College of Business Reports
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
VOL 24, SUMMER 2005 COLLEGE OF BUSINESS REPORTS UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN INDIANA Students learn entrepreneurship challenges, College of Business— new designation rewards as consultants to small businesses The University of Southern Brent Grafton said Col- Indiana School of Business has a lege of Business students lis- tened and came back with new name. The term “college” has critical information about replaced the word “school.” The marketing that he and his Board of Trustees approved the wife Bonnie can use in their change for the University’s five Evansville-based business, Green Tree Plastics. academic schools at its January Green Tree was one of a meeting to reflect the complexity number of area companies that of USI’s academic offerings. gave students in a course on The designation College of small-business consulting an opportunity to get an inside Business became effective July 1. look at small-business owner- ship during spring semester. Dr. Greg Murphy, assis- Joe Coslett’s Gift tant professor of management, to fund sales lab established student teams to complete projects as consul- High-tech facility will serve tants to small business owners. growing number of students The students’ mission was to From left, Wes Steele, Scott McDowell, and Nate pursuing marketing careers meet with the owners, identify a need, and help the owners Carter meet with owner Brent Grafton of Green A sophisticated new sales manage- find information or resources Tree Plastics. ment development laboratory where a that would meet the need. businesses have some uncertainty, and growing Murphy said that looking into the this experience exposes them to that. number of challenges of small business is a valu- Students can learn by working with students able learning experience for students, business owners majoring in some of whom may be before engaging marketing interested in becom- in their own can perfect ing entrepreneurs. “Students can learn by ventures.” their “Sometimes in a working with business owners The personal- classroom environ- before engaging in their Graftons bought selling tech- ment everything is Green Tree Plas- niques and too clean,” Murphy own ventures.” tics, which uses sales-presen- said. “In the class- —Greg Murphy recycled materi- tation skills room we talk about als to manufac- is planned for Coslett cases, but case studies ture products, and relocated it to the Orr Center. are selected and prepared. The field Evansville in 2004. The company’s The new facility will be named to experience is more typical of the real- most popular “plastic lumber” products honor Joe Coslett, whose generous gift world experience. will equip a laboratory with state-of- “Students learn they must have a tolerance for ambiguity. Usually, small See Consulting, page 4 See Coslett, page 9 Dean’s letter Alumni answer call to engagement with college Graduates enhance reputation of degree, with Kemper CPA Group LLP in Evansville and a founding member of provide resources for students and faculty both our college’s Board of Advisors and our Accounting Circle. By R. Eugene Klippel David W. Herrenbruck ’76, The relationship of the USI internships, or marketing, received the Alumni Ser- College of Business with its alumni is career-explo- vice Award. He is a past president of special. Alumni recognize that their ration experi- the USI Alumni Association, a mem- degree is an investment and that the ences. ber of the USI Foundation Board, and value of their investment improves Travis a past chair of the Varsity Club. He is Hudak ’00 is vice president of the Private Client as the college continues to improve. Klippel We have a great number of graduates another alum- Group at Fifth Third Bank. who are engaged with the College of nus featured in this issue (page 8). Mark Messmer ’93, business Business and the University. Earning a degree just five years ago, he administration, was honored with a Looking at this issue of the College already has distinguished himself for his posthumous Alumni Service Award. of Business Reports, readers will see employer, GE Plastics. We were pleased He served from 1996-2004 as president several ways that alumni have to have Travis speaking to our students of the Dubois County chapter of the answered the call to engagement. in February during our Alumni-in- USI Alumni Association. Until his On page 5 you will read about Allen Residence program. death, he was systems manager for Mounts ’74 MBA ’91, chair of the Connie Wellmeyer ’84, who will JOFCO International in Jasper. He Board of Advisors for 2005-06. As a serve as chair elect for the Accounting formerly worked in Campus Ministry leader and participant on the board, Circle next year, is pictured on page 6 at USI. he is part of an ongoing discussion with as a speaker for the Accounting Club. At 2005 Commencement, 373 faculty and administrators about curricu- She co-chairs for the Accounting Cir- degrees from the associate through