Lisa K. Scheer Emma S. Hibbs Distinguished Professor Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business University of Missouri 428 Cornell Hall Columbia, MO 65211-2600 PHONE (573) 882-3282 FAX (573) 884-0368 scheer@missouri.edu

April 21, 2015 To Whom It May Concern: It is my sincere pleasure to offer this recommendation for Mr. Jimmy Michaels, whom I became acquainted with when he took my undergraduate Contemporary Issues in Marketing class. Contemporary Issues is heavily discussion-oriented, using readings from Wall Street Journal and other periodicals as our primary texts. The focus is on surveying and analyzing the macro-environment (e.g., economic, legal, political, technological, cultural, and social trends) and on learning how to examine the impact of macro trends and events on firms, industries, organizations, government, markets, consumers, taxpayers, and other interested or affected parties. This class requires students to think, not memorize and it is very different from the typical undergraduate class. It is therefore also very challenging for most students. History indicates that strong performance in my course is a great predictor of success in careers that require creative thinking and strategy development. Those who perform well in my class become better informed about unfolding trends, are able to analyze how those trends impact their future employer or clients, are well-prepared to develop cogent analytical arguments and persuasively communicate their analyses. Jimmy made an extremely favorable impression on me in several ways. He was the most consistent contributor to class discussions, but more importantly, his observations were always of the highest quality and depth of thought. Every comment he offered was on point, insightful, and provided a take on the topic at hand that was unique and thought-provoking. He invariably made conceptual connections that were not grasped by others or added a new direction to our class discussions. I was also impressed by my one-on-one conversations with Jimmy. He showed an eagerness to embrace the course, its purpose, and its challenges. In conclusion, Mr. Jimmy Michaels is a great candidate for any position that requires independent effort, creative thinking, and analytical thought. He seems well-positioned to take a holistic approach to analyzing problems in order to find creative, effective solutions. As I hold a doctorate from Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management, one of the top marketing programs in the U.S., I know what it takes to succeed. I have no doubt that Jimmy Michaels’ abilities, personal motivation, intelligence and drive make him an excellent candidate for a position in marketing strategy and analytics. Sincerely,

Lisa K. Scheer Emma S. Hibbs Distinguished Professor & Professor of Marketing