Dicke M a g a z i n e
College of Business Administration
Student– Athletes Mean Business
Dicke M a g a z i n e
College of Business Administration
spring 2013
Message from the Dean
Editors/writers Josh Alkire Amy (Rettig) Prigge, BSBA ’94 Laurie Wurth Pressel Designer Jeni Bible Photography Kenneth Colwell
Dicke Magazine is produced by the Ohio Northern University Office of Communications and Marketing and published by The James F. Dicke College of Business Administration at Ohio Northern University 525 S. Main St. Ada, Ohio 45810 419-772-2000 www.onu.edu
The James F. Dicke College of Business Administration prepares students to become successful business and community leaders in a changing world. The college offers nationally accredited academic programs in five majors and five related areas of study. The integration of theory and practice and ongoing mentoring opportunities are hallmarks of this outstanding academic program.
Welcome to the latest issue of our bi-annual college magazine, which we’ve re-named Dicke Magazine. The name change represents a logical emphasis on the namesake of our college, James F. Dicke. We’ve packed this issue with stories of individuals who embody excellence. We begin with our studentathletes. They face enormous demands on their time, energy and intellect but consistently manage to flourish under the stress. They achieve untold success in their academic work and in their sport. They inspire professors, their coaches and me with their character, conviction and accomplishments. This year, Matt Fleming, an international business and economics major, helped lead ONU to the finals of the 2012 NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Championship. He received the NCAA Elite 89 Award for having the highest GPA among all the men’s soccer players in the Division III Final Four games. He became the first ONU athlete to receive this honor. We are very proud of him and all our student-athletes. Also in this issue, we pay tribute to seven recipients of our Pinnacle Award. These individuals demonstrate excellence in their careers and their lives. They’ve made significant and sustained contributions to the Dicke College of Business Administration, and we can’t thank them enough for their generosity. Two ONU alumni – Ben Nighswander, BSBA ’06, and Sheri (Schweitzer) Stoltenberg, BA ’81 – exemplify excellence and entrepreneurship. Ben shows us that, with significant and sustained determination, it’s possible to start your own successful business right after graduation. Sheri shows us that success is sweeter when it’s shared. She’s hired and mentored several ONU graduates, particularly in pharmaceutical business, helping them to build rewarding careers in health care IT consulting. Although this issue features many more examples of excellence, I’d like to point out just one more. Bloomberg Businessweek recently ranked ONU’s Dicke College of Business Administration No. 3 in Ohio and No. 62 in the nation for undergraduate business programs. We’re thrilled to be recognized as one of the best business schools in the nation in this prestigious ranking. We hope you enjoy this issue, and we thank you for your continued support. As always, please feel free to contact me with questions or comments at j-fenton.1@onu.edu. Sincerely,
Jim W. Fenton, Ph.D. Dean and professor of management
contents
page 4
On the cover
2
A message from the dean
4
Student-athletes mean business
8
Pinnacle Awards
12
Accreditation and accolades
14
Success: One slice at a time
16 News and events 18 McClough checks out the numbers 19
From the ground up
23
Advisory Board
ONU business students excel at their sport and in the classroom. Photo by Ken Colwell.
Follow Us
Student-athletes
mean business ONU business students represent the University as some of the finest young athletes in the Ohio Athletic Conference. They excel at their sport and in the classroom, which is no easy feat. The character traits that make them star athletes will help them win in business and in life.
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Time Management Jared Horstman thrives on the competitiveness of basketball, especially during tournament time when upsets and rivalries shake things up. “I’ve been shooting hoops ever since I was little,” he says. “I’m extremely thankful to have the opportunity to play my favorite sport in college.” Horstman has been a guard/forward on the ONU men’s basketball team for three years. He’s received several recognitions, including Academic All-OAC. From his first day on campus, he’s strived to manage his time wisely. “I’ve made constant progress, and that’s led to my success on the court and in the classroom. Time management means a lot to me, because it carries over to many different aspects of life,” he says. An accounting major from Fort Jennings, Ohio, Horstman will graduate in spring 2014. He wants to work as a CPA at a public accounting firm.
“If you can multi-task and make the best of the time you have, you can do anything you put your heart to.” – Jared Horstman
Ohio Northern University — College of Business Administration
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“To succeed, you must decide that you want it and not give up on the difficult days.” – Vicki Moga
Hard work Matt Fleming has played soccer for three seasons at Northern and savored every moment, especially the incredible 2012 season that led the ONU men’s soccer team to the NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Championship game. “I love that, for 90 minutes straight, I go to battle with the teammates I have grown to love,” he says.
Determination Every day that Vicki Moga gets to high jump is a good day. “It’s just such a fun sport. I love doing it!” she says. Moga has been a member of the ONU track and field team for four years, garnering numerous awards, including Academic All-American in 2011 and 2012. At the 2013 OAC Indoor Track and Field Championship this past February, she set a personal record, qualified for the national meet, and received the OAC Field Athlete of the Meet Award. Being a successful student-athlete requires hard work and determination, says Moga. “Not only do you have to work hard at practice every day, but it physically takes a toll on your body, which makes it difficult at times to get through long days filled with class and homework.”
Defenseman Fleming was the recipient of the Elite 89 Award for the 2012 NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Championship. The Elite 89 recognizes the student-athlete in the Final Four with the overall highest cumulative GPA for each of the NCAA’s championships. Fleming is the first ONU student-athlete to receive this national award. Fleming says playing in the national championship game, however, just can’t be topped. “Just knowing how hard everyone on the team worked to get there, it's something I’ll remember for the rest of my life,” he says. Fleming, who hails from Liberty Township, Ohio, will graduate in spring 2014. He is majoring in both international business & economics and Spanish and plans to attend law school or graduate school.
