Speaker Series

This event honors the legacy of a Kearney State College graduate who had a very successful career as the CEO of a Chicago-based manufacturing company. Before his untimely death in 2011, this generous donor worked with UNK administrators and faculty to create a series of classes and an event which would focus on the contributions made by free market capitalism. 

The JCM Symposium was held on March 2 and 3, 2020. JCM Fellow, Dr. Allan Jenkins, wrote the following:

This year’s symposium, titled "Schumpeter's Creative Destruction: How Market Forces and Technology Will Reshape Rural Health Care," will bring 15 speakers to the UNK campus, beginning at 9:05 Monday morning and continuing through Tuesday afternoon. All sessions in the Ponderosa Room of the Nebraskan Student Union are free and open to the public. UNMC Chancellor Jeffery Gold will give the Keynote address beginning at 7:00 Monday evening. Symposium speakers include representatives from state and national rural health organizations, hospital administrators, UNMC and UNK faculty.

Providing high quality affordable health care for the 60 million Americans who live in rural areas presents a set of formidable challenges. Relative to urbanites, rural residents are older, have less income, are more likely uninsured, are more likely to smoke, are more likely to have chronic illnesses like Type 2 diabetes, and are more likely employed in dangerous occupations. Some rural areas are seeing ongoing population out-migration, as improvements in production technology decreases employment in agriculture and as economic opportunities draw young people toward urban centers.

Today’s rural health care landscape is largely shaped by economics and federal policy. The Hill-Burton Act of 1946 provided federal assistance for the construction of more than 9,000 hospitals and clinics. Because the funding formula for the act emphasized low per capita incomes, most of the funding went to poor rural areas. When a wave of hospital closures swept the nation in the 1980s and early 1990s, Congress responded with the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, creating a Critical Access Hospital designation for small rural facilities. This program was designed to reduce financial stress and improve access to health care by retaining essential services in rural areas.

Even with the improved funding from the Critical Access program, rural hospitals are now facing substantial economic pressure. Since 2010, 121 rural hospitals have closed nationally and in 2019 nearly 50% of rural hospitals had negative total margins. This unsustainable situation creates a central question of immediate importance to the citizens of Nebraska - how can rural hospitals effectively adapt to the current environment and maintain their economic viability? A distinguished group of speakers will address this central question. 

The symposium planning committee is led by Allan Jenkins, Ph.D., Professor of Economics and the CBT JCM Fellow. Planning committee members include Cathrin Carithers, DNP, Associate Dean, UNMC College of Nursing Kearney Division; Toni Hill, Ph.D., Associate Professor in Family Studies and Interior Design; and Jan Moore, Ph.D., Professor of Communication Disorders.

Monday, March 2^nd

(9:05-9:55) “ Forecast for Rural Health Care – Challenges on the Horizon”  Dr. Tim Putnam, CEO Margaret Mary Health System, Batesville, Indiana

(10:10-11:00)  ”Thriving through Innovation” Marty Fattig, CEO Nemaha County Hospital, Jim Ulrich, MHA, CEO York General Hospital

(11:15-12:05) “St. Mary’s Hospital Provides Unique Treatment to Reduce Tremors” Dr. Daniel DeFreece, CEO St. Mary’s CHI Health System; “Improving Medical Imaging through AI” Brandon Holt, Director of Radiology, Lexington Regional Health Center

(1:25-2:15) “The Promise of Digital Experts in Rural Healthcare” Dr. John Windle, Professor of Internal Medicine & Holland Distinguished Chair in Cardiovascular Sciences, UNMC

(7:00-8:30) Keynote Address - Dr. Jeffery Gold, UNMC & UNO Chancellor

Tuesday, March 3^rd

(9:30-10:45) Dr. Karl Borden and Dr. Allan Jenkins

(11:00-12:15) “Nurses Save Lives” Nicole Thorell RN, BSN CNO Lexington Regional Health Center; Shannon Bauer RN , BSN, Heartland Hematology & Oncology, P.C.; Megan Thorman RN, BSN, CHI Health Good Samaritan’s AirCare; Melissa Florell, MSN, RN, College of Nursing, Kearney Division

(2:00-3:15) “UNK Health Care Programs” Peggy Abels, Director Health Programs UNK;  Dr. Michelle Fleig-Palmer,  Associate Professor of Management & Director, Health Care Management Programs; Dr. Doug Tillman, Associate Professor of Counseling & School Psychology; Dr. Miechelle McKelvey, Professor of Communication Disorders

Ethics Day was the inspiration of Bill Bauhard in the spring of 2013, UNK Alum who had a desire to emphasize Ethics one day a year at UNK in the College of Business and Technology. The Ethics Day celebration expanded all UNK in the spring 2015. Bill Bauhard is an Executive with experience in the financial services and telecommunication industries. Responsibilities have included all aspects of financial operations including financial reporting and analysis, planning and forecasting, acquisitions, strategic planning, accounting operations, budgeting, financial systems, treasury, taxes, investments, internal auditing and debit and equity financing. Bill was the first Ethics Day speaker on March 6, 2013.

