SPRING 2008 A Message from the Dean CONTENTS Welcome to the Spring 2008 issue of bWorld. In this issue, we emphasize the achievements of our School of Business alumni. You Alumni Earn Ph.D.s . 7 will read about business successes and the different ways that these Alumni Hall of Fame..... 7 alumni continue to interact and support their communities and our School. The Alumni Notes section will provide interesting information Alumni Hall of Fame Nomination Form ....... 8 about fellow alumni that we hope will inspire you to send us an update of your current activities. Alumni Notes ....... 12-17 Alumni Speakers’ As we focus on alumni, we are excited about announcing the creation Bureau . 4 of the SIUE Alumni Hall of Fame. As you read about this new endeavor to honor outstanding alumni, I hope you will be motivated to nominate an outstanding alum for the AMA Competition . 10 Alumni Hall of Fame. Cox Scholarships . 9 While the focus of this issue is mainly on alumni, we also include several articles on current activities at Dean’s Message . 1 the School. I’m particularly excited about the launch of our first “cohort” MBA program where students Baeske/Jensen . 6 take all of their coursework together, one course at a time, two nights per week. Second, is our team of undergraduate marketing students that took third prize in a national case competition sponsored by the Enterprise Awards.......10 American Marketing Association (AMA). More than 50 universities entered teams in this competition, and Faculty/Staff Notes ... 17-18 we are very proud of the hard work of these students and the recognition that they brought to the SIUE School of Business. Jim Holten . 3 Hooding Ceremony ......11 We hope that you enjoy reading this issue of bWorld and that you have a great summer! Dr. Art Hoover . .19 Tim Schoenecker, Interim Dean Leslie Jones . 3 Vernon Martin . 6 CEO: ‘Life was Great’ at SIUE John Martinson . 2 Arif Nasib (BS ’82; MBA ’85) has fond memories PIP, which was established in 1963 to promote and of his days at SIUE. The campus was fun, active coordinate the activities of the oil and gas industry MBA Cohort ........... 9 and open, and the university and its professors in Pakistan, represents the various segments of Memorials . 19 challenged him every day. His education, he says, the petroleum industry, including exploration, has played a key role in his career, which has turned production, refining and marketing. PIP consists of Mitch Meyers . 5 out to be pretty important. Nasib is now the Chief 25 member companies and 860 individual members Arif Nasib............. 1 Executive Officer of the Petroleum Institute of operating in the oil and gas industry in Pakistan, Pakistan (PIP). Nasib’s home country. Student News ..........11 Web Cam Class.........18 After graduating from SIUE, Nasib says he felt a strong obligation to return to Pakistan to share his Kyle Woolsey . 2 knowledge and experience. Tipping his hat to the important role education played for him, Nasib has Editor: developed scholarships through PIP for students Judy Woodruff involved in the study of oil. Contributing Writers “I spent the best part of my life in America,” Nasib Greg Conroy Susan Evans says. “SIUE teaches, challenges and encourages Steve Richardson students. I am forever grateful for my experience.” www.siue.edu/business 2 Weekend Off-Campus MBA Program Alum Becomes the Entrepreneur’s Entrepreneur John H. Martinson (MBA ’75) N.J. with a little encouragement from one of his neighbors. had a lifelong passion for all things Martinson liked the idea of working with multiple companies. related to math and science. He was a Distinguished graduate Martinson has been working as a venture capitalist for the past at the U.S. Air Force Academy, 31 years. Edison Venture Fund has experienced tremendous earning a B.S. in aeronautical growth and success, investing more than $620 million in 155 engineering before going on to companies throughout the East Coast. The company specializes earn an M.S. in astronautics in software, communications and information technology, from Purdue University. While helping companies grow from $5 million to anywhere between Martinson was in the Air Force, $25 and 100 million in five to eight years. Additionally, Martinson he enrolled in SIUE’s weekend has served as the Chairman of the National Venture Capital off-campus MBA program at his Association for three years, where he headed the membership John H. Martinson military base in California, earning and research committees. He also has served on the Board of an MBA after two years. Directors of 45 companies in diverse business industries. “I was so pleased with the education that I received through The venture capitalism industry certainly has its challenges. SIUE’s weekend off-campus MBA program,” says Martinson. “Today’s entrepreneurs are our greatest asset and greatest “The program is truly comparable to any ranked business challenge,” Martinson concedes. “Their excitement is inspiring, school program in the country. Plus, the