Philanthropy Creates Vibrant Learning Opportunities

Studying abroad, networking lunches with visiting professionals, business plan competitions and student organization events – so many of the experiences that color and enhance our Hankamer School of Business (HSB) students’ Baylor journeys are the result of philanthropy.

At Baylor University, alumni, companies, foundations, parents and friends faithfully demonstrate a rich tradition of philanthropic support. In the 102-year history of the Business School, our Baylor Family has established more than 400 endowed scholarships, opening doors for generations of Baylor Business students to pursue their callings as Christian business leaders.

Donors’ generosity has additionally established more than 150 endowed funds that benefit everything from professorships to departmental funds supporting student organizations like Women in Leadership, Business Scholars, and the Investment and Advisory Network.

“Many of our alumni credit their transformative experiences at HSB to student organizations and faculty mentorships they discovered through various student programs,” said Trey Hagins, managing director of Development at HSB. “These opportunities enriched their personal and professional growth, and reinforced the learning that took place within classrooms. One of the key reasons people establish endowments is to create a sustainable financial foundation for these programs, much like an annuity, ensuring ongoing support for future students. This philanthropy is often driven by gratitude for past experiences or the desire to invest in HSB students, helping shape their paths just as the donors’ own trajectories were influenced. Establishing a named endowment, managed by Baylor’s Investment Office, creates a meaningful legacy with lasting impact.”

Armes Family Christian Leadership in Business Summit

In May, Hankamer hosted the second annual Armes Family Christian Leadership in Business Summit, which aims to empower Christian leaders in the business world. The two-day event served to encourage Christian leaders of all experience levels as well as aspiring students from HSB, providing applicable knowledge and professional development for those seeking to grow as servant leaders based on principles found in Matthew 5, 2 Corinthians 5 and Mark 10.

Baylor Angel Network

The Baylor Angel Network (BAN) strives to be the best early-stage investment network in the country by leveraging a unique student, investor and entrepreneur model. The network includes more than 120 investors who have cumulatively deployed more than $60 million into startups and other ventures. Students are involved in the screening and analysis of companies seeking early-stage funding from the investor network. BAN meets twice per semester, and SEC-accredited investors are encouraged to attend.

McBride Center for International Business

Through the McBride Center for International Business, the Business School is working to incentivize students toward global engagement through study abroad, business as mission trips, international mission trips and Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) classes. COIL brings an enriching perspective into the classroom with virtual partner institutions located throughout the world. The McBride Center is also focused on securing international connections with corporations to partner with faculty on research projects and host Baylor student site visits.

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Update your contact information in the Baylor Alumni Network Directory
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Connect directly with the Hankamer School of Business
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Trey Hagins
254-710-1982
Trey_Hagins@baylor.edu

In the News

How Often Do You Take Breaks From Your Phone?

Consumer behavior expert James Roberts, PhD, the Ben H. Williams Professor of Marketing, suggests one should control their environment instead of relying on sheer willpower alone to have a healthier relationship with their device in a New York Times article.

Truth Social Parent Company Shares Close at Record Low After Trump-Harris Debate

Mike Stegemoller, PhD, the Harriette L. and Walter G. Lacy Jr. Chair of Banking and Finance, is quoted in a USA Today article about changes in stock prices based on expectations.

How to Tackle Unethical Behavior Caused by Supply Chain Disruption

Supply Chain professors Hannah Stolze, PhD, and Adegboyega Oyedijo, PhD, co-authored an article for the World Economic Forum about supply chain disruption including fraud and unethical trading practices.

This Common Bedtime Habit Might Be Killing Your Relationship

A Huffington Post article about phubbing and parallel scrolling cites 2017 research led by consumer behavior researchers and Marketing professors James Roberts, PhD, and Meredith David, PhD, who found that 70 percent of participants said cell phones “sometimes,” “often,” “very often” or “all the time” interfered with their interactions with their partners.

Audio: Finding Genius Podcast: The Role of Christianity in Business

Mitch Neubert, PhD, senior associate dean of Research and Faculty Development, joined the Finding Genius Podcast for a discussion on the benefits of combining Christianity and business.

Beware of Founder Mode

Professor of Entrepreneurship Peter Klein, PhD, was interviewed in a LeadDev article about founder mode and its efficacy in the workplace.

