Learning,Applying,

Aspiring,Achieving …

Seidman School of Business, Grand Rapids, Michigan Spring 2004

T his issue of Seidman Update gives insights into the array of learningactivities Seidman students and faculty experience outside the class-room. If you think that sleeping and eating are all that occurs there,

the articles in this issue will be a revelation. Dr. H. James Williams has just been named as the new Dean of the

Seidman School of Business. Dean Williams comes to us from NorthCarolina Central University where he has been serving as Dean of theirbusiness school. He will assume his responsibilities beginning July 1, thedate our name changes to the Seidman College of Business as a result of areorganization plan.

In addition to a successful search for a new Dean, many other goodthings have happened at Seidman this year. A plan for a newEntrepreneurship Minor program was developed and approved. Thisminor is designed to appeal to students in non-business majors who havesome interest in starting their own business. The six courses in the minorwill be introduced over a three-year period.

A major new initiative this year was the mock interview program runover six days in early February. Given the tight labor market, we wantedto be proactive in helping Seidman students do their best in job interviews.Over 100 Seidman juniors and seniors responded to the open invitationto practice interviews with sixteen recruiters from ten area firms. Theinterview sessions included a feedback section where the recruiters toldstudents how they could interview better. Dean’s Advisory Board memberswere especially helpful in sending recruiters for this project. Student feed-back was very positive, while recruiters found the experience rewarding.You’ll enjoy reading about the details on page 10 of this publication.

As my year of service as Interim Dean comes to a close, I would liketo thank my faculty, staff, students, and Dean’s Advisory Board for thegreat support they have given me this year. It has been an honor and aprivilege to serve as Interim Dean.

John W. ReifelInterim Dean

L. William SeidmanHonorary Chair

Dwane Baumgardner Retired, Donnelly Corporation

Charles E. Bennett Polymer Products, Inc.

Carole D. BosBos & Glazier, P.L.C.

Keith R. BurnsErnst & Young LLP

John C. Canepa Crowe Chizek & Company

Edward J. ClarkAmerican Seating Company

Joseph A. DavioComerica Bank

John L. DeMariaQuoin, Inc.

Harvey N. GaineyGainey Corporation

Robert GrootersRG Companies

Doyle A. Hayes Pyper Products Corporation

Thomas W. Hiller BDO Seidman, LLP

Earl D. HoltonMeijer, Inc.

David HoogendornErnst & Young LLP

J. C. HuizengaWestwater Group

William W. Jack, Jr.Smith, Haughey, Rice & Roegge

Dorothy A. Johnson Ahlburg Company

Jeffrey B. KaneBDO Seidman, LLP

Derek D. KaufmanKaufman Peters, LLC

Fred P. KellerCascade Engineering

Robert L. (Buzz) Kersman Lorin Industries

Christopher B. MontaguePlante & Moran, LLP

Mark P. OlesnavagePerrigo Company

Seymour K. PadnosLouis Padnos Iron & Metal Co.

Jon E. Pike Beene Garter LLP

Sharron J. ReynoldsHuntington National Bank

Nancy SkinnerNancy Skinner & Associates, Inc.

Stephen A. Van Andel Alticor Inc.

Charles C. Van LoanIndependent Bank Corporation

Curt WellsHuntington National Bank

Dan WiljanenGlobal Executive Search

DEAN’S ADVISORY BOARD

From the Dean

— John W. ReifelInterim Dean, Seidman School of Business

www.gvsu.edu/ssb/3

Seidman Update is a bi-annual publicationof Grand Valley State University’s SeidmanSchool of Business, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The Seidman School offers the Bachelor ofBusiness Administration (BBA), Bachelor ofScience (BS) or Bachelor of Arts (BA) inEconomics, Master of BusinessAdministration (MBA), Master of Science inAccounting (MSA), and Master of Sciencein Taxation (MST) degrees. The school isfully accredited by AACSB International.

Project Coordinator: Vonnie Herrera

Editors:Vonnie Herrera, Claudia Bajema

Update Faculty Advisor: Paul Lane, Ph.D., E. Seidman Chair

Graphic Design & Production:Ruth Oldenburg/Rainstick Studio

In this issue …

Students4 Student IPO Provides a Great ROI5 The Magic of the American Marketing Association6–7 Study Abroad — Learning Outside the U.S. Classroom8 These Students Really ‘Case’ the Joint8 The Case of Founders Trust Personal Bank9 Seidman After Hours: Practical Learning —

An Internship Can Work for You!10 Mock Interviews11 Seidman Honors Banquet

Features12–13 After Class — Student Organizations14–15 LAW-datory Comments for a Star

Faculty16 Faculty Teaching Beyond the Classroom17 Faculty Achievement17 Annual West Michigan Economic and Real Estate Forecast

Alumni18–19 “After Class at Seidman” for Faculty and Students

includes the Seidman Alumni Association Breakfast Series20 President Emeritus Lubbers Addresses Seidman Alumni21 Alumni Leadership Roundtable22 Alumni Notes22 Breakfast Invitation — Speaker Patrick Anderson,

Economist — Pocketbook Predictions: Who will be President in 2005?

Other23 A Run for His Money23 Bash at the Big House23 Seidman Business Services

Contents:

Seidman School of Business Mission StatementThe Seidman School of Business creates a rigorous learning environment with a student focus, regional commitment, and a global

perspective. The School strives to excel at innovation, the application of concepts, and the integration of knowledge.

4 Student IPO Provides a Great ROISeidman finance students bring new life, capped off with New York City trip, to Investment Portfolio Organization.

12 After Class — Student OrganizationsStudent organizations provide opportunities for learning and professional growth after class.

14 LAW-datory Comments for a StarNew attorneys and gradaute students credit their undergraduate professor, Star Swift, for preparing them and motivating them for success in law school.

17 Annual West Michigan Economic and Real Estate ForecastEconomics professor discusses business confidence and other economic indicators at annual Economic and Real Estate Forecast.

4

12

14

17

4Seidman Update • Spring 2004

Students After Class

A sk Wall Street gurus what an IPO isand they’ll tell you “Initial PublicOffering.” Ask the same question to

any Seidman student and they will likelyreply with a reference to Grand Valley’sinvestment club. The Seidman InvestmentPortfolio Organization (IPO) has quicklybecome the most recognizable student-managed group on the Pew Campus.Programming changes, a new-founddedication towards managed investmentportfolio, and a new image have all led toa membership increase from 20 to over 60in just one year, as students seek opportu-nities for learning outside the classroom.

The recent growth and success ofIPO, oddly enough, can be traced geo-graphically through a series of fourevents. The catalyst for change was pre-sented to the club in Dayton, Ohio atthe 3rd Annual RISE Symposium inMarch 2003. This national conference,hosted by the University of Dayton,united over 80 universities with studentmanaged investment portfolios. Six IPOmembers represented Grand Valley andin the process they realized a sad truth:IPO at GVSU sorely trailed behind otheruniversities, both in structure and pro-gramming. A three-hour brainstormingsession on the drive back to GrandRapids committed the six to setting anew standard. That summer, over 20strategic planning meetings were held toimprove the club. Word of IPO’s com-mitment spread, drawing a crowd of 75people to their first meeting in September.Attendance continued strong throughoutthe semester fueled by a number of club-specific highlights including guestspeakers, scholarships, management of a$30,000 portfolio, and a promise ofincreased business exposure for members.However, one topic instantly drew moreinterest than the others. In October, IPOtook Chicago by storm.

