alumni updates - College of Business

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College of Business
Campus Box 5500
Normal, IL 61790-5500
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THE MAGAZINE OF THE COLLEGE OF BUSINESS · ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY · F A L L
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A DEDICATED TEAM
Alumni partners
ALUMNI UPDATES
create their legacy
as they help the
College of Business
MAJOR
NAME
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raise funds in the
corporate world.
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ALUMNI INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN
CAREER, LIFE, INTERESTS
UNIVERSITY ACCREDITATION PROCESS
Illinois State University is asking its alumni to participate in the
North Central Association (NCA) accreditation process during the
self-study phase. The self-study will result in a report that is the
basis for the NCA site visit in February 2005. A draft of that report
is available on the provost’s Web site, www.provost.ilstu.edu/nca.
Please take time to read and comment on the report before it
is finalized and presented to the Board of Trustees for endorsement in October. The Web site will inform you how to submit
your comments. Accreditation is a voluntary process in which
Illinois State has been participating since 1913, with the last
accreditation taking place in 1995. Accreditation is a form of
quality assurance. Also, accreditation is governmentally recognized and allows institutions access to grants, contracts, stu-
Please complete this form and return to Elaine Graybill, Illinois State University, College of Business,
Campus Box 5500, Normal, IL 61790-5500, ecgrayb@ilstu.edu, or fax to (309) 438-5510.
dent aid, and other opportunities.
An equal opportunity/affirmative action university encouraging diversity
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05-0029 printed on recycled paper with soy ink
www.IllinoisState.edu/cob
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The Magazine of the College of Business
Illinois State University
MESSAGE
FALL 2004 · Volume 8
published annually
CONTACT:
Illinois State University
College of Business
Campus Box 5500
Normal, IL 61790-5500
(309) 438-2251
www.IllinoisState.edu/business
Dean, Dixie L. Mills
FROM THE DEAN
CONTENTS
Promising transitions
We approach each academic year with anticipation, but this year is an especially promising one! The
reason is the move to our new academic home in December, with classes beginning there in mid-January.
Thus in early 2005 we will feel not only the excitement of beginning a new year but also the beginning of
a new era for the College of Business.
Our new building, located on the south end of the University Quadrangle, is an impressive
sight. If you have not visited campus recently to see it, we hope you will come soon. I believe
A DEDICATED TEAM
you will be pleased with its size, design, and functionality and that you will enjoy being a part
of academic, professional, and social opportunities that we can host in our new home.
The building project, as many of you know, began with a generous $9 million challenge
grant from the State Farm Insurance Companies Foundation. This gift was followed by a state
appropriation providing an initial budget of $27.9 million that was confirmed in 1999, and our
project was under way!
Hundreds of faculty, staff, students, alumni, advisory council members, and other friends
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MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN
of the college have been involved in the planning. Many of these also have made additional
PARTNERSHIPS
are grateful for all who have supported us in this effort, and thank you.
COB’s mini-campaign a special focus
technology, and as much new computing equipment as possible. Offices are available for
financial contributions to make the building the highest possible quality we can afford. We
2
Development outlook
In our new building we will have all new furniture and equipment, high-end instructional
more than 120 faculty, staff, and graduate assistants, so for the first time in more than 20
years the entire college will be in the same building. In addition to the Caterpillar Auditorium,
we will have 19 general-purpose classrooms and five computer classrooms. In these class-
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THE DIFFERENCE
rooms, almost every seat is wired for power and data, so laptops will now become a regular feature of our
Service learning teaches social responsibility
learning environment.
New strategic plan directs COB toward the future
alumni who worked on group projects in hallways or dimly lighted areas will be glad to know that we have 10
You will be interested in some other unique and innovative features of our new home. First, all of you
team project rooms in the building. Student groups will be able to reserve these rooms with their laptop
6
COB NEWS
ports, white boards, and professional furnishings to work constructively on team assignments. Further, every-
POINT OF PRIDE
The March 3, 2003 issue of Risk &
Insurance magazine identified the
one who waited patiently for an available computer in the walk-in lab will be pleased that we are doubling
insurance program at Illinois State
the size of the student lab from 50 to 100 stations. And we have also included interview rooms, so recruiters
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A DEGREE OF EXCELLENCE
University as one of the nation’s
can interview business students in the College of Business rather than in other areas across campus.
“best-known” programs, specializing
Illinois State ranks nationally for graduates’ CPA pass rate
Special learning environments abound. For our marketing students, we have the only focus group
in risk management and insurance.
room in Downstate Illinois, and our Professional Sales Lab will help students in that program hone their
Department’s overall CPA exam reputation continues to grow
skills. Finance students—including the student managers of our Educational Investment Fund—will be able
Gold-medal winner Mark Dennis ’02
to work in the new Financial Markets Lab. And our business information systems students will have a new
Gold-medal winner Dan Kelly ’02
group classroom for many of their courses.
For those of you who seek professional development opportunities, we will have an executive class-
2003 Alumni Hall of Fame inductees
room in which we can offer programs for practicing managers and executives. Several existing programs
will move to this location, and we are exploring a number of other programming possibilities.
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ALUMNI UPDATES
And there is much more! Please visit us to explore this personally. The building will be dedicated on
Friday, April 1, 2005, but we will be there in January to welcome you and show you around. We hope you
ON PAGE
2
share our pride in this progress because we need you as an active participant in the life of the college. As
you read about our student and faculty accomplishments in this newsletter, you will see that we have
much to share.
Clockwise from upper left, Dean Dixie Mills,
Director of Development Claranne Perkins ’70,
Mary Ann Webb ’78, and Patrick Dienslake ’81.
