Cameron Insider 2018

2018 EDITION ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF THE CAMERON SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

from the Dean

Dear Shareholders: As I am writing this welcome letter, I am truly amazed and thrilled to share with you all of the wonderful accomplishments Cameron’s faculty, staff, students and distinguished alumni have made this year. Each year, we strive to discover new ideas and approaches to best prepare our students to be future business leaders. I think you will agree our efforts this year were right on target.

Cameron has been very fortunate this past year in recruiting excellent faculty and staff to support the growth of our current programs and the creation of an entirely online M.B.A. as well as new graduate programs in finance and business analytics. It is also bittersweet to celebrate the conclusions of the excellent careers of Dr. Stephen Harper and Dr. Fara Elikai. The impact these two distinguished faculty members have made on our students and school are notable.

Speaking of Cameron’s excellent faculty, new assistant professor Andy Woolum had a compelling article about his research on rudeness in the workplace published in the Wall Street Journal. In fact, research

by Cameron’s faculty (more than 350 refereed journal articles during the last five years) helps develop curricula and course content and contributes to the intellectual climate of UNCW. Check out the impressive list of research topics by our faculty members on page 13!

• Cameron’s own alumnus and member of UNCW’s Board of Trustees, Maurice Smith, CEO of Local Government Federal Credit Union, had the opportunity to meet with President George W. Bush and President Trump to discuss issues that affect the financial services industry.

• The CSB’s Swain Center for Executive and Professional Education is proud to introduce a new program through a partnership with JCG Consulting Group. The Stakeholder Centered Coaching® Certification is a comprehensive process to help business professionals and executives become skilled in behavioral coaching.

• We introduce you to current student Catherine Armstrong, an entrepreneurship major, who has a deep passion to end the human trafficking epidemic.

•

Finally, we present the story of JC Lyle, a former Professional M.B.A. student and the executive director of WARM (Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry, Inc.). JC has led this organization to record growth.

One of the most exciting articles in this edition highlights Cameron’s donors. There are many ways to donate to your alma mater, whatever your passion – through student support (scholarships), faculty support (professorships), program support (curriculum development, internships, etc.) or capital support (update equipment). Find out how you can get involved: https://giving.uncw.edu/giving-societies.

Go Seahawks!

Cameron is also proud to announce the additional accolades of our School of Business, our alumni and our students.

• CSB broke our own attendance record for our annual Wilmington Information Technology eXchange conference this year! WITX brings together students, faculty, staff and local professionals in the field to demonstrate leading technology endeavors.

Rob Burrus

A CONVERSATION WITH CSB ALUMNUS MAURICE SMITH.............................................................................2

Rob Burrus Dean

WITX 2018........................................................................................4

David Glew Associate Dean, Undergraduate Programs

CAMERON STUDENT SEEKS A REWARDING SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURIAL CAREER........................................................6

Thomas Porter Associate Dean, Graduate Programs

SOUND FINANCIAL PLANNING......................................................8

Matt Mylott Interim Director, Swain Center for Executive and Professional Education

RUDENESS IN THE WORKPLACE................................................10 CAMERON M.B.A. ALUMNA KEEPS WILMINGTON WARM.......11 SIX THINGS WILMINGTON PROFESSIONALS SHOULD KNOW............................................................................12 NOTABLE PUBLICATIONS.............................................................13 FAREWELL TO STEVE HARPER AND FARA ELIKAI....................14 FACULTY AND STAFF UPDATES..................................................16 M.B.A. STUDENTS IMMERSE THEMSELVES IN SHANGHAI..................................................................BACK COVER

2016 EDITION

ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF THE CAMERON SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

ON THE COVER Dr. Steve Harper with the students in his senior-level Business Development and Commercialization class on the steps of Cameron Hall.

Bill Sackley Director, BB&T Center for Global Capitalism and Ethics Editorial Team Sara Kesler, Editor Marybeth Bianchi, Creative Director Jennifer Glatt, Editorial Director Graphic Design Shirl New Photography Jeff Janowski Contributors Alisha Browne Missy A. Kennedy ’01 Sara Kesler Laura Lunsford Andrew Woolum We invite your comments and suggestions. Please send correspondence to the UNCW Cameron School of Business, Dean’s Office, 100 Cameron Hall, Wilmington, NC 28403-5920 or to Dean Rob Burrus at burrusr@uncw.edu.

Photo by Brenda Jarrell

@Cameron_School UNCW Cameron School of Business UNCW-Cameron School of Business

UNC Wilmington is committed to and will provide equality of educational and employment opportunity.

Questions regarding program access may be directed to the Compliance Officer, UNCW Chancellor’s Office, 910.962.3000, fax 910.962.3483. Questions regarding UNCW’s Title IX compliance should be directed to TitleIX@UNCW.edu. 17,800 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $9,095 or $.51 per copy. (G.S. 143-170.1).