New Study: Self-Centered People Turn to Social Media Out of Weakness, Not Ego

Marketing professors James Roberts, PhD, and Meredith David, PhD, were quoted in a PsyPost article about their latest social media study shedding light on the motivations behind social media use among self-centered individuals.

Avoid the ‘Social Security Torpedo’ and 3 Other Tips to Slash Your Tax Bill in Retirement

William Reichenstein, PhD, emeritus professor of Finance, is quoted in a Barron’s article about how to avoid the social security “tax torpedo” and other tips to reduce taxes in retirement.

Research Highlights the Unseen Challenges, Adaptations of Adult Daughters During COVID Upheaval for Families

Allison Alford, PhD, clinical associate professor of Business Communication, is quoted in a Phys.org article about her new research on “daughtering” during the pandemic and how social upheavals can both challenge and reinforce the essential work that daughters do in their families.

Best Business Bank Accounts

Lee Grumbles, PhD, clinical assistant professor of Entrepreneurship, is a featured expert in a WalletHub article about the best business bank accounts for June 2024.

Best Metal Credit Cards

Marketing and Professional Selling Professor Eric Swan, PhD, is the featured expert in a WalletHub article about the best metal credit cards.

Best Capital One Credit Cards

Tyrha Lindsey-Warren, PhD, clinical associate professor of Marketing, is the featured expert in a WalletHub article about Capital One’s credit card marketing and offers.

Beat the Heat: How to Budget for Summer Vacation

Marketing Professor Meredith David, PhD, is a featured expert in a MarketWatch article about how to plan for summer travel on a budget.

How Real Estate Agents Can Effectively Communicate Their Value

Ann Mirabito, PhD, associate professor of Marketing, is quoted in a North Columbus News article about how real estate agents can best communicate the value of their services.

Alumni News

1970s

Mike McCann, BBA ’75, released an updated edition of his business development book, “Connecting with Key Decision Makers (How to Reach Hard-to-Reach Senior Executives Who Can Say “Yes”),” in September 2024, with many new ideas for interacting with senior executives.

1980s

Roland Garcia, BBA ’81, was selected by the World Affairs Council of Greater Houston as a 2024 Global Leader of Influence honoree. The award honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions and shown exceptional leadership in Houston’s international community. Garcia was also recognized by Best Lawyers and as a Texas Super Lawyer. 

Lori Smith Schultz, BBA ’85, founded a regional real estate brokerage that serves the entire area between Houston and Austin.  

Jeffrey Bowman, BBA ’86, retired as CEO of Rural Emergency Hospital and started a new medical service company with the goal of maintaining access to healthcare in rural communities.

Michael Sandifer, BBA ’88, released a new Christian album called “Gratitude.” Sandifer has a Top 10 Christian radio song off his first album, and two Top 10 songs on an album with his brother, Phillip.

1990s

David Fernando Barrera, BBA ’90, retired as a senior developer with the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Elizabeth Fowler, BBA ’91, started a medical staffing company with her husband called Next Wave Partners. They are excited to serve the healthcare community with their physician, nurse and allied staffing needs.

Kelly McCourt, BBA ’94, was promoted to senior director of Sales & Marketing for CoralTree Residence Collection. McCourt will focus on leading sales and marketing for a collection of properties in Colorado and Hawaii.

Ana Maria Garza, BBA ’97, celebrated 26 years at Flexjet, LLC, a global leader in private aviation.

Michael Ganann, BBA ’99, joined the Business Advisory practice at Huron Consulting Group. Ganann primarily supports middle market and larger retail and consumer products companies in need of financial advisory, turnaround and restructuring services.

Jason Poff, BBA ’99, and his wife opened their first 4Ever Young franchise in the Houston Heights area.

2000s

Afsheen Afzal Ismail, MBA ’00, was nominated for the International Coaching Federation (ICF) Global Diversity Council. This role underscores ICF’s dedication to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging within the coaching community.

Matthew Beard, BBA ’02, JD ’05, published a legal treatise, “Income Taxation of Property Acquired from a Decedent,” PLI (2024).

Kevin Goodnight, BBA ’04, recently published his second book, “Dadvotional: A Devotional for Devoted Dads – Power.” This is the first of three books in a series based on 2 Timothy 1:7. It is available on Amazon.

