Building Bridges University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Volume 24 | Issue No. 1
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Growing a top Wisconsin business — rooted in values Cover Story on Page 6
Professor Stephen Brokaw earns university teaching excellence award
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UWL junior gains practice in the finance field through internship, peer mentorship
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Associate professor incorporates latest studies into teaching, leading to clear examples and interesting classes
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Building Bridges University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Vol. 24, No. 1 | Building Bridges is published biannually for UW-La Crosse College of Business Administration alumni, friends, students, faculty and staff. Direct comments to: Dean Laura Milner UWL College of Business Administration 1725 State St. | La Crosse, WI 54601 USA 608.785.8090 | lmilner@uwlax.edu
CLICK IMAGE TO WATCH
Editor: Kjerstin Lang
Writers: Kjerstin Lang Brad Quarberg, ’85
Art Director: Florence Aliesch
Photographer: Mike Lieurance, ’02
Message from the Dean College of Business Administration Dean Laura Milner shares qualities that make the CBA stand out in the crowd.
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The College of Business Administration is professionally accredited by AACSB - International, The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and is in compliance with Title IX and Section 504.
Keep in touch with the College of Business Administration and receive our biannual, online magazine. Submit or update your information at
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COVER IMAGE: During a weekly meeting, Alumnus Tyler Zibrowski, accounting supervisor at Dynamic Lifecycle Innovations, and his finance team discuss obstacles and opportunities. Zibrowski earned his undergraduate degree in finance and accountancy in 2011. He returned to earn a master’s in business administration in May 2018. His education helped him become a more confident leader and a greater resource to his team and company leadership, he says.
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-LA CROSSE
FOREVER YOUNG — WITH STUDENTS
Professor Stephen Brokaw earns Eagle Teaching Excellence Award Marketing Professor Stephen Brokaw became a teacher to work with ambitious people who, over time, would keep him feeling young. Now, nearly 30 years into the profession, he confirms that they have. His students have also nominated him to receive the 2018 Eagle Teaching Excellence Award. The Provost Office announced Brokaw was one of six university-wide winners in April. “I honestly believe that every lecture should be filmed so that his words of wisdom can be heard by all, because they are powerful enough to make a better world,” says student Mary McSorley in her nomination.
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He inspires and encourages students to consider the “big picture” and impact of the marketing major every class period, says Kendra Nedegaard, who nominated him for the award in 2017. “Dr. Brokaw believes in each of his students and makes us feel as if, as marketers, we can and will change the world upon graduation,” says Nedegaard. Brokaw, who worked in industry before pursuing his doctoral degree, says it is important both to introduce students to the material and how those materials connect to the world of business. “I try to help them develop skills
that will serve them both professionally and personally well into their futures,” he says. And Brokaw stays in touch with many to learn about that future. His office walls are decorated with pictures and notes from former students now in careers worldwide. “To see them progress in life and career has not kept me feeling young,” he adds. “But it has made me proud to have been a part of their time at UWL. It has given me much to appreciate about being a teacher: seeing the learning in current students and the use of the learning to have a successful and happy life as alums.”
Stephen Brokaw received the 2018 Eagle Teaching Excellence Award. Brokaw, who started at UWL in January 1990, taught international marketing for 15 years. He now teaches the capstone course in marketing management. Alumnus Perry Lowe, ’91, and his wife Kristina. established the Marketing Department’s first endowed scholarship. The scholarship honors Brokaw who Lowe has kept in touch with for more than 25 years.
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Engaging
BUSINESS, COMMUNITY
Management students apply concepts at Fastenal; Economics students partner with health department
Class tours Fastenal, applies management class concepts to real-world setting Faculty member Brad Dobbs organized a tour of Fastenal for all Productions and Operations Management classes — a total of 145 students. Fastenal is an industrial supplies company with corporate headquarters in Winona, Minnesota. During the April 13 trip, students saw class concepts applied in the workplace such as the ergonomic design of workstations, the layout design of the distribution center, and how to improve workplace efficiency through the reduction of unnecessary movement.
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All photos are of the Productions and Operations Management class visit to Fastenal.
Students met with Fastenal managers and heard CEO Dan Florness talk about his journey to Fastenal and the importance of people to Fastenal’s success. “It is important that students gain exposure to how the things we teach in the classroom are utilized every day in businesses, as well as growing their professional network,” says Dobbs.
Students partner with Health Department Economics students applied their business analytics skills during spring semester to help La Crosse County with efforts to address substance abuse. Some of Associate Professor James Murray’s ECO 230 students’ final projects involved working with the La Crosse County Health Department and the La Crosse County
Heroin and Other Illicit Drugs Task Force. Students analyzed a large survey data set on Wisconsin high school students and their behaviors using alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs, and students’ perception of risk. They then presented takeaways about those behaviors and perceptions to Al Bliss, the La Crosse County Heroin and Other Illicit Drugs Task Force coordinator.
and communicate recommendations based on those analytics.
“My group thought that this was a great experience presenting to an individual who was not our professor,” says Nicole Hanson, management and marketing double major. “It was a different type of presentation, which will aid us when we have to do presentations outside of the school environment.”
