SDSU CBA Outstanding Student Contributors 2011

The 2010 – 2011 school year has been one of both change and milestones for SDSU’s College of Business Administration. The year started off with Dr. Gangaram Singh being named as the new associate dean. Then, late in 2010, Dean Gail Naughton announced her retirement and Dr. Michael Cunningham was named to replace her starting on June 20, 2011. The year also saw the launch of The Corky McMillin Center for Real Estate, the 25th anniversary of the Entrepreneurial Management Center and the graduation of the students who went through inaugural joint SDSU/University of Malta program.

The one thing that never changes within SDSU’s College of Business Administration (CBA) is the exceptional students that earn their degrees before going off to make their mark in the world (and it is often a significant mark). SDSU College of Business graduates can be found as officers in Ford Motor Company, United Airlines, Jack in the Box, Costco, Volcom and even in the U.S. Congress.

This year, as in years past, CBA professors and staff have been asked to name those students that they have found to be particularly inspiring. As in years past, a portrait of these students have emerged as a group that is poised to do great things both in the world of business and for their community.

Those of us who work and teach at the CBA wish these outstanding individuals the very best as they pass through the College and we look forward to seeing their leadership accomplishments with great anticipation and pride.

STUDENT PROFILES
	Cord Claffey SDSU pre-finance major, Cord Claffey, is only a sophomore, but is already a proven leader. Claffey, a native of Scottsdale, Arizona currently serves as president of the Associated Business Students Council, is vice president of finance for SDSU’s residence hall association, sits on the finance board of SDSU’s Associated Students and is on the Aztec Shops board of directors. Last year, he was the freshman class intern team leader. He’s no stranger to awards either. In only two years at SDSU, Claffey has received recognition for his role in the new Aztec Center referendum and he was recently honored with the Dean Naughton Leadership Recognition award in the spring of 2011. Claffey credits his grandfather for much of his success. “My grandpa has always been my role model,” he said. “He has taught me the importance of hard work and has shown me what it truly means to be a good person.” Claffey plans to pursue a career in investment banking when he graduates from SDSU in 2013, but for right now, he’s training for the San Diego Rock-n-Roll marathon that will take place this spring. Heather LaPerle (peer advisor coordinator and academic advisor): Cord Claffey is a sophomore business student who has already stepped up and given back to the College of Business Administration in a variety of ways. As the current president of the Associated Business Student Council and AS College of Business Representative, Cord works to bridge communication between SDSU, CBA and business students. Cord is an outstanding student leader with great passion and drive for everything he does, especially his goal to get ABSC and CBA students get involved.
	Bryan Clark Real Estate senior, Bryan Clark, has a resume that reads like alphabet soup. Clark, who is a director at ARG Capital Partners, is a member of numerous real estate organizations including CCIM, NAIOP, BIA, IREM, BOMA, ULI and IRWA. Clark, a San Diego native who will graduate with honors in May 2011, also served as president of the Real Estate Society of SDSU and was part of the SDSU team that won the inaugural NAIOP Development Challenge. He is also the recipient of several scholarships including those from CCIM, NAIOP, the Appraisal Institute and the McMillin Companies. As a real estate professional, Clark fully understands the importance of networking and collaboration and has worked hard to build a relationship with other local universities. “I was told by many it couldn’t be done,” he said. “But we’ve already had three successful events, including one held in conjunction with the Urban Land Institute that had over 250 attendees.” After graduation, Clark will continue his work at ARG and he plans to apply to the Master’s in Real Estate Development program at the University of Southern California (USC) next year. Dana Kuhn (finance/real estate): You could easily mistake Bryan for a graduate student. He's still young, but he has a lot of experience in real estate. He left school a few years ago when the money was flowing in real estate. He earned his share and then came back to finish his degree. He impressed me the first night of my Real Estate Development class in fall 2010 and has been impressing me ever since. He's passionate about real estate and doesn't know the word "quit."
