Our MBA program is approaching its 50th anniversary!
Established in 1974, the present-day MBA was known as interdisciplinary industrial administration sciences. The program continues to evolve in order to meet the needs of students and industry. Today, the Debbie and Jerry Ivy College of Business offers part-time, full-time, and executive MBA tracks. Our full-time MBA has ascended in the U.S. News and World Report rankings, currently perched at #51 overall and #25 among public institutions, placing it in the top 10 percent nationally.
Kicking off the celebration is the 1970’s MBA champion, Bill Kalm (’73, industrial administration; ’77, interdisciplinary industrial administration sciences). His master’s degree is the present-day MBA.
Kalm has had a successful career as an Accenture Partner, retiring in 2002. He specialized in healthcare organizations, quality management, and personnel matters and was responsible for generating over $135 million in revenue. Along with his career, philanthropy has been a large part of Kalm’s life, as he has served the Make-A-Wish Foundation for over 20 years, among many other philanthropic organizations. Since retirement, Kalm spends most of his time fly-fishing around the world and remains a supporter of the university and the Ivy MBA program. He is the founder and sponsor of the MBA case competition, helps form and serves on the MBA Executive Advisory Council, and is a guest lecturer, to name a few roles.
Get to know more about Kalm and his continuous involvement and support of the Ivy MBA:
Q: What about yourself would you tell someone you’ve never met before? Please share what you are up to now and anything about your favorite fishing experience.
I truly am enjoying my retirement years. Spending quality time with my wife, traveling the world fly fishing, and giving back through my active involvement with the Ivy College of Business were all made possible thanks to two major factors. One was the incredible support I received from Charles Handy, the founding dean at the college who guided me through the master’s program. The other was a long and successful career with Accenture.
All fishing stories are true – right? From the classic “one that got away” to the monsters landed, being chased by wildlife, falling in the river (and ocean!), and the incredible and majestic scenery everywhere on this planet, as well as the exceptional friendships I have made with guides and other fly anglers from around the world, all have been my favorites!
Q: What is one of your favorite memories from attending Iowa State University?
One of my favorite memories was staring out the window of my graduate assistant office, which was on the top floor of Beardshear Hall, looking out over the campanile area. It easily distracted me from my teaching prep, grading, and thesis development.
Q: How was your experience in the MBA program and how did it impact your career?
I was among the first graduates of the newly formed master of science in industrial administrative sciences. This program preceded the College of Business and the MBA program. The program required a focus on four disciplines. I chose marketing, economics, statistics, and industrial engineering. These intense courses (at least for me) directly contributed to my hiring and the subsequent successes of my 25-year career with Accenture.
Q: Did you receive any support (scholarships) while getting your master’s?
I was a teaching assistant, so I received some limited financial support and a tuition reduction. However, this was not enough to cover my costs, so I also had to have an external job.
Q: How else do you stay involved with Ivy? What motivates you to continue to stay involved?
I was approached in 2004 for a contribution to the College of Business. At that time, I decided that simply writing a check was not the route I wanted to take. So, I worked closely with Brad Shrader, Morrill Professor Emeritus; Sam DeMarie, director of the executive MBA and associate professor; Jeffrey Kaufmann, former management professor; and Ron Ackerman, former director of graduate admissions and student services, to put together an internal case competition for the MBA students.
My wife and I provided the scholarship funds in the name and honor of Charles Handy for the top three teams, Best Presenter, Best Q&A, and Founders Award. From that exceptionally successful program (we’re now in our 19th year!), I helped form the MBA executive advisory council and was the first chair. Subsequently, I was asked to serve on the Dean’s Advisory Council, and I have been doing so since 2017. Additionally, I conduct a wine appreciation course for both executive MBA and full-time MBA students. My wife and I also provide leadership scholarships for the full-time and part-time MBA programs, as well as ethics scholarships in honor of Shrader for deserving graduate and undergraduate students.
My motivation to stay involved comes from many sources: my interactions with the Ivy College of Business leadership and staff, my close relationship with many of the Ivy professors, and my most important motivation comes from staying close to the student population through the scholarships, the EAC, the ICC, and the wine appreciation courses.
Q: You’ve provided incredible support through scholarships for MBA students. If you were to convince others to do the same, what would you tell them?
An MBA from the Ivy College of Business helps prepare incredible individuals for long and successful careers. It is clear from the high placement rate of Ivy graduates, the continual improvement in rankings, and the ability to attract and retain exceptional leadership and faculty that the Ivy model is highly effective. However, there is constant pressure on budgets and tuition rates, and there is substantial competition from other MBA alternatives. The best way to keep the Ivy pipeline of students full is to offer as many scholarships as possible.
Q: What makes Iowa State and the Ivy College of Business unique from other schools?
The simple answer is the stakeholders. To expand, I look at each of the stakeholder groups, and they all have outstanding people committed to Ivy’s long-term success. From Iowa State leadership to Ivy leadership, faculty, all the advisory committees, students, staff, alumni, and employers – all individuals I have met are of top character, capability, and commitment. Very few stakeholder groups compare to ours.
As we look to the next 50 years, we want to ensure the program’s reputation is not only maintained but elevated and that our base of knowledgeable, innovative alumni continues to grow. It’s important that we continue to attract the highest caliber students – those who go on to lead their companies, institutions, and communities to success. Scholarship support makes that possible. It’s one of the most effective tools the college can use to attract talented students and provide them with opportunities that enrich their educational experience.
