Newsroom Archives
2007
Beloved Professor Bernie Johnson Dies at 61
Longtime business professor Bernard A. "Bernie" Johnson died suddenly on Thursday, November 1, 2007, at Freeman West Hospital, Joplin. Johnson began his 33 year career at MSSU as an assistant professor in 1974. He earned the rank of associate professor in 1991, and was promoted to full professor in 2002. His civic involvement included serving as a Joplin city council member for 12 years, and serving as city mayor from 1992-1994. Johnson taught marketing courses and was instrumental in the creation of Southern's transportation and logistics minor.
Leon Announces Retirement
Long-time MSSU president Julio Leon announced his resignation on August 20, 2007, after 25 years of service. MSSU's The Chart gives a detailed history from its own archives regarding Leon's impact on higher education in Southwest Missouri. Read more.
Moos, Nichols, Receive Outstanding
Teaching Awards
SOBA faculty members J. Chris Moos and Brian Nichols received "Outstanding Teacher" awards during the 48th commencement ceremonies at Leggett & Platt Athletic Center on Saturday, May 12, 2007. The students and colleagues who nominated the teachers praised them for their committment to students and MSSU.
Full Story.
Students Manage University Funds,
Beat S&P 500
Students in The Robert W. Plaster School of Business Administration's Portfolio Management class ended the year on a high note, achieving a return of over 7 percent, outperforming the S&P 500 in the first five months of trading. Full story
SOBA Pair Studies Ukrainian Business
Through a grant from the McCaleb Initiative for Peace, international business major Thaddeus McCleary and faculty advisor Chris Moos traveled to Ukraine to conduct on-site research following the effects of the Orange Revolution, a series of civil protests regarding Ukraine's 2004 presidential election. More.
Twelve from SOBA Join Business Honor Society
Twelve students from The Robert W. Plaster School of Business Administration were inducted as the first members of the Lambda Gamma Chapter of Delta Mu Delta International Honor Society on Sunday, April 29, 2007. Membership in Delta Mu Delta Honor Society is the highest national recognition a business student can earn. Full Story
Business and Economic Lecture Series
The Robert W. Plaster School of Business Administration hosted Leon Royer, president of American Bank of Bozeman, Montana, in conjunction with its Business and Economic Lecture Series. Students, faculty, staff, and the community were invited to attend Royer’s presentation on the importance of lifelong learning, risk taking, passion, collaboration, and why “it’s not about you.” Royer serves on the board of Foundation for Research on Economics and the Environment, and is a 1972 graduate of MSSU’s School of Business.
The Robert W. Plaster School of Business Administration at Missouri Southern State University sponsors a lecture series featuring speakers of interest to students and the business community. The lecture series is designed to show how business leaders have found success in their respective fields.
SOBA Establishes Business Honor Society
The Robert W. Plaster School of Business Administration has established the Lambda Gamma Chapter of Delta Mu Delta International Honor Society in Business Administration. The first induction ceremony was held April 29, 2007. Membership in Delta Mu Delta Honor Society is the highest national recognition a business student can earn. Contact: Carla Stalling Huntington, PhD, (417) 625-9744, or huntington-c@mssu.edu.
Business Professor Receives Governor's Award
The Robert W. Plaster School of Business Administration of Missouri Southern State University is pleased to announce that James M. Gray, professor of Business Administration, received the annual Governor’s Outstanding Teacher Award for 2007. An award ceremony and luncheon was held April 11, 2007, at the University of Missouri, Columbia.
2006
Memorandum Signing
Joplin, MO - October 25, 2006. Officials from Missouri Southern and Northwest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville, Ark., signed an official “Memorandum of Understanding” Friday, Oct. 20, on the MSSU campus. The two institutions are working on plans that would allow students at Northwest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) to earn the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degrees from the Robert W. Plaster School of Business Administration.
Outstanding Alumni
Joplin, MO - October 1, 2006. The MSSU Alumni Association Board has named Jim Goodknight, Business Admin. 1963, and Fred Witter, Marketing/Management 1978, as outstanding alumni for 2006-2007.
SOBA Students Outperform Peers
Joplin, MO - September 1, 2006. Students in The Robert W. Plaster School of Business continue to outperform their counterparts from over 513 business schools worldwide in critical areas of the ETS Major Field Test. This test assesses content knowledge in the fields of Accounting, Economics, Management, Quantitative Business Analysis, Finance, Marketing, Legal and Social Environment, and International Business.
China Study Abroad Course
Joplin, MO - August 16, 2006. At the end of the Spring 2006 semester, a group of students and faculty from the School of Business Administration traveled to China for the two-week International Business study abroad course, "China in Transition to Market Economy." An account of one student's experience appears in the articles, "A Local Gal Goes to China, Part 1 " and "A Local Gal Goes to China, Part 2."
Board Recognizes Gift from Robert W. Plaster, Renames School
JOPLIN, MO (SNS) - The MSSU Board of Governors met the evening of Thursday, June 15, 2006, and approved a resolution to recognize Robert W. Plaster, a Lebanon, Missouri, businessman and civic leader. In recognition of Plaster’s generous contribution to the Foundation, the Board approved changing the name of Matthews Hall to “Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center.” In addition, the Business School, which is housed in the building, will be named “The Robert W. Plaster School of Business Administration.”
Investment Center Dedicated to Alumnus
JOPLIN, MO (SNS) - On March 17, 2006, a formal dedication ceremony for the Edward Jones Investment Center, located in Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center (formerly Matthews Hall), took place. The Center was dedicated to Jim Goodknight 63 a pioneer investment representative for Edward Jones in the Four-States region. Goodknight is a graduate of Joplin Junior College, the predecessor of Missouri Southern State University.