UAFS COB Portfolio Magazine Fall 2012

FALL 2012

Global Opportunities Business Students Gain International Experience Inside and Outside the Classroom

The Magazine of the UAFS College of Business

From the

Dean Dr. Steve Williams, Dean and Professor of Management Joel R. Stubblefield Endowed Chair of Business

Expanding Global Opportunities

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usiness education has taken on new importance in today’s increasingly integrated global society. To succeed in the contemporary workplace, today’s students must prepare for jobs that are rapidly changing while being internationally connected, use technologies that link all parts of the world, and work with colleagues from (and often in) all points on the globe. The mission of the College of Business at UAFS is to prepare our students to succeed in a changing and global workplace through an integrated, practice-oriented curriculum that cultivates entrepreneurial skills and attitudes.

This edition of Portfolio highlights some of the programs and initiatives underway within the College of Business focusing on international business.

One example of our attention to the global nature of business is the recent addition of Dr. Balbir Bhasin as the Ross Pendergraft Endowed Professor of International Business.

Dr. Bhasin has taught both undergraduate and graduate courses in Principles of International Business, Cross Cultural Relations, Global Management Integration, International Marketing, Global Entrepreneurship, Cultural Environment in Business, and many others at universities in the United States and in Iceland and France.

He has more than 20 years of international business experience, including having held several senior-executive positions in global business organizations and the positions of founder and managing director of the Center for Management Technology, with operations in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Melbourne. Dr. Bhasin brings a wealth of expertise

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to the UAFS campus; and his international network, his wide-ranging global experience, and his international entrepreneurship will assist the College of Business and the university as we build our international programs and connections.

Another international example is the May 2011 Business in China Maymester class where Dr. Sharon Wu and Professor Jerry Peerbolte took a group of business students to Asia to learn about key issues for American enterprises doing business there, the influence of cultural differences on doing business in China, and avenues of cultural and economic cooperation between China and the United States. As part of their experience, students toured local businesses such as Baldor, Arkansas Best Corporation, and Wal-Mart, then visited their Chinese counterparts in Shanghai, Hangzhou, Changzhou, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Beijing, and Hong Kong. In Tianjin, UAFS students spent time at Tianjin University of Technology interacting with and learning from their Chinese peers.

More recently, eight business students got a global perspective of Korea thanks to a 2012 Maymester led by Dr. Bun Song Lee and assisted by Dr. Margaret Tanner. The group toured numerous business facilities, including Samsung, Hyundai Motors, Hyundai Heavy Industries, and Posco Steel in the Seoul and Ulsan areas.

They also attended a lecture hosted by the Korean Development Institute, the leading economic think tank in Korea; and they toured the Demilitarized Zone, the Chang Deok Gung Palace grounds, the Korean War Memorial, and a number of other historical and cultural sites.

uafs.edu/cob As this issue of Portfolio illustrates, our faculty are committed to helping students build a solid understanding of the wide array of complexities found in the global economy. The College of Business at UAFS has dedicated faculty who deliver a challenging curriculum with depth, breadth, and currency taught from a real-world and transcontinental perspective. Our graduates emerge from our programs with an ethical foundation, a strategic perspective, and the critical skills necessary to compete in today’s – and tomorrow’s – global marketplace.

Our Mission We will be increasingly recognized by our stakeholders for developing entrepreneurial leadership in our students through integrated, practice-grounded programs. We prepare our students to succeed in a changing and global workplace through an integrated, practice-oriented curriculum that cultivates entrepreneurial skills and attitudes. Our approach rests upon a foundation of proven competencies in business, leadership, and

Steve Williams Dean and Professor of Management Joel R. Stubblefield Endowed Chair of Business steve.williams@uafs.edu

communications. Our scholarly activity focuses on instruction and application, and we are committed to service and regional economic development.

Contents Expanding Global Opportunities

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Internships Focus on Applied Learning

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Business Students Showcase Achievement

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Department of Business Administration

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Department of Accounting, Economics and Finance

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Executive-in-Residence Program

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New iPad Initiative

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Student Leader Spotlight: Grace Stengel

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New Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Balbir Bhasin

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New Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Bun Song Lee

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South Korea Maymester

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Community Leader Spotlight: Sam T. Sicard

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Alumnus Spotlight: Jeremy May

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Inaugural UAFS Young Alumni Council

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Student-Alumni Roundtable Conference

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From the Editor

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Internships Focus on Applied Learning Under the leadership of coordinator Julie Wright, the College of Business internship program has experienced significant growth in recent years. In addition to experiencing a significant increase in student participation, the range of opportunities provided by host organizations has also widened. This past year, the College was fortunate to place two interns, Fabianne Nass and Matheus Silva, with the Arkansas World Trade Center. Below these students reflect on their experiences.

