Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
College of Business Administration news highlights
Citation preview
College of Business Administration Volume XXXIII Spring 2015
BUILDING FOR BUSINESS Fundraising begins for Grawn Hall renovation
RECRUITING COMPETITORS Businesses find future employees at CMU's ERPsim competition
ECONOMIC IMPACT Fifth annual New Venture Competition awards aspiring entrepreneurs more than $75,000 in start-up capital
INSIDE
the people'sSHARK
PG. 4
PG. 8
PG. 12
GAIN INSIGHTS FROM ENTREPRENEUR DAYMOND JOHN OF ABC’S ‘SHARK TANK’SEE PAGE 6
4
Realizing our potential – that’s
the theme of this issue of Exchange. We at the college share a common goal: to create the best possible educational experience for each life we touch.
This we know: the more quality time we spend with students, the greater our chance to help turn their dreams into reality. That is why we have committed to a $10.8 million renovation of our historic yet shopworn home, Grawn Hall. Our renovated facility will create a welcoming environment students can call home.
Their daily CBA experience ought to be more like a stimulating day at Google than an obligatory 50 minute check-in for class. This renovation will create a space that will engage students on multiple fronts – with faculty, professional fraternities, public lectures, academic competitions and much more. The payoff from another couple of hours a day of our students’ time will be
Charles Crespy Dean [email protected]
Daniel Vetter Senior Associate Dean [email protected]
Sandy Sommer, ’93 Director of Development [email protected]
Julie Judge Assistant Director, Development [email protected]
School of AccountingChad Stefaniak, ’02, [email protected]
Business Information SystemsKarl Smart, [email protected]
College of Business Administration
EconomicsPaul Natke, [email protected]
EntrepreneurshipKenneth Sanney, ’98, [email protected]
Finance and Law James Felton, [email protected]
Management Mahmood Bahaee, [email protected]
Marketing and Hospitality Services AdministrationRichard Divine, [email protected]
Isabella Bank Institute for EntrepreneurshipDebra Zellner, ’79 Executive Director [email protected]
D E A N ' S C O L U M N
BUILD ON A CBA LEGACY YOU HELPED TO START
ProductionCMU University Communications
Associate Vice President Sherry Knight, ’86
Editor Dan Digmann, M.A. ’15 Writers Dan Digmann, M.A. ’15Kathleen LaveyHeather Smith, ’02, M.S.A. ’11Sam SmallishHalle SobczakStephanie Van Koevering Designer Nathan Jones, ’10 Photographers Robert BarclayKurt Baringer, ’97 Steve Jessmore, ’81
CMU is an AA/EO institution, providing equal opportunity to all persons, including minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities (see cmich.edu/ocrie).
UComm 9247-42,200 (6/15)
Printing Exchange is printed by Quad/Graphics, Midland, and entered at the Midland Post Office under nonprofit mailing.
significant, resulting in more professional, world savvy and capable young executives who proudly proclaim that they, too, are Chippewas!
We ask that you, as part of the College of Business Administration family, consider supporting our renovation plan as we strive to reach our financial goal. Your generous gift could take the form of a naming opportunity in the new Grawn Hall, or you might consider placing your name, or the name of a loved one, on a brick displayed proudly in our new space. Your gift will help strengthen the college, build on a legacy you helped to start and secure a brighter future for every student who follows in your footsteps. Visit cba.cmich.edu to learn how you can participate!
When you think philanthropy, think of the College of Business Administration at CMU!
Chuck Crespy on behalf of all CBA faculty and staff
Connect with CBA on:
Chuck Crespy
2 // Exchange
CONTENTS
12
6
8
4
Features4 Gearing up Grawn
College launches $5.8 million campaign to enhance learning for next generation
6 Leader to Leader Dynamic student hooks Daymond John of ABC’s “Shark Tank” for a conversation about entrepreneurship, success and the value of a dollar
8 Simulations for the real world Students show off their SAP skills for potential employers at ERPsim event
12 Competing ventures Students vie for thousands of startup dollars in fifth annual New Venture Competition
17 Trending sales CMU Pi Sigma Epsilon chapter tops in the nation ... again
18 Paradigm shift See why marketing Professor Mike Garver is OK with staying quiet in class
19 Three decades and counting Learn about the key element to CMU’s logistics management program
Of Interest
20 Points of Pride
22 Alumni Digest
23 Chippewa Pride
Exchange // 3
GEARING UP GRAWNJuly 8, 1915, marked the
dedication and beginning of CMU’s Grawn Hall.
Now, nearly 100 years to that date, CMU is gearing up Grawn to grow the next generation of business leaders.
The College of Business Administration has launched a $5.8 million fundraising initiative that will invigorate the historic structure and enhance the learning environment for the 4,200 business students on campus.
Renovation highlights for the 16,200 square feet of existing space include a new student success center, student collaboration spaces and technology upgrades to current classrooms.
Other improvements include a 6,600-square-foot, two-story addition on its west side, complete with a gracious new entryway and multifunctional space for lectures, events and group study.
The enhancements to Grawn Hall and the College of Business Administration, which has nationally and
globally leading programs such as sales, logistics and information systems, are expected to cost $10.8 million. CMU will match all funds raised, up to $5 million, to facilitate this renovation.
Completion of the project is targeted for August 2017.
Naming opportunities, which range from $5,000 to more than $1 million, are available. These include:
» A two-story atrium, which will serve as a modern entryway and spacious student-centered learning space;
» The student success center, which will offer inviting office and conference room space for business student advisors;
$5.8 MILLION CAMPAIGN UNDER WAY TO STRENGTHEN LEARNING IN CMU’S HISTORIC BUILDING
GIVE TODAY To learn more about how you can make a difference in the Grawn Hall Renovation project, contact Sandy Sommer:
» [email protected] » 989-774-1732
» A number of study spaces, which will be dedicated for collaborative work among business students and faculty; and
» Classroom spaces, which accommodate day-to-day instructional activities, will be fully mediated with technology upgrades. w
4 // Exchange
GEARING UP GRAWN
Cindy Fitzgerald, ’75
As historic Grawn Hall gets a facelift, a group of dedicated alumni advisors are laying a strong
foundation for growth and assisting with fundraising.
