My first document

Table of CONTENTS

Strategize. Implement. Transform.

Dear Friends of the School of Management

Every five years or so, our School goes through a strategic planning process to identify priorities for the next five years. This year we were due for another plan, and the momentum for change is higher than I have ever experienced during my 20 years at this university. Not only our school but the university itself is preparing for a robust transformation.

Now, more than ever, we need to evaluate our academic and student support programs and implement changes that will most effectively prepare students for their careers; we also need to ensure they are offered in formats that meet their needs. Additionally, we’re exploring opportunities for greater engagement with area high schools, our community college partners, and our business community.

I would like to thank everyone – from our students to our alumni, from our faculty to our staff, and everyone else that was involved in this transformative strategic planning. Our next great challenge is to implement the innovative ideas proposed through this process. With everyone’s support, I am confident we can achieve the objectives outlined in this plan. Finally, each and every year, you – our alumni, donors and community partners – are coming out stronger to assist with a growing list of scholarships, mentorship, networking, internship and job opportunities for our students. I cannot thank you enough for your continued support! GO BLUE! GO FLINT!

Best wishes,

Kandogan, PhD

Dean

Kristin Arntz, BA

Yener Kandogan, PhD

Stephanie Knox, BBA

Kimberly Laux, MA

Logan McGrady, MS

Justin Skibin, MA

Melissa StephensFarrell, BBA

Anna Swartz, BA

Board of Reviewers

Yener Kandogan, PhD

Logan McGrady, MS

Melissa StephensFarrell, BBA

Anna Swartz, BA

@umflintsom #umflintsom

News & BRIEFS

Hagerman Center for Entrepreneurship is a finalist for 2023 Excellence Awards

The University of Michigan-Flint’s Hagerman Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is one of four finalists for the Excellence in Co-Curricular Innovation Award from the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship. USASBE is the world’s largest organization devoted to entrepreneurship education by universities, making this one of the most prestigious awards a university can receive.

The School of Management and the Rotary Club of Flint welcomed members of the university and community at the annual Economic Forum held at the Northbank Center in Flint in December. Pictured (left to right) are Chris Douglas, PhD, professor of economics; Steve Chenenko, MBA, former chief investment risk officer at Nationwide Insurance; John Helmuth, PhD, professor of finance; Elizabeth Jordan, MA, senior program officer at the Ruth Mott Foundation; and Yener Kandogan, PhD, interim dean and professor of international business.

Annual Economic Forum

The School of Management and the Rotary Club of Flint welcomed members of the university and community at the annual Economic Forum held at the Northbank Center in Flint on December 9, 2022. The event featured Christopher Douglas, PhD, professor of economics and chair of the Department of Social Sciences & Humanities; Yener Kandogan, PhD, interim dean of SOM and professor of international business; and Steve Chenenko, MBA, former chief investment risk officer for Nationwide Insurance.

Thanks in part to programming like the campus-wide Zillion Solutions pitch competition, UM-Flint’s Hagerman Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation was a finalist for the Excellence in Co-Curricular Innovation Award from the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (Photo credit: Audrey Banks).

USASBE recognizes bold and innovative programs making an impact in the field of entrepreneurship education. The award honors colleges and universities with comprehensive, creative, high-quality, sustainable and impactful cocurricular programs in entrepreneurship education.

Returning SOM professor delivers innovation presentation

Philippe Byosiere, PhD, COE chair and professor from the Graduate School of Business at Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan, delivered a presentation about innovation management this past March. The presentation focused on the challenge that corporations and their individuals face – understanding how to capture “thoughts” and transform them into breakthrough innovations. Two real life case studies were examined. Byosiere taught at UM-Flint prior to his position in Kyoto and plans to engage more with SOM following retirement.

SHRM ranked in HR games

Last October, UM-Flint’s chapter of SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) competed at the MISHRM conference HR games against three other teams from Western, Eastern and Grand Valley State University. After four rounds and over 50,000 points, the team of SOM students Laurel Ferguson, Elayna Moore and Abigail Weycker won

first place. The team also received the Callie Zipple Spirit of HR Award, which is awarded to the team that best exemplifies collegiality, professionalism, a positive attitude, and respect for fellow competitors and volunteers during the competition. The team expressed feeling “humbled and honored to be nominated and selected to receive this prestigious award from the amazing facilitators and judges of the competition.”

Flint & Genesee Chamber Podcast

SOM is currently exploring additional opportunities to partner with the Flint & Genesee Chamber. Proposed ideas include seeking input from members as department/ program level advisors to provide feedback on curriculum, opening more of their events to UM-Flint students and encouraging senior and graduate students to join the Young Professionals network.

UM-Flint Occupational Therapy/MBA grad working to improve outcomes for Parkinson’s patients

Quinn Hanses (‘22), the first graduate of UM-Flint’s Doctorate of Occupational Therapy and Master of Business Administration dual degree program, is continuing her work with Parkinson’s patients in a dual role as business developer and occupational therapist for the Michigan Parkinson Foundation. Hanses delved deeper into Parkinson’s research through her work on a mobile application that helps patients track their symptoms remotely. With training in medical and business aspects of occupational therapy, Hanses hopes to use knowledge from both fields to be a better advocate for patient care, circumventing instances where health insurance companies deny a patient’s need for durable medical equipment and so forth.

“As an occupational therapist with an MBA, I realize innovative and new creative ideas need to be flowing to solve problems,” said Hanses. “For example, medical facilities manage limited financial resources, and it is imperative to find solutions that can aid more efficiently. I want to make a positive impact on patient care by having more responsibility as both a therapist and a managerial role.”

UM-Flint’s SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) team recently took first place in HR games against three other colleges. Pictured are SHRM college relations chair Amy McGinnis (from Central Michigan University), and UM-Flint’s student team of Laurel Ferguson, Elayna Moore and Abigail

SOM collaborates with Flint & Genesee Chamber to create a podcast/video series

In 2022, the UM-Flint Entrepreneurs Society and the Flint & Genesee Chamber launched a podcast/video series, Genesee County Visionaries that features interviews with local business leaders discussing their “visions” and what drives them to succeed. So far, guests have included Dick Skaff, CEO of Skaff Furniture Carpet One; John Koegel, president/CEO of Koegel Meats; Karianne Martus, marketing, media, public relations and market manager for the Flint Farmers’ Market; and Brandee Cooke-Brown, executive director for 100K Ideas, and a Flint & Genesee Group 40 Under 40 2022 honoree.

The podcast/video series is hosted by Michael Witt, PharmD, JD, University of Michigan-Flint lecturer of business law, and one of several initiatives resulting from this broadranging partnership aimed at impacting the community and stimulating economic growth in Genesee County. It can be found on Apple Podcasts, Facebook, Spotify and YouTube.

In addition to her Parkinson’s work, during graduate school Hanses had the opportunity to collaborate with Yasser Aboelkassem, PhD, assistant professor of digital manufacturing technology in the College of Innovation and Technology, to assist with investigating the use of artificial intelligence in cardiovascular imaging. Her specific interest in neurovascular coupling, stemmed from experiences with neuro-rehab and Parkinson’s as well as other neurodegenerative diseases. Hanses worked as Aboelkassem’s graduate student assistant during her studies and the pair have continued to collaborate post-graduation. She recently presented this research, which has been tentatively accepted into Frontier’s Medical Technology Journal

Quinn Hanses (OTD/MBA ‘22), the first graduate of UM-Flint’s Doctorate of Occupational Therapy and Master of Business Administration dual degree program, is continuing her work with Parkinson’s patients in a dual role as business developer and occupational therapist for the Michigan Parkinson Foundation.

Weycker.

SOM alumni recognized in Flint & Genesee Group’s “40 under 40”

By Logan McGrady (BBA ‘13)

“Leaders and Best” are more than words from the Michigan fight song – it is a philosophy that the University of Michigan-Flint community embodies every day. The university’s commitment to that philosophy is evidenced in the Flint & Genesee Group’s first “40 Under 40” list, which spotlights young professionals leading the way in shaping the future of the Flint area. The list includes six UM-Flint alumni from the School of Management, all of whom are under 40 years of age but already making a difference through their work.

To be considered for inclusion in the list, honorees had to meet the following criteria:

• Must not turn 40 before December 31, 2022.

• Must spend most of their work time in Flint and Genesee County.

• If employed outside of Genesee County, must hold a leadership position in a local community organization and be a resident of Genesee County.

• Nominees must be a business owner, executive, manager, professional or person with significant influence.

Selection of the list of 40 was conducted by a panel of local business and community leaders.

“It is wonderful – and not surprising

– to see UM-Flint alumni so strongly represented in this inaugural ‘40 Under 40 list,’” said Mary Jo Sekelsky, EdD, executive director of alumni relations at UM-Flint.

“Our graduates retain a strong

Beta Gamma Sigma

sense of service and, owing to the community-centric education on which UM-Flint prides itself, are motivated to use their talents and energy to uplift Flint and the surrounding areas. Seeing this publication is a proud moment!”

Nicholas Goldsworthy

BBA ‘12

Nicholas Goldsworthy is a recently promoted partner at the Genesee County corporate law firm of Witt & Goldsworthy and provides pro bono legal services to St. John Vianney and St. Mary’s in Flint. He also supports, advises and encourages a wide range of small business owners and Flint community members in their nonprofit and for-profit endeavors. As a board member of Genesee County Habitat for Humanity, Goldsworthy is responsible for reviewing leadership decisions, strategy planning, funding proposals, grant contracts and employee hiring, firing and promotion.

Teresa Lindhurst

BBA ‘15

Teresa Lindhurst is the CEO and founder of Lindhurst Executive Virtual Assistant, which in two years has grown to five employees and provides business, marketing and administrative services to a range of local companies and volunteer organizations. She continues to volunteer with UM-Flint, supervising the CEO podcast and assisting the Entrepreneurs Society student organization. She supports music throughout the Flint area by singing and playing violin at St. Robert’s Catholic Church, teaching music lessons, and working with the St. Cecilia Society of Flint, which provides concerts and scholarships to the community.

Kellen Riker

BBA ‘15, MBA ‘18

Kellen Riker is a senior accountant at Yeo & Yeo, CPAs & Business Consultants. He was honored during the pandemic with the Spirit of Yeo Award, which recognizes one individual within the firm who exemplifies the firm’s mission and core values. In addition, he is a member of Yeo Young Professionals, which provides a voice for the young professionals in the firm and contributes to the mentoring of college students who come to the firm’s Summer Leadership Program. Finally, he is the director of the Yeo Foundation for the Flint office. He oversees the grants that are disbursed by the foundation, helping fulfill his passion for giving back to the community and giving him the enjoyment of taking “the big check” to well-deserving nonprofits.

