ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF THE CAMERON SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

2020 EDITION

from the Dean

Welcome to the latest edition of The Cameron Insider. Even amid uncertainty and crisis, enrollments are at an all-time high as the Cameron School of Business welcomed more than 2,700 undergraduate and graduate students in the 2020-21 academic year. This is a testament to the outstanding teaching, staff support and stellar achievements of our hard-working alumni base.

Our year (and likely yours) has not proceeded as “normal.” CSB faculty, staff and administrative teams have worked around the clock in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Our course schedule has changed as classroom sizes have dropped dramatically to allow for appropriate social distancing protocols. Faculty have adjusted their classes to mixed delivery modes where segments of the class attend at various times, and many of the larger classes converted online. Smaller, upper-level classes were delivered in our larger classrooms. What a huge change! But we continue to deliver our courses with the excellence expected of the CSB.

Despite the upheaval, we realized great accomplishments, as well. The CSB was reaffirmed for accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). This accreditation is the gold standard, with fewer than five percent of business schools worldwide holding this distinction. Achieving this prestigious recognition means that Cameron has met and surpassed rigorous standards for quality in all of our programs, that our programs are highlighted by experiential learning, and that students learn material most relevant to their field of study and to today’s workforce. In addition, the CSB achieved a top-60 undergraduate ranking from Poets and Quants. This ranking was based on relevant data that considered alumni satisfaction, career placement and the quality of our incoming students.

These lofty recognitions validate that our alumni are plugged into their alma mater by providing their time, talent and treasure. You are all so very faithful in attempting to hire our graduates, in providing guest lectures, in planning alumni events, and in giving financially, and we are very thankful for your vivacious support. Currently, we have many needs related to our students being impacted by COVID-19, so if you would like to give back to the CSB, please visit csb.uncw.edu/development/giving.html.

The faculty, staff, alumni, and CEN volunteers in the CSB continue their focus on excellence in teaching, research and service, and you can read about some of our work in this edition. The Computer Information Systems Building was rededicated this year, and the CSB has implemented some 4+1 degree programs along with additional MBA concentrations in marketing and supply chain management. In addition, a CEN partnership between Liz Roesel (mentor) and Arianne Branch (mentee) has resulted in a marketing start-up that focuses on school nutritional programs. Our alumni continue to shine in the workforce, and we have a fantastic article on Darion Jeralds, who was recently named the Chief Diversity Officer for GE Hitachi. Finally, we recognize our MBA students who are on the front lines in the battle against the coronavirus while simultaneously working on their degrees.

Please take a moment and read about CSB initiatives, faculty innovations and fellow alumni accomplishments amid a challenging year. We are committed to making you proud of your alma mater through our faculty, staff, volunteer CEN mentors, our alumni, and our current students.

Go Seahawks!

Rob Burrus

ON THE COVER

2020 Congdon HallPhoto by Jeff Janowski/UNCW

CIS BUILDING RENAMED TO CONGDON HALL ..........................2

2020 FACULTY FELLOWSHIPS ......................................................3

INSIDER FOCUS: MASTERS OF SCIENCE IN FINANCE 4+1 PROGRAM .........................................................4

UNCW ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT: DARION JERALDS..........................6

MBA LEARNING ALLIANCE PIVOTS FOR COVID-19 ...................8

WORKING IN HEALTHCARE DURING COVID-19 .......................10

WELCOMING JOHN REED, SALES CENTER DIRECTOR ..........12

ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN A PANDEMIC: FROM CSB TO BUSINESS PARTNERS.......................................14

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK: FROM CRISIS TO OPPORTUNITY ......16

FACULTY AND STAFF UPDATES .................................................18

CSB MARKS OF DISTINCTION ...................................................20

NOTABLE PUBLICATIONS BY DEPARTMENT .............................21

@Cameron_School

UNCW Cameron School of Business

UNCW-Cameron School of Business

Rob BurrusDean

Dave GlewAssociate Dean, Undergraduate Programs

Nivine RichieAssociate Dean, Graduate Programs and External Programs

Richard WalshDirector, Swain Center for Executive Education & Economic Development

Editorial TeamLee Iapalucci, EditorLily Pezzullo-Frank, EditorJennifer Glatt, Editorial Director, OUR

Graphic Design Kyle Prey

PhotographyJeff Janowski

Contributors Nicole Carabelli Vince HoweLee Iapalucci Adam JonesLily Pezzullo-FrankJohn ReedRichard Walsh

We invite your comments and suggestions. Please send correspondence to the UNCW Cameron School of Business, Dean’s Office, 100 Cameron Hall, Wilmington, NC 28403-5920 or to Dean Rob Burrus at burrusr@uncw.edu.

UNC Wilmington is committed to and will provide equality of educational and employment opportunity. Questions regarding program access may be directed to the Compliance Officer, UNCW Chancellor’s Office, 910.962.3000, fax 910.962.3483. Questions regarding UNCW’s Title IX compliance should be direction to TitleIX@uncw.edu. 18,800 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $13,621.25or $1.38 per copy. (G.S.143-170.1)

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In December 2018, the University of North Carolina Wilmington received a $10 million gift commitment from alumnus David Congdon ’78, and his wife, Helen. This represents the largest outright gift commitment in university history; with it, UNCW will establish the David S. Congdon School of Supply Chain, Business Analytics and Information Systems.

This past year, the former Computer Information Systems Building, located on Chancellor’s Walk, was officially rededicated as David S. Congdon Hall and the School was officially named after a vote of the faculty senate and UNCW’s Board of Trustees. Congdon received an Honorary Doctorate in Business degree in recognition of exceptional contributions to his profession, to the community and to UNCW. During his career, he served as dockworker, truck driver, mechanic, industrial engineer, and CEO (including other executive positions) at Old Dominion Freight Line Inc., a company started by his grandparents in 1934.

