Engage@Spears Summer 2017 by Spears School of Business

The official magazine of the Spears School of Business, Oklahoma State University

New Building Section

INSIDE

VOL. 6, NO. 1, SUMMER 2017

STARTING UP EVERYTHING

Haley and Kevin Keith are on a fast track to success with their MITO business â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and their lives together PAGE 4

P rograms at a Glance Speaker Series Executive Management Briefings (Oklahoma City) 30 years Tulsa Business Forums 32 years

Condoleezza Rice

U.S. Secretary of State

Steve Wozniak Apple

Tom Brokaw Journalist

Ann Compton,

Media and Communications Leaders

World Leaders Business and Government Leaders

Certificates

Chris Wallace

White House Correspondent

Host of FOX News Sunday*

*Coming November 1st! Reserve your tickets NOW! Economics and Finance Experts

Certificate for Emerging Leaders in Manufacturing (Tulsa) Communication Certificate Series (Tulsa) Effective Management and Leadership Certificate (Oklahoma City) Emerging Energy Leaders (Oklahoma City) Innovation Series for Business (Oklahoma City) Leadership Development Certificate Series (Oklahoma City) Online Travel Health and Safety Program OSU and OU Executive Education Partnership Program (Oklahoma City) OSU and OU State Executive Development Program (Oklahoma City) Professional Development Seminars (Ponca City) Sales Certificate: Creating Value for Customers (Tulsa) Webinars

Custom Programs

Conferences

35 organizations hosted over 105 on-site professional development programs in FY 2017

Accounting and Financial Reporting Conference and Oil and Gas Accounting Conference

Topics include:

Big Data Analytics Conference

• • • •

Cyber Security Conference

• • • • • • • • • •

Accounting/Finance Accounting/Finance for Energy Assessments/Simulations Business Analytics/Project Management/Information Security Coaching/Conflict Resolution Communication Customer Service Environmental and Hazardous Materials Innovation Leadership Management Sales/Marketing Strategy Teams/Team Building

Economic Outlook Conference Energy Conference Spears School Annual Golf Classic Women’s Business Leadership Conference Contact us at 405-744-5208 or www.cepd.okstate.edu regarding: • On-site programs • Public programs • Retreat and conference planning

1,045 hours of instruction 14,300 people served

Over 200 programs

57,950 participant hours earned

2017

40 public seminars offered in primarily Tulsa and Oklahoma City

(174 days) Fiscal year

Contact: Center for Executive and Professional Development 405-744-5208 cepd@okstate.edu The OSU Center for Executive and Professional Development in the Spears School of Business fulfills compelling executive, management and professional educational needs for business and industry. For over 60 years, the CEPD has played a vital role in Oklahoma’s economic growth by offering 200 programs to more than 14,300 individuals each year. These programs include public and on-site executive and professional developement programs and conferences and retreat and conference planning. For more information or to enroll, call 405-744-5208 or visit cepd.okstate.edu.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES

On The Cover Haley and Kevin Keith met, married

Buildingpalooza As construction wraps up and the opening looms for the new,

and have started a business during

state-of-the-art Business Building, we take a complete look at

their time at OSU — and they’re

what has gone into it and what will become a new campus pillar.

on the road to success. 4

Special Section, 24-55

(Photo by Gary Lawson / University Marketing)

Read All About It! OSU accounting grad Randall White has taken Educational Development Corp. from a small, struggling firm to 2016’s topperforming publicly traded company in Oklahoma. And he’s talking about it.

SPEARS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

Losing A True Supporter Business school alumnus Neal Patterson, who was co-founder and CEO of Cerner Corp., has died at age 67. His gifts to help create the OSU Center for Health Systems Innovation totaled

SCHOOL OF

ENTREPRENEURSHIP AT SPEARS BUSINESS

SCHOOL OF

MARKETING and

$6 million.

LETTER FROM THE DEAN GREETINGS!

GARY LAWSON / UNIVERSITY MARKETING

Summer is coming to a close, and although it has been much quieter in Stillwater — that happens when about 24,000 of your residents leave — it doesn’t seem to slow down much at the Spears School of Business. This edition of Engage@Spears highlights some of our people and their accomplishments. You will read about MITO Material Solutions and its amazing success. This student-led enterprise has won more than $160,000 in business plan competitions. Haley and Kevin Keith have become “seasoned veterans” when it comes to these competitions. They are perfect examples of the great work being done by our School of Entrepreneurship. No update would be complete without the latest on our new building. We are over 75 percent complete, and the building is really taking shape. You will read about Lisa Fain, our director of operations, who has done a tremendous job as our point person for the building program. You will also learn about how more than 800 people have contributed to the new building. We have a story on the irrepressible Randall White, a Spears alumnus who has certainly followed his own path and become quite a success story. He’s also one entertaining guy! We also are bringing you a story on accounting student Jordan Mazariegos and his journey to OSU. This Tulsa Union High graduate has worked hard and overcome a number of obstacles to get here. I think his story will inspire you. The last story that I will mention is on Dr. Jeretta Nord. Dr. Nord has had a distinguished career here at OSU, and you’ll learn more about her contributions and motivations. She has inspired a number of students at Spears and you’ll see why she is a popular person here. I hope you enjoy this edition. All the best,

Ken Eastman

OSU SPEARS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS DEAN Ken Eastman A S S O C I AT E D E A N S Carol Johnson and Marlys Mason V I C E D E A N , W AT S O N G R A D U AT E SCH OO L O F MANAG E M E NT Ramesh Sharda SPEARS SCHOOL MARKETING A N D C O M M U N I C AT I O N S Terry Tush MAGA ZIN E E DITO R Dorothy L. Pugh ART DIRECTOR Paul V. Fleming CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lydia Blaine, Dollie Elliott, Taylor Mullan, David C. Peters and Ariel West PHOTOGR APHY Phil Shockley, Gary Lawson, Jordan Benson, Blake Brasor and James Neeley SPEARS SCHOOL D E PA R T M E N T H E A D S Lee Adkins, Economics and Legal Studies in Business Bruce Barringer, School of Entrepreneurship George W. Krull Jr., School of Accounting (interim) Jim Pappas, Management Betty Simkins, Finance Joshua L. Wiener, School of Marketing and International Business Rick L. Wilson, Management Science and Information Systems C O N TA C T Spears School of Business Oklahoma State University 201 Business Building Stillwater, OK 74078-4011 405-744-5064 ssb.news@okstate.edu spears.okstate.edu

Dean, Spears School of Business Oklahoma State University, in compliance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 11246 as amended, and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Higher Education Act), the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other federal and state laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, genetic information, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, or status as a veteran, in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This provision includes, but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid, and educational services. The Director of Equal Opportunity, 408 Whitehurst, OSU, Stillwater, OK 74078-1035; Phone 405-744-5371; email: eeo@okstate.edu has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies. Any person (student, faculty, or staff) who believes that discriminatory practices have been engaged in based on gender may discuss his or her concerns and file informal or formal complaints of possible violations of Title IX with OSU’s Title IX Coordinator 405-744-9154. This publication, issued by Oklahoma State University as authorized by the office of the Dean, Spears School of Business, was printed by Royle Printing at a cost of $10,778/8M Aug 2017. #6385

summer 2017 engage@spears

COURTESY RICE UNIVERSITY

On a Fast Track BY ARIEL WEST

engage@spears summer 2017

Classroom project ended up changing the lives of an OSU couple “Tell me the most exciting thing that happened to you this summer,” professor Richard Gajan asked a class of about 30 students. Silence. Eventually, an MBA student with curly, dark hair raised her hand. “I got engaged to the love of my life, Kevin Keith, on the Fourth of July,” Haley Keith said. What started as a classroom project in the Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) Scholars Program ended up on the fast track to a successful business for Oklahoma State University students Haley and Kevin Keith. Haley, an MBA student, applied for the CIE Scholars Program in fall 2015. The program, taught by Gajan, assistant professor of entrepreneurship in the OSU Spears School of Business, pairs MBA students with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) students to create a business plan for commercializing technology developed by OSU. The OSU Technology Development Center presented several technologies to the student teams, and with her 10 years of experience in the recreational vehicle industry, Haley chose a technology called MITO to develop a business plan. Kevin, a mechanical engineering technology undergraduate, wasn’t enrolled in the class but helped Haley in what little free time he had. “Haley, of course, was looking for scholarships, and she got into the CIE class,” Kevin says. “She picked the technology and came home that night and was like, ‘Hey Kevin, I picked this technology, I think it’s kinda cool, could be useful. I don’t know what it does though.’ She told me, and basically, she hit a gold mine.” Little did she know her choice would lead her down a challenging yet rewarding path and change her life forever.

FIRST STEPS After the CIE class ended, Haley and Kevin decided to continue working with MITO. They started working with Ranji Vaidyanathan, OSU-Tulsa professor of materials science and engineering, who had developed a nanoparticle additive composite that allows manufacturers to double the durability of composite materials utilized in the aerospace, recreation and automotive industries. The additive, which Haley has named MITO, was developed at the Helmerich Research Center in Tulsa. To put that into perspective: if a Boeing 787 airplane were made completely out of MITO-infused composite, it would shed more than 48,000 pounds, saving airlines an estimated $480 million per airplane over 30 years. “Ideas are a dime a dozen, but it’s not often that you find people to believe in your idea and take it forward, having the fire in the belly to stake everything for

He got on one knee. She said yes.

Richard Gajan

Ranji Vaidyanathan

continues

summer 2017 engage@spears

GARY LAWSON / UNIVERSITY MARKETING

F R O M O K L A H O M A TO N E VA DA Thirty pages of business plan later, the team, now named MITO Material Solutions, devised a plan that was viable. The members entered their first business plan competition, the Oklahoma Governor’s Cup, in April 2016 and began honing their pitch. They won $20,000 for first place in the High Growth Graduate Division, a huge validation that drove their passion to the next level. With an additional $2,000 from an interview award at the Governor’s Cup, the team also qualified for the Tri-State Competition in Las Vegas, which hosts teams from Oklahoma, Arkansas and Nevada. Haley Keith, 23, is an MBA

Kevin Keith, 23, is a

student at OSU and works

mechanical engineering

as a coordinator for the

technology student at OSU.

accelerateOSU student

Kevin grew up in Grove,

startup incubator. Originally

Oklahoma, watching his

from Indiana, she graduated

father run his own trucking

with a bachelor ’s degree in

company. He came to OSU

history from John Brown

knowing he wanted to

University in 2014. Af ter

become an engineer and

meeting Kevin, Haley moved

make the world a better place

to Stillwater and enrolled

through the advancement

in the MBA program at

of technology. He is set to

Oklahoma State University.

graduate in December.

it,” Vaidyanathan says. “Haley and Kevin have staked their entire lives on the success of MITO, and it clearly shows.” With her contacts in the RV industry, Haley began customer discovery interviews to uncover the potential market for MITO. She and Kevin interviewed more than 180 professionals from the composites and materials industry and learned that the original idea for MITO to be a spray application wasn’t quite what the market needed. “Throughout the conversations, we learned that it would be better for the industry if [MITO] was infused right into the epoxy,” Haley says. “From there, we devised a strategy that was a business model that

said we were going to sell directly to epoxy manufacturers and then market it to original equipment manufacturers that purchase the epoxy. That’s one of the valuable things the [CIE] class taught me, the value of an interview and what an industry professional would know.” The team also continued to work closely with Gajan and moved into accelerateOSU, an entrepreneurial incubator program that houses student startup ventures and aims to leverage OSU and City of Stillwater resources to bring together business ideas. Gajan, who is also the director of the incubator, steered the team in the right direction and helped to refine their ideas. He would be a key adviser in what came next.

They didn’t place at Tri-State, but Haley and Kevin weren’t fazed. They refined their business strategy, ran more tests and conducted more industry interviews. The Tri-State Competition became the only competition where MITO Material Solutions didn’t place. “We learned a lot [at Tri-State]. We learned the value of knowing and rehearsing your pitch and knowing your financials in and out,” Haley says. “The judges thought that our idea was more of a licensing play. So we went back and took a look at our business model and strategy, contacted more customers and we said, ‘We add a lot of value to the commercialization approach that not many teams get to do in the chemical sector.’ We worked with Ranji again in the material science lab to do some more testing … and really explain what the market was telling us.” O N TO M O R E CO N T E S T S In February 2017, the team got into the Top 12 out of 166 teams and placed second at the Baylor Business New Venture Competition, winning $37,500 and marking a historic win for OSU. This competition was the most educational for MITO. “It was just this pivotal point for MITO where we got this amazing coaching [from Baylor] all the way up until the competition,” Haley says. “When we got there, we continues

engage@spears summer 2017

“Entering four business plan competitions is not something one should do for fun. Every time you’re going up, you’re presenting your idea … you’re always having to stay coachable and positive and passionate about your ideas.” — HALEY KEITH

JORDAN BENSON

After interviewing more than 180 professionals from the composites and materials industry, the Keiths learned the spray application wasn’t going to cut it.

summer 2017 engage@spears

“Watching Haley and Kevin compete was a sight to behold …. It was effortless: in rapid-fire fashion, one would start a sentence and the other would finish in perfect harmony. There was not even a single second gap between one person finishing and the other person starting.” — R A N J I VA I DYA N AT H A N

did another coaching segment, and they ripped our pitch apart. They told us that we needed to add some new things, and to this day, there is one market strategy slide in our pitch deck that everybody has loved, and had Baylor not explained or told us to do it, we would have never known. It moved MITO forward.” The team applied and was accepted for three more competitions: the Tulane Business Model Competition in New Orleans, the Rice Business Plan Competition in Houston, and the New Venture Competition at the University of Oregon. The team ended up turning down the Tulane competition to accept an invitation for the Venture Wells Stage Three grant program, a four-day, investmentready workshop in Washington, D.C.

The workshop prepared the team for the Rice Business Plan Competition, the richest and largest business plan competition in the world. Haley and Kevin hired a lawyer and began better shaping their financial plan and defining their respective roles as the chief executive officer and chief operating officer of MITO Material Solutions. Out of 750 applicants, MITO made the cut for the Top 6. “We walked in thinking, ‘Oh man, we are the complete underdog, there’s no way we’re gonna do that good,’” Kevin says. “We were editing our slides up to 15 minutes before the practice round, and we killed it. We gained a lot of traction with investors and potential customers.” The first OSU team in the competition eventually won second place and $50,000. Haley also received the Courageous continues

COURTESY CHANCE IMHOFF

Brighter Vision

Student startup seeking better sight Have bad eyesight? You might be interested in — or even benefit from — the work that Oklahoma State University student team VisionaRx is doing in treating retinal eye diseases with particles smaller than the eye can see. VisionaRx Retinal Drug Delivery started out as a team of students in the Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) Scholars Program. The team is composed of Chance Imhoff, management and entrepreneurship; Jaquelyn Lane, chemical engineering with an entrepreneurship minor, and Rachel Davis, chemical engineering pre-med emphasis. They are coached by David Thomison, clinical assistant professor of entrepreneurship and advisor for student teams at accel-

VisionaRX became the first undergraduate team to place first in the Love’s Cup Undergraduate High Growth Division.

engage@spears summer 2017

erateOSU, OSU’s entrepreneurial incubator program.

COURTESY RICE UNIVERSITY

Haley Keith received the Courageous Women in Entrepreneurship award at the Rice University Business Competition.

The team plans to commercialize a

and apply it to a real-world scenario will

Thomison says. “In the process, they

nanoparticle drug delivery platform

serve as an invaluable experience.”

significantly enhanced their core skill

technology, developed and owned by OSU, to treat retinal eye diseases. The non-invasive delivery process will place the nanoparticles on the back of contact lenses. The technology will be less painful and less expensive than current

“This team did an outstanding job of directly applying entrepreneurship course

sets. We are extremely proud of their accomplishments.”

content to an actual scientific advance-

VisionaRx also won accelerateOSU’s inau-

ment to create and formulate a viable

gural Business Plan Competition in April. @

commercialization startup business plan,” JORDAN BENSON

technologies. VisionaRx competed in the Love’s Cup Undergraduate High Growth Division in Oklahoma City and won a $20,000 prize for first place, the first time that an OSU student team has won the undergraduate division. The team also qualified for the Tri-State Competition, which hosts teams from Arkansas, Nevada and Oklahoma. “The Love’s Cup competition was definitely the highlight of my senior year, and I couldn’t have asked for a better team,” Imhoff says. “Being able to use the knowledge learned in the classroom From left: Richard Gajan, Chance Imhoff, Jaquelyn Lane and Rachel Davis also took first place at accelerateOSU’s Business Plan Competition.

summer 2017 engage@spears

S C A RY N E X T S T E P JAY SHELDON/i2E

unfamiliar to the team. With MITO not being a consumer product, the pair had to get creative with how to present the nanoparticle additive composite as a business-to-business product housed inside another product. The pitch competition was an open forum with 45 minutes of discussion and question-and-answer time versus the 10- to 15-minute presentation style they knew best. They took $10,000 for second place and an additional $1,000 for winning the Palo Alto Software Best One-Page Pitch. “Entering four business plan competitions is not something one should do for fun,” Haley says. “It was definitely a very hectic time, and it’s a lot of pressure. Every time you’re going up, you’re presenting your idea, you’re willingly opening yourself up to feedback. Some of those could be negative, some of them could be positive, but you’re always having to stay coachable and positive and passionate about your ideas.” For anyone who’s counting, that’s a total of $161,000.

Haley and Kevin’s journey started at the 2016 Governor’s Cup in Oklahoma.

Women in Entrepreneurship award and Kevin placed fifth in the Mercury Fund Elevator Pitch Competition, adding $40,500 to their winnings. “It was unlike any other competition,” Haley says. “Every single room had 50 judges in it or more, and people who are looking at you for certain awards and scoping you out for different things. I went there with the intention of getting the Courageous Women in Entrepreneurship award … and I chose that award because it was one of the big things. We were aiming for the top six, but I had no idea we would ever make it to the top two.” Finally, it was time for the team’s last business plan competition, in Portland, Oregon. The smaller competition, hosting only 16 teams from all over the world, boasted a trade show component

engage@spears summer 2017

“Watching Haley and Kevin compete was a sight to behold in itself,” Vaidyanathan says. “It was effortless: in rapid-fire fashion, one would start a sentence and the other would finish in perfect harmony. There was not even a single second gap between one person finishing and the other person starting.”

With a team of mentors, investors and supporters behind them, the next step is to raise more money for investment, secure funding and get MITO to the market. The team has hired Bhishma Sedai, an OSU post-doctoral fellow working on research in the chemistry department, as chief technology officer to develop the formulation and scale it for manufacturing. Haley and Kevin continue to head the business development side of MITO, leading the company’s business strategy and vision. “I had no idea the semester I took that [CIE] class would change my life in such a significant way,” Haley says. “It really looks like it could happen, that MITO will become a fully funded company and that we would take this technology to the marketplace and totally transform the composites and advanced materials industry. It’s pretty exciting stuff.” The team is working toward licensing with OSU to use the MITO technology. TekModo Industries has expressed deep interest in working with them, and another 80 percent of the market is also interested in their product. “I see MITO being extremely successful in the future, but everyone we have talked to says it’s on a clock,” Kevin says. “All industries and manufacturers are always looking for the next better thing. We anticipate selling at five years. We’re not just working on one additive; we have two

“It’s really rewarding to go and look at the ideas that people have and explain to them how it could change if they looked through a different lens.” — HALEY KEITH

others coming down the pipeline that I don’t want to say too much about, but we’re not just a one-trick pony at that point.” Upon funding, Haley and Kevin plan to work on MITO full-time, but until then they plan to continue schooling as long as possible. Their passion for entrepreneurship keeps them engaged in the OSU entrepreneurial community, where they serve as mentors for other teams at the accelerateOSU incubator program. “I’ve always known I was going to work in business, but I never knew what my goal

was,” Haley says. “Through this entire process and through Oklahoma State, I’ve learned that I want to be an entrepreneur. There are a lot of entrepreneurs out there that need help at different stages. … I consistently coach people about how to work the business model canvas and what their business plans could be like. I tell them my experiences, and I get to learn from them as well. “It’s really rewarding to go and look at the ideas that people have and explain to them how it could change if they looked

From left: Richard Gajan, Haley Keith, Kevin Keith and Ranji Vaidyanathan celebrate MITO’s second place win at the Rice Business Plan Competition.

through a different lens. Giving back to the young entrepreneurs and learning from some of the other entrepreneurs has been one of the greater experiences. It just felt like Kevin and I found our niche in that community.” The couple took a short break to get married in Clarkston, Mich., on June 3, which also happens to be their threeyear anniversary. They traveled to Dublin and London for their honeymoon and returned to working full-time with MITO shortly after. @

COURTESY RICE UNIVERSITY

summer 2017 engage@spears

Taking on Downtown Stillwater BY ARIEL WEST

one-stop shop for all things entrepreneurial has popped up in downtown Stillwater to offer a new

venture for student and community entrepreneurs.

AccelerateOSU is the latest development for the School for Entrepreneurship,

“AccelerateOSU and the Institute for

off-campus entrepreneurship, and I envi-

New Venture Creation is designed to

sion this space being the focal point of

help support and create student busi-

resources that will create good, vibrant

ness ventures at OSU,” says Richard

content downtown.”

Gajan, Thoma Family clinical assistant professor and director of accelerateOSU. “Our goal is to see student ideas grow into successful Oklahoma businesses, and we are here to aid in every part of that process.”

The space will be open to OSU students and the Stillwater community. Students will have access to the space through an application process while community members will have the option to rent a space.

replacing the Student Startup Central. The division, located at 7th and Main streets in Stillwater, is an entrepreneurial incubator program that houses student startup ventures and aims to leverage Oklahoma State University and City of Stillwater resources to help bring together business ideas.

