In the News, 2009
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Jeff Wilmes named USI Distinguished Accountant
The Distinguished Accountant Award recognizes professional achievement, service to the region and/or the University, and service to the accounting profession. The USI College of Business accounting program and the Accounting Circle, an advisory group, present the award. Wilmes is regional tax director for the construction/real estate industry group of the East Region of BKD. He frequently presents firm-wide tax seminars with a focus on partnership taxation issues. He assists in reorganizations designed to minimize federal and state income taxes and has worked extensively with mergers and acquisitions, owner succession, estate tax minimization, inventory issues, and multi-state income tax issues. He has mentored many young tax staff accountants throughout his 28-year career. Wilmes is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Indiana CPA Society. He is an annual participant in the CCH Tax Planning Forum for Partnerships, LLCs, and S-Corporations. CCH is a provider of tax and accounting software and publications. He also has been a speaker for the Moores Rowland Construction Conference. He is a former board member of the United Way of Southwestern Indiana and past chair of the organization’s allocation committee. He also is a former board member and treasurer for both Center City Corporation and the Evansville Downtown Civitan Club. On the lighter side, he has been on winning teams in the annual Dragons on the Ohio dragon boat races, the Annual Ohio River Flatboat Race, and Germania Maennerchor’s bratwurst-eating contest. The Distinguished Accountant Award was presented November 4 at the Accounting Extravaganza, an annual event for accounting students, faculty, and the Accounting Circle. |
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Winning ARC Ideation Contest ideas will help local business
Kassinger, a business administration major with minors in management and entrepreneurship, submitted the winning entry, a communication tool for young adults and children. Because the concept is copyrighted, details are not available for publication at this time, but Bryan Bourdeau, instructor in business in the management department, said, "It would be a user-friendly product in the medical industry for children that have hearing or speaking disabilities, or some comfort issues with providing answers to physicians, dentists and the like." Kassinger, of Owensboro, Kentucky, is an Apollo High School graduate. As first place winner, he will receive a $500 cash prize, the chance to see his concept manufactured, and the opportunity to help ARC Industries, a division of Evansville ARC, a local not-for-profit organization that serves individuals with developmental disabilities. ARC Industries employs over 300 workers every year in its ISO certified manufacturing facility, more than 200 of whom have disabilities. Bourdeau said, "Evansville ARC is very excited about the idea. Next we're going to sit down and talk about the feasibility of production, sales, and marketing." Last year's Ideation Contest was not associated with a particular company, but only required students to submit feasible, profitable business ideas that would benefit society. This year, the fourth year for the contest, students were asked to tackle a real-world problem to benefit a local company. "Evansville ARC's issue this year has been sustainability of their workforce," Bourdeau said. "ARC is beholden to our community and our region. They don't have their own proprietary product, so if their customer's business suffers, their business suffers through no fault of their own." ARC also is enthusiastic about the second- and third-place ideas, and may look into their feasibility as well. "The judging was very close. It was just a matter of a couple of points, but it came down to rapid accessibility to market and what Evansville ARC could start producing immediately." Second-place winner Matt Herman, a freshman business administration major, submitted a new product idea for animal transportation and won a $300 prize. Marquis Dennis, a sophomore engineering major, won third place and $200 with a high-tech clothing idea. Deidra Conner, president of Evansville ARC, said, "The University was looking for an opportunity for students to exercise their entrepreneurial and problem-solving skills to benefit a local organization, and ARC Industries was looking for a product we could own and manage. We now have several great ideas from the USI students we believe could be viable products for the marketplace and viable products to be manufactured in our local facility - creating more jobs and income for individuals with disabilities." The process by which the ideas were collected is called crowdsourcing. Bourdeau said, "Crowdsourcing is focusing the collective intelligence of a group on solving the specific issues of a company. It saves time, money, and resources. If it works for ARC it could work for other businesses. Through the College of Business we could potentially crowdsource the entire Evansville community and assist other local businesses. It is possible to expedite economic development." |
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Economics course hosts the GovernorOn October 21, 2009, Governor Mitch Daniels was a guest in the 10 o’clock Economics 175 class in Forum II, which Tim Mahoney teaches. The Governor opened the discussion by recognizing students for their determination and persistence in pursuing higher education. He pointed out that education will brighten the futures of students and also bodes well for the entire state of Indiana. With more students involved in higher education, the state gains more talented, resourceful, and productive citizens. The Governor reviewed Indiana’s business competitive ranking which continues to rise. Indiana has improved its ability to retain and attract new business. A major goal of the Daniels’ administration has been to increase net disposable income. He wants to make improvements in many areas that will improve Indiana’s quality of life and set up conditions for long term growth. One positive outcome to date has been a positive shift in population migration – there are now more people moving into Indiana than moving out, an assertion that few states can claim. Students posed questions to the Governor on a variety of topics. Kireeti Ghanta, a sophomore studying biology, asked Daniels if Indiana should place a greater emphasis on cleaner fuels and move away from its dependence on coal. Antoinette Small, a junior studying political science, asked Daniels about INShape Indiana, which is aimed at slimming down Hoosiers and persuading them to quit smoking. “Has the initiative,” she asked, “had the intended effects?” Asked what qualities he seeks in job candidates, Daniels offered some ideas on what employers might look for in college graduates. Grades too often are inflated and mean little anymore. Taking challenging and difficult courses is more important; this shows the willingness to do something beyond the minimum. He also said he looks favorably on those job candidates that covey ideas in a clear and coherent manner and who can speak proper English. Daniels asked, "Can they express themselves without saying 'like' every third word and 'uh' every second word?" Other special guests attending Governor Daniels’ presentation was USI President Linda Bennett, Vice-President for Government and University Relations Cindy Brinker, along with College of Business Dean Mohammed Khayum, and Associate Dean Brian McGuire. |
