Michigan Tech College of Business Newsblog

Author: Laura Shawhan

COB Marketing Students Excel in Regional Marketing Competition

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Michigan Tech’s AMA (American Marketing Association) students recently participated in the largest regional AMA conference held at the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater on October 26 and 27. The twenty AMA members from diverse academic backgrounds, including Finance, Accounting, Supply Chain and Operations Management, Management, and Marketing, competed with approximately 300 students from 25 national and international universities across six competition categories.

AMA students. Photo credit Dr. Junhong Min

Excelling in all categories, particularly in four prominent categories were:

  • AcuRite Digital Marketing Strategy Competition: 1st place was Lydia Sterly (marketing) and David Miller(marketing)
  • Sherwin-Williams Design Competition: 2nd place was David Miller(marketing), Stephanie Franco (marketing), Veronica Frystak (marketing)
  • Henry Schein Mock Interview Competition: 2nd place was Jaylen Body (management and marketing).
  • Colony Brands and Carol Wright Marketing Strategy:  2nd place was Nicholas Pate(marketing), Max Schramm (accounting), Veronica Frystak (marketing)

Nicholas Pate, the AMA President, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “This past week was amazing – to be able to grow my marketing skills and learn a little bit about the future of AI and how it will play a role within the workplace. “Special thanks to Junhong Min, Matthew Monte, and Dan Green for providing unique insight and guidance on how to successfully execute within multiple marketing and sales competitions.”

Nicholas Pate, the AMA President, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “This past week was amazing to be able to grow my marketing skills and learn a little bit about the future of AI and how it will play a role within the workplace.” He also states, “Special thanks to Junhong Min, Matthew Monte, and Dan Green for providing unique insight and guidance on how to successfully execute within multiple marketing and sales competitions.”

Dr. Junhong “Jun” Min, the advisor of AMA at Michigan Tech, shared his thoughts, saying, “This year, there was an almost two times increase in student participation compared to the previous year in the 2023 UWW marketing competitions. I hoped that the students would prioritize enjoying the new learning experiences over solely focusing on winning. Nevertheless, the Michigan Tech AMA students demonstrated remarkable self-motivation, an incredible dedication to competitions, and a strong sense of teamwork, assisting each other in securing victories in the competitions. I was very thrilled when Michigan Tech was announced eight times during this year’s AMA award ceremony.”

Max Schramm, Veronica Frystak and Nicholas Pate
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Professor of Practice Joel Tuoriniemi Passes Away

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Joel Tuoriniemi

by Dean Johnson, Dean, College of Business

We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Joel Tuoriniemi, professor of practice in accounting in the College of Business, on Tuesday (Sept. 19).

An open memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday (Sept. 24) at the Hidden Pine Barn, next to the Erickson Crowley Funeral Home on Pine Street in Calumet, Michigan. The Tuoriniemi family welcomes all members of the Michigan Tech community to attend, especially Joel’s current and former students.

Joel would often tell his students that he didn’t see teaching as a job; he simply showed up on campus each morning to do what he loved most — which was being with his students, all day, every day. “And,” he would say, “for some reason the University continues to put money in my bank account for it.” 

Joel approached all situations by saying, “If we ask what is in the best interests of the students, the answer on what to do is usually obvious.” He would simply tell everyone, “Just be nice.”

Joel is remembered by his colleagues and students for his dedication to always providing whatever was needed to benefit students. He often proclaimed he had the best job in the world, and it showed in his passion for teaching. His rhinoceros tattoo reminded him how to approach every class.

A native of the Keweenaw, Joel received his bachelor’s in business, concentration in accounting, from Michigan Tech in 1994, and his juris doctorate from Michigan State University in 1997. He completed postdoctoral studies in accounting at the University of Florida.

Joel started at Michigan Tech as an instructor in 2001, teaching Foundations of Taxation. As time went on, he also picked up Business Law, which was a perfect fit given his JD. In 2006, he was hired full-time as an assistant professor of business law, and in 2014 he became a professor of practice in accounting. His teaching ability spanned from introductory accounting to the MBA and MSA, to the Applied Portfolio Management Program. He conducted research in taxation, financial statement analysis and contractual bargaining power.

Joel earned the University’s Distinguished Teaching Award and the College of Business Teaching Award, and was a member of the University’s Academy of Teaching Excellence. He held memberships in the American Taxation Association and Taxation Section of the Michigan Bar Association, and was the Ed and Betty Robinson Faculty Fellow in Accounting. In 2020, President Koubek appointed Joel as the MTU faculty athletics representative.

Joel’s office reflected the important items in his life: photos of his wife Julianne ’95 and children Wyatt, Hanna and Hunter; thank-you cards from students; hockey and golf memories; accounting and APMP posters; and a Keweenaw County map.

Read Joel’s full obituary and leave a memory if you wish. The College of Business has provided an additional space for memories at Kudoboard.

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