Alan & Karen Barry are COBI's newest Million Dollar Partners

Alan H. and Karen A. Barry unveiled their plaque in the Stranahan Hall lobby on October 20 as Dr. Gary Insch, Dean of the College of Business and Innovation, and UT President Sharon L. Gaber watched. The Barrys were recognized as Million Dollar Partners for their $1 million gift establishing an endowed professorship in accounting. Mr. Barry, a 1966 graduate of the UT College of Business, is a certified public accountant , the retired president and chief operating officer of the Fortune 200 company Masco Corp., and a member of the UT Foundation Board of Trustees.

ESSPS Internal Sales Competition and Fall Fete attract recruiters, benefits students

The University of Toledo College of Business and Innovation Edward H. Schmidt School of Professional Sales (ESSPS) hosted their annual Internal Sales Competition and Fall Fete on October 6 for their students.

The two round competition format incorporated recruiters as judges, coaches and buyers.  “This was strictly an internal competition, and totally different than our annual UT Invitational Sales Competition where we bring in 36 universities from coast to coast,” explained Deirdre Jones, ESSPS Director.

Left to right are Morgan Tansel, Alex Edinger, and Octavio Vazquez

At the end of the competition, sales students and judges traveled to Hensville in downtown Toledo for the annual Fall Fete, also an important event as it was a time for business-casual social interaction among students, alumni, and businesses.

“ESSPS provides special recruitment and professional development events throughout the year to assist our students in developing their sales networking skills, refining their sales and personal career plans, and providing them with valuable network connections. All of these are critical components to the students’ professional preparation and overall career success, which is why our students are required to attend and participate.”

Jones explained that students have a complete checklist of things to do before, during and even after the internal competition and fete, such as reviewing and selecting conversation starters; practicing their personal introduction; researching participating companies; obtaining their personal business cards; socializing and networking during the event; and following up with certain individuals after the event.

“We are incredibly proud that our job placement rate for our students is consistently over 90%, “ Jones said.

“The activities of this entire Internal Competition day - - and everything we do for our students throughout their entire UT ESSPS experience - - contributes to their ultimate educational and career success.”  

Congratulations to the Internal Sales Competition (ISC) Winners Alex Edinger (Senior Division) and Haley Orr (Junior Division) and all the other finalists: Senior Division Octavio Vazquez-Ederra, Morgan Tansel, Shaelyn O'Hara, Andrew Brownlee, Jordan Dolph.  Junior Division Parker Tredwell, Matt Schaffer, Kaeleigh Wilkins, Hanna Capell, and Liam Rogers.

“Your talent, coachability, and grit were on display,” Jones said.  Well done Rockets!”

 

Cody Thompson continues to pursue his goals in business and football

If you follow the UT Rockets football team you are familiar with the stats of senior Cody Thompson, who, along with quarterback Logan Woodside, have helped the Rockets to major victories and recognition. Cody ranks seventh on UT’s career receiving list with 2,519 yards (as of October 1) and 8th with 20 TD receptions.

But there is also Cody Thompson, the UT College of Business and Innovation student.

“What first attracted me to The University of Toledo was that UT has one of the best business schools in the world,”  the marketing major said. “Getting the opportunity to continue my football career as well as get a top-notch education from a great school made it an easy choice to come here.”

“I have always been interested in sports marketing; either with sports franchise or business and that attracted me into the marketing world,” Thompson said. “My UT COBI experience has been amazing, I have learned more than I could have ever thought in my years here. I’ve also met many amazing people in the faculty and alumni that graduated from UT COBI.”


Thompson said the best part about being a student in UT COBI are the resources and opportunities available, from a faculty member helping you pursue a possible career path  to the COBI alumni around the world with whom you can network and establish relationships that could produce internships or job offers.

As for football, Thompson said the best part - - beyond “playing the game I love and having 105 guys on the team that are and always will be brothers to me” - -  is the opportunities it provides.

