Bradley University, Foster College of Business
FEATURING:
BIRTHING A BUSINESS Accounting grad creates subscription service
Issue 4, Spring 2019
A LETTER FROM
MATTHEW O’BRIEN
OUR VISION To be the standard for engagement, innovation, and impact in business higher education.
OUR MISSION Dear Alumni and Friends: The main structure of our new business and engineering complex will be complete in just a few short months. While our time in Campustown’s open spaces and cubicles has taught us new work styles, everyone here at the Foster College is looking forward to moving into the new facility and using its advanced technology. What we’re most excited about, however, is how the space will transform the way we teach our students. I’ve been at Bradley since 2004 when I joined the marketing faculty and have been lucky to serve the department, college, and university in a number of leadership roles. Previously, I was at the University of Arizona in Tucson, but one of my fondest academic experiences came in 2011, when I served as a Fulbright Scholar at Kobe University in Japan. My current research interests center on businesses as organizations and how they both collaborate and coordinate with other businesses and with the final customer.
Through close interaction and experiential learning, we empower individuals and organizations to achieve great outcomes.
OUR VALUES In everything we do, we value integrity, persistence, innovation, collaboration, impact, growth, diversity, and risk-taking.
This spring we added business analytics to our offerings. Today’s global marketplace uses data to make business decisions on a daily basis. This curriculum will teach our students to sift out unnecessary or extraneous data and focus on what is most meaningful. Housed in the new complex will be a lab with industry-standard software so students will be able
CONNECT WITH US
to gain meaningful experience in this field before they hit the job market.
@BradleyFCB
As always, we hope you’ll enjoy this issue of Experience. If you have any feedback on the
@BradleyUFoster
magazine or a story idea you’d like to share, we’d love to hear from you. Send me an email
@BradleyUFoster
at fcbdean@bradley.edu or call me at (309) 677-2253.
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Matthew O’Brien Interim Dean, Foster College of Business
CONTACT US Online: bradley.edu/business Email: fcbdean@bradley.edu Phone: (309) 677-2253 Address: 1501 W. Bradley Ave. Campustown 196 Peoria, IL 61625
CONTENTS Issue 4, Summer 2019
FEATURES
Publishers
Data Driven. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Matthew O’Brien interim dean, Foster College of Business
Birthing a Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Jennifer Robin associate dean and associate professor, management and leadership, Foster College of Business
A Man and His Machines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Mobile Style.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
mobile
Heather McCord ’01 MBA ’06 assistant dean for budget and administration, Foster College of Business
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Abby Green ’14 director of marketing and communications, Foster College of Business Editorial Team S. L. Guthrie, executive editor
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Bob Grimson ’81, assistant director Mary Brolley, assistant director
NEWS
Matt Hawkins, assistant director
Gauging views on patient safety. . . 2
Tom Gunter, lead graphic designer
MBA program tops list. . . . . . . . . 2
Sarah Dukes, art director
Inclusion champion . . . . . . . . . . 2
Duane Zehr, photographer
Help when it counts . . . . . . . . . . 3
Administration
Make way for change . . . . . . . . . 3
Gary R. Roberts ’70, president and professor
New cybersecurity program. . . . . 5
Walter Zakahi ’78, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs
Creative Team
Renée B. Richardson, associate vice president for marketing and publications
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© Bradley University 2019. Experience is an annual publication of the Foster College of Business at Bradley University and produced by the Office of Marketing and Communications. Bradley University is committed to equal opportunities in education and employment.
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COLUMNS Research Rundown . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Taking His Shot . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Degrees of Success . . . . . . . . . . 21
NEWS MBA program tops list Bradley University is now the highest-rated part-time MBA program in Illinois outside of the Chicago area, according to the U.S. News & World Report. The 2020 ranking also placed Bradley’s MBA program at #57 in the nation; that’s up from #82 last year.
Gauging views on patient safety A popular training tool for health care professionals, medical simulations offer a realistic and safe way to practice skills and decision making during an unfolding medical incident. But are laypeople aware of these teaching methods, and would experiencing a medical simulation alter their overall health care perceptions and trust in providers? Faculty members from the Department of Economics and researchers from Peoria’s JUMP Simulation Center teamed up to find out. Divided into three groups, 137 adult participants took part in the study. Two groups visited JUMP, one touring the facility and the other viewing a medical simulation involving a pediatric patient. Both viewed a video and
completed pre- and post- surveys. An online control group only filled out the same survey regarding their feelings about patient safety, trust in the health care system and medical malpractice. Though the study found exposure to health care simulation produced limited changes in surveyed attitudes, participants reported a positive experience, and collaborations between economics faculty and JUMP researchers will continue. “Going through a simulation affected my perceptions of the challenges health care professionals face every day,” said Joshua Lewer, McCord Professor and department chair, who was part of a medical simulation at JUMP in 2017.
