Doermer Difference Fall 2015

THE DOERMER SCHOOL

Published by

OF BUSINESS – FALL 2015

The 2015-2016

Doermer School of Business Faculty

PHOTOGRAPH BY JEFFREY CRANE

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PUBLISHER

Michiana Business Publications Inc.

EDITOR

Stacey Root

ART DIRECTOR

Danielle Hoelle

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Tammy Davis and Donna Detweiler

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jeffrey Crane and Tim Brumbeloe

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CONNECT WITH THE DOERMER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS: IPFW

Richard T. Doermer School of Business

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IPFW

Richard T. Doermer School of Business

ipfw.edu/business

IPFW is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access University.

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VOLUME 1, NUMBER 2 | FALL 2015

Contents 4 Letter from the Dean

5 What DSB Faculty Have To Do To Maintain AACSB Accreditation 6 Our Faculty 8 The Center for Excellence in Business Analytics 10 In the Classroom

12 Events

24 Student Involvement

14 International Experiences

26 Doermer Distinguished Scholars

16 Faculty Feats

Zafar Nazarov

28 Alumni in Action

Lena Yarian

Otto Chang Bridget Leonard

18 Value of the MBA 21 Alumni Letter 22 Real World Experiences

Titan Title

31 Women in Business Analytics 32 Recently Retired Faculty 33 Salvation Army

Red Kettle Campaign

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Dean LETTER FROM THE

PHOTOGRAPH BY STEVE VORDERMAN

International studies are deeply ingrained in the culture of the Doermer School of Business (DSB) starting with its mission statement and represented by its faculty, which is culturally and geographically diverse. When economic upheavals occur, they can have a global effect. DSB recognizes this business reality and provides educational opportunities through our renowned international faculty and the international opportunities we provide students.

Last spring, a group of DSB International Studies students traveled to Ireland where they engaged with the Fort Wayne Metals plant in Castlebar and then the Zimmer Company plant in the Limerick/ Shannon area. Last summer, another group of students traveled to South Korea where they learned how the South Korean economy operates and were exposed to Korean culture. The students also observed firsthand the difference between the North Korea and South Korean economies.

This contrast of North Korea and South Korea led me to think about the thawing relations with Cuba coupled with the recent headline, “US flag waves in Cuba,” and its subhead, “Kerry calls for democratic change during opening of embassy,” in the Journal Gazette. With more than 54 years of frozen relations supported by embargoes and travel restrictions, this is an economics classroom discussion just waiting to be explored. This spring, our students will have a chance 4 | THE DOERMER DIFFERENCE - FALL 2015

to see what happens to foreign investment when governments sever relations. What type of black market economy developed and how ripe will Cuba be for new investments? Will that investment be safe and will it pay the returns necessary to justify the risks? These and other questions will allow for a great opportunity to view an economy before U.S. trade restraints are lifted.

The International Studies program at the Doermer School of Business has been supported by gifts from Franklin Electric and other individuals. It is time to broaden that support base to include other companies and additional individuals. Sherry Creighton, class of 2015, says, “Getting exposure to international business and travel has been invaluable. I didn’t fully realize, until we went to Ireland, how desirable foreign direct investment from the U.S. is in Europe. It was very enlightening and gave me insight I will take with me when I graduate.”

If you have an interest in learning more about the DSB International Studies program or would be willing to provide financial support, please contact Susan Byers, assistant dean, at (260) 481-6483 or at the Doermer School of Business, Indiana University – Purdue University, 360 Neff Hall, 2101 East Coliseum Boulevard, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46805-1499.

- Dean Michael Eikenberry

WHAT DSB FACULTY HAVE TO DO

TO MAINTAIN AACSB ACCREDITATION The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business-International (AACSB) is the longest serving global association dedicated to advancing management education worldwide. It provides internationallyrecognized, specialized accreditation for business and accounting programs at the bachelor, master and doctoral levels. Currently, it accredits 740 of the best business schools across 50 countries and territories; that is less than 10 percent of the world’s business schools.

The Doermer School of Business at IPFW is the only AACSB accredited business school in northeast Indiana.

these three areas in quantities that reflect a balance appropriate to the mission of the school. These faculty contributions may be in the form of journal articles, scholarly books, textbooks, conference presentations, research seminars, etc., and must exist in public written form and have been subject to scrutiny by academic peers or practitioners prior to publication. The school is required to demonstrate the impact of its faculty’s intellectual contributions on such aspects as business and management theory, business practice in the community served by the school, student learning, etc.

AACSB has 15 accreditation standards that challenge post-secondary educators to pursue excellence and continuous improvement throughout their business programs. These standards are broken down into four categories, namely: strategic management and innovation; participants (students, faculty and professional staff); learning and teaching (assurance of learning); and academic and professional engagement.

While each of the 15 standards invariably touch on something that faculty members are called upon to do, two specific standards (Standards 2 and 15) lay out clear and substantive expectations that the accrediting agency imposes on the faculty of an accredited business school.

Standard 15 expects the school to strategically deploy its faculty who collectively and individually demonstrate significant academic and professional engagement. The school has to develop appropriate criteria for the classification of individual faculty members according to initial academic preparation, professional experience, ongoing scholarship and ongoing professional engagement. The resultant scheme would classify a faculty member under one of four possible categories: scholarly academic (SA), scholarly practitioner (SP), instructional practitioner (IP) and practicing academic (PA).