That’s why all UWL ECO 230 instructors regularly engage in student-client class projects like this. Murray is working with three other ECO 230 instructors — Mary Hamman, Laurie Miller, and Brenda Murray — on a curricular redesign project, funded by a UWL Curricular Redesign Grant. Their work will enhance and streamline community engagement experiences in the course, ensuring that all students in all ECO 230 sections in every semester moving forward get this kind of experience, says Murray.
The ECO 230 class aims to meet important workforce demand by preparing students to apply analytical research skills to identify and solve problems encountered in businesses and organizations. They also learn to formulate
“It is important that students gain exposure to how the things we teach in the classroom are utilized every day in businesses, as well as growing their professional network.” — Brad Dobbs, Productions and Operations Management professor BUILDING BRIDGES
“A decade ago, the ability to conduct data analysis and basic data programming was largely only expected from specialists in the field,” explains Murray. “Today, electronic data is everywhere, accessible to small and large organizations, and employers value data analytics skills in all business roles.”
The students’ work was also valuable to the task force, says Bliss, who is also the health educator for the La Crosse County Health Department. “It will help shape the community’s efforts in addressing substance abuse among young people living in La Crosse County,” he says.
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COVER STORY
Growing a top Wisconsin business — rooted in values Alumni use CBA education to collaborate, mentor and lead a fast-growing small business
In Curt Greeno’s business management classes at UWL, professors discussed the importance of developing an organizations’ core values and mission. At the time, it was difficult for Greeno, ’06, to understand why those things were so critical. Now, as president of an award-winning Wisconsin small business, Dynamic Lifecycle Innovations, he understands. Developing shared values and direction for his team was especially important as the company grew from two employees to 230 across three locations — Nashville, Tenn.; La Crosse/Onalaska and Minneapolis. Greeno recognized he could not possibly connect and communicate these ideas with a large group of people on a daily basis. They needed to be engrained in the company culture and part of operations from hiring to employee reviews. Dynamic’s attention to values and mission has paid off. Greeno, ’06, along with his business partner, Miles Harter, earned Wisconsin’s top Small Business People of the Year Award from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Alumna Stephanie Peterson, ’99, director of marketing for Dynamic, and Alumnus Tyler Zibrowski, ’11 & ’18, an accounting supervisor for the company, agree that interviewing at Dynamic was like walking
Alumnus Curt Greeno, ’06, president of Dynamic Lifecycle Innovations, along with his business partner, Miles Harter, earned Wisconsin’s Small Business Person of the Year Award. Greeno says while he and Harter accepted the award, it really reflects the work of many great people they’ve hired since starting the business in 2007. 6
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into a family. The company cared about employees’ long-term personal and professional goals and embodied their values from innovation to service.
ture of a new operating division. In college, he learned technical finance and accountancy skills, as well as how to draw from the diverse abilities of professionals around him.
UWL’s CBA is leading in business education
“They give back so generously to the community. It is just incredible,” says Zibrowski. “When you see a company that does those things, you want to dig in and give them your all.”
Peterson, a marketing major with minors in International Business and Spanish, recalls how her UWL advisor, Marketing Professor Stephen Brokaw, challenged her to think of what she wanted in her future and experience as much as she could while at UWL. She uses that experience in her career today — always looking for opportunities to learn and grow, as well as mentor others to do the same.
The college earned reaccreditation in April from the international accrediting body — AACSB International —The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
Zibrowki is digging in. He stepped into his leadership role at Dynamic more than a year ago while returning to UWL to learn more about leadership in the MBA program (now offered exclusively online through the UW MBA Consortium). A May graduate, Zibrowski is now responsible for managing the company’s finances worldwide and he has mapped out the fu-
“I want them to make sure they learn and experience as much as they can to round out their experience and grow their careers,” she says. When Zibrowski spoke to his fellow graduates at a hooding ceremony in May, he said a college degree is not just something to hang on the wall or tag to the end of a name. It is a calling to serve and to lead. “If we don’t continue to learn and take information into our own hands, then who will be the one responsible for passing it on to the future?” Zibrowski asks.
About Dynamic Lifecycle Innovations
Stephanie Peterson, ’99, is Dynamic’s marketing director.
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In addition to producing graduates who are leaders, UWL’s College of Business Administration is a leader.
“Quite simply, AACSB-accredited business schools provide the best in business education worldwide,” says CBA Dean Laura Milner. AACSB-accredited schools have the highest quality faculty and maintain a student focus by providing relevant and challenging curriculums in order to provide educational and career opportunities that are not found at other business schools. “Accreditation is a powerful thing for us and a big part of why we thought it was so important to get the CBA its own home in the Wittich Hall building to even further raise the profile of the college,” says UWL Chancellor Joe Gow.
Dynamic Lifecycle Innovations (formerly Dynamic Recycling) is a full-service electronics and materials lifecycle management corporation. Learn more at thinkdynamic.com
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Forward-thinking investment Ball’s successful undergrad years add up to receiving of one of the largest scholarships available at UWL
Joe Laux is funding a year’s worth of in-state tuition for a marketing student and a year of tuition for the top overall junior in the CBA. They are the two single largest scholarships available in the College of Business Administration.
