What's Happening @FAUbusiness

Nonprofit leadership is business leadership, just with a different bottom line. In this episode, Palm Beach County Food Bank CEO Jamie Kendall joins FAU's Eileen McBratnie Acello for an honest conversation about building teams, navigating social media, reaching people who need help but won't ask for it, and the one message she'd send to every marketing student: show up and give back.This episode was recorded and produced by the Marketing Department at Florida Atlantic University College of Business.Episode recorded on April 6, 2026 Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

In the latest episode of What’s Happening at FAU Business, Dean Gropper teams up with economics faculty experts Will Luther and Bryan Custinger to spotlight a landmark event that’s putting the College of Business on the national economic map.They preview what’s ahead for “Fed Policy Under Pressure”, a high-profile monetary policy conference featuring the renowned Shadow Open Market Committee (SOMC), a prestigious group of economists shaping the conversation on U.S. monetary policy, in partnership with the American Institute for Economic Research.By hosting this influential gathering, the College of Business is bringing the nation’s top economic minds straight to campus, giving attendees insider access to the debates, insights, and ideas driving the future of monetary policy. Episode Recorded January 9, 2026Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

In this episode, FAU hospitality professor JB Ward and branding strategist Larry Gulko sit down with Matthew Linderman, President, COO, and General Manager of Boca West Country Club, to explore hospitality through the lens of purpose and people. Linderman reflects on the early life experiences that shaped his service-driven leadership philosophy and shares how culture, connection, and purpose create exceptional member experiences, both at one of the world’s top private country clubs and across the broader hospitality industry.Episode recorded on November 14, 2025Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

This episode explores how creativity drives modern marketing and how universities and industry can prepare future-ready professionals. Bennie F. Johnson, CEO of the American Marketing Association, joins Dean Dan Gropper and Dr. Abi Guha to discuss AI as a creative co-pilot, the shift toward real-time learning, and the power of community in shaping the next era of marketing.Recorded on November 4, 2025Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

What makes a good supplier, and how do companies know? This episode follows Mary Jo Donald, an Executive PhD student, at the beginning of her research into aerospace supply chains. She explains how signaling theory, data silos, and real-world experience are shaping her study of supplier behavior and operational efficiency.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

In this episode, we sit down with three Executive PhD students from FAU Executive Education, Bernt Klein, Britta Kelley, and Danita DeHaney, to explore why experienced professionals choose to pursue a doctoral degree while actively leading in their industries.They share what motivated them to take on the challenge, how the program keeps them sharp and relevant, and how academic research is helping them elevate boardroom conversations, strategic decisions, and leadership impact.This isn’t just about earning a credential. It’s about integrating rigorous scholarship into real-world business practice.business.fau.edu | Ph.D. ProgramSupport the showBusiness.fau.edu

FAU’s William J. Luther and Amber Bonefont sit down to discuss the current state of inflation, how tariffs might affect the economy and the job market.business.fau.edu/podcastsSupport the showBusiness.fau.edu

FAU professors, Ethlyn Williams, Ph.D., and Michael Harari, Ph.D., discuss their recent study of self-leadership, a concept that allows employees to manage themselves without relying on supervisors.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

FAU's Melanie Lorenz and Paul Owers discuss how small businesses can survive economic downturns like COVID-19.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

FAU's Sofia Johan and Paul Owers discuss rising inflation and the threat it poses to consumers and economies.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

FAU's David Menachof and Paul Owers discuss supply chains and the pandemic's effect on them, plus a new master of science in Supply Chain Management offered by the college.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

FAU's Peter Ricci and Paul Owers discuss a revealing new survey of hospitality and tourism workers in the wake of COVID-19. Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

FAU's Steven Smith and Paul Owers discuss geopolitics and the College's new, three-day course designed to give working professionals an expertise in geopolitics, allowing them to better understand how global events affect an organization’s operations. Learn More >Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

FAU's Monica Escaleras and Paul Owers discuss how Floridians are feeling about the nation's economic recovery, the COVID-19 vaccine, and more. Read more >Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

Debuting our new 3Qs segment is FAU's Paul Owers (Director of Media Relations) and William Luther (Assistant Professor of Economics). They discuss the U.S. employment picture and the degree to which the COVID-19 vaccine rollout could impact it. Read more >Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

