Management association lauds partnership with WMU, salutes student
KALAMAZOO—For the fourth year in a row, the southwest Michigan chapter of APICS—the Association for Operations Management—has honored Western Michigan University as Educational Partner of the Year.
To be considered for the award, an institution must demonstrate student and faculty participation in APICS and its educational programs, partnering to further participation in the organization.
The award was presented Tuesday, May 14, at the Fetzer Center on WMU's campus as part of the association's top management night. Integrated supply management student Rian Caldwell, of Kalamazoo, Mich., also was named the APICS student of the year at the ceremony.
The event included dinner and a blue ribbon panel discussion with executives from Southwest Michigan First, Grand Valley State University and the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.
Dr. Robert Landeros, chair of the department of management, Dr. Sime Curkovic, professor of management and director of the ISM program, and ISM students Ashley Moyle, Victoria Taylor and Brendan Mulcahy accepted the award on behalf of WMU.
Nationally ranked program
"The WMU integrated supply management program has made great efforts to stay connected with alumni, managers and industry associations such as APICS," Curkovic says. "This kind of external partnering has contributed greatly to our program being ranked 12th nationally and offering students near perfect job placement."
David Rench, director at large of the APICS southwest Michigan chapter, notes that it is WMU's continuing involvement in the association that has helped it win the award.
"WMU has been an excellent educational partner for many years," Rench says. "The support of the ISM program and its faculty has been tremendous."
Originally the American Production and Inventory Control Society, APICS, since 1957, has represented supply chain and operations management professionals as the global leader and premier source of knowledge in the industry.