Author: James Schisler

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.”

The Barton School of Business will host its latest James P. Schwartz Speaker Series event on how to harness the transformational impact of analytics and artificial intelligence (AI). The event will occur from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 28 at the Woolsey Hall Auditorium. It will consist of a keynote panel discussion featuring industry experts in analytics and AI. The panel discussion is open to the public and offers a networking opportunity for attendees following the formal event.

The Barton School of Business has announced Curt Coffman as its fall 2023 Executive-in-Residence. Coffman is the founder of The Coffman Organization and co-author of New York Times bestsellers, “First Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently” and “Culture Eats Strategy for Lunch.”

As Executive-in-Residence, Coffman will provide mentorship opportunities to students, exchange ideas with Barton School faculty and staff, and host a conversation with industry leaders. The theme of his residency and title of his keynote presentation is “The Power of You: New Formula for Growth.” Following the keynote, Coffman will distribute and sign two of his books to those in attendance.

RSVP for the keynote, 9:30-10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 13 in Woolsey Hall, at no additional charge.

The Barton School of Business has announced that Tadd Fowler, senior vice president, treasurer and global taxes at The Procter & Gamble Company, joined the Barton School Dean’s Advisory Board.

Tadd joined P&G in 2005, and currently has responsibility for all Global Treasury and Tax matters for the company. P&G’s Global Treasury organization manages global liquidity, capital markets, financial risk management, pensions and insurance. P&G’s Global Tax Organization manages P&G’s global tax and trade policy efforts, tax planning, tax controversy and compliance with P&G’s total global tax contribution approximating $10 billion annually.

The Barton School of Business has been reaffirmed for all business and accounting programs by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) for the next five years. This double accreditation keeps the Barton School in the top 1% of business schools worldwide. The Barton School has held AACSB accreditation since 1970.

For schools with current accreditations, AACSB conducts reviews every five years to ensure they meet the organization’s stringent standards. The rigorous external review process includes examining the school’s mission, strategic planning, faculty and staff qualifications, programs, curriculum and many other significant and measurable effects a business school has on society as a whole.

The Widener Global Leaders Program (WGLP) has announced that Barbara Shrut, president of SLB Advisors, will be joining its illustrious advisory board. The WGLP program is led by the Barton School of Business and directed by Dean Larisa Genin in collaboration with Fairmount College and the College of Fine Arts. It is an interdisciplinary program designed to create a transformational experience and foster an inclusive community for women majoring in business, communications or fine arts aimed at developing the next generation of global and transformational female leaders.