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News Views WINTER 2017

THE MAGAZINE OF THE COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AT ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

LEADERSHIP TEAM PLUS • 3D Printing for COB students • Redbird Career Portfolio launches • Analytics and the COB focus

News Views &

Message from the Dean

Feature articles

New Analytics Focus Puts College of Business Ahead of the Curve Redbird Career Portfolio Launches Fall 2016 Institute for Financial Planning and Analysis Established Katie School Active in Global Education A New Leader Takes the Reins at the College of Business From Cost Analysis to Prosthetics, 3D Print Lab Offers Unique Experience for Students

COB news

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2015â€”2016 Hall of Fame Inductees

2016â€”2017 Early Career Achievement Awards

Business Week 2016

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Development outlook

Staff Changes New Faculty/Staff

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College of Business Expanded Leadership Team on cover: Front row: Ajay Samant, Mark Hoelscher Second row: Edgar Norton, Gary Koppenhaver, Melissa Johnson, Stacey Meyer Third row: Barbara Ribbens, Norris Porter, Deborah Seifert Fourth row: Richard Ringer, Horace Melton, Alex Barelka Fifth row: Tim Longfellow, Jeff Grabb, Michael Boehm Sixth row: Daniel Goebel, Jim Jones, Steve Vandiver, Elango Balasubramanian

write this note with deep pride and great pleasure. It is truly a privilege to serve the College of Business at Illinois State University as dean. We have outstanding students, accomplished faculty and staff, and a very supportive business community, all of which add up to a thriving professional college with a stellar academic reputation. I want to sincerely thank my predecessor in the dean’s office, Dr. Gerry McKean, for his outstanding stewardship of this fine college over the past three years. Our national rankings continue to rise. Our ranking at BusinessWeek went from 107 in N 2012 to 95 in 2014 to 75 in 2016. Princeton Review ranked our MBA program as among DEA E H the best 295 in the nation. Washington Monthly ranked our college at fourth in the Midwest MT FRO for best value from among 405 institutions. Our students continue to express confidence in the enduring value of our degrees by enrolling in ever-increasing numbers. Between fall 2013 and fall 2016, enrollment in the college increased from 3,290 to 4,035. We hold the gold standard AACSB accreditation in business and accounting education. To put this accomplishment in perspective, there are over 10,000 business colleges in the U.S., of which fewer than 800 are accredited in business, and fewer than 200 are accredited in business and in accounting. This October we had the privilege of hosting a peer review team from the AACSB for a five-year continuous improvement review of the college. Our vision is to be the first choice for business education in Illinois. To attain our vision, we continue to work toward raising our national level of recognition and providing our students with a well-diversified portfolio of learning opportunities, both in the classroom and outside it. Our faculty in accounting, finance, insurance and law, management and quantitative methods, and marketing are at the cutting edge of knowledge in their fields of specialization. They bring this expertise with them into the classroom and, consequently, our curriculum is second to none in terms of relevance and timeliness. As an example of our continuing curricular innovation, in fall 2016 we began to offer a new minor in business analytics, which was created in response to a growing national shortage of professional managers who are trained to extract and use information embedded in big data to make strategic business decisions. Outside the classroom, we provide opportunities for our students for internships, study abroad, service learning with nonprofits and entrepreneurship. Many of these opportunities are provided by the service centers and institutes housed in our college including the Means Center for Entrepreneurial studies, International Business Institute, Katie School of Insurance, Organizational Leadership Institute, Professional Sales Institute, and the brand new Institute for Financial Planning and Analysis, which was created just this year. In accordance with our mission, we continue to prepare students to be skilled and ethical business professionals. Our students are noted for their adherence to our “Standards of Professional Behavior and Ethical Conduct.” Very recently, in fall 2016, we implemented a Redbird Career Portfolio Certificate program, which is a four-year roadmap for inculcating professional skills to help our students with job placement and career management. In summary, our college moves right along on the path of continuous improvement with clear evidence of engagement, innovation, and impact. We are grateful to our supporters, many of whom are also our alumni, for their ongoing philanthropic investment in the college. I want to thank all who have contributed their time and financial resources to the college. Your investment enables us to transform a good educational experience into a great one. Thank you, again. It’s good to be a Redbird.

E G A S MES

Warm Regards,

Ajay Samant Ajay Samant, Ph.D.

Dean, College of Business

News & Views

NEW ANALYTICS FOCUS PUTS COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AHEAD OF THE CURVE By Ryan Denham

ll over the world, businesses are swimming in customer data— who they are, what they’re buying, even what they’re saying to their friends on social media about their purchases. The glut of data requires an army of analysts trained to unlock the answers hidden inside. To meet that growing demand, Illinois State’s College of Business has launched a new analytics minor and sequence that is teaching students from across campus how to make data-driven decisions.

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Professor Jeri Beggs from the Department of Marketing talks to students at a Social Media Bootcamp in November, hosted in the Social Media Analytics Command Center in Fell Hall.

“We’re training students to not only ask the right business questions, but also to be able to work with the data to generate answers and useful insights for decision making,” said Horace Melton, an associate professor of marketing who is teaching one of two new courses being offered, Introduction to Marketing Analytics (MKT 245). So far, 27 students are enrolled in the analytics minor (for any student) or sequence (for marketing majors), which formally launched in 2015. Like the faculty who spearheaded the new curriculum, those students know there’s a demand; a study from McKinsey & Co. found that by 2018, the U.S. will face a shortage of 1.5 million managers who can use data to shape business decisions. Senior Reilly Atkinson wanted to pick up the analytics minor— so much so that he delayed his own graduation to 2017 so he could finish it and improve his job prospects. Atkinson was a student in Melton’s inaugural Introduction to Marketing Analytics course in fall 2015. The self-described “giant nerd” relished the opportunity to dig around a real insurer’s customer database, looking for insights into how to price policies for younger vs. older drivers. He learned how to use cutting-edge, highend software that makes Excel look like an abacus. Hands-on experiential learning—often with clients—is a hallmark in the College of Business, and the new analytics class took it to the next level, Atkinson said. “That was one of the most valuable experiences I’ve had so far at ISU,” said Atkinson, a transfer student. “I had a blast in that class. So much of the material I learned I didn’t know there was to learn.” In some organizations, the big data revolution has left a chasm between tech-savvy IT staffs and business-driven marketing chiefs. Students like Atkinson will graduate with the expertise to bridge that gap. That need exists outside the business world too, in fields such as health care and environmental health, said Peter Kaufman, an associate professor of marketing who helped create the new curriculum. The analytics minor is open to students from all majors. Illinois State is one of only a few universities offering analytics education at the undergraduate level. Atkinson’s textbook for MKT 245, for example, was published for graduate-level learners. “That’s a big point of differentiation for us moving forward,” Kaufman said.

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Though the Department of Marketing is ground zero for the new curriculum, students can also take courses in the School of Information Technology and Department of Geography-Geology. The Department of Marketing recently teamed up with the School of Communication for its second Social Media Bootcamp, in which students from both areas work together to help BloomingtonNormal businesses. The event is hosted in Illinois State’s new Social Media Analytics and Command Center. In the Department of Accounting’s 1-year-old Introduction to Business Analytics (ACC 271) course, students dig into three cases—in insurance, web analytics, and accounting. Students have responded well to the class, with one group even taking its heatmapping skills to a national competition. The business information systems program began offering a separate business analytics certificate last year. “These are skill sets that employers are expecting (from our graduates),” said Matt Nelson, associate professor, accounting and business information systems. “We teach them how to solve business problems. That’s the heart of it.” Atkinson is now enrolled in Advanced Marketing Analytics (MKT 345), offered for the first time this semester. He’s glad he decided to add the analytics minor, even though he already has two majors (integrated marketing communications and business administration) and another minor (organizational leadership). “People with this background are going to be really marketable,” Atkinson said.

News & Views

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REDBIRD CAREER PORTFOLIO LAUNCHES FALL 2016 By Lacey Mandrell

his fall, College of Business (COB) freshmen were encouraged to take part in the Redbird Career Portfolio, a four-year certificate program designed for students to develop their business professional soft skills. Associate Dean of Academic Programs and Maintenance of Accreditation Dan Goebel explained that a lack of professional skills not only determines if a graduate obtains employment, but just how far he or she will advance in the workplace. Consisting of three categories—career strategy, skill enhancement, and professionalism—the Redbird Career Portfolio will enhance and build upon professional skills complementary to education received in COB classrooms. According to Goebel, aside from assigning activities within a business 100-level course, it is incumbent upon the student to complete activities each year. Associate Dean of MBA and Undergraduate Programs Tim Longfellow explained, “Students complete required activities and electives where they can delve a

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little deeper. The responsibility of creating a road map through completing these tasks on their own time outside of the classroom will help them professionally.” Within the first year, students will learn professional skills such as resume writing, how to shake hands properly, and maintaining eye contact during business meetings. The second and third year will navigate subjects such as financial literacy and obtaining an internship. The fourth year will offer “Financial Planning for the Young Professional,” a module with topics including renter’s insurance, budgeting, credit card accounts, paying back student loans, and starting retirement plans. Upon completion of the Redbird Career Portfolio, students will receive a certificate of professionalism as part of their Illinois State University credentials. Both Goebel and Longfellow are hopeful that the Redbird Career Portfolio is a step toward a professional development career center tailored to COB students.

