Collins College of Business Magazine

2 4 T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F T U L S A B U S I N E S S M A G A Z I N E News Faculty & Staff The Collins College of Business is introducing two new sport management program options this fall: a minor in sport manage- ment and a new sport management specialization within the management major. The sport management specialization and minor will qualify graduates to work in virtually any aspect of the professional sport industry or university sport programs. Adrien Bouchet, Warren Clinic Associate Professor of Sport Management, says student feedback showed a strong demand for this type of program. "We've had a sport administration certificate for five years, and it's had a tremendous response," he said. "Our next step was to develop a specialized sport management major and a minor in sport management that is open to all business students, regardless of major." Bouchet's professional and academic background uniquely positions him to lead the new program. He worked in the sports industry for 15 years, managing marketing partnerships for the Florida Marlins and Miami Dolphins. He also served as senior director of team league and venue services for the sports marketing firm SFX. Bouchet holds a doctorate from Texas A&M University, where he was an assistant professor for five years. ■ Sport management specialization introduced A pplied Professor of MIS Steve Platner retired in July after six years at TU. Following a 40-year technology career that encompassed applications, development and support work for companies in a number of industries, he started teaching in the Collins College of Business as an adjunct assisting Professor Mike McCrary with an introduc - tory MIS course and later signed on as an applied professor. In addition to the entry-level courses, Platner also taught the MIS senior project class for the past four years — a highlight of his time at TU. He worked with local nonprofit agencies to identify projects his students could tackle in one semester. Organizations that have benefited from the partnership include the Tulsa Area United Way, Assistance League of Tulsa, Crosstown Learning Center, Youth Services of Tulsa and Youth Services of Creek County. "Youth Services of Tulsa provides Christmas presents for adolescents they serve," Platner explains. "Our students designed an application that matched the clients' wish lists with donor contributions." When asked what he will miss most about teaching, Platner doesn't hesitate in his response: "Being around the students." He is also quick to acknowledge his colleagues in the School of Accounting and MIS. "These professors are all fantastic people and very supportive." He'll continue teaching — albeit a younger audience — as a Reading Partners volunteer. "I'll substitute first- and second-graders for college kids," he quips. With grandchildren in Charleston, S.C., and overseas in England, he and his wife also anticipate a lot more travel in their future. And don't expect Platner to completely eschew the technology career he spent decades building. "I plan on learning some of the new program - ming languages and technologies that I haven't had hands-on experience with," he said. ■ Steve Platner retires Tim Hart, (JD ʼ02) PhD, CPA joins TU as the newest faculty member in the Department of Management and Marketing. Hart, whose professional background includes accounting and law, will teach strategic management courses beginning in the fall. Hart recounts that he's always been interested in how businesses work; in particular, why some companies do well while others don't. On the advice of his undergraduate advisers at Oral Roberts Univer - sity, he majored in accounting to learn the "language of business." He started his career with Tax and Accounting Software Corporation (TAASC) in Tulsa as a tax support consultant and supervisor providing helpdesk phone support for CPAs. After about a year working at TAASC, Hart decided to return to school and debated whether to pursue an MBA or a law degree. "A lot of my friends were getting MBAs, but I wanted something different. I chose to go to law school at TU and just loved it." Hart practiced corporate and transactional law for three years before concluding that something was lacking. "I missed the creative component," he explains. New Faculty Profile: Tim Hart A skills analysis helped reveal a potential career path, which proved eye opening for Hart. "I realized that what I loved most was researching, teaching and mentoring." At age 30, he started his third career, this time as a doctoral student at the University of Oklahoma. He spent four years in Norman before landing a position at Okla- homa State University in Stillwater, commuting back and forth from his home in Jenks. Three years later, he transferred to OSU's Tulsa campus. Despite the shorter commute, he missed the atmosphere and energy of a residential campus. "When the opening came up at TU, I jumped all over it," he says. "I know the quality of the school, the faculty and the students. I feel comfortable with the dynamics of the department – the professors share complementary research interests." Hart notes that he's especially looking forward to once again being part of a residential university, both in terms of student activity as well as faculty research and collaboration. His current research focus is corporate social responsibility and sustainability. "I like the perspective that corporations don't exist to just make money; they also serve a larger purpose in the world." ■

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