Tiffin University’s School Of Business Faculty

Dr. Lillian Schumacher is Dean of the School of Business and Associate Professor of Management at Tiffin University. Before returning to Tiffin, Ohio, with her family, Schumacher was an Associate Professor and founding Director of the PhD in Global Leadership program at Indiana Tech in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Previous to this position, she served briefly as the first Director of Assessment and Institutional Effectiveness at Chancellor University in Cleveland and built that department. Before that, she was an Assistant Professor in the Keith Busse School of Business and Entrepreneurial Leadership at the University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and also served as the Graduate Program Director and Assessment Coordinator for the School. Additionally, she is a trained facilitator and executive coach specializing in the Emotional Competence Inventory (ECI), DISC Personal Profile Systems, and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), and has done extensive consulting with both national and international companies. Her research interests include leadership, organizational change, strategic management, and international relations.

Schumacher has lived and traveled extensively in the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. She comes to TU with more than 20 years of experience in higher education and corporate environments in the areas of program development, assessment, accreditation, teaching, management, strategic planning, budget preparation and administration, staff selection, and evaluation. She is an active member of the Academy of Management, the International Leadership Association, and the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.

Dr. Henry Barker (Hank) earned a doctorate from Indiana University after serving seven years on active duty with the United States Air Force. His major was Finance and he had a dual minor in Mathematical Economics and Econometrics. After graduation, Dr. Barker taught for three years at two Big Ten Universities then entered the corporate work force.

He was hired as Director, Diversification and Acquisitions, American Natural Resources (ANR) in 1978. At the time, ANR was a $7 billion diversified energy company. After leading a successful diversification effort, Dr. Barker became Chief Information Officer of ANR, and served approximately seven years in this role. His work was recognized by the Operations Research Society of America’s annual award granted to the American firm that makes the most effective contribution towards the employment of Operations Research in corporate America.

After eight years with ANR, Dr. Barker formed his own successful software development and consulting firm in Denver Colorado. He managed this firm until it was sold after twelve years of operation. Immediately prior to joining TU in 2003, he managed a $25 million systems engineering firm which supported various Federal and State agencies with engineering services. Hank is married to Janet and they have two sons. They have significant interest in skiing, boating and travel.

Lillian Boehmer is an Associate Professor of Management at Tiffin University’s Elyria location. Her dissertation research and writing were studying “Organizational MisBehavior and Job Stress as They Are Modified by Organizational and Career Commitment.” She has been associated with the TU Degree Completion programs since their beginning in 1997. Dr. Boehmer currently serves as a reviewer for the Academy of Management’s annual conference.

Prior to her Doctoral studies, Dr. Boehmer spent 25 years in the business world. She was a software developer, a consultant in project management, software systems implementation, and database design, a regional technical manager, and Director of strategic planning and software development.

Dr. Gretchen Carroll earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Purdue University, an M.B.A. and a Juris Doctor from the University of Toledo, and a Doctor of Education from BGSU in Leadership and Policy Studies. She graduated from law school Magna Cum Laude, was inducted into the Order of the Coif for scholarly excellence and is a practicing member of the Ohio Bar with a focus in employment and labor law. She also holds various training certifications including: Myers-Briggs, Phi Theta Kappa Leadership Studies, Global Mindset Inventory, and Equine Assisted Therapy and Learning. She is also actively engaged in leadership coaching and development with organizations across the country.

Prior to joining the faculty of Tiffin University as a Professor of Organizational Behavior and HRM and Chair of the MBA program, she was the Interim Dean of the School of Business at Owens Community College, and a Professor of Law and Leadership for 18 years. She has won numerous teaching awards including the coveted ACBSP International Teaching Excellence Award and OATYC Teacher of the Year for the State of Ohio and has presented at national & international conferences including: TOBIAS Leadership Conference, ACBSP, ASHE, FIPSE and HLC.

She is the mother of five incredible children and the wife, of one almost perfect husband, who she credits for the development of her conflict resolution and negotiation skills. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family and friends riding horses, skiing, whitewater rafting, hiking, and entertaining.