INSTITUTE FOR FINANCIAL PLANNING AND ANALYSIS ESTABLISHED By Molly Hartrup

he Department of Finance, Insurance, and Law in Illinois State University’s College of Business has recently implemented an Institute for Financial Planning and Analysis. Professor of Finance Edgar Norton has been named director of the new institute. The mission of the institute is to promote and cultivate financial-advising experiences for students and to reach out to business partners working in financial services. “My first task is to continue to develop relationships with employers, alums, and possible scholarship donors,” Norton said. “We want to create an Institute Roundtable of professionals who will be engaged and helpful in building our programs and creating opportunities for students.” Norton hopes to secure internships, mentorships, and job shadowing opportunities for students. “The big picture is partnering with the finance profession so our students benefit and our program benefits as well,” he said. “These partners can provide good advice as to what is going on in the real world of finance.” Department of Finance, Insurance, and Law Chair Gary Koppenhaver worked with Norton to create the institute and noted it will not only give students opportunities but provide businesses the chance to work with faculty. “Businesses can use our faculty as a resource to deal with the training, development, and research issues they face,” Koppenhaver said. “The institute is committed to building valued partnerships with the broader community served by Illinois State University and the College of Business.”

Another goal for the institute is to create a website that could be useful for the community. “We want to let people know, both in the community and on campus, about the institute and our financial planning programs,” Norton said. Other engagement ideas Norton has for the institute include to organizing special events such as a financial planning day for students or having notable speakers come to campus to talk about cutting-edge topics in the world of finance. “I’d like to bring in outside people to the campus to learn about our programs and then maybe they would be willing to hire an intern or be available for a day of job shadowing so a student can learn what it’s like to be a corporate treasurer, financial planner, or investment analyst,” Norton said. The last short-term goal on Norton’s list is to create opportunities for continuing-education credit. “Many finance professions require continuing education,” he said. Norton noted that CFP (Certified Financial Planner) and ChFC (Chartered Financial Consultant) designations require continuing education to keep the certifications current. Norton added that overall he wants to make Illinois State the go-to place both for finance students looking for professional opportunities and for businesses seeking interns and future employees.

Edgar Norton

Gary Koppenhaver

TNER R A P UED OIS L A V LDING D BY ILLIN I U B D TO Y SERVE S.” E T T I OMM OMMUNIT BUSINES C S I TUTE ROADER C LLEGE OF I T S N O I “THE ITH THE B ND THE C A W SHIPS NIVERSITY News News & & Views Views 5 U S T AT E

KATIE SCHOOL ACTIVE IN GLOBAL EDUCATION By James Jones

lobal education is becoming a popular elective in higher education today. The Katie School at Illinois State has been actively engaged in global education related to the insurance industry since 1995. In fact, developing students with a global perspective was a cornerstone of the Katie School mission when it was chartered and has continued to grow over the years. The chronology of first international student internships includes: • The London internship in 1999 • The Bermuda internship in 2002 • The Zurich internship in 2004 • The South African internship in 2011

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Each of these internships is fully funded by the Katie School, and each has its own unique features. The London internship is closely aligned with Lloyds of London (photo on page 6). The Bermuda internship is related to creative capital development, especially as it relates to reinsurance and captive insurance markets. Zurich is a sophisticated global insurance and reinsurance experience, and South Africa examines business risks associated with an emerging market. The South African program also includes a reciprocal experience whereby two South African students come to Central Illinois to understand the American insurance market. The local insurance markets in those respective countries provide both technical and financial support. For example, the South African experience is coordinated by the South African Risk Management Association and supported by the Gert Cruywagen Foundation. The Katie School has also been involved in global education for industry professionals. Since 1995, the Katie School has hosted 20 London Market junior executives annually for one week including education on campus and with Katie School partners in Chicago. The former participants of this program are now in leadership

roles in London. This year the Katie School hosted international regulators from Cambodia, Kosovo, and Macedonia, as part of its 10-day financial regulators program that takes place on campus. The Katie School conducts numerous research projects internationally, including research on crop losses and microinsurance in Africa. The Katie School also actively recruits top math students from Ghana for the Illinois State actuarial master’s degree program. These students actively research and publish papers with Illinois State faculty on research issues related to their own country’s risk and insurance issues. Each year the Katie School has presenters come and speak to students about international insurance issues. Recent undergraduate alumni from the risk management and insurance major have worked in Europe and South America. Even for students who eventually work for U.S. firms, the international experiences and exposure they get help them to understand how their own U.S. employers compete with and are affected by the global insurance and reinsurance markets.

BODIA M A C SY IN NOM.PENH S A B S. EM BASSY.PH . U E W TH @US.EM O L L O F OOK B E C A ON F

News & Views

A NEW LEADER TAKES THE REINS AT THE COLLEGE OF BUSINESS By John Moody

hen Ajay Samant, new dean of Illinois State University’s College of Business (COB), arrived on campus this summer, he was already familiar with some important aspects of the institution and the community. From his days at Western Michigan University (WMU) in Kalamazoo, he knew the Midwest, so Illinois State was not unknown to him. “I knew the reputation of the University and the quality of the COB,” he said. In addition, he felt he had another connection to the Bloomington-Normal area since he had been WMU’s State Farm Professor of Finance and director of its State Farm Financial Planning Program. Ultimately, the school and the community were both what he was looking for. “I found this a very good fit,” he said. Samant arrived here from the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, where he was professor of finance and dean in the school’s Coggin College of Business. His duties at Illinois State began July 1.

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CAN G N I NOTH S.” , Y T I CTIV STUDENT A F O BUZZ PUS LIKE E H T M E “I LIK EN UP A CA T BRIGH

His resume is impressive. He’s been a faculty member, a department chair, an associate dean, an interim dean and then dean; and, he’s been an effective fundraiser and administrator, as well as being intricately involved in developing new programs. Samant, who has a pleasant, soft-spoken demeanor, has plans for COB that include facilitating student engagement, having an innovative curriculum that is cutting edge and second to none, and raising the impact of academic scholarship. “Looking ahead, I would like to see the college attain an even higher high level of national and international recognition,” he said. “I’d like to see each of our students have a transformative learning opportunity in the form of an internship or a study abroad program, service learning, or research in collaboration with faculty.” Samant said he believes in giving students “a portfolio of learning experiences both in the classroom and outside.” He said he will encourage students and faculty to engage more with area businesses and organizations. He plans to encourage more community service by using the professional expertise of the college to help local service organizations. “For example, the local food pantry needs to know basic accounting, and our students can help with that,” he said. “Or, local businesses need to make people aware of their services, and our marketing students can help with that.” The two main challenges that lie ahead, as he sees them are: “One, of course, is the budget uncertainty in the state of Illinois and what impact it will have on higher education,” he said. “Secondly, given the demographics in Illinois, I don’t see any growth in the number of high school graduates in the near future, and that’s critical.” Since his arrival, Samant has enjoyed seeing what he calls, “the engagement of the business community with civic life.” And, he’s been pleased to hear positive comments when people speak about the University. “I’ve seen widespread admiration for the leadership of the University,” he said. “I see very deep feelings that faculty, staff, and students have for the community, and they care about the well-being of the region.” In his first days on the job, Samant was “in the learning phase,” as he described it. He had met with faculty members, students, staff, administrators, alumni, and the college’s business advisory council members. “I’m meeting as many people as possible,” he said in his office on the fourth floor of COB’s State Farm Hall of Business, a facility that reflects very well the professional atmosphere in the business college. Originally from Mumbai, India, where his first job out of college was with the Reserve Bank of India, he eventually made his way to the U.S. How does one get from one side of the globe to the other? “My boss had his Ph.D. from Indiana University Bloomington, and he recommended it,” Samant explained. “He said, ‘There’s a

great big world out there. You should consider going to the U.S.’” Samant took his mentor’s advice and earned his master’s degree and Ph.D. at Indiana University. “Now I’ve lived in the States longer than I lived in India growing up,” he said. And, while it might sound strange to long-suffering Midwesterners who dread the winter months, Samant actually prefers the climate here. “In Florida I missed the four seasons, the colors of fall,” he said, adding that he missed some of the wildlife not so abundant near the Atlantic Ocean. “I missed the cottontail rabbits and the whitetailed deer. I’m delighted to be back in the Midwestern warmth and friendship and work ethic. It’s just so nice.” He’s already fond of the campus architecture and the Quad, especially all the trees. “The trees on the Quad are very interesting,” he said, sounding a bit like a student. “Trees from all over the state are represented on the Quad.” And, after all these years in academia, he still gets excited for a new semester to begin. “I like the buzz of activity,” he said. “Nothing can brighten up a campus like students.”

News & Views

FROM COST ANALYSIS TO PROSTHETICS, 3D PRINT LAB OFFERS UNIQUE EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS By Rebecca Gropp

ccording to the Open Hand Project, leading prosthetics can cost as much as $100,000. Illinois State’s College of Business (COB) recently made a prosthetic hand for $10 thanks to its 3D print lab. Also known as additive manufacturing, 3D printing creates solid, three-dimensional objects from digital files. When printing items with multiple components, objects are often printed in pieces and later assembled to create the finished product.