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USI accounting team wins second in statewide competition
A four-member team of accounting students from the University of Southern Indiana College of Business has won second place in the annual Indiana CPA Society (INCPAS) Case Study Competition. The team made an oral presentation in Indianapolis October 16, 2009, and was recognized that evening at the organization’s CPA Celebration at the Indiana Roof Ballroom. As second-place winners, each of the USI team members received a $750 award from INCPAS. The 2009 USI team included Matt Garza, a senior accounting major from Evansville; Jamie Perry, a junior accounting major from Winslow, Indiana; Anna Shade, a senior accounting and finance major from Henderson, Kentucky; and David Ubelhor, a senior accounting major from Evansville. Ubelhor was a member of USI’s first-place team in 2008. Jeanette Maier-Lytle, USI instructor in accounting, was faculty coach of the accounting team for the sixth year. The USI team qualified as one of six finalists to give an oral presentation after preparing a written case study. Other teams in the finals represented Bethel College, Purdue University Calumet, and Saint Mary’s College. The case study for this year’s competition required the teams to evaluate the effect of the economy on a CPA firm. They researched and made recommendations on issues such as recruiting, employee morale, client relations, and efficiencies. Team members posed as partners in a fictitious accounting firm to deliver a 20-minute presentation in the final round of competition. A 10-minute question-and-answer session followed the presentation. |
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Nancy Bizal, a Woman of Athena
Once a year the outstanding efforts of local businesswomen and nonprofit advocates are recognized at a luncheon sponsored by the ATHENA Award Committee, A Network of Evansville Women (ANEW) and The Chamber of Commerce of Southwest Indiana. There, one outstanding nominee will be given the ATHENA award. Named for the Greek goddess of wisdom, the award is given to one who has excelled in her field and encouraged other women to reach for their dreams. Ms Bizal states, "My professional life and my personal life reflect what is important to me and where I believe I have had opportunities to make a difference: developing young people, many (of whom) have been young and not-so-young women. "I am lucky, indeed, to have a career that allows me to do what I like to do and have been able to do well, if one is to believe some of my present students and more of my former students." |
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College of Business, Berry Plastics sponsor business plan competitionThe cardboard pizza box: Is there a better way? Students are invited to attend an informational meeting at 5 p.m., Thursday, October 1, in Room 2033 of Orr Center to learn how they can enter a business plan competition exploring a solution to this issue. Students identified as top performers in the case study will be eligible for summer 2010 internships with Berry Plastics Corporation of Evansville. Participants in the Community Engagement Business Plan Competition will work in teams as they develop a business plan for a company that seeks to launch a replacement for the cardboard box, a staple of pizza delivery and take-out for many years. Interested students should visit www.basadurprofile.com/WebApp/register/personal.aspx?team=true to complete profile information that will be used in the formation of teams. Enter “Berry Plastics Competition” as the group identification and then create a username and password in order to complete the profile. The information helps describe a participant’s creative style. The competition is open to all USI students. The meeting on October 1 will provide more information about the timeline for the project, faculty and Berry Plastics contacts, and team formation. Participants will use skills and gain experience in research, sales and marketing, financial analysis, presentation, and other fields as they compete to develop the business plan. They will work with experts at Berry Plastics who can provide insights about packaging and other aspects of the issue. College of Business faculty members who will assist with the competition include Bryan Bourdeau, Jeanette Maier-Lytle, Dr. Chad Milewicz, and Dr. Andy Yu. The Community Engagement Business Plan Competition is an outgrowth of the recent College of Business executive-in-residence program presented by Ira Boots, chairman and chief executive officer of Berry Plastics. He suggested a partnership between the company and the College of Business to sponsor a competition that would engage students in an enriching educational experience. Berry Plastics is a leading manufacturer and marketer of plastic packaging products. Based in Evansville, the company has 68 manufacturing facilities worldwide and nearly 14,000 employees. |
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Ideation Project offers cash awards to students ARC Industries employs over 300 workers every year, and over 200 of the employees have developmental disabilities. Deidra R. Conner, president of Evansville ARC and a 1987 USI graduate, said, "ARC Industries offers one-source solutions utilizing flexible, innovative, cost-effective manufacturing processes. We provide 'quick-to-market' alternatives for both low and high-volume operations." She continued, “We are delighted to work with the USI faculty and students on the 2009 Ideation Project. This project is a great opportunity for Evansville ARC to benefit from the creativity and knowledge of the USI students, and an excellent opportunity for the students and faculty at USI to learn more about Evansville ARC and the many contributions individuals with developmental disabilities make to our community.” Elissa Bakke, project coordinator for the Center for Applied Research at USI said, “It has been a privilege for the Center for Applied Research to collaborate with ARC and the College o f Business in developing this Ideation Competition. This social entrepreneurship competition gives our students an opportunity to truly make a positive impact on the lives of others. Rarely will students have the chance to directly create employment opportunities for others. With this competition, a successful product idea has the potential to allow ARC to stabilize its workforce, and add new job opportunities for their clients. Now that’s a pretty good resume builder!” A tour of the company and consulting hours will be offered to students who want to learn more about the company before submitting their ideas. ARC Industries is sponsoring a tour of the facilities on Saturday, October 3, at noon at the Kotter Avenue plant. Consulting will be available from 1 to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, September 29, in the University Center's Carter Hall D. Two ARC representatives will talk with students and provide answers to students' questions about the project. The