PHOTOS JAMES NEELEY

“Our goal is to see student ideas grow into successful Oklahoma businesses, and we are here to aid in every part of that process.” — RUSS TEUBNER Unique and artsy spaces fill the downtown space, making for a creative entrepreneurial experience!

OSU leased the space from CEO and cofounder of HostBridge Technology Russ Teubner, who played a large role in creating the space. Teubner, a member of the School of Entrepreneurship’s advisory board, says the space will breathe fresh life into Stillwater’s downtown.

mix of energy, social scene and food culture,” Teubner says. “For new ideas to grow, they need to have access to other businesses, so having this hub downtown will add to Stillwater’s positives to create a really dynamic outcome. More

people and surround them with the cre-

entrepreneurial energy will bring more

ativity of others, it will spark more cre-

meetings of minds to create the down-

ativity and awareness,” Teubner says. “This

town we need in Stillwater.”

nicate attention to detail, which makes it a perfect container to hold entrepreneurship. It’s the perfect ground zero for engage@spears summer 2017

and they always seem to have the right

“My belief is that when you take creative

building and its unique design commu-

“I’ve traveled to other university cities,

To l e a r n m o re a b o ut th e e ntre preneurship program at OSU, visit entrepreneurship.okstate.edu. @

PH.D. in BUSINESS for EXECUTIVES AT SPEARS BUSINESS

CREATING THE BEST PRACTICES OF THE FUTURE Deadline to submit application for Class of 2018 is September 1, 2017

“This was the only program that offered me a path to an AACSB accredited PhD while being able to continue to run my company. The professors were great teachers as well as nationally renowned researchers. The knowledge I gained helped me achieve my dream of teaching at the University of Texas.” Harlan Beverly, PhD CEO of Key Ingredient Assistant Director of Texas Venture Labs Lecturer at University of Texas

Daily hassle-free flights now available to/from Stillwater and DFW

SPEARS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

918.594.8653 — phdexec@okstate.edu — phdexec.okstate.edu

JORDAN BENSON

Austin Anderson at his snow-cone shack in Stillwater.

engage@spears summer 2017

Icing Down Stillwater Accounting student brings a taste of Tulsa to Stillwater BY ARIEL WEST

his summer, and hopefully for many more summers to come, Stillwater enjoyed the taste of finely shaved ice made famous by Josh’s Sno Shack in Tulsa.

Oklahoma State University accounting junior Austin Anderson worked for the original Josh’s Sno Shack since he was a sophomore at Regent Preparatory School in Tulsa. The original Josh’s, opened in 2004 by entrepreneur Josh Juarez at 71st Street and Garnett Road, gave Anderson the experience of a lifetime. “Josh’s Sno Shack offered an awesome, wholesome experience for the residents of Tulsa,” Anderson says. “I loved working there, and the atmosphere was always family-friendly and welcoming. Ordering a perfectly shaved snow cone from Josh’s and hanging out with your friends is one of those summer memories everyone deserves.” Anderson, 20, worked directly with Juarez and took on a “snow cone” internship to learn the ins and outs of the business, which has nine booming locations in Tulsa. Anderson wanted to take the franchise with him when he came to OSU in 2015. “My goal was to open the first non-Tulsa location for Josh’s Sno Shack,” Anderson says. “I have five employees and invest a lot of the money back into the company, so it’s been a really fun experience. I wanted to

do something to give back to the Stillwater community. Josh’s Sno Shack is here to make memories and provide a great summer experience for Stillwater.” Anderson plans to graduate with his bachelor’s degree in accounting in 2019 with a minor in entrepreneurship before pursuing his CPA. He says Josh’s will be open while he is at OSU, and he hopes to pass it on after he graduates. “I plan to open the shack in late April through the end of October each year,” Anderson says. “Working at Josh’s throughout high school and realizing how it served Tulsa was a great experience, and I want Stillwater to have that kind of experience as well. I enjoy getting to know the community regulars, and I just want to create a place for positive summer memories for the Stillwater community.” Josh’s is located on the south side of Food Pyramid, 421 N. Main St., and is open daily from noon-10:30 p.m. and Sundays from 2-10:30 p.m. through October. More activities, such as music, games and others will be scheduled as the business grows. @

Follow Josh’s Sno Shack-Stillwater on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. For more information about Josh’s Sno Shack-Stillwater, contact joshssnoshack.stillwater@ gmail.com.

summer 2017 engage@spears

Thanks, Dad

Recent graduate Carson Guinn is following in dad’s footsteps (sort of)

BY DOLLIE ELLIOTT

ou know how working in certain fields runs in some families? Well, Carson Guinn really didn’t want to follow in her father’s footsteps.

The Wichita, Kansas, native graduated from Oklahoma State University on May 13 with bachelor’s degrees in finance and economics and a minor in accounting. Guinn’s father is a commercial stock trader in Wichita. Although she was inspired by him to go into business, she had different ideas for her career. “When I was growing up, I was like, ‘I’m going to do my own thing. I’m going to start something different. I’m not going to follow in my dad’s footsteps.’ And what do I do? I ended up doing exactly what he’s doing, and I love it,” Guinn says. She says she originally didn’t understand what all went into his job. But during her freshman year at the Spears School of Business, she started to understand his phone conversations and could grasp what the flashing screens he was always referring to meant. A light went off.

“I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, he was looking into the Chicago Board of Trade. That’s so awesome!’ And so it really kind of clicked for me. I guess genetics are real because I realized that’s what I really wanted to do, too.” She’s still venturing out by going into oil and gas finance versus her father’s career in agriculture finance. “I chose to major in finance and economics because I’ve always been really interested in why people make the decisions they do,” Guinn says. “Originally, when I came to college I was just an economics major, and this idea of supply and demand and how the market always goes back into equilibrium was so fascinating to me. Then as I was going through my classes and started to learn about the theory behind why people make decisions, I realized I wanted to learn about the true financial impact of these decisions they make. “The more I learned about finance, the more I fell in love with it. It was really crazy.” Halfway through her junior year, she considered becoming a core finance major but decided economics and finance continues

engage@spears summer 2017

JORDAN BENSON

“I feel like finance, economics and accounting all work well together to help make me understand how to be a successful business person.” — CARSON GUINN

summer 2017 engage@spears

COURTESY CARSON GUINN

“The things (Dad) does for our family and the impact he makes on his company are just so impressive and fantastic. He always goes back to ‘the reason I do this is for my three girls.’” Wailele Luau, Maui, Hawaii, Darby, left, parents Lynn and Kim and Carson Guinn, far right.

with a minor in accounting worked well together, giving her a well-rounded education. “I said to myself, ‘I know that all these things work together to make corporate America run, but I want to understand why that is.’” Her aspirations include going into commercial trading for an oil and gas company. “The financial impacts you learn from looking at the balance sheets and income statements, those play a huge role in it as well. I feel like finance, economics and accounting all work well together to help make me understand how to be a successful business person.” Guinn’s knowledge of and passion for business started at home. She calls her dad her biggest inspiration. “He is the most fantastic father, ever. I know everyone says they have the best parents in the world but I think my dad is No. 1,” she says. She admires the way her dad makes time for family despite often traveling for work. “The things he does for our family and the impact he makes on his company are just so impressive and fantastic. He always goes back to ‘the reason I do this is for my three girls,’” says Guinn, referring to herself, her sister, Darby (who plans to attend

engage@spears summer 2017

OSU in the future) and their mother. “I want to have that as well. I want to be able to make huge impacts on the commercial world but at the same time I want to also have a great family life.” Her parents, Lynn and Kim Guinn, graduated from the T. Boone Pickens College of Business at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas, outside Amarillo. Back then, Pickens was a large supporter of her parents’ alma mater. Today, he is a well-known supporter of Oklahoma State University. “So we have a running joke in my family that although we didn’t graduate from the same school, we have the same alma mater because T. Boone Pickens is such a huge supporter of both universities. So we’re kind of all Cowboys,” Guinn says. On campus, Guinn was president of Delta Sigma Pi, a professional fraternity, for her last two years. She was also a Spears Ambassador, a group of students who promote and inform prospective and current students about opportunities in the Spears School. During her freshman and sophomore years, Guinn was a member of the Cowboy Marching Band and of the OSU

— CARSON GUINN

Concert Band from her freshman to junior year. She was also a member of the Kappa Kappa Psi, a national honorary band service fraternity. “I really enjoyed my time in the marching band, and I still really enjoy music. It’s an outlet for me,” Guinn says. “Some of the best friends I made in college were from the band programs, so I was very thankful for it, but I knew my future core goals aligned with the business school.” Without a doubt, Guinn is leaving a legacy on the OSU campus. During her time as president of Delta Sigma Pi, the group founded the Cowboy Strong Run, benefiting the victims of the OSU Homecoming Parade crash that occurred Oct. 24, 2015. “We all were so upset to see this terrible tragedy hit our campus that we really wanted to do anything we could for the victims and their families,” Guinn says. Their chapter was planning a 5K run as a general fundraiser for the organization. But when they heard about the incident, they decided to switch gears and turn their efforts into a benefit run for the Stillwater Medical Foundation. The funds raised would cover medical expenses of the victims involved in the tragedy.

In the course of about two weeks, the students organized the run. They were elated to receive the support of the Stillwater community. More than 350 runners gathered to raise about $6,500 for the Stillwater Medical Foundation.

The second year, the students were able to donate about $7,500 to the Cowboy Strong Fund.

“I started crying during the middle of the run because I couldn’t believe how kind people were and how willing they were to help,” Guinn says.

After graduation, Guinn moved to Houston to begin her career with Phillips 66. She will spend the first three to five years rotating through different roles in the accounting and finance departments. The experience will allow her to see operations and support from different perspectives. She’ll then have the opportunity to specialize in a certain area.

The group decided to continue its efforts. Members worked with the Oklahoma State Foundation to create the Cowboy Strong Fund, set up for students who have unforeseen financial hardships.

“We were excited to be able to give back to the community that’s given us so much,” Guinn says.

“I have had time to look back on the past four years and see all the great things I’ve been able to accomplish at OSU,” she says. “I really have to give full credit and thanks to my parents because they have pushed and encouraged me so much. They’ve always told me I could be anything and do anything I wanted to do. Their love and support has really been the driving force behind everything I’ve done here at OSU, and for that I will be eternally grateful.” @

COURTESY CARSON GUINN

“I really have to give full credit and thanks to my parents …. They’ve always told me I could be anything and do anything I wanted to do. … for that I will be eternally grateful.” — CARSON GUINN

Carson Guinn during a CAGLE Study Abroad Trip at the Sacred Valley of the Incas in Peru.

summer 2017 engage@spears

JORDAN BENSON

“I see life differently, in the sense that I see the importance in the little things. Those things have made all the difference in my life, being able to go to school. Seeing my mother struggle through all the hard times, all of those hardships have made me who I am today, and I am wanting to give back.” — JORDAN MAZARIEGOS

perspe THROUGH STRUGGLE

engage@spears summer 2017

OSU accounting student already planning ways to give back

BY ARIEL WEST

or Spears School of Business accounting senior Jordan Mazariegos, coming to Oklahoma State University was the gateway to a new life in the United States.

Born in Mexico City, Mazariegos was 2 years old when he and his parents moved to Anaheim, Calif. With the help of a mysterious person his father met along the way, Mazariegos and his family moved to Tulsa, Okla. “Interestingly, the person that my dad met on his journey to the United States — my dad never saw him again,” Mazariegos says. “We moved [to Tulsa] because he called my dad and told him he had an apartment ready for us. So, my dad started paying rent and brought us over and we started our life in Tulsa. I don’t even know [the guy’s] name.”

Mazariegos attended Union High School, where he made many friends and formed genuine relationships with teachers who were always ready to lend a helping hand. He played soccer, dreaming of going pro, and made it to the state championship his senior year. He was in his teens when he realized he wasn’t quite like everyone else. “I felt like any other student, but when my friends were getting their driving permits and summer jobs at the mall, I wasn’t able to,” Mazariegos says. “I was like, ‘Why can’t I do that?’ My friends would say that you need a Social Security number, you need all this stuff, and I wanted to know why I didn’t have any of that. I couldn’t do those minimal things and basic necessities that most Americans take for granted. At that point, I realized college might not be an option for me. I wasn’t going to be able to afford it and have financial help.

ective

“Thankfully, generous help from an anonymous donor, whom I’d like to meet one day, helped me pay for two years at Tulsa Community College and extended the scholarship when I transferred to OSU. … I couldn’t be more grateful to that person.” continues

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“The accounting department really holds its students to a high expectation, and I appreciate that. … if you’re in the classroom, everybody is going to be held to that high expectation. It pushes me to do better and be better and to seek the best.” — JORDAN MAZARIEGOS

JORDAN BENSON

Through DACA, the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that allows students to legally attend school and work in the United States, Mazariegos was able to begin his college career at TCC where he was introduced to accounting. After graduating from TCC, he transferred to OSU after hearing clinical assistant professor of accounting Lance Fisher’s gateway workshop in Tulsa. The large university has been quite an adjustment, and even though he hasn’t had the opportunity to experience everything university life has to offer, Mazariegos says he doesn’t feel much different. “I didn’t get to experience fully the dorms or fraternities,” he says. “I’m OK with that, I can’t miss something I never had. I’m just grateful that I’m here, and being able to get my degree from OSU in accounting is very reputable. “The Spears School of Business, specifically the accounting department, has opened a lot of doors and opportunities through the job interviews and career fairs. The accounting department really holds its students to a high expectation, and I appreciate that. It doesn’t matter where you come from or what you look like; if you’re in the classroom, everybody is going to be held to that high expectation. It pushes me to do better and be better and to seek the best. I’m proud to say that I’m an accounting student at Oklahoma State University.” Outside his classes, the 23-year-old keeps busy working part time with the Community Action Project (CAP), a nonprofit anti-poverty organization in Tulsa. He has worked as a translator and interpreter between Hispanic families and the teachers and staff for three years, and creating those relationships has been rewarding. “Working for CAP has been a very rewarding experience,” Mazariegos says. “Not only do I get to use my already acquired skills of Spanish to help other families, but we are a part of a bigger mission, and we believe in intervening in

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the cycle of poverty. We can be that good influence for not only the children but for their families. We provide career advancement opportunities and community resources that the families can use, and we try to give their kids the best learning experience. “When we came to Tulsa, I was in the Head Start program. I know for a fact my mother did not speak good English; sometimes I wonder how difficult it was for her to communicate with my teachers. So being able to be that person to bridge that communication gap for someone else is definitely rewarding.” Mazariegos is interning this summer with the accounting team at ONEOK in Tulsa before finishing up his final semester at OSU. He hopes to see OSU focus on recruiting marginalized minority groups and provide aid for those interested in business. Mazariegos hopes to help students commuting on OSU’s Big Orange Bus transportation service from Tulsa to the Stillwater campus. “When I do become more successful, I’ve thought about doing this little scholarship called the BOB Bus Scholarship,” Mazariegos says. “I’ve commuted so much from Tulsa to Stillwater. If I come here twice a week, it’s like $600 a semester, and if you miss the bus you’ll have to pay extra. It’s not included in your bursar fees. That would bring me so much joy to do something so little that would help so many people.” Through his roadblocks and struggles, Mazariegos sees the light at the end of the tunnel. “I see life differently, in the sense that I see the importance in the little things,” he says. “I know how hard it was to get a driver’s license and get a piece of paper that tells me that I could legally work. Those things have made all the difference in my life, being able to go to school. Seeing my mother struggle through all the hard times, all of those hardships have made me who I am today, and I am wanting to give back. It’s not something I would want someone else to go through.” @

You’re invited to help the Spears School of Business celebrate these four events. FRIDAY, SEPT. 22 - 4PM

TIME CAPSULE CEREMONY SPONSORED BY BANCFIRST Join Ken Eastman, Dean of the Spears School of Business, and Jerry Franklin, President of BancFirst-Stillwater, as we prepare the time capsule that will be placed inside the new Business Building for opening in 50 years.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 23

SPEARS BUSINESS TAILGATE Beginning three hours prior to kickoff of the OSU vs. TCU football game, all business school alumni, friends, faculty/staff and students are invited to join us.

SATURDAY, OCT. 14

SPEARS BUSINESS HOMECOMING TAILGATE SPONSORED BY THE SPEARS SCHOOL ALUMNI SOCIETY Beginning three hours prior to kickoff of the OSU vs. Baylor football game, all business school alumni, friends, faculty/staff and students are invited to join us.

FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2018

NEW BUILDING DEDICATION CEREMONY Everyone is invited as we celebrate the dedication of Oklahoma State University’s new Business Building. Join us at the dedication ceremony with tours to follow.

NEW BUSINESS BUILDING

Advancing Technology ITLE engineers plan top-notch systems for new building BY DOLLIE ELLIOTT

f the numerous projects

The pair are working hard to set up and

The most noticeable change students

over the past 15 years,

deliver a top-of-the-line, state-of-the-art

will see in classrooms is the addition of a

working on Oklahoma

audio-visual system which will enhance

wireless presentation system. The team is

State University’s new

student learning. Their work will lead to

adding technology that allow devices to

better learning and retention for students.

connect wirelessly with the AV systems

Business Building is the largest and one of the most challenging proj-

ects to date for Jeff Huber and Rockford Todd. The two managers of engineering at the OSU Institute for Teaching and Learning Excellence (ITLE) are in charge of planning the latest technology for the 147,450-square-foot home of the Spears School of Business.

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“One of our core missions on the OSU campus is to help facilitate teaching and learning,” Todd says. “The way students learn is evolving, and teaching technology

in the classrooms, allowing instructors and students to connect and collaborate in real-time during class without a bunch of wires.

must evolve with them. Providing inter-

“The hassle over the correct connection

active and collaborative solutions for the

type and worry about resolutions will

classroom is a must as we move into new

be gone,” Huber says. “Students will be

spaces and places.”

able to wirelessly display laptops, iPads, iPhones, Android phones and Android

puting device.” The new system can display two wireless devices at a time, in case both a student and an instructor need to compare their information at the same time. “This wireless technology will probably be the most visible on a day-to-day basis,” Huber says. Each classroom will be equipped with three supersize HD 1080P monitors for clear viewing. Having three displays will provide greater flexibility for instructors to more easily deliver their information.

the guest is available,” Huber says.

button to create overflow spaces within the building.”

The pair says the projects they think students will be most excited about will

One thing the new technology will offer

be in the Watson Trading Floor and the

students is ease. Current classroom tech-

Keystone Lobby.

nology can be confusing and difficult to see. Most classroom systems have been in service for many years — some for a decade or more.

They are currently working on developing a video wall in the Keystone Lobby that will display news and information about services within Spears Business as well

The technology in the new building is on

as videos highlighting students and proj-

the front edge of where the AV industry is

ects ongoing in the college.

moving. “It will give us flexibility moving forward to keep up with new trends for quite some time into the future,” Todd says.

The screen will also have the ability to be one massive TV monitor on game days and during special events within Spears Business.

The team says the system’s size and flex-

The Watson Trading Floor will be a unique

ibility is likely to excite students. Being

space with extra technology that is still

able to sit in a class while sharing screens

being developed. “The Watson Trading

and ideas quickly and effortlessly is some-

Floor should be an awesome showcase

thing the OSU ITLE department has been

for Spears Business, and a place that stu-

working toward for years.

dents will be talking about when they tell

Huber and Todd say the technology has finally become more affordable and

family and friends about where they went to school,” Todd says.

user-friendly. Moving to a more flexible

“The sheer size and magnitude of this

AV architecture makes connecting with

project is enough to make working on

people outside academia easier. “How

it exciting. However, the newness of the

“More of a hidden technology is the fact

cool will it be to be able to connect with

technology and the popularity and pres-

that all the audio and video signals are

a business person at their desk while you

tige of the college makes the project even

delivered over an IP [internet protocol]

are sitting in just about any classroom in

more of a thrill and challenge. It is hum-

network. This allows for ease of routing

the new building?” Huber asks.

bling to come to work each day knowing

between rooms,” Todd says. “For example, if the college has a guest speaker that it wants to highlight to the entire college at

No longer will students be constrained to a single conference room that may be in

BUILDING

tablets — any type of wireless com-

connect from any classroom at any time

is built in. It is as simple as a push of a

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— ROCKFORD TODD

not connect with someone. “We can now

and video in every space simultaneously

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“[The technology in the new building] … will give us flexibility moving forward to keep up with new trends for quite some time into the future.”

once, the ability to show the same audio

that what we do now will impact students for many years to come,” Todd says. @

use or with technology that will possibly

summer 2017 engage@spears

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(Almost) Finished

BUSINESS

Lisa Fain has been involved in nearly every aspect of the new Business Building BY DOLLIE ELLIOTT

BUILDING

Hundreds of people have been working on Oklahoma State’s new Business Building for many months: • The Elliott + Associates architects first drew up what they envisioned the building to be. • The Manhattan Construction crews and contractors have put in 50-hour weeks plus some weekends to bring that vision to life. • Electricians have laid 1,095,060 feet of power cable while interior decorators helped Spears School of Business staff choose every piece of furniture and fabric. • The building’s first donors gave because they believed in what the building could become. • The freshman students will set foot in the building for the first time in the fall of 2018, not knowing anything but the new building.

All who have taken part in the process — whether funding, planning, executing or inspiring — will be proud of their work when the doors open. Lisa Fain has been at the forefront of the entire process, working as the Spears School’s liaison to the building project, helping to bring about this pillar on Oklahoma State University’s Stillwater campus.

