Learn more about recent honors, appointments and publications at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business in this month's achievements column. The achievements of faculty, staff and students are grouped within the college’s three mission-focused goals of research + discovery, learning + transformation and connection + engagement.

Research + Discovery

• Dr. Jennifer Davidson, assistant professor of practice in economics and president of the Nebraska Council on Economic Education, talked with Smart Women Smart Money magazine about her research on savings behaviors between the sexes. Read more: https://go.unl.edu/hu40.
• Dr. Eric Thompson, K.H. Nelson Professor of Economics and director of the Bureau of Business Research, was interviewed for a Nov. 2 Associated Press article on the low unemployment rates in five Midwestern states amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “The economy of a rural state has a different structure, so more of the people work in industries that wouldn’t really be disrupted by a need for social distancing, like agriculture,” he said. The story has been picked up by 340-plus media outlets. Read more: https://go.unl.edu/59nu
• Thompson and ag economists Dr. Brad Lubben and Dr. Jeffrey Stokes authored a new report that shows agriculture remains a critical component of Nebraska’s economy. Agriculture accounts for nearly 34% of business sales, 22% of the gross state product and nearly a quarter of the state’s jobs. The Kearney Hub featured the report in an Oct. 6 editorial: https://go.unl.edu/7tcq.
• Dr. Yunxia (Peter) Zhu, assistant professor of supply chain management and analytics, co-authored the article, “A Framework for Analyzing Influencer Marketing in Social Networks: Selection and Scheduling of Influencers,” which has been accepted in Management Science. He and his coauthors developed a data-driven optimization framework to help a firm successfully conduct short-horizon and long-horizon influencer marketing campaigns using two models to maximize the firm’s benefit. The models are based on the interactions with marketers, observation of firms’ message placements on social media, and model parameters estimated via empirical analysis performed on data from Twitter.
• The Greater Omaha Chamber published a recent article on the Omaha metro’s rankings in the 2020 Barometer Report, compiled by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Bureau of Business Research. The story was picked up by more than 60 media outlets across the country. Read the article: https://go.unl.edu/9n08.

Learning + Transformation

• Chloe Higgins, a junior economics major from Nebraska City, Nebraska, was named Student of the Month by the Nebraska Business Student Advisory Board. Along with her minors in political science, business analytics and marketing, Higgins challenges herself in the Nebraska Business Honors Academy, as a student strengths coach with the Clifton Strengths Institute, and intern for the Nebraska Community Foundation. Her involvements also include the University of Nebraska Student Advocacy Network, Gamma Phi Beta sorority, and serving as a reading volunteer for City Impact. 
• A team of accounting majors won the regionals round of the Deloitte FanTAXtic Competition and will represent Nebraska in the national competition in January. The case study competition offers students the opportunity to work in teams to solve a realistic business case, role play and present their solution to Deloitte leaders. The winning team included: Samuel Gertner, junior accounting major from Monroe, Connecticut; Abigail Grimm, sophomore accounting major from Kansas City, Kansas; Audrey Kreun, sophomore accounting major from Hull, Iowa; and Hannah Rethmeier, junior accounting major from Hallam, Nebraska.
• Thirty-five students start their journey as the largest cohort yet of Clifton Builders at Nebraska. Clifton Builders learn how to build, lead and manage people, and they pursue a program track as a business builder, team builder or community builder. Read more at: https://go.unl.edu/b9zd.

Connection + Engagement

• Theresa Luensmann, coordinator for the Nebraska Business Honors Academy, received a Dean's Coin for her ability to ensure all of the Honors Academy students are succeeding in their goals and classes. Her nominator said, Luensmann "drives everyone to become the best version of themselves." The honor is presented to individuals who went above and beyond to help others in the College of Business.
• Seven seniors in the College of Business were named Homecoming royalty finalists. Finalists included: Luke Bogus, management major from Columbus, Nebraska; Kyler Caverzagie, actuarial science major from Papillion, Nebraska; Haley Faust, management major from Columbus, Nebraska; Lauren Kubat, accounting major from Omaha; Logan Lewis, actuarial science major from Lake Villa, Illinois; Lauren Niesen, actuarial science major from Olathe, Kansas; and Brennan Splichal, marketing major from Lincoln. Read more: https://go.unl.edu/t45p.
• The Nebraska Council on Economic Education, in partnership with the Nebraska State Treasurer's office, received a $99,000 grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation for the creation of a Nebraska public employee financial wellness webpage and live webinar series. The webinar series, slated to begin early next year, will be recorded and posted on a newly created webpage with additional financial wellness information to serve as a sustainable resource for public employees’ future fiscal education. Read more: https://go.unl.edu/0x6e.
• Thirty-one business faculty and staff received University of Nebraska–Lincoln Service Awards this fall. The university presents a service award to all regular employees who compete intervals of five calendar years of service. College of Business faculty and staff who received awards include:
• 5 years: Dr. Julian Atanassov, associate professor of finance; Paula Caldwell, assistant director of the Business Career Center; Clyde Davis, lecturer of supply chain management and analytics; Janessa Hageman, assistant director of the Business Career Center; Dayna Larreau, administrative coordinator of the Department of Supply Chain Management and Analytics; Dr. Christopher Mann, assistant professor of practice in economics; Dr. Majid Nabavi, assistant professor of supply chain management and analytics; Dr. Rebekah Neary-DeLaPorte, assistant director of the Nebraska Business Honors Academy; Dr. Jon O’Brien, chair of the Department of Management and U.S. Distinguished Professor of Business; Dr. J. Kalu Osiri, director of the International Business Program and associate professor of practice in management; Davis Podany, associate director for client services in IT Services; Dr. David Rosenbaum, chair of the Department of Economics and May Professor of Economics; Dr. Jennifer Ryan, chair of the Department of Supply Chain Management and Analytics and Ron and Carol Cope College Professor; Jeff Sherrill, director of IT Services; Alicia Steggs-Buchanan, executive support associate in the Office of the Dean; Dr. Roberto Stein, assistant professor of practice in finance; Jill Trucke, assistant professor of practice in accountancy; Dr. Kevin Wesley, assistant professor of practice in management; Dr. Liying Wang, assistant professor of finance; Dr. Biyu Wu, assistant professor of accountancy
• 10 years: Dr. Amber Messersmith, lecturer of management; Dr. Jake Messersmith, associate professor of management; Melissa Meyer, executive support associate in the Office of the Dean; Roxanne Stowers, project assistant in the Business Career Center
• 15 years: Dr. Geoffrey Friesen, executive director of Business Graduate Programs and associate professor of finance; Krista Hoover, personnel associate in the Office of the Dean
• 20 years: Virginia Uzendoski, senior assistant director of programs and operations for the Center of Executive and Professional Development
• 25 years: Mark Davis, academic advisor
• 30 years: Dr. Mostafa Mashayekhi, associate professor of actuarial science; Dr. Chris Timm, interim director of the Business Career Center
• 35 years: Dr. Richard DeFusco, chair of the Department of Finance and professor of finance

This column is a monthly feature of the College of Business. Faculty, staff and students can submit achievements to be considered for this column via the News Submission Form at the bottom of https://business.unl.edu webpage. On the form, select Recognize Achievement and fill out the related questions.