Oswego State’s School of Business Student Advisory Council (SAC) will host the first Business Symposium Panel Discussion in the Marano Campus Center Auditorium On Friday, Nov. 13.

Conceptualized from the efforts of Tal Gordon and Charlene Assam, co-chairs of the SAC, and under the guidance of the Dean of the School of Business, Richard Skolnik, the theme for this inaugural year’s Business Symposium is “The Impact of Technology on Business: Implications for Millenials.”

“We decided on this topic because it is fairly relevant in today’s society,” Gordon said. “We live in an ever-changing technologically advanced age and we wanted to reflect this electronic revolution on the business world. We wanted this event to provide first-hand insight from top business executives on how technology has changed business and how it will impact business in the future.”

Gordon said that he and Assam were in constant contact with various departments on campus, including the School of Business Advisory Board, to put together this event. Skolnik said that Gordon and Assam reached out to him during the summer with the idea.

“Technological change impacts businesses in a variety of ways and it modifies the economy as well as the job market,” Skolnik said. “An understanding of the change helps students adapt and prepare for the future. Planning entailed identifying the panelists and moderator, a date, and following-through on the logistics of the event. I commend the students for their initiative.”

The panelists include a group of alumni to coincide with Homecoming weekend as well as Oswego State President Deborah Stanley.

The alumni panelists include moderator Tracy Higginbotham ’86, Mike Durney ’83 and Mike Gioja ’79.

According to Skolnik, Higginbotham is the President of Women TIES, LLC, a company dedicated to helping women entrepreneurs. Durney is the CEO of DHI Group, Inc. which offers online recruiting and career development services in areas such as technology. And Gioja is the Chief Information Officer for Paychex, Inc.

Stanley, being the only panelist that is not an alumnus of Oswego State, is still highly valued as part of the panel by Gordon and Skolnik.

“We wanted President Deborah Stanley on the panel because she is the face of SUNY Oswego and she is a significant constituent to this university,” Gordon said.

Skolnik praised Stanley’s technological additions to the college under her leadership.

“The college has been at the vanguard in providing online and web-enhanced courses and in developing programs that prepare students for new careers enabled by technology,” he said.

Both Gordon and Skolnik believe that students of any major could benefit from the Business Symposium.

“I think it would be important for students to attend because it is an investment into their future,” Gordon said. “They will be exposed to first-hand insight into the business world and the impact that technology had and will have in the business realm.”

Skolnik agrees that students would be better prepared for the professional world if they were aware of the technological advances affecting it.

“Attending the panel discussion should provide students insight in how technology is transforming businesses and how they can successfully navigate the changes,” he said.