Welcome back!

Whether talking to students or alumni, I constantly hear stories about the profound impact you have on them. The Orfalea College of Business continues to receive accolades that reflect your hard work in shaping the lives of our students. Thank you for your commitment to fulfilling our mission of producing career-ready graduates.

In just the last two years we have hired 17 talented new faculty, which is nearly a third of the total number of our college’s tenure-track faculty. These instructors represent the future of the Orfalea College of Business, and I hope our senior faculty will continue to help them feel welcome and achieve success with their teaching and research.

Last year we launched important new initiatives and made significant progress developing pro grams in career readiness, business analytics, accounting and entrepreneurship, among others. This year will see the continued development and launch of these programs and curricular revision of others as well. Last year we also completed programming for the renovation and addition to our building and received our first significant gift for the project. Our campaign for raising the money necessary for the building project will develop significantly during the year. As of this fall, we will have nearly 20 new members of the Dean’s Advisory Council, many from the world’s most enviable brands. They are excited and committed to help the Orfalea College of Business achieve greater levels of regional, national, and global prominence.

And we just learned that the Orfalea College of Business was ranked as a top undergraduate business school in the nation by US News & World Report.

As you can see, we have significant momentum! Students and their parents are thrilled with the focus on career readiness, firms are delighted to have closer connection to the college, and alumni are excited to be contacted and engaged. Progress certainly does not come without challenges and hard work, but I look forward to working with you to overcome these obstacles as we continue on the path toward global distinction for experiential business education.

Scott

Orfalea College of Business

T H E L O O PFALL 2015

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IN THE NEWS

COLLEGE RANKED AMONG TOP BUSINESS SCHOOLS BY US NEWS & WORLD REPORT For the first time, the Orfalea College of Business was named to US News & World Report’s list of top undergraduate business schools in the nation. The college ranked 131 of 156 schools. For the 23rd year in a row, Cal Poly came in at no. 1 for public-master’s universities in the West and 10th in the nation. Cal Poly was also ranked as one of the best universities in the West for veterans. goo.gl/i83P7e

TOD NELSON NAMED CIE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOREntrepreneurship lecturer and entrepreneur Tod Nelson was named the first executive director of Cal Poly’s Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE). Nelson began his career at Amazon in 1995 as one of the company’s first 10 employees. Recently, Nelson has been the CIE’s entrepreneur in residence at the on-campus incubator, the Hatchery, and as a lead mentor for the CIE’s student programs. In his new role, Nelson is responsible for representing the CIE to its supporters and alumni while building relationships with the local entrepreneurial community. goo.gl/UndKP7

BUSINESS ALUMNI TO BE INDUCTED IN TO CAL POLY ATHLETICS HALL OF FAMEThree Orfalea College of Business alumni will be inducted into the Cal Poly Athletics Hall of Fame on October 2. They are All-American swimmer Jack Adam (B.S., Industrial Arts, 1963), football standout Craig Johnston (B.S., Business Administration, 1982), and All-American softball player Lisa Modglin (B.S., Business Administration, 2007). In total, eight Cal Poly alumni will be inducted in this year’s class. gopoly.com/genrel/2015hall

STUDENT TEAM TAKES SECOND AT LOW-INCOME HOUSING COMPETITIONA multidisciplinary team of Cal Poly students has partnered with People’s Self-Help Housing to develop plans for a 30-unit affordable housing complex for at-risk and homeless veterans in Atascadero, Calif. Cal Poly’s plans recently took second place at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Low-Income Housing Challenge. The project, named Vestri Vita, which means “your life” in Latin, features ADA- compliant design, including a counseling center, first aid resources, and a “maker space,” a facility with resources geared to helping veterans reintegrate into the community. goo.gl/GcyjH7

CAL POLY RANKS 14TH IN THE NATION FOR MEDIAN SALARIESCal Poly bachelor’s degree graduates rank 14th in the nation among public universities for median salaries, according to PayScale.com’s 2015-16 College Salary Report. Early career graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Cal Poly earn an average of $57,800, while graduates in mid-career earn $99,500, according to the report. On the list for bachelor’s-only graduates, Cal Poly tied for 68th place with the University of Southern California on the full list of more than 1,000 public and private universities. goo.gl/3it92G

CAL POLY RANKS NATIONALLY FOR PREPARING VC-BACKED ENTREPRENEURSTech.co recently ranked Cal Poly no. 47 of 50 top universities with alumni businesses backed by venture capital. According to the study, 53 Cal Poly entrepreneurs in 49 companies raised $268 million in capital between 2009 and 2014. goo.gl/5DglWD

