Director's Corner

Message from the Director of the Executive Education Program

Welcome to the first electronic newsletter for the Executive Education Program in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) at Indiana University. The purpose of the newsletter is to keep you up to date with new initiatives, highlight past accomplishments, and provide you with feature stories on current students, alumni, faculty, and key stakeholders associated with this lifelong learning program for career professionals.

As some of you know, we have been working very hard to continue the excellent work of this Executive Education Program founded by Tom DeCoster almost thirty years ago in 1979. We continue to offer an Executive Public Management Certificate (EPMC) and Master of Public Affairs (EMPA) to professionals working full time at the Crane Navy Surface Warfare Center and the Navy Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). The courses have been conducted in Keyport, Washington, Washington D.C. and Indianapolis, Indiana. Zayed University in the United Arab Emirates recently hired us to help them create a new EMPA for public servants in the Gulf Region. Two of our distinguished faculty members, Dr. Matt Auer and Dr. Kurt Zorn, will teach in Zayed’s new EMPA program in Abu Dhabi. SPEA was hired by Zayed University because of its outstanding global reputation as a leading School of Public and Environmental Affairs.

The Executive Education Program continues to expand its non credit leadership training initiatives in the healthcare, transportation, non profit and governmental sectors of our society. For more than fifteen years, we continue to provide leadership training for career professionals affiliated with the Indiana Hospital and Health Association, the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials, and the Georgia Department of Transportation. We have expanded our non credit leadership and management training to include, for example, physicians at a major hospital in the area and the IU School of Medicine, trustees of boards of Indiana hospitals, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and the Indiana Governor’s Office of Federal Grants and Procurement.

Thanks to the support of SPEA Dean Astrid Merget, our outstanding faculty and staff the Executive Education Program has continued to improve upon the strong foundation created by Tom DeCoster. In fact, Dr. Tom is one our featured stories in this newsletter for those readers interested in learning more about his active retirement since April, 2005.

Please enjoy this inaugural edition of this E-Newsletter. Let us know how you think the E-Newsletter and our entire program can be improved. Also, please visit our new web site at http://execedspea.iu.edu for more detailed information about the Executive Education Program. It’s a real pleasure and honor to be a part of this great team.

Regards,

Craig E. Hartzer, Ph.D.

Spotlight

Alumni Spotlight:  Ms. Jamie Blackwell

Each newsletter will feature a brief story about one of our many outstanding alumni. Today’s spotlight shines on Ms. Jamie Blackwell. Ms. Blackwell earned her Master of Public Affairs (MPA) in 1991 from the Executive Education Program in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University. She currently holds the position of Technical Operations Manager at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division in Crane, Indiana. This recent promotion for Ms. Blackwell makes her the highest ranking civilian at one of the largest employers in southwest Indiana.

Ms. Blackwell earned her undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Evansville, is married to Brian and has two children. She has held various positions at Crane including, for example, project engineer, branch manger and department manager. She is a member of the Midwest Section of the American Society of Naval Engineers, the Federal Manager’s Association, and the Hoosier Hills Chapter of Federally Employed Women.

The Executive Education Program is very proud of Ms. Blackwell’s many accomplishments and her new leadership role at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division. Her support of this program and strong commitment to lifelong learning for her colleagues at Crane are greatly appreciated. We are exceedingly fortunate to count Ms. Jamie Blackwell as one of most distinguished alumni.

Faculty Spotlight:  Dr. Thomas DeCoster

“It is not how old you are, it is how you are old”

When Craig Hartzer and Barbara Fisher asked me to be a guest contributor to the first issue of the SPEA Executive Education electronic newsletter I was pleased to accept their invitation. Barbara specifically asked me to provide an update on my “retirement” life or what my wife, Pat, sometimes refers to as “second career” life.