“The need is obvious,” said Cindy Fitzgerald, ’75, who serves as a project leader. “Students should have places to stay and work between classes rather than feeling they need to leave the building. They also need high-quality tools and applications, like those found in the building’s new trading floor space, so they can gain necessary workplace skills.”
Fitzgerald and her Grawn Renovation Committee colleagues are working to make this renovation a reality. She is offering donors a tangible, lasting recognition for their gifts.
“Cindy deserves a great deal of credit for the Bricks for Grawn project idea and for her willingness to help lead the work,” said committee member Bruce Marble, ’75. “Her commitment has been instrumental in moving this project forward.”
Donors can purchase special bricks for the Grawn Hall renovation project and have them engraved. A limited number of bricks are available starting at $200.
“We are really excited about this approach, which is creative, proven and, most of all, fun,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s a great way to commemorate your Grawn Hall experiences and maybe get involved as a donor if you haven’t given before. Imagine being able to come to this lovely, historic part of campus and see a marker you put there yourself — a marker you know will last.”
Information about the Bricks for Grawn campaign is available at cba.cmich.edu or by emailing [email protected]. w
LEADERS LAUNCH ONE PROJECT FOR GRAWN CAMPAIGN
Cindy Fitzgerald, ’75*Keith Goodwin, ’74*Mike Jakolat, ’83*Ira Kreft, ’77*John Kulhavi, ’65Kirk Love, ’77Bruce Marble, ’75*Ken McCarter, ’70*Mike Murray, ’75Bradley Nowak-Baker, ’87Darlene Nowak-Baker, ’87Dave Roberts, ’84*Jon Voigtman, ’84*Pam Wasko-Murray, ’77 Chuck Crespy, deanDan Vetter,
senior associate deanSandy Sommer, ’93,
director of development
* Also serves on CBA Business Roundtable
GRAWN RENOVATION COMMITTEE
MEMBERS
BRICK BY BRICK
Exchange // 5
‘SHARK TANK’ STAR DAYMOND JOHN PROVIDES INSIGHTS FOR ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS TESTING THE WATERS TO LAUNCH THEIR BUSINESS
Q &
A Junior Samantha Pina sat down with Daymond John of ABC’s
“Shark Tank” after he presented in Finch Fieldhouse as part of the CMU Speaker Series. See what The People’s Shark told her about investing, pitching and entrepreneurship.
Pina: What is the biggest investment for you when you invest in something?
John: For me it’s allocation of resources, which means time and not money, necessarily; although money is very important. I can invest in something that is only $1,000 and be perfectly fine; however, what people are usually asking for are my resources, my data and my time. And time is bigger than anything else. It’s the resource that costs the most.
What are the biggest things people need to work on to be successful moving forward?
Getting some real-life experiences and bringing those back with questions is essential. Whether you are trying to convert your own website, volunteering on the weekends or interning somewhere, you need to see the actual challenges and the things that come and go with them. Then, bringing questions back and applying them to your work is essential. Asking those specific questions to employers while gaining that experience is key.
In regards to Michigan growing as an entrepreneur state, do you think there is a huge market here?
The whole world is at your fingertips. I am seeing Chattanooga, Tennessee, Oregon and Boston growing. Entrepreneurship is all over. If you feel entrepreneurship in
Michigan is small and untapped at the time, that is the beauty of it. You probably really have a lot of undervalued people who are able to bring a lot to the table.
You have participated in some business competitions. How would you say that it differs from being on “Shark Tank?”
Being on “Shark Tank” is like being baptized by fire. There are five people who are in very vast industries. You are asking for their money and expertise, and they know that they are bidding against others at the same time. It is reality, but you generally don’t see these types of people all in the same room at the same time … In the pitching competitions, if you can wow the audience at the same time as the judges, then you have a much better chance. “Shark Tank” has no audience. I think pitching competitions are easier because you can wow the audience. But they also are harder because in pitch competition, there is usually only one winner. On “Shark Tank,” there can be more than one winner.
For the New Venture Competition, what advice would you have for the participants?
Participants should focus on going out there and doing various different tests and marketing their products in small ways so they can validate it at the competition. This way they can say, ‘I have something that costs a dollar, but I stood outside of a mall and I sold 50 of them in one hour.’ That is actually big, because people may say you only made $50 in sales but the important part is that you sold 50 in one hour … The validation is the biggest part.
LEADER TO LEADER
Event gallery
6 // Exchange
SAMANTHA PINA is a junior majoring in entrepreneurship, with minors in professional sales and psychology. She has worked for five years at Ace of Diamonds, a local family owned jewelry store in downtown Mount Pleasant, and has joined Epsilon Nu Tau, a coed entrepreneurship fraternity. She competed in the 2015 New Venture Competition with her brother, Joseph Pina. Their business, Revolve Replication, is a specialized Computer-Aided Design software and product package for independent jewelers to replicate and tailor their customers’ existing pieces of jewelry. It was awarded the $10,000 prize for being named “Most Impact on Michigan.”
DAYMOND JOHN is founder and CEO of FUBU and star of ABC’s “Shark Tank.” FUBU, or “For Us By Us,” is an urban apparel label he started in his mother’s basement and has grown to more than $4 billion in worldwide retail sales. John has starred on “Shark Tank” the past eight years, where he joins four other executives in listening to business pitches from everyday people. Known as “The People’s Shark,” he invests his own money and becomes partners with winning entrepreneurs. John has earned prestigious awards including Crain’s Business of New York 40 Under Forty Award, NAACP Entrepreneur of the Year and Ernst & Young’s New York Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
Exchange // 7
COMPANIES IDENTIFY FUTURE EMPLOYEES AT BUSINESS SIMULATION COMPETITION By Heather Smith, ’02, M.S.A. ’11
RECRUITMENT THROUGHERPSIM
8 // Exchange
Jason Lauer and Mike Busovicki of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
looked on as their team of CMU students strategized how to create the most profitable fictitious dairy company.
Competing against 39 other teams, the students had to sell milk, ice cream and cheese wholesale to retailers using SAP, the world’s leading business enterprise software. The students competed for scholarships, bragging rights and, possibly, a job offer.