Foster College of Business Interim Dean and Associate Professor of Marketing Matthew O’Brien said, “We are honored to be listed among some of the highest-ranked parttime MBA programs in the country. The dedication of our faculty, staff and students has allowed us to rise through the ranks year over year. We are proud to provide our students with a personalized MBA experience that fosters both professional and personal development.”
Inclusion champion Carlos Guzman ’97 MBA ’17 is vice president and chief indirect procurement officer of the Fortune 25 company Express Scripts. Indirect procurement refers to a company’s spending on the administrative or operational structure of their business as opposed to direct procurement — the cost of the goods and services necessary to make the company’s product. Throughout Guzman’s career, which included stints at Monsanto, Hospira (now Pfizer) and Solo Cup Company (now Dart Container), he’s championed inclusion and diversity by developing and supporting effective supplier diversity programs, as well as leading an inclusion and diversity business resource network for LGBTQ team members at Monsanto. 2 | Foster College of Business
Help when it counts Taxes are among the certainties in life and preparing them can be stressful. For the second consecutive year, Bradley student-volunteers aided low-income individuals with their tax returns by teaming with METEC, a nonprofit Peoria social service organization. Trained with IRS materials through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, 60 studentvolunteers worked Mondays and Saturdays starting in early February through the tax deadline in April. In the first year, more than 800 tax returns were prepared, saving area families on preparation costs and generating $1 million in tax refunds. “It’s been a fantastic, formative experience for the Bradley students as they get to interact with real clients concerning real accounting issues,” said William Bailey, assistant professor of accounting. “They’re also serving the local community in a significant financial way.”
Make way for change Self-described “Class A finance geek/junkie” Tom Sosnoff said the approach to financial markets has changed markedly during his 40 years in the business. He likened it to Yankees pitcher Adam Ottavino’s prediction that baseball legend Babe Ruth would struggle in the modern game. “I’m on this guy’s (Ottavino) side 100 percent,” the native New Yorker said in February at the 43rd McCord Lecture. “Everything is different today. Success is a derivative of your ability to assess risk and make decisions. “Every chance you have, take risks in life. Especially if you’re young. We’re talking about real risk rewards – not betting on a 100-1 shot. After you make 10, 100 or 1,000 decisions, your mind is different.” Sosnoff is one of Chicago’s best-known entrepreneurs in financial technology. Starting at the Chicago Board Options Exchange, he launched thinkorswim in 1999 and is co-CEO of the online financial network, tastytrade, founded in 2011. A tastytrade affiliate, tastyworks, started in 2017, is for options investors. Going into banking after college, Sosnoff quit to trade options in Chicago, calling the trading floor “the last frontier of raw capitalism.” He believes in taking calculated risks but said we are a passive society where most people are hampered by a lack of ability to assess risk and make decisions. He urged investors to ignore the “talking-head mentality” of the major financial publications and networks, adding “they perpetuate the collective herding and failure.” Also to be avoided, he said, were “fee-obsessed” asset managers, CEOs and corporate board members, adding innovations in the markets can be delivered through academia and STEM skills brought into teaching finance. “Finance and the world of business have never been in a better position than today because there’s more opportunity. The key to economic growth is liquidity. The opportunity in the U.S. dwarfs the rest of the world.”
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RESEARCH RUNDOWN Conflicting identities in the workplace Employees often wear multiple hats at work, e.g., parent, student, volunteer, etc. But, sometimes these roles conflict with the job and lead to feelings like guilt or uncertainty. How can employers help minimize this internal struggle? First, it’s important to be clear about expectations during the hiring process, said management professors Jennifer Robin and Heidi Bauman. Consider taking advantage of technology. For example, letting an employee attend an event virtually while caring for a sick family member could help alleviate strain and increase compatibility between their workplace identity (accountant, marketer, etc.) and non-workplace identities (caregiver, parent, etc.) TAKEAWAY: It’s important to be clear about expectations during the hiring process.