ALUMNAE HIGHLIGHTED BY REFINERY29Entrepreneurship alumnae Jessie Becker, CEO of InPress Technologies, and Jasmine McDermott, co-founder of Z Living Systems, were highlighted in Refinery29’s recent article “How to Start a Company Before You’re 25.” goo.gl/I0xgHe

CAL POLY BUSINESS MAGAZINE DEBUTSThe Orfalea College of Business published a revamped version of its alumni magazine this summer. Cal Poly Business Magazine profiled innovative graduates, faculty, donors and programs while sharing recent news. Check out the digital edition of the magazine at goo.gl/ujKqwa

ORFALEA COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

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ORFALEA COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ADVISING CENTER REBRANDS AS STUDENT SERVICESOrfalea College of Business Student Services focuses on providing opportunities for students to explore and strengthen personal, academic and career success. Peer Advisors are prepared to advise all Business, Economics, and Industrial Technology students on curriculum and degree progress. Our Professional Advisors take specialized appointments with students who need additional academic support beyond curriculum advising, including academic coaching and handling more complex, sensitive and developmental appointments. Our Professional Advisors coordinate various programs to ensure that students are getting connected and have the opportunity to succeed at Cal Poly and into their careers, including: Peer Mentoring, Tutoring, and Student Ambassadors. The Career Readiness office is led by our Career Readiness Advisor who coordinates college-wide career initiatives and connects alumni and employers with students.

STUDENT SUCCESS

CAL POLY BUSINESS STUDENTS LEAD STARTUPS IN ACCELERATOR PROGRAMCal Poly’s Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE) has accepted 11 startup companies into this year’s SLO HotHouse Summer Accelerator program, an intense 13-week program aimed at helping new ventures succeed. Orfalea College of Business students contribute to seven of the 11 teams selected for the program. Faculty, staff and students are welcome to hear pitches from the startups at Demo Day, hosted September 10 at the Performing Arts Center. goo.gl/s6Ul7F

FINANCE STUDENTS EXCEL ON THE CFA EXAMA group of Cal Poly finance students in the Orfalea College of Business achieved outstanding success on the latest Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Level 1 Exam with a pass rate of 67 percent — well above the exam’s average pass rate of 42 percent. Cal Poly students prepare to take their Level 1 exam as part of the CFA Challenge, a senior project created in 2007 by finance Professor Cyrus Ramezani. Each year, Cal Poly students have outperformed the national pass rate by significant margins. goo.gl/oWxUUU

PACKAGING TEAMS PLACE HIGH AT AMERISTAR AWARDS COMPETITIONFour Cal Poly student teams placed high in the recent Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP) AmeriStar Packaging Awards Competition. The teams developed consumer packaging designs for health, beauty, pharmaceutical and other products through the Orfalea College of Business Packaging Fundamentals courses. Cal Poly packaging Professors Javier de la Fuente and Koushik Saha advised the student teams throughout the year on their projects. goo.gl/SgnZh1

MARKETING CLUB NAMED ASI CLUB OF THE YEARCal Poly’s chapter of the American Marketing Association was named “Club of the Year” for 2014-15 by the Cal Poly ASI. The club, one of more than 300 on campus, was recognized for increasing membership, launching a video series on YouTube, participating in industry tours, and delivering professional development opportunities, including the Marketing Career Conference.

ALUMNI UPDATES

ALUMNI BUSINESSES LAND ON INC. 5000 LISTTwo businesses founded by Orfalea College of Business alumni appeared on Inc. Magazine’s list fo 5000 fastest growing private companies in the nation. Marketing firm Simplicity Consulting, founded by international business alumna Lisa Hufford, and digital marketing agency Hathway, founded by industrial technology alumnus Jesse Dundon, made the list. goo.gl/i2XQhs

ECON STUDENT EARNS HONORS AT CSU RESEARCH COMPETITIONMathew Thomson, a economics master’s graduate, was among five Cal Poly students who took top honors at the 2015 California State University (CSU) Research Competition. Thomson earned a second-place award for his work on the impact of asset selloffs by the Federal Reserve Bank on short-term interest rates. More than 245 students from 22 CSU campuses participated this year. goo.gl/9Mb7ex

FINANCE ALUM RECOGNIZED BY SILICON VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNALFinance alumnus Andrew Flachner, co-founder of RealScout, was named to Silicon Valley Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list. Flachner, who graduated in 2010, founded RealScout in 2012 to disrupt the real estate industry with a data-driven app for realtors.

