Broad faculty recognized for outstanding achievements

In an evening focused on awarding well-deserved promotions, recognizing excellence in scholarship and teaching and celebrating the significant contributions of donors and faculty, the Broad College of Business hosted the annual Investiture of Endowed Faculty and Faculty Recognition Dinner on Nov. 20.

The evening, held at Michigan State University’s Henry Center for Executive Development, kicked off with a message from Eli and Edythe L. Broad Dean David Souder.

“We are, in part, a community of Spartans, working together as faculty and staff to educate our students, engage with our alumni and connect students with alumni through experiential learning,” Souder said. “In addition, we are also a community of scholars, challenging each other to think critically and generate new knowledge about how businesses work best.

“Tonight’s celebration represents the confluence of these community members. Thanks to the generosity of loyal alumni who have become dedicated donors, we have the opportunity to recognize faculty who have gone above and beyond our already high standards to deliver noteworthy classroom experiences and produce rigorous research with important influence on business practice.  It takes all of us — students, faculty, staff and alumni — for our community to thrive,” he said.

The ceremony began with faculty recognitions for excellence in teaching.

The John D. and Dortha J. Withrow Distinguished Teaching Award was created to recognize faculty who have gone above and beyond in their service to MSU, made substantial contributions through their dedication to teaching and fostered an exceptional learning environment. The award is open to all tenure-system and fixed-term faculty as well as academic staff.

Wyatt Schrock, assistant professor of marketing, was nominated in part for his genuine dedication to his students, not just as pupils but as people. Nominators noted that Schrock is known for remembering students’ names, sending encouraging emails after exams and creating a culture where everyone feels valued. In addition, he uses an innovative multi-method teaching approach, combining lectures, case studies, hands-on activities, guest speakers and more. This approach leads his students and colleagues to praise his unwavering dedication to student learning and success.

Michael Thibideau, fixed-term faculty in the Department of Supply Chain Management, was also nominated for his continuing dedication to his students’ learning. Former students noted his innovative and thought-provoking teaching style, which pushed them to think analytically about ambiguous, difficult problems. “Dr. Thibideau was by far the best professor I had in my four years at Michigan State,” wrote former student Kathie Lee (B.A. Supply Chain Management ’20). “One of Dr. Thibideau’s greatest strengths that separates him from other educators are his real-world experiences. … In class, he would share stories of how he dealt with difficult suppliers, how to conduct a request-for-quote process and how to strategically source across the globe. These stories brought color to the class and helped the class understand real-world applications of the content we were learning.”

The Withrow Distinguished Scholar Award was presented to Sriram Narayanan, Eli Broad Professor in Supply Chain Management, whose pioneering research on disability and productivity in manufacturing has earned national and international recognition, including publications in top journals and a citation in UK legislation. His work reflects a commitment to inclusive, human-centric business practices, aligning with the values of the Broad College. As a teacher and mentor, Narayanan integrates industry collaborations into his courses, offering students valuable hands-on experiences. His sustained excellence in scholarship and service to MSU and the broader academic community exemplifies the highest standards of achievement.

Recipients of the Instructor of Excellence Awards represent the top 10% of instructors for each semester, based on scores from student evaluations known as SIRS. Rich Spreng, associate dean for undergraduate programs, and Ayalla Ruvio, associate dean for master’s programs, presented these awards to the following faculty members for 2023–2024.

Fall 2023 Undergraduate Core Courses

• Stanley Lim, SCM 373: Logistics and Transportation Management
• Hao Jiang, FI 414: Advanced Business Finance
• Gilbert Harrell, MKT 300: Managerial Marketing
• Raymond Pirouz, MKT 313: Consultative Selling
• Lori Jackson, ACC 411: Auditing

Spring 2024 Undergraduate Core Courses

• Charles Cavanagh, GBL 385: Business Law and Ethical Leadership
• John Miscione, FI 414: Advanced Business Finance
• Jennifer Dunn, MGT 460: Capstone for Management Majors
• Jordan Barker, SCM 373: Logistics and Transportation Management
• Mario Schabus, ACC 341: Accounting for Management Decision Making
• Raymond Pirouz, MKT 313: Consultative Selling

