Advice from Successful Business Leaders
The Dean’s Advisory Council (DAC) is an organization dedicated to helping the College of Business to be a top choice for business education among students and employers. DAC provides a link to individuals and organizations that possess the resources, knowledge, and contacts the College requires to achieve its mission. The Council is composed of business professionals chosen for their experience and expertise in leading businesses or public and nonprofit organizations and for their commitment to the College of Business.
Principally, the Dean’s Advisory Council has the following functions:
- Advise the College, through the Dean, on issues that have the most significant impact to the accomplishment of the College’s mission and strategy;
- Communicates and advocates for the College’s interests to external constituencies to raise its profile as a leading business educator, and to raise support and understanding of its goals;
- Provide an important link between business education within the College and practice within the business community to promote academic excellence and curriculum improvement;
- Suggest and identify opportunities for students to interact with businesses, public, and nonprofit organizations that will enhance their knowledge, provide internships, provide employment, or enrich their education through other experiential learning endeavors;
- Provide access to the business community for the Dean and our faculty;
- Assist in the promotion and recognition of the College and its students locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally;
- Provide advice and support to strengthen and enhance the financial resources of the College.
Current Members
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
Daniel Batten, '90
|
Dan Batten graduated from Michigan Technological University with an associate's
degree in mechanical design technology in 1988, followed by a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis on finance in 1990. He is a seasoned strategic business and technology executive with over 34 years of experience driving IT transformations for global organizations. Throughout his career, Batten has consistently demonstrated expertise in aligning technology solutions with business strategies, ensuring operational efficiency, fostering innovation, and enhancing customer engagement. Most recently serving as vice president and chief information officer at Ampacet, Batten has earned a reputation for leveraging cutting-edge technology to drive business growth, enhance customer engagement, reduce costs, and deliver visible ROI. His extensive expertise spans ERP systems, business process reengineering, digital IT strategies, Industry 4.0, cybersecurity, cloud computing, AI integration, and cross-functional team leadership. Batten’s leadership style is rooted in collaboration, with a firm belief that business success is achieved through teamwork. |
David Bernard, '74Former VP for Taxes and Real Estate, Kimberly Clark, Oshkosh, Wisconsin |
After receiving a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Michigan Tech, Bernard began an illustrious career at Kimberly Clark in 1974. After earning an MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh while continuing his work, and moving around within the tax department, he retired as the VP for Taxes and Real Estate. Bernard has served on Michigan Tech's College of Business National Advisory Board and currently sits on the Dean’s Advisory Council. |
David Brule Sr., '72President/CEO, Northern Star Industries, Inc. |
Following the completion of his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Michigan Tech, Brule joined M.J. Electric as a project engineer and advanced from there. In 1991, he became the CEO and continued as president of the company after Exelon Infrastructure Services, Inc. acquired it in 2000. Eventually the company name was changed to Northern Star Industries. The company now employs 450+ workers with 350,000 square feet of manufacturing warehouse space and a 90-acre campus for the Boss Snowplow and Systems Control facilities. Brule is a lifelong member of the Michigan Tech Alumni Association and was elected to the University's Electrical Engineering Academy in 1996. He also served on the Board of Trustees from 2001-2009 as appointed by Governor Engler. |
John Calder, '67CEO, Cincinnati Controls, Inc. |
In 1976 Calder completed his master's in mechanical engineering a year after joining Dorsey-Alexander Inc. as a Manufacturing Representative. In 1980, he helped found Cincinnati Controls, where he is now CEO. The firm distributes microprocessors for motion control and human-machine interface. "If it moves, we monitor or control it. My job is more like a hobby than work," he added. Since graduating from Michigan Tech, Calder has made significant contributions to the success of the University through many committee appointments, the establishment of the Calder Systems and Controls Laboratory in Mechanical Engineering, and a planned gift for the Endowment of a Professor in Mechanical Engineering. |
Marie Cleveland, '82Retired, Worldwide Corporate Account Manager, FedEx |
As a worldwide corporate account manager for Federal Express, Marie Cleveland handles six major accounts and is responsible for bringing in over $50 million in sales each year. Cleveland has found a talent and a passion for a high level of client interaction. She became a regional recruiter for Roadway Package Systems (RPS) in 1988 and went on to hold various positions with the company. When FedEx purchased RPS in 2000, Cleveland was named a corporate account executive. A passionate Michigan Tech supporter and advocate, she has served on the Presidential Council of Alumnae, in various roles for the Alumni Association and gives regular presentations to students on campus. |