As do most of his colleagues, Dr. Debbink has a thorough grounding in his topic, both academically and professionally. Prior to beginning his doctoral education in 1992, Dr. Debbink worked for General Motors for 13 years. His experience was largely in Manufacturing and Quality Engineering, but also included significant assignments in Salaried Personnel Administration and Purchasing.

As a Certified Quality Engineer, Dr. Debbink worked with more than 100 of the Division’s suppliers to remedy specific quality issues and improve the overall performance of their manufacturing systems. Dr. Debbink has also served as a consultant to NCR Corporation, the United States Navy and General Motors.

Academically, Dr. Debbink’s interests are in corporate governance, deception within organizations, and make-buy decision-making. His dissertation explored the motivations behind the decision to outsource components in the auto industry. He is a member of the Academy of Management and has presented papers at numerous conferences.

Off campus, Dr. Debbink is a 20-plus year member of Rotary International and serves on the Board of the Foundation of the Tiffin Rotary Club. He is a licensed pilot who enjoys introducing his students to the joys of flying. His wife is also a teacher. They have a summer home on Catawba Island where they enjoy sailing and oenology.

Assistant Professor Danielle Foster began her career with Tiffin University in 2005 as Director of the Lima Academic Center. In August of 2008, she joined TU as a full-time faculty member. In addition to her faculty position, Danielle serves as a Program Chair for the School of Business and as the women’s softball team faculty representative.

Danielle is currently completing her Doctorate at Bowling Green State University. She earned an MBA and a Bachelor Degree from Bluffton University. Her areas of expertise include leadership, marketing, and the scholarship of teaching and learning.

Prior to entering academia, Danielle had numerous years of sales and marketing management experience in the pharmaceutical and health care industry. She served as an accomplished sales professional known for delivering strong profit gains in highly competitive markets. She has a proven ability to recognize and capitalize on market trends and assume bottom-line responsibility for strategic planning, pricing, and market research. In addition to her industry experience she has several years of combined adjunct teaching experience in both seated and online platforms within the Degree Completion Program at Tiffin University, The University of Findlay and Brown Mackie College. In 2006 she was the recipient of the Iota Phi Theta “I have a Dream” Award and received the Certificate of Excellence for outstanding leadership and valued contributions from the Lima Affiliate of the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice. Danielle was one of the Founding members of the Lima Points of Pride Coalition, a non-profit, non-partisan group of community leaders that raised money to tear down abandoned homes in the Lima/Allen county area. She was subsequently awarded the Pioneer award presented by Iota Phi Theta fraternity to recognize her leadership contributions in the Lima community.

Prior to joining our faculty in 2002, Dr. Gajjala taught courses in Information Systems and Business Economics at the University of Toledo’s College of Business Administration and worked as a Financial Engineer for an energy services company in Pittsburgh, PA.

His research interests include globalization and its implications for entrepreneurship and corporate strategy in transition and emerging market economies; Privatization in transition economies; and Business in emerging economies. His paper on the role of Information and Communication Technologies in enhancing processes of Entrepreneurship and Globalization in Indian Software Companies has been published in the Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries and the IFCAI Journal of Entrepreneurship Development. He has also made several presentations at national and international conferences, including the Midwest Economics Association; Oxford Round Table, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; the Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR) Conferences in Toronto and Maastricht {the Netherlands); and the International Conference on Entrepreneurship and Management at the University of Hyderabad, India.

He has been a featured speaker on the Great Decisions Lecture Series, organized by the American Association of University Women at the Wood County Senior Center and the open forum sponsored by the international affairs committee of the League of Women Voters, Bowling Green, OH. He teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in International Trade, International Finance, Business Statistics, Managerial Economics, Managerial Finance, Microeconomics and Microeconomics.