Faculty who have the relevant initial academic preparation or professional experience, coupled with sustained intellectual capital and currency in their fields of teaching are deemed “qualified faculty.” AACSB has stringent thresholds below which the proportion of qualified faculty cannot fall if the school wants to remain accredited.

AACSB requires the school’s mission to incorporate a focus on the production of quality intellectual contributions that advance the knowledge of business and management theory, practice, and teaching of business and management. In short, faculty are expected to conduct research and publish their findings.

While Standard 2 does not require every faculty member to publish in each of the three categories mentioned above, there is an explicit requirement that the faculty body in aggregate must contribute to

In addition to the aforementioned high bars, AACSB expects the school to demonstrate documented continuous improvement at each reaccreditation review (occurring in five year cycles) in all four areas of strategic management and innovation, participants, learning and teaching, and academic and professional engagement.

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Business DOERMER

SCHOOL OF

▲ DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS Nodir Adilov, Department Chair and Associate Professor of Economics Dimitris Batzilis, Visiting Professor in Economics John Kessler, Continuing Lecturer in Economics ▲ ADMINISTRATION Mike Eikenberry, Dean Joseph Khamalah, Associate Dean Susan Byers, Assistant Dean Cigdem Gurgur, MBA Director and Director of the Center for Excellence in Business Analytics Holly Lara, Assistant to the Dean Lisa Courtney, MBA Administrative Assistant

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Jiyoon (June) Kim, Assistant Professor in Economics Myeong Hwan Kim, Associate Professor of Economics Zafar Nazarov, Assistant Professor of Economics Hedayeh Samavati, Professor of Economics Carolyn Stumph, Continuing Lecturer in Economics Rewa Jones, Secretary

▲ DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE Janet Papiernik, Department Chair and Associate Professor of Accounting

▲ DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT AND MARKETING

Otto Chang, Paul Schaeffer Professor of Accounting

Nichaya (Nan) Suntornpithug, Department Chair and Associate Professor of Marketing

Hui (Ada) Di, Associate Professor of Accounting

Swathi Baddam, Assistant Professor of Management

Steven Hanke, Associate Professor of Accounting

Prasad Bingi, Associate Professor of Management Information Systems

Kent Kauffman, Associate Professor of Business Law Geralyn Miller, Associate Professor of Finance Susan Minke, Continuing Lecturer in Accounting

Cigdem Gurgur, Associate Professor of Business Analytics

Kathy Pollock, Associate Professor of Accounting

Joseph Khamalah, Associate Professor of Management

Michael Reffeitt, Continuing Lecturer in Finance

Bridget Leonard, Assistant Professor of Marketing

Mike Slaubaugh, Associate Professor of Accounting

Chenwei Li, Assistant Professor of Management

Jane Hirschbiel, Secretary

Jun Ma, Associate Professor of Marketing

Part-Time Faculty: Travis Buell, Ernest Hill, Bruce Novak, Kevin Smith, James Underwood, Karen VanGorder, Carolyn Warsco

Rob Palevich, Continuing Lecturer in Management and Marketing Ahmed Rachdi, Continuing Lecturer in Management and Marketing William Todorovic, Associate Professor of Management Cynthia Wilson, Continuing Lecturer in Management Part-Time Faculty: Mahmudur Bhuiya, Dena Davis, Anna Gibson, Jim Hess

◀ STUDENT SUCCESS CENTER Susan Byers, Assistant Dean Karin Casazza, Academic Advisor Kari Smith, Academic Advisor Sarah Mettert, Secretary INDIANA UNIVERSITY-PURDUE UNIVERSITY FORT WAYNE |

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HELPING MINE

THE PROFITABLE POWER OF DATA The Center for Excellence in Business Analytics uses expert faculty, students and supercomputer resources to boost business success. article by Donna Detweiler In today’s competitive business world, profitability can hinge on collaboration. When a business contacts the Center for Excellence in Business Analytics at IPFW’s Doermer School of Business to help solve a complex problem, everyone wins. Businesses gain revenueboosting solutions they can afford. Faculty applies their knowledge in the real world. The next generation of problem-solvers gets valuable hands-on experience.

What is the Center for Excellence in Business Analytics?

The Center for Excellence is a consulting arm of the Doermer School of Business. Combining research excellence, cutting edge analytical methods with deep business experience, faculty and students work alongside northeast Indiana manufacturing, financial/ banking, insurance, healthcare, technology and nonprofit industries to improve function for increased profit. For example, how does a healthcare facility schedule its medical staff and surgical space most

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economically? How does a grocery store figure out product quantity, when to stock what and how to best use its staff resources? All of these are complex questions to which the science of business analytics can supply reliable answers that impact the bottom line.

It’s no surprise that Dr. Cigdem Gurgur was chosen to lead this center. Her resume and worldly experiences reflect today’s global business economy. She received her PhD in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Rutgers University and holds an MS in Management Science and Operation Research from Warwick Business School in England and an MS in Applied and Mathematical Statistics from Rutgers University.

Gurgur arrived in Fort Wayne in 2009 after teaching in the Division of Economics and Business at Colorado School of Mines, where she was also the recipient of the Excellence in Teaching and Outstanding Faculty Awards. “It looks a little different here,” Gurgur says, smiling. “More golfing now versus hiking.”

Dr. Cigdem Gurgur

Though trained as an engineer, Gurgur’s research has been in the interface of finance, operations and risk management with expertise in both predictive and prescriptive modeling. She teaches supply chain analysis, revenue and pricing analytics and has been a consultant with Lockheed Martin as well as several energy, insurance and manufacturing companies.

