Susan and John Long.

As part of John and Susan’s commitment to New Mexico State University’s comprehensive campaign, they have made a gift to the Dean’s Excellence Fund in the College of Business.

For their unrestricted gift, the Deans Suite in the College of Business was named for John and Susan Long on October 23, 2009, during the Homecoming celebrations.

John and Susan Long, and Dean Garrey Carruthers, Deans Office Dedication, Oct. 23, 2009.

John and his wife Susan are both alumni of NMSU’s College of Business. The Longs graduated in December 1976 and married soon after that. John’s first job was with Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. (now KPMG) in El Paso for 3 1/2 years.

He has been at JDW Insurance, a large independent insurance agency, as CFO and COO since 1986 and now owns part of the agency. John has been active with NMSU, most recently serving as Chair of the NMSU Foundation.

Susan’s career included 25 years in the savings and loan/banking industry and three years in a home health agency. She “self-retired” in 2005 to spend more time with her family, travel and to play golf.

Now she uses her skills in volunteer roles. She is currently a member of the NMSU Business Advisory Council and the President’s Associates. She has assisted the college with judging students’ presentations in the BUSA 365 class.

Liz Ellis and Shari Jones.

At the Deans Suite Dedication, Oct. 23, 2009.

Students at the Deans Suite Dedication, Oct. 23, 2009.

Jon Willis: Remarks at the Dedication of the Bernice & Hank Willis Study Lounge, Oct. 23, 2009

Jon B. Willis at the rededication of the Bernice & Hank Willis Study Lounge, College of Business, New Mexico State University.

Thank you Dean Carruthers, Sylvia, and Cheri for your efforts in organizing this event. And thank you particularly for your inspiration to add Dad’s name to this room, now the Bernice and Hank Willis Student Lounge. Mom and Dad are together in a place they loved, and this is how they would have wanted it.

I confess that I anticipated an event of this sort some time ago and have given considerable thought to words appropriate for this occasion. I hope you will forgive that these thoughts may go a bit beyond simple comments and give them a listen.

I would like to speak with you today, especially to the young people among you, about generations and principles. Because generations are the story of life, including the two lives we celebrate today; and principles are the anchors by which we chose to lead our lives. And it is particularly appropriate to do so in this setting because Mom and Dad held an unyielding faith in the promise of each new generation, and their gift of this room underscores their belief in the importance of these college years in your lives, and in the early formation of your own life principles and the character of your time.

Cloudcroft, NM.

So let me begin with the generation of my maternal grandfather. His name was Arra Burton Fite, and as Dean Carruthers has already mentioned, he committed virtually all of his professional life to this institution. Granddad was born in 1886 near the village of Cloudcroft in the Sacramento Mountains, about 80 miles from here. His mother died when he was seven years old, and as was common practice in those days his father parceled out the children, in this case four boys, to family and friends to raise them. My grandfather was “gifted” to a nearby ranching family.

He could have been a ranch hand as his life’s work but he was determined to do more. So after six years, when he was legally allowed, he struck out on his own at the age of 13, riding his little pony across the Tularosa Desert to the town of Hope, where he supported himself as a cowboy while attending school for the first time.

William Conroy Honors Center, NMSU historical building, built in 1909.

Seven years later he then set out for Las Cruces where he enrolled at the New Mexico Agriculture and Mechanics College, as this University was then known, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture in 1915 at the tender age of 29; …this may give a bit of hope to some of you “late bloomers”. He then went on to earn a Master’s Degree is the same field and served the next thirty years in various academic and administrative roles associated with this institution. My mother, the youngest of his five children, was practically raised on this campus.

On my father’s side of the family the journey to New Mexico was a bit more circuitous. His great grandfather, William Oliver Cowan, was forced to leave his beloved Ireland in the face of the great potato famine of the mid-1800’s. His ship was bound for Boston but a series of storms drove them off course and they were lost at sea for over six months before landing at last in Jamaica. Imagine setting out for Boston and landing in Jamaica… from thence they sailed on to New Orleans.

The family then migrated a bit north to Tennessee, where my father was born in 1925. America entered World War II some 16 years later in December 1941. When Dad was old enough he enlisted in the United States Navy, and was improbably assigned to entirely land-locked New Mexico.

Hank and Bernice Willis.

And that is how my Mother and Father got together. It is a story of land and sea, a story of departures and discoveries, a story of happenstance and fortune. And it is the story of Life and of generations.

Many of us identify generations by the images they have left us. In modern America it was the fear and loss of confidence during the economic collapse of the 1930s that defined the Depression Generation. It was the undaunted courage of those who fought so bravely in the Second World War that defined what the newscaster and writer Tom Browkaw has called The Greatest Generation. And my generation, The Boomers, were defined by the first landing on the Moon, the somber march of the Civil Rights Movement, the tragedy of Viet Nam, and the violent deaths of three of America’s most beloved leaders.

