T H E M A G A Z I N E O F T H E M I S S I S S I P P I S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y C O L L E G E O F B U S I N E S S • 2 0 1 3

dividends

I find it hard to believe that I am in my third year serving as dean of the College of Business, but

just as quickly as one year begins, another ends, and it is with the closing of this year that I present to you the 2013 edition of Dividends.

In this edition of our annual publication, you will read about a few of the successes of our students, alumni and faculty. The people of our

college – the driving force behind our accomplishments – remain the focus of our magazine. My hope is that this magazine connects you to the College of Business and strengthens the value of our alumni network. Our alumni base stretches to every state in the U.S. and to all corners of the world. My desire is to reach out and connect with the people whose past experiences with the college shape the successes of our tomorrows.

In 2015, we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the College of Business at Mississippi State University. Founded in 1915, we are one of the oldest business schools in the region and the oldest in the state of Mississippi. Our history is rich, and our future has infinite opportunities to impact the lives of those around us.

I want to know: How have your experiences at Mississippi State University and the College of Business impacted your life? Perhaps it was a class that influenced your chosen career or a professor who pushed you a little further than you thought possible. Maybe the bonds that were made between you and your classmates inspired your goals, or an advisor guided you through your tenure as a student. Email us at business@msstate.edu and be a part of our centennial celebration. Your photographs are welcome!

The College of Business is the home to first-rate students, leading researchers and the highest quality of professors. I hope by reading Dividends that you are able to sense the contagious energy that is alive in the College of Business. As we prepare to celebrate our centennial by remembering our past, we look forward to fostering that spark as we continue to lead in excellence.

Thank you for all you do to help make the College of Business at Mississippi State University great. Thank you for celebrating our past successes as you invest in our future endeavors.

welcomecollege of business

2 Fueling the Entrepreneurial Spirit The College of Business is nurturing entrepreneurs while they

are students.

6 A Taste of Success A cross-campus collaboration creates jobs and a tasty new crop.

8 A Real Investment Students manage a six-figure stock portfolio for TVA.

12 World Class Career A finance degree and track team participation prepared alumna

Ann-Marie Donaldson for an international career.

16 Faculty Bequests Signify Passion for MSU Three COB professors support future education and research.

18 Dividends Club Investments Pay Off Members’ gifts lead to two new scholarships and other growth

opportunities.

20 A Life Altered A few opened doors and an encounter with a natural disaster

led instructor Angela Pannell to MSU.

22 Feels Like Home MSU-Meridian’s Division of Business is thriving at the new

downtown campus.

24 A Demand for Supply Chain Talent COB faculty member Frank Adams writes about the growing

opportunities in supply chain management.

26 Local Talent, Leading Technology BankTEL CEO Boyce Adams is fostering the future of COB

students and Mississippi.

30 The Human Side of Cyber Security The BIS faculty helps businesses understand how to manage

behavioral threats to computer security.

32 College of Business Centennial Be a part of the celebration as the COB looks toward its

100th anniversary!

34 BIS.50 The trailblazing Business Information Systems program turns 50.

36 Karres Put Faith in Faculty with Fellowship Paul Karre believes investing in the best people pays dividends.

38 Students Rise to the Occasion The COB Student Ambassadors are well represented by

president Jasmine Morgan.

40 News Briefs44 Infinitely Supporting the College of Business Capital campaign offers many ways to build the future of the

COB and MSU.Dividends is published

by Quest Group, LLC.

www.getquest.com

David P. Abney

Richard C. Adkerson

Drew Allen

Rick Anderson

Marsha Blackburn

Charles P. Boyd

Stanley L. Bulger

Mary Childs

William Anthony Clark

James A. Coggin

Cynthia Cooper

Alan Crockett

Thomas Darnell

Larry Favreau

Haley Fisackerly

Linda M. Garrett

H. Devon Graham, Jr.

Jan L. Gwin

John M. Hairston

Paul J. Karre

Lewis F. Mallory, Jr.

Clyde Manning

Don Mason

Lee Miller

Mickey Milligan

C.R. Montgomery

Roderick A. Moore

Carl L. Nicholson, Jr.

Debrah Oberkirch

Shirley Olson

Ron J. Ponder

Richard Puckett, Sr.

R.L. Qualls

Joe G. Rice, Jr.

Billy Roberts

Pat S. Robertson

Ken B. Robinson

James J. Rouse

Robert A. Sheely

William A. Taylor, III

Cyndi A. Tucker

Jimmy L. Walden

Loretta Walker

Blake Wilson

Executive Advisory Board

Dividends is a publication of the College of Business at Mississippi State University | 2013

contents

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COVER: In the Co-Lab, Parker Stewart makes plans for his new company. Article, p. 2.

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David Hennigan (left), eClub president, and Kevane Daniel welcome fellow entrepreneurs to the Co-Lab.

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Mississippi was recently listed among the leading five states in the country for entrepreneurs by CNNMoney. The College of Business at Mississippi State is capitalizing on this by nurturing top entrepreneurial

students while they are still in school.

“Student entrepreneurship has exploded at Mississippi State due in large part to the collaborative spirit between the College of Engineering, the College of Business and of course, Gerald Nelson and the Office of Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer [OETT],” says Jeffrey Rupp, director of outreach and corporate engagement in the College of Business.

Mississippi State president Mark Keenum has noted that fostering an environment of innovation and creativity and inspiring students to be successful in a fast-paced and changing world are goals that are in line with the university’s vision. The College of Business is embracing that vision by offering student entrepreneurs real-world opportunities through a collaboration of unique experiences while on campus.

One of those experiences is the recent formation of the Company Laboratory (Co-Lab). The COB’s new Co-Lab provides a dedicated space for student members of the Entrepreneurship Club, or eClub, to originate ideas for future businesses.

Past eClub president and recent College of Business alumnus Parker Stewart says that establishing the Co-Lab during his term as president was a team effort, one that benefitted from cross-campus input. The eClub turned to interior design majors in the College of Art, Architecture and Design for their expertise in selecting the room’s design features.

Located on the second floor of McCool Hall, the room features walls covered with special “IdeaPaint” to create a continuous dry erase surface for entrepreneurial brainstorming sessions. This unique space provides club members with an easy means to develop additional ideas and receive feedback as business plans are hashed out.

The eClub officially dedicated the room with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in April. Dean Sharon Oswald was given a special award in appreciation of what the club members termed her “unfailing support” and for seeing their vision of a place set aside specifically for entrepreneurial brainstorming.

“Dean Oswald has embraced our student entrepreneurs to the point of letting them create the Co-Lab. It’s a unique place where students can meet at any hour of the day or night and literally write on the walls and tables. Students helped raise the funds to create the space, and COB faculty act as advisors and mentors as the students launch their business ideas,” says Rupp.

Another opportunity for student entrepreneurs presents the prospect of taking their ideas from concept to reality: the university-wide “Investing in Innovation” conference, also known as I3 Day. Part of MSU’s Entrepreneurship Week, I3 Day highlights the university’s partnerships with the private sector and provides

spiritFueling the Entrepreneurial Spirit

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a setting in which participants can explore the various resources and services available to entrepreneurs on campus. It is also the culmination of a week-long series of student competitions, judged by alumni and other business owners, in which awards this year totaled more than $50,000.

