February 2025 Newsletter from the USF Muma College of Business

'Market hotness' cools and other economic trends revealed at 2025 'State of the Region' event

Scholarships reached another major milestone this year, with over $1.2 million in donor-funded financial awards given to about 350 business students from all three campuses.

Applications for the 2024-2025 Muma College of Business 25 Under 25 Award program are open. Business students are encouraged to apply by the Feb. 26 deadline.

USF's online MBA program improved six spots, coming in at No. 16 nationwide and No. 2 in Florida in U.S. News & World Report's 2025 Best Online Graduate Programs ranking.

Prospective students from Sungkyunkwan University in South Korea got an insider's look at USF's Fintech Center. The visit was part of a new partnership between SKKU and the college.

USF and Neptune Flood have released the results of an annual consumer survey of flood awareness that offers insight into national perceptions toward flood risk and insurance coverage.

Rick Brandt, CEO and president of Brandt, was the featured speaker at the Feb. 7 EMBA Conversation with a CEO. The USF alumnus shared some business advice and lessons learned.

February's Conversation with a Founder featured Nick Reader, co-founder of PDQ Chicken. He discussed his career path, shared the difficulties of running a business and what is needed to succeed.

Ashley Washington Julmis, Finance '11, was named a 2025 USF Outstanding Young Alumni Award recipient. Julmis is a director for Google Workspace, where she leads product strategy and operations.

Student spotlight: How a full-ride scholarship shaped Jessie Jiang's journey from growing up in a small town to majoring in accounting in the Lynn Pippenger School of Accountancy. She is making her opportunities count.

The USF Nault Center for Entrepreneurship launched the Every Student Entrepreneur program that helps students start their own businesses while in school with access to consultants and advisors.

The 2025 Vinik Sport and Entertainment Analytics Conference is set for March 6. Analysts from the Orlando Magic and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will share how data and analytics are used to improve fan experiences.

A new carpooling app, Ridely, is set to launch in February. Unique Alston, a business analytics senior in St. Petersburg, created the app to make it easier for USF students to travel between its three campuses.

USF offering free micro-course in generative AI

USF has launched a free micro-credential course, GenAI in Action: Impact and Possibilities. The self-paced course includes the latest AI advancements, practical applications, and ethical considerations. The 4-6-hour course is open through March 24. Register.

Applications open for business plan competition

Think you have a viable business idea? Bring your A-game and compete in the USF Business Plan Championship, a contest where entrants get mentorship to bring their business dreams to life. The deadline to apply is March 3. Details.

Faculty Spotlights

Triparna de Vreede, director of USF's Behavioral AI Lab, and Rob Hammond, director of the Center for Marketing and Sales Innovation, were featured in a WTSP story about romance scammers using AI.

Tingting Zhang, an associate professor in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, was accepted into the PhaseZERO: Innovation Incubator Program.

Erwin Danneels, a professor in the School of Marketing and Innovation, is a recipient of the 2025 State of Florida Entrepreneurship Research Paper of the Year Award.

David Teece, Distinguished Scholar of Strategy and Innovation, received the 2024 Journal of International Business Studies Decade Award.

Dezhi Yin, an associate professor in the School of Information Systems and Management, received the 2024 Mid-Career Award from the Association for Information Systems.

Seckin Ozkul, an assistant professor in supply chain management, was featured on FOX-13 Tampa Bay and ABC Action News stories on tariffs.

Sandy Weiss, an assistant professor of instruction, is president of the Florida Association for Healthcare Quality.

View more faculty notes

Alumni Updates

Frank Territo (‘12, BS, Finance, ‘19, MBA) has been promoted to chief of staff and director of investor relations at The Bank of Tampa. He is a former USF Muma College of Business 25 Under 25 Award honoree.

Gilbert Gonzalez (‘17, DBA, ‘90, MBA, ‘86, BS, Finance) was appointed to the Florida Electrical Contractors Licensing Board. He is the owner and CEO of Mission Critical Solutions in Tampa.

Travis McClosky (‘20, BS, Information Systems and Decision Sciences) is a senior associate at Crowe. He is a former USF Muma College of Business 25 Under 25 Award honoree.

Chelsea Adamcek (‘16, BS, Marketing and Management) is the new senior promotional sales account executive for the Tampa Bay, Orlando and Memphis Business Journals at American City Business Journals.

Jessica Brown (‘14, BS, Accounting) is a manager at Lane Gorman Trubitt, LLC.

Bodi Karsono (‘14, BS, Marketing, ‘15, MBA, ‘16, MS, Sport and Entertainment Management) returned to Arts & Letters Creative Company to serve as a creative.

Joe Brackin ('19, MBA, '16, BS, Finance) has a new job as senior vice president for enterprise change management at Citi.

View more alumni notes

In Other News

Former professional billiards player Jeanette Lee spoke to Vinik Sport and Entertainment Management program students on Jan. 30.

Known as "The Black Widow," Lee dominated the women's pool circuit in the 1990s, becoming the No. 1 female pool player by age 23.

"There's nothing more addictive than beating guys, especially in stilettos," she said. "I learned that I just don't love to play pool, but I love to compete. It's not about the titles, it is about the journey."

She was been inducted into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame and the Women's Professional Billiard Association Hall of Fame.

Upcoming Calendar

• Feb. 20. 9-10 a.m. State of the Region's Ask the Researchers, online. RSVP.

• March 6. 8:30-10 a.m. Conversation with a CEO featuring Casey Ellison, CAMLS, 124 S. Franklin St., Tampa. Register.

• March 6. 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. AI in Healthcare: Improving Patient Outcomes, USF Oval Theater, Tampa campus. Register.

• March 8. 5-9 p.m. USF Green and Gold Gala, The Motor Enclave, Tampa. Tickets.

• March 13. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. 2025 International Business Forum, Marshall Student Center. RSVP.

• March 17-21. USF Spring Break

• April 3. 8:30-10 a.m. Conversation with a CEO featuring Elodie Dorso, CAMLS, 124 S. Franklin St., Tampa.

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