Master of Business Communication
Faculty
Broad Backgrounds, Expert Insight: Our Faculty
A program committed to exceptional professional communication practice requires a faculty with passion and versatility.
We therefore pull our full-time faculty from St. Thomas graduate and undergraduate programs across the university. We then augment with adjunct instructors from the ranks of top communicators in the Twin Cities area: working professionals who own or consult for businesses, work independently, or are principals in communication agencies.
The result is a core competency informed by current business practice, and a passion for advancing your communications ambitions. And with classes of fewer than 25, students can expect personal, direct interaction with instructors in the classroom and beyond.
Master of Business Communication Faculty - 2009
Lisa Abendroth
Assistant professor in marketing in the Opus College of Business. Research focus on consumer purchase and repurchase decisions. Recent work on consumer decisions and online auctions. Ph.D. Duke University.
Bob Ballard
Bob Ballard is vice president & management supervisor at Periscope. He has held previous positions with Lynch Jarvis Jones in Minneapolis, Martin/Williams Advertising and Bozell Worldwide. He has a broad base of category experience including business-to-business, social marketing, retail, hard goods and consumer services. Accounts have included Minnesota Dept. of Health, Cox Business Services, Fairview Health Services, Minnegasco, Radisson Hotels, Marvin Windows, Honeywell and Monsanto.
Daniel Boone
DM/CRM database marketing consultant. Recently senior director of Direct Response Marketing, CCP North America. Former director of integrated services, Colle + McVoy, past vice president and director of strategic marketing, Penn Garritano Direct Response Marketing. He brings more than 20 years of experience in marketing management roles. Experience includes direct marketing with Saatchi & Saatchi Rowland in Rochester, NY and managing direct and database marketing for Miller Meester Advertising, Minneapolis.
Jeff Cook
Organizational development specialist for Digital River. Previously, full-time faculty in the Department of Communication and Journalism for the University of St. Thomas. His interests include leadership development and the role communication plays in leadership, energizing people, conflict, change, culture, teams, organizations, technology, presentations, and relationships.
George Creel
George Creel is vice-president of account planning & research director at Periscope. He has held previous positions at Lexicon in San Francisco and Martin/Williams Advertising in Minneapolis. His experience includes work with high-tech, retail, healthcare, financial services and business-to-business. He has worked extensively with Buffalo Wild Wings, Papa Murphy’s, Target, U.S. Bank, United Healthcare, Cox Communications and Arctic Cat. M.B.A. healthcare administration, University of Minnesota.
Pat Goodwin
President, Goodwin Communications Group, Inc. Provides corporate, organizational, and marketing communication services to business, government, community, and service organizations. Past president of International Association of Business Communications (IABC) and Association for Women in Communication (AWC). M.A. in organizational communication, University of Minnesota.
Stephen Greer
Current director of global events and motor sports for General Mills, Inc. responsible for the corporate events, partnerships and NASCAR. Previous General Mills management roles include: director of global consumer promotion, Switzerland and consumer promotion group of the Big G division. M.S. Integrated Marketing Communications, Northwestern University.
Thomas Horner
Partner in Himle Horner, Inc., a public relations and public affairs firm. Former vice president/general manager of Hill and Knowlton/Minnesota, chief of staff to Senator Durenberger, and managing editor of Sun Newspapers.
Ron James
President and CEO of the Center for Ethical Business Cultures (CEBC) at the University of St. Thomas. The Center assists business leaders in creating ethical and profitable business cultures. He formerly served as president and CEO of the Human Resources Group, a division of Ceridian Corporation, and as Minnesota's top executive officer for US West Communications, Inc.
Glen Karwoski
Founder and managing director, Karwoski & Courage, an operating division of Martin/Williams. Manages programs designed to create and build reputation for companies, including 3M Health Care, 3M Dental, U.S. Bancorp, Rubbermaid, The Stroh Brewery Company, Koch Industries, and Gold'n Plump Poultry. Author of CPR for Business. M.A., University of Wisconsin: Superior.
Jay Lipe
CEO and founder of Emerge Marketing LLC, a leading provider of strategic marketing services and information. Former marketing manager with Select Comfort Corp., Novaritis and General Mills. M.B.A. in marketing, Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management.
Susan Marsnik
Associate professor and Business Law Department Chair, Opus College of Business, University of St. Thomas. Research specialties include: comparative business law, U.S. and European Union copyright law and U.S. and European digital data privacy law. J.D., University of Minnesota.
Erich Mische
Past positions have included: writer and researcher for the Minnesota State Senate, White Bear Lake city council member, director of communications for the International Association of Machinists, executive director of the Saint Paul RiverCentre, and chief strategist roles in several political campaigns.
Michael O’Donnell
Associate professor with the University of St. Thomas Dept. of Communication and Journalism. For 25 years he was a reporter, editor and page designer for several Midwest daily newspapers. His current interests include: Editing, Writing and Designing for the Web, Mass Communication and Society, and Visual Communication.
Michael Porter
Director of the MBC program within the Opus College of Business. Previous experience in business, consulting, marketing and communications with a wide variety of industries applying tactics domestically and internationally. Holds accreditation from PRSA. Has taught UST marketing and entrepreneurship courses and for the Mass Communications Dept. at St. Cloud State University. M.B.A. and Ed.D., University of St. Thomas.
Tom Ressler
Associate professor in Decision Sciences in the Opus College of Business. His research interests include application of statistics and mathematics for management decision making, and pedagogy for making mathematical learning useful and relevant to students. Ph.D., operations research, University of Minnesota.
Lorin Robinson
Recent 3M public relations manager responsible for product public relations for nine operating units. Past professor at University of Wisconsin—River Falls and adjunct at the University of St. Thomas and College of St. Catherine. Ph.D. Communications, University of Minnesota.
Kevin Sauter
Professor, communication studies, University of St. Thomas. Has taught courses in public speaking, persuasion, media criticism and video and audio production. Offers business seminars in presentational speaking. Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University.
Ellen Shriner
Principal of Ellen Shriner Communications. Copywriting clients have included Cargill, Deluxe Corp., Hallmark, Hazelden Publishing, Medtronic, Target and U.S. Bank. Previously senior copywriter, Carlson Marketing group and assistant professor of English, Missouri Valley College. M.A. English, University of Toledo.
John Stein
Adjunct instructor in economics. Has taught University of St. Thomas undergraduate and graduate courses in several programs within the Opus College of Business. M.A. University of Illinois.
Milt Thomas
Design specialist in Organizational Development and Training with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Previously assistant professor in communications and administrative fellow in the Center for Conflict and Change. M.A. University of Montana.
