College of Business News

Retired Montana State University Professor Mike Reilly will head the lineup of speakers at this fall’s “Compete Smart” Manufacturing Conference to be held Oct. 11 and 12 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Missoula.

Hosted by the Montana Manufacturing Extension Center and Northwestern Energy, the event will also feature several speakers giving national manufacturing perspective and insights from a variety of innovative Montana company leaders.

Reilly will give the keynote address at noon Thursday, Oct. 11. His talk, an entertaining presentation titled “Advances in Payload Delivery Technology: the Cruise Missile Outperforms Saturation Marketing,” will explain how to combine enduring principles of marketing with targeted information age tools to reach “Homo Digitus” — the Digital Man.

Reilly, who has been with the MSU College of Business since 1984, has spent more than 30 years as a professor and consultant to small- and medium-sized businesses and government agencies, specializing in business-to-business marketing analysis and planning, strategic marketing, and market analysis for new technology and products. He has received many awards for both his teaching and research. Colleagues describe him as “a rare academic who is more firmly grounded in the real business world than many practicing business people.”

Ehlert, who is also the director of the Family Business Program, is also a speaker at the conference. He will present “Winning Montana Family Business” at 4:10-5:40 p.m. on Thursday, October 11. Ehlert will examine and discuss the characteristics that have skyrocketed manufacturing success for Family Business Program award winners across the state and how these businesses stack up to national excellence standards, as well as discuss how these characteristics compare to national excellence standards. Participants will learn about helpful resources for their businesses.

The conference also includes manufacturing plant tours, 26 breakout sessions, exhibitors, and a 100-foot wall of products manufactured in Montana. Sponsors include the Montana Department of Agriculture, Montana Department of Commerce, the Made In Montana program, Innovate Montana, S&K Electronics, First Interstate Bank, UPS and other organizations.

The Montana Manufacturing Extension Center is a statewide manufacturing outreach and assistance center, staffed by full-time professionals with degrees in engineering and extensive experience in manufacturing and business in a variety of industries.

For a complete schedule and information about cost, visit http://www.etouches.com/42020.

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–from MSU News Service

Thomas Parac and Todd Eliason, both of Bozeman, received the Montana State University Alumni Foundation’s highest award, the Blue and Gold Award, during MSU homecoming ceremonies held today.

MSU President Waded Cruzado presented Parac and Eliason their awards at the President’s Homecoming Luncheon and Alumni Awards Ceremony, held Friday, Sept. 21.

The Blue and Gold Award honors those who have rendered great lifetime service or who have brought national or international distinction to MSU or to the state of Montana, according to the MSU Alumni Foundation. Candidates must have achieved prominence through service to one, or a combination of, profession, family, country, world, university, philanthropy or humanity. Recipients of the Blue and Gold Award are recommended by the MSU Alumni Foundation Alumni Advisory Board to the president of the university.

Todd Eliason, graduated from MSU in 1974 with a commerce degree. After a short stint at a bank in Great Falls, Eliason left Montana and had a career in the telecommunications industry, working for GTE (now Verizon), GTE TSI (now Syniverse), Contel Cellular and Watchmark. In 2004, he formed Rock Creek Associates, a consulting and investment business primarily involved in early stage business planning and preparation for private financing.

Eliason returned to Bozeman in 2007. He is a frequent guest lecturer on campus. He serves on President Cruzado’s Blue and Gold Marketing Commission, is a Leadership Institute Advisory Board member and has participated in the MSU Sustainability Campaign. Eliason also serves on the College of Business Advisory Board, is a member of the Sigma Nu Fraternity Alumni Advisory Board and served on the IFC expansion task force. He has been a member and chair of the MSU Alumni Association board of directors and was instrumental in the creation of MSU’s Alumni Plaza. He was also a leader in the dedication of the Alumni Legacy Lounge in the SUB. He has served on several university search committees, including the presidential search committee that resulted in the hiring of Cruzado.

Eliason is a member of the Sunrise Rotary Club in Bozeman, a Big Sky Mountain Host, and is an accomplished marathon runner. His service and leadership stem from his college days when Eliason was a Fang, a leader in Sigma Nu fraternity, High School Week chair, Homecoming chair and on ASMSU’s Finance Board. He was also a member of Septemviri, which designates MSU’s top seven seniors.

Eliason, who grew up in Deer Lodge, was arguably “born a Bobcat.” His father, Leonard Eliason, graduated in 1936 and was a campus leader as well. Brothers Monte, Kim and Lon Eliason also attended and graduated from MSU. Eliason is married to MSU alumna Arlene (Williams), who graduated in 1977 with a degree in home economics. They have two children; Marcus and Amy.

Phillip Luebke, 406-994-2416, pluebke@montana.edu

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Businesses from Billings, Bozeman and Chinook are winners of the 2012 Montana Family Business awards.

Five businesses will receive their Family Business Day awards at the 2012 Montana State University (MSU) College of Business State Farm Insurance Family Business Day, set for Friday, September 28, at the Best Western GranTree Inn in Bozeman.

The 2012 award winners in Montana are: Bear Paw Livestock of Chinook, in the very small business category (fewer than 10 employees); Pine Cove Consulting of Billings, in the small business category (10 to 30 employees); Air Controls of Billings, in the medium business category (30-50 employees); and Kagy Korner and Peak Recording, both of Bozeman, with special recognition awards.

Larry Merkel, owner of Round House Sports Center, will be the keynote speaker at a luncheon held prior to the awards ceremony at 11:30 a.m. Merkel’s presentation, “Learning from Experience: Successful Business Strategies,” will draw from more than 40 years of family business experience. Merkel will discuss lessons learned and share business advice.

A $20 registration fee is required to attend the keynote luncheon and awards ceremony. For more information or to make a reservation, call Phyllis Johnson at 406-994-6796 or e-mail familybusiness@montana.edu.

The Montana Family Business program is in its 19th year. The MSU College of Business and State Farm Insurance, in honor of Robert Jaedicke, host the program. Stockman Bank underwrote the awards, with additional support for the program provided by the Montana Chamber of Commerce.

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College of Business students will have a number of recruitment opportunities spanning all areas of business this fall. Listed below are some key events:

Meet the Accounting Recruiters
Thursday, September 20 from 5:30-7:30 PM at the Stadium Club (football stadium), 3rd Floor
Businesses and accounting firms from around the nation gather together to meet with CoB students. Students will find the experience rewarding and beneficial for their future job pursuits. *Business Professional/Casual Required.

Etiquette Dinner
Tuesday, October 9 from 6:00-8:30 PM, Best Western GranTree Inn
For more information please see the Career Services website. www.montana.edu/careers. *Freshmen can get Champchange points. www.champchange.com

Meet the Recruiters
Wednesday, October 10 from 5:00-6:30 PM at the Stadium Club (football stadium), 3rd Floor
Businesses from around the nation gather together to meet with CoB students. Students will find the experience rewarding and beneficial for their future job pursuits. *Business Professional/Casual Required.

MSU Career Fair
Thursday, October 11 from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM in the Strand Union Building (SUB) Ballrooms.
www.montana.edu/careers *Freshmen can get Champchange points.

For the entire list of recruiting events, please click here. For more information or questions, please stop by the Bracken Center, Reid Hall 457 or contact Linda Ward, lward@montana.edu, 406-994-1995.

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