FAU Business improved its standing among top programs for entrepreneurship studies, according to the latest rankings from The Princeton Review. FAU jumped two spots to #37 among undergraduate programs and came in at #41 among the first-ever rankings of the top 50 graduate programs. More >Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

The Business and Economics Polling Initiative (BEPI) at Florida Atlantic University conducts surveys on business, economic, political, and social issues with main focus on Hispanic attitudes and opinions at regional, state and national levels.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

On this episode, we welcome back FAU's Jennifer Attonito, Ph.D. - an instructor and researcher in the Health Administration program, which is part of the larger Management Programs department at FAU Business. During the podcast, we discuss healthcare, the future of public health, and how the current pandemic might be causing changes in both sectors. (Recorded on June 17, 2020)Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

On this episode of the podcast, we spoke with Adi Devendra, an FAU student whose educational video game software, Polka Box, won first prize in the 12th annual Business Plan Competition held by FAU’s College of Business and the Adams Center for Entrepreneurship.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

Dr. Michael Crain, Director of FAU’s Center for Forensic Accounting, interviews FAU alumnus and adjunct instructor Rob Valdez who describes what advice he is giving to business and not-for-profit organization clients on how to lower their cybersecurity risks during and after the COVID-19 pandemic given remote workers and changing workflows.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

Online fraud scams are occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic as many people are stressed and distracted, and awareness is the first line of defense in protecting yourself from such online scams. FAU's Michael A. Crain, DBA, CPA, Director of the FAU Center for Forensic Accounting, guest-hosts the podcast in order to share more about protecting one's self from online fraud.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

In the spirit of the #FAUCares campaign, this podcast features FAU senior, Alyssa Rocha. A Health Science major and Health Administration minor - Alyssa, along with neighbors and community volunteers, is helping to create and donate filtered masks for first responders and essential workers as part of a new grassroots organization called Masks for Superheroes. Learn more about this organization by searching "Masks for Superheroes" on Facebook and Instagram.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

"Public Health Systems" is part 3 in our series of #PodHealth episodes about the Coronavirus. We're again joined by Dr. Jennifer Attonito, an instructor and researcher in FAU's Health Administration program, and in this third episode, we discuss public health systems and the challenges they are facing while trying to combat the Coronavirus. To recap, Dr. Attonito holds a doctorate in Public Health and has performed research on subject matter like the HIV virus. She has extensive training in epidemiology and disease prevention and is also on the curriculum committee for FAU's International Center for Emergency Management (ICEM).Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

"Social Distancing" is part 2 in our series of #PodHealth episodes about the Coronavirus. We're again joined by Dr. Jennifer Attonito, an instructor and researcher in FAU's Health Administration program, and we discuss the following - how to social distance correctly, how it's different than quarantining, and why some countries might be more successful at it than others. Dr. Attonito holds a doctorate in Public Health and has performed research on subject matter like the HIV virus. She has extensive training in epidemiology and disease prevention and is also on the curriculum committee for FAU's International Center for Emergency Management (ICEM).Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

The Hospitality and Tourism Management program, at FAU Business, is making headlines by offering a free certificate to industry workers and professionals who may be affected by the COVID-19 crisis. At this very moment, more than 9,000 people have registered from more than 80 countries, and program director - Dr. Peter Ricci - joined the podcast to tell us more about the offering. Read about the course >Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

"Flattening the Curve" is part 1 in a series of #PodHealth episodes dealing with the Coronavirus, and helping us with these podcasts is Dr. Jennifer Attonito, an instructor and researcher in FAU's Health Administration program, which is part of the larger Management Programs department at the FAU College of Business. Dr. Attonito holds a doctorate in Public Health and has performed research on subject matter like the HIV virus. She has extensive training in epidemiology and disease prevention and is also on the curriculum committee for FAU's International Center for Emergency Management (ICEM).Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

With one week left before the Florida primary, former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden has opened up a commanding lead on U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders among Florida voters in the race for the Democratic party’s nomination for president, according to a statewide survey by the Florida Atlantic University Business and Economics Polling Initiative (FAU BEPI). Read the press release >Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

More than a decade after the launch of Bitcoin, regulatory ambiguity surrounding the peer-to-peer virtual currency continues to discourage entrepreneurial activity by increasing risk and the costs of compliance, according to a newly published paper by William Luther, assistant professor in the Department of Economics at FAU Business.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

