Business Bulletin: Fall 2022

Letter from the dean

Iwant to thank everyone for an incredible 2022. From our successful AACSB reaccreditation to our awesome new spaces in the building to our outstanding new hires and colleagues to record fundraising to our students’ success in the classroom, with research, participating in internships and securing amazing professional opportunities after they graduate, this has been a truly remarkable year.

2022 was our reaccreditation year for the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). AACSB accreditation is the longest-standing and most prestigious accreditation that can be earned by a university and its business programs. I am thrilled to share that the Idaho State University College of Business was successfully reaccredited by AACSB for both our business and accounting programs. Idaho State is now one of only 192 schools globally that have the highest level accreditation in both Business and Accounting, reflecting the world-class business education our students receive.

This spring we will open our brand new Orin C. Smith Global Finance Lab and the Walter

P. Brown Center for Sales Excellence, which will be the most transformative improvements to our College of Business building in its history. We look forward to sharing pictures of these spaces and profiles of the outstanding new professors we hired who will be joining us in 2023 in the next Business Bulletin.

In December, we graduated an extraordinary group of new College of Business alumni who are taking positions and advancing their careers in amazing ways. Congratulations to each of you on your accomplishments and we are so excited to see the great things you will do.

I am more thankful today than ever to be part of the College of Business Family and I am more excited than ever knowing that our best days are still ahead of us. Go Bengals!

SHANE HUNT, PH.D. Dean, College of Business

Michael C. Ruettgers Professor of Marketing

Bringing back a holiday favorite

After a two-year hiatus, the Idaho State University College of Business, in conjunction with Presenting Sponsor Lookout Credit Union, reintroduced a local holiday favorite this November: the Festival of Trees.

For 10 years, the Pocatello/Chubbuck School

District 25 hosted the event as a fundraiser for their Education Foundation. But, like many events, the Festival was put on recess due to the pandemic. Now, the College of Business will continue the tradition.

The Festival raised funds in support of School District 25’s Education Foundation, Idaho State University student scholarships, the Portneuf Valley Boys and Girls Club and Make-A-Wish Idaho.

The College started the four-day event with the Grand Holiday Gala and brought back the traditional trees and holiday displays, musical performances and several children’s events. In addition to those holiday events, awardwinning country singer and songwriter Suzy Bogguss performed.

“It is important to us that we honor the history of this event that has been part of our community for over a decade,” said Dean Shane Hunt. “Which is why we chose not only to continue this memorable tradition, but to also continue the tradition of utilizing the event as a means to give back to the education and well-being of our local youth.”

Photo (left to right): Dean Shane Hunt, Dean’s Assistant Suzette Porter, Make-A-Wish Recipient Hunter, MakeA-Wish Regional Director Julie Thomas, Portneuf Medical Center CEO Jordan Herget

Scholarship in honor of alumna

Established in memory of former alumna Laurie Pollard, the Laurie Gibbs Pollard Memorial Scholarship Endowment will support College of Business students who are veterans or the children of a veteran who have financial need.

Laurie passed away earlier this year after a long battle with stage 4 brain cancer, and her husband Mark Pollard has established this new endowment in her memory.

“We hope this scholarship can help support students who are in financial need and/or are veterans or children of a veteran, enabling them to receive an incredible education while eliminating some of the financial burden,” said Mark Pollard, Laurie’s husband. “Laurie was a proud Bengal, and she would be so thrilled to know she would be supporting these incredible students on their educational journey at Idaho State.”

As the daughter of a career Army officer, Laurie spent her early years living on

Army bases across the globe. Moving 22 times in 21 years, Laurie spent significant time in Idaho, Georgia, Kansas, Colorado, Argentina and Germany.

After starting college at the University of Maryland in Munich, Germany, she returned to the US to complete her education at Idaho State University. Following graduation from the College of Business in 1981, Laurie took a job in the training department of Bay Area start-up Businessland, one of the first and fastest growing companies that sold computer systems and services to businesses.

“Military families continue to sacrifice for our country, and she would have wanted to support those who continue to carry on this incredible work,” said Pollard. “Laurie also believed wholeheartedly in the value of education. Her education at Idaho State not only helped shape her career, but allowed her to grow into the amazing, confident woman she was throughout her life.”

