The end of the fall semester is a special time on campus as we close out 2024 and reflect back on an incredibly successful year. We are excited to embark on 2025, beginning with the launch of our new Executive Forum.

The Executive Forum is a quarterly program for executives and business leaders in the community. Each quarter, business executives come to speak about their area and topics of interest to our community. On January 27, we have our first guest from Dublin, Ireland, Mr. Kevin Neary, the co-founder and CEO of Orcawise. He works with AI developers and compliance leaders from large corporations, tech companies, and startups, providing them with responsible AI services, tools, and training. Join us for his presentation, An AI Road Map for Business Leaders. Register for the Annual Executive Forum Membership today.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the accomplishments that have taken place over the past month. I'm especially proud of the collaborations happening across campus and among departments. Drs. Nicholas Creel and Ward Risvold held a Bobcat Business Builder Bootcamp with the leadership program and the Honors College. Students learned about how to build and pitch a basic business plan, and then the owner of Betty Gene’s, Preston Snyder, spoke to students about entrepreneurship.

Our students get the opportunity to not only use AI, but also to understand how it is created, down to the elemental level, combining chemistry, information systems, and computer science. Dr. Erica Lyon Oduaran from Emory University shared research with freshman and sophomore students about how rare earth critical minerals are used to develop advanced semiconductor chips for artificial intelligence.

In other news, the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship was just awarded a $25,000 grant from Georgia Power to run a business accelerator program for Milledgeville residents. The Center's goal is to bolster societal impact and continue to grow and strengthen partnerships in the Milledgeville-Baldwin community.

Our graduate recruiter, Cassie Napier, ran recruitment efforts for our graduate programs across the state and visited Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, Georgia Military College, LaGrange College, and Andrew College.

This month, we are highlighting the accomplishments of our Department of Management, Marketing & Logistics. I invite you to join me in celebrating our college's recent successes.

This holiday season, let's invest in the future of business.

Your gift to the J. Whitney Bunting College of Business & Technology will directly impact our students' lives. From inspiring service learning projects to high-stakes global competitions, our High-Impact Practices provide hands-on, real-world experiences that transform today's students into tomorrow's leaders.

Your generosity will:

• Fund student participation in life-changing international business tours.
• Empower students to compete on a global stage through the Global Scaling Competition.
• Support impactful service learning projects that benefit our community.

By making a tax-deductible gift today, you'll help shape the careers and change the lives of our students. Join us in empowering the next generation of business and technology leaders.

Sincerely,

Dr. Tanya Goette

Interim Dean

Professor of Management Information Systems

The Department of Management, Marketing & Logistics offers a range of programs designed to prepare students for exciting careers in very high-demand fields.

We offer two majors: a B.B.A. in Marketing and a B.B.A. in Management. We also provide minors in management, marketing, and logistics, as well as a Master of Logistics and Supply Chain Management (MLSCM).

On November 19th, our campus concluded the final round of the Elevator Pitch Competition, sponsored by TTi and Central Garden & Pet, and led by Lecturer of Marketing, Ms. Kendra Evans. From an initial pool of 560 student participants, the top 20 finalists delivered compelling 60-second presentations showcasing their personal skills and professional experiences to a distinguished panel of judges. We extend our congratulations to all finalists and are proud to announce the top five winners of this semester's competition:

1st: Savannah Goode

2nd: Michael Champa

3rd: Ava Stasney

4th: Margo Clarke

5th: Abigail Hardt

We extend our gratitude to the following faculty who integrated the Elevator Pitch Competition into their class curriculum: Ms. Lou Childs, Dr. Meg Geddy, Mr. Kent Hill, Mr. Whitney Palmer, Dr. Heather Patterson, Dr. Jeannie Pridmore, Dr. Mary Rickard, Dr. Ward Risvold, and Dr. J.F. Yao.

Special thanks to Ms. Leigh MacLeod for her exceptional organizational support, graduate assistants Adrienne Zifchak and Savannah McBee, and to Dr. Tanya Goette and Dr. Scott Manley for their leadership. Congratulations to these incredibly talented students!

• Lauren Janis, Social Media Manger at Focus Brands, presented at the Marketing and Advertising Club's October meeting. She shared examples of social media campaigns she has created for McAlister's Deli and provided professional development advice.
• Dr. Whitney Ginder took 18 students from the Retailing Management and Fashion Merchandising courses on a field trip to AmericasMart Atlanta for the October Apparel Market. Students had the opportunity to tour AmericasMart and meet with fashion buyers and wholesale fashion representatives.
• Lillian Smith, the owner of the Smith Agency, presented in the Retailing Management and Fashion Merchandising courses. She shared insight on the fashion and retail industries, the wholesale selling process, and opportunities for students to work as sales representatives for upcoming markets.
• Meredith Almond, who works in brand activations, social media, and talent partnerships at Jimmy John’s presented at the the Marketing and Advertising Club's November meeting.
• Austen Tulley, SVP Director of Integration and Culture at Guided by Good (the parent company for 22Squared and Trade School), presented in the Retailing Management and Fashion Merchandising courses. Austen shared insight about marketing agency career paths and several clients case studies from big brands like Home Depot, Publix, Carter's and OshKosh B'gosh.

