Business Matters

HEAMES NAMED NEW DEAN

MTSU named Joyce Heames as new dean of the Jennings A. Jones College of Business following a national search for the next leader of the award-winning college.

Most recently dean of the Campbell School of Business at Berry College, a small private liberal arts institution near Rome, Georgia, Heames views Jones College as well positioned to build on its reputation as a regional leader in business education and a strong pipeline for workforce development in the region.

Heames

“The Jennings A. Jones College of Business is poised for so many wonderful things to happen, and it excites me to think about the connections that we can make with a lot of the new businesses coming into the area,” said Heames, a Management professor. “There’s such a growth in middle Tennessee right now, and I think that that is one of my strengths, to be able to build relationships. I enjoy that.”

GRAND CHAMPION SELLERS

Center for Professional Selling championship team

The Jones College of Business Center for Professional Selling team placed as Grand Champions of the Northeast Intercollegiate Sales Competition. MTSU students Cade Gregory, Thomas Goliday, Courtney Flickner, Luciano Donati , and Madeline Gronski competed in the event with 27 schools and over 200 students. Gronski earned Grand Champion in role-play. Donati took second runnerup in Spanish speed selling, while Goliday and Flickner reached the role-play semifinals.

ON ETHICAL LEADERSHIP

Scarlett

As keynote speaker for Jones College’s Tom and Martha Boyd Ethical Leadership Week, former Tractor Supply Co. chair and CEO Joe Scarlett spoke to students on the importance of ethics in management practices and how to be the best leader one can be. Scarlett is founder of the Scarlett Family Foundation, which provides scholarships and educational support to students in middle Tennessee.

DOING DOUBLE TIME

Staff Sgt. William "Cole" Lukens, an MTSU business student and squad leader in the Tennessee National Guard, graduated from U.S. Army Ranger School at Fort Benning, Georgia, last December.

Lukens

As one of the toughest military training courses in the U.S. armed forces, Ranger School is the Army’s premier program for teaching small unit tactics and leadership. During the 61-day course, Lukens learned how to lead squads and platoons in dismounted operations, around the clock, in all types of climates and terrain. Lukens recently completed the Army Air Assault School and Mountain Warfare School. In 2021 he won the National Guard’s Best Warrior Competition and represented the National Guard’s 54 states and territories at the U.S. Army Best Warrior Competition.

RUNNING WITH A PLAN

MTSU's Zeta Gamma chapter of Beta Alpha Psi

Aaron Jollay, a member of MTSU’s Zeta Gamma chapter of Beta Alpha Psi (BAP) honor society, is now among 1,000 alumni of Project Run With It (PRWI). PRWI furthers the community service component of Beta Alpha Psi and provides student participants with an incredible opportunity to engage in a real-world consulting project. In the high-intensity, highly compressed competition, PRWI participants make presentations to a panel of judges composed of BAP faculty advisors, NFP leadership members, and partners from the competition’s sponsor, Moss Adams.

RISING TO THE TOP

MTSU’s Jennings A. Jones College of Business at Middle Tennessee State University held two student recognition ceremonies April 13. Jones College inducted 86 students into Beta Gamma Sigma, the national scholastic honor society that only permits chapters at business institutions who have attained prestigious AACSB accreditation. Only the top 10% of undergraduate students, top 20% of graduate students, and some of the most accomplished business practitioners are eligible to become members.

Kate Matthews (center) with parents Ryan Matthews and Lucy Matthews (Marketing associate professor)

Almost 200 awards and scholarships totaling over $200,000 were conferred at the subsequent 2023 E. W. “Wink” Midgett Awards Ceremony for the Jones College of Business, which recognized business students who have excelled academically.

CHARTING THE TOP 40

Jones College of Business was a proud sponsor of the 2023 Nashville Business Journal 40 Under 40 awards, which recognize young professionals who have distinguished themselves in the greater Nashville area. Among the winners were three MTSU alumni: Joshua Black, Tiffany Childress, and April Harrington.

Black

Childress

Harrington

RESEARCH EXPO RECOGNITION

Business students joined 167 other MTSU students presenting at the University’s 17th annual research exposition on March 24 at the Student Union Ballroom, wrapping up a week’s worth of scholarly activity across campus. The event showcased the research and creative activity students have been working on throughout the year from the STEM fields to music, dance, philosophy, and more.

Jones College of Business’ 2023 Scholars Week winners:

Undergraduate

1st Place—Damaujah Weaver-Atwater

Faculty advisor: Gaia Rancati

2nd Place—Emma Ankar

Faculty advisor: Gaia Rancati

3rd Place—Emilie Conners

Faculty advisor: Lucy Matthews

Graduate

1st Place—Mayowa Isiolaotan

Faculty advisor: Gaia Rancati

TOPIC OF CONVERSATION

Jones College of Business hosted a Cocktails and Conversations graduate alumni event, made possible with the help of partners at Fifth Third Bank and The Chef and I.

