Illinois State University’s Export Project is able to help more Illinois-based businesses expand into overseas markets thanks to a $100,000 grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).  The funding supports the Export Project’s work with the agriculture equipment and technology firms Dickey-John and Brandt Consolidated, and the paint manufacturer Rust-Oleum Corporation.

Since 2006, Export Project faculty and student teams have traveled to New Zealand, Germany, Argentina, Poland, China, and India to help companies explore international market opportunities.  Plans are currently underway to send teams working with Dickey-John, Brandt Consolidated and Rust-Oleum to Romania, Brazil and South Africa during the summer of 2010.

Export Project team members include faculty and students from Illinois State’s College of Business and College of Applied Science and Technology. Throughout the year, the teams work with medium-sized companies to identify, evaluate, and actively develop international business opportunities and prepare export plans. The teams act as consultants and prepare targeted marketing studies for specific countries. During the summer months, Export Project teams travel overseas to selected countries to evaluate potential export market opportunities. In addition to helping businesses grow, the multidisciplinary project gives Illinois State students a unique opportunity to gain international business and marketing experience.

Members of the Export Team are:

• Iris Varner, Director of the International Business Institute,
• Peter Kaufman, Associate Professor in Marketing;
• Mark Hoelscher, Associate Professor in Management and Quantitative Methods;
• Klaus Schmidt, Associate Professor in technology,
• Aslihan Spaulding, Associate Professor in Agriculture.

In 2007, the Export Project received a two-year, $165,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education.  That funding was used to expand partnerships with small and medium-sized agriculturally-focused businesses, enhance the University’s international business curriculum, and provide faculty development opportunities.

More than 70 accounting students will learn what it takes to be criminal investigators with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) during a day-long fraud investigation simulation at Illinois State University on Friday, Sept. 18.  The students will take part in the IRS’s “Adrian Project” Student Fraud Conference to solve hypothetical financial crimes using forensic accounting techniques.

IRS special agents are sometime referred to as “accountants with guns.”  The “Adrian Project” allows students to experience the inner workings of a fraud investigation through the eyes of IRS special agents and learn about forensic career opportunities open to students with degrees in accounting.

Students will work in groups under the direction of current and retired IRS special agents to investigate crime scenarios such as business owners skimming funds from their company, a bar owner who keeps two sets of books, a multi-filer tax scheme, and a drug trafficking operation.  In addition to using forensic accounting to follow a paper trail of financial wrongdoing, students will employ the tools available to federal law enforcement officers, including the use of undercover operations, surveillance, subpoenas, and search warrants.  Participants will also make mock arrests of suspects in the crime scenarios.

“The ‘Adrian Project’ fraud investigation simulation is a great out-of-class experience for students,” said Gerry McKean, interim chair of Illinois State’s Department of Accounting.  “It gives students a chance to see the forensic accounting and criminal investigation work done by IRS special agents and learn more about an exciting career option in governmental accounting.”

The Great Urban Race is exactly that.  Founded by College of Business entrepreneurial program graduate Joseph Reynolds ’03 these fun challenges have already been a hit in 20 major cities across the United States.

So grab a partner, solve 12 clues and complete fun challenges while discovering the Normal community in a fresh way. The Great Urban Race, which is just one fun part of Homecoming, begins at 10 a.m. on October 16th  at the Alumni Center and ends on the Quad.

A portion of your registration fee will help establish the ISU Student Foundation Service Award Scholarship.

Prizes: $300 and free entry to the New Orleans national championship for first place, $150 and free championship entry for second place, free championship entry for third place, best costume, funniest pictures, and top family team. There is a $1,000 cash prize to the group that signs up the most teams.

To register go to www.greaturbanrace.com. The cost is $45 per person through September 21, with the fee then increasing to $55 per person until October 15, and $70 per person on race day.

Interested in learning more? Visit http://illinoisstatehomecoming.com/events/great-urban-race to find out about the company go to www.greaturbanrace.com.

The College of Business is pleased to announce the 2009-2010 Caterpillar Excellence Fund Scholarship Winners.  Seventy-six highly-qualified applicants applied for a scholarship and 10 students were selected to each receive a $2,500 award.  Please take a moment to congratulate those students that you know.

2009 Caterpillar Excellence Fund Scholarship Recipients:

• Brittany Applegate - Sophomore, Finance Major
• Hussein Badrudin - Senior, Accounting Major
• Elisabeth Bellinger - Senior, International Business Major
• Chelsea DuBois - Senior, Entrepreneurship Major
• Elizabeth Flores - Sophomore, Entrepreneurship Major
• Kyle Koniewicz - Sophomore, Marketing Major
• Kristen Mense - Senior, Business Information Systems Major
• Kelsey Rayphole - Junior, Marketing & Business Administration Major
• Carlos Torres - Junior, BS/MPA Major
• Patrick Wu - Junio, Finance Major

Q: What are some of your responsibilities working for the Bulls?