The Congdons’ gift will have a substantial impact facilitating scholarships, making improvements to the new Congdon Hall, and furthering the CSB’s research agenda through distinguished

professorships. The building is currently undergoing renovations, which will include redesigned space for teaching and studying, staff and faculty office space, and a beautiful outdoor terrace overlooking UNCW’s clocktower. The gift will also support potential new programs in supply chain management (at the graduate level) and cybersecurity (at the undergraduate level) and several concentrations in the CSB’s online MBA program.

Congdon graduated from UNCW in 1978 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and was named the 2008 Cameron School of Business Alumnus of the Year. He attributes his desire to give back to his community from his humble beginnings and his parents. “My parents really ingrained in me, my two sisters and the next generations of the family the importance of philanthropy,” he said.

Despite the setbacks the COVID-19 pandemic has had on many global and local operations, the establishment of the David S. Congdon School of Supply Chain, Business Analytics, and Information Systems moves forward. Welcome to Chancellor’s Walk, Mr. Congdon!

Computer Information Systems Building Renamed for Generous Donor

❦

ProfessorshiPs and faculty fellowshiPs

The most useful tool a university has for attracting and retaining top-notch faculty is through

awarding professorships and faculty fellowships. These awards further the research and service

footprint of the CSB and are only possible through the foresight and generosity of our donors.

Professorships are endowed while fellowships are funded on a year-by-year basis.

Please contact Dean Rob Burrus (burrusr@uncw.edu) if you are

interested in helping the CSB attract and retain our excellent faculty.

Dr. Susan Hermanson Cameron Distinguished

Professor of Accountancy

Dr. Tom Janicki Gordon C. Hurlbert

Duke Energy Distinguished Professor of Information Systems

Dr. Craig Galbraith Duke Energy/Betty Cameron Distinguished Professor of

Entrepreneurship

Dr. Allison Evans EY Faculty Fellow

in Accounting

Dr. Bill Kerler DHG Faculty Fellow

in Accounting

Dr. Lorraine Lee DHG Faculty Fellow

in Accounting

Dr. Drew Rosen Gordon Hulbert Faculty Fellow

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The online Master of Science in Finance (MSF) program is the only master’s degree of its kind offered in North Carolina. It is designed for the convenience of working professionals with six starting points annually; 30 credit hours that can be completed in as few as 12 months while studying from home on a preferred schedule. All courses in the MSF program are offered online over a seven-week accelerated term. These courses are designed to prepare students to take the CFA exam following their completion of the program. The MSF gives students the opportunity to develop advanced expertise and prepare for prestigious positions in financial management, investment banking or investment management.

Although the 4+1 program is still new, Dennis King, a student who recently joined the program, shared that he decided to enroll to get an early start on his post-graduate studies. He said the program allows students to get a sample of what the MSF program has to offer and decide if the program will be a good fit.

“Once accepted to the MSF program, an added benefit is the time and money saved from completing six hours of the program as an undergraduate,” said King.

Some students choose the MSF program with the goal of taking the CFA exam.

“The MSF program follows the CFA curriculum very closely and will help me through the CFA journey,” said Odin Beveridge, a current MSF student. “With that in mind, I also knew having a Master of Finance will help set me apart in the current business landscape.” Having completed more than 75 percent of the courses in the MSF program, Beveridge said he was even more assured of the decision to pursue this degree. “The workload is fair, and the contents are rich in details and explanations. Each course has been manageable while working full-time and has still allowed plenty of time for hobbies, vacations, etc. Many of my bosses in the finance industry in Charlotte, NC, have asked about the program and agree it will be a great benefit to a long and promising life in the business world.”

UNCW’s MSF program is recognized by the CFA Institute, which is the gold standard of designations in the world of finance. This designation is very important to students considering their choices finance education

When deciding on a graduate school, Ryan Sigmon had three main criteria for selecting a business school. First, it had to be a CFA-recognized program. Second, the program cost was certainly a consideration. He found UNCW’s tuition to be affordable. Lastly, it needed to be

Starting in the spring of 2020, the Cameron School of Business expanded its graduate program listings to include 4+1 programs in economics, finance and business analytics. The benefit of these programs is that they allow students to begin their master’s degrees while simultaneously completing their bachelor’s degrees. This enables students to save time and enter the workforce with two degrees more quickly than if they complete the two degrees separately. Following this accelerated educational path raises the skill level so graduates can succeed in postgraduate positions.

Insider Focus:

Masters of Science in Finance 4+1 Program By Nicole Carabelli

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Economics Finance Computer Science Business Analytics

accessible. He needed a program that was online and moved at a reasonable pace so he could maintain a work-life-school balance.

In the end, UNCW’s MSF program was my top choice, meeting all of these criteria perfectly.” Sigmon shared.

Along with AACSB accreditation, students often point to their faculty as the highlights of their educational experiences.

Ryan Gavorsky, a recent MSF graduate, was able to complete the program with a 4.0 GPA and glean many valuable networking connections thanks to Nivine Richie, Teresa Walker and Candace Wilhelm. He says that recommendations from these professors have been invaluable.

“During my undergrad I went to three universities and four campuses in total, and even though this MSF program was online, the faculty and staff at UNCW were the most accommodating, friendly and helpful by far,” he said. Gavorsky has secured a job with PPD as an operations finance analyst.

The 4+1 program in Finance is only one example of these kinds of programs offered at UNCW. The Cameron School of Business also offers this in the fields of business analytics, computer science and economics. For more information about a the 4+1 programs, visit uncw.edu/csb.

The Cameron School of Business is delighted by the successes of these students and alumni. Our new programs are just some of the ways we demonstrate our commitment to our students and ensure distinctiveness. Join our CSB family. For more details, contact MSF Director William

Sackley at sackleyw@uncw.edu.