The College of Business is always well represented in this conference by its students, who understand the incredible entrepreneurial culture that the university has and make the most of it.

“We have students with innovative ideas and faculty willing to help them take these ideas to the next level. I3 Day has given students the opportunity to pitch their ideas to a host of individuals who can serve as mentors in life. It gives them good practice and good feedback,” Oswald observes.

Oswald knows that when it comes to innovation and entrepreneurship, the COB is competitive with other schools around the country.

“Our students are not afraid of any challenge,” she says.

Dr. Danny Holt, assistant professor of management and faculty advisor for the Entrepreneurship Center, notes that the week offers stimulation and encouragement for many pioneering students.

“It’s the chance to interact with professional investors and folks who can give these young people all types of funding or mentorship support, which is incredibly important to take their businesses to the next step,” he says. “The ideas that these experienced entrepreneurs and business people give students are invaluable.”

One of the events, an e-business plan competition, was borne from Dr. Robert Moore’s Internet Marketing class. His final project for the upper level course is to develop an idea and create a marketing plan for an

Internet company.

“The main objective is not for them to start that particular business – though some do – but to get them in the mindset that they can start a business,” he remarks.

Many of his students enter the competition, including this year’s first-place winner, Mercedes Allen. She took a prize of $5,000, and her Craig’s List-type marketplace for college students is now online at collegedrifters.com.

Moore, Holt and their COB colleagues Dr. Melissa Moore, Dr. Allison Pearson and Dr. Rodney Pearson serve on the MSU Entrepreneurship Center Advisory Board,

challenge

Mercedes Allen presents her plan at I3 Day.

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along with peers from the Bagley College of Engineering. The board provides guidance to beginning entrepreneurs looking to start up new companies.

This year’s I3 Day top award package included a $10,000 cash prize, as well as legal services provided by Bradley Arant Boult and Cummings and office space in the MSU Business Incubator courtesy of the Golden Triangle Enterprise Center.

MSU’s student entrepreneurs may also find COB students to be a source of support.

Parker Stewart, who completed his management degree in May, worked part time in the OETT as an undergraduate and continues to do so, helping other student entrepreneurs connect with the right advisors and resources to move their projects forward. He himself developed one company as an undergraduate and now owns another, Del Viejo Gourmet Foods, with his mother and stepfather.

One of the COB’s MBA consulting teams took Del Viejo on as a client project as the company prepared to roll out its first product, a salsa, in the first half of 2014. Stewart tasked the graduate students with market analysis of potential competitors, and they provided valuable information on websites, packaging, logos, slogans, price points and other key information.

They also found that if these small gourmet food companies had a story behind their brand, it was usually about how the founders started in their own kitchens. It affirmed a direction that Stewart intended to take to differentiate

Del Viejo in the marketplace – by focusing on a rare ingredient, the datil pepper, which grows only around St. Augustine, FL.

“The pepper came to St. Augustine around the 1800s, and no one really knows the origin. We’ve created one – the legend of Del Viejo, a 17th century Spanish gourmand famous for his delicacies,” says Stewart. “A background like this can make a product more engaging.”

Stewart encourages students to give entrepreneurship a try while still in school.

“It’s a low-risk time because most students don’t support families,” he points out. “There are so many immensely valuable resources available only to students at Mississippi State, and the professors are knowledgeable and willing to help. Now is the time to start something from nothing.”

Allison Matthews contributed to this article.

David Walker and Val’Dicia Camacho put their ideas on the walls.

“This is a great example of how Mississippi State University can give back to the people of our state. First you have groundbreaking university

research by Dr. D’Abramo, then you have Gerald Nelson in OETT

working to make that research commercially viable and finally

you have the College of Business using its outreach capabilities to help create the market. Melding

the expertise of different university entities is key.”

J E F F R E Y R U P P

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prawnsIn true farm-to-table fashion, Starkville restaurant goers can now benefit from fresh Mississippi raised

prawns, thanks to decades of aquaculture research and technology development at Mississippi State University and a recent collaboration with the university’s Office of Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer (OETT) and the College of Business.

In 1984, Dr. Lou D’Abramo began his research in MSU’s Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture with the focus of freshwater prawns. His objective was to develop this species into a commercially viable alternative to complement and diversify the aquaculture industry in Mississippi – which was exclusively catfish – while taking advantage of the existing aquaculture infrastructure.

His research results, derived from small research ponds on campus, were validated in the mid-1990s when a project in Leland, MS, proved that prawns could be grown in larger, commercial-size ponds. The potential for economic success was high. Additional research devoted to processing and marketing eventually resulted in the formation of Lauren Farms, a private prawn production farm in Leland, which is still operational.

D’Abramo’s research continued, and in 2000, the U.S. Freshwater Prawn Growers Association was established. In 2012, the organization’s annual meeting was held on the MSU campus.

However, at this point, the types of markets for the product remained underdeveloped.

The same year, MSU received a Rural Jobs Accelerator Grant from an alliance of federal and regional agencies. With the mission of assisting in technology transfer and job creation throughout 60 counties in Mississippi, the grant afforded MSU’s OETT involvement with the prawns and the researchers’ technology. It was then that a market-building partnership between Jeffrey Rupp, College of Business director of outreach and corporate engagement, and D’Abramo began.

“I was very interested in partnering with the College of Business because of the desire to share with business professionals the information about the potential of this species as a domestically produced seafood product, particularly as a source of income in rural communities,” says D’Abramo, now dean emeritus of the Graduate School and associate vice president emeritus for Academic Affairs.

With input from D’Abramo, an MBA team was assigned to the project and worked on a strategy and analysis that ultimately connected the nearest farmer, Jack Huerkamp, to the nearest beachhead market, Restaurant Tyler in Starkville. Chef Ty Thames ordered 268 pounds of Huerkamp’s prawns for his restaurant, which specializes in using local ingredients for its upscale cuisine.

“Every community in Mississippi has restaurants that can prepare and market prawns and by doing so they help grow the local economy. That is what the Rural Jobs Accelerator Grant is all about,” says Gerald Nelson, OETT director. “We hope to see the market grow as additional high-end restaurants in Mississippi adopt this locally grown product that provides a tasty alternative to foreign grown products.”

Thanks to MSU research and technology, farmers who are into catfish production or even row crop production can convert a small portion of their acreage as they learn the pond management and quality assurance practices associated with the farming of prawns.

Rupp says the next step is to get more farmers to grow the prawns and more restaurants to sell them. “This was a small but important step that fits nicely with the mission of our university,” he adds. “To top things off, successful projects like this are always satisfying when they come together, but are rarely this tasty.”

A Taste of Success

by Heather Skaggs

TVA Investment Challenge team members (from left) William Collins and Paige Haynes talk with TVA’s Julien Seals in the Strategic Finance Laboratory. Behind them are team members Dawson Graves and Tenor Kapp.

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investmentSeveral students are learning about stock market trading in a way that goes far beyond a simple class

exercise. As members of Mississippi State’s TVA Investment Challenge Program (ICP) team, they invest real funds and manage the performance of a six-figure stock portfolio.

The team began in 1998, when the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) created the challenge. The southern power company allocated $1.9 million from an asset retirement trust fund to 19 universities in its service area for students to manage in investment portfolios. Successful performance led TVA to add six more schools in 2003 and increase the amount to $10 million.