Matheus Silva (at right) worked on an international project during his internship at the Arkansas World Trade Center.

Silva is now employed full-time with the Center as a Latin American trade specialist.

I had the opportunity to test myself and learned to apply the concepts of international business courses to real business situations - Matheus Silva at the Arkansas World Trade Center (AWTC). Thanks to my internship position at AWTC, the skills that I have developed in the classroom can be used for business negotiations. I now have the confidence that I need to enter into the international business industry without any second thoughts. I feel that I am prepared, comfortable, and qualified to assist any company or business to market their products all over the world.

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Business intern Fabianne Nass (center, back row) pictured with officials form the Arkansas World Trade Center and administrators from UAFS.

Interning at the Arkansas World Trade Center (AWTC) has been a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity for me. I have - Fabiane Nass made many connections with top executives which allowed me to secure a position in an international business after graduation. I can parallel my internship experience to many College of Business courses I’ve taken throughout my academic years. I have learned that international business can be a win-win situation for both parties involved. It allowed me to use the knowledge I have acquired over the past four years as a college student.

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Business Students Showcase Achievement

2012 College of Business Award Winners

Outstanding Graduates Rebecca Ames, Accounting Katie Kidwell, Marketing Naomi Showl, Business Administration Outstanding Majors Shayna Gatzke, Business Administration David Norwood, Accounting Patrick Sullivan, Marketing

Student Leadership Megan Bowling Grace Stengel Outstanding Interns Yukari Anada Jonathan Chounelamany Stephanie Longley Fabianne Nass David Norwood Phi Beta Lambda Career and Membership Achievement Director Awards Eric Barnes Matt Beyer Brittany Christian Nit Xaymongkhoun

UAFS Academic Excellence Katie Kidwell, Marketing Stephanie Longley, Accounting Merissa Wiand, Business Administration Arkansas Society of CPA Scholarships Michelle Cox Lary Walker David McWilliams

PBL Chapter Continues Winning Tradition For the second time in UAFS history, our chapter of Phi Beta Lambda earned the coveted sweepstakes trophy at the annual Arkansas PBL State Leadership Conference.

This award recognizes the chapter winning the most individual, team, and chapter recognitions in various business competitions. The UAFS group was also recognized as the largest university chapter in the state both in student and professional membership as well as for being the highest fundraising chapter.

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Department of Business Administration 2011-2012 Update Dr. Jim Beard, Chair

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he Department of Business Administration hosts two of the three majors offered at the College of Business: Business Administration and Marketing. Twelve fulltime faculty members and five adjunct instructors comprise our departmental faculty.

In terms of course offerings, the Department of Business Administration continued to grow this past year in the area of international business. We successfully conducted a formal search for the Ross Pendergraft Professor of International Business, and I am pleased to report that Dr. Balbir Bhasin began teaching International business classes at UAFS last fall. Dr. Bhasin (see profile story) comes to us from the John Welch College of Business at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut, where he was instrumental in developing the international business major there. Last fall, Dr. Bhasin’s international management course was added to our portfolio of international business classes: international economics, international finance, international marketing, and global supply chain management. Dr. Bhasin piloted a second new international business course in the spring semester, Cross-Cultural Relations. This fall, yet another new course, International Business, will be offered with Dr. Bhasin as the first instructor. This course will be part of the new “business core” matrix of classes required of all graduates in the College of Business regardless of major. Beginning next year, Dr. Kermit Kuehn, Professor of Management and Director of the Center for Business Research and Development, will join Dr. Bhasin in delivering this important new core course.

Drs. Bhasin (class of 1979) and Kuehn (class of 1985) are both graduates of the highly-esteemed Thunderbird School of Global Management, the world’s No. 1-ranked school of international business with more than 60 years of experience in developing leaders with the global mindset, business skills and social responsibility necessary to create real, sustainable value for their organizations, communities and the world.