College of Business and the Center for Applied Research at USI are hosting the project, and Bryan Bourdeau, instructor in business, is the faculty sponsor. Bourdeau said, "The College of Business is excited to offer the fall ideation competition as a crowd sourcing model to help resolve sustainable workforce growth, a long-standing concern for Evansville ARC Industries. By tapping into the collective intelligence of the USI student populous, we hope to expedite and manage solutions for Evansville ARC Industries' concerns. If successful, the College of Business hopes this model also will serve as a catalyst for front-end innovation management for other businesses within our region." He added, "Working in conjunction with Evansville ARC Industries will help students focus their ideas on specific products for ARC." Bourdeau is accepting ideas through Monday, October 19, 2009. A web site at business.usi.edu/ideation.asp will give more information about the 2009 Ideation Project, including directions to the ARC Industries plant and a video about the business. Students are required to submit a one-page description about each idea. Students can reach Bourdeau at bbourdeau@usi.edu. |
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New Management professor receives two awards
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Mahoney quoted in "Road projects create 2,400-plus jobs" articleBy Eric Bradner INDIANAPOLIS — More than 2,400 people are now at work on federal stimulus-funded roadway projects in Indiana, according to a state report being released today. Covering 83 projects and listing a total payroll of $2.8 million, the Indiana Department of Transportation report details only a small fraction of the hundreds of projects so far selected for funding using the $440 million the agency received under the American Relief and Recovery Act. Economists say it's too early to tell whether the long-term value of President Barack Obama's economy-boosting effort will justify its $787 billion cost. But construction executives say stimulus-funded projects certainly have created jobs and spared layoffs within the industry. "Things were slowing down, and the stimulus filled in the gap," said Tim Mahoney, an economics professor at the University of Southern Indiana. "It has kept people employed that would be laid off." It's tough to tell exactly how many new jobs are being created or old jobs are being saved by stimulus projects that range from repaving roads to laying new ones. "On all these stimulus programs, the anticipation is greater than the reality in terms of getting the money spent and getting the jobs created," Mahoney said. "Just by the nature of a public works program, it just takes awhile to get geared up." Nonetheless, INDOT has been among the quickest state transportation agencies in getting projects under way. The nature of construction industry work already causes a great degree of fluctuation in employment numbers. What's clear is that the stimulus projects have boosted an industry otherwise floundering in Indiana. The work is badly needed. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports, Indiana's construction industry has lost nearly 24,000 jobs over the last two years. "In general, it definitely puts our people to work," said Pete Bjorkman, the chief estimator for Evansville-based J.H. Rudolph. "We've been struggling here just due to the recent economic woes we've been through." Bjorkman said the company has a core group of workers that are among the first called to begin projects each year. The stimulus, he said, has allowed the company to rehire those core workers. He said in the construction industry, a better measurement is how many hours are available for everyone from truck drivers to project managers. "Our crews are going to be working more hours and more days because of this ...," he said. "It is creating more crew hours for our people that wouldn't have been there before." Mahoney said it's early, but signs are beginning to point to slow progress, in part thanks to the stimulus package. "I think the markets are starting to look and say 'OK, there are some of these projects that are starting to pay off,'" he said. "But the private sector is still coming back slowly. Public dollars mean an awful lot to that (construction) industry." J.H. Rudolph has won three stimulus-funded projects so far. All three — one in Posey County, one in Gibson and a third in Spencer — are pavement rehabilitation projects where the existing road surface will be replaced with hot-mix asphalt. The Spencer County project is valued at $2.5 million, while the company is being paid $1.6 million for the other two. Bjorkman said the company expects each job to employ about 25 to 30 workers. State officials say winning bids on projects continue to come in below estimates. Bjorkman said competition still is tight in the construction industry. He said the low prices, in addition to the sagging amount of work available, is cramping the industry. Other local contractors have picked up projects as well. Jasper-based Knies Construction has won two projects for a total of $744,000. Another Jasper construction company, Calcar Paving Inc., picked up a contract for $187,000. Meanwhile, Vincennes-based CLR Inc. won a $273,000 project. Area lawmakers and construction industry executives had complained that Southwestern Indiana was being ignored for stimulus-funded projects. A swath of area counties containing more than 15 percent of the state's population had received, measured in dollars, less than 1 percent of the stimulus projects. In June, two lists of projects being advertised for bids included several in local counties. Now, projects in Vanderburgh, Warrick, Gibson and Posey counties carry an estimated total price tag of more than $9 million. Bjorkman said his company and others initially were frustrated because Southwestern Indiana "seemed to be lagging behind a little bit" in receiving projects. |
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Pike Central High School graduates received scholarships to attend USIPike Central High School graduates Taylor Atkins and Brittany Townsend have received departmental scholarships and each received the Aline Nunn Renner Bushiness Scholarship to attend the University of Southern Indiana. Both women plan to major in accounting in the USI College of Business when they begin in the fall of 2009. Departmental scholarships are awarded to students who earn an Indiana Academic Honors diploma and rank in the top 25 percent of the graduating class. They are four-year renewable scholarships. The Aline Nunn Renner Business Scholarship is given to students who have at least a 3.75 grade point average and a minimum SAT score of 1100 or equivalent on the ACT. It, too, is renewable for four years. |
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Timothy Schibik named assistant dean of College of Business
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Bringing business idea into clarity helps ensure success
