Essential Allies

Bill Sproull, new Richardson Chamber of Commerce president, sees UTD SOM
as a crucial partner in convincing businesses to relocate here.

By Jeanne Spreier


Expertise in economic development has been the core of Bill Sproull's
professional career. Throughout that career, his work has involved
understanding business needs and priorities, then developing synergies,
establishing linkages and leveraging relationships.

That's how he has come to know that "a premier higher education
institution is essential to attracting companies and businesses to
Richardson." Executives and employees want to "increase their knowledge
and advance their careers," he says. "And, of course, these companies
are interested in hiring the talented graduates of The School of
Management."

Mr. Sproull - who has directed economic development programs in Kansas
City, Missouri; McKinney, Texas; and most recently for the Greater
Dallas Chamber of Commerce in Dallas, Texas - is speaking from the
vantage of his new responsibilities in Richardson, Texas. Last October,
he became president and CEO of three organizations, the Richardson
Chamber of Commerce, the Richardson Economic Development Partnership
(REDP) and the Metroplex Technology Business Council (MTBC).

Each organization has a distinct mandate, but according to Mr. Sproull,
The University of Texas at Dallas and The School of Management are
"crucial" allies to realizing success in all his endeavors. For
instance, the 60-year-old chamber is the voice of business and industry
in Richardson, supporting enterprises of all kinds through membership,
events, services and advocacy. The university is a chamber member - in
fact, UTD's senior vice president for business affairs, Robert Lovitt,
is 2005 chairman of the chamber's Economic Division and in line to be 
board chairman. And The School of Management participates in and
sponsors chamber events, especially those highlighting management
issues.

"So we have worked closely with The School of Management to link the
Executive Education Program with senior management and human resources
contacts at local companies for fast-track MBAs, internships and
cooperative management research projects," Mr. Sproull says.

"One of the things we're trying to do with the REDP is diversify the
Richardson economy, bringing in a variety of companies in different
industries so we're not as dependent on one sector."

The School of Management could establish a role in those plans. And, Mr.
Sproull believes, there's a growing need to cultivate entrepreneurship
in the technology fields, areas where the SOM can play a role in
educating and stimulating local start-ups.

Meanwhile, the MTBC is "more than just telecom and more than
Richardson," he says. Although the Richardson Chamber staffs this
association for high-tech companies and provides administrative offices,
the 10-year-old MTBC, which has approximately 300 members, works across
North Texas and across technologies.

"We're thankful for the SOM faculty who serve in key volunteer
leadership positions with the MTBC," Mr. Sproull says. "For instance,
Professor David Springate, associate dean for executive education, works
with the MTBC's Senior Financial Executives Forum" to develop
discussions on such topics as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and
executive ethics. Dr. Divakar Rajamani, managing director of SOM's
Center for Intelligent Supply Networks, participates in the MTBC's
Special Interest Group on radio frequency identification.

Mr. Sproull says he hopes to leverage the relationships that exist
between The School of Management and the Richardson Chamber of Commerce,
REDP and MTBC. His years of experience in building such business bridges
should make those partnerships a foregone conclusion.