Off the clock after hours Most people know the downside to being online constantly, e.g., distracted driving or lack of engagement with loved ones. So, what are the implications for organizations expecting employees to be available 24/7? Research by business law professor Tanya Marcum and Luke Versweyveld ’18 explained employers must balance expectations of after-hours productivity with workers’ need for downtime. A majority of employees believe after-hours work is positive but don’t think the ability to do their jobs would be negatively affected if they shut off at the end of the day. The issue is international, with several countries debating limits on worker access outside regular hours. TAKEAWAY: Employers must balance expectations of after-hours productivity with workers’ needs for downtime.
Battling the effects of boredom Many employees are bored on the job and that translates into reduced performance and other issues — how can employers keep things interesting? Job-related boredom negatively affects not only job performance but employees’ well-being and interactions. Research by management and leadership professor Candace Esken shows employer support for job crafting or allowing some independence, such as reducing redundant activities, gives workers a chance to engage and reduce monotony. Esken’s findings suggest matching workers with positions that utilize their skills and experiences and helping them find meaning in their work can also combat the issue. TAKEAWAY: Support for job crafting, such as reducing redundant activities, gives workers a chance to reduce boredom.
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New cybersecurity program allows ‘hacking’ Disguised as technicians from an internet service provider, Bradley students walked into a client’s business and asked to scan company computers for viruses. These “white hat” hackers gained access to vital systems, knowing which electronics to target from video surreptitiously recorded on a previous facility tour. The ruse worked so well the team scanned the entire facility and left without incident. The surprising success was part of assistant professor Jake Young’s inaugural ethical hacking class. “It was almost too good to be true. We thought we would be caught,” said Kerstyn Campbell ’17, (at right) a management information systems (MIS) alumna who participated in the first-time adventure. “We were nervous, but relieved they believed our story. By the end, we felt a sense of accomplishment knowing we completed the most challenging task.” Young developed the class two years ago as part of the MIS program’s cybersecurity concentration and minor. Launched in 2018, classes like this one are the first steps toward certification by the National Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security. “Technology is fairly straightforward, but social engineering is always evolving,” Young said. “We teach students to keep their eyes and ears open so they’re not blindly going along with whatever someone asks. They know to question why they’re being asked something, and that helps them anticipate threats.” As the concentration and minor take root, Young expects graduates will find their places in one of the fastestgrowing fields. “Small businesses used to keep paper files on a few local customers in a back office. Now, mom-and-pop shops are global enterprises and store their information online,” he said. “We generate exponentially more data today and we need more people to protect and analyze it. Whether you’re interested in cybersecurity or business analytics, there simply aren’t enough qualified professionals for all the jobs available.”
DATA DRIVEN By Bob Grimson ’81
Analytical tools and methods that help businesses mine information and make better decisions play a growing role in today’s global marketplace, and workers need to know how to acquire data and transform it into useful information.
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H
aoran “Shawn” Zheng, a new assistant professor in the Department of Entrepreneurship, Technology and Law, sees a need for students to learn these skills, so he and others in the Foster College of Business have crafted a business analytics curriculum that started this spring. “In today’s environment, any job would require the employee to interact with some sort of systems, software and data on a daily basis,” he said, “If you present the skills to be able to work with data and generate useful information from it, that helps you get noticed in workplaces. For any student, from any major, this would serve as something that would stand out.” Zheng said data and information are not the same. Extracting the information from data is only part of the task — using that information to make the right decision at the right time is equally important. “Anyone can collect data but not everyone can extract relevant information from that to support decision making.” “We’ve always had data,” Zheng said. “We’ve had data analysis for a long time. Take forecasting as an example — traditionally we use historical data to make a prediction. But data analytics takes a more holistic approach, not only taking into account what happened in the past but other, contextual variables and to make these predictions more accurate. The most satisfying part is to be able to find something that you didn’t think was there.” The results can sometimes be counter-intuitive. Zheng said retail powerhouse Walmart started using such analysis about 10 years ago and pinpointed what customers load up on before a hurricane. “You would think people would get water, candles . . . they actually predicted people would buy strawberry Pop-Tarts®,” he said. “So (Walmart) stocked up and that’s what happened. Things like that you won’t be able to know without analytics. We often use our intuition and think we’re being rational, but the decisions we make are influenced by cognitive biases.” Other examples include assessing a customer’s credit risk using hundreds of variables or an auto insurer using personalized driving data and habits to tailor individualized coverage.
