My mission in life is to serve as a bridge between higher education and the practice of business administration, management and strategy. It is my passion to bring this connection to students, professional educators as well as entrepreneurs and managers.
I have had extensive experience as a business owner and executive of our 50 + year old family business, Straub International, Inc. After completing the successful sale of our multi-generational family business, I plan to finish the rest of my career in the academic sector as an Associate Professor of Management at Newman University.
During my 37 year tenure at Straub International, I was the company Chief Financial Officer for 5 years and Chief Executive Officer and Board of Directors Chairman for 23 years. During that tenure our team grew the company into a $100 + million business with seven locations and 150employees. In that time I gained extensive experience with multi-location as well as multi-generation management models, acquisitions, mergers and ultimately divestitures(with the sale of our business).
During that same 30+ year period I taught in an adjunct capacity at the community college, small college, and university levels, teaching for Barton Community College, Kansas Wesleyan University, Friends University, Wichita State University, Southern New Hampshire University and now Newman University. I have loved teaching traditional and non-traditional students throughout this time, gaining valuable lessons and experiences from each setting and class taught.
Recently I have also been fortunate to teach two of the eight sessions in the Growing Rural Businesses program with Wichita State University (Barton School of Business). This program delivers seminar sessions teaching comprehensive skills in entrepreneurial management to business leaders in multiple rural communities each year, providing invaluable education in this certificate program.
I am now proud to have a full time teaching position at Newman University School of Business as Associate Professor of Management. I look forward to working with the students at Newman at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Case Western Reserve University
Harvard Business School
Friends University
Fort Hays State University
Undergraduate
Masters of Business Administration
Doctor of Business Administration
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