But while these images may lead some to conclude that it is mostly events that define a generation, my parents believed differently. They believed that is was the response to events that truly defined a generation and ultimately established its character. And this response is the special combination of ideals and aspirations, of hopes and dreams, of beliefs and convictions that are now being forged among you here in these crucial college years; in the libraries and study lounges, in the dorm rooms and apartment kitchens, in the coffee houses and neighborhood pubs, and on the sports fields and gathering places around this campus. That is why this place was so special to Mom and Dad.

Jon and Joshua Willis, son and grandson of Bernice and Hank Willis.

Generations do not stand alone. They receive wisdom and guidance from those that preceded it, although each generation will develop new principles that are unique to its time while setting aside former ideas that no longer apply. But there are four principles that I think Mom and Dad believed should apply to all generations. They are timeless in nature. They are what they taught my brother and sister and me, and to their grandchildren as well. Because this occasion is to honor their lives and the principles they lived by, I would like to pass them on to you. I think you will like them:

• First, always strive to maintain an inquisitive mind. Learn to love learning. A robust curiosity and vigorous intellectual pursuit are the wellspring of a compleat life. And toward the end of your life, when perhaps you can do little else, what you have invested in the life of your mind can bring you great contentment.
• Second, nurture your spirit. Mom and Dad were both very devout and committed many thousands of hours to study, thought, prayer, and meditation. They believed deeply in a loving Providence and a greater purpose. Take time regularly each day, every week, every month, and every year to feed and nurture the needs of your soul.
• Number three, fight like hell for that in which you believe and against that which you disdain. Injustice, prejudice, ignorance, selfishness, hatred and bigotry are still too much a part of the human condition. They suffocate the human spirit. Confront them boldly wherever you find them; and never give up in your battle for what you believe to be right.
• And finally, but by no any means the least, always find time for your family and friends…

(Incidentally, I heard a story the other day that the definition of a good friend is someone who will unquestioningly come bail you out of jail in the middle of the night. But a really true friend is the one sitting next to you in that jail cell, smiling, holding his hung-over head saying, “Damn that was a good time!”)

Student Ambassadors at the Willis Student Lounge redication, Oct. 23, 2009.

… But seriously, your family and friends will sustain you through good times and bad, and a full life will have its full measure of both. Loving relationships and devoted friendships are the glue that binds generations, communities, and kindred spirits. Value and nurture these relationships for the treasure they are.

Those of you who are students today have already seen some of the images that will be identified forever with your generation. The collapse of the World Trade Center towers, the inauguration of the first African-American President, visible evidence of global climate change.

Some of these images are inspiring and some are frightening; you are entering an uncertain world. But always remember that it is not the images that will define your generation, but it is your response to the events of your time that will mark your character. And it is incumbent upon you to respond to those events with the same courage, fortitude, confidence, and determination as those who have gone before you.

So whatever tired little pony you ride, or whatever storm-tossed sea you find yourselves upon, when you get to where you are going, which in some cases will be a surprise to you, move on to vigorously address the challenges before you. That is what will define your generation.

Student Ambassadors, Oct. 23, 2009.

And if you can, try to remember the principles the two we honor here today would have wanted you to know: Strive always to maintain an inquisitive mind; protect and nurture your spirit; fight vigorously for what you believe to be right; and always remember your family and friends. This is a gift from their generation to yours; and it is given with all the love and respect, and with all the hope and affirmation of their very great hearts.

Thank you for honoring my parents with your presence here today. In your Life’s journey I wish you God’s blessing and Godspeed. Thank you.

Jon Willis
October 23, 2009

KRWG TV: Newsmakers

A field report on the early college program planned for New Mexico State University and a conversation with Western New Mexico University professor Sharman Apt Russell, author of “Hunger-An Unnatural History” and part of a Grant County program to eliminate hunger.

Charles Comer and Fred Martino feature the people, issues, and events that shape our community.
E-mail your story and interview ideas to feedback@nmsu.edu.
Retrieved online: Oct. 30, 2009.

Del Archuleta, search advisory committee chair, delivered the names of five finalists for the presidency of New Mexico State University to the Board of Regents at a special meeting today.

The finalists are:

• Barbara Couture, D.A., Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Professor of English, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
• Richard Herman, Ph.D., Special Assistant to the President, Professor, recently Chancellor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
• James Oblinger, Ph.D., Professor, recently Chancellor, North Carolina State University.
• Michael Ortiz, Ph.D., President, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
• Lisa Rossbacher, Ph.D., President, Southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta, Ga.