the lum issues, development of internship cle an annual day of campus activities master’s level were presented to degree and co-op programs, faculty development, to familiarize high-school students with candidates completing programs in the accreditation, and other matters that the USI accounting program. Wellmey- College of Business. We congratulate move the college forward. Allen is one er is one of 12 alumni who serve on the these new alumni. of 16 alumni who serve 21-member Accounting Circle. We have meaningful and relevant on the 43-member Board of Advisors. Our newly formed Information opportunities to engage alumni in the You will see Allen and several Technology (IT) Alliance has three life of the College of Business. Through other alumni listed among business alumni among its 15 members. engagement, alumni contribute exper- professionals on pages 6-7 in the Recently the USI Alumni Associa- tise and resources that enhance the “Company we keep.” Allen adds value tion honored three College of Business value of their degree. The college bene- to the student experience by conduct- alumni at its annual Graduation Cele- fits as alumni enrich the student expe- ing mock employment interviews for bration Dinner. Robert W. Swan ’72, rience from recruitment through gradu- business majors nearing graduation. accounting, received the Distinguished ation. As always, we look forward to Others serve as speakers, provide Alumni Award. He is a senior partner working with our alumni and friends. College honors retirees Peluchette named chair Steve Cox, Bob Hartl Dr. Joy Peluchette, professor of management, has been named chair of Two faculty members—Dr. the Department Steven R. Cox and Dr. Robert J. of Management, Hartl—were honored at a recep- Management tion in April in recognition of Information Sys- their retirement. tems, and Applied Cox, professor of economics, Computer Science. joined USI in 1989. Hartl, associ- The appointment ate professor of finance, also has Dr. Gene Klippel, center, dean of the College of was effective July 1. been associated with USI since Business, congratulates retiring faculty members She joined USI 1989. Bob Hartl, left, and Steve Cox. in 1991. Peluchette 2 University of Southern Indiana College of Business College of Business briefs Faculty members awarded for excellence Khallaf honored for best paper A research paper by Dr. Ashraf Khallaf, assistant profes- sor of accounting, has won the Best Paper Award for the 2005 Midwest Regional Meeting of the American Accounting Association. The award for Five College of Business faculty members were honored for excellence during 2004-05 his research at a recognition ceremony in April. From left are Dr. Peter Cashel-Cordo, service; Dr. entitled Jong Rhim, research; Jeanette Maier-Lytle, service; Dr. Mehmet Kocakulah, research; and “Does the Khallaf Dr. Brian McGuire, teaching. Long-Term Performance of Firms Appointing New CIOs Schibik earns 2005 Integra Bank Match Market Expectations?” Distinguished Professor Award was presented April 8 in St. Louis during the Midwest Dr. Timothy J. Schibik, professor Initiatives program Regional Meeting. of economics, was chosen by colleagues for five years begin- to receive the Integra Bank Distin- ning in fall 1997. Valentine promoted guished Professor Award for 2005. “He is com- Dr. Gregory P. Valentine Presented May 8 during the USI Com- mitted to all facets has been promoted to professor of mencement at Roberts Stadium, the of academic life, Schibik business education. He is director award recognizes significant achieve- most notably of the Center for Economic Edu- ment in teaching, scholarship, and excelling as a cation in service. model collaborator, mentor, and col- Southwest Schibik has been at USI for 16 league,” said a faculty member in a Indiana and years. His primary responsibility is letter of nomination. serves as teaching undergraduate business statis- The Distinguished Professor chair of the tics and econometrics courses. He also Award is made possible by a generous Joint Com- is a member of the graduate faculty. gift from Integra Bank. Schibik will mittee on In addition to teaching duties, he is receive a grant from Integra, select a Economic director of the Center for Teaching and student to receive a scholarship in his Education for Learning Excellence (CTLE), a posi- name, and deliver the Distinguished the National Valentine tion he assumed in 1999. Schibik was Professor lecture during the next Business coordinator for USI’s Lilly Retention academic year. Education Association, vice president of the Cashel-Cordo to lead Faculty Senate Indiana Business Education Asso- ciation (2005-06), and vice presi- Dr. Peter Cashel-Cordo, associate effective instructor dent of the National Association professor of economics, will lead the who inspires gen- of Teacher Educators in Business Faculty Senate as chair during 2005-06. uine learning,” “a Education (2005-06). He earned He was elected at the organization’s dedicated, knowl- a doctorate from Southern Illinois meeting April 29.