The Corporate University

Julie Bland
Outreach Program Coordinator
jbland2@kent.edu
330-244-3515

Julie is an outreach program coordinator for The Corporate University. She works with area companies to customize training programs and research projects to help organizations and their employees succeed. Her goal is to respond to client needs by helping to provide solutions in a timely fashion.

Julie came to Kent State Stark with more than 12 years of experience in the field of human resources, which included training and development needs for adult learners. She is a national member of SHRM and ASTD, and is actively involved in the Stark County Human Resource Association. She is a PHR (Professional in Human Resources).

Julie Cremeans-Smith
Research and Evaluation Consultant
Assistant Professor of Psychology
jcremeans@kent.edu
330-244-3459

Julie holds a Ph.D. in experimental psychology from Kent State University. As a member of the faculty at Kent State, she co-authored several publications and presented at numerous regional and national conferences. She possesses a wide variety of expertise in focus group facilitation, survey development and implementation, quantitative and qualitative analysis, interpretation and reporting. She teaches psychology at Kent State Stark.

As research and evaluation consultant, Julie utilizes a vast array of resources and research methodologies to connect organizations with beneficial information to assist in strategic planning, performance improvement, marketing, economic development and other decision-making initiatives.

 
Marshall Hill
Research Associate
mhill6@kent.edu
330-244-3530

Marshall is the research associate in The Corporate University, Kent State University at Stark. Marshall holds a master’s of science degree in industrial/organizational psychology from Grand Canyon University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Kent State University. His duties include developing and delivering customized online survey, research and consulting services to provide organizations with the information they need to make data driven-decisions.

In this position, he utilizes the latest research technologies in survey development, deployment, data collection and analysis in the completion of research projects. Marshall has been involved with various aspects of research and technology during the past 17 years. His diverse background has spanned survey research, product deployment, customer feedback, quality control, systems analysis and technical support.

Willie Shoemaker
Outreach Program Coordinator
wshoemak@kent.edu
330-244-3517

Willie holds a bachelor’s degree in medical technology from Kent State University and a master’s in technical education from the University of Akron. Formerly a member of the adjunct faculty at Stark State College, she has 15 years of teaching experience. Before entering the classroom as an instructor, Willie was the assistant director of clinical chemistry at a local hospital.

Willie coordinates the public professional development programs for The Corporate University at Kent State Stark. With input from working professionals, Willie oversees and manages the supervision and management certificate programs, as well as the Lean Six Sigma Black Belt training and certification program. She is a Certified Program Planner, a designation awarded by the Learning Resource Network (LERN), an international association that benchmarks lifelong learning programs. Willie is also the author of The Knowledge Network Blog, a new forum for issues facing lifelong learning communities.


Tami Huff
Client Relations Associate
thuff3@kent.edu
330-244-3512

Tami assists the contract services team by providing support for customized human performance improvement projects, professional development programs and conferences developed through The Corporate University. She serves as the liaison for corporate clients and program consultants during the planning, execution and post-evaluation phases of each project.

Tami is responsible for coordinating various aspects of training projects including contracts, materials, logistics and financials. She also assists with data/research collection, analysis and reporting on research projects. Tami utilizes her skills in the area of organization, administration and customer service to ensure the continuous delivery of premier programming and related services to our clients and partners.

Tami received her bachelor's degree in communication arts from Eastern Nazarene College in Boston, MA.

Mona Zink
Customer Service Specialist
mzink@kent.edu
330-244-3508

Mona serves as the customer information specialist for The Corporate University by assisting program participants in the registration process and providing clients with all necessary program information. Mona assists the contract services team and public programs coordinator in providing support for open enrollment programs by processing participant registrations, maintaining program class files and coordinating program details. Mona is committed to providing excellent customer service to each client.

 

Small Business Development Center (SBDC)

Victor Pavona
Director
vpavona@kent.edu
330-244-3295

Victor C. Pavona is the Director of the Small Business Development Center. Victor has 40 years of experience in all facets of business management at the corporate and small business ownership levels.

During his career, he has purchased distressed companies, returned them to health and sold them. Along the way, he has participated in a White House Conference on Energy, a Harvard Business School Study on improving industry and consumer relations and a Michigan State University research project that established and published a guiding set of entrepreneurial principals. 

Victor has traveled worldwide, is a Canton native, Vietnam Veteran and Kent State alumnus.

Holly Bolinger
Certified Business Advisor
hbolinge@kent.edu
330-244-3296

Holly Bolinger is the Certified Business Advisor at the Small Business Development Center. With 20 years of experience in commercial lending and nine years of business ownership, Holly is a valuable asset to the Stark and Wayne County areas. Her career began at National Bank of Detroit where she was involved with several segments of commercial lending, including middle market, small business, and asset based lending. Subsequent commercial lending positions honed her skills in workout/turnaround management and management of commercial lending departments. 

After leaving banking in 2000, Holly became an entrepreneur, starting a full service embroidery firm. In 2004, Holly also joined the staff of the Small Business Development Center and successfully completed an intensive certification process. In this position she assists existing and prospective small business owners with whatever challenges they are facing.

Holly currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Voices of Canton, Inc. (VOCI).  In the past she has also served as a board member for the Great Trail Girl Scouts Council and the Jackson YMCA.

A Detroit native and a Malone alumnus, Holly and her family currently reside in Jackson Township.

 

 

 

 

 

The Corporate University
Kent State University at Stark
6000 Frank Avenue NW
North Canton OH 44720

Phone: 330-244-3508
Fax: 330-244-3535
Email: thecorporateu@kent.edu
Web: www.YourCorporateU.com