Beyond the Expected: Ethics in Business Awards

I attended the Oregon Ethics in Business Awards dinner on Wednesday evening this week. I guess one would expect that the nominees and award winners would be impressive in their own right...with their commitment to ethics and to "doing the right thing." But I have to admit, I was much more than impressed by this group of humble do-gooders.

Among the award winners was one especially humble man from Corvallis, Oregon. His name is Mario Pastega. He is a 92-year-old man of Italian decent who owns the Pepsi-Cola bottling facility in Corvallis. At his age, you would think he was a feeble man; however, he actually moves quite quickly and in fact, he loves giving visitors tours of his facilities. In his acceptance speech for the Ethics in Business Award, it was apparent that Mario loves what he does...mostly because he is giving back to the community. Mario helped establish a guest house for relatives of hospital patients to stay in while their loved ones are treated. He visits the families on a regular basis and also commits his time to a number of other service projects. This is all outside of his work hours, which he still puts in regularly even at his age! Mario was a true example of "doing unto others as you would have done unto you." In every way, he exemplifies how people should do business. Not to serve themselves, but to go beyond the expected, even if it means sacrificing a bit of profit. You can read more online about Mario and other Ethics in Business Award Winners, which were researched and underwritten by our very own Willamette MBA students this last semester.

A Near Miss

It's just a little over a month ago that I was two days away from what could have been a life-changing or some might even say, a near-death experience. Here's the full story:

International recruiting and adventure often go hand in hand. But on a recent recruiting trip to India, Aimee Akimoff, Director of Recruitment for Willamette University's full-time MBA program, found herself in a situation she had never anticipated.

As her flight touched down in Delhi on Nov. 27, the crowded financial district of Mumbai was under siege by armed terrorists.

"I first heard of the events through a friend back in Oregon who text-messaged me asking if I was okay," Aimee said. "I didn't understand the severity of the situation until I turned on the news and saw the Taj Hotel in Mumbai under siege."

The historic and beautiful Taj Hotel is frequented by many of Mumbai's business elite, and it's often where Aimee represents the Willamette MBA program to meet prospective students. She was booked to stay at the hotel just two days after the terror attacks began to attend the World MBA Tour, which was scheduled to be held at the Taj Hotel.

On a similar recruiting trip in 2007, Aimee met current Willamette MBA student Robin Singhvi in the lobby of the Taj Hotel, as well as several Atkinson alumni who are now Mumbai residents.

Currently students from 18 different countries study in Willamette University's MBA program, and though the World MBA Fairs were postponed in India due to the terrorist attacks, Aimee is considering future recruiting efforts domestically and abroad.

"The tragic events in Mumbai will not prevent the Willamette MBA from recruiting top students – from India and from around the world," said Aimee (pictured on right). "We will continue to reach out to students in person and via electronic communications to discuss the positive impact the Willamette MBA program can have on their future."

Introducing...

My life is less than ordinary. In fact, there is very little that is ordinary about my life. At times, it makes for some challenges, but I would not have it any other way. Throughout this blog, I hope to share some stories from my travels as a recruiter for an MBA program and a few tidbits from my past, which never seemed to lack in excitement.