SPRING 2022
a
TRANSFORMATIVE gift
Letter from the dean
SPRING 2022
This has been an extraordinary year in the history
practice and train for
of the Idaho State University College of Business.
individual and team
Thanks to all of you, we were able to launch new
sales
programs, better prepare our graduates to meet
interviews
the business needs across our region and provide
proposals. The Center
our students with a record number of private
will serve as a base for
scholarships. Our incredible faculty and staff
our rapidly growing
have navigated the challenges of this past year by
sales
keeping our focus on helping our students have
Construction on both of these spaces will be
better lives. We are also excited to expand our
completed this fall.
College of Business family by welcoming four
I am grateful for the many ways each of you
presentations, and
program.
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AN OUTSTANDING BUSINESS STUDENT
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HONORING TOP STUDENTS
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PREPARING OUR FUTURE ECONOMISTS
outstanding new professors from some of the
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champion the Idaho State University College of
A MAJOR WIN
leading Ph.D. programs in the country this fall.
Business. Throughout this issue of the Business
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STUDENTS ENGAGEMENT WITH ALUMNI
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we have
Bulletin, you will see stories about our students,
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started construction on the most transformative
faculty, staff and alumni who are making our
A TRANSFORMATIVE GIFT
improvements to our College of Business building
University,
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FOUR NEW ENDOWMENTS BENEFIT STUDENTS
in its history. The new Orin C. Smith Global
society better each day. This year has been filled
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Finance Lab will be a modern space with a trading
with successes and accomplishments and I am
INTRODUCING NEW FACULTY
room feel for College of Business students and
more confident than ever before that our best
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PETERSON RETIRES FROM TEACHING
faculty to use, learn and apply current, in-demand
days are still ahead of us. Thank you all for being
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finance and analytical tools. Our new Walter P.
part of the Idaho State University College of
AN EXCITING TIME TO BE A BENGAL
Brown Center for Sales Excellence space has
Business family and Go Bengals!
business
community
and
been designed to provide students and sales professionals an area to develop their sales skills, enhance their personal brand, as well as construct,
SHANE HUNT, PH.D. Dean, College of Business Michael C. Ruettgers Professor of Marketing
global
An outstanding business student
E
Every year, one student from each college is
as a result of the skills I have
selected to receive the Outstanding Student
developed and the networking
Achievement Award. This year, the College
experiences I have had. The
of Business’s award recipient was Lynnea
accounting
Dale. Dale is an honors student originally
really like a family, and I have
from Nampa, Idaho and graduated this spring
had amazing classmates and
with a Bachelor of Business Administration in
some of the most incredible
Accounting and Management with an emphasis
professors imaginable. I have
in Entrepreneurship/Small Business Operations,
also been really lucky to be able
as well as a double minor in Literature and
to minor outside of the College
French. She is continuing on to complete
of
the Master of Business Administration and
provided flexibility, which I am
Master of Accountancy programs, finishing
really grateful for,” said Dale. When
off her education by taking the Certified
asked what this award meant to her,
Public Accountant and Certified Management
she said, “I am still thunderstruck by
Accountant exams. After completing her master’s
the Outstanding Student award. It is not something
degrees, Dale plans to pursue a career in public
I ever would have thought of, and I am still in shock
accounting somewhere in Idaho. So far, she is
over having received it, but I am so incredibly
looking at potential firms in the Boise and Twin
grateful to my coworkers, my professors and the
Falls areas but has not ruled out anything else.
College of Business as a whole because they have
“I have loved my time at Idaho State – the
all done so much for me and have been such a
College of Business is incredible, and I have had
critical part of my college experience.”
Business
department
because
is
they
so many terrific internship and job opportunities Photo: Senior, Lynnea Dale.
Honoring top students Photos (left to right, top to bottom): 1) Dean Shane Hunt 2) MBA student, Megan Busz
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This April, the College of
“The College of Business wanted to create
a minimum of a 3.25 GPA for graduate
Business held its inaugural
an event that would recognize students
students. Students would have also had to
Circle of Excellence event
going above and beyond,” said Finance
complete a minimum of 30 credit hours at
designed to honor and
major and Student Body President Zane
Idaho State. The criteria led to invitations
celebrate the successes
Webb, who initiated the idea. “We wanted
being sent out to the top 10 sophomores,
of its top tier students at
to give them the opportunity to celebrate
top 20 juniors, top 20 seniors and the top
each class level. A total of
their
10 graduate students.