Forty-four IPO members gainedinvaluable experience in Chicago whilevisiting both the Chicago Board of Tradeand the Federal Reserve Bank. After thetours, the members were free to explore

the city for the weekend and spend timenetworking with others in the club. IPO’sjourney did not stop in Chicago. Betweenthe fall and winter semesters the officersof the club decided to take programmingto an entirely different level.

The question posed by club officerswas, “How can IPO both reward hardworking members while giving theyounger members something to strivefor?” The answer was found 750 mileseast, in New York City. In March, twelveIPO members were spoiled with a tripthat featured a tour of the New York StockExchange, the Federal Reserve Bank ofNew York, and the Museum of American

Financial History. The social highlightsincluded Broadway shows, Times Square,and the Empire State Building, to name afew. Simply put, the New York trip tookthe IPO experience to a new level thatwill likely become a tradition. Whetherthe gurus on Wall Street know the newmeaning of IPO is yet to be seen.

The trip to New York was an earmarkof growth; the final destination in thejourney was a tribute to the organization’ssuccess. In April, IPO returned to theUniversity of Dayton for the 4th AnnualRISE Symposium. Eight members,including five underclassmen, representedthe improved organization. IPO was

5www.gvsu.edu/ssb/

picked as one of ten universities topresent their managed investment port-folio to a panel of national judges. Thispresentation provided academic feedbackfor the club to incorporate in the future.Again, members gained great insight forimproving club operations from universi-ties throughout the country.

Back on campus, the recent successof the club has not gone unnoticed. Theoperations of IPO were recently presentedto the GVSU Board of Trustees and theuniversity newspaper, Lanthorn. StephenGulis Jr., CFO of Wolverine World Wide,challenged the students to “study tolearn,” not just to study to get through thenext test, when he spoke to the club at arecent meeting. The future seems just asbright as its recent past. Additional pro-grams spurred on by the most recent tripto Dayton are in the works for the

upcoming fall. The club encourageseveryone to invest time to attend ameeting to experience “the hottestIPO around.”

For more information on SeidmanIPO, please e-mail the club atinvest@student.gvsu.edu or visit theirwebsite at www2.gvsu.edu/~invest.

“W ith passion, integrity, andlove for what you do.” Thiswas the recurring theme of

the speakers at the ProfessionalDevelopment Series Bonus Eventsponsored by the American MarketingAssociation. This roundtable eventfeatured top executives from the area:the CEO of the Orlando Magic, formerPresident of Bank One, Creative Directorof Cull Design, General Manager forAdams Outdoor Advertising, and theRegional Sales Manager for Vehix.com.Several students commented that it gavethem a new encouraging perspective fortheir pursuit of a successful career.

This is just a sample of one of themany events sponsored by the AmericanMarketing Association. “The focus is toprovide our members and the school com-munity with a chance to learn what isbeyond the classroom,” said Sean Cato,president of the organization. “Our mottois to ‘Get Connected’ so offering opportu-nities to network with top executives isone of our key focuses.”

The AMA is also active in other areas.The group participates with WestMichigan Community Blood Centersblood drives, Junior Achievement, Relay

for Life, and a new organization, theMultiple Sclerosis Society. This year theyhave begun raising money for the MSSociety through a Bowl-A-Thon.

“The AMA offers students numerousopportunities outside of the classroom.We put on events with dynamic speakers;

we encourage students to participate inprojects with companies; and we giveback to the community through oursupport of philanthropic organizations,”commented Sean. “This student organiza-tion is a model for any campus.”

The Magic of the American Marketing Association

Left to right: Sean Cato, President of AMA; Scott Millen, Creative Director for Cull Design; Roy Dodson,Regional Sales Manager for Vehix.com of Comcast Spotlight; Jeanine Dodson, General Manager forAdams Outdoor Advertising; David Frey, Former President of Bank One (currently an advisor); RobertVanderwiede, CEO of the Orlando Magic.

IPO members gather in the LowerManhattan Financial District.

6Seidman Update • Spring 2004

Students International Study Abroad:

ABC stands for Adventure,Business, and Culture,but it could also stand

for All But Class. It is a time when stu-dents of business can step into anothercountry, see the Sistine Chapel, climb theSpanish steps, wander the coliseum, seeSeidman affiliates in Rome at John CabotUniversity, or meet with local businesspeople. There are no student creditsinvolved and there are no direct facultybenefits. It is done out of a love to watchpeople learn. The model for this article isRita Grant who has shepherded all of theRome ABCs in one way or another.

This year, as in the past few years,students used their spring break to go toRome. It is a wonderful opportunity tolearn beyond the classroom. In fact, thereis no class at all.

You might think that gatheringpeople to go to Rome for a spring breaktrip would be as easy as putting up a sign-up sheet. Not true. It is a recruiting jobthat requires going to the internationalfairs on the different campuses, meetingwith students — many who have neverthought about overseas travel — andencouraging their interest.

When the group is ready to go, it is a13-hour, 7-day-a-week job for the facultyleader to serve as tour guide, educator,social director, counselor, and more. Thisis learning at its finest — no grades, fewpenalties, learning because of the magic oflearning. The faculty leader has to get toknow everyone in the group quickly, aswell as some of their interests. In a one-week trip, the leader wants students tovisit major sites but also arranges forsmaller groups to view points of interest.

Breakfast with students means accom-modating the early birds, but roustingthose who are slow to move. ProfessorGrant gets everyone going in time for thetrip across the city while making it fun forall. She also succeeds in talking withmany of the students about how their tripis going and what they liked and disliked.She points out other things that theymight enjoy.

During the day you may well findGrant taking a small group to visit a partic-ular site of interest or a small shop she hasseen. As the day moves forward, studentsshare their insights which are redirectedinto new areas to explore. Oh, you likedthat? Well, why don’t you take thiswalking tour, or go see the coliseum, etc.

Some students and groups of studentstake to international travel like a fish towater. They only see the faculty leadersfor required check-ins. Others need a lotof guidance. Professor Grant seems tohave an innate ability to create a magicthat enables and empowers even the mosthesitant traveler. One of the ways she hasdone this is to suggest to the students thatshe will be leaving the hotel for dinner ata given hour for dinner and that companyis welcome. Students who find themselveswithout definite plans then know thatthey have a group to have dinner with ifthey desire. While having a good place inmind is important, following the students’lead is also important.

Professor Grant, who seems to alwayshave students at the center of her atten-tion, has also helped other faculty to seethe joy in learning with students outsidethe classroom.

A ProfessorTotally Outside

of Class

www.gvsu.edu/ssb/7

T he SSB study abroad program has had a significantimpact on both my personal and professional life. Thefall semester of my junior year at GVSU was spent at

Kingston University outside of London, England. It was anamazing experience; I learned a tremendous amount aboutmyself and further developed my passion for understandingnew cultures. The academic experience was a perfect fit. Itchallenged me in new classrooms and learning experiencesand also enlightened me on different ways of thinking. Whileat Kingston, I was given many opportunities to travel and seemost of Western Europe.

Upon my return to GVSU, I quickly declared my major asinternational business. This program was an excellent mediumto prepare me for a career in consulting. For the past sixyears, as an employee for BearingPoint Inc., I have helpedclients implement global enterprise resources planning (ERP)systems around the world. I have had the opportunity to spendsignificant time abroad, including long-term engagementsback in the UK!

My experience at Kingston was significant in defining myfuture. It not only helped me to further develop my indepen-dence, but also helped me to expand my knowledge of newcultures. It was excellent preparation for my career andfeeding my passion for international travel.

