Indicator Magazine

Spring/Summer 2010

California State University, FullertonMihaylo College of Business and Economics

Southland Sensation Mark Manguera ’02 and Kogi barbecue take Twitter and taco trucks to the street.

Is Your Company on Facebook? Zack Swire ‘03 and his agency are shepherding companies through the social media frontier.

Mark Manguera ’02

As the largest business school in California, Mihaylo College shapes the business landscape with our more than 50,000 graduates and hundreds of business partners in Southern California. The generous support of our alumni, businesses and friends is of critical importance in our ability to sustain this impressive performance. Let me share with you four initiatives that would greatly benefit from your support: We have created a new Center for Leadership, and we are developing outreach and executive education programs in leadership, which has always been an important part of our curriculum. The center will showcase the talent and resources that are available to the community and our students, and it will provide services to area businesses.

Entertainment and tourism are big and growing businesses in Southern California providing rich and diverse career opportunities for our graduates. Our new Entertainment and Tourism Business Center and these fields of study have been met with an enthusiastic response from our students. We have made extensive contacts within these industries and are pleased with the sponsorships received, and we continue to work on funding this important program.

California’s fiscal problems are well known, and the college has been particularly impacted by budget cuts. As a Cal State University, we cater to a diverse group of students. Mihaylo College’s Tutoring Center, which is in dire need of funds, makes an education possible for students who might otherwise have fallen through the cracks, especially those students who are disadvantaged.

Southern California’s cost of living has always presented a challenge in hiring and retaining faculty for public universities in the region. However, with the support of private funding, we will continue to bring stellar faculty members to Mihaylo College and expand the reputation we’ve earned as one of California’s pre-eminent business schools.

One of the most pleasing aspects of my job is hearing from former students, from area business leaders and from the college’s great network of friends. We get some of our best ideas from you, so please be in touch.

Anil Puri, DeanMihaylo College of Business and EconomicsCalifornia State University, Fullerton

the IndICaTor® Magazine

Editor-in-chief Kathleen Drake

Executive EditorLaurie McLaughlin

Contributing Writers Gerry GrantTerry GrantPam McLarenLaurie McLaughlinAnn ShepphirdGeri Silveira

Graphic design Brenda Buffalin; Bb’s Creative LLC

Photography Steve Anderson PhotographyChrista ConnellyJeanine Hill PhotographyLeb Orloff Eric Shin

Mihaylo Collegedean Anil [email protected]

associate deanMohsen Sharifi, Administration [email protected]

assistant deansRobert Miyake, Academic [email protected]

Emeline Yong, Student [email protected]

Senior director, developmentMichele [email protected]

Executive director, alumni relationsDianna [email protected]

Marketing SpecialistKathleen [email protected]

Mihaylo College of Business and EconomicsSteven G. Mihaylo Hall, Suite 3100California State University, FullertonP.O. Box 6848Fullerton, CA 92834-6848Phone: 657-278-4652E-mail: [email protected]: business.fullerton.edu

D e a n ’ s M e s s a g e

Your support is Part of Our strategy

Spring/Summer 2010 the IndIcator 1

t a b l e O f C O n t e n t s

10

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Kogi taco trucks stay on the move by tweeting their daily locations. Full story on page 4.

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News Briefs Current news, notes and accomplishments

Cover Story: Tweet it, Park It, and They Will Come: Mark Manguera ’02 creates a sensation – in both the culinary and social media worlds – with his moveable feast.

Leaders in Business Respected business leaders share their expertise with Mihaylo College

Centers of Excellence Bridging academia and the corporate world, the centers provide support and knowledge to both students and business

In the Classroom Mihaylo College offers valuable new programs for students

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Faculty News Prestigious honors for professors

Students in Action The best and brightest pursue excellence in business education

Donors Support for Mihaylo College’s Student Tutoring Center

Alumni Profiles and updates for Mihaylo’s successful alumni

Events Showcasing Mihaylo College’s activities and opportunities

An MBA in Entrepreneurship

is about nurturing the creative

spirit. In addition to spurring the

imagination, the Mihaylo MBA

offers the tools to build new

ventures and to create innovative

solutions in medium to large

firms. Students receive the help

of seasoned, industry-savvy

faculty, enjoy interaction

with the business community

through real-world consulting

projects, and benefit from the

stimulation of fellow students

who share similar dreams.

Spring/Summer 2010 the IndICaTor®

2 the IndIcator Spring/Summer 2010

Mihaylo College Dean is One of O.C.’s Hot 25Honored for making the new $87.5 million Steven G. Mihaylo Hall – home to Mihaylo College of Business and Economics – a reality and lauded for his record in presenting the college’s annual economic forecasts on the county and region, Dean Anil Puri has been named among OC Metro magazine’s “best and brightest”

professionals in its “Hot 25 Platinum” list in celebration of the publication’s 20th anniversary. Puri was appointed dean in 1999 following a year as acting dean, and he leads the largest business school in California. A noted economist and co-director of the college’s Institute for Economic and Environmental Studies, Puri has presented the annual economic forecast in October and a midyear review of the forecast in April for more than 15 years.

Congratulations, Irene lange, on a lifetime of achievement! “It was a big surprise,” says Irene Lange, chair of marketing and business communications, when she heard that she was the recipient of the Marketing Educators’ Association (MEA) Lifetime Contribution Award – only one other person has received this honor in the association’s 32-year history. “It’s wonderful to be recognized by my peers.” This prestigious award is given to members of the MEA who have provided long-term service and support for the organization above and beyond the ordinary. A member of MEA since its founding, her accomplishments include a stint as president in 1983-84, Marketing Educator of the Year award in 1995, and successful recruiter of many new members. Lange has also given a lifetime of service to Mihaylo College: She’s been (and still is!) chair of marketing and business communications for 36 years, has taught generations of CSUF students and mentored numerous faculty members. “Teaching, practice and research in the marketing discipline has been the lifetime vocation for Dr. Lange,” says Mihaylo College Dean Anil Puri. “Her dedication to her discipline and to education is unmatched.”

Irene Lange

Insurance Day brings Professionals and students togetherHuman resources representatives from more than 26 companies from the finance and insurance industry came together in the Mihaylo Hall courtyard for the September 23 “Insurance Day” to meet with students planning their careers. Academically, the insurance concentration is a new option for finance majors at Mihaylo College. More than 100 industry volunteers – including underwriters, claim adjusters, financial planners and risk managers – participated in the event, and many presented guest lectures in several classes in addition to the featured panel discussions. Student clubs Gamma Iota Sigma, the Finance Association and the Real Estate Association hosted the event along with the college’s Center for Insurance Studies.

n e w s b r I e f s

More than 26 companies came to campus for Insurance Day.

for the latest news and events, check out

Mihaylo College of business and

economics on:

CsUf is rated among the bestCal State Fullerton ranks No. 8 in U.S. News & World Report’s “Top Public Schools: Master’s Universities” in the West. The university was also designated among the top 100 public colleges in the nation, according to a report published by Forbes Magazine and the Center for College Affordability and Productivity, which evaluates quality of education, students’ experience and how much they achieve.

Hot 25 honoree Dean Anil Puri with OC Metro Editor Tina Borgatta.


Ready to “unbox” your brain? Ensuring the success of your business greatly depends on your ability to solve problems and pave the way for employees, your company and your industry to navigate in this challenging time for businesses. Mihaylo College’s Center for Leadership will host their annual Leadership Conference on April 23 at Mihaylo Hall on the Cal State Fullerton Campus. The day’s theme is “Leading in Times of Scarcity and Uncertainty,” and conference events include a presentation by Jay Conger, the Henry R. Kravis Research Chair in Leadership Studies at Claremont McKenna College and author of Boardroom Realities: Building Leaders Across Your Board and 11 other books on leadership. Among the panel discussion topics:

Researchers in neuroleadership will explain how brainwave feedback and development can lead to peak levels of physical and mental performance.