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Dayna Ball wasn’t very much a fan of Mondays — until Monday, April 9. She was studying for a microeconomics exam early in the morning when she received an email with subject line, “scholarship.” The note congratulated her on receiving Alumnus Joe Laux’s Top CBA Junior Scholarship for 2018-19 — to cover full instate tuition for the year. Her day finished with a job offer for an internship and acing that microeconomics exam. “It was a good day,” Ball says. “I look at Mondays a little differently now.” But success doesn’t just come on Mondays for Ball. It has been a consistent theme as a UWL undergraduate. She’s been named to the Dean’s List every semester and finished her junior year with a 4.0. — at the top of her class. “From day one I’ve viewed attending college as a privilege and four years of my life that I really have access to opportunities and resources,” says Ball. “That pushed me to get as much as I can out of it and truly understand what I’m supposed to be learning, so I can apply that to my career.” Society likes to complain about each subsequent generation — including the Millennials — defining them by set characteristics from lazy to self-involved. Laux, ’89, doesn’t see younger generations that way. “After you meet and interview these students, you are not concerned about the future at all,” he says. “They are incredibly intelligent, so worldly, well-spoken and balanced.” Laux started the scholarship because he believes in giving back to the community BUILDING BRIDGES
and university where he received a strong foundation for his successful career as CEO of River States Truck & Trailer. He likes to know that through scholarships, his dollars will go to a specific, hard-working individual. And the funds also raise the overall profile of UWL’s College of Business Administration. “I think UWL is one of the finest business schools in Wisconsin, yet it doesn’t get as much recognition as a UW-Madison,” notes Laux. “I want to show how some of the best and brightest are from UWL. Dayna is one of those.”
Ball works toward a future in economic research, communication Ball, who has a major in economics and minors in communication studies and sustainable business, envisions herself in a future career conducting economic research related to environmental issues, crunching and analyzing the numbers and then effectively communicating these issues to the general public. “I’ll do the heavy work, but I want everyone to be able to understand the information and use it,” she says. With support from her UWL professors, Ball is now investigating graduate school options. Her drive comes from an internship experience last summer at the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization in Minneapolis. She was responsible for blog writing and promoting community awareness of the importance of protecting and improving water quality, habitat and natural resources in an urban watershed that drains directly into the Mississippi River. “Working there for a summer made me realize I’m passionate about getting other
Senior Dayna Ball, of Hudson, Wisconsin, received Alumnus Joe Laux’s Top Junior CBA Scholarship for 2018-19. Ball says she has had an overall very positive experience at UWL, including professors who are responsive, take time to connect with students and are supportive of helping students plan their career. She also appreciated the CBA’s Integrated Core Program, which gave her teamwork experience solving a problem for a business client.
people to be passionate about the environment,” she says. This past summer Ball landed another internship, which grew her data analytics skills working for the Minnesota Department of Commerce. That’s the internship she landed Monday, April 9, after receiving the news about her scholarship. Ball is grateful for Laux’s generous gift, which gave her an incredible boost that day and will continue giving as she pursues opportunities that fit with her future goals. “The scholarship allows for more flexibility, so I can focus on what I want to do, what I enjoy and what I’m good at rather than what pays the bills,” she explains. She plans to pay the gift forward, helping another student out in a similar position down the road. “I think that could be one way to remember my roots and also have a real impact on a student too,” she says. FALL 2018
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In 2018, CBA students had 192 internships through Career Services — 37% of all UWL internships.
Sharing his financial skills — near and far UWL junior gains practice in the finance field through internship, peer mentorship Sean Anderson is learning a new language and culture. The UWL junior isn’t studying abroad — he has immersed himself in a financial analyst internship at IBM in Rochester, Minnesota. The new language he is learning is one of company acronyms, programming languages and computer software programs. And he is adapting to the culture of the workplace setting. “One of the famous phrases at IBM is that ‘You’re drinking from a fire hose,’” says Anderson. “Even though it’s this difficult, I have learned to adapt to this, and I think that is where I have grown the most.” In the summer and fall position, Anderson is doing a wide range of tasks from analyzing, preparing and reporting financial entries to assisting with contracts between the U.S. and other countries. Anderson plans 10
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to return to complete his degree in spring 2019. But internship experience is not the extent of Anderson’s practice in finance. He has been a peer mentor with UWL’s It Make$ Cents! financial literacy program since spring 2017 and will continue the role when he returns to campus in spring. As a peer mentor, Anderson presents, teaches and mentors fellow students on financial topics such as: budgeting, credit, investing/retirement, student loans and more. Whether talking to students one-on-one or through presentations, Anderson loves the job.
“I have always loved working with others and making a difference in someone’s life — even if it was just making a simple budget,” he notes. Anderson is interested in investing and retirement, so program leaders allowed him to present on the topics specifically as part of his Investing 101 presentations to UWL students. Through his research and presentations, he is helping others, but he has also expanded his own knowledge base. “I love getting up in front of people and educating them about finance because I believe you can always learn more about
Above Photo: Sean Anderson is a financial analyst intern at IBM in Rochester, Minnesota. It is not his only practice in the finance field. He also teaches, mentors and presents as a peer mentor in UWL’s It Make$ Cents! financial literacy program.
