The Loop: Spring 2017

THE

LOOP SPRING 2017 Cal Poly M.S. Business Analytics students smile with executives from Oracle after completing an industry project in March.

A MESSAGE FROM INTERIM DEAN KEVIN LERTWACHARA Welcome back from Spring Break! I look forward to working with all of you as we’re finishing up another school year. As you know, Scott Dawson is returning to the college as dean on June 1. He’ll be visiting the college between now and then. Please join me in welcoming Scott back!

On the career readiness front, Assistant Dean for Student Success Amy Carter and her team launched the Young Alumni Mentorship program in fall 2016. The program connects Orfalea students with alumni who graduated within the last seven years and provides a platform for current students to learn about career paths, find internship opportunities, and strengthen professionalism skills. In just a few months, the program has grown to include 51 young alumni mentors and almost 100 student mentees. Career mentorship is one of the key pieces in our effort to encourage every student complete an internship while at Cal Poly and gain full-time employment at graduation.

Connect with us

Our graduate programs are also having a very strong year. The number of applications into our graduate programs is higher this year than any time in the past. In fall 2016, we welcomed the first student cohort to the M.S. in Business Analytics (MSBA)



Cal Poly Orfalea College of Business Alumni



/calpolyorfaleacollege

program. During winter quarter, MSBA students worked on collaborative industry projects with Oracle and Dignity Health to analyze corporate data and make actionable recommendations to the companies. The culminating experience of the projects was for the students to present their work to executives from Oracle and Dignity Health (pictured above). Our students did an excellent job using the knowledge and skills they learned from



/orfaleacollege



/orfaleacollegeofbusiness

the program, and our industry partners from Oracle and Dignity Health were very happy with the reports and recommendations. I couldn’t be more proud of our students!

We are also getting ready for the AACSB accreditation visit on October 16, 2017. Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs Stern Neill, is spearheading the preparation for the Continuous Improvement Report outlining assurance of learning processes and assessment data for the visit team. He is organizing more workshops this quarter focusing on teaching oral communication skills. He’ll be reaching out to everyone for these opportunities. While I know that everyone is busy with teaching, research, and service, your participation is critical to our success in this important process. Thank you in advance for working with Stern. Enjoy the spring quarter!

Kevin Lertwachara, Interim Dean

IN THE NEWS SCOTT DAWSON TO RETURN AS ORFALEA COLLEGE OF BUSINESS DEAN On March 2, Cal Poly announced that former Orfalea College of Business Dean Scott Dawson will return to the position effective June 1. Provost Kathleen Enz Finken appointed associate dean Kevin Lertwachara as interim dean effective Nov. 1 and convened a search committee to recruit a new permanent dean. However, President Armstrong and Enz Finken decided to cancel the recruitment and appoint Dawson to the dean’s position when he expressed his interest in returning. Lertwachara will continue to serve as interim dean until June and then will return to his role as associate dean for the college’s undergraduate programs. http://bit.ly/2mMrLM8

CAL POLY NAMED ONE OF NATION’S BEST VALUES BY KIPLINGER’S FINANCE MAGAZINE Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine has named Cal Poly as a 2017 best-value college in the nation. On the magazine’s annual ranking, Cal Poly placed 21st in the nation and fourth in the state among public universities and colleges.

The university also placed third in California for out-of-state student tuition.

Overall, Cal Poly ranked 98th for both public and private institutions. http://bit.ly/2nYxdxy

CAL POLY CENTER FOR PACKAGING VALUE CHAIN APPROVED BY CAL POLY, CSU Cal Poly and the CSU Chancellor’s Office has approved Cal Poly’s proposal for a Center for Packaging Value Chain in the Orfalea College of Business.

The proposal was led by Professor Jay Singh and the packaging faculty. The program also received approval on its new Master of Science in Packaging Value Chain program, a 100-percent online program which will begin in the fall of 2018. The college will soon announce a director for the Center for Packaging Value Chain.

STUDENTS AND FACULTY TAKE INTERNATIONAL TRIPS DURING SPRING BREAK The latest Orfalea International Business Tour led by Professor Barry Floyd and Teresa Cameron took 23 students to Havana, Cuba over spring break. The group explored the nation’s emerging industries, including agriculture, art and tourism. At the same time, Professors Ahmed Deif and Javier de la Fuente led a group of students from BUS 304 to tour the industries of Brazil. The group enjoyed a tour of a BMW plant (pictured), major shipping ports and tech company Intelbras.

