Michigan Tech College of Business Newsblog

Operations and Supply Chain Management Students Visit Peterlin Distributing Co.

Published April 11, 2016

Academics

Students in Roger Woods’ OSM 3000 course have had the opportunity to tour Northern Hardwoods and Calumet Electronics to take their education outside the classroom. On Thursday, April 7 students met up at Peterlin Distributing Company in Calumet, Michigan to tour their wholesale warehouse. Vice President, Mark Almquist provided a behind the scenes look of the largest beer and wine distributor in the Upper Peninsula. Peterlin is one of 34 distributors in the nation to carry both Miller and Anheuser-Bush products, and has proudly been the main supplier to seven counties in the Upper Peninsula since 1939.

During the tour students learned about the stocking and shipping processes, how the stock is protected, how the facility meets heating and cooling standards and they even had the chance to sample a new product.

APMP Travels to NYC

Published April 8, 2016

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Four students from the Applied Portfolio Management Program traveled to New York City for the Quinnipiac Global Asset Management Education Forum. This two and a half day experience provided students and faculty from 47 states and 36 countries the opportunity to interact with industry leaders while learning the best practices in investment management. Zachary Bedell, Matthew Mateer, Kendra Rasner and Dallas Bond traveled by car from Houghton Michigan to attend this forum.

The forum included key note presentations, interactive sessions, and networking opportunities. Kendra Rasner even had the opportunity to close the Nasdaq alongside other students attending the forum.

IMAG3694

Senior Dallas Bond shares his perspective on the experience:

We left Monday March 28th at 2:00 pm, it was the usual trip except we were headed to the big apple. We reminisced in the car and joked around like most college students would. First we had to get through Pure Michigan which takes forever in itself and then we crossed into Ohio and drove the turnpike all the way to Pennsylvania and through Pennsylvania to New Jersey onward to New York. We had many stops throughout for the usual bathroom break and food. Once we arrived into New Jersey and into New York everything seems so crazy. You’re sitting in bumper to bumper traffic and everything is almost so overwhelming. It can be a bit frustrating but it is a really good learning experience. While in New Jersey and New York once we got settled at the Hotel we used public transportation which took us the first day to get the swing of things but by the end of the week we had it pretty down pat. While in New York we got to see the Statue of Liberty, the NYSE, the Nasdaq, Times Square, Central Park, the Brooklyn Bridge, the World Trade Center, the Empire State Building and just the crazy city that is packed with 8 million people all trying to do their daily routines. Traveling and experiencing a city so big can be tiring and stressful but it also teaches to many different things. It takes you out of your comfort zone and no matter where you travel you always learn something new. You learn more by traveling and doing then by staying exactly where you are. I think we all enjoyed New York but we were also at the end just happy to get back to our lives and be home here at Michigan Tech. Always take the opportunity to journey into a foreign land as it will teach you many lessons you may have not learned otherwise.

Brown Bag Lunch Seminar

Published April 6, 2016

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The School of Business and Economics will have its second brown bag lunch research seminar from noon – 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13, in Academic Office Building 101. Associate Professor of Management, Manish Srivistava will present his latest research breakthrough.

Title: Firm Risk and Market Valuation: A Reexamination Using Quantile Regression

Abstract:

Despite a very long history the relationship between firm risk and market value of firms is poorly understood. Some of the prior research have shown a positive relationship, others have found a negative relationship, while still others have found no relationship. Considering the inconsistency of these findings, in this research, we reexamine this relationship using quantile regression and make an attempt to reconcile some of the contradictory findings.

Student Spotlight – Russell Lawson

Published April 6, 2016

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Senior mathematics major and economics minor, Russell Lawson will graduate next month with a lot of great opportunities ahead of him. Russell, like most seniors has been working on planning out the next chapter of his life. He applied to law schools as well as government-funded fellowships to get him abroad for a year.

Within a week of one another, Russell was accepted to the University of Michigan to study law and was accepted to The Congress-Budestag Yourth Exchange for Young Professionals. Thankfully, University of Michigan has been understanding. Russell will go to Germany first, and begin his legal studies upon his return in fall of 2017.

As for his fellowship, Russell will be spending the year in Germany. His first two months will be spent studying at a German language school before he begins taking law courses at a University for a semester. Russell will then have the opportunity to spend six months working abroad. The Congress-Budestag Yourth Exchange for Young Professionals is a selective 1-year scholarship awarded to only 75 individuals across the nation. Congratulations, and best wishes to Russell as he begins an exciting chapter this spring!

American Society for Engineering Management – Spring Industry Tour

Published April 1, 2016

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Nine students from the Michigan Tech chapter of the American Society for Engineering Management (ASEM) recently returned from a two-day industry tour. Students toured five plants in Marinette, Wisconsin and Iron Mountain, Michigan.

ASEM made their first stop at MJ Electric where they had face-to-face time with the company’s president, and an opportunity to interact with seven panelists. Nearly 25% of MJ Electrics’ current employees are Michigan Tech graduates! The company is excited to come to fall career fair as well as participate in a career fair panel.

MJ Electric Facility Tour

Next stop was at Boss Snowplow where students observed their manufacturing process. Another company with many proud Michigan Tech alum! Some of their current employees even mentioned they wished they had had the opportunity to study engineering management during their time on campus.

Stop number three took students to Systems Control where they received an introduction to the company, and saw a lean manufacturing example of the 5S process. This extended plant tour showed System Controls’ manufacturing process from start to finish.

From there, ASEM made their way to Tyco Products. Students learned about the background and history of the company before moving on to witness a fire suppression test. Tyco Products has their own fire school in their facility. This is where fire fighters and fire brigades come to learn how to operate Tyco’s equipment. Nearly 40% of their current employees received their degree on our campus!

Fire suppression test

Before coming back to Houghton, students visited Waupaca Foundry. The facility was shut down for Good Friday, which provided the opportunity to see the whole process up close. Students learned about the company’s new technologies including their robotic crimping tools.

Waupaca Foundry

President of the local chapter, Tim Spehar described ASEM as “a professional group of students looking to advance the practice, principles and theory of engineering management”. Students who join the society have the opportunity to attend conferences, competitions and conferences as well as gain professional certifications and choose guest speakers to bring to campus.

ASEM meets monthly on Wednesday evenings. For more information about ASEM, please contact Tim Spehar tmspehar@mtu.edu or faculty advisors Dr. Dana Johnson dana@mtu.edu and Roger Woods rhwoods@mtu.edu .