Both professors will offer students in the College of Business experience in teaching international business courses, as well as experience in teaching at international universities.

Dr. Bhasin has been Visiting Professor at the Reykjavik University School of Business in Iceland and the American University of Paris School of Graduate Studies in France.

Dr. Kuehn has been Associate Dean, Chair of Management

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and Marketing, and Associate Professor in the School of Business and Management at American University in the United Arab Emirates, as well as Lecturer in the Department of Management, Sultan Qaboos University in the Sultanate of Oman. Our students will benefit significantly from the global backgrounds, scholarship, and extraordinary teaching skills of Drs. Bhasin and Kuehn.

Dr. Terrance Gabel, Associate Professor of Marketing performed an analysis of career job announcements in the region over the past year. The results indicate a preponderance of career opportunities in sales positions, especially in the context of business-business sales in the areas of Logistics/trucking , financial services, investment, insurance, and pharmaceuticals. The marketing faculty is developing new courses to help prepare more students for lucrative careers in these areas. I am also happy to report that Kevin Smith has joined the Marketing faculty as an adjunct instructor to teach the Principles of Marketing Management course. Kevin’s background includes a successful corporate career at Tyson Foods, Inc., where he was Senior Marketing Manager of the Club Stores division, responsible for leading Tyson’s $300 million club store frozen, value-added poultry business for Sam’s Club, Costco, and BJ’s. As Senior Director, Kevin was responsible for determining strategic direction, developing the business plan and directing the execution of a $25 million promotion budget.

The Department of Business Administration is also pleased and proud to report that all our faculty members applying for promotion in rank were successful: Dr. Larry Faulk II (Organizational Behavior, Leadership, and Human Resource Management) and Dr. Ahmad Rahal (Operations Management) begin the fall semester as Associate Professors of Management, while Dr. Bobby Medlin (Strategic Management) will begin his promotion to Professor of Management.

In the Department of Business Administration we strive to produce meaningful coursework for our students and quality research to further our profession. 2011 was another great year, and we’re just getting started!

uafs.edu/cob

Department of Accounting, Economics, and Finance 2011-2012 Update

Dr. Margaret M. Tanner, Chair

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nce again, the school year is over and it is time to catch up and take stock of what has happened in the last year. This has been a busy year, and we have participated in several key changes taking place in the college. We are moving closer to the AACSB visit, which now is scheduled for April 2013; one year from now we hope to have even better news to share. For now, all the faculty members in the department are working very hard on their teaching and scholarship.

We welcomed Dr. Bun Song Lee to our department as an associate professor of Economics in August.

He came to us after leaving a position at North West Louisiana State University. Dr. Lee has a Ph.D. from Southern Methodist University and brings a wealth of knowledge to the economics group within our department.

His areas of interest include urban economics and economic development. He has done a lot of research in these areas and wants to share that knowledge with his students. He taught International Economics this past spring and took a group of eight students (and the department head) to South Korea for a Maymester course. That course required students to learn about the economic development in Korea after the cease fire in the Korean War. These students were exposed to places and organizations in Korea that would not be on any tour package in existence. Dr. Lee’s enthusiasm and knowledge of Korea’s economic history made this a trip of a lifetime for those lucky enough to go. Dr. Lee has indeed extended the global reach of our college and institution.

Dr. Latisha Settlage has taken on some new responsibilities this past year. She has joined Dr. Kuehn in the Center for Business Research and Economic Development as part of her duties. As part of the Center, she will be conducting economic impact analyses for clients.

In February she completed an updated impact study for the University showing 23.9% growth in the economic impact of the institution over that reported in 2008. In addition, Dr. Settlage is now splitting her teaching responsibilities between economics and finance topics. She developed a new class which she offered in the spring entitled Management of Financial Institutions. Students interested in careers in banking now have two strong courses to take in

their field of interest.

At the direction of the dean, money from private donors and existing foundation funds were used to acquire iPads for faculty and student use. Dr. George Schmidt chaired the iPad initiative in the College and taught one section of Accounting Information Systems using iPads this past spring. Students showed up on the first day of class to find their method of learning was being transformed by mobile technology tools. Dr. Schmidt had the students using the devices to access text materials as well as a wealth of information on the internet. Students were required to research iPad apps for accounting and business use.

