COLLEGE OF BUSINESS MAGAZINE INNOVISION '22 & '23 DOUBLE ISSUE 32 1 | INNOVISION MAGAZINE JASON FLIEGELMAN BUSINESS IDEA COMPETITION FIRST PLACE WINNER
2 | INNOVISION MAGAZINE
3 FOLLOW US: TABLE OF CONTENTS 4 6 9 10 12 16 21 22 24 26 29 30 36 38 45 46 ..................STOCKTRAK COMPETITION ...FEATURED SPEAKERS (SPRING) .............BUSINESS IDEA COMPETITION .............FACULTY NEWS (SPRING) .............FACULTY NEWS (FALL) .....ENTREPRENEURSHIP WEEK ...............NETWORKING EVENT ......AWARDS BANQUET ..............DR. WEHRUNG ...FEATURED SPEAKERS (FALL) .................ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TRIP ..............KEITH HARING FITNESS COURT ............INTRODUCTION ....STUDENT SPOTLIGHT ...................DEAN'S LIST .................MBA CLASS
4 | INNOVISION MAGAZINE As this academic year winds down, we are boxing up our things in Old Main so they can be moved into the newly renovated DeFrancesco building in mid-July. Nearly all the units of the College of Business will be housed there: the Dean’s office, the Department of Business Administration, the Sport Management Department, and the Lead Office for the Pennsylvania network of Small Business Development Centers. Staying behind in Old Main will be the Kutztown University Small Business Development Center. While we all have been under the same roof these past couple of years in Old Main, we are located in different wings on different floors, which did not foster organic, serendipitous collaboration. In DeFrancesco, we will certainly benefit from this. Moreover, our students will be happy to have more convenient access to faculty. What a whirlwind of a year it was for us in the College of Business! The size of the Dean’s office expanded by two people. In late summer, we welcomed our new Associate Dean, Dr. Jeff Wehrung, who was able to hit the ground running with the strong administrative experience he brought from his previous institution, Black Hills State University. Just this month, we hired Allyson (Ally) Larese as a Management Technician, a role that will support accreditation and assessment, among other things. Ally was an internal hire, and we are pleased with all the KU experience she brings to the table. With the pandemic in our rear-view mirrors, this academic year we were back to normal with a full slate of activities and events, many of which are featured here in the magazine. This spring, the Sport Management faculty created and implemented a high school sport business case competition, which attracted teams from Florida and New Hampshire. I was very impressed with the work these young students did and next year promises to be bigger and better! This past fall, the Department of Business Administration launched its fully revamped MBA program, which is based on a stackable certificate model. Judging from the size of our applicant pool, there seems to be solid interest in it. I hope you enjoy this edition of Innovision magazine. This year, we decided to produce one magazine that covered both semesters, rather than produce one magazine for each of the fall and spring semesters. Let us know what you think of this change; we would love to hear from you. LETTER FROM THE DEAN
5 OUR TEAM EDITOR KATIE BOWEN DESIGNER OLIVIA MORGAN WRITER MORGAN BAYER Olivia Morgan Morgan Bayer NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Welcome back to another edition of InnoVision! Another academic year has come and gone and thanks to my very talented team of students, we were able to wrap up another edition of our magazine. Olivia Morgan and Morgan Bayer (The Morgan Team) were an absolute delight to work with this semester. These two ladies have impressive skills. I never had to worry about interviews being conducted or articles being written with Morgan stepping in as my new writer. Olivia, my graphic design student, always had beautifully designed layouts and marketing materials ready for my perusal. It was my pleasure getting to know my team over the past few months and I look forward to seeing what the future has in store for both of these talented ladies. I hope you enjoy the highlights of the College of Business students, faculty, and alum featured in this magazine. See you in Fall!
6 | INNOVISION MAGAZINE DEAN'S LIST Dean's List students from the spring semester were honored on September 29th for their outstanding academic achievement. Their hard work was recognized by the College of Business professors and Dean's Office. SPRING 2022 ACCOUNTING Rania Abdelfatah Isabel Baughman Evan Betzenberger Garrett Boyd Emmanuel Cabrera, Jr. Brianna Casuso Taylor Fronheiser Margaret Gehman Zachary Hafer Breanna Hank Arnulfo Hernandez Kylaiya Iles Clayton Inderbitzen Cassidy Kauffman Malachi Kauffman Tyrus Kauffman Erin Lipkus Caitlin Love Clay Manning Joshua Norris Joshua Percely Xavier Reinert Matthew Ritter Stephen Sponenburg Josh Van Gorden Hannah Vaughn Jacob Mack Zachary Morris Andre Rivera Alexandra Sipe Jake Skrocki Ethan Slaw Brenden Smay Logan Sosik Trevor Spaide Zoe Texidor Aaron Tidd Olivia Waterman Cameron Witherow John Zeich GENERAL BUSINESS Carly Batman Nathan Berger Julian Bumiller Bethany Francis Daniel Gasper Connor Harris Timothy Masters Hunter Mikosz Chelsea Morgan Spencer Rose Breanna Wesolowski Annmarie Whalen Brittney Zipin ENTREPRENEURSHIP Daquan Borney Nicholas Coppolino Riley Hanzl Gabe Koumaras FINANCE Gonzalo Barcelo Cameron Baumgardner Drew Bixler Donald Blaine Hannah Boggs Nessa Cartagena Matthew Coller Kevin Dang Aaron Dipaolantonio Shane Dolon Julianna Elsesser Kyle Goodwin Sean Hess Logan Iacobelli Reed Lawrence Maximillian Lunsmann Gabriela Sanchez Nicholas Shoemaker Cameron Thurtell HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Emmanuel Bonilla Nicole Collins MANAGEMENT Destiny Abreu Hannah Brewster Brian Bush Mia Cabrera Jakeline Cano Benjamin Correas Jacob Crawford Bridget Curtis Rachel Dusman Melinda Gerlach Heriberto Gonzalez Roberta Harris Trinity Heierbacher Griffin Hillmantel Paige Kahler Katelyn Kaisinger
