Business Bulletin: Summer 2018

SUMMER FA L L | W I N T E R 22018 016

NEW PROGRAMS PLANT AN EARLY INTEREST IN EDUCATION

3 4 5

7

inaugural

c l a s s - m ta x

planting the idea of college

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e a r ly o n

o u t s ta n d i n g students returning to school

an experience w i t h g r e at i m pa c t

8

dual

9

free enterprise

12

enrollment

high

learning

by doing: p o c at e l l o history project

13

success through

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executive in

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nelson endowed

the challenge

residence

professorship new & retiring fa c u lt y

DEAN T O M O T T AWAY, P H . D . dean, college of business

A

s fall courses begin, the lull of the summer

you are now, and provide them with the opportunities that have

months comes to an end and we are

lead you to a successful life. As College of Business alumni, you

greeted with the excitement of welcoming

have journeyed far with us, taken on challenges, gained skills,

new and returning students. With this

knowledge, endurance, and worth ethic-- your education has

comes the start of a new and ever growing family in

impacted who you are and what you do everyday. In this issue, we

the College of Business. These students will each take

celebrate who we are at the College of Business and the impact

their turn building their skills and knowledge through

a college education can have on a person’s life-- from planting an

various club activities, challenges, course work, and

interest in education early on, to nurturing that desire for knowledge

gaining an invaluable connection with their peers and

and success as students.

SINCE 1978

FROM THE

professors. Each of these experiences will guide them to where

get weekly college of business updates: sign up for the college of business newsletter events • news • business resources • blog isu.edu/cob/professional-development

FEATURE STORY

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faculty & staff

INAUGURAL CLASS

C O L L E G E G R A D U AT E S F I R S T M TA X S T U D E N T S

A

fter launching its new Master of

Pocatello for classes.

Taxation (MTax) program in fall

Aaron Anderson (pictured), a BYU-I accounting

2017, the College of Business

graduate, was the first student accepted into

graduated its first MTax class in

the MTax program and was recognized as the

May. All five students who started in the fall

program’s Outstanding Student Award recipient

received their degrees. The students included,

for the academic year. “From my experiences at

Aaron Anderson, Holly Behling, Nyssa Bradley,

BYU-I, I knew that I wanted to work in the tax

Sheldon Brown and Ayanda Godi.

service line of public accounting,” said Anderson.

taxation

According to the Director of Graduate Studies at

“I had known for quite a while that I wanted to

them the opportunity to build a

the time of the program’s launch, Heidi Shiosaki,

continue my accounting education at ISU, but was

greater understanding of the tax system at a

the program’s start was a success. “For a new

disappointed that it didn’t offer an MTax program.

deeper level.

program it went really well. The students, who are

Once I heard that they were creating the MTax at

“A specialized masters degree in taxation is

all outstanding, really enjoyed it.” Shiosaki said

ISU, I was so happy and knew that it was exactly

becoming evermore important for tax accountants

the students came from a variety of backgrounds-

where I should continue my education.”

in both public accounting and for accountants who

one was a graduate of ISU’s undergraduate

Anderson’s experience in the newly launched

work within a specific company. Many companies

accounting program, one switched from ISU’s

program was just as he had hoped it would

are looking for individuals who have specialized

MAcc to the MTax upon the launch of a more

be. “Overall, the MTax program was fantastic.

degrees and many companies also significantly

specialized program, two students were Brigham

The professors were knowledgeable, but more

increase their salaries for those who have it,” said

Young University - Idaho (BYU-I) accounting

importantly were open, approachable and sincere

Anderson who has also accepted a full-time job

graduates and one was already working in an

in their efforts to help us learn,” said Anderson.

offer at a Big Four firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers

accounting career in Idaho Falls and traveled to

For these students, a specialized degree in

(PwC) in Washington D.C.

has

given

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THE EPITOME OF

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE 2 0 1 8 ’ S O U T S TA N D I N G S T U D E N T S E L E C T I O N S

In addition to the College’s overall outstanding student achievement award recipient, each department within the College selects an outstanding student for their major.