STATS

205 presenters 2 days 115 sessions

A Conversation with CSB Alumnus

1,200

CSB undergraduate and graduate students attended

Maurice Smith

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n March, distinguished Cameron alumnus Maurice Smith ’79 spoke to a packed room of nearly 500 CSB students at Business Week, Cameron’s largest annual student event. Smith was honored in 2016 as one of Cameron’s outstanding alumni and was

invited to present as a keynote speaker at this year’s spring event.

Maurice Smith is the president and CEO of Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU), a financial cooperative serving the financial needs of employees, appointed officials, elected officeholders and volunteers of local governments in North Carolina.

Smith began his career as a loan officer for State Employees’ Credit Union, serving in several capacities including vice president/city executive and vice president of marketing and training. He joined LGFCU in 1992 as the executive vice president and was promoted to president in 1999. Smith received his Bachelor of Science in business administration from UNCW and earned a Juris Doctorate from the NC Central University School of Law.

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“The Cameron School offers a remarkable environment for grooming successful business leaders.”

Shortly after his visit to campus for Business Week, Smith talked about his impressions of UNCW and Cameron students today, his

Can you share a bit about the recent work you were doing in D.C.?

accomplishments and a unique recent opportunity.

In February, I was elected as the chairman of the board of directors

How did you feel about speaking to Cameron’s current students

union member trade association that advocates on behalf of the

at Business Week this spring?

nation’s financial institutions. Advocacy includes lobbying elected

I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to speak to the Cameron students. Hobnobbing with students makes me feel young. Well… actually not young. But, I am inspired by the environment that the school fosters for its students and faculty.

of the Credit Union National Association. CUNA is a 6,000-credit

representatives, scrutinizing regulations, creating resources for efficient operations and educating the public on the benefits of credit union membership. Board representation comes from all corners of the United States.

CUNA is led by a 24-person board. As chairman, my principal roles

Here’s what I mean: During my visit, I got a distinct impression of the

are to ensure effective governance, facilitate the creation of policies

culture that permeates the school. This is important because I believe

and keep us focused on strategic priorities. I have been on the CUNA

organizational culture can be a core competence that leads to a

board for seven years. The term of my chairmanship is one year.

competitive advantage for an organization. Being sensitive to the right kind of culture creates an opportunity for a jump on the competition.

If students today are taught to recognize culture, find the right fit and exploit successful traits, they will have a leg up on most opponents.

I think the school gets this.

What are your impressions of UNCW, Cameron and Cameron’s

On the first day in office, I had the opportunity to meet two U.S. presidents. First, I met with George Bush (43). I found him to be warm, friendly and approachable. He shared some stories about his term as president and his life today. He congratulated me on my chairman position as we shared a friendly conversation.

students today? How have things changed over the years?

Later that day, I had the pleasure of meeting with President Trump

I must admit, I don’t remember being as smart as the current crop of

to the White House. For a kid from Southport, NC, this was quite

students when I was in school. The school’s reputation for excellence

a moment. I could not help feeling stirred by the display of history,

is drawing a more talented pool of students than ever. Today’s

tradition and pageantry.

students are savvy, equipped and focused on a future of opportunities and threats. I get the sense from my conversations with Cameron students that they are ready to make their mark on the world.

The Cameron School offers a remarkable environment for grooming successful business leaders. I graduated in 1979. When I compare the resources at my disposal then with the array of tools available to students today, it makes sense that students should be readied for the hyper-competitiveness of a world with evolving technology. I am impressed that Cameron is keeping pace with the needs of industries.

in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. This was my first visit

The purpose of the meeting was to make a pitch for a piece of legislation in Congress for which we wanted President Trump’s support.

Meeting with two U.S. presidents is quite a special opportunity.

Can you share anything with us about your visit?

Although the White House has rules about reporting on private conversations with the president during official visits, I can tell you that President Trump was gracious and knowledgeable on our issues. In addition to a productive meeting, he and I shared a few lighthearted moments. I left feeling grateful for his time, support and attention to our cause. The meeting must have paid off; in early June, the legislation passed the Congress and President Trump signed it into law.

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Breaks Attendance Record Professor Drew Rosen, Doug Lebda, Dean Rob Burrus

O

n April 10, the 15th annual Wilmington Information

Eric Boyette, CIO for the State of North Carolina, was the event’s

Technology eXchange (WITX) continued its trend of growing

keynote speaker. Boyette’s presentation focused on the importance

attendance, recording the largest participation to-date with

of security, requiring information technology professionals and

565 attendees and 35 exhibitors, a mixture of student and corporate

businesses to be aware of the implications of hackers as incidences

members demonstrating their technology research. The event

of cybercrime increase. He also spoke of the significance of IT

also featured two major virtual reality demonstrations highlighting

professionals continuing to learn in their field in order to stay up to

the projects of computer science students, as well as technology

date with current technologies.

entrepreneurship discussion panels lead by Sean Ahlum from tekMountain and Diane Durance from the UNCW Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

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Business Week:

a Transformative Experience, Year After Year

Judy Girard

North Carolina is second in the nation in the technology sector with

“This year, we noticed a significant increase in networking between

estimated employment growth of 10.4 percent expected by 2022.

the IT professionals and our students; local employers were

To keep up with this growth, Boyette noted that North Carolina must

very interested in what our students are doing on campus,” said

retrain its existing workforce and build a new one that can withstand

conference chair Tom Janicki. “We are proud to be contributing to the

rapid changes.

growing technology workforce in southeast North Carolina.”

