Businessman Bell not in Kansas, Oz

David Bell isn't in Kansas anymore. And clicking his heels three times will not get him back there anytime soon, because the man who hails from Middle America will take over as business manager of The Daily Pennsylvanian tomorrow. And Bell, who prefers to be addressed as "Oh captain, my captain" will bring with him a wind of change. So roll over Abe Lincoln . . . meet Dave Bell. In high school, Bell mixed his yen for business with another avid interest, theater. During his senior year, Bell played the dual role of cast actor and business manager of Shawnee Mission South's Repertory Theatre. The populace of the greater Kansas City area is still in awe of his acting prowess in this production. "Dave's portrayal of the crazy psychiatrist was so believable at times that we [his friends] were not sure when exactly he was acting," a former fellow actor said. And this just may be what the DP Business side needs going into another year - an actor with an uncanny ability to act like a crazy psychiatrist. And once he fully realized his love of business, he packed his bags and headed for Wharton. While not carried here by a cyclone, Bell's journey to the northeast was not an easy one, since he was forced to leave behind his strong attachment to "the best barbeque food on this planet," the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Kansas Jayhawks. While Bell is a finance and accounting major -- like most resume-boosting Whartonites -- he is anything but typical. Unlike the majority of his classmates, you won't find Bell comparing GPAs and pondering how much money he will be making in the investment banking world in two years. Instead, Bell dreams of a world in which he can run a bar in the Bahamas and have, as he puts it, "no worries." OK, so maybe he's seen a little too much of the movie Cocktail, but its not such a bad dream. On his way to the top, Bell has earned a name for himself as a straight-shooting guy. This past year as credit manager, his performance was nearly flawless. He was the impetus in changing the DP's front office sales force to a commissionable staff that resulted in not only a more reliable group of sales representatives, but also a group of people that were better received by our clients, all despite an inability to shake his "space cadet" image. Incoming Credit Manager Marc Saiontz, recalls his first staff meeting with Bell. "You could tell that Bell knew what he was talking about, but he's definitely out there . . . out in left field," the College junior said. Back on earth, Bell has big plans for the upcoming year. His goals include building a staff around him that loves the paper as much as he does and achieving a higher level of customer service. But his fellow managers have some suggestions of their own. Incoming Associate Business Manager Justin Foa advises Bell to "seek professional help when it comes to his humor, especially those one-liners." So the guy who longs to be "on top of the world for an evening," eats copious quantities Middle Eastern food, and smokes stogies in hot tubs will step up to the plate with his own recipe for success. No H&J; required. Do not bother inserting ! -- Michael On his way to the top, Bell has earned a name for himself as a straight-shooting guy.