“Teams of students at each participating university manage a stock portfolio by designing and implementing an investment strategy, placing trades and providing performance reports to TVA,” says TVA vice president and treasurer Tammy Wilson. “The goal of the program is to extend an educational, real money management opportunity to the future financial leaders of the greater Tennessee Valley area.”

TVA challenges each university to outperform the S&P 500 index, and it annually provides awards to schools that are able to produce returns above that of the benchmark.

“Over the last ten years, the ICP has outperformed the S&P 500 by 0.47 percent, proving that student managed funds can outperform a benchmark that is traditionally difficult to beat,” Wilson observes. “In 2010, Mississippi State notched its best finish, fourth overall among all participating universities, returning 27.10 percent for the year, outperforming the S&P 500 by 12.04 percent.”

Mississippi State’s team is usually eight to ten students, most majoring in finance though other business disciplines have been represented as well.

“They do the research and make the decisions, then with TVA approval they place the buy and sell orders through Dreyfus,” says Dr. Kenneth Roskelley, associate professor of finance and team adviser. “It’s exciting – they may be writing and signing transactions of $30,000 to $40,000.”

Lenora Christopher, a senior in finance and economics, comments, “The Investment Challenge is a great way of incorporating all the knowledge and theories we have learned from our finance, economics and accounting classes and utilizing these skills in a real life scenario. I really enjoy the freedom we have to choose stocks and be involved in today’s stock market.”

The team’s portfolio at press time was valued at about $440,000.

There are some guidelines for the investment, such as: funds must be invested only in equities listed on U.S. stock exchanges; a single stock should represent no more than 5 percent of the portfolio; and diversification of economic sectors is expected.

Typically, the MSU team approach is to first determine which economic sectors to include. They decide on a number of stocks per sector – usually two to six – then focus on two to three industries within a

A Real Investment

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sector. Next, team members individually research stocks in the selected industry and write briefs with their recommendations. Finally, the group reconvenes to discuss the companies, vote on which stocks to buy or sell and divide up the trading duties.

“They have ownership,” states Roskelley. “They determine what they’re going to do rather than being directed by a teacher.”

The College of Business’ new Strategic Finance Laboratory has been of tremendous benefit to the team. The lab, equipped through gifts from alumni and other friends, replicates a real-world trading room and functions as a multi-disciplinary classroom and research facility.

“The Telemet software available to our students is the same technology used by industry professionals,” says Roskelley. “When there are thousands of companies in which to invest, it enables our team members to easily narrow down the choices to stocks that meet the group’s criteria. It cuts the amount of research time and offers much greater detail on which to base decisions.”

He notes, “Team members can install the software on their own computers, but most like going to the lab and doing their research together.”

When TVA awards cash prizes to the top teams each year, the funds go to the schools’ programs, not their portfolios.

Over the years, MSU’s prize money has assisted the team in traveling to meet with alumni at hedge funds and mutual funds in Boston and at financial management firm Morgan Keegan in Memphis.

Last spring, award money helped some team members journey to New York for a three-day investment conference. They heard from well-known industry experts like Goldman Sachs’ Abby Cohen on future economic conditions and Joe Terranova of Virtus Investment Partners and CNBC’s “Fast Money” on key factors to consider when picking stocks.

“We also learned more about specific investing operations such as stock options and other portfolio management strategies,” says Christopher. “We talked with students from schools around the country about how they structure their investment programs. At the end of the conference, we learned about options for our future careers such as the CFA [Chartered Financial Analyst credential], as well as other areas such as financial journalism.”

A recent enhancement for members of the Bulldog team was the introduction last spring of a temporary course that complements their Investment Challenge work. The optional class earns participants three hours’ credit over a year. Roskelley anticipates making the course a permanent offering after next spring, once it has been reviewed.

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“It offers the skills for deeper analysis and reasoning for buying a particular stock,” he remarks.

In the fall, the class focuses on the big picture. Students discuss economic forecasting and learn to use their outlook on the economy to determine how various sectors are likely to perform. With that knowledge, they can set a portfolio strategy.

The following spring, they investigate sector by sector to guide their decisions about buying or selling individual stocks. This dovetails with the Investment Challenge, which sees most trading action in the spring.

Beyond researching and trading stocks, the TVA Investment Challenge gives students valuable experience in other areas.

They select their own teammates, reviewing applications and then holding interviews, thus gaining the ability to assess their team’s needs and the potential of individual candidates to help meet them.

Roskelley notes that they also build skills in working as part of a team, adding, “And they enjoy it personally. They end up becoming a tight-knit group.”

Their experience in portfolio structuring and stock trading can give them an edge in finding employment after graduation and can help guide career decisions.

“We get stock experience that many other students do not,” says Christopher, a senior. “We call our broker and make the trade ourselves, as well as choosing stocks without many limitations. We also have access to the Strategic Finance Lab, which aids us with learning job marketable computer programs such as Telemet.”

Whatever career students ultimately choose, they find their experience enhanced by what they learned as members of the MSU TVA Investment Challenge team.

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Clifton Lowry of TVA (center) meets with Kenneth Roskelley (2nd from left) and team members (from left) Cody McClanahan, Bradley Pelot and Lenora Christopher.

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careerWorld Class Career by Hannah Zimmerman

For many athletes, their athletic career helps to define how they act, who they are and what they become.

For Ann-Marie Anderson Donaldson, this was no exception.

Born in Port Antonio, Jamaica, and brought up in Toronto, Canada, Donaldson always had a love for sports and competition. That affinity brought her to Starkville, MS, on a Bulldog track and field scholarship. She originally intended to major in business information systems (BIS).

“After I took two programming classes, I realized that BIS was not my passion,” recalls Donaldson. “I did, however, realize that I was really good with numbers and enjoyed working with them.”

She decided that finance was the way for her to go, so she changed her major to business administration and banking and finance. Her academic advisor cautioned her.

“My advisor said that with my track schedule and such a difficult major, it would not be easy,” she remarks.

But “easy” has never been a prominent term in Donaldson’s vocabulary.

In high school, she tried out for the volleyball team having never played before. She was determined to learn, and her coach was equally determined to teach her the new sport. By the end of the first season, Donaldson was starting in the volleyball matches.

The determination that she showed in high school served her well in college. Donaldson stuck to her difficult and time-consuming schedule. She took a full course load while practicing for and competing in her track events, which included the 400 meter and 4X400 meter relay.

Donaldson’s track experience helped shape her.

“It is a sport that requires commitment, dedication and lots of practice,” she says.

It made her a more well-rounded person, having teammates from all over the world to share their cultures and perspectives. Track also taught her the value of teamwork and, most of all, helped feed her competitive spirit.

Donaldson graduated magna cum laude, having been both a Dean’s Scholar

and a Presidential Scholar throughout her time at Mississippi State. After

completing her studies, she had imagined going back to Toronto and finding a

job there. Instead, she took a position with International Paper in Memphis, TN,

realizing that the opportunity appealed to the same goal-oriented drive that

had led her into sports.

At that time, she never imagined that her first employer would still be her employer after 12 years.

Donaldson started as a treasury analyst for the company. Her title today is manager, certificates of insurance.