“Meeting so many amazing people and having a platform to get involved and help out in the community is something I am passionate about,” he explained, “and playing football has provided me with so many
opportunities to do that in a multitude of different ways.”

Thompson explained that the football records he holds shows people how hard work can pay off.

“I am not always the fastest, strongest, or athletically gifted person on the field,” he observed, “but I will always outwork my opponent, whether in the offseason or in the week of preparation up to the game.”

Speaking of “combining” with recent COBI grad Logan Woodside, Thompson said their amazing connection on the field “starts with a strong bond and friendship off the field and understanding how each other thinks. We approach the sport with the same mindset and want - - and accept - -  nothing less than our best. We’re always striving to be better, always pushing and motivating one another in every aspect of our lives.”

“I would like to pursue the NFL and that is what I will do after this last season. In 5-to-10 years I would like to still be playing football, but also start my own business in sports and athletic training. Logan (Woodside) and I have talked about wanting to do this in the future and it would be something I would love to do…Our combined backgrounds would be great for that.”

But sometimes life has a way of throwing unforeseen obstacles in our paths. One such hurdle was presented to Cody on October 7 when his leg was broken in the early minutes of the UT Homecoming game against Eastern Michigan, leaving him out for the rest of the season.

“It’s not exactly how I expected my senior year to go,” he said, “but everything happens for a reason. This injury will not define me or be the end of my career. I’m going to bounce back from this and still pursue my goal of playing in the NFL, which is still very much in sight.”

“I am taking on more of a coaching role now while I’m out,” Thompson explained. “I’ll be helping this team in any way that I can, on and off the field, using my experience and knowledge to help out the other guys on the team. I know I will grow from this and not use this as a crutch, but as motivation to only come back stronger and better than I ever have.”

So a possible career in the NFL still seems a natural direction for Thompson. Asked what people would be surprised to know about him, he answers,  “I am a good cook, and enjoy making big meals in the kitchen.”

Whether it’s big plays, big comebacks or big meals, something is always cooking with Cody Thompson.

Dr. Longenecker delivers national teaching award presentation at Baylor

Dr. Clinton Longenecker, Director of the University of Toledo College of Business and Innovation Center for Leadership and Organizational Excellence and one of three finalists for the prestigious Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching from Baylor University, presented his award lecture on Monday, October 23.

The other Cherry Award finalists are Dr. Heidi Elmendorf, associate professor of biology at Georgetown University, and Dr. Neil Garg, professor of chemistry at UCLA.

The Cherry Award winner, which will be announced by Baylor in 2018, will receive $250,000 and an additional $25,000 for his or her home department and will teach in residence at Baylor during fall 2018 or spring 2019.

Dr. Longenecker, a UT Distinguished University Professor, has received more than 60 teaching, service and research awards and numerous industry awards. He was recognized by The Economist as one of the “Top 15 Business Professors in the World.”

The Cherry Award is the only national teaching award — with the single largest monetary reward — presented by a college or university to an individual for exceptional teaching.

“To be selected as one of three finalists for this prestigious award is an absolute honor, and I’m very proud to represent The University of Toledo on this national stage,” Longenecker said. “I’ve considered my entire career to be a privilege, an opportunity to make a difference, and a blessing to be able to teach adult learners how to improve their skills and career trajectory.”

Longenecker’s teaching, research and consulting interests are in high-performance leadership and creating great organizations. He has published more than 190 articles and papers in academic and professional journals, as well as several best-selling books. His latest book, The Successful Career Survival Guide, was published in March.

UT/BGSU Women in Leadership Conference huge success with 600 attendees

UT President Sharon Gaber, left, and BGSU President Mary Ellen Mazey, right.

BGSU College of Business Dean Raymond Braun, left, and UT College of Business and Innovation Dean Gary Insch, right.

Enrollment Manager for UT COBI graduate programs office Kelly Barger