two- to three-day however, our job as business advisors is to help guide them to immersion program was an ideal format to better learn and ultimately reach their goals.” retain the teachings.” Although Martinson continues to work as the managing With the support of his incredible educational partner at his firm, he has been spending more time focusing accomplishments, Martinson began a career in management on his passion for math and science. He and his wife, and marketing at American Cyanamid. He got his first taste of Margaret, a former English teacher, have embarked on a entrepreneurial ventures working at Exxon Enterprises. In 1979, philanthropic mission in education. They have funded more Martinson joined InnoVen Group, a national venture capital than 20 education programs at U.S. colleges to better orient firm in Saddle Brook, N.J., which boasted three major St. aspiring teachers with teaching math and science to their Louis-based corporate investors — Monsanto, Emerson Electric future students. Martinson is concerned that fewer students and Anheuser-Busch. In 1986, he decided to start his own are pursuing math and science careers today. He hopes this venture capital firm, Edison Venture Fund, in Lawrenceville, initiative will help change that. International Programs Translate Into Business Success for Woolsey During his years at SIUE, Kyle Woolsey (BS ’02; MBA ’07) Now serving as a program lead for international contracts and had many amazing learning experiences while participating pricing at Boeing, Woolsey says his international business in SIUE School of Business International Programs that experience at SIUE helped his career develop more quickly included trips to France, Mexico and England. Just a year than is typical for colleagues his age. after graduating Woolsey would put those experiences to work developing proposals and contracts for international “I have more patience and more understanding of how clients at The Boeing Company. cultures and business works, and that has absolutely shown up in my day to day work,” Woolsey says. “SIUE was amazing During his international travels, Woolsey toured businesses for me, and I apply my SIUE education and experiences here and factories, learned about international business customs, every day.” and attended seminars on topics like marketing and economics. “It wasn’t a little vacation — it was hard work. It was also very rewarding.” 3 Executive Training Program Kicks Career into High Gear Some first jobs right out of college take a while to get Jones was recommended for the training program by Dr. Janice going, but not for Leslie L. Jones (BS ’07). Six months after Joplin, associate dean for Academic Affairs, who recognized graduating from SIUE, Jones already had been Jones’s potential and high academic performance. through an executive training program that took And Jones says that she is pulling directly from her through all nine areas of her company’s what she learned at SIUE. business, including areas “way outside” of her comfort zone like supply chain management “The job is challenging, and I’m going right and warehousing. back to what I learned — even my notes — from the classrooms at SIUE,” she says. “The SIUE After the six-month training, Jones was offered atmosphere was one of teamwork, where professors a full-time position with Avchem, providers of encouraged you to challenge and ask questions. I chemical management services to the aerospace learned that it’s okay to make mistakes as long as and electronics industries. She is now an they are thoughtful and you learn from them. There associate of Business Development for the have been many lessons like that that have been Leslie L. Jones company’s NetMRO division. incredibly useful for me in the work world.” One of SIUE’s Early Graduates Finds Entrepreneurial Success James J. Holten (BS ’64) remembers the days when SIUE’s Holten firmly believes that a business must provide its campus was located in East St. Louis. He was one of SIUE’s customers with not only products, but also solutions. “That first graduates after the campus relocated to Edwardsville. can be challenging for some business owners, especially when Holten still revels at what the University has accomplished the ideal solution for the customer doesn’t necessarily benefit over the last 50 years. the business,” he says. “It is amazing to see how much the campus has expanded,” Much like ketchup and hamburgers go hand-in-hand, Holten he says. “SIUE has earned great respect in so many fields and frequently defines his business philosophy in the words of in such a short amount of time. That’s unheard of for most Heinz® Company founder Henry J. Heinz: “To do a common universities, let alone a younger institution like SIUE.” thing uncommonly well brings success.” Considering Holten Meat’s undisputed status as an industry leader, the company’s Holten is CEO of Holten Meat, Inc., an industry-leading meat name may one day be synonymous with hamburgers the way processor headquartered in Sauget, Ill.