“I’ve worked in a lot of different areas of International Paper,” she remarks.

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Donaldson has also been a North America cash manager, a manager of investor relations, an assistant marketing manager and a sales manager.

She currently resides in Kraków, Poland, with her husband of seven years, Marvin, who also works for International Paper.

“Marvin was actually offered his job as the strategic process manager, EMEA [Europe, Middle East and Africa], in Poland first, so we moved, then my job fell into place once we got here,” notes Donaldson.

“That is one of the great things about International

Paper – the possibilities are endless, along with

people development tools to guide you through

your career path.”

Donaldson finds certain parallels between International Paper and Mississippi State.

“It’s the people who make the university,” remarks the 2001 alumna. “It is a close- knit and quaint environment with endless opportunities.”

When she is not on the job, Donaldson is enjoying the European life.

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internationalbusiness“It is great being in Europe. You are close to so many wonderful places!”

observes Donaldson. “Long weekends allow for lots of travel and sightseeing.”

So, what is in the future for Donaldson?

“I’ve thought about going back to school to teach, maybe get my doctorate, but that would be way in the future,” she says.

For now, she is content living in Poland with her husband.

Donaldson’s determination, love for competition and work ethic helped her to excel throughout school and into her career. They have brought this Mississippi State graduate to places that she never imagined.

COB professors (l-r) Tim Barnett and Allison and Rodney Pearson

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Long after three professors retire from Mississippi State, they will continue to contribute to the university and have an impact on education in a special way. College of Business colleagues Drs. Rodney and Allison Pearson

and Dr. Tim Barnett have included MSU in their estate plans.

The Pearsons are a longtime Starkville couple. Rodney is a professor of business information systems, the Robert Keil Innovative Teaching Fellow and a former head of the Department of Management and Information Systems. Allison is the Jim and Julia Rouse Professor of Management. They joined the faculty in 1987 and 1993, respectively.

Lexington, AL, native Barnett worked earlier in his career for Kraft Foods and Humana Hospital Corp., and later for Louisiana Tech University. He is now management and information systems department head, as well as the Bobby and Barbara Martin Fellow. He is also president of the Southern Management Association and a Mississippi Manufacturers Association Scholar.

The Pearsons initiated a deferred gift, in part because Barnett had earlier shared his intentions with them. Allison explains, “Rodney and I are at the midpoint of our lives and wanted a plan for the future. Although we had been contributors in the past, upon learning of Tim’s generosity, we wanted to utilize our estate because MSU has been very good to both of us.”

The Drs. Rodney and Allison Pearson Endowed Scholarship Fund within the Department of Management and Information Systems will be established with the couple’s bequest. It will create a perpetual scholarship fund to assist students majoring in management or business information systems.

“Many of our students inspired us to create this bequest – individuals like Molly Lomenick Daerr, a business information systems graduate, who began a scholarship in honor of her father, and others who have honored us with contributions in our own names,” says Rodney.

Allison concurs, saying, “Not only were we inspired by our students, but also by alumni and friends who give their time, their leadership and their gifts – people like Jim and Julia Rouse, the Seal family, the Taylor family, Richard Adkerson and Bruce and Donna Franklin – to name only a few.”

By including Mississippi State University in their estate plans, the colleagues hope to encourage others to consider leaving similar legacies at MSU.

“These bequests are our opportunity to step forward and show our faith in the future of this university,” says Barnett, an MSU doctoral graduate.

The bequest from Barnett will establish two endowments for the College of Business. The Dr. Timothy R. Barnett Endowed Ph.D. Fund in Management will support doctoral-level education, dissertation research, professional travel and areas associated with the enhancement of Ph.D. candidates within the department.

A second endowment will create the Dr. Timothy R. Barnett Endowed Faculty Fellowship in Management to assist in attracting and retaining outstanding faculty and administrators in the department.

“I know firsthand how many doctoral students have limitations in earning another degree particularly because of income, and I wanted to help better position them to achieve their goals and also ensure the college continues to have superb faculty who will carry out its mission,” Barnett explains.

Barnett and the Pearsons plan to continue their service to Mississippi State University and impact College of Business students in the most positive way possible through their teaching and service endeavors.

“The three of us simply love engaging with the bright, motivated, imaginative students we see in our classrooms every day,” says Allison. “If our gift can somehow, in some very small way, increase opportunities for learning for those students, we feel very grateful and honored to be able to contribute to that effort.”

bequestsFaculty Bequests Signify Passion for MSU by Amy Cagle, MSU Foundation

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“As colleagues, we share a

passion to support our university.

Although we cannot give as

generously as some alumni and

friends, we want to do our part in

ensuring exceptional education

at Mississippi State continues

with these bequests,” says

Rodney Pearson.

Above: Dividends Club scholarship recipients Whitney Redd (left) and Brittany Lopez

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dividendsDividends Club Investments Pay Off

The Dividends Club’s inaugural year was a success thanks to the generosity and commitment of our alumni and friends like you.

The impact of the Dividends Club is far reaching, touching the lives of our students, alumni, faculty and staff. The gifts you make to this annual giving program have infinite opportunities to make a difference in the College of Business at Mississippi State University.

Members of the Dividends Club, which began in July 2012, have allowed the College of Business to establish and award two new annual scholarships – The Dividends Club Scholarship and the Dividends Club Study Abroad Scholarship.

Whitney Redd, senior international business student, was the first recipient of the study abroad scholarship. This allowed her to spend this past summer studying in France.

Brittany Lopez, a College of Business freshman, was awarded the Dividends Club scholarship.

“Being chosen for the Dividends Club Scholarship was a huge honor! It made me choose Mississippi State University because it showed me that Mississippi State and the Dividends Club care about their students and want to see them succeed in life, and they are willing to help them accomplish their goals,” says Lopez.

In addition to the scholarships established by the members of the Dividends Club, the annual giving program was also able to support the work of the College of Business recruiter, Meagan Shurden. Gifts to the Dividends Club helped create more interaction with our alumni by sponsoring a number of tailgates before MSU home football games.

The impact of gifts made to the Dividends Club are changing the face of the College of Business, allowing us to better position ourselves to meet the ever-changing needs of students, faculty and staff in today’s global marketplace.

You genuinely make a difference. Thank you for investing in our future.

If you want to learn more about how you can become a member of the Dividends Club, please contact the College of Business at 662.325.2580.

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lifeA Life Altered

Angela Pannell never set out to be an accounting instructor at Mississippi State University. But through the journey of a few opened doors and an encounter with a national disaster, she has quickly become a

student favorite in the College of Business.

In the summer of 2005, Pannell was a practicing CPA for Charles B. Benvenutti, CPA, PA on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. When Hurricane Katrina hit on August 29th, Pannell found herself in the middle of one of the nation’s worst natural disasters. With a flooded home and an unknown future, Angela, her husband Randy and their 13 year old son Quint made their way to Mississippi State University to make a fresh start.

That fall, Pannell became the budget and finance director for the student housing department on campus, a position she held for two years, while her husband settled in as the rugby coach for the Mississippi State University Rugby Club.

In 2007, she found herself telecommuting for Benvenutti and making frequent day trips to the coast.

In the spring of 2009 Pannell returned to MSU, and this time she made her home in the College of Business.

