ISM student presents at ISM/APICS meeting

Matthew Olson, integrated supply management major and senior in the Lee Honors College, presented “A Salute to Our Veterans: What the Military and Business Taught Each Other,” at a joint professional development meeting of the Institute of Supply Management and The Association for Operations Management (APICS) organizations in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Olson shared his experiences in military history and logistics, along with information from his Honor's College theses, "Army Supply Chain Management: Trends and Parallels With Industry." He presented in conjunction with Ken Jones, Ivy Tech Community College – Central Indiana, CPSM, C.P.M., and member of the Integrated Supply Management program’s executive council. The audience included business professionals, students and faculty of nearby universities, members of the Marine Corps and even a WMU alumnus.

Olson highlighted his recent experiences with the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Command (TACOM) Life Cycle Management Command (LCMC), and how the Army supply chain is rapidly responding to changes in the military environment. As part of the presentation, he drew parallels to business in the areas of product development, procurement and logistics.

“Matt has had unique learning experiences during his two internships with the US Army TACOM LCMC during two summer internships,” says Dr. Bret Wagner, associate professor of management and director of the integrated supply management program.

“Combined with his Honor's College research project, this experience provided him a valuable perspective on supply management in the military. The event offered him an opportunity to share this knowledge and experience with the business community," says Wagner.

“Matthew represented WMU extremely well,” says Jones, “and his presentation received high marks from attendees. One attendee commented, ‘I thought the gentleman from WMU was excellent! He should give his presentation to other ISM/APICS chapters in the region.’ This comment summed up the general sentiment from all meeting participants.”

Olson will receive his bachelor's degree from WMU – Lee Honors College next week with a minor in Law. After graduation, he plans to continue his employment with the U.S. Army TACOM LCMC in southeastern Michigan..

ISM major is recipient of L.L. Waters Scholarship

Integrated supply management major Matthew Wright, of Muskegon, Mich., is the recipient of the 2010 L.L. Waters Scholarship. Wright was the only student nationwide to earn the $2000 award, which was presented during the annual meeting of the American Society of Transportation and Logistics (AST&L) in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., in November.

From left, Wright is pictured with David Yeley, president of AST&L and Dr. Bret Wagner, director of the ISM program. In addition to the scholarship, AST&L paid for him to attend the conference and his membership in the organization.

Wright is a member of The Association for Operations (APICS), Institute of Supply Management, Golden Key International Honor Society and he is a new member of AST&L. He is currently working on a project for Pfizer of Kalamazoo and he expects to graduate in fall 2011.

In addition to his studies, Wright spent a semester abroad at Swinburne University of Technology in Australia where his main focus was supply chain and global logistics.

“Matthew has demonstrated organizational abilities, motivation, a strong work ethic and exceptional written and communication skills and is always exceptionally well prepared for classes,” says Dr. Bret Wagner, associate professor of management and director of the integrated supply management program. “His professional objectives and goals consist of putting his skill sets to use for a corporation and advancing his knowledge and certification in logistics and supply chain management.”

The L.L. Waters Scholarship Fund
The L.L. Waters Scholarship Fund was set up in honor of L.L. Waters, University Professor Emeritus of Transportation and Business History in Indiana University’s School of Business, in recognition of his many contributions to undergraduate and graduate level education in transportation, logistics and international business during a teaching career of more than four decades.

Burnie named endowed business chair

Dr. David Burnie, professor of finance and commercial law, has been awarded the National City Corporation Endowed Chair in Finance and Commercial Law in the WMU Department of Finance and Commercial Law.

“The award is given to an outstanding faculty member with a rank of assistant professor or higher who has demonstrated exceptional contributions to his/her discipline,” says Dr. Kay Palan, dean, Haworth College of Business. “All aspects of academics were considered in the selection, including teaching, research and service.”

The award includes a stipend, as well as funding for research and research related expenses and is made for three years with the opportunity for renewal pending continued outstanding contributions to the discipline.