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TING LP N I R P HE 3D O F T O G E N G I WLED S ONLY GO OUT.” O N K ND SI NG “ H AV I W I T W O R K T H E M S T A O KE AND H TS AND MA N STUDE At first, it may seem like 3D printing is something for engineers, but the technology has had a major impact on several industries, including manufacturing. Associate Professor of Accounting Matt Nelson feels a 3D print lab is a perfect fit for the COB. He incorporates printing into several of his classes and feels it gives students a unique and meaningful experience. “There’s a large shift going on in manufacturing because of 3D printing,” he said. “There’s more personalization and customization because the product is being developed closer to where it’s consumed. It’s also created a whole different dynamic in supply chain management and cost management.” With the 3D print lab, students are able to discuss issues with supply chain management, perform a cost analysis, as well as collaborate, develop, and build prototypes. Students have a hand in all aspects of their projects from start to finish. In Nelson’s classes, students are required to complete cases that include a 3D print. They write up a reflection on how it will impact the industry, develop a prototype, and print it. But how exactly do you go about generating a prototype? Traditionally, creating sample products required professional designers and engineers. That’s not the case anymore. Crowd sourcing sites such as thingiverse.com provide users with designs where all they have to do is download, customize it a bit, print, and assemble. Anything from wearable computer gloves to chip bag clips can be found and printed. Armed with the Internet and a 3D print lab, the creation possibilities for students are relatively endless. COB student Jon Korsgard is what Nelson calls a high-end user and one of the best makers. He’s become somewhat of an expert in utilizing 3D printers and is the one who created the $10 prosthetic hand. It took him about four days to make. Something as complex as a prosthetic hand requires several parts, each of which have to be printed separately and then assembled. The hand also includes electronics, specifically a robotic arm that attaches to the hand. In a recent demonstration, Korsgard showed the COB’s administration how he trained the arm and hand to pick up a ball and dump it down a slide. There was no design work involved except maybe a tweak to size and other minor adjustments. It was all downloaded from the Internet. “It’s an actual hand,” said Nelson. “It’s a smaller model and the same hand a 10-year-old might be using in the real world, but instead of costing several thousands of dollars, it was just $10 to make.” Korsgard’s project is proof that business school has come a long way. They aren’t really known to incorporate design into the curriculum, but with developing technology, that’s all changing. “In terms of design, I remember years ago we asked students to code or build a website,” Nelson recalled. “Now we can ask them to do all that and build things.”

Not only are students getting the unique experience of design and development, they are also fully engaged in 3D printing. Nelson describes COB’s 3D print lab as very “hands on.” Once students have their design ready to print, it’s up to them to go to the lab and print it themselves. “They can’t just drop it off. They have to load the printer and wait for it to be complete.” The lab has a handful of students like Korsgard who manage printers and assist with the print process. Nelson says this gives students a full experience and understanding of how 3D printing works. That kind of experience is likely to be beneficial to students once they enter their careers. According to Nelson, companies are looking at where 3D printers will go. “You might see local car dealerships printing car parts or NASA printing objects for space exploration. Having knowledge of 3D printing and how it works is only going to help students and make them stand out.”

Jon Korsgard

News & Views

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hank you for making Illinois State a philanthropic priority. Private support is an investment in emerging talent and is critical to advancing the national reputation and excellence of the College of Business. In spite of ongoing budget uncertainty from the state of Illinois, the College of Business and Illinois State University continue to reach new levels of excellence. High demand for our programs from prospective students and a need for quality employees by industry—well skilled in their fields with a focus on quality, ethics, and civic engagement—make Illinois State and the College of Business the right choice. Your ongoing support and commitment will play a vital role in sustaining our future excellence. We appreciate your faith in the quality of an Illinois State University education. PHILANTHROPIC PRIORITIES

• Expanding student opportunity • Attracting and developing top faculty • Reaching beyond campus boundaries through centers and institutes • Fueling interdisciplinary innovation • Paving a professional path for students

NEW ENDOWMENTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THE COLLEGE OF BUSINESS We express appreciation to our donors who have established the following new endowments, scholarships, and restricted funds during the past year. ANDREW C. JACKSON SERVANT LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP

Established in 2015 by Andrew C. Jackson ’80. The endowment was established for the purpose of providing financial support for business students majoring in accounting information systems, business information systems, marketing/sales or entrepreneurship. Qualified students will be actively engaged in leadership roles on campus and/or in the community. Preference will be given to students who have a record of accomplished leadership, service to the community, and who help others to develop and perform at high levels. Jackson is co-founder and president of BravoTECH, a business technology, professional services, and IT staff augmentation firm. He has been building and managing technical service companies for his entire career. Jackson received the Partners in Professionalism Award from the Association of Information Technology Professionals; was inducted into the Illinois State University College of Business Hall of Fame; was honored as a Healthcare Hero by the Alliance for Healthcare Excellence; and was a nominee for the Metroplex Technology Business Council Tech Titans award.

THANK YOU TO OUR DONORS

MPW—PAY IT FORWARD SCHOLARSHIP

Our annual and lifetime donor rolls are now available online at Business.IllinoisState.edu/impact.

The endowment was established for the purpose of providing financial support for business students actively engaged in leadership roles on campus. Preference will be given to students serving in a leadership position for a registered student organization affiliated with the College of Business. MPW represents Gerry McKean, Norris Porter, and Ron Whitton. Whitton ’80 wanted to establish a legacy while honoring McKean and Porter for their work in helping him create a mechanism for encouraging on going alumni support for the College of Business. McKean was interim dean for the College of Business, and Porter is the senior director of development. Whitton is owner of Dentsmart and is actively engaged in leadership roles for both the College of Business and the Illinois State Alumni Association. Other alumni participating in the creation of this endowment include Paul Koch ’80, Erick Miner ’78, Gary Ritchie ’83, Katie Hill-Gottesman ’01, and Nate Webb ’07. The goal is to help provide financial support for students working to improve their professionalism and career preparation. Donors hope that other successful alumni will help “pay it forward” by making their own contributions to support the College of Business.

CREATE A LASTING LEGACY

Increasing confirmed deferred gifts, including bequests, trusts, life insurance, and charitable gift annuities, can play a powerful role in generating funds for the college while also helping donors fulfill their personal, financial, and philanthropic priorities. To learn how you can leave a lasting legacy to benefit future students, please contact Norris Porter at (309) 438-2297 or neporte@IllinoisState.edu.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ANNUAL GIFTS AND COMMITMENTS 2016

$2,559,712

2015

$3,167,738

2014

$8,382,014

2013

$2,621,325

2012

$4,077,042

2011

$3,939,759

2010

$3,782,650

MIKE WINCHELL OUTSTANDING SENIOR IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP

This scholarship was created by Ryan Fiala ’04, MBA ’06 and Rebecca Fiala ’07 to honor Mike Winchell. Winchell was an important influence on Ryan Fiala during his studies at Illinois State. Winchell joined the Illinois State faculty in August 1974. Winchell earned all of his degrees at Illinois State: a bachelor’s in business education in 1968, a master’s in business education in 1972, and an Ed.D. in educational administration in 1975. His first faculty assignment was lecturer. He was promoted to full professor in 1983. In June 1991, Winchell was named director of the Small Business Institute and later led development of the entrepreneurship/ small business management sequence in the management major. Winchell’s efforts led to the creation of the George R. and Martha Means Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at Illinois State University. Winchell was inducted into the College of Education Hall of Fame and passed away from illness in 2005.

Contact Norris: (309) 438-2297 | neporte@IllinoisState.edu

News & Views

ROBERT “BOB” LUTT SCHOLARSHIP

ZARCONE FAMILY SCHOLARS

Kris Lutt MBA ’06 and his wife Becky established this scholarship in 2016 to acknowledge his father and Illinois State for his career success. Lutt is a proud graduate of Illinois State, and this scholarship is his way of “paying it forward.” The scholarship will support undergraduate and graduate majors in the College of Business with a preference for students with an agricultural background or those who plan to work within the agriculture industry. Lutt is currently the president of sweeteners and starches at Archer Daniels Midland (ADM). He has worked at ADM since 1986, serving in various leadership roles, including president of Golden Peanut Company LLC, president of milling, president of specialty feed ingredients, and vice president of corn processing. Lutt will be inducted into the College of Business Hall of Fame in 2017.

The Zarcone Family Scholars was created in 2015 by Phillip ’78 and Donna ’79 Zarcone to benefit accounting students and faculty. Annually the department will award scholarship support to attract and retain female accounting students while also supporting professional development opportunities open to all accounting students. Support for faculty will help the Department of Accounting attract and retain the most talented professors.

WILLIAM J. MOTCHAR SCHOLARSHIP

William J. Motchar ’85 is president and chief executive officer for Navis Global in Charlotte, North Carolina. Based in Lexington, North Carolina, Navis designs, engineers, and manufactures high tech machinery for the global knit, woven, nonwoven, technical, and geotextile industries. Navis has sales and service offices in over 60 countries with manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and Taiwan. Motchar is a new member to the College of Business Advisory Council at Illinois State and will be inducted into the College of Business Hall of Fame in 2017. He is a proud graduate of Illinois State, and this scholarship is his way of “paying it forward.” The scholarship will support undergraduate majors in the College of Business with a preference for students from small communities. EDWARD B. RUST JR. KATIE SCHOOL HALL OF FAME SCHOLARSHIP

The Edward B. Rust Jr. Katie School Hall of Fame Scholarship Fund was established in 2016 to honor Edward B. Rust Jr.’s legacy of providing leadership to the insurance industry. He is the 2016 Laureate for the Katie School Hall of Fame. Rust is the former chairman of the board of State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company. Previously, he served 30 years as chief executive officer of State Farm Mutual and its principal affiliates. A graduate of Illinois Wesleyan, Rust holds both juris doctor and master of business degrees from Southern Methodist University. He joined State Farm in 1975 at the company’s Dallas, Texas, regional office. MARK WILLIS SCHOLARSHIP FUND

The Mark Willis Scholarship Fund was established in 2016 to honor his legacy of providing leadership to the insurance industry. The fund will provide financial support to attract and develop the next generation of industry leaders through the insurance program at Illinois State University and the support of the Katie School of Insurance and Financial Services. Willis retired from American International Group as chairman of American International Group, Inc. (AIG) Property and Casualty, United States and Canada. He is a graduate of Iowa Wesleyan College and pursued his graduate studies at Drake University. He served on the Katie School Board of Insurance Executives from 1998 until 2014. In this capacity he served in numerous roles, including panelist at the Executive Forum and chair of the Katie School Hall of Fame Committee.

