Michigan Tech College of Business Newsblog

Category: Alumni Spotlight

Catching Up with Jamie Dompier ’17

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Since graduating from Michigan Tech with a dual major in management and sports and fitness management in 2017, Jamie Dompier has completed a dual master’s program in sport leadership and business administration at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she discovered her passion in college athletic business administration.

Michigan Tech alumna Jamie Dompier

Now Dompier, a native “Yooper,” has landed a role with the Aggies athletic department at Texas A&M University. As a business coordinator in internal operations, she handles the finances of the department, overseeing travel expenses, managing the travel reconciliation process, and auditing the travel approvals.

“I am grateful to be starting my career in college athletic business administration and I look forward to continuing to learn in my role and grow,” Dompier says.

During her undergraduate years as a Husky, she was a sprinter on the women’s track and field team. She is still a part of the 4×100 and 4×400 relay record-holding teams and holds the 200-meter record. Dompier earned GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team honors for three seasons and was a recipient of the NCAA 2017-18 Division II Degree-Completion Award.

About the College of Business
The Michigan Tech College of Business offers undergraduate majors in accounting, construction management, economics, engineering management, finance, management, management information systems, and marketing, as well as a general business option. Graduate degrees include the TechMBA®, a Master of  Engineering Management, a Master of Science in Accounting, and a Master of Science in Applied Natural Resource Economics.

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They Can See Clearly Now: Couple Donates Washer Fluid for Student Travelers

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By Mark Wilcox, University Marketing and Communications

Roger Woods (engineering management faculty) and Teresa Woods (Math) often travel during the holidays. For a while now the Woods have been looking for a way to make a donation related to residential life, when the idea of helping students traveling home for the holidays came to mind.

Drone photo of campus and Portage Canal

“In our various Thanksgiving and Christmas travels we have always gone through gallons of washer fluid heading downstate or to Wisconsin,” Roger Woods says. “We recognize that most Tech students do the same but may not have factored washer fluid into their plans. We came up with the idea of donating cases of washer fluid to the residence halls for whomever needs it.”

The Woods reached out to Auto Value of Houghton which sold them 100 gallons of washer fluid at cost. The washer fluid will be available beginning today at the desks of each residence hall.

Joseph Cooper, director of Student Financial Services, is also interim director of Residence Education and Housing Services. He applauds the Woods for their creative donation. “Many of us have been in the predicament where we’re struggling to get to the next gas station to fill up on washer fluid. This is an incredibly generous idea and we appreciate Roger and Teresa supporting our students in this unique way.”

Gallon bottles of washer fluid are available for students on a first-come, first-served basis along with a wish for safe travels from the folks who donated them. “From your fellow road trippers, R & T Woods — Be safe.”

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McBride, Elliott, Blankenship, and Roualet Honored as Academy of Business Inductees

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The Michigan Technological University School of Business and Economics announces its 2019 inductees to the esteemed Academy of Business. These four individuals join a group of outstanding leaders in business and civic affairs, as well those who have contributed significantly to the growth and development of the School of Business and Economics (SBE).

Four people stand along wall with award plaques
2019 Academy of Business Inductees

The new inductees were honored at a celebratory dinner in the Great Lakes Research Center on the evening of September 20:

David W. McBride ‘82, owner, McBride Remodeling Inc. and Northland Self Storage LLC

David McBride (right) receives his award from Dean Johnson, dean of the School of Business and Economics

David McBride leads an award-winning team of highly trained professionals who are leaders in the home improvement and storage industry. He has grown the construction division to become one of the top 500 in the country. In the storage division, he actively manages three facilities and more than 500 customer relationships. 

Highlighted projects include developing a 25-acre industrial park in a former gravel mine, converting a drive-in theater into a commercial center, and receiving the Governor’s Award for Historic Preservation in 2017 for the Douglas House renovation. 

McBride is a proud supporter of Michigan Tech Summer Youth Programs. 

Dale F. Elliott ‘79, president and CEO, FCM Advisory Group, Ltd

Dale Elliott has a long association with Michigan Tech. Seven members of his immediate family have graduated from the University. Elliott earned a TechMBA in 1979, after earning his bachelor’s degree from Michigan State and then working in the family tool-and-die design and engineering business. 

On campus, he was a member of Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity. 

After Michigan Tech, Elliott joined Brunswick Corporation as an advanced management trainee. He then spent 11 years with Emerson Electric, starting with the Dremel division as marketing manager.

