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LOOP June 2017 Graduation Edition More than 200 Orfalea College of Business student leaders participated in the 2017 Leadership Beyond the Resume conference.
A MESSAGE FROM INTERIM DEAN KEVIN LERT WACHAR A An old teacher of mine used to say that whenever we go through important transitions in life, we should do so with a grateful heart. With gratitude in my heart, I want to take the opportunity to thank everyone for helping to make this a successful year. With your help, we have been able to continue the momentum for the betterment of the college and the success of students. Our advancement team has raised more than $3.5 million this year — a record number. This summer, we’ll welcome outstanding new tenure track faculty in economics, information systems, marketing, and packaging. From the latest survey results by Cal Poly Career Services, 95 percent of Orfalea graduates are fully-employed or attending graduate school. The median starting salary of those with a full-time employment is $60,000, a $3,000 increase from the previous year. Executives in Residence who visited the college this past year often mentioned how their Cal Poly education and the Orfalea faculty contributed to the success of their career. Together, we are successfully preparing our
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students to be career-ready and become the business leaders of the future. As the year comes to a close, we’ll say goodbye to our colleague, Jeff Tolin, who is retiring
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in June. Jeff has been instrumental in building up the M.S. in Taxation program that has recently been ranked No. 1 in the country for value. Jeff will be greatly missed. In closing, I would like to pay tribute to Jeff Danes who passed away on May 26th. After 29 years of outstanding service to Cal Poly and the college, Jeff retired last year but continued to teach in the marketing area. He had a long history of research and innovation in
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marketing and published in many top journals. He was particularly excited and proud of the online brainstorming tool, Dialogr, that he developed and which the Orfalea College of Business has used on several important occasions. Whenever I saw him in the building, he always had a smile on his face. I’ll very much miss his kind and gentle demeanor and friendship. Please join me in keeping his wife and children in our thoughts and prayers. Thank you all again for your hard work this year!
Kevin Lertwachara, Interim Dean
IN THE NEWS M.S. IN TAXATION PROGRAM RANKED NO.1 FOR VALUE Cal Poly’s Master of Science in Taxation program was recently ranked No. 1 for value among graduate tax programs by ValueColleges.com. The program is one of four public programs in California to make the list. Cal Poly’s program stood out for its affordability, its strong recruiting relationships with major firms and its Learn by Doing approach, which includes industry internships for students. http://bit.ly/2qGhP9F
JUSTIN GOMEZ WINS PRESIDENT’S DIVERSITY AWARD FOR STAFF Justin Gomez was honored with the President’s Diversity Award for staff members on May 18 during a ceremony at Kennedy Library. Gomez, who was one of eight staff nominees, was recognized for his efforts to lead the college’s Multicultural Business Program. These awards celebrate members of the Cal Poly community who have exhibited a commitment to diversity. They are an opportunity to recognize individual members from the faculty, staff and student communities as well as contributions from a recognized student organization and university group. http://bit.ly/2rK6edB
PAYSCALE.COM RANKS BUSINESS DEGREE NO.11 IN THE NATION FOR ROI Cal Poly’s business degree was ranked No. 11 for ROI among public and private institutions, netting a $783,000 ROI for California residents. The PayScale list includes the weighted total cost for a graduate based on in-state tuition rates along with the 20-year net return on investment. The list also includes ROI for students from out of state, for which Cal Poly’s business degree took 21st place, with a $692,000 ROI. For all majors, Cal Poly tied for No. 29, with a nearly $680,000 ROI.
BUSINESS FACULTY WIN LEARN BY DOING SCHOLAR AWARD Coauthored research from Cal Poly faculty members Lynn Metcalf, Stern Neill, Lisa Simon, Sharon Dobson and Brennan Davis earned Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing Scholar Award in the completed research category. The team piloted a Marketing Mentor program in BUS 346: Principles of Marketing in the spring and fall of 2016 to test the impact of peer-mentorship on the learning process. Their research concluded that the peer-mentoring model helped underclassmen grasp the material quickly and effectively while also honing seniors’ fundamental skills. The article, The Impact of Peer Mentoring on Marketing Content Mastery, originally published in the journal Marketing Education Review, also offers a step-by-step guide for other educators to replicate the Marketing Mentor program in their own institution.
