Rick Wolk , M.B.A.

Education:

• Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds, U.K.,  Ph.D. student

Research involves working with entrepreneurs in rural and remote Alaska to help them achieve significant growth and to similarly improve their business' ecological footprint.

• Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management, MBA, 1995

Triple major in Marketing, Organizational Behavior, and International Business

• Northwestern University, School of Communications, Bachelor of Science, 1984

Communication Studies major.  Foreign Exchange program in London, England, included international communications practicum for UK National Committee for UNICEF.

• Philips Andover Academy, Andover, Massachusetts, graduate, 1979

Research:

Leeds Metropolitan University PhD candidate.
Research in the area of sustainability entrepreneurship in Alaska

Publications:

"With the World Warming, Consider a Higher Degree", Alaska Journal of Commerce, Vol. 31, No. 11, 3/18/07

"Alaskan MBA's Worth their Weight in Gold", Alaska Journal of Commerce, Vol. 30, No. 31, 7/30/06

"SIFE Members Take the 2006 Mildred Hirsh Wealthbuilder Awards", Alaska Journal of Commerce, Vol. 30, No. 18, 4/30/06

"Ecological Economics Class Prepares State's Future leaders", Alaska Journal of Commerce, Vol. 30, No. 5, 1/29/06

"Taste-Test Strategies Before You Dive In", Alaska Journal of Commerce, Vol. 29, No. 31, 7/31/05

"Building the Nest for Entrepreneurs' Success", Alaska Journal of Commerce, Vol. 29, No. 5, 1/30/05

"The Mildred Hirsh Wealthbuilder Awards", Alaska Journal of Commerce, Vol. 28, No. 44, 10/31/04

"Alaska's Entrepreneurs Deserve Some Applause", Alaska Journal of Commerce, Vol. 28, No. 30, 7/26/04

"Growing and Exporting Alaska Entrepreneurs", Alaska Journal of Commerce, Vol. 28, No. 18, 5/03/04

Affiliations:

Alaska Business Plan Competition (Co-organizer)

World Trade Center Alaska, Board member

University Economic Development Association, Board member

The Entrepreneurs and Mentors Network (Advisory Board)

Kellogg Alumni Club of Alaska (Regional Representative)

Southeast Conference (Economic Development Committee)

Courses Taught:

BA 151 Introduction to business

BA 311 Buyer Behavior

BA 343 Principles of Marketing

BA 427 Marketing and Entrepreneurial Financial Management

BA 446 Services Marketing

BA 485 New Business Ventures

Biography:

Rick is an educator and an entrepreneur with experience in all aspects of running organizations that strive for management and marketing excellence.  In addition to a decade of teaching university students, Rick has also successfully managed business development, sales, marketing, human resources and administrative functions for intrapreneurial and entrepreneurial ventures; his experience includes P&L responsibility, general management, international business, new product development, and start-ups.  When he is not working, you will most likely find Rick in a kayak, on cross-country skis, or just hanging out with his wife, executive coach, accountant and business partner Bobbie Sue Wolk.

2006- Present    Assistant Professor, Marketing & Entrepreneurship, UAS, Juneau

2005- Present    Co-Owner, Rosewood, L.L.C. financial services, Juneau

2003-2006    Instructor, Management & Entrepreneurship, Alaska Pacific University, Anchorage, Alaska

2003-2004    Director, Food Bank of Alaska, Anchorage

2004-2005    Executive Director, Alaska InvestNet, Anchorage

2003-2004    Governance Board member, Alaska InvestNet

2001-2003    Marketing Director, A.V.M. Software, New York

1998-            Director and Co-Owner, W2 Investments, Vancouver, British Columbia

1995-1998    President, Publisher & Marketing Director, Waterspout Communications, Vancouver, B.C.

1995             Publishing Director for Radio, TV & Cable, SRDS, Chicago

1985-1995    Marketing Manager and Account Executive, Group W Television Sales, Chicago and New York

1984-1985    Media Buyer & Planner, Leo Burnett Advertising, Chicago

Other:

Grants
Chancellor’s Special Project Grant recipient in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009.

