CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Contributor

Alyse Souza is an undergraduate Accounting student at the Monte Ahuja College of Business. She will graduate with her BBA Accounting Degree in May 2017, and plans to sit for the CPA examination immediately upon graduation. She is a non-traditional transfer student who previously studied at the University of New Hampshire, where she was defensive captain of the Division I women's volleyball team. She began her studies at CSU in January 2015, and has been able to maintain a 4.0 GPA in CSU's Accounting program. In addition to her academic achievements, Alyse is a dedicated contributor to student organizations and enrichment at Cleveland State. Other than the Monte Ahuja College of Business Diversity Council, she is the Project Manager of Beta Alpha Psi, a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, the Accounting Association, the Golden Key International Honour Society, IMA, OSCPA and AICPA. Beyond her involvement in student organizations, she is a deeply passionate volunteer. She volunteers tutoring services for CSU's Accounting Department and Junior Achievement, and has dedicated much of her youth to working with Habitat for Humanity and the Special Olympics. Her greatest passion is volunteering for Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) during busy season, in which she prepares tax returns for low-income individuals free of charge.

Job Titles:

• Chairman of the Finance Committee for the Kirtland School Board
• Manager of Data Centers and Disaster Recovery at University Hospitals
• Visiting Committee Member Profile

Andrew Balazs is the Manager of Data Centers and Disaster Recovery at University Hospitals. Prior to joining University Hospitals, Andy was the Vice President of Information Services and Business Processes at Consolidated Solutions and the Vice President of Enterprise Technology Advancement, Infrastructure and Operations at Medical Mutual of Ohio. Mr. Balazs also has more than 25 years of experience in Medical Mutual's systems division and was responsible for data center management, hardware/software acquisition and management, distributed system hardware and software, desktop hardware and software, voice and data networks, Helpdesk and SLA management. From Fall 1993 until Spring 1994, Mr. Balazs was a loaned executive, serving as Interim Director of Technology for the Cleveland Board of Education. Working with the school system, he reorganized its Information Services division to consolidate five IS facilities into one and thus reduce expenditures by 20 percent. In recognition of his work with the school board, Medical Mutual awarded Mr. Balazs its Chairman's Sentinel Award. Before joining Medical Mutual in 1986, Mr. Balazs worked for Sherwin Williams. Mr. Balazs earned a Bachelor's degree in Marketing and Quantitative Business Analysis from Cleveland State University in 1980 and a Master in Business Administration degree also from CSU in 1990. Mr. Balazs serves as Chair of the Finance committee for the Kirtland School Board and has been a Startup Vikes mentor.

Job Titles:

• Assistant Dean
• Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Programs

Anne Nelson is the assistant dean of student services of the Monte Ahuja College of Business at Cleveland State University. In her role, she is responsible for generating and maintaining enrollment, working with faculty to enhance the business education curriculum, overseeing the College's undergraduate student engagement services, leading the Academic Advising teams (undergraduate and graduate), creating career development/exploration programs and administering the College's Scholarship Program and Petitions. In addition, she supports and develops funding opportunities to enhance student engagement programs and scholarship needs. Previous to her promotion as assistant dean in 2013, Anne held several positions at Cleveland State University. In 2008, she joined the College of Business as an academic advisor for undergraduate students was promoted in 2010 to assistant director of undergraduate programs and advising. Anne has developed many initiatives including proposing and developing the General Business BBA Online Degree Completion Program for adult students (the program launched in Fall 2013); creation of the Business Freshman Leadership Scholarship (gift to students that enhances ability to stay on track and complete their business degree in four or five years); creation of the Business Professional Mentorship Program in Fall 2014 (the program won the President's Excellence in Diversity Award); creation of the Freshmen & Sophomore Association (an estimated 96 percent of the members maintained a GPA of 2.5 or higher); creation of the first Business Internship and Co-Op Expo in Fall 2014 (over 30 employers attended and more than 350 students attended the program); creation of student engagement programs such as KeyBank Day, Women in Business, the Banking Industry and Workforce Symposium and facilitating workshops for students to enhance study skills, career readiness and career engagement. In 2006, during Anne's time with the CSU First Year Experience Office she created the Focus Center, the first CSU academic support resource center designed to assist CSU first year students with the challenges that many college students face with the adjustment to college life. The success of the Focus Center lead to a newly created full-time position of Coordinator for the Center and Anne served in this position from 2005 to 2007. The Focus Center received the 2006 Innovative Higher Education Program Award from the Ohio College Personnel Association. In April of 2015, Anne Nelson, Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Programs and Student Services presented her research and abstract poster during the NACADA Region V Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. In 2016, Anne was honored by the university twice, as one of the 10 Women of Influence by the CSU Office of Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement and again during Homecoming Week as one of the recipients of at the Golden Apple Awards (award by young alumni). In 2019, Anne was selected as one of Crain's Cleveland Business' list of Notable Women in Education. Anne began her career in higher education at John Carroll University and has served Cleveland State students since 2001. She is active in professional associations related to student affairs, business education, student retention issues and advisement services. She serves on several College of Business and Cleveland State University committees and has presented her research findings regarding academic advisement, student engagement programs and student retention issues at professional conferences on the national, regional and local level. Anne graduated from Notre Dame College of Ohio with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication and Business. She received a Master's of Education in Adult Learning and Development from Cleveland State University. Anne is also a proud, spirited football fan and loves the Pittsburgh Steelers and has attended three Super Bowls.

Job Titles:

• Chief Administrative Officer
• Chief Administrative Officer / Bellwether Enterprise

As Chief Administrative Officer, Denise is responsible for providing leadership and oversight direction to Bellwether Enterprise's Human Resources, Communications, Marketing and Strategic Planning areas. Denise will partner with the other members of the senior management team to develop, communicate and implement strategic business plans that advance the growth of the company. Denise has over 30 years in the banking and insurance industry. Prior to joining Bellwether, she held a variety of positions at PNC Bank in the areas of Human Resources, Communications and Strategic Planning She has partnered with various executive leaders and teams throughout her career to maximize human capital and drive results. Denise earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business from Malone University and is an active Board Member for the American Heart Association, Cleveland Region. She holds certificates in CFA Institute Investment Foundations, Civil Treatment with Employment Learning Innovations, Targeted Selection with Developmental Dimensions Institute and Organizational Development with University Associates.

Job Titles:

• Interim Dean

Job Titles:

• Associate Dean - Faculty Affairs

Job Titles:

• Associate Dean - Academic Affairs
• Interim Associate Dean - Academic Affairs
• Member of the Academy of Management

Dr. Timothy DeGroot is the current Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs within the Monte Ahuja College of Business. Dr. DeGroot earned his Ph.D. in Management (Human Resources/Organization Behavior) in 1997 from the University of Florida and has an M.B.A. from Florida State University. Among the outlets in which his research has been published are Personnel Psychology, Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Organizational Behavior, Journal of Management, Leadership Quarterly and Human Resource Management Journa l. Dr. DeGroot is a member of the Academy of Management and his primary research interests are in employee selection, contextual job performance and leadership, all areas in which he teaches courses. Dr. DeGroot has been a consultant to numerous firms and has presented seminars and lectures to many groups.

Job Titles:

• Eleanor Hayes Is Director of Communications for the HR Division of Cleveland Clinic, Northeast Ohio 's Largest Employer With Nearly 50, 000 Caregivers

