Alumni in action

 

Ernie Rogers '96: Finance Executive of the Year

Congratulations to alumn Ernie Rogers '96, Chief Operating Officer and Partner at Magnetar, on being named the 2024 Joseph L. Searles Finance Executive of the Year at the Finance Scholarship Gala. Rogers' exceptional leadership and dedication to excellence sets an inspiring example for future business leaders. The gala also celebrated the achievements of outstanding students who received scholarships, recognizing their hard work and potential.

 

 

 

"Content is King"

It was standing room only one afternoon in October, with students eager to hear from Kyle Rohrmann '17. Since graduating from K-State’s Marketing program, Rohrmann has built an impressive career in the digital content space. From leading video for the United States Golf Association to producing at Fox Nation, Fox Business, and MrBeast, Kyle has worked with top influencers, celebrities, and networks—generating billions of views and tens of millions of dollars in growth.

 

 

Inspiring Connections, Driving Impact: The College of Business Mentorship Awards

The College of Business honored its 2024 Mentor and Mentee of the Year at the Corporate Partner Reception in October. Darin Mainquist '09, director of real estate corporate banking at BMO Capital Markets, was recognized as Executive Mentor of the Year for his impactful guidance, as praised by his mentee, Max Roberts.

Morgan Porter, a senior marketing student, received the Mentee of the Year award for her exceptional growth and leadership, as highlighted by her mentor, Ryan Seematter '05, of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.

The awards celebrate the success of the college’s Executive Mentor Program, which fosters professional mentoring relationships to support student development and career exploration.

Read more here

Learn how you can become an executive mentor

Exceptional business seniors recognized

Two College of Business students were honored at fall 2024 commencement activities. Reese Kuzniakowski, a finance major from Lee's Summit, Missouri, received the Outstanding Senior Award for his academic excellence, leadership, and notable internships, including with Goldman Sachs.

Marissa Cruz, a management major from Junction City, was presented with the Resilient Senior Award for overcoming challenges while excelling in her studies and leadership roles, including her involvement in the Rise Up Scholars Program.

Research

Jaebeom Suh drives economic development in project for sustainable agriculture

The National Science Foundation Global Centers program has awarded a $2,000,000 grant to the BioSenseInnovations project, which addresses global challenges in sustainable agriculture by developing advanced sensors to monitor nutrients, greenhouse gas emissions, and soil microbiomes. Led by a transdisciplinary team, the project focuses on improving nitrogen management, reducing GHG emissions, and fostering international partnerships in Canada and the UK. It integrates research, education, and outreach, supporting diverse students and engaging stakeholders such as farmers, producers, and industry partners to advance precision agriculture and sustainability globally.

College of Business Professor Jaebeom Suh is responsible for the economic development of the project (labor force development, education, entrepreneurship, investment development into Kansas and its region, etc.), aligned with K-State 105.

 

Innovation Recognized: Celebrating Excellence in Accounting Research

Congratulations to Amy Hageman, professor, school of accountancy, on receiving the Outstanding Contributions in Research Award for her national leadership and prolific research achievements in accounting. Some of her recent research includes:

• Academic Burnout Among Accounting Majors: The Roles of Self-Compassion, Test Anxiety, and Maladaptive Perfectionism
• Are Fairness Perceptions Related to Moral Licensing Behavior? Evidence From Tax Compliance
• Do fairness perceptions influence moral licensing behavior? Evidence from tax compliance

 

Around the College

 

Catch Up With the Sales Team

The professional strategic selling program introduces students to the fundamentals of sales, and the innovative curriculum and sales labs allow students to develop the skills needed to be successful. Read about the competitions they've participated in this fall:

Fall 2024 Edward Jones Sales Competition

Fall 2024 Basys Sales Competition

2024 Collegiate World Cup of Sales

Lockton Sales Competition

Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Coming to Kansas City

The two-day Yellow Belt introductory course is the foundational program for Lean Six Sigma and its methodologies. The primary objective of the Yellow Belt course is to introduce participants to Lean Six Sigma principles and demonstrate how individuals and teams can apply these techniques to enhance customer satisfaction, reduce errors, improve efficiency, and collaborate more effectively in problem-solving. This foundational knowledge equips participants with the skills to advance to more advanced levels of Lean Six Sigma.

Good News

Jeff McGhehey ’87, senior manager-indirect tax at Home Depot, has been elected to the Board of Governors of the Institute for Professionals in Taxation (IPT). Founded in 1976, IPT is the leading organization providing comprehensive educational programs and certification for professionals in the state and local tax field, serving over 6,509 members. In the third year of his term, he will serve as President.

Jeff is currently Senior Manager-Indirect Tax with Home Depot. In his 13 ½ years at Home Depot, he has had various roles across the indirect tax team, including Director, Indirect Tax. His dedication to the field has been further solidified by his active involvement with IPT, where he has been a member since 2004 and earned his Certified Member of the Institute (CMI) designation in 2013.

Originally based at the company’s headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, he now resides in Delray Beach, Florida, thanks to the remote tax team structure. Outside of work, Jeff enjoys traveling, spending time with friends, and cheering for the Kansas City Chiefs. He also shares a strong Kansas State University connection, with two of his siblings being proud KSU alumni.

Do you have good news to share? We'd love to hear from you!