Latest News: February 2006

Smeal Alumnus Chronicles Final Days Of His Life

A new book by Eugene O'Kelly, former CEO of KPMG and Smeal College of Business alumnus, details the last 100 days of his life, from the time he was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in the spring of 2005 until his death on Sept. 10. In Chasing Daylight: How My Forthcoming Death Transformed My Life, co-written with his wife, Corinne O'Kelly, and author Andrew Postman, O'Kelly confronts his fate with same ethic that led him to success in business.

Smeal Profs Weigh In On UAE-U.S. Ports Controversy

Two Smeal professors, an expert in shipping and ports and an expert in international business, recently weighed in on the controversy surrounding the Bush Administration's decision to allow a United Arab Emirates company to take over operations of six U.S. shipping ports.

Student Business Groups Top Fund-Raisers At THON

Two student organizations associated with the Smeal College of Business topped the list of independent-organization fund-raisers at this year's Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON). For the 16th straight year, Penn State's chapter of Phi Gamma Nu, a co-ed national business fraternity, had the highest fund-raising total among independent organizations.

Goldberg To Receive First Annual Public-Interest Marketing Award

Marvin Goldberg, chair of the Department of Marketing at Penn State's Smeal College of Business, has been selected as the first recipient of the annual "Richard Pollay Prize for Intellectual Excellence in the Study of Marketing in the Public Interest" from the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia.

Smeal, IST, Gartner Collaborate For Business-Technology Program

Penn State Executive Programs, part of the Smeal College of Business, is partnering with Gartner and Penn State's College of Information Sciences and Technology to host an executive education program designed to assist information technology executives and senior managers in creating and maintaining an IT infrastructure that better serves enterprise-wide business needs.

Smeal Students Comprise Nearly 20 Percent Of THON Dancers

More than 130 Smeal College of Business students will be among the nearly 700 Penn State students spending 48 consecutive hours this weekend dancing in the annual Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon. THON, as the event is known around campus, is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world.

Leading Manufacturers Gather At Smeal To Share Best Practices

The 59th meeting of the Advanced Manufacturing Forum will convene next month at Penn State with representatives from Bridgestone Firestone, Dana Corporation, EGS Electrical Group, and General Cable offering insight into their companies' experiences streamlining production and office processes.

Professor: Rendell's Tax Plan A Step Forward

Gov. Ed Rendell's 2006-2007 state budget, which he introduced on Feb. 8 to the Legislature, includes several tax measures designed to promote enterprise in Pennsylvania. Charles Enis, associate professor of accounting at Penn State's Smeal College of Business, says the governor's proposals are "a step in the right direction in signaling an improving business climate in the commonwealth."

Study: Consumers Distort Information To Support Their Preferences

A new report co-authored by Margaret Meloy, assistant professor of marketing at Penn State's Smeal College of Business, finds that the order in which people receive information about two similar products has a strong influence on their evaluation of those products.

Smeal Accounting Expert: Enron Defense Has A Chance

The trial of former Enron executives Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling, charged with nearly 40 counts of conspiracy and fraud, started this week in Houston. J. Edward Ketz, associate professor of accounting at Penn State's Smeal College of Business, says the defense could win the trial, but "let's hope the prosecutors are able expose the untruths in the strategy and convince the jury."

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