PAMPLIN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS BLOG

A few years ago, Max decided that there was a better way to bring the community to business, and business to community.  He worked with a coworker who was also a veteran and started a group called “Get Hired in Tech”.  This started in a small coffee shop working with veterans and the public creating a space to work on resumes and to give job search tips.  In the first year of the group, it gained 500 members.  In the second year, the group has continued to grow and is approaching 1000 members.  This made it the fastest growing job search groups in the region and one of the fastest growing networking groups in the country according to meetup.com.  The group was re-branded “Get Hired (Tech & Healthcare) and has eight different meetings per month in the tech and healthcare sectors.  This consists of four coffee groups, two in Portland, two in Vancouver, every other week meetings and keynote speakers in Vancouver, a West Portland event with a keynote speaker once per month held at the University of Portland West Campus, and a healthcare meetup that happens once per month in Vancouver, WA.  These groups are for people of all skill levels looking at a career in tech, healthcare and business or anyone interested in their job search. You can find additional information at https://www.meetup.com/Get-Hired-in-Tech-and-Healthcare/ or contact Max through LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-crismon/.  

Max Crismon is a United States Navy Veteran who lives in Vancouver, WA with his family.  He is a very active community member working with universities in the area promoting job growth.  After the Navy, Max went to school and studied communication and psychology.  This lead him into the staffing and recruiting industry where for the past 10 years, he has helped 1000’s of people find gainful employment.  Max loves working with veteran groups and student veterans who are focused on their career after the military or during the military transition.  He does career education seminars, motivational speaking as well as running a networking group solely based around helping job seekers connect with the community.

 

How has earning an MBA helped you?
After working in several industries, in 1978, it was time to seek out a new work adventure.  Because new federal government laws were requiring large businesses to hire women into non-traditional management positions, and because I was working on an MBA, I was hired as a supervisor in a Crown Zellerbach sawmill operation and began learning about the forest products industry.

Over 20 years later, after many management positions, I was appointed to General Manager at a large Collins Pine Corp. hardwood operation located in Pennsylvania, headquartered in Portland.

The education I received at the University of Portland was tapped in many ways while in this position.  I had several managers reporting to me who were very experienced in the industry but very few had college degrees.  I used MBA-learned project management layouts to show a manager how to look at the project we were proposing so I could properly write up and request capital at board meetings.  For example, a project may entail changing the manufacturing flow in the lumber dimension conversion part of the business, thus affecting resources, personnel, fund flows, etc. 

It was heartfelt to know my education at the U of P could be transferred to these production leaders.  In addition, I was able to communicate with the executives involved in running the business such as financial, resource, and sales executives.

What are you doing now as a UP Pamplin Alumni?
Having the degree gave me the credibility and supportive inspiration to lead non-profit organizations and help in the community.  I currently chair a committee at church that reviews and recommends grants for causes that are in support of the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy.  A couple of grantee examples are Friends of Hospice, SW WA and Compassion Connect.

Read article on Connie Grenz:
The DailyPress.com “Kane Hardwood manager addresses Women in Timber”      

Prior to arriving at UP, Kay Molkentin was the director of the Center for Integrated Entrepreneurship at Hiram College in Ohio, where she managed the administrative and co-curricular activities of the center and academic program. Additionally, Kay taught several courses including: Creativity, Innovation and the Entrepreneurial Mindset; Entrepreneurial Process; Entrepreneurship and the Studio Arts; Fireside Chat Seminar; Social Entrepreneurship; Enterprise Development; Start Up Communities: A Comparison of Entrepreneurial Ecosystems; and a first-year seminar course. She has expertise in idea development, innovation, marketing, social enterprise, entrepreneurial ecosystems, networking and cross-disciplinary integration of entrepreneurial practice. She has presented on a variety of topics and published articles on Building and Maintaining a Regional Inter-University Ecosystem for Entrepreneurship. Kay also has 20 years development/fundraising experience.

Q&A with Kay

What are you teaching?

Teaching ENT480:Creating a World Class Venture (Fall) & ENT481: Entrepreneur Apprenticeship (Spring)

What NEW things are you planning for UP Pamplin?

1) To grow the E-Scholars Program to engage more students from non-business majors; 2) and to provide faculty across the University with resources/activities to infuse entrepreneurial thinking in their courses; and 3) make UP the premier school for entrepreneurship in the Pacific Northwest.

Why should students take your class?

Entrepreneurship is more than just starting a business, it is about developing a certain way of thinking (the entrepreneurial mindset) — it is about the way in which you approach challenges and mistakes. As an E-Scholar, students will begin to develop this mindset, be challenged to dig deeper and try again and again, improve their skills and develop new ones that will change their life, the lives of others, their community, and even the world…one idea at a time.

Professor Chris Dunnaville came to the University of Portland in 2014, after 30 years as a financial executive. He is currently a valued member of the Pamplin School of Business finance faculty and the Organ Banker’s Fellow. Previously, the University’s financial literacy offerings were limited to one personal finance class. Since, the offerings have expanded to a Smart Money class, personal finance for non-business majors, an advanced financial planning and counseling course, and revised personal finance curriculum. Additionally, the University’s Cash Flow Club hosts monthly meetings, a 3-week campus-wide investing competition called The Challenge, and a Smart Money Day during April, Financial Literacy Month. Smart Money Day is a series of workshops on student loans, invest, real estate, budgeting, and more. The day concludes with a celebratory dinner featuring a keynote speaker and an awards ceremony for The Challenge winners. The University of Portland’s Cash Flow Club was founded by Professor Dunnaville, who sought to empower students with Financial Education provide them tools and skills to make good financial decisions. The Cash Flow Club wants students to graduate with the ability to financial care for themselves, families, and communities and have financially successful lives after graduation. During the 2018-2019 school year, the club piloted a community service project that involved University students teaching high school students at local De La Salle High School financial literacy concepts. The club plans to expand this program to additional high schools during the upcoming school year. The University will soon be offering an accredited financial counseling designation to students who complete 6 credit hours of personal finance, 600-1000 hours of service, and pass a standardized exam. Additionally, the University will be using it’s recent grant from the Oregon Bankers Association to support and grow it’s financial literacy offerings.