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Dividend The official online magazine of the Carson College of Business

March 2020 – New Hires

Erin Abbott (’18 Soc. Sci.) is the online MBA admissions coordinator in the Office of Graduate and Online Programs. She previously worked as an administrative assistant in the WSU Access Center. In her free time, Abbott enjoys watching football and spending time with her dogs, friends, and family.
Amber Butcherite is the assistant to the dean’s office. She has previously worked for the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication and Facilities Services. Born and raised in Pullman, Butcherite is a third-generation WSU employee. She has three children with her husband, Chef de Cuisine Jason Butcherite, who also works for the Carson College of Business. She loves spending her time with family, friends, and her golden retriever, Penny. She also enjoys working out, strength training, and being spoiled with a home cooked meal by her husband.
Andrew Gepford is an academic advisor in the Carson Center for Student Success. He previously worked as an athletic trainer for WSU for eight years. Before coming to WSU, he was an athletic trainer at University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, for three years. He earned his master’s degree from Morehead State University in health and wellness promotion and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Idaho in athletic training.
Bob Harrington (’96 MBA, ’01 PhD Strat. Mgmt.) is the new director for the School of Hospitality Business Management. He also will assume the Ivar B. Haglund Chair in Hospitality Business Management.
Lindsey Hobbs is the new student engagement and scholarship coordinator for the Carson Center for Student Success. She graduated from Boise State in 2018 with a bachelor’s in science degree in psychology. Previously, Hobbs worked at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and Boise State University advising, coordinating schedules, and working in student enhancement and community outreach.
Bradley Leach has joined the Office of Technology as a video producer. A native of Moscow, Idaho, he attended the University of Idaho before pursuing his bachelor’s degree in film studies at the American University of Paris. While living in France, Leach worked in the fashion and digital media industry for various magazines, bloggers, and personalities including Culture Keeper, Crash, JUAN Studios from Colombia, Mira Mikati, and Sandqvist Bags. In 2018, he returned to the United States where he worked in freelance videography and served as a media consultant for his family’s business before joining the Carson College. When not busy with his passion for videography, Leach enjoys creating music, directing short films, conducting creative photo shoots, and writing screenplays.
Aimee Tejeda Lunn is the new industry connection coordinator for the Carson Center for Student Success. She grew up on the East Coast, where she received her master’s degree from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. She has extensive experience in youth development, nonprofit programming, and event coordination. In her free time, Tejeda Lunn enjoys singing, teaching Zumba, and working on creative projects.
Laurie Marcum (’19 Psych.) is the credentials evaluator for the Office of Graduate and Online Programs. She is a first-generation college graduate. Marcum lives in Pullman with her husband and three children. A Pacific Northwest native, she enjoys spending her free time hiking, snowshoeing, and kayaking.
Nancy Swanger has been named the founding director of the Granger Cobb Institute for Senior Living.

March 2020 – Research & Popular Press

“Around 43% of Consumers Prefer In-store Shopping: WSU survey“

Joan Giese’s insights about the 2019 holiday shopping season and the college’s third annual holiday retail survey were quoted in the November 22, 2019, issue of Retail Insight Network and a number of other national and regional publications. Those articles included:

“Retailers Ready for Black Friday Rush in Clark County,” November 26, 2019, by the Columbian.

“Annual WSU Holiday Shopping Survey Finds Pacific Northwesterners Prefer Brick-and-Mortar Stores,” November 27, 2019, by Pullman Radio.

“Spokane-area Shoppers Mirror a Regional Tendency Toward Holiday-Spending Frugality, Research Shows,” November 28, 2019, by the Spokesman-Review.

“Despite Challenges, Holiday Season Provides Opportunity for Retailers,” November 29, 2019, by the Yakima Herald Republic.

Giese is a clinical associate professor in the Department of Marketing and International Business.

“WSU researcher: Marketing Leads to Vaping“

Research by Elizabeth Howlett, professor in the Department of Marketing and International Business, was the focus of a December 24, 2019, story by Scott Jackson, “WSU researcher: Marketing Leads to Vaping,” which appeared in both the Moscow-Pullman Daily News and the Spokesman-Review. Howlett says controlling marketing and messaging will be key in curbing a new tobacco-use epidemic.

“Game Changer“

Kahlil Philander, assistant professor in the School of Hospitality Business Management, researched Singapore’s “pay to play” gaming strategy aimed at preventing gaming disorders. He suggests the entry fees are more likely to create more harm than benefits, because only the most price sensitive customers will change their visit frequency. Philander’s commentary is included in Muhammad Cohen’s article, “Game Changer,” published in the January 27, 2020, issue of Inside Asian Gaming.

“Solving Senior Living’s Staffing Challenge“

Nancy Swanger, associate dean and founding director of the Granger Cobb Institute for Senior Living, was quoted in John Stearn’s January 22, 2020, article “Solving Senior Living’s Staffing Challenge” published in 425Business. Stearn’s article discussed how universities are stepping up with programs to meet upcoming demand for managers in the senior-living industry.

“Flirting With Your Coworkers is Actually a Good Thing, According to This Study“

Research from Leah Sheppard, associate professor in the Department of Management, Information Systems, and Entrepreneurship, was featured in Kyle Schnitzer’s January 31, 2020, article “Flirting with Your Coworkers is Actually a Good Thing, According to This Study,” published in Ladders. Sheppard’s research found that casual flirting is relatively harmless and can even reduce stress and help other issues such as insomnia from workplace injustice. The research received widespread media attention, including:

“Office flirting cuts stress, makes co-worker feel powerful,” December 24, 2019, International Business Times.

“Flirting at work could help employees feel less stressed, new study suggests,” December 20, 2019, Market Watch.

“Flirting with colleagues may reduce workplace stress—study,” December 19, 2019, Inquirer.net

“Flirting With Coworkers May Reduce Your Office Stress,” December 18, 2019, MSN.

“Feeling stressed? Flirt with a coworker! Study finds harmless banter among peers improves your self-image – but has the opposite effect with a superior,” December 16, 2019, Daily Mail.