The ACI Foundation has announced the establishment of The Advancing Organizational Excellence Fellowship.
The new fellowship, sponsored by Advancing Organizational Excellence (AOE), honors Wendy O. Ward, a member of the AOE team for more than 10 years. She passed away at the early age of 32 from breast cancer. During her career, she was known throughout the concrete industry as a leading expert in helping organizations with their marketing and sales efforts. Ward wrote a column on those topics in several concrete magazines and she was a frequent public speaker. She was an advocate for broadening career opportunities in the concrete industry.
The fellowship is available to undergraduate or graduate students pursuing a degree as part of a Concrete Industry Management (CIM) program. Preference will be given to students interested in the sales/marketing, association management or the business side of the concrete industry. Designed to provide graduates with a broad array of initial opportunities within the concrete industry, the CIM program supplies the industry with future managers and leaders. CIM is a business intensive program providing solid management skills that are applicable in any industry but developed specifically for the concrete industry. An internship with AOE is optional.
AOE is the leading industry resource for management, marketing, organizational and other consulting needs, and has donated more than $275,000 to the ACI Foundation and other industry organizations. AOE is a vital partner of ACI, the ACI Foundation, and the concrete industry.
“As a long-time supporter of both the ACI Foundation and the CIM program, AOE is excited to launch this fellowship,” said Kimberly Kayler, AOE President. “AOE is proud to re-invest back in the markets we serve, and this fellowship is an example of supporting the future of our industry. The fellowship also allows us to pay tribute to Wendy Ward, a true industry steward.”
"AOE has been a tremendous partner for the CIM program and the fellowship is an example of their commitment to the industry,” said CIM Marketing Committee Chairman Brian Gallagher. “The fellowship will help ensure students are able to continue their education and fulfill their dream of working in the concrete industry. To help us fulfill our mission of advancing the industry by degrees and to ensure we continue to develop the future leaders for the concrete industry, we count on leadership from organizations like AOE. We appreciate their ongoing support and leadership."
The ACI Foundation offers fellowship and scholarship opportunities to high-potential graduate and undergraduate students who are pursuing concrete-related degree programs, such as. structural engineering, construction management, or other related fields of study. Fellowship recipients will receive $10,000 - $15,000 USD educational stipend for tuition, residence, books, and materials; recognition in Concrete International magazine and on the ACI Foundation website; paid travel expenses and attendance fees to two ACI conventions (fellowship finalists must attend the Spring ACI Convention (if held in person) to be interviewed and they have the option of being assigned a Convention Guide); and assistance in finding an industry mentor.
To learn more about AOE visit www.aoeteam.com or contact AOE President Kimberly Kayler at kimberly.kayler@aoeteam.com.