CMU’s annual Enterprise Resource Planning Simulation – ERPsim – competition is unlike any other in the world. It puts students’ SAP software knowledge to the test and engrosses them in a high-stress business environment.
BCBSM was one of 33 companies whose 57 representatives traveled to CMU for the one-day event to work closely with the students and coach them in business strategy. Nearly a dozen companies also traveled to CMU to observe the event.
In addition to providing mentoring and coaching, the companies also come to recruit and hire CMU students.
“This competition is a great way to interact with students outside of formal interviews,” said Lauer, ’02, security specialist senior at BCBSM. “They are no longer behind a terminal; they have to communicate with their teams. The dynamics of a workplace are played out at each table.”
Busovicki is the talent acquisition team lead at BCBSM. He sees the ERPsim competition as a unique opportunity to connect with some of the best and the brightest.
“Students participate in this event on their own time, which makes them genuinely interested in information technology. That makes us interested in them,” Busovicki said.
General Motors also looks to the ERPsim as a recruitment tool. The company has hired 38 ERPsim students in the past three years.
“There’s a natural affinity with our needs for SAP resources and getting involved with ERPsim,” said Kathy Keljo, ’97, director of strategy and planning at General Motors. “We like the fact that CMU students come in with confidence, and they feel like they can hit the ground running. They’re pretty fearless when it comes to learning about a big company like General Motors.”
Consumers Energy, EY, Cargill, Accenture, Dart Container, 3M, The Dow Chemical Co., Dayco, Dow Corning, Harley-Davidson, Johnson Controls and Dawn Food Products, among many others, also took part in this year’s ERPsim Competition. Companies like these are recognizing the caliber of CMU’s SAP training program.
“CMU’s program is first class, not only in the state of Michigan but nationwide,” said Sean Kramer, ’00, chief information
“CMU is a world leader in SAP certification. Our students are trained better than any in the country,” said Frank Andera, director of CMU’s SAP University Alliance Program and professor of business information systems. “This competition is a great way to showcase this expertise to potential employers.”
ON A GLOBAL STAGEGood luck to the Auto-Owners Insurance team – winner of the CMU ERPsim – as they compete in the seventh annual International ERPsim competition June 17.
TOP ERPSIM TEAMSHere are the places for teams in the 2015 ERPsim competition. These winning teams were awarded over $6,000 in scholarships.
FLIGHT 1Company1. Auto-Owners Insurance2. GM 13. Consumers Energy 24. Caterpillar5. IAC Group
FLIGHT 21. Deloitte 22. Tata Consultancy Services 23. Rockwell Collins 1
E R P S I M C O M P E T I T I O N
officer at John Deere Landscapes and a former executive at Volkswagen. “It is amazing to see how much these students know about SAP and how it creates efficiencies in the business.” w
Event video Event gallery
Exchange // 9
Kristi Raboin and Sara Marker are proof positive that companies
come to the ERPsim competition to recruit new employees.
The two women have jobs at the companies they connected with during the 2014 ERPsim competition. Raboin is a December 2014 graduate and is working at 3M, and Marker will begin at Deloitte after she graduates from CMU.
“The company mentors are looking to see how the students do under high-pressure situations,” Marker said. “I played in the competition last year with Team Deloitte, which led to a summer internship doing SAP work there. I soon was offered a position.”
Marker and Raboin attended this year’s event to assist competition coordinators and encourage fellow business students. They said they’re excited about returning for future ERPsim competitions to serve as mentors for their respective companies.
This is what Jared Zajdel experienced for the first time this year. The 2014 graduate served as one of several mentors for Team General Motors, which is the same team he competed on as a student last year.
“The mentor for my team last year was my future boss,” said Zajdel, who was offered a position at General Motors as an SAP DataStage developer. “I’m happy I’m here to participate as a mentor for others.”
While Dan Hellerstedt, ’06, graduated from CMU several years before it launched the ERPsim competition, the senior business analyst for SAP finance and project systems at Rockwell Collins knows the potential it provides for his employer and the students of his alma mater.
This is why he returns to campus several times each year, including to serve as an ERPsim mentor representing Rockwell Collins, to connect the Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based company and CMU business students.
“Rockwell Collins is investing in technology, and they had heard that CMU offered classes in SAP. Our leadership is taking notice,” Hellerstedt said. “Last year I came by myself, but this year we have two teams competing.” w
SHARING THEIR CMU EXPERIENCEERPSIM ALUMNI RETURN TO CAMPUS AND MENTOR POTENTIAL WORKERSDan Digmann, M.A. ’15
10 // Exchange
Pictured at left, Team Volkswagon members Sachin Patil and Ekhomenlenlen Ehimen show the day’s intensity as they analyze the data and strategize their next move.
Pictured at right, Team John Deere Landscapes mentor Sean Kramer, ’00, offers encouraging words to students on his team.
E R P S I M C O M P E T I T I O N
Team Haworth members huddle around Hunter Dubay as he enters information into the computer. Pictured are, from left, students Wenzhao Wang, Harry Manno, Dongguo Yang, and mentors Dawn Solomon, Matt Turner and Jennifer Hopp.
Exchange // 11
STARTUP PITCHING
12 // Exchange
CMU’s New Venture Competition has provided opportunities for hundreds of
aspiring entrepreneurs since its inception in 2011. Many competitors have gone on to run successful businesses in Michigan.
A new group of entrepreneurs is carrying this momentum into the business world following the fifth annual New Venture Competition that took place March 27.
A Computer-Aided Design jewelry replication software program, a tiny home urban revitalization project and an online
student employment firm were among the startup business proposals student teams presented as they competed for more than $75,000 in startup funds throughout the daylong competition.
The College of Business Administration’s Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship hosted the competition that serves as a forum for learning as well as identifying, nurturing and showcasing emerging entrepreneurs and their businesses. More than 50 judges mentored students along the way.
COMPETITION AWARDS TENS OF THOUSANDS IN CAPITAL TO ASPIRING STUDENT ENTREPRENEURS
Automation Alley recognized the New Venture Competition in 2013 as the “Educational Program of the Year.” This recognition acknowledges the combination of CMU’s entrepreneurship curriculum with the experiential opportunities that maximize the students’ potential to launch a business.