To be successful in basketball, you have to be tough and teamoriented, says Katelyn Jones. “Basketball is hard, physically and mentally,” she says. “But if you work hard and dedicate yourself, you can achieve your goals.” For four years, Jones has played guard position on ONU’s women’s basketball team. This past season, her team had the most successful year in the history of ONU’s women’s basketball program. Jones’ favorite moment was beating rival Mount Union at home to clinch the regular season title for the first time in 20 years.
A senior from Gibsonburg, Ohio, Jones is majoring in marketing with a minor in public relations. After graduation, she hopes to move to a large city and find a job in her field.
“Soccer has shown me that nothing drops into your lap. In life and in business, you have to work hard to accomplish your goals.” – Matthew Fleming Dicke Magazine
Teamwork
Basketball – just like business – requires a high level of teamwork, says Jones. “Teamwork requires you to be skilled at communication, and that includes being an excellent listener,” she says.
Moga, from Stow, Ohio, graduated in both marketing and advertising design this spring. She has accepted a position with a health care consulting company.
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“Teamwork is being able to work with all different kinds of people to achieve a common goal.” – Katelyn Jones
Resolve
Time management
A freshman, Taryn Stromback has only played tennis at ONU for one year, but she’s been honing her racket skills since age 7.
Lauren Brown describes the ONU women’s soccer team as one big family. “We’re a group of best friends who will be a part of each other’s lives forever,” she says.
“I love how tennis is such a mental sport,” she says. “Your ability to stay focused and mentally tough is essential to being successful. You cannot rely solely on your skills and abilities.” In collegiate tennis, Stromback often plays both singles and doubles in the same match. This fall, she and her ONU doubles partner won the consolation doubles championship at their first Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) tournament in St. Louis, Mo. Tennis is teaching Stromback about resolve, a trait she knows will help her in many aspects of her life. “Resolve is not just important in sports, but also in academics and the workforce, where you’ll face challenges and you’ll have to recover from setbacks.” A pharmaceutical business major and applied statistics minor from Maple Grove, Minn., Stromback hopes to work in market analytics for a pharmaceutical company after graduation.
“Drive means pushing yourself to be the best you can be day in and day out.” –Rob Roll
Drive “The thing I love about swimming is that is pushes you beyond your limit,” says Rob Roll. “During every race, your body gets tired and wants to shut down, but you have to push yourself to keep going.” A member of the ONU men’s swim team for the past two years, Roll specializes in the backstroke and distance freestyle. His proudest moment was when his team won the OAC championship for the ninth year in a row. “You can see all the hard work that you put in during the year pay off in one moment,” he says.
Brown has played center midfield on the team for the past three years. She was named Academic All-Ohio and Academic All-Conference in 2012. Her team had NCAA appearances in 2011 and 2012. Soccer practices and games, along with a demanding course load, leave Brown with little time to spare. She’s learned to be an excellent time manager, she says. “Soccer has taught me to stop procrastinating and to strategically map out my day to get everything done.” Brown graduates in spring 2014 with a degree in management. A native of Portage, Mich., she wants to work for a nonprofit organization that supports children with cancer or blood diseases.
“Time management means following a strict schedule to successfully complete your daily tasks.” – Lauren Brown
Swimming has taught Roll to be driven to achieve his goals. “Just like in swimming, becoming a good businessman will take constant effort and focus,” he says. Roll, who hails from Gahanna, Ohio, graduates this spring with a degree in finance and accounting. He plans to join ONU’s MPPA program in the fall to become a CPA and work in taxation.
“With resolve and mental toughness, you can overcome adversity and obstacles and still persevere and perform at a high level.” – Taryn Stromback Ohio Northern University — College of Business Administration
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When you’ve reached the
pinnacle you’ve
reached the
top
the highest point of development or achievement
The Dicke College of Business Administration recently awarded its Pinnacle Award to those individuals who have made the highest level of commitment to the college. “We wanted an avenue to publicly say ‘thank you’ to the people who have made significant and sustained gifts to the college,” said Jim Fenton, dean of the Dicke College of Business Administration. “Through their generosity, they’ve had a tremendous and transformative impact on our students and the business college generally.” The 2013 Pinnacle Awards recipients were John J. Bishop, BSBA ’72, Cheryl (Burcham) Cotner, BSBA ’68, ACIT ’05, Robert L. Gronlund, BA ’64, Hon. D. ’09, Robert D. Kerscher, BSBA ’70, Clayton L. Mathile, BA ’62, Hon. D. ’91, ACIT ’09, Dr. Richard P. Meininger, and Oscar J. Mifsud, BSBA ’70, ACIT ’09.
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The names of this year’s honorees will be added to a fabricated sculpture on the ground floor of Dicke Hall. The contemporary display, constructed of copper, aluminum and stainless steel, stands as a public and enduring testament to the individuals who have reached a pinnacle in their generosity and service to the college. The Pinnacle Award Ceremony took place on Friday, Feb. 15, 2013, in the McIntosh Center Ballroom with a dinner and special program.
John J. Bishop
Bishop is chairman and chief executive officer of The Motorists Insurance Group, an affiliated group of 12 property, casualty and life insurance entities doing business in 17 states with more than 4,000 independent insurance agents. Bishop joined Motorists in 1972 and progressed through a series of field marketing and home office management positions. He joined the Group’s senior executive team in 1995, was named president and chief operating officer in 2000, and was elected CEO and chairman of the board in 2001. During Bishop’s tenure as CEO, The Motorists Insurance Group has
more than doubled in size and now ranks among the top 25 mutual property and casualty insurance organizations in the U.S. He currently serves as chairman elect of the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) and is a member of the Columbus Partnership and Columbus 2020. Also, Bishop serves on the Board and Audit Committee of the Exeter Trust Company in Portsmouth, N.H. In 2011, Ohio Governor Kasich asked Bishop to serve as cochairman of the Ohio Insurance Industry Resource Council. The primary purpose of the Council is to attract new talent and grow jobs within the financial services industry across the state. Bishop also serves on the leadership committee of the President’s Cup International Golf Matches, which will be held in central Ohio in October 2013.