	Tracie Davidson SDSU marketing major, Tracie Davidson, has the sole distinction of being named the top student for the College of Business Administration class of 2011. She is also the top graduate in the marketing program. Davidson hails from Portland, Oregon and has held leadership positions in several organizations at SDSU including chancellor of Delta Sigma Pi, philanthropy chair of Mortar Board, and chair of the GreenFest Fashion Show for the Associated Students’ Cultural Arts and Special Events board. She is also a member of the University Honors Program, Business Honors Program, American Marketing Association and she participated in the Lavin Entrepreneur Program. When she is not serving SDSU, Davidson is serving the community as a volunteer with the American Cancer Society, Feeding American and the San Diego River Park Foundation. She has been the recipient of numerous scholarships and was recently named as a Future Rising Business Leader for 2011. After graduation, Davidson will stay in San Diego and work at Target as an executive team leader. Dr. Carol Venable (accountancy/business honors program director): Tracie excels both in academics and in service. She will graduate in May summa cum laude after contributing to SDSU throughout her four years here. She has continuously challenged herself to move out of her comfort zone and into positions of increasingly higher levels leadership and responsibility. She will make an outstanding contribution to any endeavor she undertakes when she enters the workforce.
	Oumar Ganame Banking. That is what Oumar Ganame thought he wanted to do once he earned his bachelor’s degree in economics in 2005. It took a few years, but Ganame realized that banking wasn’t his dream profession, but that his passion for sports was. So Ganame left Charlotte, North Carolina and moved across the country to San Diego where he enrolled in the Sports Business MBA program at SDSU. During his time in the SDSU program, he got the opportunity to indulge his passion for sports by volunteering for activities such as the Old Spice Philip Rivers Football Camp, the LeBron James King’s Academy, the Farmers Insurance Open and events with the Mexican national soccer team. Ganame is currently in San Francisco working on his internship with international sports agency, IMG. After earning his sports business M.B.A. in June 2011, Ganame hopes to find a marketing or sponsorship position in the sports industry and eventually hopes to work for an NFL franchise. Dr. Jim Lackritz (Sports Business MBA program co-founder): Oumar is not just one of the top students in Sports MBA, but one of the class leaders. He is very respected by his peers and a great team player as well as having excellent individual skills. Oumar was an instrumental member of our team that tied for fourth place in the Sixth Annual Sports MBA Case Competition, which featured teams from outstanding universities in the U.S. and abroad. Oumar is currently interning with IMG in San Francisco, under the supervision of Kevin Doidge, SMBA 2007.
	Christina Marie Lie “Adventurous” seems to be one of the best words to describe Christina Marie Lie. Lie, a finance major, is at SDSU as an exchange student from the BI Norwegian School of Management where she is a member of the Student Business Committee. While being a long way from home and attending college courses in her non-native tongue is an adventure to many, this experience has been mild compared to some of her other activities. Lie traveled throughout Africa for two months, where she canoed down the Zambezi River, bungee jumped off of Victoria Falls Bridge, visited Serengeti National Park and had close encounters with a lion, a rhino and hippos. After her planned graduation date in June 2014, Lie would like to find work as an investment banker specializing in mergers and acquisitions. Dr. Fred Raafat (information systems): Christina Marie Lie is from Norway and is majoring in finance. During the spring semester she was in my Operations and Supply Chain Management class. She is very studious and works hard on her studies. She is an outstanding student and made the highest grade in the class - did even better than some graduate students. English being her second language and considering all of her classes that she studies for, it’s amazing that she still finds time to travel throughout the U.S. and Mexico as she enjoys learning about new places and cultures. It was a pleasure having her as a student in my class.