“In dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, it was very quickly apparent that it would be life altering in so many ways, and it was hard to imagine it ever being a good experience,” Pannell says. “However, five years out from Katrina, I could truly identify so many great things that would not have happened if not for Katrina. One of which was my opportunity to teach.”

That spring, she taught her first two classes, immediately realizing her passion lives in sharing her knowledge. Pannell continued to teach a couple of classes a semester while she worked as the business manager for the College of Business until 2011, when she became a full-time accounting instructor in the Adkerson School of Accountancy, a position she currently holds.

Inside the classroom, Pannell brings her real-world accounting field experience and relays the information to the students in a way that is comprehensible. And she does not give up on students who need that extra push.

“The highlight of teaching for me is to see our students realize all they are capable of while learning from past mistakes. I have a note on my bulletin board from a student who really, really got off to a bad start in class, but he stuck it out and gave it his all. While he did end up having to retake the class, he retook it and made an A! The note I have is the one he slid under my door telling me that his final grade was an A the following semester,” she recalls.

Her student involvement reaches outside the walls of the classroom. She advises accounting students and is in her third year serving as faculty advisor for the MSU chapter of Beta Alpha Psi, a national scholastic and professional accounting society.

“I did not have the opportunity to have Mrs. Pannell as a teacher, but my experience with her outside the classroom has been just as educational,” says Christy Wright, senior accounting student and Beta Alpha Psi president. “She is one of the most patient and kind women I know. She has provided me with an exceptional example of professionalism while providing the kindness of a friend. I am happy to know her.”

Angela Pannell is a 1984 MSU graduate with a degree in professional accountancy. She earned a Master’s of Science in accountancy in 1985 from the University of New Orleans. She serves on the Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy and is a member of the National State Boards of Accountancy Education Committee. In addition to being a full-time instructor in the Adkerson School of Accountancy, she has a small private accounting practice.

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“I love being a part of the College of Business, as it makes me a part of all the wonderful instructors who came before me. I can only hope to have half the impact on my students that my instructors had on me,” says Pannell.

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homeFeels Like Home

Some say it takes a year to feel settled in a new place. MSU-Meridian’s Division of Business (DOB) moved into its new home in spring 2012, and it is thriving there.

“It’s a beautiful building, and it provides our students and faculty all the advantages of the latest technology,” says DOB division head Dr. William Hill.

In 2009, The Riley Foundation donated the historic Newberry Building in downtown Meridian, along with funds to renovate it, to Mississippi State. The multi-million dollar gift would become the Downtown Campus – the new site for the DOB, which had been housed on the main MSU-Meridian campus on the west edge of town.

The DOB is a part of the College of Business that serves non-residential students primarily of east Mississippi and west Alabama.

The 20,175 square-foot, four-story building is the best combination of old and new. A former department store, it has been historically renovated to preserve its classical architectural features. At the same time, it is equipped with modern technology and furnishings that facilitate education – a stock ticker in the lobby, state of the art computer lab, classrooms with wide screen televisions and projection systems and conference rooms with video and Skype capabilities. The stock ticker was provided by BankPlus, which established a generous endowment to equip and maintain the facility.

The move to the Downtown Campus has led to a close relationship between the DOB and the Meridian Main Street organization. The DOB has shared its space for programs and seminars. It has helped with a scanner code project to provide potential tenants with specifications about downtown buildings. The faculty has provided marketing and economic impact consulting for events such as the Jimmie Rodgers Festival.

“It’s fun and exciting to be part of this grassroots effort to rebuild downtown,” comments Hill.

The new location has stimulated growth opportunities and ideas for the future. A student marketing internship with Meridian Main Street will begin in spring 2014. Closer proximity to several area hospitals and health facilities has provided the DOB’s health care administration program with more occasions for interaction.

The MSU Riley Center for Education and Performing Arts is the Downtown Campus’ new next-door neighbor, and Hill sees potential for much collaboration, including the possible addition of courses in the business aspects of arts and entertainment.

The Division of Business, with its move downtown, has become an integral part of the partnership formed by MSU, the city of Meridian, and The Riley Foundation. The location of the Newberry Building and the capabilities provided within its walls are opening endless opportunities, and the DOB is making the most of them.

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supplyMississippi State University has a valuable opportunity because business is hungry for talented people in supply

chain management. The Wall Street Journal has pointed out that growing employer demand is prompting business schools all over the country to add supply chain programs to their curricula1.

This echoes what we are hearing at Mississippi State. All employers with whom I have talked at the last two Career Fairs have said they are looking for supply chain talent, whether they listed that in their announcements or not.

In part, the increase in demand for supply chain-trained employees is because businesses have realized that balancing the demand they want to fill with the supplies they have to buy in has a central role in their activities.

It is not enough to be good at making or promoting a product anymore. Today, you have to be at least as good as your competitor in getting your offering where your customer wants, when they want it, in the condition that they want, at a price they’re willing to pay, at the lowest possible cost to you.

Why can’t businesses figure out how to balance all this supply/demand stuff without dedicated experts? So much stuff, so many trucks, so much distance to cross and so much demand: It’s just sort of a math problem, right?

No, it is a math problem that is constantly changing!

For example, U.S. manufacturing moved abroad in the 1960s-2000s because the U.S. distribution system, the relative costs of labor and the costs of oil all added up to a cheaper total cost to make products somewhere else. Some of those factors (cost of oil and relative cost of labor, in particular) have changed, and we are also recognizing that managing return of unwanted or defective products is unfeasible with international suppliers, adding up to expensive waste.

That is why some manufacturing is returning to the United States. It also means the math behind the supply chain equation has changed. Businesses have recognized that they need people who understand how the pieces of a supply chain program work and how it affects their costs whenever one of those pieces changes.

What’s more, businesses are willing to pay for that expertise. The latest survey from the profession2 says that median incomes for supply chain professionals can run as high as $50,000. For professionals with experience and a supply chain graduate degree, salaries can top $130,000. More importantly, placement rates in supply chain management run far higher than average for graduates with bachelor’s degrees.

So, what are we doing about it at Mississippi State University?

We have had a logistics concentration here for some time. Students majoring in marketing can take a four-course sequence to earn the concentration. This concentration is also available to international business students who choose marketing as their major.

We are leveraging this specialty to reach out to marquee name employers like International Paper, UPS and Walmart, who are interested in our students. We are also strengthening our relationships with some of our local industries as well, such as Miller Transportation and Ingalls Shipbuilding.

Most importantly, we are working to modernize our training curriculum, so that the students we produce have the best chance of obtaining that good first job, and of doing that first job so well that employers keep coming back for more from Mississippi State, and spread the word.

A Demand for Supply Chain Talent by Frank Adams

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1Wall Street Journal (online), 5 June 2013: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324423904578523591792789054.html?KEYWORDS=supply+chain+management++jobs+

2Logistics Management, April 2013

Frank AdamsDr. Frank Adams is an assistant professor of marketing in the College of Business. He is a Mississippi State alumnus with a background in logistics and operations management. His research and teaching areas are marketing strategy and supply chain management. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history, an MBA, and a PhD in marketing.

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talentLocal Talent, Leading Technology

For Boyce Adams Sr., fostering future employees and promoting the endless

possibilities of our region are two passions that permeate through all of his business endeavors.