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PACKAGING PROGRAM RANKED NO.1 IN THE NATION Cal Poly’s Packaging Program was recently ranked as the No. 1 program in the nation by ValueColleges.com. ValueColleges.com created its packaging program rankings based on program costs, reputation rankings from a university’s U.S. News and World Report overall score, and return on investment metrics calculated from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard salary data. http://bit.ly/2rZCIAt
CAL POLY RANKED NO.73 OF 300 ON FORBES’ LIST OF BEST VALUE COLLEGES Cal Poly was ranked No. 73 on the Forbes list of the 300 best-value colleges in the U.S. The Forbes 2017 Best Value College ranking indexes schools that deliver the best return on investment based on tuition costs, school quality, post-grad earnings, student debt and graduation success. The publication used data collected from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard as well as PayScale, the world’s largest salary database. http://bit.ly/2sjBVaR
JAY SINGH WINS DISTINGUISHED SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Jay Singh was selected as one of three faculty to receive the Distinguished Scholarship Award for the 2016-17 academic year. Singh will be recognized during spring commencement and during Fall Conference in September. Singh was recognized for his extensive packaging research and patents secured in the last year. The award is given by Cal Poly’s Academic Senate Distinguished Scholarship Awards Committee.
IN MEMORIAM: JEFF DANES Marketing Professor Jeff Danes passed away Friday, May 26. He retired in June 2016 after 29 years of service to Cal Poly but continued to teach courses in new product development and launch. Co-developer and founder of several companies, including Dialogr, and the owner of three patents, Danes had a long history of research and innovation in marketing, including publishing in top journals. He was engaged in innovative packaging and plastics research and involved in the Cal Poly Packaging Research Consortium. Danes was also working on break-through research in branding, brand image measurement and brand relationships with Marketing Professor Jeffrey S. Hess. Danes earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from San Jose State University and a doctorate in communications, with an emphasis in statistics and mathematical modelling, from Michigan State University. Danes has also served as head of Cal Poly’s Master in Business Administration program, and as a member of the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce’s Technology Advisory Committee.
OUR TEAM LEE BURGUNDER’S RESEARCH RECOGNIZED Accounting Professor Lee Burgunder recently won the Best Presentation Award for his article, “When It’s Good to be Fashionably Late,” at the annual conference of the Western Academy of Legal Studies in March 2017. Burgunder’s latest intellectual property research, titled “Does Star Athletica Raise More Questions than it Answers?” was also published in April by IPWatchdog, one of the leading online resources for intellectual property professionals and academics. The article is available at http://bit.ly/2qSfhrI.
AHMED DEIF PUBLISHES ARTICLE FUELED BY SUMMER RESEARCH GRANT Industrial Technology and Packaging Professor Ahmed Deif, with coauthor Ahmed Salem of Nile University in Cairo, published the article “Developing a Greenometer for Green Manufacturing Assessment” in the Journal of Cleaner Production, one of the leading publications in the field of clean and sustainable systems. The approach builds on existing methodologies to develop a multi-layer tool box called the “Greenometer” which focused on the strategic comparison for cross industries evaluation as well as tactical comparison for intra-industries in relation to their green eco-performance. The published work was facilitated through Deif’s Orfalea College of Business Summer Research Grant. Read the article at http://bit.ly/2q9jqbA.
STEPHEN STERN LAUNCHES MOBILE LAW CENTER Accounting and law faculty member Stephen Stern recently launched the Mobile Law Center with an event in Pismo Beach. The launch was covered by the New Times and KEYT. The Mobile Law Center is contained in a renovated 1978, 24-foot Airstream motorhome, providing accessible, affordable and legal ingenuity to people throughout California’s Central Coast. Stern’s goal was “to alleviate the high cost and mystery of obtaining high-quality and professional legal services to enforce legal rights.” www.mobilelawcenter.com
EDUARDO ZAMBRANO PUBLISHES RESEARCH WITH CAL POLY ALUMNI Economics Professor Eduardo Zambrano published a paper with two Cal Poly economics alumni in the Journal of Health Economics, one of the leading publications in the world on health economics. The research uses economic principles to alleviate the kidney shortage. The idea for the research came from alumna K.C. Eames’ senior project in 2011. Alumnus Patrick Holder, who will complete his Ph.D. at UC Santa Barbara this spring, joined the research team in 2016. Eames works as a consultant at Clark Nuber, a major consulting firm in Seattle. Read the article at http://bit.ly/2rO4X2d.
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MICHAEL MARLOW SPEAKS AT NUTRITION SCIENCE CONFERENCE Economics Professor Michael Marlow was invited to present one side of a point-counterpoint session at the American Society for Nutrition’s Scientific Sessions in Chicago in April. His session was titled: “How Much Evidence Should Be Demonstrated Before Enacting Obesity-targeted Health Policy?” His position was “Obesity-targeted health policies should only be enacted following strong evidence in favor of their success.” Learn more about the conference at http://bit.ly/2rRdPmI.
