Michigan Tech College of Business Newsblog

Category: Faculty and Staff

Retired College of Business Lecturer Paul Aho Passes Away

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The Michigan Tech waterfront campus

The College of Business is saddened to announce that longtime College of Business faculty member Paul Aho passed away November 2 at age 71. Aho served as a lecturer in management information systems from 1987 until his retirement in 2006.

In 1978, Aho completed a BS in Business Administration with a concentration in information systems at Michigan Tech, then working in the accounting industry for several years. Later, he a earned a masters degree in economics from DePaul University.

“Paul was a great inspiration to me as an undergraduate,” says Adam Mitteer ’03 ’17. “Taking his classes changed the course of how I looked at technology and really academia in general.” says Mitteer, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Management and a Master of Science in Data Science at Michigan Tech. “It was a pleasure to get to know Paul through clubs, as a TA for his class, and taking many of his courses.”

Mitteer adds that Aho inspired students through his connections to industry and University alumni, always trying to find the best path for students’ careers.

Read Aho’s full obituary.

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Soonkwan Hong Is Editorial Advisory Board Member of Journal of Social Impact in Business Research

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Michigan Tech campus in the fall.
The Michigan Tech Campus in the fall season

Soonkwan Hong, associate professor of marketing in the College of Business, is an invited editorial advisory board member of the Journal of Social Impact in Business Research, which was founded in July 2024.

The journal explicitly responds to AACSB’s new standards, which underscore “Societal Impact” as encompassing “…activities undertaken by business schools that over time lead to meaningful, discernible change for the betterment of people, economies and the environment” (AACSB and Societal Impact: Aligning With the AACSB 2020 Business Accreditation Standards, February 2023, p.2).

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Jon Leinonen Appointed Assistant Dean, Director of Husky Innovate

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Jon Leinonen, assistant dean, teaching professor in management, and director of Husky Innovate

The College of Business is pleased to announce that Jon Leinonen, teaching professor in management, has been appointed assistant dean for the College of Business and director of Husky innovate.

“I’m thrilled that Jon has accepted these new responsibilities,” says Dean Johnson, dean of the College of Business. “He brings a wealth of expertise and enthusiasm to both of these roles.”

“I’m excited to be working more closely with the COB administrative team as assistant dean,” says Leinonen. “I look forward to working with the College of Business and partners across Michigan Tech to help students reach their goals and position them for future success.”

As assistant dean, Leinonen is helping to administer college courses, participating in collaborative efforts to establish an Essential Education entrepreneurial pathway, and working to support the college’s AACSB accreditation renewal process, among other duties.

As director of Husky Innovate, Leinonen is helping both current and future Michigan Tech students see Michigan Tech as a path to entrepreneurship.

“Many students may not realize the extent of entrepreneurial services that exist at Michigan Tech,” says Leinonen. “Husky Innovate was established in 2019, with roots that extend much further back. Throughout the program, many students have developed marketable products, refined their business models and pitches, won thousands of dollars through competitive awards, and attracted investment,” Leinonen says.

Husky Innovate students are currently working on a 2024-25 roster or activities, workshops and a business pitch competition. The events calendar will be announced soon.

Leinonen also advises a chapter of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization, which added 35 students to their roster at this fall’s K Day event.

“For the most part, students haven’t come to Michigan Tech with the intention of starting a business, but once they recognize the breadth and depth of support that is available, they can start to see their potential as business owners.”

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Gary Campbell, Professor of Natural Resource Economics, Discusses Resources Policy Journal in Podcast

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Gary Campbell, Professor of Natural Resource Economics

Gary Campbell, Professor of Natural Resource Economics in the College of Business, was recently a guest on the podcast “Journals 101,” which hosts discussions about the world of academic publishing.

The podcast was hosted by Dr. Brian Lucey, professor of international finance and commodities, at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.

Listen to the podcast.

In the podcast, Campbell discussed his work as reviewer and editor of Resources Policy, an international journal devoted to the economics and policy issues related to mineral and fossil fuel extraction, production, and use.

Campbell has been reviewing papers for the journal for close to 40 years, and for the past 12 years he has been editor in chief. Campbell will step down from the editor role this December.

In 1974 the Resources Policy journal published its first two issues with 11 research articles, book reviews, and conference information. In 2012, 52 articles were published. And, with significant growth in the number of submissions from around the world, a record 1,087 articles were published in 2023.

Campbell says the journal has led to many opportunities to present online and in-person talks around the world and to meet many interesting people.

In the 2022 Journal Citation Reports (JCR) of the Web of Science (WoS), the Resource Policy journal had an impact factor of 10.2, and was ranked in the eighth position out of 128 journals in the WoS category of Environmental Studies (Social Sciences Citation Index edition).

The podcast also touched on Campbell’s love of nature photography, and the host, was especially interested in Campbell’s photos of dragonflies, as well as birds and butterflies.