7 Jared Keyes Tran Le Leomarys Marchese Daniela Maturana Ian Messenlehner Scott Moll Leocadia Nzigirabarya Jimmy Pena Bethany Perks Molly Price Haripriya Ramkissoon Margaret Rittenhouse Jaclyn Rodick Shane Truax Ian Trumbauer Tyler Whary Destiny Wiatr Gavin Wolff MARKETING Julia Amoroso Brittany Arentz Brydon Barker Ryan Besachio Addison Biello Emily Boyle Devin Burney Myah Davies Brittney Fanelli John Fechter Alexa Feorene Tanner Geist Amanda Gravatt Devon Heffner Drew Himmelberger John Horton Sara Jenkins Mackenzie Kolb Madina Mavlonova Gracie Mckee Jordan Mitchell Katherine Nolan Andrew Nunez Richard Okolovitch Travis Rach Taylor Rapel Madeleine Reilly Casey Remolde Trenton Rogers Sarah Sekerak Vanessa Stack-Smith Lauren Szuter Alexis Verdes Ethan Warren Tyler Weit PERSONAL FINANCIAL PLANNING Mia Kepler Thomas Sylvester Jeffrey Tews Kadie Tunkara SPORT MANAGEMENT Kayla Argen Connor Baurys Jackson Brown Jillian Buchman Christopher Bukowski Ethan Capozello Cade Clancy Jacob Cook GinaMarie Dickson Sadie Doss Matthew Dougherty Casandra Eckert Eleni Feggulis Damon Fives Sarah Gatehouse Alexander Gatto Joshua Gibson Brooke-Lynn Grim Abigail Hearn Zachary Hoover David Kattell Logan Kingsley Daniel Long Andrew Mann Greenleigh McGehee Logan Nadelman Kyle Newman Gregory Oplinger Melanie Peyser Jason Phelan Sydney Pierson Dominic Proietto Jade Robinson Aidan Sanchez MakiyaSavage Paige Saxey Spencer Schumacher Tyler Sheets Seth Shoemaker John Shortino Davis Stoudt Sydney Stupka Matilda Sullivan Jonathan Summers Taylor Szczecina Shawn Trimmer Kobie Tuckson Conor Walker Jailen Waller Colin Warner Robert Winegar Annika Wise Emme Wolfel Zara Zerman Emily Zimmerman SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT James Becker Andrew Slusark Robert Weidler Michael Windsor
8 | INNOVISION MAGAZINE Accounting (L to R): Dr. Greg Kaufinger, Joshua Norris, Caitlin Love, Dr. Mostafa Maksy, and Dr. Emma Hao Supply Chain Management (L to R): Andrew Slusark, Dr. Gary Chao, James Becker, Richard Okolovitch, Robert Weidler, and Dr. Sue Kong Finance (L to R): Dr. Jonathan Kramer, Gonzalo Barcelo, Robert Weidler, Kadie Tunkara, Reed Lawrence, Zachary Morris, Olivia Waterman, Jeffrey Tews, and John Zeich Personal Financial Planning (L to R): Dr. Jonathan Kramer, Kadie Tunkara, and Jeffrey Tews General Business & HR Management (L to R): Dr. Gary Chao, Nicole Collins, Bethany Francis, and Professor George Rogol Management (L to R): Hannah Brewster, Leocadia Nzigirabarya, Haripriya Ramkissoon, and Dr. Saehwa Hong Sport Management (L to R): Dr. Soojin Kim, Professor Norm Sigmond, Joshua Gibson, Spencer Schumacher, Dr. Kerri Cebula, and Dr. Dina Hayduk Marketing (L to R): Dr. Eun Yeon Kang, Addison Biello, Emily Boyle, Devon Heffner, Jordan Mitchell, and Dr. Feisal Murshed DEAN'S LIST RECEPTION PHOTOS
9 STOCK TRAK COMPETITION The StockTrak competition, which runs once every semester, surprised KU’s Applied Investment Management Association (AIM) club this fall. Sophomore Finance major, Sean Hess, made a 157 percent return, putting him in first place during a semester when the financial markets were struggling. The first-place winner was just as surprised by the result, entering the competition with a “why not give it a shot” mentality. Hess was nowhere near the top three contestants, yet in just the remaining month, he finished in first place “which is extremely impressive,” said Stephen Sponenburg, the competition’s student leader. StockTrak is a platform that supports an investment competition hosted by AIM (a KU organization for students with a desire to learn about investing). The competition is meant to give students the opportunity to apply what they’ve learned in their courses by trading virtual stocks. Each contestant is granted one million fake dollars to compete against each other in the race to make the largest return in the StockTrak competition. Hess, winning a $250 prize in the competition, said that he looks forward to using this experience to help procure an internship this coming summer. Hess’ strategy for the semester’s competition was to apply the concepts he learned regarding options trading (including taking advantage of ‘call options’ and ‘put options’) and predicting the Consumer Price Index (CPI). “I didn’t really know what I was doing,” Hess admitted, “as I was still very much a beginner.” Hess hopes that this win will make him eligible for the exclusive, invite only, AIM (FIN 375) class. In this class, “students manage a $800,000 real-time portfolio for the KU Foundation,” Sponenburg explained, so the stakes are a bit higher. “Call it luck or skill,” Hess surmised, regarding the experience, “StockTrak became simple once I spent the time to learn how to use it.” Runner-up, Julianna Elsesser (junior)—a Finance and Personal Financial Planning major and the winner of a $150 prize—thought it would be difficult to choose which companies to invest in within the short time frame. This led her to research “positive trends in sales growth and earnings,” Elsesser explained. She also stayed tuned into various business news broadcasts, which paid off, earning her second place in the competition. The third-place winner, Sierra Alcorn (senior), majoring in Personal Financial Planning and winning $100 in the competition, said that her strategy was investing in two or more stocks from each sector of the market. This strategy diversified her portfolio reducing financial risk, she explained. Regarding StockTrak, Alcorn expressed that it “is a wonderful opportunity for students to explore without any financial repercussions. I recommend that students of all majors take part because you have nothing to lose and only knowledge to gain.” Julianna Elsesser, Sean Hess, and Sierra Alcorn