BRENT MOORE NAMED DIRECTOR OF CAL POLY CENTER FOR PACKAGING VALUE CHAIN Packaging industry veteran Brent Moore will be the administrative director of Cal Poly’s newly approved Packaging Value Chain Center. Beginning June 26, he will lead fundraising efforts for the center while building relationships with industry partners to enhance the educational and research opportunities for packaging students. Moore, who holds a degree in packaging from Michigan State University, has 20 years of experience in packaging engineering, lean supply chain and management roles. His most recent role has been vice president of operations at Corr-Jensen Inc. in Denver. http://bit.ly/2qYjHyK
TOM KATONA COACHES TEAMS AT GLOBAL INNOVATION COMPETITION Entrepreneurship Professor Tom Katona went to Beirut, Lebanon in May to coach and prepare teams competing in the Microsoft Imagine Cup Middle East and Africa Finals. He helped the top 17 teams from across the Middle East and Africa prepare to present their entrepreneurial venture ideas. The winning teams will travel to Seattle to compete with other teams from different regions of the world. The finals are being held in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State’s Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) initiative. Learn more at http://bit.ly/2rdU1ha.
COLLEGE ANNOUNCES HOOD PROFESSORSHIPS IN MARKETING Marketing Professors Joan Lindsey-Mullikin and Brennan Davis were named the Hood Professors in Marketing for AY 2017-2018 and AY 2018-2019. Lindsey-Mullikin was recognized for her commitment to service leadership and for “very interesting projects that she developed or led for her students that involved both aspects of marketing and important social/community issues.” The committee noted that Davis “demonstrated all of the qualities that the award is intended to recognize,” and that his leadership within the college and academic community was impactful. Members of the Selection Committee carefully reviewed the applications and provided unanimous recommendations, emphasizing that Orfalea is truly fortunate to have such a distinguished group of faculty in the Marketing Area.
FAST FACTS Economics Professor Aric Shafran will take on the role of Economics Area chair beginning in June. Shafran succeeds Professor Stephen Hamilton, who has served as chair for 12 years. Several Orfalea College of Business faculty members marked notable milestones at Cal Poly’s Annual Service Award Luncheon. Solina Lindahl, Patricia McQuaid and Lisa Simon celebrated 20 years at Cal Poly. Lisa Sperow celebrated 15 years of service. J.F. Coget and Li Dang each celebrated 10 years at Cal Poly. Marketing faculty member Lisa Simon will serve as chair of the National Conference in Sales Management for 2018 and 2019. Previously, she has served as the organization’s proceedings editor for 2016 and 2017. Management Professor Patty Dahm recently published the article “Why and When Does the Gender Gap Reverse? Diversity Goals and the Pay Premium for High Potential Women,” with coauthors Lisa M. Leslie of New York University and Colleen Flaherty Manchester of University of Minnesota. The research was published in the Academy of Management journal. Marketing Professor Brennan Davis’ research titled “Making Small Food Units Seem Regular: How Larger Table Size Reduces Calories to be Consumed” was shared by the Bend Bulletin. The article was coauthored with Collin Payne of New Mexico State University and My Bui of Loyola Marymount University and appeared in the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research. Finance Area Chair John Dobson’s article, “Aesthetic Style as a Poststructural Business Ethic” was recently published in the Journal of Business Ethics. Dobson explores aesthetic theory as it relates to how businesses project themselves as aesthetic ideals or ongoing works of art. http://bit.ly/2rXe6sk LITC Director Lisa Sperow spoke on the panel “Inception of Small Business” at the American Bar Association Section of Taxation May 2017 meeting. The panel was part of the Low Income Taxpayers Representation Workshop. Dean Scott Dawson will join the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) Continuous Improvement Accreditation Committee in July. Committee appointments are made annually by the incoming AACSB Vice-Chair and Chair-Elect; accreditation committee members normally serve for three years. Accounting and law faculty member Stephen Stern recently presented to 125 employees at the Family Care Network in San Luis Obispo. He gave a talk on the Nexus of Public Service Loan Forgiveness and recruitment and retention of non-profit employees. Management Professor Taryn Stanko coauthored research with Erin Leahey of the University of Arizona and Christine Beckman of University of Maryland on the risks and rewards of crossdisciplinary research. The article, “Prominent but Less Productive: the Impact of Interdisciplinarity on Scientists’ Research,” was published in the March issue of Administrative Science Quarterly. Read more via a BizEd article at http://bit.ly/2qTAnG7. Information Systems Professor Patricia McQuaid recently became a Certified Agile Tester (CAT) and the only Certified Agile Training provider for the program licensed by the International Software Quality Institute (iSQI), in the United States. Using Agile Development methods software development now involves clients and customers throughout the development process to prioritize what functionality should be developed in the next iteration. Agile project management and software testing must adapt to follow the Agile development philosophy. She will not only be training people from industry, but will also incorporate the knowledge in her information systems courses.