— Kelly L Mohritz

AFRICA• Ghana

ASIA• • China• • Japan

• Taiwan

CARIBBEAN • Jamaica• Trinidad and Tobago • Cuba

EUROPE• • England• • France (2 locations)

• Germany• Holland• Hungary• Italy

• London Summer Internship• • Poland• Spain

LATIN AMERICA• • Mexico

S everal GVSU international business graduates — all of whom studied abroad — now have successfulinternational careers as brand managers, sales managers, consultants, trade managers, and more. Not allof them live overseas, in fact only a few do. But many of them travel overseas frequently for their jobs, and

several who are based in the United States travel internationally just occasionally. So, you see, you can have aninternational career that fits your lifestyle.

But it begins with study abroad. Study abroad means choosing to go to another country to live and to studyfor a semester, a year, or six weeks or so in summer. It can mean living in a country where people speak a differentlanguage. It definitely means living someplace where culture, practices, behaviors, and the way life happensis different from what you are used to. It means making new friends for life. It means putting yourself outsideof your comfort level, then coming back home with a new perspective on the world and your place in it.

It’s really quite easy to study abroad. GVSU organizes some 25 short-term, faculty-led study abroad programsevery summer. These are 4- to 6-week programs in places such as Italy, the UK, Australia, France, China, andMexico. You can study language, business, biology, or any number of courses you need to graduate. If youchoose one of these programs, you will go with a group of 10 to 20 GVSU students and a GVSU faculty member;you will tour the host country and the classes you take may be taught by local, host faculty.

GVSUGlobal Programs are

faculty-led, short-term (2 to 6week) programs that are gener-

ally offered during the spring/sum-mer semesters. GVSU also has manyExchange and Affiliate Agreementswith universities around the world.International partnership programsusually last a semester or acade-

mic year, although some offersummer sessions.

Learning Outside the U.S. Classroom

8Seidman Update • Spring 2004

G aining marketshare at newbranches is a

high priority atFounders TrustPersonal Bank. So,when Ben Rudolphasked me to present a“real-world, outside-the-classroom” case tohis marketing class, I jumped at theopportunity. The primary focus of themarketing case study was gaining marketshare for our downtown branch located at161 Monroe Avenue NW, right across thestreet from Rosa Parks Circle.

The case study solutions from thestudents have been read with interest byme and the Marketing Department atFounders Trust Personal Bank. The mostbeneficial student responses came fromthose students who actually visited ourbranch, “cased” the area, and asked ques-tions of our staff there. Several ideas andsuggestions from those students have beenutilized in developing our marketingstrategy for our downtown branch. Forexample, one student suggested makingthe entrance to our downtown branchmore welcoming by putting large flowerpots out on the sidewalk in front of themain entrance. We quickly implementedthis idea and the colorful flowers havebeen very well received. Pedestrians areless likely to just keep walking; theystop and take notice of our front doorarea. We are considering changes in oursignage, which was also addressed byseveral of the students.

Our Bank has benefited from theopportunity to be involved in Dr.Rudolph’s “real world, outside-the-class-room” projects. As an MBA alumna ofGVSU’s Seidman School of Business, Iremember how much I enjoyed “realworld” applications from speakers whocame into our classroom occasionally. Ionly hope I can give back a little of myknowledge, and/or at least my enthu-siasm, in my current role as Presidentof Founders Trust Personal Bank.

— Laurie Beard M.B.A. ’81

These Students Really ‘Case’ the Joint

Business case studies are commonlyused in both graduate and under-graduate programs in order to give

students a “real world, outside-the-class-room” feel that adds to the concepts andtheories presented in textbooks and inclass presentations. Cases make coursesmore interesting by allowing students toplace themselves “in the shoes” of actualdecision makers and to “second guess”real business decisions.

While cases are a worthwhile peda-gogical exercise, most case study problemsavailable to professorssuffer from two seriousproblems. First, many of thecases available for academicuse are seriously dated.Secondly, almost all pub-lished cases have beencarefully scrutinized andbowdlerized by attorneysand public relations per-sonnel working for thecompanies written aboutand for the case publishers. By the timepublished cases are approved for publica-tion, the real dynamics of decision-makinghave often been either eliminated or soft-ened. It is, therefore, difficult for studentsto really understand why a particulardecision or course of action was taken.

Professor Ben Rudolph has sought toovercome these problems in his marketingclasses by using top executives from realcompanies to present cases in his classes.He finds that top executives are usuallymuch more candid in their presentationsthan lower-level executives and public

relations representatives would normallybe. Top executives do not live in fear ofbeing reprimanded by their organizationalsuperiors. They, therefore, can afford totalk honestly. Moreover, the case problemsthey present are current problems ratherthan topics that would only be of histor-ical interest.

Why do top executives participate?Mostly, they do it out of a desire to assistthe next generation of business leaders byproviding them with a candid view ofmarketing decision-making. But there is

also something in it forthem. After the studentsdiscuss and write up thecase solutions they eachsend the executive whomade the presentation abusiness letter describingtheir recommendationand their reasoning.

While the studentsdon’t have first-handexperience in the business

on which the case focuses, they occasion-ally do hit the mark and develop aworkable solution that the business actu-ally implements. Professor Rudolph hasreceived many letters over the yearsthanking GVSU students for helping them

solve specific mar-keting problems. Afew of the studentshave receivedinternships oractual employ-ment offersbecause of theirsolution letters.

ProfessorRudolph feels that

the live case concept is truly a win-winsituation. The participating businesses arerendering a very significant service to theSeidman School of Business and the com-munity, and occasionally, the studentsthink up a solution that has escaped thenotice of those who are working closeto the problem. Both the students andthe companies profit from the exercise.

The Case of FoundersTrust Personal Bank

Founders Trust Personal Bank

Cases make coursesmore interesting byallowing students toplace themselves “inthe shoes” of actualdecision makers and to“second guess” realbusiness decisions.

Seidman Students

Ben Rudolph

www.gvsu.edu/business

If you are interested in learning more about the Seidman InternshipProgram, please contact one of our internship supervisors. Foraccounting internships, contact Dori Danko at (616) 331-7397 ordankod@gvsu.edu. For interns in all other business disciplines,contact Tracey Ohm at (616) 331-7500 or ohmt@gvsu.edu.

A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc.American Red Cross of

Ottawa CountyAtlanta Bread CompanyBDO SeidmanBeacon Property

ManagementBell Com Credit UnionBrickley DeLongCheryl Hall CPAsCrowe Chizek & CompanyCU*Answers

Cyberkorp Inc.DeBoer, Baumann &

Co, PLCDeloitte & ToucheDelong & BrowerDoctor’s Orders LLCDP Fox Sports and

Entertainment LLCFormed Solutions, Inc.Global Forex TradingGrand Valley State

University

Haworth Inc.Herman MillerInnotecIservKramer EntertainmentMerrill LynchMidnite Sun & CruiseMill Steel CompanyMorrison IndustriesNorthwestern MutualFinancial NetworkOliver Products Company

Plante Moran LLCPriceWaterhouseCoopersPrimerica Financial

ServicesRoyal Marketing

IncorporatedShoreline Insurance

Agency, Inc.Skooch UglywearSpartan Stores, Inc.Standard Federal BankABN-AMR

The BuckleThe IntersectionThe Leukemia &

Lymphoma Society of Grand Rapids

Transcorr National Logistics, LLC

Trzybinski & CoreyU.S. Department of

CommerceWestdale Commercial

Real Estate Company

Seidman After Hours: Practical Learning — An Internship Can Work for You!

