board of Governors in Washington, D.C., constitute the Federal Reserve System. As the nation’s central bank, the Fed is responsible for conducting monetary policy, supervising banks, and operating the nation’s payment system.

After joining the research division of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis in 1990, Bullard held several positions to include deputy director of research for monetary analysis. He holds a B.S. degree in quantitative methods and information systems and economics from St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minn., and a doctorate in economics from Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind.

Bullard has written numerous papers published in professional journals and has been a peer reviewer for more than two dozen periodicals. He has participated in more than 150 conferences, symposia, or lectures sponsored by foreign central banks, academic institutions, and monetary policy groups around the world.

For more information about the presentation at the UALR College of Business, call 501.569.3356, e-mail cobdean@ualr.edu, or visit ualr.edu/cob. Parking is available across 28th Street from the Reynolds Center in Lot 13.

Dr. James Bullard, president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, spoke to MBA students, business alumni, and other interested parties Thursday, Aug. 27, in an event cohosted by UALR College of Business and the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

Bullard’s 45-minute presentation — “Monetary Policy and the Economic Outlook” — was followed by a question-and-answer session and a reception. The event was held at the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Business and Economic Development at UALR.

Bullard took office as president and CEO in April 2008 directing the activities of the bank’s head office in St. Louis as well as its three branches in Little Rock, Louisville, Ky., and Memphis, Tenn. He also represents the Bank on the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), the Federal Reserve’s chief monetary policymaking body. The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, one of 12 regional reserve banks, along with the Board of Governors in Washington, D.C., constitute the Federal Reserve System. As the nation’s central bank, the Fed is responsible for conducting monetary policy, supervising banks, and operating the nation’s payment system.

After joining the research division of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis in 1990, Bullard held several positions to include deputy director of research for monetary analysis. He holds a B.S. degree in quantitative methods and information systems and economics from St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minn., and a doctorate in economics from Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind.

Bullard has written numerous papers published in professional journals and has been a peer reviewer for more than two dozen periodicals. He has participated in more than 150 conferences, symposia, or lectures sponsored by foreign central banks, academic institutions, and monetary policy groups around the world.

Centennial Bank directors and employees have established an endowment scholarship at the UALR College of Business honoring the late banker and marketing executive Tom Steves, a UALR alumnus. The Thomas E. Steves Sr. Memorial Alumni Endowment will benefit UALR students in marketing and advertising. Centennial Bank will match employer contributions to the endowment.

Steves, 68, died May 26 in a motorcycle accident. He had been executive vice president at Twin City Bank, now Centennial Bank, since 2002. Steves received a bachelor’s degree in advertising and marketing from UALR in 1970. He was long-time advertising and public relations professional in Little Rock who was a member of the UALR Alumni Association Board of Directors and University District Partnership Steering Committee and a former UALR adjunct professor.

“All of us at Centennial Bank are proud to support the Tom Steves Sr. Endowment,” said Centennial CEO Bob Birch. “We recognize both Tom and UALR’s commitment to education in the marketing and advertising professions. This endowment will perpetuate his memory as well as provide for students to learn about the career he truly loved.”

Steves’ dedication to UALR extended to his entire family. His wife, Robin Helton Steves, is a 1980 UALR graduate. His son, Tom Steves Jr., received accounting and finance degrees from UALR, and their daughter, Hope, is pursuing a master’s degree in education at UALR.

The Steves Endowment will be administered by the chair of the marketing and advertising department, and funds will be utilized for tuition, fees, books, and room/board at UALR. Recipients must be full- or part-time students majoring in marketing or advertising. Preference will be given to junior and senior level students. Academic accomplishment and financial need will be considered. Recipients must have a minimum grade point average of a 2.5.

To contribute to the endowed scholarship fund, contact Will Elliott, development director for the College of Business, at 501.569.3208 or jwelliott@ualr.edu