Burnie’s research has covered a variety of topics including the valuation of corporate governance issues, security return distributions and institutional holdings, debt securities, IPOs, mergers and acquisitions, rights, options, dividend re-investment plans and repurchases.

He previously served the College as associate dean, providing administrative leadership of all aspects of graduate education, oversight of the graduate programs both domestic and international, and managing relationships with all off-campus MBA sites.

The endowed chair is the result of a $1.5 million multi-year gift from National City to WMU announced in 1991. Dr. Ajay Samant, was the most recent recipient of this award. He currently serves as dean and professor of finance at Coggin College of Business, University of North Florida.

Keystone Breakfast Speaker Series to feature interim dean, WMU School of Medicine

Dr. Jack Luderer, Western Michigan University’s interim dean of the WMU School of Medicine, will speak at the Keystone Community Bank Breakfast Speaker Series Friday, Dec. 3.

Luderer’s talk, “WMU’s School of Medicine— Moving Forward,” begins at 8 a.m. in the Dean’s Conference Room in Schneider Hall, home of the Haworth College of Business. A continental breakfast starts the event at 7:30 a.m. which is free and open to the public.

Reservations are required and may be made by calling (269) 387-6059. Parking is available in the Fetzer Center parking lot adjacent to Schneider Hall.

Luderer came to WMU as the vice president of research in 2002. He remained in that position until 2005, when he was appointed executive director of the Biosciences Research and Commercialization Center at WMU until his current appointment in June of this year.

Luderer first came to Kalamazoo in 1984 to work for the Upjohn Co. He has served on the Managing Board of Directors of the Southwest Michigan Innovation Center and ProNai Therapeutics. He is also a chief medical officer for Meditrina, Inc., a startup pharmaceutical company. Luderer earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Miami University. He went on to earn a master's degree in organic chemistry at Miami and a medical degree from Northwestern University Medical School.

Keystone Community Bank Breakfast Speaker Series
The Keystone Community Bank Breakfast Speaker Series is underwritten through the generosity of Keystone Community Bank. The series provides an opportunity for members of the local community to hear top 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 IT forum to focus on advancing health care

Information technology and health care professionals will explore ways that information technology can facilitate better health care through collaboration at the ninth annual WMU IT Forum from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, November 12, in the Fetzer Center on the main campus. This event is also the kickoff for the grand opening of the Center for Health Information Technology Advancement (CHITA) at WMU.

The event, which requires advance registration, will center on the theme “Advancing Health Care with IT: Exploring the Landscape for 2011” and will open with a continental breakfast.

Dr. Bernard Han, director of CHITA and professor in the Department of Business Information Systems, and Dr. Sharie Falan, associate director of CHITA and assistant professor in the Bronson School of Nursing, are co-chairing the event, hosted by the Department of Business Information Systems in the University’s Haworth College of Business.

“Health care is an urgent issue. Under the current collaborative environment, health information technology (HIT) can be used to enhance and improve business operations and the safety, reliability and quality of health care service delivery,” says Han.

Falan adds, “This event brings together leaders from diverse aspects of the health care delivery arena to cultivate opportunities for WMU faculty and students to conduct joint research and hands-on projects. Together, they are working to solve health care issues with the community at large.”

Three keynote speakers will address the forum. They are:
• Michelle Troseth, executive vice president and chief practice officer, Elsevier’s Clinical Practice Model Resource Center
• Doug Dietzman, executive director, Michigan Health Connect, a nonprofit health information exchange organization, based in Grand Rapids, Mich.
• Donna Roach, vice president, information technology and chief information officer, Bronson Healthcare Group

At 8:30 a.m., Troseth will kick off the morning session and will address “Achieving Healthcare Transformation by Advancing Practice and Technology.” Troseth became an Elsevier executive leader in 2001, when she joined its Clinical Practice Model Resource Center business unit. Among her experiences are the co-creation and use of an integrated clinical practice framework that strengthens practice at the point-of-care and improves the quality of work environments for leaders and practitioners across the United States and Canada. She also led an interdisciplinary point-of-care design process that developed the first computerized, evidence-based, advanced clinical documentation system.