They were able to find and investigate hundreds of apps as part of this course. This initiative has inspired other faculty members to get involved as well. This summer, Dr. Latisha Settlage is using iPads in her Money, Banking and Financial Markets class, and Dr. Jim Wollscheid incorporates the new technology into Macroeconomic Analysis.

Dr. Schmidt and Dr. Amelia Baldwin will both be teaching with iPads this fall as we try the mobile technology in a section of Cost Accounting as well. Dr. Baldwin is even writing her own interactive e-text for the course!

Dr. Joe Peng has continued to offer International Finance this year. Students in all majors seem to have developed quite an interest in the international business courses we have been able to offer. Demand for these courses was all very strong this past year. Hopefully, this is a trend that will continue as students begin to understand the importance of global business issues.

Dr. Wollscheid offered Game Theory again this spring, and he required his students to submit papers for presentation at the Undergraduate Research Symposium in April.

One of his student teams was awarded a prize for their paper in the competition.

These are but a few of the exciting things happening in the Department of Accounting, Economics, and Finance. Please keep us posted on your exciting news as well. We love to hear from our graduates to find out how things are going.

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College of Business Announces Executive-in-Residence Program surrounding region, as EIR collaborate with faculty to develop courses and research projects. The first two Executives-in-Residence will be Rusty Myers and Bill Hanesworth.

Mr. Rusty Myers retires as Executive Director

with nearly 38 years of service to WAPDD – Western Arkansas Planning and Development District, Inc. Mr. Myers is an active member of the College of Business Dean’s Leadership Council and has been instrumental in public projects and programs in just about every corner of the six-county area WAPDD serves. He received his education from the University of Arkansas - Fayetteville.

Rusty Myers, Executive-in-Residence

This fall, the College of Business launches a new Executive-in-Residence (EIR) program that will allow experienced business executives to share their knowledge with UAFS students and faculty. The EIR program will provide executive mentoring and career counseling opportunities for students as well as enhanced learning experiences related to real-world situations. The new program also helps to ensure the relevance of business curriculum to the needs of the

Mr. Bill Hanesworth is a former Vice President

and General Manager at Rheem Manufacturing Company in Fort Smith. During his career, Mr. Hanesworth was involved in product planning, product management, sales management, customer service, division marketing activities and logistics for the Air Conditioning Division. Prior to joining Rheem, he held various senior level roles in sales, marketing and distribution management.

New iPad Initiative This past year, a group of faculty representing all disciplines in the College of Business met regularly to explore the opportunities and challenges of incorporating the use of iPads into learning. The result was an initiative to help faculty become comfortable with the use of iPads and also proposals by select faculty to embed iPad technology into their respective courses. First to pilot iPads in the classroom was Dr. George Schmidt, associate professor of accounting, in his spring accounting information systems course. Students used iPads to complete homework assignments as well as research information

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and relevant apps. Response to this new learning technology was favorable by both faculty and students.

Thanks to the generous support by College of Business supporters, all business faculty now have iPads for their professional use, and sufficient inventory is available such that each student in up to two courses per semester may be equipped with iPads for learning purposes. Dr. Amelia Baldwin, Dr. Latisha Settlage, and Dr. Jim Wollscheid are among the faculty with immediate plans to use iPads in accounting and economics classes.

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Student Leader Spotlight:

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Grace Stengel

eet Grace Stengel, a marketing and graphic design major from Ratcliff, Arkansas. Grace is in her fourth year of studies at UAFS and is one of many outstanding student leaders the College of Business is proud to call its own. This past year, Grace received a College of Business Student Leadership Award, the Dean’s Excellence Award, and was runner-up for the University’s NUMA for Outstanding Student Leader.

She earned these recognitions through her service as president of Phi Beta Lambda or PBL, active member of the First Bank Corp. Student Leadership Council, and lead peer adviser in the College’s Student Services office.

Under her leadership, the UAFS PBL chapter finished the year with a nationally recognized membership total

and remarkable level of completed community service projects. The organization again earned the coveted sweepstakes trophy at state competition for most awards won by its members as well as the University’s NUMA for Outstanding Student Organization.

When asked about hobbies, there is one that stands above all others for this exceptional student leader: photography. This response is likely no surprise for current students, faculty, and administration in the College of Business who often call upon her talent behind the camera to capture images of important events and milestones.

More about Grace…

Q: What is your most memorable UAFS experience?

