MBA students write their own lessons

Sometimes you just have to leap into the deep end.

As university students across the country go back to school, 43 MBA students at the University of Richmond’s Robins School of Business spent two weekends on lock-down — including a full weekend at the Jefferson Hotel — learning as much as they could about a local Fortune 500 company and writing up a case study.

One group recommended that locally based medical supplier Owens & Minor buy a smaller X-ray supply business in Michigan. That purchase should be paid for in five to seven years, the group said. And maybe Owens & Minor could outsource sales. Read more

Tech Review: Time to learn another social networking site

Editor’s Note: BizSense has revived the weekly tech review, which will start running every Tuesday throughout the summer.

Add one more to the list of social networking sites you’re supposed to know: Twine is the newborn in the seemingly endless lineage of social networking sites. Read more

Site ranks Richmond’s best hotels for business

A major travel site recently launched a new ranking and review system targeted strictly at business travelers.

The Business Travel Center is a new service of TripAdvisor.com. The special section ranks hotels and restaurants separately from those aimed and reviewed by tourists.

BizSense browsed the site and looked up the best Richmond destinations for traveling professionals.

The Fairfield Inn & Suites Richmond NW on Mayland Drive in Henrico was ranked number one by business travelers. Reviewers highlighted free internet access, proximity to the business park, and a good breakfast as perks that made it a good destination for a business trip.

Incidentally the hotel is ranked number one for the area on TripAdvisor.com’s overall list that includes reviews from leisure travelers as well.

The Jefferson Hotel was ranked second, followed by the Omni Richmond.

The site recommended Millie’s as the top restaurant for business, followed by Mamma Zu’s and Philip’s Continental Lounge.

There is also a discussion forum for business travelers.

Gee steps down from Massey board

Ohio State University president E. Gordon Gee has stepped down from his post on the Massey Energy board after nine years.

Gee was re-elected at the company’s shareholder’s meeting held at the Jefferson Hotel on May 19.

In a letter to CEO Don Blankenship, Gee said he wanted to focus on his role at the university, where he is the highest paid university president in the nation.

Prior to the shareholders meeting, pressure mounted from environemtnal groups for Gee to step down.

An article from the Associated Press provides a little more context:

Critics said Gee’s presence on the board was a show of support for some practices that have come under fire, such as mountaintop mining.

Gee has been an influential voice in the national push for green energy jobs and has said he could do more good on the board at Massey than he could from outside the company.

Richmond hotels still offering freebies

As hotels across the country downsize their staffs and cut back on freebies such as cookies at the front desk and 24-hour coffee, a handful of Richmond’s high-end hotels are dishing out the complimentary goodies. Read more

Inauguration draws lodgers to Richmond

The buzz of Obama-mania stretched down to Richmond yesterday, and a handful of local businesses saw a boost of tourism dollars.

Trains between Richmond and Washington were sold out all day yesterday, according to a station representative, and the Amtrak station was twice as busy as a normal Tuesday. Sales were also brisk over the weekend, but no extra trains were running, said a station representative who gave her name as only Sandy. Read more