New Graduate Programs Fall 2020MBA/M.S. Business Analytics dual graduate degree

M.S. in Computer Science Information Systems

MBA/M.S. Finance & Investment Management dual graduate degree

MBA Specialization in Marketing

MBA Specialization in Supply Chain Management

MSBA/B.S. Business Administration, Business Analytics concentration 4+1

MSF/B.S. Business Administration, Finance concentration 4+1

MSF/B.S. Business Administration, Economics concentration 4+1

Insider Focus:

Masters of Science in Finance 4+1 Program By Nicole Carabelli

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Alumni Highlight: Darion Jeralds ’10, ’14M Senior Strategic Sourcing Leader and Chief Diversity Officer for GE Hitachi

Darion Jeralds’ UNCW experience prepared him for a smooth transition into the corporate world. His career path started with a class in business operations. After the final project, his professor invited Jeralds to interview for an internship with GE. The internship led to an entry-level opportunity.

Jeralds graduated cum laude from UNCW as the Outstanding Graduate for Operations Management in 2010. While at UNCW, he was a captain of the Men’s Basketball team and was honored as the CAA Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2009. After graduation, he was hired as a Sourcing Specialist for GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas. In May 2014, he earned an MBA from UNCW and was promoted to

Commercial Sourcing Program Leader and was recognized with the JJ Murphy Extra Step Award, a prestigious honor presented to GE leaders who demonstrate substantive effort in utilizing small and diverse businesses in the U.S. He then went on to join the GE Advanced Supply Chain program and graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a second master’s degree in 2017.

Jeralds was promoted in April 2020, this time to Senior Strategic Sourcing Leader, leading a seasoned team of sourcing professionals responsible for managing the commercial relationship with suppliers to optimize direct material cost and inventory. In July 2020, Jeralds was

“It takes everyone, working together and with compassion for each other, to make our community a better place.”

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named the Chief Diversity Officer for GE Hitachi. In this role, he is responsible for driving the culture of diversity, equity and inclusion across the organization.

“I didn’t see the Chief Diversity Officer role coming,” Jeralds reflected, when asked how he managed to pull off two incredible promotions just months apart. “After the George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Brianna Taylor incidents this year, I reached out to the CEO to inquire about ways that our business can get involved and make a positive impact.”

Now, Jeralds leads inclusion and diversity initiatives within GE while also maintaining his role as the Senior Strategic Sourcing Leader. This dual responsibility enables him to become part of the change that he wishes to see within GE while maintaining the perspective of the day-to-day operations and decisions that his colleagues and other managers need to prioritize.

As research continues to show, diverse teams perform better, and this performance correlates with a company’s bottom line. “Diversity is reflected in the numbers of representation for underrepresented groups,” he said. “Inclusion is in creating the environment where employees feel respected, accepted and that they belong.”

How does he intend to measure success in both numbers and environment? Jeralds leaned into his business training to bring these ideas to life. His strategy in creating a more diverse and inclusive GE Hitachi community starts with a four-pillar strategy based on culture, employee resource groups, partnerships, and development. So that GE Hitachi’s workforce reflects the community in which it operates, the company plans to actively seek, train, develop, and support diverse talent. Ultimately, he and his colleagues are working to find ways to metricize each of these pillars and then tie them into GE Hitachi’s larger strategic goals and objectives. “Customers are looking for businesses to offer different ideas and innovative solutions,” he said. “We are focused on building a culture that allows us to recruit, retain and promote the brightest talent from diverse backgrounds.”

Jeralds reflected on his time in the Cameron School of Business at UNCW, both as an undergraduate and an MBA alum: “My experience very directly reflects my supply chain role – all of the classes and professors presented real-world material. Every internship helped augment the curriculum. The MBA program was essential in building leadership skills.”

He attributes his time at Cameron to his ability to advance his career so quickly. “My time as a student at UNCW provided me with the right tools to be successful and hit the ground running

at GE. I draw on those learnings and experiences to execute in every new opportunity.” Jeralds has finessed blending practical business leadership skills with humanities to humbly draw on resources and bring about change.

Even his time in men’s basketball helped him prepare for this role. “Being on the team taught me how to have a strong work ethic, how to fully prepare and how to compete. I’ve brought all of these skills into my career, too.”

Jeralds is actively engaged in community-building as well, furthering his belief in strong connections and civic engagement. His community outreach activities include serving as a volunteer for United Way and coaching youth sports with Halo Hoops. He is a graduate of the Chamber of Commerce Leadership Wilmington Program and has led various community service projects in support of the annual Leadership Wilmington event. He currently serves on Board of Directors for the UNCW Alumni Association and the Seahawk Club, and returns to campus regularly to participate in events like CSB Business Week, Student-Athlete Etiquette Dinner and the Cape Fear Minority Enterprise Development Week. In 2017, he was named the UNCW Distinguished Young Alumnus of the Year.

Jerald’s balance of energy, passion and humility is what drives his success. Blending his dual roles in GE with his community engagement, Jeralds strives to encourage a universal culture that celebrates and expects diversity, equity and inclusion.

“It takes everyone, working together and with compassion for each other, to make our community a better place.”

Darion Jeralds ’10 receives the 2017 UNCW Distinguished Young Alumnus of the Year.

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MBA Learning Alliance Pivots for COVID-19In 2004, the Cameron School of Business implemented the Learning Alliance program to support MBA students in cross-functional decision making in a dynamic real-world environment. The program seeks to expose MBA student teams to the realities and complexities of business operations and to provide the client firm with MBA team assistance in developing value-added analyses and decisions relevant to the firm’s industry and business processes.

Over the last 15 years, the program has seen a series of evolutions; the program was originally designed as a “lockstep,” with each cohort taking two 2-hour courses every wight weeks in a typical semester. Students chose a local business and developed teams consisting of peers

within their cohort. The project was spread out over a year with components of the environmental analysis and growth and profit projects embedded in relevant courses, such as marketing, finance and management.