A: Participating in Homecoming with PBL. Q: What experience at UAFS have you found most challenging?

A: Dealing with inactivity/lack of involvement of fellow student leaders.

Q: What advice do you have for aspiring student leaders?

A: Stay organized with your time and record keeping; know your limits and when to delegate.

Q: What person (either past or present) do you most admire?

A: Any hardworking individual that has beaten the odds.

Q: What’s your favorite quote?

A: Keep calm and carry on.

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New Faculty Spotlight

Balbir Bhasin, Ross Pendergraft

Endowed Professor in International Business

I look forward to continuing work with College and University administration, as well as my faculty colleagues and Mr. Ross Pendergraft and the Pendergraft family, to get our students ready for professional careers in a business environment that increasingly demands that one be cross-culturally aware and ready and able to adapt.

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r. Balbir Bhasin joined the UAFS College

of Business as the Ross Pendergraft Professor of International Business at the start of the Fall 2011 semester. He came with lofty goals: “My charge here is to build a quality international business program to prepare students for careers in the fast-changing and increasingly globalized economy.”

Evidence of early success was plentiful after but one full semester at UAFS. Reached for comment in the spring semester of 2012, Dr. Bhasin stated that: “We have implemented the first ever course in International Management, and we had the pleasure last semester of having two top executive managers from Procter and Gamble’s international Wal-Mart team here to visit campus and speak to one of my classes. For these important executives to take time off from their busy globe-trotting schedules is rare. This is great for UAFS.” These early signs of success are not surprising; Dr. Bhasin came well-prepared with a wealth of international and cross-cultural experience. He has lived and worked in 12 countries and speaks eight languages: Bahasa, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, English, and Chinese Mandarin, Hokkien, and Teochew.

His educational background is equally diverse.

Following primary and secondary education in India and Singapore, respectively, he earned two undergraduate degrees from Canada’s Lakehead University, graduated with a Master of International Management degree from Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale, Arizona, and a Ph.D. in Management and International Business from the University of South Australia.

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For more information about Dr. Bhasin, please visit: •

http://globalbhasin.blogspot.com/

•

http://www.balbirbhasin.org/

•

http://www.uafs.edu/cob/international-business

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New Faculty Spotlight

Dr. Bun Song Lee,

Associate Professor of Economics

Dr. Bun Song Lee joined our Economics faculty this year after seven years at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. Prior to that, he spent a decade in his native South Korea working for the University of Seoul. Dr. Lee graduated with his Ph.D. in Economics from Southern Methodist University, where he also received his master’s degree in Economics.

Dr. Lee has a wealth of experience that spans over 40 years, having worked in government and academic roles in both the U.S. and South Korea. He is also a prolific researcher and writer, having published over 60 articles and books during his career.

South Korea Maymester Dr. Lee has also continued efforts to develop international opportunities for our students.

He has created a new Maymester course where students spend nearly two weeks in South Korea learning about its economic development since the Korean War. While there, Dr. Lee, along with Dr. Margaret Tanner, arranged for students to visit several companies, including Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Automobile Company, and Posco Steel Company. Students were also immersed in Korean culture, which according to Dr. Lee, was an equally important part of the experience.

When asked about the significance of providing these international opportunities, Dr. Lee noted that Asian countries represent a major market for our students.

According to Dr. Lee, many students may ultimately find themselves working for large multinational companies where their prior exposure to other cultures will be a plus.

When asked about the future, Dr. Lee noted that his goal is to build upon the success of the Korea Maymester by planning to expand into China in future years.

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Community Leader Spotlight:

Sam T. Sicard, Dean’ s Leadership Council member

Community Leader Spotlight Sam T. Sicard’s career in banking began the summer before his 10th grade year.

The current president and CEO of First Bank Corp spent those early days wrapping and bagging coins in the cash vault at First National Bank Fort Smith.

Sam went on to graduate from the University of Arkansas with a BSBA in finance and banking. Before being named the president and CEO of the oldest national bank in Arkansas in October 2011, his fourteen year tenure included such previous positions as vice president of commercial lending and executive vice president.