Milton Straham III

BBA ‘16, MSA ‘17, MBA ‘21

Milton Straham is an advisory analyst at Deloitte & Touche LLP. Before his role as an analyst, Straham worked as a guest teacher for Genesee County schools and was a peer academic advisor at UMFlint’s School of Management. For the past four years, he has served as a board member for the M.A.D.E Institute, which is an acronym for Money, Attitude, Direction and Education. As a Second Ward resident, he has been active in the Sarvis Park Neighborhood Association and Sarvis Park-area events.

Dylan Straka

BBA ‘17, MBA ‘21

Dylan Straka is the vice president of finance for Premier Security Solutions.

He was recently chief financial officer at Skypoint Ventures and started at the company as the staff accountant while still an undergraduate at UM-Flint. In 2019, he became CFO of Skypoint Ventures and the Hagerman family office. As the CFO, he played an integral part of all of Skypoint’s activities in Flint, including business development and support of entrepreneurship and philanthropic activities across the city. As a member of the Theta Chi Alumni Foundation Board, Straka assists in disbursing scholarships to undergraduates. He is also a member of the Gen Forward Network through the Community Foundation of Greater Flint and the Young Professionals Committee through the Flint & Genesee Chamber.

Steve Treece

BBA ‘13

As a senior manager with Yeo & Yeo CPAs & Business Consultants, Steve Treece is a role model and mentor to others. He records monthly podcasts for team members relative to marketing and business development, and encourages those he manages to achieve their highest potential and to get involved in their communities. Treece is a past-president of the Rotary Club of Burton, leading the organization successfully through COVID and helping it maintain inperson meetings during the pandemic. He has also volunteered with Boy Scouts of America, Old Newsboys of Flint, the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan and Genesee County Habitat for Humanity.

Beta Gamma Sigma is the honor society serving business programs accredited by AACSB International (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business). Membership in Beta Gamma Sigma is the highest recognition a business student anywhere in the world can receive in a business program accredited by AACSB International.

Congratulations to the 2021/2022 Beta Gamma Sigma Inductees:

Branden Cook

Claudia Dahlberg

Laura Denton

Aaron Fogelsonger

Stacy Giroux

Emily Guido

Jennifer Hagerman

Emma Howell

Melissa Kelley

Stephanie Lopez

Sarah Miller

Tracy Pemberton

Victoria Radke

Rocio Rivera Mercado

Phil Tambouridis

Amy Wisenbaugh

Al Viera

Maize and Blue Distinguished Scholar Award

The Maize and Blue Distinguished Scholar Award is the highest academic award bestowed upon students of the University of Michigan-Flint and presented to no more than 13 graduates at the December and April commencement ceremonies. Nominees must have a minimum GPA of 3.75 and demonstrate intellectual maturity and depth, character, talent, and service to their department, university and/or community.

Congratulations to the 2021/2022 School of Management

Maize and Blue Award winners!

FALL 2021

Josie Bitterman

Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting

Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance

WINTER 2022

Aaron Fogelsonger

Bachelor of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management

Garrett Prince

Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and Accounting

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Photos courtesy of the Flint & Genesee Group.

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Mary Jo Sekelsky

Responding to the charge:

Strategic Transformation in the School of Management

OnAugust 29, 2022, UM-Flint Chancellor Deba Dutta received a letter from Mary Sue Coleman, former interim-president of the University of Michigan system, calling for “robust transformation.” The charge was to implement changes that will lead to a viable financial model and a strong, attractive brand that conveys clear institutional focus on immediate career needs of students, meets current/future employment needs of businesses and supports the local community.

“Maintaining the status quo, or only implementing incremental adjustments to current programs and activities will not be sufficient nor sustainable…survival of UM Flint requires a robust transformation,” wrote Coleman. “Our ultimate goal is to help UM-Flint emerge as an academically strong and financially viable institution that is an undisputed engine for economic growth and social mobility in the region.”

Recognizing campus-wide transformation as an opportunity for growth, leaders in the School of Management launched a five-year plan in response to the charge from Ann Arbor.

“Every five years or so, SOM goes through a strategic planning process to identify priorities for the following five years,” said Yener Kandogan, PhD, interim dean of the School of Management. “We were due for another plan this year; however, the momentum for change is higher than I have ever experienced during my 20 years at this university. Not only within our School, the University itself is preparing for a robust transformation.”

SOM’s five-year plan outlines changes that will position UM-Flint as a destination business school offering flexible programs for career-minded, busy students. This includes new academic programs, increased retention efforts, innovative approaches to career readiness and stronger corporate/educational partnerships.

Meeting demand: Academic programs to fit students’ needs

To be a destination business school, a university needs to offer academic programs that meet the demands of students. This includes both the modality/format in which classes are offered as well as the academic focus and level of the programs.

“Students are busy with life, family and work obligations,” said Kandogan. “Our programs provide students with the option to take courses in the format that best fits their schedules and

learning styles. This could be in-person, or online-synchronous for students that want to experience live class interaction but cannot meet in person, or online-asynchronous for students who need the flexibility to complete learning activities at a time that works best for them.”

SOM already offers an online BBA degree program in general business. However, students pursuing BIS degrees through UM-Flint’s new Accelerated Online Degree Completion program have expressed the desire to pursue an option with a general business focus. To meet this need, some of SOM’s 14-week offerings will be converted to 7-week courses to fit the delivery of the AODC program. This format enables students to complete two classes at a time with accelerated, seven-week courses while maintaining fulltime status of four classes (12 credits) each semester. These accelerated courses also create six opportunities (versus four) for students to begin the program throughout the year.

In addition to changes in delivery, recent findings from the Huron Consulting Group (hired by the University of Michigan to help gather information during this transformation) indicate that there is a declining market for generic business programs. Students are seeking more specialized programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

“While our BBA program has majors, major related courses are only 21/120 credits with a large business core,” said Kandogan. “Careful review of this core (and the decline in general education of 9 credits) presents an opportunity to offer more specialized courses and Bachelor of Science degrees (rather than BBAs) in each discipline. These programs will be offered in flex mode, allowing local and international students to take the classes in-person, and, at the same time, remote students can take them online. The BBA in each major will be terminated, and BS programs in each area will be introduced.”

Looking for ways to get involved?

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Yener Kandogan

BS programs will now be offered in accounting, entrepreneurship and innovation management, finance, international business, marketing, operations and supply chain management, and organizational behavior and human resources management. SOM is currently exploring the possibility of offering majors in three emerging areas of business: business cyber security, management information systems, ERP/supply chain management and business data analytics.

Similar changes are also happening at the graduate level. In addition to a general MBA being offered in flex mode, SOM will introduce MS degree options in areas of finance, marketing and management science. These programs will be offered online to attract students from a larger geography since the market for local graduate business students is smaller. Another innovative change at the graduate level is a new doctoral program in business administration–the first and only AACSB accredited Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) program in the state of Michigan.

The part-time online DBA program will primarily serve mid-level managers and executives seeking to upgrade their skill-sets, consultants and analysts interested in learning theoretical concepts and ideas as a scholar-practitioner, and college lecturers pursuing doctorate degrees in order to transition into full-time academia. Students will generally have a minimum of 10 years progressive business experience with at least five years of technical, mid-level or executive level experience across a wide range of industries.

“This program is intended for intellectually curious and globally minded problem solvers who want to develop as evidence-based thought leaders; our program will help to advance their professional careers as strategically minded scholar-practitioners eager to make an impact in the world,” said George O. White III, PhD, professor of strategic management and director of the new program.

“Employing an easily accessible online platform will allow for efficient curriculum delivery and networking opportunities, offer state-of-the-art mentoring relationships with world

class faculty, emphasize a high quality and focused curriculum (strategy of the firm and performance in a global economy), and present meaningful experiences that will be the main drivers of value for our program. Furthermore, online asynchronous seminars and with synchronous residencies will enhance understanding of theory and research, and allow networking and interaction at a distance.”

The DBA program is currently accepting applications for its launch in Fall 2023.

Increased retention strategies and student support

One of the biggest challenges UM-Flint faces is retention of students. Students continue to be admitted, but many end up putting their education on hold due to grades, financial challenges or other personal situations. A consistent observation noted by faculty and staff in recent years is the varying levels of preparation with which students enter.

“One of our biggest challenges has been students entering the University with different levels of college preparedness,” said Brenda Harrison, PhD, director of SOM’s Student Support Services. “With such a strong emphasis on standardized tests, many high schools aren’t devoting the time and resources to making sure students are ‘college ready.’ College preparation has gotten lost in the process, which has been hindering the success of students once they enter our programs. To address these deficits, we decided to take a holistic approach and implement changes with regard to academic and career advising as well as faculty outreach and communication.

“This push for transformation has allowed us to be creative. We’ve taken a deep, introspective look at what we’re doing and are now making changes that we feel are necessary to make a difference.”

To help support current students and prepare for the influx of students attracted by the School’s new programs, SOM has put a focus on student support services. The goal is to provide support from admissions to graduation via the following services:

• Academic advising

• Business career assessment services targeting undecided business students

• Academic support such as supplemental instruction and tutoring as well as workshops on timemanagement and college success strategies targeting at-risk probationary business students

• Outreach aimed at business students who have “stopped out” of their programs

• Alumni/student mentoring targeting first-generation college students

• Career development workshops (resume writing, interviewing, professional dress code…)

• Job/career placement services targeting students in their final year of studies

In 2021, SOM advisors implemented a caseload based advising system with a ratio of roughly one advisor to 250 students. With the additional advising staff that came onboard this year, the School is now in a position to take the case advising system to the next level.

“Beyond advising a specific group of majors, advising will include managing those caseloads beyond assisting them with planning their schedules,” said Harrison. “This means more concerted efforts will be placed on getting to know the students on our caseloads and working with each of them with an intentional focus. Advisors will be asked to account for students by reaching out and speaking with each one via phone or video chat. This interaction will ensure a program plan is in place, address any concerns the student may have regarding current classes (or other issues like food insecurity or mental health), recommend financial resources and move students to graduation in a timely manner.”