10 | INNOVISION MAGAZINE Narrowing down forty-two business idea submissions to six was quite the feat, Dr. Jeffrey Wehrung announced at the foot of the Schaeffer Auditorium within KU’s Learning Center building. Wehrung presented the random order of the six contestants: Emma Wetzel, Juan Vargas-Elvira, Sarah Misselhorn, Jason Fliegelman, Ray Wells, and Brendan Noska. The theater audience contained fellow students, faculty, judges, and family members of the chosen six contestants for the College of Business’ twelfth annual Business Idea Competition. The six KU students sat together on stage right, permeating an eager energy as Wehrung began the night with introductions, judging criterion, and directives for the presenters. The sponsor of the evening’s event was Total Solutions Group Founder and CEO, Jack Gottlieb (’00). The four judges, John Stetler, John Dever, Janine Birch (’05), and Ken Ritter all coming from business backgrounds of varying departments and fields sat center stage. Two of the judges (Stetler and Dever) work with KU’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and encouraged each contestant, as well as those who didn’t make the finals, to bring their ideas to the SBDC for additional support following the competition. Each student had worked with a business mentor who had helped them plan their product, financials, customer segmentation, and marketing plans in the months prior to the competition. With only five minutes to present, the contestants were graded on quality of pitch, compelling idea (including product/service, target BUSINESS IDEA COMPETITION
11 market, structure, financial viability, and market opportunity), and overall pitch style. Before announcing the winners, Dean Anne Carroll, addressed the crowd saying, “For me this is one of the most fun events that we put on during the academic year, and it’s so great to get a window into the minds of young people and where they see opportunity; it’s inspiring.” All contestants received feedback from all four judges and were strongly encouraged to keep working toward their excellent business ideas. Fliegelman took home the first-place award of $2,500 with the business idea of the Fliegelman Music Video Network (FMVN). The network would have a hosting format like that of VH1, MTV, and Turner Classic Movies. The idea is to introduce music videos with information about the artists. Fliegelman was very thorough with financial and marketing strategies and took time to describe IP requirements and copyright costs for the platform’s song selection. Fliegelman’s dedication to his concept, detailed plan execution, and delivery earned him the first-place position. While talking with Fliegelman, he expressed that “It’s important to at least pitch your concept to someone so that you know whether it’s going to take off or not.” He disclosed that he did not expect to make it to the competition, let alone earn first place. Misselhorn presented the innovative idea of the Boomba, winning the second-place award of $1,500. The product is a-play-on-words with the Roomba vacuum model designed to clean up trash on the beach. Misselhorn spent much of her free time as a child on the beach developing a consideration for its care and maintenance. Speaking of the experience, Misselhorn said, “If I’m being honest, I was very nervous, but once I got up there, I was passionate about my idea and led with that.” Wetzel, a music performance major and winner of the $1,000 third-place award presented her idea of The Valley Theater. The concept is a venue for new artists as they branch out into the performance world of music. Wetzel said, “Everyone had amazing ideas which have inspired me to put more ideas into my business.” The other three contestants all had interesting business ideas: Vargas-Elvira presented The Vargas Rental Store La Musica bringing sound equipment rentability to Latin musical performers in the Reading Area. Growing up amongst a family of musicians greatly inspired his business idea for the competition. Wells, focused on bringing his passion for boxing (being a 1-0 fighter himself) to Kutztown with his idea of a Boxing Gym that would train boxers and provide opportunities for them to spar with neighboring gyms. Noska, a commercial music major, presented the idea of a live music venue called The Stage, which would attract music lovers, and provide space for music majors and teachers to perform and congregate while containing a bar and food menu. The night ended with each of the winners displaying broad smiles that expressed a bit of shock and pride, as well as gigantic-sized checks, and the coveted lightbulbshaped Business Idea Competition trophy in the hands of the three winners. It will be exciting to see how each of the six contestant’s ideas progress as these KU students enhance the greater Kutztown Community and the world. Jason Fliegelman was presented the first-place prize of $2,500 by Associate Dean, Dr. Jeff Wehrung. Ken Ritter (Judge and COO of HEYCO Metals), Janine Birch (Judge and Marketing Manager for Wehrung's Lumber and Home Center), Emma Wetzel (3rd place winner), Jason Fliegelman (1st place winner), Sarah Misselhorn (2nd place winner), John Dever (Judge and Business Consultant with KU SBDC), and John Stetler (Judge and Director of KU SBDC)
