ONLINE MBA - Key Persons
Aaron Johnson is a lecturer for the Department of Business Information Systems at California State University, Chico. Aaron recently joined the university after more than 30 years in the IT industry. He received his undergraduate degree in computer science and his master's degree in business administration from Chico State.
Aaron's industry experience includes 20 years focused on delivering ERP solutions to large non-profit entities including cities, counties, school districts, universities, and research organizations. He then spent 10 years in healthcare IT developing and implementing care management applications. Most recently, Aaron became the senior vice president for data and operations with an organization focused on the commercial segment of the automotive industry.
Aaron started his career as a software developer. Over the years, he has managed all aspects of software development and delivery organizations, including executive leadership positions. Aaron's current teaching focus is on business intelligence, data management, and information security. His passion is to bring real-world applications to each topic covered.
While he is not working, Aaron enjoys time with his family. His career has included extensive travel, and he enjoys visiting new locations with his family.
Angela is a full-time lecturer at California State University, Chico's Department of Management. She teaches Survey of Management, International Management, Human Resource Management, Performance Management, and Managing for Sustainability.
She is the CEO/president of the Sustainability Management Association, a nonprofit that certifies professionals on how to achieve success through efficiently managing environmental management, social responsibility, and governance (ESG). The Sustainability Management Association is the leading international certification body of the Sustainability Management Certified Professional and the Sustainability Management Certified Associate credentials.
Angela also serves as the owner of Sustainability Management Consulting, a strategic planning consulting company. Her professional background as chief credit officer, chief customer service officer, and regional manager in Corporate America's financial services industries and international banking, plus 15-years of experience in small business ownership in transportation and consulting, has enabled her to design solutions for many diverse industries.
Job Titles:
- Lecturer of the Seufferlein Sales Program
Courtney Richter is a lecturer of the Seufferlein Sales Program at Chico State. Ms. Richter focuses on communication strategies for proven sales results. In addition, her focus is how to lead a sales team to success by capitalizing on each salesperson's strengths. Ms. Richter has recently accepted a new position as an account executive for Beacon Hill Staffing Group. Her proven sales experience can be seen through past roles held at Fortune 500 company PepsiCo Frito-Lay.
During her time at Frito-Lay, she held many leadership positions. As a district manager, she led a team of 15 sales employees servicing over 150 customers. She also held a leadership role as lead marketer for the Women in Business Network. Ms. Richter remained actively involved with Chico State by guest speaking at the American Marketing Association, leading recruiting events at Chico State, and judging competitions such as the Sweet 16. Her love for people development led to teaching classes in sales management and professional selling.
In her free time, Ms. Richter loves being outdoors and enjoying nature. Some of her favorite activities include hiking, biking, golfing, scuba diving, and hot yoga. In addition to the outdoors, she loves to wind down and watch a new TV show or movie. She loves to travel abroad and explore new local restaurants.
David earned his BS in computer science with an artificial intelligence sub program at UC Santa Cruz. He earned his master's in engineering management at Santa Clara University.
Following graduation, David went to work for a tech company which was commercializing "Expert Systems" technology from the Stanford Artificial Intelligence program. An early career highlight was being trained as a consultant to Fortune 500 companies, focused on developing and implementing strategic initiatives. Across several startups and young companies, David worked at positions from software developer to CEO. Along the way, David started several ventures, one of which provided strategy development and technology implementation for major financial services corporations. In one engagement, they developed and implemented a strategic plan calling for sales software for 7,000 agents, dramatically increasing sales agent productivity. Upon exiting this specialized consulting firm, David semi-retired and moved to Chico.
David is a lecturer in the management department in the College of Business. He relates well to the OMBA student experience because he followed a similar path: while working full-time, he completed his master's in engineering management. Upon learning he was selected to design and deliver the OMBA 693: Seminar in Strategic Management course, he was delighted.