Working closely with the Office of Financial Aid, advisors have been developing a list of internal and external resources aimed at providing emergency funding (should the need arise). This collaboration can also help advisors identify and reach out to students who may run out of funds before graduating so they can proactively create a contingency plan.

Advisors are also collaborating with faculty on pre- and early semester communication initiatives. Before the next semester begins, faculty will send a welcome email to students to introduce themselves, review the syllabus and clarify the course modality. Such communication is grounded in research and has proven to be effective at universities across the nation.

“Studies continue to show that creating a sense of belonging is critical,” said Harrison. “Helping our students feel connected is key to improving retention.”

Coinciding with improved communication, faculty and advisors will continue to use the faculty-initiated student alert process already in place. Advisors will encourage faculty to submit alerts about students’ academic progress in their classes. When alerts are received, advisors will follow up with the students and provide feedback to faculty. This process will help connect students with appropriate resources including tutoring and supplemental instruction. Supplemental instruction incorporates peer-led group study sessions to help students improve their understanding of course material and develop more effective study skills. In addition to the courses included among the University’s SI offerings, six SOM courses, recently deemed high-risk for their high percentage of drops, fails and withdrawals, will begin offering SI options.

In addition to receiving support from advisors and faculty, students will be invited to participate in a mentorship program with alumni. To pilot this effort, SOM will work closely with the alumni liaison to distribute a survey to alumni, specifically those who follow SOM’s LinkedIn page. Once data on availability, preferences, and interests, have been collected a basic framework for implementation can be created. Alumni interested in mentorship opportunities should contact Anna Swartz at annas@umich.edu.

Innovative approaches to career readiness

Career readiness helps bridge the gap between preparing students for their jobs/careers after graduation and addressing current/future employment needs of businesses. In 2019, SOM implemented a career readiness requirement (CDR), which required students to participate in practical work experience and career development activities prior to graduation. Students need to earn at least 30 points gained through attendance or participation in presentations, workshops, and seminars/ online tutorials in the following areas: networking, resumes, interviews, job search, business etiquette, job shadowing and internships. SOM’s CDR is based on eight competencies identified by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) that graduates must acquire to be “career ready.” SOM is currently exploring an incentive approach, the CDR Award, for the top students who have obtained the most CDR points after the 2022/2023 academic year.

Support the Ruth J. Person Internship Scholarship

Established by Ruth J. Person, PhD, this fund supports full or part-time undergraduate students in the School of Management (SOM) during the semester they are completing an internship. For more information (or to make a donation), contact Melissa Stephens-Farrell at msfarrel@umich.edu.

Brenda Harrison

George O. White III

“Helping our students feel connected is key to improving retention.”

While the requirement has not changed, SOM has been working hard to ramp up options available to students as they earn points. Specifically, these changes include increased internship offerings, enhanced workshops and more engaging communication with students.

SOM now offers more internship options (close to 100 active opportunities) and the number of employer contacts has increased. Each of the eight undergraduate programs now has a 394 course, which students take to generate academic credit simultaneously with their internship work hours. Each Friday, students receive a weekly email that lists all active internship opportunities for each academic program.

Ruth J. Person, PhD, served as the professor of record for SOM’s Internship program from 2015 to 2022 and is the sponsor of an internship scholarship for SOM students. She was the first female chancellor of UM-Flint (2008 to 2014) and served as the chancellor of Indiana University Kokomo (1999-2008). In addition to holding several undergraduate and master’s degrees in the fields of library science, information and business, she is listed in a number of Who’s Who publications.

After reading over hundreds of papers about students’ internship experiences, Person has identified the need for transformation in the following areas: professional growth, personal skills, and technical proficiency.

“Students tend to come to the internship experience with limited project management and/or professional skills—most are either early in their careers or changing their careers,” said Person. “For many, this is their first opportunity to work in a business setting. Such an experience can help ease the transition from student to professional that many of our students face.

“Along with growing professionally, students develop personal skills, like showing up on time and talking to senior management. A growing number of students admit to initially feeling intimidated at having to talk to adults… Students also report acquiring greater technical expertise. Although they learn (and use) technology in many of their courses, the internship challenges them to become more proficient using these tools to generate business reports and complete other professional tasks.”

In addition to internships, SOM offers several workshops throughout the year. Topics have included career exploration (from informational interviews to the job search), business etiquette (communication, conflict resolution, team building, social media presence…) and other topics relevant to career readiness. Roughly 80 percent of the workshops and career development events have been done virtually as online attendance attracts about five times as many attendees as those held in person.

Career Development Manager Justin Skibin, MA, recently developed a Scorecard document to help students keep track of the internship and workshop opportunities at the School.

“The Scorecard document above has helped immensely in regards to providing a one-stop shop document for students to notice all possible workshops and events,” said Skibin. “This is a continuously updated document, in which all the student needs to do is open it at any given time to sign up for workshops, apply for internships, or attend events.

“I’ve also been obtaining feedback from student attendees attending the workshops to work on continuous improvement. This has allowed me to add new workshop content, generate additional outreach tactics, and adhere to different learning styles of the students through the VARK model (Visual, Auditory, Read/Write, Kinesthetic)... The virtual workshops have helped make it easier to develop presentations that adhere more effectively to the VARK learning styles to make sure I reach all types of learners (video clips, lecture, guest speakers, sharing my screen…). It’s also helped students increase their tech-savviness a bit.”

Check out the Scorecard!

This informative document can be helpful to alumni whether you are searching for jobs or interested in taking part in the alumni panels, career fairs or other events on campus as an employer. For access to this document, email Justin Skibin at jskibin@umich.edu.

Tamkang University

in Taiwan is SOM’s longest standing international partner university. Pictured above is Tamkang University’s College of Business and Management and the neighborhood near the campus

Skibin recently completed Strengthsfinder training through the Joubran Career Readiness Fund. He is using what he learned in the training to plan, carry out and evaluate programs relevant to the Career Development Requirement.

“I’ve been interested in Strengthsfinder training for several years,” said Skibin. “This year, I was able to finally attend thanks to the generous support of our donors. Beyond helping me develop in my role as career development manager, I’m able to pass on what I’ve learned to students and my colleagues.”

Stronger corporate and educational partnerships

As part of Ann Arbor’s charge, SOM is building and As part of Ann Arbor’s charge, SOM is building and strengthening relationships with employers, local organizations and other colleges/universities to help meet employers’ needs and support both the local and global community.

Currently, SOM has entered into partnerships with four employers (Diplomat, Sparrow Health Systems, Blue Care Blue Shields, and City of Detroit) that allow employees (and dependents of partners) to qualify for scholarships toward any of the business programs including indemand certificates to strengthen managerial skills. These partnerships increase enrollment in SOM classes as well as internship and job placement opportunities for students.

In addition to educating employees, many businesses have reported the goal of increasing diversity among their workforce. At the same time, data indicates that students with diverse backgrounds have faced the greatest challenges with regard to retention and graduation rates. To attract students from diverse backgrounds to business fields and support them in their education, SOM has reached out to organizations such as the Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Asian Pacific Asian Chamber of Commerce, and National Business League (a national trade association for black businesses) and Women in Business groups to explore guest speaker, mentorship, internship and networking events and opportunities.

On a global scale, SOM has been working on strengthening partnerships with other colleges/universities. Tamkang University in Taiwan is SOM’s longest standing international partner university. With more than 9,028 students and 187 full-time faculty members, it is the largest college of business and management in the country. In 2005, Clement Chen, PhD, CPA, David M. French professor of accounting, initiated contact with Tamkang University which resulted in an exchange agreement and dual degree MBA agreement between the two universities. Chen worked closely with his counterparts at Tamkang University resulting in over 100 Tamkang students eventually enrolling in SOM classes and a new graduate program preparing to launch in 2024.

The new and innovative Executive MBA program is geared towards working professionals in Taiwan who are interested in an MBA degree from UM-Flint but cannot travel to study in Flint. Courses will be delivered in a mixed mode format where SOM faculty will provide face-to-face instruction on Tamkang University’s campus and also provide online instruction in their courses. In-person courses will be taught in Taipei which allows for a convenient commute for working professionals.

“The MBA students will benefit greatly from interaction and discussion with SOM faculty in a traditional classroom setting,” said Chen. “The on-campus visits will also provide opportunities for SOM faculty to interact with faculty at Tamkang University for potential scholarly collaborations.”

Support the Joubran Career Readiness Fund

Thanks to the generosity of an SOM alum, the fund provides support for career readiness in the form of internship awards and career development activities tied to the School of Management’s Career Development Requirement program. For more information (or to make a donation), contact Melissa Stephens-Farrell at msfarrel@umich.edu.

Ruth J. Person

Clement Chen

Justin Skibin

INNOVATION & EMPOWERMENT

Entrepreneurs Society offers Journal Club for members

Tobe a successful entrepreneur, you have to be able to anticipate where change is needed and find creative ways to carry out those changes. Last fall, the Entrepreneurs Society saw the need for more discussion about cutting edge research between students and faculty, so they decided to implement something new–a Journal Club.

On the second Thursday of each month, faculty and students meet to discuss current articles published in leading business journals such as Journal of Business Venturing, Journal of Small Business Management and Small Business Economics among others.

“Journal club provides an opportunity for faculty to discuss their projects with students, something they don’t get to do often,” said Laci Whiting, MBA student and former communications director of ES.

“It adds another layer to students’ educational experiences when they can

Winter 2022, Maize & Blue Recipients

Aaron Fogelsonger, BBA ‘22

I always wanted to be a UM grad, but when I started working right after high school, I thought that this would never happen. After self reflection and speaking with my family, I decided that UM-Flint and SOM was the place for me. I was interested in their new Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management focus as I have always been fascinated with bringing ideas to fruition and into the market, so this program was a natural fit…

foster mentor-like relationships with various professors by engaging with them in overlapping areas of interest.”

Whiting conceptualized the Club as a way of helping ES members learn how to critically evaluate research, present findings in an engaging and thought provoking way and facilitate discussions on the possible application of articles–all integral skills in today’s business world.

“We expect the Club to attract more graduate students to ES as the articles and related discussions are intensive and meant to extend regular classroom learning as well as provide another layer of utility to the society for members with prior experience and exposure to business related fields,” said Theo Ellis, MBA student and club president.

Michael D. Witt, PharmD, JD,

Since 2008, members have acted as resources for each other “to create a powerful collaborative environment that empowers students.” They are active in the business community citywide and beyond by hosting and attending events to improve the community.