Recognized as an authority in her field, Troseth has co-authored several works, including articles on Clinical Documentation and Intentionally Designed Automation. She is a highly-sought keynote speaker on the topic of professional practice and healthcare technology and has addressed crowds at regional, national and international conferences. She is an original member of the IHE Patient Care Coordination Domain and a founding leader of the National Technology Informatics Guiding Educational Reform Initiative, recently serving as its summit’s program chair.

At 9:20 a.m., Dietzman will discuss “Health Information Exchange – The Need and Challenges.” He has over 20 years of experience which includes information technology initiatives in hospitals/health systems, health plans and physician offices. Dietzman was previously responsible for Community Physician Services for Spectrum Health and the deployment of its results, laboratory ordering and radiology ordering clinical messaging platform to over 150 offices across western Michigan.

At 11:20 a.m., Roach will address “The Application of HIT into Clinical Practice – Issues and Opportunities.” Roach is responsible for the information technology at Bronson Healthcare System and its subsidiaries. This includes planning, implementing and supporting Bronson information, network and telecommunication systems. She has over 29 years of experience in the health care industry, with the last 25 years being focused on health care information technology. Prior to joining Bronson, she was the chief information officer/vice president of information services for Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, Ill. Her experience has included positions at W.A. Foote Memorial Hospital, Adventist Health System, Resurrection Health Care, Central DuPage Hospital, Rush Medical Center and the Veterans Administration.

The forum will also feature student e-Firm projects presented by the Auto-Owners project team and two Bronson Hospital project teams, where the students will share solutions that address real-world business challenges identified by the firms.

According to Dr. Mike Tarn, professor and chair, Department of Business Information Systems, “This year’s conference will be especially meaningful, because the Great Lakes IT Education Leaders’ annual meeting will be embedded in the forum. We will welcome 25 IT education leaders, as well as their faculty, from 21 universities and colleges in the Great Lakes area.”

The afternoon program will begin with the announcement of CHITA, followed by a plenary session at 1:40 p.m. addressing “Emerging Technologies for Health Care.” At 2:40 p.m., two concurrent panel discussions will focus on "Emerging Issues in HIT" and “Internships and Job Outlook.”

For more information about the forum or to register online, visit www.wmich.edu/business/itforum. Registration will close on Nov. 8. For more details, please contact Bernard Han at wmu-chita@wmich.edu or (269) 387-5428.

Social media in business is subject of Keystone Speaker Series

Jason Kehrer, chief problem solver, at The Image Group, will discuss “Leveraging Social Media for Business” at the October Keystone Community Bank Breakfast Speaker Series on Friday, Oct. 29.

The event is free and open to the public and begins with breakfast at 7:30 a.m. followed by the presentation at 8 a.m. Parking is available at the Fetzer Center (Lot #72F). Reservations are required and can be made by calling (269) 387-6059.

Kehrer serves as the chief problem solver at The Image Group, a Holland-based creative communications agency. He works with a variety of clients in the business, nonprofit and education industries to tell their stories, and has spoken to a variety of groups on topics related to social media tools and tactics, brand-building and technology trends, including a monthly series for the Holland Chamber of Commerce.

Prior to joining The Image Group team, he developed local ministry and neighborhood development programs in West Michigan, and helped launch a new non-profit organization serving the Sub-Saharan continent of Africa. Kehrer has lived abroad in South Africa and Australia, and now serves on the boards of several startup companies and local nonprofits.

A native of Chicago, Kehrer graduated from Hope College in 2003 and now resides in Holland, Mich.

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.