“Ultimately, we adapted the LA program due to changes in the program and desire of LA clients wanting results quicker than one year,” said Vince Howe, who has been a leading figure in overseeing the Learning Alliance since its inception. “The Small Business and Technology Development Center also became more involved as it became relevant to their state objective of helping businesses grow and create more employment. I was given an SBTDC grant 18 years ago to develop the program and set up the processes.”

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Today, Professional MBA faculty and SBTDC counselors work together to pair PMBA student teams with an SBTDC client seeking strategic guidance for growth and profitability. An SBTDC counselor and faculty advisor are then assigned to each MBA team and SBTDC client to provide guidance throughout the process. The LA project begins with Dr. Porter’s class, where each team has to prepare an environmental analysis of their client, including customers, competitors, industry and macro-environmental trends – information that any quality consultant would need to prepare strategic recommendations.

This year, during the COVID-19 pandemic, UNCW saw the Professional MBA program, which traditionally meets once per week in the classroom, move completely online to accommodate for state- and university-mandated health and safety precautions. This ultimately affected the way the cohort interacted with the businesses participating in the Learning Alliance project. Team and client meetings and presentations, which typically would have happened at the client’s business, pivoted to online modalities, namely Zoom, Microsoft Teams and e-mail. The LA teams rarely had to opportunity to work on client objectives face-to-face, and were creative in developing solutions to maintain the standards, integrity and expectations of the program despite the obvious challenges. One group found a hybrid solution, meeting once to twice per week for an hour or two at a time on Zoom, while simultaneously working within Microsoft Teams to asynchronously create and share content.

“Across the board this year produced some of the best G&P papers and presentations I have seen in 16 years,” Howe said.

Diane Lantz, SBTDC business counselor, echoed Howe’s sentiments. “I was really impressed with the quality of the teams this year. The MBA Learning Alliance provides a great opportunity for SBTDC clients to work with a group of professional MBA students and focus on a specific challenge, idea or issue that they don’t have the bandwidth or knowledge to work on without assistance. It provides a valuable experience for both the business and the students to solve a real-time business issue with a fresh perspective.”

Heather McWhorter, SBTDC regional director, noted that connecting student learning and success with mutually beneficial community-based project differentiates ‘good’ academic programs from ‘great’ academic programs. “I am proud to be a part of the Learning Alliance to connect small business owners with Professional MBA student teams so they can learn from and help each other. Students, entrepreneurs and the community benefit. It’s a win-win-win.”

The businesses that participated this summer feel similarly. While the details of the work presented to Carolina Beach Family Dentistry are still currently covered under protections, the client was thrilled with the final presentations delivered by their assigned team. “It was so evident how hard the team worked and how they poured their heart and soul into this project. Their professionalism was proven by diligence and attention to detail.” This team ultimately won the bragging rights for the “Most Value Added Award,” bringing a fully supported Growth and Profit presentation, comprised of invaluable insight, strong goals, and supportive metrics for the business to consider.

Students from the program reflected on the program’s objectives, and how it has aided in their application of course material. The Learning Alliance gave me a hands- on experience working and consulting with a local nonprofit organization. It also gave me the necessary tools to navigate and work together as a team to achieve our goal in successfully helping our client,” said Tara Webb-Dempsey, PMBA student. “The Learning Alliance was helpful by allowing me the experience to work with a local business toward improving their current processes by identifying gaps, developing strategies and providing an overall consulting approach to help them work towards meeting their growth goals,” said PMBA student Laura Smith. “I learned more about the challenges local business face in the Wilmington market, nonprofits in particular. By researching different approaches to overcome these challenges, I have some great knowledge to share in my future endeavors.”

“The hands-on, practical experience offered by the Learning Alliance was invaluable,” echoed student Sean Miers. “It gave our group the ability to apply the knowledge learned in the classroom into a real-world environment that was beneficial to us and the client. This part of the MBA experience is the one

that has left me with the most impactful learnings.”

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Sara Kesler, External Programs

With the United States nearing 9.5 million cases of confirmed COVID-19 as of early November, the pandemic has affected Seahawks near and far, particularly those working in the health care industry. CSB graduate students in the medical profession are on the front line in this fight against COVID-19, and their story is one of sacrifice and hard work as they have adapted to new regulations, new risks and even new attire. As they juggle graduate courses in our MBA program, grueling work requirements and family responsibilities, we are grateful for their dedication. Theresa Beavan O’Leary, Registered Nurse and MBA student, works in the intensive care unit in a hospital that

cares strictly for the patients who are COVID-19-positive. Since March, her routine has been different than usual.

“I have extended my work day to arrive to work 20 minutes early to change into hospital-provided scrubs and a surgical gown, then put on a CAPAR, which includes a helmet contraption attached to a battery pack that provides continuous air through a filter. Several times during my twelve-hour shift I also have to go to a “doffing station,” where a person assists me in removing my gear and ensuring safe decontamination practices are met. Another 30 minutes has been added to the end of my workday to change out of my hospital scrubs.”

MBA Students Continue Health Care Work Despite Coronavirus

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COVID-19 is a larger threat to those who are considered a high-risk patient due to age or pre-existing conditions. Melissa Hale, OTR/L and MBA student, works in the occupational therapy sector.

“Senior living communities are limiting visitors into their centers and so our operational leadership has had to adapt to a remote support structure while our front-line clinicians are still in the communities delivering essential care,” Hale said.

Not only has the virus affected physical health, it has also taken its toll on the general public’s mental health.

“An incredibly challenging part of my work has been witnessing the psychological impacts of isolation during the height of social-distancing,” said Christine Cooper, Psy.D. supervisory psychologist and MBA student. “Without the ability to attend in-person recovery support groups, walk downtown and view smiling faces, or be able to visit loved ones, many who are living with substance use disorders or mental health challenges experienced a resurgence of symptoms. These impacts were compounded by the loss of purpose many felt from being unable to work.”