Now, after years of hard work, dedication, long nights, help from SOM faculty and staff, and support from my wife, Anna, and family, I can now proudly say that I am part of the prestigious group known as the University of Michigan Alumni… Each person that have encountered along this path has gone above and beyond to make sure I received the support I needed. want to thank Drs. Simon and Blume for their support while I was working for the Hagerman Center. Without their knowledge and dedication, students like myself would not have the opportunities or experience needed to truly make a difference after graduation. I also want to thank the donors who have given to SOM–especially Mr. and Mrs. Hagerman. Without their generosity, I would not have been able to make my dream of being a UMFlint graduate a reality.Go Blue!

Currently, Fogelsonger is working full time as a project engineer and eventually plans to move into a program management role. He is now working toward an MBA degree at UM-Flint and is using his entrepreneurship knowledge to start a small real estate business and help his wife establish a home bakery.

Garrett Prince, BBA ‘22

Entrepreneur-in-Residence,

lecturer of management studies, started Entrepreneurs Society as a way of introducing students across all disciplines to the world of business.

“Entrepreneurs Society is more than just a business club,” said Ellis. “It’s a conduit to help students achieve their goals, whatever they may be! Whether it’s an idea for a business or going to law school, ES can help students achieve their goals no matter what they are. The first question our advisor asks all new members is, ‘What do you want to do?.’ We are fortunate to have Dr. Michael Witt as our advisor. He is without a doubt our biggest advocate and his knowledge and resources are invaluable to helping students achieve their goals.”

In addition to Journal Club, Entrepreneur Society is working on another new initiative–EntreprNurse. This is the result of the efforts of Professor Witt and Professor Lugger from the School of Nursing. EntreprNurse is a way for students in the School of Nursing to discover opportunities within the medical field which can provide opportunities to explore entrepreneurship. Witt recently

gave a two part lecture series which covered the basics of evaluating business opportunities to help nursing students consider different pathways to commercialization. More are planned for the future, and ES hopes to collaborate with other disciplines as well. Alumni, donors and community members interested in getting involved with ES can keep up with the organization through their website clubs.umflint.edu/es/. All are welcome to join the Journal Club discussions, take part in the university’s annual Giving Blue Day which typically happens in March (late winter/early spring), or attend various events ES hosts throughout the year.

“During homecoming weekend, there are events focused around providing networking opportunities for students and alumni,” said Ellis. “We particularly enjoy it when alumni come to speak at our events and share their passion for business and real world experience.”

My collegiate experience differed from what many would consider a traditional track. I was thankful to have found an environment that challenged me and inspired me to improve at the University of Michigan-Flint. The pandemic brought a time of change and uncertainty to how everybody’s life operated, but new opportunities came with the challenges unfolding. I’m grateful that, despite that newfound adversity, I had the privilege of experiencing my peers turn into friends and my professors turn into mentors.

My favorite experiences in college centered around taking on new challenges or watching and occasionally assisting in the growth of my classmates. I fondly remember my experience with the Entrepreneurs Society and other student organizations which opened opportunities in leadership, career development, research, and many other unique chances to learn. I particularly enjoyed the events with cooperation between organizations and the ability to attend conferences again when the pandemic restrictions subsided.

After graduating Prince served on the committee for the Gus Macker tournament in Flint and has assisted with other community-based initiatives. He is currently working on co-founding a construction services company and pursuing the expansion of established career and residential nonprofit initiatives for youth in Genesee. He eagerly intends to continue his education and seeks to explore new opportunities.

Beyond a common academic and professional interest in entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurs Society members enjoy sharing time together celebrating the perks of a Michigan college experience.

Michael D. Witt, PharmD, JD, Entrepreneurin-Residence and lecturer of management studies, is the faculty advisor of Entrepreneurs Society.

Entrepreneurs Society members attended the 39th Annual Global Conference & Pitch Competition last October in Chicago. Pictured is Theo Ellis, MBA student and club president.

Through Entrepreneurs Society, students have the opportunity to develop as professionals and practice networking skills. Pictured are Yuliia Lane, Professor Michael Witt, Theo Ellis and Sydney Allen.

CONNECTED

From the very beginning, graduates of the University of Michigan have wanted to stay connected to their alma mater and each other. Ann Arbor’s first commencement, in August 1845, graduated 11 students. This group would immediately form a Society of the Alumni. When the Flint Senior College of the University of Michigan (now the University of MichiganFlint) graduated its first class in 1958, 86 students became part of the U-M alumni body.

Today, there are hundreds of thousands of U-M alums worldwide. As a graduate of the University of Michigan-Flint, you are part of this U-M network! Become a member of the Alumni Association, and join your local alumni club today at alumni.umich.edu/join.

The UM-Flint Alumni Relations team is here to help you stay connected to everything you love about the University of Michigan-Flint. Our programs and services are designed to engage, inform and foster connections among the nearly 50,000 graduates of Flint’s campus. In collaboration with the University of Michigan Alumni Association, we are your tie to Leaders and Best. Forever Go Blue!

Whether you are looking to volunteer, network, or attend an upcoming event, we’d love to hear from you! Visit our webpage at www.umflint.edu/advancement/alumni-relations/ for the many opportunities provided throughout the year.

Here are other ways to stay connected to SOM and the University of Michigan-Flint:

Be social

Follow UM-Flint social media. Share your photos, Tweets and videos on our official social media sites. And be sure to like the UM-Flint School of Management page on Facebook!

Make a gift

Give back to SOM! Every gift to our entire campus matters, regardless of size. Support the university’s efforts to prepare the next generation of Leaders and Best. Visit umflint.edu/ som/ and click “give now.”

Hire the leaders and best

Recruit from the deep UM-Flint talent pool that has been producing leaders for more than 60 years. SOM alumni can post internship/job postings as well as utilize career counseling and assistance finding a job. For more

APPLICANT-TRACKING SYSTEMS, COVER LETTERS AND BEYOND:

Three tips to landing an interview

By Justin Skibin, MA, CBSP, CCSP, GCDF, CWDP; Career Development Manager

Spread the word

Stay up-to-date with the latest UM-Flint news and stories with your friends and fellow alumni. Check out news.umflint.edu.

Wear it on your sleeve

Wear your UM-Flint pride. Check out the UM-Flint Bookstore for your UM-Flint and Wolverine gear. Visit go.umflint.edu/bookstore.

Take us along for the ride

UM-Flint is in the Vehicle City. Show your UM-Flint pride with a UM-Flint license plate available from the Michigan Secretary of State www.michigan.gov/sos.

Keep in touch!

For more information about alumni opportunities in the School of Management, contact Anna Swartz, SOM alumni liaison, at (810) 424-5587 or annas@umich.edu.

While speaking with employers and working with students, I’ve noticed a consistent challenge with regard to applicants being invited to interviews after submitting a resume. Curious why this was happening, I polled 14 employers; 10 of them said that the No. 1 reason that applicants do not get an interview is that the resume they used when applying didn’t make it past their applicant-tracking system. Many companies utilize a tracking system (or something similar) to filter out applicants, which can make it difficult for the applicant to progress beyond the application phase and be chosen for the interview process. Ninety-two percent of applicants send the same resume and cover letter for every position they apply for – not taking the time to tailor these important documents for the specific positions for which they apply. While most applicants may think they are doing enough to obtain an interview, only eight percent of applicants indeed do.

If you are on the job search, here are some tips to help you get past the dreaded applicant-tracking system and land that interview:

1 Customize your resume

While it’s tempting to reuse your resume each time you apply for a new job, this is a mistake. One way you can quickly customize your resume is to use the “Professional Profile” section to mention the position/title and company name. This section should also include the top (3-5) skills needed for the job and one or two sentences about how you have demonstrated these skills in past roles. The job posting and career resources like onetonline.org can help you with keywords and language you should use in this section of your resume.

2 Customize your cover letter

Don’t be generic. Instead of addressing your letter to “Whom it may concern,” tailor your cover letter to the

hiring manager for the role. You can find the appropriate person’s name by using LinkedIn, Handshake, company website or calling the company’s receptionist.

Twenty-seven percent of jobs are filled from referral. If you have a particular contact with the employer, be sure to mention him/her by name early in your letter.

Also, as described in the first tip, try to mimic wording used in the posting by including the name of the position and company as well as relevant keywords in the body of your letter.

3 Don’t forget about LinkedIn and Networking

Always include your LinkedIn URL on your resume, cover letter, and thank-you messages. This allows the hiring manager to gain more information from your LinkedIn profile that may not be found in your resume. For example, this could include academic projects, letters of recommendation, credentials, referrals and so forth. Ninety percent of applicants don’t network. To stand out, reach out to the hiring manager after you apply for a job. You can use LinkedIn, Handshake, and/or the company’s receptionist to find the hiring manager and send him/her your “30-Second Sell.” Networking results in a 33 percent higher chance of landing the job.

Career Workshop

Need help with cover letters, resumes or networking?

Attend one of SOM’s career workshops or contact Justin Skibin by connecting via LinkedIn, emailing jskibin@umich.edu or calling (810) 762-3366.

AROUND TOWN

Halloween Social Hour

On October 25, SOM alumni, faculty and staff gathered for a Halloween Social Hour hosted by Interim Dean Yener Kandogan, Professor Keith Kelley, and the International Business Student Organization. The event was held at the Redwood Steakhouse Sequoia Lounge in Flint with food provided by Redwood Steakhouse.

Alumni NEWS&NOTES

Share your news! Alumni News & Notes is a new feature of this edition of Business@UM-Flint that invites alumni to celebrate personal and professional highlights and achievements.

Class of 2008

Ian Vedder, BBA, started a new business, Enzo Pizza.

Class of 2010

Joseph Fitz, BBA, accepted a Director of Finance position with SER-Metro.

Class of 2012

Brooke Dziurman BBA, married Shawn Hande in September 2022.

Class of 2014

Jim Crum, MBA, started a new position as Director of Automated Solutions at Resonetics.

Class of 2015

Mohamed Gothamy, MBA, new job as Specialty Pharmacy Manager at Cleveland Clinic.

Class of 2019

Jacob Sierocki, MBA, accepted a Project Manager position at Michigan Medicine.

Class of 2020

Leigh Boldig, BBA, started a new job as technical recruiter for The Productivity Team.

Cheyanne Nordberg, BBA, was promoted to Talent Specialist at Edward Rose and Sons.

