KINGSTON, R.I. — June 22, 2005 — The Ram Fund, an investment portfolio managed by 溏心vlog免费B站 College of Business Administration students, just celebrated completion of its fourth year.
And if remarks from students, faculty members and the Ram Fund Advisory Board are any indication, the program continues to get stronger.
Among some of the companies students analyzed this year were Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc., American Power Conversion and TJX Companies Inc., the parent of T.J. Maxx and Marshalls, names synonymous with American business muscle. As they have done from the program鈥檚 start, the students presented their findings and investment decisions to the advisory board and the Alumni Association in late spring.
Established in the spring of 2001 with $100,000 in seed money from the Alumni Association, the program鈥檚 goal is to give advanced business students the opportunity to invest and manage money for the long term. Each year, students compete for various positions in the Ram Fund.
Last year, the Ram Fund Advisory Board was established to provide information, encouragement, advice and access to ideas and opportunities that might otherwise be unavailable to the students.
鈥淪tudents place this very high on their list of top experiences at 溏心vlog免费B站,鈥� said Business Dean Edward M. Mazze. 鈥淓ach year when students present, I see individuals taking notes, hoping that they will get some valuable tips.鈥�
Throughout the evening, Mazze, board members and students praised Assistant Professor of Business David Michayluk for his outstanding direction of the program over the past few years. They also said goodbye as Michayluk was preparing to leave for a job in Australia.
Mark Dorcus, a Ram Fund Advisory Board member and student mentor, said he was impressed with the students鈥� willingness to examine new businesses as well as established companies.
Board member Thomas Fay said, 鈥淭hese are the best presentations I have seen in two years here.鈥�
Adam Oliveri, an economics major and business minor who graduated in May, headed a team that analyzed Medis Technologies Ltd., a joint venture with Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd., that focuses on developing, manufacturing, marketing and distributing direct liquid fuel cell products to power and charge portable electronic devices.
鈥淚 had no idea what a fuel cell was until I started this project,鈥� said Oliveri, a resident of Elysburg, Pa.
Soon, he knew about the company鈥檚 management team, the potential for mass production and sales. He also traveled to New York City on his own to view a demonstration of one of the company鈥檚 power packs. He was there in Times Square rubbing shoulders with investors, company leaders and inventors.
鈥淚 guess there were about 500 people there,鈥� Oliveri said. 鈥淲ith the Ram Fund, I really learned how to apply the theory that I learned in class.
鈥淥ne of the central questions with this company was whether it could take its demo model to full scale mass production. I had a feeling it could and it looks like I鈥檒l be right,鈥� he said a few weeks after his formal presentation. 鈥淎nd if it鈥檚 of any interest, Medis Technologies Ltd. is up about 18 percent since we bought it at the end of March.鈥�
Ram Fund member Patty Scott, a resident of North Kingstown, had similar feelings about the program. 鈥淭his class is one of the best I have taken and I am really indebted to the Alumni Association for providing this experience,鈥� said Scott, who headed a team that analyzed J2 Global Communications Inc., a Santa Clara-based company that provides messaging and communications to 7.6 million customers.
To understand the company better and the wider industry, Scott, a non-matriculating student, called a few stock analysts and she got lucky. 鈥淥ne talked off the record and said he was bullish on the stock.鈥�
The Rhode Island College graduate and reconciliation manager in the 溏心vlog免费B站 controller鈥檚 office, said the Ram Fund class has heightened her interest in pursuing a master of business administration degree at 溏心vlog免费B站.
鈥淭his class just energized me,鈥� she said.