Sarah Farris Warren, BBA ’05, founded Serif+Sway, a firm specializing in copywriting, branding and design for STEM and other technical fields. After 15 years of communicating on behalf of engineering, energy, science researchers and business leaders, she now helps companies convey complex information to lay stakeholders, including clients, investors and boards.

Olumayowa Famakinwa, MBA ’07, was promoted to assistant director of Benefits Equity Research and Studies with the Department of Veterans Affairs.  

Brian VanHall, MBA/MHA ’07, transitioned from executive vice president of Ambassador Enterprises, a legacy-minded private equity investment firm in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to CEO of Continental Diamond Tool, a global leader in designing and manufacturing precision superabrasive products for advanced applications across the world.

Lauren Kirchner, BBA ’08, was nominated as a finalist for Greenhouse Grower Magazine’s Operation of the Year. Kirchner, the new president of Spring Creek Growers, was also featured in Greenhouse Management Magazine for her volunteer work with Garden Club at elementary schools.

Cory Allen, BBA ’09, was promoted to director of Carrier Management at Uber Freight.  

Cale Dowell, BBA ’09, was named a “40 Under 40” recipient by the Houston Business Journal.

Britney Wekesser Omlor, BBA ’09, and her husband, Chris, celebrated two years of their real estate investment company, Relevant Spaces, LLC.

2010s

Bobby Allen, MAcc ’10, was recently hired as the vice president of Finance at Trusted Home Service Partners, a portfolio company of Tyree & D’Angelo Partners.

Chris Flynn, MBA ’10, joined Class Valuation as chief data officer, leading Class Valuation’s enterprise data strategy, overseeing the development of scalable analytics, AI capabilities and automation to improve valuation accuracy, speed and transparency.

Sean Maguire, BBA ’13, was named director of Corporate Development and Strategic Programs at Lightspeed Systems.

Cameron Barbier, BBA ’15, MBA ’23, started a new role at Sana Commerce as a senior partner marketing manager.

Logan Butler, BBA ’15, MAcc ’16, was recently promoted to director of Finance, Rig Aftermarket at NOV. His wife, Emily Butler, BBA ’16, serves as assistant dean of the Archie W. Dunham College of Business at Houston Christian University.

Lane Duncan, BBA ’16, was named a finalist for the DCEO 2024 Financial Executive Awards.

Misan Bolorunfe, BBA ’17, started her MBA at Columbia University.

Richard Cunningham, BBA ’17, MBA ’19, joined Sovereigns Capital. Cunningham will continue hosting the Faith Driven Investor podcast.

Lauren Marteney, BBA ’17, MAcc ’17, was hired as an associate director at B. Riley Financial Advisory. She will focus on forensic accounting matters, including litigation support and claims preparation. 

Leslie Cates, BBA ’18, is celebrating seven years as the VP/SBA department manager at TFNB Your Bank for Life.

Priscilla Joy Olivia James, MBA ’18, was selected as a 2024 Waco Under 40 honoree by the Greater Waco Chamber.  

Reina Wiseman, BBA ’19, was promoted to assistant director of the Baylor University Career Center.

2020s

Fiona Bond, MBA ’20, now serves as president and board chair of Texans for the Arts, representing arts and cultural leaders across Texas.

Ian Brown, MBA ’20, was hired as the bureau manager of Housing Policy & Real Estate for the city of Norfolk, Virginia. He will lead the real estate team looking to strategically solve the housing crisis in Norfolk.  

Rick Alvarez, MBA ’22, was promoted to regional supply chain supervisor for American Electric Power.

Lauren Engel, BBA ’22, recently started a new job at LHH Recruitment Solutions. She is focused on connecting with and hiring marketing and creative talent in the DFW area.

Kaitlyn Sheroke, BBA ’22, wrapped up her first year as an associate digital analyst for Disney Parks, Experiences and Products.

Tony Dietz, MBA ’23, was promoted into a business development manager role following his completion of Baylor’s Online MBA program.

Immersive Learning

by Rachel Carlson

The Accounting and Business Law Department at the Hankamer School of Business (HSB) has introduced an innovative learning experience in its ACC 2304 – Managerial Accounting classes. By integrating virtual reality (VR) technology, the department offers students a unique way to understand job order costing, blending theoretical knowledge with immersive real-world applications.