Some of this year’s outstanding students are pictured below from left to right front to back: Aaron Anderson (MTax), Elisa VanOrden (Accounting), Holly Powell (MBA), Michael Hunn (MAcc), Kendra Hill (HCA), Vanesa Fontes Nava (Marketing), Cody Kelshaw (Informatics), Daniel Ortiz Flores (CoB), [not pictured]: Kyle Whitham (Economics),

DANIEL

ORTIZ FLORES

Flores

T

originally

and

Gabriel

Huerta

(Management).

in business administration at the Autonomous

was the 2016-2017 Second Runner-Up Student

Student

University of Juarez where he participated in

Employee of the Year.

Achievement Award recipient

an exchange program to Reykjavik University in

for the 2018 school year was

Iceland.

Daniel Ortiz Flores. Flores,

Upon returning from Iceland, Flores decided to

from

Juarez,

undergraduate

(Finance)

as the 2016 November CPI of the Month, and

Outstanding

his

Rammell

education

he

started

Brooke

Chihuahua,

join his good friend at the ISU College of Business.

Mexico, graduated from the College

As an ISU student, Flores was heavily involved

of Business in May with a Bachelor of

and graduated with a triple major.

Business Administration in Finance,

He was a member of the International Student

Management and Marketing. Initially,

Association, the Finance Association, was selected

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T

Business

treasure and an opportunity” that she greatly

has been home to many

appreciates; in fact, her personal motto while

outstanding students over the

earning her degree has been, “You’re never

years who have risen from

too old to ISU.” Considering that she has 20 or

challenging backgrounds to succeed.

more years to make a difference in the industry,

One

non-traditional

Powell says “education is never a waste.” This

College

in

insatiable desire to learn coupled with her

first-generation,

student Holly

he

stands Powell.

out After

of

particular:

earning

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her

strong work ethic, effective leadership style

undergraduate degree in journalism

and academic excellence have all contributed

from Brigham Young University, Powell

to her selection as 2018’s outstanding Master

spent two decades away from school

of Business Administration student.

while raising a family before deciding

Showcasing her natural leadership capability,

to come back for a master’s degree

Powell was also the CEO of the ISU team

in business administration. Although

competing in the International Collegiate

neither of Powell’s parents are college

Business

educated, her dedication to education

Powell is the first student to participate in the

is clearly demonstrated by the sacrifices

competition twice, an impressive feat given the

she has made to obtain it: she has

rigorous selection process with an applicant pool

completed her degree while working

that expands each year.

as Treasurer for the City of Blackfoot

The competition has been the highlight of Powell’s

and while commuting several times a

MBA experience by far, explaining that it has been the

week from Rigby, Idaho—a 130-mile

best bridge between academia and the outside world.

round trip drive to campus.

It has given her an appreciation for the incredible

Powell chose to come to ISU because

pressure that CEOs and executive board members

of its proximity to home and the quality

experience and respect for all those who run

of education. Powell says, “ISU is a

their own company.

Strategy

Competition

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faculty & staff

(ICBSC).

RETURNING TO SCHOOL

AFTER 2 DECADES H O L LY P O W E L L 2018 outstanding mba graduate

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As another bridge between the academic and “real world,”

it will take to get her there. It is a treat to work with a student

Powell presented her own professional case study at the Society

like Holly because she is thirsty for knowledge and she sees joy

for Case Research workshop in Kansas City during her time as

in the learning process,” says Bolinger. Powell hopes to write

a student. The process started when Alex Bolinger, associate

more cases in the future so that MBA students like her will have

professor of management, approached Powell to gauge her

the benefit of applying theory to the complexity of real-world

interest in turning her real-world negotiation class paper into

problems.

a professional case study. Seeing this as yet another unique

As is characteristic of other ISU students, Powell exemplifies what

opportunity to learn, she accepted the invitation and went through

Bolinger refers to as the ‘Eastern Idaho Ethic’: “One of the things

the detailed process of co-authoring the case with Bolinger. She

that I enjoy about teaching at Idaho State is that so many of our

revised the document eight times before sending it in to the Case

students come from farm families and understand the value of

Research workshop, then presented it to a group of faculty by

hard work. On the whole, our students tend to dig in and work

herself, which is particularly uncommon. Bolinger noted that

– there is very little sense of entitlement. They may not always

because of her unique work ethic in revising the submitted

come from families where their parents went to college and they

document, “her draft of the case was more polished than the

have many responsibilities outside of school, but they tend to

drafts of the cases of many of the faculty at that workshop.” The

value school and put in tremendous effort to succeed. [Powell]

case will soon be published in the Journal of Case Studies.

exemplifies the very best of Eastern Idaho,” says Bolinger.