12 | INNOVISION MAGAZINE During the interview, Dr. Kim walked me through prior research on the impact of website design and useability on consumer behaviors and how they navigate websites to purchase tickets. This research discovered that consumers engage first with an image, then the caption, and then with the content. In contrast, Dr. Kim explained that “sports fans are different” than the average consumer. Sports fans notice their team’s logo first, then the image, and then engage with the content. “We didn’t know this,” Dr. Kim said energetically. A consumer doesn’t really know where they are looking necessarily or what their behavior is, but through this technology, we can see and observe,” Dr. Kim unfolded. Walking down the hallway—composed of wooden trimmings, a wooden floor that causes your footsteps to echo, and tall ceilings—in Old Main’s mysterious added wing, I look for Dr. Yongjae Kim’s office. The door is open when I reach it, and he is sitting relaxed at a wooden desk surrounded by shelves and cabinets that match the same dark wood of the hallway. Light pours in through a window behind him bringing added warmth to the furnishings and the room. Dr. Kim, with a gentle voice, exchanges introductions and offers me a seat. “Congratulations on receiving the Chambliss Award,” I offer. KU’s Chambliss Faculty Research Award represents the “highest achievement in research and scholarship that can only be awarded once within a person's career.” Dr. Kim smiles humbly and nods a thanks but waits to respond. “Did you know you would be receiving the Chambliss Award?” I continue. “No one knows,” he responds, shaking his head with a broadening smile. Dr. Kim gives the impression that he takes acknowledgments in stride focusing more on his passion for research and the pursuit of “new knowledge” than on the awards bestowed. A Professor of Sport Management, Dr. Kim is also the Founder and Executive Director of the KU Sport Business Institute (KUSBI). For the Institute, and greater KU community, he procured a PASSHE grant to fund Neuro-marketing technology. The Neuro-marketing technology, with eye and expression trackers, displays where a consumer's primary and secondary focuses are when engaging with media content. Dr. Kim explained that “with survey research, the results can become very biased, however, if we are using objective methods (like the Neuro-marketing technology) to observe consumer behavior, it is less likely to become biased.” This new technology has been the tool for much of Dr. Kim’s current research. Dr. Kim’s recent research focuses on “identifying the factors influencing consumer behavior,” and has uncovered some interesting dynamics. PROFESSOR NEWS CHAMBLISS AWARD DR. YONGJAE KIM
“When you are doing your own research, you can share your research findings with students, and apply their behavior as a demonstration.” In class, Dr. Kim will have his Sport Management students view sport media and then show them their similar behaviors through the Neuro-marketing technology. This is one of the main reasons that Dr. Kim dedicates himself to research. “Students cannot learn this kind of information from their textbooks because they typically have old information, he explained, “One of the most important responsibilities, I believe, as a faculty member is to create new knowledge.” Dr. Kim went on to state that students should know their own consumption behavior first because “if they understand their own experience, feeling, and cognitive process when making a purchasing decision they can then begin to understand others.” It takes additiownal time and energy on top of other faculty responsibilities to teach students how to utilize the Neuro-marketing technology, as well as gather and interpret the data. Dr. Kim admits that it can be a difficult challenge to undertake, because undergraduates typically don’t have prior research experience. However, the effort is beneficial to the students, since Kutztown is one of the few universities that has this type of technology accessible to undergraduates. Typically, renowned research universities would reserve this type of technology for graduate and doctorate students. Dr. Kim said with wide-eyed enthusiasm, “Our undergraduates are very lucky to have this opportunity here at KU, so it’s cool.” This may provide students who are continuing their education to be eligible for scholarship opportunities or to provide ideas for capstone projects for their undergraduate degree. Dr. Kim plans to continue publishing further research findings through the utilization of the Neuro-marketing technology program. If he publishes one more article in the Sports Marketing Quarterly—the official journal of the Sports Marketing Association—he will receive the Sports Marketing Research Fellowship Honorary Award and will be one in only approximately one-hundred people to receive both this and the North American Society for Sport Management Award (NASSM), which Kim received in 2018. “It is not my goal to receive these awards, but it is an honor to my work and career,” he said soberly. This coming summer, Dr. Kim has been invited to Akdeniz University in Turkey to spend a month researching the added component of culture in regard to consumer behavior. If grants are procured, Dr. Kim hopes to bring two students with him to help assist in the research study. “I also have connections in Germany and Poland,” Dr. Kim divulged, so there are developing opportunities for him to research other cultures as well. As Dr. Kim writes down the name of the "university" for my reference, we’re taken out of the conversational world of technology and research and back into Dr. Kim’s office surrounded by wooden furnishings. I end by congratulating him again on the Chambliss Award, and Dr. Kim smiles and says, “it changes nothing, I’m still here doing my normal tasks, but I am extremely honored, and it motivates me to continue.” He proceeds by restating his passion for creating new knowledge to pass on to his students especially his undergraduate students. Dr. Kim reveals with a smile, “when I see their eyes as they’re learning something new with the technology, they’re like ‘WOW, how did you do that?’ I love their reaction!” He continues, “This growth and understanding are further reasons to keep doing the research,” conveying that he will indeed keep researching and creating new knowledge for his many current and future students to come.
