2020 Business @ UM-Flint School of Management Magazine by umflintschoolofmanagement

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN-FLINT SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

BUSINESS

FALL 2020

@UM-FLINT

Celebrating SOM’s

Veteran/Military-Connected Community

IMPLICIT BIAS - WHY IT MATTERS COVID-19: SOM ALUMNI & ADVISORY BOARD RESPOND TO PANDEMIC SELF-MADE MILLIONAIRE SHARES HIS STORY

NEWS & BRIEFS

EXECUTIVE OFFICE

ALUMNI PROFILE: RASHAL BAZ ZUREIKAT

Dean, School of Management Scott Johnson Ph.D. Associate Dean, School of Management Yener Kandogan Ph.D.

SOM ALUMNUS WINS STATE-WIDE ESSAY COMPETITION

FACING THE PANDEMIC

IMPLICIT BIAS TRAINING: WHAT IS IT? WHY IS IT NECESSARY?

CONTENTS

DEAN’S MESSAGE

TABLE OF

PUBLICATION Managing Editor

Kimberly A. Laux, MA

FEATURE: CELEBRATING SOM’S VETERAN/ MILITARY-CONNECTED COMMUNITY

Graphic Designer

Alyssa Norris

Contributers

Kristin Arntz, BA Bill Barker, BA Matt Bueby, BBA Heather Coulman, MA Robert Gold, BA Jen Hogan, BA Scott Johnson, Ph.D. Yener Kandogan, Ph.D. Lindsay Knake, BS Kimberly Laux, MA Alexis Menard Melissa Stephens-Farrell, BBA Anna Swartz, BA

Board of Reviewers Craig Gomolka, MSA Scott Johnson, Ph.D. Yener Kandogan, Ph.D. Alexis Menard Antonio Riggs, Ed.S., MA Melissa Stephens-Farrell, BBA Anna Swartz, BA

REACHING BACK TO PULL OTHERS AHEAD

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

STAYING CONNECTED WITH ALUMNI RELATIONS

FACULTY PROFILE: JOHN STEPHENS

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION RECEIVES TOP THREE HONORS AT NATIONAL CASE COMPETITION

MAIZE AND BLUE AWARD WINNERS/BETA GAMMA SIGMA INDUCTEES

IN REMEMBRANCE: DEAN RICHARD FORTNER

SOM WELCOMES NEW UM-FLINT PROVOST AND VICE CHANCELLOR FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT

LIST OF SCHOLARLY PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS

DONOR LETTER/HIGHLIGHTS

DONOR HONOR ROLL

Dear Alumni and Friends of the School of Management, The current issue of Business@UM-Flint features our student veterans. The University of Michigan-Flint is identified as a Veteran-Friendly institution. This means we provide resources to support student veterans. These profiles offer an inspiring look at these fine students. Please also read about our student Financial Management Association and their success in New York City. Stories rounding out the magazine include an essay on implicit bias, donor and alumni profiles, and profiles of intellectual contributions by our faculty. Our students, faculty, staff, and alumni are continuing to learn and overcome obstacles despite the ongoing pandemic. As the university transitioned many classes to online, like universities across the country, the School of Management was well positioned for this change. We already offer four undergraduate majors and two graduate programs entirely online. Face-to-face learning will not go away. However, in coming years there will be multiple modalities of delivery available to students including: traditional face-to-face classes, totally online classes, remote learning with scheduled synchronous video class meetings, and what we call mixed mode, a combination of face-to-face and online.

DEAN’S

MESSAGE

The School of Management is located on the second floor of the Riverfront Center on the University of Michigan-Flint Campus. umflint.edu/som

Our financial supporters have stepped up to provide scholarships to deserving students. It is wonderful to see how these gifts positively affect our students. Thank you so much! Finally, please help me in welcoming Provost Sonja Feist-Price! Thank you for your continued support and GO BLUE! Sincerely,

@umflintsom

BUSINESS @ UM-FLINT

NEWS

BRIEFS

100% ONLINE MBA PROGRAM

In spring 2020, the SOM began offering a completion path for students who prefer to complete their MBA degree online. This 100% online option joins existing traditional evening and Net+ hybrid course offerings - making it one of the most flexible degrees anywhere. “The online MBA is designed to convey the same knowledge as our hybrid and evening MBA classes, while offering the most flexibility possible,” said Scott D. Johnson, Ph.D., dean of the School of Management. “In most cases, professors will teach the same class in all three modes and each course will have the same learning outcomes.”

SOM offers new, fully online option for students to complete their MBA.

Online learning is done through many techniques including discussion boards, online chats, audio, and videocasts as well as other methods. UM-Flint utilizes the Blackboard learning platform for its online education and online courses are designed to allow collaboration for students from a wide geographic area. Zoom, Blue Jeans, Google Hangouts, and other video chat options are available to facilitate synchronous video communication. Benefits of online degree programs include: Ability to network with students around the country using video chat technology No need to commute to campus A more flexible personal and professional schedule Not having to sit in a classroom Completing tests and assignments at a more flexible pace No worries about missing class due to illnesses, childcare, or personal issues

GRADUATE NETWORKING GROUP As one of the many UM-Flint graduate students who is only on campus twice a semester for the Net+ program, Raymond Pirouz wanted to find a way to encourage more connectivity among his graduate peers and alumni. He devised a social network called UMF-SOM Graduate Student Network, which is hosted on the Mighty Network, to seamlessly connect with classmates and alumni of SOM’s graduate programs. “My core motivation for launching the UMF-SOM Graduate Student Network was to create a persistent space for graduate students of all backgrounds and area concentrations to connect and remain connected no matter where their educational and future professional journey might take them,” said Pirouz. Raymond Pirouz, MBA student and founder of UMF-SOM Graduate Student Network

Pirouz envisions the network as a persistent space for students to connect with peers, keep in touch after graduation, share tips and techniques for success in UM-Flint SOM programs, and coordinate gatherings.

Pirouz resides in Fort Gratiot, Michigan but grew up in Southern California and earned a BFA at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. He chose the Net+ program at UM-Flint because of the flexibility of program offerings and the opportunity to access world-class University of Michigan faculty in a format that best fits his busy life. Current SOM graduate students or SOM alumni interested in joining the network can visit umf-som.net and click the “Request to Join” button to get started.

BUSINESS @ UM-FLINT

NEWS

BRIEFS

ZILLION SOLUTIONS COMPETITION RECEIVES OVER 300 ENTRIES In November 2019, students across all academic units of the University submitted 346 ideas to the Hagerman Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation as part of the annual Zillion Solutions idea pitch competition. The $2,000 winning entry came from Madeline Rasberry from the School of Nursing. Her idea was for a lighted pressure sensor on stethoscopes to remind health care professionals to clean their instruments between patient use. She believes this can help reduce infections, prevents illness, and could potentially save lives. To enter ideas, students created videos (less than two minutes) describing a solution to a problem in the form of a product or service. While the idea couldn’t already be in existence, it could be a minor modification to an existing product or service if the modification more effectively solved a problem. Winners could use the award in any way they wished but were strongly encouraged to use it toward starting a venture. For more information about this year’s Zillion Solutions competition, visit https://www.umflint.edu/som/zillion-solutions. Rasberry was also the winner of this summer’s Pitch4K competition, a collaborative effort between UM-Flint OED, 100K Ideas, CS Mott Foundation and the Flint & Genesee County Chamber of Commerce. This year’s Zillion Solutions winner was nursing student, Madeline Rasberry (in blue), who won a prize for her life-saving solution - a lighted pressure sensor on stethoscopes to remind health care professionals to clean their instruments between patient use. Also pictured are judges David Ollila, cofounder of 100K Ideas, representing Phil Hagerman; Sharina Jones, a speaker for the Interdisciplinary Entrepreneurial Speaker Series for the Hagerman Center; and Steve Whitener, entrepreneur, former owner and CEO of National System Installers and founding partner and former CEO of Nuspire Networks.

NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED SOCIAL MEDIA EXPERT VISITS UM-FLINT Last September, Marketing Club invited nationally-recognized social media expert, Corey Perlman, to speak to students, faculty, and anyone who was interested about improving their online presence via social media and translating that exposure into sales. The presentation, Social Selling: Turning Prospects into Customers and Customers into your Digital Salesforce, was free and open to the public. “The biggest take away was his opinion on the future of social media - how it will change and what will be most effective in terms of driving revenue,” said Nicholas Haglund, president of Marketing Club. “He summed it up with one word, ‘video.’ More and more companies are putting a focus on video because they’re seeing that it’s what users want, and it makes them stay on the platform longer than just scrolling through text and pictures (like what ‘old’ Facebook used to be). “He said, ‘if you’re going to use only one thing on social media, use video. I promise, it’s something you want to get started on now before everyone else gets on board and you’re lost in the crowd.’ He also brought up ways to make video more impactful - how to make it ‘pop,’ if you will. Keep it short, clear, and concise. Immediately grab a person’s interest, then get the message across as quickly and as clearly as possible.”

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Although Marketing Club has had to postpone similar presentations this year, they plan to experiment with other types of activities to keep members engaged and attract new members. “Our goal has always been to expand our knowledge and understanding in the field of marketing beyond what the classroom provides and has sought to provide real world implementation and experience,” said Haglund. “Now, more than ever, effective marketing (especially online) has to be in place, as many businesses are still in danger of possibly closing their doors due to the pandemic. We want to reach out to the community and businesses in the area and see how they survived the initial shutdown, and if they have a plan in case another one comes at a later date. We hope that we can Nationally-recognized social media expert, compile this information into a research project of sorts, and Corey Perlman, delivers his presentation, “Social make it available for free to the public. Selling: Turning Prospects into Customers and Customers into your Digital Salesforce” to the “There are many students who want to start their own SOM community. This event was hosted by the businesses, and if we can help by sharing tips from other Marketing Club. business owners who survived one of the most difficult times a business can go through, we hope that they will have a greater chance of success. Marketing Club is doing everything we can to continue engaging students and the community wherever we can.”

UM-FLINT’S ENTREPRENEURS SOCIETY WINS NATIONAL AWARD Last November, UM-Flint’s Entrepreneurs Society was awarded the 2019 Global Chapter of the Year award from the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization. The chapter was ranked top five in Chapter Advisory and Chapter Leader at the previous year’s CEO awards. “We’re proud to be the first group at UM-Flint to win the coveted title of Global Chapter of the Year, and share this accomplishment with the city,” said Todd Fridline, president of UM-Flint’s Entrepreneurs Society. “We feel lucky to belong to a community that’s as resilient and determined as Flint. This award is a culmination of high-achieving students working together to develop themselves, classmates, and the community in which we live.”

Last November, Entrepreneurs Society was awarded the 2019 Global Chapter of the Year award from the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization.

The Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization is a network of more than 250 colleges and universities and 8,000 students. The Global Chapter of the Year award is given to a club that has demonstrated excellence in developing its organization and leaders and offering a comprehensive and meaningful entrepreneurship experience.

Entrepreneurs Society hosts networking events and business seminars and offers team projects. Events include seminars on personal finances and investing with guest speakers from the University of Michigan Credit Union and Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. Students often collaborate with academic departments and student organizations such as Engineering and Chemistry Club, as well as alumni. Recent projects include collaboration on a sports management program with the National Football League and Flint Green, which involved building wind and solar devices for individual homes to reduce power use.

BUSINESS @ UM-FLINT

ALUMNI PROFILE:

RASHAL BAZ ZUREIKAT ’14, BBA

Marketing Alum Discusses Legal Career and Advocacy for Flint By Alexis Menard and Kim Laux Since graduating with an undergraduate degree in marketing (high honors), Rashal Baz Zureikat (’14, BBA) earned a law degree from Loyola, became a labor and employment attorney in Chicago and raised over $1,000,000 for the children at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Although she now lives in Illinois, Baz Zureikat continues to advocate for education, economic development and social justice in the City of Flint. As an undergrad, Rashal Baz Zureikat chose to attend UM-Flint because it was a globally recognized university with a small-town feel, which she found to be “unorthodox and a true rarity.” She grew up in the area and enjoyed Flint’s exceptional community and Cultural Center - the envy of many major cities. Most importantly she chose to continue her education in Flint because it is her home. “My favorite experience at UM-Flint was our access to the start up community,” said Baz Zureikat. “Trendsetters and passionate Flint natives are a dime a dozen. UM-Flint plays a big role in the redevelopment of Flint – a passion that is contagious and fuels innovation. “My SOM professors helped me focus my goals and provided me with options I couldn’t recognize on my own. There are no self-made individuals. We are a byproduct of all those with whom we come in contact, so seek guidance and find one or two good mentors that can help steer you in the right direction. That’s why it’s important to build relationships with your professors. We take them for granted, but they have accumulated a wealth of knowledge and social capital.” Shortly after graduation, Baz Zureikat lost her father to a sudden battle with cancer. During his life, he had been “a savvy business owner” in the restaurant industry. This experience became the turning point in Baz Zureikat’s

BUSINESS @ UM-FLINT

decision to attend law school; she wanted to help others who faced the kinds of legal issues her family encountered. “My father’s decline came suddenly and swiftly,” she explained. “I was immediately faced with hospital administrators and complicated property issues. I considered myself an educated individual, but, at that point, I couldn’t help but feel unequipped to handle the information coming my way. There is an inherent disparity of knowledge between the person sitting behind the desk delivering the news and the receiving party. Law school was my way of bridging the gap.” Baz Zureikat went on to earn a J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and received admission to the Illinois Supreme Court Bar in 2017. She recently began working as a labor and employment attorney at O’Hagan Meyer LLC in Chicago. “I would direct anyone interested in corporate or labor and employment law to my favorite quote by Seneca; “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity,’” said Baz Zureikat. “The environment in which I work is incredibly competitive, and you need to be composed and prepared.” In addition to her legal career, Baz Zureikat started teaching as an adjunct professor within the Business

Law Clinic at Loyola University Chicago School of Law. She also got involved in philanthropic pursuits, which include raising over a million dollars for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

and worked hard to build their “American Dream.” Their legacy instilled a sense of pride in her country, empowerment by her Lebanese heritage and appreciation for the American melting pot of culture.