Business Career Day set for Thursday, Oct.14

More than 100 businesses and organizations will be on the campus of Western Michigan University for Business Career Day, Thursday, October 14. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the East Ballroom of the Bernhard Center and is open to all students, alumni and the public.

Hosted by Alpha Kappa Psi and the Career Center, Haworth College of Business, Business Career Day is designed for students to network with employer representatives and to discuss internship and professional career opportunities.

Many employers will arrive on Wednesday, October 13 for the Food Marketing and ISM Career Nights, to deliver informative presentations and network with students at the Fetzer Center. In addition, some employers will conduct on-campus interviews on Friday, October 15 as well as in the weeks following Career Day.

"We are thankful for the commitment employers make to WMU by recruiting our talented students,” says Linda Ickes, director of the Career Center, Haworth College of Business. “In addition to attending Career Day, we want to recognize the premier partners of the Career Center for sponsoring the event.” The 2010-11 premier partners are Coyote Logistics, Daymon Worldwide, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Meijer, Target and Walmart.

Candidates are asked to dress professionally and bring copies of their resumes. Details including a list of participating employers, is available from WMU's Career Network website at http://www.wmich.edu/career/events/career_fairs.html
Students are invited to pick up a “Business Career Day Booklet” from the Career Center in Schneider Hall, home of the Haworth College of Business.

New center integrates information technology with health care

A new Center for Health Information Technology Advancement (CHITA) has been created through collaboration between the Bronson School of Nursing (BSON) in the College of Health and Human Services and the Department of Business Information Systems at the Haworth College of Business.

From left, Dr. Bernie Han, director of the new Center for Health Information Technology Advancement, and Dr. Sharie Falan, associate director.

“The overall focus of the Center is to facilitate better health care,” says Dr. Bernie Han, director of CHITA. “We want to provide solutions to today’s health care information technology needs. Through joint course projects under a collaborative learning environment, both BSON and Computer Information Systems (CIS) students will gain a better understanding of health care and use of information technology to improve business practices. As a result, they can offer ways to more effectively and efficiently organize and deploy information technology for better health care.”

“Health care is one of the leading challenges that we face as a nation,” says Dr. Kay Palan, dean of the Haworth College of Business. “New and emerging technologies continue to advance the nursing profession resulting in higher quality health care.”

One of the Center’s first initiatives will be to provide WMU students with real world hands-on experiences. “This fall, selected CIS undergraduates are working with BSON graduate students to study health care business workflow at Bronson Methodist Hospital,” says Dr. Sharie Falan, associate director of CHITA. “The students will examine various business processes and after thorough analyses they will develop recommendations for improvements. This project will allow us to build partnerships with Bronson, and we anticipate that projects such as this will be sponsored in the near future.”

“Other projects may involve researching software packages or identifying vendor products to successfully meet hospital needs,” says Falan. “We want to improve processes to bring out better outcomes, while providing real learning experiences for our students.”

The Center, currently operated out of designated offices in the Haworth College of Business and the College of Health and Human Services, will address state and federal priorities aimed at using technology to reform health care delivery. Faculty members will pursue external resources to support research initiatives that will support area hospitals, health care companies and communities.

“The concept for establishing the Center came about during last year’s WMU-IT forum,” said Han. “It was during this forum when student teams presented IT solutions, called e-Firm Project, to meet the needs of selected businesses. Following these presentations, one of the health care participants suggested that we use e-Firm projects in the health care industries for our students.”

“The more we investigated the idea, the more we realized the opportunity and potential for wide collaboration,” says Han. “This is an important initiative and we soon realized that the need was great enough to promote the establishment of a center.” A proposal was presented to the provost in the fall 2009, and CHITA was approved by the WMU Board of Trustees in April, 2010.

Drs. Han and Falan are currently working with CHITA’s Advisory Board in strategic planning, exploring sources of funding and developing a website. This coming year’s WMU-IT Forum, scheduled for November 12, will represent the kick-off of CHITA. The forum theme is Health Care Quality and Transformation. Details are available at http://www.wmich.edu/business/itforum.