The following stories about current and past competitors showcase the impact and opportunities the New Venture Competition creates.
N E W V E N T U R E C O M P E T I T I O N
Event gallery
Event video
Exchange // 13
STUDENTS HELP BRING SPECTRUM HEALTH INNOVATIONS PRODUCT TO LIFECompression garment idea will help patients, caregivers The business idea Central Michigan University students Zachary Foote, of Mount Pleasant, and Zachary Konarska, of Grand Haven, presented in this year’s New Venture Competition was different from those of their competitors.
That’s because they entered into a unique partnership to further develop and market an idea created by Robin Linton-Fisher, a CMU alumna and pediatric physical therapist at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.
The idea started with a garment to help with the therapy for her cerebral palsy patients. Called BioFit, this garment combines functions of therapeutic taping and compression clothing, which enables it to be comfortable, affordable and easier to use. This greatly benefits cerebral palsy patients and their caregivers.
The CMU team spent many hours researching the industry, competitors, licensing, patents and more to develop the business concept. They worked closely with Spectrum, particularly to develop the licensing and ownership partnership.
Spectrum Health Innovations is a Spectrum Health System resource that develops new health care products and technologies to help solve clinical problems. It brought the garment idea to a CMU entrepreneurship class because it regularly partners
BEST OVERALLEpiscura - $30,000
» Kurt Baringer» Christian Day » Chris Green » Patrick McAvena
“Episcura provides high quality HDRI (High Dynamic Range Imaging) and texture images to artists for the creation of movies, video games and digital art.”
BEST SOCIAL VENTUREHumble Abode Tiny Homes - $10,000
» Sarah Campbell » Jessica Koskinen
“We, at Humble Abodes, are offering clients the opportunity to work with us to build a home that is sustainable and cost- efficient while also providing comfortable living on a smaller scale. We will offer a 400-square-foot basic model including water, electricity and heat but will also work to make these homes as close to net zero energy efficient as possible.”
BEST TECHNOLOGY AWARD HydroGuide - $10,000
» Alex Grabinski» Nathaniel Slappey III
“Our device, HydroGuide, is a wearable athletic band that monitors real-time hydration levels of athletes. The band works by collecting athletes’ sweat during competition, analyzing the sodium-to-water ratio within the sweat, and then producing a hydration level specific to the individual athlete.”
MOST IMPACT ON MICHIGANRevolve Replication - $10,000
» Samantha Pina » Joseph Pina
“Revolve Replication LLC is a specialized Computer-Aided Design software and product package that allows independent jewelers to replicate their customers’ jewelry for CAD customization. This includes sizing a ring that can’t be sized, adding a matching band, fitting a larger diamond and changing the design of any ring, pendant, earring or bracelet.”
KORSON FAMILY HIGHEST GROWTH POTENTIAL AWARDBeergo - $10,000
» Anthony Lazzaro » Cheryl Hunter
“Currently, point-of-sale software and delivery software are expensive and one-dimensional. Beergo solves this problem by providing an affordable, web-based POS and delivery software system that helps food and beverage companies run and grow their delivery services.”
BEST LIFESTYLE VENTURE 3T LLC - $5,000
» Troy Prill » Julie Claveau » Ryan Swindlehurst
“3T LLC is a company devoted to helping students graduate debt-free by giving them everything they need to form their own business. We provide our clients with the information and proper assets required to build a success-ful mobile food business.”
2015 NVC WINNERSThis year’s New Venture Competition winners, prize amounts and brief company descriptions:
14 // Exchange
with outside organizations that have the resources for vetting, designing and launching business ideas.
“What the CMU students bring to the table is a fresh set of eyes and dedicated resources to really dig into this and see what the opportunities are,” said Scott Daigger, Spectrum Health Innovations manager of innovation and entrepreneurship.
Foote and Konarska were interested in the idea as well as the challenge of building a business. Spectrum Health Innovations has enabled Foote and Konarska to take this business idea forward.
“The partnership with Spectrum is building each day as we go; it is really a unique situation we’ve had an opportunity to take part in,” Foote said.
ALUMNUS EXPANDS GONE BEACHIN’ APPAREL BUSINESS 2014 New Venture Competition helped grow startup Central Michigan University alumnus Andrew Russo has given new meaning to living out of your parents’ basement. For Russo, a 2014 graduate, it was a strategic business move.
Russo is running his entire apparel business, Gone Beachin’, out of his parents’ home in Grandville.
Russo and his business partner, Dustin Cronkright, began the company in 2013 with one design they had printed on 300 T-shirts. A graphic design major at CMU, Russo had heard about CMU’s New Venture Competition and decided to participate in an effort to help them grow
SWEAT SENSOR TO MONITOR REAL-TIME HYDRATION LEVELS OF ATHLETES AND SOLDIERS Engineering students invent device that measures salt in sweat Seniors and mechanical engineering majors Nathaniel Slappey III, from Detroit, and Alexander Grabinski, from South Lyon, were banking on sweat to bring home the top technology prize at this year’s New Venture Competition.
Under the supervision of Tolga Kaya, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, and the assistance of prototype funding from NVC, the students designed and created a working prototype of HydroGuide, a wearable sweat sensor that can monitor a person’s hydration levels by measuring the amount of salt in their sweat.
“We invented this device with the goal of helping athletes and soldiers enhance their performance by monitoring their hydration status in real time,” Kaya said. “Injuries on the field can potentially be minimized if coaches and commanders have a faster, accurate way to watch for dehydration.”
The hydration levels of a HydroGuide wearer can be monitored remotely.
“For example, an athlete will wear the HydroGuide, which is similar to a FitBit or a Nike Fuel Band, during practice or competition,” Slappey said. “It will collect their sweat, monitor salt levels and then wirelessly transmit readings via Bluetooth to a trainer’s smartphone or tablet on the sidelines.”
their business. For his small startup, this decision was the right one.
Participation in the 2014 New Venture Competition provided the business owners with vital knowledge they needed to create different parts of their business. That knowledge also was helpful in pitching their business idea and plan to the judges, who gave the team the “Spirit of Entrepreneurship” award and 2nd runner-up in the pitch category.
