Faculty and Staff Recognition

Mr. Commissioner

David Woolstenhulme, Huntsman School faculty member and the USU Vice President of Statewide Campuses, was named as the Interim Commissioner of Higher Education for the State of Utah. In noting the appointment, Harris H. Simmons, Chair of the Board of Regents, stated, “The Board and the Utah System of Higher Education are fortunate that Dr. Woolstenhulme is willing to step into the role of interim commissioner. He is a respected academic administrator with a strong commitment to students, and his deep understanding of postsecondary education governance in Utah will serve the Board well during this time of transition.”

Teacher of the Year

Dr. Devon Erickson
School of Accountancy

Researcher of the Year

Dr. Matt Jaremski
Economics & Finance

Faculty Service Award

Dr. Bob Mills
Management Information Systems

Graduate Mentor of the Year

Dr. Chris Hartwell
Management

Undergraduate Faculty Mentor of the Year

Polly Conrad
Management Information Systems

Employee of the Year

Elisa Hoffman
Business Services

With gratitude and appreciation, we say farewell to our Huntsman School friends and colleagues as they move on to the next chapters in their lives.

Suzette Alder
Management

"Suzette touched the lives of hundreds of faculty and thousands of students during her 40 years at the Huntsman School. She will always be remembered for her attention to detail and selfless concern for others. She was often the first to arrive and the last to leave the building when something needed to be done or someone needed help. She always found the way to overcome seemingly impossible problems. Suzette’s warm smile and cheery personality will be missed."

— Jim Davis, Department Head, Marketing and Strategy

Barbara Baird
Student Advising

"Barbara advised Business Administration, Marketing, and International Business majors in the Huntsman School for nine years. She believed the joy of advising was the on-on-one relationship with students. Barbara was paramount in the development of an advising structure that assisted students at State-Wide campuses, and she built strong relationships with advising colleagues across the state."

— Ruth Loveland, Director, FJM Center for Student Success

Guy Ballard
Data Scientist

"Originally hired to help with the Huntsman School’s assessment and accreditation reporting, Guy Ballard not only helped the School through two rounds of accreditation cycles, but created a comprehensive CRM database from scratch, adding immeasurably to data-based decision making and forecasting. His rational and clear thinking and helpful attitude made him a favorite colleague."

­— Dave Patel, Associate Dean

Kenneth Bartkus
Marketing

"Ken is responsible for introducing the Huntsman School’s motto, “Dare Mighty Things”. He was passionate about undergraduate education and cared deeply for the individual students and his faculty colleagues. Examples of Ken’s legacy at Utah State are the Hospitality and Tourism minor currently offered in the Management Department and the numerous undergraduate student research presentations and publications he mentored."

— Jim Davis, Department Head, Marketing and Strategy

Ronda Callister
Management

"Professor Ronda Callister recently retired after more than 20 years in the Huntsman school. Ronda established a reputation as a caring, supportive teacher and mentor, regularly teaching international management and negotiation, and serving as an advisor or committee member for almost 20 graduate student committees or honors capstone projects. Her research focused on anger and conflict in organizations and also led to her serving as Principal Investigator on a $3M National Science Foundation grant that examined the career progression challenges of female faculty in STEM disciplines."

— Vijay Kannan, Department Head, Management

Jeffrey Doyle
Accounting

"Few faculty have had the impact that Dr. Jef Doyle has had on the School of Accountancy. A master teacher and researcher, with a candid comedic style, Jef inspired each of us to strive for excellence in all that we do. Jef set the bar high and expected all around him to do the same. He always understated his excellence. Few can say they are like Jef, but we all wanted to be."

— Chris Skousen, Department Head, School of Accountancy

Donette Sorenson
China Program

"Donette Sorenson was a superb employee of the Huntsman School. She managed the financial and academic details of our China program for a number of years. Although her job was complex, her incomparable organizational skills, attention to detail, and love of the program created a highly professional and delightful work environment. We hope her retirement years are filled with joy."

— Frank Caliendo, Department Head, Economics & Finance

Alan Stephens
Finance

"Alan Stephens taught 4 decades of business students in the Huntsman School. Alan specialized in corporate finance, investments, and real estate. As an instructor, Alan was organized, highly knowledgeable, and very demanding. Students had to work hard for a good grade, but they always knew they were in the hands of a real master. We know that Alan will find retirement a rewarding adventure."

— Frank Caliendo, Department Head, Economics & Finance

Bonnie Villarreal
Accounting

"Over the past 9 years Bonnie has been a visible difference maker for students and community members as an instructor, Beta Alpha Psi advisor, mentor, and leader with VITA. She has helped hundreds of students on the journey to success. In the words of former student Ana Gines, “Bonnie was the best mentor I could ever ask for.” I absolutely agree. She will be deeply missed."

— Chris Skousen, Department Head, School of Accountancy