The 10th annual Sparking Success Conference is set for Oct. 31, when attendees can experience a forum full of industry professionals, leaders and experts to network and learn important skills in the ever-changing world of business.
This year’s keynote speakers are Mohammed Anwar, Jeff Ma and Frank Danna to discuss their bestseller “Love as a Change Strategy: Innovation, Growth and Transformation.” The book follows the inside story of how they reorganized every layer of their company, Softway, and offers a blueprint for how to lead any change from a place of love.
Several Rice faculty members will present their research and expertise in sessions and dialogues, including Ruth Lopez Turley, director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research and professor of sociology; Danielle King, associate dean of graduate and postgraduate studies and associate professor of psychological sciences; and Constance Porter, senior associate dean for belonging and engagement and associate clinical professor of marketing, will provide welcome remarks.
A number of industry leaders and insiders will sit on panels and host breakout sessions to ensure attendees receive timely, impactful experiences. This features executives from Cheniere Energy, JP Morgan Chase, the Houston LGBTQ Chamber and the Houston Minority Supplier Diversity Council discussing change management as well as sessions on neurodiversity and imposter anxiety.
The Office of Belonging and Engagement at Rice Business fosters positive and productive collaboration among students, faculty, staff, alumni and the community. Learn more about Rice Business’ Belonging and Engagement team and activities here.
Poets&Quants named Dean Peter Rodriguez its 2025 Dean of the Year, recognizing his transformation of Rice Business since 2016. Under his leadership, the school has advanced in academics, reputation and innovation.
Peter Rodriguez, the Houston Endowment Dean of the Jones Graduate School of Business and the Virani Undergraduate School of Business at Rice University, has been named the 2025 Poets&Quants Dean of the Year, a national honor recognizing visionary leadership and outstanding contributions to business education.
In less than a decade, Rodriguez has transformed Rice Business in nearly every dimension. Beyond creating a thriving undergraduate offering, he has overseen a 192% increase in student enrollment. The growth stems from a doubling of MBA students and the launch of an online MBA—the university’s first online degree—along with a hybrid MBA option.