Her current interest is in the healthcare industry due

The Center for Excellence in Business Analytics is all about how to use the growing volume of computer data to enhance business performance in northeast Indiana. to Fort Wayne’s strong hospital networks and the bio-technical industry located close by in Warsaw.

Related to her research in healthcare supply chain, she was recently an invited speaker at the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences Data Mining and Health-Informatics Conference. She was also invited to present at the Healthcare Systems Research Conference of the International Federation of Operational Research Societies in Barcelona, Spain.

Analytics has a lot to offer today’s businesses,” says Gurgur. Often this happens through the capacity of Business Analytics to use growing volumes of data in a way that brings actionable knowledge. “With supercomputers today, we have tons of data, but the question is how to use the data to improve performance,” says Gurgur. “Are we using the right technique to mine the data most efficiently and effectively?”

And because problems encountered in the industry are often expansive, the Center’s multi-disciplinary collaboration is a plus. “The Center for Excellence is an umbrella or gateway,” says Gurgur. “As businesses come to us with a problem, we reach out to our other faculty.” Faculty expertise covers math, computer science and business. “The interdisciplinary approach helps to discern the right questions to ask and what to do with the data,” says Gurgur. “The goal is maximizing of profits through finding quick solutions.

The result is enhanced business performance.”

A Win for Fort Wayne The Center for Excellence in Business Analytics is all about how to use the growing volume of data to enhance business performance in northeast Indiana. The Fort Wayne community is the winner; businesses grow more successful, a future workforce gains valuable experience and a thriving university system keeps on giving.

In addition to leading the development of the Center, Gurgur directs the MBA program. “Business INDIANA UNIVERSITY-PURDUE UNIVERSITY FORT WAYNE |

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IN THE

CLASSROOM

Fed Challenge Competition Every year, a team of IPFW students participates in the Fed Challenge competition held at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. The competition asks students to present an analysis of the current state of the U.S. economy, make monetary policy recommendations and answer questions from a panel of judges that consists of Federal Reserve Bank economists. This year, eight economics and business students from the Fed Challenge course (Marcela Betancourt, Nicholas Brown, Oliver Gibson, Miguel Gonzalez, Zachary

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Harants, Kevin McCullough, Brandon Roberts and Nicholas Shepherd) will represent the IPFW team in the mid-November competition. They will compete against teams from universities in the Seventh Federal Reserve District, which includes the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin. The team is coached by the IPFW Economics Department faculty: Nodir Adilov (head coach), Myeong Hwan Kim (supporting coach) and John Kessler (supporting coach).

IPFW Business Students Are Top Worldwide in Global Simulation IPFW students in the Summer 2015 Business J401 Administrative Policies class had the highest score in an online competition that included more than 600 universities and 50,000 students from 40 countries.

The Business Strategy Game, known as BSG, is an online exercise in which classes divide into teams and simulate the running of an athletics footwear company.

The teams are in head-to-head competition. The class is taught by Želimir William Todorovic, associate professor of Small Business and Entrepreneurship at

the Doermer School of Business, and includes a thesis, presentation and exam in addition to the BSG simulation.

This edition of the game concluded June 28, when the final scores were announced. IPFW’s “Ascension Footwear” team scored first worldwide for Earnings Per Share and Stock Price. In an exciting turn, a second team of students from IPFW’s J401 class, “Caring Soles,” scored second in the world with their Return on Average Equity.

The Pacers Sports & Entertainment Sales/ Sports Marketing Project In BUS M490 Personal Selling, Professor Ahmed Rachdi, started the course with a bang by inviting Mr. Bryan Stine, ticket sales coordinator for the Indiana Pacers, to present a challenging sales project to the 12 students enrolled.

The Pacers Sports & Entertainment Sales/Sports Marketing Project includes activities that help students practice the basic skills involved in effective selling, making this project the perfect complement to M490. The students who signed up for the project will be marketing, promoting and selling the exciting experience of NBA

games to prospective buyers. The student generating the most revenue will receive a guaranteed interview for a full-time position or internship with Pacers Sports and Entertainment. (The same way that Stine got his start!)

Contact Ahmed Rachdi for more details about M490 Personal Selling or the Pacers sales project at (260) 481-0116 or rachdia@ipfw.edu.

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PROFESSOR FOR THE DAY - JOSEPH D’ITALIA

Events PROFESSOR FOR THE DAY

MEET ME @ 5

Each semester DSB hosts a president or CEO of a regional business to speak and share experiences with business students and faculty. This is a cherished interaction for students and faculty providing valuable business insight. The most recent Professor for the Day was Joseph D’Italia, CEO of Harbor Investments.

Harbor specializes in commercial real estate and helps companies achieve a desired level of liquidity through sale and lease of their real estate. Harbor also performs traditional real estate transactions.

Meet ME @ 5 is an annual networking event held the first Wednesday in December in honor of DSB founder, Richard T. Doermer. The purpose of the event is to give the Alumni Board, Advisory Council, students, faculty, staff and the business community an opportunity to engage in social networking. This strengthens the business school’s relationship with the community and provides opportunity for jobs, internships and mentorships between students and alumni. This year’s Meet ME @ 5 will be held on December 2, 2015. For more information, contact Holly Lara at larah@ipfw.edu.

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2014 MEET ME @ 5

DOERMER DIALOGUE

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK PANEL

This is an annual spring event that hosts multiple keynote speakers who discuss local and regional business and economic growth. The 2016 Doermer Dialogue will be held on Friday, March 18 at 11 a.m. in the IPFW International Ballroom.