I N T H E N E W S | The Loop

CAL POLY INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM RANKS HIGH AT CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT COMPETITION The student chapter of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) at Cal Poly was awarded third place in the four-year college category of the NAHB Residential Construction Management Competition. It challenged students to solve a real-life construction management problem — to develop a 32-acre parcel of land by determining costs, scheduling, marketing, the design of the homes, and a feasibility analysis for the project. This year’s third-place award marks the 12th time since 2001 that Cal Poly has finished in the top five at the competition. Cal Poly placed first in 2005, 2006 and 2011. http://bit.ly/2lEcy1Z

CPAC HOSTS DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION PANEL The Cal Poly Accounting Club (CPAC) hosted a Diversity Panel, where the Big 4 accounting firms as well as Edward Jones discussed the role of diversity in the professional environment. Ranging from associates to partners, the panelists presented resources and personal experiences on topics such as confronting micro aggressions in a professional environment, lack of diversity in the financial services and accounting industry, and minority representation in firm leadership.

CAL POLY’S INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY SOCIETY VISITS WESTPACK AND TOURS SPACEX Students from Cal Poly’s Industrial Technology Society recently traveled to Southern California to network at the Advanced Manufacturing Expo/WestPack industry convention. Students were also given a tour of the mission control center and production facility of SpaceX, where rockets are built, tested and inspected.

During the tour, students saw rocket engines, octopod final assemblies, composite layups, and also saw an actual pod that had been to space. Students had the opportunity to connect with SpaceX recruiters to gain an inside perspective and to learn more about their available positions. http://bit.ly/2nHGJUU

CAL POLY FACULTY, STAFF EARN $32 MILLION IN GRANT FUNDING AND FIVE PATENTS Packaging Program Director and professor Jay Singh is among the honored faculty and staff whose research resulted in patents for the university in the 2015-16 academic year. Singh, along with former student Evan Cernokus, patented a system for forming space-consuming, shock-absorbing packing materials that eliminates the need for non-recyclable polystyrene packing peanuts. Economics Area Chair and Professor Stephen Hamilton was also recognized for contributing toward a record $32 million in grants. Hamilton had the highest grant-funding total in Orfalea College of Business. http://bit.ly/2o7OfLx

The Loop | I N T H E N E W S

CAL POLY ACCOUNTING STUDENTS PREPARE TAXES FOR LOCALS THROUGH VITA The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program prepared taxes for lowincome residents of the Central Coasts throughout winter quarter. In addition to staffing clinics in San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria, students hosted a weekend clinic at Cal Poly that prepared hundreds tax returns. Overall, more than 120 students participated in the Learn by Doing senior project. Accounting faculty Trisha Andersen led the program.

STUDENTS EARN HR CERTIFICATIONS THROUGH SENIOR PROJECTS During winter quarter, 12 human resources students and successfully passed the Associate Professional in Human Resources (aPHR) exam as a part of their BUS 464 senior project. The distinction was offered through the prestigious HR Certification Institute. The accomplishment will bolster the resumes of those students and has already caught the eye of several employers. Area faculty led the initiative and say they plan on encouraging the certification in future courses.

CAL POLY NAMED TOP PRODUCER OF FULBRIGHT SCHOLARS IN THE NATION Cal Poly has been named a top producer of U.S. Fulbright scholars for the 201617 academic year by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Five faculty members in total, including Professor Chris Carr, received Fulbright grants — more than any other public or private masters-level university in the nation. Carr, a now four-time Fulbright scholar, is the recipient of the prestigious 2017 U.S.-Italy Fulbright Distinguished Chair in Business award and will visit the University of Naples Parthenope to collaborate on research with faculty primarily from the Department of Management and Quantitative Studies. http://bit.ly/2oeS4LV

JOACHIM SCHOLZ HONORED FOR RESEARCH ON AUGMENTED REALITY AND SOCIAL MEDIA Cal Poly Marketing Professor Joachim Scholz has received “Paper of the Year” honors from Business Horizons, a journal focused on analyzing business problems and publishing articles that present solutions. Professor Scholz, along with Suffolk University’s Assistant Professor Marketing Andrew Smith, were recognized for their article, “Augmented Reality: Designing immersive experiences that maximize customer engagement.” http://bit.ly/2ozZzBl

