PLU MBA Program

MBA students develop marketing program for nonprofit organization

On November 12, 2009, Professor Tuzovic and one of his MBA students, David Brown, attended the 16th Annual Executive Development Institute (EDI) Graduation Dinner in Bellevue. Founded in 1994, EDI provides culturally-tailored leadership programs for Asian-American and Hispanic professionals.

A group of four EDI graduates has consulted with The Tronie Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by Trong and Rani Hong to alleviate human trafficking and restore victim’s lives through education, community mobilization, policy reform, shelter and services. The project team’s strategy includes collaborating with professors and students in the Puget Sound area.

With regard to the marketing challenges, the EDI team contacted Professor Tuzovic to establish a community-based MBA class project that would benefit the Tronie Foundation. In his course BUSA 513 Marketing Management a group of four MBA students (David Brown, Matthew Bell, Mark Stackle, and Kevin Kelly) worked together over the fall semester with the EDI project team to develop a marketing program to raise awareness for the Tronie Foundation.

Professor Tuzovic and a representative of the MBA team were invited to attend the graduation ceremony and present the group work for the Tronie Foundation in a poster presentation of the EDI project group, thus promoting both PLU and the MBA Program of the School of Business to EDI members and guests during the evening event. Professor Tuzovic plans to continue the collaboration in the spring semester.