Tag: Judy Isaacson

22 Inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma

Beta Gamma Sigma Inductees - 2015
Beta Gamma Sigma Inductees – 2015

On April 13, Michigan Tech’s School of Business and Economics inducted 22 members into Beta Gamma Sigma, the international honor society serving business programs accredited by AACSB International—The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

Membership in Beta Gamma Sigma is the highest recognition a business student can receive in a business program accredited by AACSB International.

The 2014-15 recipients are:

  • MBA:  Brian Hutzler and Charles Ouellette
  • MS in Accounting:  Duan Ximeng, Judy Isaacson and Ji Zhou
  • Seniors:  Yinan Chen, Yi Chen, Fangliu Huang, Heath Johnson, Yudan Lurong, Arissara (Kwang) Suthijindawong, Kayleigh White, Dylan Whittaker, Yingxin Wu, Wenyu Xu and Chang Zhang
  • Juniors:  Abbey Halonen, Nora Pennala, Kaila Pietila, Yuxin Shao, James Sturos and Kendall Ward

Beta Gamma Sigma’s mission is to encourage and honor academic achievement in the study of business and to foster personal and professional excellence and to advance the values of Society.  It is an international honor society and only selects the upper 10% of undergraduates and graduate students.

This article was originally posted in Tech Today on April 22, 2015.

APMP Scores Big… Twice!

The Applied Portfolio Management Program is one of the most unique student organizations on campus.  Every year, two teams each comprised of six students are selected to create stock market portfolios using $1.3 million of real money.  These students have the opportunity to use one of two Bloomberg Terminals in the Upper Peninsula, right in their very own LSGI Trading Lab.

Senior APMP team member, Mason McGrew, utilizes the Bloomberg Terminal in the School of Business and Economics

APMP has always been considered successful, but 2013 was a banner year for the team.  Director Dean Johnson described a return of 29.66%, with a standard deviation (aka risk) of around 1.7%.  Senior Brett Ludwig reminisced about the teams’ investments in 2013, stating, “It was really cool to watch the stocks go up, and tough at times not to sell others.”  With a portfolio that grew in one year from $397,000 to $515,000, the Gold Team recently participated in two global investment competitions.  It may come as no surprise that they walked away with not one, but two victories.

After APMP member Heath Johnson appeared on the Market Site display in Times Square and closed the NASDAQ on Wednesday, March 19, it was announced that the team had won the 2014 Quinnipiac G.A.M.E. IV Forum investment competition in the value category.  This achievement was particularly impressive considering that there were over 1,000 participants from 118 colleges and universities!

Most recently at the 14th Annual Redefining Investment Strategy Education (RISE) competition on March 28 at the University of Dayton in Ohio, team members Ludwig, Nathan Sturos, and Judy Isaacson were on hand to snag the first place title of Gold Portfolio in the Value Investment Style category.

Competing at RISE in Dayton was the icing on the cake after APMP’s successful year.  Their dedication won them the ultimate Gold Portfolio, and Sturos remarked, “It was a humbling experience to be recognized at such a distinguished conference.”  Isaacson was proud of her team and grateful for the “great opportunity to see many different perspectives on the world of finance… and it was a fun experience!”

Are you a current student interested in joining a future APMP team?  The APMP application is available online!  Interested in becoming a student in the School of Business and Economics?  Apply for free today!

The 2014 Outstanding Man & Woman in Business

Every year, the School of Business and Economics’ scholarship selection committee has the difficult task of choosing one male and one female student to be the Sam Tidwell Outstanding Man and Woman in Business.  For 2014, it came down to Judy Isaacson as the Outstanding Woman in Business, and Cole Smith as the Outstanding Man in Business.

Judy Isaacson and Cole Smith proudly display their plaques with Dean Eugene Klippel

The Sam Tidwell Outstanding Man and Woman in  Business awards are given annually to two current students who embody the mission of the School of Business and Economics.  Selection for these titles is never easy, and 2014 proved to be particularly difficult.  The selection committee, comprised of professors Anne Warrington, Mari Buche, Paul Nelson, and Michele Loughead, along with Academic Advisor Carly Harrington and student Nathan Sturos (2013 Outstanding Man in Business), received numerous high-quality applications.  The application process itself was very rigorous, with required essays and interviews.  Choosing the recipients is the scholarship committee’s way of recognizing these students for their dedication to academics, their leadership and extracurricular involvement within the Michigan Tech community, and their tireless commitment to the world of business.   Dean Eugene Klippel praised the decision of the scholarship committee, stating, “While both [Cole and Judy] have excellent academic records, distinction lies in their willingness to assume leadership roles on campus, as well as engage in the experiential opportunities provided by the School’s many programs.”

Judy Isaacson, 2014 Outstanding Woman in Business, poses with Dean Eugene Klippel

Judy Isaacson, the 2014 Outstanding Woman in Business, hails from here in Houghton.  As an Accounting major with a minor in Global Business, she plans to graduate in December 2014.  Judy stays busy on campus through her active role in the Applied Portfolio Management Program and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.  After studying abroad in Spring 2013 and working as a teaching assistant over the summer, Judy currently interns at the Superior National Bank and Trust in Hancock.  These collective experiences will undoubtedly give her an edge toward her future career goals, which includes becoming an internal auditor focusing on the field of fraud.  Grateful for the opportunities she has been afforded, Judy remarks, “The School of Business and Economics has shaped me into a professional businesswoman, prepared me for leadership roles and has given me confidence in my abilities.”

Cole Smith accepts his award from Dean Eugene Klippel for 2014 Outstanding Man in Business

Cole Smith, the 2014 Outstanding Man in Business, also plans to graduate in December 2014 with his Bachelor of Science degree in Management, and has been on the Dean’s List for the majority of his academic career.  He has exemplified a strong involvement within the Kappa Sigma Iota Accounting Club, where he holds the office of Vice President of Operations.  Building his resume is very important to Cole, and he has held employment with DTE Energy, Hanley Excavating, Bob’s Custom Carpentry, Specialty Granules, Inc., and KC Docks.  Cole, originally from Iron Mountain, Michigan, is appreciative of the fact that he was able to be so involved within Tech’s SBE.  He stated, “It’s truly rewarding to have received this award.  The faculty has been very supportive in and outside of class, which put me in a viable position to be a candidate for this award.  It’s an honor and a great compliment to be recognized from the School of Business and Economics.”

Everyone within the School of Business and Economics could not be more proud of our 2014 Sam Tidwell Outstanding Man and Woman in Business.  Congratulations, Cole and Judy!