Andrew Gallan, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Marketing Department at FAU’s College of Business, and director of The Center for Services Marketing & Management, shares information about the center and an upcoming panel event open to the public. The event, which is entitled "How Technology and Data Analytics are Informing Service Management," is designed to bring together students, faculty, professionals, and alumni to explore a topic that is important to a variety of services industries.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

The hospitality and tourism industry is dynamic -- offering job opportunities in resorts, casinos, theme parks, etc. And who better to discuss all things hospitality and tourism than FAU's Peter Ricci, Ed.D. -- an industry veteran, and director of the Hospitality and Tourism Management Program at the Florida Atlantic University College of Business.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

An audio tour through the Marketing Department at FAU Business with Program Chair, Cheryl Burke Jarvis, Ph.D.Follow the department on Facebook by searching @FloridaAtlanticMarketing.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

A two-time FAU graduate, Karrie Prehm earned her Bachelors's in International Business in 2002 and her MBA in 2011. Karrie is the founder and CEO of Global Regulation Advisers Corporation (GRA), an asset management compliance consulting firm based in South Florida. She has devoted two decades of her career to serving as a trusted adviser to senior executives in the financial services industry worldwide. To learn more about how to be actively involved as a business alumni, please visit business.fau.edu/alumniSupport the showBusiness.fau.edu

Erick Solms is a 2006 FAU Business graduate from the Management Information Systems program. Erick is an entrepreneur and runs his business called Simplitfy out of Lake Worth. Simplitfy provides professional IT services to small and medium-sized businesses. Interviewed by FAU's Kelly McCormack, the conversation highlights some of the key tips from a successful entrepreneur and how to use professional organizations to your advantage. To learn more about how to be actively involved as a Business Alumni, please visit business.fau.edu/alumni.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

Consumer confidence among Hispanics in the United States jumped in the third quarter of 2019 as optimism grew for the economic outlook for the U.S., according to a new national consumer sentiment index conducted by the Florida Atlantic University Business and Economics Polling Initiative (FAU BEPI) in FAU’s College of Business. Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

Join the FAU Adams Center for Entrepreneurship, and its partners, on October 22, 2019, to grow your business through networking and short workshops from experts on subjects relating to communication and marketing in a family business. The event is open to all family businesses. Early tickets are only $25 per business for two guests, but space is limited! Learn more at FAUfamilyBusinessWorkshop.eventbrite.com.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

Although female entrepreneurs are the fastest growing segment among start-up enterprises, women are still less likely than men to start new ventures. A new study by faculty at Florida Atlantic University and Eastern Michigan University explores the cultural factors that may explain why this gender gap exists and varies widely in countries around the world. FAU's Len Treviño, a co-author of the article, joined the podcast to further explore these findings.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

Florida Atlantic University College of Business’ International Business (IB) undergraduate program is ranked No. 25 in the country in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

Sharene Abouhana is a two-time graduate of FAU’s College of Business. As an undergraduate, she double majored in finance and management graduating in 2016. She returned to FAU shortly after graduation to earn her MBA. She is currently working at Slavic401k as Supervisor of New Plans. Sharene is still deeply involved with FAU as an alumna. She serves on the Dean’s Junior Advisory Board and as a mentor in the Business Mentor Program. To learn more about how to be actively involved as a Business Alumni, please visit business.fau.edu/alumni.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

FAU's Michael Crain, DBA, details the recent accounting fraud allegations made against the General Electric Company (GE). Crain also mentions the FAU Forensic Accounting Program and how its curriculum would teach students to examine allegations like the ones made against GE. Follow the FAU Center for Forensic Accounting on Twitter at @FAUForensicCtr, and the FAU Forensic Accounting program at @FAUForensic.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

Alan Forbes is a 2013 Florida Atlantic University, College of Business graduate and is currently a corporate recruiter for MSI Recruiting, an executive search firm. At FAU, Alan majored in marketing and was an accomplished student-athlete on the Men’s Swimming and Diving Team. Interviewed by Kelly McCormack, the conversation highlights some of the key tips of working with a recruiter in a job search. To learn more about how to be actively involved as a Business Alumni, please visit business.fau.edu/alumni.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

