“The Accidental Professor”

In July 2004 I received a phone call from Dr. Gloria Vollmers, Associate Dean of the Maine Business School.  Due to an unexpected faculty resignation, she was searching for someone to teach a course in marketing communications in the fall semester.  She called on the recommendation of a faculty colleague, Dr, Harold Daniels, whom I had met at a meeting.

Long story short, I agreed to teach the course and she called back to offer me the opportunity. One course became, two, then three and then four.  After three years teaching as an adjunct professor, in September 2007 I accepted a full-time faculty appointment as the Executive-in-Residence at the University of Maine Business School and offered courses in marketing, management and international businessat the undergraduate and graduate MBA level. .

I greatly restricted my consulting work but still accepted some interesting and stimulating consulting assignments for a variety of clients.

Keiko and I kept our homestead on Crystal Lake in Gray Maine and rented an apartment in Orono.  As I settled into my new role, Keiko accepted a UMaine professional staff position and also enrolled as a student in the Maine Business School in accounting.  On May 14, 2012 she graduated with honors and prepared to begin a new career as a CPA with MacPage in South Portland.  We used that opportunity to relocate back to Crystal Lake and began to plan my own personal transition to yet another “career.”

The transition to “The Accidental Professor” was complete.  My university teaching career was an energizing and intellectually challenging experience. I valued my association with the University of Maine.  On August 31, 2015 I resigned from my faculty position and devoted more time and energy to my appointment as Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Maine Technology Institute (MTI).

My Work at the University of Maine

Located in the town of Orono along the banks of the Stillwater River, the University of Maine offers a strong traditional education.  UMaine is one of New England’s premiere universities with a library that is ranked among the top in the country. We help students create success stories—with a wide variety of programs and opportunities—and we do so with world-class faculty members, nationally recognized research; first-rate facilities; a friendly, safe atmosphere; and easy access to some of the best year-round recreation sites in the nation.

I focused my work with students on helping them understand and appreciate the business challenges and opportunities they will face here and abroad as a result of globalization, rapid technological change, and the empowerment of consumers.