Business dean kicks off Keystone Breakfast Series

The new dean of the Haworth College of Business will discuss “Business Education: Moving Forward While Meeting Today’s Challenges,” when she takes the podium on Friday, Sept. 24, in the first event of the year’s Keystone Community Bank Breakfast Series.

Dr. Kay M. Palan, who took the reins of the College on July 1, will speak at 8 a.m. The event is free and open to the public and begins with breakfast at 7:30 a.m. followed by the presentation. Reservations are required and can be made by calling (269) 387-6059.

Palan comes to WMU from Iowa State University, where she was associate dean for undergraduate programs in the college of business and associate professor of marketing. She has an extensive background in marketing, the health care industry and managing collegiate entrepreneurial programs.

During her 16-year tenure at ISU, Palan managed and coordinated both an undergraduate minor in entrepreneurial studies and a graduate certificate program in the same field. She undertook a number of marketing-related consulting projects with civic, nonprofit and corporate entities throughout the state. Those projects dealt with marketing strategy, market opportunity analysis, feasibility studies, communication branding strategies, marketing plan development and customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Prior to her positions at ISU, she completed her doctoral degree from Texas Tech University in 1994. Palan earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Nursing from Winona State University (Minn.) in 1976 and a Master of Business Administration degree from Minnesota State University – Moorhead (formerly Moorhead State) in 1990.

Palan leads the Haworth College of Business, WMU’s second largest college and the academic home to over 4,500 students studying in six departments. The college is among an elite group of fewer than five percent of business schools worldwide that are accredited by AACSB-International, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. It is among a select two percent of business schools worldwide that have additional specialized accreditation for their accountancy programs.

The Keystone Community Bank Breakfast Series is underwritten through the generosity of Keystone Community Bank. The series provides an opportunity for the local community to hear prominent business leaders, WMU faculty, alumni and friends of the Haworth College of Business discuss current business issues and corporate strategies as well as key information regarding the continuing progress of the college.

WMU conference to study the business of health care

Health care professionals will gather on the campus of Western Michigan University for an all-day conference on “Sustaining the Business of Health Care in America” on Saturday, September 25, 2010.

The conference will begin at 8:30 a.m. in Schneider Hall – Brown Auditorium. Open to the public, the event is designed to promote awareness of the importance of health care and the well-being of Americans in the 21st century.

"There aren’t very many conferences out there that bring together physicians, business leaders and IT professionals who develop a practical and theoretical approach towards the well-being, wisdom and health of Americans," says Dr. Andrew Targowski, WMU professor and director of the Center for Sustainable Business Practices and conference chairman. "Americans need improvement in IQ and mental health predominantly, because without wisdom we cannot have healthy lifestyles.”

The keynote presentations represent the teamwork required from IT and medical professionals. "Without the input from primary care physicians, any health care program cannot be successful," says Dr. Gary Ruoff, a conference co-chair and family health care practitioner.

Schedule of speakers includes:
· 8:30 a.m. - What is Happening to Caring Physicians? – Dr. Gary Ruoff, M.D.
. 9:30 a.m. - Examining the Health Care Reform Bill, 2010 – Dr. Tom George, M.D., Michigan State Rep.
· 10:30 a.m. - Well Being, Wisdom and Health – Dr. Andrew Targowski, WMU Professor
· 12:30 a.m. - The Medical School and Revival of Kalamazoo – Dr. John M. Dunn, WMU President
· 2 p.m. - What Can IT Do for Physicians?

In addition to the speakers, the event will feature an exhibition of medications, products and systems.

A Best Papers Competition is open to business professionals, faculty and students. Visit the conference website for further information at:
http://www.wmich.edu/business/sustainability/documents/healthcare-conference.pdf.

The conference is sponsored by WMU's Haworth College of Business Center for Sustainable Business Practices and the WMU Center of Health IT Advancement.

Admission is free and includes lunch.

Western Michigan University’s SHRM Student Chapter Receives Distinguished Award

The WMU Chapter of the Society for Excellence in Human Resources (SEHR) has received the Superior Merit Award designation from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) in Alexandria, VA, for an exceptional job of providing opportunities for growth and development to its student chapter members.


The WMU student chapter of the Society for Excellence in Human Resources took on a large project this year in hosting the Michigan HR Games 2010. Pictured are Kelsey Reber, Ashley Heckman and Megan Pierce at the jeopardy-style competition. Overall, WMU placed second in the event.

The student chapter receives a specialized plaque to display at the university, and will be recognized in SHRM’s publications and at its conferences. “This is the third year in the row that SEHR has received the Superior Merit Award and has cemented its position as one of the most active student chapters of SHRM in the United States,” says Dr. Satish P. Deshpande, professor of management and faculty advisor to SEHR. "We are all very proud of our student group.”

The SHRM student chapter merit award program, which began in 1972, exists to develop more effective student chapters, and to promote outstanding activities and projects by student chapters in four areas: basic student chapter requirements, chapter programming and professional development of members, support of the human resource profession and partnership with SHRM.

“SHRM is proud to recognize our Superior Merit and Merit Award winning student chapters. They have demonstrated leadership through their proven ability to serve the networking and educational needs of human resources students and the advancement of the human resources profession,” said Chuck Salvetti, SHRM’s student programs manager.

Representing more than 250,000 professional and student members in over 140 countries, SHRM is the world’s largest association devoted to human resource management. The Society serves the needs of HR professionals and advances the interests of the HR profession. Founded in 1948, SHRM has more than 575 affiliated professional chapters and more than 450 student chapters within the United States as well as subsidiary offices in China and India.

