Steve Goodwin (MKT) was recently selected to receive the Illinois State University Outstanding Service Award for 2009-2010.  Developed by the Academic Senate, the award honors faculty members who have provided strong leadership through service to the university.  Goodwin will be publicly recognized at the Founder’s Day celebration, February 18, 2010.

Illinois State University continues to build on its impressive history of more than 15e years of education and service.  As it does every year, the University celebrates its history and looks forward to the future during Founders Day.

This year’s event will pay tribute to Illinois State’s rich history and celebrate its continuing success, even in the midst of global economic troubles.

Founders Day events will begin with the Old Main Bell ringing ceremony.  Selected faculty, staff, students, alumni and others will ring the bell 153 times to mark the University’s years of existence,

The Founders Day Convocation will take place in the Brown Ballroom.  The traditional event will include the presentation of some of the University’s highest awards, including the Honorary Degree, Distinguished Alumni Awards and Distinguished Professor. Other awards will honor excellence in teaching, research, service and commitment to diversity.

Family Weekend at the College of Business provided an opportunity for students to show off the building to family and friends.  Faculty were on hand to greet visitors and there were plenty of bagels and doughnuts to go around.  Classrooms were open for viewing and a special study abroad session in the Caterpillar Auditorium profiled the many international opportunities available for business students.  The weather provided a beautiful backdrop for an enjoyable weekend to honor parents and family.

Rob Zmudka ’89 (MKT) is Vice President and Executive Director of Strategic Sales for GATX – the largest railcar leasing company in the world.  He recently shared an update with us about his career and GATX’s commitment to service.

Q:  How have you leveraged the key skills and understandings you acquired at Illinois State University as you’ve advanced your career?

A:  My Illinois State University business degree provided the foundation for building my future career.  My marketing classes taught me to not only consider how your company is being represented but to think also about how you are being represented and how you are representing your company, important considerations not only in my professional experience but in my life in general.

Beyond my career-specific classes, the academic experience at Illinois State taught me the value of teamwork, gave me confidence in public speaking and presentation (skills that I continually refine and enhance) and the importance of strategic planning — the ability to think beyond myself and today, and to also consider the longer-term and consequential effects of a particular action or strategy.  And perhaps equally important, my Illinois State experience gave me life-long friendships that continue to this day.

Learn more about Rob Zmudka.

Pi Sigma Epsilon is hosting their 8th annual Giving Tree from November 9 - December 4.  Giving Tree is their biggest community service event for which they won top service project for at their National Convention last year.

Giving Tree is designed to provide presents to children in need in the Bloomington-Normal area.  Please help by picking an ornament up off the tree located in the College of Business Atrium and purchasing a $10-20 gift.

Return the gifts to any drop box located on all floors of the College of Business by December 4.  Wrapping is appreciated but not required.

Monetary donations are also welcome in the form of cash or check, made to Pi Sigma Epsilon, to the Marketing Department - COB 352, Campus Box 5590  c/o Jan Staley.  Thank you and Happy Holidays!!

The Professional Sales Institute is proud to host one of the top-rated sales career fairs in the country.  Held during the fall semester each year, this special-focus, Sales Career Fair brings over 45 companies interested in hiring sales professionals together with over 200 students interested in sales careers.

Participate in the Sixth annual Professional Sales Career Fair and Networking Reception to be held Wednesday, October 21, 2009 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Ballroom of the Bone Student Center. The event will provide company representatives an opportunity to interact with students who are interested in pursuing a career in sales, and enjoy light appetizers throughout the event. The combined event will provide the formality of a traditional career fair plus a more informal setting wherein company representatives can socialize with interested candidates.

• Recruiters – Please join us!  Register today and come to the 2009 Sales Career Fair ready to meet outstanding candidates looking to begin their professional selling careers. To ensure your company information is included in the Fall 2009 career section of our magazine, submit your completed registration form and pledge by September 30, 2009.

• Students – Register Today! Save the date and make plans to attend the Sales Career Fair and learn more about professional sales positions offered by some of the country’s leading sales organizations.  Make sure your resumes are up-to-date.  Dress is business professional.

Anson Yeganegi ‘09 (Marketing) is part of the “Best Persons Program” at Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s Midway Airport operations where he is completing extensive training for a position in upper management.

This 22-year-old Wheaton man literally exemplifies “best person” outside the job as well. Last week he dove into a lake and saved the life of a total stranger.  Wheaton police and fire officials are calling Yeganegi a hero.  They are recommending the 2005 graduate of Wheaton North High School be given an award.

Yeganegi said he’s not looking for recognition.

“I am happy enough in myself to know that in a situation like that I was able to do what I could to help,” he said.

Click here to read the amazing story.

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.

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.

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.

Assistant Professor Emerita Margaret Erthal received the Distinguished Service Award from the Illinois Business Education Association (IBEA). This is the most prestigious award presented by the association. Criteria include exceptional service to IBEA and an ongoing commitment to improving business education in Illinois.

Erthal also received the Outstanding Service Award presented by the Illinois Association for Career and Technical Education at their annual conference in recognition of her professional publications and significant contributions to the field of career and technical education.