“Within a year, with patients coming three times a week, one dialysis center would have a ton of data,” Zheng said. “Then, you have the non-clinical side — family history, economic status, social status, exercise, etc. All these factors come into play and we can derive a dynamic model as new patients come in. It would still depend on the doctor to make decisions, but we can assist … make recommendations based on the model.”
ata analytics correctly D predicted that Walmart customers would stock up on strawberry Pop-Tarts® before a hurricane instead of water and candles. With degrees and a background in international business, Zheng earned his doctorate at Florida International University in information systems and business analytics. He sees his lack of a computer science background as a positive. “I had to get caught up (with technology) but it definitely brought me perspectives a technical person might not have,” he said. “Nowadays, nothing is really isolated. Everything is interdisciplinary. That’s the essence of convergence – people working together.” Recent software advances led to user-friendly dashboard applications for business that are also useful for students, Zheng said. He hopes these advances make business analytics more accessible for smaller companies. The field provides the ability gives the ability to sift out unnecessary or extraneous data and focus on extracting what is most meaningful. “We have the capabilities now to track all the things we do — we just don’t know how to make sense out of it,” he said. “That’s the issue a lot of companies are facing, what to do with all the data they have.”
It’s not always a matter of dollars and cents. One of Zheng’s research projects involves working with Chinese hospitals to study inherent issues, such as long lines for appointments. Another aims to build a predictive model for those with chronic kidney disease.
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BIRTHING A BUSINESS by Mary Brolley
Amid an explosion of subscription services targeted to consumers, a Peoria start-up has succeeded by putting moms first. From a family business run out of a dining room to an office/warehouse with nearly three dozen employees, Bump Boxes’ next goal is to help companies support and retain employees during and after pregnancy. Ask Bump Boxes founder and CEO Christine Cooney Deehring ’07 MSA ’07 why she left a secure accounting job at Caterpillar Inc. to pour her time, money and energy into a start-up housed in her dining room, and she might tell you a story about her first week of high school. “It was a new school for me, and I was kind of in my own shell all week, not saying much to anyone,” she said. After school on Friday, when her mom suggested they go out for ice cream, Deehring agreed and climbed into the family van. Without a word, her mom drove straight to the high school, crowded with students going to the first football game. “What are we doing here?” Deehring asked in a panic. “Get out of the van,” her mom replied. Despite her pleas, her mother insisted she get out of the van and go to the game. Deehring did, armed with the conversational icebreaker, “My mom kidnapped me and brought me here.” “I made a lot of friends that night,” she admitted. “It was hard for my Mom to do, but she knew it was the best thing for me. It taught me that I have to be comfortable with being uncomfortable in order to grow.” Bradley University | 9
In 2015, Deehring “kicked herself out of the van,” as she puts it, by leaving Caterpillar to create Bump Boxes, a monthly subscription service of helpful products for expectant mothers. Four years later, the company also has Bitsy Boxes, a spin-off subscription for moms and babies; Glow Organics, a line of organic bath and body products; multiple apps and acquisitions, and 36 employees whose focus is squarely on supporting new moms. Deehring began to think about creating the business when she was pregnant with her daughter Ainsley, now 5. Spending hours after work researching products that would be safe for her and the baby, she noticed there didn’t seem to be a place that offered safe and healthy products vetted for expectant mothers.
So she and her husband, Leland ’06, decided to start the company in their dining room. “We financed it with savings and bootstrapped in the beginning, using our own money to fund the growth of the business. We took on a very small amount from angel investors, but the business has funded its own growth ever since,” Deehring said. “Any time you invest your life savings into something, there is added stress. But because we’re so personally invested, we make better decisions for the company since it’s our own money on the line. We’re smart with where we invest our dollars and the bets we take, so we’ve been able to scale incredibly quickly.”
Where the magic happens Deehring on the loading dock of Bump Boxes, the Peoria-based subscription service she and her husband founded in 2015. The company now has 36 employees and shipped more than 300,000 Bump and Bitsy (for babies and toddlers) boxes to subscribers in 2018.
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Bump Boxes’ success — they shipped 300,000+ orders in 2018 — is part of a 900 percent increase in subscription services worldwide since 2014. Consumers subscribe to have ready-to-cook meals, socks, shaving cream and razors, clothing, household cleaners, pet food and more delivered to their homes on a schedule. In 2015, Bump Boxes grew into a 1,200 square-foot facility, and in 2016 moved into a 18,000 square-foot office/ warehouse in north Peoria. They are currently looking for a new headquarters building. Their Glow Organics line of bath and skin-care products for women, started in 2018, is manufactured in central Illinois.
‘A birthday every time you get a box’ Photos courtesy of Bump Boxes
In the early days, Deehring blogged and pushed out social media content in the evenings after working a full day. Today, the company’s social media tone is still a mixture of support and encouragement, playfulness and honesty. “Pregnancy is a life-changing event,” Deehring said. “Many of our employees are moms, and we want to be supportive. We vet all our products and want to be a trusted resource.”