The 2015 Economic Outlook Panel will feature Dr. Timothy Slaper from the Indiana Business Research Center; Dr. Bill Witte, associate professor emeritus of Economics at Indiana University; Ellen Cutter, director of the IPFW Community Research Institute; and Charles Trzcinka from the Finance Department at Indiana University. This panel will provide an international, national and local economic forecast, as well as an audience-panel Q&A. This year’s Economic Outlook Panel is Friday, November 20, 2015, at 11:30 a.m. in the IPFW International Ballroom. Registrations are being taken at GreaterFortWayneInc.com.

Mark your calendars for the Doermer Dialogue event and look out for more information to come!

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International Experiences THE KOREAN ECONOMY AND CULTURE

Each year the Doermer School of Business offers a course titled The Korean Economy and Culture, which involves two weeks of travel to South Korea in May. The purpose of this course is to increase students’ knowledge of Korean economy and culture so that they can engage in more effective economic activities with Korean and Asian countries. This course emphasizes the importance of appreciation for cultural diversity, especially as it shapes economics and business. Because the course is part of an exchange program with Nameseoul University, students bear no expense for their travel.

Senior marketing major Danielle Dickow was one of the students who participated in the May 2015 trip. Here, she shares her experiences with Doermer Difference.

Danielle Dickow: Going into the program, I was pretty nervous since it was my first time traveling so far away from home. Thankfully, my nerves quickly disappeared because I was so amazed at everything; I haven’t seen or experienced anything like that in my entire life.

Throughout the program, we had a variety of classes which helped us get over that initial learning curve. We learned about the language, customs, manners, tastes and values of the Korean people. Learning about Korean folklore was the most useful for me because it gave me insight into the values of the Korean people. We were fortunate to learn about Korean folklore from one of South Korea’s famous storytellers, Seung Ah Kim. Attending classes was definitely one of my favorite parts of the program because we were able to apply that knowledge to the activities we were doing outside of class.

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In addition to being on campus and attending classes, we were traveling to different areas of the country.

Although visiting each place was an incredible experience, I especially enjoyed visiting the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The DMZ is a military demarcation line established at the end of the Korean War. This strip of land serves as a buffer between North Korea and South Korea to this day. Looking out into the horizon, we were able to see North Korea with our own eyes.

In addition to the DMZ, visiting Gyeongju was another one of my favorite parts of the program. We visited many important Buddhist temples during the time we spent in Gyeongju. Many Koreans were celebrating an important Buddhist holiday—Buddha’s birthday— during our time there. Because of this, the temples were beautifully decorated and people from all over Korea were making their pilgrimage to the temples. I learned so much about the Korean way of life from visiting these temples and learning about their traditions.

During our time in South Korea, we visited both the Hyundai Steel and Hyundai Motors plants. At these plants, I was able to see firsthand all that I have learned as a business major. I easily saw how everything I am learning is not limited to just classrooms and

textbooks. Hearing terms and concepts I have learned being discussed during our tours of the plants was really eye-opening. In addition to this, we attended a class discussing modern South Korea’s economic development as well as the U.S.-South Korea Alliance.

Coming back from South Korea, I am more open to learning new material and finding ways to apply it to real life situations. All of these experiences have allowed me to think on a more global scale. As business majors, we have always learned that it is important to be mindful of other cultures when it comes to business practices; this program reinforced that for me. I have even found my study abroad experience to be greatly beneficial for my work as a peer advisor and teaching assistant here at the Doermer School of Business.

Everything that we have seen and have experienced throughout the program was truly once in a lifetime. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity that Dr. Meyong Hwan Kim and Nameseoul University provided me.

We were welcomed with much generosity from the faculty, staff and student body of Nameseoul University.

Through them, we were able to see the true hospitality of the Korean people. In just two weeks, I learned and experienced more than I could have ever imagined.

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Feats FACULTY

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR ZAFAR NAZAROV | PROFESSOR OTTO CHANG | ASSISTANT PROFESSOR BRIDGET LEONARD

During the summer of 2015, Dr. Zafar Nazarov was invited by the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration to give a lecture on the possible interaction between flat tax reform of 2001 and cognitive and physical development of children in the Russian Federation. Dr. Nazarov was also invited by the Higher School of Economics to present his recent paper with economists from Oxford University and Higher School of Economics on the importance of subnational institutions in the period of recentralization in Russia.

Recent Russian economic history can be divided into two main periods: before 2001 with the progressive personal income tax rate schedule and after 2001 when reforms introduced a flat 13 percent personal income tax rate. The changes in tax rate schedules had differing impacts on individuals, specifically, changes in the real economy with increased productivity of workers and changes in compliance and enforcement of taxation.

One of Dr. Nazarov’s research topics for the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration lecture is the interaction between maternal employment and child development. Flat tax reform may have affected the work and childcare decision rules of Russian women, inadvertently affecting cognitive and physical development of children. In his Higher School of Economics lecture, Nazarov assessed the affect of sub-national institutions on economic performance in Russia’s various regions from 2001 and 2008.

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Professor Otto Chang was invited to deliver a keynote speech at the Sino-American Symposium on Think Tanks and Policy Making in the City of Shijiazhuang, China, this fall. The Symposium was hosted by the Hebei Provincial Academy of Social Science. As part of its national strategies to enhance the quality of public policy making in China, the Chinese central government created a plan to build 100 think tanks in the next five years to provide policy recommendations in the areas of international relations, global warming and climate change, food safety, social and political reforms, and business development and economic transformation.