“Over the years, I’ve learned that life is about perspective,” she said. “Six years ago, my proudest accomplishment was my BBA from UM-Flint. Three years ago, it was about becoming an attorney. To date, one of my greatest accomplishments is actively raising over $1,000,000 for the children of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. None of these achievements could have been realized without pivotal family members, friends, and mentors.” Although Baz Zureikat now lives in Chicago and spends much of her free time travelling the world with her husband, she continues to advocate for Flint and Genesee County. “Flint was built on the automotive industry, but the universities that inhabit it will carry Flint’s future stability and success,” she said. “I’d like to see the continued growth of higher education within Flint. When you pair a wealth of culture with education, it fosters creativity that can be felt worldwide. I want to see a surge of investment capital and professional mentorship directly in the hands of budding entrepreneurs in Genesee County. A heavily addressed topic is the retention issue of educated youth in Michigan. The state is home to some of the best universities in the country, but it does not hold onto the talent it creates. This topic is not a novel one and is slowly getting better in the Metro Detroit area. A financial push directed at investing in young talent will widen the start-up culture in Flint and better the economy as a whole.” In May, Flint made national headlines when Black Lives Matter (BLM) protesters came face-to-face with police. Instead of attempting to break up or counter the peaceful protest, Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson took off his helmet and marched with the protesters. This inspired Baz Zureikat who grew up watching her parents’ involvement incommunity initiatives. As refugees and in migrants, they appreciated the American Constitution

“I live in downtown Chicago and saw the nation and the world’s uproar during the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement,” said Baz Zureikat. “I hoped to use my platform to aid Sheriff Swanson in spreading his message of unity. It showed the world that a simple gesture or act of understanding and listening has a tremendous impact. Sheriff Swanson saved more hardships in Genesee County by standing with the people and representing the people - instead of drawing a line in the sand. This message was the inspiration for my interview and what I hope to be the first of a series of mini-interviews with people who inspire me, challenge me, and teach me. My approach is simple - listen to learn. “As a lawyer, I believe in the legislative process to impact and make change. My professional journey afforded me the position of advising an array of small businesses to Fortune 500s on how to enact and execute policies and procedures that uphold initiatives of equality. I represent and counsel clients in employment law matters including race, age, national origin, sex (discrimination and harassment), disability discrimination and retaliation. “Black lives or any other racial or ethnic equality is not a campaign or a periodic movement; it is a commitment and an obligation every American should have to equality as indicated in the second sentence of the Declaration of Independence. I’m proud of the progress that has been made by the BLM movement and hope to see that continue. Regardless of a person’s opinions or beliefs, it takes leadership to foresee a mission and divert the attention to a positive outcome for all.” The interview can be found on Baz Zureikat’s YouTube Channel. It is called “Walk With Us”- Rashal Zureikat Interview w/ Sheriff Chris Swanson.”

Rashal’s Advice to Students and Alumni Stay grounded, and don’t be afraid to roll up your sleeves. Find one or two good mentors that can steer you in the right direction. Buy someone a coffee every now and again; this can go a long way!

Incorporate community service and volunteer outreach into your daily routine. The best mentorships and friendships are those developed for the greater good. Never forget the people who helped you achieve success, and continue to pay it forward. You could be the missing piece to someone’s future accomplishments.

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SOM ALUMNUS

WINS STATE-WIDE ESSAY COMPETITION Note: To preserve content, this essay has not been edited from its original submission. Good afternoon, My name is Chris Warber and I am 47 years old. I was diagnosed with Bi-Polar Disorder Type I in 1992 at 20 years old between my sophomore and junior year while attending the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. I had a major type I manic episode while in an engineering building and was taken by ambulance to the Ann Arbor hospital. After two hospital stays and a year off, I went back to Michigan to finish my engineering degree.

SOM alumnus Chris Warber (MSA, ‘18; MBA, ‘17; BBA, ‘11) was recently selected as the first-place winner of the Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service (MPAS) Ernie Reynolds Essay Contest. The intent of the competition was to recognize individuals who have successfully advocated for themselves or others with disabilities. Warber received a monetary prize of $300 and was honored at a special luncheon prior to the MPAS Board of Directors meeting in February.

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If I could say anything about mental illness, I would say that medication adherence is the number one predictor of success. My mission is to help people with mental illness obtain stability and I spend much of my life pursuing this goal. - Chris Warber

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To learn more about The Depression and Bi-Polar Support Alliance, visit dbsalliance.org or contact Warber at warberchris@ comcast.net.

At 32 I was working at a Barnes and Noble for $7.75/hour working ten hours a week and that was about all I could handle. I then obtained a job at General Motors as an engineer in Flint. After a year I was laid off and jobless. My parents were pressing me to do something with my life and they agreed to help me finish a second bachelor’s degree in accounting at U of M Flint. Upon graduating I obtained a job at The Disability Network in Flint. I also started attending The Depression and Bi-Polar Support Alliance in Grand Blanc. DBSA is a national organization with the tag line “we’ve been there, we can help”. It is a peer led support group led by and created for peers. After attending this group for about a year I decided that I was going to start a group in Flint at The Disability Network. This group was formed on September 11th, 2013 and has been running ever since. I can honestly say that I have helped over 150 individuals from the surrounding areas and some people come from as far as an hour away. I have a great temperament for this peer led support group and I honestly believe that I can help everyone who walks through the door. In 2016, I decided to go to graduate school. I was pursuing a double graduate degree for a master’s in business and a master’s in accounting. I had a full-time job at The Disability Network, was pursuing two master’s degrees and was running my support group bi-weekly. While I was in graduate school, I decided to compete in the prestigious Hagerman business pitch competition. My idea was to take The Depression and Bi-Polar Support Alliance to the state level and after winning first place in the nonprofit category I took my idea and created the Michigan chapter of The Depression and Bi-Polar Support Alliance. Currently there are less than ten state agencies. Since working for The Disability Network, I have moved on and serve as a financial accountant for a company in Fenton making almost $50,000. I concurrently serve as the president of both DBSA Flint and DBSA Michigan. If I could say anything about mental illness, I would say that medication adherence is the number one predictor of success. My mission is to help people with mental illness obtain stability and I spend much of my life pursuing this goal. Chris Warber 1996 University of Michigan Bachelor of Science in Engineering (Industrial and Operations Engineering) 2011 University of Michigan-Flint Bachelor of Business Administration (Accounting) 2017 University of Michigan-Flint Master of Business Administration (Accounting)

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2018 University of Michigan-Flint Master of Science in Accounting

FACING THE

PANDEMIC

ON THE FRONT LINE

Marcia Yhap-Davson, DNP, MBA, CRNA, graduated from UM-Flint in April 2020 with dual degrees (DNP and MBA). During the COVID-19 outbreak, she volunteered with New York City Health and Hospital Corporation to serve one of the hardest-hit communities affected by the virus.

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Marcia Yhap-Davson, DNP, MBA, CRNA, graduated from UM-Flint in April 2020 with dual degrees: Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in health care management. During the COVID-19 outbreak, she volunteered with New York City Health and Hospital Corporation to serve one of the hardest-hit communities affected by the virus. “I’ve been providing anesthesia services for over 12 years at various facilities in New York City, including multiple Level 1 Trauma Centers,” explained Yhap-Davson. “I administer preoperative evaluations for patients before surgical

COVID-19 has changed the world. Beyond its impact on human health, the pandemic continues to alter the way people do business, learn, and interact with others. The SOM Advisory Board is proud of the students, alumni and faculty who are stepping up to help others and offers encouragement to new graduates entering the workforce at a time of such uncertainty.

procedures as anesthesia providers are considered ‘the gatekeepers’ because we either clear or cancel procedures if it is deemed unsafe for the patients. “I am currently doing locums work for my own company, Seamless Systems Inc., where I do contract work at facilities in need of anesthesia services such as hospitals and surgery centers. At the time COVID-19 reared its ugly head, I was covering three hospitals. When COVID-19 started spiking, I just dove in ‘foot-first’ to become a COVID-19 volunteer with New York City Health and Hospital Corporation, serving the hardest-hit areas with multiple healthcare, economic, racial disparities, and the highest loss of life in the nation.” As a UM-Flint student, Yhap-Davson participated in the 2019 China Study Abroad trip and excelled in her studies which earned her the award, Most Outstanding MBA Student.

Marcia Yhap-Davson with SOM Dean, Scott D. Johnson.

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SUPPORTING THE FRONT LINE

When their small business, Oh, Hello Co. Paper & Gifts in Grand Rapids, was ordered to (temporarily) close in the spring, owners Alex (BBA, ‘14) and Kayla (BA, ‘13) Benda faced a number of personal and business-related uncertainties. Rather than dwell on the what-ifs, they decided to help those working on the front line. They designed, manufactured and donated over 100,000 ear savers to health professionals across the country. These tiny acrylic anchors (created by the store’s laser cutter) connect to an elastic band and help relieve stress on ears caused by continuous mask wear. They are sharing files of their design for free on their company website (ohhelloco.com). “The idea came from seeing others who were making a similar product at the start of COVID-19 but had inherent issues in design,” explained Benda. “They took too long to produce, were uncomfortable, and, at best, were a stop gap until something better designed was available.

Alex (BBA, ‘14) and Kayla Benda (BA, ‘13) , co-owners of Oh, Hello Co. Paper & Gifts and Oh, Hello Branding Group, designed, manufactured, and donated over 100,000 ear savers at the start of the pandemic. To visit Oh, Hello Co. Paper & Gifts (or to support the production of the ear savers), visit ohhelloco.com. More information about the Benda’s marketing and promotional services, Oh, Hello Branding Group, can be found at ohhellobranding.com.

“We worked with a few nurses on rapidly producing a better design. The idea hit at 8 p.m.; we contacted our neighbors (who were nurses) to come over, and we quickly made eight revisions until we landed on this design. By midnight they were live on our site after a full photoshoot in our studio. By 8 p.m. the next day, we had already mailed over 3,000.” Since then, the Bendas have mailed over 100,000 ear savers. They have received countless messages of gratitude for both the design of their product and their generosity. Unfortunately, they had to halt production due to their laser “exploding” after creating so many but plan to make more once the machinery has been repaired.

These tiny acrylic anchors (created by the store’s laser cutter) connect to an elastic band and help relieve stress on ears caused by continuous mask wear. The Bendas are sharing files of their design for free on their company website (ohhelloco.com).

BUSINESS @ UM-FLINT

SOM Advisory Board offers recent graduates words of advice as they begin their careers in the midst of a global pandemic.

ADVICE FROM THE SOM ADVISORY BOARD/ALUMNI

yourself on your “ Congratulate you are considering graduate school or a certification, do it now if accomplishment! You have achieved “ Ifpossible. Also, take a job in the sector you are trained for, even if it is not

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- Sheryl Stephens, CEO, Stephens Wealth Management Group the COVID-19 pandemic there is potential for job opportunities as “With many currently employed are considering retiring at this time. Continue to apply and interview, practice makes perfect. An entry level job can add skills towards one’s dream job. Be persistent and enjoy the journey.

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- Linda Leach, Chief Financial Officer, Genesee Ceramic Tile

“Students, keep plugging away. While things are difficult, this is a time in

your life you will always remember. Set yourself apart and be willing to do whatever it takes. Be ready for change, be helpful, we will get through this. - Jim Carney, Flint Community President, Chemical Bank

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“ If students are graduating now, my advice would be to continue your “

education (e.g. MBA, Ph.D., or take additional classes).

a major milestone and you should be very proud! Be open-minded in your job search. Take a second look at opportunities that you may not have considered in a better economic climate. Many top executives ‘earned their stripes’ by starting their career at the bottom rungs of the corporate ladder which gave them perspective and insight into how a business works. Colleagues respect fellow employees who have climbed the ladder through their own performance. Consider relocating if you find a good opportunity in a different geographic locale. This poor economic climate will pass and our economy will recover! College graduates earning their degrees during the Great Recession attained success in the workforce and so will you. Positions will re-open and Baby Boomers are now retiring at historic levels.