Photo: Laurie Gibbs Pollard

Introducing new scholar

research seminar series

Business Researcher Scott J. Reynolds presented this fall on business ethics as part of the new Dr. Bill Stratton Distinguished Scholar Research Seminar Series.

Reynolds is a professor of business ethics, chair of the Department of Management and Organization, and the Michael G. Foster Endowed Professor at the Michael G. Foster School of Business at the University of Washington. His research focuses on ethical decision-making, which has been published in numerous top management and business ethics journals and won several awards. Reynolds’ presentation focused on the concept of a team’s moral identity.

“Good ethical behavior is the foundation for strong relationships, and every business relies on relationships to accomplish their objectives,” Reynolds said. “Thus, stronger relationships with employees, customers, suppliers and every other critical stakeholder makes it much more likely that the business will succeed.”

Reynolds was the first presenter in the Dr. Bill Stratton Distinguished Scholar Research Seminar Series, named after former College of Business Dean Dr. Bill Stratton. This series plans to provide our University and community with a variety of insights, networking and research collaboration opportunities within the business world.

“Dr. Stratton has been a great mentor to me and his years of outstanding service as Dean and decades as a great management professor have made every part of our College and community better,” said Dr. Shane Hunt, College of Business Dean.

Photo: Scott J. Reynolds

Students ranging from freshmen to graduates got the opportunity to learn from Idaho State alumna Trisa Clemons as part of our Executive in Residence program. Clemons is a partner at KPMG, a Big Four accounting firm.

“It is so helpful for our students to see the real-world applications of what they are learning in the classroom, and the experiences and stories these executives share help demonstrate that what they are learning today will help their future careers,” said the Director of Graduate Studies, Kristine McCarty.

While there is great value in these

EXECUTIVES RESIDENCE

programs for the students, it is also a great way for alumni to connect with current students and see how the campus has changed since they graduated. Clemons said, “I truly enjoyed the opportunity to be on campus and with students during the Executive in Residence program. I appreciated sharing the story of my Idaho roots and my career in hopes that some students will see the potential in their own stories. I certainly never thought my life would take the turns that it has but want to encourage students to take advantage of opportunities along the way and see

where they lead.”

Since starting this program, the College has been able to bring in professionals from a variety of different accomplished backgrounds. This has allowed students not only to learn about different professional fields, but also to develop connections they can use down the road when they graduate.

Trisa Clemons

EXECUTIVES IN RESIDENCE

This fall was an exciting time for the College of Business sales program with the construction of the Walter P. Brown Center for Sales Excellence underway, as well as a visit from Mike Hill, a prominent Idaho State University alumnus with over thirty years of experience in the sales field.

Hill explained, “The goal for my visit was to help students better understand sales as a career path option. It is difficult to assess whether you would be interested in a profession without having some knowledge of what it really means to work in that profession. I tried to provide

the best unvarnished view of what working in sales is really all about by sharing my own experiences in both the good and bad.”

Because the sales program in the College of Business is relatively new, having professionals from Idaho State that have made an impact in their field is extremely valuable to students who may be considering these career paths. Mike was able to meet with a number of classes and a variety of students over the course of his visit, some of which were already part of the sales program as well as others who may not have otherwise

considered it.

Mike closed by saying, “My education at Idaho State was a launching pad for my own career. It is very gratifying to me to have the opportunity to give a little something back to the College of Business!”

Mike Hill was also a guest on “Sales Talk,” the Walter P. Brown Center for Sales Excellence’s radio show, which airs on KISU FM 91 and is hosted by Marketing Professor and Executive Director of the Center John Ney.

Listen to the show on the last Wednesday of every month at 7:30 PM or online.

kisu.org/podcast/sales-talk

Mike Hill

AMONG THE BEST IN BUSINESS

After an extensive review process, the Idaho State University College of Business was reaccredited in both its business and accounting programs by the international Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the world’s leading and most recognized accrediting body for business programs.

Through the AACSB, schools are reevaluated every five years to ensure that programs are continuing to meet a high standard of excellence and continuous

improvement in all of their efforts. This accreditation is the most widely recognized and rigorous designation a business program can attain. Just over 750 business programs worldwide are accredited by AACSB, and less than 200 hold accreditation in both accounting and business - the Idaho State University College of Business is among those 192.