Gary Campbell began teaching in the College of Business at Michigan Tech in 1982. He helped establish the MS in Mineral Economics Program (currently named Applied Natural Resource Economics), which admitted its first students in 1983.

Research Focus: Minerals are a necessity for society, but they come with a number of concerns and problems. Dr. Campbell’s research looks at the economic behavior of mineral markets and the social issues of mineral extraction. Recent research has focused on the markets for rare earths and copper and at the social conflicts over opening and operating mines.

Campbell’s specialties include metal markets, sustainability of mining, and social decision-making about resource use.

The Michigan Tech College of Business prepares tomorrow’s business professionals through STEM-infused, AACSB-accredited degree programs and minors. The college’s bachelor of science programs are in accounting, business analytics, construction management, economics, engineering management, finance, management, management information systems, and marketing; master of science programs are in accounting and analytics, applied natural resource economics, engineering management, and the TechMBA®.

Follow the College of Business on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

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Early Interest in Behavior Analysis Leads to Rewarding Career for College of Business Professor Sonia Goltz

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Sonia Goltz professor of organizational behavior in the College of Business at Michigan Tech, doesn’t like to repeat a presentation twice.

Sonia Goltz, professor of organizational behavior and the Mickus Endowed Faculty Fellow in Business Impact in the College of Business, applies behavior analysis concepts and principles to examine and understand the topics of power, coercion, and toxic leadership, as well as organizational change. Goltz has also conducted research in gender equity and its legal aspects. Her work, along with her community allyship, was recognized with the 2021 Michigan Tech Diversity Award.

The publication of Goltz’s 2022 paper, “On Power and Freedom: Extending the Definition of Coercion,” in the journal Perspectives on Behavior Analysis, prompted great interest among her colleagues and has led to numerous opportunities to present her research to organizations focused on behavior analysis.

Today, Goltz is exploring the topic of coercion and freedom, an extension of her previous work on power and equity. This year she published her paper, “An analysis of types and targets of coercive interference,” in the Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology.

Goltz has been invited to speak at the Texas Association for Behavior Analysis in spring 2025.

Goltz also presented her research at the 2024 Behavior Analysis Association of Michigan (BAAM) Conference. In 2023, she presented a webinar titled, “What About Coercive Interference with Positive Freedom?” for the Association for Behavior Analysis International. And in 2022, she presented her lecture,” Coercion is Going Undercover: Can Behavior Analysis Unveil the Disguise?” at the Nevada Association for Behavior Analysis.

Goltz’s talks often fulfill ethics continuing education requirements for attendees seeking continuing education unit (CEU) credits.

Researcher Keeps the Conversation Fresh and Relevant

Goltz doesn’t like to repeat her presentations, so she typically uses her speaking engagements to stimulate new thinking, which often results in another paper and a new presentation. For example, a discussion of coercion and toxic leadership at her spring 2024 BAAM lecture is informing a future presentation at the Texas Association for Behavior Analysis

Goltz’s interest in behavior analysis was inspired by her father, who instructed troubled youth at the Indiana Boys School in Plainfield, Indiana. Goltz said that his use of rewards and reinforcement to motivate his students prompted a psychology professor at the University of Indianapolis to visit his classroom to learn more about the approach. That professor would become Goltz’s main undergraduate advisor when she attended the University of Indianapolis a few years later, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology Goltz went on to earn her master’s and doctoral degrees in Industrial/Organizational Psychology at Purdue University.

Goltz began her career at the University of Notre Dame, joining Michigan Tech in 1996. In addition to teaching and research, she is active in several academic and business communities. She has served as director of business graduate programs at Michigan Tech. She is an editorial board member for the Journal of Management Education and the Journal of Organizational Behavior Management. Goltz also consults for local organizations, including the Portage Lake District Library and LaSalle Technology Group.

Presentation Citations

In addition to the citations listed here, publications Goltz has authored and co-authored can be accessed via Michigan Tech Digital Commons.

  • Goltz, S.M. “Toxic Leadership in Behavioral Terms: The Reliance on Coercion and Countercontrol.” Behavior Analysis Association of Michigan Conference, Ypsilanti, MI, February 22, 2024.
  • Goltz, S. “What About Coercive Interference with Positive Freedom?” Webinar. Association for Behavior Analysis International, Sept. 19, 2023.
  • Goltz, S. “Coercion is Going Undercover: Can Behavior Analysis Unveil the Disguise?” Presented at the Nevada Association for Behavior Analysis, Reno, Nevada, October 15, 2022.

About the College of Business

The Michigan Tech College of Business prepares tomorrow’s business professionals through STEM-infused, AACSB-accredited degree programs and minors. The college’s bachelor of science programs are in accounting, business analytics, construction management, economics, engineering management, finance, management, management information systems, and marketing; master of science programs are in accounting and analytics, applied natural resource economics, engineering management, and the TechMBA®.Follow the College of Business on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

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