A faculty member since 2000, David's passion is strategy and entrepreneurship. He has taught 20 different courses and developed eight. He is the director of the e-Incubator student mentoring program and faculty advisor to the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization. He developed the Digital Entrepreneurship course for the Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management (ESBM) program. David works with the computer science department to team up engineers with entrepreneurs. His recent publication in the Journal of Education for Business, "Bridging the Gap - A Model for Collaboration Between Entrepreneurship and Software Engineering Students," describes the program. His subsequent paper, "Fostering Entrepreneurship in Project-Based Courses," won a Best Paper award.
David is active in professional organizations and is past-president of the Association for Business Simulation and Experiential Learning (ABSEL). He was a track chair for the United States Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurs (USASBE) the preeminent entrepreneurship association and conference in the world today, and presents there annually. David's e-Incubator program was nominated for Best Entrepreneurship Program at the 2022 USASBE conference.
A derivative of David's course, Digital Entrepreneurship, is being commercialized by the start-up BizLaunch, and has been adopted at major universities across the U.S. Several adopters have major entrepreneurship programs and are ranked nationally, such as the University of Tennessee and Penn State, the latter of which recently earned an elite ranking of Top 50 Entrepreneurship Programs based on the Princeton Ranking for Top Entrepreneurship Programs in the U.S. Recently, over 50 graduating entrepreneurs from these programs signed on in a single day to participate in the beta cohort for a follow-on program. This new program is a collaborative led by David and composed of academic colleagues from major universities and industry experts. It provides a solution for serious, young entrepreneurs wanting a full-service platform for community, training, and tools as they move into their professional lives.
David loves dogs of all kinds, training dogs and watching funny dog videos. Send him a link to a funny dog video and he'll love you, too. He is passionate about supporting his high-school aged daughter in her competitive athletic pursuits. Due to COVID-19, David and his daughter constructed a home gym so she could continue her pursuits, and she competes in national competitions across the U.S.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor of Information Systems at the College of Business
Dr. Arash Negahban is an assistant professor of information systems at the College of Business at California State University, Chico. He received his PhD in Business from the University of North Texas, and he also holds an MBA in Management and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Software Engineering.
Dr. Negahban has several years of experience working in industry as a software engineer, application developer, systems and business analyst, IT project manager, and information systems manager at several IT companies. He has taught many courses in information systems at both undergraduate and graduate levels, particularly business statistics and analytics, information security, and IT strategy.
Dr. Negahban's research interests include social media and business analytics, mobile technology adoption, information security and privacy, and societal impacts of information technology. His research has been published by numerous academic journals and conferences, including the International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, Computers in Human Behavior, the Database for Advances in Information Systems, Issues in Information Systems, International Journal of E-Business Research, Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS), Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS), Decision Science Institute Annual Conference (DSI), Western Decision Sciences Institute (WDSI), and Southwest Decision Sciences Institute (SWDSI). His papers have been cited by more than 500 studies. In 2018, one of his papers was selected among the top two best papers of the year published by Database for Advances in Information Systems.
Dr. Christine Witt is an assistant professor in the Business Information Systems Department in the College of Business at California State University, Chico. Her primary areas of teaching are business process integration, enterprise resource planning (ERP), and operations and supply chain management in the MBA program. As a certified SAP Business Consultant in ERP Integration of Business Processes and a Level Two Certified ERPsim Instructor and Trainer, she uses her experience to create real-world scenarios in the classroom, whether they are virtual or face-to-face. She has been trained in developing meaningful online learning environments by the IMPACT program at Purdue University, one of the original and most innovative programs for building online class experiences.
Dr. Witt has a passion for entrepreneurship and small business. She has recently worked as a business consultant for the California North Coast Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and assisted businesses with business plan development, product development, test marketing, and LEAN continuous quality improvement implementations. At the SBDC, she launched the "Lean Team," where she trained other SBDC business consultants on how to implement lean continuous improvement initiatives. Throughout her career, she has held management positions in telecommunication sales and hospitality.
Dr. Witt holds a PhD in Technology from Purdue University and bachelor's and master's degrees from Central Michigan University. She is a proud Boilermaker who enjoys watching and attending games from across the country with her family, and she takes her experience working full time and commuting to school at CMU into consideration as she designs her courses for working professionals.