Professor Chang’s speech highlighted the role of think tanks in the development of economic and business policies in the U.S., particularly the rise of the conservative movement during the late 1970s and early 1980s. It explored the motivation and the sources of funding for the establishment of conservative think tanks and examined the strategies used by the conservative think tanks to market their ideas and guide policy making. He concluded his speech with a summary of the outcomes of the conservative movement in the U.S. and the lessons learned from this movement.

In a study with Holli Seabury, CEO of the McMillen Center for Health Education, Bridget Leonard, assistant professor of Marketing at the Doermer School of Business, and IPFW honor student Amanda Leaders are examining the effectiveness of mirror cling reminder cues in increasing the frequency of tooth brushing in preschool children.

Although a lot of social marketing programs use stickers and mirror clings as reminder cues, there’s very little research that tests their effectiveness over the long-term.

This study consisted of a six-week program where parents were sent a mirror cling of Roger the Red Robot and asked to place it on their bathroom mirror where their child brushes his or her teeth. Through responsive text messages periodically over a six-week period, parents were asked to report the number of times they brushed their child’s teeth and whether they or their child suggested the tooth brushing. They also responded to a followup question three months later asking whether their mirror cling was still up and how often they were currently brushing their child’s teeth. Preliminary findings indicate that parents love the mirror cling, feel that it helps make tooth brushing fun for the children, and feel it helps them (and their child) remember to brush their child’s teeth more often.

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Value of the MBA

In April 2015, Bloomberg Business released data from its student survey showing the returns to students who completed an MBA. Graduates who moved into new fields saw a median pay increase of $55,000. This represents a significant increase at a time when wage growth for most professional employees has been relatively stagnant. MBA graduates who stayed in their original industry, saw a median increase of $47,000.

Also in April, Financial Times shared data it collected about compensation for MBA graduates three years out of school. It found that younger students who started an MBA at age 24 or younger saw the most increase of nearly $69,000. The salary difference decreased the older the students were when they entered the program; those who started an MBA program at age 31 or older receive an increase of $56,000 three years out. This is most likely because older employees starting an MBA program are already making more money based on their years of experience.

Regardless of one’s age or position, an MBA can add great value to your career and help you increase your salary. Dr. Cigdem Gurgur, the newly-appointed director of the MBA program at IPFW, concurs. “Even though the value of an MBA is well recognized, it does require the prospective MBA student to make an investment with their financial resources and their time. Many

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employers will assist their employee in covering all or part of the cost and allow time required to be an effective student.” When a company makes an investment in an employee to further their education, it makes an investment that will benefit the company as a whole.

Another major benefit for the MBA graduate will be establishing lasting relationships with other members of their class and their faculty. These relationships can prove to be highly beneficial throughout their career. The knowledge gained and the relationships developed will open doors for a lifetime.

The Doermer School of Business is always reevaluating its MBA curriculum to be current and valuable to both the student and their employer. We want our graduates to bring leading edge thinking to their companies, which will in turn allow the DSB to develop partnerships that will make northeast Indiana more competitive in the global marketplace. This partnership is fostered through the newly-created Center for Excellence in Business Analytics. Engagement by the Doermer School of Business with the business community of northeast Indiana makes the region more economically viable and will be the natural result of a strong MBA program.

“I was pleasantly surprised hearing that Dr. Gurgur was appointed as the new MBA director. I appreciated her style of teaching. I thought the quantitative nature of her course along with that of Dr. Slaubaugh and Dr. Sharma were the key takeaways of the program, specifically with Dr. Gurgur. Her style of teaching and the pace that she taught was what I was expecting for an accelerated program. It was very challenging. We covered a lot of vital information quickly and she was readily available for questions during and after class hours.”

- Lawrence Manuel, Director of Enterprise Solutions at Zimmer Biomet

“I selected the accelerated MBA program from IPFW due mainly to the experience I had with the faculty during my undergraduate studies, along with the program format and timeline which suited my particular needs. I was able to accomplish a lifelong goal in only 11 months and can now apply the knowledge gained to further my career. I thoroughly enjoyed the camaraderie between my fellow classmates as we were all on the same challenging journey together. And the faculty pushed us to exceed even our own expectations. The accelerated MBA from IPFW has granted me options for my career, which is an invaluable resource that I plan to take full advantage of in the future.”

- Aimee Johnson, Senior Auditor at Defense Contract Audit Agency

We want our graduates to bring leading edge thinking to their companies, which will in turn allow the DSB to develop partnerships that will make northeast Indiana more competitive in the global marketplace.

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“I enjoyed sharpening my quantitative skills across a variety of subject matter. The courses Data Analysis Management Science and Business Conditions Analysis allowed me to immediately apply knowledge from the classes to my current job. Overall, I found the material studied throughout the program to be extremely relevant in today’s business environment and relevant to my current career in analytics.”

- Sharone Rawson, Director of Revenue and Pricing Analytics at Verde Associates

“The accelerated MBA program through the Doermer School of Business was challenging, but rewarding. The professors expected a lot out of the students, but, at the same time, they were very understanding of our other commitments and were very willing to work with the students if something unexpectedly went awry. The program gave me exposure to many topics that have already proved to be useful in my current position. The most beneficial classes for my career were the Management, Marketing, Finance and IT courses; however, I also enjoyed getting a refresher in Accounting, Economics and Linear Programming. Being able to complete my MBA in under a year from a program that held the AACSB-International Accreditation was another reason I chose this program.”