CHITA’s long-range plans involve developing strong relationships with business entities, achieving financial sustainability within five years and designing an interdisciplinary curriculum that involves the use of health information technology in the management of health care.

Physicians weigh in at WMU conference on business of health care

KALAMAZOO--Physicians will be in the spotlight of an all-day conference on Saturday, Sept. 25, at Western Michigan University that will promote awareness of the importance of health care and overall well-being of Americans while exploring health care's business side.

The Sustaining the Business of Health in America conference, begins at 8:30 a.m. in Schneider Hall's Brown Auditorium and will include remarks by WMU President John M. Dunn. The conference is being offered free of charge and will let doctors and other providers have the floor in discussions about why health care is so expensive in the United States, why its cost is rising so fast and what new legislation passed by Congress will do, legislation that was crafted not by doctors, but by lawyers.

"For the first time, I'm trying to bring to this conference physicians as speakers, to hear the physicians' opinions," says Dr. Andrew Targowski, WMU professor of business information systems, director of the Center for Sustainable Business Practices and conference co-chair. "The public may not know that those bills are designed mostly by lawyers, and physicians are rarely consulted about health care."
Physicians will join others in a rare presentation mix that also includes business leaders, educators and information technology professionals.

Keynote speakers include Dr. Tom George, state senator for the 20th District and a former gubernatorial candidate, who will speak on "Examining the Health Care Reform Bill, 2010," and local family practice physician Dr. Gary Ruoff, who will address "What Is Happening to Caring Physicians?" Dunn will speak on "The Medical School and Revival of Kalamazoo," while Targowski's talk is titled "Well Being, Wisdom and Health Care." Local heart surgeon Dr. Michael Khaghany will be among those serving on a panel of experts.

"Without the input from primary care physicians, any health care program cannot be successful," says Ruoff, a conference co-chair.

Health care is a huge business, Targowski says. At $2.4 trillion each year--three times the budget for the U.S. Department of Defense--it is the largest business in America. But monumental problems with the system remain.

Health care's high cost is exacerbated by large and disproportionate administrative costs, the soaring price of malpractice insurance and unnecessary procedures triggered by the threat of often-groundless lawsuits, Targowski says. Also contributing to the problem are expensive, end-of-life procedures that don't so much save lives as extend the process of dying.

Still another problem involves the inadequate compensation paid by insurers, particularly for primary care physicians, which has resulted in a persistent dwindling of the pool of family doctors, Targowski adds. That trend is sure to become a much larger problem in the years ahead.

"The family physician is disappearing right now," Targowski says. "Only 2 to 3 percent of medical students sign up for family practice specialization because their services are very poorly paid by any kind of insurance company."

The conference also will feature exhibits of medications, products and systems as well as a Best Papers Competition open to business professionals, faculty and students. The event is sponsored by WMU's Haworth College of Business Center for Sustainable Business Practices and the WMU Center of Health IT Advancement.
More information is available online at http://www.wmich.edu/business/healthcare/.

Major Info Night and Business Bash events scheduled for Sept. 21 - 22

The Haworth College of Business invites new and returning students to attend Major Info Night and Business Bash.

Major Info Night will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 21, from 5 to 7 p.m. A brief presentation from each academic department will acquaint students with all five departments and 15 business majors and will be held in Schneider Hall, room 1120. Immediately following the presentations, students, faculty and staff are invited for pizza and refreshments in the Schneider Hall lobby.

Business Bash will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 22 in the Schneider Hall Courtyard from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Students may drop by anytime to meet representatives from business student organizations affiliated with the Haworth College of Business, study abroad and the Career Center, Haworth College of Business. Representatives from event sponsors – Charter One Bank and the Society of Financial Service Professionals will also attend.