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NEWS VIEWS
PARTNERSHIPS
DEVELOPMENT
COB’S
MINI-CAMPAIGN
A SPECIAL FOCUS
OUTLOOK
BY CLARANNE PERKINS ’70, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT, COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
One of the greatest joys of development work is the opportunity to work with dedicated
volunteers who share your passion for finding new ways to financially support the great
work being accomplished in the College of Business.
As Illinois State University’s
first comprehensive campaign, Redefining “normal,”
enters its later stages, the
College of Business (COB)
has been selected as a
special focus for additional
support. University
Advancement has designated the college for a
“mini-campaign” with the
goal of raising about $3
million to assist the college
in meeting its goals.
This particular stage of the campaign is focused primarily on organizations with which the college
has relationships, but which have not yet made campaign pledges or contributions.
The steering committee for the mini-campaign consists of alumni and friends who are developing
the requests for support.
Cochairs of the steering committee are:
Patrick Dienslake ’81, president, National City Bank, Bloomington
John Rigas ’81, president, Microsystems
Other steering committee members include:
Mike Emmert ’75, LECG L.L.C.
George Eovaldi, retired State Farm vice president
Eric Loughmiller ’81, VP and chief financial officer, ThoughtWorks, Inc.
Mike Richard ’75, senior VP and treasurer, McDonald’s Corporation
Sharon Rossmark ’78, assistant VP, Agency Distribution, Allstate Insurance Company
Jeff Secord ’71, M.S. ’73, president, Financial Education Consultants, Inc.
Mary Ann Webb ’78, partner, Sulaski & Webb CPAs
One of the campaign goals is to find additional resources for technology and equipment in the
new COB building, as well as other enhancements that will improve its quality and durability.
There is also a menu of naming opportunities that will allow donors’ gifts to be recognized in the
building. Several areas already have designated names.
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www.IllinoisState.edu/business
From far left, Patrick Dienslake, John Rigas,
Mike Emmert, George Eovaldi, Mike Richard,
Sharon Rossmark, Jeff Secord, and Mary Ann
Webb. Not pictured, Eric Loughmiller.
On the facing page you will read
about the special $3 million minicampaign for the college in support
of the new building and technology
needs for the building.
This campaign is a volunteerintensive effort that won’t be successful without the help of alumni volunteers. Three of these volunteers
recently discussed why they have chosen to support
the campaign.
“I’m very fortunate to have made the decision
many years ago to attend Illinois State University.
That decision not only brought immeasurable benefits to me and my family, but it also gave me lifelong friendships,” said Patrick Dienslake, a 1981
finance graduate. Dienslake is president of National
City Bank in Bloomington and cochair of the campaign committee.
“Illinois State University is an extraordinary
institution with a very bright future. I am proud
to be associated with it,” said John Rigas, a 1981
accounting graduate and the other committee
cochair. “The Illinois State community provided
my wife, Therese, and me with excellent educations and life experiences we still cherish today,”
he said.
“I believe it is everyone’s responsibility to give
back to the communities in which they have
received significant benefits,” said Rigas, who is
president of Microsystems.
Dienslake agrees. “I have chosen to volunteer
my time and contribute dollars to the College
of Business capital campaign to help acknowledge the benefits I received and help provide the
same opportunities for others.”
Another volunteer on the committee is
Jeffrey Secord, who graduated in 1971 in business
administration and then went on to complete his
master’s in 1973. For Secord, a financial planner,
the College of Business is a winning proposition
for all involved.
“The educational experience provided by the
College of Business is a win-win-win partnership
among the students, the faculty, and the business
community. The output of that partnership produces successful careers for the students, along
with an increase in productivity for the business
community,” he said.
All three have been actively assisting in
reconnecting alumni, friends, and companies
with the college. This spring they will each be
sending letters to other graduates in their classes,
asking them to support this special campaign.
“I hope all alums will consider the value of
making Illinois State University part of their
personal legacy,” Dienslake said.
www.IllinoisState.edu/business
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THE DIFFERENCE
Service learning teaches social responsibility
“Service learning is a very hot topic these days.
To me, service learning is about giving something
back to the community.” —Dale Fitzgibbons
Above, students working at the Compassion
Center. Facing page, Dale Fitzgibbons
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www.IllinoisState.edu/business
Dale Fitzgibbons, associate professor in the Department of Management and Quantitative Methods
(MQM), does his part to develop socially aware
future leaders. The curriculum Fitzgibbons offers in
MQM 380, “Teams and Team-Building,” is known as
“service learning.” MQM 380 is one of
a four-course sequence for leadership
majors, and consists mostly of seniors.
One definition calls service learning “a form of experiential education in
which students engage in activities that
address human and community needs
together, with structured opportunities
intentionally designed to promote student learning and development.”
“Service learning is a very hot
topic these days,” Fitzgibbons said.
“To me, service learning is about giving
something back to the community.”
Fitzgibbons generally assigns
teams of students to a not-for-profit
organization in town to help the
agency organize, plan, and execute a
significant project. “In service learning,” Fitzgibbons said, “the key is to have a conceptual and educational component to it that is tied back
to what we are learning in class.”
Breaking a project into pieces is one concept his
students learn. Working interdependently provides
opportunities for students to learn many concepts,
including respecting others’ agendas, negotiating,
scheduling, and exhibiting patience.
One semester his students were assigned to work
with the coordinator of a new welfare-to-work program called Job Partners, sponsored by the McLean
County Chamber of Commerce. Their task was to
identify program needs and help establish the program. Students in the class set up a Web site for Job
Partners, produced two brochures, and created a
client data base for funding purposes.
Another semester Fitzgibbons assigned students
the task of looking within the University for things
that they could help improve. Topics the different
teams chose included parking, the Career Center, student advising, the University’s comprehensive fundraising campaign, the textbook system, freshman
move-in, and the low student use of the Bone Student
Center. One team created a database for the Career
Center that is still being used.