Vice President and Provost Nancy Brickhouse, PhD, and previous HSB dean Sandeep Mazumder, PhD, attended one of the VR-enhanced classes led by faculty members Cari Edison, Michael Rodriguez and Haylee Beard. The classes featured VR headsets that took students on a virtual tour of Tesla’s manufacturing plant, allowing them to see firsthand the flow of product costs from raw materials to finished goods, providing practical insights into the manufacturing process.

“One of our key initiatives at the Business School is experiential and innovative learning,” Mazumder said. “Virtual reality and artificial intelligence will be key components in higher education moving forward, and it is great to see our faculty engaging with these technologies to help bridge the gap between theory and practice.”

Rodriguez, one of the faculty members leading this initiative, highlighted the value of the VR experience in providing students with context for the theoretical principles they learn in class.

“Most students at this stage of their lives have spent little, if any, time in a factory or manufacturing facility,” Rodriguez said. “This experience provides the students with tangible context about the theoretical principles we teach.”

Rodriguez believes this type of immersive learning is crucial, especially since arranging in-person tours of manufacturing facilities have been challenging due to logistical constraints.

“We explored whether using publicly available 3D content might be possible along with virtual reality headsets already owned by the university,” Rodriguez said. “Professors Beard, Edison and I reviewed prospective content and concluded that it would be a great way for our students to ‘see’ a real live manufacturing operation.”

The initiative began as a faculty collaboration and was piloted in the spring of 2024. The department has since invested in additional headsets to accommodate the large number of students taking the course. Rodriguez sees this as just the start of how VR and other technologies, such as artificial intelligence, can enhance business education.

“We are just seeing the tip of the iceberg with how we will be able to incorporate virtual reality technology into our accounting and business classes,” Rodriguez said. “We are truly excited for what it could offer.”

With this innovative approach, the department is leading the way in experiential learning by blending cutting-edge technology with traditional academic disciplines to create a more engaging and impactful educational experience for our students.

Resilient by Design

by Justin Walker

In a world increasingly shaped by disruption – from pandemics to natural disasters – the resilience of supply chains can make or break a business. Often invisible until they falter, supply chains are the hidden engines that keep industries moving. And when those engines stall, the consequences ripple far and wide.

Adé Oyedijo, PhD, an assistant professor of Management at Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business and a leading voice in supply chain management, often highlights the critical importance of preparedness.

Whether groceries on store shelves, critical medications in hospitals or the raw materials powering innovation, supply chains touch nearly every facet of modern life. When these systems falter, the consequences extend beyond profits – affecting public health, safety and livelihoods.

“Supply chains are like the unseen lifelines of our daily lives,” Oyedijo said. “If they’re not ready for disruptive times, businesses might not survive.”

Recent global events have underscored these vulnerabilities. The COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, exposed weak links when even minor disruptions cascaded into significant operational hurdles.

“The pandemic brought many lessons,” Oyedijo said. “It showed that supply chain preparedness isn’t just about profit – it’s about survival.”

COVID-19 wasn’t the only situation where supply chains have been disrupted. In September 2024, Hurricane Helene dropped excessive rainfall across western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, resulting in widespread flooding. In January 2025, wildfires impacted the greater Los Angeles area, forcing more than 200,000 people to evacuate and destroying more than 18,000 homes and structures.

These events are no longer anomalies – they’re a wake-up call. So how can organizations build supply chains that are efficient and resilient in the face of crisis?

“To create resilient systems, companies need to understand their entire supply chain – every link, every partner,” Oyedijo said. “Transparency and mapping are essential.”

Oyedijo believes organizations must be prepared for instability within supply chains. Disruptions are not a matter of if, but when – and companies must prepare accordingly.

“Businesses must anticipate potential disruptions, not react to them,” he said.

Oyedijo believes that ethical considerations must play a part in managing supply chains. He advocates for balancing efficiency with ethical sourcing and fair labor practices.

“We must manage supply chains not just for economic gain but for the good of communities involved,” he said.

That means avoiding exploitative labor practices, ensuring environmental sustainability and supporting suppliers in vulnerable regions. Companies that neglect these factors risk reputational damage and long-term instability in their supply networks. As consumers increasingly seek company transparency and accountability, Oyedijo believes this approach is ethically responsible and may contribute to long-term business success.