Alumni Updates

To submit an alumni update, complete the form found at go.umflint.edu/alumni_updates

We look forward to hearing from you!

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

USMAN AHMED Muhammad

Inbusiness, it’s not enough to simply keep up with trends and research. Success requires proactive, continuous transformation to stay ahead of the game. This approach has become a common thread in the career of Muhammad Usman Ahmed, PhD, associate professor of supply chain and operations management, as he reveals his insights into education and research in a post-pandemic world.

“The recent pandemic accelerated changes that were already happening in higher education,” said Ahmed, who also serves on UM-Flint’s Innovation & Transformation Advisory Council.

“Universities cannot exist merely to disseminate information – that can be done more efficiently through other online platforms. Due to COVID, the flipped classroom methodology has become mainstream in which lectures are provided for offline viewing and class time is used to motivate students and help them apply what they have learned. Even though the change has been fast paced, universities cannot rest because the economy, the workplace and our students are all changing. Students are more informed of what skills are valued in the job market and more demanding of universities to provide greater value.

“SOM has been proactive in taking on this challenge. We offer multiple special topics courses that are changed completely every three years. These courses allow our students to stay current by learning about the latest topics they see being discussed in today’s business world. We have also worked hard to provide flexibility to our students so anyone, regardless of their work schedule,

New Staff & FACULTY

FACULTY

Benjamin Sobczyk

can complete a degree through SOM. We also continue to revise and update our curriculum and encourage the use of hands-on learning by using simulations, case studies and interactive activities.”

Ahmed began his teaching career at Clarkson University in New York after years of professional experience in operations, research and design. Since beginning his teaching career at UMFlint in 2017, he has taught a blend of six undergraduate and graduate courses across traditional, online and mixed modalities. Always looking to improve his teaching effectiveness, Ahmed has participated in several seminars from Harvard Business Publishing on casebased online teaching.

“Professor Ahmed clearly demonstrates that he cares about student learning as he prepares review materials and self-study guides in statistical software and organizes in-person help sessions in addition to his classes,” said Yener Kandogan, PhD, interim-dean of the School of Management. “He has received several Golden Apple awards for teaching excellence and is engaged with students outside of the classroom.”

Ahmed most enjoys teaching operations management and supply chain management courses. Both incorporate student discussion of business cases in which students apply what they learn in the class to realistic business situations.

“My students learn how to design, evaluate and improve systems that produce goods and services for customers,” said Ahmed. “Such systems, in addition to generating value for businesses, also lead to greater happiness

in society. We are all customers, and we are affected positively if we receive kind treatment and quality products from organizations with which we interact.”

Ahmed’s most significant professional accomplishment has been to receive faculty awards in both research and teaching at UM-Flint. In addition to his Golden Apple awards, Ahmed has nine publications in top quality peer reviewed journals. He currently has one paper under review at a journal, and three papers under progress. Ahmed’s published research focuses on supply chain relationships as building blocks of more complex supply chains. He has also published on supply chain transparency to investigate if compliance mechanisms lead to real improvements in environmental and social dimensions and attempt to answer how buyer firms can influence sustainability performance of their suppliers.

“This strong pipeline of unpublished research demonstrates Dr. Ahmed’s potential for sustained research productivity in the years to come,” said Kandogan. “He is well positioned to continue making significant scholarly contributions.”

When Ahmed is not busy teaching or writing, he serves on SOM’s Academic Review Committee and the university’s Library Committee. He also oversees the Beta Gamma Sigma honorary student organization and is co-chair of the interdisciplinary data analytics program.

Outside of school, Ahmed enjoys reading (with a large cup of freshly made coffee in hand), gardening and spending time with his children.

Benjamin Sobczyk started his teaching career as a middle school social studies teacher in rural Kentucky in 2012. A few years later, he moved back to Louisville to teach for his alma mater, Trinity High School. In 2020, he began the school’s first esports program and won a state title their first year. In 2021, he started teaching at a small, local liberal arts university, Bellarmine, where he also works with their esports program and teaches esports-related classes including an intro course and the business of esports. He recently joined SOM to teach the Intro to Esports Business Marketing course at UMFlint and plans to move to Detroit, his wife’s hometown, in the near future.

Duc Vu

Duc Vu is an assistant professor of operations and supply chain management. He earned his PhD in operations management and MSc in supply chain management from the University of Texas at Dallas, where his efforts in teaching and mentoring have been recognized with the Jindal Student Mentor Award. His research interests cover operation and marketing interface, behavioral operations, and supply chain management. Prior to his PhD, Vu has professional experience with companies including McKinsey and PwC.

Ericka Artis

Ericka Artis joined SOM in July 2022 as an academic advisor of undergraduate students. She has a passion for working with students and has spent nine years supporting students in both access to higher education alongside supporting students to complete a degree. Artis earned her BA from Spelman College, and her MA from New York Institute of Technology. She is a native of Genesee County and recently moved back from New York City. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, cooking and trying new restaurants.

Audrey Banks

Audrey Banks joined SOM as a graphic designer in November of 2021. She graduated from UM-Flint with a BFA in fine arts (concentration in media design) and a minor in graphic design. Working closely with SOM staff, Audrey helps create eye-catching business graphics and assists with social media and video editing. She has owned and operated Banks

Photography since 2017 and worked as a program associate for the Arts and Culture Research Cluster at UM-Flint.

Isabella Bupp

Isabella Bupp joined the SOM staff in December of 2022 as the marketing and social media assistant. She is currently a design student at UM-Flint with a minor in marketing. In her role, Bupp uses her skills to conduct online marketing initiatives, such as social media management and viral marketing campaigns. One of those skills is strong team building by joining team members to provide social media and marketing services to a wide variety of projects and subjects.

Tameka

Shepard

Tameka Shepard joined SOM in May 2022 as an academic advisor of

graduate students. She has eight years of academic advising experience and is dedicated to student success. Shepard earned her BSW from Spring Arbor University and later earned her MBA from Western Governors University. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling and reading.

Justin Skibin

Justin Skibin is SOM’s new career development manager. He earned a master’s degree in public administration and has completed four in-field certifications within the field of career development. Prior to his role at UM-Flint, Skibin worked at Michigan Works for close to a decade. In his spare time, he enjoys sports and exercise.

STAFF

PhD, Associate Professor of Supply Chain & Operations Management

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Supply chain analytics and its impact on buyer/ supplier relationships

Ahmed, M. U., Shafiq, A., & Mahmoodi, F. (2020). The role of supply chain analytics capability and adaptation in unlocking value from supply chain relationships. Production Planning & Control, 1–16.

Supplier firms depend on key buyer – supplier relationships for their performance and survival. A difficult task in managing such relationships is creating value when there is a lack of justice (or perceived fairness) between the two. This study examines whether supply chain analytics capability (SCAC) and adaptation can prove useful for suppliers in extracting greater value from supply chain relationships particularly in cases involving a power disadvantaged supplier.

“This is an interesting study as it uses data to evaluate whether supply chain analytics capability has any usefulness for suppliers that make products for other organizations,” said Muhammad Usman Ahmed, PhD, associate professor of supply chain management. “Such suppliers often depend on a few key relationships with larger manufacturers for their financial well-being. Using data from suppliers in the United States, we show that supply chain analytics capability allows suppliers to be more valuable to their customers and get more financial benefit from their business-to-business relationships.”

Through this study, Ahmed and his team of researchers uncovered actionable insights on how suppliers can leverage SCAC and adaptation to maximize value from supply chain relationships. One key insight is that benefits from firm-level capabilities, like SCAC, depend on relational attributes in the supply chain context.

“We hope the results of the study will encourage suppliers to invest in their own analytics capability instead of simply relying on larger manufacturers they may be selling to,” said Ahmed. “By doing so, suppliers are more likely to earn a fair share for their contribution to the supply chain.”

Industry 4.0 and its impact on cellular manufacturing design

Sinaki, R., Sadeghi, A., Mosadegh, H., Al Masarwah, N., & Süer, G. Cellular Manufacturing Design 1996-2021: A Review and Direction to Industry 4.0, accepted for publication, International Journal of Production Research (IJPR).

Less than a decade ago, the term Industry 4.0 was popularized to describe changing technology, industries, and societal patterns/processes in the 21st century due to increasing interconnectivity and smart automation. SOM faculty Azadeh Sadeghi, PhD, assistant professor of supply chain and operations management, and Roohollah Sinaki, PhD candidate, lecturer of supply chain management, recently conducted a study on the impact of Industry 4.0 on cellular manufacturing design –the use of multiple “cells” in an assembly line fashion.

“In cellular manufacturing systems, items with similarity either in design or manufacturing characteristics are grouped together in order to move as quickly as possible in the system and reduce waste,” said Sadeghi. “In this research, we discuss the placement of cellular manufacturing systems

as one of the major production systems in the Industry 4.0 evolution paradigm to reduce reliance on labor and use resources more efficiently. It is expected that manufacturing systems will extensively adopt Industry 4.0 by developing smart factories and smart products while establishing a strong communication system among suppliers, factories, and customers.”

The existing gap in adoption of industry 4.0 by cellular manufacturing systems (in both theory and practice) inspired Sadeghi and Sinaki to conduct this research.

“Industry 4.0 has the potential to transform cellular manufacturing systems into intelligent and cost-effective smart manufacturing systems as technology is used in innovative ways,” said Sadeghi.

“For instance, in smart manufacturing systems, digital twins create a virtual model that

mirrors physical parts of the real world. Main characteristics of digital twins include updating the digital replica in real-time, interacting with the physical space, and optimizing the virtual model while receiving real data from the physical space. Digital twins enable intelligent manufacturing systems to use the collected data to make real-time decisions. Since manufacturing facilities interact with the simulation model continuously, any difference between the performance of machines in the real world and the simulation model can be detected immediately. The real-time monitoring of the manufacturing system helps with predicting preventive maintenance, minimizing the facility downtime, and providing safety.

“Nowadays, advances in data acquisition technologies from one side and the development of novel operations research techniques from the other side enable decision makers to use big data to obtain optimal solutions in reasonable execution time. This leads to providing suggestions for future research and practice in utilizing optimization, simulation, and artificial intelligence approaches to integrate cellular manufacturing systems and the Industry 4.0 paradigm.”

Sadeghi and Sinaki would like to acknowledge one of the co-authors of this research, Professor Gürsel Süer, who unexpectedly passed away on July 14, 2021. Süer was a well-known researcher in the area of manufacturing systems. Completing this research would not have been possible without his advice and support.

