Thinking Stategically

The operational compass of any business or organization is its strategic plan, and true north is its mission statement. But these are not “one and done” kinds of things. They must be revised and updated continually, to reflect changes in both the external and internal environments. It is never safe to simply say that you’ve done one before, and that it is good forever. All of which helps explain why the College of Business always attends to its strategic plan and mission statement. Just as our own changing strengths and weaknesses affect our ability to function, so do externalities such as the economy, demographics, technology, and more. Had we not recognized forces such as these, we never would have entered into the online education arena in 1997, and adapted our guiding documents shortly thereafter. To that end, the Strategic Planning Committee, under the leadership of Dr. Jeffry Babb, Associate Dean... Read more

Resumés For Success

While a freshly printed diploma is the last thing our students walk away from WT with, there’s another document in their other hand that they need to have been working on long before graduation. That is their resumé, which, as we all know, details their prior academic and work experiences, their special skills, and their professional plans.  But in the age of AI, much has changed when students submit their resumés, either by emailing or uploading them to corporate websites. Today, it is just as likely that a machine powered by artificial intelligence (AI) is reading and filtering those incoming resumés, as it is for a human to be examining them. Depending on how a company instructs its AI software to retain or kick out resumés, it is possible for job candidates to wind up in the discard pile through now fault of their own. It’s just that their resumé... Read more

Brothers In Arms

It is not very common for a younger sibling to directly follow the academic arc their older sibling took, but in the case of the Brothers Orthengren, Corey (BBA Accounting, 2019) and Trey (BBA Accounting, 2020) did just that. Then they both pursued their MPA degrees (now known as MAcc), with Corey graduating in 2020 and Trey in 2022. That wasn’t enough, though, as each pursued their CPA credentials. Corey,28, earned his in 2023, and Trey, 26, received his in 2024. Even twins would be hard pressed to mirror each other’s actions, much less siblings born nearly three years apart. It’s just that these Amarillo men were born with the same Accounting gene. The only difference is that Corey (left in photos) is a financial planner at SFMG Wealth Advisors in Plano, while Trey (right in photos) is Senior Accountant with Williams Group Holdings in Amarillo. It took a long... Read more

Play The Game

While teaching is and always will be the major emphasis in the College of Business, research–or intellectual contributions as we like to say–is a close second. It demonstrates the faculty member’s ability to conduct academic inquiries into phenomena in their field, and in so doing, create new knowledge by extending the range of prior findings. The best part is that faculty are free to select the topics they wish to research, but in order to play the game so to speak, you have to do it. Dr. Eric Hoffman, Associate & Pickens Professor of Economics, knows the “game” very well, but in his case, it’s game theory, a popular topic within his field. “Perhaps the best way to understand game theory is to consider a simple example. Suppose that our hypothetical company must decide on a price to sell our product for, which will be based on the demand for... Read more

But Weight, There’s More

It may come as a surprise to students as well as alumni to find out that the faculty who teach their courses do not lead dull, uninspiring lives outside the classroom. Stereotypes die hard, and in some cases, could not be farther from the truth. Two Engler College of Business faculty members are proving they can have outside interests beyond academia, and also excel at them. Robin Clark, Clinical Assistant Professor of Business Law, is a relative newcomer to lifting, having started in 2017 under the tutelage of an Amarillo coach. “I have entered local, regional and national powerlifting meets as well as local and national strengthlifting meets.  I have placed 1st in my division in every meet entered,” she said. “I hold multiple state, national and world records in squat, bench press, overhead press and deadlift.”  Wait. A world record holder among our ranks? You would never know it... Read more

Shedding Light On A Subject

Imagine being able to sit in a room with a retired executive, who not only teaches the fundamentals of his profession, but adds the spice of first-person, real-world experiences. It sounds priceless, but for two sections of the Principles of Management course this semester in the Engler College of Business, students are doing just that. David Hudson, former President of Southwestern Public Service Company (which is a division of Xcel Energy) has come on board as an Adjunct Professor an enhancing our students’ education with stories of how all those textbook principles actually work. Hudson is teaching both face-to-face and online sections of the course, bringing not only a career spent in the field, but also one with just one company. That’s a rarity in today’s job market, and he was here in Amarillo to witness many things, including the growth of the City, expansion into renewables, and also the... Read more