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the exact job you want. You can learn a lot. Consider what type of career can carry you through disruptions and downturns. Will the career you have chosen be a good choice for the future? Is it sustainable? Know that tech is changing everything. If you are an entrepreneur, pay attention to the lessons during times like these, like having too much leverage. Having a solid balance sheet and a rainy-day fund is critical. Be able to pivot and take advantage of opportunities. These are the times where you learn the most.

- Teri Irland Munley, Senior Vice President (retired), Bank of America

- Rick Tromble, Entrepreneur/CEO, Tromble Bay Farms

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IMP

WHAT IS IT? WHY I Q: What is implicit bias? How is it different from unconscious bias? How does it affect decision making? A: I first learned about implicit bias through the research coming from the implicit associations test at Harvard. Unconscious bias was a phrase I learned later working in higher ed and seemed to be more popular among consultants and trainers as opposed to researchers, but what I learned was that the terms are essentially interchangeable. I’ve heard some people express preference for using “implicit” because it leaves room for biases that people become conscious of, but it’s not the most meaningful distinction to me. Unconscious bias impacts our decision making in particular when we’re making quick decisions and don’t have a ton of information. Slowing down our thinking allows us to use a different part of our brains and practice more conscious awareness. Further, having more information combats some of the problematic generalizations or stereotypes that we may have unconsciously absorbed.

Q & A WITH DAVID J. LUKE, PH.D In July, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed an order requiring health professionals in Michigan to undergo implicit bias training to help reduce racial and other disparities in the delivery of medical services. In this Q&A, David J. Luke, Ph.D., the director of the UM-Flint Intercultural Center and interim campus diversity officer (who also has a background in accounting), explains implicit bias and why this kind of training is not only important in health care but across all industries.

Q: People often like to believe they are open minded and have no bias(es). How might someone recognize their bias? A: People often think they have no biases, largely because of stigma around the word “bias.” What people may be thinking of is conscious biases; so saying they have no bias is saying, “I don’t consciously believe Group A is inherently better than Group B.” What I would say to that person is that it’s very likely that they’ve developed some unconscious biases that they are not aware of. This is because our brain is constantly making connections between concepts or objects and values. Our brains look for shortcuts to understand complex situations, and they make these connections all the time. So if we’ve ever watched a crime drama, for example, we likely saw a person of color depicted as a criminal. That created an association or connection in our mind. If we don’t have much other information about people of color, that association may impact our behavior in a way that runs contrary to our conscious beliefs. While research on the link between unconscious bias and discriminatory behavior on the individual level is contested, the presence of high levels of implicit bias across a population are associated with higher levels of biased behavior. To encourage people to learn about implicit bias, I recommend taking a few implicit associations tests and reading some of the research on implicit bias. Of course, before telling people to take the test, I typically engage in a lengthier conversation about what the test results actually mean as they are more of a reflection of what sorts of prevalent cultural messages we are absorbing at an unconscious level. This way, when they

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PLICIT BIAS TRAINING:

IS IT NECESSARY?

take tests that show they have preference for European Americans over African Americans, heterosexuals over homosexuals, thin people over heavier people, etc., they recognize these prevalent biases not as personal moral failings but as reflections of racist, homophobic, and sizeist messages they’ve unconsiously absorbed. Q: Governor Whitmer recently mandated that medical professionals seek implicit bias training. What are your feelings about the new requirement? How can business owners provide this type of training to their employees? A: Governor Whitmer’s mandate is an important step. We know from research that simply being aware that we have unconscious bias and trying not to be biased actually helps. Certainly medical professionals have some biases, conscious and unconscious, that present in problematic ways. We have seen research that medical school students perceived skin with darker pigmentation to feel less pain, for example. And we know there are real consequences to this, from stories of Black people with COVID-19 being turned away and their symptoms dismissed, to the infant mortality rates and maternal mortality rates for Black babies and mothers, respectively. If medical professionals enter their careers aspiring to help others, then discovering unconscious bias as one factor inhibiting how they care for a population would likely motivate them to address it. Similarly, any workplace would benefit from reducing unconscious bias as a whole. A way that unconscious bias often manifests, discussed frequently in higher education is through microaggressions. Microaggressions are basically environmental or verbal indignities toward a group which are often unintentional. There is a body of research showing the harmful cumulative impact of microaggressions, but even a single microaggression causes harm, understandably, to its target. To improve employee satisfaction and retention, all organizations and workplaces would benefit from this.

David J. Luke, Ph.D. Phone: 810.762.3045 Email: djluke@umich.edu

David J. Luke graduated from Grand Valley State University with dual degrees in sociology and accounting. He achieved CPA licensure and worked at an accounting firm until returning to school to learn more about race and inequities in organizations. After completing a dissertation in sociology, he earned his Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky. Luke has presented his research at numerous regional and national conferences and authored/co-authored a number of scholarly articles and a book, The Causes of Structural Unemployment. Beyond academic research and classroom instruction, Luke takes great joy in applying his knowledge to providing programming, student support, and other efforts to increase the sense of belonging among people of color and other marginalized students, faculty, and staff, and is grateful for the opportunity to do this work as part of the UM-Flint family.

While I personally have not delivered these types of workshops outside of the university at this time, I am open to working with other organizations in these areas. Additionally, there are a number of consultants engaged in this work as well.

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Celebrating SOM’s

Veteran/Military-Connected Community By Bill Barker, Robert Gold, Lindsay Knake, Kim Laux, and Alexis Menard As local businesses, nonprofits, and other organizations continue to emerge and grow, the demand for quality education and professional development opportunities is stronger than ever. The School of Management recognizes the personal experience and leadership skills veterans (and other military-connected students) bring to the table. “Veteran students (and those with military connections) offer a unique blend of leadership skills, real world experience, and character; these are the same qualities that lead to successful careers in business,” said Scott Johnson, Ph.D., dean of the School of Management. “Their contributions are a valuable part of classroom discussion, and they often seek opportunities to engage with their classmates and the community through campus organizations and other local initiatives. We are proud of our veteran students and alumni and grateful for their service.”

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UM-Flint Achieves Gold Level “Veteran-Friendly” Status For the fifth consecutive year, the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) recognized UM-Flint as a Gold Level, Veteran-Friendly School. This honor reflects the University’s commitment to supporting the needs of veterans and military-connected students. According to the MVAA website, UM-Flint serves a veteran population of 247. Roughly half are active students in the School of Management. In addition to veterans, other military-connected students include active-duty service members, members of the Reserve or National Guard, and family members who are using benefits derived from a family member’s military service. “We are proud to maintain our gold-level ranking since 2015, and strive to maintain the high level of service that we provide to those who have already served our country,” said Helen Budd, program manager of the UM-Flint Student Veterans Resource Center. “It’s our turn to give them the hand-up that they have earned through their selfless service.” The distinction between gold, silver and bronze level rankings is determined by the following criteria: Established process for identification of current student veterans Veteran-specific website Active student veteran organization or club Veteran-specific career services, resources, advising, and/or outcome monitoring On-campus veterans’ coordinator and/or designated staff point of contact System to evaluate and award academic credit based on prior military training and experience Monitoring and evaluation of student veteran academic retention, progress, and graduation rates “This ranking gives UM-Flint credibility and recognition for the services and support that veterans and service members seek when they are deciding upon their academic and career goals in the civilian sector,” explained Budd, “For UM-Flint, it means that the State of Michigan supports and recognizes our efforts at the highest level. Potential students have the reassurance that the university is recognized for its services and support.” US Veterans Magazine also listed UM-Flint as one of their Top Veteran-Friendly Schools. The list was compiled from market research, independent research, diversity conference participation, and survey responses. A complete list is available at usveteransmagazine.com.

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Valiant Veterans Scholarship In March, UM-Flint announced the Valiant Veterans Scholarship, a new scholarship for veterans in the Greater Flint area who are pursuing their first bachelor’s degree. This scholarship covers the costs of up to four consecutive, full academic years of tuition and mandatory fees at the in-state rate, or until degree completion, whichever comes first. Eligible applicants must be newly-admitted undergraduate students who were honorably discharged or received a general discharge under honorable conditions from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, or their reserve component. The scholarship is also open to a member in good standing in the Michigan Army or Air National Guard. “Making a UM-Flint education accessible to anyone is a top priority for us,” said Kristi N. Hottenstein, UM-Flint Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management. “The chance to reward and recognize our local veterans for service to our country, and provide a path to earn a Michigan degree, is a win-win situation.” The Valiant Veteran Scholarship is available for fall, winter, spring, and summer semesters, though courses must be applicable to the student’s program of study. The number of scholarships offered each year will depend on available funding and the number of qualified applicants. One unique requirement of scholarship recipients is their commitment to fulfill at least one “engagement activity” on campus, which may consist of serving as a guest lecturer, mentor, or participation in a recruitment event. “The University of Michigan-Flint is consistently recognized as one of the most veteran-friendly institutions in our region,” said Budd. “Whether through a scholarship program like Valiant Veterans or benefits like the GI Bill, we want to make sure that any eligible veteran is able to attend UM-Flint regardless of financial situation.” Budd recommends that veterans interested in a college degree discuss utilizing tuition assistance with an education services officer before deciding where and when to enroll.

VALIANT VETERANS

SCHOLARSHIP The Valiant Veterans Scholarship covers the costs of up to four consecutive, full academic years of tuition and mandatory fees at the in-state rate, or until degree completion, whichever comes first. For more information, visit www.umflint.edu/finaid/scholarships.

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What Am I Going To Do Next? Before his family moved to Virginia, Milford Smith lived in Sierra Leone located in West Africa. He grew up playing American football and soccer and attended a private college in Virginia prior to enlisting in the Army. “After deciding I didn’t like college, I went back home and faced the question - what am I going to do next?,” explained Smith, a junior majoring in general business. “So I decided to enlist… I left for basic training in October 2010, then went through advanced individual training to become a mechanic. I worked on vehicles and was cross-trained to work on tanks.” Smith spent the next six years of his military career moving from South Carolina to Kansas to Germany to Georgia. He started taking courses in his spare time after work. Toward the end of his contract, he recognized his lack of motivation and decided not to reenlist. Instead, he was determined to complete his degree.

Milford Smith served in the Army. He is a junior majoring in general business who plans to start a non-profit organization, Chukwu Foundation, Inc, to introduce American football to youth in Sierra Leone and offer opportunities for coaching/playing.

“I’ll miss the camaraderie; I was really fond of my battle buddies,” reminisced Smith. “But I was ready to move on.” Smith became a member of Student Government, participated in the Block Club, and played soccer since transferring to UM-Flint. The knowledge he’s acquired and the contacts he’s made have been valuable as he began laying the groundwork for a non-profit organization, Chukwu Foundation, Inc.This organization will introduce American football to youth in Sierra Leone and offer opportunities for coaching/playing. “Over the years, I’ve seen how much easier life was for me than for my family back in West Africa,” said Smith. “Since high school, it’s been a dream of mine to go back home and coach football. There’s interest among the youth but there aren’t many opportunities or resources for them to participate.... I’d also like to help them find ways to work/attend school abroad. Through the military and my education, I’ve been able to experience so much of what the world has to offer. I want others to have the same opportunities.”

Milford Smith is greeted by his daughters, Toria and Tashya, after returning home from Germany.

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Flying through School Veronica Hindelang (BBA, ‘20) isn’t your typical college student. As an incoming freshman, she was determined to complete both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in less than four years - while serving in the Air Force ROTC (AFROTC). She is now in her final year of training and semesters away from her MBA. “I chose the Air Force as I was most familiar with the branch,” said Hindelang, whose father served in the Air Force for 22 years. “As I enter into my final year of Air Force ROTC, I can confidently say that the entire experience has been challenging but ultimately, rewarding. I’ve grown considerably in my work ethic and organizational abilities. “AFROTC teaches you a lot about integrity, persistence, and accountability among other leadership skills, as well as how to appropriately exercise them. Through various encampments and training opportunities, I’ve had the privilege to work alongside the most humble and empowering individuals, and I consider those encounters to have been the most valuable learning experiences... The Air Force constantly advances and adapts to evolving needs, and it’s an interesting and insightful process to be a part of as a college student. There are so many factions within an entity as massive as the military, and I’m excited to see where my involvement takes me.” While Hindelang gained insightful experience from ROTC, she credits her advisors for helping her fast track her degree in a way that allowed her to be successful. “I am extremely grateful for my academic advisor, Brenda Harrison Ph.D., as well as the advisors and tutors in the Student Success Center for helping me stay on track,” said Hindelang. “The way I laid out my studies allowed me to maximize my scholarship funds and achieve my

BUSINESS @ UM-FLINT

Veronica Hindelang (BBA, ‘20) served in the Air Force ROTC (AFROTC) while completing her undergraduate degree. She is now in her final year of training and semesters away from her MBA.

personal and professional aspirations in higher education before my commission date. “Military officers are expected to continue their pursuit in higher education throughout their careers so it only made sense for me to explore the option I was presented with. I saw an unsurpassable opportunity for myself at UM-Flint and decided to take full advantage of it. The instruction and support at the university are great amenities, and I’m confident in the value of my program for my career.” Joining the military is a selfless act for your country and Hindelang wants those interested in enlisting to know that education is important for every rank in the military. “You never stop learning,” she said. “Reaching out to people and learning together can teach you a lot about others and yourself.”