OUR TEAM JAY SINGH PROMOTES CAL POLY PACKAGING IN CHINA Over winter break, Cal Poly Packaging Professor and Program Director Jay Singh traveled to China, where he visited premier packaging programs at four universities and met with distinguished professors and administrators to discuss the Cal Poly Packaging Program and to develop international connections for Cal Poly. Throughout these visits, Singh discussed the Cal Poly Packaging program, explored the newly-approved M.S. in Packaging Value Chain, and worked to develop international academic and research collaborations between Cal Poly and partner universities. http://bit.ly/2nI8goW

STAFF EMBRACES PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT A group of 17 Orfalea staff members attended the Professional Business

Women’s Conference (PBWC) in San Francisco in March. The event featured speakers and authors from different industries, including a keynote from Hillary Clinton. Meanwhile, members of the college’s advancement team represented Cal Poly at the AACSB Communications and Development Symposium where they networked with other business school professionals and developed new outreach strategies.

MICHAEL MARLOW SPEAKS AT LIFE SCIENCES CONFERENCE Economics Professor Michael Marlow was a keynote speaker for the 2017 Annual Meeting Scientific Sessions of the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) in La Jolla in January. ILSI brings together scientists from government, academia, and industry to advance the understanding and application of science to improve the health of the public. His presentation, titled, “Do the Benefits of California’s Proposition 65 Law Outweigh Its Costs?” integrated his work on government food nudging and obesity policy with California’s “rightto-know” Prop 65 law. http://bit.ly/2o11qgX

PATRICIA MCQUAID SPEAKS AT IOT CONFERENCE ON CAMPUS Information Systems Professor Patricia McQuaid spoke at the Cal Poly IoT (Internet of Things) / RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) Networking Conference, held in February 2017 on campus, along with industry representatives from Cisco, Deloitte, and Fastenal. The event discussed the benefits and risks surrounding the interconnectivity of the IoT. McQuaid spoke about the important issues regarding ethics and security of the data collected by these devices. She will also be involved with the upcoming California Cyber Innovation Challenge, to be held on campus this coming June. In it, high school student teams will complete a series of timed cybersecurity challenges.

FAST FACTS Brennan Davis was named one of marketing’s top 10 peer reviewers by the Journal of Public Policy and Marketing.

Davis was chosen by the editors of the 39 SSCI-indexed marketing journals asking for the top reviewers of their publications.

Mahdi Rastad received the Eugene O’Connor Scholarship that supports professional development among Orfalea faculty. He used the award to attend the Harvard Business School Case Method Teaching seminar in March.

Lisa Sperow, director of Cal Poly’s Low Income Taxpayer Clinic, has been invited to speak on a panel during the American Bar Association’s Tax Section May Meeting in Washington D.C. She will be discussing tax issues and traps taxpayers should be aware of when starting a business.

Joachim Scholz’s writings on social media firestorms was featured by the American Marketing Association’s website. Read the full article here: http://bit.ly/2ozXPI3 Management Associate Professor Patty Dahm discussed work-life balance and the concept of trade-offs with the Work Life Podcast. Dahm was invited to speak after presenting research at the Work and Family Research Network Conference in Washington D.C. http://bit.ly/2nVoVpX David Kocsis presented at the CTLT Winter Innovation Showcase on February 14. With the theme of “Inclusive Instruction,” Kocsis discussed how to address challenges of infusing diversity and inclusivity topics into course content.

Accounting faculty member Stephen Stern offered Learn by Doing internships to students via the nation’s first Mobile Law Center focused on consumer rights, debt issues, and student loans. The MLC is contained in a renovated 1978, 24-foot Airstream motorhome, providing accessible, affordable and legal ingenuity to people throughout California’s Central Coast. www.mobilelawcenter.com Management Professor Ben Alexander was awarded a China Studies Institute Fellowship for the program this June 2017. The Zhi-Xing China Academic Impact Fellowship will enable Alexander to attend this year’s China Studies Institute in June. http://www.aascu.org/programs/CSI/ Professor Rami Shani championed the start of an exchange program between Orfalea’s Management, HR and Information Systems Area and the University of Milan in Italy, with the help of Professors Ben Alexander, Patty Dahm, and JF Coget. The inaugural exchange will take place in fall 2017.