Professor Gilreath has been with Tiffin University as an adjunct professor since 1998 teaching accounting, economics and finance courses. She became full-time in the fall of 2008. Professor Gilreath has worked at United Way, British Petroleum Oil (BP Oil) and Cooper Tire & Rubber Company holding various positions relating to accounting and finance. In addition, she has owned and operated a tax and accounting business since 1994. She is currently pursuing a certification as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Professor Gilreath is an educational member of The Ohio Society of CPAs, American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and Institute of Management Accountants (IMA). She also serves as Program Chair for Quantitative Programs and the School of Business Outcomes Assessment Representative.

Dr. Perry Haan has taught and practiced marketing for more than thirty years. He held a number of marketing management positions in the financial services field before entering academe. His research interests include marketing ethics, sales and sales management, education marketing and sports marketing.

Dr. Haan was named an Academic Fellow by the International American Association of Financial Management for outstanding contributions to world economic development, business management, and international education in his work as an educator and administrator. He was one of three Academician Fellows chosen from the thirty educators nominated for the honor.

Since joining the TU faculty, Haan has had more than thirty articles published in conference proceedings and peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, International Journal of Sports Marketing & Sponsorship and Journal of Hospital Marketing & Public Relations. He co-authored a statistics textbook.

He is a past President of the Tiffin/Seneca United Way Board. He is a member of the American Marketing Association, Association of Marketing Practice & Theory, the North American Case Research Association, the Christian Business Faculty Association, and serves as a track chair for the Atlantic Marketing Association meetings.

Dr. Haan is a former Dean, School of Business

Professor Jaskolka teaches in the Business School’s Management Department, where his teaching interests include international business, operations, and human resources. Prior to entering education, he worked in the real estate development and sales area.

Dr. Kahle-Piasecki joined the business faculty at Tiffin University in 2012. She comes to Tiffin after completing her doctorate with an area of concentration in human performance improvement, which is the study of and ethical practice of improving productivity in organizations. She has taught at several institutions throughout Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan and has several years of experience designing and delivering training to corporations, small businesses, organizations, and individuals. She is actively engaged in research and is a frequent presenter at both international and national conferences. Her current research interests are in the use of technology to improve performance in the workplace and classroom, and performance interventions such as mentoring for performance improvement. Some current service activities include, serving as an assistant editor and reviewer for the Journal of International Students and participating in a virtual team of an online community for management educators.

Below is a sample of recent publications:

Kahle-Piasecki, L., Miao, C., & Ariss, S. (in press). Managers and the Mobile Device: M-Learning and M-Business—Implications for the United States and China. Journal of Marketing Development and Competitiveness, 6(1).

Kahle-Piasecki, L. (2011). Exploring the use of online videos: Practical implications for businesses. International Journal of Arts & Sciences, 4(22), 151-157.

Kahle-Piasecki, L. (2011). Making a Mentoring Relationship Work: What is Required for Organizational Success. Journal of Applied Business and Economics, 12(1).

Nykodym, N., Kahle-Piasecki, L., & Marsillac, E. (2010, May). The Managers Guide to Understanding, Detecting and Thwarting Computer Crime: An International Performance Issue. Performance Improvement Journal, 49(5), 42-47. doi: 10.1002/pfi.20151

Professor Laura Ketter began her tenure at Tiffin University in the Fall of 1997. Her involvement with students extends beyond the classroom in such activities as Advising a Sorority and IT Club, offering Yoga, and participating in numerous events throughout the year. Her ongoing support of Tiffin University and the scholastic process is exhibited though volunteer work, committee leadership and involvement, among other measures. She is currently President of the Wyandot County Board of Developmental Disabilities and serves on other county advisory boards.

Selected publications, and presentations by Laura Ketter, include:

Ketter, L., Linn, J.R., Kingsley, S., & Wright, J. (1987) “Annotated Bibliography: Studies Done by DRC on Police and Fire Departments.” Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware.

Ketter, L., Kin, J.F. (1999) “Contingency Planning for Y2K: The Role of the HES Professional Academy of Certified Hazardous Material Managers” (ACHMM), 1999.

Ketter, L.A. (2004) “Applied Ethics for Auctioneers: Keynote Address and Presentation,” Conference of the Ohio Auctioneers Association, Columbus, OH.