Powell speaks of the pleasure it was to write the case, seeing

Now a graduate, Powell plans to continue to apply the tools and

it as a challenging educational adventure: learning for the

confidence she has gained from her graduate education to her

sake of learning. It is this love of learning that stands out in her

position as Treasurer for the City of Blackfoot, where she plans

nomination: “It is clear that Holly loves to learn and that she

to continue to oversee the $6.5 million in grant funding that she

seeks knowledge not only for how it will advance her career, but

has helped secure during her tenure. She is optimistic about the

also because learning is an end in itself. She is very reflective

future, as she stated with her characteristic zest for learning:

and good at acknowledging how she can improve and what

“There is so much to learn!”

Extending

OPPORTUNITY For the fourth year, the CoB hosted the fifth grade classes of Pocatello’s Jefferson Elementary School for a day at ISU. During their visit, the 60 students participated in activities including a chemistry demonstration hosted by chemistry professor Joshua Pak, a “History of the Future” presentation given by informatics professor, Bob Houghton discussing the history of computers and technology, all followed by a campus tour given by student ambassadors.

Houghton and Jefferson’s fifth grade teacher, Chris Richardson developed the event four years ago when Richardson realized a need to show students the benefits and fun of

Planting the Idea of College Early On continuing their education after high school.

“Mr. Richardson came to me concerned about the future of his students,” said Houghton. “While teaching an advanced placement math course at Jefferson he asked his students if they planned to attend collegemost of them did not raise their hands.”

Houghton said this was a major concern for Richardson, especially among a group of students that had demonstrated such high academic potential. According to Houghton, he and Richardson arranged for the group

of math students to attend a college-style lecture at ISU. “Overtime that single lecture has turned into a day at ISU and the group of students has expanded from the advanced math students to Richardson’s fifth grade class and now to Jefferson’s entire fifth grade program,” said Houghton.

According to Richardson, the event has been a great program to help his students realize the fun and potential of going to college.

“With this event, we are able to provide the idea of going to college as a constant thought. By introducing this idea to them at a young age it allows them to start thinking about it,” explains Richardson. “By providing

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EXTENDING OPPORTUNITY

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faculty & staff

students with a fun and memorable experience at

me excited to learn about a lot of things such as

ISU, they are more likely to put the idea and intent

the history of the future and the evolution and

of going to college in their plans for the future.”

advancement of technology.”

Over the past few years, Richardson said

“We hope to continue this program for Jefferson’s

students still talk about the fun they had at ISU,

fifth graders every year,” said Houghton. “It’s a lot

and some of the students still have their College

of fun to have the kids on campus for a day and

of Business pennants hanging up at home. One

it’s a great feeling knowing we may be making a

of Richardson’s students exclaimed, “This trip to

major difference in their futures by just showing

ISU got me excited for college because of all

them one day of fun at ISU.”

the science that we were involved with. It got

Dual Enrollment

The College of Business found opportunity in both sharing real-world

Program course, related to Citizen’s PHS financial literacy program.

applicable skill and knowledge with incoming and current college students,

The Early College Program allows Idaho high school or homeschool students

while also creating an awareness and interest in the business curriculum.

to earn college credit while in their junior or senior years. “Their credits are

The project worked in two phases; the first began with devising a way

recorded to an official ISU transcript and can be transferred upon request by

for the College to offer courses within the University’s general education

the student,” said Chelsia Rauh, director of the Early College Program.

requirements and then expanding those offerings outside of the University to

The program requires curriculum equivalent to the college-level course and

high school students.

is taught by carefully qualified instructors that meet the same qualifications

“The goal was to make connections with high school students and generate

as University adjunct faculty. “High school faculty receive training, ongoing

enrollment while providing a course that would help students make better

support, and are provided with all of the class materials needed including

decisions and learn concepts and skills to evaluate financial information,”

lecture materials, internet links, assignments, tests and test questions, and

said finance and economics department chair, Ann Hackert.

other support materials,” said Rauh adding that the high schools do have to

After two years, Hackert was able to add the Personal Finance course (FIN

invest in the textbooks.