WITX is recognized as the largest one-day gathering of IT

Janicki offered a special thank you to underwriters CastleBranch and

professionals in southeast North Carolina.

tekMountain for supporting this event each year.

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CSB Alumni Mixer All CSB alumni are invited for a reception to connect with CSB alumni and faculty at Live Oak Bank.

Enjoy food and drinks with fellow Seahawks!

Thursday, September 27 Live Oak Bank 1741 Tiburon Dr. Wilmington, NC 28403 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. alumni.uncw.edu/calendar

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Over the summer, Catherine attended a summer conference in Kazan, Russia

Cameron Student Seeks a Rewarding Social Entrepreneurial Career

C

atherine Armstrong has had a good idea about her future career plans since the purchase of her first pair of Tom’s shoes in sixth grade.

Catherine, a junior with an entrepreneurship concentration and a Spanish minor, wants to create a product to help solve a problem. She’s on a mission to use her undergraduate academic journey to gain as much insight and practical experience from other entrepreneurs in Wilmington and around the world as she can while she’s at UNCW. In two short years, Catherine has studied abroad in Argentina, Iceland and Russia, joined the Cameron Executive Network, served as the CEO of the entrepreneurship club, successfully completed an internship with a business in Wilmington working to combat human trafficking, and started another internship that she plans to work throughout her junior year. Catherine is also participating in the entrepreneurship fast-track program, hoping to expedite the completion of her coursework to allow for another internship during her senior year. Her ambition is fueled by a passion to help others.

Through her own research and initiative, Catherine discovered Missio Hair. Launched in 2017, Missio is a hair product company that exists to inspire and empower a movement in the fight against human trafficking. The business model and the mission of the company were immediately attractive to Catherine. She knew that working with a company supporting this cause would inspire her as well as enlighten her on how a social entrepreneurial venture might work.

Over the course of the year, she gained invaluable knowledge and learned about the horrific problem that exists in Wilmington and around the world today. Catherine plans to stay connected to the company and hopes to one day create her own product that can support efforts to end the human trafficking epidemic.

Catherine’s professors have seen her spark and have invested in her as well. Steve Harper nominated Catherine for a summer conference in Kazan, Russia, hosted by the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. RANEPA is also an International Business School Alliance Partner university, and one of the six locations in which Cameron’s International M.B.A. students may spend a semester abroad for their dual degree.

The RANEPA International Summer Conference is an international educational project that brings together the best students and prominent experts in the fields of politics, economics and innovations. The mission is to create a communication platform for talented young people and form a new generation of intellectual elite. This year’s theme was entrepreneurship, entertainment and culture, and Catherine had the opportunity to network with other students from around the globe with similar aspirations. This was the first year UNCW was invited to send students to participate in the conference. “It was a unique and meaningful opportunity,” Catherine said.

Dr. Harper also connected Catherine with the executive team at CastleBranch’s tekMountain when they presented at Business Week in the spring. She served as their student host and spent some time beforehand getting to know the presenters. She followed up with them to tour their campus and was encouraged to apply for their highly competitive global ambassador program. The tekMountain Global Innovation Ambassador Initiative provides young entrepreneurs with a life-changing experience by placing them into the various innovative ecosystems scattered across the globe.

It exposes students to the world’s different markets, energies and ideas to assess the pulse of global innovation and help develop the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Each year, tekMountain selects one individual for the program, now in its third year. They asked Catherine to complete a yearlong internship prior to traveling as their global ambassador to various parts of the world to explore different business ecosystems. Catherine will be involved in helping to select the locations for her trip and feels that it is a dream come true for a student interested in thoroughly exploring a variety of successful companies and discovering how they accomplished their success. We have no doubt that one day, in the not too distant future, we will be sharing more about Catherine’s post-graduation entrepreneurial endeavors and the difference she is making.

Catherine Armstrong in Iceland

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Sound Financial Planning Beyond the Classroom Curriculum

Eddie Stuart, Sandra and Steve Felton

The E.L. White Society is the official planned giving recognition society of UNCW. White was mayor of Wilmington from 1953 to 1955 and made the first “planned gift” to the college – a bequest. That gift established a scholarship endowment, which continues to grow and provide annual scholarships to deserving students each year.

