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300 Below hands reins to 'CEO Intern' show
(Herald & Review (Decatur, IL) (KRT) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Jun. 28--DECATUR -- Nancy Xu said she's not a fan of reality television programs. She called the shows she's seen or heard about "competitive and spiteful," but "CEO Intern" was something different.
"I was intrigued when I heard about this new concept that fosters innovation, as opposed to elimination and causing cattiness amongst the members," she said. "It sounded like a very unique opportunity."
Xu is one of five students involved with the reality TV show project "CEO Intern" that focuses less on competition and more on a group effort.
"CEO Intern," which is being filmed in Decatur, features students from Babson College of Wellesley, Mass., Olin College of Engineering in Needham, Mass., and Xu, who is a graduate of Harvard College, acting as a "group CEO" and carrying out day-to-day decisions for Decatur's 300 Below Inc. for eight weeks.
The show is designed to demonstrate ways of running and improving a business.
The show's producer, Prescott Paulin, is a Babson College student. He said he developed the idea of the show to coincide with a required business program of the school that allows undergraduate students to work with companies as consultants.
"Through this program, we wanted to take (Babson's Management Consulting Field Experience Program) to the next level, where -- instead of providing ideas for companies on how they can improve in certain areas -- we're actually letting students find the problems and carry out the decisions, instead of just recommending them," he said.
Paulin said he is working to garner interest with sponsors to invest in getting the show on television. Currently, PermissionTV.com will carry "CEO Intern's" content as a distribution partner, he said.
"Right now, we're doing our best to film with the limited resources we have," he said.
In recent weeks, the students have been learning about 300 Below, the world's largest and oldest commercial cryogenic processing company, and its employees' various jobs, as well as taking on business projects from productivity enhancements to acquiring new customers.
Paulin's father, Pete Paulin, CEO of 300 Below, said the students are receiving "complete, unfettered access to absolutely every aspect of the company," including personnel and financial issues.
"Not only (is it) a great opportunity for them, the students, but also a tremendous opportunity for the company in terms of a forward step," he said.
"The really neat part about this for the students is that they will actually have the input, but we are such a proactive and reactive company that we can move so rapidly into market that they will actually be able to see the impact of their changes -- good or bad."
Aside from 300 Below, the students are planning to meet with executives of Archer Daniels Midland Co. and Caterpillar Inc. to learn about how they run their businesses.
Prescott Paulin said part of the original plans were for the students to travel to New York City, Boston and other cities to meet and learn from those business executives as part of the show but found traveling around the Midwest to be easier. They are planning to visit Chicago and St. Louis this summer, he said.
In between, the students are housed in a cabin in Central Illinois.
Charles Brown, a "CEO Intern" student, called the experience "draining."
"As a CEO, there is no such thing as company time because everything is company time," he said. "You have to take the initiative."
Xu said it has been challenging, adjusting to everyone's working style. The group has been coming together, not just on a business level but on a personal level to discuss their living situation and address conflicts, she said.
"Coming down here has been quite an amazing experience," said Xu, who experienced her first tractor pull and learned what a horseshoe sandwich was. "I grew up in Naperville, but I didn't think Decatur would be so different."
Nick Bawa
Bawa was born in Kenya and is majoring in business administration as a sophomore at Babson College. Bawa has worked under the CEO of a Malaysian artificial flavors and fragrances company, where he learned to manage interactions with influential people who controlled 75 percent of the business.
- What qualities you bring to "CEO Intern?": charisma, bright outlook and leadership.
- What is your biggest fear participating in "CEO Intern?": "My biggest fear is just letting everyone down."
- What are your future plans?: to work with his father's industrial chemical training company in Kenya
Charles H. Brown
Brown is from New York City's Bronx section and is attending Babson College, considering a degree in finance. He has aided in research as an employee of Babson's Horn Library and was elected CEO of his Foundation Management Experience business by his peers and managed six departments before donating all profits to charity. He is also active in the Babson Investment Management Association.
- What qualities can you bring to "CEO Intern?": ability to inspire others and convey ideas well and be observant.
- What is your biggest fear participating with "CEO Intern?": "My biggest fear is disrespecting the individuals we're going to be working with."
- What are your future plans?: to pursue a career on Wall Street.
Beni Chudnovskiy
Chudnovskiy is from Russia and in May graduated magna cum laude with a degree in business administration from Babson College. Chudnovskiy studied financial markets and instruments at the Harvard Extension School, then worked as a personal banker for Bank of America and Realtor for Prudential Town and Country. He is certified as a notary public and a Realtor in Massachusetts and continues to work with Russian real estate development companies overseas.
- What qualities can you bring to "CEO Intern?": sense of humor and analytical, research and communication skills
- What is your biggest fear participating with "CEO Intern?": "I don't have fears."
- What are your future plans?: to become a successful CEO of a company.
Gabriel Greeley
Greeley is from Long Island, N.Y., and majoring in mechanical engineering at Olin College of Engineering. Greeley works for Dassault Systemes S.A. as a quality engineer for SolidWorks, known as one of the top computer-aided design systems on the market for three-dimensional mechanical design. Greeley's engineering experience includes design work on microscopic actuators. He also was the design manager for the Olin College's Society of Automotive Engineers' Baja Team.
- What qualities can you bring to "CEO Intern?": determination and ability to motivate
- What is your biggest fear participating with "CEO In;tern?": "My biggest fear is be;ing the dumb one on the team."
- What are your future plans?: to find a job as an engineer in the Boston area.
Nancy Xu
Xu was born in China and moved to Chicago when she was 4. Her business experience includes work as an analyst for Morgan Stanley in Hong Kong after working with the China Market Re;search Group. She also has worked with the International Truck and En;gine Corp. in Chicago. Xu re;cently graduated from Harvard College with a joint degree in economics and East Asian studies.
- What qualities can you bring to "CEO Intern?": unique perspective and open-mindedness
- What is your biggest fear participating with "CEO Intern?": "My biggest fear is coming off in a way that I do not intend to."
- What are your future plans?: to work with a business that's related to China and the United States.
Alicia Spates can be reached at aspates@herald-review.com or 421-6986.
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Copyright (c) 2008, Herald & Review, Decatur, Ill.
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