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-LA CROSSE
it,” he says. “The financial environment is continually changing, and I love it.” Anderson is intelligent, a strong presenter and has become the office’s go-to resource for investment-related questions, says Amanda Gasper, UWL’s financial literacy coordinator. “His greatest strength is his passion to educate others,” says Gasper. “I feel so grateful to have him part of the team at IMC.” Anderson says participating in internships and getting involved in It Make$ Cents have also given him more direction. He aims to obtain his Charted Financial Analyst (CFA) certification and then earn a master’s degree in finance. He eventually wants to work with the stock market and make a difference in people’s lives by promoting financial awareness.
UWL business student Sean Anderson, far right, along with several other peer mentors, accept an award on behalf of UWL’s financial literacy program, It Make$ Cents!, at UWL’s International Banquet spring semester. It Make$ Cents! received The Burt and Norma Altman Award, which recognizes outstanding university service in the advancement of international education.
Student org scores big for community AMA volunteers for Hoops 4 Hope, New Horizons fundraiser Members of UWL’s chapter of American Marketing Association (AMA) jumped at the opportunity to provide volunteers for a February community basketball tournament to raise awareness about domestic violence. They volunteered to manage the raffle, concessions, collect payment and more at Hoops 4 Hope, a local tournament that raised about $2,700 for La Crosse’s New Horizons Shelter and Outreach Centers. Coulee Region Moving Services and the Aquinas Boys Basketball team organized the event with local organizations and companies providing teams. Colin Luz, owner of Coulee Region Moving Services, had spoken at AMA prior to the event. When he explained the need for volunteers, AMA provided enough members to volunteer the entire day. Learn more: www.hoopshope.org. BUILDING BRIDGES
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BOLDLY EMBRACING THE UNKNOWN Alumna builds one of the nation’s largest philanthropies in higher ed at a time of rising student need
Amy Kerwin, ’90, earned a bachelor’s degree in accountancy, summa cum laude, from UWL.
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“When I was in your seat, I never thought I would craft multi-million dollar grants that have the potential to impact tens of thousands of students.” — Amy Kerwin, ’90, vice president of community investments, Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corp.
At a time when a college degree is financially or otherwise unattainable for some, a CBA alumna has stepped up to make a difference. Amy Kerwin, ’90, is vice president of community investments at Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corp. The non-profit organization helps students of color, low-income students and first-generation students overcome barriers to college graduation. Kerwin spoke during the College of Business Administration Citizens State Bank First Friday Lecture Series in April. “When I was in your seat, I never thought I would craft multi-million dollar grants that have the potential to impact tens of thousands of students,” Kerwin told students at the lecture. Kerwin’s position and the non-profit grew out of Great Lake’s desire to
develop a philanthropic strategy to help more underrepresented students achieve their higher education goals. However, the strategy is not to give scholarships. Instead, the organization helps colleges and institutions change their policies and practices to help more students. Philanthropy provides the time, space and freedom to innovate, iterate and scale, says Kerwin. That can lead to identifying promising student success practices that aren’t able to attract funding because they haven’t yet been proven. Kerwin built her division at Great Lakes from the ground up into one of the nation’s largest philanthropies focused on higher education. She helped to create $73 million in new grants that support research and regional funding related to higher education achievement goals in a little over a decade.
Kerwin was eager to create a Philanthropy Department — in addition to an Internal Audit Department — at Great Lakes because no one had done it before. In that sense, she knew she couldn’t do it wrong, she explained during her lecture. Kerwin’s bravery to chart new waters is what impressed some students the most. “My inclination is to think, ‘I don’t know how to do it… or how do I start?,” says Nicole Zander, a junior majoring in accountancy. “But, like she said, if no one has ever done it, you really can’t go wrong.” UWL senior Jaimi Hagen says Kerwin’s talk showed potential doors in accounting, as well as the importance of adapting oneself as they open. “I’m thinking that may be a personality trait you need to be a successful risk taker,” she says.
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The series provides scholarly dialogue about business management and leadership directly from today’s business leaders.
Friday, Nov. 2
Friday, Feb. 1
President of FLASH, a specialized carrier based in Green Lake, WI
Vice president and chief financial officer of Global Solutions, a UnitedHealth Group company
Mandi Hinrichs
MANDI HINRICHS As a second generation leader of the family business, Mandi Hinrichs is the president of FLASH. The company has nearly 100 trucks, primarily serving the foundry industry. Beyond trucking, the family owns a transload company, railcar leasing company, frac sand processing mine, and a grocery store. Hinrichs received a marketing undergraduate degree from UWL in 2003. 3:30 p.m. Lecture with reception following Stzrelczyk Great Hall Cleary Alumni & Friends Center 615 East Ave. N. | La Crosse
Bryan R. Johnson
Friday, April 5
Tom Wargolet Executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Lifetouch Schools Division
BRYAN R. JOHNSON Bryan Johnson holds positions with UnitedHealth Group, a health and wellbeing company on the Dow Jones Industrial Average and currently ranks No. 5 on the Fortune 500. Global Solutions specializes in products that serve members crossing international borders or outside their home country. Johnson holds a Bachelor of Science from UWL with majors in finance, economics and accountancy, and is also a graduate of the UWL ROTC program who served in the Persian Gulf War.