Bitcoin, cryptocurrency and the blockchain market

Mehdian, S., Stephens, J., & Bush, P. (2020). An Investigation of the Presence of Anomalies in Digital Asset Markets: The Case of Bitcoin. Applied Finance Letters.

In 2008, Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonym for the individual (or individuals) behind Bitcoin, outlined a peer-to-peer version of an electronic cash system that would allow online payments to be sent directly from one party to another without going through a financial institution. These cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin, are part of a blockchain (a distributed ledger or shared database that stores data) and the network required to power it. Data within the blockchain is secured by encryption methods.

Excited to see a new financial asset like Bitcoin emerge and track the currency’s development during its infancy, SOM faculty Seyed Mehdian, PhD professor of finance; John Stephens, DBA, lecturer of accounting and finance; and Peter Bush, DBA, lecturer of accounting & finance, began researching Bitcoin, cryptocurrency and the blockchain market to measure the volatility of the market and assess the behavior of the market relative to established investment options. In other words, they are determining if there are similarities to other financial products and behaviors of the markets.

“There are few times in our academic careers where we see a completely new asset emerge and get to test it using the tools that have been developed over time,” said Stephens. “It is challenging to look at this asset class and hypothesize how it will behave relative to time tested assets like stocks and bonds.”

Some financial professionals have dismissed cryptocurrencies as a passing fad with “no legs in the market.” Because of this, Stephens and his team felt it was important to investigate the asset class “to see if it had merit as a stand alone class or was just a fad as many people think it is.”

During the study, it became clear that the real value was the block chain technology that was being developed and is continuing to evolve.

“Cryptocurrencies themselves are a derivative of the technology, and I think it is important to assess how that technology will be applied in the future of finance and outside of finance as well,” said Stephens. “The world of FinTech (financial technology) is being transformed by the block chain and there are many future innovations that will occur because of it. I would like to make sure our students are positioned to discover some of these innovations and change the way transactions are handled everyday in the world economy.”

Muhammad Usman Ahmed

Seyed Mehdian

John Stephens

Peter Bush

WHY I GIVE: Michael G. Rachor establishes a legacy of support for local scholars

Well-respected in the Flint area as a successful financial professional and business owner, Michael G. Rachor hasn’t forgotten what it’s like to struggle. The second oldest of seven children, he was raised during the 1940s and 1950s in a small home on the east side of Flint. His dream was to become an attorney, but he couldn’t afford the high cost of law school tuition.

“My family was always keen on education,” said Rachor. “I thought I wanted to become a lawyer, but it was too expensive. After high school I landed an apprenticeship as a wood patternmaker at Buick Motor Company in Flint. And I became the first in this position to quit and go back to college.”

After witnessing violent interactions during the labor movement, Rachor left General Motors to pursue an associate degree from Flint Junior College (now Mott Community College). Relying on financial support he received from scholarships, he went on to earn his undergraduate and

Well-respected in the Flint area as a successful financial professional and business owner, Michael Rachor has started over 175 scholarships to assist with post-secondary education for students attending college in the Flint area–with the majority (over 100) offered at UM-Flint and the McLaren Flint Foundation.

graduate degrees from Michigan State University. This path led to a fulfilling, prosperous career spanning five decades and gave Rachor the financial freedom to accomplish his central purpose in life – helping others achieve their personal and professional goals.

“I wasn’t always a great student – I had to work hard,” said Rachor. “But it was education that moved me forward.”

Rachor moved to San Francisco in 1962 to begin his accounting career with Arthur Andersen, which evolved into one of the world’s largest multinational corporations and was recognized as one of the “Big Five” accounting firms. Shortly after starting a family, he and his wife decided to move back to Michigan. He went on to partner at other accounting firms in the Flint area before establishing Rachor, Purman & Tucker in the late 1970s.

In the 1980s, Rachor met Richard Gilder, a New York philanthropist and founder of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Gilder earned a degree in history from Yale, and, although he did not have a formal education in finance, he headed the brokerage firm Gilder, Gagnon, Howe & Co whose specialty was trading leveraged stocks and short selling. Inspired by Gilder’s aggressive approach to investment (and his generous spirit), Rachor founded Rachor Investment Advisory Services (Rachor Financial for short) in 1984, and the Rachor Family Foundation (now the Rachor Education Foundation) in 1996.

“Education has always played a pivotal role in my life,” said Rachor. “Even after graduating with my MBA, I took continuing education classes around the world to learn as much as I could about business and finance. My passion for learning sparked my decision to teach accounting courses part time at Mott and UM-Flint. I was one of the only nonPhD holding instructors at the time, and the experience opened my eyes to what a great university we had right here in our city. As a student I relied on scholarships, and I wanted to be able to help others who were struggling like I once did.”

Since establishing the foundation, Rachor has started over 175 scholarships to assist with post-secondary education for students attending college in the Flint area – with the majority (over 100) offered at UM-Flint and the McLaren

Flint Foundation. In addition, there are 80 Rachor Fish Bond Book Scholarships at UM-Flint. While most often a scholarship, once started, goes on to help many students, sometimes there are false starts.

At one point, Rachor established a full-ride scholarship for history majors, with the goal of supporting the education of history teachers in Michigan. He was optimistic that a fully funded education would yield reliable numbers of graduating history teachers. Instead, he became concerned as a surprising number of the recipients ended up changing their majors or moving out of state. Determining that the brief venture into full-ride scholarships was not producing the desired result, he instead settled into what he considered a more effective approach, providing several smaller scholarships with the goal of helping a larger number of people with a portion of their education. Since then, he has established numerous scholarships (most now provide $1,500 annually) to support students facing a myriad of difficulties–financial need, single moms, formerly incarcerated, those switching careers and so forth.

Serving on the Board of Directors are Rachor and his children, Terese M. Rachor-Beste, D.D.S., and James M. Rachor, D.D.S.; and former colleagues Kathleen A. Fox; Laurie P. Torrey

(BBA ‘02) and Tod G. Fisher (BBA ‘96) who eventually bought Rachor Financial in 2009. The board intentionally includes three Rachor family members and three non-family members, comprising three men and three women.

“The Rachor Education Foundation was built on the belief that education (whether through an apprenticeship, community college or at a university) is the key to becoming financially independent; it’s what gives you a leg up to becoming self sufficient,” said Fisher. “While there are other kinds of support out there, we believe it’s ultimately people who need to help other people.

“It’s also important to Mr. Rachor that these scholarships support education happening in the City of Flint. UM-Flint offers a high level of education that’s respected globally –and students don’t have to spend ‘Yale money’ to get it.” While the Foundation continues the scholarships Rachor has started, he intentionally chose to name his scholarships after those he wanted to honor in meaningful ways. The Charles Erickson Rachor Scholarship is especially close to Rachor’s heart. The fund was named after his father, Charles, who had earned a bachelor’s degree from UM-Ann Arbor in 1933 shortly after the Depression and stock market crash. He later enrolled in a graduate (MBA) program but was unable to finish because he was needed to help his mother after his father passed away. Time and time again, he considered returning to school but his own early death ended his dream of finishing up his graduate degree.

“After my father passed away, I wanted to do something to honor his memory,” said Rachor. “I remembered how much he wanted to finish his degree but life kept getting in the way. After some thought, I realized starting a scholarship in his name would be the perfect way to remember him while helping others achieve their goals of completing their MBAs... Since then, I’ve established several others, most named after business partners, as a way of recognizing their contributions and hard work. I’ve also found that naming the scholarships after people creates a human connection between students and the scholarships they

Scholarships established by the Rachor Education Foundation specifically for School of Management students include:

• Jessica Hagemeister

CPA Scholarship

• David A. Page

CPA Scholarship

• Timothy Purman

CPA Scholarship

• Charles Erickson

Rachor Scholarship

• David C. Tucker

CPA Scholarship

• Brenda D. Wood

CPA Scholarship

receive.”

In the 1980s, Rachor met Richard Gilder, a New York philanthropist and founder of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Inspired by Gilder’s aggressive approach to investment (and his generous spirit), Rachor founded Rachor Investment Advisory Services (Rachor Financial for short) in 1984, and the Rachor Family Foundation (now the Rachor Education Foundation) in 1996.

Right: Family and education continue to play significant roles in Michael Rachor’s life. Pictured are Michael and his siblings. Pictured are (standing left to right) Pastor Daniel Rachor, Robert Rachor, Kaaren (Rachor) Roman, David Rachor, John Rachor; (sitting) are Charles Rachor and Michael Rachor.

Michael Rachor works closely with Tod G. Fisher (BBA ‘96) who purchased Rachor Financial in 2009 and serves on the Rachor Education Foundation.

Q&A

Interested in starting or supporting a scholarship?

QHow much money is needed to fund an endowed scholarship?

Individuals can make scholarship gifts at any level or support an existing scholarship if they so choose. To create a named scholarship, the minimum required is $25,000, which can be pledged over (up to) five years. At this level the fund would generate an approximate $1,125 award for a student.

QHow long does it take from the time the monetary gift is given until the time a scholarship is awarded?

For endowed scholarships, once the scholarship has reached the amount designated, i.e. $25,000 or more, the dollars which have been reinvesting will be ready to disburse the following academic year. If someone has a scholarship that is fully vested in December of 2023, it would be awarded in the fall of 2024 or could be held until winter of 2024. The fund does have to reinvest to then disburse 4.5% to the student. Keep in mind this is the gift that keeps on giving if it has been endowed. The principle of $25,000 is never spent and individuals can continue to build their fund to distribute the level of support they wish to go to students.

QHow much input do donors have when determining scholarship requirements and naming the scholarship?

While there are a few rules that must be adhered to, donors get to determine the name and criteria for their scholarship and the type of student they want to help. We have a step-by-step process we walk them through. Donors often received scholarships themselves when they were students.

QWhat part do donors play in the annual selection process for the scholarship?

Their role is in setting the criteria for the scholarship. The University then supplies an eligible pool of applicants (based on the donor’s criteria) to the SOM Scholarship Committee. Based on the criteria, students are selected by faculty on the committee.

QWhat is the most rewarding part of starting a scholarship?

Most donors feel it is rewarding to hear from their student recipients. Most share the positive impact these gifts make in their lives and oftentimes on a person’s entire family.

fund their education. We always hope, someday, students will return the favor at whatever level they can.