Lest you have the perception that I spend much of my day in a warm climate in a hammock, let me put that perception to rest. Indeed, I have retired from Indiana University. Indeed, lifestyle balance is an important goal. Over the past 18 months I have traveled more with Pat, oftentimes to visit our children and grandchildren. I have played more tennis and golf than ever before and done more leisurely reading. And, very importantly, I have had the time to correspond and visit with so many of my former students far and wide. Updates on their career progress and lifestyle enrichments and the opportunity to counsel are a special source of enjoyment. I would enjoy corresponding with even more former students-American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), US Navy, and the Indiana Hospital and Healthcare Association (IHHA). If so inclined, contact me at drdecoster@earthlink.net.

But there is still balance with the professional pursuits side. Service to SPEA and in various volunteer capacities is especially enjoyable. I continue to serve until 2009 as the Director of the AASHTO National Transportation Leadership Institute as well as the AASHTO Advanced Leadership Institute. Likewise I continue as a core instructor for the IHHA Management Institute. In addition, I have been pleased to serve as a keynote speaker, facilitator and trainer for various healthcare and transportation organizations. Of particular satisfaction have been the expanded mentoring opportunities with transportation and healthcare executives. These opportunities have resulted in the forging of a number of new friendships.

Election to Partner with London Witte & Company, LLP in 2006 is a new professional pursuit. The opportunity to join this CPA firm as Director of Management Advisory Services is a new challenge in that I am dealing with the owner managers of medium size companies in Indiana. This opportunity allows me to work directly with two longtime friends-John Lienhart and Mark Morris.

And there is still balance with the volunteer side. Energized by the role model set by my father, volunteer service to Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish and to other helping organizations is becoming an increasingly higher priority.

Lest I go on too long and get into the “I remembers” let me conclude. There has been much too much of the pronoun “I” in this guest contributor piece. How about hearing from former students. I do not feel old. Hopefully, my thinking is not old and outdated. Nothing gives me more energy than continuing to be of service to former students. Keep me young. Let me hear from you.

dr. tom

Class Notes

Where Are You Now and What Are You Doing?

John Kidwell, NAWC MPA II, May 1994, worked for the Navy for 41 ˝ years as an engineer, retiring in 2003. The last five years were with Raytheon, who was the company selected to privatize the previous Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division, Indianapolis.

Since 2003, John has continued to expand his horizons by getting the training, taking the tests, and becoming an Associate Financial Advisor with Ameriprise Financial. He works two days a week, analyzing investment portfolios, developing investment recommendations for clients of other Advisors, and buying/selling stocks.

He believes that the broad (and excellent) knowledge gained through the SPEA MPA program not only aided him greatly in his work career – especially as he transitioned from government to private enterprise - but has continued to be a life-shaping influence into his semi-retirement years. He strongly recommends the program to anyone.

Michael O’Neal, NAVSEA MPA I, May 2000, was assigned in 2003 as Deputy Program Manager for Directed Energy and Electric Weapon Systems, responsible for transitioning Directed Energy Systems including lasers, high power microwave, electro-magnetic launch weapons and electronic counter attack systems from the laboratory to the Fleet.

In 2005, Michael assumed his current position as the Director, Future Naval Capabilities where he co-chairs the Coalition Maritime Missile Defense working group for Modeling and Simulation (M&S). The working group consists of representatives from the Netherlands, Germany, Australia, Canada and the US. Additionally, John collaborates with the Navy's Science and Technology (S&T) Surface Technology Office (SURFTECH) for the identification, assessment and prioritization of technology for transition to development.

Kevin Sosbe, NAWC MPA II, May 1994, lives in Lebanon, IN and has been married for 24 years. Kevin and his wife have a 7 year old daughter adopted from China.

Kevin received his undergraduate in Electrical Engineering from Tri-State University in Angola, IN, and his MPA in 1994 while working as a Program/Branch Manager for the Naval Avionics Center, Indianapolis, IN. Since 1999, Kevin has been a staff member with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission as a Communications Analyst, dealing in telecom and video issues.

In 1995, Kevin retired from the Indiana Air National Guard, with over 28 year of service, as a Lt. Col.

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