In the spring semester of 2004, Fitzgibbons
assigned the 60 students in his classes to help with the
opening of Compassion Center, a day center offering
services and refuge for homeless people in Bloomington-Normal. According to an article in The Pantagraph, teams of students cleaned, inventoried donations, coordinated a paper products drive, contacted
bakeries to arrange for bread donations, developed a
volunteer training manual and a Web page, and coordinated the grand opening.
Two students in the spring of 2004 class talked
about how they already had given their time to volunteer service projects in the past, but that this experience has made them think more about how social
responsibility fits into the working world that they
will be entering soon. Junior Lisa Twardowski, with a
double major in organizational leadership and parks
and recreation administration, said she now believes
that a socially responsible
organization would be “a
better employer,” and that
will affect her decision
about where to work.
Senior Grant Schnabel,
majoring in organizational
leadership, said that as
managers, “our duty is that
if the company is not
socially responsible, to
make it that way.”
Both students agreed that learning social responsibility is by no means the only outcome of the
course. The Compassion Center, Twardowski said was
“a tool for us to learn teamwork.” Schnabel said that
teamwork is the major emphasis of the course:
“Building the team, cohesion, and accomplishing a
common goal.” Twardowski’s team of three people
developed a timeline and history of the Compassion
Center project. Schnabel’s team of four functioned as
a “cubicle team” responsible for the set-up of office
cubicles. Students in Fitzgibbons’ two sections of
MQM 380 spent every class hour in the classroom
with discussion and readings from a text, Becoming a
Team. Work at the Compassion Center took place
outside of class.
In addition to teaching teamwork and showing
students the tangible needs of others, the experiences
in MQM 380 show students that the talents and
skills they learn in their COB coursework also can be
used to help solve social problems. Schnabel said that,
unlike some classes, MQM 380 “is an experience I’m
going to remember.”
NEW STRATEGIC PLAN DIRECTS COB TOWARD THE FUTURE
The College of Business unveiled last fall its new strategic plan, which includes vision
and mission statements, three goals, 15 critical success factors, and numerous action plan
suggestions, assignments of responsibility, and a timeline. The plan was developed over
a year in consultation with faculty, staff, and students, with the assistance of Marsha
Hausser and Rick Walsh from Caterpillar Strategic Consulting. The key points follow.
COB VISION
To be the first-choice college of business among public universities in Illinois for highachieving motivated students who seek an individualized educational experience with
the resources of a large university.
COB MISSION
To be a highly respected college of business that develops professionals with the personal
dedication, ethics, and lifelong learning capabilities needed to succeed professionally
and to serve society. We work as a diverse community promoting excellence in learning,
teaching, scholarship, and service.
GOALS AND CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS
GOAL 1:
To develop professionals who can provide
leadership to business and society
· State of the art facilities and technology
CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS:
· A diverse group of high-quality students
· High expectations for excellence in stu-
· An individualized educational experience
for students, faculty, and staff
dent performance and ethics
GOAL 3:
· Graduates prepared to be independent
To enhance positive recognition of the
lifelong learners
college
· An integrative and responsive curriculum
CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS:
that provides current professional skills
· A faculty with nationally recognized
· Graduates prepared for post-graduate
expertise
programs and/or professional certifica· AACSB accreditation for business,
tions where applicable
accounting, and graduate programs
GOAL 2:
To be a demographically and intellectually
diverse community promoting excellence
CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS:
· Excellent faculty and staff who will meet
the needs of the college and its students
· Social and intellectual traditions that
engender a sense of community
· Placement rates that are equal to or
higher than our peer institutions
· Respected business partners who
increasingly seek to hire our graduates
and promote our college
· Niche programs that strengthen partnerships with business partners and alumni
· An effective marketing communications
strategy
www.IllinoisState.edu/business
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COB NEWS
Retired MQM professor
killed in accident
THE COLLEGE’S NEW HOME
The College of Business (COB), established in 1967,
soon will move into the new building that will be a
fitting home for the excellence of its endeavor to
prepare students for business careers in the 21st
Century. To read more about the building, see the
dean’s message on page 1 and visit the Web site
Sharad S. Chitgopekar, 65, of Pune, India, formerly of Bloomington, died of severe head injuries
on December 2, 2003 in Pune. He was hit by a
motorcycle while crossing the street.
Chitgopekar and his family lived in Bloomington from 1979 to 2002. He moved to India
after retirement from the Department of Management and Quantitative Methods to pursue volunteer work in rural education of women in Western
India. He established a charitable trust in India for
that purpose.
Chitgopekar was an avid bridge player. He
was an active member of the McLean County
India Association and the Hindu Society of Central Illinois.
Chitgopekar is survived by his wife, Suneeti;
daughter, Anuradha Khanna; and son, Unmesh.
Other survivors include his mother, a brother, and
two sisters who live in India.
Donations in his memory may be made to
Hindu Society of Central Illinois,1309 Chadwick
Dr., Normal, IL 61761. The collection will be
sent to Chitgopekar’s charitable trust in India.
www.cob.ilstu.edu/building. A quick statistical comparison between the new building and Williams Hall,
home to COB since 1981, shows how the additional
space alone will serve the college well.
New building
Williams Hall
Net Assignable Square Feet
73,705
38,396
General Use Classrooms
20
13
Computer Classrooms
5
4
Special Purpose Classrooms
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2
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www.IllinoisState.edu/business
mergers and acquisitions, capital structure,
agency theory, short-term financial management,
and banking. She has published in numerous
professional journals.