TOM WARGOLET At Lifetouch, Tom Wargolet is responsible for all operational aspects, including sales, field execution, marketing, fulfillment and customer service. He joined Lifetouch in 2005, holding finance and other administrative titles until being named to his current role in 2017. Wargolet is a 1985 UWL graduate with a Bachelor of Science in accountancy.
February and April Lectures at 3:30 p.m. Skogen Auditorium-1400 Centennial Hall | 308 N. 16th St. | La Crosse Reception following lecture in Cameron Hall of Nations
The series is free and open to the public.
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Russell Cleary Leadership Lecture Harry M. Jansen Kraemer, Jr. Executive partner with Madison Dearborn Partners, Chicago Clinical Professor of Strategy, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management
From Values to Action
CBA alums are six of the 24 “Rising Stars” in the tri-state region The La Crosse Tribune and 7 Rivers Alliance selected 24 young professionals as “Rising Stars Under 40” in fall 2017. These “dynamic young entrepreneurs and leaders” are making a positive difference in the three-state region of Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Monday, Oct. 29| 5:30 p.m. Hesprich Auditorium Graff Main Hall 1725 State St. | La Crosse
HARRY M. JANSEN KRAEMER, JR.
Sponsored by the Cleary Family The lecture is free and open to the public. “Doing the right thing” while delivering outstanding and lasting results can be difficult for leaders to achieve, but in today’s economic and political environment valuesbased leaders are needed more than ever. Mr. Kraemer suggests that there are four principles that guide leaders to make choices that are aligned with their values: SelfReflection, Balance, True Self-Confidence, and Genuine Humility. Drawing from firsthand experiences as the former chairman and CEO of Baxter International and from his teaching at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, Kraemer offers leaders a framework to adopt the four principles of values-based leadership to make their organizations beacons of enduring value in the world.
The lecture honors Russell Cleary who attended UWL from 1951-54 and earned the Graff Distinguished Alumni Award in 1980. Cleary built La Crosse’s Heileman Brewing Co. into one of the largest breweries in the country. In addition to numerous other awards, he was named Executive of the Year by “Corporate Report Magazine” in 1980. Cleary, a strong supporter of UWL, was committed to serving the La Crosse community. BUILDING BRIDGES
Six were UWL CBA graduates. Justin Garvey, ’08 Metre Curt Greeno, ’06 Dynamic Lifecycle Innovations Garrett Jerue, ’07 The Insurance Center Jennifer Kuderer, ’03 Wisconsin Economic Development Cooperation Nathaniel Melby, ’02 Dairyland Power Clinton Torp, ’11 La Crosse Regional Airport
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Research + teaching Associate professor incorporates latest studies into teaching, leading to clear examples and interesting classes Nabamita Dutta, associate professor of economics, has published more than 40 peer-reviewed articles to date on various topics of economic development, ranging from foreign aid to entrepreneurship.
She is motivated by the excitement of new research questions and the expertise and enthusiasm of co-authors from varied backgrounds — many from research-intensive institutions. Submitting multiple papers for review at the same time has given her more options for publication, and it has ultimately resulted in a lot of her work being published in well-ranked journals. Nabamita Dutta, associate professor of economics, researches the overlapping areas of economic development and new institutional economics, political economy, gender economics and entrepreneurship. She has published more than 40 peer-reviewed articles to date.
But Dutta’s reputation outside the classroom is just as strong inside. Khaled Almazro, a May graduate who majored in finance and minored in economics, chose his economics minor because of Dutta who “communicates ideas so clearly.” “She has been a great teacher who allowed us to understand a subject that is not very easy and do well in it,” says Almazro. Dutta brings current, global news examples to class with links to economics, says Almazro and his cousins who have all taken her classes. Dutta says conducting research helps her stay current and gain a stronger grasp of the subject matter. She incorporates research outcomes into teaching and continually exposes students to ongoing studies, which contextualizes the findings to current issues.
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Khaled Almazro, ’18
“Many times while explaining the recent findings in the literature to the students and having a discussion on specific topics, a new research idea will hit me,” says Dutta. “In that way, the process of teaching and research are complementary to me.” Dutta adds that while finding time to conduct research with a heavy teaching load is challenging, exciting research questions keep her motivated. “Once a research project excites me, it’s hard for me to stop unless I have fully explored the question,” she says. “Often research publications are an outcome of pursuing exciting questions, but they have never been my primary goal.”