117 students were invited
College of Business donors and business
“We also extended invitations to club
to attend the event at
leaders.”
leaders, as well as students that had
the L.E. and Thelma E.
Students also needed to have completed
been nominated by faculty, including
Stephens Performing Arts
a minimum of a 3.0 grade point average
freshmen,” said Webb. “We decided to
Center.
(GPA) for undergraduate students and
include a small number of nominations
achievements
with
their
peers,
because although some students may not
“The dinner was a wonderful experience,”
have met the GPA requirements, they had
said Master of Business Administration
still proven themselves through hard work
student Nikole Layton. “I will always
and dedication in their classes.”
remember this dinner and how it felt to be
In addition to these students, the College
recognized for the accomplishments that
of Business also extended invitations
I have worked so hard to achieve.” Layton
to a number of alumni and business
said that during the dinner, she was able to
professionals to provide attendees with
network with business leaders as well as
the opportunity to network.
discuss their advice and tips for success.
Students attending the event were greeted
“The Circle of Excellence was more of a
by an elegant display of balloons, flowers
success and meant more to the students
and live jazz music provided by the
attending than I think any of us could have
University’s own music department.
ever imagined,” Dean Hunt commented.
The
event
an
Although this was the first Circle of
sitting
Excellence event, the College of Business
down to an elegant dinner in the Barbara
intends to continue the new tradition of
J. Marshall Rotunda, during which they
honoring top students every year with this
listened to the inspiring words of College
prestigious evening.
opportunity
provided to
mingle
students before
of Business Dean and Michael C. Ruettgers Professor of Marketing Dr. Shane Hunt, as well as guest speaker and alumnus Derek Moss. Moss is a business unit manager at Premier Technology Inc. in Blackfoot, Idaho. Photo: Alumnus Derek Moss
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Photos (left to right): 1) Economics Professor, Dr. Karl Geisler; Benjamin Whipple, Natalie Mortenson, Gwyneth Donahue, Emma Watts and Professor & Chair, Dr. Iris Buder 2) Gwyneth Donahue
Preparing our future economists
I
In April, four economics
included
Benjamin
how and what research is conducted by
students
Whipple (senor), Emma Watts (sophomore)
current graduate students and professors.”
attended
(junior),
Western Social Science
and Natalie Mortenson (sophomore).
Association
(WSSA)
“Attending the WSSA conference was an
Paper’ award Donahue has received this
Denver,
conference
in
This is the second ‘Best Undergraduate
amazing opportunity to meet and gain
academic year. Her first award came
where
they
advice from graduate students who are
from attending the International Atlantic
presented
on
currently in Ph.D. programs for economics,
Economic Society conference.
of
research
especially as I was able to receive helpful
One
student,
guidance in how to prepare for my own
Gwyneth Donahue, was
path to a Ph.D.,” said Donahue. “Being
presented with the Best
able to conduct and present research
Undergraduate
Paper
was an incredible experience, as it further
award
work.
prepared me for a future in academia. I was
Colorado each a
variety
topics.
Students attend
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the
Donahue
for
her
accepted the
to
able to receive valuable feedback on my
conference
own research, as well as gain insights into
“We would like to sincerely thank the College of Business, Dean Hunt, and our donors for this wonderful opportunity provided to our students,” said Department Chair and Professor Dr. Iris Buder, who attended with the students.
A major win
T
Two College of Business teams won a total of four
co-adviser to the teams with Dawn Konicek, Clinical Associate
trophies from this year’s International Collegiate
Professor of Accounting.
Business Strategy Competition (ICBSC), hosted by
The two teams competed in different divisions (or “worlds”) with
California State University Long Beach. As part of
schools that were often two to three times ISU’s size. The College’s
the competition, students worked as executives
first team, Boujé Bidets, developed a unique, customized luxury
charged with running a simulated company based
bidet as their product. They took home the runner-up trophy
on a product that they had fictitiously created.
for Best Written Documents. Team members of Boujé Bidets
Students have had the opportunity to participate
included (pictured at top left) Marcus Humphreys, Nikole Layton,
in the ICBSC this year and over the past eight
Emma Watts, Keegan Sullivan and John Lancaster.
years thanks to the generous sponsorship of
The second team, R3CYCL3D, devised a product using recycled
Idaho Central Credit Union (ICCU). “The insights
materials to create 3D-printed bicycles. R3CYCL3D won three
that our students gain from working with such
trophies, including Best Overall Performance, Best Presentation,
generous and knowledgeable business leaders
and runner-up for Best Documents. R3CYCL3D’s team consisted
[at ICCU] are essential to the program’s success,”
of Jon Hurt, Michael Pond, Jonathan Shafer, Megan Busz and
said Alex Bolinger, Professor of Management and
Kristin Aarness.