Her publications are in the areas of lean process improvement, Twitter sentiment analysis, learner-centered teaching, simulation learning, and flipped classroom instruction. She has taught in higher education for 11 years and worked on four different campuses (including Central Michigan University, Purdue University, Humboldt State University, and Chico State).
Dr. Witt enjoys taking hikes in Chico's Bidwell Park, riding on Chico's many bike trails, and skiing in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Her other interests include hip-hop dancing, cooking, and gardening.
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor of Finance at the College of Business
Dr. Emily Huang is an associate professor of finance at the College of Business at California State University, Chico. She holds a PhD in business administration with a concentration in finance from the Carson College of Business at Washington State University, a master's degree in economics from the University of Idaho, and a bachelor's degree in international finance from Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Dr. Huang has over 15 years of experience in teaching finance. She is passionate about finance because the subject always focuses on the future with a sense of uncertainty and mystery. Dr. Huang teaches corporate finance, financial institutions and markets, and the securities industry in the College of Business.
Dr. Huang's research and publications span topics including institutional investors, behavioral finance, financial education, and financial well-being. Her publications have appeared in the Journal of Behavioral Finance, Review of Financial Economics, Journal of Financial Education, and Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning, among others.
In her free time, Dr. Huang enjoys traveling with her husband and son, and pampering their two cats. She is an avid reader, so her favorite hobby is buying books and bookshelves.
Dr. K. Damon Aiken, professor of marketing, received his PhD from the University of Oregon. He has won six teaching awards including the Marketing Management Association's National Teaching Excellence award. His research interests include marketing communications and branding, as well as sport fan values and behaviors. He has published in various journals including the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, the Journal of Business Research, Sport Marketing Quarterly, and the Journal of Product and Brand Management.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor of Marketing
Dr. Katie Mercurio is an assistant professor of Marketing in the College of Business at California State University, Chico. She holds a PhD, an MS in Business Administration, and a BA in Business Administration, all from the University of Washington. Dr. Mercurio began her career in the marketing department at Nestle USA in Southern California where she worked on projects in their Confections & Snacks Division, Beverage Division, and Infant Nutrition Division. After receiving her doctorate at University of Washington, she worked as a post-doctoral researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles. During this time, she taught in the evening MBA program at California State University, Northridge. She then joined the faculty at University of Oregon and worked there for 6 years. In 2018, Katie joined Chico State as an assistant professor of marketing.
Dr. Mercurio teaches MKTG 305 Survey of Marketing, MKTG 498 Brand Strategy, and MKTG 673 Strategic Marketing Management at Chico State. In the past, she has taught Principles of Marketing, Marketing Research, Sustainability and Marketing, International Marketing, and Consumer Psychology and Brand Strategy at both the undergraduate and MBA levels.
Katie is an active researcher who has eight peer-reviewed publications in refereed journals including Journal of Consumer Research, Advances in Consumer Research, Brand Touch Points, and Wiley International Encyclopedia of Marketing.
Job Titles:
- Director, Online MBA Program
- Professor of Marketing, Director of the Online
Dr. Ken Chapman is a professor of marketing, director of the Online MBA program, and associate dean of the College of Business at Chico State. He holds a PhD in Marketing from the University of Colorado, Boulder, an MBA with concentrations in Marketing and Real Estate Finance from the University of Southern California, and bachelor's degrees in Business Economics and Cognitive Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Prior to teaching at Chico State, Dr. Chapman worked at NCR Microelectronics as a product planner, annually managing over $14 million worth of semiconductors. He has worked with a large variety of tech firms including Apple, Seagate, JVC, and Samsung.
Dr. Chapman teaches marketing research, consumer behavior, and principles of marketing in the College of Business. His teaching philosophy is based on an underlying belief that his role as a professor is to increase the likelihood that students will be successful in their chosen career path, and it guides him to ensure that his students have the opportunity to think about, discuss, and apply course material in situations that go above and beyond their exams. He takes pride in not only ensuring his students know the content from the course, but become better writers, more analytical and critical thinkers, and better team leaders as well.
Dr. Chapman is an active researcher, with over 40 publications and a large number of presentations. His research focuses on the intersection of information processing and marketing, as well as research on teaching and teams. He has been a professor for around 25 years.