1115) to ISU’s Goal 8 options. Two years later, with the help of Citizen’s

“In its inaugural year, the course was offered at Highland High School,

Community Bank business development and marketing officer, Stephanie

Meridian Medical Arts, New Horizons, Pocatello High School, and

Albano, the course entered Pocatello High School as an Early College

Renaissance High School,” said Hackert. “Word of mouth led to schools

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approaching ISU after teachers realized how valuable the class was.”

interest of going on to college and providing the preparation students’ need

The personal finance course, now enrolling just over 285 students, broadly

for determining the best college fit. “Students can use the information from the

covers topics related to budgeting, understanding financial institutions and

class to better plan their college or post-high school careers,” said Hackert.

instruments, the time value of money, credit management including all types

“The class includes information literacy on digging deeper to understand

of debt, identity theft, auto, home and student loans, debt and bankruptcy,

college costs and consider career opportunities. For example, researching

taxes, insurance, investment basics, mutual funds, stocks, bonds and

ISU beyond the basic cost calculators helps students discover scholarship

wealth accumulation. Hackert said the feedback for the course has been

opportunities and the Career Path Internship program.”

“overwhelmingly positive” from both the students’ and teachers’ perspectives,

Now, after its first full year, Hackert said the next step is to begin establishing

largely because the topics are all applicable to everyday adult life. “[With

and growing relationships with not only high school students, but with high

the course], students can begin applying what they learned as soon as they

school faculty and administrators. In the future, she would also like to connect

learn it,” said Hackert.

the students with business alumni that could speak to similar topics and share

At the junior level, the course is also particularly valuable in establishing the

a real-world perspective.

Free Enterprise High The College of Business has put forth an initiative to promote free enterprise

schools. We see this outreach program as a great way to help our state’s

and business education in Idaho high schools.

“go-on” rate and the high school students by teaching the value of business

As part of the new “Free Enterprise High” program, faculty in the College

in our communities, state and country,” said College of Business dean, Tom

will guest teach in Idaho high school classes starting in the fall of 2018.

Ottaway.

The faculty will introduce students to the career opportunities in the different

Idaho high school teachers interested in having an ISU College of Business

business fields including: accounting, computer information/data analytics,

professor guest lecture in their classroom can visit isu.edu/cal/liberal-arts-

economics, finance, management and marketing. The professors will teach

high/ to book a topic and professor. Additional questions can be directed

high school students how business can spur economic development and

to College of Business assistant dean, John Ney at 208.282.3637 or by

provide career opportunities in southeastern Idaho and beyond.

emailing neyjohn@isu.edu.

“We are excited to launch this key initiative to send our faculty to Idaho high

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his

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REAL-WORLD CLASSROOM

International

faculty & staff

Collegiate

Krystal Scott worked as a team of executives in

formulas and numerous integrated workbooks.

Business Strategy Competition (ICBSC)

a simulated business competing against graduate

“The model allowed me to accurately predict

team returned from their competition in

students from other universities. The competition

sales to help our other members make decisions,”

Anaheim, Calif., with a second place

required the students to make quarterly business

said Scott. “The model had an average accuracy

trophy for Overall Performance.

decisions once a week for six weeks and then

of 91.12 percent. This means, all forecasts were

“This is the fourth straight year that a team

twice a week for three weeks before competing

within 10 percent of actual results.”

from ISU has brought home hardware from the

in an intense 48-hour competition in California.

The

ICBSC,” said Alex Bolinger, associate professor

Throughout the simulation, the team was faced

forecasting model and built a comprehensive,

of management and co-advisor for the team.

with challenges that mirrored real-world issues

spreadsheet-based decision model to collectively

Over the course of three months, students (pictured

that companies may face. For instance, Krystal

make decisions about production, advertising,

front to back, left to right) Tim Roth, Holly Powell,

Scott, the VP of Sales Forecasting, had to create

research and development, hiring and training

Michael Hunn, Thad Curtis, Joss Stewart and

a statistical model to predict sales using complex

salespeople and production employees, and

AN EXPERIENCE WITH

GREAT IMPACT 2 0 1 8 I N T E R N AT I O N A L C O L L E G I AT E B U S I N E S S S T R AT E G Y C O M P E T I T I O N

team

then

incorporated

Scott’s

sales

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financing the company’s operations.

very price-sensitive and the costs of producing

throughout their professional careers. “There is no

“What made our model better was the integration

a high-quality product dramatically compressed

other class on campus that prepares a student for

[across functional areas of the company],” said

margins,” said Bolinger.