- Crystal Creekmore, Vice President - Operations at SYM Financial Advisors

“I liked that the classes were on the weekend when I could commute to Fort Wayne from Indianapolis. I also liked that almost all the classes were recorded. Sometimes during classes I would miss something and was able to refer back to the lecture recording to recall that part of the lesson. Also, most of the handout material could be collected online so I didn’t necessarily have to print everything and physically hand it in.”

- David Clawson, Manager of Treasury Analysis and Reporting at J.D. Byrider Systems LLC

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DSB ALUMNI, The Doermer School of Business likes to keep its alumni close. If you’ve had a recent career change, promotion, accomplishment or simply want to tell us what you’ve been up to, please let us know. We also ask that you send any address or contact information changes that may have occurred since your time at DSB, so we can keep you updated on all of our exciting news.

To stay in touch, visit ipfw.edu/offices/alumni/in-touch.

IPFW Richard T. Doermer School of Business

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IPFW Richard T. Doermer School of Business

SHOW YOUR PRIDE WITH AN IPFW PLATE! RIDE with PRIDE and join Mastodon fans who show support by purchasing the IPFW license plate—available to anyone—students, alumni, faculty, and the general public.

• Available online, by mail, or in person (without any special forms) at your local BMV • $40 annual fee ($15 special plate fee; $25 donation to the IPFW Alumni Association Endowed Scholarship Fund) • Income supports and benefits students through IPFW Alumni Association scholarships • For more information, contact Alumni Relations Telephone: 260-481-6807 • Email: alumni@ipfw.edu

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ALUMNI ASSOCIATION IPFW is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access University.

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Titan Title co-op student Aarya Subash, former Titan Title intern and IPFW gradute Cody Ebnit, and Andrew Wartenbe, chief financial officer at Titan Title and former co-op student at IPFW

REAL WORLD EXPERIENCES LEARN, DISCOVER, GROW Titan Title helps co-op students gain workforce experience as they explore career opportunities. article by Tammy Davis • photography by Jeffrey Crane When Andrew Wartenbe decided to bring IPFW’s coop program to Titan Title, he hoped it would be a good fit for the company. “It was a chance for us to bring in innovative minds and fresh ideas,” he explains. “It has turned out to be a great, mutually beneficial opportunity.”

The IPFW co-operative education program allows students to earn academic credit while working two or more semesters with an approved employer. It provides students with an opportunity to gain real world experience before they graduate and it gives employers access to promising new talent. In the end, everyone wins.

A former co-op student himself and current CFO at Titan Title, Wartenbe’s experience on both sides of 22 | THE DOERMER DIFFERENCE - FALL 2015

the program has turned him into one of its strongest proponents. “We give our co-op students a lot of responsibility,” says Wartenbe. “They learn to work autonomously, make their own decisions and lead teams. They’ve done a great job establishing themselves and bringing new ideas into the company.”

Titan co-op student Aarya Subash appreciates being given that kind of responsibility. “Since working here, I have been fortunate to be given the opportunity to work on projects that benefit the company as a whole, across different departments,” shares Subash. “It’s great to see that impact.”

The best part, notes Subash, is that co-op employers recognize that students are still operating within the formal learning process. “They give you a chance to learn from your mistakes,” she says. “You get the support you need and the guidance to grow.”

Cody Ebnit, who interned for Titan before graduating from IPFW, agrees. “I was challenged to consider all factors of a problem, forcing me to think critically about any analysis I did or any recommendation that I made,” he maintains.

Beyond the on-the-job benefits, the co-op program also helps students learn about themselves. Varied experiences expose them to situations where they can explore their own likes, dislikes and interests. Co-op students often discover new facets to their chosen disciplines that help them refine their career paths.

“This has really widened my perspective of what I could be interested in,” explains Subash.

“When I first started, I thought I wanted to focus only on Marketing. Now, I’ve come to understand the value of Management and am pursuing a dual major in both Marketing and Management.”

Wartenbe believes this kind of self-discovery is often overlooked as an outcome of the program. “Students think they know what they want to do, but then they get into it and find out it wasn’t what they thought,”

he explains. “One of the huge benefits of the co-op program is that it helps you step outside your comfort zone and explore where you want to take your career.

In that sense, a co-op can be a creative incubator.”

A key piece of the program is the university itself.

Not only does it have to ensure that students enter the workforce academically prepared, but it also must attract the students and employers best suited for the program’s continued success and credibility. With 110 total placements and 50 participating employers (20142015), it’s a challenge IPFW faces eagerly and well.

“The co-op office really understands the needs of employers,” says Wartenbe. “Through the years, the program has continued to learn, grow and evolve with the community.”

Titan Title’s experience with the IPFW co-op program has been so successful that Wartenbe wants to help secure its future. “What we have here in terms of faculty and students is every bit as good as more prestigious institutions,” he notes. “We not only want to continue participating in this outstanding program, we’d also like to nurture it and help build its legacy for others.”

If a company you know of may be interested in being a part of the IPFW co-operative education program, please email cooped@ipfw.edu or call (260) 481-6939.

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STUDENT INVOLVEMENT Business Dons, also known as DSB students, enjoy being a part of what’s happening in northeast Indiana and being given the opportunity to make a difference. Community leaders and faculty of the Doermer School of Business are consistently involving students in local events and conferences. This added benefit to attending DSB sets students up with connections prior to graduation and presents the school as a key component in our region’s business community.

Members of the IPFW Accounting Society working side by side with Crowe Horwath employees on a Habitat for Humanity build.