Gatton, D.S., Ketter, L.A. & Kustis, G.A. “Gender and Nationality in 360-Degree Feedback.” Scheduled for presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, Philadelphia, PA, August 2007.

Ketter, L.A., Chintala, E. & Ingalls, V. Engaging Students in the classroom. Presented at the Annual ACBSP Region 4 Conference, Findlay, Ohio. October, 2008.

Invited discussant at Technology and Innovation Management Division, Academy of Management, Anaheim, California, August 2008.

Greening the Curriculum: How Do We Infuse Green Management into a Business School Curriculum - More Than Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Caucus Chair, Academy of Management, Chicago, Illinois. August 2009.

Invited Discussant at the Oxford Roundtable, Women and the Academy: Status and Prospects. Oxford University, Hartford College, March 2010.

Walk the Talk: How Gendered Communication Styles Impact Status and Prospects of Women, Academy of Management Symposium, Chair. Montreal, Canada. August, 2010

Ketter, L.A., Gatton, D.S. "Gender and Face-to-Face Versus Electronically Mediated Communication: Perception, Bias and Interpretation" Presented at the Annual Meeting of Academy of Management, Montreal, Canada, August 2010.

Professor Ketter has also made various community presentations in the areas of Cyber Ethics, Cyber Careers, Applied Ethics, Identity Formation, College Success Factors, Cross-Cultural Communications, ICT and Changing Business Models, and Recognizing and Overcoming the Digital Divide.

Dr. Laura S. Mays is an Associate Professor of Management and Assistant Dean for International Academic Programs. Dr. Mays teaches in the MBA and Fast Track programs. She also serves as TU’s liaison for its international MBA program, currently offered in Romania. In addition to these assignments in the Business School, Dr. Mays has authored two international grants for TU’s School of Criminal Justice (CJ). These grants involved University-to-University projects that resulted in the establishment of a Master’s Degree Program in Community Justice Administration at the University of Bucharest and, in conjunction with judges in Timisoara, the development of a plan for juvenile justice reform in Romania. The CJ program served as the catalyst for the Eastern European MBA Program.

Dr. Mays also conducts seminars for the U.S. Department of Justice’s International Trade Association (ITA) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in the areas of business creation, how to write a business plan, economic development and enterprise restructuring. For the last three years, she has also served as a peer reviewer for USAID grant proposals. As part of her international consulting work, Dr. Mays has traveled to The Russian Federation, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstasn, Uzbekistan, Lebanon, Syria, and Romania. Dr. Mays serves as TU’s faculty representative to ACBSP and is a member of the Outcomes Assessment Committee.

Dr. Mays is the author of an introduction to psychology text for high school students and “The Socialization of Beginning Teachers.” Several articles she wrote on the subject of drug prevention programs have been translated into Romanian. She has also authored training manuals on “How to Develop an American-Style Business Plan” and “Collapsing Into Freedom”, an overview of reasons why the fall of the former Soviet Union resulted in chaos, both in the social and political arenas. Her current research examines entrepreneurship in Eastern Europe.

Professor McGilvray has been with Tiffin University as a part-time adjunct professor since 2003. Her full-time position started in the Fall of 2007.

During her part-time position with Tiffin University, Professor McGilvray also held the Marketing Director position for a university-associated Credit Union in Toledo Ohio, where she worked for more than five years. She has taught Introduction to Marketing, Business-to-Business Marketing, Retail Management, Small Business Management and Buyer Behavior. She was active on many committees for the Credit Union and in The Advertising Club of Toledo. Kellie and her Husband, Brandon, reside in Toledo, Ohio.

Patrick McLeod teaches a variety of undergraduate and graduate level courses for the School of Business, as well as the School of Arts and Sciences.

Professor McLeod’s Faculty Advising work includes:

Delta Mu Delta, an international business honorary society; Arabian Knights, a student organization studying Arabic language and culture; Omega Psi Rho, a fraternal organization of international and minority male students at Tiffin University; and English Enthusiasts, a student organization dedicated to the study of literature. He also publishes the TU Review – an on-line literary magazine.

