Professional Workshop Series

Beginning in the fall of 2011, marketing majors will complete three blocks of classes. The first block is the foundation set of four courses that all marketing students must complete. The second block is the concentration, marketing management, sales management or integrated marketing communications. The third block is the professional experience. As a part of the professional experience, students will have a choice between 3 credit Internship or three 1-credit professional workshops. Note: If you are a subject to the ‘old’ curriculum requirements because you are a continuing marketing major, you may choose to take one or more workshops as electives.

The Professional Workshops will be taught by area business executives and will explore specific cutting edge marketing topics in-depth from an executive perspective. A description of each workshop and the time it will be offered is listed below. If you choose to take one or more of the workshops listed below, please note the section number, return to registration and complete the sign-up. The Monday and Wednesday workshops will run for five weeks. The Saturday workshops will run for two weeks.

View a PowerPoint presentation designed for workshop instructors.

Schedule for Summer 2013

Unfuzzy the Front End to Innovation (32899 6600:491-801)

Time: Saturday: 9:00 am-4:30 pm
Instructor: Richard Seif, Senior V.P. Global Marketing, Lincoln Electric
Meeting Dates: 6/1 & 6/8
Workshop Description: Steps through the process of selecting a product/service, capturing the voice of stakeholders, benchmarking the competition, organizing the major themes, defining the innovation, presenting the new ideas and focusing effort.

Schedule for Fall 2013

Powerful Messaging (76550 6600:491-001)

Time: Saturday: 9:00 am-4:30 pm
Instructor: Tom Speaks
Meeting Dates: : 9/7 & 9/14
Workshop Description: A proven political messaging methodology will be taught that may be successfully applied to corporate, non-profit and government clients to drive significant results.

Why do we have to change what works? (76551 6600:491-002)

Time: Saturday: 9:00am-4:30 pm
Instructor: Joseph M. Bennett, President & CEO, Premiere Global Sports and Dr. William Baker, Chair, Marketing Department
Meeting Dates: 9/21 & 9/28
Workshop Description: We live in a business environment characterized by relentless change. An under studied element of this change is the acquisition of "strategic add-on" companies to improve firm competitiveness. Their successful integration is more than simply creating operational efficiencies. This workshop explores how acquiring companies must evolve their brand identity and culture to make these acquisitions successful. A key element of this integration is leadership that can successfully persuade employees to "step outside their comfort zones."

Crises Communications and Management (76552 6600:491-003)

Time:Saturday: 9:00 am – 4:30 pm
Instructor: Eileen Korey Assoc. VP & Chief Comm. Officer and Wayne Hill Assoc. VP & Chief Mrktg Officer, Institutional Marketing, The University of Akron
Meeting Dates:10/5 & 10/12
Workshop Description: Your CEO was just arrested for fraud. Your product malfunctioned and injured hundreds of customers. Your manufacturing has been linked to sweat shops in Asia. What do you do? This workshop explores the many communication and operational issues surrounding the management of crisis situations that, one time or another, most firms face. How firms handle these situations impacts brand integrity, customer loyalty and, sometimes, the fate of the firm.

Discovering the Currency of Passion in Brand (76648 6600:491-004)

Time:Saturday: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Instructor: Rachel Talton, CEO, Synergy Marketing Strategy & Research, Inc. 
Meeting Dates:10/19 & 10/26
Workshop Description: Participants will engage in a step-by-step process to discover TrustPoints, LoyaltyPoints and PassionPoints in selected brands. Subsequently, the students will engage in uncovering the “Currency of Passion” in their own personal and professional brands.

Topics in Marketing Management Executive Speaker Series (78198 6600:491-801)

Time:Tuesday: 5:20 pm – 7:50 pm
Instructor: Jim McKelvey
Meeting Dates: 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29 & 11/5
Workshop Description: Each week features different area firms and sales executives who will speak about issues facing their firms. Each week will also introduce a new topic in sales and/or sales management on which these executives will offer their insights and point of view.