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY AND PACKAGING GRADUATES’ RESEARCH MAKES HEADLINESResearch from recent packaging graduates Cameron Fasola and Chad Rebarber made the cover of Ista Views, a transportation packaging industry publication. The study examined how freight stowage systems affect the vibration of a product as it travels through the distribution chain. The article was a result of the duo presenting with Packaging Program faculty at ISTA’s 2015 annual TransPack Forum earlier this year. goo.gl/cfwffN

INFORMATION SYSTEMS ALUM HELPS LAUNCH VETERAN’S SUCCESS CENTERSean Ahlgren, information systems graduate and veteran of the US Navy, used his senior project to help establish Cal Poly’s Veteran Success Center, which opened in April of 2015. Ahlgren partnered with fellow veterans, Cal Poly administration, and Student Veterans of America to build the business plan, proposals and budgets for the center. In recognition of his efforts, the information systems concentration awarded him the first ever Information systems Faculty Choice Award in June. goo.gl/S4nJPR

PACKAGING ADVISORY BOARD ADDS ALUMNI AND INDUSTRY EXPERTSCal Poly recently added five experts to its Packaging Advisory Board from the healthcare, food and beverage, marketing, and technology industries. New members include Paul Marchetti (B.S., Industrial Technology, 2012) of Amazon Lab 126, Sean Frisby (B.S., Agribusiness, 1991), Henry Castillo (B.S., Industrial Technology, 2012) of Niagara Bottling, Anthony Bantung of Amgen, and Marc Bevilacqua of OIA Global. Board members, including many Cal Poly alumni, counsel packaging faculty in the Orfalea College of Business as they develop curriculum and help promote the program throughout the nation.

OUR TEAM

STUDENT SERVICES WELCOMES TWO PROFESSIONAL ADVISORSChelsea Kidwell will serve as the college’s first advisor specializing in career readiness. Kidwell will work with Cal Poly Career Services, employers and alumni to develop new programs that prepare business students to compete for in-demand positions. Advisor Justin Gomez will specialize in supporting the Orfalea College of Business’ at-risk students. He’ll work closely with the college’s faculty to intervene with students in need and provide timely academic and personal support.

BORIN AND DOBSON NAMED AREA CHAIRSThe Orfalea College of Business has announced new Marketing and Finance area chairs. Norm Borin will succeed Lynn Metcalf in leading the college’s Marketing area. Borin joined Cal Poly in 1992 and served as the area’s chair from 2002-2007. In addition to teaching internationally, he specializes in consumer goods, marketing strategy and sustainable business strategies. John Dobson is the new Finance area chair, succeeding Cyrus Ramezani in the role. Dobson joined Cal Poly in 1990 and has since researched extensively on the connection between financial economics and moral philosophy.

ORFALEA WELCOMES NEW FACULTYEight new tenure-track faculty members join the Orfalea College of Business this fall. They are:

• Adam Bordeman, Accounting• Kim Westermann Cole, Accounting• Matt Cole, Economics• Bruce Greenbaum, Management• Ben Alexander, Management• Patty Dahm, Management• Jackie Doremus, Economics• Stefanie Fischer, Economics

The college also welcomes three full-time lecturers this quarter. They are:• Marjorie O’Neill• David Kocsis• Rebecca O’Grady

RAMEZANI APPOINTED INTERIM CHAIR OF AGRIBUSINESS DEPARTMENTFinance Professor Cyrus Ramezani has been appointed interim department chair for the College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences Agribusiness Department. Ramezani led the finance area in the Orfalea College of Business and has extensive experience in agricultural economics. Ramezani’s appointment follows the retirement of the Agribusiness Department’s Jay Noel.

DEAN’S OFFICE ADDS SPACE UTILIZATION SPECIALISTJulie Shires has joined the Dean’s Office as the space utilizations specialist. She will assist with scheduling and event planning throughout the college. Jennifer Boncich, who used to coordinate scheduling, will now focus on her role as the Advancement team’s administrative support coordinator.

LINDAHL NAMED DIRECTOR OF ASSESSMENTEconomics Lecturer Solina Lindahl has taken on the role of director of assessment for the college. She will lead the assurance of learning efforts in the college while collaborating with faculty, the Dean’s Office, and UPC. Lindahl takes over for Stern Neill who is on sabbatical this year.

