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Department of Marketing, Sports Business & Event Management, and Construction Management

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DEPARTMENT OF MARKETING, SPORTS BUSINESS & EVENT MANAGEMENT, AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

We offer three undergraduate degrees in the Department of Marketing, Sports Business & Event Management, and Construction Management that will prepare you to build a brand, a sports franchise or a skyscraper. Though very different, each one of the programs in our department provide a solid foundation through rigorous coursework that is strengthened with real-world, professional experiences beyond the classroom. Minors are also available in all three options, as well a Esports and Sales.
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Our People

Headshot of Joe Cobbs
Joe Cobbs
Department Chair
Professor, Sports Business & Event Management
BC 379
(859) 572-7960
cobbsj1@nku.edu

Biography

Dr. Joe Cobbs joined the Sport Business & Event Management Program in January, 2010; currently, he serves as a lead researcher for the Institute of Sports Business & Event Management at NKU, and he teaches courses in Rivalry & Ritual in International Sport (SpB 200), Moneyball: the Economics of Sports (SpB 307), and the MBA course Marketing in Organizations (MKT 605). He completed his doctoral dissertation work in the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts, where he won the Graduate Student Teaching Award in 2008. Joe also worked with clients such as Major League Soccer (MLS) and the Dew Action Sports Tour as a research associate for the UMass Center for Spectator Sport Research. His research focusing on rivalry, sport sponsorship and the business of Formula One (F1) motor racing has been published in several marketing and sport business journals, including the Journal of Advertising Research, the Journal of Consumer Marketing, and Sport Management Review. He twice won the American Marketing Association (AMA) award for the Sports Marketing Paper of the Year (2015, 2017). Joe serves on the editorial boards for the Journal of Sport Management and Sport Marketing Quarterly. He has also presented his research across four continents at conferences such as the Academy of Marketing Science and the World Marketing Congress. Prior to pursuing his Ph.D., Joe worked in a marketing capacity at several sports organizations, including General Sports & Entertainment, the ATP Masters Series - Cincinnati (now the Western & Southern Open), and Palace Sports & Entertainment (Detroit Pistons). Most recently, he was the Director of Marketing for Miami (OH) University Intercollegiate Athletics, and he is currently a member of the Athletic Council at NKU. Joe earned his Masters degree in 2000 from The Ohio State University, where he also served as a Graduate Marketing Associate in the Buckeyes' Intercollegiate Athletics Department. Joe is known around campus for his green shoes, which signify "Green for Groceries" donations to Fuel NKU, the on-campus food pantry for students experiencing food insecurity. 

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Teresa Huddleston
Teresa R. Huddleston
Academic Coordinator
BC 392
(859) 572-6582
huddlestot1@nku.edu

Biography

Teresa is the Academic Coordinator for the Department of Management and the Department of Marketing, Sports Business and Construction Management.  She has worked at Northern Kentucky University since 2006 starting in the division of Student Affairs and joining the Haile College of Business in 2012. In 2007 she created the Computers 101 track and trained students enrolled in Project Aspire and the Whitney M. Young Scholars program.Teresa received nominations for the Regents Distinguished Service Award in 2011 and 2012. Teresa received the Black Faculty and Staff Associate President’s Award in 2012 and the African American Student Affairs “Advisor of the Year” award in 2008.In her spare time she serves on several local committees dedicated to improving literacy and education. Teresa enjoys creating greeting cards, scrapbooking and meeting people.

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Majed Dabdoub
Majed Dabdoub
Lecturer 
Director, Construction Management
BC 337
(859) 572-6679
dabdoubm@nku.edu

Biography

Majed Dabdoub received a BS in Civil Engineering from Ohio University in 1981 and a Masters in Civil Engineering from the University of Cincinnati in 1989. He has worked for the city of Cincinnati for 30 years and while there managed the building and zoning division of the building department. His experience includes more than 34 years in building design and construction as well as the application of building codes and standards. He also consults locally, nationally and internationally. Majed has been teaching at NKU since 1991.