	Breena Loraine It is said that no one can serve two masters, however, Breena Loraine defies that logic. As a double major - management and music - she has successfully been involved in many campus and community activities in both fields. On the business side, Loraine has been a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma International Business Honor Society, was part of the SDSU team that placed third at the national CUIBE Case Challenge and won an individual award as best presenter at the national CIBER Case Challenge. For the music side, Loraine has sung with numerous on-campus groups and is the chair of the Education Committee for Students of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (StudentNATS). StudentNATS is committed to providing music education to underprivileged children in San Diego. She has also organized a donation drive for new and used instruments for low-income students of the San Diego Unified School District. Loraine, a San Diego native, recently received a Henry L. Janssen Honors Council Award for belonging to five national honor societies during her time at SDSU. After she graduates in May 2011, Loraine will continue on at SDSU in pursuit of both an M.B.A. and an M.A. in the Musicology and hopes to eventually earn a Ph.D. in one of those two fields. Interesting side note: Loraine’s singing voice can reach a frequency high enough to shatter fine crystal. Christine Probett (management/information systems): I am constantly amazed at the extraordinary number of activities that Breena participates in as well as the extremely high caliber of her performance in each! On top of it all, she is caring, kind and one of the most poised and polite people I have ever met. I am certain that Breena will continue to achieve many amazing things in her life, all with determination, high quality and a touch of class.
	Christina Moran Christina Moran, a native on Hemet, California, has been extremely active during her three years at SDSU. Moran will start her senior year studying abroad in Marseilles, France at Euromed University during the fall semester. She will finish her marketing degree at SDSU in the spring of 2012. Moran was recently honored with a 2011 Quest for the Best award – the highest award that an undergraduate can receive at SDSU. She was also awarded a “Brother of the Semester” award from the SDSU chapter of Alpha Kappa Psi, a national business honors fraternity. In addition to Alpha Kappa Psi, Moran has been a member of the American Marketing Association, Associated Business Student Council and Alpha Kappa Psi. Moran has been involved in several community service projects during her time at SDSU and when she’s not studying, she enjoys horseback riding. Heather LaPerle (peer advisor coordinator and academic advisor): Christina Moran is a third year marketing major who has been involved as an officer on the Associated Business Student Council for two years. Currently, she is the VP of operations and recently planned the Future Rising Business Leaders Awards reception. Additionally, Christina has given back to the College of Business Administration by being a peer advisor. Christina is member of the American Marketing Association and an officer in Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity. She is an exceptional student, leader, and mentor to her peers. As a 2011 Quest for the Best Recipient, Christina's maturity, hard work and dedication to everything she does is recognized.
	Anthony Mosca One of the most recognized student organizations within the College of Business Administration is the SDSU chapter of the accounting honor society, Beta Alpha Psi. The president of the SDSU chapter of Beta Alpha Psi is accounting student, Anthony Mosca, who plans to graduate in 2012 with both his bachelors and his master of science in accountancy (BMACC program). Mosca was part of the Beta Alpha Psi team that won a KPMG Gold Challenge award in 2010 and is a big reason why the SDSU chapter is so well regarded within the organization’s headquarters and among its 289 chapters worldwide. Mosca is also a member of the SDSU’s Student Accounting Society and he is a member of the Associated Students Finance board and an Associated Business Students Council representative. He has also been the recipient of several scholarships and has earned significant recognition within the Charles W. Lamden School of Accountancy. When he is not playing the guitar, violin or piano, Mosca, a native of Roseville, California, is interning at the San Diego branch of Ernst & Young where he plans to work after graduation. Dr. David DeBoskey (accountancy): Anthony is both a stellar student and outstanding student leader. Currently, Anthony serves as president of Beta Alpha Psi. He has led the organization through rapid change and success and has positioned the organization as one of the best in the country. I am proud and confident in my nomination of Anthony and believe he is one of the best and brightest in the College of Business.
