Connecting classrooms and careers: Dialogue Days marks three decades of real-world insight

For more than 30 years, Central Michigan University’s College of Business Administration has turned its classrooms into conversation spaces during Dialogue Days—a signature event connecting students with alumni and business professionals who know what it takes to lead in the real world.

“Dialogue Days has always been about more than networking,” said Dean Chris Moberg. “It’s about connecting students to the real people and experiences that bring business education to life.”

The fall 2025 event brought dozens of alumni and friends back to campus to speak across business courses ranging from accounting to marketing. Students heard firsthand stories about leadership, technology, mentorship and career growth, all rooted in CMU’s tradition of applied learning.

“Dialogue Days has been in existence over thirty years,” said Cindy Howard, assistant to the dean, who has coordinated the event for nearly two decades. “It began in 1994 and has brought back hundreds of alumni and friends to speak to our students. The goal of the event is to bring real-world experience to our students, to hear firsthand about their chosen career path.”

Lessons in leadership

For Isabella Bank President and CEO Jerome Schwind, leadership has always been about humility and service. “When I was younger, I wanted to lead a bank for the wrong reasons,” he told students. “But leadership becomes more about duty than title or pay. When I remember that I don’t run the bank, I work with 400 people who do—the fear goes away.”

Three Rivers Corporation President Jon Lynch echoed that theme in his sessions on management and influence. “Managers have subordinates. Leaders have followers and the followers decide,” he said. “People grow the most when they’re farthest from their comfort zones. Growth and comfort don’t live in the same house.”

Technology, transformation and curiosity

Some sessions explored the rapid evolution of technology and data-driven industries. Thad Leppek, retired IT supply chain executive from General Motors, discussed the growing influence of artificial intelligence. “AI is taking over low-level technical jobs,” he said, “but companies view it as an assistant, not a replacement.”

Charles Parker, cybersecurity architect at Crown Equipment, helped students break down what large language models and AI agents really are and how they’re shaping workplace efficiency and data protection.

Mentorship and connection

Several speakers emphasized professional growth through mentorship and communication. Ricardo Resio, vice president of human resources at Morley Companies, told students that investing in others builds stronger teams. “We dove into conversations on mentoring, coaching and sponsorship,” Resio said. “It reminded us how vital it is to lift others when we can.”

Brenda Meller, founder and chief engagement officer of Meller Marketing, guided students through strategies for personal branding and LinkedIn presence. She encouraged them to “show up online the same way you want to show up professionally.”

Real-world strategy

The variety of Dialogue Days sessions reflected the breadth of CMU’s business community. Ross Ridenour, retired IT leader from Ford Motor Credit, shared practical lessons on retirement planning and financial security. Justin Sessink, director of e-commerce at Meijer, gave students a behind-the-scenes look at retail innovation and supply chain efficiency.

Many classes also featured alumni like Bruce George of P/E Investments and Kevin Richman of Merck, who linked classroom concepts to real financial and systems challenges in their fields.

A tradition that endures

Over three decades, Dialogue Days has brought together hundreds of alumni, professionals and students—building connections that extend learning far beyond the classroom.

2025 Dialogue Days speakers

• Abby Watteny – Talent Manager, Enterprise Holdings
• Adam Tucek – Internal Audit, Central Michigan University
• Alex Georgiev – Network Strategy & Analysis, Delta Airlines
• Amy Repp – Distributor Sales Manager, Nestlé
• Beth Timmerman – Director of Internal Audit, Central Michigan University
• Brenda Meller – Chief Engagement Officer, Meller Marketing
• Brent Cox – Chief Credit Officer, AirFinance
• Bruce George – Managing Partner, P/E Investments
• Charles Parker – Cybersecurity Architect, Crown Equipment
• Dave Queller – President (Retired), Express Scripts
• Jerome Schwind – President & CEO, Isabella Bank
• Jon Lynch – President, Three Rivers Corporation
• Justin Sessink – Director of E-Commerce, Meijer
• Kevin Richman – Director, Merck
• Kim Wagner – CPA (Retired)
• Kristin Schooley – Director, Order to Cash, Learning Care Group
• Mark Wagner – CPA, Grant, Millman & Johnson
• Patrick Duffy – Financial Advisor, Edward Jones
• Ricardo Resio – Vice President of Human Resources, Morley Companies
• Ross Ridenour – IT Leader (Retired), Ford Motor Credit
• Sam Rice – Tactical Sales, Regional One, Inc.
• Sheldon Brummell – Senior Manager of Learning Strategy, The Home Depot
• Thad Leppek – IT–Supply Chain (Retired), General Motors
• Hope Wright – Vice President, AirFinance

In addition to classroom conversations, Dialogue Days also included the panel From Surviving to Thriving: Finding Connection and Community in an Age of Isolation, part of CMU’s Critical Engagement Series. Panelists included President Neil MacKinnon, former Hightower Advisors CEO Bob Oros, and Christi Brookes from the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, moderated by Dean Chris Moberg.

The panel reinforced what students heard across the week: business moves at the speed of relationships. Skills open the door, but connection builds careers. When students meet leaders who model that principle, the distance between classroom and career becomes smaller—and their confidence grows bigger.