Adams, president and chief executive officer of BankTEL Systems LLC, co-founded the financial software company in 1991, alongside two of his biggest career influences and inspirations: T.E. Lott and Robin Weaver, both Mississippi State alumni and CPAs at T.E. Lott & Co. This strong foundation undoubtedly assisted with the solid backbone BankTEL has today.

In its 21st year of existence, the Columbus, MS-based company supports a suite of financial products in more than 1,200 financial institutions in all fifty states and spread across the Caribbean.

BankTEL is planning an expansion by developing innovative accounting software solutions for small businesses offered through its

bank clients. The new software will allow banks to offer business-changing products while strengthening the relationship between the financial company and its commercial customers.

Mississippi State runs deep in the Adams family. Boyce Adams graduated from the university’s College of Business in 1980. His late father, Walter Adams, was an MSU engineering graduate, and his youngest son, Mark, is currently a sophomore in the College of Business majoring in business administration. Mark has spent the last few summers interning at BankTEL.

Adams personally knows the high quality of MSU business graduates, and he knows when it comes to hiring employees for his company, he has to look no further than the MSU College of Business.

This is apparent by recent BankTEL hires:

Chad Thomas, MBA, 2007 & MS education, 2006

Robert Cornelius, BBA business information systems, 2010

Charles Chain, BS finance, 2010

Katie Bright, BBA international business & BA Spanish, 2011

Paige Guthrie, MBA, 2011 & BS finance, 2010

Mark Enis, BBA business information systems, 2012

Laurel Wade, BBA business information systems, 2013

Zac Pickle, BS information technology services, 2013

Boyce Adams’ son Mark, a COB sophomore, has worked

alongside his dad for the past several summers.

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“Our employees from the College of Business have been well

prepared to tackle the complexities of our software business, while

at the same time possessing excellent communication skills to

support our large customer base around the country,” Adams says.

Adams knows that success comes from within, and he credits his strong staff for the accomplishments of BankTEL. “I will put our employees up against any of our competitors, and we will compete extremely well.” He continues, “I am proud to promote our Mississippi State University College of Business graduates.”

It is with that spirit that Adams recently established a College of Business student scholarship and paid internship program allowing students to attain knowledge in a live business setting and exposing them to the real business world with only a short drive from the Mississippi State campus. College of Business interns with BankTEL are given a fresh perspective on how the business operates and are able to interact with BankTEL customers on a daily basis, an invaluable experience that cannot be taught inside the walls of a classroom.

One of the first students to experience this unique internship is Baker Swedenberg, a 2011 College of Business graduate, who is currently interning with BankTEL as he completes his Master of Science degree in information systems. Swedenberg is learning numerous facets of this industry, from completing first-run beta testing on new software to writing a handbook for future interns. Baker acknowledges that this opportunity is an incredible jump-start to a career that he already realizes he will enjoy.

“This internship has had a great impact on me on so many levels,” Swedenberg says. “I get to experience first-hand, real life business operations. Working for Boyce has been nothing short of incredible. His excitement is extremely contagious, and it creates an atmosphere that makes you look forward to coming to work every day.”

technologyLeading

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Adams attributes BankTEL’s success to its employees, many of whom come

from the College of Business.

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One goal that Adams has set is to develop resources in the area that will keep the talent local. He understands the importance of keeping capable employees in the state of Mississippi. Adams envisions the Golden Triangle developing into a high-tech innovative hub of the Southeast, with BankTEL serving as a catalyst that drives other high-tech employers to the area as well.

Through his partnership with the College

of Business and Mississippi State University,

Boyce Adams is doing his part to ensure

that educational opportunities exist for

current business students at MSU through the

BankTEL scholarship and internship program.

He hopes, in return, that these opportunities

will inspire young talented graduates from

future generations to remain in Mississippi to

foster yet another phenomenal list of alumni

from Mississippi State.

Adams makes it a priority to hire MSU graduates because they are prepared for the complexities of the software business and

have excellent communication skills to serve clients.

insp

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securityFor businesses of all sizes, computer and information security is one of the most challenging issues to

be faced.

Mississippi State is a respected leader in cyber security research and education. The COB’s business information systems (BIS) faculty contributes to this reputation through their own studies, through research with peers at other universities and through the university’s Center for Computer Security Research.

The BIS faculty places particular emphasis on the human factor. “We focus on the managerial perspective,” comments Dr. Merrill Warkentin, professor of information systems. “Antivirus software and firewalls are important, but the greatest threats are behavioral, not technical.”

Motivation for violating security policy may be malicious, such as a disgruntled employee selling company secrets. More often it is accidental or volitional (but not malicious), such as sharing a password to expedite work.

Warkentin collects data from Fortune 500 companies and works with researchers in the United States, Europe and Asia. The results offer insight in how to improve security training. In one study on “fear appeals,” he and peers at other universities use functional MRI to study brain responses to threats like a computer virus. It helps them understand how best to heighten awareness of threats in order to improve security compliance.

Associate professor Dr. Kent Marett is looking at deception and whether individuals can detect being lied to via computer. He and colleagues at other institutions are conducting experiments in which strangers work together online, with one participant being instructed to mislead the others. Even when the lie seems obvious, detection is below 10 percent.

“The visual cues that may indicate dishonesty – shifting, sweating, covering the mouth with a hand – get lost, even on Skype,” he says.

Some “victims” later reveal having had suspicions. This demonstrates other issues: people tend to give even strangers a certain level of trust, and if they do suspect deceit, there is a social taboo against accusing others of lying. The best solution, Marett says, is to verify separately anything in an online conversation that does not seem to pass muster.

Associate professor Dr. Robert Otondo studies the research methods themselves. “My research focuses on improving the ways we design and analyze experiments that test theories related to cyber security,” he comments. “I hope to use these findings to improve our understanding of the ways people think about, make sense of and make decisions about relevant problems and situations in cyber security.”

All of this research enriches students as well as business. “Being

knowledgeable in this area has been of great benefit to teaching,”

states assistant professor Dr. Robert Crossler. “With the increasing

proliferation of information security vulnerabilities and privacy issues,

there are several opportunities to demonstrate that if companies don’t

take the time to think about them they can cause serious repercussions.”

A greater understanding of security issues and solutions is vital to any business. With the efforts of the COB’s business information systems faculty, companies today understand how to better protect themselves, and students are becoming more security minded as future employees and future managers.

The Human Side of Cyber Security

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CO L L E G E OF B U S I N E S S

Centennial

Division of Business Administration and

Public Affairs is established.

1915

1917Division of Business

Administration and Public Affairs becomes the School of Business.

First degree is awarded.

Lee Hall houses the School of Business.

1918-1943

1943Bowen Hall becomes the home

of the School of Business.

The school awards its first master’s degree.

1948

1960Accreditation of the business

program by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business

Organization of graduate studies in business

School of Business becomes the College of Business and Industry.

Business Information Systems program is established, now the

oldest BIS program in the country.

1963

1968First doctorate of Business Administration is awarded

to Dora Herring.

McCool Hall becomes home to College of

Business and Industry.

1975

1979Department of

Accountancy becomes School of Accountancy.

PGM Program is sanctioned by the Professional Golf Association of America.