Management and Marketing major Madison Seifert having fun with Don this summer while fulfilling her duties as Ms. IPFW.

New members being inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma, the highest level national honorary available to business students.

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Business and design students and faculty enjoying a half day company visit to Vera Bradley, a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the company and its operations.

The IPFW Accounting Society hosting IPFW accounting night which allows students to network with representatives from various companies, firms and agencies related to accounting careers and volunteer opportunities.

DSB students celebrating their graduation. The Doermer School awarded 170 bachelor degrees and 47 MBAs in the 2014-2015 academic year.

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Doermer Distinguished Scholars

When Richard Doermer donated funds to the IPFW School of Business resulting in the school being named the Doermer School of Business, part of the funds were used to establish a scholarship that would attract top business students to IPFW. The full-ride scholarship provides tuition, housing, books and a living stipend for four years to one lucky student each year. The Doermer scholarship was added under the IPFW premier scholarship program umbrella titled the Summit Scholars program. The program holds an annual competition to determine who will become a Chapman Scholar, a Weissman Scholar and a Doermer Distinguished Scholar. The Doermer scholarship fund also supplies smaller scholarships to about 60 DSB students each year.

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The first Doermer Distinguished Scholar was selected for the 2012-2013 academic year. As the first Doermer Distinguished Scholar, Brenna Sherwood says her favorite thing about receiving the scholarship is representing the IPFW Doermer School of Business. “I love meeting community business leaders and representing IPFW. I’m proud to be a Don and a Doermer Scholar.” Brenna is majoring in Accounting and Finance and will graduate in May 2016 with her 150 semester hours needed to sit for the CPA exam. Her senior project is a mentoring project being conducted in her home area of Elkhart County. She is coordinating a program that will have high school students mentoring elementary school students participating in National Lemonade Day, an event focused on teaching basic entrepreneurial skills to young children.

Logan Timbrook is a junior majoring in Accounting and Finance from Hicksville, Ohio. He says what he likes best about the program is “being around like-minded people who push me to be the best person I can be.” He also really appreciates meeting new people through the program. “Whether it’s a top executive for a company or other accounting students, the relationships made through the Doermer scholarship will shape my life forever.”

Mathias Haydock is a graduate of Snider High School and a sophomore majoring in Accounting and Finance.

Mathias likes the camaraderie of the scholarship program. “My favorite part of being involved in the Doermer scholarship program is the group of other scholars that I get to spend time and go to events with. It’s encouraging to be with other students who are going through similar phases of life and working on similar activities.”

The newest Doermer Distinguished Scholar is Adam Beard from Heritage High School. Like typical freshmen, Adam is focused on taking in all the new information and finding his way around, but he has the support of the other Doermer Scholars. He is currently planning on primarily studying Finance, although he is receiving much ribbing and pressure from the other Doermer Distinguished Scholars to become an Accounting major, too.

Adam just laughs and says, “We’ll see.”

When asked what they’d like to say to the Doermer family, Logan sums it with, “Thank you so much for the opportunity to become the person I want to be. You have provided financial stability in my life so that I can give back to my family, friends, co-workers and most importantly the community. I hope that my life is one that you can look at in the future and say it was all worth it.

If you know a high school student interested in being part of the 2016 Summit Scholars program competition, go to ipfw.edu/offices/chapman/selection or call (260) 481-0535.

Applications are due in January.

To be eligible for the 2016 Summit Scholars program, you must apply to IPFW by December 15, 2015, and meet the following requirements:

• current year high school graduate • minimum core 40 diploma (Indiana students) or college prep curriculum (out-of-state students)

• SAT score of 1950 or ACT score of 29 and 3.5 GPA on 4.0 scale; or SAT score of 2100 or ACT score of 32 with no GPA consideration

• participate in the IPFW Summit Scholars

Competition on Saturday, February 13, 2016

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Lena Yarian, president of Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana 28 | THE DOERMER DIFFERENCE - FALL 2015

ALUMNI IN ACTION:

LENA YARIAN article by Tammy Davis • photography by Tim Brumbeloe

Lena Yarian believes in the free enterprise system; after all, she’s using her IPFW business degree to run a business that teaches business. As president of Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana (JA), Yarian knows that her work bringing economic principles into elementary, middle and high school classrooms can have a dramatic impact on the students and also the community. By helping kids understand money management and free enterprise, Yarian ultimately hopes to grow the number of entrepreneurs in the region. “We want kids to say, ‘Gosh, I could do this!’” Yarian maintains.

Just as JA affects the business community through the foundation it lays, so too does IPFW through the resources it offers. Yarian discusses both in a question and answer session.

Describe what JA offers the community.

Initially, Junior Achievement focused on a small sector of young people interested in learning about business.

Today though, we recognize that all young people need skills that will lead to workforce readiness. By exposing them to concepts such as budgeting, finance and money management, we help them understand the consequences of their economic decisions. Ultimately, this underscores the principles of entrepreneurship and the free enterprise system. It’s a pretty ambitious endeavor, but last year alone, Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana was able to reach 125,957 kids in 30 counties.

How does JA accomplish all that?

We have 5,991 volunteers who give their time to JA. They go into schools and conduct professionally

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developed learning activities, but more importantly, they share their own experiences and interact with students. In that respect, I often think the volunteers don’t realize how much impact they have. When someone provides encouragement at the right moment, it can have a dramatic effect on a child’s life.

“I really want the community to appreciate the value of IPFW as a resource. The Doermer School really cares what the business community thinks and develops programs that fit those needs.”