Seidman School of Business extends its thanks to the organizations listed below who have hosted business interns in the Winter 2004 semester. We appreciate their willingness to partner with GVSU and Seidman School of Business to provide these

outstanding learning opportunities and hope to continue this partnership in the future.

Internships Worked

for Them!

Internships

A s organizations strive to maintain or develop competitive positions in today’sdynamic global markets, labor sourcing and retention are primary areas ofconcern. With the emphasis on “outsourcing,” “down-sizing,” “right-sizing,”

etc., the need for quality players on the management team has never been more acute.One option for locating, and/or qualifying, future “team players” is acquiring student

interns who have an interest in, and a career plan for, becoming employed in your field.Providing an internship to a pre-qualified student creates a win-win situation.

The student gains• Practical learning experience that

cannot be acquired in the classroom • Insight into possible career paths

within a business discipline • A small income to help defray

education expense

The internship organization gains• A low cost, high energy

employee with a fresh perspective• An opportunity to help shape

tomorrow’s business leaders• A “no-strings” opportunity to

observe, evaluate, and consider this person for future employment

I Certificate of Appreciation i

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10 Seidman Update • Spring 2004

Seidman StudentsSeidman Students

G raduating business school students must be prepared to giveconcise, well-thought-out answers to these job recruiterquestions if they hope to successfully obtain that first real,

full-time job. Making the big step from student to full-timeemployee can seem like a very intimidating process, especially forthose unprepared for interview questions. Given the job scarcitysince the 2001 recession, the price for poor interview per-formances can be high.

To assist SSB students in preparing for job interviews, SSBheld its first mock job interview program in early February of2004. Sixteen corporate recruiters from ten firms held mock jobinterviews with 112 SSB juniors and seniors on six days. All SSBjuniors and seniors with declared majors were invited to par-ticipate. The recruiters, obtained from Dean’s Advisory Boardmembers and Career Services, included AFLAC, AmericanSeating, Beene Garter, Enterprise-Rent-A-Car, Fifth Third Bank,Haworth, Huntington Bank, Macatawa Bank, NorthwesternMutual Financial Network, and Varnum Consulting.

When students called to register, where possible, they werepaired with a recruiter from a firm likely to hire someone withthat major. For example, finance majors were paired with bankrecruiters. Students were required to prepare a resume and haveit reviewed by Career Services. They were also required to sign ano-show agreement that committed them to write a letter ofapology to the recruiter if they missed the interview.

When students arrived for their half-hour interview, theywere given the name of the firm with which they would be inter-viewing. Since real jobs were not on the line, job-specificquestions were not appropriate. Instead, the recruiters askedgeneral and situational type questions. After fifteen or twentyminutes of questions, the recruiters spent the balance of theperiod providing honest, tell-it-like-it-is feedback. Intervieweeswere also given a Mock Interview Impressions form, completedby the recruiter, that provided concrete feedback on an array ofassessment measures that ranged from appearance to verbalcommunication skills.

Both students and recruiters completed separate question-naires that evaluated the program. In response to a question thatasked students if the mock interview program was helpful inpreparing for job search/career planning, 70.2% checked“strongly agree” and the remaining 29.8% checked “agree.” Noone selected “disagree” or “strongly disagree.” Students foundthe experience to be very worthwhile.

Comments included “A lot of good feedback, excellent prac-tice,” and “The entire idea of the mock interview is great. I likethe fact that I get honest feedback and practice with someonewho really knows what to look for.” Also, “It makes you focuson the details you might not have thought about before. Thefeedback was very thoughtful and applicable.”

In a teamwork situation whatrole do you typically play?

Why did youchoose your major?

What are your strengthsand weaknesses?

www.gvsu.edu/business 11

SEIDMAN SERVICE AWARDS:Undergraduate marketing student SeanCato and finance major Scott Setlockalong with MBA student Kurt Carlson,for their outstanding service contributionsto the School and community. Serviceactivities ranged from student organizationleadership and volunteering for JuniorAchievement, to serving on a studentappeals committee.

DELTA SIGMA PI KEYS:Jennifer Vantine and Jeffrey Wood forthe highest undergraduate overall gradepoint averages.

WALL STREET JOURNAL AWARD:Kristopher “Boomer” Hoppough, foracademic excellence, business leadership,contribution to the university, and promiseof success.

OUTSTANDING STUDENTS:Steve Bussis, Accounting; Kristin Hicks,Business Economics; Jamie Davis,Economics; Scott Setlock, Finance; LeviByker, General Business; NathanDeRidder, International Business; LisaSchwartzenberger, Management; MarkDewys, Marketing; Joan Heffelbower,MBA; Jenny Mutchler, MSA; JenniferBouman, MST

FACULTY AWARD OF RECOGNITION:Richard Hall, for many years of dedicatedservice to university and school committees.

Seidman Honors Banquet

JuniorsCorey Bascom, Kim Doane, LindseyFrawley, Brittany Grooters, JohnKose, Kristen Noffke, JenniferOuellette, Erin Pedersen, StephanieSecord, Jacqueline Walker

SeniorsKelly Allen, Chuck Bauss III,Christa Bonner, Cameo Castle,Jennifer Cook, Ryan Craves, FayDubord, Philip Goerbig, Jodi Lamer,Kellen Lynch, David Moder, DavidO’Neill, Lorraine Pickett,

Jonathan Prins, Tracey Rogers,Crystal Rudolph, Nicole Skuse,Sarah Van Elderan, BenjaminWebster, Jenny Welmerink, Jared Wheat

Graduate StudentsChuck Ammond, Viktor Anderson,Gary Crandall, Remmy Dagama,Todd Earle, Wade Eldean

FacultyRichard Hall, Gerald Simons

2004 Beta Gamma Sigma Inductees

Jennifer Bouman(left) enjoys the

event with a family member

Simha Magal

Above left to right: Sean Cato,Kurt Carlson, and Scott Setlock

Honors

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AMERICAN PRODUCTION AND INVENTORY CONTROL SOCIETYStudents who are planning a career in Operations Management areencouraged to join the American Production and Inventory ControlSociety. APICS provides opportunities for students to learn from,and network with, industry leaders. This year, APICS students havetoured a number of facilities, including Johnson Controls, FifthThird, and Irwin Seating. In addition, invited speakers have addressedsuch topics as Lean Manufacturing and Inventory turnover.

BETA ALPHA PSISeidman students who join Beta Alpha Psi, a national honor societyand professional accounting fraternity, are serving their communitythrough the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program,tutoring, and Home Repair Services. Outside-the-classroom learn-ing activities, including firm visits, alumni contact, and weeklyspeakers, help students gain an understanding of the ever-changingaccounting industry, and allow them to make valuable contactswithin the accounting field leading to future career options.

COLLEGIATE ENTREPRENEURS ORGANIZATIONCollegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization, “CEO,” is affiliated with anationwide organization that fosters students’ interestsand participation in Entrepreneurism. Theorganization has beenactive at

GVSU for several years, and membership includes students fromvarious colleges within the University. The Club sponsors many localentrepreneurs who have willingly shared their success stories. CEOhas also participated in various community volunteer efforts (BigBrother Bowling, DeVos Campus Clean-up), made visits to entrepre-neurs’ startup facilities (New Holland Brewery), and had group out-ings (Griffins Game). CEO is creating a local Grand Rapids version of“Monopoly” to be sold next fall on campus through local retailers.