Open Mind, Connected Heart After graduating from Grand Blanc High School, Erik Johnson contemplated joining the Coast Guard as a search and rescue diver. He put this idea on hold due to concerns about taking the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) - the multiple-choice test used to determine potential success in the military. A few years later, Johnson faced his fears and enlisted in the Navy. “I was poor, tired of eating Ramen noodles and wanted a goal for my future,” said Johnson. “So I enlisted. My goal was to be a seabee (a generic construction worker) and enter the dive program. The Navy saw fit for me to become a corpsman and later a combat medic.” Johnson went to Chicago for boot camp, where he learned the basics of military knowledge, traditions and structure. Next, he went to Corpsman School to study basic anatomy, and clinical and emergency medicine before moving on to Field Medical Service School (FMSS) where he went through a mini Marine Corp boot camp. There he learned about navigating terrain with a compass, combat tactics and how not to sleep for three days straight. He was also trained extensively on emergency and combat medicine.

“My primary function was a combat medic,” said Johnson. “I was attached to two Marine units where I was in charge of supplies and small Marine units. I took care of their health and made sure all were ready for deployment at any time. On both occasions where I was deployed, I was the basic emergency medicine trainer for Marine to Marine care and redeployment mental health concerns. I carried over my supply Petty Officer (PO) status and on one deployment was in charge of the ambulance maintenance and care. After six years of service and two deployments to Iraq, I left the military as an HM3, Hospitalman Petty Officer 3rd class.” Ready for a change, Johnson decided to enroll in business courses at UM-Flint. His initial focus was international business but decided to add a second major in organizational behavior and human resource management after learning more about it. “After adding my second major, I was invited to a SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) meeting,” said Johnson. “It was at that meeting that I discovered how much I missed the camaraderie of working at a team. Not only did I enjoy the conversation and interaction but also the conflicts and resolutions.”

Erik Johnson left for an 8-month deployment when his son was only 2-3 months old. This photo shows him meeting his son after returning.

Erik Johnson served in the Navy prior to attending UM-Flint to double major in international business and organizational behavior and human resource management. In addition to SHRM, Johnson is an active member of the Student Veterans Association. He plans to use his degree to establish a career in human resources helping other veterans. “I’ve enjoyed the short time that I’ve been with the VA,” said Johnson. “ Laying wreaths at the cemetery and being a support pillar to other vets is just the beginning of the good deeds and positive reinforcement that make this group a great team… Eventually, I’d like to find a career in HR, hopefully with the federal government - specifically the Veterans Association. I’d enjoy having the opportunity to pay it forward. “Being in the military allowed me to not worry so much about decisions, as most were made for me. What I was able to focus on was the quality of my work and benefits of success. It also provided me with worldly experience. The interaction within a vast sea of culture, beliefs and morals has allowed me to be open minded. The impact on college as it relates to the military has been a form of self pride and motivation.”

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Using Entrepreneurial Think Commercialization Needs Michael Beahon (BBA, ‘15) joined the Marines in 2005, immediately following the highest point of conflict in Fallujah during the Iraq War. After basic training, he served as a combat engineer during multiple tours to Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2009, while boarding a plane from Camp Leatherneck/Bastion to Kyrgyzstan, Beahon’s body went numb and he fell from the tail of a C130 aircraft. He spent the next six months undergoing tests and therapy for seizures and other neurological issues, joint pain, partial deafness, and PTSD. “Due to my injuries, I was assigned the duties of a Battalion S3 training NCO, which meant overseeing the combat readiness of units that weren’t deployed,” said Beahon. “While developing my training program, I started using algorithms in Excel to track who was due for their annual training. My strategy ended up being replicated at the regimental and divisional levels; roughly 20,000 Marines were exposed to my training program.” Recognizing Beahon’s innovative approach to his tasks, the S3 chief, GySgt Joel Ramsey, encouraged him to take college classes in his free time. Ramsey gave him a book, The 10-Day MBA. Beahon was most intrigued by the chapter on marketing. He was able to apply this knowledge when he returned to the Flint area in 2011 to help his cousin run his business after he was honorably discharged from the military. “I ended up overseeing some stores in the Flint area, but I knew that wasn’t going to be my lifelong plan,” said Beahon. “I decided to enroll at UM-Flint. Right away, I found the staff to be much more accommodating than what I had encountered in other places, and the Veteran Resource Center helped me get situated. “It was the people at UM-Flint that made it worth spending time there. Three of my professors were especially influential during my education. My small group communication professor, Tony McGill, was patient with me as I transitioned back into school. I was impressed by how he found ways to make things happen. Professor Dan Lake helped me understand the value of general education. It’s not enough to just have a business edge. You need to be more well-rounded, to have a better understanding of the playing field. And finally, Professor Yener Kandogan gave me greater insight into international business. I found the Zoom lecture he did last spring to be valuable to me as an alumnus and an entrepreneur.”

BUSINESS @ UM-FLINT

king to Satisfy Tech Over the years, Beahon has been a part of several business initiatives - many with connections to or implications for the military. He ran Headhunting for Veterans (HH4V), a networking website and business that links veterans to jobs, resources, and networks to help them navigate civilian life. With the help of graphic designer, Nick Randall, he created VetCards, postcard-sized resumes that turned lengthy veteran resumes into succinct baseball style cards that “highlighted a 30,000’ view of their experience.” “Every veteran that used a VetCard was interviewed and hired relatively quickly compared to their peers,” said Beahon. “It was not feasible to keep doing these in one offs though, so the project was shelved. However, I’ve been engaged by the Navy to talk about developing VetCards as a tool that they would provide to transitioning service members.”

Michael Beahon (BBA, ‘15) provides security for Navy Seabees, “culvert capping” so that the Mujahideen (Western Al-Anbar Province, Iraq) were unable to place IEDs under overpasses.

Michael Beahon with General David Petraeus, former director of the CIA. The Veteran Resource Center ensured student veterans had the opportunity to be included in the event.

Beahon’s entrepreneurial thinking has also led to projects involving data science/ management and tech commercialization. After discovering there was no centralized place to quickly decode VINs for OEMs, he co-founded Vin Decoder. He estimates roughly 45,000 independent used car dealerships could benefit from instant results rather than relying on the current six-hour process. Beahon has also been collaborating with Future Additive Manufacturing Aerospace (FAMAero) in Frankenmuth. The company houses the world’s largest production metal 3D printer. Beahon believes such a resource offers potential in the areas of tech commercialization and defense innovation as prototypes could be created much quicker with less risk to national security. “For decades, there’s been a lot of time, talent and money dedicated to research and development, but these great ideas often end up sitting on shelves,” explained Beahon. “What’s missing are businesses and professionals who can take them to market who can estimate a product’s technology readiness level and prepare them for commercialization. There’s a strong need for this, and a lot of work to be done.”

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SOM Graduate Receives Prestigious Women in Defense Award As Alexandria Thompson (BBA, ‘19), a veteran of the US Air Force, was finishing the final semester of her undergraduate degree, she learned she was the recipient of the distinguished HORIZONS scholarship awarded by the Michigan chapter of the Women in Defense. She received her award at the 11th Annual Women in Defense gala last November in Rochester. “It was an incredibly special night because I got to bring my mom as my date,” said Thompson, who graduated with honors from the supply chain management program in December. “My mom is a US Air Force veteran with ten years of active duty service. Being able to celebrate women who are often underrepresented in their defense and military careers, alongside my mom, was an absolute dream.”

Alexandria Thompson (BBA, ‘19), a veteran of the US Air Force, received the distinguished HORIZONS scholarship awarded by the Michigan chapter of the Women in Defense during her final semester at UM-Flint. Also pictured is Carrie Mead (near the American flag), past president of Women in Defense and garrison manager of the US Army Detroit Arsenal. The HORIZONS scholarship is given to encourage women to pursue careers related to national security and defense fields in the United States. While serving, Thompson worked combat supply operations for an F-16 fighter squadron in various countries such as Japan, Jordan, Djibouti, and Singapore. While she enjoyed the opportunity to see the world, Thompson said that the traveling made it difficult to take college classes. After her contract ended, she decided to finish her degree at UM-Flint as it allowed her to pursue her education from “one of Michigan’s top tier schools” without having to move again.

BUSINESS @ UM-FLINT

Thompson said, “The supply chain management major provides a global perspective on business, logistics, and management that promotes the skills and objectives that directly apply to what is required of a civilian to support our military members on the front lines… Courses such as project management, international management, and operations management have taught me abilities in planning and developing strategies outside of national boundaries.” One of the obstacles Thompson had to overcome was getting back into the academic mindset after being out of school for so long. “I struggled in the beginning, especially in math-related subjects,” she said. “I spent every spare minute I had in the math tutor lab getting help.” Mother and daughter, Dee Thompson, U.S. Air Force veteran, and Alexandria Thompson (BBA, ‘19), U.S. Air Force veteran, at the 11th Annual Women in Defense Gala.

Thompson credits her achievements to Larry Nichols, SOM lecturer, for writing her a letter of recommendation for the HORIZONS scholarship. “Professor Nichols is a rare educator that genuinely cares about his students’ success,” said Thompson.

Shortly after graduation, Thompson was promoted to a contract specialist within the Army. This fall she is attending the American Military University to obtain an MBA with concentration in government contracting and acquisition to further her career in the field. “I knew after my military service that I would like to pursue a career within the Department of Defense,” she said. “ I am from a military family where both of my parents, my sister, and myself have all served in the Air Force, so the military has always been quite important to me. I think it’s crucial to have pride in what you do, and the military offers a sense of pride unlike any other.”

The Student Veterans Resource Center

The Student Veterans Resource Center (SVRC) provides academic support by offering services tailored to the unique experiences and needs of student veterans, including, but not limited to, assisting with activating and utilizing GI Bill® benefits. The SVRC also provides space and opportunities for students to study, relax and network. For more info, contact Helen Budd, Program Manager, UM-Flint Student Veterans Resource Center, at (810) 424-5391 or hjbudd@umich.edu.

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December Commencement Speak Hockey’s Disabled Athlete of t Over the summer, Raymond Kusch (BBA, ‘19), student speaker at the UM-Flint graduation ceremony in December (2019), learned that he was the recipient of another prestigious award. He is being honored as USA Hockey’s Disabled Athlete of the Year.

Raymond Kusch (BBA, ‘19) was student speaker at the UM-Flint graduation ceremony in December (2019). He is the founder and CEO of Kinvesting, LLC (formerly Kusch Holdings, LLC), a consulting and investment firm for small businesses, and was recently selected as USA Hockey’s Disabled Athlete of the Year.

“To be honest with you, this might be the accomplishment that I am most proud of in my civilian life, by far,” Kusch said in an interview with Greg Bates from Red Line Editorial (published June 2, 2020). “I’ve seen the impact that I’ve had on other disabled people, even able-bodied people, by me going out there and doing it… It’s rewarding, and it’s purposeful, which are things that I value a lot. I can’t put my finger on it, but when I got the call to say that I’d won this award, it was huge. In fact, it was more than that, it was life changing.”

As a student, Kusch played for UM-Flint’s hockey team. He currently plays for the Spirit Warriors Hockey Team and served on their Board of Directors up until graduation. He was chosen to play for Team USA in the 2020 International Disabled Hockey World Cup, but it was postponed due to COVID-19. Kusch served in the US Army from 2007 to 2015, with tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2012, he stepped on a bomb that caused serious injuries, including the loss of his left leg, a traumatic brain injury, and nerve damage. He also experienced post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. He believes that helping other students and being a part of the university community has led to healing and growth. “I have grown immeasurably, personally and professionally in my time here,” he said. “UM-Flint helped me overcome my traumatic brain injury and cope with my PTSD and depression, which ultimately helped me reintegrate into society... It also helped me realize my true calling is to become a professor, which will allow me to continue molding and mentoring young people for as long as my mind and body will allow. Raymond Kusch, a veteran of the Army, played for UM-Flint’s hockey team. He currently plays for the Spirit Warriors Hockey Team and has served on their Board of Directors. He was chosen to play for Team USA in the 2020 International Disabled Hockey World Cup (postponed due to COVID-19).