Cheryl (Burcham) Cotner
For 40 years, Cotner has been actively involved in numerous civic organizations in Troy, Ohio. Today, she is the executive director of The Future Begins Today, a nonprofit, community-based organization that works with local schools to provide mentoring and financial support to
It is said that those who give the most to others in life are the happiest. Cheryl Cotner is a very happy person. William L. Robinson, BSEd ’61, ACIT ’71, ACIT ’89, Hon. D. ’05, H of F ’05 help students succeed with their educations. It also provides grants for Troy’s college students. A native of Springfield, Ohio, Cotner graduated from ONU in 1968 with a degree in business administration. She did her postgraduate work at Cleveland State and Wright State universities. In 1997, Cotner earned a degree in culinary arts from Sinclair College. Cotner is past president and vice president of ONU’s Alumni Association and has served on the University’s Board of Trustees since 1999; currently, she serves as chair of the Committee for Trusteeship.
Robert L. Gronlund
Gronlund graduated from Ohio Northern University in 1964 with a degree in economics. A successful businessman, he credits much of his success to his education and experiences at Ohio Northern.
Ohio Northern University — College of Business Administration
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He served as a member of the College of Business Administration Advisory Board from 1992-1997. Gronlund and his wife, DeOnne, met at Ohio Northern; he was an active member of Sigma Phi Epsilon, and she was a member of Delta Zeta sorority. He served in the U.S. military from 1964-65 and was a manufacturer’s sales representative in New York City from 1966-69. Today, Gronlund is the chief executive officer of WoodMode Inc., a custom cabinetry manufacturer in Kreamer, Pa. He serves as the president of the Board of Directors of the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturer’s Association. He also serves on the Evangelical Community Hospital Board of Directors (since 1986), the SUN Home Health Board of Directors (since 1985), the Capital Blue Cross Board of Directors (since 1987), and the Susquehanna University Board of Trustees (since 2004). From 1998-2005, Gronlund was a member of the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Business Council.
Robert D. Kerscher
Kerscher is the founder, retired chairman and chief executive officer of Lexi-Comp Inc., an Ohio-based medical publisher 10
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and a leader in providing clinical content at the point-of-care. Its diverse information databases enable clinicians to make informed decisions to enhance patient care. Lexi-Comp’s publishing model focuses on an increased frequency of updates, often daily, to its online and handheld databases, ensuring the most up-to-date information is available for customer access. Lexi-Comp’s products contribute to a decreased incidence of adverse drug events and improved quality of patient care.
in 1980, sole owner in 1982, and chairman of the board in 1998. Under Mathile’s leadership, Iams experienced tremendous growth and, by 1999, reported sales of nearly $1 billion. That same year, he sold the company to Procter & Gamble for $2.3 billion.
Since founding Lexi-Comp 1978, Kerscher has led efforts to grow the business into a multifaceted medical publishing company. He was named the Northeast Ohio Ernst & Young 2004 Entrepreneur of the Year in the Communications and Networking category. Kerscher serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of Ohio Northern University.
At Ohio Northern, Mathile is a Life Member of the Lehr Society, a group of individuals recognized for contributing more than $100,000 to ONU during their lifetimes. Through the years, he has served as a member of the Business College Advisory Board and the ONU Board of Trustees, co-chair of the University’s Campaign for the 21st Century, a member of the University’s planning committee, and honorary chairman of The Campaign for Ohio Northern University’s Tomorrow. The Mathiles also initiated the campaign to construct the Mathile Center for the Natural Sciences, a 95,145-square-foot, studentcentered academic research and learning facility on Northern’s campus. Furthermore, the University’s highest scholarship award bears the Mathile name. Since 2004, two $30,000 renewable Mathile scholarships (funded by the Mathile Family Foundation) have been awarded each year to top scholars at ONU.
Clayton L. Mathile
Richard Meininger
In addition to its core drug information databases, LexiComp offers a growing number of laboratory, diagnostic medicine, dental, natural, custom formulary and patient education products. Lexi-Comp also maintains key strategic partnerships with other industry leaders to provide additional important content and functionality.
In June 1970, Mathile became the seventh employee of Iams Food Company, a small dog-food business with annual revenues of about $500,000. After initially working without a title, Mathile became vice president and coowner in 1975, president and CEO
Meininger began his academic career at Ohio Northern University in 1973. He served the University as an instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, and later as a professor. He was awarded the Patton Chair in 1988-89 and in 1990-91. In 1990, he assumed responsibilities as assistant and later as associate dean of the Dicke College of Business Administration. In both roles, Meininger was responsible for providing support and direction to a wide range of activities associated with the dayto-day functioning of the college: staffing, scheduling, curriculum management and student affairs. He was a key player on the faculty and staff team that successfully earned initial accreditation of the college’s programs by AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business – in 2003. During his tenure at ONU, Meininger was active in both University and college governance. He retired from university service as associate dean and professor of economics in 2012. Meininger’s academic honorary memberships include Omicron Delta Epsilon (economics), Phi Kappa Phi (scholarship), Phi Beta Delta (international studies), and Beta Gamma Sigma (business). Meininger’s wife, Jane (Smith), BA ’70, BSPh ’79, and their two sons, Erik, BSCE ’04, and Stephen, BS ’04, all graduated from Ohio Northern.
Oscar J. Mifsud
Mifsud is president and chief executive officer of The Mifsud Group, a Cleveland-based private investment and management company that specializes in owning and operating technology-based manufacturing companies. The Mifsud Group currently owns and operates TMG Performance Products LLC in Berea, Ohio, which manufactures the Corsa brand of performance exhaust systems for the automotive and marine markets. The Mifsud Group recently divested Aero-Instruments after owning the aircraft air data sensors manufacturer for 11 years.
