Page 15 - The Bell Tower - Summer/Fall 2015

FACULTYHIGHLIGHTS ACADEMIC HIGHLIGHTS
Helping Maine Farmers
UMFK Assistant Professor of Business Leo Trudel has con- ducted research for his doctoral dissertation in which he showed that successful farmers in Maine tend to use business plans. Trudel recently graduated from North Central University in Prescott, Arizona, with a Ph.D. in Business Administration with a concentra- tion in Financial Management.
Trudel said he wanted to address two questions with his research. First, he want- ed to know if there are material character- istics that are common among successful farmers in Maine when using a business plan. The second question he wanted to answer was, do business plans really work?
The title of his dissertation was “Exploring Relationships between Business Plan Development and Meeting Projected Goals for Maine Farmers”.
Describing a resource-base view (RBV) for farmers in Maine, Trudel said he addressed five key resources – human,
finance, capital, technology, and entrepre- neurship. “How do you manipulate them in order to optimize your profitability, or whatever your objective is (in the case of non-profits)?” Trudel said.
Regarding business plans, UMFK’s newest Ph.D. holder said, “What we found was that business planning does work. The other component we found was assessing financial capital and entrepre- neurship (from an experience perspec- tive), as well as technology really mat- tered.
“The funny thing was when we assessed education. It didn’t matter. What mattered was experience more than edu- cation. We had people with Ph.D.s that weren’t successful and people with eighth grade educations that were successful, extremely successful.”
While at UMFK, Dr. Trudel serves on the Diversity Committee; Peer Review Committee; Athletic Hall of Fame Selection Committee; Centre for Rural Sustainable Development Advisory Council; Education Advisory Council; French Heritage Advisory Council; and the Professional Management Advisory Council.
He earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Plymouth State University and a Masters in Finance from
North Central University.
In addition, he holds several security
licenses: Registered Investment Advisor, a General Securities Representative, Equity Trader Limited Representative, as well as a Proprietary Trader designation.
Dr. Trudel is a member of the Maine Center for Tourism Research and Outreach (CENTRO) and Aroostook Country Tourism Crown of Maine.
Trudel has taught at UMFK for 10 years as an assistant professor of business spe- cializing in finance and entrepreneurship.
Reaccreditation by IACBE
This past spring, the International Assembly
for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE) recog- nized the reaccreditation of University of Maine at Fort Kent’s business man- agement and public safety programs at its annual conference and assembly meeting held in Baltimore, Maryland.
left to right: Dr Roger A Roy, Dr. Leo Trudel, and Dr. Ralph (Chip) Mason, chair of the Board of Commissioners.
throughout the United States and internationally. The IACBE has accredited UMFK since 2007.
Dr. Roy noted that UMFK is the only one of the small universities within the University of Maine System that has an accredited busi- ness program.
Dr. Trudel currently holds the posi- tion of regional treasurer of the New England chapter of the IACBE.
The IACBE is the premier profes- sional accreditor of business pro- grams in student-centered colleges
and universities throughout the
UMFK Professor of Mathematics and Business, Dr. Roger A. Roy and Assistant Professor of Business Dr. Leo Trudel offi-
cially received affirmation of accreditation for the business management and the public safety administration programs at the conference.
The IACBE accredits business degree programs in colleges and universities
world. The IACBE exists to pro- mote, develop, and recognize excellence in business education. Its philosophy of accreditation is centered on student learn- ing and operational outcomes, which makes it flexible and adaptable.
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