Bonjour Y’all: Second Annual ‘Business to Industry’ Event Hosted in Paris, Texas

A large group of people posing for a group photo in front of a brick wall and a projector screen. Some are standing while others are sitting or kneeling in front. They are wearing casual and business-casual attire, with many wearing badges.

In partnership with the Paris Economic Development Cooperation (PEDC), the A&M-Commerce College of Business hosted its second annual ‘Business to Industry' event on March 31, 2023.

With more than 60 students, faculty and staff members in attendance, the event was a resounding success featuring executives from American SpiralWeld, Kimberly Clark, Huhtamaki, Print Works, and We Pack as well as Maureen Hammond, the Executive Director of the PEDC along with Mayor Paula Portugal.

The event, which was hosted over two sessions, first featured presentations by the business executives that discussed their perspective companies' overview while sharing their economic contributions to the city, industry trends and challenges they face, as well as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives they are implementing. A Q&A session followed each presentation, where audience members inquired more about various aspects of the executives' business operations.

In the afternoon, the College of Business students, faculty, and staff broke into five groups receiving an exclusive tour of the executive's facilities. On those tours, the students learned and witnessed how many theoretical concepts taught in the classroom were applied firsthand.

Nazmush Shahadat Munia, one of the students that toured We Pack commented, “The ‘Business to Industry' event provided the students and me an excellent opportunity to learn about various industries through the eyes of real-life business leaders. As a Master of Science in Supply Chain Management candidate, I witnessed firsthand concepts such as delivery, scheduling, operations, etc. while touring the manufacturing site, which is extremely beneficial to me.”

K M Wahiduzzaman Fahad, a Master of Science in Business Analytics candidate, agreed with Nazmush, saying, “Having worked in the fashion and textile industry, it was fascinating for me to tour and learn about the customized decorating manufacturing company, Print Works.”

He continued, “Learning about the transformational technologies they are using while coming up with creative solutions in order to provide an exceptional service to their clients was very much rewarding.”

First hosted in Sulphur Spring in 2022, the ‘Business to Industry' event launched as a platform that will forge impactful bonds between A&M-Commerce and the local business community. The annual event is hosted in a different neighboring city each year, providing students with a unique experiential learning opportunity while strengthening the connection between the university and local communities.

Executive Director of the Paris Economic Development Corporation, Maureen Hammond, said, “Partnering with the College of Business at A&M-Commerce allowed our employers to showcase the abundant and diverse range of job opportunities we have here in Paris and Lamar County to some of the best and brightest students in the region.”