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September 28, 2017 By Richard Bowen

Preparing Students for an Ethical Future – University of Nebraska Gets it Right

From SEACEN in Malaysia to The University of Nebraska (UN) in the space of two weeks. Continents apart, yet a similar message…business ethics pay off!

From central bank executives to business students, my message to each emphasized the importance of doing the right thing and the key essentials individuals and businesses must follow to ensure a transparent and profitable workplace.

This last week I joined Dana Gold, Director of Education and Strategic Partnerships at the Government Accountability Project (GAP), a preeminent whistleblower support organization, and Walter Tamosaitis, former Deputy Chief Process Engineer and Research and Technology Manager for Waste Treatment Plant at the Hanford Nuclear Site in Eastern Washington. We participated in The University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Annual State Farm Ethics Lecture Series.

The event, which was titled “Truth Be Told: Reflections from Whistleblowers,” was co-sponsored by UN’s College of Law and the College of Journalism and Mass Communications.  Our goal was to provide insights on our experiences as whistleblowers from our respective public safety and financial services careers.

Dana Gold, Richard Bowen, and Walter Tamosaitis share their experiences with students at the University of Nebraska.

The University deserves a huge commendation. Not only do they have this annual lecture series on ethics, they go much further, endorsing ethics in their business classroom curriculum. Their code of ethics is on their website and any student can voluntarily pledge their support to it. In addition, they have a University Student Ethics Board which has the responsibility of promoting ethics throughout the student body.

Mr. Tamosaitis, who blew the whistle on extreme nuclear safety issues, and I participated in the program where we spoke of the true meaning of ethics and the possible dilemmas students would and could be faced with in the business world.  We each told our stories and emphasized how critical it is to question when they are faced with an uncomfortable business situation. If a company is on a slippery slope legally and one does not question, one could be responsible as well. There have been many instances of whistleblowers who saw something wrong and didn’t say anything, and inadvertently became involved and became victims.

While on campus, we were both on a panel Ms. Gold moderated.

Ms. Gold counselled getting advice before acting if they experienced an uncomfortable situation and to also question. Asking questions may open the door to further dialogue and the specific situation may then make sense and be corrected, or not. If not, then the individual has a choice to make. I said if they felt they shouldn’t be asking questions or were told “shut up and go back to work” they needed to think of the potential consequences and seek outside advice before going further.

We know that while whistleblowers may have legal protection, it is still common for whistleblowers to be retaliated against; both Mr. Tamosaitis and I are prime examples. And, witness what has happened at Wells Fargo, with many employees fired for following company ethics policies, doing what they were taught in company ethics training and attempting to do the right thing.

(l to r), Holly Pham, president Student Ethics Board: Dana Gold, Government Accountability Project: Richard Bowen: Interim Dean Kathy Farrell and Walt Tamosaitis, whistleblower panelist, formerly of the Hanford Nuclear Site

Whistleblowing does not always have successful outcomes for the individuals involved although there may eventually be justice. Most of all, we emphasized following your own common sense and your core values. Be true to what’s right for you and the organization’s stakeholders and, in the long run, you’ll find a successful choice was made.

On the flight home, I thought of how important it is to teach students the power of ethical behavior and how each person can make a difference by following their true north.  I commend the University of Nebraska for their special efforts to assure this is the case for their students venturing into the business world and wish more schools followed their example.

These students and others like them are our future.

Related Posts

Can Ethical Principles Become the New Norm?
Wells Fargo: The Poster Child of Greed & Fraud
What an Honor to Present to SEACEN in Kuala Lumpur

Do We Have Government by Goldman?
What an Honor to Present to SEACEN in Kuala Lumpur!
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Richard Bowen is widely known as the Citigroup whistleblower. As Business Chief Underwriter for Citigroup during the housing bubble financial crisis meltdown, he repeatedly warned Citi executive management and the board about fraudulent behavior within the organization. The company certified poor mortgages as quality mortgages and sold them to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and other investors.

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What People Are Saying About Richard M. Bowen

William D. Cohan"Richard Bowen is one of my heroes. His is a story of human fortitude at its best and Wall Street at its worst."