Funding from the competition, including access to prototype funds and customer validation funds, enabled Russo and Cronkright to purchase a screen printer to expand their business. The acquisition has enabled them to print a vast number of designs not only on T-shirts, but on other items such as water bottles, sunglasses and sweatshirts. Their Gone Beachin’ apparel was sold in three stores in 2014. This year, the merchandise will be sold in 13 stores along the Michigan lakeshore.
Russo hopes continued success will enable them to get their own shop in the future.
Slappey hopes to pursue an MBA and work in sales in the automotive industry. He said the New Venture Competition has given him an edge heading into graduate school.
“The New Venture Competition has taught me a lot, especially in terms of team dynamics,” Slappey said. “The experience has taught me that you have to be compatible to get things done, and sometimes you can’t have everything go your way.”
According to Grabinski, this is the first real-time hydration-monitoring device of its kind. Grabinski, who has been offered a position in the Ford College Graduate program after graduation from CMU, said his independent research project studying microfluidics and hydration analysis with Kaya and his participation in the New Venture Competition have been instrumental in preparing him for his career.
“Anyone looking for a fruitful experience at CMU should definitely check out this opportunity,” Grabinski said. “You will learn a lot, meet a variety of people and be light years ahead of the competition when you get to your job.” w
N E W V E N T U R E C O M P E T I T I O N
Exchange // 15
FACULTY MODERATOR/MENTOR James E. Foulds, ’77, CPA
» Entrepreneurship Department Faculty Member» Johnson Carbide Products Director of Business
Operations/Managing Member
“This competition is a byproduct of all the great work going on here at CMU . . . that’s preparing today’s students for tomorrow’s world.”
PITCH COMPETITION JUDGE
Susan Roberts, ’83» Formerly of Chicago and Grand Rapids Retail Banking
Industry with Old Kent Bank (Fifth Third)
“This sets the students up well for real-life experiences in the business world because what they are doing could potentially develop into a career for them. Shows like ‘Shark Tank’ have sparked an interest in new ventures, and I think this experience will be helpful for them.”
FINAL ROUND JUDGEJohn G. Kulhavi, ’65» Merrill Lynch Managing Director and Wealth
Management Advisor
“This is my second year as a finalist judge. Last year I thought it was absolutely fascinating. I got to see the top eight participants, and they all had interesting stories. It was good to see the students had the imagination and the initiative to consider being entrepreneurs. I think this year was equally as good, and if anything, I think it will keep getting better.”
FINAL ROUND JUDGEMichael F. O’Donnell, ’70» UniTek Global Services Board of Directors Chair
“Looking around here, the future of entrepreneurship is very bright. I want this program to be successful and will help if I can. I’ve spent 45 years in business, and I’ve tasted success and I’ve tasted failure, and the advice I have for the students is to follow their passion and to be persistent.”
JUDGING FROM EXPERIENCESMentors and judges are key people throughout the entire New Venture Competition. We sat down with a few of them during the day of the competition to hear what they’re looking for and why they participate.
N E W V E N T U R E C O M P E T I T I O N
See videos and more at our virtual magazine, cba.cmich.edu
16 // Exchange
CMU SETS
Central Michigan University senior Ben Devereaux’s
sales skills led his team to be the first Pi Sigma Epsilon chapter ever to win the PSE National Pro-Am Sell-a-Thon competition three years in a row.
In winning the competition, Devereaux was named the top salesperson in the U.S.
“Winning this competition is the high point of my college career,” the Romeo native said. “To me it means that when you go into such competitions, if you focus on the team and not just yourself, success will follow.”
More than 400 students from across the country participated in the competition, which began in the fall of 2014 at the regional level and culminated with this event. Other schools competing have included Indiana University, Louisiana State University and University of Alabama.
Eight students from CMU each earned their spot in the April 17 competition in Houston as part of the Pi Sigma Epsilon national convention. Seniors Hannah Carpenter of Flushing and Tyler Wallner of Lowell, junior Delaney Dillon of Walled Lake, and sophomore Jake Mitchell of Lowell also placed in the top 25.
MAKING A NATIONAL MARKThe CMU professional sales program launched in 2008 and has grown to more than 400 students. In addition to the program growing rapidly on campus, companies throughout the country are noticing and hiring its students.
Program graduates have a 100 percent job placement rate within three months of graduation, and the students are working in sales positions – both full time and internships – at companies nationwide.
Mark Franklin, director of recruiting and talent acquisition for Dallas-based MultiView, began recruiting CMU professional sales students two years ago.
“As a Texas-based company, for us to start recruiting at CMU was something we needed to really think about, but since CMU students are so strong it was really a no-brainer for us,” Franklin said.
The first CMU alumnus that MultiView hired full-time made more than $100,000 in his first year. Three more students have secured positions with the
NATIONAL SALES TRENDSTUDENTS TAKE THIRD STRAIGHT PI SIGMA EPSILON NATIONAL SALES COMPETITION VICTORY
company after graduating in May, and six more are interning there this summer.
“CMU students have the three things you need to be successful in the sales industry – desire, coachability and adaptability,” Franklin said.
CMU’s professional sales program is offered as a marketing concentration as well as a minor, and it features an innovative curriculum based on Carew International’s industry seminars and workshops.
Ken Cherry, PSE chapter advisor and assistant professor in CMU’s professional sales program, said the sales training partnership with Carew International has been key to the students’ success. This partnership, which Carew International CEO and 1982 CMU alumnus Jeff Seeley spearheaded, was so successful that Carew now is the sales training partner for the entire PSE organization.
In addition to CMU winning the PSE National Pro-Am Sell-a-Thon competition, the Sales Education Foundation also named the CMU program to its 2015 Top University Sales Programs list for the seventh consecutive year. w
SUCCESS BEGETS SUCCESS
Here’s a look at where CMU PSE National Pro-Am Sell-a-Thon competition place winners are now.
2015• 1st place – Ben
Devereaux is a programmatic advertising sales executive at MultiView in Dallas.
