Tom Scheer

Contact info...

TScheer@umich.edu 2010 Martha Stewart Award Winner

VP of Clubs, SGA - President, Hockey Club - Vice President, BBSA - VP of Swimming, Triathlon Club - Treasurer, AFA - Section 1 OCD REP - oh yeah... Student, MBA 2011

Happy Halloween

 

Hockey Milestone...

In goal at the HBS Hockey tournament. 
 

This seems a lot like Tetris. (MAP Post #3)

Live from ReCellular HQ in sunny Ann Arbor (yes, it's sunny in March! WOO HOO)....

 

We're finalizing Letters of Engagement, coming up with work plan, fitting plant tours, faculty meetings and research trips into our schedules, and still trying to find time to workout, see loved ones and enjoy life.  Fitting all this stuff together is no small feat.

 

Turns out the University issued a press release that included our MAP team. No pressure there! ;)  Ross MBAs Gain a World of Experience Close to Home 

We all really like the company we're working for: ReCellular has been a great host! We've got badges, work space, connectivity and free lunch (well, at least free on the first day.)  I know it's not the Ice Bar, in the middle of a raine forest, or just across the road from the Roman Coliseum, but it's turning out to be a great brain exercise for people who love entrepreneurship and sustainability. 

Picture on the left is my MAP team -- reminded me of my Strategy Team long ago in Fall A (Picture on the right)   

Our company liaison, Mike, is a 2003 Ross grad who was Ross classmates with two of my best friends. It's interesting to me in that I nearly applied to Ross back then -- I might have been Mike's classmate too. In a bigger context, it makes me wonder how my MAP will influence my life, as will the MAPs of all my classmates.  Again, life is one big Tetris puzzle, we're all taking it on one crooked piece at a time.

Coming up -- (hopefully) cool pictures from the recycling plant tour, progress toward deliverables and more free lunches. 

Come on life, gimme a green one!

Off to St Thomas with 15 or so classmates...

Classes are over, map has not yet begun, no hockey games for a week...

Time to RELAX!

Section Awards

HEY SECTION ONE!  HEY WHAT?!?!?

Well, we finished our last week of core classes together with a section awards luncheon. And by luncheon I mean bar appetizers and 100s of Irish Car Bombs. I even partook of a cider beer or two (drinking is a rarity for me.)  I decided to wear the Hawaiian shirt and sunglasses, as I had been officially on spring break for 2 hours at the start of the event. On to the awards...

I had the honor of presenting several awards. First up...

Most Likely to Disagree with a Professor - Kyle and Mike. Well deserved I might add -- these two have never been intimidated by a professor, nor held back an opinion. (Both possess big brains and keen insight, which doesn't hurt when you're telling your marketing professor "That makes no sense" or pointing out inconsistencies to your strategy prof.  Both Kyle and Mike kept us entertained during our year as MBA1s. 

Next up, the "Kelly Kapowski Look Alike Award." This year's recipient... Becky. For those of you visiting Ross, you can find Becky at the Bus, Pig Roast, and any number of outings. YOu might also find her in class from time to time, but don't bet on it. Becky introduced me to a great new deli in A2 yesterday. Thanks buddy!

Our next winner will be the Head Writer for Follies 2011 - Because of his love for Shamrock Shakes, and his horrendous mustache, Mazen won the "Shamrock Shake Mustache Award." Congrats Buddy! I have to tread carefully here, as Mazen worked on the DVD for Follies 2010. He holds the only known footage of me sitting on a man's lap in a speedo (my follies audition coup de gras). You'll never know what you'll do at b school!

One of the best awards given out was the "Biggest Heart" award. We've all grown to love and respect Anita over the last year - from watching her knock down a building with a sledgehammer to saving the world in her spare time, we're all truly impressed with her. Congrats Anita! BTW, this picture is no illusion -- I'm 6'3, and Anita is 7'5"!

I took home the 2010 Martha Stewart award. David credited my win to a great skirt and helluva baking skills -- I think I look good in a kilt (especially with a nice pair of pumps!)  

Finally, Congratulations to AVH (read her blog here) for her win as #1 Gunner, the highest award a section one person can receive. She represents us well from coast to coast -- You go girl!