the workforce better than the ICBSC,” said Holly

Tim Roth, the company’s chief financial officer

“In Anaheim, we were having trouble controlling

Powell, chief executive officer for the team and the

(CFO). “We connected the spreadsheets together

costs,” said Scott. “One team member suggested

first student at ISU to ever compete in the ICBSC

so that they communicated to one another

selling a plan to gain cash and lower costs. This was

twice. “It is the bridge to the professional world.

simultaneously. Having the model allowed us to

a decision that was unheard of in the competition,

Academia teaches in terms of silos; students take

speed up our decision-making process and helped

but ultimately was a primary contributor to how

finance classes, marketing classes, etc. In this

us make more accurate decisions.”

we rose from last place to second place.”

competition every role feeds into the next and if

In order to function properly and accurately,

For the team members, facing the real-world

you do not embrace this- you, as an individual,

however, the members of the student team had to

difficulties that the ICBSC competition presented

will suffer and team performance will suffer. In the

continually coordinate to avoid data input errors,

instilled in them confidence in their ability to work

real world, the business environment is largely an

miscalculations, and other errors that would make

together as a team and persist. “The biggest

integrated team environment and you cannot learn

their data inaccurate. This, too, was a learning

thing I learned was the need for everyone on the

how to function in that arena from a textbook, but

experience for the team members. For instance, a

team to be committed to the team, to share the

ICBSC will teach you how.”

data entry error in one quarter led to a situation

same goals, to stick to the core principles of the

The ICBSC represents another unique real-world

where the company had to take out a short-term

company but be flexible in all other areas, and

opportunity for College of Business graduate

emergency loan.

realize it’s not always going to work out at first.

students in which ISU is the only university in the

Once the model was completed, the team

But, if you have the right strategy and work ethics,

states of Idaho, Utah, Montana and Wyoming that

was faced with more difficulty in developing a

you will eventually see the rewards,” said Joss

participates in the competition, thanks to generous

pricing model that would allow for the level of

Stuart, VP of marketing and human resources.

support from Idaho Central Credit Union.

quality they wished to maintain, but at a price

Overall, the students agreed that the graduate

“This was without a doubt the best experience of

that was attractive to the consumer. “Our team

competition provided them with an experience

my collegiate career,” concluded Scott.

was operating in a world where consumers are

they would never forget and would continue to use

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LEARNING

faculty & staff

graduates is the ability to work well in a team.

development from a small railroad town in the

However, “teamwork skills are hard to teach

1880s to the largest city in Idaho (briefly) in the

out of a textbook,” said the class’s instructor

early 1960s. The students devised the unique

and Associate Professor of Management, Alex

structure for the book, which roughly follows the

Bolinger. “In my experience, students learn best

sections of a newspaper. Among other topics, the

T H E P O C AT E L L O H I S T O R Y

from intensive tasks that require the same skills

book includes advertisements that appeared in

book project

(e.g., conflict management, coordination and

the Pocatello Tribune (the Journal’s predecessor)

communication) that they will need to collaborate

from as early as 1907, compelling stories of

select group of six ISU students had

effectively in their careers.”

Pocatellans during wartime, and stories of famous

a unique opportunity to write a book

Thad Curtis, a Masters of Business Administration

former Pocatellans; such as Edgar Rice Burroughs

about the history of Pocatello as part

student and member of the class, agrees. “Some

(the author of Tarzan) and pianist Roger Williams.

of a class in the College of Business.

courses introduce students to theory and we work

At the end of the fall 2017 semester, students

was

through problems or scenarios that are very

had the opportunity to present photos from the

designed to teach teamwork skills in a unique way

prescribed and sterile,” Curtis said. “This type of

book to and receive feedback from members of

and was offered

course allows the student to learn the theory as

the community at a gala open house at Juniper

in

well as apply it in real-life situations where the

Hills Country Club. “Having moved from Alaska

with ISU’s Honors

outcome is unknown, even for the professor.”

to study here at ISU, working on this project has

Program.

Bolinger’s class partnered with Ian Fennell,

made me feel like a part of the community and

to

managing editor of the Idaho State Journal, to

helped my transition to Idaho,” Curtis said. “It was

Job

access the Journal’s archive of historical photos

a great opportunity to meet people throughout the

survey

and documents dating back to the late 1800s.

community and to learn from them about the rich

by the National

Students also received permission to research and

history of Pocatello and southeast Idaho.”

