SFA business students, alumnus and associate professor earn awards at international management conference

NACOGDOCHES, Texas –– The Stephen F. Austin State University chapter of the Society for Advancement of Management received several awards at the SAM International Business Conference in March in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. In addition, Dr. Gina Harden, SAM faculty advisor and associate professor of management information systems in SFA’s Nelson Rusche College of Business, and SFA alumnus Corey Johnson ’17 and ’22, senior culture shaping specialist at Pilot Company, received prestigious national awards from SAM at the event.

SFA business students competed with students from around the world in a range of academic and professional competitions, including case presentation competition, written case competition, knowledge bowl and extemporaneous speech.

The invitational team included Austin Gartzman, first-year sports business major from The Woodlands, and Will Phelps, management sophomore from Georgetown. The undergraduate team included Helena Easey, entrepreneurship senior from Cypress; Evelyn Maure, computer information systems junior from Lufkin; and Issac Velasco, finance and banking junior from Nacogdoches. The graduate team included Lydia Sattler, business graduate student from San Martin, California, and Zala Ule, business graduate student from Koper, Slovenia.

SFA’s chapter earned first place for Campus Chapter Performance in the large division.

“This reflects the collective effort, leadership and culture of excellence demonstrated by the entire SFA SAM organization,” Harden said.

In the Invitational Division, Gartzman earned first place in the Knowledge category and third place in the Overall Individual category. Together, Gartzman and Phelps earned third place in three categories: Case Presentation, Written Case Competition and Overall.

In the Undergraduate Division, Easey earned third place in both the Extemporaneous Speech and Overall Individual categories. Easey, Maure and Velasco placed second in the Overall Team competition, and Maure and Phelps each received a Regional Outstanding Student Award.

In the Open Division, Sattler and Ule earned third place in the Case Presentation competition. Ule also received the National Outstanding Student Award and Student Advisory Council Leadership Medal in addition to serving on the Student Leadership Panel, during which she shared her insights on student leadership and organizational impact at the national level.

Johnson, secretary on the international board of directors for SAM, received the national Phil Carroll Advancement of Management Award in Human Resource Management. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration from SFA.

In addition to the students’ and Johnson’s awards, Harden received the Silver Outstanding Advisor Award and the national Phil Carroll Advancement of Management Award in Information Systems Management for her excellence in advancing the integration of technology and management practices through teaching, research and service.

“Dr. Gina Harden represents the very best of what this award stands for,” said Patrick Endicott, executive director of SAM. “Her ability to connect information systems with meaningful management practice, while developing students into capable and confident professionals, reflects a lasting impact on both the discipline and the next generation of leaders.”

Founded in 1912, SAM is the world’s oldest professional management organization designed to advance the principles of scientific management and leadership. The annual SAM International Business Conference brings together students, faculty and business professionals for networking opportunities and leadership development sessions. Designed to prepare students for careers in business, IBC highlights innovation, collaboration and excellence in management education.

This year’s SAM IBC marks a milestone for Harden. After nearly three decades in higher education, the last 13 with SFA, she is retiring this year.

"While I am looking forward to spending more time with family and hobbies, I will miss the outstanding students I got to work with through the years,” Harden said. “SFA has some of the best and brightest.”

For more information on SFA’s management program and SAM chapter, visit sfasu.edu/mgtmkt. For more information on SAM, visit samnational.org.