IES Director Winchell changes roles
Professor Mike Winchell, who joined the faculty
in August 1974, retired as director of the Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies (IES) at the end
of August 2003 and then became Coleman
director of the IES under a grant from the Coleman Foundation. The grant, for more than
$180,000, supports the IES in the following
ways: a director at 60 percent, graduate assistants, new student internships, and faculty and
student travel.
Winchell earned all of his degrees at Illinois
State University: a bachelor’s in business education in 1968, a master’s in business education in
1972, and an Ed.D. in educational administration in 1975. His first faculty assignment was lecturer. He was promoted to full professor in 1983.
In June 1991, Winchell was named director of
the Small Business Institute, and later led development of the entrepreneurship/small business
management sequence in the management major.
Erika Gilbert retires after 14 years
Finance Professor Erika Gilbert, who has made
many scholarly contributions to her field, retired
at the end of 2003 after 14 years of teaching.
She was the 2002 recipient of the College of
Business Outstanding Service Award.
Finance, Insurance, and Law Chairperson
Chuck McGuire expressed his appreciation for
Gilbert’s years of service. “Dr. Gilbert is one of
the most student-centered faculty on campus,”
McGuire said. “She works tirelessly with students on a one-on-one basis for internships and
for their careers. She will be sorely missed.”
Gilbert’s teaching interests are corporate
finance and banking. Her research focuses on
Tim Duffy retires from Accounting
Accounting Professor Tim Duffy, who joined the
faculty in August 1975 as an instructor, retired
on May 15, 2004. Most recently Duffy taught
“Introduction to Business Information Systems”
and “Advanced Microcomputer Applications for
the Professional.”
Duffy earned all his degrees at Illinois State.
In 1972, he earned a bachelor’s degree in Spanish, and in 1979 he earned a bachelor’s degree in
business administration. In 1973 he earned a
master’s degree in Spanish, and in 1980 he was
awarded a Ph.D. in educational administration.
He was promoted to full professor in 1987.
Jim Moon, chairperson of the Accounting
Department, said, “Tim has been a good friend
and colleague. He has enjoyed a national reputation for successfully publishing systems and software text materials. He has willingly shared his
expertise with our students and has led the college
in the development and implementation of student
software development and proficiency exams.”
Max Rexroad hangs up his red hat
Accounting Professor Max Rexroad, remembered fondly by a legion of alumni, retired at the
end of 2003 after 34 years of service to Illinois
State University. Rexroad has several signatures:
a red derby; more recently a red 10-gallon hat;
and many, many photos he has taken of groups
of people at department and college events giving the thumbs-up sign.
Rexroad passed the CPA exam in 1971 and
was an Elijah Watts Sells Award winner. During
1977-1978 he worked for Price Waterhouse in
Peoria. In the early 1980s he completed a financial accounting internship at State Farm.
Rexroad came to Illinois State University
in 1969 and has taught primarily auditing,
financial accounting, and CPA review courses.
He served as faculty advisor to the Illinois
State University Student Accounting Society
for 10 years. During the last several years he
has been director of the Master of Science in
Accountancy and Master of Professional
Accountancy programs.
Rexroad has received numerous awards
while at Illinois State University, including Outstanding Accounting Faculty Performance Award
for Scholarly Productivity, COB Faculty of the
Year Awards, and Accounting Professor of the
Year Award.
Rexroad has taken leadership through many
committees and professional organizations. His
department and the college deeply appreciate his
many contributions.
He and his wife, Elaine, have two sons,
Max and John, and two grandchildren, Thomas
and Michael. Max and Elaine plan to spend
many of their free hours enjoying their grandchildren and working on their home in the
countryside of Congerville.
Katie Insurance School
has good year
The 2003-2004 year for the Katie School of
Insurance and Financial Services was exceptional.
The Katie School enrollment for spring 2004
broke 300 students for the first time, which is
more than a 70 percent increase in two years.
Fortunately, the increase was due mainly to
incentives offered to honors and high-achieving
students which kept the quality of students in
the program high, and the growth coincided
with a surge in insurance-industry hiring.
In addition to providing the industry with
talented, hardworking graduates, the Katie
School maintains and develops other ways to
add value through networking events, executive
and professional development, and research. A
few examples follow.
An Academic Experience Committee of
industry executives works with the Katie School
to recommend appropriate student experiences
and curriculum to optimally prepare students for
the industry. The Katie School/CPCU (Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter) Mentorship Program links students to CPCUs for
job-shadowing experiences and career advice.
The Katie School was able to place and support six Illinois State University insurance majors
in international internships in the Lloyd’s of
London, Bermuda, and Zurich markets. Our
domestic internship program is even stronger as
we work with dozens of companies to find internships. The Katie School Student Leadership
Program in Risk Consulting brings together 20
top students to participate in an eight-month program culminating with a student risk consulting
project at a local not-for-profit organization.
For more than a decade the Katie School
has conducted industry programs, including the
Executive Forum in Chicago. This year’s forum
attracted more than 200 executives who came
to hear a panel of senior insurance company
executives and risk managers discuss market
trends, organizational practices leading to profitability, and upcoming industry challenges. For
the ninth year the Katie School delivered a oneweek program in Chicago and on campus to
executives from London through the London
Market Executive Program. The annual Katie
School Symposium, which matches industry
presenters with academic researchers on specific
topics, had a record attendance with this year’s
topic on corporate governance and business
ethics. This year we also provided professional
development programming to Katie board
member companies on commercial insurance
coverage and leading organizational excellence.
Professional Sales Program
awarded industry certification
Illinois State University’s professional sales program and Professional Sales Institute is among the
first in the world to be awarded the distinction as
a Certified Sales Program by the Professional
Society for Sales and Marketing Training (SMT).