14 Illinois State University College of Business

ISAHU—GREGORY SMITH MEMORIAL INSURANCE SCHOLARSHIP

The Illinois State Association of Health Underwriters created this scholarship to honor one of its colleagues, Gregory Smith, who died after a lengthy illness. Smith was a loving husband and father, a dedicated volunteer, and a hard worker. He lived a life of service by always putting others’ needs before his own. He was an agent for RW Garrett Insurance for 21 years, since 1994, and was formerly an agent for Travelers Insurance, from 1977 to 1994. For 37 years, he worked in health insurance, helping employers and individuals make good choices in their insurance programs. Smith was a founding member of the Central Illinois Chapter of the National Association of Health Underwriters, where he twice served as president. Smith completed a term as the Illinois State president and also served on the Illinois Adequate Healthcare Task Force. He believed that the only way to make a difference was to get involved. This scholarship will help prepare the next generation of insurance professionals for the industry. DOCUMENTED PLANNED GIFTS

The College of Business is proud to recognize the following new members to the Illinois State University Foundation’s Heritage Society for making a deferred gift provision in support of the College of Business: • Ron and Cathy Whitton • Glenn and Gaye Bailey • Kenneth T. Sr. and Deborah A. Glover

S ON S E IN . BUS IVING F O /G E LEG TE.EDU L O C A THE NOISST O T I GIFT ESS.ILL A E N I MAK AT BUS LINE

THANK YOU TO OUR DONORS

Our annual and lifetime donor rolls are now available online at Business.IllinoisState.edu/impact.

News & Viewsâ€‚

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS NEWS

STAFF NEW FACULTY/STAFF CHANGES Rebecca Dieken

Megan Lapping joins Faculty Resource Center The Faculty Resource Center welcomed Megan Lapping as its new office support specialist in March 2016. Lapping has a Bachelor of Arts degree in photography from Columbia College Chicago, with additional undergraduate studies in accounting at Eastern Illinois University, as well as post-graduate studies in graphic design. Lapping has been working at the University since October 2012, coming to us from the Philosophy Department. Prior to working at Illinois State, Lapping worked as the marketing and sales coordinator at a local real estate office, as well as the office manager for a local pediatric speech therapy/learning clinic. Lapping was born and raised in the Bloomington/Normal area and resides in Bloomington with her husband Brian and their two daughters Abigail (3) and Julia (6 months). Her hobbies include scrapbooking and playing piano and being outside when weather permits. She looks forward to lending a helping hand to the faculty and students here in the College of Business!

Cindy Baker, promotion Cindy Baker, office support specialist, has taken on the role of sole department support staff for the Accounting Department. Baker maintains the day-today activities of the department assisting faculty, staff, and students.

16 Illinois State University College of Business

Rebecca Dieken joined the Marketing Department. Dieken received an MBA at Illinois State in 2012 with a focus on marketing. Dieken worked with Marcfirst, a local nonprofit, as a marketing researcher helping the agency reposition its marketing strategy and increase client satisfaction. Dieken also worked as an advertising marketing analyst for a Peoria firm that was outsourced by large corporations. Some of the firms she worked with include Nationwide, Pizza Hut, Service Master, and many others.

Jon Eickhorst Jon Eickhorst joined the Department of Marketing as an instructional assistant professor in the Spring of 2016, with a teaching focus in marketing research. He received a B.S. in business management from Millikin University’s Tabor School of Business and an MBA from Illinois State. Eickhorst has over 13 years of sales and management experience across industry, partnering and working with Global 100 companies within manufacturing, retail, and financial services. His selling and management experience includes time at Dell, Inc., SAS Institute and Pegasystems, as well as successfully establishing a North American operation for a UK-based analytics startup company. Eickhorst continues to be focused on furthering the adoption of business analytics; sales, marketing, customer relationship optimization; and improving business process efficiency. Eickhorst and his wife Lindsay live in Bloomington and have four children: Parker (9), Colin (7), Miles (4), and Hudson (2).

Joe Johnston

Joe Johnston joined the Department of Accounting as an assistant professor. Prior to joining Illinois State, Johnston worked at the City University of Hong Kong. He obtained his Ph.D. in accounting from Louisiana State University. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in accountancy and a Master of Professional Accountancy from Louisiana Tech University. His research has been published in the Journal of Accounting, Auditing, and Finance, Advances in Accounting, and the International Journal of Accounting and Information Management. Johnston is married with two children, ages 3 and 8.

Joon Ho (Juno) Lim Joon Ho (Juno) Lim joined the Marketing Department as an assistant professor, teaching in the advanced marketing analytics area. He earned his Ph.D. in business administration–marketing from Texas A&M University, his master’s degree in applied statistics from The Ohio State University, and his bachelor’s degree in business administration from University of Seoul. Lim is interested in empirical modeling of consumer behavior and firm decision making. His research focuses on marketing and public policy, multichannel retailing, food marketing, digital marketing, and marketing-operations interface. Outside of work Lim enjoys traveling and spending time with his wife, Bohyun. He is also a big fan of soccer and baseball. He enjoys playing soccer, and his hobby is visiting MLB stadiums and collecting baseballs from them.

Amir Marmarchi Amir Marmarchi is an instructional assistant professor joining the Management and Quantitative Methods department. In Fall 2014, he joined Illinois State faculty in the Economics Department and has been teaching courses in statistics, energy economics, current economic issues, and other micro and macroeconomics courses. During his master’s and Ph.D. studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he researched in areas such as forecast verification, behavioral economics, prospect theory, decision analysis, and game theory. In his Ph.D. dissertation, he focused on managing overconfidence in expert judgments and developed software and methods that helped industry experts forecast future events with better calibration, more accuracy, and less overconfidence bias, which ultimately made his research the featured research project of the year, as recognized by IARPA. He has also worked in industry for five years in positions like economic consultant, investment advisor, and fund manager.

Kari McMullen Kari McMullen has joined the Department of Marketing as an instructional assistant professor. She has over 15 years of experience in the communications field, where she worked in industries ranging from telecommunications, information technology, financial services, education, and most recently insurance, as a business analyst for State Farm Insurance. McMullen has a Bachelor of Science in organizational communications and an MBA, both from Bradley University in Peoria. During her MBA experiences, she studied in Brazil, where she learned the proper way to analyze a company’s business structure. She also learned how important cultural influences can be on successful communication strategies.

McMullen also has a Master of Science in integrated marketing communications from Medill at Northwestern University. She has had the honor of working collaboratively with leaders from top-tier global companies, such as Google, Leo Burnett, 3M, ESPN, and Frito Lay, in order to gain strategic and quantitative skills that focus intently on consumer insights. When McMullen is not focusing on her career or continuous education, she enjoys participating in the Association for Women in Communications (AWC), where she currently serves as the chair of the Professional Development Committee for the National AWC and the vice president of Membership Development for the BloomingtonNormal Chapter. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband Jonathan and two daughters Annika (18) and Emily (10).

Horace Melton Horace Melton became the interim chair for the Marketing Department as of July 1, 2016. He is an associate professor in the department. He earned his Ph.D. in marketing from Florida State University, an MBA from Columbia University, and Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University. He has taught courses on marketing analytics, marketing management, product development management and other areas. Melton’s research interests primarily focus on service innovation and value co-creation, and he has published papers in the Journal of Service Research, Journal of Services Marketing, International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, Journal of Marketing Education, and Journal on Excellence in College Teaching. Melton has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, having worked primarily in personal insurance sales, recruiting, research and planning at MetLife. Melton lives in Bloomington with his wife Jhane, and they have three adult children, Andrea, Camile, and Jason.

HORACE MELTON The College of Business is pleased to announce Horace Melton will serve the Department of Marketing as interim chairperson beginning July 1, 2016, through June 30, 2017. The search for a permanent chair will begin in spring 2016 with the formation of the search committee as outlined in the College of Business bylaws. Melton is a highly respected faculty member with an outstanding record of balanced teaching, research, and service. He has served the college as a member of the Coordinating Team, Human Resource Development Team, and the College’s Dean Search Committee. At the department level, he has been instrumental in numerous initiatives related to the formation and continuing development of the marketing analytics minor and sequence. He has also made important contributions as a member of the DFSC, faculty recruiting committee, curriculum development, and as a presenter at Marketing Advisory Board meetings. Through his service activities, Melton has demonstrated a collaborative and inclusive leadership style. Melton has a strong research portfolio that includes eight refereed publications, three refereed proceedings, a book chapter, and several national and local presentations. He balances his research and service records with an equally strong teaching portfolio. Melton will be responsible for managing and providing leadership to the Department of Marketing. Although the chairperson has many duties, priorities will include: assisting in the College’s AACSB accreditation efforts; upholding the image and reputation of the department; hiring, developing, and supporting faculty; facilitating curricular initiatives; overseeing department programs to attract, cultivate, and retain students in the department; maintaining relationships with the department’s stakeholders; and helping move the College of Business forward as a member of the College’s Leadership Team. The College of Business welcomes Horace Melton to his new role.

News & Views

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

NEW FACULTY/STAFF Bahae Samhan Bahae Samhan joined the College of Business in August 2016 as a BIS assistant professor in the Department of Accounting. Samhan earned his Ph.D. in MIS from Washington State University, his master’s degree in telecommunications and computer networking from Florida International University, and his undergraduate degree in computer science from the Applied Science University. Samhan is also certified by Microsoft as a software engineer and a database administrator. Prior to coming to Illinois State, Samhan taught a variety of IT, CS, and MIS courses. Samhan has experienced more than eight years of university teaching both in the U.S. and abroad. Samhan and his wife, Sara, have two children: Adam (6 years) and Alex (18 months). Samhan and his family live in Normal.