STUDENT SUCCESS ORFALEA COLLEGE OF BUSINESS STUDENTS WIN INNOVATION QUEST Orfalea College of Business students were involved in the top four teams of Cal Poly CIE’s Innovation Quest competition. • First place and $15,000 went to Pashion Footwear, an innovative fashion startup creating an adaptable shoe that can fully convert from a pump into a sandal. The startup is led by Haley Pavone (business administration) and Tyler Unbehand (industrial technology and packaging). • Second place and $10,000 went to Current Solutions, an app and integrated cell phone case with a stun gun. The team includes Elan Timmons (industrial technology and packaging alumnus), Madison Weiss (business administration), and Maxwell Fong (business administration). • Third place and $5,000 went to Brandplug, a novel pay-per-impression social media celebrity-marketing platform that saves marketers money. The team includes Fred Wilby (computer science alumnus), Sam Betesh (business administration), and Tim Elkana (business administration). • Fourth place and $1,600 went to Atsá Foods LLC, an innovative foods company that incorporates Native American super foods into everyday snacks. Team members include Neal Gorris (industrial technology and packaging), Sam Baber (art and design), Peter Haverkamp (food science and nutrition), and Rafael Pintor (agricultural business).
LEADERSHIP BEYOND THE RESUME CONFERENCE UNITES STUDENT LEADERS More than 200 Orfalea College of Business club leaders and student leaders attended the annual Leadership Beyond the Resume conference focused on diversity and inclusion. The event featured speakers including transgender and human rights activist Jessica Lynn, EY Americas Director of Inclusiveness Recruiting Ken Bouyer, and PwC Talent Acquisition Diversity Director Angela Delgado. Check out photos from the event via the college’s Facebook page.
ORFALEA STUDENTS SHINE AT SALES COMPETITION Students from Orfalea’s Sales Development Program senior project competed in the National Collegiate Sales Competition in Atlanta, GA. At the competition, students were charged with selling ADP Run Mobile payroll and HR services. Nickey Noorian and Victoria Fouques competed, with Noorian making it to the quarterfinals, becoming the first Cal Poly student in several years to advance that far. This year, 72 schools competed with two representatives from each school. Noorian placed No. 30 out of 143 competitors. Cal Poly received an automatic invitation to next year’s competition and ranked No. 35 overall. Marketing faculty member Lisa Simon teaches the senior project course and guided Cal Poly’s students during the competition.
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CAL POLY TAKES SECOND AT LOCAL CFA INSTITUTE RESEARCH CHALLENGE A team of Cal Poly business and economics students took second place in the local Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute Research Challenge in Los Angeles. This year’s team included economics student Brandon Becker; and finance students Dario Buechi, Jessica Kramer, Jordan Smith and Greg Benedikt. Cal Poly students competed against teams from USC, Loyola Marymount University, Pepperdine University and Claremont McKenna College on March 3. The teams had to create a valuation report and make investment recommendations on retailer Bed Bath & Beyond. http://bit.ly/2oQT51l
ACCOUNTING AREA CELEBRATES WITH ALUMNI, AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS The Accounting Area celebrated its annual Day in the Park event with alumni, students and faculty on O’Neill Green on Saturday, May 20. Later that evening, supporters gathered for the program’s Spring Banquet, where more than 50 top accounting students received scholarships thanks to alumni and industry supporters. To see a full list of scholarship winners, visit http://bit.ly/2rtIDfU.
FINANCE SENIOR PROJECT BEATS INDUSTRY AVERAGES FOR ANOTHER YEAR The college’s Student Managed Portfolio Project (SMPP) invested $500,000 of Cal Poly Corporation funds and beat the VIG Dividend Appreciation Index again this year in the face of market uncertainty. The cohort decided to liquidate a third of its assets, fearing volatility surrounding the U.S. presidential election. The group then reinvested funds at the start of 2017. Overall, the group emerged with a 7.01 percent return on investment, outpacing the VIG Appreciation EFT by .38 percent. Learn more about the Learn by Doing project at http://bit.ly/2ryjnGp.
FIVE STUDENTS ELECTED TO ASI BOARD POSITIONS Congratulations to Gabi Trapani, Matthew Bell, Daniela Czerny, Denise Hensley, and Adriena Le on winning seats to represent the Orfalea College of Business on ASI’s Board of Directors.
SENIOR ERIC SINGH AWARDED PACKAGING SCHOLARSHIP Cal Poly’s Packaging Program was the latest recipient of the 2017 New Jersey Packaging Executives Scholarship for $4,000. Packaging faculty named senior Eric Singh the winner of the scholarship based on academic merit. The scholarship is evidence of Cal Poly Packaging’s growing reputation, catching the attention of industry groups on the East Coast. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/2ry87JX.