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Anh Dang
Anh Dang
Assistant Professor, Marketing
BC 354
(859) 572-5514
danga1@nku.edu

Biography

Dr. Anh Dang is an Assistant Professor of Marketing. Prior to joining NKU, she earned her Ph.D. in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from Old Dominion University. At Old Dominion University, she taught a variety of courses including Introduction to Business, Principles of Marketing, Consumer Behavior, Social Media Marketing, and Marketing on the Internet. In these classes, she connected students with the local business community such as the Norfolk Foster Care and the Virginia Society of Professional Engineers through term projects.Her research focuses on digital marketing, consumer behavior, and corporate social responsibility. She has published papers in peer-reviewed journals including the Journal of Business Research and the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. Her research proposal won the competitive Wharton Customer Analytic Initiative – Bazaarvoice Research Opportunity from the University of Pennsylvania in 2015. She also has multiple papers presented at national and international conferences.

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Sean Foley
Sean Foley
Associate Dean, Undergraduate Programs
Associate Professor, Construction Management
BC 315
(859) 572-6353
foleys@nku.edu

Biography

Sean Foley joined the Haile College of Business in 2000 and has worn many hats during his tenure. He teaches a variety of courses in construction, including: Architectural Drafting and CAD, Building Information Modeling, Construction Equipment Management, and Construction Surveying and Layout.

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Jenny Gardner
Jenny Gardner
Executive Director, Center for Student Excellence
Lecturer ll, Sports Business & Event Management
BC 204B
(859) 572-5906
gardnerj@nku.edu

Biography

Jennifer Gardner has served as the Director of the Sports Business and Event Management Program at Northern Kentucky University since 2012. She is responsible for the oversight of the the operations of the undergraduate academic program and a also develops and manages business relationships with sport and entertainment organizations to establish volunteer, internship and job opportunities for students. Gardner also is the faculty advisor for the Sport Business Club at NKU. She came to NKU after 18 years of experience in both collegiate and professional athletics. Before joining NKU, Gardner served as the  joined Associate Athletic Director for the University of Cincinnati Athletics Department from 2006-2012. At UC, she served as a major gifts officer responsible for scholarships and capital initiatives in the UCATS Office, in which she successfully solicited and met fundraising goals for such projects as the Sheakley Athletics Center. Additionally, she coordinated all hospitality programs, VIP events, customer service initiatives, retention efforts and benefits for high end donors.Prior to her arrival at UC, Gardner spent seven seasons with the Cincinnati Reds as the director of premium sales and service. During her tenure, she developed a Founders Suite Program in which six companies contributed more than $7 million in luxury suite revenue three years prior to the ballpark opening. She was instrumental in setting a new Major League Baseball record of selling out 61 luxury suites in 37 days and saw a 75 percent sales increase of diamond, scout and club seating areas in six month's time. Gardner oversaw the sales and service of 600 premium accounts representing significant revenue for the team, while spearheading renewal initiatives and incentive programs for suite and season ticket holders.Gardner also had a three-year stint as the Cincinnati Bengals assistant director of premium seat sales. She was a member of the sales team responsible for meeting the sales goals of luxury suites and club seats in order to move forward in the construction of Paul Brown Stadium. Her other notable achievements included the development of hospitality programming and events for premium seat holders and execution of VIP experiences at the Bengals training camp site in Georgetown, Ky.A 1993 graduate of the University of Dayton, Gardner began her career at The Kempton Group, a sport and event marketing firm in Cincinnati, as an account service manager. She worked primarily with the 1996 U.S. Open Golf Championship, including the development of the hospitality program for General Motors' Delphi Automotive Systems on behalf of their participation in the championship. Gardner earned her bachelor of arts in communication with an emphasis in broadcasting and public relations from UD before going on to pursue her master of arts in communication with an emphasis in organizational communication from Miami University (OH) in 1994. She and her husband, Brian, have two children; Chloe and Sydney.

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Shanda Harris
Director, NKU Esports
Esports Professor of Practice
BC 210
(859) 572-6325
harriss6@nku.edu

Biography

Professor Harris is the Director of NKU Esports and Esports Professor of Practice. She received a BS in Sports Business from the Haile College of Business and a Master of Legal Studies from Chase College of Law. She earned the Outstanding Sports Business Student Award in 2018. Before joining NKU, Shanda was an event
manager in the local Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area working on events such as The Flying Pig Marathon, DAV5K, Blink, and Cincinnati Music Fest. She was also a Flight Attendant for a Delta Connection carrier for 15 years. Shanda will split her time between directing the Esports program and teaching students about the business of esports.   