	Derek Pires Derek Pires embodies the all-American success story. Pires, a native of San Jose, California and first generation American, is not only the first member of his family to graduate from college, but he is doing so with honors. Additionally, he is earning a degree with two majors, financial services and economics, and is completing his studies in four years. During that time, Pires has been actively and successfully involved in extracurricular campus activities: he was honored as a Future Rising Business Leader in 2010; was part of the winning team in the Lavin VentureStart Business Ideation program in December 2010; and he was part of a four-student team that placed third (out of 16 teams) in the Consortium for Undergraduate International Business Education (CUIBE) competition in November 2010. He is also a member of the Business Honors Program and is past president of the SDSU Financial Planning Association. After graduation, Pires will remain in the San Diego area where he will begin his career as a financial analyst for the Wells Fargo Private Wealth Management division in La Jolla. Dr. Carol Venable (accountancy/business honors program director): Derek has been a role model for other students. He has taken a leadership role in various organizations, and never hesitated to share information with other students so they could learn about opportunities that were available. He also has excelled as a team member representing SDSU at several intercollegiate competitions.
	John Ross Most of us find the U.S. tax system to be frustrating mystery. But not John Ross. In fact, Ross plans to make his living out of the very thing that flummoxes so many Americans. He will earn his master’s of science in accounting with a concentration in taxation in December 2011. Ross is not new to SDSU, having earned his bachelor’s degree in financial services in May 2010, which he did in style – he never missed a semester on the dean’s list and graduated summa cum laude with a 3.86 GPA. He also participated in two honor societies (Beta Alpha Psi and Beta Gamma Sigma) and served as secretary for the Sports Industry Career Society at SDSU. Ross, a native of Auburn, California, plans to become a certified public accountant when he graduates and do some traveling. At this writing, he has been to 23 countries across four continents. Dr. Gene Whittenburg (accountancy): John is the head VITA coordinator this spring and is doing an excellent job. There were 43 volunteers who processed 603 tax returns with $9.1 million in adjusted gross income (which were supervised by John). In addition, John's father who is currently a judge in Sacramento, was one of Jim Lackritz's graduate students from about 20 years ago, John is second generation SDSU.
	Andrea Steinbrenner Yes, she hears it all the time. And, yes, her husband is a distant relative to the late Yankees owner, George Steinbrenner. But Andrea Steinbrenner doesn’t do baseball – she coaches youth basketball! A St. Louis native, Steinbrenner will earn her degree in accounting in May 2011 and she already has a job as an account manager for TGG Accounting. As if school, family and work don’t keep her busy enough, she is also studying for the CPA exam and hopes to have her license by 2012. Additionally, Steinbrenner is an outstanding student and is involved with the Business Honors Program (students must maintain a 3.6 GPA) and she was member of the four-student team that placed fouth in a field of 16 teams during the Consortium for Undergraduate International Business Education (CUIBE) competition in November 2010. Her team was also a finalist at the CIBER Case Challenge held the previous month. During her rare free time, Steinbrenner enjoys hiking (especially in Yosemite) and likes to bake cakes, cookies, scones and bread from scratch. Christine Probett (management/information systems): Andrea is a unique student who really “gets it” – she effectively balances the demands of work, school and home and is highly successful at each! With everything she does, she has an upbeat approach and actually enjoys doing “it”: learning for the sake of learning, working to make a difference and living to have a meaningful and fun life!
	Christopher Tolo Family man and information systems major and SDSU senior, Christopher Tolo, has managed to juggle a family, a full-time job and school and will still graduate magna cum laude in May 2011. Originally from Hartford, Connecticut, Tolo has lived in San Diego since 1996. During his time at SDSU, he participated in one of the teams in the 2011 APICS Case Competition is involved in the SDSU chapter of the Association of Information Technology Professionals. Tolo also holds a full-time position as manager of information systems at Delaney Educational Enterprises. “I love sharing information in ways so that other people can understand it,” he said. “I also enjoy being a manager. As a manager, I can support the people who work for me by providing them with the tools they need to do their jobs.” In his spare time, Tolo spends time with his wife and eight-year-old daughter as they work together writing a science fiction novel. He also enjoys video games and anime (Japanese animation). Dr. Robert Judge (information systems): Christopher was a member or the Student APICS Case Competition team that achieved runner-up status. We had a very short window of time to prepare and they really came through. He has been in my project management class and is currently in my management of information systems class. He has demonstrated outstanding team work, always participates in class, and performs to high academic standards. Perhaps the most telling thing about Christopher is the way so many of his peers look to him for conversation and insights. I personally greatly appreciate his enthusiasm.