“On behalf of our search committee I am proud to present the recommended finalists to our regents, the NMSU community and the State of New Mexico. We offer these candidates for further consideration for the next president of our great institution,” Archuleta said. “I am proud of the hard work put forth by our search committee and search consultants in attracting, interviewing, researching and narrowing a strong pool of candidates to this distinguished list of five finalists. I challenged our committee with the task of presenting the five most qualified candidates who they felt were the best fit for NMSU. I believe the committee has successfully accomplished that goal.”

During the search, the committee and the search firm, Greenwood/Asher and Associates Inc., made more than 420 contacts, reviewed detailed information on about 60 individuals and interviewed 18 candidates.

Archuleta said NMSU should be proud of the outstanding pool of candidates from top-ranked universities who expressed an interest in the university.

“The diversity of the pool of candidates for this position was excellent because of the extensive outreach,” Archuleta said. “Narrowing the pool has been challenging for the search committee because there were so many excellent candidates. These five were chosen for their executive-level experience at large, complex universities and their exceptional accomplishments in higher education.”

Candidates in the overall pool and their career cumulative experiences included: 26 land-grant universities, nine with membership in the Association of American Universities, 36 research universities, 11 president/chancellor positions, 38 provost/vice president positions, and 47 dean experiences. Forty percent of the applicant pool was either women and/or minority.

“We are proud of the diverse mix of the finalists with regard to gender, race, and educational background and leadership experience,” Archuleta said. “We believe such diversity will allow the regents to find the best overall match to lead our university.”

Archuleta said the search committee conducted extensive research and reference checks on the candidates. In each case the committee found that all questions were answered to their satisfaction.

“It is our belief that each finalist has a strong record of positive accomplishments and should advance to the next stage,” he said. “Through the interview process we fully expect that the community will question the candidates and research their backgrounds. We are confident that the discussions will be open and candid. This process will serve to identify the best leader for NMSU.”

Regents Chair Blake Curtis recognized the search advisory committee for its service to the university.

“On behalf of the board, I want to thank our search committee and consultants for their commitment and efforts to recruit candidates with extensive leadership experiences and substantial accomplishments. These university and community leaders are recognized for having the highest level of integrity and I know they have worked tirelessly and collaboratively on behalf of our great university.”

The search advisory committee included Archuleta, CEO of Molzen-Corbin and Associates; Garrey Carruthers, dean, NMSU College of Business, and vice president for economic development; Felicia Casados, president, NMSU Grants; Dolores Connor, Las Cruces city councilor; Travis Dulany, ASNMSU president; Chris Erickson, NMSU Faculty Senate chair; Paul Gutierrez, executive director of the New Mexico Association of Counties; Coach Lou Henson; Bruce Hinrichs, NMSU Cooperative Extension Service eastern district director; Michael Johnson, president Johnson Performance; Delano Lewis, NMSU senior fellow and director of the International Relations Institute; Tim Nesbitt, assistant dean and director, NMSU College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences; and Elba Serrano, biology professor, NMSU College of Arts and Sciences.

The finalists will be on campus throughout the month of November, with a final decision expected Nov. 19. Detailed schedules for the candidate interviews will be available soon.

Additional information on the finalists is available on the presidential search Web site at http://www.nmsu.edu/presidentialsearch/index.html.

On October 2-3, NMSU students, faculty and the Talking Stick Institute, in collaboration with the Alma d’arte Charter High School/Youth Center, will host the second annual What’s Art? Convention – “Exploring the Creative and Green Economy of New Mexico,” and the What’s Art? Street Festival. Students in our small business consulting classes will get hands-on experience in service-learning projects directed by David Boje, business management professor. Read more…. and watch a video about the first ever 3-day Arts Convention held at NMSU in 2008.

2009 Domenici Public Policy Conference

New Mexico State University’s 2009 Domenici Public Policy Conference took place September 16-17 on the NMSU campus. The conference brought together some of the best minds from across the U.S. This annual event focuses on public policy matters that significantly impact the entire country. Topics at this year’s conference were nuclear energy, homeland security and the U.S./Mexico border, national security and the U.S. economy and the national debt. A video of each presenter will be archived and available for viewing. Information and updates are provided on The Pete V. Domenici Legacy website at http://domenici.nmsu.edu.

Hall of Fame & Traders Awards

On September 25, 2009, NMSU’s College of Business held its 12th annual Hall of Fame. Receiving the Hall of Fame award for 2009 are Shari Jones, Global Compliance Officer and member of the Strategic Risk Management group, ProLogis Corporation; and Kelly Peña, Vice President, Disney Channels Worldwide Brand Research, Disney ABC Cable Networks Group. Our 2009 Trader’s Award Recipients: Don and Sarrah Kidd, Jerry P. With and Jayann and David Sepich. Read more….