Dale Elliott (right)

After a few successful years he was promoted to general manager of Dremel and was then selected to be vice president of marketing for the S-B Power Tool business, a joint venture between Emerson and Robert Bosch GmbH. This experience provided many valuable lessons about managing an international business and the importance of culture in a global organization. 

In 1995, he took a position with Snap-on Tools Inc., as president of the industrial and power tool business. He was named chairperson, president, and CEO of Snap-on Tools in 2001 and over the next three years he developed the strategy and tactical plans that set the stage for their future growth and profitability, while addressing the economic impact of the September 11, 2001 attacks. 

After retiring from Snap-on, Elliott was called on to become president of American Standard’s Global Bath and Kitchen business, a global market leader with more than 26,000 employees. 

Currently, Elliott is president and CEO of FCM Advisory Group, Ltd. a business consulting company he founded in 2007. His efforts are focused on a process called “Full-Circle Management,” which ensures that the activities of an entire organization align with company goals and objectives.

He has served on the School of Business and Economics National Advisory Board and is a Michigan Tech Fund Life Trustee as well as a member of the President’s Advancement Council.

Denise Blankenship ‘84, retired vice president of business analysis of Church Pension Group  

Throughout her career Denise Blankenship held numerous positions in the information technology field with a focus on business analysis and resource management.

Denise Blankenship (left)

Most recently Blankenship served as the vice president of business analysis at Church Pension Group (CPG) where she was a senior IT manager responsible for partnering with corporate business leaders to define, prioritize, and develop IT strategy for supporting both IT and business projects. 

During her tenure at CPG, Denise established an enterprise business analyst program. She implemented numerous process improvement projects spanning web self-service, policy administration, document automation, and content management with a focus on efficient work-flow automation.

In 2011, she received the Women in Insurance Leadership Notable Achiever Award. 

Blankenship holds a BS in business administration from Michigan Tech. She has served on numerous vendor Customer Advisory Boards and is a member of the Presidential Council of Alumnae.

Mark C. Roualet ‘81, executive vice president, Combat Systems

Mark Roualet (right)

Mark Roualet is the executive vice president of General Dynamics for their combat systems group. This group  includes three companies: European Land Systems, Land Systems, and Ordnance and Tactical Systems. 

He held positions of increasing responsibility throughout his employment with General Dynamics Land Systems to include plant manager; vice president of the Interim Brigade Combat Team program; vice president of Wheeled Vehicle Systems; and senior vice president and chief operating officer. 

Roualet earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Michigan Tech and a master’s of business administration from the University of Dayton. He was recognized by Crain’s Detroit Business Magazine as one of their “40 Under 40” executives and has received the Silver Star by the National Defense Industrial Association. 

In 2019, Roualet was elected to the Council of Trustees for the Association of the United States Army, a non-profit educational and development association serving America’s total Army, soldiers and civilians, and their families.

Find the entire Academy of Business here. 

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Milligan and Wall are 2019-20 Ten Haken Faculty Fellows

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Exterior of Academic Office Building

The School of Business and Economics (SBE) at Michigan Technological University announces the appointments of Sheila Milligan, senior lecturer in accounting, as the Richard and Joyce Ten Haken Faculty Fellow in Accounting/Finance, and Jeff Wall, assistant professor of management information systems (MIS), as the Richard and Joyce Ten Haken Faculty Fellow in Business.

Photo of senior lecturer Sheila Milligan
Senior lecturer Sheila Milligan (center)

Dean Johnson, dean of SBE, says the fellowships shine a light on the important work Milligan and Wall do in the classroom and beyond: “Our faculty stand a part for being large enough to lead and small enough to care. They know our students’ strengths and goals, and they play integral roles in guiding them with hands-on learning and mentoring.” 

Milligan, a 17-year veteran at the University, says that Richard and Joyce’s giving inspire her every day. “I want to be my best for our hardworking students, who are very conscientious about their education,” she says. 

Photo of professor Jeff Wall with student
Jeff Wall (left). assistant professor of management information systems (MIS)

Fellowship funds will be used for student travel, experiential education, student scholarships and to provide teaching assistant positions and professional development for faculty. “Attending conferences in forensic accounting is critical to keeping my teaching agile and relevant to prepare students,” Milligan says. 

Wall intends to direct his fellowship funds toward undergraduate scholarships for students dual majoring in accounting or finance and MIS. “Using the funds–more than $8,000 in total–in this way can help support Michigan Tech’s enrollment goals for business students,” Wall says of the new initiative directed at growing the School of Business and Economics.

Trends in industry are placing a greater emphasis on the intersection of accounting and finance with MIS.  Wall anticipates seeing top-quality, interdisciplinary students through these scholarships.