Moderator and panelists were WKRN News 2 anchor Neil Orne, Giarratana LLC president and developer Tony Giarratana, Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee president and CEO Eugenia Clark, and Bridgestone consultant and community advocate Christine Karbowiak Vanek, who also serves as MTSU Board of Trustees vice chair.

SUPPLY IN DEMAND

Bob King, CEO of Sage Freight

The Department of Management hosted the second annual Supply Chain Summit and Career Fair, drawing 74 students and 27 industry partners for the April 10–11 event. The summit featured keynote speaker Bob King, CEO of Sage Freight, and sessions on logistics, professional development, Lean Six Sigma, résumé writing, and international issues. Companies participating in the career fair included Frito Lay, KCH Transportation, Dollar General, Tractor Supply Co., UPS, and Amazon.

NATIONAL PROMINENCE

Bynum

Alumna Megan Bynum of Harvest Wealth Group in Murfreesboro, who holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Finance, was recognized as one of InvestmentNews’ 40 Under 40.

BIG DATA BIG WINNER

Suwanprasert

Wisarut Suwanprasert, assistant professor of Economics, and his team, Multiverse of Data, won third place in the Big Data Expert track at the UN Big Data Hackathon.

ASCENDING TO NEW HEIGHTS

Jernigan

Accounting alum Matt Jernigan has assumed duties as president and CEO of Ascend Federal Credit Union. He is a licensed certified public accountant and has been a key part of the Ascend executive leadership team since he was hired in 2005 as an internal auditor and became vice president of operations in 2009. He advanced to chief operations officer in 2014 and to executive vice president in 2017.

PUBLIC RELATIONS GURU

Le

Minh Le (’11, ’12) has been named the 2023 president of Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Nashville. Minh has been involved in PRSA Nashville for nine years and previously served on the board as treasurer, secretary, and director at large.

2023 JONES COLLEGE FACULTY AND STAFF AWARDS

Peasley

Bridgestone Americas Distinguished Lecturer Award: Michael Peasley, Marketing

Piano

State Farm Outstanding Professor Award: Ennio Piano, Economics and Finance/Political Economy Research Institute

Aaron

Bill and Kathy Jones Outstanding Professor Award: Joshua Aaron, Management/Pam Wright Chair in Entrepreneurship

Myers

Outstanding Dale Carnegie Trainer Award: Mark Myers, Dean's Office

King

Dean’s Special Award of Merit: Maria Edlin King, Economics and Finance/Tennessee Council on Economic and Free Enterprise Education

E.W. “Wink” Midgett Awards

Davis

Distinguished Teaching Award: Monica Davis, Accounting

Williams

Distinguished Research: Ralph Williams, Management

Abston

Distinguished Service Award: Kristie Abston, Management

Zaza

Award of Excellence: Sam Zaza, Information Systems and Analytics

Wright

Outstanding Staff Member Awards: Sabrina Wright, Dean’s Office, and Emily Madison, Marketing

Madison

SUPPORTING M.B.A. SCHOLARSHIP

First Community Mortgage’s Laura Wade, Kaitlyn Roper, and Megan Chastain with Jones College’s Carolyn Tumbleson (second from right)

First Community Mortgage Cares provided a $7,500 endorsement to the Andrew C. Rambo Memorial Scholarship, which supports an M.B.A. student.

SUMMIT ON LEADERSHIP

2022 Leadership Summit keynote speaker Libby Gill, an award-winning author, executive coach, and leadership expert, poses for a photo with student Mervyn Thomas-Crawford, who recently won the 2023 Business Plan Competition.

Photo by Andy Heidt

Libby Gill, an executive coach, leadership expert, and award-winning author, and Ryan Jenkins, bestselling author and co-founder of LessLonely.com, delivered keynote addresses on the topic of leadership at Jones College’s 2022 Leadership Summit: Innovative Leadership. More than 300 students, community members, and business leaders attended the event.

Jenkins

HONORING ALUMNI AS TOP LEADERS

MTSU’s Jones College of Business presented its 2022 Leadership Summit Awards at a special reception in advance of the summit at Embassy Suites in Murfreesboro:

Megan Bynum, Young Professional of the Year Award

The Young Professional of the Year Award went to MTSU alumnus Megan Bynum, owner and a certified financial planner at Harvest Wealth Group LLC. The award recognizes someone who, at a relatively young age, has already been a role model whose accomplishments are outstanding and an inspiration to others—but who also has the potential to rise to even greater heights. Bynum graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Finance and an M.B.A.