Additional Information
Certified Ice House Entrepreneurship Program facilitator
Visiting Professor, Danube University, Krems, Austria, October, 2005 & November, 2004
- Taught MBA Entrepreneurship/Venture Management class to European and Alaskan students.
Fellow, International Canadian Summer Institute, July, 2004
- Foreign Affairs Canada and the Canadian Consulate General’s educational and networking mission in British Columbia and the Yukon.

Speaking Engagements and Conferences
Co-presenter, “Entrepreneurial & Small Business Development”, International Economic Development Council, Basic Economic Development workshop, December 3, 2012,
Anchorage, Alaska
Co-presenter and co-organizer, 2011 and 2012 Alaska Bootcamp for Entrepreneurs. Anchorage, Alaska.
Presenter, “Entrepreneurship and Economic Development”, International Economic Development Council (IEDC), December 1, 2010. Anchorage, Alaska.
Presenter, “Triple Helix: Partnering in Economic Development”, Alaska Municipal League, November 18, 2010. Juneau, Alaska.
Presenter, “Social media and the diffusion of innovation”, Alaska State Chamber of Conference annual meeting, September 20, 2010. Juneau, Alaska.
Presenter and workshop facilitator, “The entrepreneurial ecosystem in Alaska”, Southeast Conference annual meeting, September 14, 2010. Petersburg, Alaska.
Moderator, Joint Faculty Senate & Administrative Leadership Retreat. FY 2012 Budget Overview. University of Alaska Southeast, Juneau, Alaska, August 30, 2010
Presenter, Wrangell Alaska Business Expo, Marketing workshop, May 6, 2010.
Presenter, Petersburg Alaska Business Expo, Marketing workshop, May 8, 2010.
Co-Presenter, Entrepreneurship Bootcamp, University of Alaska Anchorage, April 30- May 1, 2010.
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), Year One Report Workshop, Seattle, Washington, February 17, 2010.
International Economic Development Council (IEDC) Entrepreneurship & Small Business Conference, Anchorage, Alaska, February 1-2, 2010. Workshop presenter: “Small Business Development” and “Financing and Equity Options for Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses.”
Juneau Economic Development Council, Business Resource Expo, Juneau, Alaska, February 3, 2010. Workshop presenter: “Juneau Marketing Smorgasbord.”
Alaska North Slope Marketplace, "How to Market Your Business" workshop, Ilisagvik College, Barrow, Alaska, April 16-17, 2009
Rural Outreach Program for Entrepreneurs: Sustainable business in Southeast Alaska, Wrangell, Alaska, January 28, 2009
State of Alaska, Tourism Mentorship Assistance Program: Marketing 101- Who are your customers and your target audience? Anchorage, Alaska, January 20, 2009
Rural Outreach Program for Entrepreneurs: Sustainable business in Southeast Alaska, Prince of Wales Island (Klawock), Alaska, January 13, 2009
Alaskan entrepreneurship presentation, University of Alaska Center for Economic Development, Anchorage, Alaska, October 2008
Alaskan entrepreneurship presentation, Southeast Conference annual meeting, Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada, September 2008
UAS Staff Development Day "Organizational Sustainability" presenter, May 2008
Sustainable Development Research Centre 4th Annual International Conference, October 31- November 1st, 2007, Inverness, Scotland. Presented research paper on social end ecological entrepreneurship in rural Alaska.
First World Symposium on Sustainable Entrepreneurship, July 15-17, 2007, Leeds, U.K. Presenter and panelist.
1st Juneau Roundtable on Climate Change, Juneau, Alaska, April 21, 2007, Organizer and moderator.
KTOO Radio interview, Juneau, Alaska, April 18, 2005, "1st Juneau Business Roundtable on Climate Change"
University of Alaska Southeast Faculty Development Seminar, "Incorporating SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) into Online Marketing Classes", April 6, 2007
University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) Spring Forum on Sustaining Culture, Community & Environment, March, 2007, "Eco-Entrepreneurship"
Business Without Borders, Whitehorse, Yukon (Canada), February, 2005, Speaker "A Checklist for Investors Making Sound Investments in Early Stage Businesses"

Awards and recognitions
Sigma Beta Delta society. Selected for membership in recognition of high scholastic achievement on April 8, 2006 and appointed President of the Alaska Pacific University chapter. Sigma Beta Delta is an international honor society in business, management and administration.