2023-2024 Small Business Institute®
Officers and Board

President

Joe T. Felan, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
jtfelan@ualr.edu

Dr. Joe T. Felan is an Associate Professor of Management at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Originally from Texas, Dr. Felan has been teaching in the College of Business at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock since 2002.  Dr. Felan has a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from Baylor University and a PhD from the University of South Carolina.  Before coming to UA-Little Rock, Dr. Felan also taught courses at Baylor University and Bucknell University.  Dr. Felan teaches courses in operations management, supply chain management, quality management and business consulting at both the undergraduate and graduate level.  It has also been a pleasure for Dr. Felan to spend four summers teaching in the University of New Orleans (UNO – Innsbruck) International Summer Program in Innsbruck, Austria.   Dr. Felan has also enjoying serving for many years as a volunteer and is currently the chairperson for the board of directors of the organization for Junior Achievement of Arkansas.

Vice President of Programs - Elect

Scott Cox, Georgia College & State University
scott.cox@gcsu.edu

Dr. Scott R. Cox is an Assistant Professor of Logistics in the College of Business and Technology at Georgia College & State University teaching courses in operations management and supply chain management at both the graduate and undergraduate level. He also serves as the Coordinator of the Master of Logistics and Supply Chain Management program. His research focuses on small business and supply chain management, along with the student evaluation of teaching. Dr. Cox holds a PhD in Logistics and Supply Chain Management from Georgia Southern University.  

Vice President of Marketing and Membership

Timothy Dunne, Boise State University

timothydunne@boisestate.edu

Dr. Timothy C. Dunne is an assistant professor of management at Boise State University. He has extensive experience teaching leadership and conflict management at the undergraduate, graduate, as well executive levels. Dr. Dunne’s research focuses on leadership and negotiation, with an emphasis on entrepreneurship and small businesses. His work has been published in numerous academic journals including Group and Organization Management, Conflict Resolution Quarterly, and Group Decision and Negotiation. Timothy holds a PhD in Management, an MBA, and a BA in Business Administration all from the University of Missouri.

Vice President of Research & Publications

Jana Minifie, Texas State University
jm13@txstate.edu

Dr. Jana Minifie is a Professor of Management (Entrepreneurship) at Texas State McCoy College of Business.  She is also the Director of the Service-Learning Excellence (SLE) Program for the university.  As Director, she encourages, trains, and faculty as they incorporate SL into their classrooms.  She collects metrics regarding academic service-learning/experiential learning at both the San Marcos and Round Rock campuses for Texas State. As part of the Service-Learning Excellence Program, she oversees the Texas State I-Corps Site for Entrepreneurship (NSF funded grant to Texas State) and its monthly newsletter for the Texas State Entrepreneurial Network.  She recently received a Texas Workforce Commission grant for the training of entrepreneurial women boot camps for women in Texas. She teaches the undergraduate and graduate consulting class. Her research is in the area of marketing, small business, health care and entrepreneurship. Her PhD is from the University of South Carolina. She has taught at the University of South Carolina, Texas Tech, University of South Florida – Sarasota, and Texas State University. She was the 2015-2018 Barshop Excellence Professor in Entrepreneurship. Her research and grant writing are based on interdisciplinary collaborations.

Dean of Fellows



Ron Cook, Rider University
cookr@rider.edu

Dr. Cook is an Entrepreneurship Professor in the Norm Brodsky College of Business at Rider University.  In his 30+ year career, he founded and runs Rider’s Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, and our student consulting program, the Small Business Institute®, and served as Associate Dean for graduate business.  He developed Rider’s Entrepreneurship major and minor; and teaches small business consulting, entrepreneurship/small business, family business, new venture planning, and corporate entrepreneurship. His SBI student teams have over 35 top ten finishes, including 6 national titles.  He is a member and Fellow of the Small Business Institute® Association, has served in its leadership track, and is a Mentor and Showcase winner.