Thomas to Direct HSBC Center in UB School of Management

BUFFALO, N.Y. – John M. Thomas, professor of operations management and strategy in the University at Buffalo School of Management, has been named director of the school's HSBC Center for Global Business Leadership (HSBC Center).

Thomas returned to the School of Management faculty and assumed leadership of the center on August 1 after serving as dean of the school since 2002.

The mission of the HSBC Center is to support initiatives that enhance knowledge and skills focused on the globalization of business. Its programs serve both UB students and the Western New York business community.

Originally founded and led by the late James R. Meindl, professor of organization and human resources, the HSBC Center is funded with a generous endowment from HSBC Bank USA, N.A.

"The goal of the center is to prepare students for future leadership roles in international business," says Thomas. "Our programs are designed to promote awareness and understanding of opportunities in international business transactions, particularly as they relate to trade and investment."

UB alumnus Joseph Saffire, executive vice president and regional president, commercial banking, HSBC Bank USA, says HSBC is committed to providing exceptional international educational opportunities to the Buffalo community through the HSBC Center.

"As a bank serving the international needs of companies around the world we understand how beneficial the programs offered through the HSBC Center will be in developing our future business leaders," Saffire explains.

A number of School of Management initiatives are included in the HSBC Center, including the School of Management's partnership with the State University of New York's Levin Graduate Institute of International Relations and Commerce, where MBA students have a unique educational opportunity and a new gateway to New York City's international financial markets and highly competitive financial-sector jobs.

The HSBC Center also supports program enrichment activities for students in the School of Management's new MBA concentration, Global Service and Supply Management (GSSM), which trains managers for 21st century globally dispersed information, services, logistics and supply chain networks.

Additional support is provided for the MBA international business practicum and intercession study tour in China, and the HSBC Center sponsors events for students and the local business community in partnership with the World Trade Center Buffalo Niagara.

The Wall Street Journal ranks the UB School of Management No. 9 in the nation among schools with strong regional recruiting bases. In addition, BusinessWeek ranks the school as one of the country's top 5 business schools for the fastest return on MBA investment, and Forbes cites it as one of the best business schools in the U.S. for the return on investment it provides MBA graduates. For more information about the UB School of Management, visit mgt.buffalo.edu.