Madeline Trimble Madeline Trimble joined the Department of Accounting this fall as an assistant professor. Trimble graduated with her Bachelor of Science (major: accounting, minor: finance) from Eastern Illinois University in 2011. After graduating from EIU, Trimble joined the doctoral program at the University of Mannheim in Mannheim, Germany, focusing her dissertation on international accounting, specifically global adoption details and financial reporting effects of IFRS. During that time, she had the opportunity to work closely with members of the IASB’s Accounting Advisory Council. She expects to defend her degree in the coming months. Currently, Trimble resides in Champaign and is an avid traveler, both domestically and internationally.

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Tom Trone Tom Trone joined the adjunct faculty of the Marketing Department this fall where he will be teaching strategic marketing management. Trone is a seasoned global executive, entrepreneur, consultant, and educator. He recently retired from John Deere where he was a director of sales and marketing. While at Deere, Trone was a leader in the expansion of Deere’s product portfolios and global markets, as well as dealer channel development and new business start-ups. He was responsible for commercial operations for Deere’s Construction & Forestry Division in the western U.S. as well as North American Forestry sales and marketing. Trone was director of the C&F Division’s Russia/CIS market entry and commercial operations. He and his wife Sue lived in Moscow for nearly three years. Before joining Deere, Trone was the founder, owner, and manager of several businesses in four different industries including consulting. As a consultant, Trone’s firm worked with many Fortune 1000 companies (including Deere) in the areas of strategic planning, marketing, technology integration, leadership and change management. Beginning in 1975, Trone taught the subjects of entrepreneurship, strategic and business planning, strategic marketing, leadership and change management. He has taught at Parkland College in Champaign, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Illinois at Chicago, and the Center for Enterprise Development in Chicago. His University of Illinois experience included teaching in international degree and certificate programs in Africa and Europe. Trone and his wife Sue live in Moline. They have four sons and four grandchildren. An interesting side note—Sue, two sons and nine immediate family members are Illinois State graduates! Trone is a graduate of the University of Illinois and the Northwestern University Kellogg Management Institute. He and Sue enjoy traveling the world (68 countries and counting) and spending time with family and friends.

Jamie Wieland Jamie Wieland is an assistant professor in the Department of Management and Quantitative Methods. Wieland obtained her Ph.D. in industrial engineering from Purdue University and B.S. in industrial engineering and management science from Northwestern University. Her research interests lie in the development and application of statistical methods and probability models for prediction and decision analysis, with an expertise in Monte Carlo simulation. Previous publications have appeared in the Journal of Service Management and the Journal of Business Research. Wieland’s current research involves assessing the operational and financial impact of portable technologies used for on-site analysis of forensic evidence during crime scene investigation processes. This interdisciplinary project is funded by the National Institute of Justice ($299,753; co-PI) and was recently featured in the Chicago Tribune.

Xuelian Wu Xuelian Wu joined the Management and Quantitative Methods (MQM) Department as a visiting scholar from the Department of Business Management at Suzhou Institute of Commerce and Trade in Suzhou, China. Xuelian will be here for the full academic year on a grant from the Chinese government. She is an associate professor and received her master’s degree in public administration at Soochow University, China. She has taught graduate courses such as human resources management, motivating employees, and management psychology. Her research interests include human resources management, leadership, organization design, motivation, labor relations, and career development. In the past two years, she has received three research grants from various institutes in China. During Xuelian’s visit to Illinois State, she hopes to learn best teaching practices from faculty members in the MQM department and conduct research on human resources and organizational behavior. She is also sponsored by Barb Ribbens, so she’ll be working in the international business area as well.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

HALL OF FAME 2015–2016 ALUMNI HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES Bill Allison ’79 Bill Allison is the national managing director of Deloitte Consulting LLP’s Pursuit Center of Excellence. In this role, Allison leads a team of seasoned professionals who pursue the largest, most strategic commercial opportunities. A principal with Deloitte since 1999, Allison has more than 25 years of experience in the analysis, design, and implementation of information systems, systems strategy, and business process improvement and has worked with some of the largest, most complex technology clients in the world. Prior to his current role, Allison held numerous leadership positions including serving as the global consulting technology leader, where he provided strategic vision to guide engagement teams on the delivery of world-class, value-added and highly differentiated services in Enterprise Applications, Technology Advisory, and IT Outsourcing services. He relentlessly drove efficient delivery of the highest level of quality to clients across the globe and acted in a risk and advisory role on many of Deloitte’s most significant engagements. Under his leadership, Deloitte’s global technology program was recognized as a leader in over two dozen reports by Gartner, Forrester, and other analysts. Allison also served on the Board of Directors for Deloitte’s consulting practices in India and China. Allison has spoken at various internal and external engagements in the U.S. and globally, provided media commentary on a wealth of topics, and has published on subjects such as the innovative CIO and reinventing Enterprise Resource Planning. Allison earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Illinois State University. Additionally, he attended the Northwestern University Executive Program in Manufacturing Physics. In his spare time, Allison has served as a trustee for the Autry National Center and as a director of the First Tee of Los Angeles. He enjoys playing golf and guitar, as well as horseback riding. He lives with his wife Mary and daughter Berkeley in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Benajmin A. Hart, MBA ’95 Hart is president and chief executive officer of the Bloomington-based Heritage Enterprises Inc. Founded in 1963, Heritage focuses on serving the health care and therapy needs of seniors. With over 50 years of experience, Heritage now operates and manages over 55 facilities throughout Illinois and one community in Indianapolis. As a respected leader in the long-term care industry, Heritage provides comprehensive skilled nursing care, including Alzheimer’s and dementia memory care support, nutrition services and much more. Heritage’s exclusive RESTORE to Home Therapy program boasts licensed therapists trained to provide top-level physical, occupational, and speech therapy tailored to seniors’ unique needs. In conjunction with a cutting edge long-term care pharmacy, Green Tree Pharmacy, Heritage fulfills a broad spectrum of senior care needs. From skilled nursing facilities to assisted living, supportive living and independent living communities, Heritage Enterprises raises the bar in senior health care. Hart earned a Bachelor of Science in accountancy from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He earned a master’s degree in business administration from Illinois State (1995). Hart’s career in health care began in 1996 when he joined Heritage. There he took on responsibilities for new development, acquisitions, and capital reinvestments of projects in excess of $100 million. Additionally, Hart oversaw the functions of facility management, information technology, environmental services, and marketing. Hart serves on the Illinois State University Foundation Board and the Illinois State University College of Business Advisory Council. He also serves on boards for several business organizations, including the Health Care Council of Illinois, Affordable Assisted Living Coalition and the Advocate BroMenn Philanthropy Council.

J. William Lin, MS ’70 Lin & Lincoln CPAs was founded in 1980 by William Lin and has since grown rapidly into a fullservice CPA firm serving business and personal clients in more than 30 states and 10 countries internationally for: auditing, taxation, accounting, financial planning, and management advisory. In 1960, Lin earned a B.A. from National Chung-Hsing University, Taipei, Taiwan. With an American dream in mind, he came to Illinois State in 1969 for a master’s degree, earning an MBA from Illinois State in 1970. Prior to attending Illinois State, he worked as a high school teacher and also worked for the National Bank of Communications in Taiwan. Upon graduation from Illinois State, he concurrently served as chief accountant for Computer Service Inc., Maxium De Paris, and Bistrol Restaurant under the same owner. In 1987, he organized the New Asia Bank, the biggest Chinese Bank in the Chicago area, and he served on the board of directors for 18 years. During that time he chaired the loan committee, which contributed to the success of the bank and helped communities and people with a low credit rate. Lin serves on the board of directors for: Taiwanese World Chamber of Commerce, Taiwanese American CPA Association of North America, Taiwanese American Chamber of Commerce of North America, and Taiwanese American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Chicago. He served on the board of directors for: New Asia Bank, AA Investment LLC, Executive Building II Corp., Mt. Jade Technological Association, Wilmette Family Services, and Asian American Advisory Council. Besides Lin & Lincoln CPAs LLC, he serves as president for: Hsing-Pei University Alumni Association Mid-West Chapter (Alumni Combination of National ChungHsing University in Taichung, Taiwan, and National Taipei University in Taipei, Taiwan), AA Investment II LLC, and Executive Building Corporation. He served as president for: Taiwanese CPA Association of North America, Taiwanese American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Chicago. Lin also contributes to helping communities and people. News & Views

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

HALL OF FAME Catherine L. Lynch ’80 Lynch is chief financial officer of Inland Real Estate Investment Corporation and a member of the board of directors of The Inland Group, Inc. Headquartered in Oak Brook, The Inland Real Estate Group of Companies, Inc., is one of the nation’s largest commercial real estate and finance groups, representing more than 45 years of expertise and integrity in the industry. Inland received the Better Business Bureau’s Torch Award for marketplace ethics in 2009 and 2014. Lynch graduated from Illinois State in 1980 with a Bachelor of Science degree in accountancy. She went to work for Peat Marwick Mitchell & Co. (currently KPMG LLP) as an auditor for nine years, and then joined Inland in 1989. She has held various accounting positions at Inland, eventually becoming CFO in 2011, where she is responsible for all of the finance and accounting activities for multiple Inland entities. In 2012, she was the first woman and non-founding principal appointed to the board of directors of The Inland Group, Inc. As a strong believer in the benefits of mentoring, Lynch was a founding member of the Women’s Initiative Network at Inland, a program offering career education and advice for employees and is an active mentor for several women in the Inland organization. Lynch is a certified public accountant and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public

Accountants and the Illinois CPA Society. She is also registered with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority as a financial operations principal. She and her husband divide their time between their home in Wheaton and their farm in southwestern Wisconsin.

