Michael Hyman, marketing professor at New Mexico State University, will serve as the Stan Fulton Chair in Marketing at NMSU’s College of Business. (NMSU Photo by Darren Phillips)

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.

“I’m honored to be the first person selected as the Stan Fulton Chair,” Hyman said. He 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. Earnings from the endowment are used to support the salary of the faculty member holding the chair, as well as program development and other needs.

The Stan Fulton Chair is structured for a senior faculty member to mentor junior faculty members as well as doctoral students. A recommendation for the chair is made by the college’s faculty council and then sent to the dean for approval.

“Mike Hyman completely immerses himself in the scholarship of discovery,” said Elise “Pookie” Sautter, department head for marketing. “His insightful research and writing skills make him highly sought after as a reviewer, as a co-author and an invaluable asset to our marketing Ph.D. program.”

As part of his responsibilities, Hyman will work with Chris Erickson, an NMSU economics professor, to produce New Mexico Business Outlook, an online publication highlighting various aspects of business in the state. Hyman will focus particularly on ethics and public policy, and provide a preliminary venue for faculty members to publish their work.

Hyman earned his Ph.D. at Purdue University in 1984. He taught at the University of Houston and the University of North Texas before joining the NMSU faculty in 1993. Author of more than 100 published scholarly papers and current member of nine journal editorial review boards, he previously held the Wells Fargo and NationsBank professorships in the College of Business. His research interests include consumers’ response to advertising, marketing ethics, survey research methods and knowledge acquisition in academia.

There are four, $1 million or more chairs in the College of Business. They include the Mountain States Insurance Group Endowed Chair, the Garrey E. and Katherine T. Carruthers Chair in Economic Development, the Robin T. Peterson Endowed Chair in Marketing and the Stan Fulton Chair.

Left to Right: Professor Robin Peterson and Brad Gordon. (submitted photo)

Robin Peterson, marketing professor at New Mexico State University, will serve as the first holder of the Robin T. Peterson Endowed Chair in Marketing. Brad Gordon, a successful former NMSU student, created the chair in Peterson’s honor with a donation valued at more than half a million dollars.

“The intent all along was to honor Dr. Peterson’s accomplishments,” Gordon said. “Management is compensated on the value of the assets they manage. Instructors are charged with managing the young minds of our world. I can’t imagine managing an asset more valuable. Those who can should give back to education.”

The Peterson chair was created when Gordon donated 10,000 shares of Celgene stock, valued at more than $500,000, to the College of Business. The chair received matching funds from the state, bringing the total endowment to more than $1 million. Earnings from the endowment are used to support the salary of the faculty member holding the chair, as well as program development and other needs.

“This is an honor and certainly reflects the benevolence of one of our alumni,” said Peterson. “Brad is an outstanding individual. Not only is he truly brilliant and successful, he has always had tremendous people skills.”

Gordon earned a degree in marketing from NMSU in 1978. He graduated near the top of his class in business, a major accomplishment for someone who had failed in previous attempts to obtain a degree at other universities.

A career counselor in Los Angeles advised Gordon to attend college in New Mexico where his earlier academic records would not be considered and where he could start anew, giving him a chance at rebuilding a GPA needed to enter graduate school someday.

“From the time I first met him, he was always very inquisitive,” Peterson said of Gordon. “He’d ask questions about marketing not covered in the course or the book. He just wanted to know.”

Gordon often speaks of his experience at NMSU, saying he first went through a serious culture shock coming from the Midwest to the desert in New Mexico. Gordon credits NMSU’s small class sizes and the up-close and personal nature of the university for his success.

“I found myself at New Mexico State. I learned to believe in my abilities and talents, and to put them to use in an impactful way,” Gordon said. “I learned how to succeed.”

After finishing school, Gordon worked in venture capital and then turned to launching several companies in tandem with other entrepreneurs. Since 1981 Gordon has been involved in the startup of eleven companies, mostly in the biotech field.

There are now four, $1 million or more chairs in the College of Business. They include the Mountain States Insurance Group Endowed Chair, The Garrey E. and Katherine T. Carruthers Chair in Economic Development, the Robin T. Peterson Endowed Chair in Marketing and the Stan Fulton Chair in Business.

Kevin Boberg, associate business dean at New Mexico State University and CEO of NMSU’s Arrowhead Center, will continue as the Garrey E. and Katherine T. Carruthers Chair in Economic Development in NMSU’s College of Business.

Boberg has held the economic development chair position since 2005. The position must be renewed every three years.

“Kathy and I are absolutely delighted with this decision,” said NMSU College of Business Dean Garrey Carruthers. “He’s done a wonderful job by taking an active role in Arrowhead Center and working with many economic development projects in our state.”

The economic development chair was created by a $500,000 gift from Carruthers and his wife. The chair received a $1 million match from the state. Earnings from the $1.5 million endowment are used to support the salary of the faculty member holding the chair, as well as program development and other needs.

“I’m humbled and honored by the opportunity,” said Boberg. “Governor and Mrs. Carruthers’ contributions to the state through public and private life, and through philanthropic endeavors are well known. I look forward to continuing the work they began and we have continued – specifically in regard to our most important mission, serving our students and those in the State of New Mexico.”

Arrowhead Center is a nonprofit organization created to commercialize new technologies and stimulate economic growth in New Mexico.

“He does a fantastic job working with groups around the state on economic and business development,” said Kathy Brook, associate dean in business. She said the decision to rename Boberg to the chair position was the consensus of the department heads and associate deans in the college.

Boberg earned his Ph.D. at Pennsylvania State University in 1983. He taught at Penn State and the University of Hawaii before joining the NMSU faculty in 1987.

There are now four, $1 million or more chairs in the College of Business. They include the Mountain States Insurance Group Endowed Chair, The Garrey E. and Katherine T. Carruthers Chair in Economic Development, the Robin T. Peterson Endowed Chair in Marketing and the Stan Fulton Chair in Business.