-Lena Yarian We also have some fantastic resources in JA BizTown® and JA Finance Park®. JA BizTown® is a fully interactive, simulated town where elementary students fill the roles of both workers and consumers. JA Finance Park® helps middle and high school students focus on personal financial literacy, money management skills and career literacy. JA BizTown® and JA Finance Park® often open up a whole new world for many students.

How do you know when JA has made an impact?

There are so many stories! For example, recently a volunteer received a letter from a former student, who essentially wrote, “You saw me as having 30 | THE DOERMER DIFFERENCE - FALL 2015

potential, even more than my teachers and parents did. Because you saw it, I’m going to live up to it.”

At our annual meeting, several volunteers spoke about why they hold their present career positions because of JA. One person became an accountant because of the role he discovered and loved when he went through JA BizTown® as a student. Another was able to find success as a movie producer because JA helped him understand the concept of ‘I can.’

How did your education at IPFW prepare you for your role at JA? My degree is in Business, so of course that helps me run the business side of JA, and it also gives me a deep appreciation of the skills we teach. But my time at IPFW also helped prepare me in other ways. As a commuter, I didn’t have time to go back home during the day, so I hung out on campus and got involved. I joined student government, which helped me practice for some of the things we do in JA, like putting together field trips, organizing events and working with people.

What do you wish people knew about IPFW? I really want the community to appreciate the value of IPFW as a resource. The Doermer School really cares what the business community thinks and develops programs that fit those needs. Where else can you have that kind of influence? I hope the community will increase its involvement with the university and recognize its value, not only in educating the workforce, but also in its contribution to our local economic development.

It is a hidden gem that we often underutilize.

WOMEN IN BUSINESS ANALYTICS

A NEW PATH FOR WOMEN WHO LIKE MATH article by Dr. Cigdem Gurgur

Think your love of math and science only translates into a career in engineering? Think again! There’s a lot you can do with those interests and, if you’re particularly good with numbers and technology, there’s a whole new field worth exploring in business!

It’s called Business Analytics and it combines statistics, data mining, optimization and simulation to provide data-driven solutions to business problems. You might determine: the best mix of audio, video and print advertising to maximize product revenues for a laptop computer; the appropriate product attributes to maximize market share for a brand new shoe; the proper customer base for a targeted coupon campaign for a fashion retailer; the number of checkout lanes to open to ensure an average wait time no longer than 30 seconds; or the projected lift from an advertising push or in-store display of cell phone covers.

So why is it worth highlighting this field for women specifically?

First of all, women are still woefully underrepresented amongst many STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields and in STEM-related college majors. Women comprise 25 percent of STEM jobs and 20 percent of Engineering, Computer Science and Physics majors (Generation STEM: What Girls Say about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). This is despite the fact that both male and female high school students perform equally as well in STEM classes, with females even

outperforming males in some metrics, such as GPA (Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). In subtle ways throughout young adulthood, women are discouraged from entering these fields, largely driven by social factors such as perceived gender barriers.

It has been revealed that those women that do choose to pursue their interest in math and science are often encouraged by their parents, high school teachers and guidance counselors to choose careers in engineering. This is not so surprising, since all engineering disciplines are built on a foundation of mathematics with a focus on new technology. And, certainly, engineering is a challenging, exciting field. But, not everyone who loves math and technology is destined to be an engineer.

After expressing their disinclination for engineering to their parents, teachers and guidance counselors, many of the female students were then advised to become math teachers. Math education is another rewarding and admirable career path, but also not for everyone.

So why did no one advise these young women to pursue a career in other STEM disciplines? For no other reason than they were (and likely still are) unaware of alternatives. And that must change. Business Analytics—a fast-paced, exciting and rapidly growing field—is one such alternative and a great place to start.

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Recently RETIRED FACULTY

Professor David Dilts came to IPFW in 1987. He served as the director of the Center for Economic Education from 2008-2009 and as chair of the Economics Department from 2009-2011. His academic specialties included Industrial and Labor Relations, Economics Education and Human Resource Management. Professor Dilts has authored or co-authored 10 books and still serves as a labor arbitrator.

Associate Professor Ali Rassuli started teaching at IPFW in 1981. He served as the chair of the Economics Department from 1991-1993 and as the MBA director from 1993-2001. Professor Rassuli specializes in Labor Economics, Statistics and Econometrics, International Trade and Finance, as well as Micro and Macroeconomics.

Professor Stan Davis taught at IPFW from 19871990, then took a break to teach out East and returned to IPFW in 2000 until his retirement. During his tenure he served as chair of the Accounting and Finance Department, associate dean for DSB and vice chancellor for Financial Affairs. He taught primarily Managerial Accounting courses. He is filling his retirement with traveling, reading and playing bridge.

Professor Ahmad Karim came to IPFW in 1985. He served as chair for Management and Marketing from 1994-2001 and from 2011-2015. He also served as associate dean for DSB from 2013-2015. Professor Karim taught primarily Organizational Behavior and Human Resources classes. Professor Karim has taken on a second career in his retirement as associate dean at the University of Wisconsin Whitewater in the College of Businesses and Economics.

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The Doermer School of Business encourages all to support the less fortunate during the holiday season. Our Meet ME @ 5 event on December 2, 2015, will feature the Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign, which is synonymous with holiday giving.

RICHARD T. DOERMER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS I NDIANA UNIVERSITY–PURDUE UNIVERSITY FORT WAYNE 2101 East Coliseum Boulevard Fort Wayne, Indiana 46805–1499

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