Asking the right questions, listening closely to answers and looking at the entire financial picture is how Steve Felton with Ameriprise Financial Services Inc. helps his clients meet their needs and plans for the future. The Cameron Executive Network mentor not only shares that advice with mentees in the Cameron School of Business but also supports them through the establishment of a planned gift.

I

n 2016, Steve, along with his wife Sandra, established the Felton Hayworth Scholarship in Business, named in honor of their

daughter, Rachel Felton Hayworth ’12 and her husband, Creighton Hayworth ’13.

With a deferred gift, Felton will help UNCW recruit high-ability students who are interested in pursuing a degree offered by the Cameron School of Business in perpetuity.

Ensuring UNCW’s financial strength for the next generation of Seahawks is also important to Jerry Allsbrook ’82, and his wife, Cat Rudd. In 2013, with a testamentary pledge, Jerry and Cat established the AllsbrookRudd Scholarship in Entrepreneurship. Jerry is the chief marketing officer and senior vice president for marketing with Boddie-Noell Enterprises, headquartered in Rocky Mount, NC. Boddie-Noell Enterprises employs 10,000 people and is the largest Hardee’s franchise operator in the United States.

Allsbrook, who also serves on the UNCW Board of Visitors, and his wife both believe in entrepreneurship and the impact it has on the community. The Allsbrook-Rudd Scholarship in Entrepreneurship provides financial assistance to a student in the Cameron School of Business, with a preference for one majoring in entrepreneurship and business development within the Department of Management. Upon the establishment of their scholarship, Jerry and Cat began making annual gifts to fund an award for a student each year. Then in 2016, the couple decided to endow the scholarship with a gift of appreciated stock.

Philanthropic support provides the margin

Scholarships truly affect the lives of our

of excellence that distinguishes Cameron

students. Jonathan Edwards, recent recipient

graduates. Our ability to educate and

of the J.W. Jackson Scholarship Endowment,

prepare the thought leaders of tomorrow

believes it was this scholarship that made his

is magnified by the generosity of our

practical college experiences possible.

alumni, friends, parents, foundations and corporations. Endowment gifts provide the financial security for the perpetual growth of

Both Felton and Allsbrook are members of

enhancements such as scholarships, faculty

the E.L. White Society, which honors donors

excellence, study abroad, career networking,

who have made provisions for generations of

executive mentoring and applied learning;

Seahawks through long-term gift planning,

all of which prepare our students for post-

and enjoy interacting with the students who

graduate success.

benefit from their sound financial planning.

“Thanks to this scholarship, I will be able to participate in a study abroad business consulting class in Prague, which I could otherwise not afford,” he said. “I have wanted to take this class for several years, but this year I will finally be able to experience a real consulting project and to go overseas for the first time.”

If you would like to leave a lasting legacy in support of the Cameron School of Business, please contact Dean Rob Burrus or Beau Cummings, development director, at 910.962.2152 cummingsb@uncw.edu. You may also visit uncw.edu/givemonthly.

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Rudeness in the Workplace What’s It to You? Sara Kesler, External Programs

W

e’ve all experienced rudeness

intentions, lower levels of organizational

Subjects were exposed to rudeness in

at one time or another: a terse

commitment and organizational exit.

two ways. First, subjects watched a short

response from a coworker, being

interrupted, waiting to start a meeting for a perpetually late colleague. Turns out, such

Heidi Mitchell’s Feb. 19 Wall Street Journal article, “The Big Impact of a Little

behavior has workplace consequences.

Rudeness at Work,” highlighted research

Rudeness in the workplace has gained a

professor Andrew Woolum that examined

great deal of attention in the last 10 years

the effects of witnessing morning rudeness

from both business leaders and academics.

on managers’ daily performance. He and

Described as “low-intensity, deviant behavior

colleagues found that managers who

with ambiguous intent to harm,” researchers

were exposed to rudeness in the morning

have estimated that 98 percent of American

experienced greater withdrawal symptoms

workers have experienced rudeness at work;

and disengagement from work, including

a full 50 percent of workers experience

lower work performance and goal progress.

rudeness at least weekly. Researchers have linked workplace rudeness to an assortment of negative employee outcomes such as heightened levels of stress, burnout, emotional exhaustion, absenteeism, turnover

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by Cameron School of Business assistant

Using a sample of 81 professional and managerial employees, Woolum and colleagues randomly exposed subjects to witnessed rudeness in the morning across 10 consecutive business days.

video of an interaction between coworkers who behaved discourteously toward one another. Subjects were then asked whether such an interaction was representative of interactions in their workplace and would they intervene as managers. Subjects then had to unscramble four sets of words to make logical sentences using four of the five words provided. Examples were: “he behaves frequently people impolitely” unscrambled to “He frequently behaves impolitely” and “needed she information withheld book” rearranged to form “She withheld needed information.” In the neutral control condition, subjects performed the same tasks, except both the coworker interaction video and sentences to unscramble were neutral in content. Each of the 81 subjects received two short

Cameron M.B.A. Alumna Keeps Wilmington WARM surveys per day, delivered at 7 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Specifically, subjects were asked about perceived rudeness in their workplace, withdrawal behaviors and job performance.

