Finance

A generous gift from BB&T has established a joint Program of Free Enterprise between the College of Business and the College of Social Sciences. Within the College of Business' Department of Finance, the gift will create a professorship to develop and promote a free enterprise curriculum and fund the development of a new course, "Free Enterprise and Ethics." Included in the course is a lecture series based on BB&T's core values titled, "Perspectives on Free Enterprise," and it will become part of a new Certificate Program in Free Enterprise and Ethics. The gift also includes the creation of a Web site that focuses on the program's free enterprise principles, supports four new doctoral fellowships and supports an undergraduate organization, Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE).

Human Resource Management

Since 1983, the Human Resource Center in the College of Business at Florida State University has brought top-level HR executives together with top Management professors in order to encourage interactions between practicing professionals and academic researchers and teachers. Our HRCenter has worked well for over twenty years and has served as a bridge between the corporate world and the academic world. The HRCenter has bi-annual meetings that serve as a platform to examine some of the latest issues in HR. Further, we have frequent interactions throughout the year via an electronic mail listserve that helps to promote a "best practices" approach to solving problems. The HRCenter members have also been very supportive of our students at Florida State University. Some members have served as mentors for our MBA students, some have opened the doors of their companies for doctoral research opportunities, and each year our members fund undergraduate HR student scholarships. Together, we are making a difference.

Real Estate

The Center for Real Estate Education and Research serves to enhance the teaching, research and service mission of the Real Estate Program at FSU. It organizes the annual Real Estate Trends & Networking Conference and other forums in which executives and scholars exchange ideas and share their insights with our students, alumni, and friends. The Center supports research for public and private interests while maintaining a policy of political non-advocacy. Numerous programs for our students, including conferences and symposia, the Evan D. Jennings Executive Speaker Series, the Real Estate Society, internships, and academic fellowships and scholarships are administered through the Center.

Risk Management

The Florida Catastrophic Storm Risk Management Center supports the state's ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from catastrophic storms.

The specific functions of the Center are to:

• Coordinate and disseminate research efforts that are expected to have an immediate impact on policy and practices related to catastrophic storm preparedness.
• Coordinate and disseminate information related to catastrophic storm risk management, including but not limited to research and information that would benefit businesses, consumers and public policy makers.
• Facilitate Florida's preparedness and responsiveness to catastrophic storms and collaborate with other public and private institutions.
• Create and promote studies that enhance the educational options available to risk management and insurance students.
• Publish and disseminate findings.
• Organize and sponsor conferences, symposia and workshops to educate consumers and policymakers.

Banking and Finance

The Gene Taylor/Bank of America Center for Banking and Financial Studies was created and named in honor of one of Bank of America's top executives. The Center functions to encourage excellence in research, education, and service activities related to banking and financial services and serves as liaison between the Finance Department, other departments in the College of Business, related programs and centers elsewhere on campus, centers at other universities, the banking and financial services professional community, governmental agencies, and the public at large. The Center operates as the administrative umbrella under which all banking and financial services related research, outreach, and service initiatives in the College of Business are conducted. The Center funds financial databases, research grants, faculty travel, guest speakers, and other research and classroom related items.

Entrepreneurship

The Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship (JMI) was funded by Jim Moran who wanted to help other entrepreneurs be more successful and profitable. JMI concentrates on helping firms with $1,000,000 in sales or more. As much as possible, JMI integrates students into these types of assistance projects. JMI also supports Junior Achievement in the local high schools and has a mentoring project through many Chambers of Commerce for entrepreneurs. Additionally, JMI sponsors roundtables for entrepreneurs so they can share ideas.

Founded in 1992 as the Florida Institute for Marketing Alternative Transportation, the College of Business Marketing Institute serves as a resource for the collection, analysis, and dissemination of information and instruction that improves the marketing and management of service industries. The Marketing Institute specializes in research as well as service development and provision for professionals and organizations within the transportation demand management, tourism, and sports sectors. The Institute also provides the infrastructure through which students, faculty, and industry professionals can test new ideas and methods related to services marketing.