“I was thrilled when Dean [Ken] Eastman asked me to be a part of the project,” Fain says. “It was such a vote of confidence that he had in me, and I really take that very seriously. I was so proud that he would want to give that responsibility to me.”

since its beginning and her enthusiasm for the project has never wavered. Lisa has treated our building as if it were her own home, and I can never thank her enough for her dedication and commitment to the project.”

“Lisa has done a tremendous job leading our building project,” says Eastman, dean of the Spears School of Business. “She has been our point person on this project

As director of operations for the Spears Business, Fain manages human resources, research and financial services, IT and facilities. “Part of my job is to help continues

“[Lisa’s] enthusiasm for the project has never wavered. [She] has treated our building as if it were her own home, and I can never thank her enough for her dedication and commitment to the project.” — DEAN KEN EASTMAN 26

engage@spears summer 2017

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BUSINESS

BUILDING

JORDAN BENSON

summer 2017 engage@spears

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facilitate, so really what I do is problemsolve. When someone needs to figure out the best way to do things within policy, they come to me,” she says. “I kinda enjoy the challenge of finding ways to do things while staying within policies that OSU and the state of Oklahoma have. Because I’m over facilities in the Business Building, I guess it was natural that I would be a part of this project.”

BUSINESS

When Fain joined Spears Business nine years ago, she remembers how even

BUILDING

“… We are looking forward to the new building being filled with students.” — LISA FAIN

then faculty members were discussing the prospect of a new building. “A lot of them had talked about how in their initial faculty interviews years ago, they were promised a new building. Everyone’s been anxiously awaiting the start of the new building for years,” she says. “With the completion of each phase, it draws us closer and closer to that reality. It’s really exciting to be a part of that.” Construction began with tearing down Hanner Hall and the “stacks,” the educational wing consisting of five classrooms, of the current building in 2014. During the beginning stages of construction, Fain says her day-to-day job didn’t change much other than a few meetings. “Initially, we talked about programming and what kind of space we needed. We looked at different designs from the architects but then as we are getting closer and closer to fruition, there have been more and more meetings,” she says. As the project progressed, Fain has been involved in selecting the finishes for flooring, wall covers and paint. Then came the decisions on the numerous furniture pieces. “We met a lot about the furniture because there’s such a variety of furniture in the building for faculty offices and staff offices for the lounge areas, for the students, the 28

engage@spears summer 2017

computer classrooms and the collaborative classrooms. It’s such a variety of different areas we had to select furniture for, so we’ve had a lot of meetings about that,” she says. Currently, she is working on how to key the building, making final decisions on furniture, digital signs and the audio/ visual program. She realizes she is always thinking about the project in one way or another. “I find myself looking at every detail when I walk into a room, no matter where I am. I think about the furniture, the fixtures, the flooring and even the lighting.” Every Wednesday morning, Fain meets with representatives from each group for a progress update. “The meetings have been a little eye opening for me,” says Fain. “One of the fun things about this project is I’ve been able to learn a little bit, and I do mean very little, about construction.” “I think the group enjoys teasing me about the construction terminology. It’s been fun learning what the terms GFRC or high wind refuge mean. I admit, sometimes after the meetings I have to go back to my office and Google a term to figure out what they’re talking about,” she laughs. “They’ve been very patient with me to make sure that I understand what we’re talking about so I can make the best decision.” Fain’s primary role as the liaison is to make sure the building is functional. “My job is to make sure the students, faculty and staff all enjoy the building. We want to make sure that it fits us,” she says. “My objective is to make sure things are in the right places, so people can be productive.” She also has had the arduous task of helping more than 350 faculty and staff members choose their office space. Flexibility is another major challenge in the project. After being in the current building for more than 50 years (it opened in 1966), all involved in the project understand the importance of having a structure that will withstand the test of time time and be flexible enough for future upgrades.

“We want to make sure this building lasts 60 to 70 years or even longer. You just never know how instruction or how we do things will change,” Fain says. “So our goal was to create a building that will be easy to modify as things change.” Fain says she is trying to meet the needs of everyone who will use the building. “When you have so many people in mind, including students, faculty and staff, alums and donors, you realize there’s a lot of people to please.” Fain is looking forward to having students grace the new halls. “I think this project brings excitement to all of us. Since the demolition of the stacks, students don’t really come to our building very much. There are not a lot of reasons for them to come back to the building. We miss that. We miss the excitement and energy the students bring. So we are looking forward to the new building being filled with students.” Spears Business faculty and staff are currently housed is five different buildings across campus and even in some off-campus locations. “The exciting thing is we all will be in one building,” she says. “Currently, we have faculty or staff in Gundersen Hall, the Classroom Building, in off-campus leased space and more recently in Cordell Hall. So to have everyone in one building will be great. I’m looking forward to the point when we’ll all feel like a team. “We are also excited that the alums will have a place that they can really be proud of. It will represent the Spears School and the degree they received. We know they are proud of the degrees they received from the Spears School, but this gives them a landmark, an iconic building that says, ‘Hey, I graduated from there.’” Fain first began her career with OSU in 1986 where she worked at the Edmon Low Library as a financial coordinator for 19 years, and never envisioned leaving until applying for the job across campus. She and husband Jim Fain, professor in the Department of Economics and Legal Studies, both grew up in Texas. The pair met at the University of Texas where she got her bachelor’s degree in business

“So I’ve been at OSU for 30 years. I’ve kind of grown up professionally at OSU. Also our family has grown up here,” says Fain, whose two sons, Jonathan (accounting) and Logan (engineering) are both OSU graduates. “We are proud

Fain looks forward to the day she walks through the 147,450-square-foot building and sees students and faculty interacting with one another under the same roof for the first time in years.

BUSINESS

The native Texans moved to Stillwater when Jim was hired to join the OSU business school’s faculty, and they have called it home for more than 30 years.

that they decided that OSU was the place they wanted to get their education. We just found that Stillwater was where we wanted to raise our family and we couldn’t be happier about that decision.”

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management. After UT, they moved to West Lafayette, Indiana, where Jim completed his doctoral degree in economics at Purdue University.

“We all can say, ‘This is our building. We were a part of this iconic building on campus and we are proud to have helped make it come about,’” Fain says. @

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COURTESY LISA FAIN

The Fain family (from left) — Jonathan, Logan, Lisa and Jim — has called Stillwater its home since 1986.

summer 2017 engage@spears

JORDAN BENSON

NEW BUSINESS BUILDING

‘An Extra Sense of Pride’ Building’s project manager is also a Spears Business alumnus

engage@spears summer 2017

“Manhattan Construction and Elliott + Associates have been great to work with. They have just as much pride in the building as I do.” But the 34-year-old admits there have been challenges in building the 147,450-square-foot building. “The first challenge was just the structure itself, building on that radius and keeping the crescent shape. The building is faceted, so just making sure everything lined up and making sure it’s structurally sound and weather tight,” he says. “The day-to-day challenges are just balancing the dynamic between trying to make areas special, getting it done in a timely manner, making sure everything is functional, and then keeping everything on budget.

“There’s always an amount of pride that comes with saying you had a hand in either restoring those spaces or renovating them, and changing the face of campus. That makes me feel good,” Cheves says. “I take a lot of pride in that because I love this university.

“We really want to give the Spears School a high-quality product that will be unique but also will be functional, serviceable and on budget.”

“But the new Business Building will be more special to me because it’s my college. I remember taking classes in the addition that we tore down for this new building, and I remember trying to find professors’ offices. I remember waiting on that elevator

“I think my favorite space is the Tack Room, the fourth floor south conference room,” he says. “I like to sit in there and look out at the view of the green space south of the library lawn. That’s a view that really hasn’t been seen before on campus

“… the new Business Building will be more special to me because it’s my college. ”

BUILDING

But he says working as the project manager for the new Business Building is an experience he won’t soon forget. Cheves was an OSU business student who earned a bachelor’s degree in management with a minor in marketing in 2006.

a functional space,” says Cheves, who is responsible for making sure the project stays within budget.

BUSINESS

ay Cheves has seen major transformation on Oklahoma State University’s Stillwater campus since arriving as a freshman in 2001. As a project manager for the OSU Long Range Facilities Planning group the past 10 years, he has played an important role in the renovations of several of OSU’s most historic buildings, including Old Central, Murray Hall and the Student Union.

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BY TERRY TUSH

Cheves knows the new building like the back of his hand.

JORDAN BENSON

— JAY C H E V E S Jay Cheves, a 2006 business school graduate, has overseen the project for OSU.

forever. … So there’s just an extra sense of pride and maybe a little bit more ownership to me, knowing that this will be a huge step forward for the school of business.” Cheves is OSU’s representative to the construction management firm (Manhattan Construction), the architecture firm (Elliott + Associates), and all other entities involved in the project. This includes the Spears School, OSU Dining (operators of the snack bar on the first floor), and others. “I’m responsible for looking out for OSU and the Spears School’s interests, making sure they are getting a quality product, making sure their needs are getting met, making sure they are getting

because there hasn’t been a building here that would allow for that, and it’s just such a pretty view.” Although he won’t be taking any classes, Cheves knows where he’ll be the second week of January when the Spring 2018 semester begins. It will be the first time students will be in the building to use the 13 classrooms, 17 breakout/team rooms and numerous other meeting spaces. “I can’t wait to see the students come in and their eyes get big, watch them stick around and watch them flow through the space, and see where they end up hanging out,” Cheves says. “Probably the best part for me is when you finish and you see the students walk in with that look on their face that says, ‘Wow!’” @ summer 2017 engage@spears

NEW BUSINESS BUILDING

The Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Building BY TERRY TUSH

engage@spears summer 2017

NEW BUSINESS BUILDING

It takes a village — or 677 alumni households — to make the new Business Building a reality Editor’s Note: This article highlights the contributions and impact made by 810 donors who will have not a single space named for them, but who will know that in every brick, in every hidden beam of steel and in every pane of glass is writ their contribution. Major gift donations tell the story of the impact of gifts of $50,000 and above.

elanie Schilt is one of many proud

Oklahoma State University graduates involved with the NYC Cowboys alumni chapter. So there’s no doubt where the Adair, Okla., native was going to be in February when Ken Eastman, dean of the Spears School of Business, spoke to the New York City area alumni in Manhattan. Eastman, in his third year as dean, enjoys sharing his vision for Spears Business, especially with alumni who live too far from Stillwater to make frequent trips back to the OSU campus. He often speaks about the changes in the core curriculum that faculty members will begin implementing this fall. Eastman also proudly updates alumni on the progress of the new Business Building. After all, it will be the first time in years OSU business students will have a “home away from home,” something the college outgrew many years ago. The new 147,450-square-foot building will nearly double today’s available space for students, faculty and staff. Schilt, who hasn’t been back to the OSU campus in three years, was captivated when Eastman and Diane Crane, OSU Foundation senior director of development, shared details about the new building. She was surprised to learn that the $74 million project is scheduled for completion without a lead donor. “I said, ‘Are you thinking that I can do the naming rights? Because if you are, I think you’re woefully misunderstanding.’ So we had a laugh about that,” Schilt says. Schilt went online to the OSU Foundation’s website the next day and made a donation to the new building at osugiving.com/businessbuilding.

It’s because of Schilt and more than 650 other households — and another 80 corporations, foundations and other organizations — that the stateof-the-art Business Building will open in 2018. More than $36 million in private donations is making the longtime dream of a new Business Building into reality. “I thought, I want to be a part of this. It’s my home too,” says Schilt, who earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from OSU. “As an alumna, I don’t want not to be a part of helping make this new building possible.”

Chris Campbell

Those same words could have been spoken by Chris Campbell, Jasmine Colorado, Claude “Arthur” Rickets and Brady Sidwell, a few of the

other donors whose gifts are helping make up the entire funding picture for the iconic building that will assist in transforming how OSU business students are taught. New building projects throughout the country are typically funded with a relatively small number of very large gifts, usually beginning with a lead gift that is large enough to give naming rights for the new building to that donor. And a donor may yet decide to make such a gift to OSU to name the new Business Building, as its signature design takes form in the shadow of Boone Pickens Stadium and a short stroll down Legacy Walk from Edmon Low Library.

Jasmine Colorado

Claude “Arthur” Rickets

But the broad support from a large number of supporters has made the new building possible. Gifts as low as $1 and from donors as young as 21 have brought the new building into reality. Major gift donations that name classrooms, team rooms, centers and other locations throughout the building tell the story of the impact of gifts of $50,000 and above. Even some of those namings are the result of group gifts, in which likeminded alumni combined funds to name a space, often to honor a former faculty member. Named

Melanie Schilt

continues Brady Sidwell

summer 2017 engage@spears

NEW BUSINESS

“I’d like to see Oklahoma State become one of the best business schools in the United States, and this is my small part in helping to make that happen.”

BUILDING

— CL AU DE “ARTH U R ” RICKETS

It’s because more than 650 households — and another 80 corporations, foundations and other organizations — that the state-of-the-art Business Building will open in 2018.

engage@spears summer 2017

spaces — pending approval by the Board of Regents — are listed in the accompanying sidebar. This article highlights the contributions and impact made by 775 donors who will have not a single space named for them, but who will know that in every brick, in every hidden beam of steel and in every pane of glass is writ their contribution. The four-story building (plus a basement) is possible only because longtime OSU alumni like Rickets (1961, management) and recent graduates like Colorado (2016, entrepreneurship/marketing) — and many others — have given to make it possible. “It’s definitely great to see that a large number of Oklahoma State business school alumni have given to make the building become a reality, even though not all of us have given a large amount of money,” Rickets says. “The key to me is being consistent in my giving and seeing the impact it makes over the years. “When I saw blueprints for the building, when I was celebrating my 50th anniversary of graduating in 2011, I thought how wonderful that facility will be and what a difference it’s going to make for future OSU business students,” the 77-year-old says.

“Oklahoma State’s business school is really gaining a great reputation nationally in recent years, and with the opening of the new Business Building it’s really going to increase. I’d like to see Oklahoma State become one of the best business schools in the United States, and this is my small part in helping to make that happen.” Colorado was on the receiving end when a current OSU student dialed her telephone number during the Cowboy Callers program in March. “I’m sure whoever called and asked me for money thought it was strange that I didn’t hang up on him since I was so young,” she says. But the 23-year-old remembers the assistance she received as a student. “I received a few scholarships while I was at the Spears School and that enabled me to go on a couple of study-abroad programs – Dr. [Andy] Urich’s Chicago trip and then I went to Barcelona, Spain, one spring break. The scholarships helped me to get to those places, so I wanted to help somebody else, kinda pay it forward,” says Colorado, who is a technical sales representative for Hewlett Packard in Plano, Texas. continues

On behalf of the OSU Foundation, thank you to our generous donors whose years of dedication and support created the new home for Spears Business. Together, we are ushering in a new era for business education at Oklahoma State University.

NEW BUILDING IMPACT PHIL SHOCKLEY / UNIVERSITY MARKETING

NEW BUSINESS BUILDING

Jerimy Sherin, Spears Online

he Spears School of Business’ Online MBA program is ranked No. 1 in the Big 12 Conference and tied

for 29th overall in the 2017 rankings of Best Online MBA Programs by U.S. News & World Report.

“I am looking forward to our facilities catching up with the standards the Spears School has set in everything else we do.” — J E R I M Y S H E R I N

“We compete in the Big 12 both in the classroom and online. I am looking forward to our facilities catching up with the standards the Spears School has set in everything else we do,” says Jerimy Sherin, production manager in the Spears School’s Online Learning program. For nearly four years, Sherin has worked in the Spears Online program, which is housed in Gundersen Hall, across Morrill Avenue from Oklahoma State’s main Business Building. Sherin manages all the media content, video lectures, promotional videos and social media for the Online Learning program. His job’s biggest challenge is the facility.

Gundersen Hall was completed in

“I am looking forward to everything new

November 1912, with rooms for labora-

in the new building,” Sherin says. “The

tories, offices, drafting rooms, and class-

concept drawings I’ve seen look incred-

rooms. Originally designed for engineering

ible, and I am really excited to see it in

students, the building also holds faculty

person. I’m also excited to see our program

offices, computer labs and a foreign lan-

continue to expand with the addition of

guage lab for students.

another studio that we’ll share with Spears

“It is impressive that we have this much

Marketing and Communications.” @

current technology in a building that is 105 years old, but there are just so many things we do that people from 1912 just couldn’t have planned for,” Sherin says. The new building’s Michael and Anne Greenwood Online Learning office will have two soundproof studios equipped with the latest cameras, switchers and green screens.

engage@spears summer 2017

DOLLIE ELLIOTT

NEW

Donor-Funded Named Spaces All are as of June 1 and pending Regents’ approval.

BancFirst Classroom BKD CPAs and Advisors Classroom Bob and Peggy McCormick Breakout Room (Merrick Foundation)

Riata Center for Entrepreneurship

Julie and Claude Connelly Team Room

Watson Trading Floor

Merrill Family Sticky Space

Wiese Brothers Faculty Office Suite in Memory of Jon A. Wiese

Norman and Suzanne Myers Dean’s Suite

S E CO N D F LO O R

Robert and Sharon Keating Team Room Rapp Foundation Team Room

Dr. B. Curtis Hamm Classroom

FO U R T H F LO O R

Grant Thornton Breakout Room

ExxonMobil OSU Alumni Sticky Space

Herod Family Breakout Room

Michael and Anne Greenwood Online Learning Office

Billings Family Team Room (Frank, Jennifer, Taylor, Cole and Kelsey)

KPMG Breakout Room Le Norman Auditorium Leitner and Ken Greiner Technology Classroom Pregler Family Breakout Room (Mike, Jan, Chris, Matt and Brooke)

Nix Foundation Team Room Elwell Family Sticky Space Grigsby Family Upper Loggia (South) (Jennifer and Steven Grigsby) Jones Family Upper Loggia (North) (Griff and Mindi Jones)

Dr. B. Curtis Hamm Office of the School of Marketing & International Business Dr. Wilton T. Anderson Office of the School of Accounting Joel and Melinda Stinnett Team Room John Yeaman Team Room

Watson Graduate School of Management

Roger Lumley and Suzanne Dimmel Team Room

T H I R D F LO O R

School of Entrepreneurship

Ph.D. Seminar Room in Honor of Dr. Lloyd Garrison gifted by Dr. Carlos E. Johnson

Calvert Family Sticky Space

BOK Financial Ticker

ExxonMobil Controllers Alumni Classroom

BancFirst Time Capsule Marker

Brian and Angela Callahan Conference Room

Howard Thill Team Room

PwC Breakout Room Shellie and Don Greiner Breakout Room Wesley E. and Mary Lea Sample Family Classroom F I R S T F LO O R

Center for Advanced Global Leadership & Engagement (CAGLE)

BUILDING

Deloitte. Data Analytics Technology Applications (DATA) Lab

HoganTaylor Breakout Room

BUSINESS

BASEMENT

EXTERIOR

Richard L. Tourtellotte Family Garden

John and Caroline Linehan Conference Room

Chesapeake Energy Business Student Success Center ConocoPhillips Student Lounge Eastin Center for Career Readiness EY Entrepreneurial Zone First United Bank and Trust Company Room Robert Austin Team Room Stephen and Diane Tuttle Accelerator Jack Allen Family Education Foundation Genius Bar summer 2017 engage@spears

NEW BUSINESS

The new Business Building’s Courtyard will be an inviting space for students.

BUILDING

“… I want to be a part of this. At some point in looking at the building, we all know that our gift is helping to make this happen, even if it is only for that one little brick or that glass of window pane. The OSU family is very much wanting to be a part of this at whatever level each of us can be.” — M E L A N I E S C H I LT

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Colorado’s perspective on the importance of paying it forward is a good one for everyone to remember, regardless of age.

Business office on the fourth floor after Hamm and funded the Dr. B. Curtis Hamm Classroom on the second floor.

“I would say that it’s very important to give back and try to enable the rest of our generation to complete school. It doesn’t have to be a large amount, so anything will help,” she says.

“I think it goes to show what the people who were influenced by him think of him,” Sidwell says. “I understand the influence and support that come from Bob and the others whose names are on rooms and centers. Otherwise, a room is just a room or a building is just a building.”

While 90 percent of donations come from alumni of Spears Business like Rickets and Colorado, former students from virtually all academic areas at OSU have made gifts. Building donations have come from 677 alumni households, including alumni from 60 different majors and from locations throughout the United States and abroad. Brady Sidwell is among the other 10 percent. The OSU agricultural economics degree graduate (2004) was asked to be a part of the funding committee for the Dr. B. Curtis Hamm Office of the School of Marketing and International Business, named in honor of the late OSU marketing professor. He not only made his own donation but encouraged others to recognize Hamm.

“I think his legacy will kind of live on through this.” Chris Campbell, senior associate vice president of information strategy with the OSU Foundation, has been involved with helping transform the Stillwater campus for 13 years, first as a fundraiser for OSU Athletics and then at the business school. A 2002 OSU graduate with a bachelor’s degree in management information systems, he knows the impact a building can have on a campus.

“He was a mentor but he was also a close personal friend. He was just that grandfatherly figure to me,” says Sidwell, who sought Hamm’s advice about international travel and international business as a student and remained in close contact with him after graduating, despite living in Asia for 10 years.

“When I started back here in the Foundation with Athletics in 2004. … I remember walking up to the south side of Boone Pickens Stadium after it had been completed and I really stopped in my tracks, and said, ‘This is what a football stadium is supposed to look like, right?’ I drive by the new Business Building every day driving into work, so it won’t be as dramatic as that type of realization but that’s what a Business Building is supposed to look like,” he says.