DELTA SIGMA PIDelta Sigma Pi, the largest Greek organization in the nation, is aninternational business fraternity that offers students the opportunityto develop and enhance leadership skills. Delta Sigma Pi invitesguest speakers to discuss topics such as networking, how toimprove interview skills, and how to run your own small business.A recent visit to the Chicago Board of Trade allowed members toexperience the trading floor. DPS community service activitiesinclude helping to build a house for Habitat for Humanity, assistingwith a silent auction and the Children’s Museum, and serving atGod’s Kitchen, contributing to both personal and professional growth.

13

LAW CLUBThe Seidman School of Business/GVSU and Michigan StateUniversity College of Law partnership encouraged Seidman lawfaculty Star, Swift, Cathie Jones-Rikkers, and Jim Sanford to helpstudents interested in law school to form a Business Law Club.The Law Club assists students in learning about careers in law,law school admission and procedures, and to discuss other currentlegal topics of interest. Also assisting is Tami Passeno, the MSUCoordinator of the Grand Rapids Legal Center. Tami’s on-campuspresence is a huge benefit to students as they develop theirpersonal statements for their law school application, obtaininformation on Kaplan review courses, and tour the MSUcampus in April each year. The Business Law Club meets fivetimes a year, often with guest speakers who are prominentMichigan attorneys who share their expertise.

SOCIETY FOR ADVANCEMENT OF MANAGEMENTStudents in Seidman have an opportunity to increase their manage-ment skills and expertise through participation in the Society forAdvancement of Management (SAM). By associating with practicing

managers, many of whom are members of senior chapters; studentsare successfully able to reconcile theory with actual businesspractice. This effort helps improve the professional quality of theirclassroom knowledge which can lead to increased performanceand leadership ability necessary for their careers. The personalrelationships students form while in school contributes to theirprofessional development and helps to establish the networksnecessary to compete in today's global business environment.

SOCIETY FOR HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENTThe Society for Human Resource Management is an organizationfor students interested in human resources. SHRM brings in manylocal area professionals to speak on various HR-related issues atbi-weekly meetings. Company tours, luncheons, and national SHRMconferences have provided opportunities for Seidman students tointeract with others in order to learn more about human resourcesin the real world and to make connections for the future. Last yearSHRM members attended the national conference in Orlando, andthey will participate at the conference in New Orleans in June.

Student organizations provideopportunities for learning andprofessional growth after class.

Seidman Update • Spring 200414

I t’s not entirely certain what legal potionProfessor Maris Stella “Star” Swift usesin teaching Biz Law, Labor and

Employment Law, or Collective Bargainingand Arbitration, but we do know that shehas motivated a significant number of stu-dents to go on to law school followingtheir graduations from Seidman. Studentsare impressed by her organization and theamount of information she delivers. She’sbeen accused of addressing them as if theywere contemplating a law career, and ithas worked! Not only have they beenadmitted to law schools, they’re alsoearning scholarships and excelling in theirstudies — much of it attributable to theboot camp sort of training that Star gavethem in their undergraduate studies.

Katherine MacPherson, now in hersecond year in Law School at MichiganState University College of Law is a recip-ient of a full tuition King Scholarship,based on her high grade point averageduring her first year at MSU. She will be asummer associate at Dickinson Wright,PLLC. “Professor Swift’s willingness to helpme with my law school application/essayand her encouragement with respect toresearching the different law schools helpedme a great deal.”

Peter Whitehead received a fulltuition scholarship at MSU based on hisundergraduate record. He recounts howhe originally intended to transfer fromGrand Valley after two years — until helanded in Star’s BUS 201 Business Lawclass. All changed. Star recognized hispotential and believed that he had a mindfor law. “Her confidence had a profound

effect on myoutlook about thefuture.” The tripthat Starorchestrated toMSU allowedPeter to realizethat law schoolwas on hishorizon. “I con-clude the bestway to repay heris to pass the ‘pro

bono’ on to other students who findthemselves in the same quandary I was infive years ago.”

Kalyn Redlowsk is an associateattorney with Miller, Canfield, Paddockand Stone, PLC where she practices laborand employment law. “I am very fortunateto have had Star as my teacher, mentor,and friend. She is a professor who truly

cares about her students. She’s helped meso much I couldn’t even begin to describeall that she’s done for me. She supervisedan independent study for me to helpprepare me for law school. She took meon tours of schools, helped me find goodjobs, counseled me during law school andwhile studying for the bar exam, andintroduced me to many people.”

Lindsay Balder received a MeritTuition Scholarship and will attend MSUin the fall. She is grateful to Star for hersupport and encouragement and neverexpected that things would turn out asthey did. Lindsay recalls being “suffi-ciently intimidated” when she accidentallyenrolled in Collective Bargaining andfound herself facing Star’s instruction. Onething led to another, and the trip to MSUwith Star and the other students last Aprilsealed the deal that law school was inLindsay’s future.

Left to right: Katherine MacPherson, Ken Bailey, Aina Watkins, Star Swift, KalynRedlowsk, Peter Whitehead, Lindsay Balder

LAW-datory Comments for a Star

New attorneys and gradaute students credit their undergraduateprofessor, Star Swift, (above) for preparing them and motivatingthem for success in law school.

15www.gvsu.edu/business

A ina Watkins has a similar story torelate and also overcame personaladversity before she found her way

to law school.“I was raised by my grandfather who

assumed the role of mother, father, androle model. He instilled in me the value ofself worth, hard work, and education. Hesuggested that I attend Cass TechnicalHigh School, a college preparatory school,where I participated in the BusinessAdministration curriculum.

The decision to attend Grand ValleyState University’s Seidman School ofBusiness was made following an exceptionalpresentation by GVSU’s Minority BusinessEducation Center (MBEC) and SSB.

Although attending Grand Valley wasa culture shock, MBEC, professors, staff,friends, and extra curricular activitiesenabled me to make the adjustment.During my junior year and following asummer internship with McDonald’s, Idecided to major in Management with anemphasis in Human Resources. I also par-ticipated in an internship program atSteeltech, Ltd. and joined the Society ofHuman Resources Management where Ieventually became the Vice President.

I was doing well in school, butadversity hit in my sophomore andjunior years. My grandfather was diag-nosed with prostate cancer and then diedone year later of a heart attack. Mrs.Karen Joshua-Whatel, MBEC Coordinator,kept my spirits up during that time of mylife. She also encouraged me to apply forthe Dr. Earl Harper ManagementScholarship to help with extra funds we

needed. (Dr. Harper is Professor Emeritusof the Seidman School of Business andserved at GVSU from 1971 to 1999.) Dr.Harper later became a mentor.

Spending a summer in the SSBInternational Study Abroad program inKingston, England helped keep my mindoff my grandfather’s death. However,when I returnedto the UnitedStates I was notsure what lifehad in store forme. Whatshould I dowhen I gradu-ated? I wasreally distraught.Then I recalledhow much Ienjoyed participating on theCampus Judiciary Committee andmy human resources courses. Idecided to take the Law SchoolAdmissions Test (LSAT). In themeantime I enrolled in ProfessorSwift’s Labor & Employment Lawcourse and began to seek heradvice on careers in Labor &Employment Law and the lawschool admission process. Shesubsequently helped me preparemy law school applications bywriting recommendations andreferred me for career advice towomen in the Grand Rapids areawho practice Labor &Employment Law.

The following semester ProfessorSwift contacted a number of students whohad interests in pursuing a Juris Doctor inLabor & Employment Law and/or aMaster’s in Industrial and Labor Relationsand arranged for us to tour MichiganState University’s College of Law and theSchool of Industrial and Labor Relations.Although I initially enrolled in ThomasM. Cooley Law School, I later transferredto MSU through Professor Swift’s assistance.