“All of us in the College of Business are thrilled that AACSB has reaccredited our business and accounting programs for

another five years,” said Dean and Michael C. Ruettgers Professor of Marketing Dr. Shane Hunt. “This recognition highlights that we are one of the best business schools in the world and a place where incredible faculty and staff are helping our students and community have brighter futures each day.”

During the peer review process, schools are matched with a committee of deans, chairs and professors from other accredited institutions, along with a business

professional. The College then submits an extensive report that is reviewed by the committee prior to their visit. In March, the team visited the College over the course of several days, conducting interviews with faculty, staff, executive committee members and students to get a better sense of the College’s culture, operations and goals beyond the report.

Throughout their time at Idaho State, the AACSB committee was continually impressed by numerous programs within

the University and College. The team was keen to hear about the Career Path Internship program and the emphasis placed on career preparation through this program and the College’s Professional Development program. They were also impressed by the College’s newly established certificate programs in Professional Sales and Financial Literacy, as well as the Freshman Business Plan competition held by the College. The team was also awed by the dramatic

increase in scholarship and professorship endowments recently established in the College as well as the personable faculty and student advising process enjoyed by business students.

The Idaho State University College of Business was the first institution in the state of Idaho to receive AACSB accreditation in 1978 and is proud to have maintained this prestigious dedication for nearly 45 years.

Four new scholarship endowments established to benefit students

Over the last several years, the College of Business and our students have been immensely grateful for the incredible growth in support we have received from alumni and friends of the College. As we continue to see such inspiring progress take place with the growth of our program offerings, the improvements in our facilities, and the addition of new faculty, we have seen great pride among our graduates and a desire to support this growth and positive energy from our donors. We cannot express enough how much this means to us. Here is a review of four of our newest endowments.

THE HOSPITAL COOPERATIVE SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT

The Hospital Cooperative, a non-profit consortium of 17 hospitals throughout Southeast Idaho and West Wyoming, established a scholarship endowment to benefit students majoring in Healthcare Administration, Master of Healthcare Administration, Nursing and Medical Laboratory Science. “The Hospital Cooperative wanted to create this scholarship endowment to be a part of the long-term solution to attract students to the healthcare field,” said Chief Executive Officer Bobby Cuoio. “It is our hope that this scholarship endowment will be able to help students in the future and create a legacy of education for students interested in the healthcare field.”

TRISA SHELTON CLEMONS SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT

Originally from Shelley, Clemons graduated from Idaho State in 1995 with a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration in accounting. The Trisa Shelton Clemons Scholarship Endowment will benefit first-generation college students. “I was inspired to establish the scholarship endowment to support the College of Business, but even more importantly to support students like me,” said Clemons. “I grew up in Shelley, Idaho and was the first person in my family to graduate from college. We didn’t have much money, and I nearly joined the military to try to help with college funds. But, instead, I received a scholarship to Idaho State that allowed me to move forward with college when I didn’t otherwise think I could.”

LEALAN AND LINDA MILLER FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP

College of Business alumnus Lealan (Lee) Miller and his wife, Linda Miller, established the Lealan and Linda Miller Family Scholarship, which will benefit a College of Business student majoring in Accounting with a moderate to high level of financial need. Lee and Linda met at Ricks College (BYU-I) and have been married since 1985. “Idaho State has a part of our hearts, and over the years, I have maintained contact with the accounting professors, recruiting on campus, as well as presenting to Beta Alpha Psi and participating in the annual Accounting Symposium and the Accounting Department’s Advisory Board,” Lee said. “We have been blessed and want to provide some help to those accounting students that have the need.”

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS BENGAL PRIDE SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT

The College of Business Bengal Pride Endowment was established by an anonymous donor and will provide support for any student enrolled in the College of Business. ”We are thrilled to be able to award the College of Business Bengal Pride Scholarship in the years to come,” commented College of Business Dean Shane Hunt. “Not only will this new scholarship endowment provide financial support to our students in perpetuity, but the name itself also imparts an important message to the students who receive it each year of being proud of your time and education from Idaho State University.”

