Taking Stock: Orin C. Smith Global Finance Lab and Walter Brown Center for Sales Excellence Become an Integral Part of an Inspirational Semester at the College of Business

On April 20th, the College of Business held a dedication ceremony for two transformative spaces over a year in the making: the Orin C. Smith Global Finance Lab and Walter Brown Center for Sales Excellence. Considered by College of Business Dean and Michael C. Ruettgers Professor of Marketing Dr. Shane Hunt to be “the most significant upgrade to the College of Business building in its 50-year history,” both rooms, made possible by the Michael C. Ruettgers Endowment, offer state-of-the-art learning spaces. Features include a 40’ stock ticker in the finance lab showing only publicly traded companies Idaho State University College of Business graduates have worked for, as well as a networking area and sales role-play recording studio in the sales center.

“Everything we do is to better support and create new opportunities for our Bengals,” said Idaho State University President Kevin Satterlee. “When we receive gifts like this that improve our mission and enhance the academic experience for our students, we better prepare them for success in their futures and in their lives.”

“My help was the smallest piece,” said Ruettgers. “Help from President Satterlee, Dr. Shane Hunt and all the others that worked on it are what’s made the difference. I know by doing this now instead of sometime later, it will have more impact. Do it now, and we’ll help more people.”

In addition to traditional classes, the spaces will also be home to certificate programs open to all Idaho State University students reguardless of major, as well as a professional selling masterclass for the public. “Our mission is to elevate salespeople to the role of trusted advisor so they are welcomed into any living room or boardroom,” said College of Business Executive Professor Kent Malinowski. “Whether they’re selling hardware, firmware, software, haircare, or healthcare, from advertising to mergers and acquisitions, this course [will have] something for everyone.”

While classes and programs will prepare students and professionals alike to move forward in their careers, Satterlee pointed out the spaces represent much more than that. “These spaces aren’t about financial markets or transactions and goods. They’re about helping us fulfill our mission of making students’ lives better through education by showing them how to invest in themselves,” said Satterlee.

The College of Business thanks Ruettgers for making this extraordinary gift possible. “We are thrilled that these stateof-the-art spaces will have a transformative impact on our Idaho State University College of Business programs and generations of future Bengal students,” said Hunt.