As a third year law student, I am cur-rently participating in a one-semesterexternship with the Equal EmploymentOpportunity Commission Office of FederalOperations in Washington, D.C.”

Aina Watkins

Excelling in Law School

SSB Accounting and Economics graduate, Kyle Clark, earned a 4.0in his first semester of law studies at Wayne State Law School,where he received the Arthur F. Lederle Scholarship and Board of

Governors Grant. He considers that his Economics degree prepared himwell for courses such as Torts, Property and Constitutional Law. “Comparing myself to the other 220-some first-year law students thatattended other universities, I feel very prepared.” Kyle has been accept-ed as a summer associate with Varnum, Riddering, Schmidt and Howlettin Grand Rapids.

Seidman Update • Spring 200416

Faculty After Class

FacultyTeachingBeyond theClassroom

I t is 6:30 a.m., and you are dragging yourselfout of bed. What are Seidman facultymembers doing? Some of them are up eating

their yogurt and muesli while trying to answerthe student emails that have drifted in over thepast eight hours. At least a few colleagues havealready been on line.

Over their orange juice, some faculty tell theirfamilies about the exciting evening they hadwith the student clubs. Imagine taking anevening to go on a plant tour. The reward forthe faculty advisor is the excitement when thediscussion gets rolling and the once shy stu-dents take over. Although the students in theclub organized the tour, they seem a bittongue tied in the beginning. Following alittle transition by faculty, everyone was off toa great learning experience.

8:00 a.m. People are heading to classes, offices,meetings, etc. You might find faculty buying acup of coffee at the Plaza Café and talking withstudents. They enjoy helping others to learn, togrow, to expand their minds.

Some faculty spend some of their class prepara-tion time reviewing who is in the class in aneffort to learn the names that go with the faces.It may not seem like much, but this is a hugedynamic on both sides. For others, this is thetime to post additional materials on the coursewebsite. Some faculty continuously add onlineresources related to the course, related campusevents, and job placement.

9:00 a.m. Where is our mythical facultymember now? Maybe in the classroomattempting to stimulate excitement with infor-mation, questions, and exercises. Sometimes thisleads to lengthy beyond-the-classroom discus-sions. Faculty enjoy discussing with studentssuch things as the working of the marketsystems, and these informal discussionsenhance the students’ learning. Seidmanfaculty come from all walks of life with avariety of previous work experiences fromwhich students inevitably benefit.

11:00 a.m. Another class — for this one, thefaculty member has gone to great lengths todesign the class to prepare students to becomecertified in a specific professional area by passinga standardized test at the end of the semester.

Noon. Some faculty are teaching, many areeating in the Atrium of the DeVos Center, andothers are in meetings. It is maybe anotheropportunity for students to visit with facultyover lunch and bounce ideas off them.

1:00 p.m. Time for an extra class session. Yes,some faculty run extra class sessions to help stu-dents with difficult material. These extra classessometimes run on weekends, too.

2:30 p.m. It’s time to be at a local CommunityHouse where a faculty member oversees stu-dents working with professionals to provideservices to needy community members. Thenumber of hours that students volunteer isimpressive, and faculty are at their sides.

4:00 p.m. You may be thinking about the end ofyour day, but the faculty member is thinkingabout the night class to be taught or reviewing astudent resume to help the student prepare forthe job market.

6:00 p.m. Home for dinner with the family —unless there’s a night class.

7:00 p.m. The phone rings. A student teamrepresentative needs clarification on the assign-ment. It is rather typical for faculty to offer theirhome phone numbers freely. Many studentsneed help learning to work effectively in groupsor how to think in new ways.

8:00 p.m. Check the email and the class websiteone last time to be sure that all is operatingsmoothly and that there are no urgent questions.This is a good time to consider what should beadded to the course. Perhaps a mock interviewcan be included in one of the classes to help stu-dents prepare for the job search, or maybe theseshould be voluntary and in the faculty office?

As the day winds down, there are many facultymembers who are hard at work. Facultymembers recognize that learning occurs aroundthe clock. Today faculty members work withstudents outside the classroom both virtuallyand face to face.

Seidman is fortunate to have dedicated facultywho take pride in the craft of teaching, who areleaders of learning communities, and who workfor the personal and professional success oftheir students.

www.gvsu.edu/business 17

T he Seidman School ofBusiness and Grubb &Ellis presented the annual

West Michigan Economic andReal Estate Forecast breakfastand panel to a large audienceof West Michigan businesspeople and students at theDeVos Center. Professor HariSingh of the Seidman Schooljoined Grubb & Ellis experts onindustrial, investment, office,and retail real estate markets.

Professor Singh discussed theimpact of improved productivityon short- and long-term jobopportunities, growth, andquality of life. He gave a histor-ical perspective of businessconfidence in metropolitanGrand Rapids as measured by asurvey that is distributed eachyear to area businesses. The

survey gauges confidence as a function ofvarious economic indicators, includinganticipated changes in employment,exports, sales, and GDP. The WestMichigan confidence index peaked in allsectors in 1999, dropping some in 2000,and then significantly dropped followingthe events of September 2001.

Confidence is building, however,albeit cautiously, for all indicators.Professor Singh discussed the uncertaintiesthat are influencing business confidence,both regionally and nationally: expansion ofjob opportunities, interest rate increases,consumer spending, government deficitsand private investment, and the evolvingsituation in Iraq. He noted that theregional economy, influenced dispropor-tionately by manufacturing, will expandmore slowly than the national economy.

Robert Bach, National Director of MarketAnalysis, Grubb & Ellis, joined Grubb &Ellis local experts in individual real estatesectors. Bach described the influence ofemployment on real estate, noting thatcommercial real estate is most affected byjob creation. Industrial demand is notdependent on new job creation, as com-panies move to new buildings for efficien-cies. Office vacancy rates, most affected bycorporate downsizing, are last to recover.He also noted that Grand Rapids, throughan infusion of $500 million, is a desirableplace to be and is on the upper end ofnational downtown revitalizations.

Annual West Michigan Economic and Real Estate Forecast

Economics Professor Hari Singh, discussesbusiness confidence and other economicindicators at annual Economic and RealEstate Forecast.

Faculty Achievement

Jaideep Motwani, Professor of Management and Chair of the ManagementDepartment, was selected to receive an award by the International Associationfor Management of Technology (IAMOT). IAMOT is a professional association

dedicated to research in technology innovation management, an international fieldthat includes thousands. The award is granted based on the number of publicationsresearchers have in the top specialty journals over the last five years. Dr. Motwanireceived his award at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. in April.

18Seidman Update • Spring 2004

Alumni Events

NOKIA EXECUTIVE SPEAKS AT ALUMNI BREAKFAST PROGRAM

H ow did the 140-year-oldNokia, Inc. become a domi-nant player in a new market?

How did it transition from a strug-gling forestry products company to athriving mobile phone provider?According to Ian Browde of theEnterprise Solutions Division ofNokia, Inc., it was through focus onhow to do business rather than onwhat business to do.

Four values guide Nokia busi-ness: customer satisfaction, respect,achievement, and continuouslearning. Browde clarifies thatachievement is at all levels and in allaspects of the business, and hefurther defines continuous learning

as renewal and commitment to innova-tion. Nokia, with $30 billion revenueeach year and 70,000 employees worldwide, invents 15–20 new phonemodels each quarter.

Last year Nokia launched the newEnterprise Solutions Division to tacklenew challenges associated with thescience of enterprise marketing.Browde and Seidman’s Professor CarolSanchez have developed a heuristicbusiness model around Nokia’s philos-ophy that how you do business is moreimportant than what you do. Based onfour assumptions and six principlesaround relationships and the value ofpeople to the organization, “DiverseAsset Management” is designed to helporganizations purposefully connectpeople in times of continuous change.