Horace M. Lukens III is the retired vice president of Jesse F. Stock Insurance, Inc., in Evansville. He is an adjunct instructor in finance. One of the major frustrations for the new entrepreneur is how to make sense of the conflicting advice that is given regarding an idea for a startup business. Sometimes the entrepreneur is influenced by the last person he or she talks to. This is not good. There must be a better way to approach an entrepreneurial "dream." Based upon my experience as an entrepreneur and in teaching the financial aspects of this subject, here are some thoughts that might clear the cobwebs to enable you to think clearly about your new idea or business startup. (Read the entire article...) |
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Accounting team wins national competition for second consecutive yearA team of accounting students from the University of Southern Indiana has won first place in the national Student Case Competition sponsored by the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) for the second year in a row.  As qualifiers for the "final four," each of the two USI teams received an award of $3,000. The winning team received an additional $2,000. |
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Management teams design Otters' Kids ZoneBy John Martin At historic Bosse Field recently, five teams competed by presenting their plans for a Kids Zone attraction at Bosse Field that is to open for the Evansville Otters' 2010 season. The competition was for students in a senior-level management class taught by Nancy Kovanic, instructor of management. Assisting the USI students were a handful of Evansville high school students participating in the Idea Club, a project of the Grow Southwest Indiana Workforce. Teams' visions The winning team consisted of USI students Lynn Schmitt and Holly Mayer of Evansville and David Burns of Elberfeld, Ind. But the real winner was the Otters franchise, which will use elements from all the presentations as it develops the Kids Zone. And, as owner Bill Bussing noted, the cost of the advice couldn't be beat. "We had five consultants working for free," he said. Two Otters' staff members, Brandon McClish and Kenton Hargis, worked with the five student teams. Schmitt said her team interviewed local families with young children. They also spoke to officials with other Frontier League franchises that have Kids Zone attractions in place. Kids Zones have been so popular in some ballparks that they are in the process of expansion, and "a couple of teams had a full (corporate) sponsorship of them," Schmitt said. 'Wow factor' The collaboration involving the Otters, the Idea Club, and USI was hatched in October when Bussing attended an Idea Club meeting and told the high school students about his desire to bring more young families to Bosse Field. USI got involved soon after that. Kovanic's class is focused on small business consulting, and she said the Otters' project fit perfectly with her curriculum. It's the type of community collaboration USI covets, said Linda Bennett, the university's provost and incoming president. USI in December was honored by the Carnegie Foundation for community outreach efforts. "It's part of our mission, part of our identity," Bennett said. "A reason why we developed as a university was to serve." |
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Business and Engineering Center topped offBy John Martin The last steel girder was put in place April 30, 2009, on the Business and Engineering Center, scheduled for completion in late 2010. The structure's final steel girder sat on a sidewalk in recent days, and students, teachers and staff were encouraged to sign it. Upon completion of the Business and Engineering Center and the planned expansion of USI's University Center, the two projects will put the finishing touches on a quadrangle that also includes the David L. Rice Library and the Liberal Arts Center. The $31 million building will have shared classroom and library space for USI's business and engineering schools. While each department will have its own space, the building's design also will provide for collaborations, USI officials say.
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USI Partners with the Evansville OttersTaken from InsideINdianaBusiness.com The Evansville minor league baseball team and the College of Business at the University of Southern Indiana will announce a new project April 29, 2009, designed to assist the team. Five teams of undergraduate students competed to address business issues faced by the Evansville Otters. Presentations will be made April 29 with a final decision announced later in the day. Evansville, Ind. -- Bill Bussing III, president and chief executive officer of the Evansville Otters, will be making an announcement about a new Evansville Otters project at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29, 2009, at Bosse Field. The project is a result of a collaborative partnership among the College of Business at the University of Southern Indiana (USI), Evansville Idea Club, Evansville Small Business Development Center (SBDC), and the Evansville Otters. College of Business undergraduate students, under the direction of Dr. Nancy Kovanic, USI instructor in management, and members of the Evansville Idea Club, under the direction of Christine Prior, created five collaborative teams to compete against each other to address specific business issues the Evansville Otters organization is currently experiencing and help provide solutions for this new project. In November 2008, discussions between Kim Howard, regional director of the SBDC and Bryan Bourdeau, USI instructor in business, led to the development of the student-based consultation project that will wind up with final student presentations at 3:30 p.m. at Bosse Field on Wednesday, April 29, 2009. The project was driven by Kovanic and was integrated into her Management 455 spring semester course. Management 455, Small Business Consulting, is radically different than a traditional lecture class. Student teams meet independently and work on a real-world business issue. "This semester’s Evansville Otters project has allowed USI students to be involved in new project development - from designing the project to budgeting, marketing, and the operations aspect," said Kovanic. Bourdeau said, "As the USI College of Business vision emphasizes development of an entrepreneurial mindset which involves innovative thought and openness to new ideas, this project is exactly what we need more of. Students generating innovative ideas to solve local issues, to generate real economic development, and to better our community; this is entrepreneurial." |
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Business students improve public-speaking skills through Toastmastersby Susan Orr, Staff Writer The first time Kelli Housman spoke at Toastmasters, she was terrified. "My very first speech, I was shaking," she said. "I didn't quite articulate all the ideas I wanted to because I was so nervous." But after a semester with the group, the University of Southern Indiana junior said her speaking voice, body language and nervousness have all improved. "I feel so much better," Housman said. Housman is a member of the Speaking Eagles, a Toastmasters International chapter for USI students. At weekly meetings, members gather to deliver speeches some brief and impromptu, others longer and pre-prepared. Members evaluate each other, and every member speaks at each meeting. Meetings follow a set structure, and the atmosphere is encouraging and upbeat. The goal: to prepare students for the workforce.