Welcome Aboard

Each academic year brings with it not only hundreds of new students to replace those who have graduated, but also new faculty. This year is no different, with three new and one returning faculty members arriving to fill our needs as well as provide depth and breadth across our curriculum. Dr. Jimmy Kim is Assistant Professor Management in the MMGB Department. Prior to coming to WT, he was a Post-Doctoral Research Associate at the Center for Family Business and Entrepreneurship at North Dakota State University. He earned his Ph.D. in Stategic management in 2022 at the University of Pittsburgh. He also holds an M.S. in Strategic Management from Seoul National University in South Korea. He is currently teaching courses in Small Business Management and Principles of Management. His research interests are in strategic management and entrepreneurship. Specifically, his research focuses on managing creativity and commercialization within the creative industry, as... Read more

A Tribute To Paul Engler

The Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business was deeply saddened with the passing of Paul Engler on May 3. Engler, 94, was not only a cattleman of the highest order, but also a philanthropist and supporter of higher education whose life and generosity has affected many in the College. He will be remembered for his giving spirit, as well as his wit, laughter, charm, and enduring desire to make an impact on students, faculty, and staff. In response to the influence he has had in the College, he was awarded an honorary doctorate in May 2022. “I find it both a profound honor and a solemn duty to commemorate the legacy of Dr. Paul Engler, a visionary whose name our college is privileged to bear,” said Dr. Amjad Abdullat, Dean of the College. “Dr. Engler was far more than a benefactor; he was a true pillar of wisdom, innovation,... Read more

New MS Degree Meets Evolving Needs

Innovation is a critically important component of academia, and the faculty is responsible for continually attending to the curriculum to ensure its relevance. Courses are updated, renamed, and even completely restructured. New programs are conceived that meet the evolving needs of business and students. Nothing stays the same aside from the fundamentals in each business discipline; everything else, though, is in flux. It’s up to the faculty to stay ahead of the changes around them. To that end, the College of Business is pleased to announce the launch of a new M.S. degree in Strategic Human Resource Management this coming fall semester, the result of a core group of Management faculty who sensed the need, and then put their minds together to craft an entirely new program. The program is offered completely online, and comprises 31 credit hours. It is accredited by AACSB, and includes a prep course for the... Read more

All The News That’s Fit To Print: Serving At A Prestigious Journal

It is an expectation of a tenure-track faculty member that they publish in recognized journals. The College of Business has collectively done an outstanding job in this regard, with scores of major publications in recent years. But journals do not just run themselves. They rely on academics to provide valuable professional service to keep these publications in operation, and, as is the norm, these efforts are unpaid. They are efforts of love for the discipline and the process, with activities ranging from editorial duties to peer review of articles submitted by other academics. Andrew Li, the Williams Professor and Professor of Management, has been among the most prolific among COB faculty when it comes to publishing high-quality articles, but he is also a major contributor as well. Li serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Applied Psychology. “The most important job that I perform for this journal is... Read more

Learning And Serving In The Classroom: Students Take It To The Streets

The message of community service is one that permeates courses at the College of Business. It’s about making an impact, of giving back, of leaving more than one takes. Dr. Kelly McCauley, the Engler Professor and Associate Professor of Management, incorporates this ethos in her undergraduate Leadership and Teamwork (MGT 4337) course. Along the way, students learn the essentials of what it takes to lead an organization, but also efforts to do good things for the broader community. As a result of student efforts, more than $13,000 was raised for charitable concerns this semester. “Because of the title and course purpose, I decided that the best way to teach the course that matches the title of it is to incorporate a team project that is weighted at 50% of the course grade,” McCauley explained. “While many courses in the College include a team project, not many place such a heavy... Read more

ALPFA Provides Community For Hispanic Students

The College of Business prides itself on reaching a growing number of Hispanic students, reflective of the university’s broader emphasis on being an HSI, or Hispanic Serving Institution. About 30% of our students are of Hispanic heritage, many of whom are first-generation college students in their respective families. In order to provide both a service learning experience for Hispanic students, as well as a support network, Leslie Ramops Salazar, Professor and the Abdullat Professor of Business Communication and Decision Management, founded the WT chapter of ALPFA, or Association of Latino Professionals for America. “ALPFA is a friendly career and leadership development student organization,” she explained. “Our purpose is to enhance the business and professional networking opportunities for our Latino students and any other students who seek careers in business related fields by empowering them by developing their leadership skills.”  She launched WT’s chapter in Fall 2016. “I wanted to launch... Read more