How best to apply mental skills and resilience training to develop key leadership capabilities.

Research on cross-cultural issues in the workplace providing insight applicable to the bottom line.

For more information, visit www.fullerton.edu/leadershipcenter, or contact Tom Mayes, 657-278-8675; [email protected].

wells fargo Partners with Mihaylo College to Provide Unprecedented support for small businessesFocusing on small businesses, Wells Fargo and three of Mihaylo College’s Centers of Excellence are collaborating to present a seminar series focused on bringing small businesses information on timely topics, including financing strategies, how to use social media effectively and opportunities in global markets. In addition to taking part in these seminars, small-business leaders may also benefit from personalized consulting to help them grow their enterprises through partnering with the college’s Small Business Development Center, or engaging Mihaylo faculty and/or students in consulting projects. The Small Business Series, a roster of special events, is sponsored by Wells Fargo and Mihaylo College.

the strategies and solutions series for small business:

May 5, 2010 “Advancing Small Business Financing Practices” panel discussion about developing a credit strategyKeynote speaker: robert deMaranville, national sales manager, WF SBA Group, Wells Fargo

august 4, 2010 “Using Social Media as a Small Business Revenue Generator” presentation about managing social media to reflect today’s shift in the way businesses communicate with customers Keynote speaker: Mark Manguera ’02, CEO and founder, Kogi Group

november 9, 2010 “Growth Opportunities in Globalization” presentation about the role of California in the new global economy and its impact on small businessKeynote speaker: John Chang, California State Controller

For more information and registration for events, please contact Victoria Scott, 657-278-7446; [email protected].

n e w s b r I e f s

April 23, 2010 Conference: LeAding in Times of SCArCity And UnCertAinty

4 the IndIcator Spring/Summer 20104 the IndIcator Spring/Summer 2010


serendipitous collision of innovations came together a few years back. The first is the explosion of Twitter, which allows anyone to broadcast

their immediate state of mind and, most importantly for this story, their whereabouts – where they are now, where they’ll be later.

The second innovation was a casual observation very early one morning when Mark Manguera was craving a savory snack after a night of clubbing with friends. Having just been laid off yet again from a hotel-restaurant management job, Manguera was low on pocket change. “I had about seven bucks on me, so we went to find a taco truck.” As he was eating, he was thinking about his job situation and debating a career change. He turned to a friend: “Wouldn’t it be great to put Korean barbecue into a taco, put it in a truck and park it in front of the club we just came out of?” Despite some initial scoffing from friends and family, Manguera’s four barbecue trucks now dot the Southland on any given night and attract diners willing to wait hours for Korean barbecued beef in a tortilla. “When we park our truck, for some funny reason, we become a magnet,” says Manguera, who earned a degree in business management from Mihaylo College in 2002 with an emphasis in entrepreneurship followed by another degree at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. In truth, the funny reason is no mystery. The food is good. With just $3,000 and the generous loan of a truck for the first few months, Manguera co-founded Kogi Group Corporation in 2007 with Caroline Shin and chef Roy Choi, who is also a CSUF alumnus. Choi has a couple decades’ experience in high-end L.A. hotel restaurants, and he’s created a menu for Kogi that the trio feels reflects Los Angeles: A fusion of Korean and Mexican food with a few other ethnic surprises thrown in on any given day. Tacos are $2, burritos are $5, and diners choose from short rib, spicy pork, chicken and tofu fillings. The menu changes daily – calamari tacos, kimchi quesadillas – a reflection of the multicultural team and their favorites.“I love Korean food,” says Manguera, and he’s not alone. Kogi has hundreds of customers per truck every night for dinner and five days a week for lunch.

continued on page 6

Mark Manguera ’02 creates a sensation – in both the culinary and social media worlds – with his moveable feast.

By Laurie McLaughlin


Described as “cultishly popular” by the Associated Press, Kogi was also named among “The Creativity 50” this year by Advertising Age, designated one of Bon Appétit’s “Hot 10” in 2009, and profiled in Newsweek, Time, The Economist, GQ, PC magazine, Entrepreneur, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, USA Today, Korea Herald and Asian News International. All this attention is good for business, but it’s the food reviews Manguera is most proud of, and he says, “We’re a sensation because of that first bite.” Hungry folks – from Encino to Laguna Niguel – travel across the Southland to get Kogi barbecue. When a truck was parked in Venice one night, Manguera chatted up some customers from Valencia, and said, “You guys came all the way here for a taco?” OK, the food is that good, but the fact that the Valencians knew where to find the truck is what has heralded headlines around the globe for Kogi, because social media – Twitter in particular – has allowed this merry band of entrepreneurs to migrate to the most profitable parking spots in Southern California. Manguera confesses he didn’t even know what Twitter was when he got his first truck; a friend told him he should post tweets letting other friends know where he was parked that night. Today, all four trucks – named Naranja, Azul, Verde and Roja – enthusiastically tweet out their location, menu and schedule to nearly 60,000 Twitter followers.

“Roja @La Brea and 3rd closing at 12:15! Come by quickkkk! ;)”

“CRAIG DOG is BACK and mo betta than eva: shortrib stuffed hot dog, pickled jaLapenos,

sour cream, cheese, onions, cilantro, chiLi sauce, $6.”

“Southgate closed! Rosemead! Sending another truck!!! Hang in there!!”

Their customers tweet right back, post pictures and have become an integral part of a much larger, devoted community than the co-founders ever imagined. Manguera figures that if he was running this business 15 years ago, he’d be attaching fliers to windshields. “Is there a method to the madness? Yes. But it’s very fan driven,” says Manguera, who admits there’s a hint of genius in the idea of moving a restaurant to where the longest lines will be instead of sitting in a brick-and-mortar and hoping it’ll be a lucrative location. But, he didn’t know it’d be genius three years ago. “Just getting the truck out with food and parking it without getting a ticket was our first plan,” says Manguera. There are now probably a dozen copycats out there, and he says the company doesn’t sweat it. “We’re driven by entrepreneurial spirit, and that spirit continues to keep pushing the boundaries of an industry that may be frowned upon,” he says of the “roach coach” reputation, and he’s aware that Kogi has created both a niche and opportunity. “Let’s say you’re really good at making mac and cheese, and your mom and dad and friends and boyfriend have been telling you to start your own business, well now you know you can for like two or three grand.” Yes, a few grand and a Twitter account.

continued from page 5

Mark Manguera ’02


l e a D e r s I n b U s I n e s s

ou might be a banker if,” joked Richard Davis, “your fourth-grade daughter asks you to cancel

your appearance at her class’s career day … if you’re afraid to go to Washington, D.C., … and if your spouse tells everyone you’re a pizza delivery driver.” This, of

course, drew laughter from the large audience at the Annual Economic Forecast Conference presented by the Mihaylo College Institute for Economic and Environmental Studies and the Orange County Business Council last October. Davis is the chairman, CEO and president of U.S. Bancorp and a 1983 Mihaylo College alumnus. Joking aside, during his presentation as the conference’s guest speaker, Davis presented his view on the future of the banking

industry: “Banks are central to the economy, and it is the banks that will help us out of this recovery.” Davis added that when he spoke at the same conference three years ago, “I could have said that banking was strong, healthy and vibrant – and no one would have disagreed with me. Now, I don’t know if you would agree with that sentiment, but these characteristics are still important. “We don’t build it, eat it or move it, but we’re behind everyone who does. Clearly, we must be part of the economic solution … we have a role in bringing this country to greatness.” Beyond the current uncertainty, said Davis, banking will re-emerge as an attractive space with an economic recovery, normalized loan provisions, widening credit spreads and more safety and soundness. The new headwinds he identified include the impact of regulations, larger capital requirements, countercyclical provisions, higher deposit insurance, and lower earnings per share due to dilution. One uncertainty, he said, is valuation and whether or not there will be higher private equity due to lower risk. In the next three years, he suggested:

Banks will largely focus on traditional, less-risk businesses.