A journalist, Eleanor is also a multi-Emmy award winning investigative reporter and has anchored television news for stations in Nashville, Milwaukee, Columbus and right here in her own hometown of Cleveland. She has reported on major news events from throughout the United States, Europe and Cuba. Among her national honors, in 2008, she was presented with the Death Penalty Information Center's Thurgood Marshall Journalism Award, for enterprise reporting on the imprisonment of an Ohio man whose conviction was described as one of America's most egregious cases of wrongful conviction. She has been honored by several communications and broadcast organizations and was inducted into the Ohio Broadcasters' Hall of Fame. Eleanor holds a Bachelor of Science Degree with a double major in government and communications from Oberlin College. Her MBA is from Cleveland State University's Monte Ahuja College of Business where she now serves by appointment of the Dean, as Chair of the Diversity Council. She also serves as a Trustee of CIM, the Cleveland Institute of Music. Eleanor is an alumna of Leadership Cleveland and a member of The Links, Incorporated. A freelance writer and voice over actor, as an entrepreneur, she owned and operated several McDonald's franchises. Eleanor Hayes is Director of Communications for the HR Division of Cleveland Clinic, northeast Ohio's largest employer with nearly 50,000 caregivers.

Job Titles:

• Senior Director
• Senior Director, North America Sales / the Lubrizol Corporation

Mr. Rhoads joined Lubrizol in 2000 and has served in positions that include general manager, global sales manager, regional business manager, product manager and process development engineer. His career has involved significant international business and leadership responsibilities, including a two-year assignment at Lubrizol's Hazelwood, United Kingdom facility.

Job Titles:

• Chairman
• Founder
• Founder and Chairman Emeritus / Family Heritage Life Insurance Company of America

Howard L. Lewis is Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Family Heritage Life Insurance Company of America. Mr. Lewis began his professional career in the financial services industry with Central Trust Company, a dominant banking concern headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio and the second largest trust company in Ohio. In 1978, he joined Picker International Corporation, a worldwide leader in diagnostic imaging, computed technology, and magnetic resonance imaging. At Picker, Mr. Lewis directed and managed the Cincinnati District's growing business operations. The improved results gained him recognition at the World Headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio, and in 1978 he was promoted to become the company's National Business Manager. In 1981, Mr. Lewis returned to the financial services industry with the fast growing Progressive Insurance Company where, as Regional Manager for the Northeast and Southwest, he was responsible for increasing sales results. He moved to head the company's newly developed Canadian initiative where sales and profits grew rapidly. In 1983, Mr. Lewis moved to another fast growing insurance company, Capitol American Life Insurance Company, also of Cleveland, Ohio. His initial responsibilities as Senior Vice President were to head the company's administration and business operations where he quickly gained recognition for instituting a customer centered approach to the company's operations, while maintaining cost-effective operational support. In 1984, Mr. Lewis took over the reins of Capitol American's Direct Sales Division, the most rapidly growing segment of the company. In 1987, Mr. Lewis was promoted to President of Capitol Consumer Marketing where he became responsible for over one-third of the company's overall sales. In 1989, Mr. Lewis secured the financing for a new insurance venture and founded the Family Heritage Life Insurance Company of America. Mr. Lewis built the company on the principles of service and integrity, and on the fundamental premise that those that help to build the company should have the opportunity to become owners in the company. Today, every sales person at Family Heritage and every home office employee has the opportunity to earn stock as the company grows. The company has grown at a compounded rate exceeding thirty percent annually since its inception, and Mr. Lewis has positioned the company for continued growth into the future by expanding the company's territory, broadening the company's product portfolio and constantly attracting new talent to the company's home office operation.

Michele Heath is a Doctoral Candidate in Information Systems at Cleveland State University. Her research interests include the role of leadership, governance, culture, conflict, team composition, change management, and other core management concepts in the context of health information technology. She holds a MBA from Fisher College of Business. Michele also earned an undergraduate degree in MIS and MPA from University of Akron. Her work has appeared in the following proceedings: Americas Conference on Information Systems, Midwest Association for Information Systems, and Academy of Management. She has also presented her work at several national conferences. Prior to joining the doctoral program at Cleveland State, Michele worked twelve years at Ernst & Young as a IT consultant.

