Business News

SBC Chairman Meets with Business Class

—November 3, 2003

Dr. Richard Romo, Edward E. Whitacre Jr, and Dr. Bennie Willson III

Edward E. Whitacre Jr., chairman and CEO of SBC Communications Inc., spoke last Friday to a group of College of Business students in Assistant Dean Bennie Wilson's Business Communication course.

His tips for success included doing what one loves, keeping simple goals, treating others with respect and being willing to take chances.

Following 15 minutes of lecturing, Whitacre spent the rest of the class period answering student questions.

Whitacre said that being able to accept failure is a key to business success. Starting out as a lineman with the company, Whitacre was upset that he didn't move up the management ladder as fast as some of his co-workers.

"I didn't expect to become chairman," he said. "I'm not entirely sure how I ended up in this position, except I know that I probably wasn't the first or second choice."

When asked his career goals starting out, Whitacre added that he wanted to graduate high school and go to college. "I knew if I could make $10,000 a year, that would be enough to buy a two-story white house with a picket fence. That was as profound as my thinking got back then."

Wendy Frost—

Please send your comments to: wendy.frost@utsa.edu

____________________________________________________________________

Please send comments about this site to the College of Business Webmaster