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Students engage with alumni
Photos (left to right): 1) Alumnus Don Burdick 2) Alumnus Mike Hayhurst
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This spring, students had
eCommerce and Travel at Costco while
perseverance, anything is possible.”
the opportunity to join
Hayhurst is the Managing Partner at
“The Executive in Residence (EIR) program
a
KPMG’s Boise office.
is useful for students in many ways,” said
Don
During the discussion, each alumnus was
Kristine McCarty, Director of Graduate
Burdick and Mike Hayhurst,
able to share some valuable insights with
Studies and the organizer of the event.
who were visiting as part
students from failures and successes in
“For me, the most important of those is
of the College’s Executive
their professional journeys. Overall, the
that our EIRs remind students that they
in Residence series.
opportunity to ask questions and speak to
can go anywhere and do anything with a
Both accounting alumni,
two leaders and fellow business Bengals
degree from Idaho State University. When
Burdick
was a chance for students to envision their
you’re sitting in your fifth lecture of the
have high-level leadership
own paths to success.
week, it’s difficult to see and understand
backgrounds
were
“Having the opportunity to hear from two
the great impact your education will have
able to share their insights
successful Idaho State alumni was very
on your life. These returning alumni share
with students during the
inspirational,” said Master of Business
their journey with students and help them
panel. Burdick is a retired
Administration student Keegan Sullivan. “It
see how many doors a degree from Idaho
Senior Vice President of
was evident that through hard work and
State will open for them.”
discussion
prominent
between
alumni
and
Hayhurst and
a
gift
Photos: Digital renderings of the Walter P. Brown Center for Sales Excellence, which is scheduled to be complete in Fall 2022.
S
Since joining the College
professionals.
sales
new Walter P. Brown Center for Sales
of Business family, Dean
program at Idaho State University has
Excellence. Located on the second floor
and Michael C. Ruettgers
taken off.
of the Business Administration building,
Professor
Earlier this year, the College of Business
this new space will provide students and
has
received an incredibly generous gift from
sales professionals alike with a world-
worked hard to bring a
1964 marketing graduate Michael C.
class facility. “The space is designed to
new sales program to
Ruettgers. This gift will make a number
provide students and sales professionals
the College. The initiative
of transformative changes to the College,
an area to develop their sales skills,
began with a Professional
one of which has the greatest impact on
enhance their personal brand, as well as
Sales Certificate open to
the new sales program.
construct, practice and train for individual
Dr.
of
Shane
Marketing Hunt
any student on campus and backed by a board of
outstanding
sales
Since
then,
the
Thanks to the Michael C. Ruettgers Endowment, the College of Business is
undergoing
construction
on
the
and team sales presentations, interviews and proposals,” said Hunt. The Center will serve as a base for the College’s sales program.
of the company he consulted with.”
“This gift is the final cog in the wheel,” said Don Zebe, College of Business Sales Advisory
Ruettgers noted that throughout his career and success, the College of
Board Chairman. “It acts as the catalyst that will provide our students
Business has remained a North Star for him: “it helped me focus on my
with the needed technology and training facility that will give them the
career and life goals.” He said this gift is meant as one way to honor that
competitive advantage when entering the field of professional selling.”
legacy and the impact his education at the College of Business has had
Ruettgers said he chose to link his gift to the sales program because of
on his life.
the impact the field has had on his career. “Much of my success came
“All of us in the Idaho State University College of Business are very thankful
from companies that used direct sales as the keystone for their go-to-
for Mike Ruettgers, whose extraordinary support has made the Walter P.
market strategy,” he said. “So I appreciate how important direct selling and
Brown Center for Sales Excellence possible for generations of students
the management of direct sales forces is.”
to come,” said Hunt.
After graduating from Idaho State, Ruettgers earned his Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School and went on to become a distinguished Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the storage and software company EMC Corporation (now part of Dell). While in this position, Ruettgers was named one of the “Top 25 Best CEOs in the World” by Business Week magazine in the late 1990s for his work in pulling EMC out of near bankruptcy. This feat earned EMC recognition as “America’s Most Admired Company” by Fortune magazine in 2000.