SMT sets the standards worldwide for education and development programs in sales and
marketing at the commercial and university levels.
www.IllinoisState.edu/business
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NEWS VIEWS
A DEGREE OF EXCELLENCE
BUSINESS WEEK 2004 PREPARES
STUDENTS FOR “PEAK PERFORMANCE”
Enterprise Rent-A-Car CEO and Chairman
Andy Taylor was the keynote speaker for
Business Week 2004, which took place
March 22-25. The week’s theme was
Receipt of this distinguished certification by
SMT signifies that the Illinois State University
program is among the best-of-the-best in the
world, and has not only met but indeed exceeded
rigorous requirements.
The Illinois State University sales program
benefits some 250 students each year.
“Prepare for Peak Performance: Business is
a Marathon, not a Hundred-Yard Dash.”
Taylor’s address was titled, “Time-Tested
Agreement forged
with Bermuda College
FIL Department forms
advisory board
Chuck McGuire, chairperson of the Finance,
Insurance, and Law Department, formed the
Finance Advisory Board (FAB) early in 2003.
The function of the FAB is to provide advice to
the finance program about such issues as curriculum, placement, internships, networking,
and research, and to help obtain support for
programs. Members of the FAB are:
Business Model Guides Success for
Enterprise Rent-A-Car.” Business Week has
been a yearly event since the mid-1970s.
In addition to the keynote address,
Business Week 2004 featured the traditional ice cream social, alumni panel, and
alumni presentations. Mock interviews with
15 employers were a new feature this year,
with the goal of helping students sharpen
their career focus and interviewing skills.
An agreement between Illinois State University
and Bermuda College creates the opportunity
for graduates of Bermuda College, Paget,
Bermuda, with associate’s degrees in business
administration to be admitted to the insurance
program and to be affiliated with the Katie
School of Insurance and Financial Services in
the College of Business. Bermuda College is a
public institution with an enrollment of about
1,200 students.
This year’s alumni panelists were:
Maria Cimadevilla, M.B.A. ’94, educational
administration consultant, former executive director of performance assessment
scoring services at the Princeton, New
Jersey, Educational Testing Service
Seth Davis ’94, manager of internal audit
and compliance, RLI, Peoria
Dawn Skaggs Forden ’99, casualty facultative underwriter for Swiss Reinsurance
America Corporation
Richard Frey ’82, vice president and general manager for the St. Louis Gateway
Division of PepsiAmericas, Inc.
Rosemaria Levinsky ’82 and ’84, vice president and general counsel of Hendrick
Health System in Abilene, Texas
Angela Nagel ’94, finance manager for
Lighthouse Home Center in West
Lafayette, Indiana
8
www.IllinoisState.edu/business
AMA chapter named best
in the Midwest and the world
The Illinois State University chapter of the
American Marketing Association (AMA)
brought home the gold in March from its
national convention, where it won Midwest
Chapter of the Year and International Chapter
of the Year (Best Overall Award of all Collegiate
Chapters). To top it off, club advisor Professor
James Cox was named Outstanding Faculty
Advisor of the Year. Christa Wylie is this year’s
Illinois State AMA president.
In addition, the Illinois State University
Career Center gave its first annual student
organization of the year award recipient to the
Illinois State AMA chapter as the registered
student organization that has been most instrumental in facilitating Career Center Services
during the past year.
Brian Bruce, Director of Global Investments,
Pan Agora Asset Management, Boston
Thomas G. Estey, Senior Vice President,
Commercial Lending, LaSalle Bank, N.A.,
Chicago
Scott Joyce, Corporate and Investment Banking,
Wachovia Bank, Charlotte, North Carolina
Richard D. Landsburg, Attorney, Advanced
Markets, Nationwide Financial Services,
World Headquarters, Columbus, Ohio
Larry Lonis, CFA, Vice President, BankOne,
Chicago
Dean McNaught, Corporate Financial Services
Manager, Caterpillar Inc., Peoria
Nancy Philipsen, Investment Officer, State Farm
Insurance Companies, Bloomington
Robert W. Rush, Jr., Executive Vice President,
COUNTRY Trust Bank, Bloomington
Jeff Scott, CFA, Zone Sales Associate Manager,
State Farm Insurance Companies,
Rosemont, Illinois
Jeffrey R. Secord, Financial Education Consultants, Inc., Chicago
Richard Spycher, Vice President, credit, Archer
Daniels Midland Company, Decatur
William J. Strnad, Senior Vice President, Investments, Smith Barney-Citigroup Global Markets, Inc., Chicago
Charles R. McGuire, Chair, Department
of Finance, Insurance, and Law, Illinois
State University
Plus ex officio members
Illinois State University was one of only two schools in
the nation placing in the top 10 pass rates on both May
and November CPA exams.
Illinois State ranks nationally for
graduates’ CPA pass rate
The University ranked second in the nation and first
in Illinois for the number of students passing all four
parts of the May 2002 CPA exam.
The National Association of State Boards of
Accountancy ranked institutions with 20 or more
graduates who are first-time candidates without
advanced degrees. Illinois State candidates who took
the test in May 2002 had a 47.6 percent pass rate,
with the national average at 15.4 percent.
The November 2002 exam found Illinois State
candidates fifth in the nation with a 38.7 percent
pass rate, while the national average was 16.7 percent. Illinois State University was one of only two
schools in the nation placing in the top 10 pass rates
on both exams.
Department’s overall CPA exam
reputation continues to grow
The accounting program at Illinois State University
has a national reputation for the number and success
of students sitting for the CPA exam. Graduates excel
on the CPA exam, with a first-time pass rate that regularly exceeds the national average. In 1993 an
Illinois State alumnus, Ken Grapperhaus, earned the
top score in the nation. An Illinois State alumna,
Laura Truttmann, tied for the second highest CPA
exam score in Illinois on the May 2002 exam, earning
a silver medal.