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ker Named USA the Year “I’ve been accepted to and started a dual-degree graduate program at the University of Notre Dame that will award a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) and a Masters of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) in two years. I am not sure yet if I will go back into industry after this program or go straight into my Ph.D., but I think I will let opportunity help guide that path.” Kusch spent much of his career at UM-Flint mentoring other students. He was heavily involved with the Entrepreneurs Society and used his experience in business and the military to lend advice. He also gave lectures on networking for the School of Management (SOM) and local high schools and spoke at SOM’s Summer Entrepreneurship Institute. Kusch participated with the Student Veterans Resource Center, where he mentored and tutored student veterans. At UM-Flint’s December Commencement Ceremony, Kusch shared his wisdom as the student speaker. He hoped his speech would help others not be afraid to fall and, if/when they do, motivate them back on a journey to success. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree in entrepreneurship and innovation management and was a recipient of the Maize and Blue Distinguished Scholar Award, the highest academic award bestowed upon UM-Flint graduates. “Speaking at graduation was an absolute honor,” said Kusch. ”I could not be more thankful for the opportunity to motivate my fellow classmates at the time, and even more so now with how applicable my speech became as COVID came about.” Kusch’s experiences at UM-Flint helped lead him to other opportunities in his professional life. He has founded and owned multiple businesses, including UMG Events, LLC, and American Professional Gutters. Currently, Raymond is the founder and CEO of Kinvesting, LLC (formerly Kusch Holdings, LLC), a consulting and investment firm for small businesses.

Raymond Kusch (BBA, ‘19) celebrates his UM-Flint degree.

“I recently invested in Fit 20, a company that has the master franchise rights to an international fitness franchise that is working to create a better and healthier life for their customers,” announced Kusch. “Anyone is able to do it but the target demographics would be working professionals and the aging population. The company has significant data that shows it is helping working professionals become more productive and the aging population live more fulfilling lives (such as the ability to travel or play with their grandkids). I am proud to say that with this investment, I have also taken on the title of growth strategy advisor.” Before he graduated, Kusch was honored as the 2019 recipient of the Outstanding Student Award in Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Mark Simon, Ph.D., director of the university’s Hagerman Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, said Kusch has brought “extraordinary value” to the university and its students. “In addition to Raymond’s extraordinary background and academic excellence, he is a pleasure with which to work, demonstrating an easygoing manner, a great sense of humor, remarkable professionalism, and a constant willingness to contribute,” said Simon. “He has truly inspired me.”

Raymond Kusch was selected as the student speaker for the Fall (December) 2019 commencement ceremony.

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REACHING BACK TO

PULL OTHERS AHEAD Nick George is a self-made millionaire who grew up in Flint. The son of a Macedonian immigrant, he started working at a young age at the family-owned Flint’s Original Coney Island and evolved to start (and buy) several businesses across the furniture, real estate, and technology industries. George shares his personal story as well as his motivation to establish an endowed fund, The Nick and Sharon George Success Fund, for students in the School of Management. Eight-year-old Nick George spoke no English when he immigrated to the US from Macedonia. World War II devastated Europe and splintered his family. Men left villages in droves, and most followed each other to an industrial town in America that offered unlimited possibilities. That town was Flint, Michigan, where in the 40s, 50s, and 60s, the possibilities were endless. “When my grandfather came to this country, he did anything and everything for work,” said George. “He and his family started Flint’s Original Coney Island selling hot dogs for a nickel. He saved those nickels and dimes and used them to bring us here to enjoy a new life of prosperity... “What my family lacked in education, they made up for in hard work. We left our horse-drawn plows and shovels for the restaurant business as my family went from Ellis Island to the Flint Coney Island, from digging dirt to scoping chili, from 12-hour days of back-breaking labor in the fields to 12-hour days washing dishes in a restaurant. We had arrived!”

Nick and Sharon George started The Nick and Sharon George Success Fund for undergraduate SOM students who have a 3.0 or higher and demonstrate leadership; preference is given to students who excel in working toward achieving the Career Development Requirement.

George attended McKinley and Flint Southwestern at a time when educators around the world flocked to Flint to study its unique school system. He worked for the Mott Foundation while in school, flipped hot dogs at the Coney Island, then started repairing furniture toward the end of high school. This experience landed him his first full-time job at Flint Home Furnishings. “In the 60s, the furniture company was a ‘buy here/pay here’ business, and someone had to collect on the bad accounts; that was me,” said George. “After a few months I was promoted to store manager. Good title, long hours, demanding work, and the pay was small. Little did I know this experience would teach me a valuable skill that would eventually make me millions of dollars - running a ‘going out of business’ sale. “I also learned that the most important person in furniture manufacturing is the credit manager. This person controls the cash. The president, in most cases, is a figurehead, and often can’t be bothered. The sales manager will sell to everyone, but the credit manager has to approve everyone. Banks are tough on first-time start ups and when the overall economy is struggling, they are even tougher.”

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George had learned early on that surviving was not an option for him; he had to prosper. Not having enough money to start his own business, he went south to Mississippi and the Carolinas where the furniture industry was booming. His goal was to meet smaller furniture manufacturers and get enough credit and inventory to start a wholesale furniture distributing company of his own. “One of those manufacturers was Jim Muffy, who owned a sofa and chair manufacturing company by the name of People Lounger Furniture in Tupelo, Mississippi,” said George. “When I asked Jim for a $5,000 line of credit, he looked at me and said, ‘Boy, what the hell are you going to do with $5,000? That’s not enough money. I’m going to loan you $50,000 and you better not screw with me.’ This set the stage for the other manufacturers to follow, and follow they did.” George returned to Michigan with over $300,000 in credit. The following year, he sold over 1,300 of Muffy’s recliners and became one of his largest accounts. With his new wealth, George bought a new home and built a distribution center. However, the following decade brought with it high unemployment and interest rates and shattered once successful business models. His customers were going out of business, which often left him one payment away from bankruptcy facing the potential loss of his house and business. While George was driving south on I-75 past Pierson Road, he noticed a billboard for Reigle Funeral Home. The thought hit him. “That’s it. If everyone is dying, you become a mortician. I am going to bury the stores that are going out of business.”

Nick George credits his family as one of the three saving graces along his professional journey.

Over the next 20 years, George and his team traveled the country overseeing 127 “going out of business” sales. His success inspired him to diversify, and he learned to leverage one business so he could purchase another. As the real estate division grew, he formed George Properties, a real estate holding company that does business in California, Colorado, Florida, and Michigan.

In the 80s, George started Enforcement Technology as a parking ticket processing company for cities and universities. As his business faced the challenges of poor handwriting and record keeping, he realized the potential for technology to transform how business was done. The handheld computer (with built-in printer) eventually revolutionized the parking industry. Ticket violations were entered into the device and copies of tickets went directly to the court system and police departments. Enforcement Technology went on to gain international status in parking ticket processing. When George sold the company 25 years later to an Australian investment group, they were doing business in over 750 cities and nine countries. Technology was changing fast. During the 90s, George began exploring the potential of internet and voice response systems. His call center at Enforcement Technology required 25 people to take calls averaging roughly four minutes each so callers could pay over the phone. To make this process more efficient, he created a pay remittance gateway, EZPay Corp, to automate the call center, which reduced payment time by 90% and was available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. By charging a small convenience fee (per transaction), the new company turned millions of dollars each month. In the mid-80s, George bought a bankrupt furniture company from the SBA in Colorado Springs. His strategy was to spend 10% more on advertising while selling his mid to high-end furniture at a 10% lower profit margin than the competition. Over the next 37 years, American Furniture Company underwent over a 900% increase in business “making more by making less.” He also credits the company’s success to its investment in employees, especially the delivery crew.

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“Our delivery crew are the ones invited into our customers’ homes and the last to interact with them; they leave a lasting impression,” George explained. “Initially, the company hired minimum wage employees to deliver and drive. After paying for damaged mail boxes, holes in the drywall, broken doors, and major truck repairs, a light came on. Pay more; get more. I can’t tell you how many letters of satisfaction we now get from customers.” In December of 2019, George and his wife, Sharon George, established an endowed fund, The Nick and Sharon George Success Fund, at the University of Michigan-Flint for undergraduate students pursuing a major offered within the School of Management. To be considered for this fund, students must have a 3.0 or higher and demonstrate leadership in one or more SOM student organizations. Preference is given to students who excel in achieving the Career Development Requirement (CDR) implemented by SOM in Fall 2019. As part of this requirement, students earn points by attending or participating in internships, presentations, workshops, seminars, or online tutorials that will help them attain the eight competencies that the National Association of Colleges and Employers deem necessary for career readiness. These include: critical thinking/problem solving, oral/written communication, teamwork/collaboration, digital technology, leadership, professionalism/work ethic, career management, and global/intercultural fluency. “Business is the backbone of any community, and education and career readiness training is priceless,” said George. “The older I get, the more I recognize the need for this. My mentors taught me so much of what I learned by sharing their experiences, their knowledge, and their contacts. They set me straight when I needed it. “Students need to network and develop relationships with mentors and finance people who will guide them through this jungle. The CDR requires them to do this. That is one of the reasons Sharon and I reached out - to help our next generation of business students excel.” In addition to their generous gifts to UM-Flint, the Georges are supporters of several other local charities and organizations. “I love Flint, and we will support it in any way we can,” said George. “I believe in reaching back to pull others ahead. I work hard at being a giver in my community - not a taker. There’s something magical about giving and doing good things for people; it comes back to you many times over... “There are three saving graces that have pushed me along this exciting journey: 1) the love and support of my wife (for 50 years) 2) the confidence and relationships from my suppliers (that I still enjoy today) 3) the company of my family at my side “If you love what you do, you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” To support The Nick and Sharon George Success Fund or learn more about other giving opportunities, visit leadersandbest.umich.edu/ or contact Melissa Stephens-Farrell at 810.424.5480 or msfarrel@umich.edu.

THE NICK AND SHARON GEORGE SUCCESS FUND SCHOLARSHIP GUIDELINES

1. Eligible applicants will be full or part-time students pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration degree or another business major within the School of Management (SOM). 2. Eligible applicant must have a GPA of 3.0 or greater. 3. Eligible applicant will demonstrate membership and involvement in one of the recognized School of Management student organizations (e.g. Entrepreneurs Society, Financial Management Association, or the Marketing Club). In addition, preference is given to students excelling in achieving the Career Development Requirement (CDR) within the School of Management. Top point earners excel by engaging in career relevant activities, for example, include attending guest speaker presentations, participating in School of Management workshops and tutorials, attending job fairs, joining a student club, and doing an internship. Scholarship awards will not exceed the cost of tuition, books or fees and will be applied directly to the recipient’s student account. Students can apply by visiting www.umflint.edu/finaid/scholarships

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SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS Congratulations to our 2019/2020 scholarship recipients! Gifts were awarded to the following students: BAKER-ROBERSON SCHOLARSHIP Jim Blondin Amber Kosha

MBA SCHOLARSHIP Bishr Al-Dabagh

JAMES AND DESOLINE COKLEY FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP Jazzmin Jackson Helena M. Schutt

OLIVER LAGORE VANVALIN INVESTMENT GROUP SCHOLARSHIP Holly Parker Jay’la Rivers

DIPLOMAT SCHOLARSHIP FUND Jessica Allen Angie Rushlow Danielle Hoffman Stacy Trussell Jinesh John Melody Wendling Stephanie Lopez Baylee Wheeler WALKER E. FESMIRE ACCOUNTING SCHOLARSHIP Jim Blondin Amber Kosha R. & E. FREEMAN NETPLUS MBA SCHOLARSHIP Jerry Eluskie Shirley Cheng Milton Straham Beth Duffy R. & E. FREEMAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT SCHOLARSHIP Page Brown Marybeth Phillips Tristan Lovasz Aric Reed Kaleigh Martin Jay’la Rivers Cheyenne McFarland Alexis Snell Austin McIntosh Fei Teng Taylor Morris GMAT SCHOLARSHIP Katrina Crosson Arrianne Klier Tara Crower Cassie Sadler Michael Jingles Devyn Wylam JESSICA HAGEMEISTER CPA SCHOLARSHIP Jim Blondin

Ryan Hicks

DAVID A. PAGE CPA SCHOLARSHIP Maria Gatica PLANTE MORAN ACCOUNTING SCHOLARSHIP Jim Blondin TIMOTHY PURMAN CPA SCHOLARSHIP Melanie Kless CHARLES ERICKSON RACHOR SCHOLARSHIP Felicia Foster THOMAS P. RYAN & THOMAS P. RYAN, JR. SCHOLARSHIP FUND Page Brown Marybeth Phillips Tristan Lovasz Aric Reed Kaleigh Martin Jay’la Rivers Cheyenne McFarland Alexis Snell Austin McIntosh Fei Teng Taylor Morris ALEJANDRO & EMILIANO SANCHEZ SOM SCHOLARSHIP Holly Parker Jay’la Rivers SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP Robert Burke Bishr Al-Dabagh Kayla Laird Melanie Beaumont

HEITMANN, JOHN & KATHIE FAMILY CONTINUING EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP Andrew Abbo Melanie Kless

SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL EASTERN SCHOLARSHIP Yu Ming Kuo Yu Hsin Chiang Hsiao Hui Lai Hung Hsueh Chu Yun En Lin Ching Hsuan Hsu Tzu Hsuan Liu Shao Chi Hsu Xin Yu Wang Yueh Ting Hsu SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT STUDY ABROAD SCHOLARSHIP Holly Parker Cecelia Munro Jay’la Rivers Jazmyn Norman

PAMELA HERNANDEZ SCHOLARSHIP Melanie Beaumont

DAVID C. TUCKER CPA SCHOLARSHIP Melanie Kless

HAGERMAN SCHOLARS SCHOLARSHIP Kayla Laird Ahmad Alzahabi Alexis Menard Jacob Berg CATHLEEN E. HALE SCHOLARSHIP Angela S. Wang

LINDA AND RANDY LEACH FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP Kayla Laird DR. CATHLEEN L. MILLER CPA ACCOUNTING SCHOLARSHIP Ko-Hsin Chen Austin McKenzie I. DOUGLAS MOON SOM UNDERGRADUATE MERIT SCHOLARSHIP Austin McIntosh

STEPHEN A. WHITENER MERIT + SCHOLARSHIP Andrew A. Abbo Noemi Pineiro Scott R. Berg Amanda Marie Thompson Dayna Alyssa Flowers STEVE WHITENER SCHOLARSHIP FOR INNOVATORS Gabriel Stone Elisabeth Hamilton Carryn White Ashley Hardacre

ALUMNI

RELATIONS The Office of Alumni Relations adds value to the alumni experience through fostering university spirit and managing communications between the University and its graduates. Our programs build leadership, create traditions, support students, and foster connections among our 47,000 alumni. Our office, in collaboration with the University of Michigan Alumni Association, is your tie to the Leaders and Best. Whether you are looking to volunteer, network, or attend an upcoming event, we’d love to hear from you! Visit our webpage at umflint.edu/alumni for the many opportunities provided throughout the year and be sure to update your contact information! Here are other ways to stay connected to SOM and the University of Michigan-Flint:

BE SOCIAL

HIRE THE LEADERS AND BEST

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, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn!

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 information, contact Antonio Riggs, SOM student service coordinator, at (810) 237-6680 or anriggs@umich.edu.

SPREAD THE WORD

TAKE US ALONG FOR THE RIDE

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

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.

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. Contact Annual Giving at annual_giving@ umich.edu, or visit umflint.edu/som and click on the “give online” button in the blue box.

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.

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.

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FACULTY

SPOTLIGHT

John Stephens, Lecturer of Accounting and Finance

“My favorite thing about teaching is seeing my students succeed in their class work and in their careers,” said Stephens. “I like it when a student seems excited about the material he or she is learning and starts to think about it outside of what is being discussed in the classroom.” Stephens regularly teaches Portfolio Theory and Personal Finance courses. He organizes the Portfolio Theory class in a way that allows students to practice theories using a real investment account set up by the dean. “The students get to practice what they are studying in class and see the power and limitations of the tools first hand,” he said. “I think they find this to be very interesting and rewarding in their finance majors… “Something I try to instill in all of my students, no matter the class, is to start investing into their retirement accounts as soon as they leave college or immediately if they are able to. I show them the power of compounding and how easy it is to obtain a large portfolio with small contributions when started right away. If they can only remember one thing, I hope that is it.” In addition to teaching, Stephens is the advisor for the Financial Management Association (FMA). In early March, the organization travelled to the national FMA Student Case Competition in New York where they received top honors. “The students entered a competition that required their use and understanding of finance tools and principles, and the students ended up placing third out of several other schools,” said Stephens. “It was like watching them grow right in front of me. I would have to say that was my proudest moment to date and has motivated me to work more with the club in the future.” Stephens’ involvement with the FMA originated in 1995 when he was teaching at another university. When he started teaching at UM-Flint, he decided to begin a chapter here to help students set themselves apart from other students with business degrees.

“One problem that most students will face coming out of college is that their competition has the same credentials as they do for the entry level jobs they are competing for,” said Stephens. “I believe the best way to compete is to have something more on their resume to help set themselves apart. I believe internships are the Number One way to do that, with student clubs a close second. I found that employers were a lot more interested in talking about those two items than my transcript. “I hope that all students consider this for their own growth regardless of whether it is a requirement or not. I also believe that interaction with other students outside of the classroom makes the college experience much more rich and can lead to lifetime friendships just like it did for me.” Beyond his career in higher education, Stephens has worked as a consultant for a Fortune 100 company and a retail cellular phone company. He has also worked as an internal auditor and in retail management.

“

Something I try to instill in all of my students, no matter the class, is to start investing into their retirement accounts as soon as they leave college or immediately if they are able to. I show them the power of compounding and how easy it is to obtain a large portfolio with small contributions when started right away. If they can only remember one thing, I hope that is it.

“

What John Stephens, DBA, enjoys most about his career in higher education is student success - both in the classroom and beyond. He teaches finance courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels, serves as advisor to the Financial Management Association, and has worked as a consultant and internal auditor for several organizations, including a Fortune 100 company.

“I always try to connect what I learned in school to the real world,” said Stephens. “I think there’s a misconception that school and the real world are two separate things, but I have found that they are intertwined. For example, during a consulting engagement with a Fortune 100 company, the client wanted to set up a bonus program for his employees. After we proposed our recommendation, the client asked us how we would set up a journal entry to record it. I found myself going all the way back to my very first accounting course as a sophomore in college and thinking about debits and credits. You never know when you will use the things you learn.”

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FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION RECEIVES TOP THREE HONORS AT

NATIONAL FINANCE CONFERENCE CASE COMPETITION FMA students highlighted their skills and accomplishments in a Financial Case Competition with 60 other universities from across the country. The deliverables of their case focused on the macroeconomic, quantitative, and qualitative analysis of Peloton, the popular at-home workout equipment that also provides customer support through their app and live-streams. By Alexis Menard In early March, six students from UM-Flint’s Financial Management Association attended the 2020 Finance Leaders’ Conference in New York, New York, for the first time in the history of the organization. The team members who attended were Parker Faubert (finance major); Todd Fridline, vice president of FMA (BBA, ‘20); Hannah Hodgkinson (accounting major); Austin McIntosh, president of FMA (finance major); Ciera Meier, treasurer of FMA (accounting major, minor in criminal justice); and Mustafa Salim, secretary of FMA (economics major, minor in finance). These determined students highlighted their skills and accomplishments in a Financial Case Competition with 60 other universities from across the country. The deliverables of their case focused on the quantitative,

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qualitative, and macroeconomic analysis of Peloton, the popular at-home workout equipment that also provides customer support through their app and live-streams. “Due to this being our first time participating in this event, we did not know what to expect leading up to the event,” said Fridline. “Five of our six members were allowed to compete in this competition, and we divided the work up equally between these five members. We were given five hours to complete our analysis and we utilized this entire time. The deliverable for this portion of the competition was a four-page case report.... It was a tremendous experience for everyone involved.” The students presented their findings to a panel of judges, and, from their hard work, they received Top

Three Honors in this competition. FMA’s faculty advisor, John Stephens, lecturer of accounting and finance, was proud of the students - not only for receiving honors at the competition but also for the initiative they have taken to plan, organize, and arrange funding the trip to New York City. “Not only did the UM-Flint FMA decide to enter the competition, but they also were all very enthusiastic about the competition and their deliverables,” said Stephens. “The analysis was strong, and the students ended up placing third for their analysis of the Peloton Corporation and earning a prize stipend. The other schools in the competition may have come from much larger programs, but our students proved that size does not matter because the principles are the same no matter where you attend college. ” Austin McIntosh, president of FMA, hopes the annual conference will become a routine part of the club and builds upon the success they enjoyed this year. “We would like to continue learning more in-depth aspects of finance and the business world,” said McIntosh. “Previous competitions held at this conference were quiz bowls and case competitions, so if we continue to learn and practice these skill sets, it will set us up for success not only in future conferences but also in our careers.” The conference marks a strong comeback for FMA, who, in recent years, became inactive. During the 19-20 academic year, a group of committed SOM students made it their mission to restart the organization and offer resources to students interested in financial management. They accomplished this through networking, becoming leaders in their classrooms, participating in biweekly meetings, attending guest speaker events, and this year, attending a national conference. “Rebuilding this club and achieving the success as we did at the Finance Leaders’ conference truly shows that the University is excelling in teaching their students in becoming the Leaders and the Best,” said McIntosh. The intensity is up for FMA’s upcoming 2020-2021 academic year as they plan to continue bringing in well-known professionals from the community to educate students on specific industries within the business world, volunteering in the community, travelling to Michigan firms in the finance/ accounting field, hosting fun engaging student events, and attending the 2021 Finance Leaders’ Conference. It will continue to be a learning environment for students interested in accounting and finance, even if it’s not their degree focus.

Six students from UM-Flint’s Financial Management Association attended the 2020 Finance Leaders’ Conference in New York, New York, for the first time in the history of the organization. The team members who attended were (left to right) Mustafa Salim, secretary of FMA (economics major, minor in finance); Parker Faubert (finance major); Ciera Meier, treasurer of FMA (accounting major, minor in criminal justice); Austin McIntosh, president of FMA (finance major) and Todd Fridline, vice president of FMA (BBA, ‘20). Hannah Hodgkinson (accounting major) is not pictured.

More information about the Financial Management Association can be found at clubs.umflint.edu/fma/. Alumni and other professionals interested in speaking to or working with FMA should contact FMA’s faculty advisor, John Stephens, at johstep@umich.edu.

“I think that the program in the School of Management can hold their heads high in the sense that our students are learning how to think and problem solve using the tools that are taught in class,” said Stephens. “I’m proud of this accomplishment, and the club has certainly set a high standard for next year.”

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MAIZE & 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 this year’s School of Management Maize and Blue Award winners! SUMMER/FALL 2019 Raymond C. Kusch Natalie Roland

WINTER 2020 Elisabeth M. Hamilton

BETA GAMMA SIGMA 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 this year’s Beta Gamma Sigma Inductees: Giana Almasri Michelle Chen Don Gorbutt

Elisabeth Hamilton Melanie Kless Raymond Kusch

Salma Mansour Chandra Mouli Pamujula Brad Phillips

Amanda Wildner Marcia Yhap-Davson

FORMER SOM

DEAN REMEMBERED

Richard Fortner, dean emeritus and professor emeritus in the School of Management, passed away on August 22. Originally from Indiana, Fortner earned all of his degrees from Indiana University. He joined the Flint campus in 1980 as dean of the School of Management (SOM). During his tenure as dean, he was instrumental in obtaining accreditation from the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business for the undergraduate program in 1982 and graduate business programs in 1986, and re-accreditation in 1992. He retired from UM-Flint in 1997 and continued to support SOM as well as the Theatre Department on campus.

Fortner was a veteran and served in the Air Force. His many honors include the United States Steel Foundation Fellowship, the Indiana CPA’s Gold Watch Award, and Indiana University Business School’s Senior Rawles Prize. He was awarded the Legion of Merit Richard Fortner, dean by the U.S. Air Force for his performance as senior reservist in the U.S.A.F. Systems emeritus and professor Command Directorate of Contracting and Manufacturing. emeritus in the School of Management, passed Former colleague, Peeth Kartha, David M French professor emeritus and professor emeritus in SOM, shared this remembrance of Fortner: away on August 22. I am shocked and saddened by the passing of Dr. Richard Fortner. I was privileged to know him as a colleague and a great friend for the past several years. Rich joined UM-Flint in the early 80s as the Dean of the School of Management. At that time the School was fairly new and Rich was only the second Dean of the School. He was instrumental in creating a traditional School of Business with various departments within a few years and in securing the coveted AACSB accreditation for the very first time. In fact, SOM was the youngest School to achieve that recognition, and it is an attestation of his leadership and hard work. Almost a workaholic himself, he inspired his faculty to excel in their professional and creative endeavors. He had the ability to diffuse any stressful situation with instant humor. Those of us who knew him as a friend will remember his love for the arts and theater. We will miss him dearly.

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SONJA FEIST-PRICE APPOINTED UM-FLINT PROVOST AND VICE CHANCELLOR FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS By Jen Hogan

Sonja Feist-Price, Ph.D., began her appointment as provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Michigan-Flint on August 1, 2020. Following a nationwide search, the University of Michigan Board of Regents approved Sonja Feist-Price, a professor at the University of Kentucky, as the next provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Michigan-Flint. She began her appointment on August 1, 2020. Chancellor Deba Dutta called Feist-Price a recognized leader on matters of diversity, an accomplished scholar and an experienced higher education administrator. “Dr. Feist-Price is a skillful administrator and scholar with the credentials and experience to lead academic affairs at UM-Flint,” said Dutta. “Her experience as a leader in the areas of higher education and diversity will make a critical difference on our campus as we focus on growing program offerings and enrollment.” A first-generation college graduate, Feist-Price says she shares that experience with many UM-Flint students. “Nelson Mandela said that ‘education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world,’” said Feist-Price. “Serving as the University of Michigan-Flint’s next provost affords me the opportunity to have a direct and profound impact on the lives of students and to help them realize how they might change the world.” Feist-Price currently serves as the vice president for institutional diversity and professor in the Department of Early Childhood, Special Education and Counselor Education in the College of Education at the University of Kentucky. Prior to her current position, she held a number of appointments at Kentucky, including senior assistant provost and assistant provost for faculty affairs and academic ombudsperson.