“Use of subscription services will settle out where people truly find value. Things that save us time and effort. Services that are not just for fun, but that truly meet a need.” — HEIDI ROTTIER ’98 MBA ’01, INSTRUCTOR OF MARKETING
Marketing Instructor Heidi Rottier ’98 MBA ’01, who had Deehring in class, understands why consumers love subscription services. “I think the biggest part of (the category’s success) is that we like experiences. Even if I order something for myself online, when it comes, I’m so excited. A subscription service ramps up your experience. It’s a birthday every time you get a box, and I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like to get presents. “And they’re personalized — there’s every level and type of subscription box. For Christmas, we got our daughter a Harry Potter subscription box. I even subscribe to a couple of services for my dog. One of my former students lives far from her mom, and her mom sends her dog a Bark Box every month, and (my student) posts the unboxing to Instagram. “With the food services, the convenience factor is huge. It’s not about saving money.” As for Bump Boxes, Rottier thinks subscribers appreciate that the products in each box are curated. “If you’ve never been pregnant before, if you’re working, you don’t have endless time to research. The fact that someone else has gone to the trouble to research these products, it’s like a mom’s seal of approval — a trusted friend.”
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Many subscription services offer an interactive platform where subscribers can log in and pause or edit their orders. Rottier says consumers see that as a benefit, whether or not they use it. “When we sign up, there’s peace of mind that we can control our subscription, even if we forget our log-in and never adjust anything.” This business sector is still being invented, and there are many changes to come, Rottier said. “Use of subscription services will settle out where people truly find value. Things that save us time and effort. Those that are not just for fun, but that truly meet a need.”
Careful choices, valuable feedback As the company’s head merchandiser, Sarah Gruber chooses products for each Bump Box. “Every box is so different,” she said. “We choose 5-8 full-size items, and each box has a theme. I work with the Customer Experience team throughout. We want 100 percent of subscribers to be happy. If someone isn’t, we re-evaluate.” Bump Boxes customers are great at letting the company know how they feel about products, and Gruber receives the comments. “I’m the front side. I’ll hear how things go,” she said. “We read each and every comment, and when someone doesn’t like a product, they let us know.” Gruber, who has two children and has been with the company almost two years, calls Deehring “motivational, positive and honest.” “The company is very family friendly. Moms come first with our subscribers and in the office. Bump Boxes’ leadership knows stuff happens, and they’re flexible.”
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Customer service is essential As CEO, Deehring sees herself as the company’s integrator — “I lead, manage, hold people accountable.” She has weekly meetings with her leadership team, a monthly “Bump It Up!” all-staff meeting, and meets one-on-one with each employee. “I’m also in charge of company culture, pulling the pieces together,” she said. “We work hard, but we also have fun. Every Friday at 4, we break for a happy hour open to friends and families.” She knows that one of the company’s biggest strengths is its team of customer experience specialists, all of whom are experienced parents. Brooklyn Layton, a teacher in Haltom City, Texas, adored her first Bump Box, which arrived as a gift from her husband. “My love language is gifts,” she joked. After receiving a few boxes, Layton had a miscarriage. Grieving, she called Bump Boxes to ask for her subscription to be stopped. She connected with customer service specialist Cat Littlefield, who consoled her and took care of the request. “She was amazing, so understanding,” Layton recalled. “Then she sent me a take-care-of-yourself box from the company. They didn’t have to do that.” When Layton discovered she was pregnant again, one of the first people she called was Littlefield. She ordered another subscription and stayed in frequent touch with Littlefield, even sending sonograms of the baby throughout the pregnancy. Minutes after her son Mason was born last April, she texted Littlefield a photo of him. “We keep in touch to this day. Cat will be part of my family forever,” she said. n
PARTNERSHIPS
show employees they ’re valued Bump Boxes’ newest effort is forging partnerships with businesses and corporations to support their employees during and after pregnancy. The company supplies customized gift boxes that can be used as part of maternity leave benefits. Jennifer Robin, associate dean and professor of management and leadership, sees efforts like these as evidence that companies realize the importance of supporting employees through major life changes. “This trend (of companies helping employees starting families) has been around a while, but partnering with companies like Bump Boxes is a new way of showing they care. I’ve also heard of companies providing meal delivery services or setting up meal trains for families. “It’s a recognition of the blurring of lines between work and home — for example, that many employees are expected to be available by phone or email after hours. It’s a way for companies to show they see the employee as a whole person. “Of course, the most effective thing employers can do to help employees and increase retention is to provide paid family leave. It’s good for mothers, for fathers, for all people. There’s also a growing trend toward providing adoption benefits.” She also notes that a company’s off-ramping process — easing the employee’s departure from and return to the job — can reassure anyone taking family leave and make them more eager to return. “If their leave is planned well, it helps the employee park that worry about coming back. Companies need to think about managing re-entry.”