Professor McLeod has owned his own business, worked as the Acting Plant Manager, Operations Manager and Director of Materials for different multi-million dollar engineering companies. He also worked as a Consultant for Lorain County Community College where he conducted training sessions in Operations and Materials Management for corporate clients. Sessions included JIT, MRP, MPS, Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Risk Management, Inventory Management and Production Planning. In 1997, Professor McLeod began his work, full-time, for Tiffin University Fast Track Program at the Lorain County Campus. Today, he instructs students at the Tiffin Campus.

Dr. Millar has been with the university for 29 years and in that time has served in a variety of senior leadership positions, including Dean of the School of Business and twice as the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty. He is one of the advisors to the Circle K service leadership organization. In the area of international management, he has authored study texts and papers, given presentations, served as a consultant and participated in numerous seminars and panels.

He has been active in many professional organizations including the Midwest International Business Association where he has served as a program chair; the Institute of Business Administration and Technology where he has serve as a conference chair; the European Council for Business Education where he has served as a consultant and as a conference chair. For the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs of which TU is and accredited member, Dr. Millar has served as a consultant-evaluator, chairperson for Global Business Education, chairperson for Marketing and the Great Lakes Region President. He is currently serving a on the Baccalaureate and Graduate Board of Commissioners for ACBSP and is a member of the Board of Directors at the European Council for Business Education an international accrediting body for our School of Business.

Before joining Tiffin University in 1999, she spent 7 years with Tharaldson Enterprises, America’s largest independent hotel development and management company. Professor Miller traveled extensively opening Marriott, Hilton and Choice hotels across the country as a General Manager and Area Director. In 1997, she was chosen and awarded Tharaldson Enterprises’ Area Director of the Year.

Since joining Tiffin University, Professor Miller has been active on campus with the Hospitality Club. In the Spring 2006, she took 19 hospitality students to the Las Vegas International Hotel and Restaurant Show. She was published in the 8th and 9th edition of Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. Professor Miller has served on the Board of Trustees for the Seneca County Convention and Visitors since 2003. She also remains active in the community by having her Events Management and Marketing class plan real events for organizations in the community.

Professor Miller also holds a professional certification, CHA, the Certified Hotel Administrator by the American Hotel and Lodging Association Educational Institution. Recognized worldwide, the CHA designation is the premier symbol of professional achievement for lodging executives.

Dr. Padilla is an Associate Professor of Business Law and Sport Management at Tiffin University. He has taught both undergraduate and graduate courses within these programs at the University of St. Francis, Ball State University and Grand Valley State University (GVSU). In addition to his teaching duties, Dr. Padilla has also provided fieldwork and internship coordination on behalf of the Sport Leadership Program at GVSU. While at GVSU, Dr. Padilla led the development and operation of the West Michigan Sport Leadership Conference and Career Expo which included speakers from such organizations as the NCAA, BTI Sports, InsidetheLeague.com, Michigan State University and Western Michigan University. The conference covered topics such as Crisis Management in Interscholastic Athletics, the NCAA and Agents, and Women in Intercollegiate Athletics.

Dr. Padilla’s sports and law experience primarily lies in the sports insurance field. For over 15 years, he has consulted with professional athletes, collegiate athletes, sports agents, professional teams and financial advisors in assisting them with specialized insurance policies. Dr. Padilla created, owned and operated J&P Insurance Brokerage before merging his company with Braman Insurance (Merriville, IN).

Dr. Padilla and his family originally hail from the Chicagoland area and are avid Chicago sports fans. He is also an active member in the Sports Lawyers Association.

After completing a Master's degree in Physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Professor Parendo found his interests lied more in the area of Economics, one of his two minors as an undergraduate. At UCSB, he taught several fi nance classes as a graduate student while pursuing research in several fields, including Microeconomic Theory, Mathematical Economics and Game Theory.