Homecoming: Celebrating the Past… Unmasking the Future

October 22-24, 2009. College of Business homecoming events are available on our calendar at http://business.nmsu.edu/news. Select October 23 as the calendar date to view our events, information and contacts. We’ll be hosting the Dean’s Suite Dedication, our college scholarship luncheon, the student lounge dedication and our distinguished alumni reception.

Get the NMSU events, calendar and contact information.

Hyman named as Stan Fulton Chair in Business at NMSU

Michael Hyman, a marketing professor at New Mexico State University, has been named the Stan Fulton Chair in Business at NMSU’s College of Business. Hyman currently teaches marketing research and sports marketing as well as doctoral level courses in marketing theory and applied research methods. The Stan Fulton Chair was created by a $1 million gift from Stan Fulton, owner of Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino. Read more….

Tian named Robert O. Anderson distinguished professor at NMSU

Kelly Tian, a marketing professor at New Mexico State University, has been named the Robert O. Anderson distinguished professor at NMSU’s College of Business. Tian currently teaches courses where students develop marketing strategies for nonprofit organizations and examine the effects of globalization on consumer culture. Read more….

Dorfman named Bank of America distinguished professor at NMSU

Peter Dorfman, a management professor at New Mexico State University, has been named the Bank of America distinguished professor at NMSU’s College of Business. Dorfman has been with NMSU for more than 30 years and currently teaches human resource management and general organizational behavior. Read more….

Ask the Dean

Do you have a question for Dean Carruthers? Email him at cobdean@nmsu.edu.

College of Business enrollment is up 3.6% for the Fall 2009 semester over Fall 2008.

• NMSU’s fall 2009 enrollment jumps 8.3 percent from 2008
• National magazine rankings place NMSU among best colleges

• College of Business News: Subscribe to our news.
• Twitter: Follow the College of Business on Twitter for news and announcements.
• Facebook: Join Dean Carruthers and our alumni and catch up with friends:
  • Garrey Carruthers: http://tinyurl.com/y8kysoe
  • NMSU College of Business Alumni Networking: http://tinyurl.com/y9pdflc
• College of Business Alumni
• NMSU News & Events
• NMSU Alumni
• NMSU Foundation
• Visitor Information

Domenici: Cooperation key in health-care reform debate

LAS CRUCES – Former U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., said Wednesday successful health-care reform will hinge on a key factor: cooperation.

“If you start it out with a bipartisan approach – where you put a committee together and you didn’t present a Democrat bill to be worked on by Republicans – you let the joint bipartisan staff start writing it, and joint bipartisan members to start working on it, I believe it would be a completely different bill than what we’re talking about,” said Domenici, speaking to a small group of reporters at New Mexico State University.
Read the article.

College of Business Note

• Visit NMSU’s “The Pete V. Domenici Legacy” website at http://domenici.nmsu.edu/.

U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, former U.S. Sen. Hank Brown and former Mexican Ambassador Benito Andión will speak at the 2009 Domenici Public Policy Conference, Sept. 16 and 17, at New Mexico State University’s Corbett Center. They will join U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman James Cartwright and a number of other prominent speakers for the two-day event.

The yearly conference, hosted by NMSU’s Domenici Institute, brings together some of the best minds in the country to focus on significant national issues.

Udall will speak during the conference’s opening session, along with former U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici and NMSU Interim President Manuel Pacheco.

Napolitano will address homeland security and the U.S./Mexico border during the first evening of the conference, with Andión providing Mexico’s perspective the following morning. Andión is currently the Mexican Foreign Ministry’s coordinator of international cooperation and security, and has served Mexico in diplomatic posts around the world since 1976.

Landrieu and Brown will each address the conference Thursday morning.

Landrieu is the first woman from Louisiana elected to a full term in the U.S. Senate. She co-authored the 2006 Domenici-Landrieu Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act, a bill that expanded oil and gas production in the Gulf Coast and shares the revenues with Louisiana to restore and protect the eroding wetlands along its coast.

Brown is currently a professor of political science and the president emeritus of the University of Colorado. Brown served Colorado in the U.S. Senate and five consecutive terms in the U.S. House, representing Colorado’s 4th Congressional District.

Cartwright will follow Landrieu and Brown, delivering a luncheon address on national security.

David Walker, former director of the U.S. Government Accountability Office, and the subject of the critically acclaimed documentary “I.O.U.S.A.,” will speak about the U.S. economy and the national debt.

Other conference speakers include Alex Flint, senior vice president at the Nuclear Energy Institute, Donald B. Marron, president of Marron Economics, and Ellen Ruff, Duke Energy’s president of the Office of Nuclear Development.

