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a ,y-' 71 ' \ olume 54 lssue 27 Rickard honored as top GA business woman Attends conference for small business owners By Cherish Lynch Guest Writer Clynchl@my.westga.edu Mary-Kay Rickard, a well-known instructor in the Richards College of Business, was honored for Business Woman of the year for Georgia for 2005. Part of this honor was being invited to Washington, D.C. to attend a conference with the National Republican Congressional Committee and President Bush. Rickard said, “It was the most incredible experience I have had. Washington, D.C. itself is a very exciting and unique city.” Topics covered were those relating to small businesses. Not only does Rickard teach at the University of West Georgia, but she also owns two small businesses in Villa Rica. One is called Mail and More and the other is Signs for Less. Both of these businesses do offer student discounts. For the past year, Rickard has acted as an Honorary Chairman of the Business Advisory Council by giving them feedback in the form of surveys about her experiences Student tells of homelessness, publishes book ‘■’■v- ...V ' . V 1 •• *. -V V . v ' ' * ii ili .< .'.■?* M.#£Sim x ■ M ’ HHH .' .. Photo by Asim Phillips Nguz Karl-i-Bond sits peacefully as he reflects on his life while In America. He recently publlsed a book entitled, “J.N.K. Book of Thoughts and Poems. A native of the Demo cratic Republic of the Congo, Karl-i-Bond has lived in Europe and the United States. He has endured harsh times while In the United States. "The Student \ nice at the l Diversity of West Georgia since 1054" and difficulties as a small business owner. Chairman Tom Reynolds, nominated Rickard for this honor. After participating in the conference, Rickard learned that people make the difference. “If we don’t like how something is being handled in Washington we need to let the people that represent us know about it,” said Rickard. Rickard also noticed that most of the politicians there were listening. After attending the conference, Rickard feels like a more knowledgeable business owner. She was informed on some of the efforts that are being made on behalf of small businesses such as health care. Most of the staff and especially Dean Mclntyre are all very thrilled about this recent success. “Everyone in the RCOB is proud of Mrs. Rickard’s accomplishments. Her business experience is invaluable in the classroom, and it is rewarding to see her recognized as Georgia’s Business Woman of the Year. No one is more deserving,” said Mclntyre. One of Rickard’s students, A.J. Brown, believes that Professor Rickard really cares about her students and it’s important to her that they succeed. Rickard is a graduate of the University of West Georgia, with a BBA in Marketing in 1997. She graduated with a masters of business administration in December of 1998. She also worked as a graduate research assistant while attending West Georgia. As an instructor of Marketing, she currently teaches four classes, including Advertisement, Consumer Behavior, and Marketing Research. Rickard does not really have time for hobbies, but it is very important to her to make time for her best friend and husband Mike and her three year-old son Alex. She is also expecting her second child. Her determination to make a difference is Rickard’s motivation for being so successful. She credits her husband to being the secret behind all of her achievements. M r j *1 ; Photo by Cherish Lynch Mary Rickard, instructor of Marketing in the Richards College of Business, was honored as Georgia’s top Business Woman for 2005. She was invited to attend a conference in Washintgon, D.C. that focused on small business. She had dinner with President Bush. By Asim Phillips Guest Writer asim_phillips@hotmail.com Author Nguz a Karl i-Bond is a senior at the University of West Georgia. He is from the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is a country in Central Africa. During his lifetime, he has lived in Africa, Europe, and the United States. Nguz a Karl-i-Bond has had many experiences from living on these continents. He was most comfortable living in Africa, but loves the school system in America. “Accept differences in people, there is no one right way of living,” Nguz a Karl-i-Bond said. Throughout his life, he has endured many struggles. After living the life full of riches in Africa, he lost everything when he came to America. He was forced to live on the streets for a while, or in any place he could find to lay his head. At times, he would go three days without eating, which was hard for a six foot seven inch tall man who weighed two hundred and sixty pounds. Despite the harsh lifestyle he was living during that time, he says that he learned the most while he was poor. “I never knew that 1 was privileged until after I became poor. I saw things that I would never have seen if I had everything,” Karl-i-Bond said. The struggles he faced during his life inspired him to write his first book, J.N.K. Book of Thoughts and Poems. He feels that the book allows him to say what he has always wanted to say. “The book cleanses me,” he said. The book has a brief narrative and a few poems about things he has encountered during his life. It also has many powerful quotes and lessons about the struggles of life. Some of his favorite quotes for the book are: “Knowing that the world has an inevitable tragedy awaiting me; I often fear Wednesday, April 5, 2006 waking up with a smile on my face.” “Love amounts to nothing without respect” and “I’ve feared so much that I don’t ever fear anymore. What makes us cowards is what we do with our fears,” are also among his favorite quotes. He hopes that people will read the book and be inspired by what he has to say. Karl-i-Bond does not consider himself an author, but as a man who has something to say. The main thing he wants to accomplish in life is to take care of the people he loves so they won’t have to suffer as he did. Nguz Karl-i-Bond Jr. has four mottos in which he lives by: put trust in God, work hard, stay humble, amd to appreciate and love the people that are dear to your heart because you know not if today will be your last day alive. If anyone wants to know a little more about the book, or purchase the book, visit the website at http://www.jnk2.com.