Researchers found that on days that subjects received the rudeness condition, these individuals

W

hen JC Lyle thinks of housing, she thinks of more than a roof and four walls – she sees every house as a home; a refuge from

the world, and somewhere that should be welcoming, comfortable and safe.

“I was lucky growing up – I lived in the same home until

perceived greater incivility in their workplace

I went to college,” she said. “I knew there were other

compared to days on which they had received the

people who didn’t have a secure and happy place as

neutral condition. In addition, this perception of

I did. I always wanted to help individuals with this

greater incivility at work led subjects to withdraw

essential aspect of their lives.”

psychologically from work responsibilities and physically from coworkers. These subjects also admitted lower goal progress and task performance compared to days on which they had received the neutral control condition. Only a few of the subjects managed to maintain their outlook on low workplace incivility and did not withdraw from work.

“It was somewhat surprising that such a mild manipulation resulted in such clear effects. We expected something, but not that it would affect almost everyone the same way,” Woolum said.

When asked what managers can do to combat these effects, Woolum suggested that to the extent that it is possible, employers try to limit employees’ exposure to rudeness, especially in the morning, as it may serve as a “resetting point” that defines the rest of the day. “It makes sense to disengage when

As the executive director of Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry Inc., JC organizes volunteers and raises funds to complete urgent, safety-related home repairs and accessibility upgrades for low-income homeowners in Brunswick, New Hanover and Pender counties. The organization depends on donations, grants and fundraising to sustain their mission. As of May 2018, WARM has helped repair 1,074 homes in the 21 years it has been in operation – but the number of people they have touched exceeds that significantly.

Even before becoming its executive director in 2009, Lyle volunteered with WARM while she worked in the for-profit housing sector, including apartment leasing and subdivision design. In addition to her full-time work, Lyle was appointed to the Wilmington Planning Commission in March and graduated from Cameron School of Business’ Professional M.B.A. program in May. Lyle said she saw the benefits of the M.B.A. curriculum right away. “While I was in the program, people would ask me, ‘So, what are you going to do with your M.B.A. degree?’ To which I would reply, ‘I’m already doing it!’”

exposed to rudeness, but it’s a heck of a thing in

Lyle says the professors in the Professional M.B.A. program make the experience

the workplace,” he said.

more meaningful by frequently allowing students to choose their own topics for

Andrew Woolum is an assistant professor of management in the Department of Management.

His empirical research has also been cited in The New York Times, Fortune, Smithsonian Magazine,

research and assignments; she was able to walk away with several completed projects that directly benefitted WARM on several occasions over the two years she was a student. “Each professor is committed to ensuring that every person gets what they need out of the degree,” she said.

CBS Morning News, People, Scientific American,

Lyle is optimistic about her future with WARM; she is working to bring the

ABC News, New York Magazine, Time, Glamour

organization’s technology to the next level, making it easier for people to request

and a variety of online psychology and news

assistance, volunteer and donate. In addition, Lyle is looking to start a social

outlets. After working as a manager in the Florida

enterprise through WARM. “Like most nonprofits, we are dependent on policy

Park Service, Woolum received a Ph.D. in business

decisions and the good will of others; I’d like us to be in control of our destiny a

administration from the University of Florida in

bit more, keeping us sustainable over time.”

2017. He has been a CSB faculty member for the past year.

To learn more about Cameron’s graduate programs, visit

csb.uncw.edu/grad

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Six Things Wilmington Professionals Should Know 1: Nurses are leaders too!

EXECUTIVE & PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

The Swain Center is working to provide

3: Crises and conflicts are on the rise.

high-quality professional development to

It’s becoming imperative for organizations

5: There is a difference between canned and custom.

organizations in rural areas. Our first foray is

to build communication and trust across

The Swain Center is known for its high-touch

with the backing of the Cape Fear Memorial

organizational cultures, which leads to

and personalized service. Custom training

Foundation, which is providing support for the

effective cooperation in conflict management.

programs can be surprisingly affordable –

development of an online course, “Leadership

Swain Center’s new Executive Certificate in

especially when they address core business

Essentials for Nurses.” This course will provide

Managing Intercultural Conflict was designed

needs that will save your organization time

a micro-M.B.A. to new and aspiring nurse-

to do just that. Developed in partnership

and money. We have successfully engaged

leaders in Brunswick, Columbus, Duplin,

with the Institute for Defense & Business,

with locally based coaches to provide

New Hanover and Pender counties. Faculty

this five-day workshop features UNCW’s

tailored, one-on-one executive coaching

members from the UNCW School of Nursing

Remonda Kleinberg, John Murphy (retired

to achieve organizational improvement.

and the Cameron School of Business are

NYPD), Keren Nafte (CEO of BelEsprit Inc.),

Facilitation and strategy sessions are

collaborating to offer this course, which will

and Terry Beckstrom (retired DEA Special

also in demand for custom experiences

be accredited through the Southeast Area

Agent internationally renowned expert on

for retreats and annual board meetings.

