We’re teachers. Entrepreneurs. Trained facilitators. Experienced corporate leaders in operations, finance, marketing, and strategy. We’re a think tank at your service, here to present the options and recommend the next steps. We’ll put you in touch with the people you need to meet and show you how to analyze the changes in the market. We are ready to help you, right now.
David Shields, PhD
Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer
Dr. Shields joined Walsh College on January 2, 2012, from Atlanta’s Mercer University. At Mercer, Dr. Shields was professor of accounting in the Stetson School of Business and previously served as the business school’s dean. Dr. Shields has also served as dean of Western Michigan University’s Haworth College of Business; associate dean for Graduate and Professional Programs at the University of Houston’s C.T. Bauer College of Business; and associate dean and director of Louisiana State University’s James C. and Cherie H. Flores MBA Programs and the James C. Flores Endowed Chair of MBA Studies.
Dr. Shields collaborated with the University of Houston to develop and operate Executive MBA programs in Global Energy Management. At Western Michigan University, he worked to create Centers for Sustainable Business, Global Business, and Entrepreneurship/Innovation.
Dr. Shields has published nine research projects, authored 26 articles, and served as editor or reviewer for eight prominent accounting journals. He has consulted across a range of industries for such firms as Shell Oil, Brown & Root, McKinsey & Co., Coca Cola Foods, IOMEGA, and Chevron. He began his career at Coopers & Lybrands (now PriceWaterhouseCoopers).
Dr. Shields earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Accounting with a concentration in Psychology from the University of Michigan, where he was a Paton Fellow. His Master of Business Administration degree and Bachelor of Arts degree in English are from The Ohio State University.
Tara Miceli
Walsh Institute - Director
Tara joins Walsh College from Corinthian Colleges, Inc. where she held the position of Campus President. Prior to that she served as Regional Director of Admissions at Corinthian, Campus President, Associate Campus President and Director of Financial Aid at Delta Career Education Corporation and she has held positions at Quicken Loans and the Marquette Community Federal Credit Union.
Tara’s multi-category experience includes managing organizations with increasing levels of financial responsibility, opening new physical locations, implementing new programs, conducting strategic planning and mentoring employees. In addition to her MSF from Walsh College, Tara holds a Bachelor of Science in Financial Management and Personal Financial Planning from Northern Michigan University.
Jan Hubbard
Leadership Center – Director
Jan Hubbard came to Walsh College in the summer of 2000 as assistant marketing director and was promoted to director in 2001. She launched the College’s new family and small business program in 2005. Membership in the Leadership Center has grown to more than 100 business professionals who meet in 10 affinity groups and have the opportunity to learn through a workshop series and an annual conference attracting 200 Michigan business leaders.
Jan has spent her entire career in the non-profit industry, starting in Washington, DC with The American Advertising Federation, where she was Communications Director then with the Advertising Club of Washington, DC as Executive Director. Upon returning to her home state of Michigan in 1988, she was appointed Director of Marketing and Communications for the United Way of Oakland County. During her 13 years at United Way, Jan was a national resource and a recognized leader for innovative initiatives.
She is a 25-year member of the Public Relations Society of America, and a member of the Detroit Economic Club, Automation Alley, and the Troy Chamber of Commerce. Jan holds a B.A. in Communications from Western Michigan University and has done graduate work in Strategic Leadership at Walsh College. She grew up in a family business.
Carol Glynn
Blackstone LaunchPad - Director
Carol Glynn joined Walsh College as Blackstone LaunchPad Director in September 2010. She has more than 25 years of diversified and progressive experience in various disciplines within the international automotive industry including strategic planning, people development, process improvement, financial management, operations, product launch and marketing. She began her career in finance at Volkswagen of America and worked in capital investment, profit planning and within the sales and marketing organization.
Carol transitioned to Audi of America and Bentley Motors, Inc. in a number of executive leadership positions and successfully led five major product launches including the inaugural Neiman Marcus TT. She was head of the North American aftersales field teams for both brands working with independent automotive dealers nationally. Carol has also been a management consultant within a cross-section of industries and small businesses in turnaround mode. She is a business owner and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Walsh College and a Master of Arts in Management and Supervision from Central Michigan University.