Recognizing alumni awards

In October, the Idaho State University Alumni Association celebrated the 2022 homecoming award recipients at the President’s Recognition Dinner and were formally recognized by President Kevin Satterlee. College of Business alumni, Shelly Sayer and Steve and Cinthia Rice, were three of the eight recipients to win awards.

SHELLY SAYER

ISU Distinguished Alumna Award

Shelly has an Associate’s Degree in chemistry from Eastern Idaho Technical College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Finance from Idaho State. Shelly served as Premier Technology’s Chief Executive Officer beginning in 2013 and took on dual roles as Chief Financial Officer and Chairman of the Board in 2021. During her tenure at Premier, she has accomplished many things, including orchestrating the company’s first Quality Assurance stamp, developing a DCAA compliant accounting program, managing the finances behind a 90 million dollar energy contract and building a team of technical managers with strong work ethics and dedicated staff.

STEVE AND CINTHIA RICE

William J. Bartz Award

Steve graduated from Idaho State University in 1980 with a Bachelor’s in Business Management and Business Marketing. Steve went on to be awarded a Master of Business Administration with an Accounting Emphasis from Westminster College in Salt Lake City. Cinthia graduated from Idaho State University in 1993 with Bachelor’s Degrees in Mass Communications and Business Marketing. Cinthia started her career in news media upon graduation as an on-air reporter for Southeast Idaho Television Stations before serving as the Marketing Coordinator of Idaho Central Credit Union. Together, Steve and Cinthia created Rocky Mountain Hospitality 25 years ago with the acquisition of the Sundial Inn in Pocatello and are still active in the management today.

Class writes and publishes book

Shrunken heads, an unprecedented fossil collection ranging from prehistoric sharks to giant bison, a before-its-time three-dimensional printing lab, and a legacy of fun educational experiences for citizens of Southeast Idaho from preschool to post-retirement. These are just some of the “hidden gems” described in a book written last semester by ICCU Professor of Management Alex Bolinger’s Collaborative Creativity class to celebrate the upcoming 90th anniversary of the Idaho Museum of Natural History (IMNH).

This book-writing class is a partnership with the Idaho State University Honors Program, designed to give students first-hand experience to learn about teamwork and high-level collaboration in an extensive, semester-long creative project. A select team of eight students conducted interviews with current and former IMNH staff and wrote the book

in just three months. The book, titled Hidden Gems: Stories of the Idaho Museum of Natural History, details interesting and often unknown items and stories from the IMNH collections in Anthropology, Earth Sciences, and Life Sciences. The book also describes the cutting-edge Idaho Virtual Lab, which uses threedimensional printing to render and reproduce images of fossils for greater access to scientists in other locations and the general public. The opening chapter traces the origins of the IMNH back to the work of Pocatello legend Dr. Minnie Howard and her quest to preserve the locations, stories, and material evidence of Southeast Idaho from the era of the Oregon Trail.

This is the fifth book students in Dr. Bolinger’s classes have written for

publication. Unlike the previous four, which were published through Arcadia Publishing, this book is being selfpublished and will be available for purchase in early Spring 2023.

“It was an incredible learning opportunity for our students to write a self-published book,” Dr. Bolinger said. “We did not have the support of a professional editor, so the students had to rely more heavily on each other. One of our students even designed the book cover and all of the graphics inside.”

The book will be sold in the IMNH bookstore on campus and online. For more information about how to get a copy of this book or other books written by Idaho State College of Business students in previous versions of this class, please contact Dr. Bolinger at boliale2@isu.edu.

Photo (left to right, top to bottom): Daniel Griffith, Katelyn Baird, Laura Rizzo, Dr. Alex Bolinger, Joshua Luker, Grace Wright, Shayla Manwill, Maya Peters-Greno, and Natalie Hughes

Activity highlights

The College of Business places a strong emphasis on building a career culture and gaining networking experience among our students by hosting various events, some of which are part of our Professional Development Program. This program is designed to guide students through preparing for a successful career from starting out as a freshman to finding a job as a junior, senior or graduate student. Here are a few highlights of the events that took place this Fall.

BACK TO BUSINESS

Hosted by College of Business clubs, business students were welcomed back to school with a BBQ, games, prizes and the chance to dunk their professors and the Dean in a dunk tank. Students also got the chance to visit club booths and chat with club leaders and members to learn more about each organization and enter to win a raffle prize.

