Michigan Tech College of Business Newsblog

Category: Academics

Denny Socha ’86 to Share Time and Talent with Marketing Students

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Michigan Tech alumni Denny Socha ’86 (BS in Mechanical Engineering) will present a lecture on Thursday, October 10, 2024, at 9:30 am in ChemSci 101. The talk is part of a Principles of Marketing (MKT3000) class instructed by Junhong Min, Associate Professor of Marketing.

In his talk, Socha will discuss STP marketing—Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning— a marketing model that helps businesses identify and target their audience, and position their products to be more effective.

Also, on October 10, Socha will share his career success journey with the American Marketing Association (AMA) student organization at 5:30 pm in AOB 101. Pizza and drinks will be served.

Socha’s visit to campus is part of the Time & Talent initiative of the Michigan Tech Office of Alumni Engagement, which aims to connect successful MTU alumni with students, faculty, and staff through guest lectures, presentations, and learning opportunities.

Socha worked in consumer research and product research throughout his 26-year career at General Motors. He retired as Senior Manager, Global Product Research.

Denny Socha is a marketing professional with over three decades of experience working in the automotive industry. Most of his experience, which also included four years in Switzerland with the GM Europe marketing team, supported Chevrolet with Brand and Advertising Research. Providing the customer insights behind such memorable campaigns as An American Revolution, Chevy Runs Deep, Find New Roads and Real People/Not Actors, his efforts were recognized by the Advertising Research Foundation with the prestigious David Ogilvy Gold Award. Denny is a member of the Advertising Research Foundation and Association of National Advertisers. Denny has been married for 35 years to Kristi and they have three children. He enjoys traveling with family and snowboarding.

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Alumni Jon Dowling Retires from City of Jackson After 31 Years

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Jon Dowling poses for a photo in his office on Sept. 3, 2024 in Jackson, Michigan. After more than 30 years serving as city engineer, Dowling is set to retire on Sept. 6. (Mitchell Kukulka | MLive.com) Mitchell Kukulka | Mkukulka@mlive.com

Michigan Tech alumnus Jon Dowling ’80 BS in Civil Engineering and ’82 Master of Business Administration, has retired from the city of Jackson, Michigan, after a more than 31-year career with the city, and as city engineer since 1999. During his service to the city, Dowling managed numerous significant construction and infrastructure improvement projects.

Retiring city engineer has spent 3 decades designing Jackson’s future

From mLive; by By Mitchell Kukulka; published September 3, 2024

JACKSON, MI – Jon H. Dowling is set to end his career with the city of Jackson on Friday, Sept. 6, after more than 31 years of service reshaping the city and its future.

Dowling, 66, was born and raised in Jackson, initially working for the city as a civil engineer beginning in December 1981. He worked in this position for about six years before leaving to work in the private sector, also serving a stint as assistant city engineer for the city of Lansing.

Dowling returned to Jackson in 1999 to take over as city engineer, and has had the title for the last 25 years. Now a few short months shy of turning 67, Dowling said the time is right to move on to the next phase of his life. “I’m old enough – it’s time to hang it up,” Dowling said, with a
laugh.

Across his three decades of service to the city, Dowling has managed numerous significant construction and infrastructure improvement projects, Mayor Daniel Mahoney said during the August Jackson City Council meeting.

“The city has benefitted greatly from Mr. Dowling’s service here with his expansive knowledge of the workings of this city’s government,” Mahoney said. “Whether in his area of engineering expertise, in budgeting and fiscal knowledge or his unmatched knowledge of City Hall and Jackson community historical information, (Dowling) will be sorely missed.”

Among the major projects spearheaded by Dowling were renovations to Jackson City Hall; implementing two-way conversions on several city streets; further development of city trail, sewer and water systems; several multi-million dollar contracts with the Michigan Department of Transportation. Mahoney joked that Dowling’s middle initial “H” stood for
“Helping this city.”

In addition to overseeing several projects that have improved traffic and parking availability in Jackson, Dowling lists the removal of the Grand River cap in 2000 – which got rid of a box culvert along the Grand River blamed for several drowning deaths and the expansion of Consumers Energy’s downtown campus among his proudest accomplishments.

Dowling attended Jackson Public Schools before earning an associate’s degree from Jackson College. He earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a later a master’s degree in business administration from Michigan Technological University. Troy White, current assistant city engineer, will take over Dowling’s role in September. White, a graduate of Jackson High School and Michigan Tech, has worked for Jackson’s engineering department since 2005.

“(White) understands both sides of dealing with businesses, and how design works for both small and large projects,” Dowling said. “He’s going to fit in real well.”

Dowling said he plans to spend a “fair amount” of his postretirement travelling. A lifelong lover of nature, Dowling is looking forward to visiting as many of the country’s national parks as he can.

During the first week of his retirement, Dowling said he’s leaving on a long vacation with his wife to see the sights of the Pacific Northwest.

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Transforming Healthcare Through Technology: Insights From Dr. Giridhar Reddy Bojja’s Research

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Dr. Giridhar Reddy Bojja’s journey from India to the United States, coupled with his extensive academic and professional experience, has positioned him as a leading expert in his field. Bojja is a newly-hired assistant professor in the College of Business.

The following article about Bojja’s research is from Outlook, a current affairs and news magazine from India. By Manish Saini; published August 1, 2024.

Giridhar Reddy Bojja
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Laura Sieders Named Edward and Betty Robinson Endowed Faculty Fellow in Accounting

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The Office of the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs has announced that College of Business faculty member Laura Sieders (COB) has been named the Edward ’66 and Betty Robinson Endowed Faculty Fellow in Accounting, which was created to attract, reward and retain highly talented faculty who focus on growing the College of Business’ accounting program.

Sieders serves as director of the MS in Accounting program and co-teaches the Applied Portfolio Management Program. Her teaching philosophy contains elements that provide experiential education, mutual respect and progressive expectations. To assure that her students are prepared for success in their courses and in their careers, Sieders serves on the external engagement committee and is the advisor to the Kappa Sigma Iota (KSI) Accounting Club, which aligns very well with her student-centric philosophy. Outside of campus, she serves as the accounting advisor for two local nonprofits.

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Madison Mattila, BS in Accounting and MIS, Receives PCAOB Scholarship

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Madison Mattila (left)

College of Business undergraduate Madison Mattila has been awarded a Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) Scholars Program scholarship for the 2024-2025 academic year. The scholarship funds tuition, fees, books, supplies, and equipment.

Mattila has a double major in Management Information Systems and Accounting (with a concentration in Data Analytics). She is also pursuing a master of science in accounting and a certificate in accounting analytics. She expects to complete her bachelor’s degree in spring 2025, and her master’s degree in fall 2025.

The PCAOB Scholars Program seeks to benefit students who are likely to become auditors and to make a difference to students who might otherwise choose a different career path. Participating educational institutions nominate a scholarship recipient from among students enrolled in their accounting degree program.

Mattila was recognized as an outstanding student by the accounting faculty in spring 2024. Also in spring 2024, she received the 2024 Dean of Students Award for Possibilities.

Mattila is the president of Kappa Sigma Iota (KSI) Accounting Club, the College of Business representative and public relations chair for Undergraduate Student Government, and vice president of the Women’s Golf Club. She is also engaged in the Applied Portfolio Management Program and the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Mattila also coaches girls’ soccer at Houghton High School and serves as a Big Sister for Big Brother Big Sisters of America.

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