Penn State Abington Chancellor Dr. Damian J. Fernandez (left) and Business Program Chair Dr. Feng Zhang (center) with Alumnus Steve Taub '73 (right).
by Kellina Wanteu
Steve Taub '73 (B.S. Operations Management) has given back to Penn State Abington and impacted students in many ways. He has established three scholarships and has created two endowments focused on programming for students, including the Margaret Germer/Ruth Taub Business Leadership Endowment.
Funding from this endowment created a new lecture in Ethical Leadership. Taub presented the inaugural lecture last month with the theme “The Dilemma of Ethical Leadership” to a full house of Abington students, faculty, and staff.
Taub, the retired Chief Executive Officer and President of MAFCO Worldwide, stressed the importance of taking skills students learn in college and applying them to the real world.
“Your learning experience is starting here at Abington. I had some excellent instruction, and I was taught how to think,” he said. “In the end, you have to be creative, have self-initiative, and be willing to take the risks if you want to be ethical.”
Taub, a first-generation college student as are many Abington students, stressed the importance of listening in order to succeed.
“I listened when I was at Penn State Abington. I listen even more in the real world,” he said. “Before you get into to the workforce, learn how to listen.”
You have to have flexibility and a theoretical framework to combine with hard work, unselfishness, and doing everything necessary to ethically succeed,” Taub continued.
Among the other advice he shared with the audience on ethics and other topics:
“Position a company for success based upon long term satisfactory survival, not short term profit optimization. Don't do it by over borrowing, or taking unfair advantage of employees, suppliers, and customers.When dealing with people, take their basic needs and wants into consideration. Don't expect everyone else to lose money so you can make money.”
Taub closed the event with an important reminder to the audience: “I didn't compromise the basic ethics and values I was raised with.” Dr. Feng Zhang, Program Chair of Business at Penn State Abington, leads the faculty speaker selection committee, and their goal is to have at least one speaker per semester for the Margaret Germer and Ruth Taub Lecture Series in Ethical Leadership.
Any suggestions for speakers may be emailed directly to Dr. Zhang at [email protected]
Chancellor Dr. Damian Fernandez speaks at the Taub Celebration on October 17, 2018.
Four Abington student recipients of Taub grants.
The Taub Celebration event October 17, 2018.
Steve Taub speaks at the celebration.
Tina Vance-Knight, Director of Career & Professional Development at Penn State Abington, speaks about global travel at the event.
President of Penn State University Dr. Eric Barron, his wife Mollie, and Penn State Abington students.
Students Albert and Bridget share their Japan program experience with Jack Endicott ('67).
Steve Taub and Penn State officials.
Dr. Damian Fernandez (Chancellor of PSU Abington, Robert Fenza (PSU Board of Trustees), Dr. Madlyn Hanes (VP of Commonwealth Campuses), Stephen Taub, Lynn Burke, Dr. Eric Barron (President of Penn State), Rich Bundy (VP, Development and Alumni Relations).