Joseph R. Dancy, '76
|
Upon completion of his BS in Metallurgical and Material Engineering from Michigan Tech, Joseph Dancy completed his MBA from the University of Michigan in 1978, and his Juris Doctorate from the School of Law at Oklahoma City University in 1983. Since 1993 Dancy has been an adjunct professor teaching Oil and Gas Environmental Law at the SMU School of Law and more recently at the SMU Cox School of Business. He has published two textbooks and numerous research articles. In addition to his academic commitments he also manages the LSGI Venture Fund, a private investment partnership that invests in small publicly traded companies. Dancy and the LSGI Advisors Inc. have been long-time supporters of Michigan Tech’s Applied Portfolio Management Program, with his serving on the Program’s Advisory Board since 2000. Dancy has been appointed by the Governor as a Texas delegate to the Interstate Oil and Gas Commission, and also serves on the Finance Committee of the Board of Directors of Arts Way Manufacturing, a public agricultural sector manufacturing firm in Iowa. |
Mary D. Mahaney, '82
President, Veridea Group
|
Mary has been a resident of Marquette for the past 25+ years and is a native of Bessemer. She graduated with honors from MTU College of Business, with an Accounting major in 1982. Mary is a certified public accountant, her first job was with Ernst and Young in Marquette, where primary clients were in banking and higher education, including Michigan Tech. She subsequently held accounting and controller positions in Arizona, Cleveland and Chicago, primarily in the health care sector, including with Blue Cross Blue Shield. Upon returning to Marquette in 1991 to start a family with her husband, Mary was employed at Marquette General Hospital. Mahaney is the co-founder and President of Veridea Group, a real estate development and management company. Veridea Group has completed over 75 projects valued at approximately $300 million. Veridea Group specializes in urban redevelopment, owns and operates hotels, commercial offices, residential and retail space. |
Shankar Mukherjee, '86
|
Mukherjee is president and CEO of Dhaani Systems Inc. of Cupertino, Calif., which he founded in 2008 to produce energy-saving technologies for electronic systems. In 2000, he founded TeraBlaze, a company that provided switch fabric subsystems and sold it four years later to Agere Systems. Previously, Mukherjee was an engineer and project leader with National Semiconductor and the vice president for engineering of LAN at Enable Semiconductor, a company that was acquired by Lucent. In the past, he joined the Dean's Advisory Council to support and guide the development of the College of Business |
Juli Musch, '87
CFO, Oatey Company
|
Juli Musch graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration from Michigan Tech in 1987 and earned her MBA from Wayne State University in 1993. She is the CFO of Oatey Company, a plumbing industry supplier. She has more than 30 years of finance experience in treasury, accounting, and investor-relations working at Fortune 500s, start-ups, and ESOP and privately-held companies. She is a member of the Presidential Council of Alumnae and actively supports foster youth in Oakland County, Michigan. She is married to an MTU alumnus and together they share two daughters and a son-in-law. |
Scott Pattullo, '81
|
Pattullo graduated from Michigan Technological University in 1981 with a degree in electrical engineering and then went on to earn an MBA from the Tuck School at Dartmouth College in 1983. After graduation, Scott held several marketing and management positions with companies that included General Motors, A.T. Kearney, the NutraSweet Company, and Sara Lee Corporation before joining Wheels Inc. in 1998. He served as Vice President of Marketing and General Manager of Four Wheels, a subsidiary, until 2001 when he was promoted to Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Wheels, Inc. Pattullo received Michigan Tech's Outstanding Young Alumnus Award in 1995, has been a Michigan Tech Fund Board Trustee since 1996 and a member of the Founders Society. |
Eric Roberts, '93
|
Eric Roberts graduated from Michigan Technological University in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. He later earned an MBA from DePaul’s Kellstadt School of Business. Eric has spent his entire career in technology – from engineering and product management to operations and executive management. Eric made the move to the non-profit sector in 2021 and is currently the Executive Director at 20Fathoms, a technology-based small business incubator in Traverse City, MI. Eric is married to an MTU alum, and together they have a college-age daughter who is studying at Michigan Tech. In his spare time, Eric enjoys participating in his favorite outdoor activities in beautiful Traverse City. |
John Rockwell, '79
|
Rockwell has more than 18 years of experience in venture capital investment, development of companies commercializing advanced material applications and over 23 years of financial investment experience. His primary areas of investment include advanced materials, energy storage, renewable energy, and supply chain management. While at Michigan Tech he served as a goalie for Husky hockey. In 2006 he was inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame and has served on the College of Business Dean's Advisory Council since 2009. |
Carrie Schaller, '87
Retired, Business Process Director, Dow, Inc.
