After a quarter of a century, we pause to look back at the development and growth of the now worldwide Management Society.
1977
Dean Merrill J. Bateman receives approval from the university to create the BYU Management Society. Its purpose is to strengthen relationships with alumni and friends of the College of Business and School of Management.
“This is a giving society; however, it is not a one-way relationship. The society is organized in such a way that it is mutually rewarding to BYU and you,” Bateman says.
1977
• All members receive complimentary subscription to the new alumni magazine, Exchange; other special interest publications; and invitations to society activities and special lectures.
• Society hosts its first management seminar, “New Perspectives in Management.”
• Campus chapter forms to give students an opportunity to begin association with the society before graduation.
1978
267 members
1978 Early membership is tied to contributions. Donations range from $10 for an undergraduate student to $10,000 or more for a charter life membership.
1979
900 members
1980
Dean William G. Dyer continues to grow the society.
“We want our graduates and friends to feel they have a share in BYU and the School of Management. The Management Society is the vehicle for keeping all of these supporters involved and active in our future. . . . It is a vital part in linking the campus with the mainstream of management practice,” Dyer states.
1981
12 chapters
1981
• Society is restructured to include all dues-paying alumni and friends, not just donors. Members participate in luncheons, continuing education programs, and social gatherings.
• Under the new structure, the society is organized into local chapters and governed by the executive committee of the National Advisory Council (NAC).
• Purpose is no longer to raise funds but to provide career development opportunities and build loyalty for BYU.
• NAC sets goal to develop chapters in all U.S. metropolitan locations.
1982
17 chapters
1982 BYU’s 9th president, Jeffrey R. Holland, encourages alumni and friends to join the Management Society.
“It is my hope that all BYU alumni will remain very close to the university that has provided an educational foundation for their professional careers. The Management Society provides just such an opportunity for graduates and friends of our School of Management, and I encourage every one of them to participate,” Holland urges.
1982 Society hosts its first professional development seminar in New York City. Speakers include John Evans, U. S. securities and exchange commissioner; Robert D. Hales, of the First Quorum of the Seventy; William G. Dyer, Marriott School dean; and J. Richard Clarke, from the Presiding Bishopric.
1983
• Chapter officers begin meeting on-campus annually in conjunction with the fall NAC conference. They address topics such as forming a society database, increasing outreach efforts, providing more speakers for chapter events, and helping place more graduates.
• Chapter presidents no longer have to be NAC members.
• Leaders set goal to establish six new chapters during the next year.
1985
25 chapters
1985
• Society publishes first newsletter for chapters to share experiences, progress, and challenges.
1987
Dallas chapter helps coordinate the city’s celebration of the bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution. More than 25,000 people attend the two-night event featuring performances from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, the Vocal Majority, and the Constitution Symphony Orchestra. Dallas chapter member Mark W. Cannon, administrative assistant to the chief justice of the United States Supreme Court, is the evening’s special guest.
1990
Society emphasizes four purposes: 1) career development, 2) networking, 3) supporting the school and university, and 4) community service.
1991
35 chapters
1992
39 chapters
1992 Elder Dallin H. Oaks speaks to Washington, D.C., chapter members about churches’ right to voice opinions on public policy and candidates. Chapter events provide rich educational opportunities by inviting business, community, and church leaders to participate as guest speakers.
1995
49 chapters in 10 countries
1995 In one year, chapters host nineteen Dean’s Seminars, where Marriott School faculty and administrators visit and address individual chapters. Speakers focus on topics such as diversity, entrepreneurship, ethics, management style, and white-collar crime.
1997
Salt Lake and Utah Valley chapters honor President Gordon B. Hinckley with the fourth annual Distinguished Utahn Award.
1997 Student Kasey Walker starts the annual Angel Tree holiday tradition, a campus chapter service project. Members write names of needy children on ornaments for the Tanner Building Christmas tree. In turn, students and faculty take ornaments and buy gifts for the children.
2000
Washington, D.C., chapter presents its 2000 Distinguished Public Service Award to W. Mitt Romney, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. Robert E. Parsons, Jr., president of the Washington, D.C., chapter, and J. W. Marriott, Jr., chair and CEO of Marriott International, present the award.
2001
Sydney, Australia, chapter and the Macquarie Graduate School of Management host a major international conference in Sydney called “The New Business Equation.”
2002
Hong Kong chapter hosts an event with 120 BYU alumni plus two groups of Executive MBA students. Several successful businesspeople participate in lectures and a panel discussion.
2003
57 chapters in 17 countries
2003 During the Marriott School’s Eighth Annual Management Conference, participants celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Management Society. The evening celebration features a family barbeque, prizes, and performances by the BYU Faculty Jazz Quartet and the Christian pop band Jericho Road.
2003 Twenty-Five years after its founding, the Management Society is a worldwide organization. Its goal is to extend the values and influence of the Marriott School and BYU through a premier organization for developing management and business leaders. Membership includes not only BYU and Marriott School alumni, but also many other business professionals with a shared desire for high ethical standards, professional advancement, career development, and community service.
2003 57 Chapters in 17 countries
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Article written by J. Melody Murdock, Andrew Watson, and Emily Smurthwaite