The Excel Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards are
granted to the top three Illinois candidates finishing
within the top 120 nationally and achieving a score of
80 or above on all sections of the CPA exam. Over
the years, Illinois State has had 32 Elijah Watt Sells
Award winners; one National Gold Medal winner;
five State Gold Medal winners, four Silver Medal
winners, one Bronze Medal winner, and eight Excel
Award winners.
Illinois State University is one of only 150 business schools in the nation to have achieved accreditation for its undergraduate and graduate programs in
both business and accounting by AACSB
International—The Association to Advance Collegiate
Schools of Business. AACSB International is the premier accrediting agency for business schools.
Gold-medal winner Mark Dennis ’02
the second in his family to excel
Mark Dennis ’02 was the second person in his family
to win an Excel Award for outstanding performance
on the CPA exam and the first to win a medal for the
highest score in the state. His brother, Matt, who
graduated from the University of Illinois and took the
exam in May 1995, won an Excel Award for finishing
among the top 120 nationally.
In February 2003, when Mark received his scores
from the November 2002 exam, he knew they might
merit an award, since they were higher than Matt’s
scores had been. Mark’s scores were: audit, 93; law,
94; FARE, 98; and ARE, 99. Several weeks later he
received a letter telling him he would receive the
Excel medal. He, Dan Kelly (see accompanying
story), and one other person received gold medals for
tying for the highest performance in the state and
Herb Dennis with his son Mark Dennis.
www.IllinoisState.edu/business
9
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NEWS VIEWS
Daniel Kelly with Illinois CPA Society
Executive Director Elaine Weiss
ranking among the top 120 scorers nationally on the
November 2002 CPA exam.
Mark graduated from Illinois State University in
August 2002. He returned in the fall to take advanced
tax and audit classes, and to study “many hours a
day” for the CPA exam. He also took a Becker
Conviser CPA review course in Peoria. After he sat for
the exam in Peoria, he felt confident about the audit
and law sections. “Honestly, I didn’t even know if I
had passed the whole thing,” he said. “I certainly didn’t think I had done as well as I did.”
The medal was presented to him at an April banquet in Chicago honoring all who had passed the
exam. Attending on his behalf were his parents,
friends from his accounting firm, and two Illinois
State University faculty members: Wendy Duffy and
Harlan Fuller.
Mark had started work at PricewaterhouseCoopers
in Chicago on January 2, 2003, as a “new associate”
and now is an “experienced associate.” He said he
spends 95 percent of his time doing auditing on site
with his clients. He works mostly in the Midwest, but
he did spend 10 weeks in Washington, D.C., working
on the restatement audit of Freddie Mac, a government-sponsored enterprise created by Congress to
help fund home mortgage loans. Mark is working
toward becoming a senior associate and being in
charge of some of his own jobs.
When he looks back on his experience at Illinois
State, he thinks of faculty who were instrumental in
his success. “There were a lot, but Wendy Duffy
sticks out in my mind as being particularly helpful,”
he said. “I was really happy with the Accounting
Department and the College of Business in general.
Kudos to the professors, because they are fantastic.”
Gold-medal winner Dan Kelly ’02
caught the accounting bug in
high school
When Dan Kelly was a student at Rochester (Illinois)
High School, he signed up for accounting as an elective
to fill his schedule. And the rest is history, as they say.
Dan’s teacher praised him for how quickly he was
catching on to accounting. Because of that teacher’s
encouragement, Dan decided to pursue it in college.
Dan earned a B.S. in accounting from Bradley
University in 2001 and an M.S. in accounting from
Illinois State University in 2002. He began working
for McGladrey and Pullen in September 2002, shortly
after he graduated. When he took the CPA exam in
November 2002, he tied with two others, including
Illinois State graduate Mark Dennis ’02, for the highest score in Illinois and scored within the top 120
nationally. His performance earned him the Excel
Gold Medal.
Dan, an associate on the audit side with
McGladrey and Pullen in Raleigh, North Carolina,
chose Illinois State University for graduate work
because of “the feeling I got when I talked to Dr.
“I was really happy with the Accounting Department
and the College of Business in general. Kudos to the
professors, because they are fantastic.” —Mark Dennis
Rexroad and other professors when I visited,” he said.
To prepare for the CPA exam, he took a Becker
Conviser CPA review course that met two nights a
week in Peoria. Mark Dennis took the same course
(see accompanying story).
Dan didn’t really have a sense of how well he had
done after he took the grueling two-day exam early in
November. “I walked out of there like most people
thinking, ‘I don’t know how I did.’” When he
received his results in the mail in February, he knew
he had done well, but was not to know about the
Excel medal until the day of the CPA banquet in
Chicago. “Honestly, I was just glad I passed so I
wouldn’t have to do it again,” he said. His scores
were: audit, 92; law, 94; FARE, 99; and ARE, 99.
The CPA banquet for all those who had passed
the exam was in April 2003 at a hotel in downtown
Chicago. Dan’s wife, Amy, M.S. ’03, a dietitian,
accompanied him, and a number of partners and others from McGladrey and Pullen attended.
Dan credits the Illinois State University department for some of his success. “I had a lot of good
professors during graduate school that helped me to
prepare for the exam and provide guidance for taking
the exam, and also helped me after I graduated with
basic career questions. The one professor who helped
me the most was Dr. Caroline Craig, with whom I
have been in contact on a couple of occasions since
graduation with questions relating to possible
employer contacts and other career-related questions
and she has been very helpful in these matters.”
