Brigham Young University’s Marriott School of Management honored Steven R. Thorley with its 2007 Outstanding Faculty Award, the highest faculty distinction given by the school. The award was presented at a banquet March 21 where the school also recognized 11 other individuals who have made significant contributions.

Competing against a record number of contestants, a team of three MISM students won the winter 2007 Omniture Web Analytics Competition hosted by the Rollins Center for eBusiness. Jimmy Zimmerman from Sandy, Utah; Ben Robison from Lehi, Utah; and Benjamin Swanson from Stow, New York — all graduating this April — were members of the winning Webtacular team. The judges awarded them first place and $5,000 for their extensive research, strong presentation and valuable business recommendations.

Brigham Young University’s Romney Institute of Public Management honored Bountiful City Manager Thomas R. Hardy with its 2007 Administrator of the Year award at a banquet given in his honor. “Tom has really distinguished himself as an outstanding city manager as well as a great example for the young professionals he has helped develop,” says Rex L. Facer, assistant professor of public management. “He’s known as a straight shooter who truly has the public interest at heart and always pushes for the community’s best interests.” After receiving the award at the March 29 dinner, Hardy said he felt honored to be included on the list of award recipients.

Rock, paper, scissors, GO! April 6 marks the day of what a group of Brigham Young University students hope will be the largest rock, paper, scissors competition on record. The event will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. on the Deseret Towers field. Hosted by BYU’s Collegiate Entrepreneur’s Organization, the competition is open to the general public and intended to make it into the Guinness World Records.

Calle, a company that wants to be a premier brand for street soccer players, was named winner of the 2007 Business Plan Competition and accepted a $52,500 award of cash and in-kind services. Since the competition’s submission process began in November, Calle worked to stand out from almost 140 idea pitches, 43 original business plans, eight semi-finalists and finally three final teams that presented their business plans March 30.

One might not expect an American Catholic priest living in the slums of Bangkok and BYU students to have much in common. But Father Joe Maier, founder of the Human Development Foundation, and seven students enrolled in the Marriott School field studies program found common ground as they worked together to better the lives of Thai children.

Six BYU undergraduates will shortly begin new internships thanks to an unconventional internship competition sponsored last month by the Marriott School Undergraduate Management office. The competition, loosely based on the popular TV show “The Apprentice,” showcased participants’ interviewing and presenting in front of an audience.

BusinessWeek magazine ranked Brigham Young University’s undergraduate management program eighth overall and second among recruiters in the most comprehensive ranking of U.S. undergraduate business programs to date. The school was also ranked first in return on tuition for private colleges. The magazine cited the program’s ethics-based education and high-caliber recruiters as strengths.

The Rollins Center for eBusiness and the CP80 Foundation are bringing some of Utah’s business leaders to the BYU campus Friday, 16 March, for its semiannual eBusiness Day. Titled Technology Responsibility and Ethics, this semester’s eBusiness Day focuses on the risks and opportunities inherent in technology.

BYU’s Marriott School of Management now holds the “Best in Accountancy” title, according to the 2007 Financial Times global ranking of business schools. Financial Times reports the top 10 schools in various categories in addition to its annual rankings of the top 100 MBA programs. This year, Marriott School alumni placed BYU first in the accounting category.

Singled out from professors across the nation, BYU Professor and School of Accountancy Director Kevin Stocks was recognized this month for displaying excellence in accounting education. Stocks was awarded the annual Joseph A. Silvoso Faculty Award of Merit by the Federation of Schools of Accountancy, a national organization dedicated to the development of accredited accounting programs.

Two statewide awards were given to Dr. Tamara Lewis, a member of Brigham Young University’s Romney Institute advisory board, in recognition of her efforts to improve Utahns’ health. Lewis was named a 2006 Health Care Hero by Utah Business magazine and also received a 2006 Public Health Hero Award from the Utah Public Health Association.

The Marriott School MBA Marketing Association teamed up with national representatives from Wal-Mart, Inc. for an evening of humanitarian service and business networking. “Both BYU students and Wal-Mart want to give back to the community,” says Greg Chandler, national director of reputation marketing for Wal-Mart. “Service is core to both institutions’ purposes.” Wal-Mart donated energy-efficient light bulbs to The Center for Women and Children in Crisis in Provo as part of the night of service.

A team of five MBA students from the Marriott School of Management won first place in the wild card round of the Venture Capital Investment Competition, held Jan. 19 at Santa Clara University in California. “It was an intense two-day competition, and we didn’t sleep much,” says Dan Hemmert, a second-year MBA student from Orem, Utah, and a member of the team. “Everybody helped out, though.

Brigham Young University assistant professor of public management Chyleen Arbon was recently appointed by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights to a two-year term on its Utah Advisory Committee. “I feel very privileged to be able to serve in a capacity where I can work with others to address discrimination,” Arbon says.

Gary Cornia’s face lights up when he talks about his work in taxes. “I love the topic I research,” he says. “Taxes are the funnest thing in the world. I love coming to work.” Cornia’s enthusiasm for and dedication to state and local finance and tax policy has garnered national recognition. The National Tax Association presented him with the 2006 Stephen D. Gold Award in December.

A Marriott School student majoring in finance won first place for his analysis and recommendations in the second annual In Any Case, Change competition presented by BYU’s Dyer Institute for Leading Organizational Change. The competition invited students taking organizational behavior classes to submit solutions for individually selected business cases that dealt with organizational change.

A Brigham Young University graduate student and alumnus both earned kudos for their top-scoring performances on the Certified Internal Auditor exam administered by the Institute of Internal Auditors. Eric Hatch, a graduate student in accounting at BYU’s Marriott School, earned the William S. Smith Student Highest Achievement Award for his top score on the exam given last May.

Three Marriott School students came out on top for their case presentation to a panel of judges in the first-ever FTI Case Competition Nov. 3. Teams of three to five students were asked to analyze a case and present their recommendations to a panel of judges from the Marriott School and FTI Consulting.

A pair of Marriott School students proved to be the winning combination at the University of Arizona Eller College of Management’s 2006 International Ethics Case Competition. Philip Arias and Sarah McMullin, both undergraduate students at BYU’s Marriott School of Management, earned first place at the fourth annual ethics competition.