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2017-18 journal publications from CBA faculty* Berg, P., Hamman, M., Piszczek, M., Ruhm, C. J. (2017). The Relationship Between Establishment Training Efforts and Retention of Older Workers: Evidence from Germany. International Labour Review, 156, 495-523. Brooks, T. J., Humphreys, B. R., Nowak, A. (2018). Strip Clubs, “Secondary Effects,” and Residential Property Prices. Real Estate Economics, V00, 1-36. Graham, A. W., Nandialath, A. M., Skaradzinski, D., Rustambekov, E. (2017). Macroeconomic Determinants of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Adoption: Evidence from the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region. Accounting and Taxation, 9(1), 39-49. Haupert, M. J. (2017). The Impact of Cliometrics on Economics and History. Revue d’Economie Politique, 127(6), 1059-81. https:// www.cairn.info/revue-d-economie-politique.htm. Haupert, M. J., Winter, K. M. (2018). The Impact of the Blue Ribbon Panel on Collective Bargaining Agreements. The Baseball Research Journal, 47(1), 91-98. Hernandez, M. D., Nasif, N., Malzer, K., Minor, M. S. (2017). Uncovering emotions and insights evoked by paper currency. The International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research, 27(4), 424-433. http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/ rirr20/27/4.
Kocakulah, M. C., Austill, D. (2017). Measuring Commercial Loan Profitability Using Activity Based Costing at A Regional Bank. Cost Management, 31(5), 19-31. Kocakulah, M. C., Bryan, T., Lynch, S. (2018). “Effects of Absenteeism on Company Productivity, Efficiency, and Profitability N. Business and Economics Research, Vol. 8 (No. 1, March 2018), 115-135. Lim, Y., Agrawal, A. (2018). Local Obesity Prevalence and Corporate Polices. Quarterly Journal of Finance, 8(2), 1-33. McKeage, K., Crosby, E., Rittenburg, T. (2018). Living in a GenderBinary World: An Application of the Consumer Vulnerability Model. Journal of Macromarketing. http://journals.sagepub. com/home/jmk. Murray, J., Nunley, J. (2018). Econocast.net: Pencasts to Supplement the Undergraduate Economics Curriculum. Journal of Economic Education, 49(2), 222. Nandialath, A. M., David, E., Das, D., Mohan, R. (2018). Modeling the determinants of turnover intentions: A Bayesian Approach. Evidenced Based HRM, 6(1), 2-24. Nunley, J., Seals, R. A. (2017). Child-Custody Reform and the Division of Labor in the Household. Review of the Economics of the Household, 15(3), 833-856.
Khandker, A. W., Khaled, S. A. (2017). Determination of Mark-up Rate under Zero Interest Financial System: A Microeconomic Approach. Islamic Economic Studies, 25(2), 15-34.
Stivers, A. (2018). Equity Premium Predictions with Many Predictors: A Risk-Based Explanation of the Size and Value Factors. Journal of Empirical Finance, 45, 126-140.
Kocakulah, M. C., Foroughi, A., Stott, A. (2017). Activity-Based Costing: Helping Small and Medium Sized Firms Achieve a Competitive Edge in the Global Marketplace. The Journal of Research in Economics and Management, 2(5), 150-171.
Thornburg, S., Komissarov, S., Rosacker, K. (2017). Accounting, Politics and Public Pensions in the US. Accountancy Business and the Public Interest, 16, 87-107.
Ozturkoglu, Y., Saygili, E., Kocakulah, M.C. (2017). End users’ Perceptions of Critical Success Factors in ERP Applications. The International Journal of Enterprise Information, 13(4), 58-75.
Vriens, M., Martins-Alves, A. (2017). Modeling the Implicit Brand: Capturing the Hidden Drivers. Journal of Product and Brand Management, 26(6), 600-615. Vriens, M., Martins-Alves, A., Chen, S. (2017). Brand segmentation using implicit brand measures. Applied Marketing Analytics, 3(2), 172-182.
*Publications appearing in print, July 1, 2017-May 31, 2018
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IMPRESSIVE COLLEGE OUTREACH By engaging with hundreds of business representatives during the 2017-18 year, the CBA supported its mission of academic excellence, career success and community engagement.* INTERNSHIPS AND JOBS 128th Air Control Squadron Ace Hardware Corp. Advisors Management Group Agropur Ingredients Aldridge Electric Allergy Associates of La Crosse Alliant Energy Alliant Engineering Inc. Altra Federal Credit Union American Eagle Outfitters American Foods Group LLC, Green Bay, WI Ameriprise Financial Ameriprise Home & Auto Aptiv, formerly known as Riverfront Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Ashley Furniture Industries Inc. Badger Mutual Insurance Co. Baker Tilly BDO USA LLP Beacon Trader Becker Tax and Bookkeeping LLC Behrens Manufacturing Bell Laboratories BKD CPAs & Advisors Buffalo Wild Wings Home Office Care Providers of Minnesota Charterpoint Wealth Strategies CIBC Bank USA (fka: The PrivateBank and Trust Co.) Cilio Technologies LLC City Brewing Company LLC City of Madison Police Department CliftonLarsonAllen LLP Coldwell Banker Colony Brands, Inc. Coulee Region Chill Coulee Region Moving Services Countryside Animal Hospital Creative Screen Print
