Organizing for America- Application Due 8/24

Organizing for America, the successor organization to Obama for America, is empowering students across the country to build on the movement that elected President Obama and help bring about his vision for change.
OFA is launching the National Organizing Internship, connecting students all over the country with our organization on the ground, and working to make the change we fought so hard for in 2008 a reality in 2009 and beyond.
General Information

• Internship Dates: September 1-December 11 (dates are flexible depending on your school’s schedule).
• The Internship requires a commitment of at least 12 hours per week.
• To receive college credit for this program, please make arrangements with your school ahead of time.
• Applications must be submitted by Monday, August 24th.

New Graduates Finding Jobs in China

Excerpt: New York Times- August 11 - New Graduate Finding Jobs in China
(get the full text of this article on Factiva - expand the source field to select New York Times)

Shanghai and Beijing are becoming new lands of opportunity for recent American college graduates who face unemployment nearing double digits at home.

Even those with limited or no knowledge of Chinese are heeding the call. They are lured by China's surging economy, the lower cost of living and a chance to bypass some of the dues-paying that is common to first jobs in the United States.

And the Chinese economy is more hospitable for both entrepreneurs and job seekers, with a gross domestic product that rose 7.9 percent in the most recent quarter compared with the period a year earlier. Unemployment in urban areas is 4.3 percent, according to government data.

Grace Hsieh, president of the Yale Club in Beijing and a 2007 graduate, says she has seen a rise in the number of Yale graduates who have come to work in Beijing since she arrived in China two years ago. She is working as an account executive in Beijing for Hill & Knowlton, the public relations company.

Network with the ATL Technology Community

The MIT Enterprise Forum-Atlanta is sponsoring the New Talent Exchange on Tuesday, August 25, 5:00 – 7:00 pm at 5 Seasons Brewery Westside. Join the MIT Enterprise Forum of Atlanta for this networking opportunity.$10 student with ID, Register at http://www.mitforumatlanta.org/

The New Talent Exchange introduces young professionals and entrepreneurs to the Atlanta technology community. The purpose is to connect recent graduates with industry veterans and mentor the next generation of business leaders. Professionals in technology, business and law give attendees an opportunity to learn and practice networking skills while making important professional connections.


BBAs - this is a great networking opportunity. Here's an opportunity to ask professionals in the field exactly what they do, what the opportunities are in this industry, what challenges they face, what areas of IT are growing, what IT areas are hot in Atlanta and anything else on your mind. Ask informational questions or check out the internship opportunities.

Professor Benn Konsynski can provide you with additional information.

Home Depot 2009 Annual Shareholder's Meeting

Thursday morning at Cobb Galleria Centre I was greeted by lots of smiling faces wearing orange aprons. The shareholders, who were scant in number and advanced in age, did not fill the auditorium.

An upbeat video of employees in the US and Mexico cheering for the company's 30th anniversary kicked off the meeting.

Frank Blake opened the informal part of the meeting with a few slides on the company's performance. 2008 Financial performance declined by 8% from 2007.

A protester came to the stage with a large banner about stopping dams in Patagonia. He was quickly ushered out of the room. (read more on this below.)

Blake highlighted 4 initiatives:

1. Customer Service: Launched Customer First in '08- focused on employee training
2. Merchandising Transformation: Lower price campaign, invested in merchandising tools, reduced inventories, gained share in 9 of 13 departments year-over-year in 4Q.
3. Supply Chain Transformation: Rolled out Rapid Deployment Center network, 5 RDCs in operation, a few more online in 2009, one in Valdosta just opened, enhanced the replenishment system - 70% of product will flow through the RDCs.
4. Overseas: Canada implemented SAP Retail system - difficult, will evaluate to see if it will be rolled out further; Mexico - double digit sales; China: still learning and evaluating the potential- currently 12 stores.

2009: Total sales decline of 9%, EPS from continued operations down 7%. There will be continued investment in core business. 1Q results were ahead of plan.