Regulators will be more strict. There will be failure/consolidation of mid-tier and

smaller banks. Deposits, savings and investments will grow faster,

and credit will grow slower as households save and deleverage.

There will be a smaller, more “vanilla” securitiza- tion market and a rise in on-balance sheet banking.

We may see a rise of boutiques, especially in talent-driven businesses (mergers and acquisitions advisory and proprietary trading, for example).

Monolines, credit unions and industrial loan companies will remain.

Crisis will accelerate the shift of economic growth in developing markets.

Davis also anticipated that banks’ estimated pre-tax profits, after provision for losses, will return to 2006 levels ($48 billion) by 2013 (an estimated $45 billion to $47 billion). At the end of his presentation, Davis quoted Stephen Covey, leadership expert and author of the The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness: “Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success; leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall.” Davis turned that idea toward the banking industry and said, “Move the ladder.”

Richard Davis ’83, chairman, CEO and president of U.S. Bancorp, was the guest speaker at the 2009 Economic Forecast Conference. Photos by Leb Orloff.


ack Swire won’t cough up the details yet, but his marketing communications agency is talking with a national retail brand, and “they’re really intrigued by our social media strategy,” says Swire. “The

senior vice president was so intrigued that he called us back the next day after he heard about it.” Swire is president of his eponymous company – SWIRE – which he founded five years ago, and he says within that time the agency has seen an average annual growth of 255 percent. “Our goal this year is to hit $8 million,” he adds. “And the plan by 2014 is to be roughly a $60 million agency.” He’s got the nation covered: Headquartered in Glendora, Calif., SWIRE also has offices in Denver, Washington, D.C., and New York City.


ZaCk

Zack swire’s agency is shepherding

companies through thesocial media

frontier.


art + sCIenCe


where are we now?


Both Swire the man and SWIRE the agency are focused on shepherding businesses into the social media frontier. “A lot of businesses are still focused on traditional marketing methods like television and direct mail,” he says. “But where are people spending a lot of their time? They are spending a lot of their time online.” While Web 2.0 is nothing new, it is still a vast wilderness to most marketing departments – even those who think they have journeyed well into “fan” and “tweet” territory. “Many companies just go out there and get on Facebook. They say, ‘I’ll put an intern on that.’ But you have to know whether or not it’s a natural extension of your brand,” says Swire. “Do you have a business plan around your social-media strategy? Are you using Twitter as a customer-service tool? You can’t do it all, and you have to do it right, and you have to allocate people and resources to it.” Swire concedes social media may not be for every company: “Uni-ball pens has a Facebook page, and honestly, I don’t know why. What does it mean, and how does that evolve and elevate the brand? You’ve got Flickr, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and probably 100 other tools online for social media, and there are only five or 10 of these tools that people use the most. It’s about finding the right one.” The SWIRE agency has worked to attract and retain clients by truly “melding art and science,” which is grounded in Swire’s passion for analytics. “A lot of companies have the metrics, but we have the analytics,” says Swire. “Yes, they’re buzzwords – ‘We have metrics.’ ‘We have the analytics.’ – but do you really? Do you understand how to use that information? It is not just tracking it, it’s taking what you learn and implementing the information faster than your competitors. “As you look at our art-plus-science approach, it’s not just that you can do it, but how well you can do it.” Swire’s attraction to analytics began while earning his bachelor’s degree in marketing from Mihaylo College. He graduated in 2003, and after a couple of years in “marketing boot camp,” as he calls it, as a sales marketing manager for a medical device company, Swire decided to open his own shop. Five years later, to ensure his agency’s success helping businesses effectively navigate the social media realm, SWIRE has hired people who blazed this trail at powerhouses in the industry like Young & Rubicam, Disney and AmericanIdol.com. Now, let’s get back to that national retail project – any clues about strategy? Swire: “Again, I can’t say, but it involves a monkey, a theme song and a mayor.”

Spring

Anil Puri (center), Mihaylo College dean, moderated the panel featuring, from left, Bill Sanderson, Golden State Foods; Paul Folino, Emulex; Dan Young ’74, the Irvine Community Development Co.; and Glenn Gray, Sunwest Bank.

What are the factors

shaping the

‘New Business

Landscape

of Orange County’?

In January, Mihaylo College

gathered four of the county’s

preeminent business leaders

from real estate, banking, tech-

nology and food services to

discuss the factors shaping the

new business landscape of

our region. The provocative

and informative discussion

touched on credit, globalization,

creativity, research, investment

and above all, innovation. To

read an edited transcript, go to:

business.fullerton.edu/newbiz-

landscape2010.


C e n t e r s O f e x C e l l e n C e

ne late afternoon in September 2009, Bruce Xiao, associate director of Mihaylo College’s Center for International Business, arrived at LAX. He checked the “arrivals” board and found the flight

he was expecting from China was just landing. A little while later, Xiao greeted a group of 22 prominent faculty members from Tianjin University of Economics and Finance who were about to become, well, students. These faculty members were participants in CSUF’s International Business Education Leadership Program, a six-month course designed for international faculty members to better understand American higher education. In its third year, the program has clear objectives, including preparing visiting faculty to offer new courses in their country, to absorb new knowledge within their academic disciplines, and to exchange teaching methods and styles. “The Chinese faculty members are interested in how we teach business here,” says Xiao. “Our style is more open than it is in China.” Working to increase their English skills, the participants attend classes and talk with students. “One of their goals is English fluency so they can go back and teach bilingual courses, which are quite popular in China,” Xiao explains. Experiences for the participants are not limited to the classroom. “We take field trips so that they can see the real America,” adds Xiao. To better understand American higher education, participants visit universities and community colleges, both public and private, on the west and east coasts. This year’s class is filling up with 15 faculty members already enrolled, all of them from China. Xiao intends to

market his class to other Asian nations, including Korea, Japan and India. The impact of the program is impressive. “The students learn many things that help them. We also learn a lot from them. Through this program, we’re establishing lasting global relationships,” says Xiao. The participants give the program high marks, too. “It was a golden opportunity,” says Li Fengjie, an associate professor at Tianjin University. “I experienced the distinct culture of the United States, enjoyed the friendship between the American and Chinese people, and got a taste of the teaching methods of the American professors.” Six months after the arrival of his students, Xiao was back at LAX dropping them off for their flight to China. Participants said good-bye and promised to keep in touch. And many of them do stay in contact – with each other, with Xiao and with exploring new ways of teaching – a global ambition if there ever was one.

For more information about the Center for International Business, visit business.fullerton.edu/centers/cib.

.

Chinese faculty members from Tianjin University of Finance and Economics discover new ways to teach – and more – through the International Business Education Leadership Program of the Center for International Business.

O

Center for International business: a world of knowledge

a world of knowledge for students

In the spirit of learning more about other cultures, Xiao has created a summer course for Cal State Fullerton students. An intensive study of business issues in China, the course is a combination of classroom lectures and field trips to businesses and government agencies in Tianjin, Shanghai and Beijing. “In the same way that Chinese faculty saw the real America, Cal State Fullerton students will see the real China,” says Xiao.



hat “soft” or interpersonal skills are needed to be an effective manager? A team of Cal State Fullerton management faculty members is delving into the nature of interpersonal skills – and

what they are – for success in a corporate situation. The study is funded by a $100,000 Graduate Management Admission Council grant and conducted under the auspices of the university’s Center for Leadership in the Mihaylo College of Business and Economics. “For years, managers have known that soft, or interpersonal, skills are necessary in a strong business leader, but there has been no agreed upon definition of what these skills include or exclude,” explains Gerard Beenen, assistant professor of management. “We’ve reviewed previous research and analyzed data collected by GMAC and are now seeking to conduct interviews of managers to develop not only a greater understanding of what those skills are, but how they actually help in job performance.” Joining Beenen in the study are Lori Muse, associate professor of management, and Shaun Pichler, assistant professor of management. Consulting on the project are Thomas Mayes, director of Cal State Fullerton’s Center for Leadership and emeritus professor of management, and Ronald Riggio, the Kravis professor of leadership and organizational psychology at Claremont McKenna College. The research team’s ultimate goal is to develop a soft skills assessment tool kit that can be of value to both researchers and practicing managers. “The assessment tool kit could be used for employee selection and for evaluating the educational effectiveness of undergraduate business and MBA programs,” according to Pichler. As part of the project, employers are invited to participate at no cost. “Participating organizations will benefit by receiving a tailored analysis of their organization’s interpersonal skills and by gaining preferred access to the assessment tools,” says Muse.