Let’s talk sales Last March, the Walter P. Brown Center for Sales Excellence launched a new radio show airing on KISU FM 91. “Sales Talk” is the College of Business’s third show and is
“I expect this program to produce the sales management professionals of
hosted by Marketing Professor and Executive
the future.” Ruettgers said that he hopes graduates of Idaho State’s sales
Director of the Center John Ney.
program will be in high-demand in the technology industry.
“The purpose of the show is to help create
Although this gift is part of the Michael C. Ruettgers Endowment, he
awareness and understanding of sales and
chose to name it after his good friend Walter. “I consider Walter Brown
sales skills,” said Ney. “Sales is the lifeblood of any
to be the leader in professional sales management training for enterprise
successful organization. However, few people have ever
sales,” said Ruettgers. “He helped me build EMC Corporation into the
recieved any professional sales training.”
recognized world-leader in direct selling to enterprises. His influence
The show airs on the last Monday of every month at 7:30 PM
continues to be felt today in the technology industry through ‘graduates’
and is also available online: kisu.org/podcast/sales-talk
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.
BOLINGER FAMILY SCHOL ARSHIP ENDOWMENT Throughout the years, members of the Bolinger family have dedicated their time and careers to empowering students and the community through education and the arts. The College of Business is proud to include the Bolinger name among our list of endowments. Ron and Patty, along with their son Alex and daughter-in-law Brooke, have all contributed to the establishment of the Bolinger Family Scholarship Endowment, which will benefit College of Business students who are also part of the University Honors Program. “This scholarship is a natural outgrowth of the value we place on higher education as one of the greatest sources of opportunity in our society,” said the family.
JOSH & SANDEE GEHRKE PHARMD/MBA SCHOL ARSHIP Idaho State University alumni Joshua and Sandee Gehrke have established their third scholarship endowment at Idaho State University. The new Josh and Sandee Gehrke PharmD/MBA Scholarship Endowment will benefit students pursuing the joint Doctorate of Pharmacy and Master of Business Administration degree offered through the College of Business and College of Pharmacy. Both Sandee and Josh have remained involved at Idaho State since graduating and have been very successful in their careers. Sandee, a 2003 healthcare administration graduate of Idaho State, was recently made the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of St. Luke’s Health System in Boise after
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working as the Vice President of System Operations for over seven years.
PETER C. KOLE - DR. COREY SCHOU SCHOL ARSHIP ENDOWMENT After graduating from the College of Business nearly 60 years ago, alumnus Peter C. Kole and his wife Nancy have instituted numerous scholarship endowments throughout the University, with 10 of those being in the College of Business alone. Throughout the years, the Koles have given back as an opportunity to recognize the impact of individuals who have made a profound impact on the College or University. The Koles’ most recent contribution is in honor of Informatics Professor Dr. Corey Schou. Schou (pictured at left) has been teaching cybersecurity and computer science at ISU for 37 years and is the director of the NIATEC program on campus.
NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL SALES SCHOL ARSHIP ENDOWMENT The College’s Sales Certificate Program has received its second scholarship endowment, this time from the Bailey Financial Group of Northwestern Mutual in Boise, Idaho. The Northwestern Mutual Sales Scholarship Endowment is a $25,000 gift that will benefit any business student pursuing the Professional Sales Certificate offered by the College. “Northwestern Mutual – Boise, Idaho is both excited and honored to partner with Idaho State University with this Endowment,” said Jeff Wimer, Chief Development Officer and Financial Advisor (pictured left). “We are committed to supporting our local community and see this as an excellent vehicle to support local university students. We immediately saw the impact this program can and will have and are proud to be a part of it.”
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Introducing new faculty
VIDYA GANJI
CHRIS PEARSON
KRISTEN THOMPSON
ZHENZHEN YAN
Ganji is a Ph.D. candidate in
Pearson joins the College of
Thompson joins Idaho State
Yan is currently pursuing a Ph.D.
Management Science at the
Business after completing his
from South Carolina, where
in Operations and Sourcing
University of Texas at Arlington,
doctorate at the University of
she completed a Ph.D. in
Management
finishing up in the summer of
Kentucky. A native of southern
Accounting at the University
State University. Before her
2022. She has over four years
Utah, Pearson began his career
of South Carolina. Thompson
journey to obtain her Ph.D.,
of professional experience in
working as an external auditor
grew up on the east coast of
Yan worked as a contract
leadership hiring, international
for Deloitte in Las Vegas, Nev.