The group raised the money to name the School of Marketing and International

“I know that President Hargis really wanted a wow factor and when you walk

NEW BUSINESS

Schilt agrees that more than 800 donors who are helping to make the Business Building a reality will stand tall and proud in the near future. “I think we saw it after the first Boone Pickens gift [of $165 million in 2006],” she says. “Everyone pitched in because they wanted to be a part of that. Even

BUILDING

by that thing you go, ‘Okay, that’s impressive.’ Getting the attention of a 16-, 17- or 18-year-old kid is going to require that wow factor, and the new building definitely does that,” says Campbell, who in August will mark 10 years of continuous monthly support since his first gift to the building campaign.

though my gift was much smaller than some others, I want to be a part of this. At some point in looking at the building, we all know that our gift is helping to make this happen, even if it is only for that one little brick or that glass of window pane. The OSU family is very much wanting to be a part of this at whatever level each of us can be.” @

BY THE

NUMBERS

O K L A H O M A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y ’ S N E W B U S I N E S S B U I L D I N G WO U L D N OT B E P O S S I B L E W I T H O U T T H E S U P P O R T O F M A N Y. H E R E ’ S A L O O K AT A F E W N U M B E R S A S S O C I AT E D W I T H T H E B U I L D I N G :

$36,018,182 TOTA L G I F T S

$100 M E D IA N G I F T

$1 S M A LLE S T G I F T

2,663 G I F T S S I N CE 2 0 07

21 to 97 AG E R A N G E O F D O N O R S

810 DONORS 677 OS U A LU M N I H O U S E H O LDS 51 CO R P O R ATI O N S 14 FO U N DATI O N S 43 OTH E R F R I E N DS OF SPEARS BUSINESS 2 5 OTH E R O RGA N IZ ATI O N S

247 M ATCH I N G G I F T S F RO M CO M PA N I E S ( TOTA LI N G $ 4 0 8 ,0 0 0)

90 P E RCE NTAG E O F OS U A LU M N I D O N O R S WH O A R E B U S I N E S S SCH O O L A LU M N I WH I LE A LL D I SCI P LI N E S A R E R E P R E S E NTE D, TH E TO P F IV E D I SCI P LI N E S BY NUMBER OF DONORS ARE: ACCO U NTI N G , M A R K E TI N G , M A N AG E M E NT, F I N A N CE A N D G E N E R A L B U S I N E S S

summer 2017 engage@spears

NEW BUILDING IMPACT JORDAN BENSON

NEW BUSINESS BUILDING

Nathan Herrmann, Student

hen business students enter the halls of Oklahoma State University’s new

Business Building, they will enjoy something their counterparts have not had for more than five decades:

“We’ll get to see each other and have a lot more interaction. Everyone will be able to have a lot more time with the Cowboy family.” — N A T H A N H E R R M A N N

a brand-new, state-of-the-art, 147,450-square-foot building that houses all seven academic depart-

The structure has more than 190 rooms,

before class and maybe grabbing a snack

ments and all faculty and staff mem-

150 office spaces, 13 classrooms, nine team

from the coffee shop, hanging out in the

bers under one roof.

rooms, eight conference rooms, eight

lab area and then maybe working on a

breakout rooms and four computer labs.

group project and then having classes

Building it will have taken 245,000 hours

later in the day, just staying all under

worked by construction crews, 935 tons

one roof,” Herrmann says. “I am pumped

of steel, 612,000 square feet of drywall,

for January.”

“I think it’s going to be great to be able to have all the students, faculty and staff in one building. We’ll get to see each other and have a lot more interaction. Everyone will be able to have a lot more time with the Cowboy family,” says

bricks and 2,400 gallons of paint.

Nathan Herrmann, accounting major in

Students will be able to find coffee and

the Spears School of Business.

snacks in the new snack bar facilitated

With the new building being nearly twice the size of the current building, students will have plenty of room to enjoy. In fact, the building was built to accommodate students with 51 percent of the space

1,095,060 feet of power cable, 230,000

by OSU Dining Services. The snack bar will provide the quality, variety of options and staff of a comparable store in the Student Union with the convenience of being in the Business Building.

allocated for their use, 23 percent for

“I really see students coming here in the

faculty and 21 percent for staff.

morning, maybe getting a little work done

engage@spears summer 2017

The open floor plan design in the common areas, such as the Keystone Lobby, will allow students to visit between classes. “I’m excited about the new Business Building because of all the opportunities we’ll have here,” Herrmann says. “Right now, it’s kind of difficult to interact because you don’t see all the business students because we are all over campus.” @ DOLLIE ELLIOTT

O K L A H O M A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y

SPEAKER SERIES

PRESENTED BY THE SPEARS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND CORPORATE SPONSORS CHRIS WALLACE

TIM DUBOIS

GEORGE BLANKENSHIP

MOIRA FORBES

Award-Winning Veteran Journalist & Host of FOX News Sunday

President of Tim DuBois Music and Award-winning, Grammy Nominated Songwriter, Producer and Legendary Music Executive

Former Executive at Tesla Motors, Apple Computer and GAP Inc.

President & Publisher, ForbesWoman

America Under President Trump: A View From Washington

Creative Leadership: From Debits and Credits to Rhythm and Rhyme

The Future of Innovation

Leading through Power Change

Tulsa Business Forums 2017-2018

Make your reservations: cepd.okstate.edu/emb

Make your reservations: cepd.okstate.edu/tbf

Oklahoma City

Tulsa

CHRIS WALLACE

Wednesday, November 1, 2017

4–5:30 p.m. Presentation National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

10:00–11:30 a.m. Presentation Mabee Center

GEORGE BLANKENSHIP

TIM DUBOIS

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

8–9:45 a.m. Breakfast Presentation National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

12–1:30 p.m. Luncheon Presentation Downtown DoubleTree Hotel

MOIRA FORBES

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

12–1:30 p.m. Luncheon Presentation National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

12–1:30 p.m. Luncheon Presentation Renaissance Tulsa Hotel and Convention Center

For sponsorship opportunities and more information, contact the Oklahoma State University Center for exeCutive and Professional develoPment 405-744-5208 | cepd.okstate.edu

NEW BUILDING IMPACT PHIL SHOCKLEY / UNIVERSITY MARKETING

NEW BUSINESS BUILDING

Don Mitchell, Lecturer, Marketing

“A

few years ago, someone

soft skills into thecurriculum; it’s the Power

students in the new building. Only a few

told me that to inspire the

of Personal — the Spears School’s new

classes are held in the current building

architects, OSU President

slogan,” Mitchell says. He enjoys incorpo-

since the educational wing was torn

Burns Hargis told them

rating his private-sector experience into

down in 2014.

he wanted the new Business Building to be iconic. That’s exactly what it is,” says Don Mitchell, lecturer in the School of Marketing and International Business at Spears Business.

The building’s red brick façade and tall white columns match the Georgian architectural style of Oklahoma State University’s Stillwater campus. It anchors the eastern quadrangle, connected by the Legacy Walk that leads to the historical Edmon Low Library, located in the heart of campus, and continues to the newly renovated Human Sciences Building. Mitchell joined the Spears School faculty in 2004 after a successful career that included developing and owning the marketing and manufacturing business units of Kicker, an international audio speaker company based in Stillwater. He primarily teaches personal marketing and soft skills in Personal Marketing and Professional Development. “We integrate

engage@spears summer 2017

his curriculum for the four-sections class.

“We see students around campus, but

His favorite part? “I enjoy watching the

there’s no central point to be involved as

students develop from the first of the

faculty or as students. I think what’s going

semester to the end. It’s amazing to see

to happen is the building will become

what happens in a semester,” he says.

a part of the student’s academic port-

Perhaps more than any other faculty

folio,” he says.

member, he is ready to use the 13 class-

“When people talk about where they

rooms in the new building. In the course

went to school, the emphasis and focus

of his 13 years at OSU, he has taught all

will be on this building. If you have a

over campus with lectures in the Business

portfolio of any kind, it will say, ‘This is

Building, Morrill Hall, Gundersen Hall,

where I came to school.’ I think it’s kind

Journalism Building, Classroom Building,

of a part of your academic DNA.”

North Classroom Building, Engineering South, Engineering North, Life Sciences West, Human Sciences and Ag Hall.

“When business school graduates return to campus with their children, it will be the first place they go. Homecoming

“I’ve had semesters when I had 15 minutes

weekend is going to take on a whole new

to get from the Journalism Building to

meaning,” he says. “I think it’s going to

the North Classroom Building,” he says.

be amazing what the new building will do

“So it’s been great for me physically.”

for everybody. I am excited about saying

Mitchell is also looking forward to the sense of community that will result when faculty members are rejoined with

that I am part of the building. We will all benefit from it. It will be so exciting.” @ DOLLIE ELLIOTT

NEW BUSINESS BUILDING

Floor By Floor

The stylistic floor plans that follow illustrate the general use of space throughout the new Business Building and identify a few of the highest-traffic areas, especially on the first floor. Most of the spaces with the expected highest usage by students are on the lower floors. Others are on higher floors to promote interaction between students and faculty members. @ For additional renderings of the new building and to check on a live videostream of the daily progress, visit the Spears Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s building website: http://business.okstate.edu/building/. continues Interior renderings, Crystal Room (above), Keystone Lobby (bottom) and Loggia, below

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First Floor

NEW BUSINESS

Keystone Commons

BUILDING

Riata Center for Entrepreneurship

Eastin Center for Career Readiness CAGLE Study Abroad

Chesapeake Energy Business Student Success Center

Courtyard/Plaza Watson Trading Floor ConocoPhillips Student Lounge

First United Bank and Trust Co. Room

Coffee/ Snack Bar

Mech/HVAC/Stairs/etc. Common Areas Team/Breakout Rooms Faculty Offices Centers for Students Conference Rooms Staff Offices Classrooms/Labs

Eastin Center

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ConocoPhillips Student Lounge

Second Floor

NEW BUSINESS BUILDING

e iv ut l a

Ce an nter De d Pr fo ve of r E lo es x pm si ec en on t

Watson Graduate School of Management

continues Watson Trading Floor

Riata Center summer 2017 engage@spears

Third Floor

NEW BUSINESS BUILDING

Norman and Suzanne Myers Dean’s Suite

Mech/HVAC/Stairs/etc. Common Areas Team/Breakout Rooms Faculty Offices Centers for Students Conference Rooms Staff Offices Classrooms/Labs

Myers Suite and Conference Room (Dean’s Suite)

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Reception and Myers Suite (Dean’s Suite)

Fourth Floor

NEW BUSINESS BUILDING

Accounting MSIS & Management

Economics & Finance Marketing & Entrepreneurship

continues Keystone Lobby

Typical Dormer Office summer 2017 engage@spears

Basement

NEW BUSINESS BUILDING

Mech/HVAC/Stairs/etc. Common Areas Team/Breakout Rooms Faculty Offices Centers for Students Conference Rooms Staff Offices Classrooms/Labs

Le Norman Auditorium

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NEW BUILDING IMPACT

NEW

PHIL SHOCKLEY / UNIVERSITY MARKETING

BUSINESS

BUILDING

Kim Driskel, Staff erhaps more than any other faculty or staff member in the Spears School of Business, Kim Driskel, dupli-

cating specialist in the Support Services department, is looking forward to moving into the new home of Oklahoma State University’s busi-

“What I look forward to most about the new building, is just that — the newness of it all. I have been in the same office since 1987. The change definitely will be welcomed.” — K I M D R I S K E L

ness school. Driskel has spent 30 years in the current Business Building’s basement. “What I look forward to most about the new building, is just that — the newness of it all. I have been in the same office since 1987. The change definitely will be welcomed,” she says. Driskel says many aspects of the new space will make her job more efficient. “The new building will provide more storage space, new structure and upgraded equipment that will allow things to run more smoothly,” she says.

letters, flyers, etc. She also orders office supplies, manages the billing for copy, print and supplies, and monitors service calls for the large copiers and printers in the building. She is also one of only a few people in the entire building with the keys to the testing vault. Currently, Driskel’s office is at the far end of the building, away from similar offices in the basement. But with the move, she will be connected to the business school’s Support Services and IT departments, taking away some of the pressure to always be at her desk when

Driskel is responsible for all the dupli-

people have small requests. “Being in one

cating for business faculty and staff —

central location will make things much

making large-quantity copies of tests,

easier for me,” Driskel says. @ DOLLIE ELLIOTT

summer 2017 engage@spears

UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES

NEW BUSINESS

A Look Back

BUILDING

Celebration greeted first new building too On Dec. 9, 1964, the groundbreaking ceremony was held for the current Business Building.

BY DAVI D C . PE TE RS

P 50

The new College of Business Building would feature a variety of flexible class-

reparations for facili-

Business College Dean Eugene L .

ties to house the College

Swearingen arranged for architecture

of Business at Oklahoma

students to get a class project designing

State University were initi-

a new building for the Business College.

room styles that would provide spaces for lectures, seminars, laboratories, research, interviews and case studies. It would also include abundant office space. Leftwich, who chaired the building committee, esti-

ated during the spring of 1962. While

At the end of the spring semester, 35

most administrative offices for the

plans were presented to the building

Business College were housed on

committee comprising of Richard

the second floor of Morrill Hall, the

Leftwich (Economics), William Thompson

The College of Business had much to

remaining facilities for the univer-

(Management), Dean Swearingen,

appreciate in 1964. The original School

sityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fastest-growing college were

Assistant Dean Lloyd Garrison, and

of Commerce and Marketing had been

woefully inadequate. Business fac-

later joined by university architect Phil

established in 1914, and its golden anni-

ulty offices, graduate students and

Wilbur. These student designs inspired

versary was celebrated in December.

classrooms were spread across the

many of the architectural elements found

Construction for its new facilities would

university.

in the completed structure.

be starting. Both events were held Dec.

engage@spears summer 2017

mated that the student design proposals had saved two years of preparation work.

Removal of the old building started later

planned for the evening.

in December, and new construction began

The groundbreaking took place on

in January 1965. ture, the building was later expanded

was master of ceremonies, assisted by

to four floors. Costing $1.25 million, the

Susan Allshouse, “Queen of the Business

new Business College home provided

College.” Allshouse provided gold-painted

75,000 square feet of space in the mod-

shovels to each speaker at the conclusion

ified Georgian style found on the OSU

of their remarks. OSU President Oliver

campus. This architectural style started

Willham spoke first and turned the first

with the 25-Year-Plan of former President

shovel of sod and soil. Dean Swearingen

Henry Bennett and Phil Wilbur. In rec-

then spoke, followed by Leftwich, former

ognition and encouragement of student

Dean Raymond Thomas, Business Student

appreciation for the arts and humani-

Council President Jim Moore and other

ties, the building was filled with fine arts

dignitaries.

exhibits, including 61 items provided by

The existing building had been con-

Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Young. Eventually,

structed in 1906 for civil engineering offices and classrooms. This facility had been converted for many purposes during

sculptures, additional paintings and a variety of art objects would be displayed throughout.

its six decades of service, but having

Construction of the new building took 18

completed these multiple missions, it

months. In the “Big Move,” college per-

was becoming increasingly difficult to

sonnel started transferring their offices

maintain. It would be torn down to make

into the new facility on Aug. 9, 1966. It

The building was dedicated on April 29, 1967.

only took three days for the College of Business to settle into its first brand-

BUILDING

Initially proposed as a three-story struc-

Millington, director of Business Extension,

BUSINESS

the lawn west of Morrill Hall. Clayton

NEW

room for the new Business Building.

mony and the 50th anniversary activities

UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES

9: an afternoon , groundbreaking cere-

new home. The building was dedicated on April 29, 1967. For over 50 years, it has provided a base of operations and a center for business education, extension and services to thousands of students, faculty, alumni and corporate partners. @

UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES

Don Gumerson, AIA of Oklahoma City and Chaplin E. Bills & Associates of Stillwater collaborated to design the building.

David C. Peters is head of the University Archives.

cutline summer 2017 engage@spears

NEW BUSINESS

George Krull Jr.

Richard Poole

Bob Sandmeyer

BUILDING

‘I Couldn’t Be More Excited’ BY TERRY TUSH

Hall of Famers remember the new building frenzy of ’66

UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES

engage@spears summer 2017

NEW BUSINESS

klahoma State University business students have called the current Business Building their “home away from home” for more than 50 years. Since the doors opened in 1966 and faculty began teaching classes in the current building, thousands of OSU students have prepared for careers in accounting, finance, marketing and other disciplines in the historic 75,000-square-foot building.

Three Spears Business Hall of Famers were on campus when the current building opened: • Richard Poole was dean of the College of Business, serving in that capacity from 1965 to 1972.

• Bob Sandmeyer was an assistant professor in the Department of Economics and would serve as dean from 1977 to 1994.

BUILDING

• George Krull Jr. had just arrived on campus as a student pursuing his master’s degree in accounting.

What do you remember about moving into the new building in August 1966? Krull: First, it had air conditioning. I remember that because we

Poole: The college was housed basically in old Morrill Hall, and

had sweated through the Estates and Trusts class the summer of ’66. Windows wide open, the hot Oklahoma summer heat just blowing through. I think it was deliberately scheduled in the afternoon given the topic so we would sweat. I remember the conversation distinctly that we were going into an air-conditioned building in August.

we had a few classrooms and very limited office space. The first office I was in had three of us in the office. When we moved into the new building I was elated, and I think everyone else was elated. We were riding high. We thought it was fantastic. When we moved into that building it was state of the art at the time, and in fact several continues

The current building shortly after it opened. UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES

summer 2017 engage@spears

NEW

(business college) deans came to visit us because of the unique things we were doing. One dean from South Carolina brought a whole contingent, and they spent two days with us. At the time, we were top dogs because of what we had built.

Sandmeyer: I had an office by myself, and it was airconditioned.

BUSINESS

Those are the two things I remember. We shared the building with sociology, and the reason we did that is because they got a grant from the federal government, and we were going to have interdisciplinary studies between business and sociology. But we never talked to one another. They were on the fourth floor, and the only interaction we had was if we got on the elevator with them.

What was most impressive to you about the new building? Sandmeyer: We thought it was a great building. Again, you

Krull: We taught in rooms 101, 102 and 103, and they were tiered

just have to know that we were in Morrill Hall, and Morrill Hall was not great. We were excited to be in a building where you had an office to yourself.

classrooms. We had a chalkboard that ran from the door to the wall, tiered seating, a podium, air conditioning … we had it all. It was like getting into a new car with the new smell.

BUILDING

Poole: What I remember the most is we had office space to bring the faculty together, and we had research space.

UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES

“We had a chalkboard that ran from the door to the wall, tiered seating, a podium, air conditioning … we had it all. It was like getting into a new car with the new smell.” — GEORGE KRULL JR.

How excited were the students? Poole: The students started calling the building the Poole Hall,

Krull: There was an excitement of moving into a new building.

and they really got a kick out of it. I talked to the student leaders about taking care of it. I put faith in them, and they delivered. The students really did like it.

There was just a general excitement among the faculty, the students and the staff. And there was a pride in it.

What impact will the new building have?

Krull: Just an overall increase in the esprit de corps among the

Poole: The new building is just awe inspiring to me. I look back

faculty, staff and students. A renewed pride in the Spears School of Business as evidenced by how they treat their home away from home. A showcase for others to come, those who are loyal stakeholders and those who are visitors. A venue for extension education, and all the things that we do that include technology-enabled delivery. It will be a place that others will envy.

now at what we had— ours looks like peanuts, but we were impressed. I think it’s going to have a big impact on the prestige of the school, as well as attracting students and very helpful in attracting quality faculty. I take great pride in it. I just get so excited every time I look at it. The building we moved into 50 years ago was a step up high on the mountain, but this new building is going to take us to the pinnacle. I couldn’t be more excited. @

engage@spears summer 2017

NEW BUILDING IMPACT

NEW

PHIL SHOCKLEY / UNIVERSITY MARKETING

BUSINESS

with tables and seating in the Keystone

ulie Weathers has seen a lot

with 75,000 square feet of space and

throughout her 34 years with

83 faculty spaces. After the addition of

Commons, as well as many smaller pro-

Oklahoma State University’s

the education wing, also known as the

grams in the large conference rooms and

business school. One thing

stacks, the building had six classrooms,

breakout rooms.

that has not changed is the building. She began her career in 1984 with the

the Watson Trading Floor and a computer lab.

“The state-of-the-art facility will be very exciting for our office and its ability for

College of Business Administration as a

Business Extension began in 1953 with

our staff to meet with faculty and staff

graduate assistant in Business Extension

just a few programs. Today, the Center for

and be in one building to facilitate ease

(known today as the Center for Executive

Executive and Professional Development

of planning and host business events,”

and Professional Development). In 1985,

coordinates faculty-led programs for cor-

Weathers says.

after earning her MBA at OSU, she became

porations in Oklahoma and elsewhere on

a program coordinator. She also holds a

various business topics. CEPD has facil-

1983 bachelor’s degree in business admin-

itated the Tulsa Business Forums and

istration from the University of Science

Executive Management Briefings speakers

and Arts of Oklahoma in Chickasha.

series for over 30 years, bringing interna-

She went on to earn a doctoral degree in occupational and adult education, human resource development from OSU’s College of Education while working at Business Extension. In 1994, Weathers was named director of the Center for Executive and Professional Development, a position she still holds. Oh, and about that soon-to-be-old business building: At the time of its construction, it was a modern four-story building

tionally known speakers such as former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former GE CEO Jack Welch, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and many more business and government leaders to Oklahoma with assistance from corporate sponsors. One challenge CEPD has is not being able to host events onsite. The new building will allow CEPD to host up to 80 people

BUILDING

Julie Weathers, CEPD

The center will also take advantage of the many conference rooms to meet with staff and visiting business professionals. Weathers is most looking forward to having all the Spears Business personnel together. “We are very proud of the new building. It will be great to have all faculty, clinical faculty, graduate assistants, staff and business students in one building, so it will be easier to network and work together on projects,” she says. “The new building will also be wonderful to enhance the working atmosphere and host business professionals, seminars and social events.” @ DOTTIE ELLIOTT

summer 2017 engage@spears

PHIL SHOCKLEY / UNIVERSITY MARKETING

Thurmond named schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top senior BY DOLLIE ELLIOTT

engage@spears summer 2017

The honor allowed Thurmond to carry the Spears Business flag as part of the opening ceremony to the OSU spring commencement May 13, making her the first business student to receive her diploma. Thurmond is the daughter of Gayla Thurmond and the late Eric Thurmond of Edmond, Okla.

years, and eagerly anticipate the extraordinary things she is certain to achieve in the future.”