Job Titles:

• Board Member for PBJ Outreach and for the Beck Center
• Tax Partner / Deloitte

Mike retired as the Cleveland Managing Tax Partner for Deloitte in 2020. He has over 35 years of experience in the public accounting industry in the state and local tax area. He provided tax consulting services to clients in a variety of industries including consumer products, financial, energy and entertainment. Mike's past roles at Deloitte included National Leader for Deloitte's US Indirect Tax Practice, National Multistate Leader for the Deloitte India Practice, Deloitte Central Region Multistate Tax Leader and Deloitte Multistate Tax Leader for Detroit and Houston. In addition to his work at Deloitte, Mike serves as a Board Member for PBJ Outreach and for the Beck Center of the Arts. He is a two-time alumnus of the Monte Ahuja College of Business having earned both his BBA and MBA degree from Cleveland State.

Job Titles:

• College of Business, Dean 's Office

Monte Ahuja is often described as "self-made," "hard-working" and "entrepreneur." But perhaps "giver" is the most accurate term for this captain of industry. Mr. Ahuja gives generously of his wealth but he also gives of his time and talent to organizations throughout Northeast Ohio. In doing so, he has significantly impacted the business, educational and medical communities, thereby improving the quality of life and providing opportunity for others. Partnering with him for all these endeavors is his wife of 40 years, Usha Ahuja, a mathematician and educator. Mr. Ahuja served as a member of the CSU Board of Trustees from 1991-2000, including six years as chairman, and was the first alumnus to hold that post. He and his wife gave $2 million to the College of Business in 2000, and established the Ahuja Endowed Scholarship Fund in Business Administration and Engineering and the Distinguished Scholar in Comparative Indian and Western Philosophy. In 1990, Mr. Ahuja was named one of Cleveland State's Top 25 Distinguished Alumni. In 2001, CSU awarded him an Honorary Doctor of Business degree.

Job Titles:

• Chief of Public Affairs for the City of Cleveland

Natoya J. Walker Minor serves as the Chief of Public Affairs for the City of Cleveland. In this capacity she provides executive leadership, drives policy, and facilitates execution & implementation of Mayoral priorities for 7 departments to meet the vision established by the Mayor (Aging, Civil Service, Community Relations, Human Resources, Public Health, the Office of Equal Opportunity, and Workforce Development). Vital to her role is leveraging intersections between each of the 7 departmental disciplines to influence policy and programs. Natoya's career as a public servant spans a 25 years in public administration & policy in municipal government, non-profit, and government consulting. These experiences have provided her with a unique capability of recognizing the value proposition of public private partnerships and building will. Natoya holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a Master of Public Administration, and holds executive leadership certificates from Georgetown University in NonProfit Management and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government in Senior Executives in State & Local Government. Natoya is married to Bishop Tony Minor, who pastors at Community of Faith Assembly and serves as a member of the Council of Bishops for the Higher Ground Always Abounding Assemblies (HGAAA).

Job Titles:

• Retired Partner at PwC

Randy Kelly graduated with honors from Cleveland State University in 1979, with a BBA degree majoring in accounting. Randy was the first person in his family to receive a college degree. Upon graduation, he passed the CPA exam and began his 33 year accounting career. Randy started his career with the international accounting firm Arthur Andersen working in their Los Angeles office. During Randy's 23 years with the firm he held various management positions, including 10 years as a partner in the audit/advisory practice. While at Arthur Andersen, Randy worked on the west coast and for four years in post-communist Hungary. In 2002, Randy joined PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, San Jose, as an audit partner focused on high technology companies. Through his determination and hard work, he became a senior partner in PwC's Assurance and Business Advisory Group and retired at an early age. Today he is committed to making a difference in the world by devoting his time, talent and treasure to helping the homeless of San Diego and making a difference at Cleveland State University. Randy is a volunteer worker, Board Member of Father Joe's Villages in San Diego and a member of the Monte Ahuja College of Business Visiting Committee since 2015. He is also the College's 2018 Distinguished Alumni Awards winner.