2014• 1st place – Kristina
Crilley is a national accounts manager at Coyote Logistics in Chicago.
2013• 1st place – Mark
Gustin is a solutions engineer at Telogis in Detroit.
• 2nd place – Adam London is a CAD/CAM specialist at Henry Schein in Atlanta.
Members of CMU’s 2015 Pi Sigma Epsilon National
Sales Competition winning team are, from left, senior
Tyler Wallner, freshman Luke Fennell, senior Ben Devereaux,
senior Ryan Williamson, sophomore Jake Mitchell, senior Hannah Carpenter,
chapter advisor Ken Cherry, junior Delaney Dillon and junior Maddison Bunnell.
Exchange // 17
Walk into one of Mike Garver’s marketing
classes, and you’ll witness something remarkable. Students are talking, not listening. The room is buzzing with the sounds of project work, sharing and collaboration.
If Garver is speaking, it’s only to answer a question or challenge an assumption.
He’s coaching, not lecturing. And his students love it.
“It’s my job to make sure students not only gain knowledge, but also learn to put it to good use,” Garver said. “Compare it to learning golf. Someone can show you
the game, how to use a club and so forth, but it’s not until you practice swinging and get good at it that you can truly call yourself a golfer.”
Garver believes the same basic principles apply to classroom learning.
“The basic stuff can be taught outside the classroom,” he said. “I don’t stand behind a lectern and talk anymore. Instead, I guide my students as they discuss, apply and practice what they’re learning.”
It’s a method of teaching called flipped instruction
and, thanks to nationally recognized pioneers like Garver, it’s transforming education.
“My lectures are recorded and available online,” Garver said. “Students listen to them before class, so they’re ready to work when they arrive. I give them a short quiz first thing to make sure they’re ready, and then we start to apply what they’ve learned.”
In class, students collaborate on projects, critique their own work and discuss complex issues. Garver even adds a competitive element to make sure they’re fully engaged.
“Marketing is among the most competitive areas of work I know,” Garver said. “So we start the competition early. I divide the students
CMU MARKETING PROFESSOR CHALLENGES PARADIGM
A NEW WAY OF LEARNING
into small teams, and they compete in a variety of ways, from answering questions in class with the aid of small clickers to achieving the highest project and assessment scores.”
Garver said his transformation from lecturer to coach has led him on a remarkable journey.
“I am invited to travel around the country to share my model with others,” he said. “In a day and age where information is everywhere, the role of teaching has certainly changed. I am fortunate to have discovered this approach relatively early in the game.”
The strategies Garver uses have evolved over time, based on student feedback.
“I listen carefully to what the students are saying,” Garver said. “I work hard to do more of what they love, and they work hard to deeply learn. It’s a win for all of us.” w
18 // Exchange
The CMU logistics curriculum is about more than the management of
processes used to store and move goods from suppliers to final customers.
Its emphasis is on the people it serves.
That’s just how the logistics management faculty roll at CMU.
“One of the primary goals we have as faculty is a high-touch program,” said faculty member Zachary Williams, ’00. “One, if not more of us, has made contact with each student. We know where they’re from. We try to get them early on into the degree program. We keep track of them as they do internships.”
Faculty members – Williams, Sean Goffnett, ’96, Evelyn Smith, ’88, and Mark Spieles, ’89 – work with approximately 450 undergraduate students and a handful of online graduate students. There also is a Lean Six Sigma boot camp that leads to certification.
ROOTED IN 30-YEAR HISTORY, PROGRAM IS POISED FOR THE FUTUREThe logistics management program traces its history back to the 1983-84 school year, when faculty member
Robert Cook and student Lori S. Nickels founded the Logistics Management Council Honors Society. Logistics management became a concentration a few years later and finally, a major.
Researchers reporting in the “International Journal of Physical Distributions & Logistics Management” ranked CMU’s program 24th in the nation after analyzing academic research. CMU’s was one of the most active programs in the world during the research period, 2008-2010. The logistics faculty call it a “nice tip of the hat to us” as well as “strong evidence and external validation that we are doing some really good research here.”
Technology and the boost in electronic commerce are changing all aspects of logistics management, the faculty says. Its members are evaluating ways to introduce new tools and techniques that will help students compete in the modern workforce, whether they choose to work in Michigan, the United States or internationally in nearly every industry.
“It’s not high-tech only or health care only,” Evelyn Smith said. “Every industry has a logistics component. It’s an attractive field because of the diversity of industry and the job outlook.” w
PAYING IT FORWARDCook was fundamental in establishing logistics and student relationships Ask anyone about the heart and soul of the logistics management program at CMU, and he or she will give the same answer: Robert Cook.
Cook and his wife, Karen, were instrumental in building the program, forging ties with industry and mentoring students well into their careers.
Cook passed away last fall at 67, shortly after celebrating the 30-year anniversary of the Logistics Management Council Honors Society with alumni who came from far and wide.
Evelyn Smith, ’88, entered CMU hoping to become a teacher, but took her dad’s advice to try a business class after looking at how tight the job market was for teachers. She wound up in Cook’s basic logistics class.
“He was the first professor who really took an interest in me,” she said. She recently left a job as a program manager at Ryder and returned to CMU to maintain Cook’s legacy of connecting students to companies.
Brian Gibson, ’84, now the Wilson Family Professor of Supply Chain Management at Auburn University, recalls Cook’s practical focus and emphasis on relationships. “He built some very strong and lasting relationships with the companies because the students he sent out were prepared and capable and professional.”
By Kathleen Lavey
Logistics faculty member Mark Spieles, ’89, hosts a brief case review session with students before their final exam of the semester.
Evelyn Smith, ’88, and Robert Cook
SUPPLY CHAIN REACTIONLOGISTICS PROGRAM DELIVERS ON PROVIDING SOLID CAREER FOUNDATIONS
Exchange // 19
CMU’S ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM BECOMES A DEPARTMENTCMU’s entrepreneurship program, established in 1998, is getting a boost with the establishment of the only department of entrepreneurship in Michigan.
In collaboration with the Isabella Bank Institute of Entrepreneurship, the new department provides CMU’s entrepreneurial program with a unique curriculum that prepares students to start a business, take over a family owned business or work as an entrepreneur in an organization.