5 Senior in the Marketing Department and an Outstanding Senior by the Spears School.

“When I look at this award, it brings tears to my eyes,” Thurmond says. “Words could not express how thankful and honored I am to receive this award. For me, academic success and campus leadership are not the most important factors that this award signifies. The greatest factor that this award recognizes, a factor that is so precious to me, is the fact that it represents that I was blessed to have the opportunities to change people’s lives while attending OSU.

On campus, Thurmond was the president of the African-American Student Association and vice president of the Theta Mu Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. She was also a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, Phi Kappa Phi, the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, the Marketing Club and the AfricanAmerican Business Student Association.

“As those who are close to me know, I started this journey determined to overcome the various challenges of today’s society and break barriers while fearlessly chasing my dreams. I knew that I wanted to leave a legacy at OSU, in hopes of empowering other individuals to do the

“… Tiffany leaves a lasting legacy of leadership that will continue to transform the institution. Her pursuit of excellence and perseverance epitomizes the OSU spirit.”

After graduation, Thurmond joined the sales development team of Qualtrics, a private research software company, at its headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah. She shares how the Spears School and OSU helped her prepare for her future. “From my very first class within the Spears School of Business to today, I have always received the best education that

JORDAN BENSON

iffany Thurmond, a recent marketing and business management graduate at Oklahoma State University, received the prestigious 2017 Raymond D. Thomas Award, given to the top senior in the Spears School of Business. Each year, a faculty committee in the business school votes who will receive the award and the lifetime membership to the OSU Alumni Association.

— JASON KIRKSEY

“Tiffany is a remarkable young woman who is indeed worthy of being named an OSU Outstanding Senior,” says Jason Kirksey, vice president and chief diversity officer at OSU. “In addition to her exceptional academic achievements at OSU, Tiffany leaves a lasting legacy of leadership that will continue to transform the institution. Her pursuit of excellence and perseverance epitomizes the OSU spirit. We are proud and honored to have watched her develop over the past four

same. The Raymond D. Thomas Award helped me bring those goals to reality. Receiving this honor brings me so much joy because I know that those who come after me — especially within my community — will have a testimony to look up to that embodies the fact that no one can tell you what you can and cannot achieve.” Thurmond was also named a 2017 Outstanding Senior by the OSU Alumni Association, a Department of Marketing Orange Book Outstanding Senior, a Top

Gayla, Tiffany and Eric Jr. hold a photo of Tiffany and Eric Thurmond Sr. during her high school graduation.

I could possibly obtain. I am so thankful for all of my faculty, staff and organizations that are within the Spears School of Business, as they each have played an integral part into the development of my current and future success. One of my favorite parts of the Spears School of Business is the priceless relationships that I have fostered over the past years. Whether it is with my adviser or with one of my professors, each goes above and beyond to make sure that I develop professionally and personally,” Thurmond says. @ summer 2017 engage@spears

GARY LAWSON / UNIVERSITY MARKETING

Gerardo Rico Cervantes

PHOTO COURTESY

Tiffany Thurmond

Two Spears students named Outstanding Seniors BY DOLLIE ELLIOTT

wo seniors from Spears School of Business were among the 2017 Outstanding Seniors selected by the Oklahoma State University Alumni Association.

The Outstanding Senior award recognizes seniors who excel through academic achievement; campus and community activities; academic, athletic or extracurricular honors or awards; scholarships and work ethic during their time at OSU. The Spears School of Business honorees were Gerardo Rico Cervantes, a marketing and international business double major from Anadarko, Okla., and Tiffany Thurmond, a marketing and business management double major from Edmond, Okla. “I am extremely humbled and honored to have been selected as an Outstanding Senior here at OSU. Being able to represent

engage@spears summer 2017

my family and my heritage really is an honor in itself, and I couldn’t ask for a better way than this,” Cervantes says. “If you fearlessly chase your dreams while focusing on your education, OSU will help you take your unique qualities to the next level,” Thurmond says. “I am so very thankful for this honor as it brings to reality the legacy that I aimed to leave here at OSU since the beginning of my freshman year.”

Sixteen seniors received the awards. The selection committee chose them after meeting with the 43 Seniors of Significance selected in the fall of 2016 and reviewing their applications. A banquet honoring the Outstanding Seniors was held April 27 at the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center in Stillwater. @

“Being able to represent my family and my heritage really is an honor in itself, and I couldn’t ask for a better way than this.” — G E R AR DO R I CO CE RVANTE S

S P E A R S B U S I N E S S O U T S TA N D I N G S E N I O R S

SPEARS BUSINESS SENIORS OF SIGNIFICANCE The OSU Alumni Association recognized 43 students as OSU Seniors of Significance for the 2016-2017 academic year. The Seniors of Significance Award

Megan Babovec, Finance, Frisco, Texas Nicole Branstetter, Marketing with a minor in Management, Ponca City, Okla.

Kylie Keener, General Business and Entrepreneurship, Locust Grove, Okla. Casey Kolbeck, Economics, Wichita Dillon Mitchell, Management and

recognizes students who have excelled

Amanda Brown, Management Science

Information Systems and Finance with

in scholarship, leadership and service

and Information Systems, Tulsa

a minor in Management, Wichita

to campus and community, and have

Samantha Cheng, Accounting,

Kelsey Ray, Accounting, Tulsa

brought distinction to OSU.

Bartlesville, Okla.

Kylie Shentwu, Sports Management

Austin Johnson, Finance, Afton, Okla.

Megan Coder, Finance, Tulsa

and Marketing, Broken Arrow, Okla.

Megan Coder, Finance, Tulsa

Courtney Fryar, Management with

Hannah Sieler, Marketing and

Kelsey Ray, Accounting, Tulsa

minors in Human Resources, Gender &

International Business with a minor in

Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Studies, Owasso, Okla.

Spanish, Tulsa

Carson Guinn, Economics and Finance

Tiffany Thurmond, Marketing and

with a minor in Accounting, Wichita, Kan.

Business Management, Edmond, Okla.

Tiffany Thurmond, Marketing and Business Management, Edmond, Okla. Gerardo Rico Cervantes, Marketing and International Business, Anadarko, Okla.

Austin Johnson, Finance, Afton, Okla.

Top Spears Business Seniors The Spears School of Business honors the top five seniors from each of the

Hunter Taylor, Flower Mound, Texas

seven academic departments each

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

year. These outstanding students were

Elizabeth Bess, Wellston, Okla.

recognized during the 64th Annual Honors and Awards Banquet in March. ACCOUNTING Samantha Cheng, Bartlesville, Okla. Tam Dang, Oklahoma City Edgar Delgadillo-Plasencia, Enid, Okla. John Dimond, Edmond, Okla. Cassidy Edwards, Colleyville, Texas ECONOMICS AND LEGAL STUDIES Veronica Almanza, Tulsa

Jenika Birdsong, Edmond Tyler Entz, Hydro, Okla. Chance Imhoff, Prague, Okla. Alexa Schmidt, Barrington, Ill. FINANCE Blake Burchel, Enid Hannah Gilmore, Plano, Texas Jacob Ishee, Tulsa Mike Nemec, Columbia, Mo. Austin Roberts, Aledo, Texas

Amber Ramsey, Colcord, Okla. Sara Zoglman, Garden Plain, Kan. MANAGEMENT SCIENCE AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS Amanda Brown, Tulsa Nona Campbell, Franklin, Mich. Davey Dolan, Berryhill, Okla. Dillon Mitchell, Wichita Brett Shaw, Inola, Okla. MARKETING AND INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS Joshua Alexander, Tulsa Kelsey Hopson, The Colony, Texas Sara Leguizamon Schippner,

Macie Grippin, Haslet, Texas

MANAGEMENT

Hassfurt, Germany

Carson Guinn, Wichita, Kan.

Aqeel Albahar, Qatif, Saudi Arabia

Gerardo Rico Cervantes, Anadarko,

Morgan Hunt, Owasso, Okla.

Arianna Cole, Tulsa Rachel Nichols, Tulsa

Okla. Tiffany Thurmond, Edmond

summer 2017 engage@spears

Jeretta Horn Nord made her own path

Small Town, Big Dreams BY ARIEL WEST

he may have been born in Sherman, Texas, in 1956, but Jeretta Horn Nord has always been an Oklahoma gal.

The management science and information systems professor grew up on a ranch in Colbert, Okla., with an older sister and a younger brother. She was always active, playing the piano, twirling a baton or participating in 4-H. A strong work ethic was

engage@spears summer 2017

Jeretta in the Fox News Strategy Room

instilled in her early; waking up at 5 a.m. to feed show calves is not for the faint of heart. “I notice a lot of students who come [to OSU] from rural areas have a really good work ethic, and I believe it’s because they have been required to help with feeding cattle or horses, doing chores or perhaps participating in other work-related activities as a child,” she says.

To further illustrate that point, the 12-year-old Nord would ride her bicycle across rural Colbert selling greeting cards from a catalog. She waited to collect the money until she delivered the product but ran into an unexpected problem when she realized she wouldn’t have any money to order the stationery and cards. “Rather than my parents giving me the money, my dad took me to the bank,

and I made a personal loan at the age of 12,” Nord says. “I paid it back immediately after I collected the money from the customers and used the profits to buy Christmas presents that year. It’s one of my most vivid memories from my childhood and a good lesson to learn about managing money. This is just one example of the love, time, and effort my parents invested in our family for which I am

She received her master’s degree from Southeastern Oklahoma State in 1979 and began working full time in the registrar’s office, eventually becoming the director of admissions for three years. But something was still missing. That’s when she decided to pursue a doctorate and was admitted into OSU’s doctoral program for business education. Nord first stepped foot on OSU’s Stillwater campus in 1980.

“Just because you get a degree, don’t say ‘Now I’m done.’ You’ll always learn throughout your life. And I still learn ….” — J E R E T TA H O R N N O R D

eternally grateful.”

SPEARS BUSINESS

Even as a first-generation college graduate, it was never a matter of if she was going to attend college, but where. Nord’s parents expected only the best, so Nord completed Colbert High School as the valedictorian in 1974 and immediately began working on her bachelor’s degree in business education at Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant. She was involved in several campus organizations and joined the Sigma Kappa sorority. She even obtained her private pilot’s license during her sophomore year.

“I knew I wanted to teach, and after student teaching, I knew I wanted to teach at the university level, the students are a lot more devoted, dedicated. They’re here because they want to be, so you don’t have some of the issues you may have at other levels,” Nord says. “I love the energy at the university; I love the students and really getting to know them. Working with students through professional development activities that we’ve done in organizations … it’s worked out well. Being a professor has been a great career for me.” Coming from a small town, Stillwater seemed big to Nord. But after visiting the

campus, she knew she wanted to come to OSU. She taught typewriting and information systems as a graduate teaching assistant and took summer courses to finish her doctorate in a quick two years with a concentration in information systems. “I had an advisor at Southeastern who had gone to OSU, her name was Lois Crow, and she recommended I go to OSU because they had a great program in business education. … So I visited, and after that, there was no decision, I knew I wanted to come here,” Nord says. She was fascinated by technology and the quick developments happening in the new field, so Nord focused on the management information systems field, becoming one of the first women to teach in this discipline. She taught at OSU for two years before moving to the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas, for a year. She returned to OSU and has been here ever since. Approximately every seven years since 2000, Nord has taken a semester-long sabbatical to other universities. She has been a visiting scholar at the University of California-Los Angeles, and the University of Southern Queensland in Australia, and served as a Fulbright Senior Specialist at the University of Primorska in Slovenia. Most recently, Nord conducted research in Argentina, Chile and Ecuador, which helped expand her Empowering Women through Social Technologies research and develop professional relationships with other researchers and professionals. She is continues

Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO) Officers and Faculty Advisor

summer 2017 engage@spears

J E R E T TA H O R N N O R D Achievements and Recognitions 1976 1989

» »Southeastern Oklahoma State University Homecoming Queen » »Computer Educator of the Year , International Association for Computer Information Systems

1993

» »Director’s Award , International Association for Computer Information Systems

2003 2005 2006 2007

» »Award for Excellence , Emerald Literati Club » »Award for Excellence for Advisement , Oklahoma State University » »MSIS Faculty Achievement Award , ConocoPhillips » »Greiner Undergraduate Teaching Award , Spears School of Business, OSU

2008

» »Distinguished Alumna , SOSU » »CEO Outstanding Organization

in the Spears School of Business — Faculty Advisor

» »Fulbright Senior Specialists Grant ,

J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board

» »Merrick Teaching Award for Bringing Free Enterprise into the Classroom, OSU

2011

2012

» »MBA Faculty of the Year , OSU » »Special Recognition Award , Association for Continuing Higher Education » »Women of the Year , 50 Making a Difference, The Journal Record » »AAUW Excellence in Civic Engagement Award , ConocoPhillips — Faculty Advisor

» »AUW Outstanding Organization

in the Spears School of Business — Faculty Advisor

2013 2014

» »Top 20 Professors in Oklahoma » »Lifetime Achievement Award , Knowledge Management Conference » »Woman of Outstanding Leadership , International Women’s Leadership Association

2015 2017

» »Best Research Paper , Knowledge Management Conference » »Excellence in Leadership Award , Knowledge Management Conference » »Best Research Paper , Knowledge Management Conference » »Golden Torch Award , OSU Mortar Board Other Contributions

1986-09 2004-07 2004-10 2007-09

» »Editor-in-Chief , The Journal of Computer Information Systems » »Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs , Spears Business, OSU » »ConocoPhillips SPIRIT Scholars Co-Coordinator » »Faculty Advisor and Founder , OSU Chapter, Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO)

2009now

» »Executive Editor , The Journal of Computer Information Systems » »Founder and Co-author , A Cup of Cappuccino for the Entrepreneur’s Spirit book series

2010now 2011 2011-14 2012-14 62

» »Faculty Advisor and Co-founder , OSU Chapter, American Association of University Women (AAUW)

» »Co-editor , MBA Preferred » »Executive Director , Spears Business Speakers Bureau » »Executive Director , Spears Business Mentoring Program

engage@spears summer 2017

“Social technologies have allowed women to find a voice that they may not have had before both inside and outside the workplace.” —J E R E T TA N O R D

working on this research with colleagues in 24 countries on five continents. “Some things I have learned … are how social technologies are used in the workplace, and how using these platforms can empower not only women, but everyone really,” Nord says. “What started out as personal social media platforms are now strategically used by businesses to gain competitive advantages. Companies have realized great benefits that translate into profits at a reasonable cost from using social technologies to communicate, gain exposure and create awareness for advertising, customer relations, customer service, marketing, networking and even recruiting. Social technologies have allowed women to find a voice that they may not have had before both inside and outside the workplace.” At the beginning of each class, Nord gives a life lesson that makes a difference and inspires the students. Her advice is to step away from textbooks every now and then and dive in to other important things. “I teach from the book, so I have lectures and there’s a lot to learn from the content, but I really feel it’s my responsibility to teach students other things,” Nord says. “What I try to think about is, ‘What would I want to know at their age that I know now and didn’t know when I was their age?’ “Some of the things that I talk to them about are networking and how important those relationships are. I have students complete projects where they work with real businesses and users of technology and work as teams. They learn a lot

Nord has co-authored the book series A Cup of Cappuccino for the Entrepreneur’s Spirit, which now boasts four books. The series includes about 50 stories per book from successful entrepreneurs around the world and aims to inspire the entrepreneurial spirit in all who read it. The book series may not have been as successful without a New York City twist of fate for Nord, her husband Daryl and her youngest son Nicholas. “One of my goals with the book was to get on national television, but agents cost a lot of money, so I wasn’t sure how I was going to do that,” Nord says. “We got off the metro in New York City and there was a Fox News truck … so I took my business card and bookmark out and told Nicholas to come with me and learn something.”

“I walked up and introduced myself, we talked for a minute, and Adam Shapiro, a Fox Business reporter, asked how long I was going to be in New York City. He said he’d like for me to be on Fox Business. This was during the recession, and many who had lost their jobs were starting businesses. It was the answer to one of my goals.” Though she has traveled all over the world, Nord believes the Spears School of Business was the best place she could have ended up in her career. She continues to learn every day, which is a must in the fast-paced MIS field. “One of the things I try to talk to my students about is to continue learning,” Nord says. “Just because you get a degree, don’t say ‘Now I’m done.’ You’ll always learn throughout your life. And I still learn, I learn from my students sometimes. It’s been a wonderful career full of opportunities. I feel so fortunate to be here at OSU and the Spears School. We truly have great administration both at OSU and in the Spears School, and I am just really grateful to be a part of that.”

COURTESY JERETTA NORD

working with other people, and I always tell them, ‘It’s not about whether you had a conflict on your team, it’s how you handled that conflict.’ So when recruiters ask them about their projects, that’s what they’re looking for; that’s real-world.”

Jeretta and her husband Daryl.

Family is important to Nord and she considers herself fortunate that her husband and children are also connected to OSU. She is married to OSU professor emeritus Daryl Nord and their four children, Jason, Rebecca, Audrey and Nicholas, all graduated from OSU. Nord loves to travel and spend time at beautiful beaches underneath palm trees with a good book. @

FOX NEWS

Jeretta Nord on the set of Fox Business with news anchor Jenna Lee.

summer 2017 engage@spears

JORDAN BENSON

Malik Miller and Alicia Smales examine an informational flyer in the Eastin Center.

Eastin Center gets students career-ready BY ARIEL WEST

he Eastin Center for Talent Development inspires, encourages and provides opportunities for Spears School of Business students to obtain the highest level of career readiness. It complements the Spears curriculum by offering professional development programs that prepare students for the world of work.

The Eastin Center has continued to evolve since its 2014 launch. The priority the first two years was to establish a curriculum focused on professional development and leadership, which was led by professor Andy Urich. In addition, Bryan Edwards focused on increasing the school’s corporate engagement efforts. Like most new initiatives, there were bumps along the way. For example, the Eastin Center developed a certificate program tied to center-sponsored events. Although the certificate program had its flaws, the

center took away key learnings to apply to future programs. In 2016, OSU alumnus Alicia Smales became the director of the Eastin Center. Her 35 years of corporate experience, combined with Urich’s expertise in leadership instruction and Edwards’ research capability, provided a solid foundation for career readiness initiatives. “We knew what we wanted the goal of the center to be, but it took some time to figure out the best way to teach these continues

engage@spears summer 2017

‘soft’ skills that employers are looking for,” Urich says. “Employers are interested in your knowledge and skills, but ultimately they hire and promote based on personality, so how do we teach that? We helped inspire a new core curriculum with a practical focus that asks the students, ‘What did you learn?’” In 2016, the Spears School’s Career Services function merged with the Eastin Center. Kelsey Lee, manager of Career Services, designs and implements the Eastin Center student programming. Career Wise Wednesdays provide students with valuable tools, knowledge and resources to develop and practice critical professional development skills required to be successful in moving up professional ranks. “It doesn’t take much to derail an interview or a student’s career,” Lee says. “Our programs and events are designed to build skills and confidence in navigating business situations. We offer and cover a variety of subjects, and we work

with company representatives to present on current topics. We also offer one-onone personalized coaching for students to learn and become successful in the internship/job search process.” “We are going to connect with the students starting their freshman year and track progress throughout their undergraduate career,” Edwards says. “We’re helping them build their business network by connecting them to internships, and we are trying to move the needle for all students. The key is that the students have to feel comfortable in business settings, and that comes with knowledge and practice.” “Our biggest challenges moving forward are awareness, participation and scale,” Smales says. “We are finding new ways to connect Spears students with the Eastin Center. For example, the students who participate in our Eastin advocate program promote the Eastin Center to their networks. By sharing their personal stories on professional development, they help build awareness and participation in

Eastin Center events. Ensuring accessibility for all Spears students is important.” “Forty percent of our students are firstgeneration college students, and it’s incumbent upon us to make sure all students are job ready when they graduate from OSU. We’re excited to start our third year in the fall of 2017, and we’re encouraged that we will continue building upon the momentum that we’ve accrued with students, industry, faculty and administrators.” The Eastin Center program will continue to expand. New initiatives include personal finance, understanding industry clusters, job shadowing for a day, and the launch of a rental service that provides free interview apparel to students. “Our job as a university and a business school is to deliver students to industry who are capable, confident and business savvy,” Smales says. “The Eastin Center is one of the many tools we have within Spears to facilitate student growth.” @

Training Frontline Excellence The Center for Customer Interface Excellence (CIE) in the

Recent OSU graduate Laney Wilson credits the CIE class

Spears School of Business is the fast track to industry suc-

for why she was offered an opportunity to transfer within

cess for marketing students.

Starbucks to Colorado Springs. She’s on track to becoming

CIE focuses on the point of connection between an organization’s frontline employees and its customers, providing a

a shift manager and is the quality and safety assurance lead with the Stillwater Starbucks location.

specialized education for students interested in careers in

“The things I have learned by being a part of CIE aren’t just

retailing, personal sales or services marketing. Students work

definitions you could learn in another classroom; it’s exactly

toward the Certificate in Customer Interface Excellence. The

what you need to know to succeed,” says Wilson, who earned

program partners with businesses to provide students insights

her bachelor’s degree in marketing in May. “Our industry part-

into a variety of industries. Participating companies get first

ners meet with us to teach us about the hiring process, industry

dibs on highly qualified job candidates.

tips and tricks, and it’s not the same thing every semester.”

