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Advanced Degree from page 27

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Tapper."I'm on campus from 8 a.m.
until as late as midnight." The stu-
dents attend three classes each day,
then have reading assignments and
projects to complete.
His classes this year covered nego-
tiations, marketing strategy, finance,
management and leadership. In addi-
tion, he stressed again, the networking
is incredible because he talks to other
business owners about their successes.
Asked what he has gained from the
Harvard program, Tapper responded,
"My negotiation and management
skills have improved. And I'm looking
to see how we can grow the busi-
ness and have more of a focus on our
target market. We're trying to have a
competitive advantage in the market-
place — it's a continual process." The
Harvard course "has definitely given
me a different outlook on how I need
to run the business!'
With challenges from the Internet,
*discount stores and other jewelers,
Tapper said, "for me, it's all about cus-
tomer focus!'
Tapper's is a family store. Its 60
employees include Howard's younger
brother and business partner, Steven,
and Howard's daughter Marla, 27,
who earned a master's in business at
Indiana University and then joined
the company.
Howard hopes that son Mark will
also join the business after complet-
ing a two-year commitment in June
with Teach for America. Mark has
been teaching in the south Bronx,
N.Y. Howard's wife of 33 years, Susan,
has lent her artistic skills to the busi-
ness and Steve and Howard's sister,
Barbara, also works at the store.
Howard Tapper started in the jew-
elry business at age 15, working part
time for catalogue retailer E.L. Rice
in northwest Detroit. After complet-
ing his degree in marketing at Wayne
State University, he went to work for
the Meyer's Jewelry chain.
In 1977, he saw an opportunity
in the high-traffic Racquettime rac-
quetball facility on 12 Mile Road and
Northwestern Highway in Southfield.

After being refused a bank loan,
he gathered $35,000 from family
members and other sources to open
Tapper's.
In 1994, Tapper's moved_to its pres-
ent 15,000-square-foot location in
the Orchard Mall in West Bloomfield.
It includes a 6,500-square-foot
showroom and seven on-site jewelry
designers.
Customer service and family have
always been a mainstay of the busi-
ness. The Tappers have been heavily
involved in community activities,
with the store supporting an annual
winter coat drive and the Kids Kicking
Cancer organization. Howard has
been a board member of Yad Ezra, the
kosher food bank; Hebrew Free Loan
and the Jewish Home for Aged. He is a
past president of Hillel Day School of
Metropolitan Detroit and a founder of
the Jewish Academy of Metropolitan
Detroit.
His community involvement "has
changed our lives as a family and
as a business:' said brother Steven.
"Howard has always had a passion for
the business we're in, and he's always
wanted to keep growing and succeed.
That's impacted our entire family!'
Steven said the Harvard course has
motivated Howard to look at things
differently to move the business for-
ward.
A few weeks ago, Howard, Susan,
Steven and Patti traveled together to
Hong Kong and Thailand. "It wasn't a
vacation:' said Steven, "but a chance
to take the business where we haven't
- gone before!'
The brothers also are planning to
look at their business through the
eyes of a consultant from the Wharton
School of Business at the University of
Pennsylvania.
"Howard keeps looking at the
future," said Steven, "to see what our
business will look like ... He's the best
partner I could possibly have and,
since our father died when I was 15,
he's been my mentor. I've been blessed
to have him at my side ❑