Healthcare Education Center and is slated to

non-verbal communication). This is the first

We are successful in tailoring leadership

start in spring 2019. We want nurses to lead

“residency-style” program for the Swain

development programs that support your

their units well so you and your family get the

Center in recent years, and we are excited

organization’s culture.

best care.

for what is to come!

2: Smart professionals

4: Satisfaction is out…

6: Swain is connected.

Let’s face it – we live in a beautiful part of

have business analytics skills in their toolboxes.

customer delight is in.

Dr. Delight, a.k.a. Don Barnes, has been

We are starting to build relationships

Swain currently runs a successful three-course

elevating business acumen around customer

with associations who desire to come

series offered with data jocks Drs. Stephen

service excellence in his recent talks with

to Wilmington to learn and to play;

Hill, Brian Kinard and Pete Schuhmann. Let

the Wilmington Convention and Visitor’s

we welcome referrals from alumni and

us know which business analytics topics you

Bureau, the Chamber of Commerce and the

friends about associations who may need

believe your business needs as we design

Association Executives of North Carolina. We

speakers or other professional development

new courses in this series for spring 2019.

hope to develop open enrollment courses

opportunities. Furthermore, the Swain

based on his customer delight strategy soon,

Center is now a member of the NC Tech

but in the meantime, you can call us for a

Association, keeping us “plugged in” to

custom engagement.

North Carolina’s technology community.

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North Carolina and people love to visit.

To learn more about both our custom and open enrollment programs and offerings, visit uncw.edu/swain.

Academy of Economics and Finance Journal

American Economic Review

Contemporary Accounting Research Journal of Accountancy

Finance and Economics

Accounting and Business Law

Journal of International Accounting Research

Behavioral Research in Accounting

MIS Quarterly

IEEE Security and Privacy

Journal of Management Information Systems

International Review of Economics and Finance

International Review of Financial Analysis

Notable Publications

BY D EPART MENT

Journal of Services Marketing

The Data Base for Advances in Information Systems

Marketing Science

Business Analytics, Information Systems and Supply Chain Management

Journal of Applied Psychology

Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management

Marketing

Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice

Management

Strategic Organization

Career Development International

Human Performance

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Farewell to: Steve Harper After more than 40 years, Steve Harper retired from the Cameron School of Business at the end of the spring 2018 semester. He joined the faculty in 1976 and has been an excellent teacher, mentor to colleagues and students. More importantly, he has been an active participant in the direction of the Cameron School of Business and the university.

by Victoria Hansen, Associate Professor of Accounting

During his time at UNCW, Harper

the lessons he taught his students are ones

has taught 28 different courses in the

that they will continue to reference and value

subjects of marketing, management and

for years to come. Remarkably, students

entrepreneurship. In addition to his work

from his early years at UNCW still keep in

as an award-winning professor, Harper

touch and look to Harper for advice and

is an entrepreneur, consultant, seminar

encouragement.

leader and bestselling author. In 2003, Harper was named the Progress Energy/ Betty Cameron Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurship. In this role, he developed numerous student-centered programs including an annual business plan competition, the Entrepreneurship Case Competition, the Innovation Challenge, the Entrepreneurs’ Roundtable, Entrepreneurship Week, the Innovation Pitch competition, Entrepreneurfest, and more recently, The Student Ignite program and the Entrepreneurship Fast Track program.

His retirement will leave a noticeable void in the Cameron School of Business. His profound impact has been felt by many and

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Cameron graduate and Outstanding Alumni honoree Becky Parker O’Daniell ’86 continues to seek guidance from Harper when contemplating new business decisions.

“When I was in school, Dr. Harper taught me so much about the possibilities entrepreneurship could offer,” O’Daniell said. “He actually taught students about the real world and brought in real-life business leaders who shared their successes and failures. Years after graduation, he is still so patient to listen and help guide me to better decision-making by asking me the hard questions. Thirty years later, and I am so thankful for the friendship we have.”

The mediocre teacher tells.

The good teacher explains.

The superior teacher demonstrates.

The great teacher inspires. ­– William A. Ward

Fara Elikai Fara Elikai retired from the Department of Accountancy and Business Law at the end of the fall 2017 semester after more than 30 years of service to UNCW. Elikai’s contributions to the Cameron School and its alumni are numerous.

However, he will be remembered chiefly for his dedication to excellent instruction and mentoring.