According to Student Leadership Advisory Board co-advisors Jan Gabel-Goes and Linda Ickes, “This is an excellent opportunity for new students to become acquainted with business majors and meet faculty and student organization leaders. The goal is to help inform and involve students in a fun venue. Being informed is key for success in making decisions whether it be in choosing a major, signing up for a study abroad trip and/or participating in career center programs.”

Questions about Major Info Night or Business Bash may be directed to the Career Center, Haworth College of Business, (269) 387-2711, or by visiting Schneider Hall, room 3020.

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.

Douglass Community Association director to discuss community partnerships

A Western Michigan University alumnus and head of a local non-profit social service organization will discuss community partnerships on Friday, April 23, as part of the Keystone Breakfast Speaker Series.

Timothy R. Terrentine Sr., BS ’04, MA ’06, executive director of the Douglass Community Association, who has bachelor’s degree in family studies and a master’s degree in interpersonal/intercultural communication, will discuss “Empowering Community One Partnership at a Time” in the Dean’s conference room, (Room 2150, Schneider Hall) of the Haworth College of Business on the campus of Western Michigan University.

Reservations are required and may be made by calling (269) 387-5050. Parking is available in the nearby Fetzer Center parking lot.

The Douglass Community Association is a private non-profit social service agency which has devoted over a decade to empowering individuals to change their quality of life. Terrentine’s extensive experience in speaking, training, coaching, consulting, program direction, curriculum development, strategic planning, teaching, writing and positive urban youth development, has been a catalyst for positive change in the community. He has worked in many arenas from teaching interpersonal communication at WMU to program development and direction for Derek Jeter’s Turn 2 Foundation Inc.

Terrentine’s recent work includes the redevelopment and restructuring of a ninety year-old community service agency and the co-creation of the Kalamazoo Youth Violence Prevention Initiative and the Institute for New Leadership. Additionally, he serves on several boards and councils, including the Kalamazoo Public Schools Strategic Planning Team, Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC), Family Health Center (Federally Qualified Health Center), institutional review boards and many others.

His approach to leadership through relating, community development and collaboration have been impactful in the community. Such evidence includes his recent induction into the WMU Alumni Hall of Fame in the School of Communication and his receipt of Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services Award for Community Dedication. The superintendent of the local school district has heralded Terrentine an “inveterate social conscience.” This sentiment extends to his leadership role in community development.

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’s TIM and CIS Students Sweep ITERA 2010 National Case Study and Individual Paper Competitions

Four Western Michigan University TIM and CIS students swept both the International Telecommunications Education and Research Association (ITERA) National Case Study Competition and the individual best undergraduate research paper award competition at the 2010 ITERA Conference in Nashville, Tenn. This marks the first time that WMU has won the ITERA National Case Study Competition. It is the third time in the past four years that a WMU student has won the best paper award.

From left: Dr. Richard Gershon, Dr. Pairin Katerattanakul, Chad Stec, Shane Mittan, Kurt Gillispie, Greg Guyette and Dr. Michael Tarn

Members of the winning team included Chad Stec, team captain (CIS) of Gobles, Mich., Kurt Gillispie (TIM) of Southfield, Mich., and Greg Guyette (TIM) of Farmington Hills, Mich. Shane Mittan (TIM) of Clare, Mich. was the winner of the best undergraduate research paper award competition.

The competition titled “Connected Tennessee: Telecommunications Economic Development Case Study,” challenged teams to create a strategic technology plan for bringing broadband and information technology service to a portion of rural Tennessee. The plan had to include both technology solutions as well as a proposed budget and implementation plan. In February, ITERA announced that WMU team had made the final round of four, including Purdue University, Murray State University, and James Madison University. The final-round competition and public presentation were held during ITERA’s national conference on April 10th and 11th in Nashville, Tenn.

“I am so proud of our team,” says Dr. Michael Tarn, project team’s advisor and chair of the Department of Business Information Systems, adding that after the competition, one of the ITERA judges remarked, the “WMU case study competition team was the team to beat going into final round presentations."