~ William D. Cohan, NY Times Best Selling Author
2017-06-30T10:08:59-05:00
"Richard Bowen is one of my heroes. His is a story of human fortitude at its best and Wall Street at its worst." ~ William D. Cohan, NY Times Best Selling Author
https://richardmbowen.com/testimonials/2556/

Eileen McDonnell"Richard Bowen reinforced my motto that "there is no right way to do a wrong thing.” Long after his presentation, the conversation has continued about personal responsibility and the courage to challenge things that appear to be wrong. We encourage this dialog and rely on it to help make our business stronger."

~ Eileen McDonnell, Chairman, CEO, & President, Penn Mutual
2015-02-13T19:51:19-06:00
"Richard Bowen reinforced my motto that "there is no right way to do a wrong thing.” Long after his presentation, the conversation has continued about personal responsibility and the courage to challenge things that appear to be wrong. We encourage this dialog and rely on it to help make our business stronger." ~ Eileen McDonnell, Chairman, CEO, & President, Penn Mutual
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Ben Stein"Richard Bowen, you are a star and a hero."

~ Ben Stein, Economist and Political Commentator
2015-02-13T19:50:26-06:00
"Richard Bowen, you are a star and a hero." ~ Ben Stein, Economist and Political Commentator
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Jim Farrell"Richard's speech at the April Financial Executives International dinner was informative, interesting, riveting, and fast moving.  The feedback from members was overwhelming positive, and Richard received one of the few standing ovations given by our membership."

~ Jim Farrell, Program Chairman, Dallas Chapter, Financial Executives International
2014-12-28T19:48:17-06:00
"Richard's speech at the April Financial Executives International dinner was informative, interesting, riveting, and fast moving.  The feedback from members was overwhelming positive, and Richard received one of the few standing ovations given by our membership." ~ Jim Farrell, Program Chairman, Dallas Chapter, Financial Executives International
https://richardmbowen.com/testimonials/532/

Dennis McCuistion"Richard Bowen has been there, done that, and has the scars to prove it, and his message of corruption at the highest levels of industry and government needs to be heard. I only wish that more bankers had the courage that Bowen exhibits. He is not only one of the most talented bankers I have ever met, he has more integrity than all the bankers on Wall Street put together. If his former employer had listened to him taxpayers would not have had to bail out Citi for the third time in the last 30 years."

~ Dennis McCuistion, Host of the McCuistion TV program
2014-12-28T19:48:06-06:00
"Richard Bowen has been there, done that, and has the scars to prove it, and his message of corruption at the highest levels of industry and government needs to be heard. I only wish that more bankers had the courage that Bowen exhibits. He is not only one of the most talented bankers I have ever met, he has more integrity than all the bankers on Wall Street put together. If his former employer had listened to him taxpayers would not have had to bail out Citi for the third time in the last 30 years." ~ Dennis McCuistion, Host of the McCuistion TV program
https://richardmbowen.com/testimonials/533/

Betty Garrett"Richard Bowen is a dynamic, entertaining speaker and story-teller - a CPA with a great personality!"

~ Betty Garrett, Garrett Speakers International
2014-12-28T19:47:50-06:00
"Richard Bowen is a dynamic, entertaining speaker and story-teller - a CPA with a great personality!" ~ Betty Garrett, Garrett Speakers International
https://richardmbowen.com/testimonials/531/

fred-timmons"I believe Richard Bowen is the only keynote speaker to ever receive a standing ovation from the Texas Society of CPA’s at any of its annual conferences."

~ Fred Timmons, Chairman of The Texas Society of CPA's
2014-12-28T19:47:22-06:00
"I believe Richard Bowen is the only keynote speaker to ever receive a standing ovation from the Texas Society of CPA’s at any of its annual conferences." ~ Fred Timmons, Chairman of The Texas Society of CPA's
https://richardmbowen.com/testimonials/530/

Presentation Topics

Playing for High Stakes: The Principles and Practice of Ethical Leadership

Dark Citi: The Story of a Whistleblower

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Now an ethical leadership speaker, Richard Bowen was Citigroup's Business Chief Underwriter during the housing bubble.

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