First M.B.A. Class Graduates From Unique DeRoyal Alliance With Lincoln Memorial University; Program Brings Classes to Boardroom to Invest in Fast-Track Employees.

Business Editors &Health/Medical Writers

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.--(BW HealthWire)--Feb. 17, 2000

DeRoyal, Inc., after forming an alliance with nearby Lincoln Memorial University 18-months ago by establishing a special graduate program with a special emphasis on the healthcare industry, has recently gained 13 new M.B.A.s from within its own professional ranks.

The new DeRoyal M.B.A.s -- representing the first graduation class of the program - received their degrees along with other L.M.U. graduate and undergraduate students during graduation ceremonies last month on the Harrogate, Tenn., campus. A second class of 18 more DeRoyal MBA seekers is hot on their heels.

In a program that circumvents traditional methods (like night classes at a local university) and accommodates the real-life schedules of fast-track employees, this program brings the university to the company boardroom.

The DeRoyal L.M.U.- M.B.A. program consists of eight core requirements including marketing strategy, advanced managerial accounting, business research/analysis, global management, managerial economics, problems in financial management, human resource management, and strategic management for 24 core credit hours. Also, each student selects four, three-credit elective courses for a total of 36 credit hours.

Like many colleges and universities, the teachers are contracted from other teaching institutions, such as the University of Tennessee, University of Arkansas, Maryville College, L. M. U., and from qualified DeRoyal management teaching on the university level, as well as several others.

The DeRoyal-L.M.U. in-house program, which includes tuition, books and class materials, is conducted every other Saturday for the year and a half program. There is considerable outside classroom work including team meetings, e-mail with team members, e-mail with professors including on-going feedback and assignments.

DeRoyal M.B.A. candidates must meet all the requirements for admission to the L.M.U. graduate program including the Graduate Management Admission Test (G.M.A.T.) as well as a review of undergraduate transcripts.

Formed in 1973, DeRoyal is an international, vertically-integrated, institutional and consumer healthcare services and products provider with 27 subsidiaries and affiliates located in six states (California, Florida, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia), and eight countries (Canada, Costa Rica, England, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, and the United States). Among its more than 25,000 products are unitized delivery systems including custom procedural trays and TracePak, surgical accessories, orthopedic bracing and support items, critical care products, wound care products, anesthesia and neonatal care items.