“Since the first day they began their project in September 2009, all team members had clearly understood that they were working on a live real-world project, while competing with graduate and undergraduate student teams from other universities. Not only does their final product represent seven months of hard work and effort, but it also shows evidence of the quality of Western’s program and students,” adds Tarn.

The WMU TIM program excelled in terms of individual research as well. Mittan (TIM), Guyette and Gillespie presented their research at the conference. The papers were competitively selected and featured a series of case study analysis looking at business strategy issues involving such media and telecommunication companies as Apple, Intelsat and AT&T. During the awards reception and luncheon, WMU’s Mittan received the best undergraduate paper award for his case study analysis of Apple Corporation and the use of innovation.

“Mittan’s paper was an excellent piece of research that looked at the role of strategy and innovation in making Apple a leading-edge media company,” says Dr. Richard Gershon, professor and co-director of the TIM Program. “His paper and conference presentation was superb in terms of its organization and delivery. Following the competition and individual papers competition were complete, a second ITERA judge remarked, 'the WMU case study competition team and Mittan were a class act.'”

The Telecommunications & Information Management (TIM) Program, co-directed by Dr. Richard Gershon, professor of telecommunications management, and Dr. Pairin Katerattanakul, associate professor of computer information systems, is offered through the Department of Business Information System, Haworth College of Business, and the School of Communication, College of Arts & Sciences. The TIM major is designed to train students in a variety of telecommunications and data communication subdisciplines. The program's mission is to give students a well balanced education in a variety of business and technical management issues.

Ethical leadership is topic of half-day conference

The Haworth College of Business will host a free conference on ethical leadership on Friday, April 30 from 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at the Fetzer Center on the campus of Western Michigan University.

The conference theme is “Ethical Leadership: The Competitive Edge in a Rebounding Economy” and will feature the following presentations:

· “It’s Not What We Sell, But What We Stand For” - John W. Allen, Partner, Varnum LLP
· “Practical Ethics in a Global Economy” - William Cousineau, Vice President, Corporate Operations Support, Kohler Co.
· “Value Leadership” - Dr. Timothy J. Greene, Provost and VP for Academic Affairs, WMU
· “Ethical Leadership” - Dr. Thomas N. Edmonds, Faculty Specialist in Law, Dept. of Finance and Commercial Law, WMU
· “Moral Leadership” - Dr. David J. Flanagan, Professor of Management, Dept. of Management, WMU
· “Toxic Leadership” - Paul Cartwright, CEO, Cardinal Consulting, LLC, Part-time instructor, Dept. of Marketing, WMU

The Haworth College of Business is pleased to sponsor this event in partnership with Varnum LLP, Kohler Co. and the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center. RSVP is required. For more information or to register for the conference, please visit: www.wmich.edu/business/leadership Parking is available in the Fetzer Center Parking Lot.

For further information, contact Sara Decker, office assistant, at 269.387.6061 or Paul Cartwright at paul.cartwright@wmich.edu.

APICS WMU Student Chapter Golf Outing – April 24

The Western Michigan University Association for Operations Management (APICS) chapter will hold its annual golf outing on Saturday, April 24, at Lake Doster Golf Club, 116 Country Club Blvd., in Plainwell, Mich.

Gather for a round of golf with students, faculty and alumni in support of the WMU Student APICS chapter. Check-in will begin at noon with scramble format and shotgun start at 1 p.m.

The $60 non-student registration cost includes a cart, 18 holes of golf and steak dinner following the round. Student cost is $40 per person.

For more information and to register go to: http://www.apicsswmi.com/store/WMUGolf2010.asp

APICS is the global leader and premier source of the body of knowledge in operations management, including production, inventory, supply chain, materials management, purchasing, and logistics. Since 1957, individuals and companies have relied on APICS for its superior training, internationally recognized certifications, comprehensive resources and worldwide network of accomplished industry professionals. For more information, visit www.apics.org.