• Dr. Ania Rynarzewska presented four papers at the Society For Marketing Advances in Tampa, Florida. Paper topics included AI and online community building, deep fakes, and virtual reality headsets. In 2024, Dr. Rynarzewska published widely across various academic journals.

• Dr. Ania Rynarzewska is doing a “popup” assignment in her market research class with The Meat Locker, a new local business.

• Drs. Mehrnaz Khalaj Hedayati and Mohsen Mosayebi presented two research papers at the Decision Science Institute (DSI) in November 2024, in Phoenix, AZ. Topics included community-based engaged learning (CbEL) in supply chain management and time-to-adapt (TTA) supply chain tools. Dr. Mehrnaz Khalaj Hedayati was also the session chair for "Innovative Education: Teaching Supply Chain Management" at this conference.

Led by Dr. Rickard, Associate Professor of Marketing, our Sales Team achieved remarkable success at this year's International Collegiate Sales Competition in Orlando.

Nicole Rubin, a first-time competitor, made a strong impression, networking with employers and securing on-site interviews.

The highlight of the event was Michael Champa's exceptional performance. As President of the Sales Team, Michael secured an outstanding second-place finish in the Speed Selling category, competing against 160 top sales students from 80 universities worldwide.

These students represented Georgia College with integrity, passion, and excellence. Their success is a testament to the exceptional talent emerging from our program. Their hard work inspires us all, and we eagerly anticipate their future achievements.

RNMKRS is an innovative, virtual sales competition designed to help students develop and showcase their professional selling skills through cutting-edge technology. Using AI-powered role-playing scenarios, RNMKRS provides a platform for participants to practice real-world sales techniques, from building rapport to handling objections, in a simulated environment. With thousands of participants from colleges and universities worldwide, the competition challenges students to refine their communication, problem-solving, and persuasion skills while competing for top rankings and valuable feedback. In the Fall 2024 RNMKRS competition, which included over 5,000 participants, students continued to excel under Dr. Rickard’s mentorship:

• Joseph Lombardi placed 6th overall for Role Playing, showcasing exceptional communication and problem-solving skills. He was also recognized in the top 100 club completing 132 role plays.

• Collin Michie earned 10th place overall in Speed Selling, demonstrating creativity, adaptability, and precision.

In addition to these student accomplishments, Dr. Rickard was named in the top 1% of coaches nationwide for RNMKRS Fall 2024, a recognition of her dedication to preparing students for real-world sales challenges.

These achievements are a testament to Dr. Rickard’s commitment to cultivating a culture of excellence within the Sales Program. Her mentorship is elevating Georgia College & State University’s reputation as a leader in sales education. Her teaching continues to inspire students to exceed expectations and prepare for successful careers in the field. Dr. Rickard received her DBA from Kennesaw State University, and both her MBA and BBA from University of West Georgia. Dr. Rickard has taught with the College of Business & Technology since 2017, and prior to that taught with University of West Georgia.

The path to marketing

Lukas Bright's journey began at Georgia College, where he started as a psychology and business undecided major before discovering his true calling in marketing. "I liked understanding people," he recalls, "and I realized I had a knack for business." This insight led him to switch majors, graduating in 2019 with a marketing degree that opened numerous doors.

College experiences that shaped his career

A pivotal moment came when Lukas became one of the founding members of Georgia College's Professional Selling Team, thanks to the mentorship of Dr. Rickard. This experience was more than just an extracurricular activity—it was a launching pad for his future career. A chance encounter at a career fair with TTI Techtronic Industries during his senior year proved to be a critical connection that forged his professional journey.

Career journey

Lukas started as a Field Sales and Marketing Representative supporting the Home Depot in 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. He has since progressed through several roles, including Territory Manager in Knoxville, Tennessee during COVID, when home improvement boomed, and then becoming an Account Manager. In March, he was promoted to National Account Manager at Milwaukee Tool, focusing on e-commerce for Home Depot.

What was the key to your success?

Setting clear goals was crucial. He explains, "I told myself I wanted to become a national account manager within five years. And then I did it!" A recurring theme in Lukas's advice is the importance of stepping out of one's comfort zone. "Being uncomfortable is vital to success," he emphasizes. He also says to "remember that there's no one-size-fits-all path to success. Be willing to take risks, whether it's moving to a new city or taking on a challenging role. It's crazy to think that it's almost been six years since I graduated. Time flies!"

He elaborated and said it is helpful to understand that life isn't always linear. "Things don't always go according to plan. What's important is to learn from setbacks and keep moving forward. Embracing adversity early on can help you develop resilience and adaptability, both of which are crucial for success. And don't forget to find good mentors - Dr. Rickard was crucial to my success."

The value of a marketing degree

Lukas believes his marketing degree's true strength lies in its versatility. "Marketing doesn't pigeonhole you," he explains. The degree exposed him to diverse skills—from professional selling to consumer behavior and strategic management—preparing him for a dynamic career. "A marketing degree is far more than a one-dimensional path. It's a versatile toolkit that prepares you for multiple career opportunities across business landscapes."