Joseph E. McNeely ’86 Joseph McNeely is a successful leader with comprehensive rail industry experience and a diverse business background with a track record of driving value in manufacturing, leasing, and distribution industries. He has significant rail, mergers, acquisitions, and international experience. McNeely began his career with Arthur Andersen, LLP and was a senior manager on numerous attest and consulting engagements. He went on to hold positions at GATX Corporation, including vice president of finance for GATX Rail, as well as vice president sales and marketing at Mitsui Rail Capital. He was chief financial officer at FreightCar America, Inc. from 2010 to 2013 when he assumed the role of president and chief executive officer. He currently serves on the American Association of Railroads Associate Advisory Board and the Illinois State University College of Business Advisory Board, is a member of the Railway Supply Institute Board of Directors, and is president of the

RSI American Railway Car Institute Committee. McNeely is a graduate of Illinois State (B.S. accounting 1986), Notre Dame (MBA 2007) and is a CPA.

Greg Morris ’94 Greg Morris is senior vice president and president of Archer Daniels Midland’s (ADM) Oilseeds processing business unit and an officer of the corporation. In that role, Morris has responsibility for all commercial activity, operations, and production for the company’s Oilseeds business. Previously, Morris led the launch of the company’s WILD Flavors and Specialty Ingredients (WFSI) business unit, which includes ADM’s specialty ingredients businesses, as well as the company’s WILD Flavors business, and ADM’s portfolio of dried fruits, seeds, legumes, and ancient grains. Morris joined ADM in 1995 and has held several senior-level merchandising and management positions across three of the company’s four business units. Prior to leading the launch of WFSI, he served as ADM’s president, North American Oilseeds Processing. In that role, he oversaw more than two dozen crushing plants, Southern Cellulose Products, Inc., and the company’s Foods & Wellness group. Morris serves on the board of directors of Stratas Foods, LLC and is a member of Illinois State University’s Finance Advisory Board. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Illinois State and an MBA from Drake University in Des Moines.

2015–2016 SERVICE HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE Connie Fako Shoemake ’77 Connie Fako Shoemake is a business and technology leader specializing in strategy, management, sales, operations, and business development. She has significant consulting and leadership development experience. Fako Shoemake has worked as a senior consultant for Moran Technology Consulting specializing in developing action plans to identify and maximize the benefits of IT systems for higher education. Previously, she worked at IBM. Her last position at IBM was vice president for Global Client Centers. In this role she provided thought leadership and direction to IBM’s global network of client centers, enhancing the capabilities of the centers to provide outstanding client experience, drive incremental sales and enable sales teams and partners to showcase IBM’s solutions and technology capabilities. Fako Shoemake joined IBM as a software sales engineer in 1981. She has successfully held multiple executive and management positions in sales, marketing, strategy, business partner development, acquisitions, and technical support both globally and in the U.S. Prior to working at IBM, Fako Shoemake taught special education for elementary and high school students in Central Illinois.

Fako Shoemake is currently an advisor and board member for Illinois State University Business School and National Children’s Center in Washington, D.C. Fako Shoemake is actively involved on the board for Immanuel Lutheran School. She is a former board member of the Illinois Technology Association and the Chicago Mayor’s Council on Technology. She has been active in professional organizations, including Women in Technology and the Chicago Executive’s Club and has been recognized by several organizations for her interest and passion in leadership, mentoring, and technology. In 2003, she was recognized by I-Street Magazine as one of the “Top 25 Technology Women in Chicago,” and in May 2008 was recognized as a national business leader by the Women in Technology International Organization for her executive leadership and mentoring excellence. In February 2009, she was honored as an Outstanding Alumna at Illinois State. Recently, Fako Shoemake has been volunteering in “Incubatoredu,” a program designed to excite high school students about becoming entrepreneurs by creating and fully developing their own product or service. Fako Shoemake and her husband reside in Palatine, where they are active in the local community. They have four grown children. Her hobbies include mentoring, reading, traveling, and entertaining.

EARLY CAREER ACHIEVEMENT

AWARD WINNERS 2016–2017

Elisabeth Bellinger ’10 Elisabeth Bellinger majored in international business and graduated from the College of Business in 2010. She accepted a full-tuition scholarship to Michigan State University College of Law and graduated in 2014. After graduating law school, Bellinger moved to Nashville, where she was admitted to the Tennessee Bar in November 2014. Bellinger is a contracts specialist for a software company that specializes in providing operational risk services to financial institutions. In her job she addresses a variety of complex matters arising from each client’s contractual relationship with third parties.

Jeb Corley ’07 A 10-year Air Force veteran, Jeb Corley graduated from Illinois State in December 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. He joined Medix, a health care and IT recruitment firm based in Chicago, as an entry level recruiter. Corley was promoted to sales shortly after and was then moved into a director-level role running one of the company's newest offices in Houston in 2009. Since then, Houston has become one of the largest offices at Medix, a six-time Chicago Crain’s “Fastest 50 Growing Companies” award winner. Now executive director of Business Operations, Corley continues running the day-to-day operations in Houston and oversees the growth of the company’s newest office in Tampa. He lives in Houston with his wife Abie, also a College of Business alum, and their daughter Mia.

Shannon Falls ’00 Shannon Falls is a senior manager in the Assurance and Business Advisory Services practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Since joining the firm in September 2000,

Falls has worked primarily in the Financial Services practice in Chicago, Florham Park, New Jersey, and Houston, focusing on the firm’s insurance clients. Falls’ audit experience includes insurance SEC reporting, initial public offering for an insurance company, life and accident and health insurance, generally accepting accounting principles, standalone reporting, property and casualty, life and accident and health statutory insurance reporting, carve-out audits, broker-dealer audits, separate accounts audits, ERISA reporting, workers’ compensation audits, and regulatory compliance examinations. Falls received a B.S. in accountancy summa cum laude from Illinois State in 2000. She is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in Illinois and Texas.

Fellicia Foster ’08 Fellicia Foster is assistant vice president and human resource business partner at BMO Harris Bank. She is responsible for building holistic people strategies for over 300 employees across the U.S. footprint for mortgage sales while serving as an advisor to the head of mortgage sales regarding HR-related issues. Prior to moving into her current role, Foster initially joined the bank as an executive assistant. Since joining BMO, she has been promoted four times into various expanded roles across the bank, including areas of project management, strategy and sales effectiveness, and operations management. Foster also leverages her leadership skills through her involvement in community and professional organizations. She was formerly chair of BMO Harris Bank’s African American League of Professional affinity group. She is also the founder of the Black Business Employee Resource Group; a coalition of over 52 non-industry specific companies’ business resource groups across the Chicagoland area; Human Resources Management Association of Chicago–member; American Heart Association– multicultural executive leadership committee; Black Ensemble Theater’s young professionals council–vice president. Foster was named one of the 2014 “Top 40 under 40” by Collaborate Magazine. Also named winner of the American Heart Association–Heart of Excellence Award and ISU’s 2016 Proud Young Alumni Award.

Matthew Fowles MBA ’12 Matthew Fowles is a brand manager at the Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, the world’s largest marketer of branded consumer products for lawn and garden care. In this role, he is responsible for all elements of the marketing mix, profitability, and strategy development for the mulch and non-core soils businesses worth over $325 million. Prior to joining The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, Fowles worked as an intern for Cherry Street Innovation, a strategy and innovation consulting company led by Illinois State alum Keith Wakeman. During this time, Fowles was able to gain valuable marketing experience that included digital efforts for Gene Smart along with competitive analysis and positioning for Algae Nutrition. Fowles also worked for several years in athletics, both inside and outside the lines. A former Illinois State baseball player, he was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks and spent three years in the organization. Following a career-ending injury, Fowles returned to Illinois State and worked in the athletics department facilitating studentathlete development in the Athletic Study Center. Fowles lives in Columbus, Ohio, with his wife Hailey, an intensive care nurse at Riverside Methodist Hospital. They enjoy spending time in the garden with their dog Piper and dedicate holidays to those in need by volunteering at Meals on Wheels.

Kevin Halteman ’06 Kevin Halteman, program leader and digital strategy in the CEO Office for Kaiser Permanente, a leading integrated health care provider. Halteman is responsible for a life-stage consumer campaign and the channels to achieve it. Additionally, this startup team is pioneering a stretch project program to further unleash the potential of all employees. Halteman’s background is in marketing, consulting, and finance within the health care and financial services industries. In the past year, he joined the board of a not-forprofit, got married, and is expecting his first child in January. News & Views

EARLY CAREER ACHIEVEMENT

AWARD WINNERS 2016–2017

Matt Hurley ’11 Matt Hurley received a Bachelor of Science in business teacher education from Illinois State in May 2006. He taught business courses at Olympia High School from 20062011. He also coached seventh-grade boys’ basketball and high school girls’ basketball. In May 2011, Hurley completed a Master of Science in educational administration and foundations at Illinois State and was hired as the assistant principal of Olympia High School. His primary responsibilities include tracking attendance, handling student discipline, evaluating teachers, and acting as a positive role model and leader in the Olympia community. Hurley is currently enrolled in the superintendent endorsement cohort program at Illinois State and is an active member of the Illinois Principals Association. He is a parish member at St. Patrick Church of Merna in Bloomington and a 2016 attendee of the Cursillo retreat. Hurley lives in Danvers with his wife and two daughters.