All industries have been required to adapt and find new ways to connect. Utilizing technology and video conferencing has allowed for that lost human interaction to be regained. “This sadness of watching those become psychologically impacted by social isolation was balanced against the hope I experienced as I witnessed people of all ages using technology to video-

conference for the first time, and seeing the joy as group members were able to see each other’s faces and connect through telehealth groups,” Cooper shared.

Intensive care hospitals have adapted to allow patients to interact with their families in a more personal way once visitation was no longer an option. “We have an emergency ICU at a satellite location staffed by doctors and nurses that has a camera system, which we normally use to help us closely monitor patients when a physician isn’t at the bedside. We have been able to use that camera system to have families “camera in” to see their loved ones. Even patients on life support can see, or at the very least hear their families talking to them. It has been amazing to use this technology that we’ve had for years in a new way that brings such comfort to the patients and families during this very challenging time,” O’Leary shared.

Regardless of the heightened demands required of these MBA students by their employment, they have still been able to balance their class requirements.

“The online MBA program at UNCW is so flexible that it allows me to complete my courses daily and weekly as my work schedule fluctuates. It’s one of the things that I love about the program; you don’t have to give up your career to further your education,” said Hale. The MBA program allows for flexibility for students to take time off when needed, and to double up on classes when possible. Advisors work with the students to determine their best schedule.

Maintaining the balance of working full-time and completing an MBA program allows for an enhanced educational journey.

“My education will provide me with the insight to help problem solve in ways I didn’t know existed before I started this journey, especially when it comes to technology in the business world,” O’Leary said. “I have become very interested in data analysis. It is going to be a game-changer for everyone as to how we will be able to maintain a thriving health care industry with restrictions on things like the amount of elective surgeries taking place in hospitals that were major income for this industry. With my MBA, I will be better prepared to offer creative guidance and insight into finding new ways to tackle challenges that the health care industry is about to face.”

Many in the health care industry view it as a wildly rewarding field. “There is no other field that allows you to positively impact a person’s life as healthcare does. It’s a privilege to provide services to those in need,” said Hale. “This industry is always changing and my education has shown me that will only continue. Embrace the change and remember your unique value and you will go far in helping others be their healthiest!”

1. Melissa Hale OTR/L

2. Christine Cooper Psy.D. Supervisory Psychologist

3. Theresa O’Leary Registered Nurse

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CSB Welcomes: New Director of the Center for Sales Excellence and Customer Delight

John Reed recently joined CSB as the new director of the Center for Sales Excellence and Customer Delight. John comes to us from the University of New Mexico where he spent the last six years teaching a range of marketing courses, including Professional Sales and Sales Management. He also served as director for the school’s Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative.

Reed spent 30+ years in the corporate world before beginning a second career in teaching. Much of this time was devoted to selling and providing consulting services, both domestically and internationally. Among his more recognized clients were the Walt Disney Company, Lenox China, Mattel, Brown-Forman, Hasbro, Ross-Simons Jewelers, Time-Life, The Southwest Company, Columbia House, K&D Bond (Australia), MDM (Germany and France) and Compton & Woodhouse (UK).

Reed’s goal as director of the CSECD is to continue to build on the momentum established by Vince Howe, including continuing recruitment of new sales center partners and working to engage them in CSB activities. Increasing and expanding corporate recruitment of sales and marketing students is a key goal. Marketing and sales students will participate in a range of internal and external sales competitions, and the center will work to expand its roles with the University Sales Center Alliance, the Sales Education Foundation and Pi Sigma Epsilon fraternity.

John P. Reed

Director, Center for Sales Excellence & Customer Delight

EDUCATION

Harvard Business School

University of Missouri

Washington University in St. Louis

AREAS OF INTEREST

Professional sales

Business ethics

Direct response marketing

WORK EXPERIENCE

Citicorp

MBI, Inc.

Reed Direct Marketing

University of New Mexico

POSITIONS HELD

President

VP of Marketing

Program Manager

Director, Daniels Fund

Ethics Initiative

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Providing students with the business

education they need to succeed.

Involved Executives • Global Opportunities • Career Success

International MBA Residencies

New Online Graduate Programs:MBA

Business AnalyticsFinance and Investment Management

Swain Center Executive Education Programs

UNCW is an EEO/AA institution. Questions regarding UNCW’s Title IX compliance should be directed to TitleIX@uncw.edu.

csb.uncw.edu • 910.962.3544

Entrepreneurship in a Pandemic: From Mentoring to Business Partners

In January 2020, Cameron Executive Network mentor and Cameron School of Business alumna Liz Roesel ’07 and CSB alumna Arianne Branch ’17 launched a new business, just weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic rocked the United States.

Headquartered in Wilmington, SEA Level Social offers marketing services for school district nutrition departments. SEA stands for “Serve, Engage, Attract.”

“While this industry may be stereotyped as ‘lunch ladies serving mystery meat,’ that could not be further from the truth,” said Roesel. “We help school nutrition programs educate their communities about what they bring to their district, and in turn, feed more students and fuel them for academic success.”

Roesel and Branch met at the Cameron School of Business through the Cameron Executive Network, a program that pairs CSB students with local business executives who serve as mentors to the students during their time in school. The two met at a mixer event and were “matched” as each other’s top choice. From there, the mentor/mentee relationship blossomed into a friendship and business partnership after Branch graduated from UNCW.

Arianne Branch ’17 and Liz Roesel ’07

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Roesel, who had been establishing a presence in the school nutrition industry for a decade prior, saw immediate potential in Branch. “Arianne stood out among the crowd by truly understanding what it meant to be a marketer,” she said. “Once she made the full-on leap into entrepreneurship with me, we decided moving forward as business partners that I would focus on the school nutrition side and she would focus on marketing strategies and trends.” CSB offered the opportunity to make our mentorship whatever we wanted, but it was up to us to continue the conversation after Arianne’s graduation, Roesel noted.