Association

of

use historic photos of Pocatello from the archives

The book, entitled Pocatello in Print, is available

and

of the Marshall Public Library in Pocatello, the

online or through the CoB at 208.282.3585. A

the

Bannock Historical Society, and ISU’s Oboler

portion of the proceeds from books purchased

number one skill

Library.

through the College will go toward student

that

employers

The book, which was released in early August

scholarships at ISU.

are

looking

by Arcadia Publishing, contains over 170 photos

college

that tell the stories of Pocatello’s growth and

BY DOING

A The

class,

“Collaborative

I M a G E s

of America

Pocatello

in

P rint

F rom the a rchives oF the I daho State Journal

Creativity,”

partnership

According the

2018

Outlook

Colleges Employers,

St u d e nt s f ro m Id a h o St at e Un ive rsit y’s MGT 4499/5599 Cl a ss

for 10/20/17 10:42:50 AM

in

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faculty & staff

SUCCESS THROUGH THE

CHALLENGE

STORAGE FOR STUDENTS

A

PA S T I E C W I N N E R S follow through with businesses

A

fter competing in ISU’s first entry into

the

Idaho

Entrepreneur

After weeks spent in the lab, Parsons found a way to wave and color hair that not only prevents previously-

Challenge in Boise, back in

unavoidable damage, but actually helps repair hair.

2016-2017,

the

Parsons received second place in the ‘16 - ‘17 IEC after

competition’s winners have taken

pitching her product as a business idea where multiple

several

of

their ideas to the next level and been quite successful. Students, Jonny Henderson and Camie Parsons have both utilized services within the College of Business to help with a successful launch of their businesses.

judges even offered to invest in her business.

Parsons has now created a company- IUVENI, and is marketing her product, called Duality.

Today, Parson’s product has undergone testing at salons in Pocatello and she has even received calls from salons all over the country. She hopes to take IUVENI and

COSMETOLOGIST TO CHEMIST

Duality international as soon as she can “Asia spends the most money annually on hair coloring

Parsons, a single mother of four and chemistry

and perming,” Parsons said. “We hope to get Duality

master’s

over there soon.”

student,

began

her

journey

as

a

cosmetologist. In her profession, Parsons frequently

Parsons is still shocked at the success of IUVENI, and she

dealt with clients who had damaged and broken

hopes that her product, Duality as well as other products

hair due to over coloring and perming. After a

she is developing, can continue to help people keep their

traumatic experience attempting to repair severally

hair healthy and repair damage.

damaged hair, Parsons began thinking of less

“People are never going to stop coloring their hair,”

damaging hair coloring methods.

Parsons said. “Finding ways to make it a healthier

“I went to school to be a chemist because I thought

process is crucial.”

there had to be a better and healthier way to color

Parsons is looking forward to the launch of Duality later

and perm hair.”

this year.

fter being runners up in the IEC in 2017 with their business idea, “SpareSpace Storage,” the team took the idea and decided to run with it. After the competition, Henderson teamed up with Jeff Wheadon, a student at Gonzaga University to hash out the details about their business idea and make it a reality. Today, the duo has worked with the College of Business’s Bengal Solutions team, the Small Business Development Center, and the MGT 4411 Small Business Practicum course to come up with a solid business plan, marketing plan, and even launched a new website for their business, renamed “Hibernate Storage” (hibernatestorage. com). The business allows college students to store their belongings in a mass storage area with pricing that is set per item, rather than renting out entire units. This model saves students money in the summer months when dorms are cleaned up and largely shut down.

Now registered with the state as an LLC, Hibernate Storage has partnered with ISU Housing to do some promotions and setup tables and flyers throughout the common areas on campus. So far, the launch has thrown the team a few learning curves, but overall has been a great venture for these young entrepreneurs. “Aside from working remotely, operating on an accelerated go-to-market timeline, and passing our classes, the most difficult hurdle has just been spreading the word,” said Henderson.

Adding that reaching the parents has been the most difficult challenge in their communication plans.

