By Sid Chadwick
“Dr. Jerry Waite, Chair of the Department at the U. of Houston, found me a home… for my developing Case Studies…to facilitate teaching how to use Databases to solve everyday business problems…He then picked Mark S. Hargrove as Adjunct Professor… to nurture and elevate those Case Studies into what has become a profound, unique, and “Required Course of Study: DIGM-2325”……Looking back…by my publicly asking a troubling question in the closing minutes of an ACCGC Board Meeting…somehow… it was all supposed to unfold.”…….Sid Chadwick
INTRODUCTION:
“Mr. Chairman….Is everyone comfortable with the relevance of your curriculum offerings… for your students……?”
That was not how an ACCGC Annual Board Meeting was supposed to close-down….The year was 2014.
Fast-forward to 2022….From curiosity and follow-up from Dr. Jerry Waite, there are now 9 to 10 Classes each year of “DIGM-2325” – that intimidate…and Inspire…U. of Houston students to a totally new perspective… on how to see and pursue Graphic Communications…and their careers….
Some students, specifically because of DIGM-2325, are hired before they graduate…at significant starting salaries. (They have become engineers…under the instruction of Mark S. Hargrove, who can solve complex…and not so complex…business problems.) Dr. Waite is not happy, that about 60% of their students are hired…outside of…Graphic Communications…and Commercial Print.
Two weeks ago the U. of Houston held their “Annual Digifest”. Graduating students put on display their most Innovative Projects, for pre-registered companies to investigate…both the Projects…and Project Creators.….
This year, among pre-registered companies, were senior management from AlphaGraphics corporate offices. They had been “clued-in” to U. of H’s Digifest by Dave Dunphy, an AlphaGraphics Franchisee, who in his late fifties…five years ago…bought his 1st AlphaGraphics Franchise…
and now has two Franchises, three locations…near Houston…and is on track to do three million in revenues… this year….!
Dave Dunphy uses U. of H’s Digifest - as a primary recruitment source…for top technical talent… for his organization.
AlphaGraphics senior management attendees…made contact with Mark S. Hargrove, while at Digifest….With almost three hundred Franchisees, you can perhaps fill-in some of the forward-looking missing pieces that AlphaGraphics follow-up with Mr. Hargrove…. probably includes.…..
SUMMARY:
I go back well over a decade with Mr. Dave Dunphy, serving him and his employer at the time.
On my recent visit to DunphyGraphics, Dave shared that his organizations are opening between ten and thirty new customers…. a month. …He knows that is too many…and that many of those ten to thirty a month need to be improved re. “quality of customer”….
“Better targeted” you might say, from beginning steps.
Dave has specific targets he wants to find and pursue, and that’s where Mark S. Hargrove…is making his Services available.
A lot can happen…. if a proper but difficult question is asked….and followed-up.
Who is doing your targeted Research… for better prospects….?
“I find that a great part of the information I have… was acquired by looking up something… and finding something else on the way.”…..Franklin P. Adams
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