Branch credits CEN with providing exposure to some of the critical skills she relies on in her new position. “Networking is huge in our industry. I would never have thought networking would be so important, but it is.”

While starting a business together felt like a natural progression for the team, doing so at the onset of a global pandemic was not the intention. They quickly adapted to the challenges the school districts faced and began offering creative solutions to unprecedented needs. “We positioned SEA Level Social as a ‘valuable distraction’ while school districts scrambled to feed students outside of the cafeteria, and our fan base continues to grow,” Roesel explains. “We started creating video content, designing free marketing resources, hosted webinars for the national School Nutrition Association, and host weekly virtual meetups on Facebook Live to combat the fact that we can’t travel to network and generate leads.”

However, because school nutrition programs have lost more than $1 billion dollars nationwide, SEA Level Social is currently building a low-cost subscription marketing materials service.

“Just like the CEN, the school nutrition industry is a community of people who just want to help each other and support one another,” Branch reflects.

As the company grows, Roesel has already identified students she mentored that she wants to bring into SEA Level Social. “We cannot wait for the day that we can create internship and job opportunities for fellow CSB alumni while helping school nutrition programs feed more children.”

For more information about SEA Level Social, visit sealevelsocial.com.

Serve, Engage, Attract.

“Just like the CEN, the school nutrition industry is a community of people who just want to help each other and support one another.”

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From Crisis to OpportunityMore than 350 business leaders gathered on Oct. 8 for CSB’s Economic Outlook Conference to hear from four experts on the impact of the pandemic, the economic outlook, and

the leadership needed to move “From Crisis to Opportunity.” This year’s conference was offered entirely online by the Cameron School of Business and the Swain Center for Executive Education and Economic Development.

CSB’s Dean Rob Burrus, along with Natalie English, CEO of the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, and Richard Walsh, director of the Swain Center, highlighted the power in building strategic partnerships between community, business and education.

Walsh shared the results from a six-month study that drove this year’s overall theme. Since the start of the pandemic, the Swain Center has interviewed more than 100 business and community leaders, inquiring about how they are leading their organizations. The results were organized into three main strategies for growth: respond, adapt, create.

“Leaders recognize that these changes are systemic, and require great focus, willingness to adapt and courage to lead in new ways,” said Walsh.

Lauren Sanfilippo, vice president and marketing strategy analyst for Bank of America, provided a global perspective on the pandemic’s effect on business.

Adam Jones, the Swain Center’s regional economist and Cameron’s Economics and Finance department chair, provided the national and regional economic outlook.

“This time last year, the U.S. market was strong with a 2.4% GDP growth and 3.6% unemployment. During the shutdown, purchases declined, while unemployment claims rose. The Fed moved quickly, and along with the federal stimulus gave way to new levels of savings, increased liquidity, and purchases of goods exceeding pre-pandemic levels,” he said.

For next year, Dr. Jones anticipates a more positive economic outlook. That, of course, is heavily dependent on public health. “National recovery will continue, just at a slower rate than the second half of this year. Our regional recovery will lag slightly due to our dependence on seasonal services. Savings rate is high with account balances elevated, but goods purchases may decline as services pick up. Further, savings levels are driven largely by those

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with existing savings, and increases in inflation may cause ongoing supply chain disruptions.”

Abigail Dunne-Moses, Global Director at the Center for Creative Leadership, shared how leaders can re-engage their employees. Dunne-Moses challenged leaders on how they responded during the pandemic and outlined three areas where leaders can bring about growth. “First, leaders must find new ways to engage and relate to others. Second, encourage an environment of inclusion. Lastly, inspire others to act and take risks.”

Walsh introduced an online leadership series planned for early 2021. The Leadership Agility Series is designed to help leaders analyze the full impact of the pandemic on their business, assessing their organization’s response and creating a strong path forward.

For more information on the Economic Outlook Conference or the Leadership Agility Series, visit uncw.edu/swain/outlook.

This year’s Economic Outlook Conference was held in collaboration with Minority Enterprise Development Week.

Speakers

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Richard Walsh Director, Swain

Center

Lauren Sanfilippo Vice President and Marketing

Strategy Analyst, Bank of America

Dr. Adam Jones Regional Economist Department Chair for Economics and Finance, Cameron School of Business

Abigail Dunne-Moses Global Director,

Center for Creative Leadership

Rebecca Guidice Promoted to Full Professor of Management

Guidice currently serves as the Director of the Executive and Professional MBA Programs. She joined the faculty in 2011 to teach graduate and undergraduate courses in strategy, strategic leadership

and organizational change. Her research has been published in top journals such as the Journal of Management, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Service Theory & Practice, Asia Pacific Journal of Management, and the Journal of Business Ethics. Dr. Guidice has also served on the faculty at UNLV and Ole Miss and is a Global Scholar in Kennesaw State University’s Ph.D. program. Before joining academia, Dr. Guidice held management positions in private companies in Honolulu, HI, and Spokane, WA. Her most cherished title is mom to a wonderful 20-year-old son.

Victoria Hansen Associate Professor of Accounting

Hansen was promoted to a tenured faculty position this year. Lorraine Lee Promoted to Full Professor of Accounting.

Lee is currently the director of the MSA program and is a DHG Faculty Fellow in the Department of Accountancy and Business Law. She joined the faculty in 2008 and has taught classes in IT audit,

databases and accounting analytics. Her research interests include accounting information systems and the impact of emerging technologies in accounting. Her work has appeared in various journals, including Accounting, Organizations and Society, Journal of Information Systems, and Behavioral Research in Accounting. She is currently an associate editor for the AIS Educators Journal.

Mondo Billingslea Instructor, Marketing

Billingslea received his MBA and undergraduate degree in marketing from UNCW. He is a pharmaceutical sales representative with AstraZeneca and also has a real estate business.