February 13 and 14, 2020

Kent Noble, Bill Daniels Chair of Business Ethics at the University of Wyoming College of Business, presented to two full auditoriums of students. He spoke passionately about personal branding and ethics, and welcomed engaged and inspired student interaction. Mr. Noble also met with a small group of students and spoke to them about ethics-related topics and what they should keep in mind as they enter the workforce. 

1. Thursday Feb 13 from 9:15 – 10:45. What’s Your Brand? – In this session, Noble highlighted these three personal branding questions: Who am I? – How do others see me? – How can I improve my brand?
2. Friday Feb 13 from 9:30 – 11:00. What Do You Stand For?  During this session, Mr. Noble led participants through a process where each person created a personal code of ethics based on what matters most in their lives and careers. 

The presentations listed here are made possible by the J.A. Baldwin Free Enterprise Lecture Series Fund. This is an endowed gift given to the University Foundation to promote the benefits of the free enterprise system among students at the University of Nebraska at Kearney and the public. Its intention is to provide an exchange of ideas through seminars, forums, and special appearances of outstanding spokespersons from the world of business, industry and finance.

Next Speaker: TBA

Past Presentations:

• October 6, 2017 (as part of the Tri-City Economic Forum): Timothy D. Hodges, Ph.D., Director of Research, Gallup
• September 30, 2016 (as part of the Tri-City Economic Forum): Ernie Goss, Ph.D., Professor of Economics and MacAllister Chairholder, Creighton University
• September 22, 2016 (in conjunction with the Ron Landstrom EIR Program):  Jeanette Wojtalewicz, CFO of CHI Health
• Spring 2015 (as part of Ethics Day):  Cynthia Cooper; CEO of CooperGroup, LLC
• Spring 2013:  Center for Great Plains Symposium
• Fall 2011 (as part of Marineau Symposium):  Dr. Yaron Brook; Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights
• Spring 2011:  Jim Harris; Author & Management Consultant
• Fall 2010:  Michael Simmons; Cofounder of Extreme Entrepreneurship Education, LLC
• Spring 2010:  Rebecca Kousky; Founder/Executive Director of NEST
• Fall 2009 Grant Stanley; CEO/Founder of Contemporary Analysis
• Spring 2009:  Andrew B. Busch; Global FX market Strategist BMO Capital Markets
• Fall 2008:  John Perry; Owner/CEO of BioGreen
• Spring 2008:  Ben Casnocha; CEO of Comcate, Inc.
• Fall 2007:  Jerry Newman; Author
• Spring 2007:  Andy Litinsky; President of Trump Productions

Kearney State College offered the first business administration degree in 1963. Since then, thousands of students have received an excellent education in our business and technology programs. Most have gone on to productive careers in far-ranging fields, some have reached the highest levels of achievement in their professional endeavors. This award, initiated in 2012 recognized these highest achievers.

Next Speaker: TBA

2018 - Judy Altmaier

2017 - Paul Younes

2016 - Robert A. "Bob" Phares

2015 - Karen Rhoads

2014 - Wayne McKinney

2013 - Kenneth Kroeker

2012 - Dennis Nelson

The Ron Landstrom Executive in Residence Program brings successful business executives to the University of Nebraska Kearney campus to talk with students in the College of Business & Technology regarding "best business practices" as well as their personal career paths and lessons learned. Typically, the executive engages students in several classes, makes a campus presentation on their area of expertise, and participates in a session with the CBT Student Advisory Board and faculty, as well as participating in a networking opportunity with the Business Advisory Board. This program was created as a result of a generous financial gift to the University of Nebraska Foundation by Jerry Taylor, KSC/UNK alumnus and former Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Applied Materials, and his wife, Jeanne. Taylor chose to name the program after one of his favorite business professors, Ron Landstrom, because of his profound respect and gratitude toward the man who helped and inspired him as an undergraduate.

September 20 & 21, 2018 - Andres Traslavina (in conjunction with the JA Baldwin Lecture Series)

September 14 & 15, 2017 - Brett Wall (in conjunction with the JA Baldwin Lecture Series)

September 22 & 23, 2016 - Jeanette Wojtalewicz (in conjunction with the JA Baldwin Lecture Series)

September 30 & October 1, 2015 - Karen Goracke

October 2 & 3, 2014 - Richard Salmen

September 19-20, 2013 - JoAn Scott

September 20-21, 2012 - Kirk Stinson

October 14-15, 2009 - Bill Bauhard

April 22-23, 2008 - Larry Hall

October 26-27, 2006 - Ron Williams