Mifsud has been a member of the ONU’s Board of Trustees since 2000, has served as vice chairman of the Board since 2007, and was the chairman of The Campaign for Ohio Northern University’s Tomorrow from 2008 to 2012. He received the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2007 and the Dicke College of Business Administration Outstanding Service Award in 2012. His contributions to ONU have included establishing the Oscar J. and Judith D. Mifsud Financial Aid Scholarship in 2000 to help students continue their education at Ohio Northern, establishing the Oscar J. and Judith D. Mifsud Endowment in 2009 and creating the Oscar J. Mifsud Leadership Scholarship at the Dicke College of Business Administration in 2012. Mifsud lives in Wadsworth, Ohio, with his wife, Judith D. (Jacobs), BSEd ’70, ACIT ’09.
Oscar Mifsud is known for his candor, and his take-charge, ‘get it done’ personality is the reason for his success as well as for the success of Ohio Northern University. Robert C. Smith, BSBA ’75, Hon. D. ’12 Prior to founding The Mifsud Group in 1998, Mifsud led SMR Aerospace and its two subsidiary companies, SMR Technologies Inc. and Flight Structures Inc. (FSI), to significant growth and increased shareholder value, which resulted in their sale to the publicly traded B/E Aerospace. Ohio Northern University — College of Business Administration
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Accreditation and accolades
fter receiving great news from AACSB International— The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business in January, and then from Bloomberg Businessweek in March, the Dicke College of Business Administration has had much to shout about thus far in 2013.
A
In January, the college announced that it had maintained its business accreditation by AACSB International. Founded in 1916, AACSB International is the longest serving global accrediting body for business schools that offer undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees in business and accounting. To be accredited by the AACSB is a formal recognition of the program’s ability to prepare students to become successful business and community leaders.
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“Maintaining this premier accreditation by the AACSB reinforces our commitment to providing current and future students with the best possible management education,” says Dr. Jim Fenton, dean of the College of Business Administration. “Meeting the high standards set by the AACSB shows the dedication of our faculty and staff toward preparing ONU business students after they graduate.” AACSB Accreditation is the hallmark of excellence in business education and has been earned by less than five percent of the world’s business programs. Today, there are more than 650 business schools in 45 countries and territories that maintain AACSB Accreditation. Similarly, 178 institutions maintain an additional specialized AACSB Accreditation for their accounting programs.
This means that less than 5 percent of the world’s 13,000 business programs have earned AACSB Accreditation. Simply put, AACSB-accredited schools are considered to be the best business schools in the world. They have better programs, better faculty, better students with higher overall GPAs, more international students, more employers that recruit from them, and graduates that receive better salaries. “It takes a great deal of commitment and determination to earn and maintain AACSB Accreditation,” said Robert D. Reid, executive vice president and chief accreditation officer of AACSB International. “Business schools must not only meet specific standards of excellence, but their deans, faculty and professional staff must make a commitment to ongoing continuous improvement to ensure that the institution will continue to deliver the highest quality of education to students.” ONU’s business college first earned AACSB Accreditation in 2003. At the time, of the 451 business programs then accredited by AACSB, Ohio Northern was one of only two baccalaureate-general schools in the nation and the only AACSB-accredited private undergraduateonly business school in Ohio. The opportunities that arose from the accreditation include the formation of two student honorary groups: Beta Gamma Sigma and Beta Alpha Psi. Beta Gamma Sigma is the premier honor society serving business programs accredited by AACSB International. Its mission is to encourage and honor
academic achievement in the study of business, to foster personal and professional excellence, to advance the values of the society, and to serve its lifelong members. Beta Alpha Psi is an honorary organization for financial information students and professionals. The group’s primary objective is to encourage and give recognition to scholastic and professional excellence in the business information field. This includes promoting the study and practice of accounting, finance and information systems; providing opportunities for self-development, service and association among members and practicing professionals; and encouraging a sense of ethical, social and public responsibility.
Two months after announcing the AACSB Accreditation, the College of Business Administration received word of another prestigious honor: It had been ranked No. 62 in the nation by Bloomberg Businessweek in the publication’s annual rankings of undergraduate business programs. Ranked third in the state of Ohio, Ohio Northern earned high marks in the nine categories used for the rankings, including an “A” in the “Teaching Quality Grade” category. In academic quality, ONU was ranked 14th overall in the nation. In 2010, ONU was ranked 72nd overall.
“This ranking is a reflection of the high quality of work and effort done by our students, faculty and staff,” says Fenton. “It also reflects the support that we have received from the ONU administration and our dedicated alumni network, particularly those who have employed our interns and graduates. Truly, for the college to receive such a ranking is an achievement based on a total team effort.” Bloomberg Businessweek uses nine measures to rank these programs, including surveys of senior business majors and corporate recruiters, median starting salaries for graduates, and the number of alumni each program sends to top Master of Business programs. An academic quality rating for each program, generated by considering average SAT scores, student-faculty ratios, class size, the percentage of students with internships and the number of hours students devote to class work, was also calculated into the rankings. Ohio Northern’s College of Business Administration offers majors in accounting, management, marketing, and pharmaceutical business. Distinctive programs, global experience, experiential learning and successful outcomes are already hallmarks of the college. These two recent achievements provide further proof of the college’s commitment to excellence.