Avinash Geda Assistant Professor of Business Analytics

Geda holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration (information systems and operations management major) from the University of Florida. He also holds a master’s in civil transportation engineering and bachelor’s in civil

engineering. His current research interests mainly include areas of sustainability and multi-channel retail. His research has appeared in journals such as Journal of Cleaner Production; Resources, Conservation & Recycling; and International Journal of Production Research.

John Gironda Assistant Professor of Marketing

Gironda earned his Ph.D. in marketing from Florida Atlantic University and taught at Nova Southeastern University before coming to UNCW. He is a native of North Carolina from Southern Pines, and completed his MBA and bachelor’s from

East Carolina University.

Kevin Hale Assistant Professor of Accounting

Hale obtained his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from East Carolina University. He oversaw the financial reporting for ECU Athletics and their athletic foundation for a number of years before moving on to obtain his Ph.D. from Virginia Tech. Kevin

and his wife, Shalin, are eager to explore all that Wilmington has to offer with their two-year-old, Laurel.

Alexandra Krallman Assistant Professor of Marketing

Krallman earned her Ph.D. in marketing from Mississippi State and taught at the University of Alabama Birmingham before coming to UNCW. She frequently completes research with Don Barnes and Mark Pelletier.

Kevin Matthews Assistant Professor of Information Systems

Matthews received an MSCSIS degree from UNCW and taught as a lecturer at UNCW before pursuing his Ph.D. in management information systems from Clemson University. He has also

owned and operated his own web development firm where he developed custom sites and systems for businesses in the Fayetteville and Wilmington areas. Kevin’s research interests include technology’s effects on social inclusion and the digital divide, how revealing personal opinions on social media affects organizational decisions such as hiring and promotion, and other topics that deal with the various intersections of people, businesses and technology.

John Reed Director of Center for Sales Excellence & Customer Delight

Reed earned his MBA from Harvard University. He comes to us from the University of New Mexico where he spent the last six years teaching a range of marketing courses, including professional

sales and sales management. He also served as director for the school’s Daniels Fund Ethics Initiatives. John spent 30+ years in the corporate world before beginning a second career in teaching. Much of this time was devoted to selling and providing consulting services, both domestically and internationally.

Elsy Salkis Garlough Instructor, Marketing

Garlough received her MSBA and undergraduate degrees from American University of Science & Technology in Beirut, Lebanon. She is currently working on her DBA at Geneva Business Schoolin Switzerland.

Joshua Sears Assistant Professor of Management

Sears earned his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois, his MBA from the Asian Institute of Technology, and his undergraduate degree at Indiana University. His article “Alleviating Concerns of Misappropriations in CorporateVenture

Capital: Creating Credible Commitments and Calculative Trust,” was just published in Strategic Organization.

Yao Shi Assistant Professor of Management Information Systems

Shi received his Ph.D. degree in business administration with a concentration in business information and technology from the University of Memphis. He has MBA degrees from Missouri State

University and Beijing Normal University and a BBA degree in accounting from China University of Geosciences. He has taught several courses such as Foundations of Information Systems; Critical Thinking in Using Business Analytics; System Analysis Methods; and IS Strategy (capstone). His studies have been published in the Journal of Database Management, AMCIS, and ISSRE. He is a member of AIS.

Geoff Stoker Assistant Professor of Information Systems

Stoker is moving to the Congdon School from the UNCW Department of Computer Science, where he has been a lecturer since 2017. He holds a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of

Maryland (College Park). His specialty area is cybersecurity.

Elizabeth Struckell Lecturer, Management

Struckell is a UNC Wilmington graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in History and pre-law. She received her MBA from UNC Chapel Hill and then worked for PepsiCo for 25 years as a senior vice president of business development. Elizabeth earned

her Ph.D. in Management from the University of North Texas.

Yu Wang Assistant Professor of Supply Chain Management

Wang received his Ph.D. in operations management and decision sciences from Kelley School of Business at Indiana University Bloomington. His research interests center on the tradeoffs between

capacity, service quality and service accessibility in the healthcare industry with the goal of enhancing patient access to care and quality of care. More specifically, his research focuses on the identification and analysis of

FACULTY ADDITIONS:FACULTY UPDATES:

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relevant healthcare operational problems in two streams: demand management and capacity planning for emergency service disruptions such as mass-casualty incidents and workload management for hospital operations.

Angela Almozara Student Success Advisor for Graduate Programs

Almozara received her undergraduate degree in elementary education and master’s degree in higher education from UNCW. She has worked in higher education for three years and enjoys

helping students reach their academic and professional goals.

Katie Burgess Administrative Associate in the Congdon School

Burgess joined the CSB team in September 2019. She came from a background in animal healthcare and served in the veterinary field for nine years. Since transitioning to her position

at the university, Katie has been grateful for the opportunity to become a student and further her education. When she’s not on campus or focused on schoolwork, she enjoys anything that involves cleaning or organization, spending time outdoors with her plants and pets, as well as learning about botany.

James Chestnut PTAC Advisor for SBTDC

Chestnut is a government procurement and VA verification business Ccounselor for the Procurement Technical Assistance Center with UNCW’s Small Business & Technology Development Center. Prior to PTAC, James served for 21 years as

a senior contracting officer with the federal government. He holds a master of science specializing in procurement and acquisition from the University of Maryland University College. As an adjunct assistant professor for UMUC, he taught Introduction to Federal Contracting in their undergraduate program.

Chris Fortunato Undergraduate Academic Advisor

Prior to coming to UNCW, Fortunato was an advisor for five years. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA, where he is from originally. He studied Christian ethics at Duke University,

where he completed his master of arts.

Denise Gogarty International Administrative Specialist

Gogarty joins us from the UK, where she managed the Oxford University alumni educational travel program. She has years of experience administrating international study travel programs and has worked with institutions ranging

from the American Museum of Natural History to the BBC. She has worked and traveled extensively in Asia and was involved in planning some of the first educational travel programs to Mongolia. Denise holds a master’s in computer science from Trinity College Dublin and an MBA from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business.