For more information about the project or to participate, go to http://business.fullerton.edu/management/softskillsproject/Index.htm.

Center for leadership: business team Investigates what ‘soft skills’ are and How they work

Gerard Beenen (left), Shaun Pichler (center) and Lori Muse will research the “soft skills” of leadership.

W

Terry M. Giles ’70, a highly successful attorney since 1975, is the donor who provided the “seed” money for the Center for Leadership. He is a past recipient of the Horatio Alger Award and currently a board member of the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans. He owns Tekniko Licensing Corp., a company that licenses intellectual properties to businesses

throughout the world. Terry M. Giles ’70


re you running at top speed to keep up with the changes in financial reporting and governance? If so, the Continuing Professional Education (CPE) courses offered by the Center for Corporate Reporting & Governance

(CCRG) are designed to help you stay abreast of new information. “The financial world is changing so rapidly, we need a resource in Orange County to update ourselves on what’s happening,” says Vivek Mande, director of the CCRG and the White Nelson Professor of Accounting at Mihaylo College. Recently established, the Academy of CCRG is a valuable resource for financial professionals. CPE courses include US GAAP updates, International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), and specialized accounting topics such as the accounting for stock options and revenue recognition. Why stop for updates? CPAs, auditors and others who work for European subsidiaries in the United States need to know about IFRS, while employees of U.S. companies still need the latest updates on US GAAP. A part of Mihaylo College and the Department of Accounting, the CCRG was created in 2003 to address corporate reporting and governance issues facing companies and their auditors in the changing financial regulatory environment. “When you think about US GAAP and IFRS, think about the Academy of CCRG,” says Mande. “We keep up-to-date, so you don’t fall behind.”

For more information about the Center for Corporate Reporting & Governance, visit: business.fullerton.edu/centers/ccrg.


Thomas Linsmeier of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) addressed a sold-out audience of more than 400 accounting and legal professionals at the Eighth Annual CCRG SEC Financial Reporting Conference.

Center for Corporate reporting & governance: academy of CCrg established for financial Professionals

A

ix Mihaylo students spent nearly a thousand hours preparing a case study for trueanthem, a web 2.0 company that develops partners for viral marketing through the use of music and video. The team’s winning effort, a report of more than 200 pages, won

second place against 200 other top-rated universities in the national Small Business Institute Field Case of the Year Competition. The team conducted more than 400 interviews using a 20-question survey to identify the company’s target market. They also determined methods to attract a larger customer base, developed marketing strategies, performed a competitive analysis with several trueAnthem competitors and created a revenue projection for the next three years.

small business Institute: Mihaylo takes second in national Competition

SThe trueAnthem team included, from left, Diana Girgis; Anais Tangie ’10; Matthew Gallizzi ’09; Daniela Bolzmann ’09; Derreck Ford, team mentor; Brad Barnes, trueAnthem; Adam Polcyn ’09; and Kyle Keller ’10.



he next generation of industry leaders is in college right now. To develop their talents and skills – and those of future generations – the Mihaylo College of Business and Economics

needs to recruit and retain outstanding faculty. That’s why Anil Puri, dean of the college, is offering a million-dollar challenge grant to the Center for Insurance Studies (CIS). All funds raised through January 2011 will be allocated toward the Endowed Chair for Insurance Studies. The California Top 100 CIS Partnership Program is a new insurance-based network to help move CIS into the top-tier of nationally recognized insurance programs by partnering with insurance companies and brokers. “We already have a well-established and widely recognized program,” says Weili Lu, director of CIS. “But in order for it to move forward, we need strong leadership in research – someone who can take it to a higher level. Our students, especially those in the MBA concentration, need the cutting-edge courses this faculty member can teach.” The new endowed chair will join the faculty at Mihaylo College, a vibrant community of idea generators making the most of its deep and broad business connections throughout the region. CIS is at the forefront of creating

Center for Insurance studies: Million-dollar Challenge seeks to Create an endowed Chair for Insurance studies

ormerly president and CEO of the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Priscilla Lopez has been named the director of the Regional Lead Small Business Development Center Network (SBDC). The

SBDC, one of Mihaylo College’s Centers of Excellence, serves Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. “This position is all about working with small businesses,” says Lopez. “All my experiences have been focused on small business development. It started with my grandfather, who was an entrepreneur, and working as part of a family business.” Mihaylo College has been responsible for the administration of the centers in Fullerton, Santa Ana and Riverside since 2003. Lopez is headquartered on the Cal State Fullerton campus and oversees the training, consulting and technical assistance the centers provide to businesses with less than 100 employees. “I’d really like to see growth in our networking efforts for all three counties,” says Lopez, who served

nearly three years with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “We want to make sure that small businesses in this region know we’re a resource to help them wherever they are – just beginning or growing. We want to help them with their bottom line.” Previously, Lopez was a project manager for the Center for International Trade Development/California-Mexico Trade Assistance Center at Long Beach City College. She earned an MBA from Cal State Long Beach in 2003 and a bachelor’s in business administration from Cal State Fresno in 1993. The Fullerton Lead Center, TriTech-Irvine, Santa Ana and Riverside small business development centers are underwritten by annual contracts awarded by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

For more information about the SBDC, visit business.fullerton.edu/centers/sbdc.

small business Development Center: lopez named Director

Priscilla Lopez

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and advancing curriculum to ensure students graduate with the ability to understand the trends and issues that define the future of business in insurance, finance and risk management. Puri invites everyone to get involved in this challenge. For more information, contact CIS Director Weili Lu, 657-278-3679; [email protected], or Senior Director of Development Michele Cesca, 657-278-4869; [email protected].

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getting your foot in the door

I n t H e C l a s s r O O M


Jim Gutmann, founder of the speaker series that bears his name, is on the roster for August 9.

Two new joint concentrations put grads a step aheadKeeping in step with the changing marketplace and the needs of employers, Mihaylo College is offering two new joint concentrations that will open more doors for CSUF job-seekers: One in Accounting/Information Systems and the other in Marketing/Information Systems. With a concentration in Marketing/Information Systems, marketing students become well versed in general

aspects of information systems and applied statistics. Similarly, system students learn the different aspects of business and marketing. With a concentration in Accounting/Information Systems, accounting students benefit from a more extensive education in general and specialized aspects of information systems. And, conversely, information system students will graduate with a strong education in accounting when analyzing, designing and developing business systems. Both choices give graduates a leg up on the competition not only for getting a job, but also for breadth of knowledge

the Jim gutmann lecture series: Information absolutely risk free!

‘The series opens a window for students to access

the industry leaders and for the leaders to share their business wisdom with the

younger generation.’ – Weili Lu, director, Center for Insurance Studies

Interested in risk management? Then you’ll find the Jim Gutmann Lecture Series especially rewarding. This year, the series brings top leaders in insurance and risk management to the campus to talk about timely topics such as the challenges of global financial risk and careers in risk management. Funded by Center for Insurance Studies board member Jim Gutmann, the series invites leading insurance executives, scholars and entrepreneurs to the Cal State Fullerton campus to speak to MBA and other

graduate-level students in the Mihaylo College of Business and Economics. Past keynote speakers have included industry heavy-weights such as Khanh Tran, the distinguished CFO of Pacific Life Insurance Company; Tim East, a director of risk management for the Walt Disney Company with rich international experience; and Jim Gutmann himself, a well-known insurance entrepreneur, who will speak again at this year’s event.