A:  I am a Ticket Representative for the Chicago Bulls Front Office. I’m responsible for the sale of season and group tickets for the 2009-2010 regular season. I contact prior season ticket holders or various other contacts from the leads list provided. In addition I can also shadow other various personnel in the organization and have the option to volunteer during games and special help events.

Q: What does a typical day consist of?

A:  A typical day consist of around 80 phone calls, giving tours of the United Center to prospects, and once the season starts, Bulls games.

Read more about Amy Janus and the Chicago Bulls.

The College of Business at Illinois State University will begin its Corporate M.B.A. Program in February 2010.

This accelerated weekend M.B.A. program is held on campus.  Classes will meet on Fridays from 5:00 - 9:00 pm, and Saturdays from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.

To learn more about this program join us at our information session on Thursday, October 8, 2009 from 5:30 - 6:30 pm in Room 370 of the College of Business building, Illinois State University.

For more information contact the Corporate M.B.A. program at (309) 438-8388  -  isumba@exchange.ilstu.edu or visit www.mba.ilstu.edu/cmba/index.shtml

Cosponsored by the McLean County Chamber of Commerce.

We continue Part 2 of our conversation with Stephanie LH Calahan with specifics on how to more effectively use the COBAN group. Stephanie ’95 (BIS/HR) is an entrepreneur, nationally known speaker, media personality, author, publisher; and productivity / organization specialist about social networking and how she uses tools to build and maintain vital business relationships.

Her clients have included fortune 500 companies, startups, nonprofits, universities and numerous individuals across the country.  Rolodex, Stacks & Stacks, and the Neat Company are a few of the international companies that have sought her expertise.

Read Part 2 of our conversation with Stephanie…

Stephanie LH Calahan ’95 (BIS/HR) is a dynamic entrepreneur, nationally known speaker, media personality, author, publisher; and productivity / organization specialist.  She and her consultants focus on helping you make the most of your time, space, information and ideas.

Her clients have included fortune 500 companies, startups, nonprofits, universities and numerous individuals across the country.  Rolodex, Stacks & Stacks, and the Neat Company are a few of the international companies that have sought her expertise.  We recently sat down with Stephanie to talk about social networking and how she uses tools to build and maintain vital business relationships.

Read more about networking on LinkedIn from Stephanie Calahan…

•  Connect with others who share similar professional interests
•    Meet new clients
•    Find employment
•    Exchange expertise
•    Form mentoring relationships
•    Remain engaged with College of Business at Illinois State University

These are just a few of reasons given by some of the 800+ Illinois State University graduates who have joined our College of Business Alumni Network (COBAN) group on LinkedIn since it was launched last fall.  While e-networking is great, nothing matches building relationships in person. So tap into the power of the COBAN network and join us for a fall event.  It is also a great chance to extend a Redbird welcome to our new dean, Scott Johnson!

WHO:   College of Business Alumni, family, faculty, staff and external partners
WHAT:   Free COBAN Networking Tailgate sponsored by State Farm and Nicor Gas
WHEN:   Saturday, October 17 from 11:00-1:30
WHERE:   Redbird Tailgate Zone
WHY:   Avanti’s food + great conversation in a relaxed setting!

To help us order appropriate amounts of food please complete your RSVP by October 9th using this link: http://www.cob.ilstu.edu/events/rsvp/tailgate          You may also call 309-438-2251.

•    To order tickets for the Homecoming game against Indiana State visit http://www.goredbirds.com/
•    Complete Homecoming information is available at http://illinoisstatehomecoming.com/

Need more information about COBAN or the networking tailgate? Contact:
Amy Humphreys
Assistant to the Dean for Constituent Relations
College of Business
Illinois State University
(309) 438-2646
alhumph@ilstu.edu

An Alumni Spotlight by Student Writer Colette Kuk

Just a short time ago Dane Ramirez was a student at ISU and working at Four Seasons gym.  Day in and day out he checked people in at the front desk.  It was not exactly a job he envisioned as a major career launch.  But one fall day in 2007 Dane met Pam, a member at the gym, who asked him about the protocol for hanging up a flyer at the club.  After Dane explained, she asked for his opinion of the flyer.  Enter Mr. Marketing.  “I told her the flyer was kind of boring and not very visually stimulating.”

The next couple of times Pam came in she chatted with Dane about marketing. One day she asked, “Do you know who I am?” He was clueless. Ironically, Pam turned out to be Pam El, Vice President of Marketing at State Farm!

When Pam asked Dane what he was doing besides working at the gym and he told her he was interning at COUNTRY Financial. After learning he was working at a competing company Pam decided she needed Dane at State Farm, and told him to apply for an internship….  Read more about Dane Ramirez.