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INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY AND PACKAGING SENIORS EXCEL IN SPORTS Industrial technology and packaging senior and Cal Poly defensive end/rush linebacker Josh Letuligasenoa signed a free agent contract with the Green Bay Packers in May. He will join the team’s 90-man roster. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/2q9mFzT. Industrial technology and packaging senior Ted Scranton won the decathlon at the Big West Championships in May. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/2ry81ls.
AMA TOURS LOS ANGELES AGENCIES On Friday, April 28th, Cal Poly’s American Marketing Association traveled with 19 of its members to Los Angeles for their spring corporate tour. The organization was able to visit Saatchi & Saatchi, a global communications and advertising agency network, and their sister luxury brands advertising agency, Team One. Both agencies allowed members to gain insight into the different career paths in advertising, such as account management, strategy, copywriting, creative directing and marketing. For more insights from students, visit http://bit.ly/2q9xRfN.
MASTER’S STUDENTS MAKE PRESENTATIONS TO ORACLE EXECUTIVES Students in Cal Poly’s M.S. Business Analytics program made global sales strategy recommendations related to Oracle’s Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) product offered via its software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform. Panelists from Oracle included Ivgen Guner, senior vice president of global business finance, Elena Drozd, director of the Advanced Analytics Group, and Rich Clayton, vice president of the Business Analytics Product Group. The presentations are the culmination of a new collaboration between Cal Poly’s Orfalea College of Business and Oracle, which provided real data for a three-month Learn by Doing project. Oracle has teamed with Cal Poly and other academic programs to address the shortfall of data scientists in the industry. http://bit.ly/2rOiGWN
FMA VENTURES ON CORPORATE TOUR IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Members of the Financial Management Association (FMA) took a corporate tour to Century City in late April with finance faculty member Sharon Dobson to learn about the private wealth management industry. The tour included stops at Goldman Sachs, AB Bernstein and JP Morgan and included time to speak with alumni at each firm.
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LOW INCOME TAXPAYER CLINIC CELEBRATES MILESTONES AND GRANT FUNDING Cal Poly’s Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) celebrated major milestones at the end of the 2016 year, including closing 57 cases, hosting 23 outreach events and six educational events, serving 77 community members, and two trips to work the U.S. Tax Court Calendar Call at the federal courthouse in Fresno. The clinic decreased client liabilities by $568,816 and helped secure $5,431 in refunds for clients. The clinic was also awarded a $100,000 grant from the IRS, the maximum amount allowed for LITC programs. http://bit.ly/2poGsJK
THE ECONOMICS SOCIET Y TAKES ON A LEARN BY DOING PROJECT AT DISNEYL AND Cal Poly’s Economics Society ventured to Disneyland for a Learn by Doing research project that applied economics concepts to park traffic. To estimate the preferences for different rides in the park, the students designed a survey to measure happiness and utility of each ride, balanced factors like wait times and analyzed the results. The Economics Society has posted a short research paper detailing its process and findings at http://bit.ly/2qQFt31.
MARKETING STUDENT MOLLY KEENAN TALKS AUGMENTED REALITY Molly Keenan, who has been inspired by Marketing Professor Joachim Scholz’s course on new media, penned an article on the future of augmented reality. In her article, she talks about how AR will make an impact on Facebook’s platform as well as via new hardware systems that will inspire consumers and brands to connect in new ways. Read the full article at http://bit.ly/2qi9hEA.
INVESTMENT BANKING SOCIETY TRAVELS TO NYC FOR INDUSTRY TOURS The Orfalea College of Business helped sponsor the Investment Banking Society on its first trip to New York City investment banking firms in April. Club leaders and more than a dozen sophomores toured firms like Blackrock, JP Morgan, Greenhill and Co, and Starboard Value to get an insider’s perspective on the competitive and fast-moving life of an investment banker. Many alumni also volunteered their time to share their perspectives with students.