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Chip Heath
Chip Heath
Director of Online Learning
Lecturer, Marketing
BC 319
(859) 572-5523
heathc@nku.edu

Biography

Mr. Chip Heath is a Lecturer of Marketing at Northern Kentucky University where he currently teaches a variety of courses including marketing principles and digital marketing. He is also a faculty lead in the accelerated online program. He has earned an MBA from Northern Illinois University with a concentration in information systems and a Bachelor's degree in Finance from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. He also attended the Ph.D. in Business Administration - Marketing program at the University of Kentucky.Mr. Heath brings with him a wealth of teaching experience, having taught courses in Marketing Principles, Consumer Behavior, Marketing Research, Marketing Strategy, Business Marketing, Personal Selling, Promotions, Advertising, and Psychology in Business. He has also created both graduate and undergraduate courses in Internet Marketing and E-Commerce. Adept at teaching in both large and class environments, Chip has taught classes as small as 7 in a small classroom and as large as 530 in a large auditorium. His teaching experience includes appointments at the University of Kentucky, Northern Illinois University, Xavier University, and most recently Eastern Kentucky University. He also taught previously here at Northern Kentucky University.Aesthetics and consumer behavior issues online are the predominant areas of Mr. Heath’s research. Publications written by Mr. Heath have appeared in the Journal of Electronic Commerce Research as well as book chapters in Contemporary Research In E-Marketing, Volume 1 and Online Consumer Psychology: Understanding and Influencing Behavior in the Virtual World. He also has numerous conference presentations at the major conferences within the Marketing discipline. His current research focuses on beauty and product design as well as consumptive responses to product proportionality. Outside the classroom, Chip enjoys spending time with his family, playing music, watching live music, and learning taekwondo with his son. He is also a huge hockey fan.

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Boshra Karimi
Boshra Karimi
Assistant Professor, Construction Management
BC 353
(859) 572-5394
karimib1@nku.edu

Biography

Dr. Boshra Karimi is an Assistant Professor of Construction Management at Northern Kentucky University. She received her Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering (Construction Management) from Oklahoma State University. Boshra joined NKU in August, 2018. Prior to that, she earned her BSc in Mechanical Engineering from University of Tehran, and her MSc in Industrial Engineering and Management from Sharif University of Technology.She has over 7 years of experience in teaching. She was an instructor in Ershad Damavand University, a visiting instructor in School of International Studies and Outreach at Oklahoma State University, and a teaching associate in School of Construction Management Technology at Oklahoma State University.She has also over 14 years of experience in industry. She has worked in Neyrperse company as an Engineering Expert, as a Technical Office Supervisor in Mapna group, as a Mechanical Engineering Supervisor in construction (Professional Engineer) in Iranian Construction Engineers Organization, and as a Consultant in Roll-2-Roll Technologies LLC in Oklahoma. Her research interests include sustainable project management, sustainability assessment, sustainable technology implementation, supply chain management, decision-making modeling, and big data application in construction. Her research has been published in several peer reviewed journals and presented at international conferences.Boshra is the recipient of many awards like “Robberson Summer Research and Creative Activity Fellowship” in 2017, “Calvin & Marilyn Vogt Endowed Scholarship” in 2016, “Outstanding Teaching Performance Award” in 2014 & 2015, and “Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) Scholarship” in 2014.

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Mike Lehrter
Mike Lehrter
Technology Support Specialist
BC 119
(859) 572-7661
lehrterm1@nku.edu
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Aron Levin
Aron Levin 
Professor, Marketing
BC 312
(859) 572-6409
levina@nku.edu

Biography

Dr. Levin is an Associate Professor of Marketing. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky and has been on the faculty at NKU since 2000. Dr. Levin has published articles in the Journal of Consumer Psychology, Journal of Consumer Behaviour, Quirk’s Marketing Research Review, the Journal of Current Research and Issues in Advertising and the International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship. He regularly presents his research at conferences such as the American Marketing Association and Association of Consumer Research, and is an active consultant for a variety of marketing research suppliers and client firms in the consumer packaged goods and sports and entertainment industries.In 2001, Dr. Levin helped create the Marketing Research Partnership Program (MRP)2 at NKU with a mission of creating excitement for students interested in marketing research careers and networking with the vast array of top marketing research suppliers in the Greater Cincinnati region. Since the program’s beginnings, over sixty NKU students have been placed in jobs at partnering firms, and dozens of successful marketing researchers have delivered guest lectures on NKU’s campus. The program is regularly recognized as one of the university’s most unique and successful examples of public engagement.