Inauguration set for MBA Program Office and Global Business Center - April 13

Western Michigan University and the Haworth College of Business will celebrate the opening of the new MBA Program Office and Global Business Center on Tuesday, April 13, from 2:30 - 4 p.m. in Schneider Hall, room 2320. The University community will participate in a ribbon cutting ceremony at 3 p.m. with remarks from University President John M. Dunn.

After months of construction, the center is now open and occupies an area in the northeast corner of the large student study lounge on the main floor.

“Global business is the norm rather than the exception,” says Dr. Ajay Samant, interim dean of the Haworth College of Business. “The primary focus of the Global Business Center is to facilitate and enhance the internationalization of the curriculum, faculty and students through multiple opportunities including international internships, study abroad programs, competitions, conferences, partnerships and speaker series.

“In addition, the suite provides a permanent presence for our MBA program, which has been in existence for over 50 years,” says Samant. “Our graduate students are encouraged to use the space as a meeting place to interact with one another, work on team projects or hold networking events."

The space houses offices for the both the MBA program director and the director of the Global Business Center, an MBA advising office and a joint reception area.

Dr. Zahir Quraeshi is the director of the Global Business Center. He has taught at WMU since 1978. He holds both a doctorate and master’s degree from Michigan State University and his teaching, research and consulting interests are in the areas of international business and marketing.

Dr. Jack Ruhl, BA '83, MBA '86, MBA program director, is currently acting associate dean for the Haworth College of Business. Dr. Ruhl's research interests include activity-based costing, the Theory of Constraints and attribution theory. He has both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from WMU and a doctorate from Case Western Reserve University.

Barb Caras-Tomczak, BA '77, academic advisor, has over 33 years experience at WMU. Since 1979, she has advised both undergraduate and graduate students in the College. She has a bachelor’s degree from WMU and has held positions in the College of General Studies and the School of Librarianship at WMU.

Refreshments and tours of the center will be available immediately following the inaugural ceremony.

WMU MBA team places first in the ACG Cup

A team of four Western Michigan University MBA students placed first in the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) Cup, a competition which provides students with experience and insight into mergers and acquisitions, investment banking and private equity.

The team of Faisal Allaboon , Jon Andrews and Phillip Hammond, all of Kalamazoo, and Vincent May of Plainwell, Mich., won a $5,000 cash prize in the competition held at Grand Valley State University in late February. They defeated participants representing leading west Michigan MBA programs from Davenport University and Grand Valley State University.

From left are the ACG Cup winning team members Jon Andrews, Fiasal Allaboon, Vincent May, and Philip Hammond.

As part of the competition, teams analyzed complex business cases and presented strategies including valuations, identifying capital markets, developing merger/acquisition strategic alternatives and financing options.

The WMU students are currently enrolled in the Seminar in Finance course at the WMU Grand Rapids Regional Site, taught jointly by John Boll, BBA ’77, and Dr. Robert Balik, associate professor of finance. “There are seven students in the class,” says Balik. “We formed two teams. Each team received a case two weeks prior to the presentation date. The first round of the cup competition was held in late January. We were at somewhat of a disadvantage as both the two other schools had formed teams last fall, while our teams were formed just prior to the presentation.

“This is the second year for the ACG cup competition,” says Balik. “The crux of this year's case is firm valuation. Both rounds of the competition dealt with the valuation of a privately held regional broadband service provider,” says Balik, adding that the case was highly complex. “The first case, including financial information, was 18 pages long.”

“Winning teams from each school repeated the process in the second round receiving the information two weeks before the presentation.

The winning team was announced at the ACG awards ceremony on Tuesday, February 23. “Even at the graduate school level, involvement in the competitions and events are valuable experiences for the students, providing them with both the academic and networking components,” says Balik.

ACG has two chapters in Michigan, the West Michigan chapter in Grand Rapids and the Detroit chapter. Each chapter runs separate competitions.