Florida. After moving to South
manager in a multimillion-
talent acquisition, executive
That experience has driven his
Carolina for grad school, she
dollar
searches
research, which is primarily
began to search out new
in South America, and as a
concerned
factors
hobbies such as mountain
supply chain coordinator for
affecting auditors’ judgment
biking and camping. These
a
teaching and says she has
and
and
new hobbies led her to jump
in Anchorage, Alaska. With
the soul of a professor. Her
has been published in the
at the opportunity to call Idaho
the
goal is to make a difference
Behavioral
home.
and
in
Accounting.
teaches
Thompson is excited to be a
environments,
imparting subject knowledge
managerial accounting and
professor at Idaho State and
committed to pedagogy and
and preparing them to be an
accounting
her goal is to help students
practices that foster diversity,
important part of the modern
systems.
find their voices as individuals
equity and inclusion in a higher
and professionals.
education context.
and
account
management. Ganji
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her
is
passionate
students’
workforce.
about
lives
by
with
decision-making Research He
in
information
at
Michigan
construction
family-owned exposure
project
company
to
culturally
ethnically
diverse Yan
has
Peterson retires from teaching
A
After a successful career in statistics and teaching,
College of Business as well as being the consulting statistician
College of Business Management Professor Dr.
for the University. After completing her Doctorate in Educational
Teri Peterson has decided to retire. For Peterson,
Leadership, she moved full-time to the College of Business and
her career in statistics took a circuitous route.
added Business Analytics to the Master of Business Administration
As an undergrad, she started off as a math
curriculum. During her entire career, Peterson was able to teach
major and quickly transferred to biology. After
and use statistics while also continuing to study and learn more
finishing graduate school with a Master’s of Arts
along the way.
in Biology and a teaching credential, she married her husband and moved to Africa, where she spent time teaching science and English while also helping her husband with his textbook. They had two children while in Africa and later moved to Utah. While there, Peterson pursued a Master’s of Applied Statistics at Utah State. After some time, they moved again to Pocatello and Peterson ended up teaching statistics for the
Peterson said she has many plans for her retirement. “My most pressing plan in retirement is to spend more time with my children and grandchildren. In addition, I want to rekindle some loves I was more focused on earlier in life. I hope to spend some time relearning French and piano. Finally, I want to travel a little and read a lot!” said Peterson. The College of Business is very thankful for the time that Teri Peterson spent teaching aspiring students and we hope she enjoys her retirement.
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College of Business 921 South 8th Ave., Stop 8020 Pocatello, ID 83209-8020 ABA003
Less than 200 schools in the world hold accreditation in both accounting & business
we’re one of them. ISU.EDU/COB
Listen to every episode of the Bengal Business Radio Show at:
kisu.org/programs/bengal-business
A few weeks ago, many of us
today, is the University investing in our future.”
Thanks to donors and friends like you, we are
had the distinct opportunity
In the past two years, Idaho State University
fulfilling our mission of bettering student lives
to see the class of 2022
has seen enrollment increase for the first time
through education every day. There has never
receive
at
in a decade, a record number of donations in
been a better time to get involved with the
The
this spring’s inaugural Bengal Giving Day and
College of Business and to start giving back to
backdrop of commencement
construction on the new ICCU Bengal Alumni
support the next generation of Bengals. Your
was slightly different this year,
Center scheduled to be completed in 2023. In
gifts make a difference on our campus, in our
as Holt Arena is currently
the College of Business, we have announced
College, and most importantly, they make a
under major renovation for
major renovations to our building to create
difference in the lives of our students. If you
the first time in over 50 years.
the first professional sales center on a college
would like to learn more about becoming a
As President Kevin Satterlee
campus in the state of Idaho and a world-class
donor and how philanthropy is transforming
addressed the stands packed
global finance lab—both of which will provide
our campus in an incredible way, please
with family, friends and fellow
our students with hands-on experience that
contact me today at catherinerider@isu.edu.
Bengals, he stated, “What you
will prepare our students for successful and
Thank you, and Go Bengals!
see today is progress. What
rewarding careers.
you see in the background
This is truly an exciting time to be a Bengal!
their
degrees
commencement.
CATHERINE RIDER Director of Development