Prior to joining Tiffn University full time in 2011, Shane was an instructor for both the University of Cincinnati and Oregon State University where he taught Introductory Macroeconomics, Introductory and Intermediate Microeconomics and a graduate class in Industrial Organization. He is a member of the American Economic Association and the Econometric Society.

Professor Perry-Nause earned a Ph.D. in Organizational Management from Capella University. She also holds a Masters of Business Administration Degree from Tiffin University and a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in Human Resource Management and Organizational Management. The British Standards Institution granted her certification as a Quality Lead Auditor for ISO 9000 in 2001. In 2000, she completed certification in Professional Human Resource Management from University of Toledo and Society of Human Resource Management.

She teaches courses in human resources, organizational behavior, and organizational communications. Additionally, she teaches labor relations at the community college level. Before joining the ranks of a full-time faculty member, she served as the Executive Director of Degree Completion Admissions. During her tenure, the number of students enrolled in the bachelor’s degree completion programs in business administration and criminal justice increased by 49% in 2-years. Additionally, geographic expansion and online delivery increased. She served several organizations in positions such as, human resources, trainer, benefits coordinator, lead auditor, radio script writer, and voice talent.

She is a member of Terra State Community College Advisory Board. Previously, she was an executive board member of Lorain County Urban League and a member of the Ohio Transfer Council. She has also served on Tiffin University’s Strategic Planning Committee, Portal Committee, Website Redesign Committee, and Information Technology Committee.

Her research interests include social development centered on the concept of identity by Erik Erikson, structural diversity, organizational transformation, classroom diversity, democracy outcomes, and adult learning theory. Her mission which fully fosters reflective thinking allows learners the opportunity to think about complex challenges or issues from different perspectives.

Publications:

Perry-Nause, S. (2004). My Journey. Spotlight on Women, Summer Issue, pp. 23-24

Grant Writing:
Mays, L. & Perry-Nause, S. (2002) Title III Funding.

Presentations:
The Changing Environment for Bachelor’s Degree Completion Programs, CPE Member Roundtable, Panelist for Eduventures, December 13, 2007.

Degree Completion Programs, presented at Terra State Community College Advisory Board quarterly meeting, Fremont, OH, 2005.

Understanding Adult Learners and Accelerated Programs, presented at Owens State Community College Senior Administration meeting (Special session), Findlay, OH, 2005.

Degree Completion Programs, presented at Owens State Community College Advisors monthly meeting, Toledo, OH, 2004, & 2005.

Degree Completion Programs, presented at Terra State Community College Advisors monthly meeting, Fremont, OH, 2003, 2004, & 2005.

Professor Schultz is a long-time Tiffin University Faculty member (25 years) and is an advisor to the Accounting Club. He is currently actively involved with the Business School Advisory Board. Professor Schultz has been the Business School Dean, Division of Business Chair and the Accounting Department Chair.

In the community, Professor Schultz is a member of the City of Tiffin Income Tax Board of Review and active in his church. He has served on the United Way Board, the Domestic Violence Shelter Board, First Step Board, the Red Cross Board and the Seneca County Museum Foundation Board. He has done volunteer work for the Family Counseling Center and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance. He has volunteered with the “Accounting For Kids Day,” sponsored by the Ohio Society of CPAs.

Professor Schultz is an active member of the Ohio University Accounting Advisory Board. He is also active in the American Institute of CPAs, the American Accounting Association, and the Ohio Society of CPAs.

Dr. Shafer began her academic career at The Ohio State University's Marion campus. During her tenure, she served as an Admissions and Financial Aid Officer and Public Relations Director. Upon completion of her master's degree, she joined the Shelby Insurance Company and served nearly ten years in various corporate positions including Public Relations, Sales, Marketing and Underwriting.