Former U.S. Congresswoman Heather Wilson and Garrey Carruthers, NMSU’s vice president for economic development and director of the Domenici Institute, will speak during “An Evening with Pete,” a friendly conversation with the former senator about his career and his insights on issues of today.

Anyone wishing to attend the conference must register. Conference registration costs $25 and is available online at http://domenici.nmsu.edu. Student registration is free. For more information, call the Domenici Institute at (575) 646-2066.

Sen. Chris Dodd and former Sen. Pete Domenici discuss the U.S. financial crisis during the 2008 Domenici Public Policy Conference at New Mexico State University. (NMSU Photo)

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman Gen. James Cartwright and former Sen. Pete Domenici himself are just a few of the speakers lined up for the 2009 Domenici Public Policy Conference, Sept. 16-17, at New Mexico State University’s Corbett Center.

This is the second year of the conference, hosted by NMSU’s Domenici Institute. Named for New Mexico’s longest-serving senator, the institute brings together some of the best minds in the country to focus on significant national issues. This year’s topics will include the U.S. economy and national debt, homeland security and the U.S./Mexico border, national security, and nuclear energy.

“For this conference, we are specifically targeting issues with a real impact on people across the country,” said Garrey Carruthers, NMSU vice president for economic development and director of the Domenici Institute.

Napolitano will headline the session on homeland security and the U.S./Mexico border the first evening. The following day, Mexico’s perspective on the issue will be covered.

Cartwright will speak during the session on national security along with former U.S. Congresswoman Heather Wilson. Wilson is also a former member of the National Security Council.

David Walker, former director of the U.S. Government Accountability Office will speak about the U.S. economy and the national debt. Alex Flint, senior vice president at the Nuclear Energy Institute, will speak about nuclear energy.

“We encourage everyone to participate in this event, said Ann Morgan, project manager for the Domenici Institute. “The public often doesn’t have a chance to see and hear from this many people who create and influence policy in our country.”

As in last year’s conference, students from universities around the state, including NMSU, New Mexico Tech, the University of New Mexico, Eastern New Mexico University, Western New Mexico University, Northern New Mexico College and New Mexico Highlands University will have a chance to interact with the conference speakers and ask about their views at the conclusion of each session.

Conference registration costs $25 and is available online at http://domenici.nmsu.edu. Student registration is free. For more information, call the Domenici Institute at 646-2066.

Arrowhead Center CEO Kevin Boberg, General Dynamics President Chris Marzilli and Las Cruces City Councilor Dolores Conner cut the ribbon to officially open the General Dynamics SpacePlex 2 on the NMSU campus. (NMSU Photo by Harrison Brooks)

The newest building at New Mexico State University’s Arrowhead Business and Research Park officially opened today with SpacePlex 2, home to an expanded General Dynamics operation at the university. The facility will provide satellite tracking, telemetry and space communications.

“We’re excited,” said Pam Wood, director of the research park. “General Dynamics works with a lot of our professors and students at NMSU. They hire some of our students, too. This is an opportunity to create jobs and collaborate in securing grants and contracts.”

SpacePlex 2 is a 15,000-square-foot building located next to the original SpacePlex facility, constructed in 2001. General Dynamics is a leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies. The company was NMSU’s first research park tenant.

“This is a significant step in the rebirth of Arrowhead Business and Research Park,” said Mickey Clute, managing member of Arrowhead Development, the company developing the park.

NMSU is in the middle of the first significant expansion of the research park. The current phase of development consists of 11 acres and will have up to seven buildings and 120,000 square feet of office and laboratory space.

“This park has a lot to offer for companies looking to expand,” said Garrey Carruthers, dean of the NMSU College of Business and vice president for economic development. “Not only is the park conveniently located between Interstates 10 and 25, it also provides a chance for companies to work with our faculty, staff and students – some of the best around.”

The next building to be constructed is in the design stage and is expected to open next summer. It will be 7,500 square feet and broken into smaller, 1,500-square-foot pads for businesses intending to establish themselves before jumping into larger spaces. Clute said the smaller spaces make the building more efficient and attractive to smaller businesses.

In addition to building construction, road work will soon begin on a mile-long extension of Payne Street to Sam Steel Way through the research park. Once complete, the new connection will better link the park to the rest of campus with two lanes for traffic. Clute said the road extension is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Other plans for the research park include working with the Las Cruces Public School District to construct an early college high school where high school students could take college-level courses for credit.

Peter Dorfman, management professor at New Mexico State University, will serve as the Bank of America distinguished professor at the NMSU College of Business. (NMSU photo)

Peter Dorfman, a management professor at New Mexico State University, has been named the Bank of America distinguished professor at NMSU’s College of Business.

“I was thrilled,” Dorfman said. “This is a wonderful thing to happen at this time in my career. It’s a real honor to have this designation.”

