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‘Operation Bloomberg’ Making a Bang | SUNY Plattsburgh

Right now, there is a lot of satisfaction in “giving back to benefit the next generation of students.”

Last month, students from the School of Business and Economics, with the support of SUNY Plattsburgh faculty and staff, launched “Operation Bloomberg,” a fundraising initiative with the primary goal of purchasing Bloomberg Terminals that would give students a competitive edge when entering the job market.

“These terminals will allow us to have access to financial data and markets,” said Brandon Mitchell, an undergraduate student in the department.  “What a tremendous opportunity this would be for myself and others to learn first-hand about stocks, bonds, commodities, mortgages and really understand the financial-markets modeling and theories.”

John Conners, a 1975 SUNY Plattsburgh graduate, and now vice president of financial counseling at Ayco, a Goldman Sachs Company, knows how beneficial these terminals would be for Plattsburgh students. Recently, he and his wife, Diana, pledged to match dollar for dollar, up to $22,000, any gift made to “Operation Bloomberg” by June 30.

The Key to Success

“Bloomberg is cutting edge as a financial resource. Knowing and using the Bloomberg system will give our students a competitive advantage when they graduate,” Conners said. “As donors, we want to see our contribution have a direct impact. This project does that.”

Dean of the School of Business and Economics Rowena Ortiz-Walters is excited about the possibility of being able to offer this tool to students.

“This gift will help in our effort to purchase Bloomberg equipment to support a state-of-the-art trading lab for our students,” Ortiz-Walters said. “It will also benefit the School of Business and Economics by giving us a competitive edge in attracting high-quality students eager to learn with hands-on tools. We are grateful to alumni, like Mr. Conners, whose generosity makes it possible for us to serve our students the best way possible.”

See for Yourself

“I think alumni and friends of the college would be surprised at how the business program has developed at Plattsburgh,” Conners said. “I invite you to come and see for yourself, the many opportunities these students are granted and how important your ongoing support is to the continued success of both the students and college.”

In the early ’70s, Conners took advantage of the many experiences and opportunities on campus, participating in student government, running the college newspaper and playing football.

“You look back and realize how the values you developed during college and the opportunities Plattsburgh provided have shaped your life outlook. To me, success is a function of being a good listener, sticking to your values, and enjoying what you do.”

 

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