Ohio Northern University — College of Business Administration
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Success: o n e slice at a tim e
Ben ’t Nighswander, BSBA ’06, didn ONU cal typi a of path the follow vel accounting graduate. An entry-le r Fou Big a at position – even one to him. accounting firm – didn’t appeal own his ned ope er and hsw Nig , Instead en sev , And pizzeria in Fort Wayne, Ind. is r neu epre entr years later, the young a time. serving up success one slice at Being a business owner was in his blood, says Nighswander. table Shoptalk dominated the dinner e hom od dho chil his in n atio convers l erna in Antwerp, Ohio. His mat ran grandfather and his dad both turing ufac man e d-di l-an successful too d the age man mom his and ies, compan company books. ander While an ONU student, Nighsw . Ada in a Pizz e’s ron Pad d manage the of s He learned the ins and out restaurant business and grew confident that he could operate his own lucrative pizzeria. Not everyone agreed. “A lot of people thought I was crazy,” he says, with a laugh. “Even my dad thought the restaurant business was a terrible idea at first.”
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Despite the words of caution, rs of Nighswander opened the doo after ks wee six just a B. Antonio’s Pizz a r afte , And . oma dipl his receiving pizzeria the on, rati ope of ths mon few began to bleed cash.
ander Feeling overwhelmed, Nighsw and roll pay out re figu to ed mbl scra e, brid new his bookkeeping. He and long in put ’05, BM r), Amanda (Decke as, pizz ing toss s day ting and exhaus and washing dishes, serving tables making deliveries. d, It wasn’t the work he’d imagine ONU his like felt er and hsw Nig and , he education had let him down. Still back my with n “Eve up. refused to give an not was re failu l, wal against the option,” he says. ized I Then, something clicked. “I real s. say he t,” ugh tho I than e knew mor nts, eme He analyzed his financial stat pored over industry reports and business sought advice from seasoned l ncia fina key e mad He owners. er bett out red figu and ns isio dec . ures ced operational and HR pro a “My ONU education became like he ad,” ahe me ed pell pro that o turb d oun kgr bac says. “My accounting ea proved invaluable. You can hav But ice. serv or t duc pro , great idea l business at its core is a financia e mak to got e transaction. You hav money.” turned In a short time, Nighswander ’s Pizza onio Ant things around, and B. then He ey. mon started making tion opened a second restaurant loca k from bac ped step He ne. Way Fort in the day-to-day oversight, relying on in put he’d ures ced operational pro
place and the talented employees he’d hired and trained.
Word of his success spread, and other restaurant owners approached Nighswander for l help in sorting out their financia He . ons rati ope and nts stateme people realized he enjoyed coaching right the on ses and putting busines him ed mpt pro nce erie exp track. This t men elop dev s ines bus a ch to laun such , ices serv firm to provide support to ng, keti mar and as accounting, IT m gha Grin The ses. ines emerging bus e wid a in nts clie es serv ch whi Group, to es tinu range of industries, con expand. Nighswander loves being an entrepreneur, even though it is ally hard work and can be emotion s, day t mos On es. tim draining at and . a.m 4:30 at king wor ts he star ning. doesn’t quit until late in the eve to ging llen He also finds it cha lly balance work and family, especia His ers. ght dau ng you two with success would not be possible ng without his strong marriage, lovi s. say he , God in t trus family and ke to In February, Nighswander spo ents stud ing unt a class of ONU acco take to them d age and encour risks if that’s where their hearts of lead them. “If you are thinking it. for go just s, starting a busines “I . them told he e,” tim Now is the of end the at but rs, hou long k wor ng. ethi the day, I’m building som And that’s rewarding.”
The James F. Dicke College of Business Administration
Fifth Annual Scholarship Event Golf Outing, Fishing Charter and Wine Tasting
Save thE Date
Sunday and Monday, July 28 and 29, 2013
Catawba Island Club 4235 East Beach Club Road, Port Clinton, OH 43452
Questions? Please contact Dacy Wilcox, director of development, at 419-772-4022 or d-wilcox.1@onu.edu
The Northern Fund for
The James F. Dicke College of Business Administration The Northern Fund helps enrich day-to-day-campus life while maintaining the University's highest priorities - student scholarships, financial aid, faculty research and campus improvements. The Northern Fund is essential to ONU current student needs - needs we are prepared for and those we cannot anticipate "The generosity from alumni has allowed me to receive a scholarship, which made my education possible." – Duane Cehelnik, a junior accounting major from Chatham, Ohio
Make a gift online at onugive.com
Ohio Northern University — College of Business Administration
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College News and Events The state of health care
Despite the many challenges he highlighted in his address, Smith ended on an optimistic note: “Reform can be good, and a lot of good things are happening.”
The U.S. health care system needs to be fixed.
Brian Smith, BSBA ’87, executive vice president of Catholic Health PartnersNorthern Network, presented "Will Health Care Reform Improve Your Health" in October as part of the Carroll V. Lovett Distinguished Lecture Series.
Dicke Magazine
Smith also said that the health care industry has lagged behind in technology and needs to modernize. Finally, he encouraged the audience members to become informed and engaged patients and consumers. “Know what impacts your health,” he said. “This is the No. 1 thing to help us improve.”
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Children need to eat healthier and become more active, he added. Harking back to his childhood, he recalled that most children walked to school and played outside with their friends. Today, children are glued to video screens and don’t participate in any physical activity that isn’t highly organized. “I was a free-range kid,” he said. “But that’s not how it works anymore.”
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The future holds cause for alarm because of our society’s growing health needs, he added. He pointed to the obesity rate (currently 34 percent of all Americans), the rise in chronic illnesses such as diabetes and depression, and the aging baby boomer population. “It becomes an economic development issue,” he explained. “These factors impact our ability as a nation to be productive and competitive.”
Smith believes that the health care industry and our society should place a greater emphasis on prevention. “In hospital administration, for example, we talk about how many beds we have,” he said. “That’s the wrong way to think about it. We should be talking about how many people we are keeping out of the beds.”
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He shared sobering statistics with the audience. The U.S. spends more on health care than any other country yet doesn’t realize better outcomes, he explained. In addition, 50 million Americans do not have health care coverage. “We produce a product that the end user can’t afford. What other industry can sustain itself with this model?” he asked.