Dorfman has been with NMSU for more than 30 years and currently teaches human resource management and general organizational behavior. He was a Fulbright Scholar in New Zealand last year and held the Robert O. Anderson distinguished professorship at NMSU from 1991 to 1997.

The Bank of America professorship was made possible by a donation to New Mexico State University. It will allow Dorfman to further his research and writing for the Global Leadership Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE) project. GLOBE is a research effort started in 1994 to look at leadership and cultures around the world. Dorfman is on GLOBE’s board of directors and is working on the group’s third book. The previous two books have won national awards.

“Peter Dorfman is top notch. He is a prolific writer and is nationally and internationally recognized for the work he does,” said Garrey Carruthers, business dean and vice president for economic development.

Dorfman earned his Ph.D. at the University of Maryland and previously taught at Montana State University and Rice University.

Kelly Tian, marketing professor at New Mexico State University, will serve as the Robert O. Anderson distinguished professor at NMSU’s College of Business. (Courtesy photo)

Kelly Tian, a marketing professor at New Mexico State University, has been named the Robert O. Anderson distinguished professor at NMSU’s College of Business.

“I was thrilled to receive this professorship,” Tian said. “We have a well regarded program here at NMSU and this will certainly be a really exciting role.”

Tian currently teaches courses where students develop marketing strategies for nonprofit organizations and examine the effects of globalization on consumer culture. She is actively involved in shaping the college’s assessment of students’ learning outcomes and will work as the director of the marketing Ph.D. program.

The professorship is designed to promote service that benefits the College of Business. Tian said she is putting together an orientation program for marketing Ph.D. students that will familiarize them with the cultural values of academia, and aid their performance in the domains of service, teaching and publishing.

Robert O. Anderson was a noted New Mexico business leader, political activist and philanthropist who died in 2007. The distinguished professorship was made possible by a donation from Anderson to NMSU with matching funds from the New Mexico Legislature.

“Kelly Tian is central to our doctoral program and the kind of professor you look to for mentoring Ph.D. students,” said Garrey Carruthers, business dean and vice president for economic development.

Tian earned her Ph.D. at Georgia State University-Atlanta and previously taught at the University of Kentucky-Lexington before joining NMSU six years ago.

Kenneth Brown, left, a network and systems administrator for Genetics Testing Laboratories, shows New Mexico State Senator Mary Kay Papen, seated center, and her daughters the results of her ancestral origins test. (NMSU photo by Justin Bannister)

Discovering where your ancestors originated is now as easy as swabbing your cheek with a Q-tip. An Ancestral Origins DNA kit, capable of mapping anyone’s ancestry, is now available at The Genetics Testing Laboratories (GTL) at New Mexico State University’s Arrowhead Business and Research Park.

The lab compares DNA submitted by a customer to DNA databases around the world. GTL then produces a map showing how strongly the client’s DNA matches the profile of an anthropological region. Each map is broken into three major sections: population matches, native region matches and strength indicators. A green marker shows the best match, yellow shows a good match and red means that no match or a weak match was made.

“We’re running at least one of these a day,” said Kenneth Brown, network and systems administrator with the lab. “People like genealogy, figuring out their past. It seems to be pretty popular.”

A recent client was New Mexico State Senator Mary Kay Papen. She was adopted and told her mother died while giving birth. She never knew for sure from where her family had come and brought her children and grandchildren to hear her test results – a very strong match to southern Europe.

“I’m very happy I did it,” Papen said. “Growing up, I was always curious. This is great understanding where you came from. It’s part of who you are.”

Garrey Carruthers, dean of the NMSU College of Business and vice president for economic development, had his DNA run through the database as well and received his results shortly after Papen. His strongest matches were in northern Europe, which correlates with family stories of British and German ancestors.

GTL is part of a group of DNA and forensic testing businesses spun off from NMSU in 2005 and still partially owned by the university. GTL’s sister company, the Forensics Testing Laboratory, also uses the test for law enforcement purposes. By running the DNA through their database, they can easily narrow down a field of suspects, eliminating those of races not matching a profile.

The Ancestral Origins DNA test kit is available at the Web site http://www.gtldna.com/. Results typically take about a week.

Mission: To offer a high-quality education to a diverse student population through flexible delivery.

NMSU MBA Program currently recruiting our next cohort at Sandia National Lab!

The application deadline is June 15, 2009. Classes begin August 20, 2009

Garrey Carruthers, Dean, NMSU College of Business

The MBA program is the fastest growing program in the College of Business at NMSU. We are delighted that some of that growth reflects programs in which employees at Sandia National Laboratory are participating. MBA programs were initially designed for people who had attained some work experience and returned to school to hone their business skills.