STUDENT RODRIGO RICO VISITS THE UN Rodrigo Rico, a business administration major and global politics minor, joined a group of Cal Poly students for a trip to the United Nations in New York City for an interactive conference in March. Rico and his teammates represented the nation of Sudan during mock committee meetings where resolutions were created. http://bit.ly/2q9v9Hf
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CIE ANNOUNCES SLO HOTHOUSE SUMMER ACCELERATOR STARTUPS Cal Poly’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) has accepted seven startup companies into this year’s SLO HotHouse Summer Accelerator program. The 13-week program provides $10,000 in seed money, hands-on strategic business guidance from faculty and mentors, and dedicated office space during the summer at the SLO HotHouse. Companies receive training, introductions to investors and resources to help move their ventures forward. Startups pitch at Demo Day on Friday, Sept. 8. This year’s companies include: • ATSÁ FOODS LLC is an innovative food company that is turning Native American superfoods into everyday nutritious snacks and returning value to the Navajo Nation Reservation. It was conceived by Rafael Pintor (agricultural business), Peter Haverkamp (food science and nutrition), Neal Gorris (industrial technology and packaging) and Sam Baber (art and design). • BLUEZONE uses augmented reality, gamification and big data to inspire discovery and connection between users. It was developed by business administration students Brett Foreman and Jimmy Kang. • DTE MATERIALS manufactures hemp-based, high-performance, nontoxic and sustainable building insulation material. Created by Tanner Jolly (materials engineering) and Jose Urizar (civil engineering). • LOCALZOWN is building a platform that its founders say is the smartest and easiest way to source and sell local artisan food products. It was started by Joseph Lyman (biomedical engineering), Michael Fekadu (computer engineering) and Leonel S. Farias (agricultural education). • PASHION FOOTWARE has designed an adaptable shoe that can easily convert from a pump into a flat that is an innovative and painfree approach to women’s footwear. It was designed by Haley Pavone (business administration) and Tyler Unbehand (industrial technology and packaging). • POLYRENTS has created technology that simplifies the housing rental process for landlords and their prospective tenants. It was created by Cameron Wiese (psychology) and Alexander Kavanaugh (software engineering). • YELLOW GLASS MEDIA creates and curates socially relevant and unbiased media content to inspire viewers to listen, learn and empathize. It was conceived by Nesrine Majzoub (sociology) and Daniel Hornett (civil engineering).
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CAL POLY TEAMS SWEEP 2017 AMERISTAR STUDENT PACKAGE COMPETITION For the second year in a row, Cal Poly teams have swept the Institute of
Packaging Professionals’ 2017 AmeriStar Student Package Competition. These projects are the result of a multidisciplinary collaboration between IT 435 Packaging Development and ART 437 Graphic Design III. • First place went to the design for Tea Stems, a food and beverage product created by industrial technology and packaging students Brendan Smyth, Simeon Comanescu and Ryan Marrs and art and design students Alexandra Rosado and Lucia Astiazaran. • Second place recognized the design for SticKit, a packaging system for disposable syringes, created by industrial technology and packaging students Paul Woodman and Michael Lowe, graphic communication student Dana Shell and art and design students Gina Agapito and Ashley Vong. • Third place went to the design for Vera Cruz, an ergonomically-shaped surf wax and wax comb product, designed by industrial technology and packaging students Brooke Billmeyer, Grant Badstubner and Sai Domanico and art and design students Daniel Blenkinship and Zach Baker. • Honorable mention went to the design for La Habra, a molded paper pulp container for avocado oil, from industrial technology and packaging students Katie Exum, Michael Moorehead and Patrick McCaffrey and art and design students Jessica Ferguson and Deric Shindledecker. AmeriStar is a national competition that selects entries for representing the United States in a global design competition, the WorldStar Student Awards. Industrial Technology and Packaging Professor Javier de la Fuente and Mary LaPorte of the Art and Design Department served as advisors.
INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY STUDENTS SELL UNIQUE PRODUCTS IT 407: Applied Business Operations has yet again yielded unique products entirely designed, prototyped and manufactured by students. Products will be on display in the UU on Thursday, June 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and at Farmers’ Market later that evening from 6-9 p.m. This year’s products include: • ROTOGRILL, a collapsible BBQ device made completely in-house from 100 percent stainless steel components, and is perfect for grilling on the go or adding functionality to your home grill. The standout feature of the RotoGrill is its novel gear system that allows for six skewers to be rotated at once – a simple and fun way to ensure even grilling. For information on how to purchase your own RotoGrill, visit RotoGrill.co. • POLYPLOMA, a high quality handcrafted diploma display case that will be treasured by its owner forever. The team aims to manufacture 100 units of these highly intricate cases to graduating seniors, alumni and their family members. The product features solid mahogany, UV protective glass, acid free mats, and metal custom Cal Poly features. For more information and to purchase yours today, visit http://bit.ly/2saZBOt.
ALUMNI IN THE NEWS TREVOR LOWE TAKES SECOND AT CSU RESEARCH COMPETITION Trevor Lowe, a recent graduate who concentrated in consumer packaging
solutions, received a second-place award in the Undergraduate and Graduate Interdisciplinary category for his project, “Using Eye-Tracking and Task Analyses to Understand Human-Package Interactions.” Lowe’s faculty adviser was Professor Javier de la Fuente. Lowe currently works as an associate engineer for Amgen. http://bit.ly/2qNnZHr
ALUMNI BUSINESS NAMED ONE OF THE BEST IN THE BAY AREA Point B consulting, founded by business administration alumnus Darran
Littlefield, was recently ranked No. 6 on Fortune’s list of best small and medium sized workplaces in the Bay Area. http://for.tn/2rQTe2H
ACCOUNTING ALUMNI FOUND TAX ADVISORY FIRM Co‐founded in February 2017 by Cal Poly accounting alumni Garrett Perez and Jill Perez, Pinnacle Peak Advisors LLC is a full‐service tax advisory firm based in San Jose specializing in the unique tax and consulting needs of high‐ net‐worth individuals, executives and entrepreneurs. Among the firm’s many differentiators is its advanced cloud-based platform. In addition to efficiency, the cloud-based platform enables the firm to use data analytics to provide clients with real‐time tracking of private equity holdings, stock option vesting and valuation tracking.