Upcoming Speakers

May 11 “Traditional risk Management at disney” Steve Wilder, vice president, Risk Management, The Walt Disney Co.

Aug. 9 “Careers in risk Managementand Insurance” Jim Gutmann, partner, Wood Gutmann & Bogart Insurance Brokers

For more information contact Weili Lu at 657-278-3679 or [email protected].


I n t H e C l a s s r O O M


Focusing on creating an interest in both health and hockey, the students in

Marketing Professor Howard Forman’s Sports Marketing class worked

with the Anaheim Ducks hockey organization this year on a

research project to help the team foster a lifelong hockey

fan base among elementary school children. “I

recite the statistics in meetings that the

business students researched, and

everyone is amazed,”

says

Joseph Hwang, senior manager of fan development for the Anaheim Ducks and a 2008 Mihaylo MBA graduate. “Their data and recommendations are phenomenal, and we’ll be using them when we plan our new fiscal year.”

Once you experience hockey, you’re a fan forever, is what Hwang says, and it’s the premise that is used within the Ducks’ Wild Wingers Kids Club and the S.C.O.R.E. (Scholastic Curriculum of Recreation and Education) program, which introduces primary school students to the sport. “Exposure to hockey helps young students understand both the players and the sport,” says Hwang. S.C.O.R.E. promotes healthy living and academic excellence to students in Southern California, and offers fourth-grade teachers free in-class programs as well as physical education experiences through street hockey. More than 35 area schools now include street hockey in the P.E. curriculum. The 50 Mihaylo students in Forman’s class split into eight teams and examined ways to make the S.C.O.R.E. program even more effective. Each group conducted intensive research, including interviews with participating teachers, parents and students, and presented their findings. The winning team celebrated with suite tickets at a Ducks game and participated in the S.C.O.R.E. training program. “The project furthered my passion to get into the sports marketing field,” says Scott Millar a Mihaylo marketing student who was the winning team’s leader. “It was a humbling experience to actually have a globally known team consider our work for implementation.”

on the job. “With the strong skills these programs teach, students are better prepared to succeed,” says Betty Chavis, professor and chair of the Department of Accounting. Even though these concentrations are brand-new, students are already stepping up to enroll. “News about them is spreading,” says Robert Miyake, assistant dean for Academic Services. “Students recognize their value.” “As an employer,” says Boris Bugarski ’97, president & CEO of mUrgent Corporation, a leading multi-national marketing services company, “it’s good to know that more students will have a deeper understanding in marketing and information systems, two wonderful components that, together, offer our company a competitive edge.”

Ice work: Marketing students research fan Development for anaheim Ducks


Fair Pay ActThe Fair Pay Act of 2009 broadens the time an employee has to file a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Previous legislation limited claims to those filed within 180 days of the initial discriminatory pay event. The new law resets the claims period each and every time an employee receives discriminatory compensation.

Gender Equity Executive Compensation DataThe authors studied executive compensation for S&P 500 companies from 1998 to 2007 and show that women still struggle to break through the glass ceiling. In 1998, the percentage of women CEOs in S&P 500 companies was less than 1 percent but rose to 3.1 percent by 2007. On the other hand, the number of women below the CEO level, yet still in the group of remaining four highest paid executives, almost doubled from 4.2 percent in 1998 to 8.3 percent in 2007. Male CEOs of S&P 500 companies earned higher average base salaries than female CEOs in six of the 10 years. However, male CEOs had higher average bonus payments and other compensation in eight of the 10 years. The salary component of compensation appears artificially constrained by the federal tax

Professor of Accounting Terry Grant and Associate Professor of Accounting Gerry Grant

f a C U l t Y n e w s

research You Can Use Compliance with the fair Pay act of 2009 – Impact on executive Compensation

deductibility cap of $1 million per year. When average CEO salaries were well below $1 million, men had the advantage every year. Beginning in 2003, average CEO salary differences between men and women narrowed as each group received salaries around $1 million. In 2007, average non-salary components of CEO compensation were $2.7 million higher for male CEOs. The study also compares executives ranked from the second to fifth highest paid in the sample of S&P 500 companies. Average base salaries for men executives below the rank of CEO exceeded those of comparable women for all 10 years of the study. Additionally, female executives received signifi-cantly lower bonus payments and other compensation in nine of out 10 years. Company Compliance StrategiesCompensation committees and internal auditors are best positioned to monitor and ensure compliance with the law. Increasing internal auditor awareness of the new law and retraining of compensation committees is imperative. Internal auditors should be more involved in documentation and compliance testing of compensation practices. In addition, comprehensive reviews of existing liability insurance coverage can diminish risk exposure. HR executives must maintain comprehensive evidence to support promotions, layoffs and pay practices.

Mihaylo accounting professors Terry Grant and Gerry Grant published a paper that examines the S&P 500 companies’ executive pay compliance with the Fair Pay Act of 2009. Their research appeared in the March/April issue of Internal Auditing. The article examines gender related executive compensation practices of S&P companies and makes compliance recommendations. INDICATOR is pleased to present a summary of the article:



f a C U l t Y n e w s

denise Stanley, associate professor of economics and Fulbright Scholar, has been appointed a senior research fellow of the Council on Hemispheric Affairs (COHA).

Carolyn Chang, professor of finance, had her article, “Pricing Catastrophe Options in Discrete Operational Time,” published in Insurance: Mathematics and Economics. Xiaoying Xie, assistant professor of finance, had her paper,

“The Impact of CEO Turnover on Property-Liability Insurer Performance,” accepted for publication by the Journal of Risk and Insurance. al Gorski, lecturer in finance, was awarded the Ron Judd Heart of RIMS Award at the 2009 RIMS Conference.

Zvi drezner, professor of ISDS, had his article, “Cooperative Cover Location Problems: The Planar Case,” published in the March 2010 issue of IIE Transactions. Drezner collaborated

with Tammy drezner, professor of ISDS, and Pawel Kalczynski, associate professor of ISDS, on the paper, “A cover-based competitive location model,” published in the January 2010 issue of the Journal

of the Operational Research Society. Sorel reisman, professor of ISDS, is 2010 president elect of the IEEE Computer Society, the world’s leading organization of computing professionals.

Lori Muse, associate professor of management, had her co-authored paper, “An overview of accounting restatement activity in the United States,” published in the International Journal of Commerce and Management. This same paper received the Outstanding Paper Award from Emerald Literati Network. Muse, together with Gerard Beenen and Sean Pichler, both assistant professors of management, are the recipients of a $100,000 grant from the Graduate Management Admission Council to develop a “soft skills” assessment tool [see page 11]. Beenen also is the co-author of “Promoting M.B.A. Internship Effectiveness Through Learning and Job Acceptance Intentions,” which was published in the January/February 2010 issue of Human Resource Management.

Irene Lange, department chair and professor of marketing, was awarded the Lifetime Contribution Award by the Marketing Educators Association at their 2010 annual conference [see page 2]. neil Granitz, associate professor of

marketing, and Katrin Harich, professor of marketing, are two of the three co-authors of the article, “Now It’s Personal – Antecedents and Outcomes of Rapport Between Business Faculty and Their Students,” which was selected by the Journal of Marketing Education as the Outstanding Article of the Year (2009). Stuart atkins, lecturer in marketing, is the author of Small Business Marketing, A Guide for Survival, Growth and Success.

IN MEMOrIAM

Levern Graves, emeritus professor of economics, died March 2. He was 86. Graves joined the campus in 1960; he served as the chair of the economics department then chaired the academic senate. He was a member of the college’s faculty for 26 years. He is survived by his wife.

Granville Hough, emeritus professor of management, died March 3 at the age of 87 years. Hough joined the university in 1968 and served for 15 years, including a term as department chair. He is survived by his wife, a son, three daughters and two grandchildren.