Today, we accept students with work experience as well as recent college graduates seeking to expand their business knowledge. Our course offerings are especially structured to meet the needs of those who work while attending school. Our mission is to help you develop your skills at a high level for any activity requiring business acumen.

Competitive Edge

Did you know that during economic downturns, both recent graduates and displaced workers head back to school to earn their MBAs?

NMSU’s MBA Program enrollment has reached a record 350 students. Our very first cohort of students from Sandia have just completed year one of a two-year program.

The NMSU MBA Program at Sandia is comprised of twelve courses (36 credits) designed to improve your business skills.

Six of the twelve courses are online, the other six courses are offered in the classrooms at Sandia. We bring our instructors to you. No commute!

It has never been easier for you to get an MBA from an accredited university. Apply online at http://gradschool.nmsu.edu.

Two years from now this could be you!

Call Dr. Bobbie Green at (575) 646-3025 or email bobbie@nmsu.edu. Our MBA Program website is at http://business.nmsu.edu/academics/mba/.

Value and Convenience

According to the U.S. Department of Education an MBA will increase your lifetime earning potential.

Our offsite NMSU MBA Program makes it easier for you to invest in your own future. We offer a convenient delivery schedule, including evening classes and online classes.

The MBA Program at NMSU is currently accepting applications for it’s next cohort which will begin in Fall 2009. If you would like to apply, please contact Dr. Bobbie Green at (575)646-3025 or send an email to bobbie@nmsu.edu.

Chef John Hartley, an assistant professor in HRTM, and teammate Garrey Carruthers, dean of the College of Business, hold their certificates and trophies for Best Overall Burger -- "The Loco Moco" in the College Cook-Off Challenge.

It had all the elements of a successful Food Network cable television show: an emcee, a live audience, tasty ingredients and teams ready to compete for the title of number one. But this wasn’t “Food Challenge” or even “Iron Chef America,” it was NMSU’s College Cook-Off Challenge.

The competition was hosted by the School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management Friday, April 24, at the Wooton Hall Courtyard. NMSU Interim President Waded Cruzado and a dean or a representative from each college were paired with NMSU culinary faculty members to make seven competing teams, each making their own original gourmet burgers.

The winner for Best Overall Burger was “The Loco Moco,” made by Chef John Hartley, an assistant professor in HRTM, and Business Dean Garrey Carruthers. “La Jefa,” made by Elizabeth Albin, an assistant professor in HRTM, and Interim President Cruzado received honorable mention.

Students in HRTM’s meeting and event planning class planned and executed the event as their semester project. The idea came from a former student, Veronica Cordova, who graduated last spring. She thought it would be fun to see NMSU culinary faculty members in situations similar to ones on some of her favorite food-related shows such as “Chopped” and “Hell’s Kitchen.”

“This event not only teaches the students about organization, but it also helps them to follow event timelines from the beginning stages of planning an event until the end,” said Jolie Tixier, who teaches the events planning class. “The event also prepares students who wish to pursue event planning as a career because it teaches them communication skills and the importance of working with many individuals to make an event happen.”

Students were responsible for all aspects of the project, from designing tickets and t-shirts to obtaining the grills used for the event. Students also sold tickets and promoted the event.

“Hospitality is always unpredictable. You have to be able to handle stressful situations,” said Jessika Romero, an HRTM student who helped set up the event. She said the project gave her experience working with others – something she enjoys.

College Cook-Off Challenge teams and burgers:

The Flat Belly Burger
Lowell Catlett
Greg Blanch

The Loco Moco
Garrey Carruthers
John Hartley

THE Burger
Robert Rhodes
Chris Beardsley

The Chupacabra
Tom Burton
Margaret Doherty

La Jefa
Waded Cruzado
Elizabeth Albin

El Norteño
Michael Morehead
Maurice Zeck

Over the Top
Pam Jansma
Keith Mandabach

Cook-off. (Media Credit: Krista Avila)

An NMSU dean took home first place at the first annual College Cook-Off Challenge held by the school of hotel, restaurant and tourism management (HRTM) Friday at NMSU. Dean Garrey Carruthers and Chef John Hartley had the most original gourmet burger while Interim President Waded Cruzado and Elizabeth Albin took an honorable mention for their burger creation.

“All of the burgers were incredible,” coordinator Jolie Tixier said.

Armed with only salt, pepper, garlic salt and onion powder for seasonings and working with only a small mixing bowl, wax paper, bar towels, a grill, gloves, knives, plates and a cutting board, the seven teams of NMSU administrators and HRTM culinary faculty had 40 minutes to make four burgers. The teams were also allowed to have three special ingredients, such as other spices or seasonings.

The event was open to the public for $10 tickets that included a burger, a beverage and music.