ALUMNI BREAKFAST FEATURESINTERNATIONAL WEAPONS EXPERT

A lumni, students, and business com-munity guests heard Ronald Bee,international expert on weapons of

mass destruction (WMD), speak at theMarch breakfast program. Bee is SeniorAnalyst and Director of Development andSpecial Projects at the University ofCalifornia Institute on Global Conflict andCooperation. An expert on national secu-rity, NATO, terrorism, the Middle East, andNortheast Asia, Bee teaches courses onnational security policy and Americanforeign policy. The U.S. government andprivate industry have utilized his expertisefor over 20 years on issues of internationalsecurity and nuclear, biological, and chem-ical weapons.

Bee presented an historical perspectiveon the use of biological, chemical, and nuclear WMD and pointed out that theuse of WMD and terrorism is nothing new,

although the incidents of 9/11 have madeus acutely aware of our vulnerability tothreats on our own soil. He advised theaudience to seek a balance that allowsfor awareness and vigilance but not atthe expense of freedom, the Americanideal. He encouraged action in the formof information gathering and theengagement of others in discussion ofthe broader issues associated with themotivation for using WMD.

Currently coordinating Middle Eastregional military-to-military dialogue“Arms Control and SecurityImprovement in the Middle East” for theU.S. Department of Defense, Bee left theaudience on a note of cautious optimism.He contends that it is not too early forthe U.S. to consider the post war onterrorism, pointing out that it is betterand cheaper to resolve the problemsthat feed terrorism. He drew an analogyto the post WWII Marshall Plan, whichaddressed human needs.

Ronald Bee (left) and SSB alumni Board member,Emery Freeman (right).

Ian Browde, Nokia, Inc.

“After Class at Seidman” for Faculty and Students includes the Seidman Alumni Association Breakfast Series

www.gvsu.edu/business19

ALUMNI BREAKFAST PROGRAMFEATURES METRO HEALTH CEO

M ichael Faas,Presidentand CEO,

Metro Health tookSeidman alumni andfriends on a virtualtour of theMetropolitan HealthVillage at the third

program of the 2003–04 Alumni BreakfastSeries. Faas explained how the need forexpansion led to the concept of a one-stopdestination for health care and wellnessthat also offers places to meet, eat, play,exercise, and shop.

Currently land-locked but needing togrow in order to serve the region’sincreasing needs, Metropolitan Hospitalhas purchased 170 acres southwest ofGrand Rapids adjacent to the new PaulHenry Expressway. The easy-accesslocation allows for construction of thehospital and its complementary facilitiesand also positions the hospital away fromthe congestion of the urban area, breakingup the concentration of hospitals in thecenter of Grand Rapids.

Metro Health Village aims to redefinethe health care experience in WestMichigan. Here, health care providers andlocal businesses will work together tocreate a unique holistic patient-centeredexperience for consumers, consistent with

the philosophies of osteopathic medicine.The community of medical offices,medical suppliers, and other health-oriented businesses will alsoincorporate restaurants, a hotel, a daycare center, parks, a fitness center, andother facilities yet to be determined.The entire community is designedwith the environment in mind, fromenvironment-friendly constructionmaterials to the green space of theVillage Square and right up to therooftop gardens.

Metropolitan Hospital embarks on this$1 billion investment with its unwaveringfocus on the patient in every aspect of itsefforts to transform health care.

Interim Dean John Reifel (right) presents Michael Faas with aSeidman garment.

A Hospital forTomorrow

Seidman Update • Spring 200420

An audience of alumni and friends paidtribute to three Seidman alumni, recognizingthem for their respective outstanding contributions.

President Emeritus Arend “Don” Lubbers fittingly capped off thisgrand finale of the 2003–04 Alumni Breakfast Series with anaddress “Hail to Our Alma Mater.”

Providing the historical framework for the creation anddevelopment of Grand Valley State University, President Lubberscredited its founders for their vision for an excellent liberal artsinstitution grounded in quality instruction. He also commendedfaculty and staff for staying the course and continuing the focuson superior instruction as the University has expanded toinclude professional and graduate programs.

Having been at the helm for 32 years, the EmeritusPresident has seen Grand Valley grow to 20,000 students and50,000 alumni. He noted that the opportunity to set the founda-tion for an institution is granted to just one generation, and thattoday’s alumni should take great pride in their part of theUniversity’s success. The alumni for this young institution took achance on a new and growing university and should be verypleased that what is being built is good and getting better.

2004 ALUMNI AWARDEES

Professional Achievement – Dennis Hoffman, B.S. 1974Dr. Hoffman is associate dean for graduate programs and a professor of econonics at Arizona State University. He has received numerous teaching and research awards, including a Fulbright research grant, and is an accomplished author and consultant.

Community Commitment – Dennis Betten, B.B.A. 1981In addition to running a successful car dealership, Mr. Betten oversees the Betten Family Foundation, which is the mechanism for the family to give back to the community.

Successful Entrepreneur – Gary Tilkin, B.B.A. 1977Mr. Tilkin is founder and president of Global Fortex Trading, Ltd, a leading foreign exchange firm. Previously, he owned a highly successful New York-based brokerage firm and a top-rated advisory service.

Dennis Betten

Dennis Hoffman

Gary Tilkin

www.gvsu.edu/business21

Alumni Events

A lumni and other business guestsjoined roundtable presenters DerekKaufman and Nancy Skinner for

lunch and discussion around issues ofproduct development during this time ofrapid change and communication compe-tencies of leaders. Participants leftinspired to implement new ideas andequipped with the tools for improvingtheir own and their organizations’ effec-tiveness and efficiencies.

Kaufman, President of KaufmanPeters, LLC, presented new productdevelopment in the context of exponen-tial change and global connectiveness. Hediscussed how constantly changing realitygets in the way of rational planning andpredetermined outcomes, pointing outthat smaller, multiple initiatives are mostviable in this environment. Multiplemulti-phase initiatives accelerate learningand lower risk.

Nancy Skinner, President of Skinner& Associates, a Division of VarnumConsulting, explored with participantsthe art of developing leaders. She sharedthat leadership is a relationship and thatleaders need to motivate and inspireothers in order to sustain a viable enter-prise. True leaders should focus 60% oftheir time on the future as they preparefor change and set the pace for others.Especially during times of change, leaderscannot over-communicate.

Alumni Leadership Roundtable

Nancy Skinner addresses Roundtable participants.

Alumni AchievementCrystal Escobedo, double major in accounting and international business, has been awarded afellowship from Ohio State University Graduate School and will begin her studies in the Master’sof Accounting Program in the fall. She will receive full tuition and a monthly stipend during thecourse of her studies. An annual competition for this Fellowship is open to over 100 graduateprograms at Ohio State, all of whom nominate their best students. To be nominated is quite anachievement — to win the award is something very special.

22Seidman Update • Spring 2004

1970sDon Jansma (’76 M.B.A.) is an InvestmentRepresentative with Edward Jones in Grand Rapids.

Timothy Neff (’79 B.B.A. and ’84 M.S.T.) has part-nered with DeHoek and Roy PLLC, CertifiedPublic Accountants, of Grand Rapids.

Valerie Overheul (’77 B.B.A.) is the owner/president of Summit Training Source, Inc. in Kentwood. The company produces and sells industrial safety videos.