Industrial Technology Professor Ahmed Deif, with coauthor Hoda ElMaraghy, published the article, “Variety and Volume Dynamic Management for Value Creation in Changeable Manufacturing Systems,” in the International Journal of Production Research. http://bit.ly/2oaPfhY

Industrial Technology and Packaging Lab Coordinator Ray Kisch was recently confirmed as a U.S.

citizen. Kisch is originally from South Africa.

STUDENT SUCCESS CAL POLY INFORMATION SYSTEMS VISITS WORKDAY In January, Information Systems Concentration Coordinator and Professor Barry Floyd brought 25 students from Cal Poly’s Information Systems Association (ISA) to visit Workday’s headquarters in Pleasanton, Calif. The all-day event included presentations from top Workday leaders in integration services, a tour of Workday’s campus and an open forum with Cal Poly alumni.

The forum discussed keys to success at Workday and the life of working as a Workday Consultant.

ORFALEA STUDENT AMBASSADORS TOUR THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST Over the course of four days, 25 Orfalea College of Business Student Ambassadors traveled to the Pacific Northwest, where they toured companies like major companies and visited local high schools. Students began their trip with visits to Nike, Amazon, Point B Consulting, as well as advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy. While in the Pacific Northwest, the ambassadors also visited four high schools, where they answered questions from students applying to Cal Poly about what the college experience is like.

INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM WINS AAA INSURANCE CASE COMPETITION Business student Neil Gupta, electrical engineering student Pratyush Panda, industrial engineering student Rahul Makhijani and computer science student Chirag Narayanakere won first place and $1,000 prize in the Innovation Consulting Case Competition, hosted by Cal Poly’s chapter of Delta Sigma Pi and AAA Insurance Group in January. The team won for their proposal on new and alternative financial models for auto insurance companies in the face of driverless cars.

MARKETING TEAMS SHINE IN PITCH COMPETITION Students from BUS 346: Principles of Marketing competed in a pitch competition during Winter Quarter. The courses, taught by faculty members Professor Brennan Davis, Susan Bouvette, and Jason Varley pair underclassmen with more seasoned Marketing Mentors as they create and market a new consumer product. As part of the primary research project, one student team worked with Cal Poly’s Center for Sustainability. Of the 400 students enrolled in the course, five teams competed in the final rounds of the marketing pitch competition, which was judged by industry professionals.

First place was awarded to the project “Novo;” second place went to “Eco Cups;” and third went to “Buzz Band.” The winners received certificates of achievement, and the Marketing Area provided a cash prize to the winning team members.

The Loop | S T U D E N T SU CC E SS

ACCOUNTING STUDENTS TOUR FIRMS Twenty-five Cal Poly accounting students visited four San Francisco firms over spring break. The group visited were Burr Pilger Mayer (BPM), Moss Adams, Grant Thornton and Deloitte where they heard from alumni and industry professionals about career opportunities and professional development strategies for success. The trip concluded with a happy hour with Cal Poly accounting alumni working in the Bay Area. Students Kshitij Mehta and Jun Bang played a major role in coordinating the event.

BUSINESS ANALYTICS STUDENTS PRESENT TO INDUSTRY PARTNERS Seven teams from Orfalea’s M.S. in Business Analytics program presented findings to their client, Oracle, at the end of winter quarter. Each team analyzed large sets of data to make strategic recommendations regarding where Oracle should pursue new business opportunities. The executives in attendance were thoroughly impressed with the quality of the students and invited them to the corporation’s campus in Redwood City to present to Oracle’s CEO in spring.

FIVE CAL POLY FOOTBALL PLAYERS STUDYING ABORAD RECEIVE ALL-ACADEMIC HONORS The honorees included finance senior Billy Shipman (offensive lineman), accounting and information systems sophomore Sam Ogee (offensive lineman), accounting junior Colin Goebel (offensive lineman), business administration freshman Carter Nichols (defensive back) and entrepreneurship sophomore Tully McCalister (defensive back). To be eligible for all-academic honors, students must have participated in at least half of the team’s competitions, achieved a 3.2 cumulative grade-point average at the end of the most recently completed term, and completed at least one academic term at their Big Sky school. http://bit.ly/2oB1k0K

