Fogelman Professors Tapped for Pinnacle Executive Training

Five professors in the areas of Accountancy and Finance are leading a team of executives at Memphis-based Pinnacle Airlines through a customized executive training course. The intense, three-week course began Sept. 14 at the Fogelman College of Business & Economics.

Leading the training are Dr. Carolyn M. Callahan, Professor and Director of Accountancy; Dr. David Spiceland, Professor of Accountancy; Charlene Spiceland, Instructor of Accountancy; Dr. Pankaj K. Jain, Associate Professor of Finance; and Dr. Ronald W. Spahr, Professor of Finance. Associate Dean Dr. Jasbir Dhaliwal and other Fogelman staff members are also involved in the effort.

The Pinnacle training course is part of a larger initiative by the Fogelman College of Business & Economics to provide support and outreach for the greater Memphis business community, said Dr. Pankaj K. Jain. “We are developing executive programs for other corporations, as well,” Jain said. “We want people to know they can come to the Fogelman College of Business & Economics for their training needs.”

Other companies and organizations the college has worked with so far include FedEx, the MidSouth Minority Business Council, Danceworks Inc., Financial Planners Association of Memphis, CFA Society of Memphis. On a national and international level, the college has worked with the Department of Defense, the New York Stock Exchange, the National Stock Exchange, CFA Institute, Nomura Japan, Bailian Group China and Google Inc.

Training is customized based on the individual client. In Pinnacle’s case, the Fogelman team is working with executives who have been with the company for roughly three to 10 years; participants are reviewing case materials and analyzing different financial scenarios relevant to the airline industry. “Participating executives will be those who are looking to take on more responsibilities within the company,” Jain said. ““We will provide information that the executives can take back and use in making corporate decisions.”