Job Titles:

• Chief of Innovation and Integration at the NASAN Glenn Research Center

Robert Romero is Chief of Innovation and Integration at the NASAN Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field in Cleveland, Ohio. Romero is responsible for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) and Regional Economic Development. He builds and nurtures innovative partnerships that support commercialization and collaboration efforts on behalf of the NASA Glenn Research Center. Romero provides Center-wide leadership in pursuing and leveraging relationships between GRC and targeted organizations to engage in partnerships that facilitate GRC ability to grow its commercial business portfolio. He leverages technology center-wide through technology partnerships with academia as well as with industry, other government agencies and national laboratories and proactively seeks to transfer NASA-derived technology to other applications that will provide broad public benefits, contribute to economic growth and competitiveness, and improve the quality of life for the public. Prior to his appointment, Romero served as an Executive in Residence at Cleveland State and was appointed as Interim Assistant Vice President for Campus Engagement and Inclusion, from September 10, 2012 through June 30, 2013. He led the implementation of the University's Diversity Action Plan and served on the executive staff for the Office of Vice President for University Engagement and Chief Diversity Officer. Romero also served as an Executive in Residence at CSU Monte Ahuja College of Business, from February 1, 2009 through January 27, 2011. He reported to the Dean of the College of Business as Senior Advisor on Business and Diversity Outreach. Romero earned a bachelor's degree in Communications at Bowling Green State University and studied Spanish, History, and Literature aboard at the Collegio de Loyalla, Madrid, Spain. He completed the OPM Federal Executive Institute's Leadership for a Democratic Society offered by the University of Virginia, and the ULCA Creativity and Innovation Fellowship Program. He also has completed the Agency's Management Leadership Education Program and Professional Development Program (PDP) at NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. and the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida. He was detailed to NASA Headquarters, Office of the Aeronautics' Alliance Development Office as Alliance Development Manager and NASA Kennedy Space Center as Public Affairs Specialist. Romero began his government career in 1984 Revenue Officer Co-op Student for Internal Revenue Service, Toledo, Ohio. He then worked as Acting Automated Collection Systems Manager. From July 1990 to August 1994, Romero was selected as Equal Opportunity Specialist for NASA Glenn Research Center's Office of Equal Opportunity Programs. After his PDP assignment, he returned to NASA Glenn as a Senior Public Affairs Specialist in the Office of Community and Media Relations. In 1999, he became Director, Office of Equal Opportunity Programs and served as a member of senior staff for ten years. The superior quality of his work over 30 years has been recognized with NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal, NASA Superior Accomplishment Awards, NASA Group Achievement Awards, NASA Special Act Award and The Cleveland Federal Executive Board Achievement Award. He also received the University President's Distguished Service Award from Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio. Romero is an inventor and has been awarded a US Patent.

Job Titles:

• Chairman of the Fenn Educational Fund Advisory Committee and Secretary of the Friends of Max S Hayes High School
• General Counsel and Senior Vice President, Talent / Greater Cleveland Partnership
• General Counsel and Senior Vice President, Talent for the Greater Cleveland Partnership
• Member of the Cleveland Municipal School District Nominating Panel

Shana Marbury, Esq. is general counsel and senior vice president, Talent for the Greater Cleveland Partnership (GCP). Shana oversees legal affairs for the GCP and several of its affiliated entities. She also is responsible for GCP's efforts and initiatives related to its organizational strategic priority Talent. Prior to her employment at the GCP, Shana worked as a consultant in the areas of diversity and inclusion. She assisted in developing diversity training materials focused on interpersonal relationships among people of a variety of backgrounds, worldviews, customs and values in the 21st century workplace. Shana co-facilitated training where participants were introduced to core diversity concepts and developed competency in their application. Before consulting, Shana worked as a labor, employment and school law attorney in the Cleveland office of Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, LLP (now Squire Patton Boggs). She counseled private- and public-sector employers, including public school districts and private schools, on staff, administrative and faculty labor and employment issues, concerns regarding state and federal civil rights laws and educational statutes, investigations, student discipline and other student-related issues. Shana is currently the chair of the Fenn Educational Fund Advisory Committee and Secretary of the Friends of Max S Hayes High School. She is also a board member of the City Club of Cleveland, the Centers for Families and Children, the Cleveland Transformation Alliance, and the Community Growth Educational Foundation. Shana serves as a member of the Cleveland Municipal School District Nominating Panel. She is an Education and Attainment Division Fellow for the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) and has also completed a fellowship on regional and sustainable development through ACCE and the Ford Foundation. Shana also is a member of Kaleidoscope magazine's "40/40 Club" Class of 2008, honoring distinguished African-American professionals age 40 or younger in the Cleveland area. Shana received her Juris Doctor from Tulane University Law School and completed her undergraduate work at Tufts University, where she double-majored in sociology and political science.