QWhat do you wish more people knew about starting scholarships at UM-Flint?

I wish people knew that so many students would not be here without them! Many have asked me what I do at the University. When I share I am responsible for asking individuals for support, they are so grateful! It makes me proud of the work we do to support them. Students often would not be able to pursue their dreams without a scholarship. Seventy percent of UM-Flint students qualify for some form of financial aid.

QI would like to support SOM, but cannot afford $25,000 to start a scholarship. What are some other ways I can help?

All levels of giving help! You could choose to give to the SOM Excellence Fund which supports scholarships and any strategic initiative the school identifies as a priority. Or, you can designate any size gift to an existing scholarship fund. It would be my honor to help any individual identify what fund would best fit their interest of support. Remember, gifts at all levels help. Students have books to buy and other expenses on top of tuition. It all adds up and makes a difference!

Starting an Endowed Fund

Are you interested in starting a scholarship? UM-Flint offers the option of establishing an endowed scholarship fund through a donation of $25,000 (or more), which can be pledged over five years.

“All levels of giving help,” said Melissa Stephens-Farrell, gift officer for the School of Management. “Starting an endowed fund at $25,000 is a great way to give now, and, perhaps, consider it as part of a bequest down the road and/or a way to honor or memorialize someone.”

Over the years, Business@UM-Flint has featured countless stories recognizing the generosity of donors and the impact these gifts (often in the form of scholarships) have had on students and the school as a whole. As you read these articles, perhaps you wondered how

scholarships get started – or maybe you’ve been thinking about starting one yourself.

Continue reading as gift officer Melissa Stephens-Farrell shares answers to questions she is asked most frequently about this rewarding opportunity.

I once had a benefactor share with me that “meeting his student recipient/s was like Christmas morning” for him. That statement speaks volumes. It is mostly about “paying it forward” for the next individual.

QWhat are some other benefits?

It is truly inspiring to the students who receive an award. The acknowledgement is incredibly rewarding to them, and students are so grateful a stranger would care enough to help

Unlike other gifts, an endowed fund offers long-term impact for students. It is invested in perpetuity, with interest income used to finance the corresponding scholarship(s) available to students.

For more information about endowed funds or other opportunities to support student success in SOM, contact Stephens-Farrell at (810) 424-5480 or msfarrel@umich.edu.

Giving thanks: Tromble Family Scholarship recipients offer their gratitude

Thank YOU for making an impact

Rick Tromble is an entrepreneur, a successful business owner and a gentleman farmer. His business career can be traced back to his late teens when he began working at his father’s accounting firm. He had always dreamed of owning a car dealership, and after graduating from Lapeer he applied to UM-Flint to pursue a BBA degree. He married his high school sweetheart, Michele, while he was a sophomore in the accounting program, and their first daughter was born a month after graduation.

“I was lucky to get accepted at UMFlint as I was an average student,” said Tromble. “Being a graduate from UM opened many doors of opportunity for me over the years. I worked full

time at a CPA firm in Lapeer and went to school with a full credit hour load. Now I want to help students that have similar goals in accounting and business management.”

Tromble worked at a CPA firm before opening a drive-thru convenience store in Lapeer and purchasing a retail store in Bay City. Michele worked in a factory. When their children were in first and second grade, the Trombles moved to Florida to purchase a Taco Bell franchise; it was one of three on the west coast of Florida at the time. Rick oversaw operations during the day; Michele oversaw them at night. Their persistence paid off and the couple eventually accumulated 65 Taco Bell locations across Florida. They built 40 themselves, then

purchased failing businesses to turn them around. Michele was asked to oversee all of Taco Bell’s marketing in the state of Florida.

In 2005, the couple started selling off their restaurants and pursued a new type of business — farming and horses. Michele, an equestrian, boarded horses and the couple discovered that the conditions for growing hay in Michigan were superior to Florida’s. They began growing hay on their property in Cheboygan to ship to Florida.

Today, the Trombles continue to oversee several business and real estate ventures. In 2020, they sold their tractor dealership in Florida, purchased a marina in Cheboygan and sold it last year. They opened a Rite Aid in Traverse City (to lease) in 2021 and are presently building a Starbucks in Port Charlotte, Florida, with plans of leasing. Rick serves as the chairman of the board for Citizens National Bank in Cheboygan. Michele is the president of the Catholic Community Foundation of Venice, Florida, where she has been a director for 13 years. The couple’s 1,500 acre solar farm in Cheboygan is two years away from being built.

“Throughout our lives, Michele and I have been blessed in so many ways — our marriage, careers, families — it’s immeasurable,” said Tromble. “We see giving back, whether financially or through our involvement on campus, as a way of showing our appreciation for the school that has done so much for us. We’re proud to be part of it.”

Samantha CADOTTE

SENIOR

Double major in marketing and entrepreneurship and innovation with a minor in women and gender studies

“The Tromble Family Scholarship has helped me to continue my education without the stress of taking out a bunch of loans. In today’s world most college students must take thousands

of dollars out to pay for their classes and textbooks. Receiving this scholarship helped reduce the amount of loans I needed to take out, allowed me to save the income I make from working full time and relieved a lot of financial stress for my family and me.

“Scholarships play a major role in helping students fulfill their educational goals. Without scholarships, would not be able to afford college. I have worked hard throughout my college career to ensure that I would be a candidate for scholarships to further my education and achieve my personal goals. Thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Tromble, I am one step closer to finishing my degree. I’m honored to have received the Tromble Family Scholarship and hope that have made the Trombles proud through my educational achievements here at UM-Flint.”

SENIOR

Double major in marketing and entrepreneurship and innovation.

SENIOR

Major in entrepreneurship and innovation with a minor in communication.

“Receiving the Tromble scholarship came as a surprise for me. It has allowed me to stress less about the financial burden that comes with paying for an education. I’ve also been able to focus more on my studies and engagement–thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Tromble and their generous donation.

“The Trombles’ generosity has had such a positive impact on students like myself. I would like to thank them for caring about students and providing opportunities

through generous gifts. Without a scholarship, many opportunities such as networking and attending events would be difficult to do. I am beyond thankful to be a Tromble scholarship recipient.”

“The last four years of paying for college has been tough for me. I am paying 100% of tuition costs by myself. Unfortunately, more times than not, I am overlooked for scholarships due to my FAFSA although tuition costs are my responsibility. This scholarship has helped me be able to finance my final year of college and for that I am very thankful. I didn’t have to take out any other loans, and I was able to pay tuition up front this semester.

“Mr. and Mrs. Tromble, I cannot thank you enough for your generosity in creating a scholarship aimed at helping students like myself. It is incredible what you are doing to help the community. All I can say is thank you for considering me and for helping me finish my degree with the scholarship.”

Madison McFALL

Michele and Rick Tromble; photo taken in Paris near the Notre Dame Cathedral before the fire in 2019.

2021-2022

Scholarly Publications and Presentations

Journal articles, books and book chapters

Ahmed. M. U., & Shafiq, A., (2022). Towards sustainable supply chains: Impact of buyer’s legitimacy, power and aligned focus on supplier sustainability performance. International Journal of Operations & Production Management.

Blume, B. D., Huang, J. L., Wang, Z., & Ford, J. K. (2022, in press). Promoting Transfer of Hybrid Training: Interaction of TaskContingent Conscientiousness and Supervisor Support. Human Resource Development Quarterly. 1–23.

Salamon, J., Blume, B. D., Orosz, G., & Nagy, T. (2022). The Moderating Effect of Coworkers’ Training Participation on the Influence of Peer Support in the Transfer Process, European Journal of Training and Development.

Ozkan, K., Khan, H., Yeniyurt, S., Gu, C., Cavusgil, E., & Xu, S. (2022). Race For Market Share

Gains: How Emerging Market and Advanced Economy MNEs Perform in Each Other’s Turf, Journal of Business Research, forthcoming.

Cavusgil, E., Yayla, S., Kutubay, O.C., & Yeniyurt, S. (2022). The Impact of Demographic Similarity on Customers in a Service Setting, Journal of Business Research, (139), p. 145-160.

Chen, C., Garven, S., Jones, K., & A. Scarlata. (2021). An Outdated Stereotype? Accounting Compared with Competing Professions. CPA Journal 91 (12): 46 – 49.

Chen, C., Jones, K., Li, Z., & I. Lytvynenko. (2022). Using Videos to Teach Online Accounting Courses: Lecture-Recorded Videos vs. Non-

Rely On The Most?. Information Technology & People.

Mehdian, S., Stoica, O. & Diaconasu, D. (2022). “An analysis of investors’ behavior in Bitcoin market”, PLOS ONE, 2022.

Task-Contingent Conscientiousness and Supervisor Support to Promote Training Transfer. Academy of Management Virtual Annual Conference.

Scholarship Recipients

Lecture-Recorded Videos. Accounting Educators’ Journal 31(1): 147-164.

Hemphill, T. (2022). Managing the Food Waste Issue in the United States: A Proposed Public-Private Governance and Sustainability Model, Technological Sustainability, forthcoming.

Hemphill, T. (2022). Biopharmaceutical Patent Protection vs. Generic Drug Competition: Traversing the Public Policy Tightrope, Technology in Society: An International Journal, forthcoming.

Hemphill, T. (2022). The U.S. Retail Pharmacy Industry: Drug Store Chains, 21st Century Competition, and Innovative Business Models, The Journal of Competitiveness Studies, forthcoming.

Hemphill, T. (2022). A Case for Effective Business Association

Membership Codes of Ethics and Conduct, Business and Professional Ethics Journal.

Hemphill, T. A., & Banerjee, S. (2021). Facebook and selfregulation: Efficacious proposals–Or ‘smoke-and- mirrors’?. Technology in Society, 67, 101797.

Kelley, K. J. & Thams, Y. (2021). Creating Shared Reputational Value while Managing Informational Asymmetries across Borders: The Platform Business Paradox. AIB Insights, 21(3).

Li, Z., Lytvynenko, I., & Philippoff, K., (2021). Reexamining the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981: Evidence from innovative efficiency. Copernican Journal of Finance & Accounting 10(2), 27-43.

Longstreet, P., Brooks, S., Featherman, M. & Loiacono, E ( 2021). Evaluating Website Quality: Which Cues Do Consumers

Sinaki, R., Sadeghi, A., Mosadegh, H., Al Masarwah, N., & Suer, G. (2022). Cellular Manufacturing Design 1996-2021: A Review and Direction to Industry

4.0, International Journal of Production Research, forthcoming.