Sidney Klein, emeritus professor of economics, died January 10. Klein, 86, joined the college in 1968 as chair of the economics department and was a faculty member for 23 years. In 1977, he was named the CSUF Outstanding Professor. Klein is survived by his son and two grandchildren.

Department of economics

keeping Up with faculty

Denise Stanley

Carolyn Chang

Department of finance

Department of Management

Irene Lange

Pawel Kalczynski

Gerard Beenen

Department of Marketing

Neil Granitz

Department of Information systems and Decision sciences


s t U D e n t s I n a C t I O n

anais tangie ’10: Conquering adversity and launching a business

or Anais Tangie education has, literally, been a lifesaver. Tangie grew up in a controlling and abusive environment in her native Canada but ultimately found a way out of that life through

school. “In a women’s shelter, I was introduced to adult education,” says Tangie. “And it was a turning point in my life.” Tangie achieved her high school diploma from the Place Cartier Adult Education Center (which named her as their honorary valedictorian) in Canada. “Education gave me confidence, connected me with a support system, and helped me establish life goals,” says Tangie.

Mihaylo Volunteers: big smiles in Mexico

Mihaylo professor, an MBA student and an alumnus headed down to Mexico earlier this year to help disadvantaged kids at an elementary

school in Ensenada as part of a volunteer group providing both dental care and a new coat of paint for school buildings. Ray Benedicktus, an assistant professor of marketing, recruited Mihaylo MBA student Michael Rossi for the trip, who in turn, invited alumnus Mark Williams,

While in school, she showed her entrepreneurial spirit by launching and managing a student-run cafeteria and volunteering with mentally challenged students. “This helped me put my troubles in perspective and appreciate my life,” she says. After moving to California, Tangie attended Orange Coast College, where she maintained a 4.0 grade average and was on the President’s, National Dean’s and Dean’s lists and received multiple scholarships, before transferring to Cal State Fullerton, where she will receive a bachelor’s in business administration with a concentration in entrepreneurship in May 2010. “I will be the first in my family to graduate with a bachelor’s degree,” says Tangie. Tangie now hopes to pursue an

MBA in marketing at Mihaylo College, but isn’t waiting around for either degree to make her way in the business world. She is currently working on starting a food-service program for the autistic community and others with special dietary needs called SpecialEatsOC. The idea came from two earlier experiences: the cafeteria service she launched at the adult education center in Canada and an informal internship with a medicinal chef who cooked for cancer patients. “I recognized what a difference a healthy meal made,” says Tangie. “From then on, my mission has been to heal and nourish with food.” Tangie is in the process of planning the business, making connections and marketing the concept, and hopes to launch the program soon. Through her example, Tangie wants to show people that, with hard work and determination, anything is possible. “I am forever grateful for my journey with CSUF,” says Tangie. “It has changed my life.” — Ann Shepphird

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any students who enter the MBA program at Cal State Fullerton do so while continuing to work. Most

of that work probably doesn’t include, as it does for Myra Chen, appearing before millions of people in television commercials for companies like T-Mobile (where she worked alongside Whoopi Goldberg and Phil Jackson) and AT&T (in a commercial aired during the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics). Chen completed her bachelor’s degree at UC Berkeley and has been a working actor – under the stage name of Myra Cheney – since 2004 but last year decided that something was missing. “As much fun and rewarding as acting is, I felt like I hadn’t lived up to my full potential,” says Chen. She chose Cal State Fullerton for her MBA for a number of reasons. “I had heard about the reputation and the new building, and I grew up around the campus,” adds Chen, whose mother is a retired Asian American Studies professor. Beyond that, Chen wanted the more intimate hands-on approach that Mihaylo College offered. “My undergraduate degree came from a research-based university,” she says. “So I’ve been really happy with all the one-on-one interaction with professors and the support and structure of the program.” In addition to her classes and her acting, Chen works part-time in the dean’s office and she personally witnessed the emphasis the school places on students.

She chose to focus her MBA

concentration in marketing after being inspired

by a class with Marketing Professor Neil Granitz. “We developed, designed and launched live e-commerce sites. It was exciting to apply newly emerging e-marketing concepts,” says Chen. She is also interested in management and, after receiving her MBA, plans to branch into producing news feature documentaries. “I enjoy the collaborative aspects of filmmaking and feel there are so many human and community interest stories to tell,” she says. “I’d especially like to report on non-profit organizations – the leaders and volunteers involved, the business models they utilize and the people they impact.” Chen credits the MBA program for empowering her with leadership training and a socially aware outlook. “We are being prepared to be both powerful business people and responsible citizens.” — Ann Shepphird

actress Myra Chen’s next role: Mihaylo Mba graduate

who speaks Spanish. Both are 2009 business administration-marketing graduates. The volunteer group, organized by the Rotary Club, included businessmen and dentists who converged on the small community, providing more than $24,500 worth of dental care for more than 50 children.

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racecar Driver Michael lewis Hits both the books and the track while Competing in europe

ne second after the other, each of the five, red stop lights standing above the racetrack snaps on. Strapped into the driver’s seat, Michael Lewis ’13 is watching these lights and thinks

solely about crossing the finish line before anyone else. But right now, with his car positioned on the starting grid, he’s executing a series of several precise tasks in a confined space: “All at the same time, you let the clutch go, let off the brake and work the throttle making sure not to spin the tires. Once you’re off, you just fly toward the first turn and focus on your job.” At 19 years old, Lewis’ job has been racing around tracks for almost a decade, and he’s now made a career of it. This spring and summer, he’s racing in the Formula BMW European championship for Eurointernational, a team based in Italy. He is the only American in the

entire series, and he earned a place on the team with his performance last year in the Formula BMW America’s championship – he won the rookie championship (and a BMW scholarship) and placed fourth overall. “If you want to continue in Formula car racing,” says Lewis, “you have to go to Europe and race there.” His introduction to the track was with go-karts, accompanied by his father, who is the publisher of a racing-industry magazine. “We would go karting for fun,” says Lewis, who lives in Laguna Beach, and then they began to take it seriously. He won a major go-kart championship in the United States two years ago, and raced in Europe before

moving on competitively to cars. But, go-karts are still good training, he says: “I still practice in karts because it is physically intense, and a lot of things happen very quickly.” Lewis is looking ahead, he says, to mastering the business side of being a driver, which entails substantial sponsorship negotiations, travel and media relations. He knows he needs the business acumen to attain his ultimate goal: Racing in the Formula One World Championship. He’s currently in his second semester at Mihaylo College, and while he’s overseas, he’s completing his college courses online. “To be the best athlete, you have to have complete focus on your sport, and that is what I am doing in Europe. At the moment, school is very manageable and I’ll continue with it.” Lewis still has three years left to complete his degree, and in the meantime, he’ll spend a lot of time on the track. “When I drive, nothing else matters at that moment. I’m thinking, ‘OK, Michael, focus. Let’s get down to business. Hit your lines. Hit your reference points. Keep everything smooth. Focus on what you have to do – drive fast!’” —Laurie McLaughlin

To follow Lewis’s career, visit www.mjlracing.com.

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D O n O r s

tHank YOU fOr sUPPOrtIng OUr fUtUre leaDers!When cuts in state funding threatened to severely limit the hours and number of tutors of the

Mihaylo College Tutoring Center, alumni, students and staff members came to the rescue with thousands of dollars in contributions and countless hours of volunteers’ time.