14 | INNOVISION MAGAZINE PROFESSOR NEWS RETIRING FACULTY Elizabeth Rogol, Professor of Marketing and Sport Management for Kutztown University’s College of Business, talks with one of her students as I wait outside the office for our interview. (Professor Rogol keeps an open-door policy for students and faculty to feel welcome). Her voice carries out the door and into the hallway and her words are direct, yet calm and kind as she addresses the student’s questions. After a few minutes, the eased student thanks her, and Rogol responds, “email me with any questions that come up.” As I entered Rogol’s softly lit office, I was greeted by her warm salutation, the combination bringing a sense of calm. With the vintage backdrop of Old Main (the oldest building on campus, built in 1866), Rogol’s composed voice echoes gently off the ivory walls as she graciously compliments the comfortable style of my shoes. Welcoming me with her relatable conversation, we chat briefly about the woes of high heels. Rogol has been teaching in Kutztown University’s College of Business for thirty-nine years, starting as a temporary adjunct and eventually becoming Associate Professor of marketing. Rogol found the position shortly after graduating with an MBA in business from Shippensburg University and working briefly at a company in the advertising department. She didn’t know at the time that this position would lead to a life-long career. “I grew up professionally here,” she stated soberly. Directing the attention off herself, she said, “I learned from really good, hard-working people who were selfless whether it be for students or fellow colleagues.” Although not being a part of an official mentoring program, she described how colleagues mentored her anyway, because that was the kind of character they had. At the time of this interview, Rogol had been called back from retirement— having only a typical summer off—to help teach several marketing classes.“Never in a million years would I have seen myself teaching marketing again after so many years,” Rogol stated with a smile. “It’s been a good ride,” Rogol said with a bobbing nod that conveyed both admiration and fatigue. There have been challenges along the way, such as when the department was restructured and Rogol had to reinvent herself from teaching marketing to sport management, “but there were a lot of good things that came out of that.” Rogol remembered starting over as a professor of twenty-nine years and having to prove herself to a new department to find a home among “a group of hard-working people that really worked as a team.” Prior to this, pressure was put on professors with masters to earn their doctorate, bringing Rogol back to school to earn a second graduate degree in Organizational Leadership from Mansfield University. She then used this degree to design a new Leadership minor for Kutztown University before transitioning into Sport Management. Serving as chair of four different departments during her career at Kutztown University, ELIZABETH ROGOL
15 Rogol listed them rather modestly: “marketing, professional studies, sport management, and business administration.” She also served one semester as Interim Associate Dean of the College of Business. “They were interesting experiences,” Rogol explained, “in that every department, even under the same organization, had very different cultures that impacted the everyday operations.” Rogol recognized that having experience with various departments gave her the opportunity to meet and network with a lot of amazing people over the years. She emphasized the importance of developing these relationships, by saying, “you never know what is going to happen next and you cannot underestimate how important these relationships can be to your overall functioning throughout your career." She continued, “You may need to call on people that you worked with before for their help.” Rogol was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA, where her 90-year-old mother still resides. She and her husband (fiancé at the time) moved to Kutztown in the early 80s for what they had originally thought would only be a springboard stop on their way to Atlanta, GA. However, after a year and a half, Rogol’s temporary adjunct position turned into a tenure position and her husband found a job in Reading, PA, keeping them here throughout both their careers. Together they have one daughter, two sons, and one granddaughter (so far). When I asked if she knew she would become a teacher after graduating business school, Rogol laughed and shook her head. “I always wanted to be a teacher,” she said, but her father being in the field discouraged Rogol, due to a substantial recession at the time. “He knew too many people with degrees that could not find jobs,” Rogol explained, and yet she found this desire come to life for her regardless. “It was a busy first year,” Rogol explained, reminiscing on her very first memories here, like prepping for classes, the amplified Halloween Parade, and discovering Faschnauts. As a new professor, “I had great colleagues who were so helpful and gracious and that were on speed-dial,” she remembered fondly, “I hope I’ve been a good colleague and paid it forward.” “I’m ready to retire,” Rogol said exhaling, “I was tempted to stay for forty years but wanted to go when I felt like I was still giving 100% and not cutting corners.” She has enjoyed her many students throughout the years, considering them the best part of her job. “I want them to be successful and want the best for them,” she said. "Although I never lowered my standards, maybe much to their chagrin.” Rogol's eyes strayed as she remembered some of her classrooms. “Every classroom has a personality,” she said, chuckling. “The Leadership classes in sport did a lot of team building, and it was just so fun to watch their creativity, initiative, and because they were sports majors, they were competitive.” Rogol is eager to retire and take some time for herself by getting back to the gym, tending to her flower garden, and spending more time with her family. “I didn’t want to be obligated to anyone or anything, although ironically,” she said, “I came back to teach.” Not only has she come back to teach this semester, but her church has relied on her through a time of transitioning their pastoral head. Having served on the church committee for twenty years, and due to her career, Rogol naturally fell into a leadership role during this transition and will most likely be very busy managing it further. Rogol loves reading about students’ accomplishments on LinkedIn. When thinking about the legacy she leaves with her students, she hopes to be remembered as someone who cared for her students, was fair in her teaching approach (although sometimes stern, not to be mean, but to teach the reality of life in the workforce), and who held integrity. “I would be humbled to be associated with those characteristics that have been my aim,” she said genuinely. “If I could sum up my thirty-nine years here, I would have to say I have been really blessed,” she said sincerely. “I want my students to be able to think for themselves and not let people tell them what to think, God gave them good brains, or else they wouldn’t be in college, and they should use them.” The darkness sets in outside making the softly lit office feel like a welcoming beacon. “There are a lot of memories here,” she says smiling, “I’m willing to serve again, but it’s time.” Rogol’s conversation lingers for a little while longer as she turns the conversation towards my journey. In her personalized advice to me, she said without breaking eye contact, “give 100% in your job, but not your blood so to speak; find that perfect balance.” We both rise as I exit, leaving the door open behind me and feeling the same sense of ease the student before displayed.