CAL POLY STUDENTS HONORED BY LAWMAKERS AT STATE CAPITOL Four award-winning students from the Orfalea College of Business, as well as 16 other Cal Poly students, were recognized for their other accomplishments by state lawmakers on the floors of the state Assembly and Senate in Sacramento in February. They included construction management and finance senior Eric Bet, industrial technology and packaging senior Brooke Billmeyer, finance senior Hannah Poplack and marketing senior Marshall Zia. Accompanied

by President Armstrong, the group was introduced in the Senate by Majority Leader Bill Monning, D-Carmel, and in the Assembly by Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham, R-Templeton. In addition, the students met with the Office of Gov. Jerry Brown and with representatives from each student’s respective Senate and Assembly districts. http://bit.ly/2n9fWUZ

S T U D E N T SU CC E SS | The Loop

AMA CORPORATE TOUR TO SANTA BARBARA On Feb. 10, Cal Poly’s American Marketing Association (AMA) traveled to Santa Barbara for its Winter Corporate tour. On this trip, students first visited HG Data, which is a startup company in the realm of databases and marketing analytics. Students then visited Decker Brands, which represents brands such as Uggs, Sanuk, and Hoka One One. Students had the opportunity to meet creative directors, brand managers, and other marketing staff that handle international campaigns and have worked with Tom Brady and other athletes and celebrities.

MARKETING STUDENTS USE DATA TO HELP CAL POLY ITS Lisa Simon’s BUS 418: Listening to the Customer, students developed a Customer Insight Project for Cal Poly Information Technology Services (ITS).

During the course, students completed a SWOT analysis and three forms of primary research — observation, focus groups and surveys. Using these data, students drew conclusions, created recommendations and presented to ITS professionals. Five teams were selected to present yesterday to a team from ITS, including Bill Britton, Cal Poly CIO. Britton was so pleased with the results, he offered to hire a team of students as interns to implement their suggestions.

FINANCE STUDENT NAMED BIG WEST CONFERENCE SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Molly Haar, a runner for Cal Poly’s cross country and track program, was honored as the Mustangs’ 2016-17 Big West Conference Scholar-Athletes of the Year along with golfer and engineering student Jesse Yap. Haar is a fourth-year business major with a concentration in financial management. A four-time Big West All-Academic honoree, Haar helped lead the Mustangs to this past fall’s conference championship in cross country, and also was the 2015 champion in track season for the 5,000 meters. http://bit.ly/2oeGBMu

CAL POLY STUDENTS PLACE IN TOP 10 AT INTERNATIONAL SUPPLY CHAIN COMPETITION An interdisciplinary team of Orfalea industrial technology and packaging and business students took eighth place out of 450 teams in the North American round of the Global Student Challenge in March. The team of four competed in a timed business simulation where they aimed to maximize profits for a hypothetical company while balancing 200 variables including production needs, customer financing, marketing, loan financing and shipment deliverables while avoiding risk of supplier defaults and managing currency exchange changes.

Team members included Karan Singh and James MacMillan, Makenzie Lary and Michael Di Dio. Students Paige Topole and Atlanta Nguyen also helped Cal Poly’s team advance in previous rounds of the challenge. http://bit.ly/2nlVChN

The Loop | S T U D E N T SU CC E SS

ACCOUNTING STUDENT RECEIVES $3,000 CALIFORNIA CPA SCHOLARSHIP Student Jonathan de Smidt received the 2016 Masters Scholarship awarded by the CalCPA Accounting Education Committee for $3,000 to support his pursuit of Master of Science in Accounting program at Cal Poly. The scholarship was announced in the most recent edition of California CPA Magazine. http://bit.ly/2nLmK7M

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY STUDENTS INVITED TO ORACLE CONFERENCE Industrial technology and packaging students Karan Singh and Kara Rutherford were among the future supply chain leaders from 20 schools across the country who were invited to Oracle’s Modern Supply Chain experience conference in February. Across the three-day event Cal Poly’s students got to explore topics educational sessions on end-to-end supply chain, logistics and order management, maintenance, manufacturing, and product lifecycle management. This program recognizes top future talent in supply chain management and gives them the opportunity to network with more than 2,800 industry-leading practitioners who were in attendance.