	Chas Tyson After living the first two decades of his life on the East Coast, Chas Tyson decided to spend some time out west to pursue a master of science in accountancy degree which he plans to complete in December 2011. Tyson, who hails from Kensington, Maryland, has had a plethora of activities during his time at SDSU ranging from serving as vice president of finance for the Graduate Students Association (GSA) to being a student representative on the search committee to locate SDSU’s new graduate dean/VP of research. He was also the recipient a scholarship from Financial Executives International, volunteered during SDSU’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program and currently works as a graduate assistant. While he’s not busy on campus, Tyson can be found on the ski slopes. “I can’t do any really cool tricks,” he said. “But I love to be adventurous on the slopes whether it be taking on the toughest terrain on a double-black diamond or jumping off an eight-foot cliff on the way down.” He also has an aquarium with a large fish named Marky Mark and a group of smaller fish dubbed “The Funky Bunch”. Tyson will spend this summer in Washington, DC as an intern at Ernst & Young and hopes to start with the firm full-time in January 2012. Dr. Kevin Lightner (accountancy): Chas has a great personality and is confident, intelligent and self-reliant. He clearly stands out from other students. Dr. David DeBoskey (accountancy): As an assistant professor at San Diego State University, Chas is my graduate assistant, and I am certain of his abilities as a master’s candidate in our program. Chas’ enthusiasm for and proficiency in our master’s program have been on full display since he started here, and I have no doubt that Chas is one of the best and brightest in the College of Business. Chas has been a great success so far in his short time here, and I can think of no better candidate for the outstanding student award. I take great pride in nominating him, and know that both his competency and maturity will continue to make him an asset to our accounting program at San Diego State as well as a future leader in the accounting field. Chas is an exceptional student who represents the best qualities of a top-notch business student whose career is limitless. Chas will undoubtedly make our school very proud over his long and distinguished career.
	Meng Zhao Meng Zhao was born in the Chinese city of Harbin which is famous for its remarkable snow and ice sculptures. Now she lives in San Diego, an area known for its surf and sand, but that wasn’t the only bit of culture shock Zhao experienced. “When I first arrived in the U.S., I kept seeing signs that reading ‘Subway’ along the road and I thought there was a subway station under each sign,” she said. “Finally, a friend told me these were sandwich shops, but now I’m very used to life in the U.S. and enjoy living in San Diego.” While Zhao may have had some minor confusion after she first arrived in the U.S., there’s no confusion about her success as both a student and a community volunteer. Zhao is slated to earn her master’s of science in accountancy from SDSU in May of 2012 and has excelled in her studies as evidenced by her admittance into national honor societies Phi Kappa Phi and Beta Alpha Psi. She has also been a graduate assistant in the Charles W. Lamden School of Accountancy since January 2010. Additionally, Zhao has served as a volunteer in a local convalescent care center and at SDSU’s Confucius Institute where her primary duty is the serve as a Chinese-English translator. After graduation, Zhao plans to work as an auditor in the U.S. for several years before returning to her home in China. Dr. Janie Chang (accountancy): Meng Zhao is an outstanding MSA-AIS student. Her cumulative GPA is 3.95. She has been an AIS Graduate Assistant helping students to learn effectively in different AIS courses. In addition, she also assists professors in conducting research in accounting areas. She is a Bata Alpha Psi member and has done various community services such as a translator in Confucius Institute of SDSU and a volunteer in Paradise Care Home to take care of the elderly.