Michael Peuler (’77 B.B.A., C.P.S., C.F.P.) was Named executive vice president of Blue BallNational Bank in Pennsylvania.

1980sJorge Capestany (’84 B.B.A.) is the new managerof the DeWitt Tennis Center at Hope College.

Thomas DeLuca (’89 B.S., ’01 M.B.A., and ’02M.Ed.) is principal of Albee Elementary School inChesaning.

Thomas Dickinson (’81 B.B.A.) was appointed tothe board of directors at ICNB FinancialCorporation in Ionia.

Kathy (Mantey) Fry (’83B.B.A.) is a senior business ana-lyst at Fidelity IntegratedFinancial Solutions inMaitland, Florida.

Michael Lamfers (’88 B.B.A.) isa Partner, Audit and AssuranceGroup division of Deliotte &Touche, LLP in Grand Rapids.

Timothy A. Raymer (’84M.B.A.) is the Chief FinancialOfficer for the GrandvillePublic Schools. He is also serv-ing as President of theMichigan School BusinessOfficials for 03/04.

Matthew Reno (’84 B.B.A.) joined GMACMortgage in Birmingham as a loan officer.

Beverly (Fishell) Wall (’87 M.B.A.) is the newCEO and owner of Languages InternationalIncorporated, a full-service foreign language trans-lation and interpretation services company basedin Grand Rapids.

1990sDalene Abbot (’93 B.B.A.) is owner and operatorof Bella Boutique, a new clothing store located inGrandville.

Jerrold Dudick (’96 B.B.A.) is the director ofoperations at Praxis Packaging Solutions inGrand Rapids.

Christopher Hallenbeck (’98 B.B.A.) has joinedHaworth Inc. in Big Rapids as a human resourcesconsultant.

William Helm (’98 M.B.A.) has joined the sales staffat S. J. Wisinski and Company of Grand Rapids.

Jeremy Kiessel (’99 B.B.A.) is a sales manager innorthern Michigan for Brown and Williamson.Kiessel had held several different positions withOld Kent and Fifth Third Banks.

Jeffrey Van Meter (’90 B.B.A.) has joined theGrand Rapids-based law firm of Panik SherlundPLLC, practicing in the areas of estate planning,trust and probate administration, taxation andcorporate law. He was a shareholder at Day andSawdey PC.

Bonnie Wiest (’94 B.B.A.) is the controller ofAmerican RV Sales & Service Inc. of Grand Rapids.

Jeffrey Wood (’98 B.B.A.) is an investment rep-resentative for Edward Jones Investments ofGrand Rapids.

2000sSarah Brenner (’99 B.B.A. and ’02 J.D./M.B.A.)accepted a new position with the Department ofthe Attorney General as an Assistant AttorneyGeneral in the Education & Social ServicesDivision.

Amanda Combs (’02 B.B.A.) is currently workingas a Commercial Credit Analyst for National CityBank in Grand Rapids.

Staci Dawson (’02 B.B.A. and ’03 M.B.A.) washired as an accountant for Hungerford, Aldrin,Nichols & Carter PC of Grand Rapids.

Kenia Villarreal (’03 B.B.A.) works with the com-mercial lender program at Standard Federal Bankin Grand Rapids.

Please send us news about you!Send your information via e-mail to

SSBalumn@gvsu.edu

Alumni Notes

Amy Norkus (’87 B.B.A.)was named a partner atHanon McKendry/TheBrand Consultants,Grand Rapids. Amyserves on the SeidmanSchool of BusinessAlumni Board.

You are welcome to attend a breakfast sponsored by the Seidman School of Business Alumni Association

and the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies

Pocketbook Predictions: Who will be President in 2005?Patrick Anderson, Economist

Tuesday, June 15, 2004 • 7:30 a.m.

Hager Lubbers Exhibition Hall • DeVos CenterGrand Valley State University • 401 W. Fulton, Grand Rapids

Reservations: ssbalumn@gvsu.edu or 616-331-7100

F or Michael Tennessee, earning abusiness degree at Grand ValleyState University was significant.

But it went hand-in-hand with helpingto lead the Grand Valley State LakersFootball team, as runningback, to twoconsecutive Division II NationalChampionships!

Tennessee considers that a degreein business and playing football have alot in common. “I’ve developed skills inleadership, I’ve gained confidence, andI know what it is to work hard in mycourses and on the football field.” Hedidn’t necessarily realize that at thebeginning of his career but learned thatthere are many shared conceptsbetween academics and sports.

Michael was initially influenced byGrand Valley Marketing ProfessorCharles Blankson, who ironically latertransferred to C.W. Post in Long Island,New York. The Grand Valley Lakershandily defeated the C.W. Post footballteam during the 2002–03 play-offs, en route to the final game and national championship.

Just mapping out a course schedule that would allow Michael to be available for foot-ball practice Monday through Friday from 1–6:00 p.m., having time to view films, andthen playing the Saturday football games was challenging. It required endless energy andfull commitment to balance both academics and sports.

With one year of eligibility remaining, Tennessee will continue to mix football andstudies while working on a business plan to market a new product. Along the way, helearned that the “greatest product is one for which there is a need.” He probably provedthat already by discovering the synergy between football and academics. Michael envisionsa career in marketing.

www.gvsu.edu/business23

Small Business & Technology Development Center616.331.7370 www.www.misbtdc.org/region7• No-cost one-to-one business counsel• Low-cost small business seminars• Market research• Referrals to business development resources• Small business advocacy

Information Services616.331.7370 www.gvbizinfo.com• Demographic profiles of GR and Lakeshore• Customized research services• Market data/business related information• Online commercial databases

Family Owned Business Institute616.331.7200 www.fobi.gvsu.edu• Research• Family business resource center• Family business coursework

Ethics Center616.331.7449• Business ethics roundtables• Seminars and workshops• Research• Ethics coursework

Other Partners in Outreach—

INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE:

Van Andel Global Trade Center616.331.6811 www.vagtradecenter.org• Conferences, seminars, and workshops• Custom/Contract training• Certificate programs• Electronic resource room• Import/Export counseling

U.S. Dept. of Commerce Export Assistance Center616.458.3564• Export counseling• Trade finance assistance• Conferences, seminars, and workshops• Market research• Export market representation

Partnerships Serving the Business Community

Michigan Works! West Central 616.331-7370 (to schedule an appointment)Small business counsel in area of procurement/government contracting

Kent Area MicroBusiness Loan Services (KAMLS)616.771.6880233 E. Fulton, Suite 101Loans between $1,000 and $35,000 for Kent Countystartup and young “pre-bankable” businesses

SBA Business Information Center 616.771.6880233 E. Fulton, Suite 101A one-stop shop for entrepreneurs to access resourcesto build their business or launch their company

SEIDMANBUSINESS SERVICES

…outreach to the Greater Grand Rapids Business Community

“A Run for His Money”

GVSU vs. Michigan Tech“The Bash at the Big House”

Saturday, November 6 • U of M Stadium • Kickoff 1 p.m.Call today for tickets (616) 331-8800 • www.gvsu.edu/

ATTENTION SEIDMAN ALUMS! Check later for details on tailgating at www.gvsu.edu/business

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Join colleagues and friends from many professions, including: Business • Government • Manufacturing • Education • Healthcare

Science • Engineering • Liberal Arts • Social Services

Short-term international and Washington, D.C. programs

Seidman School of Business Graduate ProgramsGeared to Working Professionals

For information on specific programs, contact Claudia Bajema, Director, Graduate Business Programs616.331.7400 • Go2gvmba@gvsu.edu • www.grMBA.com

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