Q&A was the best part - the shareholder proposals were explained at this time

• Question: A well-known shareholder asked what % of share initiatives get approved - Blake did not answer (none of the proposals were approved this year.)
• Question: Karen Katen and Armando Codina sit on GM's board, which is in precarious financial straits. What is their business acumen? We expect them to devote their time to our board. Bonnie Hill sits on 3 boards, leads 2 companies. Mr. Blake tells the directors to walk the floors, how much time do they have? Have they missed any meetings? Answer: complete confidence in the board, they're doing a great job.
• Proposal: Trillium Asset Management initiated the shareholder proposal to have HD prepare a diversity report & make it available to shareholders by Sept. 2009. This issue has been on the agenda for 12 years. The company has paid millions to settle diversity law suits. HD files annually EEO-1 reports to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. This information should be available to shareholders. P&G, Coke and Intel voluntary disclose this information. It was noted that HD is undertaking new initiatives on diversity. Nevertheless, the board recommended that shareholders vote against this proposal.
• Proposal: NYC Employees' Retirement System shareholder proposal on executive pay for performance.
• Proposal: CT. Retirement Plans and Trust Funds submitted a shareholder proposal to have HD audit their Energy Use. Blake is a director of the Southern Company which has instituted this audit.
• Susan Baker from Trillium Asset Management raised the Patagonia dam issue - stating that investors are concerned about HD's connection to the dam issue. (As stated in the AJC on 05/28/09 the environmental group International Rivers has tried for more than a year to get the company to stop buying wood products from two companies involved in a Chilean dam project. They believe HD can use its purchasing power to pressure the companies to stop construction of five dams in Patagonia.) Ms. Baker wanted HD to be an active part of the solution. She has been trying to meet with HD since January, but has been rebuffed. Answer: Blake said he would meet with her. He stated that one of their suppliers was part of a conglomerate. Their supplier is not directly involved in the dam project. He stated that HD shouldn't be involved with Chile's energy policy. Many shareholders clapped. Blake suggested the group deal with the Chilean government.
• The campaign cooridnator of International Rivers stated that HD must look more closely at their economic ties with the dam project. The HD supplier sells millions of dollars of CMPC products which belongs to the Mata Group. He acknowledged HD's role in encouraging their customers to be environmentally conscious consumers. He stated that HD could take this issue on as an opportunity to act & encouraged the company to sever their relationship with this supplier. (Turns out HD has taken a leadership role in forest issues, in the past. HD should get on top of this issue and explain to shareholders what their position is.)
• Quite a few references to Nardelli - all thankful that he was no longer at the helm
• Former VP praised Blake's leadership, noting that he was responsive. "Values are coming back, shareholder value will skyrocket."
• Laid off employee inquires why she is not interviewed for posted jobs. Blake responds that they will flag former employees for job opportunities.
• Request to stop selling glue tracks, from an ethical treatment of animals advocate. Blake responded that they are open to re-thinking their policy.
• An employee announced that morale was better in stores and thanked Blake for the promotions and the 401K

The meeting wasn't particularly exciting, but it was democracy in action. There is a forum for shareholders to directly tell management what they think. More shareholders, like voters, should take an active role in the process

Think "We" For Best Results - CEO Interview

New York Times - 04/19/09- Interview with Nell Minow, co-founder of the Corporate Library, a provider of corporate governance research. Highlights:

• How do you do hiring? I really look for a kind of passionate curiosity. I think that is indispensible.
• I won't hire anyone that can't write. I tell them to give me an example of their ability to communicate. It's just tremendously important, their vocabulary, their precision, their sense of appropriateness of communication
• Leadership- what I said to employees: if you have a problem, I have a problem. I refuse to be responsible for a problem that is not brought to my attention.
• Employees: not allowed to bring a problem to me, unless you have a proposed solution.

Go to Factiva for the full article.

Home Depot Shareholder Meeting

Thursday I'll be attending Home Depot's Shareholders meeting. I can get in because I am a shareholder! I look forward to reporting back to students how a company markets itself to its shareholders, what's it like to hear first hand about the company's progress and future plans and to see if there is any activisim or real feedback from the shareholders. Stay tuned!

Biotechnology Convention- Atlanta

Check out the Bio International Convention being held May 18-21 in Atlanta. A growing industry, a terrific networking opportunity. Even if you aren't in Atlanta, check this site to update yourself on what is happening in this area. You don't need to be a chemist to be involved - all these companies need finance, accounting and marketing professionals!

Sustainability Careeers

Question: I'm interested in Sustainability Consulting - where could I find job postings?
Suggestion: Start right here at Emory by networking with our Director of Sustainability Initiatives - Ciannat Howett. Email her to ask how she found her job, what associations she belongs to, who she partners with.
For a list of jobs - try greenjobs.org or Grist.org or Idealist - check their handbook for building a better world, job listings, groups and organizations.
Try Special Issues for lists of top or leading companies featured in a trade or industry journal.
Click on Search, then on the search page, click on Subject Terms Listings at the bottom of the page. I selected E> Energy efficiency and Renewable Energy - try other terms. To get the full-text of the article, try eJournals or go to Factiva or Business Source Complete. In Factiva, you would select Publication - enter the name- and then enter the title of the list you're looking for.
We also have the book: "Green Biz- 50 Green, Profitable Companies Reveal Their Strategies and Success," check the web sites of the companies listed in this book.