COB IS PROUD TO WELCOME THE 2003
INDUCTEES INTO ALUMNI HALL OF FAME
POINT OF PRIDE
More than 300 students attended the
42nd annual Pi Sigma Epsilon national
convention held, April 13-18, in Reno,
Brian Robert Bruce ’77, Sudbury,
Nevada. Based on the annual per-
Massachusetts
formance report of all chapters, the
Director of Global Investments for
Illinois State Delta Omega Chapter
PanAgora Asset Management
finished fourth in total points. The
chapter’s performance also earned it
the William H. Harris Top Chapter
Award in the Silver Award category.
At the convention, senior Sean Turner
Richard Manahan ’65, M.S. ’71, Ed.D.
of Normal won the Vector Marketing
Pro-Am Sell-a-thon. This competition
’75, Johnson City, Tennessee
among 25 finalists from around the
Vice President for University
country simulated a sales call on the
Advancement/Executive Vice
vice president of purchasing at a
President of the Foundation at East
Tennessee State University
high-end cutlery retailer. Students
were given 10 minutes to perform and
were judged on the execution of their
sales techniques.
Sally Bulkley Pancrazio ’60,
Bloomington
Dean Emerita, Illinois State
University College of Education
POINT OF PRIDE
COB alumni facts, as of August 2004:
30,314 total degrees for living alumni
27,492 total living alumni
26,395 alumni with addresses
(96 percent)
Tom Reedy ’81, Hinsdale
President and CEO of iTRACS
19,625 alumni with phone numbers
(71.4 percent)
9,727 donors to University in lifetime
(35.4 percent)
Corporation
2,532 donors to college in past two
years (9.2 percent)
James Tyree ’78, M.B.A. ’80,
Chicago
Chairman and CEO of Mesirow
Financial
(2004 inductees will be
honored in the next issue)
10
www.IllinoisState.edu/business
www.IllinoisState.edu/business
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NEWS VIEWS
ALUMNI UPDATES
Accounting
FAITH BROOK ’85, JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA
Review advisor for the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development. She is a
Certified General Appraiser in the state of Florida.
CAREER:
KATHY CAZIN ’73, SAN DIEGO
CAREER: Owner of Account Keepers of San Diego
for seven years. She helps small businesses set up,
train, and troubleshoot their accounting practices.
She also is a certified QuickBooks advisor. She
previously did fund accounting for the library system and the U.S. Navy for 21 years.
MARK HARTING ’73, SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS
CAREER: Controller for the Illinois Auto Dealers
Association
INTERESTS: Golf and motorcycles
SUSAN M. (THOMAS) KOHL ’90,
ATLANTA, GEORGIA
After more than 10 years in various credit
and financial positions between public and private
industries, she accepted a position as ERM
Director at Hagemeyer North America, a Dutchowned company. She is active in executive management and field operations.
INTERESTS: Rollerblading, kickboxing, mountain biking, and enjoying the Gulf Coast beaches when
time permits
CAREER:
VINCENT A. DE LUCA ’90, NILES
Vice president for manufacturer relations,
Recreation Group, Deutsche Financial Services. He
has been with the company since June 1995. He
represents the company at the factory level, both
recreational vehicles and marine manufacturers.
He was married in October 2002.
INTERESTS: Real estate investing and motorcycling
CAREER:
SCOTT GRAHAM ’77, LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
CAREER:
President of MBI x-ray and medical supply
PATTI SARLES HART ’78, ATHERTON, CALIFORNIA
On March 1, 2004, named chairman and
CEO of Pinnacle Systems, Inc. Previously CEO of
Excite@Home and Telocity, and president and
COO of Sprint’s Long Distance Division.
CAREER:
CAREER: Vice president and trust officer at State
Bank of Lincoln
GARY W. PETERSON ’73, AURORA
ROBERT W. ROBINSON ’80, BELVIDERE
Real estate agent with Coldwell Banker
INTERESTS: Cooking and attending concerts whenever possible
Business Administration
MARRIED:
Finance
GREG GODSIL ’85, WAKE FOREST, NORTH
CAROLINA
Sharon
CAREER: District sales manager for Central Soya
INTERESTS: Officiating basketball and football
games, playing baseball, and riding his motorcycle. He also coaches his daughter’s fast pitch softball team.
MARRIED:
Vice president of Captive Resources LLC in
Schaumburg, a private firm specializing in managing offshore member-owned group captives for
business casualty insurance. He previously worked
for 17 years at Liberty Mutual in various sales and
management positions.
Has worked in insurance since graduation
and earned his Chartered Property Casualty
Underwriter and his Associate in Risk
Management designations. He is a senior technology underwriter for Chubb and Son in the St.
Louis branch.
CAREER:
Tracy; two children: Taylor and Jacob
Works for the Rochester Community Unit
School District #3A as their director of business
services and assistant treasurer
INTERESTS: Coaching son’s soccer team, his daughter’s softball team, and going to Cardinal baseball
games
MARRIED:
BARBARA (DEACETIS) GOLDEN ’80, JOLIET
Bennett Golden
CAREER: Earned her M.B.A. from Lewis University in
1990. In 2002 she became tenured at Joliet West
High School. She teaches computer applications
in the freshman technology prep program, using
some of the latest software and technology.
INTERESTS: Raising and showing champion show
dogs, traveling, and shooting pool
KENNETH F. HUDDLESTON ’65, CROSSVILLE,
TENNESSEE
CAREER: Retired professor of small business
management at the University of Wisconsin
at Oshkosh
DIANE (MUNDY) OTTO ’84, KEOKUK, IOWA
CAREER:
Marketing
TIMOTHY BRENNAN ’70,
GLENMOORE, PENNSYLVANIA
Susan Lamkin (’70, special education);
three daughters
CAREER: Employed as a major accounts manager
by Dun and Bradstreet (D&B). He has been working for D&B since 1970, mainly in sales and sales
marketing in several cities all over the United
States.