MAP Post #2

I've scheduled a Friday morning meeting for my map team -- nothing formal, just a get together to see each other's faces. My team consists of four people

• Two ERB MBA/MS's
• one MD/MBA
• and one Hockey/MBA

Okay, I made up the last dual degree... I'm just a plain old MBA. (I really wanted to do the naval arch / MBA, but life calls!) A neat mix of talents, and should make for an interesting two months as we all balance the different demands of our lives

Some of the other map teams have been busy with getting yellow fever shots, electing officers (they have team leaders, CFOs, task captains...) and they've also compared work style, MBTI types, come up with work schedules, you name it 'they' are doing it. 

Perhaps because ours is a local MAP we've not concentrated so much on getting the logistics worked out. We have received communiques from our professors (I'm actually taking an entrepreneurial class from one of my professors right now, so that's a nice known quantity for me) and have also been in brief touch with our company. 

We'll be working for (with?) ReCellular, Inc. to "analyze competitors, complete market sizing for product categories and develop a market entry strategy."

I put this on my list to learn more about this industry.  We've got millions (billions?) of phones and other electronics being recycled each year (I'm going through about 1 laptop per year... my next one is going to be a Toughbook, I think) and there's money to be made from these things somehow.  The company is really entreprenurial, and I think it's a great fit for my desires post B-School. 

MAP Post #3 coming in March...

 

 

WE BE CLUBBIN'

If you're considering Ross, the clubs are something you should look at closely. Chances are, if you're interested in participating in an activity or supporting a cause... or just like to eat good food, there's a club here that can give you a fuller educational and life experience. Ross and the University of Michigan have an organization for almost anything.

The list here -> http://www.bus.umich.edu/Organizations/Clubs/ is great, but incomplete.  It's only incomplete because there's always something new happening. For example, my section mate Ned is working on getting a flying club (yes, pun intended) off the ground. The website will never keep up with the opportunities here. (It also doesn't reflect my spring break trip to the V.I., more on that later)

As we finish up Winter A and prepare for MAP, we're also looking at leadership positions for the coming year. Elections are underway for nearly all the clubs at Ross. I'll be serving as an officer in several clubs, and, in addition, I'm running for VP of Clubs for the Ross Student Government Association - I'm really excited about all these opportunities, and want to serve the Ross Community to the best of my ability.

Our candidates for President of the BBSA, during an organized Q&A in Blau, the auditorium at Ross (you'll be in Blau for GBR kickoff, right??) I was elected VP of the BBSA.

 

Here's the newly elected tri club president (towel over shoulders) along with the other members of the club at the intramural swim meet. We came in second place in the grad division.  (Yes, there were two teams competing). I'm now the VP of Swimming for the tri club. 

I couldn't be more excited to share that I'll be serving as President of the Hockey Club.  I'm also happy that my voice of reason (Fishman) will be VP, as will one of the coolest men on ice (MJ Smith).  I don't think the club could be in better hands! Random video of me in goal.

FOLLIES 2010!

 A 2 hour show written, performed and produced by students.  Here's the skit I performed in... (and thanks again to Rotem and Eyal for the great pics)

   

 
Click here for the video - > Bring in Da Compost (video)

 The after party 

MAP (Multidisciplinary Action... YOU KNOW!) POST 1

About 500 Students... around 120 projects...  

http://www.bus.umich.edu/MAP/Dev/WhatisMAP.htm

We analyzed our lists, selected our individual top 10 projects, and the magic algorithm gave us our assignments.

I have classmates heading to Shanghai, London, Rome, Rwanda... NYC, LA, Chicago... and to companies like Microsoft, Amazon, EBay... Power Companies, Make-A-Wish,... even to Vegas to help the strip attract more business... you name it, we're on our way!

So where am I headed?  About 5 blocks from my apartment to work on an expansion plan for a cool company here in Ann Arbor.  All in all, I got #7 on my list, and although I won't be headed to help other athletes and wounded warriors (my number one choice) or to London (that was on the list three times) I'm looking forward to growing my own toolbox to help my entrepreneurial aspirations while here at Ross.

I'll post more about MAP as it progresses -- it's one of the big reasons I came to Ross and I can't wait to get started.

Round 1 Admits

WELCOME TO ROSS!  GO BLUE!!!!

Here's a short version of "The Victors"

 

Here's "The Victors" in its entirety.