Fogelman College of Business and Economics
Fogelman Features - November 2025
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Fogelman Focus ’25 is available
- Email signature updates required
- Dr. James Vardaman named SMA Fellow
- Dr. Mehdi Amini and partners received $450,000 funding from National Science Foundation (NSF)
- Dr. Kristen Jones named Associate Editor at Journal of Management
- Dianne Moody is soon-to-be a great-grandmother
- Beta Alpha Psi recognized as a “Silver Chapter”
- Dr. Kurt Kraiger is a co-PI on NSF grant
- Felicia Roddy-Jackson received a Tiger Spotlight
- Dr. Sana Ahmed presented paper at annual Euromed Academy of Business Conference
- Dr. Mark Gillenson presented at STARWEST Conference
fogelman focus ’25 is available
In this issue of the Fogelman Focus, we highlight the unique and dynamic partnership between the City of Memphis and the Fogelman College of Business and Economics. Delve in to learn more about how our classrooms and community intersect. Also in this edition, we feature local entrepreneur Bartholomew Jones of Cxffeeblack, stellar business student athlete Madison Roberts and professor emeritus Dr. Brian Janz. Discover how MemphIS BUSINESS.
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dr. james vardaman named sma fellow
Dr. James Vardaman, Chair of Excellence in Free Enterprise and professor of Management, was named a Southern Management Association (SMA) Fellow. The SMA Fellows program was established in 1989 to recognize individuals who have made notable contributions to the field of management. James was recognized for his distinguished record of scholarship that includes more than 50 peer-reviewed journal articles and a published book, as well as his service on the SMA Board of Governors and Executive Leadership Team.
Dr. James Vardaman
dr. mehdi amini and partners received $450,000 funding from national science foundation
(nsf)
Dr. Mehdi Amini, professor of Supply Chain Management and Analytics, one of the Co-PIs of a multi-institute, multi-year and multi-discipline NSF research grant and a member of the leadership of the Center for Electrified and Automated Trucking (CEAT), received an installment of $450,000 funding for a three-year period. The NSF funding is matched by CEAT’s industry partners. CEAT is an NSF Industry-University Cooperation Research Center (IUCRC). The CEAT research partners include industry collaborators, faculty and students from the University of Memphis, University of Indiana and Purdue University. The academic research partners have been focusing on a host of collaborative research projects with industry partners related to the topics of electrification, automation and human elements in transportation and more specifically in trucking.
dr. kristen jones named associate editor at journal of management
Kristen Jones, Robert Wang Chair of Excellence and associate professor of Management, was recently appointed an Associate Editor on the incoming editorial team at Journal of Management (JOM). JOM is listed on the Financial Times 50, the TAMUGA productivity rankings and is considered a preeminent A+ journal in FCBE’s Department of Management.
Dr. Kristen Jones
dianne moody is soon-to-be a great-grandmother
Our business officer, Dianne Moody, and her husband, Raymond, are going to be the
proud great-grandparents to a baby girl, expected March 2026. “We never thought beyond
having grandchildren,” said Dianne. “We feel extremely blessed to be a part of this
exciting and joyous family milestone.” Congratulations, Dianne!
beta alpha psi recognized as a “silver chapter”
Our Accounting student organization, Beta Alpha Psi, was recently awarded the international recognition as a “Silver Chapter,” an accomplishment earned by excelling in the areas of academics, professionalism and ethical leadership during the 2024-2025 academic year. Congratulations to Drs. Rita Green, associate professor of teaching, and Jim Lukawitz, associate professor, on their dedicated stewardship as co-faculty advisors of the Gamma Chi Chapter.
“During the 2025-2026 academic year, the Gamma Chi Chapter of Beta Alpha Psi and their leaders are committed to the mission of this renowned and esteemed organization,” said Dr. Karen Weddle-West, interim director of CSOA. “We are confident that the accomplishments of our students will exceed those presented in 2024-2025. Essentially, we are thrilled that achieving the Silver Chapter Status of the Gamma Chi Chapter at the University of Memphis is a source of great pride for Beta Alpha Psi and emblematic of the high-quality programs, faculty, staff and students in the Crews School of Accountancy.”
Dr. Rita Green
Dr. Jim Lukawitz
dr. kurt kraiger is a co-pi on nsf grant
Kurt Kraiger is a co-PI on an NSF grant awarded to Dr. Amy Curry in the Herff College of Engineering. The grant is entitled "Impact and Mediating Mechanisms of a Co-Curricular Community-Based Professional Mentoring Program on Undergraduate Engineering Student Persistence and Career Readiness" and is funded for $399,787 over three years.
Dr. Kurt Kraiger
felicia roddy-jackson received a tiger spotlight
Felicia Roddy-Jackson, FCBE Recruitment and Scholarship coordinator, was the receipt recipient of a Tiger Spotlight. Tiger Spotlights are presented to faculty and staff members who demonstrate exceptional service to the university. Felicia was nominated for this spotlight by Kimberly Grantham, vice president of Philanthropy in the Office of University Advancement.
“Felicia sets the standard for excellence in scholarship coordination. Here dedication
ensures that every scholarship dollar is used effectively. She goes above and beyond
to help every student succeed—whether that means guiding them through the application
process, matching them with the right award or celebrating their achievements. Her
care and attention to detail makes a lasting difference,” said Grantham.
Felicia Roddy-Jackson dr. sana ahmed presented paper at annual euromed academy of business conference
Dr. Sana Ahmed, assistant professor of Teaching in the Department of Management, together with her co-authors recently presented their research paper titled "Employees’ OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) and Its Impact on Organizational Outcomes" at the 18th Annual Euromed Academy of Business Conference, “Exploring New Horizons in Business and Management,” in Porto, Portugal. The authors will be submitting this research for publication soon.
Dr. Sana Ahmed
dr. mark gillenson presented at starwest conference
Dr. Mark L. Gillenson of the FCBE's MIS Department presented a paper, Benchmarking Software Test Cases Produced by Generative AI, at the STARWEST Software Testing Conference in Anaheim, CA. This project, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was an effort of the Systems Testing Excellence Program (STEP), a unit of the UofM's FedEx Institute of Technology (FIT). Collaborators on the project were Dr. Ankur Arora and Dr. Pavan Mulgund. STARWEST is an industrial conference, and Mark was one of only two speakers from an academic institution (the other was from Purdue University). This acceptance and presentation demonstrates the practical value to business of work being done by FCBE faculty.
Dr. Mark Gillenson