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A MAN AND HIS MACHINES By Matt Hawkins Photos by Duane Zehr
A lifelong innovator, Steve Pierz MBA ’94 brings his engineering and business savvy to build a bricklaying robot Down Under.
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S
teve Pierz’s home rises above Peoria’s West Bluff neighborhood as a testament to the best construction practices of its day. Dark red brick graces the exterior of the 1890s edifice, while decorative arches and Classical columns reflect the work of skilled craftsmen, heavy labor and horse-drawn carts. Today, the MBA grad is developing a machine that could revolutionize construction practices 1,000 bricks at a time. As chief innovation officer for Fastbrick Robotics (FBR) based in Perth, Australia, he’s fine-tuning Hadrian X, a robot that automates much of the construction process. “That’s the ironic part of what I’m doing,” Pierz said. “I’m living in a house built by master craftsmen doing without modern equipment. Now I’ve got a bricklaying robot.” Once complete, Hadrian X will be able to lay 180 concrete bricks an hour, what a typical human can do in one day. The machine cuts blocks to size, applies special adhesive instead of mortar, and zips them along a 100-foot arm to a head that sets blocks in place within 1 millimeter accuracy. Instead of a team of five taking two or three weeks to build a cinderblock building shell, a crew of three could construct it in several days. “FBR is changing the game bringing mass construction to the construction site,” he said. “In the Industrial Revolution, machines enabled mass production. Hadrian X can do the same thing, allowing for mass construction and customization. “It’s bringing a robot to do what happened in the Industrial Revolution.” It’s the latest challenge for a provocateur who spent 29 years asking “Why not?” every day at Caterpillar Inc. Ever since he wrote code to address a technical issue, Pierz has made a habit of transforming the workplace. Once he finished his required duties, he’d explore other problems. Along the way, Pierz addressed a simple issue with piston pins and developed a polyurethane tire, among other accomplishments. No job was the same by the time he moved on to the next one. Falling in love with the problem, not the solution, led to long, enjoyable hours at work testing ideas until something clicked. “When I look at my career, it has a lot to do with disagreeability — I don’t care what other people think of me,” he said. “I’m going to tweak until somebody says I can’t.”
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Pierz worked his way up the corporate ladder and became Caterpillar’s strategy and innovation manager. That role led to a breakthrough: Friday Coffee Talks. At 7 a.m. every Friday, Pierz would host a conference call with technology experts, CEOs, authors and other thinkers. Around 300 Caterpillar employees around the globe would listen in and be encouraged to dream.
“ Why have a talented mason do something you’re going to cover up anyway?” — STEVE PIERZ MBA ’94
The talks encouraged employees by offering access to extra training, networking, and assistance for anyone willing to share ideas. One employee used the sessions to design and patent a joystick. That dreamer is now an engineering manager at Tesla.
“I’m proud I made a difference in somebody’s life, that people felt good about going to work. There’s usually no reward or recognition for people like me other than the satisfaction of solving the problem or doing something cool.” Through these morning conversations, Pierz shared his hunger to learn with 2,500 colleagues eager to impact the workforce. Armed with knowledge from Malcolm Gladwell, Stanford University, the University of California-Berkeley and Singularity University, he inspired others to dream. Beyond expert leadership training, he picked up ideas from worldwide travel.
housing, a fleet of Hadrian X robots could alleviate housing issues thousands of blocks at a time. “It’s the most incredible opportunity to end a career,” he said. “How many Einsteins, da Vincis are in that billion people who struggle to feel safe at night because they have no shelter? If you add a billion more minds to the collective genius of our planet, how much faster, further could we get with those extra minds? We’re unleashing human potential.”
Eventually, Pierz’s thirst for creative solutions led him to FBR. While looking at digital construction innovations, he discovered the company’s technology and saw the potential to disrupt an industry.
Ever the thinker, Pierz believes the robot will free skilled workers to do what they do best. Instead of masons doing hard labor on basic construction, they will be free to add their flair to decorative work. As fewer people enter construction-related trades, robots can make up for the labor shortage while freeing those in the field for more rewarding jobs.