Melissa Kats ’11 Melissa Kats graduated from the College of Business in 2007 with a major in integrated marketing communications. After graduation, she stayed in touch with Professor Linda Showers who connected her with her current supervisor at Arc Worldwide of the Leo Burnett Group. Kats joined the Marketing Operations Department of Leo Burnett as an associate analyst and over a span of five years excelled within her team. For the last two years, Kats co-managed a team of seven analysts working to guide the execution of large marketing campaigns across various platforms and channels. This fall, Kats gets the privilege of marrying her high school and fellow Illinois State alum sweetheart Kyle Cobban.

22 Illinois State University College of Business

Daniel Looney ’03 Daniel Looney is the owner of The Punchdown natural wine bar and kitchen in Oakland, California. Illinois State taught Looney what it takes and the importance of a business plan before starting a business. It also allowed him the opportunity to study abroad in France for an international business and politics course that opened the door for him to get an international master’s degree and an introduction to the wine industry. This allowed Looney to travel around the world (a few times) to over 30 countries in two years, learning first-hand all about the wine business. California was a natural draw, and he moved there shortly after. Looney opened The Punchdown in 2010 and just relocated to a bigger and better space.

Joseph Mazurkiewicz ’04 Joseph Mazurkiewicz began his career at CDW in inside sales. In 2005, he joined the merchandising division at the corporate Walgreens office in Deerfield, where he was able to leverage his Walgreens store experience from working in Bloomington during his time at Illinois State. Mazurkiewicz held a variety of positions throughout his time at Walgreens with the majority of time spent in category management. He was the first category manager of fresh food for Walgreens. This was a new role within the merchant organization that was responsible for leading the development and implementation of the fresh food product assortment. From there, Mazurkiewicz shifted to category manager of beverages, managing one of the largest P&L desks in the company. Recently, he transitioned to a strategic role with Walgreens, leading the planning and implementation of key strategic initiatives across the merchandising division. Today, as director of category management, Mazurkiewicz leads a team of category managers and associate category managers responsible for the strategic direction, management, and financial performance of the produce categories at US Foods. Outside of work, Mazurkiewicz is engaged in the Illinois State University College of Business Marketing

department advisory council board. He also serves on the auction committee for the American Heart Association’s Chicago Heart Ball. He is part of the AHA’s metro Chicago running team and is currently training to run his first marathon this October in Chicago. Mazurkiewicz and his wife Danielle have two girls Natalie and Reagan, who keep them busy with new adventures every day.

Ryan Meyer ’05 Ryan Meyer, a 2005 magna cum laude graduate of Illinois State, has worked for SunTrust Bank since 2007 and currently serves as vice president of nonprofit and governmental lending for much of the bank’s Florida footprint. Headquartered in Orlando, Meyer manages a portfolio of nearly $1 billion and an ongoing deal pipeline of approximately $200 million that includes nonprofit clients and prospects such as hospital systems, medical clinics, hospice organizations, behavioral development organizations, continuing care retirement communities, independent living facilities, assisted living facilities, skilled nursing homes, memory care units, elementary and secondary schools, colleges and universities, religious organizations, YMCA/YWCAs, Goodwill, marine animal rehabilitation facilities, and others. He leads a team of three analysts who assist him in managing the portfolio and has developed and delivered training for hundreds of employees bank-wide. A member of the Beta Gamma Sigma business honor society, Meyer is certified by the Illinois Bankers Association in several disciplines, was SunTrust’s top business banking sales award winner in 2008, was awarded the Risk Management Association’s Credit Risk Certification in April of 2010, won SunTrust’s top performer award for five of the eight fiscal quarters between Q4 2010 and Q3 2012, and was presented SunTrust’s award for excellence in portfolio management in early 2016. Meyer lives in Winter Haven, Florida, and outside of work, his passions include volunteering with the Heart of Florida United Way, teaching early financial responsibility to elementary school children through Junior Achievement of Central Florida, working with shelter animals for the Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando (formerly the ASPCA), and serving as president of the Central Florida chapter of the Risk Management Association.

Clayton Monfre ’07 Clayton Monfre contributes his minor accomplishments to his full head of hair and Brad Pitt-type looks, but mostly it is due to the support of his wife and business partner, Trish. Together they own and operate A Perfect Promotion with offices in Morton and Indianapolis. A Perfect Promotion is a marketing company specializing in all types of branded material such as apparel and promotional products. If you want your logo on it, they will find a way to do it. Monfre is responsible for operations (except for the finances, Trish doesn’t let him close to that). He also sells and promotes A Perfect Promotion’s abilities to potential customers. Monfre is the father of three beautiful children: Stella, Ace, and Letty. He thanks the Lord every day they look like their mom and not him. Monfre is an advocate for the Children’s Hospital in Illinois. Through the craziness of business and life, Monfre knows he is here today because of his faith and trusting in the bigger picture.

James R. Patterson ’11 Upon graduating with a degree in Business Information Systems, JP Patterson ’11 pursued a career in the business technology department of Discover Financial Services. He began as a technical consultant helping to design IT infrastructure solutions. Patterson then pursued a new role within the infrastructure group as a business relationship manager acting as a liaison and creating process efficiencies in support of the payments services group. In 2014, Patterson joined the Cybersecurity Services organization and acted as the central point of contact for all M and A affiliates as it related to cybersecurity. In 2015, his role transitioned, and he is currently a part of the performance and risk reporting team within the Cybersecurity Services organization. The team provides key metrics for executive leadership, as well as the board of directors. Patterson lives near family and friends in the northern suburbs of Chicago. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, being outdoors, and serving in his church.

April Rowe ’06 April Rowe is currently benefits manager in human resources at OSF HealthCare in Peoria. She is responsible for the administration and evaluation of OSF HealthCare’s employee benefits. Prior to her current role, she worked in most areas of human resources, including recruiting, employee relations, and HR compliance. Rowe received her bachelor’s degree in management–human resources from Illinois State in 2006. Since then, she received her PHR–professional in human resources through Human Capital Institute and has been certified as a Six Sigma Greenbelt. Rowe is very involved in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life and currently serves as a committee chair. Rowe currently lives in Henry with her husband Andy, who is also a graduate of Illinois State. They are expecting their first child in February.

Leisa Rumshas ’03 Leisa Rumshas started her career with Humanscale. She worked her way up to national account sales and won several awards, as well as presidents club. Rumshas left Humanscale after three years and worked at Shire Pharmaceuticals for 10 years. Rumshas worked in several fields: nephrology, gastroenterology, psychiatry, neurology, and pediatrics. She worked her way up to the highest sales position, senior executive sales representative. She won quarterly awards and two vice president club achievements. Rumshas left Shire in June to pursue a new career at Allergan Pharmaceuticals as senior territory manager in the optometric department. She enjoys learning new disease states and selling products that help patients lead better lives. Rumshas is the lead territory manager for dry eye and glaucoma for all the optometrists in the western Chicago suburbs. She educates optometrists on dry eye and glaucoma and sets up dry eye clinics in their offices. With dry eye being one of the fastest growing chronic eye diseases, more optometrists want to understand the disease state and treat their patients with Allerga n’s dry eye product Restasis.

Rumshas is married to an Illinois State alum Dennis Rumshas. They have three children: Owen, Ellie, and Easton. She is a full-time, working mom and is very involved with her children’s activities. Rumshas is currently a member of the CCFA, NAMI, and is working with a new college of optometry that will open in fall 2017. She enjoys being in sales and may consider being a manager when her children are a little older.

Lawrence Van Ryn III ’06 Lawrence Van Ryn is a program manager with Raytheon Company. In his current role at Raytheon Missile System business unit, he is responsible for the negotiation and capture of a green-field program in the Arabian Gulf. This program will result in generating new capabilities for the regional customer base while developing the host country’s indigenous industrial base. Prior to his current assignment, Van Ryn successfully managed the execution of international contracts totaling over $150 million and consistently exceeded forecasted margins. Additionally, he captured over $250 million in new contracts awards. Throughout his tenure at Raytheon Company, he has led international efforts with progressive responsibility in program management, strategic planning, and business development across markets in the Middle East, Europe, and Far East Asia. Previously, Van Ryn earned his master’s degree in global affairs and management with honors at the Thunderbird School of Global Management. Before his graduate education, Van Ryn worked as a quality technical contractor for CMM Services, Inc. at Caterpillar. Prior to his professional career, Van Ryn received his bachelor’s degree in international business at Illinois State. Van Ryn, his wife, an Illinois State College of Education alum, and their three children reside in Arizona.