“We’re making the most of the funds that we have received,” says Emeline Yong, assistant dean of student affairs in Mihaylo College, who oversees the College Tutoring Center. “This program helps both

those who need the tutoring, as well as the volunteer tutors, who are gaining not only leadership experience but knowledge in how to work with others in group settings. We are grateful to

everyone for keeping the Center open.”

student tutoring Center Donors

Wendy Ahmad ’07 Soffia Aranda-Ramirez ’07 Frank Arechiga ’96 Bobby Aschtiani ’09 Katie Ashcraft ’83 Christopher Barclay ’84 Lisa Basta ’00 Michael Berny ’76 Daniel Bonal ’74 Stephen Bowers ’74 Howard Boydstun ’67 Donald Bradshaw ’81 John Bristol ’97 Robert Brocoff ’68 Kevin Calcagnie ’77 William Child ’71 Chi-Ping Chung ’83 Marcia Clark ’89 Cheryl Crowe ’86 Morassa Sholeh Danai Steve Davila ’90 James Davis ’71, ’72 Kitty Dekieffer ’79 Kathleen T. Dominguez-Ritchey ’84 Jeannette Doney ’85

Brian Doran ’03 Teri ’83 & Patrick Doucette ’83 Kathleen DrakeThomas Duff ’65 Jeffrey Faber ’80 Susanne Fersch ’79 William Franklin ’77 Paul Frech ’77 Mitchell Geller ’84 Sean Gerold ’92 Susan Guire ’84 Gary Haas ’75 Eric Hawkins ’85 Suzanne Hazard ’78 Sheri Henderson ’09 Harry Herbert ’76 Leh-Liang Hou ’93 Robert Howell ’75 Chieh Hsieh ’99 Blanca Illescas ’08 Daivat Jani ’08 Darren Jones ’91 Douglas Jones Jeffrey Kaylor ’85 Diana Kwan ’93, ’03 Phong La ’95

Helen Hue Lee ’00 Sara Liberatore Neal Lifton ’79 Todd Litman ’82 Michael Lockard ’78, ’80 Jim Marcus ’75 Crystal Martinez ’08 Zahira Martinez ’91 Dolly Masui ’85 William Matthies ’73, ’75 Matthew McIntosh ’78 Michael Mercado ’94 McDiarmid Messenger ’70 Diane Montgomery ’80 David Moran ’88 Charles Morris ’09 Tami Nelson ’90 Kenneth Nero ’65 Huynh Anh Nguyen ’09 Mai Nguyen ’07 Tucau T. Nguyen ’09 Robin Padilla ’85 Glenn Paredes ’89 Bimal Patel ’90, ’96 Jigna Patel ’97, ’05 Luana ’94 & James Pearson

Frances ’90 & Stephen Peck William Pemberton ’75 Dennis Plambeck ’89 Ellen Roberts ’94 Eva Rosenberg ’77, ’82 Michael Rusling ’73 Anthony Sandoval ’88 Philip Schimmel ’76 Eric Shuey ’90 Cynthia Stuetzel ’87 Veronica & James Stull ’83 Craig Sullivan ’76 Patrick Thomas ’78 Karen Timian ’96 Kim Tursky ’92 Jeff Van Harte ’80 Josh Vanderlaan ’00 Paul Viscetto ’68 Verne Wagner ’77 Charles Wilkins ’85 Elizabeth Wilson ’82 David Wopschall ’75, ’78 Sharon Wright ’80 Mark Yu ’84 Ryan Zeiss ’96

The Tutoring Center is located in Room 2404 in the west pavilion of Steven G. Mihaylo Hall. For more information about contributing to the Center, call Emeline Yong at 657-278-4577.

“I can say very confidently that the Tutoring Center is playing a big

part in my grades. It is a lifesaver.” – Bhavina Shah, student

“In a time like this, where the Tutoring Center is facing financial difficulties, I think this is a win-win situation.”

–Parth Bhatt, volunteer tutor

“As someone who availed himself

of tutoring while in college, how could

I not support this program?”

– Patrick Thomas ’78, owner, Pacific Transformer Corp.


t wasn’t that Mike Salem ’09 wasn’t able to do well in his career without a bachelor’s degree. He did quite well, parlaying a degree from the Pennsylvania Institute of Culinary Arts into

a successful career in research and development for companies that included Buffets Inc. and AFC Enterprises, LLC. But after starting his own R&D consulting agency, he found himself “blessed with the time and money to be able to go back to college full time.” And, so, Salem returned to get his bachelor’s degree at the age of 39. He chose Cal State Fullerton and, specifically, the Mihaylo College of Business and Economics, because of its reputation. Says Salem: “I asked around and was directed toward Cal State Fullerton by a few peers.” Salem graduated last year, and he is currently senior director of research and development for Del Taco LLC. He develops new products and processes for the company. He also works in operations, value-added ingredient development and menu engineering. One example of his team’s role: “With value-added ingredient development, we are focused on leveraging food-processing technologies at the manufacturing plant against our current ingredients in an effort to reduce the labor necessary to prepare our products at the restaurant level,” says Salem. “This could be replacing the process of preparing rice from scratch at the restaurant with a value-added, ready-to-use rice product. The role of research and development is to engage the manufacturer, share the scratch recipe and conduct taste tests to match the flavor of the scratch product.” Overall, his team wants to ensure that the labor saved in the restaurant does not sacrifice quality. Despite his busy career with Del Taco, Salem has stayed connected with the university. He corresponds quite a bit with Marketing Professor Chiranjeev Kohli discussing some work the two of them might do together on brand architecture. Salem also looks forward to now giving back to CSUF, perhaps with the Professor for a Day program, and he says, “I’m looking forward to sharing my time and knowledge.” — Ann Shepphird

Mike salem ’09: Del taco senior Director went back to school for business Degree

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Mike Salem ’09 combines his culinary skills and business acumen and takes them to the bottom line at Del Taco.


1960sPaul Sandoval ’63 (business administration) is vice president of business development at Commerce National Bank in Newport Beach. With more than 40 years of experience in the financial services industry, Sandoval has an extensive background in all areas of lending with a focus on real estate lending.

1970sDon Bantz ’70 (business administration) has been named president of Alaska Pacific University (APU) in Anchorage. Bantz joins APU from Evergreen State College where he was the academic vice president. He taught in the master’s of public administration program and served three years as academic dean. He will be APU’s ninth president.

Richard Avery ’71 (business administration) is president of Laguna Niguel-based Growth Management and Constructive Changes (GMC2). Avery is a 28-year veteran of the aerospace industry who specializes in preparation of contracts and subcontracts volume proposals and win-strategies for all contractual aspects of major and minor program new business opportunities. He earned his master’s degree in behavioral sciences from Pepperdine University.

Keith Shull ’74 (management) has been named senior vice president, human resources, of Walter Energy, a leader in producing and exporting premium metallurgical coal for the global steel industry. Shull joins Walter Energy from Arrow Electronics, where he was senior vice president, human resources, from 2005 to 2008.

Julie Greiner ’75 (marketing) was promoted to Macy’s chief merchandising planning officer and is a member of the company’s senior management team. Greiner is responsible for centralized merchandise

planning and assortment allocations by store, as well as the district/region merchandise planning structure and function. She was formerly chairman and CEO of Macy’s Florida and prior to that served as senior executive vice president of the company’s Bloomingdale’s division. Greiner began her retailing career in 1975 at Robinson’s in Los Angeles.

A. Russell Asson ’76 (management) is a 32-year civilian employee of the U.S. Army. Asson recently was promoted to the position of chief of the program review and analysis division of the Cruise Missile Defense Systems Project Office in the Program Executive Office for Missiles and Space.

Stephen Christie ’79, ’85 (accounting, MBA) is associate dean and assistant professor in the school of business at California Baptist University in Riverside. Christie is pursuing his Ph.D. in educational

studies at Claremont Graduate University. He spent 30 years in business, most recently as CFO/COO of Smith & Noble in Corona before retiring in 2006.

Don DiCostanzo ’79 (marketing) and Terry Sherry ’80 (finance) have founded Irvine-based Pedego Electric Bikes, an electric bicycle company that offers battery-powered beach cruiser bikes. “With Pedego, our goal is to provide an electric bicycle that’s easy to ride and offers the option to use the electric battery when desired,”

DiCostanzo says. “It’s the perfect combination of fun and fitness in one of the most fashionable electric bikes available on the market.”