Chuck McDowell, Jennings A. Jones Champion of Free Enterprise Award

The Jennings A. Jones Champion of Free Enterprise Award was presented to alumnus Chuck McDowell, founder and CEO of Wesley Financial Group LLC, who recently founded Wesley Mortgage, the official mortgage provider of the Tennessee Titans. The award is presented to an individual whose achievements are in keeping with the highest traditions of the American system of free enterprise.

Lori Williams, Jones College Exemplar Award

The Jones College Exemplar Award was awarded to Lori Williams, controller for Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corp. This award goes to an alumnus or alumna of Jones College whose personal and professional behavior set an excellent example for current students and alumni. A seasoned accounting professional and CPA, Williams has over 35 years of experience in financial management and leadership. Williams received her bachelor’s in Accounting from MTSU.

Jeff Ballard, Spirit of America Award

The Spirit of America Award was presented to Jeff Ballard, a middle Tennessee native who joined Delta Dental of Tennessee as chief financial officer in 2015 and moved into his current position as president in 2022. The award commemorates the extraordinary accomplishments of Ambassador Joe M. Rodgers in business, government, education, and charitable endeavors. A CPA, Ballard earned his bachelor’s degree in Accounting from MTSU.

INSURANCE INVESTMENT

MTSU students from the Gamma Iota Sigma MTSU Omega Chapter traveled to Chicago to participate in the Wholesale and Specialty Insurance Association (WSIA) Education Foundation's Extreme Risk Takers Symposium in March. Presley Hamby was awarded a WSIA summer internship.

FIRST PLACE IN CASE STUDY

The MTSU Computer Information Systems/ Supply Chain Case Study Team took first place at the Association for Information Systems (AIS) PayCargo Case Study Competition held at Florida International University in Miami.

Students: Lebogang Mosito (Computer Information Systems), Jonathan Dunn (Supply Chain Management), Priscilla Hammermeister (Supply Chain Management), and Cayson Seipel (Computer Information Systems)

Faculty Support: Michael Erskine, Melinda Korzaan, and Richard Tarpey

WOMEN OF INFLUENCE

Alumna Jennifer Charles (’98, ’01), assistant district attorney in Nashville, and DaVita Taylor (’96), Nashville International Airport’s vice president for procurement and business diversity, were named among the Nashville Business Journal’s Women of Influence winners.

LIFELONG LEARNING

Sowder

Nate Sowder, an ecosystem innovation manager at Fifth Third Bank, gave the talk “Stop Brainstorming, Start Innovating” as a speaker in the Jones College-hosted Lifelong Learning Series. Videos of this engagement and previous Lifelong Learning Series events are available at www.youtube.com/ JonesCollegeMTSU.

TAX PREP ASSISTANCE

The Department of Accounting partnered with the United Way Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program to provide free tax preparation services for low-income individuals this spring.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION HONOREE

Sam Zaza (l) at the Nashville Technology Council awards

Sam Zaza, assistant professor in Information Systems and Analytics, received a prestigious award as Diversity and Inclusion Advocate of the Year at the 2023 Nashville Technology Council Awards reception. Zaza also was invited to serve on the DEI board of advisors for the flagship international Association for Information Systems (AIS).

CAREER B.E.S.T.

Almost 60 employers, from logistics to retail giants to insurance providers, financial services firms, and myriad others, sent representatives to campus March 21 for the annual Business Exchange for Student Talent (B.E.S.T.) Career Fair.

The 2023 event included two sessions, a speed-style round where students sat down with employers for 15 minutes one-on-one before moving to meet with another and a traditional expo-style career fair. Students also had the opportunity to have a free professional headshot made by MTSU’s Creative and Visual Services.

URBAN PLANNING SCHOLARS

MTSU’s Jennings and Rebecca Jones Chair of Excellence in Urban and Regional Planning (COEURP) Advisory Committee is launching a new scholars program to assist students in their academic and professional development.

A nine-month research and engagement experience for undergraduate MTSU students, the COE-URP Scholars Program is designed to bring students, professors, and community members together to address pressing urban and regional concerns through academic research.

In addition to gaining relevant experience and learning key skills, students will receive a stipend of $3,900, a completion certificate, and the opportunity for a scholarly designation on their graduation diploma.

TEACHING FINANCIAL LITERACY

The 2023 Financial Literacy Week was a huge success. The week of events included a keynote presentation—“Mo’ Money, LESS Problems: The Importance of Planning for Your Financial Future Now!”—by bestselling author, speaker, and educator Anthony O’Neal during a morning session for area high school students and an afternoon session with MTSU students. Several $1,000 scholarships were awarded by the Department of Economics and Finance and sponsor Ascend Federal Credit Union.

ECONOMIC DISCOURSE

On Oct. 20, 2022, MTSU’s Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) and Tennessee Council on Economic and Free Enterprise Education partnered to host a Dale Carnegie workshop on civil discourse for roughly 100 area high school students. Students then attended PERI’s lecture “Debating Democracy” with Georgetown University’s Jason Brennan.