Sicard’s support of the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith includes membership on the UAFS Foundation Board of Directors as well as College of Business Dean’s Leadership Council. Sam and First Bank Corp. have been staunch supporters of the College of Business since the beginning. For example, First Bank sponsors a Scholarship of Distinction Program for the best and brightest students in the College. First Bank also provides direction and sponsorship for the Collegiate Ambassador Board which serves as a mini Board of Directors for the bank. Sam is also active in the community serving on the board of directors for the Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce, United Way, and U.S. Marshals Museum. Sam also serves as co-chairperson for the “Step Up, Speak Out!” movement in the Fort Smith region.

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In his own words…

Q: What is the one thing you learned in business school that you’ll never forget?

Never borrow money to invest in the stock market.

Q: What’s the best business book you’ve read lately?

My favorite is still Good to Great, but a recent one I just finished and enjoyed was How Did That Happen? by Roger Connors and Tom Smith.

Q: What’s the most thrilling/adventurous thing you’ve ever done?

I’m a banker, so I don’t think it would surprise anyone that I don’t do many things that involves taking big risks.

However, top of my list would be floating Class 5 rapids on the Arkansas River in Colorado, and being bounced around like a pinball on a raft while going through the Royal Gorge.

Q: What is the best business decision you’ve ever made?

Learning to delegate and empower those that work with me at First National.

Q: If you could go back 10 years, what advice would you give to yourself?

Listen more to those with experience, particularly when they said 10 years ago “times won’t always be as good as they are now.” Also, listen more to people who said “life is a marathon, not a sprint.”

uafs.edu/cob

Alumnus Spotlight:

Jeremy May

Currently holding the position of manager of strategy and innovation at ABF Moving Solutions, Jeremy May is a 2007 graduate of the College of Business and holds a Bachelor’s degree in marketing. As an undergraduate, Jeremy was a Ross Pendergraft scholar, peer leader for Foundations of Learning courses, resident assistant at Sebastian Commons, a University Ambassador, and a member of Phi Beta Lambda. He also participated in the Campus Activities Board, Cub Camp, and the 2007 College of Business international experience in Mexico trip.

Jeremy started his career with ABF U-Pack in 2006 as a COE. In his six years with the company, he has received five promotions, holding various sales analyst positions along the way. In January of 2012, Jeremy was promoted to his current manager position. Despite his busy schedule at ABF, Jeremy still finds time to tend to his two small businesses.

He owns a small cattle ranch and also Carnival Party, a party rental company.

This past year, Jeremy has served as an inaugural member of the Young Alumni Council, a participant in the annual Student-Alumni roundtable, and as keynote speaker for the College of Business student awards dinner.

d n a g n i m o Homec lumni Weekend 2012 A

RegisteR

w a / m o c . i n m u l uafsa October 19 - 21

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College of Business congratulates our outstanding alumni for their selection to the inaugural UAFS Young Alumni Council

Ashley Buster Marketing 2009

Casey McKinley Business Administration 2008

Eric Smithson Business Administration 2009

Jaye Gasaway Marketing 2009

Not pictured: Jeremy May Marketing 2007

Michael Pierce Business Administration 2005

Ray Malouf Business Administration 2005

Britton Riddle Marketing 2007

The College of Business also thanks the alumni pictured below who served as participants in our annual studentalumni roundtable conference.

Seated (from left): Kim Snipes, Dallas Kuper, Lindsey Robinson, Anas Ben Salah, Linda Williams, Jeremy May, Kyle Sargent, and Jason Robles; Standing (from left): Autumn Darden, Chad Belt, Brock Holland, Travis Teague, Jeremy Brown, Justin Thomas, and Larry Blasingame

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uafs.edu/cob

From the Editor PORTFOLIO is an annual publication presented by the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith College of Business. The purpose of this publication is to keep alumni and friends of the College informed of our activities. Each issue showcases activities of the College, its faculty, students, and alumni. I would like to thank the faculty and staff members of the student-alumni committee for assisting me in developing this issue of Portfolio: Dr. Terry Gabel, Dr. Tom Hayes, Diana Payne, Bob Sell, Dr. Larry Seifert, Courtney Sturges, Dr. Elizabeth Underwood, Julie Wright, and Dr. Sharon Wu. I much appreciate their content recommendations and writing contributions.

In subsequent issues we would like to feature the accomplishments of our alumni and friends. You can help with this endeavor by sending us your information via email to colbus@uafs.edu.

Have a great year!

Latisha Settlage, Ph.D. Student-Alumni Committee Chair, Associate Professor of Economics

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