MATT IMHOF BOUNCES BACK FROM LIFECHANGING INJURY Finance student and former Philadelphia Phillies pitching prospect Matt Imhof sustained a traumatic injury to his right eye during a postgame training accident this past June and had his right eye removed. Following the surgery, Imhof had to relearn how to walk down stairs, how to drive and even how to play catch. Recently, Imhof re-enrolled in Cal Poly classes to finish his degree and now serves as the undergraduate assistant pitching coach for the Cal Poly baseball team. He hopes for a career that allows him to make a positive impact on the community. http://es.pn/2n9cn1n

CAL POLY TAKES SECOND PLACE AT CFA INSTITUTE RESEARCH CHALLENGE A team of business and economics students took second place in the local Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute Research Challenge in March.

Cal Poly competed against USC, Loyola Marymount University, Pepperdine University and Claremont McKenna College while creating a valuation report and make investment recommendations on retailer Bed Bath & Beyond. The group included Brandon Becker, Dario Buechi, Jessica Kramer, Jordan Smith and Greg Benedikt. Finance Professor Cyrus Ramezani advised the students. Scott B. Kirk, a 2005 business administration alumnus and partner at City Capital Management, acted as an industry mentor to the students. Cal Poly teams have won the past three local CFA Institute Research Challenge competitions.

S T U D E N T SU CC E SS | The Loop

CAL POLY TEAM WINS SECOND PLACE AT DESIGN COMPETITION Cal Poly students Tom Howell and Adam Fain won second place at the International Corrugated Packaging Foundation’s (ICPF) “Best of the Best Student Design Presentation.” Their project, the Transformers Party Pack was branded for March Madness and shaped like a basketball that unfolds into four trays of food products. Howell and Fain entered the competition after winning second place in the Graphics Challenge category of the Association of Independent Corrugated Converters’ (AICC) Student Packaging Design Competition in 2016. The pair developed their project during ITP 408: Paper and Paperboard Packaging course during spring 2016 with fellow students LeeAnne Morris and Justin Hale. http://bit.ly/2o0U0u2

MARKETING STUDENT PROJECT SUPPORTS LOCAL DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES Marketing Professor Joan Lindsey-Mullikin’s BUS 459: Social Media’s Role

in Integrated Marketing Communications class helped County of San Luis Obispo find Foster (Resource) Parents and Adoption Parents (Forever Homes).

The course is part of the new Integrated Marketing Communications minor developed jointly by Marketing, Journalism and Graphic Communications programs. During winter quarter, students worked in groups developing strategy, unique social media programs, and instructions for social media analytics for individual segments of potential parent groups including empty nesters, professionals and the general community. The students presented their information to an audience of SLO Department of Social Services employees and management during finals week.

STAFF AND FACULTY VOLUNTEER FOR THOSE IN NEED AT PRADO DAY CENTER The Orfalea College of Business staff and faculty have taken time to volunteer each month with San Luis Obispo’s Prado Day Center. Teams of five have served lunch to those in need thanks to donations of food from French Hospital and Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center.

Faculty and staff are encouraged to sign up for volunteer dates remaining in spring and summer via this Google form: http://bit.ly/2oAYkRP

GIVING AT ORFALEA $1,915,798 $55,406

FUNDRAISING TOTAL YTD TOTAL RAISED DURING POLY GIVES DAY OF GIVING MARCH 9

ALUMNUS ESTABLISHES A SCHOLARSHIP FOR FINANCE STUDENTS Jeff Fischer (Business Administration ‘75) gave $148,000 to the Orfalea College of Business to establish a scholarship for Cal Poly finance students from Santa Clara County. Fischer and his wife Peggy attended Cal Poly, as did their sons Brandon (Architectural Engineering ’01), Scott (Business Administration ’02) and Adam (Business Administration ’04).

ALUMNUS SUPPORTS CIE FOUNDER’S CIRCLE

Business administration alumnus Barry Waite recently joined the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s (CIE) Founder’s Circle with a gift of $50,000 to support student programs and services. Waite has visited the college several times as an Executive in Residence. He is currently the vintner and proprietor at Tamber Bey Vineyards in Calistoga.

CAL POLY PARENTS MAKES A MAJOR DONATION TO ACCOUNTING AREA SCHOLARSHIPS

Cal Poly parents Wesley and Doris Watkins recently made a $400,000 planned gift benefiting the Orfalea College of Business’ Accounting Area. The Watkins Scholarship Endowment will support accounting students pursuing their undergraduate degree.