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Banwari Mittal
Banwari Mittal
Professor, Marketing
BC 373
(859) 572-5163
mittal@nku.edu

Biography

Dr. Mittal holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from BITS, Pilani, India, an M.B.A. in marketing from IIMA, India, and a Ph.D. in marketing from the University of Pittsburgh. He has previously been on the faculty of SUNY, Buffalo and the University of Miami and a visiting professor at University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. Dr. Mittal's recent course offerings have included consumer/customer behavior, marketing communications, e-marketing, and services marketing, both in bachelor’s and MBA programs.His research has focused on consumer perceptions and decision processes, measurement and modeling of consumer attitudes, brand loyalty and brand equity, and management of customer response to marketing programs. His research has been published in such prestigious journals as Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Retailing, etc. His 1993 paper in Journal of Marketing (“Here Is the Beef: Factors, Segments, and Determinants in Public Attitudes on Advertising”), coauthored with Richard Pollay, won “the best 5-year contribution” award in advertising from the American Marketing Association. His paper in the Journal of Services Marketing (“Why Do Customers Switch? The Dynamics of Satisfaction versus Loyalty”) won the best article award for the year 1998 from MCB University Press, U.K.Dr. Mittal has authored four books: Consumer Behavior: How Humans Think, Feel, and Act in the Marketplace (2008, Open Mentis www.mycbbook.com), Customer Behavior: Consumer Behavior and Beyond (1999, Dryden Press), Customer Behavior: A Managerial Perspective (Thomson Learning, 2002), and Valuespace: Winning the battle for Market Leadership, an Executive Reader on Customer Value (McGraw Hill, 2001, www.myvaluespace.com).Dr. Mittal has been Associate Editor of the Journal of Business Research (2000-2003), and now serves on the editorial board of that journal and of Psychology & Marketing.

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Bridget Nicols
Bridget Nichols
Professor, Marketing and Sports Business & Event Management
BC 215
(859) 572-6558
nicholsb1@nku.edu

Biography

Dr. Bridget Nichols is a Professor of Marketing and Sports Business. She earned her Ph.D. in Business Administration with a concentration in marketing and consumer behavior from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.  Bridget joined NKU in August, 2010. Prior to coming to NKU, she earned her B.S. in marketing (2000) and M.B.A (2004) from the University of Tampa in Tampa, FL. She has taught several classes at NKU including marketing principles, marketing management, consumer behavior, sports marketing and research, sports public relations, and sports promotions. At the University of Tennessee she also taught courses in products & services management, marketing research, strategic corporate management, principles of marketing and logistics, and integrated marketing communications.  Her primary research areas of interest are consumer emotions and behavior, cause-marketing in sports, and food/health related marketing. Her work has been published in several peer reviewed journals and presented at international conferences. Prior to pursuing her Ph.D., Bridget was employed with Environmental Lighting Concepts (FL), RJ Reynolds Tobacco (FL/NC), and Creative Loafing Publishing (FL/GA) where she was responsible for multiple marketing activities including in media buying, advertising design and planning, market analysis, market research, sponsorship design and sales, and business development.Bridget has a long history of involvement in sports including four years as an NCAA-Division II athlete (swimming), participating in multiple Olympic distance and sprint distance triathlons, and is an avid CrossFitter. 

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David Raska
David Raska
Professor, Marketing
BC 222
(859) 572-7688
raskad1@nku.edu