“Each semester the HRTM 443 Meetings, Conventions and Special Events class has to develop and implement a class-lead event,” Tixier said. “Over the last few years, this class has done some type of dinner and this year we decided to do something different.”

The judges were NMSU supporters Jerry and Cyrille Kane, Scott Breckner from NMSU Special Events, Lemongrass Restaurant owner Kimberly Ming, NMSU Police Chief Jaime Chavez and NMSU supporter Barbara Hubbard.

According to the cook-off challenge rulebook, the judges critique the contestants on abiding by all cook-off rules, presentation, creativity and taste.

Students were also instrumental in the organization crisis, Tixier said.

“[The students] have really done a great job in getting everything done,” Tixier said.

“We figured with the event being so close to the end of the semester that we should do something fun and include other colleges in our event,” Tixier said. “The cook-off just seemed like a good way to do just that.”

Teams for the cook-off were as follows:

• Dean Lowell Catlett with Dr. Greg Blanch
• Carruthers with Hartley
• Interim Dean Robert Rhodes with Chef Chris Beardsley
• Mechanical Engingeering Department Head Tom Burton with Margaret Doherty
• Cruzado with Albin
• Interim Dean Mike Morehead with Chef Maurice Zeck
• Dean Pamela Jansma with Dr. Keith Mandabach

Gold Standard Staff Award, Academic Department awardee Leona Silva pictured with Dean Garrey Carruthers (left) and Dr. Larry Tunnell, head of the Accounting and Information Systems Department (right).

Gold Standard Staff Award, Professional Staff awardee Paul Hamilton with Associate Dean Kathy Brook (left) and Dean Garrey Carruthers (right).

The annual College of Business Gold Standard Staff Award for Outstanding Service honors staff members in an academic department, dean’s office, and a professional staff member for outstanding service. The award is based on total ranked scores from college employee votes.

The 2008-2009 awardees are:

• Leona Silva: Academic Department, Department of Accounting and Information Systems
• Yvonne Mendoza: Dean’s Office
• Paul Hamilton: Professional Staff, BC Computer Lab

See the winners archive.

It looks like a toy, but what you’ll actually be seeing in this week’s program is a recently donated quarter million dollar remote controlled helicopter (UAV) that NMSU students will be using as they study aerospace engineering.

Also, we get an update on NMSU’s plans to construct a new policy center named for former New Mexico Senator Pete Domenici. Garrey Carruthers, Dean of NMSU’s Business College and former NM Governor, has been appointed the first Director of the Domenici Institute.

Our Amazing Aggie of the week is Pat Conn, She has more than doubled the number of scholarships available to education students.

Visit NMSU’s YouTube and the College of Business YouTube.

Michael Morehead, interim dean of the College of Education, receives a pie to the head during the 2009 Cream the Deans event at New Mexico State University. (NMSU Photo by Darren Phillips)

The 2009 Cream the Deans fundraiser collected more than $2,200 for the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico.

Garrey Carruthers, dean of the College of Business, Steven Castillo, dean of the College of Engineering and Robert Rhodes, interim dean of the College of Health and Social Services also took part.

]]> http://business.nmsu.edu/2009/04/09/michael-morehead-interim-dean-of-the-college-of-education-receives-a-pie-to-the-head/feed/ 0 http://business.nmsu.edu/2009/04/08/delta-sigma-pis-cream-the-deans-2009-is-a-hit/ http://business.nmsu.edu/2009/04/08/delta-sigma-pis-cream-the-deans-2009-is-a-hit/#comments Wed, 08 Apr 2009 07:00:45 +0000 Renee Brown http://business.nmsu.edu/?p=16575 April 8, 2009 by NMSU Original NMSU video

See more images at the College of Health and Social Services’ website at Re-live the carnage here!

Cream the Dean is an annual fundraising event orchestrated by the Epsilon Upsilon chapter of Delta Sigma Pi. It is an opportunity for students, faculty, and alumni to “Cream” the Deans of the various colleges at NMSU by throwing a pie at them.

The 2009 fundraiser collected more than $2,200 for the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico.

Michael Morehead, interim dean of the College of Education, Garrey Carruthers, dean of the College of Business, Steven Castillo, dean of the College of Engineering and Robert Rhodes, interim dean of the College of Health and Social Services took part.

The Economic Crisis Initiative is a fund that was setup to be distributed to any Non-Profit organization registered with the Community Foundation. With the current economic conditions, many Non-Profit associations are not receiving the funding that they need for continued, successful operations. This fund is designed to assist those organizations through these times.

Visit the Delta Sigma Pi website at http://www.dspnmsu.com.

]]> http://business.nmsu.edu/2009/04/08/delta-sigma-pis-cream-the-deans-2009-is-a-hit/feed/ 0