Beyond his technology interests, Pierz saw how he could have a direct role as a mentor while pursuing a lifelong interest in solving global housing inequities. With more than a billion people worldwide living in substandard
“Why have a talented mason do something you’re going to cover up anyway?” he said. “Let the machine do dull, dirty, dangerous, and let craftsmen do the creative and decorative side. That’s the fun part where you add value.”
The Hadrian X can lay nearly 1,000 concrete bricks in an eight-hour workday. (Photo courtesy Fastbrick Robotics) Bradley University | 17
mobile By S. L. Guthrie
While some worry that online shopping will soon lead to the death of brick-and-mortar stores, others note that e-commerce represents only about 10 percent of all retail, according to a 2018 article in Forbes. Finance major Lauren Walker Corwin ’14 and her sister, advertising major Haley Walker ’17, have figured out how to have the best of both.
On Founder’s Day 2018, sisters Lauren Walker Corwin ’14 and Haley Walker ’17 drove from their home in Rock Island, Ill., to Bradley’s Pi Beta Phi sorority house in their mobile trailer. Inside were racks and cubbies of artfully displayed young women’s clothing — from dresses and rompers to tops and bottoms, as well as jewelry and home décor. There were even bandanas for poochies. For anyone looking in, it would be easy to mistake these young women for carefree twenty-somethings, but Corwin and Walker are a new breed of entrepreneur who have found a way to hedge their bets against the decline in brick-and-mortar retail and booming online sales. Their aptly named company — Brick and Motor Boutique — has the advantages of a physical space, including a
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markets and local businesses host them for shopping events; they also sell their wares online at brickandmotorboutique.com. While sales have gone well so far (“July to December were absolutely amazing”) and they were able to quit their day jobs, the pair admitted there’s been a learning curve. “Starting out, we went a little overboard with the amount of merchandise we were buying,” said Walker. “We (no longer) buy huge size runs ... We have a huge variety of items now where before we were focused on certain things.” The entrepreneurs made another smart move by taking a short-term lease at The Shoppes on Second, a small business incubator in downtown Rock Island. This way, their customers wouldn’t have to shop in an un-heated trailer during the winter months.
changing area in the back, but the trailer is a much less expensive option than a retail store for the small startup. In addition to their combined savings and excellent credit ratings, Corwin and Walker opened a business credit card with zero interest for a full year. This allowed them to purchase the trailer and their stock, and they pay down the balance every month. “I knew that I wanted to open my own store eventually but I definitely thought it would be more of an actual brick and mortar store,” said Corwin. “We thought we’d start slow and try not to have too many costs right up front. That’s why we went with the trailer concept.” Launching the business last July, the sisters have traveled the Midwest where organizations like sororities, farmer’s
Corwin and Walker said their Bradley education has helped tremendously through the knowledge gained in their classes, as well as from the support through the people they met. When asked what advice they have for aspiring entrepreneurs, the pair were enthusiastic, even while acknowledging their friends and family had a few doubts. “As we got closer to us quitting our nine-to-fives everyone said, ‘Are you sure? You guys are crazy,’ (but) I’m so happy we did it,” said Walker. “My advice would be to take the risk and do it because it’s been the most rewarding experience ever.” “Definitely plan for it,” added Corwin. “Save up some money and try to make sure you’re getting some experience in the area you want to go into. Just going in blind can be a little scary.” n
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Taking His Shot Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye ’19 has had quite the exciting senior year. The men’s basketball guard and his teammates clinched the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament in March for the first time in 30 years and earned a spot in the first round of the NCAA’s March Madness. Although they fought hard, the Braves lost to Michigan State 76-65. The marketing major and London native always knew he wanted to be a business major, but wasn’t sure which path to take until his sophomore year when he settled on marketing. “I really liked the whole aspect of pitching an idea, working on a presentation (and) speaking my mind,” he said. “I thought that marketing was the right avenue for me because I could do all of those and be involved in a company I’m passionate about and allow people to see my vision.” Hard work on the court also led to hard work in the classroom. “If I wasn’t doing well in my studies I wouldn’t be allowed to play basketball. If I wasn’t playing basketball I wouldn’t have the opportunity to come to a lovely university like this … My parents always made sure I was up on my studies before I could do anything.” Although he hopes to continue playing basketball on a professional level after graduation, Lautier-Ogunleye said he also plans to look for a position on the business side of a franchise, possibly in social media marketing. “Something where I can do a little bit of everything would be good.” When asked what he’ll remember most about his time at Bradley other than winning the conference championship, Lautier-Ogunleye offered gratitude. “Five years ago, I didn’t think I’d ever go to university,” he said. “I didn’t have an idea of what exactly I wanted to do (and) in England, you’re kind of forced to make that choice early and once you do, you can’t go back. “I loved having the freedom of getting any degree I wanted because it helped me find myself ... When I got to my business electives, I was able to take management and leadership, marketing classes, business classes. I didn’t think I’d be able to expand my knowledge that far. “(For) my capstone project, I was able to bring in aspects of different classes and actually use them in real life. Professors always tell you, ‘You can use this here; You can use this there,’ but until you actually do you don’t really think it’s possible … It’s a degree that means something.” n
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DEGREES OF SUCCESS Decade after decade, Foster College turns out successful graduates in a wide range of professions. In this issue, we focus on health care.