The Ten Haken Faculty Fellowship positions were created in 2017 to attract and retain high-quality business faculty and to inspire teaching and research activity amongst business faculty. Both accounting majors with bachelor’s degrees in business administration, Richard and Joyce Ten Haken are pillars of support for SBE’s students and faculty. 

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Michigan Tech Mourns Loss of Stanford N. Phelps

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Amanda and Stan pose with a dinosaur at National History Museum
Stanford N. Phelps (right), late chair of S.N. Phelps & Co., with Michigan Tech alumna Amanda (Vogt) Conner ’10 (middle), vice president of S.N. Phelps & Co.

Stanford “Stan” Phelps, chair of S.N. Phelps & Co., passed away June 6, 2019, at age 84. A graduate of the Phillips Exeter Academy, Yale, and Harvard, Mr. Phelps was a pioneer of the Wall Street junk bond market and was known to Michigan Tech as a supporter of the Applied Portfolio Management Program (APMP) and its students. He hired School of Business and Economics interns and graduates who went on to thrive in the financial industry, including Amanda (Vogt) Conner ’10, Vice President of S.N. Phelps & Co. She says of Stan: “He was my boss, mentor, and friend. Stan helped develop my investment skillset and shape my career, while also teaching me the importance of philanthropy. I am forever grateful for the nine years I was able to learn from him.”

Dean Johnson, dean of the School of Business and Economics, adds, “Stan lived a principled life and sought to pass these principles on to future generations. His impact on the careers of many APMP students is just one of his many legacies. We were pleased that this year’s APMP team was able to meet with Stan and Betsy this past spring in Greenwich. Our heartfelt condolences are with Betsy and the entire family.”

Stan Phelps’ obituary, which appeared in The New York Times and Greenwich Time, is below:

Stanford Newton Phelps died peacefully at home in Greenwich, Connecticut on June 6, 2019, at age 84. He is survived by his beloved wife, Elizabeth Richmond Phelps; his son, George; his daughter, Catherine, and son-in-law, Daniel McNamara; his grandchildren, Maxwell, Garrett, and Ford; his brother, Barry Phelps; his sister Jeanette, and brother-in-law, Whitney Evans.

Mr. Phelps was chairman of the board of S.N. Phelps & Co., Commonwealth Oil Refining Company (CORCO) and Clear Springs Land Company, home of Clear Springs blueberries. His earlier career in the bond business included stints with Citibank, F. S. Smithers and Drexel Burnham Lambert where he started their high-yield bond department. He served as the second lieutenant in the United States Army from October 1956 to April 1957.

Mr. Phelps was born in Rochester, New York, the son of Jeanette Coon and Stanford Newton Phelps. The family moved to Detroit and later back to Rochester when Mr. Phelps left to attend Phillips Exeter Academy in 1948. He graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy in 1952, and subsequently from Yale University in 1956 and Harvard Business School in 1960.

Mr. Phelps was devoted to his church, First Presbyterian Church of Greenwich in Greenwich, Connecticut. Mr. Phelps was a generous supporter of his church and many educational and Christian organizations, including Hartwick College from which he received an honorary Doctor of Laws, Harvard Business School, Keck Graduate Institute where he was on the Board and received a Doctorate of Applied Life Sciences, honoris causa, The Madeira School, Navy Seal Foundation, Polk State College, and Yale Peabody Museum where he served on the Peabody Leadership Council. Throughout his life, however, his highest charitable priority remained his high school alma mater, Exeter.

In Mr. Phelps, Exeter lost one of its most loyal and enthusiastic supporters. The breadth of his commitments grew from a heartfelt devotion to education, his desire to improve opportunities for Exeter students and his deep respect for Exeter’s faculty. He was most proud of his Phelps Scholar-Athlete program through which he provided one hundred seven students with scholarships to attend Exeter. Through his philanthropy, Mr. Phelps sought to inspire others to support the school he loved. In an address to the student body in 2001, he put it this way, “You will be remembered for what you give – not for what you get”.

In all aspects of his life, Mr. Phelps was guided by two principles he learned while a student of Greek and Latin at Exeter: Athanatos esti psyche, “The soul is immortal,” and Nil sine Deo, “Nothing without God.” All those who knew Mr. Phelps will remember him and take comfort in these two phrases. He will be deeply missed by his family, his friends and by the school he loved.

A service in celebration of the life of Stanford Newton Phelps will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 26, 2019, at First Presbyterian Church of Greenwich, One West Putnam Avenue, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be directed to the First Presbyterian Church of Greenwich (pcg.org).

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