Ramon Alvarez is the College's Executive-in-Residence, meeting with classes and student groups throughout the quarter.   When he met with a Marketing class, the students reported, "Mr. Alvarez focused on the need to build relationships for success and to follow your heart for your career.  He also discussed with us the importance of being involved with your community because that's your neighbors and customers." On January 16, 2007 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., he will hold office hours to meet with marketing and management students (sign up in CBPA Advising in JB 404).  On November 28, he served as the Surado Distinguished Entrepreneur, meeting with students in the evening to talk about how he founded and built his business into one of the top performing dealerships in the country.  March 8, 2007 brings him to the new course in Executive Leadership that's open to all students (MGT 590 TR 10 to 11:50 a.m.)  He will also speak with the Latino Business Students Association, addressing personal topics such as self-confidence and being a first-generation college graduate.  The Alvarez Lincoln Mercury and Jaguar Dealerships, located in the Riverside Auto Center, was founded by Mr. Alvarez in October 1995.

We welcome five new faculty:
Professor Ghulam Sarwar (left) is the new Chair of our Department of Accounting and Finance.  He comes to us from St. Cloud State University where he also served as Chair.  He holds two Ph.Ds -- one in Applied Economics from the University of Nebraska, and another in Finance from Oklahoma State University.
Associate Professor Michael Stull (right) has been director of our nationally-ranked Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship since 2002, teaching both graduate and undergraduate classes, and recently innovating our entrepreneurship curriculum.  (Graduate entrepreneurship is #4 in the U.S. according to Princeton Review and Entrepreneur Magazine).   He completed the Executive Doctor of Management at Case Western Reserve last May.
Assistant Professor Richard Lille (left) is a CPA in both Illinois and California and remains active in the field.  After earning the Ed.D. at Northern Illinois University, he taught at our Palm Desert Campus and served as coordinator of the accounting program there.  Dr. Lille is known for combining both traditional and technology-based methods including distance learning.
Ron Escobar, CFE (Certified Fraud Examiner), EA (Enrolled Agent to practice before the IRS), joins the faculty as a full-time lecturer in Accounting.  He has served as consultant to organizations, with a focus on Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404 compliance.  As a computer systems engineer with the U.S. Navy, he received the Navy Achievement Medal for exceptional service in the Persian Gulf.
Greg Richey joins the Finance faculty as a full-time lecturer.  His background includes an interesting mix of business finance with a credential in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages).  He has also been a part-time lecturer with CBPA since 2002.

In Memory of Public Administration graduate student Randy Lally:  Randy Lally, CSUSB alumni and current graduate student in  public administration, passed away in an auto accident December 25.  He served as a fleet manager at JB Hunt trucking in San Bernardino.  An energetic, likeable, quick‑witted professional, Randy’s desire to use his public administration education to serve his community fueled a quest for public office.  Randy ran for a seat on the San Bernardino City Council in November 2006. Although unsuccessful in his first attempt, he impressed many people with his ability to organize a good campaign with few resources.  He was known as a friendly, down-to-earth person keenly interested in how to contribute to improve the lives of ordinary people.  Additionally, his family reports he loved to coach baseball.  Fellow students and public administration faculty within the College of Business and Public Administration will remember Randy fondly.   The photo is courtesy of Sun Newspaper.