Dr. Chapman is an avid trail runner, typically running about 25 miles/week in the local hills around Chico State, and he also enjoys long hikes and adventure travel. In the last several years, he has been to the top of Half Dome, climbed Mt. Whitney twice, spent eight days rafting in the Grand Canyon, cruised around the Amazon and the Galapagos, trekked around Norway, and traveled in Croatia.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor in the Management Department of California State University
Dr. Maria J. Mendez is an assistant professor in the management department of California State University, Chico. Dr. Mendez's research centers on shared leadership, although she has also published in the areas of followership, global leadership, ethics, and management education. Her publications can be found in Business Ethics Quarterly, Journal of World Business, Learning and Organization Development Journal, Organization Management Journal, and the book The Art of Followership. She received a PhD in business administration from New Mexico State University and a six-year degree in industrial engineering from the Universidade de Vigo, Spain.
Chico State alumnus Josh Leavy, founder and owner of San Francisco Brewing Co., has joined more than 1,400 breweries across the nation to participate in the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Resilience IPA Camp Fire relief efforts. Recalling his time at Chico State, he said his fondest memory was the strong sense of community he felt between the students and residents of Butte County.
"It was all about the community and education, and I think that's what makes the College of Business so strong. The type of environment Chico has allows students and professors to work together and communicate. And when you're in sales, it's all about communication and follow-up-it's all about camaraderie, trust, and rapport."
While still in college, Chico State alumnus Keith Bewley learned about entrepreneurship by working with his brother, Stuart Bewley, and Michael Crete, co-founders of California Coolers, a company that sparked a national wine cooler craze. Bewley worked at California Cooler until the company was sold in 1985 for $180-million, then co-founded LINC Venture Partners Inc., which specialized in analyzing business plans and funding start-up companies. He is currently the president of NEx Systems, which provides organic, environmentally safe dry cleaning and fabric protection services to Fortune 500 companies and residential properties.
Scott Hanson is a senior partner and founding principal of Hanson McClain Advisors, Inc., an independent investment advisory firm specializing in investment planning and wealth management. He is a nationally known financial expert identified as one of the 25 most influential people in the financial services industry by Investment Advisor magazine. He has been featured on Fox News, CNN, ABC Evening News and in The Wall Street Journal. Recently, Hanson was selected by Research magazine for induction into the publication's Advisor Hall of Fame.
Job Titles:
- President of InvestorKeep
Sean Morgan is the president of InvestorKeep, a fintech company established in 2018 that bridges the digital/personal dynamic of banking and investing for community banks and credit unions. Sean also serves as a director of Northern California National Bank and is the former managing partner of Castle-Side Partners, a project and strategic management consultancy. Client work included strategic facilitation, strategy review and formulation, metric and accountability design, system mapping, scorecard design, and execution analysis.
Sean has been a faculty member in the College of Business at California State University, Chico since 2005.
Sean has served on the City of Chico, California, City Council since December 2012, providing and proposing direction on budgets, contract negotiations, regulations, land-use, personnel, public safety, and overall strategy. For the council, Sean has served on both the internal affairs and finance committees. Elected vice-mayor in 2014 and mayor in 2016, Sean is the city's longest serving council member and is finishing his third term.
Sean received bachelor of science degrees in finance and international business from California State University, Chico, an MBA (from CSUC), as well as graduate certifications in project management from Stanford University and business dynamics (MIT's Approach to Diagnosing and Solving Complex Business Problems) from the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
A believer in practical intelligence and application, Sean works to make his classroom a place where theory is learned by practice. His standards of professionalism, attention to detail, and quality of delivery are equal to high-level industry expectations. While Sean's professional experience is both diverse and dynamic, teaching project management is one of his greatest passions because he believes everything we do is a project and all strategy (both failed and successful) can be linked back to those projects.
Sean has been married for over 25 years and has two college-aged sons, one a graduate student at Johns Hopkins University and the other an undergraduate student at Chico State. When not working, Sean enjoys Irish whiskey, cigars, his 1970 Corvette Stingray, beaches, oceans, and boats.