Elikai’s concern for the well-being of

His support and mentorship motivated a

his students extended beyond the

group of alumni to establish and endow the

technical aspects of his courses, and

Dr. Fara Elikai Scholarship in Accounting

many successful alumni fondly recall his

in the amount of $100,000 to support

encouragement, guidance and tough

students in the Master of Science in

love. Decades of graduates who studied

Accountancy program. Elikai will be missed

managerial accounting learned the

by his students and faculty colleagues, not

importance of “pushing the pencil” and were

only for his professional acumen, but for his

reminded to “eat their fruits and veggies!”

good humor and caring nature.

Malcomb Coley ’86, a 2011 UNCW

Longtime colleague Randall Hanson feels

Distinguished Alumnus and EY Carolinas

privileged to have worked closely with Elikai

During his tenure at UNCW, Dr. Elikai’s

Market Leader and Charlotte managing

for so many years in Cameron. “I was lucky

recognitions included the Chancellor’s

partner, still considers Elikai a great influence

to work with Fara for over 25 years. His

Excellence in Teaching Award, the UNCW

and friend.

infectious smile, fatherly influence and love

Board of Trustees’ Teaching Excellence Award, Outstanding M.B.A. Professor, Outstanding

“Dr. Elikai is not only a great teacher, he

M.S.A. Faculty Award and the Discere Aude

is a role model and a mentor, but most

Award for student mentoring. He was also

importantly a true friend. There is a famous

the founding faculty advisor for the Iota Alpha

quote by William A. Ward that is befitting to

Chapter of Beta Alpha Psi, the international

Dr. Elikai: ‘The mediocre teacher tells. The

honor organization for financial information

good teacher explains. The superior teacher

students and professionals.

demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.’

of teaching are sorely missed. He leaves UNCW as a beloved professor who inspired countless students.”

We are all so fortunate to have a great teacher in Dr. Elikai.”

15

FACULTY UPDATES: Elizabeth Baker Promoted to Associate Professor, Management Information Systems

Elizabeth White Baker received her Ph.D. from Virginia Commonwealth University, her M.B.A. from the University of Arizona, and a B.S. in physics from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. She joined the faculty in 2014 from Wake Forest University and teaches courses in IS management, technical cybersecurity and mobile computing. In addition to wide-ranging published research in information systems adoption and diffusion, she is the founding research lead for HealthHawks, a mobile health software research and development laboratory as a joint collaboration between the Cameron School of Business and the College of Health and Human Services.

Stephen Hill Promoted to Associate Professor, Operations Management

A native of Alabama, Stephen Hill received his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Alabama. Hill teaches courses in analytics, operations management and supply chain management. His research focuses on application of analytics techniques in a variety of areas such as supply chains, sports and health care. He is also interested in research related to innovative approaches to education.

16

Brian Kinard Promoted to Full Professor, Marketing

Brian Kinard joined the Cameron School of Business in 2007 after receiving his Ph.D. in marketing from Mississippi State University.

He received his M.B.A. from Francis Marion University and his B.S. from Clemson University.

Kinard teaches undergraduate marketing analytics, marketing research and sports marketing courses and actively engages in research related to consumer risk behavior.

He is the associate executive director of the Atlantic Marketing Association and received the 2016 UNCW Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence.

Faculty additions: Lizzette Perez Lespier Assistant Professor, Supply Chain Management

Lizzette Perez Lespier joined the CSB faculty at the start of the 201718 academic year.

She attended the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez and graduated with a bachelor of science in industrial engineering. Pérez Lespier earned her M.S. and her Ph.D. degrees from Missouri University of Science and Technology. Her research focused on supply chain risks, disruptions and hazards, specifically the issue of environmental sustainability, where she implemented different decisionmaking methodologies to measure and understand the performance of Maritime Transportation Systems with regard to the environment.

Minoo Modaresnezhad Assistant Professor, Management Information Systems

Minoo Modaresnezhad joined the Cameron faculty in 2017. She earned her B.S. in engineering from Ferdowsi University in Mashhad, Iran.

Subsequently, she joined the University of North Carolina at Greensboro’s M.S. program in IT management and received her Ph.D. in information systems with a minor in economics. Her research interests include social network-enabled open systems, information security and privacy, behavioral economics, and data analytics.

Mark Pelletier Assistant Professor, Marketing

Mark Pelletier joined the CSB faculty at the start of the 2017-18 academic year. He received his B.S. from the University of Nevada Las Vegas, his M.B.A. from the University of Wisconsin, and his Ph.D. from Mississippi State University. His research is focused on experiential marketing and social media value creation. Before academia, Pelletier worked in sales and sales management in Las Vegas, NV. His primary teaching area of interest is professional selling.