Dr. Shafer joined Tiffin University in 1993 as an adjunct professor. In 1996, she became the Director of the Elyria Academic Center and was instrumental in the development and implementation of the Fast Track degree completion program in Organizational Management. She joined the full-time faculty as Dean of Arts and Sciences in 1999. In 2005 she took over as Dean of Assessment and Accreditation and successfully orchestrated reaccreditation visits with the Ohio Board of Regents, Higher Learning Commission, European Council on Business Education and American Council of Business Schools and Programs garnering the maxirimm reaffirmations allowed by all four accreditation agencies. Dr. Shafer is considered an accreditation specialist and serves the Higher Learning Commission as a Peer Reviewer as a visiting team member and distance education reviewer. In 2011 she became Associate Dean of International Business Programs and currently serves as a Professor of Management. Dr. Shafer is also a member of the TU Graduate Faculty Senate.

As an organizational behavior scholar, Dr. Shafer's work includes research into corporate mergers and downsizing and how these activities impact human capital and efficiencies. She has published and presented her research at numerous conferences both regionally and nationally. Dr. Shafer's consulting experience is extensive as she works with both national and international companies with respect to human resource training, executive coaching, strategic planning and budgeting. She also serves the higher learning community as a pedagogical mentor to various faculty members and institutions across the nation. Dr. Shafer is a member of several professional organizations and serves on a number of local program boards.

Professor Collins Smart is an Assistant Professor of Business at Tiffin with teaching concentrations in Management/Organizational Leadership, Human Resource Management, and Operations Management. Her previous 14 years of university teaching were primarily in Indiana, most recently as a full-time Assistant Professor at the University of Saint Francis. She has also coordinated and led International Study trips for both undergraduate and graduate students to Europe, China, and Central America.

Her experience as an Administrative Director at the university level has focused in the areas of Organizational Development & Training, Curriculum Development, and Academic Outcomes Assessment. She is currently completing her PhD in Business Administration from with her doctoral research focusing on continuous improvement and institutional effectiveness in higher education.

Professionally, Professor Collins Smart has Co-chaired two Higher Learning Commission self-studies and led program review for the Accreditation Council for Business Schools & Programs (ACBSP) in addition to presenting Partnering with Business Professionals: An Opportunity for Real Time Student Learning at the Great Lakes Council of ACBSP peer-reviewed regional conference ( 2008). Additional peer-reviewed, professional presentations focusing on innovative learning and assessment strategies include: International Leadership Association (ILA) Conference (2008), Lilly Conference on College Teaching (2007, 2006, 2005, 2004), Fort Wayne Teaching Conference (2006), and the Midwest CHRIE Research and Teaching Conference (2005).

As a consultant and practitioner, she also has earned a Six Sigma Green Belt (2006) which is utilized in working with organizations to develop and implement continuous improvement programs. Professional certifications include Achieve Global and Covey programs. Her professional awards include the Presidential Award for Outstanding Evening Division Faculty of the Year (2002) as well as the Sam M. Walton Free Enterprise Fellow Award as the SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) faculty advisor (2006-2008). She has co-authored and received two grants from the Foellinger Foundation and the IPFW Diversity Transformation Initiative.

Nancy J. Sullivan is the Dean for Tiffin University’s Degree Completion Program, and is also an Assistant Professor of Marketing. As Dean, she is responsible for instructors and academic policies and procedures pertaining to online and seated Degree Completion Programs throughout Ohio. Degree Completion Programs serve the educational needs of working adults who have close to two years of education and who desire to complete their bachelor’s degree. Nancy’s own experience has provided her with a deep understand of the adult student. She is a 2001 graduate of Tiffin University’s Master of Business Administration Degree Program, and is currently working on a Ph.D. in Organizational Management with a Specialization in Leadership. She earned two associate degrees from Lorain County Community College in 1997. During her time with LCCC, she served as President of Phi Theta Kappa, Secretary of Student Senate, and was the recipient of the 1995-86 Outstanding Student Award. Nancy earned a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in Organizational Management from Tiffin University in 1999. She is also a 2001 graduate of Leadership Lorain County.

She is a member of the Academy of Management, Adults in Higher Education, and Leadership Lorain County. She wrote the following article, which is part of a Monograph published by the University of Toledo: How Community Colleges and Four-year Colleges and Universities Can Establish a Comprehensive Community College System in Ohio Resulting in Stronger Partnership with Colleges and Universities. Nancy also gives presentations on the topics of Adult Education and How Education Can Change Lives.