Cindy Rush
Administrative Assistant
Cindy has been with Walsh College since October 2009, returning to work after taking a three year hiatus to care for aging parents. Cindy started her career in the bookkeeping department at The Royal Oak Daily Tribune. Transitioning to the automotive industry, Cindy worked for Sterling Plastics, later becoming Aeroquip Corporation, and US Farathane. There she worked her way from receptionist to Engineering Program Coordinator Supervisor, working in or closely with, almost every department including Scheduling, Purchasing, Shipping, Quality Control and Accounting. She attended Macomb Community College, and the Business 360 program at Walsh College.
Diane Fisher
Blackstone LaunchPad Administrative Assistant
Diane Fisher is the Administrative Assistant for Blackstone Launchpad. Diane is a graduate of Central Michigan University with a Bachelor of Applied Arts degree in Court Reporting and has worked as a court reporter as well as several executive administrative support positions. Most recently, Diane worked part time as an Office Assistant for the City of Troy Clerk’s Office.
Brian Renner
Blackstone LaunchPad Advisor
Brian Renner is a Walsh alumnus with an MBA in Marketing. He also has a Bachelor of Arts and Certificate in Advertising from Michigan State University. Brian has been an entrepreneur since he was a young man and has extensive experience in website development and search engine optimization. He recently held the position of Digital Marketing Manager for Allied Integrated Marketing.
Academic Leadership and Faculty
Lee E. Meadows, PhD
Professor of Management
Dr. Meadows is a twenty-year veteran of designing and delivering organizational interventions for a cross-section of industries. He has been both practitioner and teacher, having trained managers in the corporate and academic classroom.
Using leading edge knowledge and time tested facilitation skills; Dr. Meadows has crafted an expertise in areas critical to the success, productivity and growth of leaders within 21st century organizations.
Lee Meadows works as an organizational consultant specializing in Management Development, Team building and Performance Management. His broad and diverse career include positions as an Area Director for the University Housing, a Supervisor of Training and Development at General Motors, a Manager of Organizational Learning at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, a Senior Consultant with A.T. Kearney and the Director of Training for Con-Way Transportation Services.
He has served as the Chairman of the Management Department at Davenport University's Dearborn location, an Assistant Professor of Management at Western Michigan University and an Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior for Lansing Community College.
He also spends his time consulting on training and development programs and doing motivational speaking for corporate and community groups and professional associations.
A frequently sought after key note speaker and conference presenter, Dr. Meadows combines pertinent organizational research with fundamental principles to help 21st century managers succeed in their constantly changing work world.
Linda Wiechowski, PhD
Professor of Finance and Economics
Linda Wiechowski, PhD, is the Chair of the Finance and Economics department. Dr. Wiechowski has been teaching at Walsh College since 1984. She has also taught at the University of Detroit Mercy, Wayne State University and Saint Mary’s College.
Dr. Wiechowski specializes in teaching financial management and economics in the MBA program as well as finance in the BBA and MSF programs. She has also taught health economics, health care finance, as well as a variety of computer courses. Dr. Wiechowski has developed and taught numerous online courses. She has also presented “Online Best Practices” at a variety of educational conferences.
Daniel S. Hoops, JD
Associate Professor of Business Law
Dan is a graduate of the University of Michigan where he earned a BMA degree with a major in trumpet performance. Subsequently he earned a law degree cum laude from the Michigan State University School of Law (formerly Detroit College of Law) and an LL.M. in Estate Planning from the University of Miami School of Law. Dan has been engaged in the practice of law and business consulting since 1995.
He is the co-author, along with his father and brother (Frederick K. Hoops and Frederick H. Hoops, III) of a six volume treatise entitled Planning for Estates and Administration in Michigan and a two volume treatise entitled Family Estate Planning Guide, both published by WestGroup. He is also a contributing author of Connecting the Dots: Tyree Guyton's Heidelberg Project published by the Wayne State University Press.
Dan has taught courses both in Estate Planning as well as Ethics and Professional Responsibility at the Michigan State University Detroit College of Law and Business Planning at the Thomas Cooley Law School. He has also been a featured speaker for the Association for Health Care Philanthropy, State Bar of Michigan Section on Taxation and the National Business Institute on a wide variety of business and taxation issues.