Leslie Holdsworth Director of Development for Major Gifts

Holdsworth brings more than 20 years of fundraising experience, having most recently served as Director of Development for Durham Academy in Durham, NC, since 2003. In her tenure

there she led three comprehensive campaigns, raising more than $30 million for campus improvements and endowment. She also launched the school’s first major gifts program and nearly tripled the annual fund. Leslie finds it an honor to connect with alumni and community supporters to help provide the philanthropic dollars Cameron needs to continue to be a leading business school.

Lee Iapalucci Web Developer/ Digital Marketing Coordinator

l Iapalucci graduated from UNCW in 2018 with a concentration in marketing strategy and a minor in Spanish. He is originally from Raleigh, NC, and has a background in hospitality management

and marketing. He enjoys pursuing photography and videography as a hobby and freelance work on the side.

Sara Kesler Assistant Director of Student

Professional Development

Sara Kesler joined the CSB staff in 2014. She began her work in post-secondary education in the CSB External Programs Office, working closely with the Cameron Executive Network and Business Week.

Prior to working in UNCW’s Cameron School of Business, she worked as the recruitment manager for Home Instead Senior Care and as an elementary school teacher. She received both her undergraduate degree and MBA from UNCW.

Emma Maynard Student Success Advisor for Graduate Programs

Maynard studied at James Madison University earning her B.S. in sociology. She worked for four years at Rosetta Stone before returning to her alma mater to build a career in higher education. She

spent her first four years working in the Division of Student Affairs for the University Career Center, while also earning her M.S. in adult education/human resource development. Shortly afterwards, she made the transition to the Division for University Advancement where she worked in the Office of Alumni Relations. She joined UNCW in January 2020.

Paige O’Neill International Business Development Consultant, SBTDC

With more than 20 years of international business development experience, O’Neill specializes in helping businesses expand their presence in the global marketplace. She guides U.S. companies

in strategic market development, financial analysis and managing international channels of distribution. As their trusted advisor, she helps client-companies evaluate their global readiness and/or sustain their global success, analyze foreign markets for international distribution of products and services, develop an export plan or export marketing

plan to maximize resources; and evaluate their financial performance and trade finance options. Paige lived overseas for 15 years in Asia Pacific, Australia and Canada, where she focused on large-scale strategic projects. She embodies a unique skillset across business strategy, venture capital and technology strategy. Her global expertise includes strategic business development, business and technology acquisitions, strategic planning, and cultural integration. Paige attended Western Connecticut State University and graduated with a BBA/MIS degree and also earned an BA from Duke University.

Lily Pezzullo-Frank Coordinator of External Programs and Communications

Formerly the director of events for a golf club in Ocean Isle Beach, Pezzullo-Frank spent two years in the local hospitality and wedding industries. Prior to that, she served as a writing center leader at

Mount St. Mary College. Lily joined UNCW in 2018 as an administrator for the University Learning Center. She works now as the Cameron School of Business coordinator of external programs and communications, organizing events along with internal and external marketing for the Cameron School of Business and serving as the administrator for the Cameron Executive Network. Laura Solt

Executive Assistant to the Associate Dean for Graduate Programs

Solt joined us in December 2019 as the executive assistant to Dean Nivine Richie. She is originally from Hershey, PA, and previously worked at Penn State College of Medicine as the assistant

director for medical education. She has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Penn State University and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in conflict management and resolution at UNCW.

Morgan Spence Student Success Advisor for Graduate Online Accelerated Programs

Spence received her undergraduate degree in English from the University of West Alabama and her graduate degree in professional studies from the University of North Alabama. She has worked in

higher education for eight years and enjoys helping students reach their educational and professional goals.

STAFF ADDITIONS:

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Marks of Distinction The Cameron School of Business is recognized by major publications and organizations for its innovative,high-quality programs year after year.

2020CSB is ranked a “Top 100 Sales University in the Country” on the Sales Education Foundation List

#59 on Poets and Quants’ 2020 Best Business Schools List

U.S. News and World Report Best Graduate Schools in the Nation List (Professional MBA)

#9 on Get Educated’s “57 Most Affordable Online MBA Business Analytics Programs” List (MBA/Business Analytics)

#11 on BestMasterPrograms.org’s “Top 25 Online Executive MBA for 2020” List

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Journal of Service

Management

The Journal of Technology

Transfer

Notable Publications

BY DEPARTMENT

Macroeconomic Dynamics

Accounting and

Business Law

Journal of Forensic and Investigative Accounting

Journal of the American

Taxation Association

Internal Auditing

Finance and

Economics

Business Analytics,

Information Systems and Supply Chain Management

Marketing

Energy Economics

Journal of Financial Research

Psychology and Marketing

Marketing

Journal of Business Research

Marketing Intelligence

and Planning

Journal of Marketing

Theory

Journal for Advancement of Marketing

ManagementIEEE

Transactions on Engineering Management

Journal of Business Venturing

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UNIVERSITY of NORTH CAROLINA WILMINGTON

Nonprofit OrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDWilmington, NCPermit No. 444

2020 EDITION

2020’S NEW Graduate Programs

MBA/M.S. Business Analytics dual graduate degree

M.S. in Computer Science Information Systems

MBA/M.S. Finance & Investment Management dual graduate degree

MBA Specialization in Marketing

MBA Specialization in Supply Chain Management

MSBA/B.S. Business Administration, Business Analytics concentration 4+1

MSF/B.S. Business Administration, Finance concentration 4+1

MSF/B.S. Business Administration, Economics concentration 4+1

Stay connected to your fellow Seahawks!  Don’t miss out on upcoming alumni events. View upcoming alumni events here: alumni.uncw.edu/calendar

csb.uncw.edu/grad