The program launched in the fall of 2014 under the direction

“My Frontline Marketing Certification through CIE has really

of Tom Brown and Todd Arnold, both professors of marketing

been one of the main factors that made me realize I wanted

in the Spears School. Currently, 12 companies have partnered

to turn my college job into a career. Learning how to be an

with CIE to engage with students in the classroom, with on-

excellent frontline employee, along with marketing knowl-

site visits and during receptions.

edge, has really made me grow to love my job, and the com-

“We have over 700 marketing majors in the Spears School — that’s a lot of people competing for the good jobs. Our graduates find great jobs, often with the companies that participate with us in the center,” Brown says.

pany, more and more. I look forward to seeing how I can further apply my CIE background as I continue to move up in the company.” ARIEL WEST summer 2017 engage@spears

PHOTOS / GEORGE BULARD

STUDENT NEWS

Courtney Dike

Zach Olsen

Pair of Spears School grads earns Scholar-Athlete honors

ecent Oklahoma State

Dike graduated with honors in May,

Olsen graduated in May, earning a bach-

University graduates

earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees

elor’s degree in finance with a minor in

Courtney Dike and Zach

in accounting and minoring in Spanish.

accounting.

Olsen — both students in

Carrying a 3.82 grade-point average, Dike

the Spears School of Business —

is a three-time Academic All-Big 12 First

were recognized as the Scholar-

Team selection and a three-time CoSIDA

Athletes of the Year for 2016-17 at the

Academic All-District 7 honoree.

24th annual OSU Athletics Academic Awards banquet in April.

She was named to the 2016 NSCAA Division I Scholar All-America Second

Dike is a former Cowgirl soccer standout,

Team to go along with her NSCAA Scholar

and Olsen was a member of the Cowboy

All-South Region First Team honors. She

golf team.

is the sixth OSU player to earn NSCAA

“We are very proud that two of our students were named the Scholar-Athletes

Scholar All-America recognition and the first since 2012.

named a Division I semifinalist for the Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year Award in May. He was a Cleveland Golf/Srixon AllAmerica scholar following both his junior and senior seasons, and is a threetime Academic All-Big 12 First Team honoree. He was a seven-time Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll selection, was named to the Dean’s Honor Roll

of the Year for OSU,” says Ken Eastman,

On the field, Dike capped a standout

four times, a two-time President’s Honor

dean of the Spears School of Business.

career in 2016 as she was named the

Roll selection, and named to the Big 12

“Courtney and Zach represent the very

Big 12 Co-Offensive Player of the Year

Academic All-Rookie Team (2014). @

best of what our students are capable

and an All-Big 12 First Team performer.

of accomplishing. We laud them for their

She finished the season with 10 goals

abilities and are excited to see what they

and seven assists. Her career puts her

accomplish in the future.”

in the top five on OSU’s all-time lists in goals (31), assists (21), points (83) and shots (204).

Graduating with a 3.7 GPA, Olsen was

engage@spears summer 2017

SPEARS BUSINESS

Current MBA Association Officers, left to right, are: Matt Levitt, Duygu Phillips, Tess Hollopeter, Niloufar Mehrafza. Ricky Boyer, Sadia Tasnim, Kyle Lake, and Imran Selim.

MBA students bond in association BY TAY LO R M U L L A N

icky Boyer wants to do all he can to help MBA students make the most of their experience in Oklahoma State University’s award-winning program. “Forming study groups can only go so far in helping make the memorable connections that will last through our working careers,” the OSU MBA Association president says of the importance of fostering a more uniform form of students bonding with others in the program. He also believes it’s important to supplement any school material with real-world experiences. “For instance, this semester we have brought in a variety of different speakers to talk with students outside of a formal classroom setting,” Boyer says. “We’ve also

hosted an event at a local restaurant and brewery, because not everyone wants to go the corporate route with their careers.” The MBA Association’s leadership has designated students within the program who can act as resources on current OSU events and intermediaries between the MBA office and graduate students. The MBA Association is a student-run organization that works with advisory board members, alumni, staff and faculty to provide the best networking and educational opportunities inside and outside the classroom. The MBA Association benefits students by offering a consistent core of representatives for all students to contact. The MBA program has a wide range of members, ranging from international students who already have their master’s degrees, students who just completed

their undergraduate degrees and young professionals. “It’s good to have a core group who make up the MBA Association that is a representation of everyone,” says Kyle Lake, MBA Association co-vice president. The MBA Association coordinates events outside the classroom and develops relationships to be carried forward after graduation. It fosters building connections with all students and sharing and enjoying the diversity of their vast backgrounds. “It’s critical to have a student-run organization to better meet the needs of the students,” says Tess Hollopeter, MBA Association vice president of socials. “It’s important so we can continually improve and change things about funding, events, and our overall experience in the MBAA continues program.”

summer 2017 engage@spears

SPEARS BUSINESS

MBA Advisory Board members, left to right: David Burwell, Matt Fedick, Dan Howard, Nick Miller, Jen Stith, Sarah Burwell, Jai Rajendran, Clint Miller, Ann Dyer, Abbey Davis, Shawn Hollopeter, and Matt J. O’Brien.

MBA Advisory Board looks to make a difference BY TAY LO R M U L L A N

in the business world are important and should influence the direction of the MBA program. We advise the Watson

Since 2013, the MBA Advisory Board has been helping Watson Graduate School of Management Vice Dean Ramesh Sharda and his staff with questions and challenges related to the Spears MBA program and with accomplishing the vision for

tionships, current business needs from near-term graduates and strategic planning and the direction of the MBA program.”

the program.

M B A G R A D UAT E F E L LOWS H I P

The MBA Advisory Board is currently made up of 20 OSU

Continued financial support from alumni to help the OSU

MBA alumni volunteers, a nine-member executive committee

MBA program is vital to attract the best students and future

and 11 board members. Four committees led by vice presi-

graduates. The MBA Advisory Board has committed to cre-

dents focus on alumni outreach, corporate development,

ating the MBA Graduate Student Fellowship. This fellowship

mentoring, external engagement, with one at-large vice

will be an endowed program that, when coupled with uni-

president. A chair-elect is elected annually. After a year of

versity support, will provide a graduate assistantship for at

studying and following the chair, the chair-elect then takes

least one student each academic year.

over the top leadership position for the board and a new chair-elect is elected.

The MBA Advisory Board has committed to fund $20,000 over the next two years to provide the core financial support

Advisory Board President Matthew J. O’Brien completed his

for the fellowship. The goal is to help the program raise at

MBA at Oklahoma State University in 1983. His passion for

least $100,000, which will provide the support to fund one

OSU led him back to help improve MBA students’ soft skills

assistantship per year.

by offering real-world perspective.

If you are interested in participating or want more informa-

“The board interacts with and advises the OSU MBA pro-

tion, contact Tyler Hewitt, associate director of develop-

gram leadership team and the dean of the Spears School of

ment in the OSU Foundation, at thewitt@OSUgiving.com or

Business,” O’Brien says. “We strive to give the team objec-

405-385-5610.

tives and independent perspectives on important issues that impact the MBA program and its students. “The members, all being OSU MBA program graduates, bring an informed view of what works with employers, how the program translates into successful careers, and what trends

Graduate School of Management on curriculum, alumni rela-

engage@spears summer 2017

The MBA program would like to thank everyone who participated in making Give Orange a success. The MBA program raised $4,982 from 19 gifts. @

M B A A S S O C I AT I O N O F F I C E R S The members of the MBA Association executive board joined the organization to help students throughout their time at OSU. The executive board members and their duties: Ricky Boyer is the MBA Association president. His main duties are to set the association’s goals and ensure that the vice presidents and representatives are meeting those goals. Boyer also facilitates discussions between the Association and the MBA director. Lastly, Boyer’s position has a variety of logistical functions regarding the Professional Development class and bringing in guest speakers. Niloufar Mehrafza, vice president of external affairs, organizes students to participate in philanthropic events such as Into the Streets. Duygu Phillips, vice president of international affairs, focuses on opportunities for students to make international connections and promote international involvement. Phillips works to bring in professionals with international business experience so students can learn how to conduct business overseas.

Tess Hollopeter is the vice president of socials. She plans and organizes social events by contacting establishments ahead of time and working with the president to get social events implemented and funded. Hollopeter attends executive meetings and helps with various capacities as needed. Kyle Lake and Sadia Tasnim are the co-vice presidents of campus representation. Both attend the Graduate and Professional Student Government Association (GPSGA) meetings to help keep the MBA Association involved in the graduate community and up to date on news and events. Being representatives for the MBA program at GPSGA, Lake and Tasnim are the correspondents between the students and GPSGA. Keeping a good attendance for the MBA program it allows the program to apply for funding for the MBA Association, which helps coordinate activities that benefit students. Matt Levitt, the MBA Association’s Tulsa representative, creates student opportunities for professional, cultural and social development outside the classroom in Tulsa and bridges the gap between Tulsa and Stillwater MBA students.

FUTURE EVENTS During Homecoming, the MBA program will participate in the Sea of Orange Parade, hosting Coaches vs. Cancer, giving children and their families the opportunity to be a part of the big parade.

MBA students will be able to volunteer as a group for Into the Streets, an annual event where students assist individuals in Stillwater.

Tulsa students will enjoy two networking events, one joint volunteer opportunity with undergraduate business students, and participate in Global Entrepreneurship Week at 36 Degrees North. Activities will also be hosted in Oklahoma City to allow online MBA students from that area to engage with the program and network with each other. @

TAYLOR MULLAN

For the fall semester, the MBA Association has several events planned. There will be an international potluck dinner early in the semester. This is a chance for MBA students to share cultural foods and network with other nationalities.

OSU MBA students volunteer at the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.

summer 2017 engage@spears

JORDAN BENSON

hen Spears School of Business entrepreneurship students walked into their Dilemmas and Debates class on a Tuesday afternoon in February, they received more of a lesson than they expected. Randall White had been invited to share how heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d overseen the growth of Tulsa-based Educational Development Corp. (EDC) from a small company struggling to keep its doors open to being named the top-performing publicly traded company in Oklahoma in 2016.

What you see is what you get with the outspoken White, and many students were shocked when the 75-year-old began sharing his story, which includes getting

engage@spears summer 2017

fired when he was 40 years old, taking control of EDC when it was losing nearly $1 million a year, and having the fortitude to tell Amazon to take a hike in 2012 as the internet website was growing into a multi-billion-dollar sensation. White’s success is inspiring to Oklahoma State University students as well as anyone who knows a feel-good story when they see one.

“I just think good things happen to me,” says White, who grew up in Keystone, Okla. (“That was before they built the Keystone Dam. My original house is now 60 feet under water,” he says.). “I’m very fortunate, and I’m very thankful and appreciative that a little skinny kid from Keystone, Oklahoma [could] wind up recently being named the top-performing company in Oklahoma, and the fastest-growing

company in the publishing industry.” The Oklahoma honor came from the 2016 Oklahoma Inc. ranking of the top public companies in the state. But it hasn’t been easy. With four job offers in hand after graduating from OSU with an accounting degree in 1963 (see sidebar, Page 73), White accepted a job with Mid-America Pipeline (MAPCO) in Tulsa. After a short foray into owning and continues

ALL ABOUT IT

OSU accounting grad turns children’s book business into a winner BY TERRY TUSH summer 2017 engage@spears

JORDAN BENSON

Randall White shares his business advice with a Spears Business entrepreneurship class.

“Getting fired was one of the luckiest things that ever happened to me.” — running a freight business, he was named the chief financial officer at Nicor Drilling during the oil boom of the 1980s. When a new president took over, White saw the writing on the wall, but he was still shocked to be fired.

captain of the Titanic, because we were sinking fast, he says.”

network of independent sales agents who sold its books from their homes.

It was a rough start. Early in his tenure he called all 22 employees together on a Friday afternoon to tell them there wasn’t enough money to make payroll.

“After about a week or two you get up in the morning and you shave and you break out into a sweat, and you think, I’m 40 years old, I’ve got two children, and I don’t have a job,” White says. “I probably have an ego about the size of Dallas and half of Fort Worth, so it didn’t really make me question myself.”

“I said, ‘Here’s the plan: We have some money, and I know some of you have written checks on your checks. So for those who have done that, come up and get your check. If some of you can wait until Monday, we’ll probably have more money coming in. And then all the managers and officers, we’ll get ours last.’ Well, I got ready to get out of the way for people to bolt and run over me on the way to the door, and nobody flinched. I’m very proud of that. So Monday, money came in and it never happened again,” White says. “That was the start of it.”

“We were shooting ourselves in the foot,” White said in a story published on the front of the New York Times Business section (“Daring to Cut Off Amazon,” April 15, 2012, okla.st/2tybwGZ).

But it did make him seriously consider his future. That led him to apply for the controller job with Educational Development Corp., where he was told that he was overqualified and would be paid only half of what he was making at Nicor. With few options, he accepted the position. “Getting fired was one of the luckiest things that ever happened to me,” he says. EDC, a small publishing company that sells children’s books, was on the verge of filing for bankruptcy — losing $5 million in five years on $6 million revenue, White says — when the chief executive officer was ousted, and White took over in 1986. “It was about like being named

RANDALL WHITE

engage@spears summer 2017

White oversaw EDC’s growth over the years to 77 employees and a stock-market valuation of $18 million in 2012 before making one of the most daring moves of his career. Amazon was purchasing EDC’s books from a distributor and offering them online for a substantial discount. While this was nice for readers, it created issues with other retailers carrying EDC’s titles and irritated the company’s large

So the small publisher from Tulsa pulled nearly 1,800 children’s books away from Amazon. It was a bold move, but one that White looks back on now with great pride. EDC’s sales were about $35 million in 2015, nearly doubled to $65 million a year ago, and in the most recent fiscal year that finished in February increased to $106 million. White says he expects this year’s sales to be $150 million to $200 million. The company he took over 31 years ago has 220 employees in its Tulsa building and 27,000 independent sales agents around the world selling the popular Usborne and Kane Miller lines of children’s books. “The company has totally changed in two years,” he says. “The building, technology, capital, personnel have all changed to meet the volume of business.”

In January 2016, EDC moved into a new 40-acre complex with 414,000 square feet of office/warehouse space, which it purchased from the Hilti Corp. Hilti leases back 187,000 square feet from EDC. “So we have 227,000 square feet in this building and 100,000 over [in our original building], and it’s full. We’ve got 20 million books in inventory,” White says. EDC sells to book stores, museums and toy shops, but its fastest-growing division is direct sales. Nearly 27,000 people — mostly mothers looking to add discretionary income to the family household — sell from their homes to parents, schools and libraries. But White is far from satisfied, even at the age of 75. “It’s a fun place to work. We have fun every day,” he says, pointing out that his mother worked in the EDC office until three days before she died at the age of 95.

“I was at the bowl game in Arizona with OSU [in 2015] and my brother called me Sunday morning and said she got up to put her shoes on. He said, ‘Where you going, Mom?’ She said, ‘I’ve got to go to work.’ He said, ‘No, it’s Sunday.’ So she lay back down, and an hour later she died. She worked every day until she was 95. It’s that type of company. I’m very proud of that.” But it wasn’t fun last fall, the busiest selling season for EDC. The company was inundated with book orders, and at one time had more than 125,000 orders to ship. They were struggling to get 8,000 orders out the door in a day, and customers were not happy when told that their books would not be delivered by Christmas. “It was a pretty ugly time for us,” White says. “I take the worst [phone calls], the very worst ones. What you do when the person calls and is cursing and screaming

at you because they didn’t get your product, I’m happy about that. Are you kidding me? How many people care that much about what we’re selling that they will call and scream at you because they didn’t get it? “So I talked to them, let them rant and agree with them, and after a while I say, ‘You love these things so much. Do you know we have a program that allows you to sell them yourself?’ Before I get off the phone, I sign them up to be a sales consultant. That’s the quality of product that we sell. Our books are the best in the world.” And that’s the goal that keeps White coming to the office every day. “Last year we were named the top-performing company [in Oklahoma], and I’d like to do that next year and maybe the next year too,” he says. “It’s pretty fun to be number one in anything.” @

White’s Life-Changing Day Randall White says he very easily could have ended up

“When you grow up an OU fan, that’s kind of a big decision,”

attending the University of Oklahoma. But fate — and a

he says. “But when you got there I went into Morrill Hall, turned

secretary who was enjoying her cup of coffee — led him to

left to the dean’s office and there was a secretary out front.

Oklahoma State University.

She couldn’t have been nicer, was glad I was there, walked

White began his college career at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Okla. But once he decided to to major in accounting, he was forced to transfer because the school did not offer an accounting degree. That’s when the story gets interesting.

me through (meeting) people. … It was like night and day. “I tried to go to OU; their loss.” White spent the next two years at OSU and had four job offers upon graduating with his accounting degree in 1963. “Now that lady (in the dean’s office at OU) has probably had

“My dad and I got in the car and we drove to Norman to

the most impact on my life than any single person besides

enroll,” he says. “I’m on campus about 45 minutes and can

my parents, and I don’t know what her name is, because oth-

find no one remotely interested in my arrival. I’m thinking,

erwise I’d have on a red shirt today. I was there (and ready

‘What? I’ve got good grades, (I’m) charismatic, handsome.

to enroll),” he says.

Why would you not want me here?’ “So, finally I walked into the College of Business dean’s office at OU and said, ‘I’m trying to get some information about enrolling,’ and the lady said, ‘I don’t have time to talk to you; I’m on my coffee break.’”

“I drove to Stillwater; that was kind of an emotional decision to make. I never looked back. “I love OSU. OSU is a special place, and I’m very glad that I was a part of it.” TERRY TUSH

White and his dad walked out to the car and drove to Stillwater. It was not an easy decision for White, who grew up rooting for OU football. summer 2017 engage@spears

BLAKE BRASOR

Spears School mentoring program making a difference for students B Y LY D I A B L A I N E

Madie McElroy and Steffany Sharpe-Leach

“I think mentoring is an opportunity for each of us to have connection and learn from the particular relationship we have.” — RICK GREEN

engage@spears summer 2017

klahoma State University alumna Steffany SharpeLeach is staying loyal and true to her alma mater with the Spears School of Business Mentoring Program. The program provides an opportunity for alumni and friends to interact with graduate and undergraduate students. These protégés develop professionally from the mentors’ skills, support, experience and coaching. Sharpe-Leach, an alumna of the Spears Business’ management program, learned about the program while having coffee with a friend. She was familiar with mentoring programs at other universities and was eager to donate her time to something that would benefit current Spears Business students. Although she was excited to be a mentor, Sharpe-Leach admits to being nervous about joining the program. “I hadn’t been in school since 1984,” she says. “I wondered if my protégé and I would get along and what kind of wisdom I could give her. As the semester went on, she showed me the system seemed to be the same as it was when I was a student.” Marketing sophomore Madie McElroy was Sharpe-Leach’s first protégé. McElroy learned of the program through a career development class taught by Andrew Urich, director of student development for the Eastin Center for Talent Development. She felt it would be a good opportunity to

get advice from a successful person to help her be successful in the future. McElroy had no idea that Sharpe-Leach would become more than a mentor, but a friend. “She lives in Houston and I live in Dallas, so we’re pretty far apart,” McElroy says. “We text all the time and have weekly phone calls where if I have any questions or need any advice about anything, then I can talk to her about that.” McElroy sees Sharpe-Leach as a sounding board while providing perspective and inspiration to the younger woman. McElroy was struggling with the career she wanted to pursue before SharpeLeach gave her an encouraging word that led to her re-commitment to pursuing a marketing degree. “Steffany wants me to be successful and is cheering me on,” McElroy says. “She is helping me become a better person and gain more experience while I’m here at OSU.” Friends Nissi Ngassa and Malik Miller, both Spears Business students, know exactly how it feels to have a great mentor. Rick Green, retired Bank SNB CEO and OSU alumnus, has been making a positive difference in their lives for two years. “My experience in the mentoring program has been phenomenal,” Miller says. “Every day with Rick is another memory that not only will I cherish now, but I will reflect on them in my future career.” Ngassa believes mentoring represents growth. Looking back to when he began

the program, he realizes how much of a positive impact Green has had on his professionalism and his character. “The biggest thing Rick has done for my future is being able to help me understand that accountability, service and personal development are lifelong qualities that I need to keep improving on,” Ngassa says. “Those have become staples in my life.” Green accepted the challenge of staying active and contributing to current Spears Business students through the mentoring program. He feels like his protégés have almost mentored him because of the new ideas and sense of youth they give him. “I think mentoring is an opportunity for each of us to have a connection and learn from the particular relationship we have,” Green says. Green believes the Spears School Mentoring Program is an opportunity for alumni to utilize their career experience to make a positive difference in the lives of students. “Being a mentor is an opportunity to build passion and have a partner in their protégé student,” Green says. “I would encourage everyone to be responsible to take on a student and be a positive influence for them.“ If you are interested in becoming a mentor, join and create your profile at www. okstate.chronus.com. For more information, contact Brandy Polo at bpolo@ osugiving.com or 405-385-5179. @ BLAKE BRASOR

Malik Miller, Rick Green and Nissi Ngassa are supporters of the Spears Business Mentoring Program.

summer 2017 engage@spears

Earning a finance degree, playing two sports kept Scott Burk busy while at OSU

BY TERRY TUSH

cott Burk remembers arriving in Stillwater for the first time and never looking back. One of the top two-sport high school athletes in Colorado at the time, the teenager was looking to play football and baseball when he made a recruiting trip to Oklahoma State University in January 1974. Burk is glad he accepted the scholarship offer from Jim Stanley, the Cowboys head football coach then. “I wanted to go away [to school],” Burk says. “I really liked the environment and the atmosphere at OSU and still do to this day.” But he’s the first to admit that his life was not easy in Stillwater. He played quarterback from 1975 to 1978 and was an All-Big Eight Conference third baseman while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in finance. It was hectic. “The only people that really had any trouble with it were the coaches,” he says. “And the football coaches were, ‘Well, you need to be in spring practice for football.’ I said, ‘Well, I’ve got to play baseball.’ The baseball coach said, ‘You really need to be in fall practice for baseball.’ I don’t think it held me back. I was successful in both sports at OSU. Not to the level that I’d like to have been but that was taken out of my hand by all the injuries.” Burk realized he had a golden opportunity in hand with his athletic scholarship paying for college.