Nancy resides in Elyria with husband, Tom. She has two married daughters, a married step-son, and three grandsons.

Dr. Sullivan began his career with Tiffin University in January of 1991 as Director of the Lima Program. In May of 2000, Dr. Sullivan earned his J.D. from Ohio Northern University, at which time, he joined the full-time faculty teaching in the areas of Law and Finance. In addition, during his 16 years with Tiffin University, Dr. Sullivan has also taught undergraduate courses in the areas of economics, management and marketing.

He has served as the Chair of the Accounting, Economics, Finance and Law Department, as well as on the Athletic and the Curriculum Committees at the University. For five seasons, he was the Head Men’s Tennis Coach. Dr. Sullivan currently serves as the faculty advisor to the University’s Investment Club.

Prior to arriving at Tiffin University, Dr. Sullivan worked for Whirlpool Corporation. In addition, he worked as a Mutual Fund and Insurance Representative selling Long-Term Care Insurance, and advising individuals on their mutual funds, IRA’s, Keoghs, 401(K) plans, 403(B) plans as well as annuities.

His favorite past time is spending time with his wife and two children.

Recognized as a national expert on intercollegiate athletics administration and work-life balance, Dr. Tiell co-chairs the NCAA Women's Leadership Symposium in Intercollegiate Athletics and consults with members of the NCAA Research and Gender Equity Departments. Since 2004, she has coordinated the Olympic Academic Experience in Athens Greece; Beijing, China; and London, England [2012]. Fifteen of her students have served as official Olympic volunteers. In 2010 she presented research for the European Council of Business Education at the Olympic Museum near the IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. Tiell is a recipient of the Region 4 Excellence in Teaching Award and a finalist for the international distinction by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs.

Prior to her full-time faculty appointment, she served as Tiffin University’s Senior Woman Administrator and Assistant Athletic Director. She is a member of the TU Hall of Fame and has coached volleyball, softball (1993 national qualifier), tennis (2006 national qualifier), track, and basketball for Tiffin University [OH], Alfred University [NY], and Peace College [NC].

Tiell has numerous international publications and presentations focusing on intercollegiate athletic administration, work-life balance, and Olympic governance. She publishes and consults in the area of curriculum development, employee development, and gender equity while being a featured speaker for a wide spectrum of community organizations and national associations. Tiell writes a local sports column for the Advertiser-Tribune newspaper. She resides with her husband (Greg) and daughters (Kimmy - 16, and Kate - 12) in Tiffin, Ohio.

Prior to joining the ranks of full time faculty at Tiffin University, Susan Treece worked as an Adjunct Instructor and was the Associate Vice President of Information and Technology Services. She also has industry experience as a Systems Analyst and an Office Systems Specialist responsible for software installation, management and training.

Professor Treece has earned certifications in networking and database administration. She has also served on the board of several users’ groups and has several years of project management experience. She was instrumental in the design, development and construction of Tiffin University’s Hertzer Technology Center.

Wendy Ziems-Mueller comes to Tiffin University with eight years of experience from an occupational college in Toledo in which she served as Dean of Academics. She also has previous teaching experience in both online and traditional seated classes from various colleges and universities.

Wendy is currently the Dean of Associate’s Degree Programs for Ivy Bridge College of Tiffin University and oversees all the academic operations for the two-year degree programs in Business, Criminal Justice and General Studies. She also teaches Leadership, Business, Management, Marketing, Accounting, and Mathematics for both the online Ivy Bridge Programs and Degree Completion Programs.

Wendy has completed all doctoral level coursework in her Doctorate of Management in Organizational Leadership Degree with her dissertation pending in strategic planning and leadership. She is married and she and her husband, along with their four children, reside in Perrysburg, Ohio. Wendy loves to teach, read and write fiction, travel, and spend time with her family. She also believes that education is a lifelong journey that builds on intellectual discovery and stimulates growth of the integrated student.