“The creation of an entrepreneurship department will help to solidify and strengthen the program’s integrated approach to student development and academic assessment,” CBA Dean Chuck Crespy said.
The foundation of the new department began with the appointment of Kenneth J. Sanney, '98, as the founding department chair. Sanney joined the CMU faculty in 2009.
The department of dynamic faculty is centered on the students and connected to the entrepreneurial ecosystem within Michigan.
MARKETING COMMUNICATION CLASS GETS REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCEStudents in Rebecca Dingus’ fall 2014 marketing communications class left their textbooks behind and stepped into the real world. The class worked with David Crawford, owner of Ohio-based Audio Corner, to create a brand and marketing plan for his business.
Crawford visited CMU several times throughout the semester to work closely with the student teams as they developed their plans. Seven students from the class flew to Ohio in his company jet to get a firsthand look inside the business.
After presenting their plans, Crawford selected a winning team. He also selected five students to serve in internship positions at Audio Corner and assist in implementing some of the marketing and branding ideas they developed in class.
CMU HOSTS EIGHTH ANNUAL REAL ESTATE CONFERENCE Real estate industry leaders from across the state visited Central Michigan University in February for the eighth annual CMU Real Estate Conference. Organized by Spenser Robinson, director of CMU’s real estate development program, the conference included discussions on the outlook of both residential and commercial real estate in Michigan.
Students and others heard from panelists including Dan Elsea, president of Real Estate One, James Tischler, director of community development for MSHDA, Brian Liikala, of the State of Michigan’s Real Estate and Infrastructure Investments Division, among many others.
COLLEGE HONORS ALUMNIThe College of Business Administration honored five individuals for their continued commitment to the college at its annual awards reception this spring.
Pictured, from left: Scott Pranger, ’83, Distinguished Alumni Award; Doug Iles, ’06, Alumni Commitment Award; Brittany Mouzourakis, ’11, Outstanding Young Alumni Award; John Kulhavi, ’65, Honorary Alumni Award; and Curt Clemens, ’78, Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
20 // Exchange
HOSPITALITY PROFESSOR RECEIVES EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AWARD
Here’s something Gary Gagnon’s students and colleagues attest to: He belongs in the classroom.
“It’s impossible not to walk away from class each day knowing so much more than when you walked in,” said one of his students.
Gagnon was one of five CMU professors, and the only one from the College of Business Administration, who received the Excellence in Teaching Award this spring.
These awards are based on engaging teaching practices and the ability to connect with and motivate students. Such qualities define Gagnon and his work as a marketing and hospitality services administration professor.
Gagnon received his MBA from CMU in 1993 and has worked at the university since 2000. In 2005, he was named Michigan Professor of the Year.
Students were given the golden ticket to employment in February when more than 115 companies filled Finch Fieldhouse to recruit students at the spring 2015 Alpha Kappa Psi Career Day.
With more recruiters than the event has seen in its 48-year history, students networked with a variety of company representatives.
STUDENTS MARK FIRST-EVER SWEEP IN REGIONAL COMPETITIONCentral Michigan University Alpha Kappa Psi students made history earlier this year at their annual regional case competition.
In addition to CMU students taking first place, they took second and third places as well – a finish that no other AKPsi chapter has accomplished.
First place winners were Kristen Fillmore, Jacquie Fillmore, Matt Boehm and Blake Dagenais; second place winners were Chris Lewandowski, Laurel Branstrom, Iva Mihaylova and Micah Ward; and third place winners were Shayna Derby, Samuel Hess and Audrey Weber.
In the months leading up to the competition, students were assigned a business case in which they analyzed and developed recommendations
The biannual event takes place every fall and spring semester on campus and is sponsored by Alpha Kappa Psi Co-Ed Professional Business Fraternity, the College of Business Administration and Career Services.
before presenting them to a panel of judges at the Alpha Kappa Psi Principled Business Leadership Institute in Chicago. CMU faculty members Michael Garver and Kenneth Sanney served as team advisors.
CMU ALPHA KAPPA PSI REACHES HISTORIC HEIGHTS
CMU Alpha Kappa Psi 2015 regional championship team
CAREER FAIR ATTRACTS RECORD NUMBER OF RECRUITERS
Exchange // 21
2014Alex Kanya, B.S.B.A. in marketing and logistics management. Alex is employed at Kimberly-Clark in Wisconsin as an export analyst for Europe, the Middle East and Asia. He facilitates shipments of nonfinished goods for production overseas. He recently put on a large event for the PRIDE employee resource group at Kimberly-Clark. Alex spends his free time volunteering with such organizations as Big Brothers, Big Sisters, as well as a domestic abuse shelter.
2013Elizabeth Murphy, B.S.B.A. double major in marketing and logistics management. Elizabeth received a promotion to logistics analyst with Ryder Logistics in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
2007Jeffrey Wallen, B.S.B.A. in general business administration. Jeff has worked for Progressive Insurance since September 2007. He currently works in the claims organization and recently was promoted to a new position where he is responsible for onboarding and training of many of the new hires within their claims organization. His official title has not changed but he is considered the leader of talent development.
2005Mary Jo Davis, B.S. in organization administration. Mary Jo also has an M.S. in information systems, 2009, and a doctor of education in educational leadership, 2014. She is currently employed as a faculty/course mentor at Western Governors University.
Kristina Harvell, B.S.B.A. in accounting. Kristina and her husband, Vincent, welcomed their third child, Coralee Joy, to the world.
Mike Schuette, B.S.B.A. in hospitality services administration. Mike recently left JP Morgan Chase to serve as vice president with Leumi Investment Services. He will help build their private bank and wealth management platform.
2004Jacqueline Davis, B.S.B.A. in general management. Jackie has accepted a new position at CMU. She will take on the role of M.S.A. coordinator in the Master of Science in Administration Program office, where she will be an advisor on the main campus, as well as doing marketing and recruiting around the state. Tracey Dodak, B.S.B.A. in accounting. Tracey has written, photographed and published a children’s board book about CMU. She has provided a photo of her family with the book showing their Chippewa Pride. (See the Chippewa Pride photo page.)
