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Marketing Professor Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

The American Marketing Association’s Collegiate Chapter Division has awarded its Faculty Advisor Lifetime Achievement Award to Vish Iyer, professor of marketing at the University of Northern Colorado’s Monfort College of Business. He received the award from the AMA Collegiate Chapter Council during a ceremony at the 35th Annual Intercollegiate Conference in New Orleans.

Candidates for the award must have at least 20 years of advising experience, be actively involved in AMA activities, participate in annual reports judging, showcase national leadership and foster a successful student chapter.

Iyer joined the faculty at UNC in 1985 and has been the advisor for UNC’s marketing club for 25 years. Under his guidance, the club has been named Best Chapter in the Western Region multiple times. This year the chapter received the award for Best Chapter Plan.

“I really like to see these students accomplish things and help themselves become better,” Iyer said. “I want them to realize that what they achieve for the club actually enhances their ability to play leadership roles, which will serve them well in the future.”

In addition to teaching at UNC, Iyer has more than 10 years of business and industrial experience including project/cost engineering, product design and distribution management, marketing strategies, marketing problem solving, product management small business counseling and international business and culture. He’s been voted by students as the marketing professor of the year in 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012, received the 2008 Hormel Meritorious Teaching Award from the Marketing Management Association, and was the Alpha Kappa Psi—Xi Phi Chapter Professor of the Year in 2010. He also hosts study abroad opportunities for Monfort College of Business students each summer.

“Professor Iyer is a valued member of our faculty, providing students with guidance, leadership and global learning opportunities for 25 years,” said Don Gudmundson, dean of the college. “We are very proud that the American Marketing Association chose to honor him with its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.”

The American Marketing Association is one of the largest marketing associations in the world, with more than 30,000 members who work, teach and study in the field of marketing across the globe.

Students Select Monfort Professors of the Year

Six professors at the University of Northern Colorado’s Monfort College of Business have been selected as “Professors of the Year,” according to Don Gudmundson, dean of the college. The winners were announced at the college’s annual student-sponsored picnic.

Every year students at the college vote for Professors of the Year in each emphasis area: Accounting, Computer Information Systems (CIS), General Business, Management, Marketing and Finance, as well as one faculty member being named Professor of the Year for the entire college.

This year Professor of the Year honors for the college went to Director of Technology and CIS Lecturer Chris Vegter. Winners in each emphasis area were Assistant Professor of Accounting William Wilcox, Director of Technology and CIS Lecturer Chris Vegter, Professor of Finance Cris de la Torre, Professor of Business Statistics (General Business) Robert Lynch, Assistant Professor of Management David Thomas and Professor of Marketing Vish Iyer.

“These awards provide students with the opportunity to honor and thank professors who have made their academic experience exceptional,” said Gudmundson. “Professors consider this honor high praise from our students, who also consistently give the college high marks for the quality of its undergraduate business program.”

MCB Facebook Page Has International Audience

If you haven’t been on the College’s Facebook page lately, now is the time to check it out! We have more than 7,000 “likes” coming from people all over the world. Don’t be shy, post on the page, tell us about your experience with the College, ask questions, or let us know what you are looking forward to if you are a future student!

Top 10 countries represented on the MCB Facebook page:

USA

India

Pakistan

Brazil

Egypt

Bangladesh

Mexico

Italy

Jordan

Algeria

Monfort Executive Speaker Program Features Whole Foods CEO

Monfort College of Business students, alums and friends will have the opportunity to hear Whole Foods Inc. Co. CEO Walter Robb speak on Tuesday, April 16. He’ll present “Building a Culture of Conscious Capitalism” at 6:15 p.m. in Kepner Hall on the University of Northern Colorado campus. He is the final Monfort Executive Professor Program (MEPP) speaker of the 2012-2013 academic year.

Free parking is available after 5 p.m. in the lot adjacent to Kepner Hall.

“I know our students, as well as business executives across the Front Range, will enjoy hearing the Whole Foods story from Walter Robb,” said Don Gudmundson, Dean of the College.

Robb joined Whole Foods Market in 1991. He operated the Mill Valley, CA, store until he became president of the Northern Pacific Region in 1993, where he grew the region from two to 17 stores. He became Executive Vice President of Operations in 2000, Chief Operating Officer in 2001 and Co-President in 2004. Now as Co-CEO, Robb oversees six regions and is on the Whole Planet Foundation Board of Directors. An avid, organic advocate, Robb is on the Advisory Board for the Organic Center for Education and Promotion. He is also on the Board of Regents for the University of the Pacific.

The Monfort Executive Professor Program was established by an endowment of $1 million donated by Kenneth and Myra Monfort in 1989. The program is designed to provide opportunities for ongoing interaction among business professionals and practitioners, faculty and students.