1985

1989Reorganization of the college into 4 academic units – Department

of Finance and Economics, Department of Management and

Information Systems, Department of Marketing, Qualitative Analysis and Business Law and the School

of Accountancy

The College of Business will commemorate 100 years in 2015, with a year-long celebration at the start of that year.

You are a large part of our rich history of success, innovation and educational leadership, and we need your assistance in telling our story. Please share College of Business experiences, stories and photographs with us by emailing business@msstate.edu.

If you would like to make a contribution to the Centennial Anniversary Fund, please make your check payable to MSU Foundation, Inc., memo line: COB Centennial Fund.

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Executive Advisory Board is established.

1991

1995Establishment of the

International Business program

Young Alumni Advisory Board is established.

2000

2003The Center of Family

Enterprise Research is established.

Groundbreaking of the expansion of the Leo

Seal Business Complex and renovation of

McCool Hall

2004

2006School of Accountancy

becomes Richard C. Adkerson School of Accountancy.

Department of Management and Information Systems Advisory

Board is established.

2007

2008College of Business and

Industry becomes the College of Business.

Department of Marketing Advisory Board is established.

Finance and Economics Advisory Board is established.

2009

2011Dr. Sharon Oswald becomes

dean of the College of Business.

Dedication of the Strategic Finance Laboratory in

McCool Hall.

2012

Courtesy MSU Libraries University Archives

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As the College of Business prepares to celebrate its centennial anniversary in 2015, another milestone is taking place this year – the golden anniversary of the trailblazing Business Information Systems (BIS) program at Mississippi State.

Business Information Systems began in 1963 as Business Statistics and Data Processing. Its founder: Dr. Charles Moore.

Moore, a U.S. Navy veteran, served in amphibious operations during World War II, working with the U.S. Marines during the initial invasions of Saipan, Tinian, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Completing his service in 1946, the 1940 Auburn University business graduate used the G.I. Bill to enroll in the University of Alabama’s MBA program with the intent of becoming a CPA. As a graduate assistant, he had the chance to teach a mathematics of finance course in the department of business statistics.

“It changed my direction completely,” he says. After earning his MBA in 1948, he joined the faculty at Alabama. A few years later he earned a PhD – and met his wife – at the University of Michigan, then returned to teaching at Alabama. There, in 1956, he established the first two business computer courses before the university even had a computer. Dr. Fred Davis, director of Mississippi State’s computing center, made the center available to Moore’s students in the evenings.

“It was like it was our own. The students had a ball,” recalls Moore. “We’d stay sometimes until 10 p.m., and our wives would call asking where we were.”

In 1963, Moore was hired by MSU, with the assignment of developing a business statistics and computer major. At the time, other business schools were focused on statistics and quantitative methods for decision-making.

“The other business schools were asleep at the switch, leaving computers to engineering, physics and mathematics departments,” remarks Moore.

Computers were just beginning to be used commercially, and he saw there was a gap. Developers did not have an understanding of business principles that would enable companies to get the most out of their machines. He opted to emphasize computers in his new program. He quickly found that his students were in demand as banks, insurance companies and other businesses moved to computers.

“As far as we know, MSU was the first accredited business school to have a business computer program,” Moore comments.

Fifty years later, MSU BIS graduates continue to be in demand, and it is fitting that the top student award bears the name of this pioneering educator – the Moore Award for BIS Excellence.

Since the founding of the BIS program, the faculty has grown from one professor to seven. Master’s and doctoral level programs have been added. An initial graduating class of five has led to a total of 1,950 students earning 2,047 degrees. An advisory board, composed of leaders in the field – most alumni – offers guidance from the marketplace.

BIS continues to grow, adapt and pioneer along with the ever-changing field of business technology. There is much to celebrate about past and future, as Mississippi State produces graduates whose talents and knowledge of information systems will make a valued impact in the business world.

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Inset: Dr. Charles Moore (center) joined Dr. Rodney Pearson, professor of information systems, to present the 2010 Moore Award

for BIS Excellence to student David Cole.

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Above: Mary Jo and Paul J. Karre

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fellowshipKarres Put Faith in Faculty with Fellowship

Alumnus Paul J. Karre believes investing in the best people will pay dividends for any entity, including Mississippi State University.

To that end, Karre and his wife, Mary Jo, have established an endowed faculty fellowship in the College of Business with a $100,000 gift. The Paul and Mary Jo Karre Endowed Faculty Fellowship will assist in attracting and retaining outstanding faculty and administrators. Some of the earnings from the endowment will provide a salary supplement and assist with the holder’s teaching, research and service endeavors.

Karre earned a BBA in 1974, and he proudly credits MSU for helping shape his career path.

“Mississippi State prepared me to compete, and it opened many doors, directly and indirectly, allowing me to confidently differentiate myself,” states Karre. “For that, I am forever grateful.”

After graduation, Karre began a 39-year career with International Paper. He served in a variety of human resources roles before being named director of human resources for European operations. Upon his return from Europe in 1993, Karre held several senior level positions in human resources in the Memphis, TN, corporate office and was appointed an officer of International Paper in 2000. In 2009, he began his current role as senior vice president of human resources and communications.

Karre’s involvement with the College of Business reignited about seven years ago, and his affiliation grew into service on the Executive Advisory Board, including a recent chairmanship. In 2012, Karre was named the COB’s Alumni Fellow, a role in which he shared his experiences with faculty and students.

“When I was selected as an Alumni Fellow, I began thinking that while I was giving back to students by sharing my career experiences, I needed to help ensure that we continued to have a great faculty. Mary Jo was incredibly supportive of my decision to create a faculty fellowship,” he says.

A relationship with one teacher in particular made a difference for Karre, and he hopes the fellowship will benefit individuals who are willing to impact students on all levels.

“Dr. Paul Pietri of the management department was a mentor to me. Although I was a political science major, he thought I would be best served with a business degree, and he was correct. Much later, we utilized him for some leadership training at International Paper,” Karre recalls.

Karre remains impressed with the caliber of MSU graduates with whom he interacts as he recruits for International Paper. His office has an open door for MSU interns, and he enjoys watching them learn and grow.

“At this stage in my career, the true thrill is seeing individuals who I have mentored or influenced in some small way achieve their professional and personal goals,” he comments.

Of the COB faculty, he continues, “What I am most impressed with is the personal relationships I see over and over between students and faculty. There is a lot of genuine caring for our students, and in my experience that is very rare and most desirable.”

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Jasmine Morgan (center front) and the other Student Ambassadors represent the College of Business and the university.

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studentsStudents Rise to the Occasion by Meagan Shurden

On many days, you will find Jasmine Morgan studying for a marketing exam in McCool Hall or practicing for an upcoming performance for her honors theatre class. But every day of the week, you

will find her fulfilling her leadership role as president for the College of Business Student Ambassadors program. A glimpse into Morgan’s life offers an example of what the ambassador organization represents.

Morgan, a senior in marketing, is a native of Chicago, IL, and now calls Atlanta, GA, home. She first set foot on the campus of Mississippi State University while visiting during her senior year in high school.

“My mother is from Mississippi, so I decided to check out some schools here,” Morgan says. “I chose to go to Mississippi State because once I arrived on campus, I immediately felt at home.”