ALUMNI IN THE NEWS ACCOUNTING ALUMNUS JOINS ARMANINO AS PARTNER Alumnus Todd Northrup (Accounting ‘97) has joined Armanino as a

partner in its Woodland Hills office. Northrup will support the firm’s tax provision practice in Southern California. He brings 20 years of experience with tax provision and compliance, including 13 years at both KPMG and Ernst & Young. http://bit.ly/2oCJv1M

A LU M N I | The Loop

ALUMNI-OWNED BUSINESS OFFERS FREE COLLEGE TO SILICON VALLEY RESIDENTS

Alumni Ben Wilson (Marketing ’02) and Adrian Ridner (Computer Science ’04), co-founders of Study.com, announced that their company would offer to pay for a bachelor’s degree for all Silicon Valley residents through its Working Scholars program. Video courses at Study.com are free and any remaining credits towards a degree from Thomas Edison State University, would be covered by donations through the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce. http://bit.ly/2nYrAQ0

FINANCE ALUMNUS FEATURED ON CNBC

Alumnus Ben Dunbar (Finance ’14) of Gerber Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management was recently featured on CNBC discussing billionaire investor Warren Buffett’s views on Apple stock and whether investors should pile in as well. Dunbar also helps lead Cal Poly’s alumni chapter in Los Angeles. http://cnb.cx/2nLhaCk

ENTREPRENEURSHIP ALUMNUS TO APPEAR ON SHARK TANK APRIL 14

Alumnus Brian Riley (Entrepreneurship ’10) will pitch his startup Guardian Bikes on ABC’s Shark Tank in an episode airing Friday, April 14. Riley, the company’s co-founder and CEO, helped develop a special braking system for kids’ bikes that engages the rear break first, preventing a “head over handlebars” accident. The bike also stops faster than those using traditional braking systems. https://guardianbikes.com/

ALUMNUS JOINS PRESIDIO RESIDENTIAL CAPITAL Alumnus Brian Riley (Entrepreneurship ’10) will pitch his startup Guardian Bikes on ABC’s Shark Tank in an episode airing Friday, April 14. Riley, the company’s co-founder and CEO, helped develop a special braking system for kids’ bikes that engages the rear break first, preventing a “head over handlebars” accident. The bike also stops faster than those using traditional braking systems. http://mwne.ws/2oJQPpa

RECENT GRAD TO COMPETE IN CSU RESEARCH COMPETITION Consumer packaging solutions alumnus Trevor Lowe will be one of 10

students representing Cal Poly and the only student from the Orfalea College of Business in the 2017 CSU Student Research Competition. His paper, titled, “Using Eye Tracking and Task Analyses to Understand Human-Package Interactions,” developed testing methodologies to determine package usability using mobile eye-tracking technology. Lowe sought to understand how humans perceive functional features on packages and how experience affects perception. Lowe is currently at Amgen in Thousand Oaks.

IN FOCUS

On the latest Orfalea International Business Tour to Cuba, students take a tour of Havana in the city’s classic cars.

Between visiting local farms, artists and business owners, Orfalea students toured the communities of Cuba.

BUS 304 students explore the major shipping ports of Brazil during spring break.

While in Brazil, Cal Poly students take time to volunteer with local children at Fundacao Vidal Ramos (photo by Ferrari Franzoni).

San Luis Obispo Mayor Heidi Harmon spoke to students in Stephen Stern’s BUS 404 class in March.

Alumnus John Ormiston (Marketing ‘87), founder of 1026 Beverage Co. returns to Cal Poly as an Executive in Residence.

ON THE HORIZON HOTHOUSE OFFERS COWORKING SPACE The Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) has space for new members of freelancers, startups, and entrepreneurs at its new SLO HotHouse location. The CIE SLO HotHouse offers its members a comfortable work environment with fast Internet, 24/7 access, educational and social events plus business consulting at an all-inclusive price. With more than 15,000 square feet of space, the SLO HotHouse offers flexible short- and long-term memberships and an open area for coworking, along with a private phone booth, a lounge, three conference rooms, private offices, dedicated desk spaces and event space. http://bit.ly/2otnz80