At Baylor, Oyedijo plays a critical role in equipping the next generation of business leaders with the knowledge and values they need.

“When students learn the importance of resilient, ethical supply chains, they leave prepared to make responsible decisions,” Oyedijo said.

By instilling these principles, Baylor ensures that its graduates are industry-ready and capable of leading with integrity in a global marketplace.

“Preparedness isn’t just a strategy; it’s a lifeline,” Oyedijo said.

The Accidental Professor

How One Baylor Professor Journeyed from Practitioner to Researcher of God’s Creation

by Anna Mitchael

Growing up a son of two professors at a university in Colombia, Carlos Torres, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Information Systems and Business Analytics at Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business, originally took the path of practitioner with no intention of joining academia. After receiving his undergraduate degree in computer science, he took a job and lived in places like Sweden, Miami and Washington, D.C., while working in locations all over the world.

This plan was working fine until he was reflecting on his life before undergoing a medical procedure. His wife asked if he had any regrets about life to that point, and Torres had a course-altering moment. Not once, but twice, Torres had been invited to do his PhD work, yet had turned down the opportunity. In that moment, he realized he wanted to pursue advanced studies and research.

After much prayer about the best location for his family, Torres chose a PhD program at Washington State University. When looking at the research and teaching he would do after his PhD, Torres made another values-oriented decision. He could do research in many places, but what location would also allow him the freedom to bring glory to God?

“Many people think scientists are against Jesus – against Christianity,” Torres said. “And yes, some are. Yet some of the greatest researchers and scientists we know of in history were Christians trying to understand God’s creation.”

Torres wanted his work to dive further into the Kingdom of God, conducted in a Christian environment. For Torres, the answer was Baylor.

“I love Jesus and there is nothing that I want more than to honor Him,” Torres said. “I can do that through my science, research and telling the world that science is not against God’s Word or God’s plan for humanity – science can be used to explain it. That’s Baylor’s mission and that’s why I want to be a part of Baylor.”

Initially, Torres thought research was going to be an easy piece of the puzzle. Coming from a practitioner mindset, he believed he would just “go look for things.” When he realized that academic and scientific research was so much more, he embraced the learning curve. Now, conducting research is his life, and he loves it. Baylor has been a place where Torres has found fulfillment researching for the glory of God. Most recently, he has focused on how God’s creation plays into the center of a very modern issue: cybersecurity.

As Torres explains, studies have shown the weakest links in the cybersecurity chain are people. Around 75-80 percent of what can go wrong for cybersecurity in an organization – like data breaches or security events – boils down to human error. Most people aren’t making these mistakes with malicious intent, yet the repercussions of these breaches can harm both individuals and companies.

Organizations invest significant resources in employee security education training and awareness (SETA) programs to avoid such errors, so Torres began to wonder: What can we do to motivate people to do what they are supposed to do and protect their information, which subsequently protects the organization?

Extant research suggests that inciting fear in people about a cyber threat is an effective form of motivation, and it is extensively used in SETA programs. Yet Torres’ faith instilled the belief that we don’t need to live fear-based lives. How could he promote a higher level of attention to cybersecurity without falling back on anxiety, worry and fear as methods?

“It’s about empowering people to take steps in their life through knowledge and information rather than scaring them into action,” Torres said.

One of his recent papers published in one of the top business journals suggests that personal values driving people’s lives are important in the decisions they make related to information security. This finding was significantly noticeable with people working from home (a hybrid environment) more than 50 percent of the time, compared to employees working mostly on-site. His research supports that SETA programs based on showing how dangerous cyber threats are, even though effective, may not be the best alternative for remote employees as people are more driven by what they believe in (personal values). Torres’ research suggests that organizations, particularly those organizations supporting hybrid work environments, should implement different and more personalized SETA programs not only by focusing on fear but also by considering people’s values to decrease the number of potential security events due to human error.

As a researcher and teacher, Torres has taken that finding into the classroom. He began working with students on a twofold approach. First, teaching technical elements of cybersecurity. Second, helping students see how to implement protectionary methods in ways that educate people on why they are taking these extra steps.

“Education culture plays a big role in it,” Torres said.

As people around the globe struggle to make the right decisions with security, Torres’ faith-driven research, coupled with his teaching, will aid in making the world a safer – and less fear-based – place.