OSU REDSKIN

“I had a little bit of an advantage with that because my dad was a college football player [at Rice University]. Both of my parents went there, and they both hammered it into you that education is important,” he says. “Playing sports is fun, but education is important. continues

engage@spears summer 2017

JORDAN BENSON

summer 2017 engage@spears

“One of the things I’ve learned in the 40 years of doing this is the more you make yourself an asset to somebody else, whether it’s to your business, a client or whoever, the easier you’re going to have it and the more you’re going to be successful.” — SCOTT BURK

OSU REDSKIN

“I loved my classes. We had great professors there in the university. At the time, the building there was leading edge, and I was very impressed with that. I was very impressed with just the physical layout of the university itself; I thought it was really pretty. The people there were just fantastic, and I got a little bit of a chance to leave a mark at OSU as a part of the [football] team that won the first Big Eight championship that had been won there,” Burk says. Burk was a member of the OSU football team that won nine games and was crowned Big Eight co-champions with Colorado and Oklahoma in 1976. He admits it was a bittersweet season as he suffered a season-ending broken wrist against Tulsa in the first game of the season. Two years later as a senior, he experienced perhaps the highlight of his OSU football playing career. The 13th-ranked Colorado Buffaloes had won their first five games of the season and came to Stillwater to face the Cowboys, who had yet to win in five tries. But Burk led the Cowboys to a 24-20 upset of the Buffaloes. “I knew a number of the CU players,” Burk told Irv Moss with the Denver Post in 2012. “It was a huge upset, and probably my high point in football. CU was stacked with players that year.” That came on the heels of the 1977 baseball season when he was OSU’s only All-Big Eight selection after leading the team in home runs (14), runs batted in (39), runs scored (44), stolen bases (13) and walks (34). Burk was one of the rare athletes who had a chance to play professionally in both sports. Out of high school, he was drafted in 1974 to play baseball in the 25th round by the Cincinnati Reds, 78

engage@spears summer 2017

and then again as a secondary-phase firstrounder in 1975. After his OSU playing career, he was a sixth-round draft choice of the Boston Red Sox in 1977 and played one season in its organization. He was also a ninth-round pick in the 1979 NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals and played in 16 games that season. Burk “bummed around for another two” seasons in the NFL before playing in the Canadian Football League for a year before retiring. “I got hurt several times at OSU where I was out good parts of the season and did not have the college career that would provide the impetus to go into the NFL at the level you need to be successful,” says Burk, who moved back to the Denver area. He earned a master’s degree in accounting in 1988 and eventually became a CPA. Today, the 61-year-old is owner of Burk & Company, an independent tax CPA firm specializing in partnership and corporate taxation, real estate development and oil and gas activity in the greater Denver area. “One of the things I’ve learned in the 40 years of doing this is the more you make yourself an asset to somebody else, whether it’s to your business, a client or whoever, the easier you’re going to have it and the more you’re going to be successful,” he says. Burk proudly states he’s an Oklahoma State graduate when asked. “Most people’s first reaction is, ‘Oklahoma State? Where is that? Stillwater? Where is Stillwater?’ It’s a little town north of Oklahoma City where you’ll have the best time of your life. And you’ll learn a lot and have a great career because of that.” @

Come join Spears School alumni, current students and friends of the school as we gather prior to a pair of Oklahoma State Cowboys football games this fall. Saturday, Sept. 23 OSU vs. TCU

Saturday, Oct. 14 OSU vs. Baylor (Homecoming)

Tailgates will begin approximately three hours prior to kickoff.

• Food, Fun & Friends • See the Progress of Construction on the New Business Building • Spears School Swag • Bring the Family More information will be available closer to football season on the Spears School website business.okstate.edu

— REBECCA GREENBAUM

Rebecca Greenbaum’s study discovers that people who act unethically often follow with much more commendable actions.

engage@spears summer 2017

JORDAN BENSON

“We wanted to see whether or not people have fear of an evil reputation as a result of their unethical conduct.”

How does unethical behavior affect us? Not like you may think, OSU researchers find BY ARIEL WEST

e hear about business scandals all the time, from Wells Fargo creating fake bank accounts to increase profits to Hampton Creek’s inflated sales numbers. But what happens to us morally after we do something wrong?

In their latest research, Oklahoma State University associate professor of management Rebecca Greenbaum with co-authors and former OSU doctoral students Julena Bonner, assistant professor at Utah State University, and Matt Quade, assistant professor at Baylor University, investigate the aftermath of unethical behavior on an individual. The article combines emotions theories with previous research to explain the effect unethical behavior has on selfimage. Greenbaum and her co-authors were interested to see if people fear for their own reputations and discovered that people tend to try to “make up” for their shame by displaying desirable qualities. “There’s not a lot of research that looks at what people do after they engage in unethical conduct within the organization,” Greenbaum says. “The research that does exist suggests that when people engage in unethical behavior, they morally justify their actions, so they make it seem like their unethical actions aren’t as bad as what other people may view them

as. Another reaction when they engage in unethical conduct is they sometimes engage in progressively worse behaviors over time. “We wanted to see whether or not people have fear of an evil reputation as a result of their unethical conduct. We suggest unethical behavior can lead to shame

different perspective. We suggest that, as a result of shame, people care about their long-term reputations, and therefore they are going to exemplify really desirable qualities so people will want to keep these unethical actors as relational partners.” Greenbaum and her co-authors also found that self-image tied to unethical behavior

“We suggest that, as a result of shame, people care about their long-term reputations, and therefore they are going to exemplify really desirable qualities ….” — REBECCA GREENBAUM

reactions. Shame is an indicator of a selfimage threat … it provides this indication that ‘I’m under threat, other people might see me as having a reduced moral character, and they may not want to associate with me.’” Greenbaum conducted a “shame study” with college undergraduates, asking them to engage in unethical conduct, then take a survey about any shame they felt for being dishonest. She also collected field survey responses from working adults. As a result of her different approach, Greenbaum discovered people don’t quite manage shame the way previous research suggests. “The literature traditionally says that people manage their shame by trying to hide from those around them, so if I don’t want people to know about my unethical behavior, one thing I could do is withdraw from social relationships so I’m not ‘found out,’” Greenbaum says. “We take a

can be even more threatened when the individual is associated with an employer that is intensely focused on a bottom-line mentality. “Our research suggests that if I engage in unethical conduct and I’m associated with this high-bottom-line mentality boss, I’m going to feel even worse about myself because people are going to see through my actions, ‘not only are you possibly unethical, but you are associated with this shady boss. That doesn’t look good in terms of how other people would view you; therefore, you might experience more shame, which would then motivate you to try to exemplify other desirable behaviors to those around you,” Greenbaum says. The article, “Employee Unethical Behavior to Shame as an Indicator of Self-Image Threat and Exemplification as a Form of Self-Image Protection: The Exacerbating Role of Supervisor BottomLine Mentality,” will be published in an upcoming edition of the Journal of Applied Psychology. @ summer 2017 engage@spears

PHIL SHOCKLEY / UNIVERSITY MARKETING

“Both STEM and self-employment are independently important ingredients for economic growth and prosperity. Both play major roles in driving innovation.” — JOHN WINTERS John Winters co-authored an analysis on immigrants and entrepreneurship.

engage@spears summer 2017

the $$$ S H O W ’ E M

BY ARIEL WEST

oreign-born college graduates in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields are far less entrepreneurial than foreign graduates in other majors, according to an analysis of the American Community Survey. Why aren’t these technologically and scientifically minded people starting new businesses?

That’s what Oklahoma State University associate professor of economics and legal studies John Winters and co-author Zhengyu Cai from Southwestern University of Finance and Economics in Chengdu, China, wondered, too, as immigrants to a developed country are generally thought to be more entrepreneurial. One partial yet important explanation is the earning differences between STEM and non-STEM fields: Employed STEM graduates (vs. entrepreneurs) make a lot more money. “Only about 8 percent of foreign-born STEM graduates own their own businesses compared to 11.3 percent of foreign nonSTEM graduates,” Winters says. “We wanted to try to explain this … so we started by documenting that foreign-born STEM graduates, on average, earn much higher in paid employment than their non-STEM counterparts.” The pair compared earnings differences across various college majors for foreign-born graduates. On average, STEM graduates made more money being employed compared to self-employed STEM graduates, but they also made more money than employed non-STEM graduates and self-employed non-STEM graduates. Simply put, STEM graduates have less financial motivation to pursue self-employment. “We find that earnings differences explain a considerable portion of this self-employment difference between STEM and nonSTEM graduates,” Winters says. “Specifically, higher earnings in paid employment accounts for more than 40 percent of the differing self-employment rates between foreign-born STEM graduates and non-STEM graduates. This is only a partial explanation, but a pretty important part of the explanation. … There are certainly some other factors that might be at play here.” Winters suggests that future research should study people transitioning into and out of self-employment and documenting the earnings differences before and after the transition.

“Both STEM and self-employment are independently important ingredients for economic growth and prosperity,” Winters says. “Both play major roles in driving innovation. However, our study documents that foreign-born STEM workers are not especially entrepreneurial in part because they don’t have to be. Many prefer the comfort and security from paid employment and the high salaries that they can earn. “There’s not necessarily a policy solution needed for the low selfemployment rate for STEM graduates. We’re more concerned that the non-STEM graduates on average do quite poorly in selfemployment, which may reflect some sort of selection into selfemployment out of necessity or due to limited options in the paid labor market. Some foreign non-STEM graduates have skills that don’t translate well to the American labor market, perhaps because of language, culture, or employer uncertainty about foreign university credentials.” The research article, “Self-employment differentials among foreign-born STEM and non-STEM workers,” was accepted for publication in the Journal of Business Venturing. To view the article, visit okla.st/2tuovt4. @

Spears’ renewed focus on research Oklahoma State University’s Spears School of Business research e-newsletter, Discover Spears Research, focuses on up-and-coming research from our faculty, while our annual research magazine, Discover@Spears, takes readers on a journey through connected stories that are paving the way. From data analytics to ethical behaviors to government lobbying, Spears faculty take on these tough subjects and discover ways of applying this new knowledge to improve our world. View the Discover Spears Research newsletter archive: https://spears.okstate.edu/research/newsletter-archive/ View the 2016 Discover@Spears magazine: http://viewer. zmags.com/publication/940bcabc#/940bcabc/1 ARIEL WEST

summer 2017 engage@spears

PROMOTIONS Krull’s credentials are impressive, both in the academic and professional accounting communities. He served as a partner in the executive office of Grant Thornton LLP and was the firm’s chief learning officer for many years. Since retiring in 2000, Krull has remained active in accounting. He was an executivein-residence and professor of accounting at Bradley University, where he was GARY LAWSON / UNIVERSITY MARKETING

awarded emeritus status in 2011. Also, he has served the American Accounting Association, AACSB International, AICPA, and the Pathways Commission. He was SPEARS SCHOOL

George W. Krull Jr.

a member of the AACSB International’s Blue Ribbon Committee on Accreditation Quality, has served four terms on the AACSB’s Accounting Accreditation

Marlys Mason

Committee and continues doing busi-

Krull to lead Accounting

ness and accounting accreditation peer reviews.

Mason named associate dean

George W. Krull Jr. is a longtime admirer

Krull received the Outstanding Service

Marlys Mason , associate professor of

of Wilton T. Anderson, the former head of

Award at the American Accounting

marketing who has been an Oklahoma

the School of Accounting who recruited

Association’s annual meeting in New

State University faculty member for 16

him to Oklahoma State University in 1965.

York City in August 2016.

years, has been named an associate dean

“Dr. Anderson taught his students and colleagues many lessons about what it means to consider oneself a professional. One lesson is that there is no greater reward than helping others succeed,” Krull says. The OSU School of Accounting alumnus (master’s degree in accounting, 1966) is hoping to have the same impact on current students that Anderson had on his life. Krull will be interim head of the School of Accounting for the 2017-18 school year, Dean Ken Eastman announced.

He also serves on several university business and accountancy advisory boards,

She began as associate dean on July 1.

Northern Illinois University’s Accountancy

“We are excited to have Dr. Mason join

Executive Advisory Committee.

says. “She is very well respected and

to serve as interim head of the School of

she is very committed to student suc-

Accounting. As I told the faculty, I don’t

cess, and I am confident that she will do

pretend to ever do the job that Wilton

a great job.”

Anderson did while leading the school

Mason replaces Karen Flaherty, who

but I’ll strive to do what he would expect of me,” says Krull, who received his bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from

as our interim head of the School of

University and Michigan State University,

Accounting,” Eastman says. “George has

respectively.

fession and accounting education. He is loyal Cowboy, and we look forward to the leadership he will provide.”

the Spears leadership team,” Eastman

“It’s a privilege and honor to be asked

Ohio State University, Oklahoma State

is still very active in the accounting pro-

Ken Eastman announced.

including OSU’s School of Accounting and

“We are delighted to have Dr. Krull serve

had a very distinguished career, and he

for the Spears School of Business, Dean

served as associate dean since 2014. A member of the Spears Business faculty for the last 17 years, Flaherty will be returning to the classroom as a professor of marketing. “We are very appreciative of Dr. Flaherty’s service to the Spears

Krull was named one of the Spears School

School these past three years. She has

Tributes: 100 For 100 during the busi-

done a tremendous job and we will miss

ness school’s 100th anniversary celebra-

her leadership,” Eastman says.

tion in 2014, and he was inducted into

Mason has taught at the undergrad-

the Spears School Hall of Fame in 2015.

uate, master’s and doctoral levels and in the Consortium of Universities for

engage@spears summer 2017

International Studies. She has taught courses in marketing strategy, marketing and society, consumer behavior and research methods since joining the OSU faculty in 2001. “I’m honored to be moving into this position and have greater opportunity to work with the talented students of Spears

also been an invited resident faculty for

Simkins has received numerous teaching

the Marketing and Public Policy Young

honors over the years, including the

Scholar Workshop, chair of the American

Regents Distinguished Research Award

Marketing Association’s Marketing and

(2010), the Regents Distinguished

Society SIG, chair of the AMA Marketing

Teaching Award (2001), the Outstanding

and Public Policy Conference, and chair

OSU MBA Faculty Award (2002) and

of the Association for Consumer Research

the Merrick Foundation Teaching Award

Latin American Workshop.

(2001), among others. As the co-founder and editor for

Business as well as our dedicated fac-

the Journal of Commodity Markets and

ulty and staff,” Mason says. “So many

the Spears Business expert in all things

exciting changes are occurring that will

energy, Simkins regularly visited coun-

benefit our students, and I’m thrilled to

tries around the globe to teach and

be a part of this growth.”

present research.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in mar-

In October, she became the first woman

keting and her MBA from Minnesota State

to present at the all-male King Fahd

University, Mankato, and her doctorate

University of Petroleum and Minerals

in marketing from the University of Utah.

(KFUPM) business school in Dharhran,

Mason’s academic research focuses

Saudi Arabia. GARY LAWSON / UNIVERSITY MARKETING

on issues related to consumer health behavior, coping and resiliency, consumer health information, transformative consumer research, and public policy. Her research has been published in the Journal of Consumer Research; Journal of Public Policy & Marketing; Journal of Business Research;

Betty Simkins

Journal of Consumer Affairs; Journal of Macromarketing; Consumption, Markets, and Culture; Journal of Marketing Management; Academy of Marketing

Simkins to lead Finance

“This is a very exciting time to become head of the Department of Finance,” Simkins says. “With the new building almost ready and the latest initiatives we are undertaking in our department, we have many opportunities to take our department to the next level. For example, we are starting a student managed investment fund, adding a minor in energy finance, working on a certificate in energy business, among other innovative

Science Review; Journal of Research for

Longtime Oklahoma State University pro-

developments to make the coursework

Consumers, and several book chapters.

fessor Betty Simkins has been selected

more relevant to students and advance

to lead the Department of Finance in the

placement of our graduates.”

Spears School of Business.

Simkins earned her bachelor’s degree

of Health, National Science Foundation,

“Dr. Simkins has been a very productive

in chemical engineering from the

Cherokee Nation, U.S. Department of

scholar and we are very pleased that

University of Arkansas (1979), her MBA

Health and Human Services, Susan

she has agreed to lead the Department

from Oklahoma State (1983), and her

G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation,

of Finance,” says Ken Eastman, dean of

doctoral degree in finance from Case

Association for Consumer Research,

the Spears School. “She brings a great

Western Reserve University (1997). Prior

and U.K. Economic and Social Research

deal of expertise and enthusiasm to the

to earning her Ph.D., Simkins worked in

Council.

position, and I look forward to seeing

the energy industry for Williams Inc.,

what she can accomplish in her new role.”

and Conoco Inc., in corporate financial

She has participated in grants and fellowships from the Oklahoma Department

Mason has been recognized for both her teaching and research, including being an

Simkins has taught for more than 20 years

OSU Faculty Teaching Fellow, receiving

at OSU, where she is the Williams Cos.

the Richard W. Poole Research Excellence

Chair of Business and Professor of Finance.

Award, and being a Business Student

She has taught the Energy Finance class

Council Professor of the Month. She has

at undergraduate and graduate levels.

planning, research and development, and process engineering. @

summer 2017 engage@spears

RETIREMENTS

SPEARS BUSINESS

“What I admire about Vance is his passion for learning about everything from business to medicine. This eclectic knowledge is evident in everything he writes and teaches.” — LEE MANZER

also one of several who helped create the School of Entrepreneurship. Fried has published more than 40 articles in journals. His work has allowed him to present in several different countries and all over the United States. His extensively funded research began with venture capitalism and the management of rapid growth firms early in his career. “I got to see the venture capital industry and Silicon Valley in their adoVance Fried had a hand in creating the Institute for the Study of Free Enterprise and the School of Entrepreneurship.

Vance Fried

lescence,” Fried says. “More recently, I looked at higher education, including writing the book Better/Cheaper College and several follow-up papers.” Fried’s awards and recognitions include being named an Outstanding Instructor

BY DOLLIE ELLIOTT

& Reitz Teaching Excellence Award from OSU-Tulsa’s MBA program, and an Adjunct

ance Fried, director of the

Fried then decided to become a busi-

Institute for the Study of

ness school professor and returned to

Scholar by the Cato Institute.

Free Enterprise and pro-

OSU for post-doctorate study in man-

Fried has also sat on boards and commit-

fessor of entrepreneurship

agement. After just one year, the OSU

tees both for OSU and the business com-

in the Spears School of Business,

business college’s management depart-

munity. He currently serves as president

retired in February after 30 years at

ment hired him as an assistant professor.

of the TEL Foundation and managing

During his tenure, Fried was instrumental

director of EdBooks. TEL is a non-profit

Oklahoma State University.

that operates two think tanks, one that

Originally from Hollis, Okla., Fried received

in developing the Institute for the Study

a bachelor’s degree in finance from OSU

of Free Enterprise, chartered in February

in 1973. After law school at the University

2015 to focus on teaching and research

of Michigan, he returned to Oklahoma

on principled entrepreneurship, regula-

K-12 schools.

and spent 10 years as an attorney, an

tion, markets, public policy and the role

Fried will continue to be a part-time

executive with an independent oil com-

of business in a free society. Fried was

director of the Institute for the Study of

pany and an investment banker.

by Spears Business, the Chandler-Frates

engage@spears summer 2017

looks at state public policy and the other, the management of innovative

Free Enterprise.

LIFETOUCH

“Without question, the opportunity to assist the thousands under my direction with the skill of learning how to learn is the true highlight of my tenure at OSU.” — DENNIS L. MOTT

with the skill of learning how to learn is the true highlight of my tenure at OSU,” Mott says. “Hopefully, I was able to positively impact the lives of those in my classes in a unique and growing manner.” Oklahoma State’s AMOCO Award for Teaching Excellence is just one of his awards. He says receiving the 2016 Regents Distinguished Teaching Award was his greatest honor. Other major awards he has received include the University Extension Faculty Award, OSU, 1992; OSU’s Mortar Board

Dennis Mott joined Oklahoma State University in 1974.

Golden Torch Faculty Award, 2003-

Dennis L. Mott

2004; Outstanding Teaching Award, Management Department, OSU, 1996; Professor of the Year, OSU Chapter of the Oklahoma Education Association, 1976; M-PBEA Business Education Leadership

ennis L. Mott, professor of

In late spring of 1974, Mott joined OSU’s

Award, 1987; Noon Lions “Lion of the

management in the Spears

College of Business Administration as an

Year,” 1990-91; Business Educator of

School of Business, retired

assistant professor. He was promoted to

the Year, and the leadership award

in February after 43 years

associate professor in 1975 and full pro-

from the Oklahoma Business Education

fessor in 1980. He served as department

Association, 1978. He was named Post-

head from 1980 to 1986.

