As the leaders of tomorrow, Wake Forest alumnus Ben Jones (’94) wants all business students to remember one thing—it all boils down to attitude. This important professional mantra was the focus of Jones’ keynote speech at the Spring 2011 Beta Gamma Sigma Induction Ceremony on April 7.
As a Senior Managing Director at Conway, Del Genio, Gries & Co., LLC and member of the Wake Forest University Schools of Business Board of Visitors, Jones’ words of wisdom come from many years of providing restructuring services to corporations throughout the nation. Jones noted that, while many companies will blame the economy or various other external factors for financial failures, more often than not, such incidences are self-inflicted. From his experience, many corporate failures are inevitably tied to a dysfunctional corporate culture coupled with, denial, complacency or resistance to change.
Jones implored inductees into the international honor society to live the Wake Forest ideals of Pro Humanitate and remember that, while attitude can determine failure, it can also determine success. He shared that “behavior and attitude will carry you far” and encouraged the audience to adopt the same advice he shares with companies—maintain a clear vision and strategy while remaining open to the possibility of change.
Caroline Reinert (’11), co-president of Beta Gamma Sigma, appreciated the insight. “Knowing you’re accountable for your attitude is both intimidating and empowering because it means you are the only one responsible for the behaviors and motivations that control your life.”
Wake Forest University congratulations the following 89 new inductees at the undergraduate and master’s level: Christopher Hall Anderson, Johanna Edens Anderson, Lydia Pickering Armstrong, Tyson Lee Badders, Bryan Edward Barnett, Travis James Bracken, Drew Alan Cawthorne, Omar Chatila, Nicole Elizabeth Coffey, J Tanner Combias, Paul Alexander Davis, Erica Elizabeth DeBrock, Erin Alexandra Devine, Joshua Chester DeWitt, Daniel Michael DiBuono, Michael James Donahue, Bret Andrew Doucette, Cassandra Ann Duchard, Nelson Young Fernandez, William Thomas Flippin, Amanda Victoria Ford, Lawrence Michael Forszen, Michael Eugene Foster, Anthony Ray Franklyn, Joy Lynn Fuller, Sarah Catherine Gabriel, Stephanie Diane Gifford, Melanie Lynn Green, Jason Todd Greeter, Shaun Lee Groat, Mallory Jane Hackbarth, Todd Adam Hanford, Maggie Elliot Hoey, Manabu Hoizumi, Jonathan Mark Hoyle, Roy Eli Hykal, Donghyun Kim, Jeremy Lyall Lambert, Brian McCormick Lee, Matthew A. Leon, Mitchell Aaron Lurie, Charles Francis Mansfield, Charles Edward Marckwardt, Aaron Richard Martin, Maranda Elizabeth McBride, Kathryn Liles McClure, Shannon Leigh McGorry, Conor James Mills, Benjamin Sayer Morrow, William McKay Murphy, Sarah Kristen Neaves, Peter Walden Nehl, David Christian Nestor, Heidi Francesca Noriega, William Roy Partin, Alexander D Pompey, Gillian Elizabeth Potts, Brian Christopher Price, Wallace Litchfield Reed, Sarah Kathryn Renner, Adam David Richeson, Erin Elizabeth Ritter, Clayton Newman Roberts, Bradley David Ross, Abu Sadat Rubaiyat, Natalia Irena Russo, Laura Elizabeth Sadow, Elliot Rodolfo Salman, Danielle Marie Schovee, Andrew Morrison Sebo, Faith Caroline Sedberry, Rachel Weightman Simpson, Eric David Sipf, Jaclyn Susanne Sokulski, Jennifer Marie Spiel, Victoria May Stewart, Jennifer Lynn Stoner, Vidyuth Sukumar, Carolyn Elizabeth Toll, Christopher Stewart Townsend, Jeffrey John Tsacoumangos, Christopher Joel Van Roekel, Xavier Van Windekens, , Sreevidya Velloor, Roger Rines Venezia, Richard Daniel Volant, Jonathan Robert Weathers, Katharine Elizabeth Wesley, Jeffrey Lance Wilhoite, Tiancheng You.
The following seven students were first inducted while undergraduate students and their second Beta Gamma Sigma recognition at the Master’s level: Travis James Bracken, Anneli Jennifer Browning, Scott William Case, Andrea Joy Kensy, Christopher Michael Langley, Rachel Weightman Simpson, Mark Brandon Stillwell.
The Beta Gamma Sigma inductees join an expanding worldwide network of more than 625,000 outstanding business professionals who have earned recognition through lifetime membership in Beta Gamma Sigma. Students ranking in the top 10 percent of the baccalaureate and top 20 percent of graduate programs at schools accredited by AACSB International are eligible for this invitation. Election to lifetime membership in Beta Gamma Sigma is the highest honor a business student can receive anywhere in the world in an undergraduate or master’s program at a school accredited by AACSB International.