INTERESTS: Outdoor photography and golf
MARRIED:
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www.IllinoisState.edu/business
CAREER: Owns AmericInn Motel and Suites of
Sheboygan, Wisconsin. He retired as a licensed
Nursing Home Administrator and now is a journalist for 26 new automobile manufacturers’ press
fleet in the Midwest United States. He also has
served on various boards, city commissions, and
the Chamber of Commerce for the past 20 years.
TERRY WILLIAMS ’70, LOMBARD
Associate professor and chairperson of the
Department of Leadership, Foundations, and
Counseling in the School of Education at Loyola
University in Chicago. He received his master’s in
CAREER:
Account manager on the business development team at Masterfoods USA. She works
with the top retailers in the country to secure new
locations and permanent distribution of confectionery items.
CAREER:
PHILIP E. GHANTOUS ’98, BLOOMINGTON
M.B.A.
FEBRUARY 18, 2003
CAREER: He worked for Illinois Power Co., in Clinton
and Decatur. Most recently he was Supervisor II of
energy management for State Farm Insurance
Cos. in Bloomington, and owned and operated
Pocketful of Memories in Normal.
BROOKE MARIE MARTIN ’03, GIBSON CITY
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
MAY 2, 2003
M.B.A. Program
She received her degree posthumously on May 10,
2003. She was a member of the Gamma Iota
Sigma Insurance Fraternity.
GARY S. KEPHART ’96, PIKETON, OHIO
Manager of Environment, Safety, and
Health for Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant
with Bechtel Jacobs Company LLC
CAREER:
Self-employed as a Quixtar independent
business owner. “Do you remember Amway?
Well, they have kept their superior product lines
and have added some other very interesting
services and products for both business and
home use. With this endeavor, I set my own
hours each day and work it all around the busy
schedule of being a mother of two teenage
daughters and wife of a railroad engineer. So,
my business degree really has come in very
handy, because on a daily basis I’m managing,
marketing, administrating, and delegating.”
CAREER:
DAVID MAGERS ’86, BLOOMINGTON
Vice President at COUNTRY Insurance and
Financial Services since 1998. He assumed the
position of chief financial officer on December 1,
2003. He is a member of the Illinois Society of
Certified Public Accountants and the American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and is
completing his Certified Financial Planner designation. He is also a member of many local boards
and committees.
CAREER:
NICOLAS QUERETTE ’92, AACHEN, GERMANY
DIANE FREEMAN ’90, PEARLAND, TEXAS
Sales manager with the Four Seasons
Hotel in Houston, Texas. She has worked in the
hotel industry for 12 years.
INTERESTS: Enjoys traveling, reading, arts and crafts,
and making jewelry
Director of sales and marketing for a Saint
Gobain subsidiary in the automotive business
President and founder of Censura Group,
Inc., a business/management consulting firm
based in Southern California. He received his
M.B.A. from Pepperdine University’s Graziadio
5,289 undergrad
Business Administration
Business Administration 7,480
Business Information Systems 895
Total 8,375
Business Teacher Education
2,224
3,891
Insurance
411
DECEMBER 7, 2003
CAREER:
Accounting
In Memoriam
ANTHONY E. CASCINO, SR.,
CALIFORNIA
COB ALUMNI BY UNDERGRADUATE MAJOR:
Finance
Project manager for M.J. Electric, which
does distribution and substation work across the
country. She previously worked for a competitor
in purchasing and project management for 11
years.
STEPHEN J. RICE ’95, SANTA BARBARA,
POINT OF PRIDE
CAREER:
KAREN REEVES ’90, LINDENHURST, ILLINOIS
CAREER:
RICK A. SCHMIDGALL ’78, ELGIN
TRACY SCHMITT ’92, MEDINA, OHIO
PAUL D. HOFFMAN ’84, CHESTERFIELD, MISSOURI
CAREER:
CAREER:
School of Business and Management. He also
earned a certificate in global enterprise management at the University of Oxford, Kellogg College
in England.
BOB MCDERMOTT ’86, SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS
MARRIED:
LILIANA TAIMOORAZI ’01, BLOOMINGTON
CAREER:
Has been named senior vice president-ethanol
sales and marketing for the ADM Corn Processing
division, Decatur. Lyons is responsible for the
sales, marketing, and distribution of fermentationgrade ethanol to fuel, beverage, and industrial
ethanol customers. Lyons joined ADM in 1979 and
previously served as vice president and directorethanol for ADM Corn Processing.
GAIL L. NUNNERY ’95, CLINTON
Attending Loyola University’s M.B.A. program while working as an equity research analyst
for Merlin Capital Corporation, a private investment fund.
CAREER:
MARTIN A. LYONS, M.B.A. ’00
Business Teacher Education
Judith (B.S. ’73, social work); children:
Erik and Anna
CAREER: Previously employed in the aerospace
industry. Currently he is the pastor of Word of Life
Lutheran Church in Naperville.
EDWARD M. LICEAGA ’01, CHICAGO
college student personnel administration from
Indiana University in 1974 and his Ph.D. in higher
education administration from Florida State
University in 1980. In March 2003 the National
Association of Student Personnel Administrators
honored him with the Robert H. Shaffer Award for
Academic Excellence as a Graduate Faculty
Member, at its 85th annual awards luncheon, in St.
Louis.
Cascino, age 86 at the time of his death in
Lakeland, Florida, was the recipient of a Doctor of
Humane Letters honorary degree from Illinois
State University, awarded in recognition of his
efforts in the establishment in 1991 and continued
funding of the Katie School of Insurance and
Financial Services, named in memory of his
granddaughter, the late Mary Katherine Nicosia.
International Business
696
Management
2,146
Marketing
4,841
COB ALUMNI BY GRADUATE MAJOR:
Accounting
275
M.B.A.
1,859
www.IllinoisState.edu/business
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