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FACULTY & STAFF

BRINGING EXPERT EXPERIENCE

TO THE CLASSROOM H E A LT H C A R E A D M I N I S T R AT I O N H I R E S A N E W

T

EXECUTIVE IN RESIDENCE

he College of Business is excited to bring in its first Executive in Residence (EIR) to the Healthcare Administration (HCA) programs, Doug Crabtree. Crabtree recently retired from the Idaho Falls hospital, Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center (EIRMC) where he worked as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for 18 years. As the program’s EIR, Crabtree will take the role as instructor in both

graduate and undergraduate level HCA and Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) programs. In this role, Crabtree will also use his extensive background working in the healthcare administration field

to provide academic program directors and the College of Business dean

Assistant Administrator at EIRMC through the early and late 1990’s.

with advise in the initial launch of the MHA program.

“Mr. Crabtree served over 30 years in high profile positions at highly complex

“Mr. Crabtree’s direct mentoring of students—helping them develop the

and sophisticated healthcare organizations and twice as the Idaho Hospital

knowledge, skills and abilities to succeed in the field, will be invaluable,”

Association Chair,” said Farnsworth. “In the coming months and years, he

said Tracy Farnsworth, HCA program director.

will have numerous opportunities both in and outside the classroom to share

According to Farnsworth, including healthcare executives in active, on-

his experiences to the benefit of ISU students.”

campus roles in undergraduate and graduate healthcare administration

When speaking with Crabtree, he was delighted and honored to join College

programs is becoming more and more common. “These persons are often

of Business professors and students in the launch of the new MHA program

experts in the classroom and highly effective at mentoring and coaching the

and to contribute to the impact of students’ education in the healthcare

rising generation of healthcare leaders,” said Farnsworth.

administration programs. “I look forward to sharing the knowledge

Upon his retirement from EIRMC, Crabtree was the longest serving hospital

and experience that I have gained in my career and adding my real-life

administrator in the state. And, prior to his tenure there, he served as CEO

experiences to the classroom,” said Crabtree.

of Riverton Memorial Hospital in Wyoming and Chief Operating Officer and

feature story

N E L S O N FA M I LY E N D O W E D

PROFESSORSHIP

A

t the College of Business graduation ceremony

extending opportunity

real-world classroom

faculty 15 | & staff

NEW & RETIRING

FACULTY

on May 4, 2018, Dean Tom Ottaway announced clinical

accounting

professor,

Dawn

Konicek

as the inaugural recipient of the Nelson Family

Endowed Professorship in Accounting.

The Nelson Family

Professorship recognizes outstanding accounting faculty who have distinguished themselves in either teaching, or research.

It is an annual award for accounting faculty and constitutes Idaho State University’s first-ever endowed professorship.

The $250,000 Professorship was established by 1968

accounting alumnus, Bruce Nelson and his wife, LaVaun Nelson, a 1968 nursing alumna. Bruce, a Boise native, is very proud of his accounting degree from ISU and believes that his degree, and the knowledge and skills he developed while attending ISU, served

Dr. Karl Geisler received his Ph.D. from the University of

Nevada, Reno. As a regional economist, his research primarily examines how economic activities spillover between jurisdictions.

Dr. Yan Chen received her Ph.D. in Industrial Relations and

Human Resources from Rutgers University. Her research areas include compensation and benefits, workplace diversity, and strategic human resource management.

him exceptionally well during his business career.

The accounting program at the College of Business has had a long tradition of excellence. Bruce and LaVaun aspire to continue the rich tradition of excellence in accounting through establishing their endowment and recognizing outstanding accounting faculty in the years to come.

“Dawn is a very deserving recipient of this Professorship,” said Ottaway. “She has always been exceptionally involved in her students’ education and career development. Her students love her as she truly exemplifies the caring, family culture of the College. We are eternally grateful to Bruce and LaVaun for their unending support of the College of Business and their continued pride in their education. It is stories and pride like theirs, combined with the efforts and dedication of professors like Dawn, that truly make the College of Business a remarkable place to earn more than just an education.”

Professor of Economics, Dr. Scott Benson

retired this

year after 20 years teaching at ISU.

Professor of Management, Dr. Mark Johnson retired this year after 31 years teaching at ISU.

also

ABA 005 COLLEGE OF BUSINESS 921 S. 8th Avenue, Stop 8020 Pocatello, ID 83209-8020 isu.edu/cob

BACK

For more information on helping to support the next

GIVING

generation of business leaders, visit this link or contact Mark Arstein.

MY.ISU.EDU/GIVE/COB

Mark Arstein, Senior Director of Development: 208.949.3859 | arstmark@isu.edu