Secondary Teacher of the Year by

college. His undergraduate degree in

“Dr. Mott has had a long and distinguished

the Oklahoma Education Association,

business education is from Wayne State

career at OSU. He was very dedicated to

College in Nebraska; his master’s from the

students, and he has positively affected

in a special ceremony.

University of Nebraska at Omaha; and his

the lives of countless students. He is a

Mott is the author and co-author of more

doctorate from the University of Nebraska

true professional and a consummate

than 50 books, academic articles, and

at Lincoln. His first position in higher edu-

gentleman,” says Ken Eastman, dean of

assorted publications.

cation was as an assistant professor at

Spears Business.

at Oklahoma State University. Mott was the first in his family to attend

the University of Wisconsin-Superior in the College of Business Administration.

awarded at the State Fair of Oklahoma

“OSU is truly a great university, and I was

“Truly, I believe that those who can, teach.

privileged and I thoroughly enjoyed my

Without question, the opportunity to

time serving constituents in the Spears

assist the thousands under my direction

School,” Mott says.

continues

summer 2017 engage@spears

SPEARS BUSINESS

“I hope I’ve made a difference in the lives of my students and colleagues.” — DEBRA NELSON

look at all things academic. Yet another is that she is a great example of people who are less concerned with detail and procedures and more with the connections that make things happen.” She has received the Regents Research Debra Nelson will continue working with her consulting firm after her retirement.

Debra Nelson

ebra Nelson, Spears

Nelson had never visited Oklahoma before

Business Associates Chair

her first interview. “I fell in love with

in the Department of

the school because of the people,” she

Management, retired in

says. Three decades later, she hopes

June from Oklahoma State University

her greatest contribution was to OSU’s

after 32 years with the Spears School

people. “I hope I’ve made a difference in

of Business.

the lives of my students and colleagues,”

the Richard Poole Outreach Excellence award. “Being recognized with awards in all three parts of OSU’s mission — research, teaching and service — has been really special to me,” she says. “One of the reasons I came to OSU was the quality and stature of colleagues like Dr. Nelson. Her résumé speaks for itself. Her dedication to teaching and research is exemplary,” says Raj Basu, vice president of academic affairs at OSU Tulsa. “She has been a great mentor, friend

says Nelson.

and leader.”

a bachelor’s degree in finance with a

“A number of things, I think, are true

Nelson has co-authored a dozen books,

minor in management from Texas Tech

about Debra,” says Federico Aime, an

University. She then spent several years

associate professor. “One is that she

at Southwestern Bell before earning an

was probably the most visible member

MBA and doctorate in organizational

of our management faculty over the last

behavior with minors in social psychology

20 years. Another is that many of us who

arship committees and task forces.

and research methods from the University

joined the department after her have ben-

She will continue to work in her consulting

of Texas at Arlington.

efited from her friendly advice and fun

firm, NelsonQuick Group.

Originally from New Mexico, she earned

Award, the Research Teaching Award and

engage@spears summer 2017

presented over 70 professional papers and published over 120 journal articles and book chapters. She has served on numerous editorial review boards, schol-

fortune to take her Strategic Management course,” says Scott Johnson, an assoDOLLIE ELLIOTT

ciate professor. White received the Outstanding Teaching Award from OSU-Tulsa in 2007 and 2015, the only recipient to receive it twice. She also was honored with the ChandlerFrates & Reitz Teaching Excellence Award (2012), the Spears School’s Outstanding Instruction Award (2005), the Outstanding MBA Professor Award (2004) and the CBA Greiner Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching (1995). Her primary research involves the study of mergers and acquisitions (m&a), joint ventures and strategic processes. Throughout her career, White has had eight funded research projects. She has published more than 25 academic articles in journals and books, made numerous presentations at conferences and been a panel organizer or panelist multiple times. In addition, she has published over 80 practitioner articles. “When I think of Margaret, the one thing I think of is her willingness to help others,” says Aaron Hill, associate professor in

Margaret White didn’t decide to become a professor until she was in her 30s.

the Department of Management. “She volunteers on committees at OSU, she

Margaret White

is active in the professional organizations, she will give of her time to work with doctoral students. She also serves in endeavors outside of work — she has

argaret White, the

Following graduate school, she was a

a seemingly boundless willingness to

Fleming Cos. Inc.

statistical analyzer for an oil company.

try to help.”

Professor of Technology

She also owned a catering business, was

Management, retired from

a housing administrator, and coached

After retirement, White plans to “become

Oklahoma State University in August

softball at the community college level

after 31 years in the Department of

before pursuing a doctorate at Texas A&M.

Management in the Spears School of Business.

White says she has most enjoyed providing a learning environment for her

She received a bachelor’s degree in

students and herself. She was also a sup-

mathematics with a minor in history and

portive mentor.

a master’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in management and marketing from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. Her doctorate is from Texas A&M.

an East Texas hick once again and continue writing, working with social services agencies as well as continue training of laity through faith partners,” she says. continues

“Margaret White is the most senior faculty member teaching and doing research in Strategy. ... She has left a legacy in the many doctoral students that she has advised and is fondly remembered by the MBA students who had the good summer 2017 engage@spears

SPEARS BUSINESS

“Keith has been a terrific colleague and a great friend. He cares deeply about helping others achieve their potential.” — JOHN WINTERS

the University of Nebraska at Omaha; and a doctorate in economics, specializing in natural resource economics and environmental economics, from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. He received the Best Paper award at the European Doctoral Association in Management and Business Administration International Scientific Conference for Doctoral Students and Young Researchers at the University of Economics in Bratislava in 2013. Willett co-authored the chapter, “Decision Maker Preferences in Aquifer Demand Management Policies: An Analytic Hierarchy Process Case Study,” in Water Retired economics professor Keith Willett: “I have really enjoyed my contacts with the students, and I think this is certainly one experience I will miss in retirement.”

Keith Willett

eith Willett, economics pro-

Over the years, he taught more than

fessor in the Department

3,500 students. “It’s difficult to say exactly

of Economics and Legal

how many students I have had contact

Studies in Business, retired

with, both undergraduate and graduate,

Resolution with Ramesh Sharda, vice dean of the Watson Graduate School of Management. He has authored nearly 40 journal publications and developed more than 55 proceedings, conference presentations and seminars. Willett has also participated in numerous research projects with several still in progress. Much of his research has focused on environmental policy issues that affect

from Oklahoma State University in

but I can tell you that I have had a large

January after 35 years.

number of outstanding students in all of

Oklahoma.

my classes over the years,” Willett says.

After retirement, Willett plans to continue

“I have really enjoyed my contacts with

his various volunteer activities with his

the students, and I think this is certainly

wife, Dolores. They enjoy helping serve

one experience I will miss in retirement.”

dinners to OSU students after the stu-

Willett was head of the Department of

dent Mass on Sunday evenings at the St.

Economics and Legal Studies in Business

John’s Catholic Student Center. He also

from August 1999 through July 2005.

volunteers with the Stillwater Free Health

research with faculty in other programs

Willett holds a bachelor’s degree in

Clinic. “There are a few other volunteer

on the OSU campus as well as faculty at

economics from Nebraska Wesleyan

other universities in the region.”

University; a master’s in economics from

Willett joined OSU’s Department of Economics in August 1981, directly after graduate school. “The position was very attractive because it provided an ideal balance between teaching and research,” Willett says. “There were also many opportunities to participate in funded

Quality/Quantity Disputes and Their

engage@spears summer 2017

groups I hope to become involved with, in addition to traveling to visit friends around the U.S.” he says.

During her career, Wright taught more than 3,500 students. In 2015, Wright was PHIL SHOCKLEY / UNIVERSITY MARKETING

promoted to Regents Professor. She started the School of Accounting’s Oil and Gas Accounting Conference in 2004 and has managed the conference since its inception. In 2012, she and Bob Cornell reconfigured the School of Accounting’s annual Accounting and Financial Reporting Conference. Under their management, the conferences generated over $500,000 in scholarship money. Wright is the author of Fundamentals of Oil and Gas Accounting, an international bestseller used by professionals and universities around the world. She is also the author of International Petroleum Accounting. She has authored more than 45 research publications, over 30 selected academic proceedings and presentations, and given education presentations on more than 50 topics. Her major awards include the SSRN Top Ten List for “Detecting and Predicting Financial Statement Fraud: The Effectiveness of the Fraud Triangle and SAS No. 99,”

Upon retiring, Charlotte Wright looks back on her career and muses, “Without a doubt I have most enjoyed the students during my time at OSU.”

Charlotte Wright

with Chris Skousen and Kevin Smith (2016); OSU Spears School of Business Richard Poole Faculty Excellence Award (2014); School of Accounting/Phillips 66 Exceptional Service Award (2014); OSU Regents’ Distinguished Research Award

harlotte Wright, Regents

master’s degree in professional accounting

(2011), and the Oklahoma Outstanding

Professor and Anadarko

from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Accounting Educator by the Oklahoma

Petroleum Chair in the

She also has a doctorate in accounting

Society of CPAs (2009).

School of Accounting,

with minors in finance, economics and

In retirement, she plans to continue

retired from Oklahoma State

research methods from the University

University in June after 35 years in

of North Texas.

the Spears School of Business.

practice. @

Wilton T. Anderson, then-head of the

“Without a doubt I have most enjoyed the

School of Accounting at OSU, wanted to

students during my time at OSU. I have

add oil and gas accounting to the cur-

had so many great, hard working, honest

riculum and contacted her. “He recruited

students from all across Oklahoma. Many

me throughout the time that I was in

of my students have gone on to have

the program. I ultimately accepted the

outstanding careers in industry, public

position here in 1982 after I completed

accounting and in academia,” Wright says.

my doctoral degree at the University of

Wright holds a bachelor’s degree in

working on her books and her consulting

North Texas,” Wright says.

accounting, with highest honors, and a summer 2017 engage@spears

GARY LAWSON / UNIVERSITY MARKETING

Longtime OSU supporter Neal Patterson dies

Neal Patterson

Oklahoma State University

could be a national player addressing

Patterson supported OSU in various other

business school alumnus

this critical market segment of the health

ways. Most recently, he made a major gift

Neal Patterson (bachelor’s

care industry.

to completely renovate the OSU Cowgirl

degree in finance, 1971, and MBA, ’72) died July 9 at the age of 67.

“During that brief period and building off his initial support, the center has grown to over 30 full-time employees and over

Soccer Complex. The new facility will be a showcase for college soccer with club seats, plaza and upper bowl gathering areas, and seating designed specifically

The co-founder and CEO of Cerner Corp.

10 graduate students working every day

died of unexpected complications from

to transform rural and Native American

a soft-tissue cancer. He had been diag-

health. Mr. Patterson was always gen-

nosed in January 2016.

erous with his time, passion and both

Patterson and Cerner co-founder Cliff Illig

personal and business connections to

were co-owners of Kansas City’s Major

make this effort a success and making

League Soccer franchise, Sporting KC.

Patterson was a major supporter of OSU and the Spears School of Business. He was instrumental in creating the OSU Center for Health Systems Innovation (CHSI) with gifts totaling $6 million. CHSI, a collaborative effort between Spears Business and the OSU Center for Health

Oklahoma State a national player in rural and Native American health innovation. We will always be grateful for all he’s done for OSU and the Center for Health Systems Innovation.”

for OSU students. The complex will be named after Patterson.

In 2014, during the 100th anniversary of business education at Oklahoma State University, Patterson was recognized as a “Spears Tributes: 100 For 100” honoree. @ GARY LAWSON / UNIVERSITY MARKETING

Sciences, focuses on transforming health care through creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship. “A little over three years ago, the Center for Health Systems Innovation was initiated through the generous financial support of Neal Patterson,” says William Paiva, executive director for the center. “Growing up in Manchester, Oklahoma, he believed passionately and personally about the need to improve rural health care through innovation and information technology. He also knew his alma mater, Oklahoma State University, Neal Patterson (left) cuts the ribbon to the CHSI with OSU President Burns Hargis.

engage@spears summer 2017

T. 1 991

ES OA

STU

DY A B R

450+ students, 20 different trips, 18 great countries, and 5 continents.

WINTER - SPRING - SUMMER Earn 3-6 hours of credit - Scholarships Available

For exciting travel options visit http://cagle.okstate.edu or call 405.744.5210

Global Adventures Await! Where Will You Go?

SCHOO OF ACCOUNTING HALL OF FAME

Kimberly Burke

Marc Delametter

John Eaton

School of Accounting honors four alumni

klahoma State

accounting/controller. He is currently a

its newly formed Masters of Accountancy

University’s School of

member of the Oklahoma Accountancy

program. She moved through the faculty

Accounting inducted

Board.

ranks from assistant to professor, holding

three alumni into the

John Eaton , who earned his OSU bach-

the Kelly Gene Cook Sr. Chair of Business

Wilton T. Anderson Hall of Fame and recognized another as the Beta Alpha Psi Distinguished Alumni recipient during the 2017 Wilton

partner with EY in Tulsa. The Beta Alpha Psi Distinguished Alumni

T. Anderson Hall of Fame and

award was presented to:

Awards Banquet April 20 at the

Shane Randolph , who earned both

ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center.

bachelor’s and master’s degrees in

The Hall of Fame inductees:

accounting in 2003, is a managing director

Kimberly Burke, who earned her doctorate in 1995 from the OSU School of Accounting , is a professor of accounting and dean of the Else School of Management at Millsaps College in

at Opportune LLP in Denver. Burke started her career in Dallas as an auditor with Price Waterhouse and then director of internal auditing for Unigate Restaurants. Later, she moved

Jackson, Mississippi.

to Oklahoma where she earned her doc-

Marc Delametter, a 1983 OSU graduate

Accounting in 1995.

who earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting, is retired from QuikTrip Corp. in Tulsa where he was vice president for

elor’s degree in accounting in 1992, is a

engage@spears summer 2017

toral degree from the OSU School of She joined the faculty of the Else School of Management in August 1995 to support

Administration from 2003-2012. She became dean of the Else School in 2012. She and her husband, Rick, are the proud parents of their daughter Kelsey, 15. They reside in Jackson. Delametter started his professional career in July 1983 as a staff accountant for Price Waterhouse in Tulsa. In June 1986, he joined QuikTrip Corp. as a general corporate accountant. Over the next 28 years, he worked his way through various positions at QuikTrip including corporate tax manager, general accounting manager, assistant controller, controller and ultimately vice president for accounting/controller. By the time Delametter retired in May 2014, QuikTrip had grown to be one of

OSU accounting grad earns top CPA exam score Oklahoma State University accounting alumnae Sarah Polakow was awarded the OSCPA Silver Medal from the Oklahoma Society of Certified Public Accountants in May at the Oklahoma State Capitol. Polakow scored the highest on the CPA exam and passed all four parts of the exam within two testing windows in 2016. “Receiving this award is an incredible honor, something that honestly hasn’t quite sunk in yet,” Polakow says. “I’ve been extremely blessed to have had professors, family and friends who Shane Randolph

Sarah Polakow

challenged and encouraged me through both my college career and the exam. It’s definitely as much their accomplishment as it is mine.” She attended OSU as an accounting undergraduate from 2011 to 2014 and received her master’s in accounting December 2016. She is an associate with Grant Thornton LLP in Tulsa.

the largest privately held corporations in

E&P, coal mining, and oil field service

management programs and highly tech-

the United States, with revenues greater

companies.

nical accounting pronouncements.

Eaton accepted a position with Ernst &

Randolph has been a consultant and

Young after graduating from the OSU

employee of Fortune 500 companies and

School of Accounting and has spent nearly

began his career as an auditor at KPMG in

25 years with the accounting firm. Over

Tulsa. His clients include ONEOK, Williams,

Currently retired, Delametter provides

the years, Eaton has served publicly held

Anadarko, Samson, General Electric,

Tulsa non-profit organizations accounting

clients ConocoPhillips, Range Resources

Google, eBay, Amazon.com, Schwan

and leadership consulting advice. He

Corp., Magellan Midstream Partners,

Foods, Starbucks, Anheuser Busch, Royal

married Beth (Gumm) Delametter in

Helmerich & Payne, Alliance Resource

Bank of Canada, and Wells Fargo. @

December 1983. Their 32-year marriage

Partners, Cypress Energy Partners, and

ended when she died from breast cancer

the Williams Cos., among others.

than $14 billion and had achieved the status of “Best Companies to Work For” in the U.S. by Fortune magazine many years over.

in 2015. They have two sons — Robert, 23, is majoring in computer engineering at OSU, and Ben, 19, attends Belmont University in Nashville, majoring in audio engineering technology and engineering physics. Eaton has 25 years of experience serving large publicly held companies and closely held partnerships in the oil and gas business. He also works with several private

Eaton and his wife, Brenda, have five children — Abigail, Natalie, Lillian, Julianna, and Alexander, ranging in age from 15 to 1. Randolph is the 2017 recipient of the Beta Alpha Psi Distinguished Alumni award. As a managing director at Opportune, he assists companies and financial institutions throughout the world in understanding what is possible regarding the challenge of implementing risk

summer 2017 engage@spears

TULSA WORLD

The Small Business Administration named Melinda Stinnett Oklahoma’s Small Business Person of the Year.

SBA honors OSU alumna

elinda Stinnett of Tulsa was selected earlier this year as the Small Business Person of the Year for Oklahoma. The 1989 Oklahoma State University accounting graduate was one of 54 award-winners honored by the U.S. Small Business Administration during National Small Business Week. Stinnett was honored the first week of May at events in Washington, D.C. She also participated in a special event at the Oklahoma Capitol. “We are delighted that Ms. Stinnett has won this award as she exemplifies all the qualities one would hope to find in a small business owner,” says Ken Eastman, dean of the Spears School of Business. “She has created a company that provides valuable services to its

engage@spears summer 2017

clients and has a dynamic environment in which employees can work.” Stinnett launched Stinnett & Associates in 2001. Today as its managing director, she oversees the professional advisory firm with 100 employees in six cities — Tulsa, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas and Denver. She has earned numerous honors from OSU and the Spears School of Business. Stinnett was among the Spears School Tributes: 100 For 100 during the school’s 100th anniversary in 2014, inducted into the Wilton T. Anderson School of Accounting Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Alumna in 2011, and received the Spears School’s Orange Star Award. @

“(Melinda) Stinnett … exemplifies all the qualities one would hope to find in a small business owner.” — DEAN KEN EASTMAN

Custom Programs

Conferences

35 organizations hosted over 105 on-site professional development programs in FY 2017

Accounting and Financial Reporting Conference and Oil and Gas Accounting Conference

Topics include:

Big Data Analytics Conference

• • • •

Cyber Security Conference

Our

• • • • • • • • • •

Rankings

Accounting/Finance Accounting/Finance for Energy Assessments/Simulations Business Analytics/Project Online Master’s Management/Information Security in Coaching/ConflictEntrepreneurship Resolution Communication (OnlineColleges.com, 2016) Customer Service Environmental and Hazardous Materials Innovation Leadership Management Online MBA for Sales/Marketing Business Analytics Strategy (OnlineMBAToday.com, 2017) Teams/Team Building

Economic Outlook Conference

Energy Conference

Women’s Business Leadership Conference

(AffordableColleges.com, 2017)

Contact us at 405-744-5208 or Online MBA with a Global www.cepd.okstate.edu regarding: Marketing emphasis • On-site programs (OnlineMBAToday.com, 2017) • Public programs • Retreat and conference planning

Online MBA in the Big 12 1,045 hours of instruction (U.S. News & World Report, 2017)

14,300 people served

Over 200 programs

Master’s in MIS Spears School Annual Golf Classic

Best Value Online Undergraduate Schools (ValueColleges.com, 2017)

57,950 participant hours earned

2017

40 public seminars offered in primarily Tulsa and Oklahoma City

(174 days) Fiscal year

SPEARS BUSINESS

Power of Personal

Contact: Center for Executive and Professional Development 405-744-5208 cepd@okstate.edu the The OSU Center for Executive and Professional Development in the Spears School of Business fulfills compelling executive, management and professional educational needs for business and industry. For over 60 years, the CEPD has played a vital role in Oklahoma’s economic growth by offering 200 programs to more than 14,300 individuals each year. These programs include public and on-site executive and professional developement programs and conferences and retreat and conference planning. For more information or to enroll, call 405-744-5208 or visit cepd.okstate.edu.

SPEARS

Non-Profit organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID Stillwater, OK Permit No. 191

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS BUSINESS BUILDING, STILLWATER, OK 74078-4011 SCHOOL OF

ENTREPRENEURSHIP AT SPEARS BUSINESS

SCHOOL OF

MARKETING and INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS AT SPEARS BUSINESS THE DEPARTMENT OF

ECONOMICS and LEGAL STUDIES IN BUSINESS AT SPEARS BUSINESS SCHOOL OF

ACCOUNTING AT SPEARS BUSINESS THE DEPARTMENT OF

FINANCE AT SPEARS BUSINESS

THE DEPARTMENT OF

MANAGEMENT AT SPEARS BUSINESS

THE DEPARTMENT OF

MANAGEMENT SCIENCE and INFORMATION SYSTEMS AT SPEARS BUSINESS

‘Building Best Recipes Cookbook’ to benefit United Way The first ever Building Best Recipes Cookbook, with recipes from Spears School of Business alumni, students, faculty, staff and others, is now available to order. The books, $15 each, will support the Stillwater Area United Way. The cookbooks will be available this fall.

All donations from this initiative through December will go to the United Way. In January 2018, subsequent funds may go to the OSU Foundation for scholarships. Cookbooks are limited to the first 300 contributors or while quantities last. To order your copy, visit the Spears United Way website at www.spearsunitedway.com/cookbook.html, call 405-744-5208 or email cepd@okstate.edu.