MARKETING PROFESSORS WIN HOOD AWARDProfessors Lynn Metcalf and Brennan Davis were named the recipients of the 2015 Hood Professorship in Marketing. Metcalf was recognized for her implementation of the university’s new integrated marketing communications minor and a mentorship program with consulting firm Trusted Peer. Davis has led the Marketing Analytics Task Force comprised of industry leaders to develop courses central to the undergraduate concentration in marketing and Cal Poly’s new Master of Business Analytics program. The award, founded by a family of Cal Poly alumni, is given each year to marketing faculty who push boundaries to evolve student learning opportunities. goo.gl/B8ZzIV

MINTZ HONORED FOR ETHICS AND PROFESSIONALISMAccounting Professor Steven Mintz recently received the Accounting Exemplar Award in the public interest section from the American Accounting Association. The award is given annually to an educator or practitioner who has made a notable contribution to professionalism and ethics in accounting. With this honor, Cal Poly becomes the only educational institution to have two faculty members receive the award. Retired Cal Poly Accounting Professor Mary Beth Armstrong received the award in 2009. goo.gl/ErH6Y2

SPEROW TO LEAD ANNUAL LITC CONFERENCELisa Sperow, executive director of Cal Poly’s Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC), will lead a panel presentation on tax clinics at the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service’s annual conference in Washingon. D.C. Under Sperow’s guidance, Cal Poly’s LITC has grown to support more than 200 student senior projects and save clients more than $2 million.

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY & PACKAGING

MOCK TO LEAD M.S.A. TAX TRACKAccounting professor Rodney Mock has been appointed the academic program director of Cal Poly’s Master of Science in Accountancy – Tax Specialization. In this new role, Mock will lead the admissions process, conduct curriculum reviews, advocate for the program on campus, and mentor faculty.

DOBSON ADVOCATES FOR TEACHING ART IN BUSINESS SCHOOLSFinance area chair was a featured speaker at a symposium hosted by University of Wisconsin’s School of Business on Beauty in Business. The title of his presentation was Dwelling Poetically: An Aesthetic Justification for Teaching Art in Business School. Professor Dobson also presented a similar paper this summer at the Philosophy of Management Conference, to be held at Oxford University, UK.

STERN NEILL VENTURES TO CHINAMarketing Professor Stern Neill will be on sabbatical during 2015-16 academic year during which he will be a visiting scholar at Yanshan University in Qinhuangdao, China. There he will combine his previous research in entrepreneurial and global marketing by examining entrepreneurship in China. Neill will conduct research with senior faculty while also helping graduate students and new faculty on how to develop research projects. Professor Neill will bring new thinking on the capabilities that enable innovation and value creation for customers back to the classroom and discipline at Cal Poly.

MARKETING RESEARCH MAKES NATIONAL HEADLINESCal Poly marketing Professor Brennan Davis and coauthor Brian Wansink, professor and director of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab, have introduced new research in the journal BMC Public Health that analyzes 50 years obesity data and media mentions of healthy and unhealthy foods. The study, titled “50 Years of Fat,” analyzed all of the different foods mentioned in stories in the New York Times and London Times between 1960 and 2010 and statistically correlated them with each country’s annual body mass index, or BMI, a measure of obesity. The research was mentioned in the Washington Post and Yahoo. goo.gl/jv7eFD

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR PROFESSOR JIM LAU PASSES AWAYRetired Cal Poly Professor Jim Lau passed away on May 24 at the age of 98. Lau served in the Army in World War II and led a 20-year career with the CIA, with numerous postings in such Cold War hot spots as Vienna, Frankfurt, Munich and West Berlin. He joined Cal Poly in 1971 and taught organizational behavior for 18 years. Lau is survived by his wife of 73 years, Arlene, their children and grandchildren. goo.gl/HdMR10

MANAGEMENT PROFESSOR DAVID PEACH PASSES AWAYRetired Management Professor David Peach passed away on September 1. Peach joined Cal Poly in 1987 and served as a department head for seven years. He also led the Graduate Programs office and led several MBA student teams to place in national competitions. The Orfalea College of Business has created a teaching award in Peach’s memory to support outstanding management faculty. goo.gl/BAAoFk

ON THE HORIZON

THE BLOOMBERG SURVEY: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOWBloomberg Businessweek will survey graduating business administration seniors as part of their annual undergraduate rankings. Surveys will be sent via email in early December. More than 40 percent of those seniors need to complete the survey by the end of January for the Orfalea College of Business to be ranked. While the college can’t require students’ participation, please encourage students to be aware of the survey and the benefits of graduating from a nationally ranked school. For questions, see the Student Services Center.

