Follow Robert Facebook
Email Robert Email
Education
Oct 7, 2022

Cape Fear Manufacturing Partners 2022 International Residency

Sponsored Content provided by Robert Burrus - Dean , Cameron School of Business - UNC-Wilmington

This article is contributed by Dr. Rebecca Guidice, Executive MBA Director and Professor of Management

Cameron School of Business Executive MBA students typically expect to travel abroad to complete their International Residency requirement. But it doesn’t have to be this way and this August was a case in point. Two MBA students from the University of Surrey along with the Director of their MBA Program “crossed the pond” to partner with four CSB MBA students to solve a business issue for a local nonprofit organization in Wilmington – the Cape Fear Manufacturing Partnership (CFMP).  

Introduced to the MBA Program through the Small Business Technology and Development Center (SBTDC), the CFMP consists of 42 local manufacturers with the mission to grow the manufacturing base in Southeastern North Carolina. With an unquestionable need to increase manufacturing in the United States, the lofty challenge presented to the MBAs was this: “How can we change the perception of manufacturing as a career to increase long-term interest in and pool of talented employees across New Hanover, Pender, and Brunswick counties?”. While attention was centered on our region, strategizing on how best to address worker shortages in manufacturing is something also being experienced in the United Kingdom and elsewhere across the world.

Over five work-intensive days, the MBA students not only consulted the client and the SBTDC, toured the facilities of three regional manufacturers, and met with a regional economist, but also asked numerous questions along the way. This curiosity mixed with hundreds of hours of combined research and analysis resulted in an impressive set of actionable recommendations that were presented to a large audience, including members of the CFMP, at the end of the week. One of its leaders, Mr. Jim Flock, commented, “The suggestions they proposed will provide us with a framework to guide our actions going forward. I look forward to helping implement these strategies and moving our agenda to the next steps.”

The students left Wilmington not only with real-world international consulting experience but also with new friends, professional connections, and memories that will last well into the future.  


From left to right: Chris Mahon, Bekki Guidice, Louis Perez, Randy Setser, Dorothea Anderson, Susan Kline, Jeff Jung, and Reshan De Alwis
 

Other Posts from Robert Burrus

Uncwgradprogram 300x250
Ico insights

INSIGHTS

SPONSORS' CONTENT
Mcwhorter 0005

Afraid of Choosing the Wrong Idea? Start Here

Heather McWhorter - UNCW Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Ccoudrietheadshot 942542742

Budget Process Demonstrates Collaborative Efforts Across County Government

Chris Coudriet - New Hanover County Government
Ttheadshot300x300 3262621246

Cognitive Decline – Planning for Changing Family Roles 

Tyler Thomas - The Cypress Group at RBC Wealth Management

In The Current Issue

Pond Management Firm Targets Coastal Growth

High Water Pond Management provides comprehensive pond and stormwater system management services, including algae management, erosion repair...


CEA Retail + Hospitality Winner: Biggers Blends Produce, Entertainment

Biggers Market’s roots run deep, tracing back to the 1940s when founder and partner Sven Wallin’s grandfather, alongside his brothers, opene...


Walking A Path Of Improvement

While construction on projects like the Greenville Loop Trail, Greenville Loop Park and Wrightsville Beach Bridge Replacement causes short-t...

Book On Business

The 2026 WilmingtonBiz: Book on Business is an annual publication showcasing the Wilmington region as a center of business.

Order Your Copy Today!


Galleries

Videos

2024 Power Breakfast: The Next Season