THE DR. BILL PHILLIPS MEMORIAL ETIQUETTE DINNER

Guided by an etiquette expert, this dinner provided students a chance to network and learn about proper etiquette when it comes to interview meals and other business meals as an industry professional.

“HOW TO ACE YOUR JOB INTERVIEW & WIN THE JOB” WORKSHOP

New this year to Professional Development Month, this workshop provided students with the chance to learn more about what it takes to ace a job interview.

BUSINESS FACULTY VERSUS STUDENTS AT MEN’S BASKETBALL

Professors and students went head-to-head in a basketball game during halftime at a men’s basketball game. This year, the event raised funds to support Benny’s Pantry and the Boys & Girls Club of Portneuf Valley.

Photos (left to right, top to bottom): 1) Dean Shane Hunt; 2) Etiquette expert Callista Gould; 3) Zane Webb, Don Zebe; 4) Liam Quigley, Zach Jewkes, Sean Stock, Zach Garvin, Nick Davlin and Zane Webb

Two faculty retire

JEFFREY BROOKMAN, Ph.D

Dr. Jeffrey (Jeff) Brookman taught graduate and undergraduate courses in corporate finance, investments, and international finance. His finance experience is from working at Columbia Sportswear and Fidelity Investments. After realizing his career at Columbia Sportswear was not fulfilling, Brookman concluded that receiving his Ph.D. and going into teaching was what he truly wanted to do to “contribute to society, provide a comfortable living and have some reasonable level of status.” Brookman’s favorite part about teaching was connecting with students, especially in his Introduction to Finance class.

“That is where it is easiest to see students understand finance and the power of time value of money,” Brookman said. “It is fun to see the lightbulb go on, so to speak. I like the time value of money quote that goes something like, ‘those who understand interest make it, and those who don’t, pay it.’”

In retirement, Jeffrey plans to travel and learn history by experiencing the places where it happened.

SANDRA SMITH, Ph.D

Dr. Sandra Smith joined the marketing faculty at Idaho State University in the fall of 2005. She earned her Ph.D. in Business Administration from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. In addition, she also holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in French from the University of Wyoming. Sandra’s research and teaching interests are centered on consumer behavior.

Prior to entering academia, Sandra was a Healthcare Administrator in the U.S. Air Force, serving part of her time in the military as the Resource Management Officer at the Air Force’s second largest clinic at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. She also worked for AT&T as a market administrator in Wyoming.

Smith said, “I feel so lucky to have worked in such an amazing place, where my colleagues were also my friends. The one thing that bound us together as a close-knit community, however, was the common deep commitment to engaging on a personal level with our students and furthering their pursuit of knowledge, and encouraging life-long learning.”

The beginning of a new year is frequently associated with feelings of ambition and hope for the opportunities ahead, along with a renewed sense of purpose and motivation. As I sat down to write out a few goals for 2023 at the beginning of this new year, it reminded me of the new beginning I started several years ago as a brand new student at Idaho State University, and the impact that journey has had on my career and my life.

The start of each new semester at Idaho State brings new students to our campus who are filled with those same feelings of ambition and hope for a brighter future, and we are here to help them accomplish the educational goals they have set for themselves. Every day, we in the College of Business are working hard to make sure that our students have access to the opportunities and support they need to be successful, and so much of that support would not be possible without our alumni and friends.

At the beginning of the fall semester this year, we were able to share the news that over 90 percent of College of Business students who applied for a scholarship received at least some

level of support thanks to a significant increase in donor-funded scholarships over the past few years. That support means the world to us, and we can’t thank our donors enough for investing in our students in such a meaningful way. With all that we have accomplished in 2022, and all that we have to look forward to in 2023, we know our best days are still ahead of us. As you reflect on your time at Idaho State and the goals you have set for yourself this year, I would encourage you to consider how you might be able to make a difference in the life of a student this year.

Thank you for your support, and Go Bengals!

CATHERINE RIDER Senior Director of Development catherinerider@isu.edu

Less than 200 schools in the world hold accreditation in both accounting & business we’re one of them.

Listen to every episode of the Bengal Business Radio Show at: kisu.org/programs/bengal-business