Getting down to business—this is what the Benchmark Society seeks to do for the Oklahoma business community.
In its inaugural year, the Benchmark Society at Oklahoma Christian University is a “membership organization for business executives and professionals, Oklahoma Christian University alumni, and friends and supporters of the College of Business Administration.” The organization will host monthly luncheons for members to listen to lectures from influential business people and network with others.
Jeffery Simmons, dean of the College of Business, said the Society was born from the desire to better incorporate Oklahoma Christian into the local business community.
“Our plan is to position the College of Business as a premiere college of business in central Oklahoma,” Simmons said. “One of those pieces was to develop a lecture series where we would bring in speakers and invite the business community to come so they could see us as a resource.”
Individuals and companies may become members of the Benchmark Society through varying levels of donation. Current corporate sponsors include Sonic, MidFirst Bank and Kirkpatrick Bank.
Simmons said he anticipates seeing how the Society will grow and benefit from the different speakers who will present at each luncheon.
“On Oct. 8 we have Corey Horsch, who is the chief financial officer of Sonic, coming to speak to us,” Simmons said. “Our theme this year is ‘Protecting What We Value,’ so speakers may talk about anything related to that theme. They can speak from their experience, insight into their industry or just words of wisdom.”
In addition, Oklahoma Christian students are encouraged to become members. Since a yearlong student membership costs $10, Simmons emphasized its benefits.
“It’s good for students to be involved for several reasons,” Simmons said. “Hearing from some of the business leaders who are from around the area and the nation is a good learning experience. More important is the networking opportunities this provides. Being able to network with the speakers—we’re talking CEO’s and presidents of major corporations—and gaining connections and networking skills is really valuable.”
Membership dues for the Benchmark Society will go to Oklahoma Christian’s Student Investment Fund, an investment portfolio which allows business students to buy and sell stocks.
“It’s real money buying real stocks,” Simmons said. “It’s the students that get to decide what stocks to buy, hold or sell. They’ve done a great job so far; seven out of the eight quarters they have beat the S&P index.”
Junior James Geis is president of the Student Investment Fund and a member of the Benchmark Society. He encourages students to join the Benchmark Society for the real-world experience it gives.
“Benchmark is a place for students to become more comfortable in an environment outside of the classroom,” Geis said. “Oftentimes students feel out of place in a formal environment, and this gives them a chance to become more confident.”
Geis said he values the experience the Student Investment Fund gives business students, who are a direct beneficiary of the Benchmark Society.
“We really appreciate that the College of Business trusts us enough to manage funds and gives us an opportunity to make decisions,” Geis said. “The Investment Fund is an amazing opportunity for students because they gain experience managing real money and can learn concepts like diversification, risk-taking or market behavior.”
With help from the Benchmark Society, the Student Invest Fund portfolio is expected to grow beyond its current $100,000 value.“Right now, our main goal in the Investment Fund is reaching the $250,000 mark,” Geis said. “Currently, we are only invested in equities, but if we reach the 250K mark, we can expand into bonds as well.”
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