• Date: September 8, 2010
• Guest:  John Mitchell, Golden Key International Honour Society
• Listen to show. 

Welcome to the Gross Reality.  My name is Steve Gross and I will be your host for the next hour.  This is a show aimed at those of us involved in business as an owner, a motivated manager, or a young business person building their skill sets for the future.  Past seminars are available to listen to here.

We are not a show about money, but about achievement, personal responsibility, self esteem created by real accomplishments, and the personal freedoms needed to allow these activities to occur. 

Additionally, we also support and defend free enterprise, enlightened self interest and a commitment to capitalism, that is not corrupted by special deals and influenced by government.  We need to stand up to corruption, both private and public and recognize the enemy that it is to freedom and free enterprise. 

As a CPA and cofounder of HLB Gross Collins, an Atlanta based regional accounting and consulting firm, I have seen, advised, invested in, and consulted with many companies.  I have seen success, failure, struggles with economic cycles or industries going through changes.  Those that accepted change as normal, and challenges as part of the choice to be in business had an advantage and, in more cases than not, have succeeded. 

We want to welcome as our guest today, John Mitchell, CEO – Golden Key International Honour Society.  We’ll talk about excellence in education, how to access superior candidates as employees and what’s being done to identify those people – recognize, introduce to business and integrate with employers. 

Before we talk with John, we will visit our weekly feature of The Good – The Bad – The Ugly. 

The Good    Congress is distracted with elections, not likely to do much damage through November. 

The Bad   The noise and dialogue that will happen between now and November will be shrill distortions, accusations and untruths and will try to define the vote.

The Ugly

• Voters listening to rhetoric.
• Ignorance of issues with too many people.
• Unprepared voters having influence on outcome.

Lesson:

• Learn the issues – especially about business.
• What works to improve the economy?
• What hinders the economy?
• Who supports what? 
• Big government vs. smaller government
• Spending and borrowing to help economy vs. lowering spending and revenue
• Regulation and controls by government soars vs. logical laws and enforcing them
• Unlimited immigration vs. orderly process of allowing and controlling who come in

Business Tip 

• Hidden provisions in 2011 Health Care Bill, section 9006.  Requirement of all businesses to report every recipient of $600 in fees. 
  •             New accounting burdens. 
  •             Vastly increase data to government. 
  •             IRS to expand.
• What are obvious consequences? 
• What are potential unintended consequences? 
  •             Identify theft
  •             Incorrect reports from IRS
  •             Small business not equipped to report
  •             Burdensome for IRS and business
  •             IRS has to prove a negative
    •                         How accurate? 
    •                         Notices automatic?

Let me introduce John Mitchell, CEO of Golden Key International Honour Society.  He is a graduate of Brigham Young University where he received his Bachelors of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering.  At BYU, John served as the Golden Key Chapter Treasurer and then as Chapter President.  He later earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the Pepperdine Graziadio School of Business and Management executive program.

In 1992 John joined Alpine electronics and became a founding member of its research company in 1994.  This team introduced navigation (GPS) systems to the US market launching initially in Acura vehicles.  He filled many roles in his 11 year tenure at Alpine. 

In 2003, John was recruited to the Bose Corporation where he acted as director and a general manager of a new produce division for the company.  His team launched its “Bose Media System” at the 2007 Geneva International Auto Show and received the International Telematics Update Product Award that same year.

John also holds a US patent for navigation systems and speaks Japanese.

John was named CEO of Golden Key International Honour Society in July 2008.

• As the premier collegiate honor society, you recognize and reward academic excellence. What are some advantages and opportunities presented to members?
  •             Academic recognition
  •             Scholarships
  •             Career assistance
  •             Resume building
  •             Leadership opportunities
  •             Networking 
• With the overall goal of helping members realize their potential, can you share some member stories of how GK has guided members on to successful and fruitful careers? 
• Who are some prominent figures who are members? 
• As corporate culture continues to evolve, how much value do businesses place on honor society memberships as a differentiator among candidates, particularly when so many are out of work.
• How was the program founded and how has it evolved over the years?
  •             Adding “international” to reflect global presence.
  •             Growing and expanding to chapters in over 375 colleges in multiple countries.