Dairyland Power Cooperative Deloitte DICK’S Sporting Goods Economics University of Bratislava Center for North American Studies (EUBA) Eide Bailly LLP EMC Insurance Ernst & Young Evenstad Tax Service LLP Fastenal Co. Firefighters Credit Union First Free Church First Supply LLC Foot Locker Corp. Fortney Hospitality Group Inc. Greenheck Fan Gundersen Health System Habitat for Humanity HarQen Hartland Fuels Hawkins Ash CPAs Hedge Tactical Solutions High Sierra Pools Ho-Chunk Nation Holthaus Financial Group Hormel Foods Housing Authority of the City of La Crosse IBM IBM Global Business Services Idea Fund of La Crosse Inclusa Inc. Inland J.H. Findorff and Son Inc. Johnson Block & Company Inc. Johnson Landscaping Kaplan Professional Kicking Bear Foundation Kiel James Patrick
Kirchner Custom Builders, Inc. KMA Bodilly CPAs & Consultants, S.C. Kohl’s Corp. Kohler Co. Kompas Care KPMG LLP Kwik Trip Inc. La Crosse Area Family YMCA La Crosse Courtyard by Marriott Hotel Land O’Lakes Inc. Lands’ End Direct Merchants Live Nation Logistics Health Inc. Lunda Construction Co. MacDonald and Owen Lumber Co. Marine Credit Union Marriott Vacations Worldwide Mary Qian Mayo Clinic MBE CPAs MEC, Inc. (Mayville Engineering Company Inc.) Menards, Inc. Modern Woodmen of America Morrison & Associates, S.C. Mutual of Omaha Nelson & Associates, SC Northern Wisconsin State Fair Association Inc. Northwestern Mutual - Bohannon Group Olsen, Thielen & Co. Organic Valley PeopleFirst HR Solutions Inc. Perkins Restaurant Peterson Metz PMG Services Poblocki Sign Co. Prom Levy Management Radisson Hotel Redpath & Co.
Reinhart Foodservice Richland County Health and Human Services RitzHolman CPAs River Investment Consultants RSM US LLP Sam’s Club SAP Scanlan International Inc. Sentry Social Security Administration Stifel, Nicolaus & Co. Inc. (La Crosse, WI) Strohm Ballweg LLP Students for Life of America SVA Certified Public Accountants, S.C. TaLuk Presents Target Walleye The Water Council The Weber Group Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation Thrive3 Thrivent Financial Toyota of La Crosse Trane, a brand of Ingersoll Rand Trust Point Inc. UWL Career Services UWL It Make$ Cents! Money Management Center Village of Sherwood Whipp’s Dining Hall WI Small Business Development Center at UW-La Crosse Winsupply Inc. Wipfli Wisconsin Legislative Audit Bureau World Milwaukee Festival -Summerfest Wyatt Bicycles
*Not a complete list.
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touchpoints between speakers, faculty, staff and students 2017-18 CLASS, CLUBS, COLLEGE SPEAKERS AND PROJECT PARTNERS* 7 Rivers Alliance - Chris Hardie Allergy Associates - Jeff Kessler Altra Federal Credit Union - Jeremy Eide Altra Federal Credit Union - Craig Sacia Associated Bank - David Winiecki Auditor’s Responsiblity - Kyle Kaja Baker Tilly - Sarah Kragness Baker Tilly - Brent Wagoner Bauman Associates - Nate Kalepp Becker CPA - Amy Napolski Benedictine Living Community of La Crosse BLU Group - Tony Roberts Black River Memorial Hospital - Kim Chandler Black River Memorial Hospital - Chris Plaisance Brake Bush Brothers - Steve Ross Brewplan, Inc. - Jon Reynolds Care Providers of Minnesota - Patti Cullen Christina M. Olson Financial Planning - Christina Olson Christos Taverna - Robbi Wolff Citizens Climate Lobby - Larry Sleznikow Citizens State Bank - Dennis Vogel Citizens State Bank - Chad Hill Citizens State Bank - Brent Sammann City (Government) of La Crosse - Andrea Schnick Coulee Region Moving Services - Colin Luz Coulee Tech - Rodney Holum Drift Mercantile - Dani Peterslie Eide Bailly - Jenn Faust Empire Screening - Amy Bettis Empire Screening - Jennifer Schloesser Essential Health Clinic - Kelli Cornett Fastenal - Mark Kotsmith Fastenal - Ryan Rosenberg Fastenal - Peter Guidinger Fastenal - Mark Kotsmith Fastenal - Nolan Schmidt Federated Insurance - Jolene Kunkel Flight Training Technologies LLC - Amy Labus-Olson Graham Enterprise - Garry Ryan Grand Bluff Race Management - Tyler Heinz Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corp. - Amy Kerwin Green Bay Packers - John Michalski Gundersen Health - Bethany Poellinger Hawkins Ash - Monica Hauser