16 | INNOVISION MAGAZINE HANY MIKHAIEL B. Braun’s Corporate Vice President of Continuous Improvement and Central Services, Hany Mikhaiel, came to Kutztown University to not only share with students B. Braun’s achievements but also advice on becoming a good leader. This later portion of his presentation he labeled as “the most important part of today.” With twenty-five years working for B. Braun, Mikhaiel offered tips learned along his own journey and spoke to the next generation of KU students as potential leaders and fellow partners in the world of business. As Mikhaiel moved through the PowerPoint slides, we learned that B. Braun is one of the largest private medical-based companies in the world with 66,000 employees and a presence in sixty-four countries. The German pharmaceutical device company is the only manufacturer in their industry offering PVC-free equipment across the globe, producing up to 5,000 products and 120,000 artifacts annually. B. Braun commits itself to protecting and improving the health of people around the world through research and developing technology to reduce the risk of negative side-effects associated with materials containing PVC and phthalates (harmful plastics). Mikhaiel prefaced all these claims with, “I hope you or your family never have to be on the receiving end of some SUSTAINABILITY SERIES
of this technology.” He emphasized that B. Braun is taking steps to ensure that your health is their priority. “Patients should not get sick when receiving healthcare. Especially, the “most vulnerable, such as children,” he concluded. Working towards environmental safety for future generations is an important pledge that B. Braun acts on by developing sustainable solutions in their facilities, as well as their products, Mikhaiel explained. Currently, B. Braun recycles or reuses “nearly 100 percent of all recyclable materials” and in 2014 attained “landfill-free status” in certain states, including Pennsylvania. Other sustainability efforts include reusing wastewater and expanding the company by building new facilities with mostly recycled material and low-energy capabilities. The global company is currently developing a new facility in Switzerland that relies on natural energy. The building is equipped with geothermal probes embedded 200 meters down into the ground and attached to heat pumps that force cold water into the Earth’s deep layers. This water, heated by the Earth’s core, is then sent back up into the building, which in turn heats the facility. After the water cools, it is sent through the entire process again saving the company approximately 100,000 liters of oil per year. After relaying the company’s achievements, Mikhaiel gave important advice on becoming a great leader. He provided a digestible ten-step process of crucial attributes that guided his career progression. The first step he emphasized is education (which he congratulated us on for already undertaking), being honest in our job interviews and choosing the right company that is a good fit for individual disposition. “No one is the absolute perfect employee,” he stressed, “containing all the ideal skill sets and characteristics,” but one can emphasize the skills and characteristics they do possess. Trusting ourselves, being confident, positive, and always endeavoring to improve and learn are all crucial characteristics in becoming a leader, he summarized. Mikhaiel continued by encouraging students not to be afraid of change and warned that if we do not step out of our comfort zone, we will be left behind. Personalizing this statement, Mikhaiel spoke of how he would not be where he is today if he had not taken the opportunity to leave his home in Egypt to pursue his career. Ending with key traits associated with good leadership, he said, “be a leader, not a manager.” Clarifying this statement, he explained, “managers look at tasks, but leaders look at people.” As Mikhaiel spoke to the audience filled with a new generation of potential leaders, he urged, “lead with humility. One is a leader because they support their followers and respect every individual as they are.” Hany Mikhaiel speaking to the audience. Dr. Su Kong, Associate Dean Jeff Wehrung, Mr. Rick Williams, Mr. Hany Mikhaiel, Dr. Gary Chao, Dean Anne Carroll, and Dr. Muratcan Erkul
18 | INNOVISION MAGAZINE Adam Rosales standing with the 3rd base coach. ADAM ROSALES Adam Rosales, an eleven-year Major League Baseball (MLB) veteran infielder, enthusiastically shared his experience and advice to the College of Business’ Sport Management Department. His journey to MLB showcases his hard work, drive, and effectiveness in imploring coaches’ advice and assistance to achieve his goals, including becoming a professional baseball player. Rosales has played for teams such as the Cincinnati Reds, Oakland Athletics, Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Cleveland Indians. Rosales started his presentation by stating the incredible statistics of making it into MLB. He said, “out of 500,000 players, ten percent play college ball, and one percent make it to MLB.” He wasn’t the best player in college, but he had discipline by being the first player at practice to warm-up and by practicing on his days off. In his junior year of college, Rosales was excelling in baseball and was sure that he would get drafted, “but it was crickets, and no one called,” causing him to wonder why he was working so hard. He didn’t quit. Rosales “busted his tail” and was finally drafted in his senior year, which was one of the most exciting days of his life, he stated, aside from the birth of his two children. While in pro ball, Rosales kept excelling through a series of ups and downs as he pressured himself to make it to the major league. It was at this time that Rosales ran into a former teammate who was working in an office position. The previous teammate was shocked that Rosales made it into pro baseball, helping Rosales realize that it was his own mindset that had led him to his place in the big leagues. “Not only did I get to play one day on Wrigley Field,” Rosales said, reminiscing, “I also got to enjoy fourteen years of professional baseball and eleven years in the major leagues.” He noted the best game he ever played was in 2009 on Mother’s Day when he hit a homerun on a 3-1 count, and when he played in Dallas Braden’s perfect game, in which Braden allowed no hits, no errors, and no runs over nine innings. It is this mindset that Rosales works to instill in young players as the founder of the Mindful Player website. The project is an online mental skills training program used to “make sports more enjoyable and alleviate the pressure that players and parents feel” when starting out. “I get to inspire kids all around the world and share my story,” Rosales said, “I was also asked to manage a rookie league in my current city.” Rosales’ own experiences are the tools he utilizes to help inspire and relate to his young players. He has a lot of compassion and respect for them as he gives them hitting lessons and is in awe of how much pressure twelve-year old players put on themselves. SPORT MANAGEMENT FEATURED SPEAKER