Finance professor awarded Fulbright to teach in Moldova

Dr. William McCarty, professor emeritus of commercial law, has been awarded a prestigious Fulbright scholar grant to teach in Moldova.

McCarty, who retired from WMU’s Haworth College of Business in 2006, will be teaching international business and business ethics to students at Moldova State University in Chisnau, Moldova, for the fall, 2010 term.

“This is truly a tribute to McCarty, but also a credit to WMU and the business college,” says Dr. Judy Swisher, chair of the Department of Finance and Commercial Law. “This is the second Fulbright for Bill, who taught and conducted Japanese corporate governance research at Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo in 2004. It is also unique in that he is retired.”

“I’ve been interested in international business since my student days when I was an exchange student in the Netherlands,” says McCarty. “Teaching in a country that once was a part of the Soviet Union and now seeking closer ties with the European Union and the west in general should be very interesting and enlightening. I look forward to sharing some of my experiences and academic knowledge while also learning more about the people in that part of the world.”

McCarty earned a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School. Prior to coming to WMU in 1970, he worked in Chicago at the Continental Illinois National Bank and for a small law firm.

McCarty has published numerous articles in legal and international business journals and is also the co-author of several textbooks includng "Modern Business Law" and "The Legal Environment of e-Businesss". His principle teaching areas are legal environment of business, international business law and business ethics. In addition, he has led a number of seminars for college business students abroad in Europe and Asia during his years at WMU.

The grant was made possible through the Council for International Exchange of Scholars. Fulbright grants are made to US citizens and nationals of other countries for a variety of educational activities, primarily university lecturing, advanced research, graduate study and teaching in elementary and secondary schools.

Advertising senior honored by Adcraft Club of Detroit.

A WMU advertising and promotion senior is among just four students statewide to win 2010-11 scholarships from the Adcraft Club of Detroit's Adcraft Foundation.

Kara M. Hensley of Woodhaven, Mich, received a scholarship for $2,500. A senior majoring in advertising and promotion and minoring in psychology, she is an executive board member of the WMU Ad Club. She will be an intern with Biggs|Gilmore Communications in Kalamazoo for the 2010-11 academic year. Hensley was nominated for the scholarship by Dr. JoAnn Atkin, associate professor in marketing.

“I nominated Kara because she's our top student in the program. Plus she's a big thinker - she believes advertising is more than what we buy. She's very socially and ethically minded of the profession. She exemplifies the best of our program, students, and university,” says Atkin.

The Adcraft Club of Detroit is the nation's largest advertising club. Its foundation annually awards cash grants to advertising and marketing students from Michigan universities. Students are nominated by faculty members and must submit an application and transcript, along with an essay demonstrating their knowledge and understanding of the advertising business. Winners and their faculty advisors are honored at a reception and luncheon in Detroit.

Finance professor awarded Fulbright to study Islamic banking and financial markets

Dr Inayat U. Mangla, professor of finance, has been awarded a prestigious U.S. Fulbright Research Award by the U.S. Department of State for his work on Islamic banking and finance. For his research, he will travel to Malaysia, Singapore and Pakistan to study their Islamic banking and financial market practices.

"Malaysia and Pakistan in particular are the so-called 'hubs' of Islamic banking and finance," says Mangla.

“To receive this award is an honor, not only to the individual, but also to the institution which he serves,” says Dr. Ajay Samant, interim dean of the college. “What makes Dr. Mangla’s achievement particularly unique is that this is the third time he has been awarded the Fulbright Research Award."

Mangla's prior awards were in 1973 and 2002.

Mangla earned his Ph.D from Michigan State University and worked as assistant professor at the University of New Brunswick and York University in Canada before coming to WMU in 1985. Mangla has published numerous articles in various journals including Journal of Asia-Pacific Business, Financial Analysts Journal, Journal of Financial Strategic Decisions, Journal of Applied Economics and Pakistan Development Review. His principal teaching areas are financial markets, management of financial institutions, capital markets and financial management.

Fulbright grants are made to U.S. citizens and nationals of other countries for a variety of educational activities, primarily university lecturing, advanced research, graduate study and teaching in elementary and secondary schools.

New Business Externship Program launches with 111 externship sites

During the first two weeks in May, over 60 Haworth College of Business students will spend time job shadowing professionals at over 100 worksites as part of a new Business Externship Program.

From left are Geralyn Heystek, academic/career advisor; Michelle Hoisington, recruiting supervisor, Enterprise; Patti Lis, human resources manager, Enterprise; and Jessie Wagner, career advisor.

Developed to assist freshmen and sophomore students build on their education, the new program matches business students with professionals, based upon the students desired occupation. The students will observe the business environment, tasks and responsibilities of the professionals for a one to five day experiential opportunity.

Program Coordinators Geralyn Heystek and Jessie Wagner, both career advisors with the Career Center, Haworth College of Business, identified that some pre-business students have trouble engaging in their education until they discover an academic major and career path that is a good fit for them. The Business Externship Program facilitates students’ career exploration by purposefully partnering them with a career role model.

“We researched collegiate job shadow programs of other business schools and designed the program with WMU students and the employers who hire WMU students in mind,” says Wagner.

According to Wagner, “Our pilot program in the summer 2008, along with the advisory board that included both students and employers, provided extremely helpful input in developing program learning objectives. We structured the program to provide a developmental experience for both the students and the professionals.”

The program is made possible primarily through award grants from Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Eaton Corporation. Other employers participating in the program include Amway, Edward Jones Investments, Yeo and Yeo, Hormel Foods, Kellogg’s, Whirlpool and Wal-Mart.

For further information on participating, visit the Business Externship Program online or contact Jessie Wagner at 269-387-2711.