Smith
The business college received a grant from the Robert P. Ashlock Memorial Program, funded through Assurex Global and administered by The Griffith Insurance Education Foundation, to develop a risk management and insurance (RMI) major.
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Smith avoided taking political sides and instead drew attention to the current and future problems facing the health care industry. “Think about it in terms of a system that doesn’t work,” he said. “We need to fix it. We may disagree on how to fix it, but we need to fix it.”
Grant funds new risk management major
The new major will address the increasing demand for jobs in the emerging risk management field as well as the insurance industry. The funds, totaling $5,000 from the foundation, will be used to complete the research associated with specifics of the program, and for curriculum development, marketing and recruiting materials, and other startup activities.
“The purpose of the RMI major will be to prepare students to identify and evaluate the sources of risk, and to mitigate and control risk with solutions that include insurance instruments and other risk diffusion methods. Graduates of the RMI program can enter the risk management or insurance fields, including employee benefit departments of large businesses or positions within insurance or benefit consulting firms, brokerage firms, agency operations or insurance companies,” says Dr. Jim Fenton, dean of the Dicke College of Business Administration. ONU’s RMI major will be the first such program offered in northwest Ohio by a business college accredited by the AACSB International—The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business and the only program in the state offered at a private university.
Two students honored
Roll
Price
Two business students were recognized for their outstanding accomplishments at the Financial Executives International (FEI) Toledo Chapter Students Awards Night in Perrysburg, Ohio, in November.
Robert Roll, a senior accounting and finance major from Gahanna, Ohio, and Austin Price, a Master of Professional Practice in Accounting candidate from Tiffin, Ohio, were among 14 students honored at the event. The two ONU students were presented a $400 award check from Michael Harding on behalf of the FEI Toledo Chapter. Roll, the recipient of FEI’s undergraduate award, has served as president of the Student Investment Group, CFO of Polar Merchandise, the secretary of finance for Student Senate, and vice president of communications for his fraternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon. In addition, Roll is a member of the ONU swim team. He has earned a 4.0 GPA in his major and an overall GPA of 3.7. Price, the recipient of the FEI graduate/ masters award, has served as vice president of finance for Beta Alpha Psi (accounting honorary) and treasurer of the student chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants. In addition, Price is a four-year letter-winner on the ONU baseball team. He has earned a 3.9 GPA as an undergraduate accounting major and an overall GPA of 3.5 in his undergraduate studies. Financial Executives International is a professional organization for senior financial executives, which represent over 15,000 individuals worldwide. The FEI “is the leading voice on behalf of corporate financial executives, actively engaging the FASB, IASC, SEC and legislators in dialogue to represent the viewpoints of [its] membership.” To qualify for the annual award, an accounting or finance student must demonstrate a “high level of academic achievement and intellectual honesty, and [must possess] high promise for a successful career in business.”
Ohio Northern business students Provide help with tax preparation
Elderly and low-income taxpayers in Hardin and surrounding counties received free income tax assistance from Ohio Northern business and law students through Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA). The VITA Program offers free tax help to low-to-moderate-income (generally $51,000 and below) individuals across the country who cannot prepare tax returns on their own. As part of this program, ONU students received training and became IRS-certified to help prepare basic and intermediate tax returns and identify special credits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Child Tax Credit and Credit for the Elderly. ONU students offered free electronic filing (e-filing) services in Ohio Northern’s James F. Dicke Hall throughout February and March 2013.
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McClough checks out the
D
avid McClough, assistant professor of economics at ONU, lives and breathes economics, even when he’s away from the office. “There is no ‘away’ from the world of economics. If I’m not in the classroom, I am working on research,” he says. Currently, McClough and his co-authors are finalizing a series of papers that examine government data pertaining to college graduates. In these papers, McClough and his co-authors challenge some conventional wisdom and suggest that certain public-policy prescriptions be revisited. For example, many states, including Ohio, emphasize STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) education and the promotion of small businesses as sources of economic growth. McClough’s group combined the two ideas. “We find, with a few exceptions, that graduates with STEM degrees have a lower probability of being selfemployed,” he says. “These findings suggest that education policy promoting STEM disciplines may not necessarily result in new firms. However, it is worth noting that self-employed STEM graduates are associated with larger firms, which begs the question: Do STEM graduates create employment opportunities for others?” In a second study, the group controlled for education, occupation and college major to examine the effects of education on observed racial salaries disparities. “We find Asian salaries are similar to whites in contrast to blacks and Hispanics due, in part, to choice of major and occupation,” McClough explains. “This finding motivates subsequent examinations of racial differences and the explanatory power of choosing a major and the implication for one’s eventual occupation.”
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In a third paper, McClough’s group related job satisfaction and salary, finding evidence suggesting that collegeeducated workers often forego objective employment rewards (such as income) in exchange for benefits associated with work processes (such as autonomy, challenges and a sense of contributing to society).
“We find that the choice of major influences occupational outcomes that then determine salary disparity. Recent studies show that blacks are disproportionately represented in majors associated with the lowest-paying occupations, so why would blacks systematically choose majors that limit access to higher-paying occupations?”
“This finding offers some insight to explain why STEM graduates are less likely to be self-employed,” he says. “Studies reveal that self-employment requires more work hours and is associated with more stress and poor health, while, on average, resulting in lower financial rewards than paid employment. STEM graduates may enjoy more attractive employment opportunities than self-employment, on average, compared to non-STEM graduates.”
McClough explains that compelling reasons exist to explain this racial salary disparity. His group is exploring the possibility that “how” work is done matters when identifying potential occupations.