It was while enrolled in several business courses during high school that Morgan discovered her entrepreneurial spirit. Since then, the MSU College of Business has provided the foundational knowledge she needed to help prepare her for success in future business endeavors. She has incorporated her understanding of the business world with real-life work experience gained through internship opportunities.

Morgan’s professional aspiration is to become the senior marketing executive of a global company. Her vision entails partnering with a designer to open a chain of high-end fashion boutiques internationally. In order to gain the best return on investment, Morgan believes that going global is the best strategy for a company in a world that continues to increasingly become more diverse.

“Marketing is what keeps everything in constant motion; marketing is everywhere. I now have unswerving dreams and goals about opening my own business,” says Morgan.

Currently, Morgan works as an assistant in the Computer Common Labs at Mitchell Memorial Library. In this role, she helps students and university guests gain computer access and assists with printing jobs for the library. In addition, she tutors for the athletic department, the learning center and disability support services in order to help fund her education.

She is also very active in campus organizations. Morgan is a member of Shackouls Honors College, the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society and is a Service Dawg volunteer. On top of that, she is leaving her mark as an exceptional leader by serving as president for the College of Business Student Ambassadors.

“I wanted to expand my leadership abilities while helping others by promoting something I am so passionate about [the College of Business] as well,” Morgan states. “I want to establish myself so that I can give back in numerous ways to my community as well as the world.”

The ambassador program provides business students like Morgan the opportunity to become leaders through a variety of activities each year. It is comprised of some of the best and brightest business students at MSU who volunteer their time to promote the College of Business and the university. They help coordinate special events, recruit prospective students, meet and greet parents and visit with business alumni.

For more information about the College of Business Student Ambassadors, please visit www.business.msstate.edu/curstu/ambassadors.

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Women for Educational Success Scholarship

The College of Business’ Women for Educational Success program recently awarded its inaugural scholarship to Lenora Christopher.

“I am very privileged to receive the first-ever Women for Educational Success scholarship. This scholarship is an incredible honor for me, and I cannot thank Women for Educational Success enough for their support, as it will greatly enhance my own journey to success in my senior year,” Christopher says.

For more information about Women for Educational Success, please contact Emily Daniels at edaniels@business.msstate.edu or 662.325.0159.

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briefsNewseducationalSuccess

2013 Leo W. Seal Jr. Distinguished Executive Speaker

David Abney, chief operating officer of UPS, was the 2013 distinguished speaker for the Leo W. Seal Jr. Executive Speaker Series.

He presented “My Journey from Part-Time UPS Loader to Chief Operating Officer” to College of Business students, faculty and staff.

A native of Greenwood, MS, Abney began his career at UPS in 1974 as a part-time package loader. He serves on the Executive Advisory Board for the College of Business.

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New FacultyWelcome 2013 new College of Business faculty and staff:

Murphy Named College of Business Alumnus of 2013

Paul B. Murphy Jr., a 1981 banking and finance graduate, was named the 2013 College of Business Alumnus of the Year. He currently serves as the chief executive officer and president of Cadence Bancorp, LLC.

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Instructor, Business Quantitative Analysis

Martha GallowayAssistant Director, Risk

Management and Insurance

Daniel SoehrenProgram Assistant, PGA

Professional Golf Management

Catherine WilliamsAdministrative Assistant,

Dean’s Office

Dr. Travis WisemanInstructor, Economicsw

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Emily Daniels Marketing & Advancement Coordinator, Dean’s Office

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College of Business Alumni Fellows

Paul J. Karre was named the COB Alumni Fellow for 2012. Karre is the senior vice president of human resources and communications for International Paper. He is a 1974 management graduate.

Mary M. Childs is the 2013 Alumni Fellow. Childs is the vice chairman and chief operating officer of The Peoples Bank in Ripley, MS. She is a 1980 banking and finance graduate.

Elaine White Retires After 18 years in the College of Business

Elaine White, or Ms. E as she is more commonly called, retired in July from the Professional Golf Management Program in the College of Business after 18 years of service. PGA Golf Management students have such

fondness and respect for Ms. E that they named the annual golf tournament in her honor. “The Elaine Cup” was first played in the fall of 2003 and has continued to be the first tournament of each academic year.

The College of Business and the PGA Golf Management program extend a heartfelt “thank you” to Ms. E for her years of service to Mississippi State University and wish her the most enjoyable retirement.

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Faculty HonorsThe College of Business is pleased to announce the following 2013 Faculty Fellowships and Professorships:

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Brandon ClineRenasant Bank Endowed

Faculty Fellowship in Finance

Brian CarverLinda Martin Garrett Endowed

Faculty Fellowship in Accounting

Robert MooreHunter M. Henry Endowed

Faculty Fellowship

Timothy BarnettBobby P. and Barbara M. Martin

Endowed Faculty Fellowship

James ChrismanDrew Allen Professorship

hono

rsAdkerson Earns Top PGA AwardJeff Adkerson has been named 2013 Gulf States Section Golf Professional of the Year, the highest honor paid to a PGA professional in the region. Adkerson is director of the College of Business’ PGA Golf Management program and serves as secretary of the Gulf States PGA Section.

Marcia WatsonH. Devon Graham

Endowed Professorship

DISCOVERY

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The College of Business continues to enlist passionate graduates and loyal friends as contributors as we pursue Infinite Impact: The Mississippi State University Campaign and its overall goal of $600 million. As one of MSU’s largest academic units, our college fundraising is pivotal to the success of the campaign, and there are many ways for you to join us as supporters.

In the coming months, I look forward to working with you to determine your investment as part of Infinite Impact. The campaign revolves around five central areas – teaching and learning for success; research and creativity for discovery; service and outreach for engagement; diversity and advancement for globalization and tradition and culture for experience. With these focus areas, the College of Business can build our reputation and visibility both nationally and globally as we make strides for the future.

Within our college, we are creating a Wall Street atmosphere where students can learn about the global economy. With gifts, the college can create an enhanced speaker series featuring distinguished alumni and professionals who can provide insight into the global marketplace. Another goal for the college is to develop focus areas encouraging entrepreneurial thinking and addressing critical topics such as information assurance, cyber security and fraud detection. Funding is needed to enhance these programs which will, in turn, produce graduates prepared to enter these demanding careers.

By providing accessibility for all students and resources for faculty development, our college can pave the way for academic excellence. To that end, gifts for scholarships are always needed. By also securing contributions for additional endowed positions, MSU can attract and retain top educators to the academic community, who in turn attract significant research support, outstanding graduate students and other distinguished faculty.

My fellow development colleague, Jimmy Kight (’07), and I look forward to helping you invest in our college. Please consider gifts that can impact the college today, and those that can create a legacy for tomorrow. Some options include:

• Outright gifts• Matching gifts from employers• Gift annuities• Gifts of personal property and real estate• Gifts of stocks, bonds and other securities• BequestsAs we approach our centennial anniversary for the college, all contributions to the COB Centennial

Anniversary in 2015 will also count toward the campaign. In fact, any contribution to MSU through 2018, regardless of the designation, is a commitment to Infinite Impact: The Mississippi State University Campaign. There is no better time than now to support the College of Business.

Rob Jenkins (’92)Director of DevelopmentCollege of Business rjenkins@foundation.msstate.edu662-325-9055

infinitelyInfinitely Supporting the College of Business

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