“By bringing national business leaders to the Monfort College of Business, our students have a richer scholastic experience and are better prepared for life after college,” said Gene O’Hara, Director of MEPP.

Director of Monfort Institute Awarded ASQ Gyrna Award

The American Society of Quality (ASQ) will present the Gryna Award for innovative contributions and achievements in quality to John Latham, director of the Monfort Institute at the University of Northern Colorado, at its annual World Conference in Indianapolis in May. He is being honored for authoring the paper “Management System Design for Sustainable Excellence: Framework, Practices and Considerations,” which appeared in Quality Management Journal Vol. 19, No.2.

The Gryna Award is given for the paper that has made the largest single contribution to the extension of understanding and knowledge of the philosophy, principles or methods of quality management during the past year.

Latham’s paper presents a framework and approach for the design of management systems that create sustainable value for multiple stakeholders. It’s built on a foundation of systems thinking and design thinking combined with performance excellence concepts and principles utilized by high performing companies, including those who have received the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award from the Office of the President of the United States.

The Monfort College of Business at the University of Northern Colorado, which houses the Monfort Institute, received the coveted Baldrige award in 2004.

Latham said, “This is a different approach to improving organizational performance. Other approaches focus on satisfying one or two key stakeholders and incrementally improving pieces and parts of the existing system. This method focuses on designing a new system that creates value for six stakeholder groups: customers, employees, investors, suppliers and partners, society and the natural environment.” He concluded, “Successful leaders in the future will have to become architects of enduring organization by designing systems that create sustainable results for multiple stakeholders.”

Winners Announced in Fourth Annual Monfort Entrepreneurial Challenge

Three winners claimed a portion of $50,000 in prize money at the Fourth Annual Monfort College of Business Entrepreneurial Challenge yesterday. The competition took place at the University of Northern Colorado’s University Center. The winners were announced during last night’s Bravo! Awards, a Northern Colorado Business Report event that is sponsored by the college. 9News Business Reporter Gregg Moss emceed the events.

The first place prize of $25,000 went to Vertikle Enterprises LLC/5280 Prosthetics, a company that will improve the lives of amputees through a new generation of products that enable prosthetic devices to communicate with their users, relaying critical data to improve fit, function and the general health of the amputee.

Winning second place and $15,000 was Nunn-based Grouse Malting and Roasting Company, a malting company focusing on organic, gluten-free grains for brewing and baking.

WildFit Gyms, based in Fort Collins, is an outdoor fitness equipment concept featuring website and mobile app integration. WildFit claimed third place and $10,000.

Walter Wilson, President of Vertikle Enterprises LLC said, “Forty customers have already ordered our devices but we can’t fill the orders yet. The prize money will enable us to get the product manufactured and delivered to customers. These people have already experienced traumatic medical injuries and we want to be able to help them as soon as possible.”

Five finalists presented business plans in a “Shark Tank” format to a panel of three judges: Brad Cheedle, senior vice president of WOW, a digital cable, HDTV, high speed internet and phone service; Mark Driscoll, Colorado market president of First National Bank, the Venture Capitalist sponsor of the event; and Brad Florin, managing principal of Florin Ltd. and CEO of Bizmo.com, a leading cloud accounting time and billing system.

More than 50 entrepreneurs submitted feasibility studies in this year’s competition, with 18 semifinalists competing in January.

“We believe it’s important for the Monfort College of Business to promote business growth and celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit in Northern Colorado,” said Monfort College of Business assistant professor of management David Thomas. “We’ll launch the Fifth Annual Entrepreneurial Challenge this fall, so get those business feasibility studies ready to submit.”

For more information about the competition and each of the finalists, visit www.mcb-echallenge.com.

New York Times Best-Selling Author to Address Monfort Students, Alumni and Friends

Students and alumni of the Monfort College of Business at the University of Northern Colorado will have the chance to hear a presentation by Robert A. Wiedemer, Ph.D., the best-selling author of America’s Bubble Economy, The Aftershock and The Aftershock Investor. The free presentation is also open to the community at large.

The event will be held in Milne Auditorium in Kepner Hall on the campus of UNC at 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday, March 6. A networking reception will precede the event starting at 5:30 p.m. Parking is free after 5 p.m. in the lot adjacent to Kepner Hall.

Wiedemer is the fourth speaker in the Monfort Executive Professor Program (MEPP) Speaker Series at the college in 2013. He will present “The Aftershock View of the Economy.”

Wiedemer is president of Aftershock Publishing and a managing director at Absolute Investment Management, a money management firm. His books have been translated into Chinese, Japanese and Polish and he is a popular speaker to groups of investors, financial analysts and economists worldwide. He has an MBA in marketing from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

“We believe it’s important to provide our students and the business community with the opportunity to learn from current industry leaders and influencers,” said Gene O’Hara, director of MEPP. “The Monfort Executive Professor Program makes that possible.”