Last summer, the group presented a paper that examines the disparity in salary between private- and publicsector employees. They found less racial wage disparity in the public sector than the private sector after controlling for major and occupation. “This finding challenges assertions that public-sector employees are paid more than private-sector employees,” McClough says. “Moreover, the finding may suggest that public-sector work is more appealing to black workers, who value more equitable treatment in the workplace.” The group’s most recent paper pulls much of the above insights together, explaining how, despite black gains in educational attainment comparable to whites over the past 40 years, salary disparity persists after decades of social, cultural, attitudinal and legal reforms.
“Black college students, who have good and reliable information regarding employment opportunities when choosing a major, may still choose a major because they desire the occupation despite the lower salary. So, we define the concept of procedural utility in terms of the processes and conditions leading to outcomes such that the individual assigns value to not only what is done but how it is done. Procedural utility, therefore, challenges the dominant utilitarian orientation of mainstream economics by placing importance of the means (process) rather than only the ends.”
Originally from Chicago, McClough earned his BA from Vanderbilt University and his Ph.D. from the University of Southern California. Prior to coming to Ohio Northern University, he taught at Bowling Green State University.
From the Ground Up
Stoltenberg Consulting Inc. has made the Inc. 5000 list – an exclusive ranking of America’s fastest growing private companies – for the past six years. The company also received the 2012 Best in KLAS Award – Category Leader for Staff Augmentation. KLAS is an independent health care information technology rating company.
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Sheri Stoltenberg built a leading health care IT consulting business; now, she’s building careers. College of Business Administration Advisory Board member Sheri (Schweitzer) Stoltenberg, BA ’81, took a calculated risk in 1995. She quit a secure job, took out a $10,000 home-equity loan, and started a health care IT consulting firm. Eighteen years later, Stoltenberg Consulting Inc. is a leader in its field, with more than 100 consultants and $20 million in annual revenue. Health care customers, from large research hospitals to small clinics, want positive outcomes. And that’s what Stoltenberg Consulting delivers. “We understand processes, policies and workflow, and we understand software,” she explains. “By marrying the two together, we design solutions that make life easier for our clients.” Most of what Stoltenberg knows about making customers happy she learned from her dad. He owned two independent pharmacies, and she started helping out in his stores when she was only 7 years old.
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By the time Stoltenberg arrived on ONU’s campus, she knew the pharmacy business inside and out. She intended to follow in her dad’s footsteps, but after a year in pharmacy school, she changed her major to psychology. “I wanted to do something different,” she says. “I wanted to know what makes people tick.” Her psychology background gives her a distinct advantage in the business world, says Stoltenberg. She understands people and their motivations. But she often wishes she’d taken a few business courses, especially in accounting. “I had to learn business through the school of hard knocks,” she laughs. After college, Stoltenberg embarked on a career in health care IT, working in both software development and hospital administration. She established a reputation for being results-oriented and innovative. In her work, she encountered many health care institutions in desperate need of guidance in the IT area. Recognizing an opportunity, she created a business plan for a consulting company. But she grappled with doubts. “I was 35 and working for a large corporation. Why give up a good thing?” she says, recalling her misgivings. “Then I realized my security didn’t rest with the organization. My security rested with my own self-worth and ability to deliver.”
Stoltenberg carefully built her business from the ground up, starting with just a computer and small home-equity loan. “I started slowly and did a lot of analysis. I didn’t want to be one of the same,” she says. “I wanted to solve problems and challenges in the industry.” Stoltenberg Consulting not only weathered the dot.com crash and Y2K hype, but also continues to stay one step ahead in a heavily regulated, changing environment. “Some companies grow by leaps and bounds one year and end up with a haircut the next year,” she says. “Our growth has been calculated and consistent. We’re the tortoise in the ‘tortoise and the hare’ story.”
The visionary behind her firm, Stoltenberg lets her management team handle day-to-day operations. She prefers to plan for the future, looking at industry trends, growth opportunities and ways to improve service. “I like to look ahead to the next thing,” she says.
The Junior Consultant Program One innovative program Stoltenberg developed – the junior consultant program – has been a win-win for recent ONU business graduates and the health care industry. Stoltenberg knew many hospitals and clinics couldn’t find qualified IT employees. She also knew young people coming out of college had a tough time finding work. She devised the junior consultant program to bridge the gap between the two problems. New college graduates lack job experience, but they understand technology, says Stoltenberg. “They are the generation that grew up with technology; it’s intuitive to them,” she says. Through the junior consultant program, Stoltenberg brings on board new graduates and puts them through an intensive training program that covers vendor software systems and workflow processes in health care. She then pairs them with a senior consultant on a job site to continue their training.
Stoltenberg’s clients love the junior consultant program because they save money and develop talent at the same time. Junior consultants cost the client 35 percent less than a senior consultant, and they contribute right away. They sign a 12-month contract with the client, and the client has the option of hiring them after that period. Stoltenberg, whose daughter, Leah, is an international business & economics major at Northern, has hired seven ONU graduates in the past two years and turned them into junior consultants. The hiring process is rigorous, but ONU graduates come out on top. They are motivated, ethical and personable – three traits that Stoltenberg looks for. “People do business with people they like,” she says. “I want consultants who are honest, who pay attention to details, and who know how to communicate.”
recent ONU Business graduates start down the path toward success as junior consultants Rachel Alley, BSBA ’11 Pharmaceutical business major Hometown: Millersport, Ohio Alley works at the UMASS Memorial Medical Center in Worchester, Mass., implementing computerized physician-order-entry systems.
“The people I work with at Stoltenberg and at client sites are amazing, talented and knowledgeable individuals.” Nicole Fleischman, BSBA ’11 Pharmaceutical business major Hometown: Beaver Falls, Pa. Fleischman is contracted at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, N.Y., working with a team on ambulatory electronic medical records.
“It has always been my dream to work in the health care industry. Since joining the health care IT field, I’ve grown in so many ways, and I love what I do.”
