OSU Professor Jeretta Horn Nord earns coveted state and national awards

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Jeretta Horn Nord, professor of management science and information systems at Oklahoma State University’s Spears School of Business, has received the Association for Continuing Higher Education Special Recognition Award and the Journal Record’s Woman of the Year – 50 Making a Difference award.

The ACHE Special Recognition Award is not an honor given annually – it is granted occasionally when the association believes the nominee has performed an action of importance that has an impact on higher education or ACHE. Nord will receive her award during the ACHE Annual Conference and Meeting in Orlando, Fla., on Oct. 13.

The Journal Record’s Woman of the Year – 50 Making a Difference award is a special tribute to Oklahoma’s leading women. Each year, the Journal Record releases a unique publication featuring biographical portraits of each of the 50 honorees. The Journal Record Woman of the Year will be announced at a gala award program at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City on Oct. 6.

Larry Crosby, dean of the Spears School, nominated Nord for both awards. He said she is worthy of these honors because of the countless contributions she has made to the world as a professor, an editor, an author and an entrepreneur.

“Dr. Nord has achieved an incredible level of success which inspires students to be leaders in the workplace,” Crosby said. “She is truly deserving of these awards, and she should be commended for her work and commitment to lifelong learning.”

Nord has been a professor in the Spears School for more than 25 years. In her position, she has taught numerous management science and information systems, entrepreneurship and management classes. She has brought more than 150 speakers to her classrooms and written multiple journal articles and a textbook.

During her career, Nord has also devoted her time to other roles in the Spears School and the world. She has worked as the associate dean for the Spears School, served as a Fulbright Specialists Scholar in Europe, presented papers at international conferences in 19 countries, facilitated the OSU Women’s Business Leadership Conference, and co-founded and co-advised the OSU Chapter of the American Association for University Women. Currently, Nord is the executive editor for The Journal of Computer Information Systems and is working on establishing the Spears School Speaker’s Bureau, which is a new initiative to merge business and academics.

In addition to her work as a professor, Nord is an established author and publisher. She recently released “MBA Preferred,” a book highlighting the top 50 OSU MBA alumni. She is also the founder of “A Cup of Cappuccino for the Entrepreneur’s Spirit” book series, which is a series featuring true stories from entrepreneurs written to teach, challenge and inspire readers. Volumes I and II of the series were published in 2009 and 2010, respectively. Volume III, the Women Entrepreneurs’ Edition, was named Best of 2010 Small Business Books by SmallBizTrends.com.  Volume IV, the American Indian Women Entrepreneurs’ Edition, will be released in September followed by Volume V, the Extraordinary Entrepreneurs’ Edition.

With so many large projects on her plate, it may be difficult for some to understand what motivates Nord. She gave a simple answer: passion.

 “My passion for my work is what drives me to succeed,” Nord said. “Everyone should find their passion. Your chance of success is much greater if you are passionate about what you are doing.”

Crosby said few would dispute Nord’s worthiness for these awards. Her students said she devotes a great deal of time and effort into making her classes interesting, and her colleagues said she is a genuine inspiration for other professors.

“I believe Dr. Nord is a truly deserving individual for her devotion to outreach, for bringing the ‘real world’ into the classroom and for seeking to provide examples and stories which will have an impact on students once they are seeking jobs,” said Robert Dooley, the former associate dean for graduate programs and research in the Spears School. “She is connecting students to leaders in industry and is making a great impact on their futures.”