Rose, Markin Assume New Positions in Center for Entrepreneurial Studies

PULLMAN, Wash. — Long-time WSU faculty member Jerman Rose is the new director of the
four-year-old Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at Washington State University. Rose now
holds the James D. Huber Memorial Chair in Entrepreneurship.
He succeeds Rom Markin in both positions. Markin, former dean of the College of Business
& Economics, has become the first holder of the new Maughmer Freedom Philosophy
Professorship. Markin will continue to teach classes in entrepreneurship in the College of
Business & Economics.
“Both the Maughmer and the Huber positions are closely tied to the Center for
Entrepreneurial Studies,” says Markin, who conceived of the center and oversaw its
establishment and initial operation. “Dr. Rose was selected to become the center’s director based
on his vast experiences as an entrepreneur and a teacher, and for his years of professional
outreach to small businesses. We are extremely pleased that he will be able to serve as the
center’s administrator.”
Rose joined WSU in 1987. He served in a variety of faculty and administrative positions,
most recently as an assistant professor teaching international business and marketing courses.
His research interest is in international marketing for small- and medium-sized enterprises and in
business development in the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, China and other countries of
the Asia-Pacific region. He served as assistant state director of the Small Business Development
Center from 1987-89 and as director of the Small Business Institute from 1989-97.
Markin came to WSU in 1961. He served as dean from 1980-95 and wrote the proposal for the
center in 1994. He was the first to teach entrepreneurship classes in 1995. Entrepreneurial studies
became a major and the center opened its doors in 1997.
The Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, located at Todd Hall 402-North, is funded by several
gifts to the college: $1.2 million from the estate of the late James Huber family; $1 million from the
estate of Geoff and Florence Maughmer, and $.5 million from Ray and Loraine McGowan. The
center assists young businesses with business plans and corporate management issues. Faculty
associated with the center bring guest speakers to campus each year to visit classes.
Rose says that service aspect of the center will continue under his leadership. He also plans
to augment the center’s student learning experiences by involving them in more projects. “The
Center for Entrepreneurial Studies by its nature promotes free enterprise and presents plenty of
opportunities for lessons to students,” says Rose. “I am excited to be the director of the center,
and look forward to building upon the strong foundation created by Dr. Markin.”
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