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Kaitlyn Graber, BSBA ’12 Pharmaceutical business major Hometown: Dalton, Ohio Graber works at the Women’s Christian Hospital in Jamestown, N.Y., where she is responsible for taking paper assessments for the mental health and chemical dependency departments and building them into a Soarian compatible format.
“I enjoy traveling to the hospital and troubleshooting because each day is different. And at the end of the day, it’s so rewarding to walk past a patient and know that patient care is being improved because of what we do on a daily basis.” Chris Klear, BSBA ’11 Pharmaceutical business major Hometown: New Bavaria, Ohio Klear is a Siemens-Soarian analyst for Mountain States Health Alliance in Johnson City, Tenn. He designs, builds and implements nursing assessment and order sets across a 13-hospital enterprise.
“The junior consultant program is giving me a solid foundation for my career as a health care IT consultant, providing professional growth and continuing education through application training. I’ve learned not to be afraid to get my hands dirty at the ground level when working directly with customers. It gives me great satisfaction to see how my work directly enhances the everyday life of health care professionals, with the end result of improved patient care.” Anthony Luchansky, BSBA ’12 Pharmaceutical business major Hometown: Canfield, Ohio Luchansky works as a research and help desk analyst, conducting indepth research on the current and future trends in electronic medical records and troubleshooting client problems.
“With the increasing demand for health care IT professionals, the junior consultant program is helping me become a specialist in the field.”
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Matt Stuczynski, BSBA ’12 Pharmaceutical business major Hometown: Strongsville, Ohio Stuczynski works in patient access at WCA Hospital in Jamestown, N.Y., where he coordinates Soarian financials training with the hospital’s ancillary departments.
“The junior consultant program has provided me with a great opportunity to establish a foundation in the health care IT field. It has given me the opportunity to work with some of the best professionals and client sites in the industry.” Samantha Zalesak, BSBA ’12 Pharmaceutical business major Hometown: Rossford, Ohio Zalesak works at WCA Hospital in Jamestown, N.Y., training end-users on clinical systems. She also provides “live” support by troubleshooting issues and offering end-user education.
“I have always wanted a career in the health care industry, and I’m so excited by the opportunities provided by the junior consultant program! While at work, I’m always learning and being exposed to challenging situations. My co-workers are incredibly helpful and supportive, which has made for a smooth transition from college life to the working world.”
The James F. Dicke College of Business Administration
2012-13 Advisory Board Members George Atkinson BSBA ’72 Senior Vice President and Managing Director TriVista Business Group 1208 Archer Dr. Troy, OH 45373
Paul Carbetta II BSBA ’90 Financial Advisor Ameriprise Financial Services Inc. 150 E. Wilson Bridge Road, Suite 100 Worthington, OH 43085
Julie (Badgley) Kasper BSBA ’84 Chief Financial Officer Hull & Associates Inc. 6397 Emerald Parkway Suite 200 Dublin, OH 43016
Brian D. Smith BSBA ’87 Executive Vice President Catholic Health Partners Northern Network 2749 Fort Amanda Road Lima, OH 45806
Lawrence C. Barrett, CLU, ChFC BSBA ’71, ACIT ’97, H of F ’04 President Independent Pharmacy Consulting Group LLC/ Sagemark Consulting 28601 Chagrin Blvd., Suite 300 Cleveland, OH 44122
Phillip Caris BSBA ’82 Vice President of Sales Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. P. O. Box 550 Findlay, OH 45840
Carol (Applegate) Kline BSBA ’86 751 International Isle Dr. Castle Rock, CO 80108
Sheri L. (Schweitzer) Stoltenberg BA ’81 President and CEO Stoltenberg Consulting 1013 Christine Place Bethel, PA 15102
Deeann (Turner) Beatty BSBA ’91 Bank Examiner Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland East 6th St. & Superior Ave. Cleveland, OH 44144 Shawn A. Bogenrief BSBA ’82 Partner/Director Gardner & White 5925 Wilcox Place, Suite D Dublin, OH 43016 Larry Boord BSBA ’71, JD ’75 Principal Jacob, Haxton & Boord LLC 100 W. Old Wilson Bridge Rd. Worthington, OH 43085
Jeff Gillson, CLU, CFP BSBA ’92 Financial Services Professional New York Life 1336 Woodman Dr., Suite 100 Dayton, OH 45432
Anmarie S. GladieuxKolinski BA ’94, BSBA ’94 Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. 111 S. Wacker Dr., Suite 3400 Chicago, IL 60606
Patricia Maslen-Goeke BSBA ’82 President and CEO Nomadic Display 5617 Industrial Drive, Suite E Springfield, VA 22151
Rob Lydic BS ’97 President Layer 1 Design 903 S. Latson Rd. #228 Howell, MI 48843
Darren Hart BSBA ’99 Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis Fossil Inc. 901 S. Central Expressway Richardson, TX 75080
Jay Molter BSBA ’81 Senior Vice President Marketing and Sales Glasstech Inc. Ampoint Industrial Park 995 Fourth St. Perrysburg, OH 43551
Mark A. Henschen BA ’77 President Minster Bank 95 W. 4th Street Minster, OH 45865
Dennis Stripe BSBA ’79 President and CEO OrthoHelix Surgical Designs Inc. 1065 Medina Rd., Suite 500 Medina, OH 07401 Mark White BSBA ’85 President Vancrest 120 W. Main St., Suite 200 Van Wert, OH 45891
Deann (Fishpaw) Newman BSBA ’83 Partner Deloitte Tax LLP 200 Renaissance Center Detroit, MI 48243
The Inn at Ohio Northern University 419-772-2500 or www.innatonu.com
Ohio Northern University — College of Business Administration
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The right track
Forensic Accounting and Audit Services Taxation
MPPA Master of Professional Practice in Accounting Visit www.onu.edu/mppa