HELP PROMOTE THE GRADUATE STATUS REPORT Every year, Career Services conducts an annual survey of the activities of its most recent graduates, which is compiled into the Graduate Status Report. This includes information on career outcomes related to employment and admissions to graduate or professional schools. The college’s goal is to achieve 80-percent response rate to keep up with where our graduates are going. We need your help! This survey aids us in national ranks, provides information to our current and future students, and supports AACSB accreditation. If students complete the survey, they can pick up an “Orfalea College of Business Class of 2017” sticker from Orfalea Student Services. http://bit.ly/2obdNYf

ACADEMIC SEMINARS HAPPENING IN SPRING QUARTER The Management, HR and Information Systems Area will be hosting several research seminars in spring quarter, including Renee Rottner from UC Santa Barbara on March 3, Charlotte Fritz from Portland State University on March 10, and Maia Young from UCLA on April 7. All faculty are welcome to attend. Contact the area office for more details.

EXECUTIVES IN RESIDENCE VISITS FOR SPRING The Orfalea College of Business continues to welcome executives and alumni back to campus to enrich the learning environment for students and faculty. Check out the dates for EIR visits this spring: •

April 26 – Jeffrey Neal, Chief Marketing Officer at Kforce

•

May 4 – Chris Loeffler (Accounting ‘07), Investor, CEO, Cofounder at Caliber Companies

•

May 15 – Jeff Harper, Senior Vice President of People and Culture at MINDBODY

•

May 16 – Kyle Park (Finance ‘90), Managing Director at Harvest Management Partners

•

May 17 – Frank Verdecanna (Business Administration ‘93), CEO of Fire Eye

•

May 18 – Matt Macomber (Economics ‘95), Managing Director at Blackrock

CHANGES TO EMAIL ALIASES Please note the following email aliases that have been updated recently: •

Information Support Services – cob-adminsvc@calpoly.edu

•

College Information Technology Help – ocobhelpdesk@calpoly.edu

•

All faculty – cob-faculty@calpoly.edu

•

All staff – cob-staff@calpoly.edu

The Loop | O N T H E H O R I ZO N

ALUMNI EVENTS SET FOR MAY The Cal Poly Accounting Club (CPAC) will host its Day in the Park event on Saturday, May 20 at 11 a.m. on O’Neill Green. Faculty and students will be networking with alumni and industry partners over a BBQ and games. Later that evening, the Accounting Area will host its Spring Banquet to celebrate the year, award scholarships and thank donors. Faculty are encouraged to attend both events. http://bit.ly/2oD3b5q The Financial Management Association (FMA) will be hosting its first Night of Finance on May 13 at 6 p.m. at TapIt Brewing Company. The event will award the area’s scholarships and provide opportunity for networking with alumni, faculty, industry partners and students. http://bit.ly/2oEhnus

CENTER FOR INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP FORUM SLATED FOR MAY 15 Faculty and staff are encouraged to attend the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s (CIE) spring forum on May 15 at 4:30 p.m. in the PAC Pavilion. The event will showcase the teams accepted in the CIE’s SLO HotHouse Summer Accelerator program. All faculty, staff and students are encouraged to attend this free event.

PACKAGING FACULTY TO HOST FRESH PRODUCE SEMINAR MAY 22-24 Cal Poly’s Packaging Program will host its annual freshPACKmoves seminar in Monterey May 22-24. Speakers from Blue Apron, UPS Customer Solutions and Imperfect Produce will examine e-commerce’s role in fresh produce packaging and supply chains. The event will end with an in-depth tour of Salinas-area farms to examine their operations. http://www.freshpackmoves.com

SAVE THE DATE WEDNESDAY,

APRIL 12

Startup Career Fair 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. in the ATL (building 07)

THURSDAY,

APRIL 16

Cal Poly Service Awards 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. in Chumash Auditorium

APRIL 19 & 20

Spring Career Fair in the Rec Center

APRIL 28 & 29

CSU Research Competition at Cal Poly

SATURDAY,

MAY 13

FMA Night of Finance at Tap-It Brewing Company

SATURDAY,

MAY 20

CPAC Day in the Park and Spring Banquet

MONDAY,

MAY 29

Memorial Day Holiday

FRIDAY,

JUNE 2

Senior Awards Ceremony 3 p.m. on O’Neill Green

SATURDAY,

JUNE 17

Spring Commencement in Spanos Stadium