Biography

Dr. David Raska is an Associate Professor of Marketing at Northern Kentucky University where he teaches marketing principles and marketing research. He recently completed his dissertation on the effects of fluency-based marketing messages on self-indulgent consumption and was awarded a Ph.D. in Business Administration from Washington State University. David joined the Department of Marketing at NKU in Fall, 2009. Prior to that, he received an MS in Education from the Technical University of Liberec, Czech Republic, in 1999 and an MS in Management of Technology from the University of Alabama at Huntsville in 2003. His research on corporate social responsibility, brand advertising, and consumer behavior has been presented at national and international conferences and several of his research projects are currently under review or in preparation for submittal to marketing journals. In 2009, David was recognized as the Aspen Institute Research Fellow for the Beyond Grey Pinstripes research survey, an alternative ranking of business schools that spotlights innovative full-time MBA programs leading the way in the integration of issues concerning social and environmental stewardship into the curriculum.David’s industry experience reflects his personal passion for outdoor sports and includes distribution, retailing, and brand management in the outdoor industry, particularly in East European markets. David continues to be an active consultant in the outdoor industry and is currently developing consultancy-based relationships with U.S. as well as European outdoor manufacturers interested in the integration of social impact management into their marketing practices.

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Kim Roush
Kim Roush
Lecturer, Marketing
BC 237
(859) 572-5764
roushk3@nku.edu

Biography

Mrs. Kim Roush is a Lecturer of Marketing at NKU. She earned her M.B.A. with a focus in Marketing from Duquesne University (2014) and her B.S. in Marketing from Butler University (2010). Mrs. Roush currently teaches Marketing in the Digital Age and Global Marketing, but has previously taught Integrated Marketing Communications, Social Media Marketing, Retail Management, and Principles of Marketing courses. Her primary research area is Marketing Teaching Pedagogy, especially in the area of bringing social media use into the classroom. Prior to her academic career, Mrs. Roush was employed by PPG Industries as a Brand Manager where she was responsible for the marketing and promotional plans for two of the company’s largest brands.

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Ihab Saad
Ihab Saad
Professor, Construction Management
BC 219
(859) 572-6355
saadi1@nku.edu

Biography

Dr. Ihab Saad is Professor of Construction Management and an alumnus of the University of Kentucky in Lexington where he received his Ph.D. in 1996 from the department of Civil Engineering and Construction. He has over 25 years of experience in the construction industry primarily in the civil/construction project management area.Dr. Saad received his Bachelor of Science and Master’s degrees in Civil Engineering from Cairo University in his native country Egypt in 1984, and 1993 respectively, in addition to a higher diploma in construction project management (equivalent to another M.Sc. from Ain Shams University in Cairo, Egypt). He has worked for a top 10 worldwide project management firm, and offered training in Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, in addition to the United States.He has taught at his Alma Mater, the University of Kentucky, in addition to Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, and most recently at the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio where he was voted “Faculty of the Year” by construction science students in June 2011.His work experience includes roles as a field engineer, cost engineer, senior scheduler, and project manager. His research interests include project sustainability, innovative project delivery systems, multimedia applications in project documentation, and construction organizations’ behavior and lessons learned. He has published in peer reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences.Dr. Saad is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) by the Project Management Institute (PMI) and a registered Professional Engineer in Egypt and Qatar. He has received university and national teaching awards and coached several 1st place winning teams in national and regional construction competitions.

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Jose Saavedra Torres
Jose Saavedra Torres
Assistant Professor, Marketing
BC 316
(859) 572-1321
saavedraj1@nku.edu

Biography

Jose Luis Saavedra Torres is an Assistant Professor of Marketing. He holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration with a concentration in marketing from the Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Prior to coming to NKU, he earned his MBA (1999) from IESA (Venezuela) and Emory University in Atlanta, GA, and his B.A. in communication with a concentration in advertising and PR from Universidad del Zulia (Venezuela).

His areas of interest include B2B sales, branding and experiential and digital consumption. His work has been published in the Journal of Product and Brand Management, Marketing Management Journal, Journal of Retail and Consumer Services, and Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing. Prior to pursuing his Ph.D., Jose worked for more than 15 years in a marketing and sales capacity at several organizations including advertising agencies, mobile carriers, retail chain stores, automotive (Toyota), and print/digital media.

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Eileen Weisenbach Keller
Eileen Weisenbach Keller
Professor, Marketing
BC 339
(859) 572-6641
weisenbace1@nku.edu

Biography

Eileen Weisenbach Keller is a Professor of Marketing, Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Students and Director of the Center for Student Excellence at Northern Kentucky University. You will find her in her office meeting with students, inspiring them to tackle business like they would their sibling on a Saturday morning. Rough house, tangle with it and have some fun in the process. Students wonder about her, so don’t feel bad if you do too.

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