Staff Updates: Allison Witman

Daye Gore

Assistant Professor, Economics

Allison Witman joined UNCW in 2017. Dr. Witman has a Ph.D. in economics from the University of California Santa Barbara. Prior to joining the Cameron faculty, Witman worked as a consultant at RTI International. Her research focuses on the impacts of government policy on health and recent work focuses on ADHD, the opioid epidemic and aging.

Andy Woolum Assistant Professor of Management

Andrew Woolum joined the Department of Management in the Cameron School of Business in 2017.

He earned two bachelor’s degrees from Clemson University as well as three master’s and two Ph.D. degrees from the University of Florida.

Promoted to Graduate Programs Student Success Advisor

Daye Gore completed her master’s degree at UNCW in 2008 and her undergraduate in English at East Carolina University in 2001. Prior to joining the Cameron School of Business as an administrative associate for accountancy and business law in 2016, Daye taught middle and high school English for seven years.

Lolly Williams Promoted to Graduate Administrative Associate

Lolly Williams began working at UNCW in 2009. Her experience varies from student accounts to financial aid, and most recently she worked as an administrative associate for the Department of Economics and Finance. Before moving to Wilmington, she worked for student accounts at ECU.

Staff Additions: Amy Johnson

Thomas Trexler

Graduate Programs Student Success Advisor

Business Services Coordinator

Amy Johnson graduated from UNCW in 2015 with a public health studies degree. In 2018, she completed her Master of Arts in College Student Development from Appalachian State University. While attending graduate school, she was the Student Union graduate assistant. She held various student leader positions while at UNCW and is excited to be back representing her alma mater.

A Wilmington native, Thomas Trexler joined the Cameron School of Business in September 2017. He graduated from Catawba College in 2012 with a B.A. in business administration with a concentration in accounting. Prior to coming to UNCW, Thomas gained experience while working as an office manager and technical expert.

The Passing of Charles G. Schaefer On June 1, 2018, our dear friend and colleague, Charlie Schaefer, passed away after a courageous battle with glioblastoma cancer. We are terribly saddened by this great loss.

Charlie affected so many students during his more than 10 years as a mentor within the Cameron Executive Network. In addition to his mentoring work with individual students, he served as one of the program’s directors for three years and worked closely with many of Cameron’s economics and finance faculty as a consultant and guest lecturer because of his extensive knowledge and work experience in the financial field with Deutsche Bank. He was a tremendous asset and a great support for Cameron’s students. He will be missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

17

Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage

UNIVERSITY of NORTH CAROLINA WILMINGTON

PAID

Wilmington, NC Permit No. 444

2018 EDITION

Starbucks to Coca-Cola: M.B.A. Students Immerse Themselves in Shanghai

O

ne week in May was all it took to bring 11 UNCW M.B.A. candidates to a new level of international business acumen.

Candidates from both the Executive and Professional M.B.A. programs arrived in Shanghai, China, on May 12, accompanied

by Associate Dean Thom Porter and Graduate Programs Director Candace Wilhelm.

Thanks to Cameron School’s recent partnership with Fudan University, Shanghai – a global financial center and transport hub – was selected as the first international residency destination of the Online Executive M.B.A. program launched in the fall of 2017.

The week’s agenda included lectures at Fudan University by worldrenowned business faculty on topics including the economy,

takeaway was gaining an understanding of the people and the

marketing and intellectual property. Students also participated in site

culture. One of the eye-opening experiences incorporated what I

visits of large corporations including Coca-Cola, Baosteel Group and

learned in our marketing course. We visited the largest Starbucks in

Shanghai First Automobile Works. Of course, the trip was not entirely

Shanghai and observed how they were able to introduce coffee to a

business, and the group was sure to visit to The Bund, Shanghai’s

culture that primarily drinks tea. Because of the E.M.B.A. program, I

beautiful waterfront area; participate in a city tour and tea ceremony

was able to better understand their marketing approach.”

and enjoy the local cuisine.

Prague, in the Czech Republic, is scheduled as the residency

Although designed as a required course in the online Executive

destination for next summer’s trip, and the students will collaborate

M.B.A., Professional M.B.A. students are encouraged to participate

with Harley Davidson to solve an important issue for the company.

in this international residency class as one of their electives. Engineer Gabriel Martinez, P.M.B.A. candidate ’19, said, “This experience truly expanded my horizons, not only professionally but as a person as

“Business operates in a global marketplace. It is essential that business executives recognize the challenges and opportunities

well. I’m already thinking about my next international trip in two years.”

associated with operating beyond the borders of the United States,”

E.M.B.A. candidate Stephanie Snyder ’18 is a compliance auditor at

of the classroom and learning about international business firsthand

New Hanover Regional Medical Center. She said traveling to China

is an incredibly impactful and enriching experience for the aspiring

gave her a better appreciation for international business. “My biggest

executives in our M.B.A. program.”

says Thom Porter, associate dean and E.M.B.A. director. “Getting out