The chapter is affiliated with USI's accounting department, though students from any major may join. Dr. Les Nunn, chair of USI's accounting and business law department, said feedback from the local business community led to the chapter's formation. USI's accounting department has a group of local accountants, known as the Accounting Circle, who advise USI's business school on its curriculum. Some years ago, Nunn said, Accounting Circle members advised the department that many of USI's accounting graduates lacked communication skills. So USI decided to establish an on-campus Toastmasters club to help students with this skill. "Students today are not accustomed to communicating, except through text message and computers," Nunn said. "That does not work in the business world." Club fund-raisers and Accounting Circle donations cover members' dues. Housman, who is double-majoring in accounting and computer information systems, isn't sure yet what career she'll pursue, but she's confident her experience with Toastmasters will help. "We're going to eventually be in the workforce and have to be able to talk to people around us," she said. Club president Dustin Cline, a public relations major who graduates in December, joined Toastmasters in 2006. Cline entered Toastmasters with a good base of public-speaking experience: he'd been on the speech team at Reitz High School. But after leaving the speech team, Cline said, he started feeling less comfortable speaking in front of groups. After about a year with Toastmasters, Cline regained his ease with public speaking. "It went from acting like I wasn't afraid to actually not being afraid," he said. Cline said Toastmasters has also improved his leadership skills and made it easier to talk to professors, employers and other authority figures. "It just makes it easier to talk to everybody." USI's group is one of seven area Toastmasters clubs in Evansville; Mount Vernon, Ind.; Owensboro, Ky. and Paducah, Ky. Two of the Evansville clubs and both Kentucky clubs are open to the public. Willie Taylor, the area governor who oversees all seven clubs, said total membership stands about 140. Though many Toastmasters members are career professionals, Taylor said local members have included retirees who want to improve their storytelling skills and people working to improve a speech impediment. "People have a lot of different reasons for wanting to join." |
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USI SHRM Club vied at regional competition
The USI Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) student chapter competed in the North Central region HR Games competition, held March 28, 2009, at St. Thomas University in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The HR Games is a Jeopardy-style quiz competition where students are tested on their human resource knowledge. This year’s regional competition was the largest HR Games competition on record with 35 teams participating. The USI team placed 13th by winning the first 4 rounds of head-to-head competition against such teams as the University of South Dakota, the University of Toledo, and Wayne State (Nebraska), and finishing with a record of 4 wins and 2 losses. The team participants were Emiley Esche, Adam Schmitt, and J. Ryan Whitehead. Dr. Dane Partridge, associate professor of management, advisor of the chapter and coach of the HR Games team, said, "This year's team did quite well, and our finish in the region was our highest yet in the three years we've participated. Our students have found through these competitions that their level of HR knowledge is quite comparable with that of students from other universities in the region, including universities which are much larger than USI." The student chapter is grateful to the Evansville-Area Human Resource Association (EHRA) which sponsors the local chapter through various activities, such as speaking at club meetings, hosting tours, job shadowing, and contributing funds for the club's travel to the Indiana state HR games. |
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Students' High achievement recognizedAn Honors Program to celebrate students in the College of Business at the University of Southern Indiana who excelled in the classroom, earned scholarships, and received academic achievement awards was held on Thursday, March 26, 2009. The yearly program also recognizes the generous donors who have contributed to these education programs by establishing scholarships in the USI Foundation. |
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2009 College of Business SymposiumUSI College of Business offered a symposium for area businesses on February 26, 2009: Creatively Harnessing the Power of Technology for Enterprise. In the spirit of the third annual National Entrepreneurship Week (NEW), a celebration of the heritage of entrepreneurship in America, the USI College of Business in partnership with USI Extended Services and the Growth Alliance for Greater Evansville (GAGE) offered a half-day symposium, “Creatively Harnessing the Power of Technology for Enterprise,” on Thursday, February 26, in Carter Hall in the University Center at USI. See videos of the featured speakers:
Please click here for more information on the symposium. |
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USI students succeed at AITP National Collegiate ConferenceTwenty-one computer information systems and computer science students from the College of Business attended the 14th annual Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP) National Collegiate Conference held in Oklahoma City, OK, April 2-4, 2009. Over 600 students and faculty were in attendance representing approximately 80 colleges and universities throughout the United States. Seven University of Southern Indiana students studying computer information systems or computer science passed the Associate Computing Professional (ACP) examination administered at the conference. Fifty-nine students took the ACP exam. Fifteen students passed. With seven students passing, USI College of Business students accounted for more than 46 percent of those successfully completing the exam. USI’s David Batey received the second-highest score of all students who took the exam. Other USI students passing the exam were Devin Burke, Casey Cambron, Nathan Haynes, Drew Helfert, Jason Nichols, and William Walker. The students now hold ACP designation, which validates an individual’s knowledge of the general computing industry and specific programming language or specialty area knowledge and skills. The exam was developed by the credentialing organization, the Institute for Certification of Computing Professionals (ICCP). Dr. Abbas Foroughi, professor of computer information systems, said, “The students’ performance at the conference reflects the rigor of the courses they have taken, the caliber of the College of Business faculty, and the high quality of student which USI and the College of Business attract.” Foroughi is chair of the USI College of Business Department of Management, Management Information Systems, and Computer Science. The conference included various student competitions. In the PC Troubleshooting competition, David Batey finished first in the finals by documenting and diagnosing specific hardware and software issues with personal computers in a lab environment. Rebecca Adamson and Ben Lantaff received an Honorable Mention for their efforts in successfully completing and implementing their project in the Web Development Project which required them to analyze, design, and implement a live website for a non-for-profit organization. Josh Sackett’s entry in the artistic category of the Student Banner Competition received second place. Ernie Nolan, assistant professor of computer information systems, and Dr. Marvin Albin, professor of computer information systems, are co-advisors to the AITP student chapter at USI and served as mentors, coaches, and chaperones. |
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International Business Competition at Royal Roads University