1980sMaurice Clark ’81 (accounting) is a senior special agent with the criminal investigation division of the Internal Revenue Service. He is currently posted at the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network in Washington, D.C., and serves as national program manager for Bank Secrecy Act/SAR Review.

Audrey Gardner Bryant ’83 (accounting) worked at the California State Board of Equalization for 25 years before retiring in August. Previously she worked at Westminster School District as a school secretary. Married with two daughters, Bryant lives in Northern California with her husband of 50 years. She enjoys gardening, reading, taking tours and traveling in the family’s RV. “I feel like I have had it all – marriage, family, career – and have loved every minute of it,” Bryant writes.

Merry Morgan ’85 (economics) is a community association manager for Keystone Pacific Property Management who has received her Certified Community Association Manager (CCAM) certification. The CCAM program was developed to establish and ensure standards of practice and professionalism in managing California community associations. Morgan is responsible for managing a portfolio of accounts throughout Orange County.

Rene Vise ’85 (accounting) has been appointed as the city of Santa Maria’s director of administrative services. Vise has a strong background in finance,

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Continued on page 24


a l U M n I U P D a t e s

accounting, auditing and administration. Vise received his master’s degree in public administration from Golden Gate University.

Gloria Miller ’86 (finance) has been appointed senior vice president and SBA lending department manager for Commerce National Bank. Miller, a 20-year veteran in business banking and real estate financing, has held key positions with companies like Comerica Bank and Banco Popular.

Manuel Ramirez ’88 (accounting), certified public accountant president and chief executive officer of Ramirez International was unanimously elected president of the

California Board of Accountancy (CBA) by its 15-member board. Ramirez served as the CBA’s vice president in 2009 and has been an active board member of the organization since his appointment by Governor Schwarzenegger in 2007.

Mark Zehner ’88 (finance) was named senior managing director of the Colliers International U.S. property management division. Zehner, a 20-year industry veteran

with a specialty in asset management, is the former regional head of asset management in the western United States at RREEF where he spent nearly 11 years and handled more than 40 million square feet of office and industrial property.

Ed Hays ’89 (finance) announces the formation of a new law firm, Marshack Hays LLP. Hays has served as chair of the Orange County Bar Association’s commercial law and bankruptcy section

and frequently presents lectures to attorneys on a range of legal issues. He also is an active alumnus, serving on the board for the CSUF Philanthropic Foundation.

Scott Wilson ’89 (marketing) was named golf professional of the year for the Southern California Professional Golfers Association of America (SCPGA). This is the highest honor given by the SCPGA. Wilson

currently is the director of golf at Vellano Country Club in Chino Hills.

1990sAudrey Manibog Gardner ’91

(finance) is controller for Community Hospital of Long Beach. Gardner previously was controller at Bellflower Medical Center, where she was responsible for

financial operations.

Eric Lane ’93 (accounting) has co-founded an Anaheim Hills CPA firm, L&CO. The firm specializes in tax solutions, financial reporting and litigation projects.

2000sPatrick Nguyen ’00 (finance) has been named the channel sales manager in the ACOM Solutions Inc. Channels Division. Nguyen spent more than six years developing channel partnerships with some of Sage Software’s most prestigious channel partners, among

them Blytheco, Southeast Computer Solutions, AccuPointe and Business Computer Associates.

Sarah Kerr ’01 (finance) has earned an excellence in service award from Keystone Pacific Property Management Inc., a California-based property management firm. Kerr is general ledger supervisor and trains community association managers on the financial aspects of community management. The honor recognizes Kerr’s excellent customer service as investment manager for brokerage accounts.

James Wright Jr. ’03 (management) is one of the co-founders of Proper Knowledge, a nonprofit organization. Wright’s association is made up of musicians, painters, dancers, writers and poets who have

worked as professional artists. The group’s members want to create better entertainment for children, youth and young adults and are producing music, books, videos and educational materials.

Nick Arciniaga ’07 (accounting) finished fifth in the Feb. 15, 2009, Ome Marathon, a 30-kilometer race in Tokyo with a time of 1 hour, 34 minutes, 25 seconds. Arciniaga was invited to Japan after he finished 10th in the Boston Marathon in 2008. He was the first American to cross the finish line. In November, he finished 17th in the Olympic marathon time trials, six minutes off a qualifying spot. He is setting his sights on the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Jessica Acosta ’08 (marketing) has quickly moved up at Chivas USA and is now the corporate marketing manager. Acosta is a member of Mihaylo College’s Executive Council and the public relations director of the Business Titans alumni chapter.

Continued from page 23

Andrew Truett Cathy, grandson of the founder of Chick-fil-A restaurants, was the keynote speaker at the 2009 Family Owned Business Awards.

California state Senator Lou Correa ’80, left, and John Cruz ’75, appointments secretary for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, right, were two of the 48 guest professors during the college’s annual Professor for a Day program.

business titans

The Business Titans alumni chapter held one of their monthly networking meetings at Mihaylo Hall. Pictured are, from left, Myra Chen ’11 MBA, Associate Dean Tom Boyd and Louis Beltran ’08. Each meeting features a different guest speaker addressing current issues. Find out more at fullerton.edu/alumni/business.

family business Council

While her face may not be familiar to you, Ginny Pace has probably touched your life in one manner or another. As director of community affairs for Mihaylo College for 15 years, Ginny participated in establishing many of the successful events that provide visibility for the college, including the annual Economic Forecast Conference and midyear update, the Dean’s Summer Golf Classic and Professor for a Day. As an integral part of the college’s fundraising team, she helped raise funds for student scholarships and the campaign for Mihaylo Hall. Especially gratifying to Ginny was her work with the college’s Executive Council, a premier group of 75 business leaders. In addition, Ginny was the managing editor of Connections, the precursor to the INDICATOR magazine.

best wishes on your retirement, ginny!

e V e n t s

Ginny Pace

Dean Anil Puri and Economics Professor Mira Farka presented their economic forecast for the coming year to a sold-out crowd at the Hyatt Regency in Irvine.

Professor for a Day

economic forecast Conference

Non-ProfitOrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDPermit 1635

Santa Ana, CA

California State University, Fullerton Mihaylo College of Business and EconomicsP.O. Box 6848Fullerton, CA 92834-6848

April 20 | Midyear Economic Forecast Anil Puri, dean of Mihaylo College and co-director of the Institute for Economic and Environmental Studies, presents analyses of the local, regional and national economic outlook. Lunch included. For more information, please contact Alice Rodriguez at 657-278-4229 or e-mail [email protected].

April 23 | “Leading in Times of Scarcity & Uncertainty”Center for Leadership Conference.Now, more than ever, leaders are called upon to provide direction and inspiration during this economic downturn. Learn about new strategies and trends in effective leadership. To register or for more information, visit fullerton.edu/leadershipcenter.

May 5 | The Strategies & Solutions Series for Small Business “Advancing Small Business Financing” breakfast workshop.For more information, please contact Victoria Scott at 657-278-7446 or e-mail [email protected].

May 11 | “Exit Strategies” Family Business Council Workshop. For more information, please contact Robbin Bretzing at 657-278-4182 or e-mail [email protected].

May 22-23 | Commencement Paul Folino, executive chairman of Emulex, will be awarded an honorary doctorate. For more information, please contact Victoria Scott at 657-278-7446 or e-mail [email protected].

May 25 | Mihaylo College Titan Baseball Tailgate Titans vs. UCLAFor more information, please contact Alice Rodriguez at 657-278-4229 or e-mail [email protected].

June 7 | Mihaylo College’s Summer Golf Classic El Niguel Country ClubBenefitting student scholarships and classroom technology for Mihaylo College. For more information, please contact Alice Rodriguez at 657-278-4229 or e-mail [email protected].

August 4 | The Strategies & Solutions Series for Small Business “Using Social Media as a Small Business Revenue Generator” breakfast workshop. For more information, please contact Victoria Scott at 657-278-7446 or e-mail [email protected].

Documents

Indicator Magazine