LAUREN ZERANTE ’14
KIP MCCOY ’01 MBA ’03
TODD BAKER ’85 MBA ’89
Performance Analyst, Stryker
Director, Office of Innovation Management, OSF Health care
Administrator, UnityPoint Health-Pekin Hospital Vice President Regional Development
A CLINICAL START While her Bradley education gave her a broad view of the business world, Zerante said her sales internship at an office furniture manufacturer, as well as her time playing volleyball with the Braves, taught her the power of working in teams. Shortly after graduation, she began her career with Stryker, a leading manufacturer of hospital equipment. As a sales rep in the operating room, Zerante was in charge of all the Stryker equipment used during surgery, troubleshooting any issues that might arise.
AN EVER-CHANGING INDUSTRY One of the major challenges facing the health care industry today is constant change, according to McCoy, often from forces “outside of your control.” He cited outside companies like Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and others who are moving into the health care space with significant resources at their disposal and a great deal of innovation. “There are a lot of opportunities for the industry to be disrupted by those types of players who are outside of health care,” he said. “For health care entities (like OSF), we’d rather be leading that disruption instead of having it happen to us.”
CONVERGENCE IN HEALTH CARE When Baker started in the industry nearly 30 years ago, accountants and other business executives were at the forefront of decision-making. Today, he teams with a physician in a dyad model that’s the current standard. “This way, I have the ability of the clinician, and the clinician has the ability and skills of the businessperson,” said Baker. “We really need (clinicians) involved since they’re the ones making the care decisions.”
MOVE TO CONSULTING After a two-year break, Zerante joined Stryker Performance Solutions, which partners with hospitals all over the U.S. to develop customized solutions that improve quality outcomes, patient satisfaction and profitability. Zerante analyzes client data, then reports quarterly on their performance, using metrics such as length of patient stay, cost of patient care, surgical complications or repeat patient visits. “We’ll point out some areas where they need some improvement, but we’ll also celebrate their successes,” she said.
GRADUATING SENIORS TAKE NOTE “Start your research by looking at leaders in the industry. There’s a lot of change going on in health care right now. Becoming more knowledgeable will help set you up for success.”
A BACKGROUND IN ECONOMICS McCoy’s career began in economic development. In 2009, to combat a lack of funding for local startups, he launched Central Illinois Angels, a 47-member angel investment organization where he still serves as administrator. After joining OSF HealthCare Peoria in 2015, McCoy rose from product and program management to his current role as director of the Office of Innovation Management. Among his most gratifying accomplishments are the awarding of OSF’s first patent and Central Illinois Angels’ investment of $13 million in 23 companies.
LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE Baker believes health care is moving from a feefor-service model to one of fee-for-value. “That’s more a matter of us taking a contract to take care of a population of people, getting pre-paid and then being charged with delivering the care within that payment,” he said. “How are we going to take care of (people) and do it in a sustainable fashion that makes some sense?”
GOOD ADVICE FOR ALL “Put in a hard day’s work. It doesn’t mean that (you) don’t need work-life balance, but as long as you’re doing your level best and working hard, most organizations will recognize that and reward it.”
WORDS OF WISDOM “Be nimble. Expect and accept change. Look for opportunities where you can have an impact.”
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HELP SUPPORT THE FUTURE OF THE FOSTER COLLEGE OF BUSINESS Bradley’s new business and engineering complex is just the start of a brighter future for the Foster College of Business. Help us provide a transformational student experience from any of our five featured initiatives:
1. Multidisciplinary Collaboration 2. Cybersecurity 3. Business Analytics 4. Expanded Graduate Education Offerings 5. Diversity To support the future of the Foster College of Business, contact Karen Campbell, director of development, at kcampbell2@bradley.edu or go to bradley.edu/giving.