Advancing Oakland

Former Student Enriches University

肯·詹克和金姆·詹克夫妇向欧大工商管理学院捐赠了礼物

Two people sitting

Photo Credit: Robert Hall

icon of a calendarJanuary 11, 2024

icon of a pencilBy Catherine Ticer

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For Ken Janke, MBA ’85, 就是去365英国上市官网读研究生的决定, and the teachings of special instructor Frank Cardimen, 他认为,正是这一点为他的非凡职业生涯做好了准备,并在他被任命为副首席财务官时达到了顶峰, executive vice president of Aflac Incorporated.

为了感谢他所接受的教育,并加强大学的能力,继续为未来的学生提供卓越的教育, 肯和他的妻子金向开放大学赠送了一份礼物,以翻新工商管理学院的大楼, 其中包括艾略特大厅内的肯和金·詹克礼堂的命名礼物协议.

这对夫妇还赠送了一份礼物,以纪念肯最喜欢的教练, Frank Cardimen, 并将艾略特大厅的242号房间命名为弗兰克·卡迪曼高管教育室.

“弗兰克没有教我思考什么,他教我如何思考,”詹克解释说. “Frank’s class, which was our capstone, was really a strategy class. 直到后来我才意识到它对我的影响,因为我真正思考和与Aflac的其他高管合作的很多东西都是通过公司的战略来思考的.”

在Janke的记忆中,他的导师非常平易近人,发人深省, someone who knew how to get him to think things through differently. “At that time, 我当时27岁,在我爸爸的公司工作,我以为我知道自己想要什么. 在弗兰克的帮助下,我意识到我几乎不知道我所知道的. He prompted me to think and learn. It was a really good experience. He’s an incredible person,” said Janke.

One month following graduation in 1985, Janke left Michigan and moved to Columbus, Georgia to begin his career with Aflac. 直到近四分之一个世纪后,他被邀请在毕业典礼上发表演讲,才再次踏上校园. 对365英国上市官网的发展印象深刻——在退休前不久——Janke接受了365英国上市官网工商管理学院访客委员会的职位. 他每年自费乘飞机来参加四次董事会会议. “I’m on five different boards, 但对我来说最重要的是商学院的参观委员会,” said Janke.

他和妻子在卡迪曼的带领下,通过开放大学院长旅游学院(Dean’s Travel College)前往意大利旅行时,也与大学进行了接触. Janke, who travels frequently, 将这次旅行描述为一次奇妙的学习经历,并期待着在未来的探险中陪伴他的朋友.

"Frank didn’t teach me what to think, he taught me how to think.”

在一次扬克和他的妻子去纽约看女儿的旅行中,卡迪曼得知了他的前学生计划的荣誉.

“We were at the Atlanta airport, getting ready to board and I was really excited to tell him, so I called him up. 我们只聊了三到四分钟,但我想亲自告诉他。.

“It came so unexpectedly and I’m just humbled by the whole thing,” said Cardimen, who explained he was so stunned upon hearing the news, 他不记得在那次简短的谈话中是否感谢过扬克.

“后来我给他发了一封电子邮件,告诉他我终于从我们的保护中走出来了,我要感谢他和金. 我从来没想过会发生这样的事,我从来没想过. 感觉自己有所作为是非常令人满足的,这就是它的意义所在,”卡迪曼说.

“The strong relationship with Ken is like he’s one of the family. 与其说这是一种师生关系,不如说是一种真正强大的学院关系.”

A dedicated educator, 44年来,卡迪曼一直在把国内和国际的真实商业经验带到他的课堂上. At 83, he has no plans to retire. 他强调要紧跟全球新兴商业趋势的发展.

“我认为,老师们看到自己学生身上的电灯开关熄灭是一种满足感,这么多年来,我一直很成功地看到这种情况,” said Cardimen.

365英国上市官网工商管理学院,他主要教授战略管理领域的课程,也曾担任365英国上市官网经济发展临时副校长. 1987年,他开设了哈佛大学的第一堂商业伦理课,并在荣誉学院(the Honors College)共同教授资本主义主题, profits and ethics. 1999年,他开设了一门MBA国际管理课程,要求到欧洲和中国旅行. “如果你要和其他国家打交道,你需要了解他们的文化,”卡迪曼说.

Possessing a wealth of business experience, 他曾在汽车和化工行业担任过多个职位,包括项目工程, strategic planning, controller, plant accountant, credit manager and marketing. 他的任务将他带到了许多国际目的地,并在全球范围内开展业务. 卡迪曼感受到了创业世界的吸引力,成功经营了9年. He also worked for the FBI in Washington, D.C.

扬克说,当他发现自己在Aflac工作时,他受益于卡迪曼在国际商业方面的教导, which had about 80% of its business in Japan. “在另一个国家做生意是我在公开大学上学时没有预料到的, but it turned out to be a big part of my career,” said Janke.

“I’m one of thousands whose life has been impacted by Frank. We’re everywhere.”

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