Job Titles:
- President and Co - Founder of BioFuelBox Corporation
Chico State College of Business graduate Steve Perricone is the president and co-founder of BioFuelBox Corporation, a San Jose-based alternative energy company that focuses on converting waste fats, oils and greases into ASTM quality biodiesel. BioFuelBox's modular bio-refineries are deployed and co-located next to feedstock supplies, allowing companies and communities to efficiently convert waste streams into usable fuel. Selected by AlwaysOn as one of their 2008 GoingGreen Top 100 Winners, BioFuelbox is an emerging leader in the bio-tech field.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director of the SAP University Competence Center
Tom Wilder is executive director of the SAP University Competence Center (UCC) and lecturer in the Business Information Systems Department in the College of Business at California State University, Chico. A faculty member since January 1997, Tom has taught in three departments in the College of Business, has developed 5 courses, and has taught a total of 24 different courses.
He is a Stanford Certified Project Manager, an SAP Certified Associate, and a certified SAP TS410 and TERP10 instructor. In addition to his teaching, he also writes curriculum for the SAP University Alliance program and teaches faculty members from other institutions how to use SAP in the classroom. He is globally known for his knowledge within SAP systems which include SD, MM, PP, FICO, QM, and PS. As the executive director of the UCC, he meets regularly with his counterparts from around the world.
Tom received his undergraduate degree in industrial technology and a master's degree in business administration from Chico State. His teaching philosophy is rooted in his background as an industrial designer, which leads him to look for solutions in many different ways in order to reach the best design. He believes in a notion of learning as an engaging, hands-on experience with life-enriching outcomes, and strives to ensure that if a student cannot connect with course material on the first pass, they will on the second or third view.
When not teaching or traveling for business, Tom and his wife Donna restore houses and Airstream trailers. They enjoy Airstream travel with their dog Oliver, hiking, exploration, and golf whenever possible. Tom enjoys his book club, woodworking projects, and being a member of the Elks.
William Dantona III is an international educator whose mission promotes equity, peace, and prosperity through purposeful engagement across cultures. He has more than 25 years of experience working with international students and professionals developing international education, business communication, and study-abroad programming-always with this mission in mind. His research and leadership interests include system dynamics, study abroad programming, ESL program administration, and strategic international enrollment management. Dantona is committed to experiential and student-centered learning.
At California State University, Chico, Dantona serves as International Studies faculty and lectures in the Department of Management and International Languages, Literatures, and Cultures. At Chico State, he has served as the Director of International Development in the Office of the Vice President for University Advancement, and as International Programs Director in Regional & Continuing Education overseeing the American Language and Culture Institute (ALCI), Faculty-led Study Abroad, and self-support international programs.
Previously, Dantona served as the ALCI Director from 2006 to 2017 and taught Communications in Business in the College of Business at Chico State. In support of international education and the intensive English program field, Dantona has held a seat on the executive board of the American Association of Intensive English Programs (EnglishUSA) where he served as both president and teasurer.
Prior to his Chico State affiliation, Dantona was a full-time language specialist at the University of Pennsylvania's English Language Programs where he coordinated the Summer Institute for International Business Students pre-MBA program. Before UPENN, he was at the School for International Training (SIT) and World Learning in Vermont where he worked as an academic preparation and corporate language instructor as well as a workforce language proficiency consultant. He has conducted language training for graduate-level international students as well as high-potential executives from international corporate and governmental entities, including ABN-AMRO Bank, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, McKinsey Consultants Group, Toyota, and Procter & Gamble. He has also taught at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez and Greenfield Community College, Massachusetts.
After completing coursework and a two-year research program in Nepal, Dantona earned his MA from SIT in 1998. He completed the Wharton School of Business Management Program in 2004. He has completed coursework in the Doctorate in Educational Leadership at Sacramento State University and is conducting dissertation research in system dynamic analysis of international enrollment and study abroad decision making.
He makes his home in far Northern California, with his wife and two children, where he enjoys playing music, Sunday dinner, and participating in alpine sports and activities.