George Young, Ph.D., is the director of the FAU School of Accounting. On the podcast, Young talks about the different programs offered by the School of Accounting as well as its affiliated student organizations. Young also touches upon the Accounting Scholars Program - the school's honors program - and the types of career opportunities that lie ahead for accounting graduates.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

Women hold 52% of all the professional jobs in the US, yet only 5% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women. The FAU Women in Executive Leadership (WEL) program is a strategic initiative designed to level this ratio by giving participants an opportunity to develop a competitive advantage. FAU WEL is currently accepting applications for the fall cohort, which begins August 24, 2019, and runs every 3rd Saturday through December 7, 2019. The program is seeking participants, mentors and corporate sponsors. Visit business.fau.edu/womensleadership to learn more.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

The Florida Atlantic University College of Business will be hosting a celebration for business seniors graduating this Summer 2019. The Senior Grad. Social will take place on the day of commencement, Tuesday, August 6, from 10 am to 11:30 am in the Sean Stein Pavilion. To learn more, contact FAU Business at [email protected] the showBusiness.fau.edu

Lauren Chorlog, Assistant Director of Internships and Professional Development, and Sharene Abouhana ’16 & ’18 discuss the new Business Mentor Program at the Florida Atlantic University College of Business. They share details about the program, what it is like to serve as a mentor, and how to get involved in this year’s program. To learn more about the program, please visit business.fau.edu/mentor.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

Engaging a wider range of resources to connect patients with organizations within their community can help transform healthcare and improve overall well-being, according to new research published in the Journal of Business Research by faculty at Florida Atlantic University’s College of Business. The article, “Transforming Community Well-being Through Patients’ Lived Experiences,” introduces the concept of “patient ecosystem management” (PEM), which the authors describe as an organizational process that focuses on treating patients differently in terms of assessing, managing and expanding resources to achieve patient health and well-being goals.Andrew Gallan, Ph.D. - lead author of the article, assistant professor in FAU’s marketing department, and director of the FAU Center for Services Marketing and Management - joined Jim Hellegaard, Media Relations Director at FAU Business, to discuss the research.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

Charles Yang, associate professor of finance and Kaye Family Research Fellow in Insurance at the Florida Atlantic University College of Business, is being honored by the Society of Actuaries for an article analyzing Medicare Advantage and Accountable Care Organizations. The article by Yang, and his co-authors from the University of Texas' McCombs School of Business, provides important insights to Medicare reform, such as Medicare privatization and innovation models.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

William Luther, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Economics Department at the Florida Atlantic University College of Business. Luther's expertise is in monetary economics and alternative currencies, including Bitcoin. He is also the Director of the Sound Money Project at the American Institute for Economic Research, and an Adjunct Scholar with the Cato Institute’s Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives in Washington D.C. Luther joined us on the podcast to discuss the recent announcement of Libra, a new cryptocurrency being developed by Facebook.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

A new study published in Small Business Economics: An Entrepreneurship Journal by faculty at Florida Atlantic University College of Business and the University of Bergamo in Italy suggests equity crowdfunding has boosted opportunities for younger entrepreneurs, while helping to bridge the distance between startup companies and their investors. However, female and minority entrepreneurs, typically considered financially constrained in traditional entrepreneurial markets, do not have higher chances to raise funds in equity crowdfunding. Douglas Cumming, professor of finance at FAU Business, was a co-author of the study.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

Jerry Durbeej, Ph.D., an instructor from the FAU Business Communications Program, joined us to recap the program's premiere event - the Business Communication Exchange. Also known as the B.C.E., the event was established to engage with the local business community to share ideas and information, and address issues about business communication essential to student success.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu

Peter Ricci, Director of the FAU Hospitality and Tourism Management Program, has been named the 2019 Stewart Distinguished Professor in the College of Business. Sponsored by the Virginia and Douglas Stewart Foundation, and now in it's 15th year, the award recognizes an outstanding FAU Business professor based on five criteria: (1) extraordinary dedication to teaching, (2) impact on and involvement with students, (3) scholarly approach to teaching and learning, (4) contribution to education in the institution, community, and/or profession, and (5) support from colleagues, current and former students. A final, noteworthy mention: former, and longest-serving Dean in College of Business history (1970 - 1987), Gary Luing, was instrumental in obtaining the funds for this award.Support the showBusiness.fau.edu