Entrepreneurial Challenge Schedule Announced for March 7

The Monfort College of Business at the University of Northern Colorado has announced the competition schedule for the Fourth Annual Monfort College of Business Entrepreneurial Challenge. The event takes place at the University Center on the UNC campus on Thursday, March 7. Five finalists will compete for $50,000 in prize money.

The event is free and open to the public.

Each finalist will present a business plan, followed by Q&A by the judges. The audience will also be given the opportunity to ask questions. The presentation schedule is:

12 p.m.: Membrane Protective Technologies, a proprietary technology that protects dairy cattle sperm used in artificial insemination from the ravages of freezing and thawing

1:05 p.m.: Grouse Malting and Roasting Company, a malting company focusing on organic, gluten-free grains for brewing and baking

2:10 p.m.: The Urban Farm Company, providing a “fool proof” gardening experience by installing high-yield organic vegetable gardens for homeowners and businesses

3:15 p.m.: WildFit Gyms, an outdoor fitness equipment concept featuring website and mobile app integration

4:15 p.m.: Vertikle/5280 Prosthetics will improve the lives of amputees through a new generation of products that enable prosthetic devices to communicate with their users, relaying critical data to improve fit, function and the general health of the amputee

5:30 p.m.: Winners will be announced at the Bravo! Entrepreneur Awards at the Union Colony Civic Center, a Northern Colorado Business Report event that the Monfort College of Business is sponsoring. Tickets to that event are $49 and can be purchased at www.ncbr.com.

For a more detailed schedule of events or to view live streaming video of the finalists’ presentations visit www.mcb-echallenge.com.

9News Business Reporter Gregg Moss will serve as emcee for the event and award ceremony.

This year’s first place winner will receive $25,000, second place $15,000 and the third $10,000.

“This promises to be a very exciting day, filled with information, networking opportunities and the chance to observe entrepreneurs as they present their business plans,” said David Thomas, assistant professor of management for the college.

UNC Announces Great App Design Contest

High school and college students in Colorado who dream of designing their own apps and games can turn that dream into a scholarship toward a Software Engineering degree at the University of Northern Colorado. The University of Northern Colorado, the Monfort College of Business and the School of Mathematical Science have launched the Great App Design Contest, with entries due by Monday, April 15.

“We know there are lots of students in Colorado who are interested in designing software and apps, and would like to pursue a career doing so,” said Monfort College of Business Professor of CIS and Software Engineering Degree Faculty Advisor Charmayne Cullom. “This competition provides us with the opportunity to promote the new program and give students in Colorado the chance to win their choice of scholarship funds toward a Software Engineering degree or other prizes.”

First place winners receive a $1,000 Software Engineering degree scholarship at UNC or a Wii U Deluxe, second place receives a $500 Software Engineering scholarship at UNC or a $200 App Store gift card, and third place receives a $250 Software Engineering scholarship at UNC or a $100 App Store gift card.

Entries can be made by individuals or teams consisting of up to three students, who must be enrolled in high school or college in Colorado with less than 60 hours of college credit.

Complete details about the competition can be found at www.GreatAppContest.com. The winners will be announced during a live Webinar on Wednesday, May 8.

Sponsorship opportunities are also available. For more information, contact Sarah Berkman at sarah.berkman@unco.edu or (970) 351-3052.

“We’re very enthusiastic about the new Software Engineering degree,” said Monfort College of Business Dean Don Gudmundson. “UNC will be one of the very few offering this course of study.” The college and the Mathematical Sciences Department are participating in an interdisciplinary partnership to offer a Bachelor of Science, Software Engineering degree, beginning in Fall 2013.

“This major is ideal for students who are detail oriented, problem solvers and feel most at home in front of a computer,” Gudmundson said.

Cullom added, “It’s exciting that UNC is offering a collaborative joint program that pulls together the strengths of CIS and Computer Science to provide students with a degree that makes them market-ready for the new world of computer software development.”

Students majoring in Software Engineering will be able to choose from any minor offered at the University of Northern Colorado.

Learn How to Ace an Interview

Want to make a great impression during job interviews? Then MCB students, alumni and friends will want to attend “Tips for Interviewing” by Human Resources expert Mark Neville. This free event takes place on Thursday, Feb. 14 between 9:30-11:45 a.m. in Milne Auditorium in Kepner Hall. There will be an informal reception in the student lounge following the presentation.

Mark Neville, CLU, ChFC, is a Claim Team Manager for State Farm Insurance. He has more than 20 years of experience at State Farm Insurance Companies, including 10 years in Human Resources.