when he said, “it took listening to my mentors and coaches to learn how to work with different types of people and players to become successful.” One of the best bits of advice that Rosales received was from Coach Jim Hickman who said, pointing to Rosales’ head, “Do you know what this is? It is your filter.” Rosales explained further, “you need to learn how to filter out the stuff you don’t need and filter in the stuff that will help accelerate you to where you need to go.” The message Rosales left with Kutztown University students is that “every level that you go through gets harder and harder, but it is all about your mentality.” This, he emphasized, enables a person to get through each level and advance. “There are different techniques that may or may not work for you,” Rosales explained, “but learn from it and then move on.” As Rosales brought his presentation to a close, he challenged the KU student audience to work hard to excel, both physically and mentally. His words hit home as he opened the floor to questions. His experience as a player, coach, and creator of the Mindful Player resonated with students studying all different majors because it is applicable to all. Adam Rosales sliding into home plate. When focusing on the Mindful Player, Rosales records audio files for young players to listen to while they are practicing. The practice is meant to teach players how to reset their mind and body, monitor their breathing, and keep focus as it introduces them to real-life circumstances to work through. After fourteen years playing pro baseball, Rosales went on to become a minor league coach with the Oakland Athletics’ rookie league affiliate. Going into coaching mode, Rosales stated that “the goal for the next generation is bringing everything down to their level.” He explained that “the delivery needs to be simple and understandable when coaching baseball, and it should always be paired with positive reinforcement.” He knows that it is hard to be patient, but he stresses that a patient, prepared, and positive player is going to make a world of difference. Not just athletes, Rosales noted, but all people in the community can practice this simple mindset. Rosales addressed possible coaching interns in the audience to “keep your eyes and ears open, being observant of the resources around you, and utilizing them.” He confessed that it can be difficult to get along with some mentors along the way, but “their experience is valuable.” “Use patience,” Rosales said, “to seek out what they know.” Someone once told Rosales that just because he played pro baseball didn’t mean he would be a good coach. This annoyed Rosales, but he combated this statement
20 | INNOVISION MAGAZINE TANNER BUCHAS SPORT MANAGEMENT FEATURED SPEAKER The event started with a few hurdles as students and faculty rallied together to fix technical issues before Marketing Manager, Tanner Buchas, could virtually share his journey with the Sport Management students this Fall. The ticking down of the forty-five-minute slot added urgency as the spontaneously assembled team worked to gain sound from the speaker system. Buchas broke the tension when he said, “you guys are clearly sport management majors—when you have an issue, you figure it out.” After achieving a makeshift solution consisting of two cellphones and a portable, clip-on microphone to amplify Buchas’ voice, Buchas snapped into presentation mode taking advantage of the remaining minutes. The team returned to their seats, and the room settled, allowing the technical difficulties to melt easily away. “I kind of took a unique path through sports,” Buchas admitted. He possesses an interesting story, starting as an engineering major at York college to then become the Mascot Coordinator, specializing in Game Presentation, for the Florida Panthers Hockey Team. He did not intend to go into Sport Management, but when a friend asked him to come work for the Lehigh Valley’s minor league baseball team, the IronPigs, his path drastically changed. At first, Buchas refused his friend’s offer, not seeing how it would help his career path; however, during a family dinner his father, with a serious jest, said to Buchas, “You idiot! When are you going to get the chance to work for a sports team? Go for it.” Buchas would go on to work for the IronPigs for six years, ultimately making the decision to completely change his career path into sport management. Gaining four titles within the six years working for the IronPigs, Buchas had the most fun in event management as a sales sponsor and promo crew member. He also gained multiple opportunities for internships that gained him marketing experience and provided him with key skills he would utilize in his future. At the time, Buchas “was the youngest person working for the IronPigs to sell a $100,000 sponsorship through Mack Trucks,” he relayed. “My biggest advice is to make sure you know how to sell and make money,” Buchas said soberly. “You can be the best at social media and community relations, but what they really want to know is if you can bring money into the company.” He also had the opportunity to manage events and network with many notable people in the sports industry during his time with the IronPigs, such as the owner of the New Jersey Devils and the Seventy-Sixers. This led Buchas to gain a job with Florida’s pro hockey team, the Panthers. While working a total of six years with the Panthers, Buchas was also the teams’ mascot as well as Mascot Coordinator, managing an immediate team of six while learning about all the moving parts in Professional Sport Management. These parts included various duties of director, manager, and