Five students from the College of Business traveled to Royal Roads University in Victoria, Canada to compete in an international business competition, March 18-22, 2009. The business team included Ashley Hancock, Michael Patzer, David Ubelhor, Kasey Wright, and Courtney Mickel, and the faculty coach was Jeanette Maier-Lytle, instructor in accounting. The competition welcomed 11 teams from across North America. The teams were given a case, and then they had three hours to evaluate the case and prepare a 20-minute power point to address the case requirements. At the end of the three-hour period, they presented their case solution to a panel of five judges. After the students finished their 20-minute presentation, there was a 10-minute question and answer session in which the students were asked to defend and define their ideas. The teams were not allowed to use any outside resources during the entire process, only the knowledge and skills they already possessed. According to David Ubelhor, “It was a great opportunity for us to apply the knowledge that we have learned in all of our classes to a real world example. We were able to bring tools from all disciplines; marketing, management, finance, accounting, and even some CIS, to address the issues presented in these cases.” Although the USI team did not receive one of the top three awards, the students and coach all agreed that the competition was a valuable learning experience. This was the first time USI entered this type of competition and as with most competitions there is a learning curve before receiving one of the top awards. Ashley had the following to say about her experience in the competition: “I truly enjoyed meeting and talking with business students from other universities. It opened my eyes to all the different opportunities that I could experience, as well as USI. We quickly learned that most Canadian teams had a practiced strategy to assess the case and prepare their presentation. I truly appreciate USI providing me with the opportunity to enjoy this wonderful experience.” |
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Faculty awards recognize dedicated professionals in research, service, and teaching
Three College of Business faculty members have been selected for their outstanding achievement during the 2008-2009 academic year. Receiving awards are Dr. Katherine Sauer, assistant professor of economics, Excellence in Research; Dr. Sudesh Mujumdar, associate professor of economics, Excellence in Service; and Dr. Manfen Chen, assistant professor of finance, Excellence in Teaching. Dr. Sauer has an impressive record of scholarship in the past year and on intellectual property rights and international trade. In addition, she has effectively integrated her research methods and research findings in courses she teach and has taken the initiative to foster dialogue about sholarship among her colleagues. Dr. Mujumdar has steadily widened the scope and scale of his service activities within the university and his engagement activities in the university's service area. The application of his expertise to community needs and his responsiveness to a variety of meda requests have done much to enhance the visibility and reputation of the College of Business in the past year. Dr. Chen has been consistent and persistent in her commitment to tracking student learning. Her adaptation of the analytical problem solving rubric to incorporate assessment of certain finance topics is an interesting and imaginative approach to integrate the assessment of knowledge and skill components with one instrument. |
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Outstanding Academic Advisors
Tim Mahoney, instuctor of economics, and Jeanette Maier-Lytle, instructor of accounting, are the recipients of the 2009 Outstanding Academic Advisor Awards. Each year the Faculty Senate’s Faculty Awards for Service, Teaching, and Research Committee selects five individuals university-wide as Outstanding Academic Advisors. The committee considered Tim and Jeanette’s performance to be outstanding in a number of areas including
Their approaches to advising underscore the College of Business mission to place the student at the center of the College’s educational activities. |
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Alpha Kappa Psi team finished third in the region
Fifteen members of USI’s Theta Phi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Psi, America's oldest professional business fraternity, recently attended its 2009 regional conference known as the Principled Business Leaders Institute. The conference, held in Chicago on February 20-22, 2009, enabled the student participants the opportunity to meet and build connections with other chapters, attend leadership seminars, and compete in a student case competition. The four USI students on the team, Julie Coburn, Nick Pressley, Christina Seedorf, and Matt Youngs, competed for the first time in the student case competition against seventeen other teams from the Midwest region. Of the eighteen teams that competed in the competition USI finished in third place and received $250 in scholarship money plus a commemorative plaque. Only the University of Illinois, which had two teams that finished first and second, managed to beat USI’s student team. Team member Nick Pressley said, “I think an accomplishment of this magnitude paints a vivid picture of just how increasingly competitive and prestigious USI’s College of Business is becoming. Other student organizations from within the College, like teams in the Indiana CPA Case Competition and Beta Alpha Psi’s Student Competition, are also representing us very well. All College of Business faculty and Dean Khayum should be very proud of the work they are doing in preparing us for success.” The team thanks all of its supporting brothers in Theta Phi, chapter advisor Dr. Khayum, fellow brothers including especially Scott Roberts, and members of the Indiana CPA case team who offered helpful advice and support. |
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USI Beta Alpha Psi placed first in the region
As winners of the regional competition, the USI chapter of Beta Alpha Psi received a $500 award to support future chapter activities. In addition, the team will compete August 6-8 on the national level at the 2009 Beta Alpha Psi Annual Meeting in New York City. Beta Alpha Psi is an honor society available only to students enrolled in business schools accredited by AACSB International — the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The organization recognizes the outstanding achievement of students enrolled in accounting, finance, and computer information systems programs. |
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Sauer spoke on the Global Economic Issues course
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USI Economist Appears on WNIN Show
The main thrust of his comments was to argue for the government to offer direct competition to private banks in the sphere of consumer and business loans. The basis for this argument lay in the fact that the first Tranche of the TARP funds has not been successful in making credit more widely available and hence if the government were to start directly lending to consumers and businesses, then this may coax 'credit-shy' private banks into 'coming out of their shell'. He maintained that it is common, in many countries, for private banks to compete with government-owned banks. Dr. Mujumdar also attempted to clear up some misconceptions about some elements of the stimulus package. For example, there is a widely-held belief that increasing funding for food stamps is not much of a stimulus. According to Mark Zandi of Moody’s Economy.com, a dollar of additional spending on food stamps produces a larger multiplier (spending) effect than a dollar reduction in the corporate tax. Another example is with regard to the popular belief that low-income individuals do not spend a large portion of a tax rebate. Citing research from Professor Souleles (Wharton School) on the recent Bush Tax Rebate, Dr. Mujumdar said that those earning close to median wage spent only 20% of the Rebate whereas those earning much below the median wage spent almost their entire Rebate. |
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Dedicated Faculty vs. the WeatherGiven the recent ice, snow, and wind storms, USI’s College of Business faculty and staff have certainly had their share of challenges during the current semester. However, they have met those challenges with determination and ingenuity.