She directed both the African American Studies and Research Institute and Graduate Studies in Rehabilitation Counseling in the Department of Early Childhood, Special Education & Rehabilitation Counseling. A licensed psychologist, Feist-Price also is a certified rehabilitation counselor, licensed professional clinical counselor, and trained mediator. A faculty member at Kentucky since 1992, Feist-Price came up through the ranks to the level of full professor before moving to administrative roles. An accomplished scholar, her research has centered on such areas as ex-offenders with disabilities in correctional settings, service provisions among veterans with disabilities, and HIV prevention among persons at greatest risk, particularly women and adolescents. She has secured many state and federal grants including several from the National Institutes of Health. Her work is published in top journals and she has presented at prestigious conferences. Feist-Price received a Ph.D. in counseling psychology from the University of Kentucky in 2006, a doctor of rehabilitation degree from Southern Illinois University in 1992, a master of science degree from Southern University in 1990, and her B.S. in psychology from McNeese State University in 1985. “I am excited to work with academic leaders to establish timely pathways to degree completion and assist with creating academic programs that enhance lives and transform communities,” said Feist-Price. “My focus is helping students, faculty, and staff reach their goals and find success.”

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RESEARCH

SPOTLIGHT WHAT DO MANAGERS LOOK FOR IN CANDIDATES FOR INTERNATIONAL ASSIGNMENTS? By Yener Kandogan, Ph.D. Published by Thunderbird International Business Journal

Yener Kandogan, Ph.D.

In this article, Yener Kandogan, Ph.D., associate dean of SOM and professor of international business, examines the role of context and manager characteristics in choosing a candidate for international assignments. While past studies have focused on candidates’ characteristics (biological background, family situation, professional qualifications, international experience, and psychological characteristics), Kandogan’s article analyzes the interplay between these factors along with features of the assignment (duration, destination, and task performed) and characteristics of the manager (biological background, family situation, and international experiences). Kandogan was inspired to investigate this topic after making observations about how the University utilizes the varying background of its faculty and staff in its efforts to recruit international students. “I was sent to a recruitment event in Turkey, my home country, and noticed that the international student recruiters are typically single and often have prior international experience at the time of hiring,” noted Kandogan. “So, this made me think that success in international assignments can be improved if characteristics of the candidate match the features of the assignments. “In my research, I also extended this to the matching characteristics of managers selecting the candidate with those of the candidate. My findings suggest that without matching manager characteristics and assignment features, candidate characteristics are of little importance. We should not just look at the qualifications of the candidates without considering whether they match with the features of the assignment (such as destination). My study also shows that managers will select candidates of similar background. Given that such assignments open doors in a person’s career, we should be mindful of this bias and create opportunities for underrepresented minorities in managerial positions. “Our members of the military are heavily involved in international assignments. The findings of this study suggest that these assignments could be even more successful if these factors are taken into account.”

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GEOSURVEILLANCE, LOCATION PRIVACY, AND PERSONALIZATION By Syagnik Banerjee, Ph.D. Published by Journal of Public Policy & Marketing Most research and laws about privacy relate to user-owned personal data (Social Security number, driver’s license, date of birth...), which can uniquely identify individuals. By that principle, when personal data is recorded by (or exposed to) external entities, individuals have legal recourse.

Syagnik Banerjee, Ph.D.

Much of the (non-personal) data that has recently become increasingly available is location data (also known as meta-data, i.e. data about data). Although this data is mostly owned by businesses, it is accessible to a whole host of intermediaries (device manufacturers, carriers) as well as public forums such as courtrooms, via eDiscovery. “After an individual’s presence in multiple locations is monitored over time, it becomes a unique identifier that can probabilistically predict where a person sleeps at night (since GPS data from a particular device stops from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.), which restaurants they prefer, which clubs they visit,” explained Syagnik Banerjee, Ph.D., associate professor of marketing and an affiliate professor at Michigan Institute of Data Sciences (MIDAS). “While this elicits privacy concerns, unless users reveal location, businesses cannot offer relevant information to users, whether it be local Google search or seeking navigation directions. So protecting location as purely personal data will shut down much consumer demand and reduce economic activity.” Banerjee’s paper on geosurveillance establishes a case for location privacy, which demonstrates user concerns regarding a field of data that is not strictly personal. “Using hypothetical scenarios of telematics (usage based vehicle and health insurance), the research finds how users prefer their data is transformed (or referenced) for corporations to draw inferences and personalize packages for users,” he explained. “It also offers recommendations to regulate the transformation and storage of location data rather than prevent the flow of raw location data.” This paper was inspired by Banerjee’s work experiences with the vehicle-tracking and cellular services industry in India during the early 2000s. He had observed widespread caution worldwide with regard to accepting otherwise convenient location-tracking technologies. In academia, his scholarly interests developed with research on the convenience-intrusion conflict presented by location based advertising. Geosurveillance became an extension of these interests. “Privacy violations are usually embraced for greater security in times of crisis,” said Banerjee. “The practices of location tracking and the general move towards security (over privacy) have become prevalent since the September 11 attacks. In the current era of the COVID-19 pandemic and calls for contact-tracing, we will experience further public efforts to use abundant location data for collective interests. “It’s important to note that even anonymous location data (once traced over time) can reveal user identity via identifying the home address. And seamless public access to this data, aside from facilitating personal misuse, can be used in a courtroom, for tracing religious identity, political affiliation, and presence at a site of protest, or abortioncenters, questioning individual freedom and thought or belief diversity in a democratic civil society. It is important for citizens to be aware of the potential consequences of geosurveillance and how it shapes future public policy.”

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FEAR OF TERRORISM AND INCREASED JOB BURNOUT OVER TIME: EXAMINING THE MEDIATING ROLE OF INSOMNIA AND THE MODERATING ROLE OF WORK SUPPORT By Sharon Toker, Ph.D.; Gregory A. Laurence, Ph.D., and Yitzhak Fried, Ph.D. Published by Journal of Organizational Behavior Since September 11, 2001, there have been a number of studies that looked at the traumatic effects of “singular” terrorist events like the World Trade Center attacks and other high profile incidents.

Gregory A. Laurence, Ph.D.

Gregory Laurence, Ph.D., professor of management, was part of a team that collected data in Israel during the time of the Second Intifada when terrorist attacks were a regular and pervasive part of life. He and his colleagues became interested in how this sort of constant, “low level” exposure to the potential for a terrorist attack impacted people and their work lives and how organizations could mitigate the stresses that people might feel under these circumstances. The assumption being that such conditions of living under the constant threat of a terrorist attack might be something that more and more of us would be living under as time went by. “The findings of the paper at first seem pretty straightforward; fear of terrorism increases insomnia and insomnia is associated with increased job burnout,” said Laurence. “However, high quality relationships with co-workers makes both of these relationships weaker. So, if you have high quality relationships with co-workers, fear of terrorism will be less associated with insomnia and insomnia will be less associated with job burnout.” Most people have a sense of what burnout is; Laurence defines it as “a work-related affective state characterized by emotional exhaustion, physical fatigue, and cognitive weariness.” He believes it’s likely that similar results could be found if people in Japan were asked about fear of earthquakes or, these days, if people anywhere in the world were asked about fear of being infected by COVID-19. “It’s pretty easy to imagine that due to the constant potential of infection that people’s sleep patterns are being disrupted and that as a result they are experiencing job burnout,” he explained. “So, just as in our model, the recommendation we make to businesses is to do everything they can to encourage employees to continue to get to know each other, to support each other, and to maintain and build positive relationships because it is very likely that these efforts can have an impact in terms of reducing the negative effect of fear of potential infection just as they reduce the negative impact of fear of terrorism. “Deployed military members and their families live under the same constant fear/worry that the deployed individual will be wounded or killed while in action. The chances are probably pretty low overall that something will happen, but the chance is always there and it is always real. For the military member, then, having positive relationships with comrades in arms is important, but for family members left behind, developing and maintaining positive relationships with co-workers (in addition to family and friends, of course) can have measurable positive outcomes in terms of work life.”

BUSINESS @ UM-FLINT

ALWAYS TRUST IN OLD FRIENDS? EFFECTS OF RECIPROCITY IN BILATERAL ASSET SPECIFICITY ON TRUST IN INTERNATIONAL B2B PARTNERSHIPS By Yen-Hung Steven Liu, Ph.D.; SeydaDeligonul, Ph.D.; Erin Cavusgil, Ph.D.; JyhShen Chiou, Ph.D. Published by Journal of Business Research Social exchange theory describes human relationships as a series of negotiated exchanges. During interactions with others, we seek our own private gratifications. When the respective rewards are balanced between two individuals, then social exchange and stability is achieved.

Erin Cavusgil, Ph.D.

Erin Cavusgil, Ph.D., professor of marketing, suggests another way of expressing social exchange theory - to think of it in terms of cost-benefit analysis. In lasting relationships, benefits outweigh the costs, therefore, leading to enduring interactions. In the business context, reciprocity and mutual trust drive buyer-seller relationships. Marketplace interactions continue as long as both parties perceive benefits in the ongoing relationship. “In this research, my colleagues and I explore whether relationship duration contributes to trust between business partners,” explained Cavusgil. “We find that relationship duration does not necessarily build trust in buyer-seller relationships. Partners should engage in a variety of processes to strengthen mutual trust. “We suggest that managers should be cognizant that each firm’s expectations in a business relationship evolve over time. To maintain trust in interorganizational relationships, managers should adjust their decisions and activities to align with the dynamic expectations and changing norms in the relationship. They should be cognizant of signals sent by one’s partner and should reciprocate accordingly. “Finally, we contend that benefits from a relationship should not be limited to present outcomes but be valued for their potential from the future undertaking. Overall, in addition to economic rationale, practitioners should recognize the value of reciprocity in bonding with key business stakeholders.” Inconsistent and contradictory findings in the literature led Cavusgil and her colleagues to investigate the role of relationship duration on trust. Additionally, one of her co-authors had useful data to investigate this issue. “In business, partnerships are key to success,” she said. “We have been investigating those factors that contribute to successful partnerships – value-added relationships – in multiple settings. Whether or not relationship duration matters, in the sense that it builds mutual trust and facilitates enduring relationships, is critically important.”

BUSINESS @ UM-FLINT

2019/2020

SCHOLARLY PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS JOURNAL ARTICLES, BOOKS, AND BOOK CHAPTERS Shafiq, A., Ahmed, M. U. & Mahmoodi, F. 2020. Impact of supply chain analytics and customer pressure for ethical conduct on socially responsible practices and performance: An exploratory study. International Journal of Production Economics. Forthcoming. Banerjee, S., Xu, S. & Johnson, S. D. 2020. How does location based marketing affect mobile retail revenues? The complex interplay of delivery tactic, interface mobility and user privacy. Journal of Business Research. Forthcoming. Banerjee, S. & Poddar, A. 2020. Run-of-the-mill or avant garde? Identifying restaurant category positioning and tastemakers from digital geo-location history. Journal of Business Research. Forthcoming.

Gam, Y.K., Kang, M.J., Park, J. & Shin, H. 2020. How inheritance law affects family firm performance: Evidence from a natural experiment. Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, 59, 1-20. Kang, M.J., Kim, Y.H.A. & Chang, J.Y. 2020. Bankers on the board and CEO turnover. Asia-Pacific Journal of Financial Studies, 49, 119-152. Parente, R., Kelley, K. J., Thams, Y. & Alvarado-Vargas, M. 2020. Cross-border mergers and acquisitions: Links between acquiring firm capabilities and resources and target country location. Multinational Business Review. Forthcoming. Knesek, G. & Hemphill, T. 2020. Mental health navigation: A model. Health Promotion International, 35(1), 151-159.

Olenick, J., Blume, B. D. & Ford, J. K. 2020. Advancing training and transfer research through the application of nonlinear dynamics. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology. Forthcoming.

Laurence, G. A., Fried, Y., Yan, W. & Li, J. 2020. Enjoyment of work and driven to work as motivations of job crafting: Evidence from Japan and China. Japanese Psychological Research, 62(1), 1-13.

Buccieri, D., Rajshekhar J. & Cavusgil, E. 2020. International new venture performance: Role of international entrepreneurial culture, ambidextrous innovation, and dynamic marketing capabilities. International Business Review, 29 (2), 101639.

Li, Z., Chen, C. & Jones, K. 2020. Understanding the audit risk. New Accountant. Forthcoming.