|
Schaller has been with Dow for 25 years and is currently leading a team that is implementing the next generation of SAP-based tools and work processes for manufacturing. She is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt, and earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Michigan Tech. Schaller serves on the North American steering team for the Women's Innovation Network (WIN) at Dow. She resides in Midland, MI with her husband and three children. |
Paul Stinson, '84
Chief Growth Officer, Sunquest Information Systems |
Stinson is an accomplished, seasoned executive with 35 years of experience in the field of Healthcare Information Technology. He has delivered hundreds of global products and services to the healthcare community from conception to commercialization. After completing his bachelor's degree in business administration from Michigan Tech in 1984, Stinson went on to hold multiple VP and C-suite positions at leading healthcare IT companies, including Sunquest, Sage and MediQuest. As a key member of the senior leadership team at Sunquest, he has implemented AGILE development techniques to improve product time to market, and delivered order intake above expectations and quota for eight straight quarters. Stinson is currently a member of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, Product Development and Management Association and Dean's Advisory Council. |
Dr. Robert S. Tripp, ’66 ‘67
Senior Research Analyst, RAND Corporation |
Dr. Tripp has over thirty-five years of experience in the areas of military logistics systems design, development, management, and evaluation. At RAND Corporation since 1996, he currently leads projects that evaluate how support policy, practice, and technology options impact the effectiveness and efficiency of Air and Space Expeditionary Forces. He is the first recipient of the RAND Project Air Force Research Excellence Award. His education includes a Ph.D. in Business Administration with a concentration in business logistics from the University of Minnesota, MS in Business Administration, and BS in Metallurgical Engineering from Michigan Technological University. Dr. Tripp served in the Air Force and retired as a Colonel. During his Air Force career, he held several key logistics positions. After his military service he held corporate officer positions in industry. Further, Dr. Tripp has taught graduate and undergraduate courses in logistics, and management information systems at the Air Force Institute of Technology and was Chair of the Management Sciences and Management Information Systems Department at the University of New Mexico. In addition, he has served as a trustee for the Michigan Tech Fund and has been appointed to Michigan Tech President’s Council for Advancement. |
Rebecca Ufkes, '87
Former President/CEO - UEC Electronics |
Rebecca Ufkes received a Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Tech in ’87 followed by a Master’s in Business Administration from The Citadel in ’95. Rebecca was employed by Kaman Aerospace and Sikorsky Aircraft respectively, prior to co-founding UEC Electronics, an engineering and manufacturing firm located in Charleston, South Carolina. Rebecca was selected as the 2010 SBA South Carolina Small Business Person of the Year and was subsequently honored as a National Award Winner at the 2010 SBA National Small Business Week Conference in Washington, DC. Early 2012, Rebecca was recognized as a “Champion of Change” at the White House for Innovation and Manufacturing in the hybrid and renewable energy market. Rebecca is married to Philip Ufkes, a Michigan Tech ‘86 electrical engineering graduate. They have two grown children. |
Kevin Wampler, '86
Retired, CFO Dollar Tree, Inc.
|
Kevin has served as Chief Financial Officer of Dollar Tree Inc., since December of
2008. Prior to joining Dollar Tree, Kevin served as Chief Financial Officer of The
Finish Line, Inc., from October 2003 to November 2008. Kevin, a certified public
accountant, began his career at Ernst & Young after graduating from Michigan Technological
University in 1986. Kevin has served on the Indianapolis 500 Festival Board, as a trustee for the Norfolk Botanical Garden and as a Boy Scouts of America leader. Kevin and his wife Renee, a Northern Michigan graduate, reside in Virginia Beach. They have two adult children, Ashley and Zachary. In 2017 Kevin was inducted into the School of Business and Economics Academy of Business. |
Emeritus Members
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
Hugh Makens, '61
|
Graduating with honors from Michigan Tech in 1961 with a bachelor's degree in business administration, Makens has been involved in the securities industry for over 35 years as an attorney, regulator and advisor. He was a Director at the Michigan Corporation and Securities Bureau for the Michigan Department of Commerce (1972-1978) and was a Trial Attorney with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (1966-1972). For the past 24 years he has represented broker-dealers, investment advisors, issuers, regulatory authorities and industry professionals in conjunction with compliance with securities regulatory requirements, investigations and regulatory proceedings. He is chair of the firm's Broker-Dealer/Investment Advisers Practice Group. Most recently, he has served as an advisor and mentor to the Applied Portfolio Management Program, was inducted into the Academy of Business and Economics (1995) and served on the former SBE National Advisory Board. |
Ed Robinson, '66
|
Robinson was an honor graduate of Michigan Tech in 1966 with a bachelors degree in business administration. He began his career as a business consultant with Deloitte Haskins and Sells (now Deloitte and Touche) in Chicago. When he left the company in 1991, he was National Director of Transportation Services. Since then he has worked as a private financial and strategic business consultant to numerous companies within the transportation industry and serves on several corporate boards. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Minnesota Society of CPAs, the Governmental Accounting and Auditing Commission of Minnesota, and has many other professional affiliations. Robinson is a Michigan Tech Fund Life Trustee, having served on the Board of Trustees from 1985-1995. He was inducted into the MTU Business and Engineering Administration Academy in 1994. Having a strong commitment to the College of Business, he was Chair of the Tidwell Center Endowment Campaign. |