2001Clay Royer, B.S.B.A. in marketing, M.S.A. ’08. Clay is married to Sherri (Marcum) Royer, B.S. ’99. Clay is now the shopper marketing director for Acosta Sales & Marketing in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He joined Acosta in 2012, after previous positions with Coca-Cola & PepsiCo.
1999Brandon Bissell, B.S.B.A. in marketing communications. Brandon is employed with the Atlanta Braves as senior entertainment manager. He is happy to share that he was
S P R I N G 2 0 1 5
ALUMNI DIGEST1992Diane (Sobczynski) Jones, B.S.B.A. double major in marketing and management. Diane was elected to a two-year term as Kent County Commissioner, District 4, which includes Cannon, Vergennes, Grattan and Oakfield townships and the City of Lowell. Diane was an active member of Alpha Kappa Psi while attending Central.
Jim Sanborn, B.S. in political science with a minor in business administration. Jim was elected mayor of Waconia, Minnesota, in November 2014 and sworn in on Jan. 5, 2015. He previously served on the Waconia School Board and City Council.
1991Bonnie Ott, B.S.E.D. in business teacher education with a minor in general business. Bonnie recently was featured in the online magazine Inspired in the story “Teaching Beyond the Textbook: Ovid-Elsie High School Breaks the Norm.” The article speaks about breaking from the standard curriculum as well as including a class that is structured to emulate real-world business.
1990David Barisco, B.S.B.A. in marketing. David has worked in many capacities in his career in the manufacturing industry. He currently works for Ford Motor Co. His most recent promotion was June 2012 in product development to finance manager for Global Mustang Programs, including Ford Performance Variants and the Ford GT Program. His family was happy to show their Chippewa Pride at the Bahamas Bowl.
1972Mike McColgan, B.S.B.A. in business administration. Mike recently attended the 56th annual Golf Writers dinner held in Pebble
married to Lauryn Dugas in Atlanta, Georgia, on Nov. 15.
1997Tony Stojov, B.S.B.A. in logistics management. Tony was promoted to global current model manufacturing quality manager in the Global Quality Office for the Michigan Assembly Plant of Ford Motor Co. He began his career with Ford nearly 17 years ago at the Wayne Assembly Plant.
1995Ricardo Resio, B.S.B.A. in human resources. Gov. Rick Snyder appointed Ricardo to serve a four-year term on the Michigan Civil Rights Commission. He also is the director of human resources for Merrill Technologies Group in Saginaw.
1994Troy Noble, B.S.B.A. double major in marketing and management. Troy was promoted to first vice president
and senior lender at Honor Bank in Traverse City in July 2014.
1993Patrick Curry, B.S.B.A. in production management and industrial engineering. Patrick is the president of Fullerton Tool Co. in Saginaw. He is proud to announce that Fullerton is expanding.
Scott Simnitch, B.S.B.A. in management. Scott has accepted the aftermarket
operations manager position for Bobcat Company. He will be based in the Bismarck, North Dakota, location. In this position, Scott will continuously improve inventory metrics while holding or improving service levels to ensure optimal parts inventory levels and off-the-shelf availability. Prior to joining Bobcat, Scott was employed as a Six Sigma Black Belt at Caterpillar.
Send us your news and CMU photosWe want to include your news in upcoming issues of Exchange. Send your graduation year and contact information to Cindy Howard at [email protected].
22 // Exchange
Beach. Mike’s son, M.J., three-time National Special Olympic Golf Champion, was nominated for another Hall of Fame. Mike continues to support his son in both National and World Games, held in places such as Ireland, China and Greece. Mike and M.J. have written five successful golf books together.
1960Donald Case, B.S. in commerce. Don was in the 1964 Cuban Missile Crisis and wore the Combat Unit Commander Tabs (Nike Herc Nukes). He retired from the army with 36 years of service. Don served as an adjunct professor teaching accounting for Global Campus from 1974 to 2014. Last year he was appointed Commanding Officer of the Naval Sea Cadet Corps (USNSCC) - Lake Michigan Division.
1950Clarence Tuma, B.S. in physical education. Clarence released his memoir, “The One-Pound Pork Chop - A Recipe for Life, Love, Family & the American Dream,” this spring. His book includes everything from growing up as one of nine children in Detroit to serving in the Army during World War II, attending and graduating from CMU, and owning a highlyregarded restaurant – The Ember's in Mount Pleasant. His book is available in the CMU Bookstore.
We get fired up when we see alumni showing CMU pride. Send us photos showing off your Chippewa spirit, and we'll share them in future issues of Exchange. Send your digital photos to [email protected].
Show
your
David Basirico, ’90, with his wife, Jennie, daughter, Abbey, and sons, Luke and David, who is a freshman student-athlete on the football team
Kenzie Brooklyn Bismack,
daughter of Brent Bismack,
’99, and Kylee Bismack, ’07
Jackie Davis, ’04, with her daughter, Grace
Tracey Dodak, ’04, with her family and her children’s book
Richard Hayes, ’80,
who teaches in the Global
Campus program, with
his MSA 600 class taken
at Aberdeen Proving
Grounds in Maryland
Gavin Duncan,
son of Jodie Duncan,
’01, and her husband,
Andrew
Avery, Isaac and Gaven Lathwell, children of
Chad Lathwell, ’99, and Shanna Lathwell, ’99
Victoria Herron,
daughter of Darryl
Herron, ’83Donald Weiss, ’87, with his children, Alexander (a current CMU student) and Mackenzie
Jackson Prout and Emma Boni, children of Eili Prout, ’07, and Kadi Prout, ’08, and Kevin Boni, ’07, and
Danielle Boni, ’08, (Both dads were roommates and both moms were roommates. Their children are destined to become best friends and future Chippewas!)
Exchange // 23
College of Business Administration 250 Applied Business Studies Complex Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI 48859
Fly through Grawn Hall and see how we’re building for the future, which is grounded in our iconic past. Watch this renovation become a reality for our current and future Business Chippewas at cba.cmich.edu.
CREATING A CULTURE OF ENGAGEMENT
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
MIDLAND MIPERMIT NO. 260
Fly through video