PACKAGING ALUMNUS TO JUDGE STUDENT DESIGN COMPETITION Packaging alumnus Cameron Fasola will serve as a judge in the 2017 Paperboard Packaging Alliance Student Design Challenge. The organization also featured a Q&A with Fasola, who now works as a packaging engineer at Fitbit. http://bit.ly/2qTGqdZ
SCOTT HOPE COVERS CAL CPA MAGAZINE Accounting alumnus Scott Hoppe was featured on the cover of Cal CPA magazine’s latest issue. Hoppe discussed his firm, Hoppe Tax, and its move toward virtual offices that accommodate employees around the country. http://bit.ly/2rRAeQL
JOSE MOLINA PROFILED FOR HIS WORK Chicago Magazine recently wrote a colorful profile of marketing alumnus Jose Molina for his work with C.H. Robinson Worldwide, a Fortune 500 company specializing in third-party logistics. Molina’s problem-solving attitude, multilingual fluency and love for multitasking are on full display. Read the full article at http://chi.mg/2rRxxyI.
ORFALEA COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AWARDS The Orfalea College of Business hosted its Senior Awards Ceremony on June 2, handing out honors for students, faculty, staff and club excellence. Join us in celebrating this year’s winners: CLUB MEMBER OF THE YEAR
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE & DELTA SIGMA PI AWARD
These students are selected by their club’s leadership for outstanding engagement and service.
Presented to the Orfalea College of Business graduating senior with the highest cumulative GPA.
AMERICAN MARKETING ASSOCIATION — Carlos Giron
Bradley Gritsch
CAL POLY INVESTMENT BANKING SOCIETY FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION
— Chris Childers
HISPANIC BUSINESS STUDENT ASSOCIATION ALPHA KAPPA PSI DELTA SIGMA PI
— Gabriel Orozco
— Aditya Joshi
WOMEN IN BUSINESS
COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY AWARDS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE OBJECTIVES
— Isabella Ojeda
CAL POLY ACCOUNTING CLUB
Laura Byron
— Morgan Kavanaugh
— Dylan Huynh
— Annie Wilson
AND PUBLIC IMAGE OF THE COLLEGE
— Shelby Sly
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE OBJECTIVES AND PUBLIC IMAGE OF THE UNIVERSITY
— Hannah Poplack
OUTSTANDING GRADUATING SENIOR AWARDS
SERVICE TO THE OFF-CAMPUS COMMUNITY
Selected by each concentration’s faculty, these students exemplify academic excellence, career readiness and service to their community.
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
ACCOUNTING
CLUB AWARDS
ECONOMICS
— Jordan Alsop
— Daniel Klinenberg
ENTREPRENEURSHIP FINANCE
— Cal Poly Accounting Club
LEADERS IN COMMUNITY OUTREACH
— Brooke Marie Billmeyer — Daniel Stewart
MANAGEMENT AND HUMAN RESOURCES CONSUMER PACKAGING SOLUTIONS MARKETING
— Hispanic Business Student Association
LEADERS IN CAMPUS INVOLVEMENT
INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION SYSTEMS
— Joshua Rocha
— Chris Childers
LEADERS IN INNOVATION
— Kate Newton
— Shane Meares
AND PACKAGING
DEAN’S AWARD
— Katlyn Shipp
— Ilana Ash
— Jessica Redmond
SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
— Annie Wilson
— Delta Sigma Pi
LEADERS IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CLUB OF THE YEAR
— Women in Business
— American Marketing Association
FACULTY AND STAFF AWARDS STAFF EXCELLENCE AWARD — Katherine Ganakis OUTSTANDING FACULTY IN ACCOUNTING OUTSTANDING FACULTY IN ECONOMICS
— Sisi Pouraghabagher
— Jacqueline Doremus
Presented to all Orfalea College of Business seniors graduating with a 3.85 cumulative GPA and above.