Ruey-Jer, B.J., Kim, D. & Cavusgil, E. 2020. Antecedents and outcomes of digital platform risk for international new ventures’ internationalization. Journal of World Business, 55 (1), 1-9. Hemphill, T. 2020. The title insurance industry: Infusing innovation and competition. Business Economics, 54(3), 177181. Hemphill, T. 2020. Autonomous vehicles: U.S. regulatory policy challenges. Technology in Society: An International Journal, 61, 101232. Hemphill, T. 2019. Generic drug competition: The pharmaceutical industry ‘gaming’ controversy. Business and Society Review, 124(4), 467-477. Kandogan, Y. 2020. Using macro cross border trade data to better understand micro-level country of origin effects. Thunderbird International Business Journal, 62(2), 213-226. Kang, M.J., Kim, Y.H.A. & Liao, Q. 2020. Do bankers on the board reduce crash risk? European Financial Management. Forthcoming.

BUSINESS @ UM-FLINT

Li, Z., Chen, C., & Jones, K. 2019. Navigating the waters of educational assistance and related tax credits. Today’s CPA, May/June, 28-32. Li, Z. & Lytvynenko, I. 2020. Thinking of getting a PhD in accounting? Some insights into accounting PhD Programs. Today’s CPA. Forthcoming. Liu, Z. & Liu, R. 2020. CEO horizon problem and characteristics of board of directors and compensation committee. Journal of Corporate Accounting and Finance. Forthcoming. Liu, Z., Zhang, Y., Tuo, L. & Du, R. 2019. Business education of CEO-CFO and annual report readability. Review of Economics & Finance, 17, 16-34. Califf, C.B., Brooks, S. & Longstreet, P. 2020. Human-like and system-like trust in the sharing economy: The role of context and humanness. Technological Forecasting & Social Change, 154(C), 119968. Mehdian, S., Andries, A.M. & Stoica, O. 2020. The impact of board gender diversity on bank performance and risk-taking behavior across Central and Eastern European banks. Journal of East European Management Studies. Forthcoming.

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS Kandogan, Y. 2019. Revealed consumer ethnocentrism and animosity from international trade border effects. Academy of International Business Annual Meeting, Denmark, Copenhagen. Laurence, G. & Brown, G. 2019. The workspace characteristics model: The impact of the physical environment on employees in organizations. Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Boston, MA.

Mehdian, S., Stephens, J. & Bush, P. 2019. An analysis of investors’ reaction to intraday unexpected price movements in major U.S. equity market. Journal of Applied Financial Research. Mehdian, S., Stoica, O. & Rezvanian, R. 2019. The effect of the 2008 global financial crisis on the efficiency of the U.S. large commercial banks. Review of Economic and Business Studies, 12(2), 11-27. Reinstein, A., Miller, C. & Fleming. J. 2020. A more flexible approach to agreed-upon procedures. Journal of Accountancy. Forthcoming. Simon, M., Stanton, S.J., Townsend, J. D. & Kim, J. 2019. A multi-method study of social ties and crowdfunding success: Opening the black box to get the cash inside. Journal of Business Research, 104(C), 206-214. Xu, S. & Cavusgil, E. 2019. Knowledge breadth and knowledge depth development through successful R&D alliance portfolio configuration: An empirical investigation in the pharmaceutical industry. Journal of Business Research, 101, 402-410. White, G. O., Hemphill, T. A., Rajwani, T. & Boddewyn, J. J. 2020. Does context really matter? The influence of deficient legal services on the intensity of political ties in regulatory and legal arenas. Multinational Business Review. Forthcoming. Galang, R. M. N., Lavado, R., White, G. O. & Francisco, J. P. S. 2020. Imposing cooperation: The impact of local institutions on the efficiency of cooperatives in the Philippines. Journal of Asia Business Studies. Forthcoming.

Li, W. 2020. Solution attractor of local search systems: A method to reduce computational complexity of the traveling salesman problem. International Conference on Learning and Intelligent Optimization, Seattle, WA. Li, W. 2019. The solution attractor of local search system. European Conference on Operational Research, Dublin, Ireland. Li, Z. 2019. Do R&D tax credits improve innovation efficiency? Evidence from the 1981 U.S. R&D tax credit. American Accounting Association Midwest Region Meeting. Mehdian, S., Stoica, O. & Diaconasu, D. 2019. Global equity markets reaction to the 2016 United States presidential election. The European Economics and Finance Society, Genoa, Italy. Simon, M. 2020. Zillion solutions: Creating interdisciplinary interest in entrepreneurship. California Entrepreneurship Educators Conference, Online. White, G. O., Chintakananda, A. & Rajwani, T. 2019. Corruption and Formal Contracting with Government Sponsored Financial Institutions: The Role of Political Tie Intensity. Academy of International Business U.S. Northeast Annual Meeting, Newark, NJ. Guldiken O., White, G. O. & Bao, S. 2019. CAGE Distance and Organizational Adaptive Capabilities: Evidence from the Philippines. Southern Management Association Annual Conference, Norfolk, VA. White, G. O., Chintakananda, A. & Rajwani, T. 2019. Corruption and Formal Contracting with Government Sponsored Financial Institutions: The Role of Political Tie Intensity. Academy of International Business Annual Meeting, Denmark, Copenhagen. White, G. O., Hemphill, T. A., Rajwani, T. & Boddewyn, J. J. 2019. Law and order? The Influence of Perceived Legal Voids on Foreign Subsidiary Political Ties. Academy of Internation]al Business Annual Meeting, Denmark, Copenhagen. White, G. O., Guldiken O. & Bao, S. 2019. CAGE Distance and the Intention to Build Adaptive Capabilities: The moderating Roles of Corruption Pervasiveness and Industrial Sector. Academy of International Business Annual Meeting, Denmark, Copenhagen.

BUSINESS @ UM-FLINT

DONOR

Dear friends,

HIGHLIGHTS

We hope you and your family are well and that you and/or your businesses are finding innovative ways to navigate the current climate. So many of you have contributed to the School of Management through gifts of money and or time. We thank you! During these challenging times we need our SOM community to help us assist our students and meet their needs to create the future, talented workforce this community and country needs. You may notice via the report below that SOM’s fundraising effort was negatively impacted by the pandemic. However, we have had much generosity up to and post the start of the epidemic. SOM will award $175,000 in scholarships for this academic year based on prior scholarships established to benefit SOM students. We have unmet need, but we are making steadfast progress. Thanks to recent gifts made by many of you, we are also awarding close to an additional $30,000 in emergency scholarships to students in jeopardy of not completing their degree due to challenges brought on by pandemic. Dean Johnson also utilized dollars from the SOM Excellence Fund to launch a Laptop Loaner Program for students in need of technology for remote learning that is now necessary. So, again much thanks to all of our donors!

Melissa Stephens-Farrell Major Gifts Officer University Advancement

Please keep in mind that all levels of gifts can and do make a difference! Many times we award scholarships of $250-500 that make the difference in keeping a student in school for the semester or helps them pay for books. All gifts add up and impact our students. We are growing the SOM community! However, there is much work to do. If you have not already, I urge you to consider supporting your alma mater. Simply put, we will find a way for you to contribute or engage in a meaningful way, whether that be your time, treasure, or talent. I can be reached via email at msfarrel@umich.edu or at 810-424-5480. Thank you for your consideration and as always—GO BLUE! Melissa Stephens-Farrell PS: You can make a gift through the School of Management website at umflint.edu/som. Click “Give Online” to make your gift.

FUNDRAISING

HIGHLIGHTS

$181,646

TOTAL GIFTS RAISED AND PLEDGES FOR 2019-20

82.4%

STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS

11.4%

STRATEGIC INITIATIVES/ EXCELLENCE FUND

NEW SCHOLARSHIPS: The Nick and Sharon George Success Fund

3.5%

STUDENT PROGRAM SUPPORT

Chancellor Ruth Person Internship Fund

2.7%

FACULTY SUPPORT Total Market Value of the School of Management’s Endowed Gift Funds: 2014

$1,420,516

2015

$3,570,062

2016

$3,489,608

2017

$4,658,142

2018

$4,918,920

2019

$5,297,886

2020

$5,222,891

THE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT would like to thank our donors for their tremendous support during the 2019-2020 academic year (July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020). Executive Level

($15,000-$99,000) Linda & Randy Leach Rick & Michele Tromble Steve Whitener & Theresa Burda

Dean’s Circle

($5,000-$14,999) Carroll Baker & Kimberly Roberson James & Desoline Cokley Cooper Commercial Group LTD Win & Jodie Cooper Jennifer & Andrew Flagel Nick & Sharon George Cathleen Hale Keith & Jeannine Moreland Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Michael Rachor Rachor Family Foundation Sherri Stephens & Daniel Roesner Michael & Marcia Torrey Michael & Theresa Witt

Partner Level

($1,000-$4,999) Stephen Bolerjack & Susan Gasparian Michael & Laura Burke CMS Energy Corporation Consumers Energy Foundation William & Victoria Crittenden John Emmendorfer David & Diana Gibbons Paul Heitmann Marcus & Suzanna Holzer Jimmy Krause Cathleen L. Miller David Page Plante Moran

Supporting Level

($500-$999) Francine Cullari & Jose Sanchez Kathy Elsworth Ruth Person Jeffrey & Beth Sabolish

Contributing Level

($100-$499) Richard & Kathleen Bacha Keith Barkiewicz Robert & Catrina Beauchamp Brian Blume Joyce & Ronald Burrell Anthony Caldwell Laura & Mark Chall Louis Ciccone Michael & Jessica Delaney DTE Energy Foundation Employee Matching Fund of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan David Fairman Melissa Furey Mark Govaere David Greiner & Robin Walter Scott & Mary Johnson Kim & Terese Knag Connie & Matthew Kramer Elizabeth & Steven Kramer Robert Laviolette Heidi Lund Anthony Macksoud Lisa & Richard Maiz John & Patricia Marquardt Heidi Myers Theodore & Genevieve Nelson Patrick & Mary Ouellette Jerry & Bernadine Ponder Robert Ringler Maria & Raymond Scott Stephen & Maribeth Shaheen Michael & Bernice Shegos Elizabeth & Mark Smith Melissa Stephens-Farrell & Edward Farrell Stork & Co. CPA PC Robert Stork Stephen & Loretta Stubleski Mary & John Sullivan Jenn & Charles Swank Anna Swartz Andrew & Diane Toth Barry & Denise Trantham Michael & Amy Weber Linda White-Macksoud Dorothy Wright Russell & Kathryn Yurk

Donor Level

($1-$99) Matthew & Jessica Bohlen Sharon & David Case Steven & Sherry Charland Nancy & Raymond Collins Andrea Danescu John & Pam Doughty Charles Gearing Michael & Nancy Glover Carl Gretzinger Alfonso Hampton Mark Hopkins Mary Jarvis Brad Mikus Jennifer Milliken Jashell Mithcell Diane Parker Glenn & Nithya Robertelli Kathleen Sheehy Dick & Pat Utley Richard Walker Edward Walterhouse Alan Wilson Jed & Paula Winters

BUSINESS @ UM-FLINT

University of Michigan-Flint School of Management 2221 Riverfront Center 303 E. Kearsley St. Flint, MI 48502-1950 (810) 762-3160 umflint.edu/som

SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT ADVISORY BOARD BRIAN BLUME Professor, Interim Associate Director of the Hagerman Center UM-Flint MICHAEL J. BURKE, JR. President Lakestone Bank & Trust BRITAIN BUTCHER Director of Ecommerce Coffee Beanery JIM CARNEY Flint Community President Chemical Bank WIN COOPER (BOARD PRESIDENT) President Cooper Commercial Group, Ltd TERESA IRLAND MUNLEY Senior Vice President (retired) Bank of America

RONALD JUSTICE President and CEO The State Bank

SHEILA SMITH Consultant SOM Alumna

RICK TROMBLE Entrepreneur/CEO Tromble Bay Farms

LINDA LEACH Chief Financial Officer Genesee Ceramic Tile

MELISSA STEPHENS-FARRELL Major Gifts Officer SOM/UM-Flint

PAUL WENSTROM First Vice President-Investments Merrill Lynch

JAMES MCGUIRK CEO Sun Steel Treating, Inc.

SHERYL STEPHENS CEO Stephens Wealth Management Group

STEPHEN WHITENER Entrepreneur, Retired Former Owner and CEO National System Installers Retired Former Founding Partner and CEO Nuspire Networks

LARRY NICHOLS Executive in Residence/Consultant UM-Flint GHASSAN K. SAAB General Manager Saab Management Group KIMBER SMAIL Audit Partner Plante Moran

MIKE STRADER Vice President, Retirement Plan Consultant Huntington Bank MICHAEL TORREY VP Rates and Regulations Consumers Energy

CAZZIE WILLIAMS Global Director - Electronics Commodity Management Honeywell Corporate Sourcing

University of Michigan-Flint is a non-discriminatory, Affirmative Action employer Regents of the University of Michigan: Jordan B. Acker, Michael J. Behm, Mark J. Bernstein, Paul W. Brown, Shauna Ryder Diggs, Denise Ilitch, Ron Weiser, Katherine E. White ©Regents of the University of Michigan