Job Titles:

• Senior Vice President - Human Resources
• Senior Vice President - Human Resources, Industrial Sector at Eaton
• Visiting Committee Member Profile

Steve Pilotti was appointed to Senior Vice President - Human Resources, Industrial Sector in April 2015. In this role, Pilotti is responsible for overseeing the human resources function for the Industry Sector with a focus on talent management and development, building functional capability and driving standardized processes to support growth. Previous to this role, Pilotti was Vice President Human Resources, Electrical Sector - Americas. From 2009-2012 he was Vice President Human Resources, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Pilotti joined Eaton in 1986 and held a variety of accounting positions in the corporate payroll department based in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1995, he joined the Truck Component Operations Group as a Human Resources Generalist. He became Human Resources Supervisor in 1996 and Human Resources Manager in 1998 at the Shelbyville, Tennessee Heavy-Duty Transmission plant. Pilotti was named Human Resources Manager at the Truck Components Operations headquarters in 2001 and two years later was named Division Human Resources Manager for the Light and Medium Duty Transmission Division. In 2005 he became the Vice President - Human Resources for the Hydraulics Group based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Pilotti is a Cleveland State University BBA alumnus and holds an MBA from Case Western Reserve University.

Job Titles:

• President and Chief Operating Officer of Channel Products
• Visiting Committee Member

Teresa Lindsey is President and Chief Operating Officer of Channel Products, a privately held, Cleveland-based manufacturer of component systems and technologies for the gas appliance industry. Under her leadership, the company has increased revenue by over 100% and profitability by over 1000%, while securing multiple new patents for newly created technologies. In addition to her management of Channel Products, Ms. Lindsey has earned a following as a speaker on issues of leadership, personal development, and business culture. An accomplished business executive, she serves on the Visiting Committee of Cleveland State University's Monte Ahuja College of Business and Chairs the Community Engagement sub-committee. Ms. Lindsey's recent honors include recognition of Channel Products as a "2017 Smart Culture" award recipient, a "2017 Distinguished Employer of the Year," award from the Ohio Cooperative Education Association, "2018 E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year" finalist, "2018 Crain's Cleveland Women of Note in Manufacturing", and recognition as a Smart Business Magazine "2018 Progressive Entrepreneur" honoree With a passion for seeing people develop and thrive, Teresa lives by the mantra of leading people while managing process. She believes that hiring, equipping, empowering, and developing intelligent human capital is key to continual success in any organization. Ms. Lindsey holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and a Master of Organizational Leadership degree.

Job Titles:

• Senior Vice President
• Senior Vice President, Client Advisor

Job Titles:

• Associate Professor of Finance at Monte Ahuja College

Wei Wang, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Finance at Monte Ahuja College of Business, received his doctoral degree in finance from University of Colorado - Boulder in 2008. He earned his master's degree in economics from University of Arkansas - Fayetteville in 2003, and bachelor's degree from University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in 1995. Prior to his academic career, he had been a journalist working in regions like Afghanistan and Kashmir. Dr. Wang taught undergraduate, master's and doctoral courses at University of Colorado - Boulder and University of New Orleans before joining Cleveland State University in 2013. His research interests are in corporate finance, primarily security offerings, capital structure and corporate governance. Dr. Wang has published on reputable journals including Journal of Financial Economics, Review of Finance, Financial Review, Review of Financial Economics, Journal of Financial Research and Financial Management.