COLLEGE ANNOUNCES JACOBSEN FACULTY FELLOWSHIPSThanks to a generous contribution from alumnus Rich Jacobsen, the college will provide three-year awards of supplemental income to support outstanding faculty members in accounting, finance and economics (one faculty from each discipline will be awarded annually). The Jacobsen’s most important criteria is that recipients will have a demonstrated track record of inspiring students. Nominations are due to McKenzie Cox by October 1. Fellowships will be announced in November.

TRAINING THE STREET WORKSHOP COMING TO CAL POLYCal Poly will host a one-day program called Training the Street for finance students interested in investment banking. The intensive seminar, which will be hosted Saturday, October 3 at Cal Poly, is used by Wall Street professionals at firms like JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs to sharpen excel skills, modeling techniques and financial analysis. The program was made possible by generous donors to the college’s Finance area. For more details, contact Career Readiness Advisor Chelsea Kidwell.

CAL POLY INTRODUCES THE CENTER FOR LEADERSHIP & SERVICEThe Center for Leadership and Service, located in University Union room 217, is a campus-wide resource that helps students achieve personal, academic, and career success. Services include leadership consulting services, workshops, StrenghtsQuest events and training, leadership retreats, and a book club. Studies show that students who develop leadership skills on campus and in their communities during college are more likely to succeed in college and in their future careers. goo.gl/gKkzCR

ORFALEA COLLEGE OF BUSINESS JACKETS ON SALENow is your chance to buy a high-quality Marmont jacket with the Orfalea College of Business logo. Thanks to a partnership with Left Lane Sports, the college is selling the jackets for $99. Only 50 are available. Follow the links below to purchase yours before they run out. Men’s Jacket goo.gl/8Uv1W7 | Women’s Jacket goo.gl/5ZFcnf

UPCOMING EVENTS

Thursday, Sept. 10th SLO HotHouse Accelerator Demo Day4:00 p.m. in the Performing Arts Centerslohothouse.com

Friday, Sept. 11th New Faculty Orientation and Luncheon for Tenure Track and Lecturers8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Kennedy Library, Julian’s Cafe Loungewww.cob.calpoly.edu/fallconference2015

Monday, Sept. 14th University Fall Conference2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center, Harmon Hallwww.cob.calpoly.edu/fallconference2015

Tuesday, Sept. 15th Orfalea College of Business Fall Conference12:00 p.m. at Edna Valley Winerywww.cob.calpoly.edu/fallconference2015

Wednesday, Sept. 16th WOW Academic Day9:30 a.m. in the Recreation Center11:00 a.m. on O’Neill Green

Wednesday, Sept. 16th Kennedy Library New Faculty Reception5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in Kennedy Library, Julian’s Cafe Loungewww.cob.calpoly.edu/fallconference2015

Friday, Sept. 18th Graduate Programs Orientation6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on the Spanos Theater PatioRSVP to cobgmp@calpoly.edu

Thursday, Oct. 1st Ernst & Young Inclusive Recruiting LectureKen Bouyer, E&Y’s Americas Director for Inclusiveness Recruiting11:10 a.m. in the Business Silo

Friday, Oct. 2nd CPAC Fall Symposium10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Recreation Center, MACpolycpac.com/fall-symposium

Saturday, Oct. 3rd CPAC Olympics10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Sports Complex Turf Fieldspolycpac.com

Wednesday, Oct. 7th & Thursday, Oct. 8th

Fall Career Fair9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Recreation Center Main Gympolycpac.com/fall-symposium

Wednesday, Oct. 14th Finance Career Fair with Keynote Speaker Peter Oppenheimer8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Chumash Auditoriumfmacalpoly.com/?page_id=159

Wednesday, Oct. 21st 5th Annual TechPitch5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Alex Madona Expo Centerslohothouse.com/techpitch

Thursday, Oct. 22nd to Sunday, Oct. 25th

Mustang Family Weekendalumni.calpoly.edu

Friday, Nov. 6th Honored Alumni Celebration5:30 p.m. in the Chumash Auditorium

Tuesday, Nov. 3rd CIE Elevator Pitch Competition4:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Centergoo.gl/j8KHlP

Week of Nov. 30th IT 407 Maker FairIn the Business Building Breezeway

Saturday, Dec.12th Fall Commencement1:00 p.m. in the Recreation Center Main Gym for Orfalea College of Business Graduatescommencement.calpoly.edu/fall-2015-commencement