Author: James Schisler

The Frank Barton School of Business has hired four new faculty members in the areas of accounting, human resource management and supply chain management who joined this fall 2023 semester.

 “Our new faculty members are brilliant and talented academics with a pivotal grasp on industry needs and innovative research interests,” said Dr. Larisa Genin, dean, Barton School. “These hirings reflect a concerted effort to help the Barton School and our students bloom to reach the fullest potential.”

Na Rea Cho, assistant professor of supply chain management
Dr. Cho received her Ph.D. in Operations Management at Culverhouse College of Business at the University of Alabama. She received her Master of Arts in Management Decision Sciences and Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies Education and Business Administration from Ewha Womans University in Seoul, Korea.

Sina Rahiminejad, assistant professor of accounting
Dr. Rahiminejad holds a Ph.D. in Accounting from the University of Calgary and a Master of Business Administration in Finance from Sharif University of Technology. He also has an undergraduate background in mechanical engineering.

Ryan Terry, assistant professor of human resource management
Dr. Terry holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration and Management from The University of Texas at Arlington. He received his bachelor’s degree in business administration and MBA from Fort Hays State University.

Leo Yang, assistant professor of accounting
Dr. Leo Yang holds a Ph.D. in Accounting from the University of Miami and has an undergraduate background in electrical engineering. Prior to joining the Barton School, he was an assistant professor at Southeast Missouri State University.

The Widener Global Leaders Program (WGLP) has announced that Jamie Harrison, chief growth officer at Meritrust Credit Union, will be joining its advisory board. WGLP is led by the Barton School of Business in collaboration with the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the College of Fine Arts. It is an interdisciplinary program designed to create, nurture and empower the next generation of global female leaders, and to provide a transformative multidisciplinary educational experience in business, communication and arts during college that enables these leaders to be ahead-of-the game upon graduation.

“As a female leader in the banking industry, the heart of the WGLP’s mission aligns so closely with who I am and what I believe in,” Harrison said. “I wish this program existed when I was in school at WSU. The participants in this program are changing the world and I am happy to be a small part of their personal and professional growth and development.”

The Widener Global Leaders Program (WGLP), led by the Barton School of Business in collaboration with the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the College of Fine Arts, is pleased to announce the selection of 12 exceptional students for its 2023-24 cohort. This transformational interdisciplinary initiative is specifically tailored to nurture and empower the next generation of global female leaders.

Having successfully graduated 18 students to date, the program stands as a testament to its commitment to diversity and inclusivity. It embraces students from various backgrounds, fostering a rich tapestry of perspectives and experiences within its ranks.

2023-24 WGLP cohort:

• Fabiola Ayarza Anorga
• Chloe Brown
• Alyson Goodwin
• Giselle Graciano
• Shaybree Hanes
• Suzette Cabrales Hernandez
• Shala Johnson
• Jude Khaldi
• Stacey Le
• Cassandra Onwugbufor
• Amy Nguyen
• An Nguyen

Pyet DeSpain — award-winning and global private chef, the first winner of Gordon Ramsay’s Next Level Chef and the fall 2023 entrepreneur-in-residence at the Barton School of Business — will provide a keynote presentation, “Recipe for Success: When Business Meets Passion,” as part of the James Schwartz Lecture Series.

The keynote event is at 11 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 2 in the Woolsey Hall Auditorium.

Doors open at 10:30 a.m. Following the presentation, a reception will be held in the Woolsey Hall Fidelity Bank Ballroom. All are welcome to attend the event at no additional charge.

The Barton School of Business has announced Pyet DeSpain, an award winning and global private chef, as its Entrepreneur-in-Residence for the fall 2023 semester. DeSpain was the first winner of Gordon Ramsay’s “Next Level Chef” TV show on Fox. In 2021, she was named one of the top 25 best private chefs in Los Angeles by Entrepreneur Magazine.

“I am very excited to share my passion for cooking, entrepreneurship and my heritage with the students and faculty of the Barton School,” DeSpain said. “While I now call Los Angeles home, my heart belongs with where I grew up – in the Midwest. This will serve as a pseudo homecoming for me.”

As the Barton School’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence, DeSpain will host a keynote presentation titled “A Recipe For Success: When Business Meets Passion” at 11 a.m. Nov. 2 in Woolsey Hall. There she will discuss her life’s journey and transformational experiences including winning “Next Level Chef.”

The Barton School of Business’ Department of Finance, Real Estate and Decision Sciences (FREDS) has appointed Dr. Mehmet Barut as its new department chair. Dr. Barut will serve as chair for three years starting in fall 2023. He is a professor of supply chain management within the department and was elected by FREDS Department faculty.

“I’m honored that my colleagues have entrusted the leadership of our department to me,” Dr. Barut said. “I hope to follow the example of my predecessor and lead FREDS to new heights.”

Woolsey Hall, the home of the Barton School of Business, has a new art installation in partnership with the Envision Arts Program. Patrick McCowan is the third artist who is visually impaired to be featured on the third floor of the Barton School.

“Students, faculty, staff and visitors to the Barton School have found a lot of joy, perspective and inspiration from our Envision Arts installation,” said Dr. Larisa Genin, dean, Barton School. “We’re excited to continue our partnership with Envision by showcasing Patrick’s work.”

The Barton School of Business has announced that Dr. Duane Nagel will serve as the director of its Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) and Executive MBA (EMBA) programs. Nagel will continue to serve as the Barton School’s Marketing Department chair.

In this role, Dr. Nagel will oversee recruitment, enrollment and retention activities for both MBA and EMBA programs including relationship building with companies and organizations to raise the programs’ profile and enrollments. He will also guide the programs’ curriculum, development and the student experience to ensure that the Barton School exceeds industry and student needs.

The Barton School of Business has received a $150,000 gift to support its Student Experience and Success Fund including its Office of Career and Professional Development (OCPD). The contribution was given on behalf of Elizabeth and Edward Burns, whose charitable fund was established through their estate at the Wichita Foundation in 2013.

“The Barton School is honored to receive this substantial gift from the Burns estate through the Wichita Foundation,” said Dr. Larisa Genin, dean, Barton School. “This contribution will provide a breadth of opportunities for our students to challenge themselves and grow into the best versions of themselves.”

OCPD is aimed at linking academic programs to meaningful personal and professional lives by preparing Barton School undergraduate and graduate students to land quality internships and employment in their desired field. Many of the college’s signature career programs are now housed within OCPD including Executive-in-Residence, Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Widener Global Leaders Program, Professional Edge and others.

The Barton School of Business is excited to be the FlagshipKansas.Tech event partner for its second Ad Astra Technology Summit featuring Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Inc.

On Oct. 2, sessions will take place at Woolsey Hall followed by Wozniak’s fireside chat at Charles Koch Arena. FlagshipKansas.Tech’s Immediate Past Chair Luis Rodriguez will serve as the event’s moderator. The summit will include sessions for workforce development, computational thinking in K-12 classrooms, technology sector professionals, entrepreneurs and business community.

“Innovation, technology, entrepreneurship and collaboration are hallmarks of the Barton School,” said Dr. Larisa Genin, dean, Barton School. “The opportunity to partner with FlagshipKansas on the Ad Astra Technology Summit and bring a transformational leader like Steve Wozniak to campus will inspire attendees and contribute to developing the next generation of digital workforce.”