He also explains that marketing offers incredible flexibility. Unlike some degrees that narrow your focus, it opens doors to diverse roles—whether in sales, advertising, brand strategy, or account management. Companies value marketing professionals precisely because they can adapt, think creatively, and understand complex business dynamics.

"The true power of a marketing degree lies in its ability to connect dots across different business functions. It's not just about learning skills, but about developing a holistic understanding of how businesses operate, communicate, and grow."

• Dr. Adel Almasarwah, Assistant Professor of Accounting, alongside colleagues from USA, Italy, and France, as well as Jonathan Lutz, former GCSU Graduate Assistant, were accepted for publication in a prestigious journal, Strategic Change Journal (Wiley). The article title is "Exploring the Role of Ethical Leadership in Mitigating Earnings Management."
• Dr. Nicholas Creel published in a Newsweek article on Big Tech.

• Beta Alpha Psi sponsored a dinner and panel discussion, titled, Where Do I Fit?. Professionals from firms took questions from 40 accounting students and shared how they chose their current firms. They also offered suggestions on how students can evaluate their fit with a potential employer.

• Beta Alpha Psi Best Practices Competition Team has submitted their project for consideration for the January 2025 Mid-year meeting. The project involves promotion of accounting studies and careers to students before those students enter university. Abigail Hardt, Grace Jones, and Avery Treadwell have prepared a presentation for high school students to share with their hometown high schools and are working out outreach plans for Georgia Military College and the Georgia College Early College.

• Dr. Mohammad Jizi published in the International Journal of Disclosure and Governance. The article is titled, "Do investors value GCC firms' social performance?"

• Liam Baldwin, senior economics student, completed the PREDOC summer program and presented his research, “Effects of Covid-19 on Small Businesses,” at a conference held at the Federal Reserve in Washington, DC.

• Senior Lecturer of Economics, Jessie Folk, has taken over as the chapter advisor at Georgia College for Omicron Delta Epsilon, the International Economics Honor Society.

• Sophomore Sam Kinney presented "Waiting Game: The costs of divorce delays" at the Georgia Undergraduate Research Conference at Emory Oxford Campus and to the faculty in the CoBT. This paper is co-authored with Dr. Brooke Conaway, Professor of Economics.

• Drs. Brooke Conaway and Chris Clark are sharing in the roles of Interim Associate Dean duties this year. We thank them for their service!

• Dr. J.J. Arias, Chair and Professor of Economics, is completing the end of a two-year term as President of Omicron Delta Epsilon.

• Dr. Leng Ling presented his paper titled "Female Leadership, Attractiveness and Corporate Philanthropy" at the Southern Economic Association 2024 meeting in Washington DC.

• The department hosted ScrumMaster Training, a Double Bobcat networking event, and an alumni panel to help prepare students for a variety of post-graduation plans.

• AI Tutor Bot Showcase featured bots used in our campus classrooms and helped faculty learn how to leverage AI on campus and in their respective subject areas.

• IBM WatsonX came to campus to share an overview of their software and to kick off the IBM Design Thinking Workshop with 10 IBM engineers.

• Dr. Jeannie Pridmore was asked to serve as an ISSA Cyber Stars 2024 Judge for the ISSA 2024 Gala. The ISSA Metro Atlanta Chapter is part of the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA)® a not-for-profit, international organization of information security professionals and practitioners.

• Dr. Ward Risvold, AI Lab Director, was an invited speaker at Texas Wesleyan and Angelo State University in Texas. He also conducted the B-Quad boot camp for GCSU honors students.

• Dr. Joy Godin took students on a visit to Fouts Bros Inc.

• Drs. Joy Godin and Jeannie Pridmore participated in the HEC ERPsim Manufacturing Sustainability Faculty Challenge and placed in the top third of participants.

• Congratulations to our newly inducted Delta Chapter of Upsilon Pi Epsilon members. Upsilon Pi Epsilon is the first honor society dedicated to the computing and information disciplines.

• The CoBT has been named a Celonis Academic Center of Excellence. This title is earned by top schools in the Process Mining education, research, and community building. GCSU is one of 15 universities globally being recognized!

Aprio | Bennett Thrasher | Carr Riggs & Ingram | Clifton Larson Allen | Georgia Department of Audits & Accounts | Draffin Tucker | Eisner Amper | Forvis Mazars | Frazier & Deeter | Fulton & Kozak | Georgia Department of Banking & Finance | Hancock Askew | Howard Moore McDuffie | Lee Ambrose of Remote Security Solutions | Mauldin & Jenkins | McNair McLemore Middlebrooks | MS Tiller | Nathaniel Gartner and Preston Caswell from TTI | Nichols Cauley | Nora Powell and Claire Roland from Soliant | Ms. Swicord, loan officer at Exchange Bank and owner of Lake Country Gymnastics | Rob Betzel | Smith+Howard | Symphona | WBL | Windham Brannon | Wipfli