Thankfully, power was restored to the campus in time for the 6:00 classes later in the evening. |
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Business administration alumnus "Back home again"by Denny Simmons Jason Kellams is now manager at Toyota Boshoku
Nothing compares to the good feeling of working on familiar ground, says Jason Kellams, plant manager for Toyota Boshoku in Princeton, Ind. A native of Evansville, he returned to the area a year ago after holding the position of manufacturing manager for Nissan North America Inc. in Canton, Miss., for several years. Through networking with a former boss, Kellams learned Toyota Boshoku was looking for a plant manager, and he was offered the job. "I had hoped to return to the Tri-State, but I didn't think I would have the option for a while, if ever," said Kellams, a 1997 University of Southern Indiana graduate in business administration. "The friendliness of the area and my friends and social network are still here. It feels good. My hope is to stay in the area for good and continue working in the automotive industry." Kellams' job with Toyota Boshoku so far has included overseeing the construction of the company's Princeton plant, where he said the manufacturing of metal frames for the Toyota Highlander and Sienna vehicles is to begin this fall. No stranger to the automotive industry, he worked for Mid-America Clutch Co. in Evansville while attending USI. He later was associated with T&WA, a Toyota supplier in Princeton, before moving to Canton. |
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Summer 2009 stipend recipient is Mary Ann Shifflet
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College of Business celebrates Homecoming 2009The College of Business celebrates Homecoming Hollywood Style with the help of two student workers, Alicia and Ashly Hendrickson, who created much of the "art" displayed throughout the office. Ashly is a business major with an entrepreneurship emphasis and loves working on detailed projects, whether it is business plans or creating a Hollywood atmosphere. Alicia is a public relations and advertising major with a marketing minor who is always finding a way to be creative and have fun. With mentoring from business professors, they plan to start their own business after graduation in May 2009. These two student workers have brought excitement, positive attitudes, and efficient work performance during their three and a half years of working for the College of Business. We wish them success in their endeavors after graduation. |
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Region needs to nurture, develop innovative businesses
Dr. Mohammed F. Khayum is dean of the business school and professor of economics. He conducts the Business Conditions and Outlook Survey, a quarterly survey of businesses in the Evansville area. (Read the entire article...) |
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Schools tackle brain drain
Most University of Southern Indiana students are from the Evansville area. When Ernest H. Hall Jr., professor of management at USI, asks them in general — in a roundabout way — whether they plan to stay in the area or leave when they graduate. Many say they're open to leaving or are actively looking to leave. They may see their college degree as a ticket to getting off "the farm." It's sort of like the small-bird-leaving-the-nest syndrome: They want to get out there and do stuff, find a little excitement. They appear willing to go to bigger cities, move to different areas. "As some point, I'd like to see them come back, and they might be back," Hall said. Most people who tend to be family oriented return. They find the grass isn't greener on the other side. "When I ask my students if there is something wrong with Evansville, they say 'No. It's the types of jobs (that aren't) available,'" Hall said. They can see better opportunities elsewhere or opportunities to make more money somewhere else. Young people want opportunities for personal development, and companies must provide those opportunities. If companies don't develop them for management and executive positions, they will leave, whether or not they have a new job lined up. Sometimes they will go home and live with Mom and Dad — something young people today feel much freer about doing. It's no longer a sign of failure. To attract young workers, companies also must offer flex time in work schedules, Hall said. The brain drain is like the chicken and egg thing: Do you create jobs in environments where companies want to be or are companies saying, "Why should I move there if people already are leaving? We'd just have to import them (workers)." Groups, such as Innovation Pointe (the small business incubator Downtown), appear to be making some headway in helping combat the brain drain. Innovation Pointe appears to be moving in the right direction, which will pay dividends down the road. (Go to EBJ.biz) |
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College of Business Student Volunteers Offer Free Tax HelpThrough the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA), USI student volunteers will provide free tax assistance on Wednesdays, February 4-April 15, 2009. |
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CMA Study Group at the University of Southern Indiana
Sometimes all it takes is hearing the right thing at the right time to spark a potentially career-changing decision. For a group of students from the University of Southern Indiana (USI), such an experience happened at IMA®’s most recent Student Leadership Conference, held last November. Following a presentation about the Certified Management Accountant (CMA®) certification by Lisa Beaudoin, IMA organizational learning manager, several students from USI decided to start an on-campus study group to prepare for the exam. According to Dr. Brian McGuire, CPA, CMA, associate dean and MBA director at USI: "I don’t think any of them had seriously considered taking the CMA exam before the presentation. All three students are on our financial accounting track, and I think the presentation inspired them to get organized and get going with their certification. Something definitely clicked for them." Among the students who started the group is Amy Oglesby, a member of the USI team that won the 2008 IMA Student Case Competition in Tampa this past June and who in December completed her USI studies. Currently, Ms. Oglesby is working at a public accounting firm, Harding, Shymanski & Company, PSC, and although she intends to stay in public accounting, she says that "the firm definitely encourages