Hedge Technical Solutions - Dave Kusch Honda Motorwerks - Chris Schneider Inland - Jackie Kuehlmann IZA (Institute of Labor Economics) - Maryam Naghshnejad Java Vino - Tina Schumaker Johns, Flaherty, and Collins - Greg Bonney Johnson and Johnson - Gary Kimm Kaplan - Asha Bianca Kaplan - Mike Langrehr Kaplan - Laura Miller Kwik Trip - Kendra Nedegaar Kwik Trip - Carl Rick La Crescent Chamber of Commerce - Eileen Krenz La Crescent Food Share - Susan Oddsen La Crosse Area YMCA - Travis Pernsteiner Liv4Prairie - Olivia Clark Logistics Health Inc. - Thomas Foster Logistics Health Inc. - Kevin Karwoski Logistics Health Inc. - Carolyn Moe Logistics Health Inc. - Chuck Rice Logistics Health Inc. - Chris West LTC Inc. - James Brennan, Capitol, James Reynolds Marine Credit Union - Liz Malott MassMutual (Charterpoint) - Dan Odenbach Mayo Clinic - Wale Elegbede Mayo Clinic - Eric Ericson Mayo Clinic - Mike Hesch Metre - Sarah Gang Mt. La Crosse - Darcie Breidel Mutual of Omaha - Eric Guth Northwestern Mutual - Shane Stuhr Northwestern Mutual - Bennett Johnson Northwestern Mutual - Jamie Bottcher Onalaska High School - Andrew Beckstrom Organic Valley - Emily Holldorf Pearl Street Brewery - Tami Plourde Reinhart Food Service - Zachary Knutson Reinhart Food Service - Jenna Schmidtknecht Reinhart Food Service - Jennifer Tourdot Rice Lake Weighing Systems - Kristi Gay Riesterer and Schnell - Nicole Glisczinski Riipen - Olivia Boon RSM - Brianna Tighe SAP - Kris Sorenson
Sargento Foods Inc. - Michael Pellegrino Scenic Bluffs Health Care Center - Mari Freiberg Secura Insurance Co. - Patrick Teske Seven Rivers Recycling - Brian Tippitts Sherwin Williams - Mary Wolf SixSpeed - Ethan Lindeman Small Business Development Center - Anne Hlavacka Staples - Kyle Madaus Strohm Ballweg - Derek Salzwedel Swallow Solutions - Eric Horler Target Corp. - Adekunle Samuel Thompson Reuters - Paul Lemke The Blü Group - Tony Roberts The Blü Group - Amanda Maurer TKPaulson - Terry Paulson Trane, a brand of Ingersoll Rand - Paul Gaska Upcycle, LLC - Joe Etten Uptowne Cafe - Adrian Limpscombe U.S. Dept. of Treasury, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency - Mitchel Brockway UWL Career Services - Brenda Leahy UWL Communications Studies - Scott Dickmeyer UWL HR Department - Shelle Gholson UWL HR Department - Kathy Accola UWL CBA - Laura Milner UWL Financial Aid - Louise Janke UWL Financial Aid Scholarship - Josh Bonnell UWL Rec Sports - Matt Schneider UWL Residence Life - April Handtke UWL Residence Life - Lisa Weston UWL Student Life Violence Prevention - Ingrid Peterson UWL Track & Field - Nickolas Davis UWL University Centers - Larry Ringgenberg UW-Milwaukee - Kevin Spellman Vendi Advertising - Julie Haas Vendi Advertising - Sarah Ellington Wegner CPA - Katy Wegner WI DNR - Michael Ross Wisco Pop Beverage Co. - Neal Olson Wisconsin Department of Revenue - Ezra Biesterveld Wisconsin Hospital Association - Tony Mirasola Wyatt Bike & Coulee Region Business Center - Wyatt Hrudka *Not a complete list.
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FRONT-ROW SEAT TO CREATIVE MINDS UWL senior says up-and-coming artists at Cannes inspire seizing opportunity It is widely considered one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world. Red carpets, stunning dresses, and a who’s who of the film world come together in May on the French Riviera. UWL business student Kyle Moen took a front-row seat at the festival as an intern for French-American Producer and Director Zachary Miller, an extension of a study abroad experience in Nice, France. Moen’s role was networking to help sell two movie concept ideas for Miller’s company, 2 Bulls on The Hill Productions. With his help, both films received financial support. In June, Moen was still unpacking the experience.
Kyle Moen, far left, is on track to graduate in 3 ½ years this December. Still, he made time for study abroad in France, culminating with an internship at the Cannes Film Festival, May 8-19. Here Moen shows his press pass for the festival. Moen initially worried about the time commitment to study abroad. “Being on the other side of it, I would say, definitely, do it,” he says.
While he met some big-name actors and directors, some of the most substantial takeaways came from meeting creative people who were lesser-known. Some shared their recent start in films and the initial fear of failure. “They said one day they decided, ‘I’m just going to do it. I’m not 100 percent confident, but it’s what I’m passionate about and what I love to do,” recalls Moen. That message resonated. Moen also has big career goals, including launching an advertising agency after he gets his feet wet in the field. “People put up their own barriers to their success,” he says. “You are never going to be ready — absolutely ready to take on that next step. But if it’s something you are passionate about and believe in, it is something you should go after.”
Click to watch >> Moen shares his experience in Cannes.
CBA SENIORS REPORT PARTICIPATION IN HIGH IMPACT PRACTICES Internships = 74% Study abroad = 30% Service learning = 79% Research with = 23% faculty — NSSE Survey 2017
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UNIVERSITY WISCONSIN-LA CROSSE University ofOFWisconsin-La Crosse