Dieleman, M., Stanislav, M., Rajwani, T., & White, G. O. (2022). Revisiting institutional voids: Advancing the international business literature by leveraging social sciences. Journal of International Management, forthcoming.

White, G. O., & Rajwani, T. (2022). Regulatory origins and foreign subsidiary strategic proactiveness. European Journal of International Management forthcoming.

White, G. O., Chintakananda, A., & Rajwani, T. (2022). Corruption and formal contracting with government sponsored financial institutions: The role of political tie intensity. British Journal of Management, forthcoming.

Shree, D., Singh, R., Paul, J., Hao, A., & Xu, S. (2022). Digital Platform for business-to-business markets: Systematic Review and Research Agenda, Journal of Business Research, 137, 354-365.

Conference Proceedings

Banerjee, S., Krebs, C., Bisgin, N., Bisgin, H., & Mani, M. (2021, November). Predicting customer poachability from locomotion intelligence. In Proceedings of the 5th ACM SIGSPATIAL International Workshop on Location- based Recommendations, Geosocial Networks and Geoadvertising (pp. 1-4).

Wang, Z., Huang, J. L., Blume, B. D., & Ford, J. K. (2021). Interaction of

Kang, M. J., Choi,D., Gam, Y.K. & Shin, H.J. “The effect of ESGmotivated turnover on firm financial risk” Proceedings at:

• Vietnam Symposium in Banking and Finance, Hanoi, Vietnam, 2021 (presented November)

• Financial Markets and Corporate Governance (FMCG), online, 2022 (presented April)

• SKKU International Conference: Trends in Digital Economy and Finance, Seoul, Korea, 2022 (presented May)

• KAFA-KFAs Joint Conference, Korea, online, 2022 (presented May)

Li, W. “A New Approach to the Traveling Salesman Problem.” ACM Southeast Conference 2022, April 1820, 2022, Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, Alabama, virtual event.

Mehdian, S., Bush, P.J, & Stephens, J. “Cryptos as Means of Hedging: Pre and Post COVID-19 Pandemic. The 58th MBAA International Conference, March 23-25, 2022, Chicago, IL, US.

Mehdian, S., Diaconasu, D.E., & Stoica, O. “Going Bitcoin Way: Accepting Bitcoin as a Means of Payment and Share Price Reaction”. International Conference on Globalization and Higher Education in Economics and Business Administration (GEBA), Iasi, Romania, October 2021.

Mehdian, S., Diaconasu, D.E., & Stoica, O. “Investors’ Behavior in Bitcoin Market.: An Empirical Analysis”. 36th EBES Conference –Istanbul, Turkey. July 1-3, 2021.

Reinstein, A., Churyk, N.T., & Miller, C.L. Peer Review and Audit Quality: Should We Expand Its Scope?

Proceedings of the 2022 Auditing Section Midyear Meeting, American Accounting Association. Las Vegas, NV.

Congratulations to our 2021/2022 scholarship recipients! Gifts totaling roughly $226,250 were awarded to the following students:

Baker Roberson Service Scholarship

Bailey Nathaniel Duvall

Chen Family Scholarship

Batoul I. Burbar

Jacqueline E. Burant

Branden E. Cook

Annie M. Crimi

Gary R. Ennis

Megan J. Hanson

Tristan H. Lovasz

Ross A. McEacheron V

Elayna M. Moore

Victoria E. Radke

James and Desoline Cokley Family Scholarship

Fellipe Mikami

Professor Robert H. Cojeen Scholarship

Annie M. Crimi

Quinn Hanses

Thuong Thi Ngoc Huynh

Tre Johnson

Fellipe Mikami

Victoria E. Radke

Diplomat Scholarship

Jonas L. Anderson

Tiffany M. Gagne

Jennifer K. Hagerman

Danielle L. Hoffman

Jinesh John

Stephanie A. Lopez

Angela J. Rushlow

Melody Wendling

Baylee O. Wheeler

Tonya M. Wright

Walker E. Fesmire

Accounting Scholarship

Devin Harris

Thuong Thi Ngoc Huynh

Shannda Markee

Victoria E. Radke

Matthew M. Sanborn

Hannah S. Shorland

Sumer J. Wascher

Michaela Yankee

The Nick and Sharon

George Success Fund

Melissa M. Bakkila

Linda and Randy Leach

Family Scholarship

Quinn Hanses

Fellipe Mikami

De’Andre Nelson

Cathleen L. Miller, PhD, CPA Accounting Scholarship

Fellipe Mikami

Elayna M. Moore

De’Andre Nelson

Victoria E. Radke

Matthew M. Sanborn

Hannah S. Shorland

Sumer J. Wascher

Michaela Yankee

Flagel Family Graduate Studies Fund

Darren Burbank

Jacklyn J. Joslin

Michael Joslin

R. & E. Freeman

NetPlus MBA Scholarship

Lindsay Cogswell

Nancy Escarzaga

Tayler R. Hemmes

Ethan D. Johns

Sarah Miller

Felicee E. Murchison

Brittany L. Rugg

Nicholas Savaya

Sachin Sohal

John Xiong

R. & E. Freeman

School of Management Scholarship

Melissa M. Bakkila

Melanie D. Beaumont

Jacqueline E. Burant

Branden E. Cook

Annie M. Crimi

Michael Cronshagen

Caitlin L. DeMasellis

Nicole G. Depillars

Gary R. Ennis

Aaron Fogelsonger

Cierra B. Gage

Jon Gauthier

Spencer M. Gomez

Megan J. Hanson

Cecilia R. Hool

Thuong Thi Ngoc Huynh

Tre Johnson

Ashley R. Koerner

Skyler A. Kurmas

Tristan H. Lovasz

Ross A. McEacheron V

Elayna M. Moore

De’Andre Nelson

Tiyashia S. Poole

Michael Kronshagen

Caitlin L. DeMasellis

Nicole G. Depillars

Cierra B. Gage

Cecilia R. Hool

Skyler A. Kurmas

Elayna M. Moore

Tiyashia S. Poole

Matthew M. Sanborn

Helena M. Schutt

Hannah S. Shorland

Michaela Yankee

GMAT Scholarship

Isaiah McLaughlin

Jessica Hagemeister

CPA Memorial Scholarship

Joseph Kitchin

Shannda Markee

Hagerman Scholars Scholarship

Timothy Brooks

Anna Church

Zachary Kritzman

Sumer J. Wascher

Cathleen E. Hale

Single Parent Scholarship

Laurie Depillars

Angela Wang

John & Kathie

Heitmann Family

Continuing Education Scholarship

Madison Chapman

Garrett J. Prince

Pamela Hernandez

Devon Scholarship

Melanie D. Beaumont

Oliver LaGore, VanValin Investment Group Scholarship

Quinn Hanses

Bailey N. Duvall

Stacy Giroux

I. Douglas Moon

SOM Undergraduate

Merit Scholarship

De’Andre Nelson

David A. Page CPA Scholarship

Shannda Markee

Plante Moran

Accounting Scholarship

Melissa M. Bakkila

Michael Cronshagen

Shannda M. Markee

Garrett J. Prince

Ruth J. Person

Internship Scholarship

Victoria E. Radke

Charles Erickson

Rachor Scholarship

Kayla Sluder

Sherri Stephens

Wealth Scholarship

Sumer Jo Wascher

Thomas P. Ryan & Thomas P. Ryan, Jr. Scholarship Fund

Jacqueline E. Burant

Batoul I. Burbar

Branden E. Cook

Annie M. Crimi

Caitlin L. DeMasellis

Cierra B. Gage

Jon Gauthier

Spencer M. Gomez

Quinn Hanses

Cecilia R. Hool

Thuong Thi Ngoc Huynh

Michael E. Jason

Tre Johnson

Ashley R. Koerner

Skyler A. Kurmas

Ross A. McEacheron V

School of Management

Alumni Scholarship

Kassidy D. Davis

Matthew J. Hall

Rosanna Hank

Jinesh John

Ethan D. Johns

Joshua S. Jones

Sarah Miller

Fletcher Spears

Iqra Y. Sumbal

Michael Torrey

Family Scholarship

Emma Howell

Tromble Family Scholarship

Jin shil V. Binene

Batoul I. Burbar

Aaron Fogelsonger

Cierra B. Gage

Alysha M. Johnson

Zachary M. Kritzman

David C. Tucker

CPA Scholarship

Rebecca Fletcher

Steve Whitener

Merit Scholarship

Melissa M. Bakkila

Melanie D. Beaumont

Michael Cronshagen

Laurie A. Depillars

Aaron Fogelsonger

Alysha M. Johnson

Skyler A. Kurmas

Holly M. Peel

Helena M. Schutt

Nathan J. Zion Scott

Abigail R. Shock

Steve Whitener

Scholarship for Innovators

Evan Johnson

Ross A. McEacheron V

De’Andre Nelson

School of Management ADVISORY BOARD

Michael J. Burke, Jr. President Choice One Bank

Paul Bryant Partner of Advocacy Equity and Equality, Plante Moran

Jim Carney Vice President Choice One Bank

Win Cooper (Board President) President Cooper Commercial Group, Ltd

Jennifer Flagel Associate Vice President for Enrollment and Dean of Graduate Admission Bentley University

Preet Gill Global Director of Automotive Strategy Harman International

Cathleen Hale Engineer (retired) Champion Bus

Teresa Irland Munley Senior Vice President (retired) Bank of America

Ronald Justice President and CEO The State Bank

Gerald Knesek Lecturer IV of Management UM-Flint

Linda Leach Controller Genesee Ceramic Tile

Larry Nichols Executive in Residence/ Consultant, Lecturer II of Management

UM-Flint

Sheila Smith City of Flint

Melissa Stephens-Farrell Major Gifts Officer

SOM/UM-Flint

Sheryl Stephens CEO Stephens Wealth Management Group

Mike Strader VP/Consultant, Retirement Services Huntington Bank

Michael Torrey VP Rates and Regulations

Consumers Energy

Rick Tromble Entrepreneur/CEO Tromble Bay Farms

Paul Wenstrom Wealth Planner

Merrill Lynch

Stephen Whitener Entrepreneur/Investor

Cazzie Williams Global Delivery Project Executive IBM Procurement Services

Andrew Younger CTA, Executive Director Flint & Genesee Chamber