 Fall 2023 Undergraduate Elective Courses            

• Wyatt Schrock, MKT 383: Sales Management
• Raymond Pirouz, MKT 355: Entrepreneurial Marketing

Spring 2024 Undergraduate Elective Courses

• Raymond Pirouz, MKT 355: Entrepreneurial Marketing
• Shannon Brecheisen, MGT 411: Organizational Staffing

Fall 2023 Hospitality Business Courses

• Timothy Mehlberg, HB 280: Introduction to Event Management
• JaeMin Cha, HB 265: Quality Food Management

Spring 2024 Hospitality Business Courses

• Lu Zhang, HB 489: Policy Issues in Hospitality Management
• Michael Behan, HB 447: Hospitality Business Law

Fall 2023 Full-Time MBA Core Courses

• Kevin Markle, MBA 802: Accounting and Financial Strategies

Spring 2024 Full-Time MBA Core Courses

• Guy Shani, MBA 850: Strategic Management

Fall 2023 Executive MBA Core Courses

• Shelby Gai, PIM 855: Strategic Management
• Sanjay Gupta, PIM 811: Financial Accounting Concepts

Spring 2024 Executive MBA Core Courses

• Michael Mickunas, PIM 863: Marketing Systems
• Amy Joa, PIM 874: The Global Marketplace

The event concluded with an investiture ceremony for newly endowed faculty. Endowed positions recognize a high level of achievement and dedication to academic innovation and are made possible through the generosity of donors committed to the continued academic excellence of the Broad College and MSU.

The James O. Fishbeck and Lee A. Morgan Professorship in Business was created by James Fishbeck (B.S. Electrical Engineering ’66) and Lee Morgan to help strengthen the business college’s ability to attract and retain the best professors and provide funds to aid them in their teaching and research.

Suman Basuroy has been with the Broad College since 2021. His research focuses on the marketing of cultural products, including motion pictures, video games and fashion, with numerous publications in top marketing and business journals. Basuroy has also served on the editorial boards of prominent marketing journals and received numerous awards for his contributions to marketing education and scholarship.

The Alan J. and Sue Kaufman Endowed Professorship in Insurance and Risk Management was created by Alan Kaufman (B.A. Finance ’70), Broad alum and a leader in the insurance industry, and his wife Sue, to assist the college in providing an outstanding education to future insurance professionals.

Ryan Israelsen has been with the Broad College since 2017. His research explores the impact of biases and information frictions on financial markets, with numerous publications in top finance and accounting journals. He is widely recognized for his contributions to understanding investor attention and asset pricing, regularly presenting at leading finance conferences and advising regulatory bodies such as the SEC and Bank of Canada.

The Kesseler Family Faculty Fellowship was created by Spartan business alums Brian (B.A. Financial Administration ’88) and Michelle Kesseler (B.A. Hotel and Restaurant Management ’88) to contribute to the success and national ranking of the Department of Supply Chain Management and to retain outstanding faculty in the field of supply chain management.

Simone Peinkofer has been with the Broad College since 2016. Her research specializes in retail logistics management, with a strong record of publications in top journals. She consistently receives high ratings in her undergraduate and master’s courses, leads the Logistics doctoral program and actively serves on key college committees.

Funded by the same endowment that named the Broad College, the Eli and Edythe L. Broad Deanship conveys the importance of the dean’s role in guiding the Broad College forward while honoring the legacy of the late Eli Broad and his wife, Edythe. Their commitment to the college has fostered an enduring impact on business education, empowering future leaders and championing innovation.

David Souder came to MSU in 2024 from the University of Connecticut School of Business, where he was a professor in the Boucher Management and Entrepreneurship Department and served as interim campus director for UConn Stamford, interim dean for the UConn School of Business and associate dean for graduate programs. Before joining academia, Souder worked in the private sector as a strategy consultant based in New York and London.

See more photos at the Broad College’s Flickr album for the event.