its employees to become certified. Earning the CMA will certainly allow me to provide extra services to my clients." And while Ms. Oglesby won’t be taking any classes in the near future at USI (although she's likely to go back for her MBA in the next 10 years), she believes that the study group atmosphere will definitely help her to stay motivated to take the exam. "People have best of intentions, but then have distractions," she said. "With a group you have peer pressure, which can be a good thing, because it helps you to stay on a schedule and gives you deadlines. Also, you can encourage each other and get support from each other with sections that you can’t figure out." The original three students who attended the conference have already recruited two additional people to join the group – and are actively trying to find others who are interested. The current plan is for the group to meet once a week, using study materials they will be able to purchase at a discount. The schedule will be pretty aggressive, since the participants want to take at least one or two of the exam parts by this spring. Leadership of the group will rotate, with students taking turns handing different responsibilities. That leadership role shouldn’t be too difficult for another member in the study group: the new chair of USI's department of accounting and business law, Dr. Les Nunn. Throughout his long career, Dr. Nunn certainly hasn’t held back from achieving what he wants: he holds a J.D. degree, practiced law for many years, is a certified flight instructor, and led troops in combat. Aside from the additional knowledge he'll gain about the field of management accounting, Dr. Nunn says pursuing the CMA at this point in his career reflects his philosophy as a teacher: "I’ve always believed in leadership by example, and I never tell someone to do something that I wouldn’t do myself. So for me, how can I be preaching to my students about getting the CMA if I don’t have the certification myself?" Of course, Dr. Nunn readily admits the pressure he's under to do well on the exam – but it’s pressure that he embraces: "I've never been one to hide from my mistakes. I tell my students that they’ll make mistakes in life, but what also counts is learning from other people's experiences." View Ms. Beaudoin’s CMA presentation...
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Edison, Whitney both had our modern day 'right stuff'
A native of Evansville, Dr. Les Nunn is the chair of the Accounting and Business Law Department of the College of Business, where he also teaches entrepreneurship. Serving as a consultant to businesses and government, Dr. Nunn writes extensively on entrepreneurship, legal and accounting issues. Read the entire article... |
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Jeffrey L. Wilmes, a partner in BKD, LLP in Evansville, has been named University of Southern Indiana Distinguished Accountant for 2009. 
Nancy Bizal, instructor of business communication and career planning/professional development and coordinator of external relations for the College of Business, has been named one of the 11 finalists for the ATHENA award, which will be presented October 22, 2009, at The Center in Evansville.
Is there a container that will protect a pizza, maintain the pizza’s serving temperature, preserve its tempting aroma, function as a serving tray and storage container, and serve as a branding and advertising medium better than the traditional corrugated box?
Dr. Andy Yu, assistant professor of management, recently joined the USI faculty. During the 2009 Academy of Management Conference in Chicago, IL, he received two awards:
Dr. Timothy J. Schibik, professor of economics, has been named assistant dean for the College of Business. The appointment was effective June 15, 2009.
By Horace M. Lukens III
Joe Wallace; CEO, G.A.G.E.
A team of accounting students representing the University of Southern Indiana College of Business placed first in the "Chapter Sustainability" category of the "Deloitte Best Practices" competition held during the 2009 Beta Alpha Psi Midwest Regional Meeting on February 27-28, 2009, in Indianapolis. The USI team included Beta Alpha Psi students Kiersten Deig, Emily Shetler, and Yekaterina Shirokova of Evansville and Anna Shade of Henderson, Kentucky. Faculty advisors were Dr. Brian McGuire, professor of accounting and Associate Dean of the College of Business, and Dr. Mehmet Kocakulah, professor of accounting.
Economics faculty member Katherine Sauer recently presented at the 20th Annual Teaching Economics Conference. The event was held February 19 – 21, 2009, at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, PA. Sauer’s presentation was an overview of the Global Economic Issues course she teaches here at USI. This course is fairly unique and is not widely offered at other institutions. The talk offered participants strategies for internationalizing the curriculum at the principles level and special emphasis was placed on engaging students who have "local" experiences. 
Dr. Sudesh Mujumdar appeared on the WNIN show: Primetime 9 (formerly called Shively and Shoulders) on February 19, 2009, to comment on the Stimulus bill recently signed into law by President Obama.
For example, a recent afternoon wind storm (Wednesday, February 11) caused a power outage across USI’s campus, leaving numerous interior classroom’s in total darkness. However, several College of Business faculty, including Dr. Sharlett Gillard (pictured), simply moved their classes from the darkened classrooms to other areas with natural lighting. Dr. Gillard is seen talking to her CIS 261 class in the atrium of the Orr Center, providing them with a description of future topics and assignments occurring later in the semester.
Mary Ann Shifflet has received a USI Summer Stipend for Research, funded through the USI foundation. The research project is entitled “Identifying Investment Opportunities with Promising Intellectual Properties and Insufficient Financial Resources.” The research focuses on the importance of intellectual property to the national economy as well as to our own regional economy in Southwest Indiana. The goal is to develop a process for identifying investment opportunities that exist in companies that have undeveloped or latent intellectual property that may have marketability. A longer term goal would be to develop techniques for measuring changes in the local knowledge economy and comparing the local knowledge economy with similar cities and regions. 
By Dr. Mohammed F. Khayum
By Dr. Ernest H. Hall Jr., professor of management
By Dr. Les Nunn