Mays Impacts

By Amy Dahmann, Texas A&M University Mays Business School

COLLEGE STATION, Jan. 14, 2022 – The Mays Business School Center for Executive Development (CED) at Texas A&M University was recently awarded Full Membership status in UNICON — The International University Consortium for Executive Education. UNICON’s members comprise the most relevant, successful, and sought-after learning partners for leaders and organizations who want to improve performance. The consortium is a vital resource for executive education providers worldwide.

The Mays Business School CED at Texas A&M University was awarded Full Membership status during the November UNICON board call. Having demonstrated their commitment and engagement, the board approved Full Membership status for four Associate members. The EDHEC Business School, the Irish Management Institute (IMI), and The Carey Executive Education program at John Hopkins University’s Carey Business School were also awarded Full Membership status.

“We are honored to be awarded Full Membership status in UNICON and join their global network of executive education colleagues,” said Dr. Ben Welch, Assistant Dean for Executive Education for the Mays Business School CED. “The past two years have shown us that executive education must continue to evolve to meet the ever-changing needs of organizations, their leaders, and their people. Being part of UNICON allows us to both learn from and share with our peers. Together, we’ll shape the future of our industry,” Welch said.

For more information, go to www.uniconexed.org.

A leading global consortium of business‐school‐based executive education organizations, UNICON is committed to improving and advancing the Executive Education industry. Founded in 1972, UNICON is comprised of more than 100 of the world’s top university-based executive education providers. UNICON’s primary activities include conferences, research, benchmarking, sharing of best practices, staff development, recruitment/job postings, information‐sharing, and extensive networking among members, all centered around the business and practice of executive education.

The Center for Executive Development (CED) at Mays Business School provides fully custom executive education programs for companies that aim to cultivate ethical leaders. It is the CED’s mission to educate and empower transformational leaders for a global society.

The Mays Business School’s Center for Executive Development (CED) at Texas A&M University was announced as the winner of “Best New Program” and the runner-up of “Best Custom Program.”

The 2^nd Annual Conference on Management & Executive Development (CMED) Program Awards took place during the annual conference in Orlando, FL., hosted by the ProEd Corporation (ProEd). The ProEd Corporation produces events for executive education professionals.

Joe Bork, president of ProEd, explains that the CMED Program Awards Competition “was created to assemble individuals that would compare and contrast Executive Education, Continuing Education, and Management Development outreach programs as a way to listen, learn, and possibly adopt current and new learning opportunities at their university.”

To be nominated, conference attendees submitted proposals reviewed by a designated selection committee. Fourteen schools from across the globe were chosen to present their programs to conference peers. Winners were selected by peer vote.

The CED’s Weatherford Leadership Development Program was recognized as runner-up for “Best Custom Program.” According to ProEd, programs in the Custom Program category must “demonstrate exceptional design and development of new services and content specifically for the customer.” The CED teamed up with Weatherford’s Talent Development office to create a program that identifies and develops strategic leaders, fosters engagement and commitment to moving Weatherford forward, and empowers leaders to make optimal decisions rooted in Weatherford Core Values & Leadership Competencies. In 2018, a total of 94 leaders and high potential employees completed the Weatherford Leadership Development Program with more programming scheduled for 2019.

The Executive Certificate in Business Essentials by the CED was named the leader in “Best New Program.” Programs must have been delivered within the last 18 months to be considered “new.” The Executive Certificate in Business Essentials was developed for busy professionals responsible for business decisions who hope to refine their business acumen. A range of business topics are covered, including numerous management/leadership sessions, financial acumen, marketing, supply chain, etc. With its unique structure of one two-day session per month over a course of six months, this program accomplishes the goals of participants with limited interruption to their professional lives. For more information on the Executive Certificate in Business Essentials, visit tx.ag/BizEssentials.

Brandi Plunkett, executive director of the CED, shares that “the team is so honored to be recognized for our programs, which are truly a result of tireless effort and tremendous talent on the part of our clients, faculty, and staff.”

The Center for Executive Development (CED) at Mays Business School provides fully customized executive education programs for companies and open enrollment programs for individuals that cultivate ethical leaders. Embodying the Texas A&M core values, the staff at the CED welcomes an on-going dialog with clients in order to meet their objectives and empower them to lead with excellence.

Lifelong learning is critical to navigating a world that changes at an ever-increasing rate. Leaders who have this mindset remain fresh and engaged in their role in organizations. Ben Welch, the executive director of Mays Center for Executive Development’s Halliburton Programs and former assistant dean for executive education, described the characteristics of lifelong learners during Mays’ 50^th Anniversary Celebration Sept. 7. …Read more

For Roger Montemayor ’99, entrepreneurship is synonymous with confidence.

His guiding question is simple: “Do you believe enough in yourself to take on great risk for great gain?”

Believing in himself to take risks has been integral to his success in taking the helm of his father’s company, Victory Insurance, and growing it to the point of attracting the attention of the one of the largest brokerage firms in the world, Arthur J. Gallagher, where he is now area president.

Since he was a college student majoring in business management, he has had all the makings of an entrepreneurial spirit — drive, passion, and a love of leading others to accomplish great things.

“I knew early on that I wanted my performance to control my destiny and took a job offer from my dad to work in sales,” he said. He worked for his father’s company Victory Insurance selling commercial property and casualty to businesses in around the Houston area.

In 2009, Montemayor decided to purchase the agency from his dad and his partner.

“Immediately after he closed, I formulated a plan to diversify our business and focus heavily on growth. I created a personal lines division, that focused on high net worth, complex personal insurance needs. I also opened up a group benefits division, Victory Benefits Advisors.”

Montemayor said that both of these divisions created instant organic growth for the company. By 2016, he had doubled the top line growth of his agency.

Montemayor said he has always had a passion to build business and to lead. “I think it’s because I love the pressure, I love the hustle, I love competition and I’ve never been complacent.”

Montemayor easily recalls a highlight of his career: In 2016, when Fortune 500 company Arthur J. Gallagher sought out with interest in a merger.

The rewards of his endeavors with Victory Insurance have been vast for Montemayor, especially when it comes to the people with whom he works. “I love the responsibility of taking care of my employees,” he said. “It’s extremely fulfilling to know that if I do my job the way that I should, many others will also share in the success.”

Montemayor also underscored that his background at Mays has been invaluable in helping him succeed. “The environment at Mays promoted competition and cultivated a drive that prepared me for the real world.” He credited the community of professors and mentors who were attentive to his preparation and growth.

He added that that the strength of the Aggie network has been crucial. “As Aggies, we take care of each other and we do business with each other. I’ve created so many professional relationships with Aggies, it’s unbelievable.”

Texas A&M University’s military heritage, combined with its world-class business school, makes it the ideal place for today’s veterans to prepare for a career beyond the armed forces. To that end, Mays Business School’s Center for Executive Development is launching the Veteran Accelerated Management Program (VAMP) in partnership with the VETTED Foundation to help high-performance U.S. military veterans transition to the business world.

(Watch a video here)

This program enhances Texas A&M’s well-established reputation as one of the Best Colleges for Veterans. “Our armed forces have displayed their commitment to our country through their many years of service,” said Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp. “This program is one way that Texas A&M can salute their service and help these proven leaders successfully enter civilian life so they can continue to be a productive part of society.”

…Read more