coordinator of Game Presentation which require strict attention to detail with everything in the right place at the right time on game day. The Traveling Video Producer is also a vital person of the production, Buchas stated, traveling everywhere with the team. The process has a quick turner over where producers must edit videos as they travel from game to game. After fourteen years in the sport management business, Buchas is now the Regional Market Manager at StaySky Vacation Clubs. Although his career has taken a different route, Bachas said all his marketing experience in sport management “is easily transferable” to the resort industry. As a side business he also possesses his own brand and content creation, Fresh Fuzz Freddy, where he shares stories and secrets of his time as a Mascot relaying the times when he would sweat ten pounds of water weight per game and wake up the next day feeling like he had a hangover due to dehydration (not alcohol consumption). Buchas runs multiple social media accounts for his brand with a large following and has future plans of working on a mascot themed game show project with Half Year Productions. As the forty-five minutes depleted, Buchas wrapped up his presentation on Sport Management and Production by opening channels of communication with the students through LinkedIn, email, and a QR code to Fresh Fuzz Freddy. His unique journey acts as an alternative route through Sport Management for majors to consider and learn from as they continue their own individual and unique paths.
21 NETWORKING EVENT Students ranging from freshman to seniors took advantage of the College of Business’ Advisory Council Networking Event this fall to meet and network with area business professionals. After receiving a few words of instruction from Assistant Director of the Career Development Center, Chad Ganley, the students began mingling with various business professionals, faculty, and Advisory Board members as they slowly eased into the large room within the McFarland Student Union building. Students had the opportunity to practice their elevator pitch and gain insight on various fields of business to consider after graduation. The experience provides students access to the professional sphere while still in the learning phase and helps to retain focus on their end goal of obtaining employment in their field of study. Many acquaintances and business cards were exchanged as students relayed positive feedback from the event. “I’ve gotten a further grasp on the business world through this event.” Nathan, a freshman majoring in supply chain management, said in conversation. Even though it was early in their academic journeys, many freshmen attended with the goal of gaining knowledge and establishing relationships with business professionals. Cassidy, a senior majoring in accounting said, “I enjoyed the event’s atmosphere. It didn’t feel rushed, and I made many LinkedIn connections.” Top photo - Dan Fogarty (COO for Berks County Workforce Investment Board) spoke with business students. Middle photo - Associate Dean Jeff Wehrung discussed the importance of networking with business students. Bottom photo - Professor George Rogol was eager to share his professional advice with students.
22 | INNOVISION MAGAZINE Dr. Jeffrey Wehrung, Kutztown University’s new Associate Dean for the College of Business, was sitting at a small round table in his office just finishing up lunch as I entered. He looks up carefully as I make my formal introduction and then breaks into a big smile. “Come in, have a seat,” he says as he stands gesturing to take the opposite seat at the table. A window at the far end of the office pours in the late morning sun competing with Wehrung’s welcoming smile. Originally from Bucks County, PA, Wehrung has been living in South Dakota with his family for the past ten years, which extended far longer than the three to five years he originally told his wife. While there, Wehrung worked at Black Hills State University as a Professor of Business and took on various administration responsibilities advancing to serve as Chair and then Special Assistant to the Provost. “I miss interacting with the students,” Wehrung said as he explained that this is the first time he's taken a full-time administrative position. “I’ve always taught at least one class so it’s hard not having that regular connection to the students.” Regardless, Wehrung makes efforts to be available to students and faculty as much as possible. He is passionate about connecting current students with alumni, whether through mentoring programs or other activities involving the greater Kutztown Community. In his previous role, Wehrung focused on raising awareness and gaining media attention for student projects and hopes to do so similarly at Kutztown. This recognition not only helps students enhance their resume; it also improves retention while obtaining good publicity for the school.“Let’s make it easy for faculty to bring in alumni as guests,” Wehrung said enthusiastically. “If an alumni can come to class to talk on a particular topic, then we not only help connect students, but we also connect alumni that have since graduated.” Examples of the guests Wehrung has brought into his class at Black Hills were the governor of South Dakota, Kristi Noem to discuss federal tax policies, and an entrepreneur who described himself as a ‘C’ average student, but who now makes millions through franchising. “Every CEO was sitting in a classroom like yours at one point in time,” Wehrung conveyed. “These guests narrow the perceived gap between the students and these high level executives.” One of Wehrung’s main focuses is to reach out to students that are struggling in their classes and don’t know where to turn for help. “There is a reason why only 60 percent of all students finish college and that’s because it gets hard, and I don’t want students to feel that their struggle is unique to them,” he expressed. “It’s amazing how sitting down with a student, even just fifteen minutes, can calm and help them to realize that they’re not going to fail.” Wehrung uses an automated link that any student can go to and sign up for a time to meet. He emphasizes that he is always available to students and will connect them to the resources they need to be successful. WELCOMING Dr. Jeff Wehrung and his family.
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