Awards

CAREER ACH IEVEM E N T E A R LY

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ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY

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N EW FO R B U S I N ES S W EEK 2016

WOMEN RETURN TO ILLINOIS STATE TO INSPIRE FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS By Ryan Denham

SOME QUESTIONS DON’T FIT IN A COLLEGE CLASSROOM. THEY’RE TOO BIG, OR MAYBE THEY’RE TOO PERSONAL. SOMETIMES, YOUR QUESTIONS ARE BEST POSED TO A SMALL CIRCLE OF WOMEN, ALL EAGER TO HELP.

hat community of women was at the heart of INSPIRE: Women’s Exchange of Knowledge, a new mentoring event added to Illinois State University’s Business Week 2016. INSPIRE paired 55 students with 22 mentors—mostly Illinois State alumnae—for morning roundtable sessions, lunch, and then keynote remarks by the chief diversity officer for Cintas. “The students asked really excellent, insightful questions,” said Katie Gottesman ’01, founder of CommuterAds and one of the returning mentors. “I would have loved this as a student.” The event is part of a larger effort to support women within the College of Business. It began in fall 2015 with a screening and discussion of The Devil Wears Prada, focused on breaking down gender barriers in the workplace. A new student organization, called Women in Business, is also off to a running start. INSPIRE is the centerpiece of those efforts so far. When told about the event and asked to be a mentor, Gottesman thought it was a great idea. Relationship-building is so important, she said. In the mentoring sessions at Hyatt Place in Uptown Normal, Gottesman tried to be honest with her students about what it’s like to be a woman in business. “Some of the stories are really encouraging. In all honesty, there are some that aren’t as bright,” Gottesman said. “But part of what you want to achieve today is to take away some of the naiveté, so (the students) can feel well-equipped to deal with some of the challenges they might face.” Senior professional sales major Morgan Rabas was one of the key organizers of INSPIRE and a member of the Business Week leadership team. Mentoring is the core of the event. “When I graduate, I may come across a similar situation, and now I’ll know how to handle it or a certain way to approach it,” Rabas said. “By sharing those stories, we can work on bridging that gap.” INSPIRE concluded with keynote remarks by Robin Everhart, senior vice president and chief diversity officer at Cintas Corp. Tracing her own roundabout career path to and within Cintas, Everhart emphasized life lessons beyond just the scope of shattering

glass ceilings. But one point she returned to again and again was to pick your battles—a lesson she learned from her black college roommate at their school in the South. Raised as a socially conscious kid by her activist mom and executive dad, Everhart was shocked by the prejudice toward blacks that she encountered during move-in day at college. It was her roommate who gave her the pick-your-battles advice that’s threaded all the way through her career. “Passion alone doesn’t get results,” Everhart said. “Strategic passion does.” Everhart’s keynote was at the Normal Theater, where Business Week also hosted the Devil Wears Prada event. One of the speakers on the panel afterward was Kimberly Judson, interim chair and professor in the Department of Marketing. While not directly involved with INSPIRE, Judson said these types of events enable students to put important discussions on the table, which lead to better decision-making and greater personal growth. “I’m hopeful that an event like INSPIRE will truly ‘inspire’ young people to make life and career choices that allow them to positively impact others in the world,” Judson said. INSPIRE was co-sponsored by Women in Business, the new student organization co-founded by students Kirsten Halverson and Megan Kapala in September 2015. The group, with around 30 members, also co-hosted a successful Women Mean Business event with Gamma Phi Omega. “The support from the College of Business has been phenomenal,” Kapala said. INSPIRE is a true extension of their vision for Women in Business, she said. It was “incredibly humbling” to see so many successful Redbird women like Gottesman willing to share their experiences. “What we’re trying to do is create a community of women who can call on each other even after graduation as they hit different bumps in the road,” Kapala said.

Movie Talk, Devil Wears Prada News & Views

B U S INESS W EEK The 37-year old Business Week tradition has grown in recent years from a one-week event each spring to now a series of professional events that span across the entire academic year. Each year approximately 25 students, selected from an application process that takes place each spring, gather weekly on Tuesdays at 7 a.m. to strategize, coordinate, and plan the professional education functions so as to benefit as many students from across the University as possible. MENTOR PROGRAM

The Business Week Mentor Program grew to more than 120 students in 2016 and helped younger students learn the necessary professional skills to take full advantage of Business Week. Mentors serve as role models who:

• Reinforce the importance of active participation in registered student organizations • Teach proper business professional attire, etiquette, interaction, and networking • Create dialogue about courses, internships, and career preparation essentials • Provide service and leadership opportunities Mentors are usually upperclassmen and are selected based on proven academic success and extracurricular involvement, coupled with recommendations from College of Business faculty. These mentors are dedicated to providing their assigned mentee with the best possible Business Week experience. Upon selection, mentor/mentee pairs attended a training session led by COB alums and followed by a formal induction ceremony. In addition, the pairs continued to get to know each other by attending a series of pre-Business Week events designed and implemented by the Mentor Program team. To conclude their participation in the program, the pairs attended Business Week together and made use of the skills developed during their mentorship. PROFESSIONAL ETIQUETTE AND DEVELOPMENT DINNER

Business Week 2016 kicked off on Monday night with the annual Professional Etiquette and Development Dinner. The keynote speaker for the evening was Rob Gibbons who walked on to the Redbird men’s basketball team in the fall of 1993. He redshirted his freshman year and went on to earn a full scholarship and later became a captain for a Redbird team that became the most successful team in Missouri Valley Conference history. It was the only team

26 Illinois State University College of Business

to date that has won back-to-back conference and post-season titles. After graduating from Illinois State, Gibbons continued his basketball career playing in Europe for the next four years. After Europe he went to New York City and worked in health care sales. He would go on to become a leader of successful startups, Recordation Inc, an early stage health care informatics company and his latest venture, Sweep, a predictive analytics engine for operating rooms. He has built multiple high-growth sales companies and has a 10-plus-year track record of achieving multi-million dollar revenue growth. His passionate presentation exemplified to attendees his ability to turn his vision into reality. Gibbons earned his bachelor’s degree from Illinois State and is a recent graduate of Harvard Business School’s Owner/President Management Program. TRANSITION SEMINARS

On the Tuesday evening of Business Week, College of Business alumni returned to campus to share their experiences and insights at Business Week’s Transition Seminars. Students got the opportunity to speak individually with these successful alumni at a networking reception that immediately followed the seminars. CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR) DAY

Each year Business Week hosts events dedicated solely to Corporate Social Responsibility. It is the initiative to embrace responsibility for a company’s actions and encourage a positive impact on society through activities involving consumers, employees, communities, stakeholders, and the environment. This year, Business Week’s Corporate Social Responsibility Day was sponsored by GROWMARK, and through a revitalized CSR Case Competition was a unique opportunity for students to apply their research, analytical, and presentation skills. Teams of three students developed and presented a solution to a real-life business problem within a 40-minute time frame. After preparation, the teams delivered their solutions to a panel of judges made up of faculty and representatives from GROWMARK.

eane el K a h c Mi

KEYNOTE ADDRESS

As the Business Week keynote speaker Michael Keane, a consultant and former executive vice president and chief financial officer of Genomatica, spoke to over 550 students about “The Journey to a Sustainable Future” on February 25 at the Center for Performing Arts on campus. An alumnus of Illinois State, Keane is a member of the College of Business Hall of Fame. Genomatica develops biobased processes to produce chemicals with greater sustainability than using petroleum-based feedstocks. Previous to his role at Genomatica, Keane held similar executive leadership positions at Clipper Windpower, Inc., a wind-energy technology company; Computer Sciences Corporation; and at UNOVA, Inc. and Western Atlas Inc, industrial technologies companies. Keane currently serves as a director and audit committee chairman for the City of Hope, a nonprofit comprehensive cancer center. He previously served on the boards of MRV Communications, Clipper Windpower, Inc. and Zix Corporation. His associations include memberships in the Financial Executives Institute, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the Illinois CPA Society. Keane holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Illinois State and a master’s degree from the Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Los Angeles.

STUDENT BRAND AMBASSADORS REVITALIZE COB’s SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS When Associate Professor Chiharu Ishida-Lambert offered her students an option to revamp the College of Business’s social media accounts as part of their Seminar in Marketing: Brand Management and Analytics course, five hands rose into the air to grab at the opportunity. Since that day, those students have worked together to generate over 85 new followers on the College of Business’s Facebook and Instagram accounts and 15 new followers on Twitter. Seniors Maureen Christensen, Emma Vierck, Kelsey Chamberlin, Lacey Daebe, and Lisa Hipelius were very interested in initiating Illinois State’s College of Business Social Media Ambassador program, as well as strategizing future plans for the College of Business’s online presence. Rather than posting a few times a week on various social media pages as expected, the students hit the social media platform running. They hatched a plan catering to their own influence on social media, as well as to a specific age demographic. “The College of Business’s Instagram account was our primary focus because it had not been used since the previous year’s Business Week, and because of its popularity amongst millennials,” Chamberlin said. Though team members spoke modestly when discussing the social media accounts’ growth, their strategy was too in-depth and too multi-faceted to be considered ordinary. Along with analyzing which photos received the most “likes,” the most success, the team found that showcasing fellow classmates in a “senior spotlight” via Instagram reached the biggest audience, and thus, gained the most traction. “Students liked seeing their friends on the pages,” Chamberlin said. “We even had people asking those senior spotlight students how they got on the page.” The team also put together a “COB year in review” in hopes that there will be an album every year for students to look back on. Without divulging any more of the team’s tested tricks of the trade, a follower may have noticed that the hashtags #BusinessRedbirds and #COBproud were implemented across the Web. Another regular occurrence was the time that the seniors chose to post and the specific day each team member took to revitalizing the College of Business online presence. Of her time spent working with the group, Hipelius said: “I have worked with countless groups prior, but this particular group was a really fun, talented group of women that made it an enjoyable experience. I really appreciated the chance to work with four other individuals who cared as much about this project as I did.”

News & Views

Business Week 2016 team members Corporate Social Responsibility coordinators Kyle Zulz Ellen Marr

Implementation Team Katie Hudson Brandan Oates Bri Allen

Hannah Ritter

vice president logistics

IT Specialist Tyler Oldenburg

Marketing coordinators Alex Larson Erin Myatt

Mentor Program coordinators Brett Gilbert Allison Bray

Golf Outing Coordinator Grant Rudin Molly Tesdall

Professional Development coordinators Jessica Warchol Patrick Scotkovsky

Assistant Mentor Program coordinators Trysten Florey Eric Puccini Connor Achim Marissa Hutchinson Marie Bedoun Tom Kleszyk

Executive Team Paiton Florey president

Morgan Rabas vice president

Transition Seminar coordinators Shannon Killian

Site Day Coordinator Cidney Scalpelli Advisor Steve Vandiver

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