OUTSTANDING FACULTY IN FINANCE
Bradley Gritsch
Daniel Stewart
Laura Byron
Katharine Newton
OUTSTANDING FACULTY IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Carol Fuss
Madeline Newton
Bruce Benton
Shane Meares
Koll Roberts
Matthew Yardkey
Katlyn Shipp
Matthew Richardson
Nandan Thor
Shae Lamb
Jordan Alsop
Madison Cope
Brent Hamparzoomian
Jessica Redmond
Connor Kogler
Lian Kong
Nash McMullen
Elena Kelly
— Sharon Dobson
OUTSTANDING FACULTY IN INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY
— Jay Singh
— Barry Floyd
OUTSTANDING FACULTY IN MANAGEMENT & HUMAN RESOURCES
— Calvin Stevens
OUTSTANDING FACULTY IN MARKETING
— Lisa Simon
DISTINGUISHED TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARD EMERITUS FACULTY OF THE YEAR AWARD
— Tim Ridout
— Taryn Stanko
ON THE HORIZON FACULTY ARE INVITED TO ATTEND COMMENCEMENT All faculty are invited to attend the Orfalea College of Business commencement ceremonies. Graduate Programs will host commencement on Friday, June 16, from 4-6 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center. Faculty and master’s students are asked to line up beginning at 3 p.m. outside the PAC. Undergraduate programs will celebrate commencement on Saturday, June 17, from 9-11 a.m. in Spanos Stadium. Faculty and undergraduate students are asked to line up beginning at 8 a.m. in the Business Building Breezeway. Both ceremonies are opportunities to congratulate graduates, speak with family and supporters and take photos. The Dean’s Office will pay for faculty regalia rentals. Please contact Debbie Tuson at 756-5098 to reserve your rental as soon as possible.
FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS INVITED TO VOLUNTEER The college is looking for volunteers to serve food at Prado Day Center during fall quarter. All volunteer appointments are from 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m. You can also organize a date for an Orfalea student group to serve lunch. Sign up for the following dates at http://bit.ly/2qeOXEV: • Tuesday, Sept. 26 • Monday, Oct. 9 • Monday, Nov. 13 • Tuesday, Nov. 28 • Monday, Dec. 11
JEFF TOLIN TO RETIRE IN JUNE Accounting Professor Jeffrey M. Tolin will retire in June after eight years of service at Cal Poly. He spent 35 years as a tax adviser working with clients such as The Walt Disney Company, Dreamworks SKG and Dreamworks Animation. Tolin was the first national director of entertainment tax services at Ernst & Young and an avid speaker at various industry and tax forums, including the Cannes Film Festival. Tolin presented reports to the Treasury Department, the National Office of the Internal Revenue Service, and the House Ways & Means Committee. During his retirement, Tolin plans to work with Tax Inspectors Without Borders, a joint venture between the United Nations and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. He will also spend more time with his four grandchildren and travel.
GRADUATE STATUS REPORT HIGHLIGHTS CAREER-READINESS EFFORTS The 2015-16 edition of the Graduate Status Report was unveiled by Career Services. Responses from the Orfalea College of Business undergraduates added up to some impressive stats: •
$60,000 average starting salary of undergraduates
•
96% of undergraduates leave with a job or graduate program plans
•
97% of those with jobs found careers related to their major
•
Top Employers: Adobe, Apple, Cisco, Deloitte, EY, Grant Thornton, Oracle, PwC, Proviti, Workday
Please encourage all seniors to take the Graduate Status Survey. Last year, 67 percent of graduates responded. The college is aiming for a 100 percent participation rate! Those who fill out the survey before commencement will receive a Class of 2017 sticker from Student Services. Direct your students to take the survey at http://bit.ly/gradstatus.
IN FOCUS
Accounting alumni celebrate Cal Poly Accounting Club’s Day in the Park 2017 on O’Neill Green.
Poly Pack members host the annual Egg Drop at Farmers’ Market in Downtown San Luis Obispo.
Executive in Residence Jeff Harper, Senior VP of People and Culture at MINDBODY, speaks to a class.
Industrial Technology and Packaging Area Chair Eric Olsen and Director of Development Alyssa Graudins accept a donation toward the IT labs from AeroJet RocketDyne.
SAVE THE DATE FRIDAY,
JUNE 16
Graduate Programs Commencement at the Performing Arts Center
SATURDAY,
JUNE 17
Undergraduate Programs Commencement at Spanos Stadium
THURSDAY,
JUNE 22
Summer Term Begins
TUESDAY,
JUNE 27
Staff Year-End Offsite
MONDAY,
JULY 3
Dean’s Office Closed
MONDAY,
SEPT. 4
THURSDAY,
SEPT. 7
University Fall Conference General Session
FRIDAY,
SEPT. 8
CIE Demo Day
Labor Day holiday
TUESDAY,
SEPT. 12
Orfalea College of Business Fall Conference at the Monday Club
THURSDAY,
SEPT. 14
Fall Quarter Begins