Dr. Michael Walsh, chair of the marketing department at the West Virginia University College of Business and Economics, has now been recognized as a top instructor, as he was named 2015 Educator of the Year by the Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Marketing Association. Walsh was presented the award at the Pittsburgh AMA Marketer of the Year awards ceremony at the LeMont Restaurant in Pittsburgh on Thursday (December 10).

Walsh is recognized across the country for his knowledge of marketing and logos. When Starbucks recently changed its logo, he emerged as an expert on logos, branding and what it all means to the product-driven public.

“The award recognizes leaders in marketing education, and strives to create opportunities for students and marketing professionals to interact,” said Josh Gmys, president-elect of Pittsburgh AMA.

“Mike is a tireless proponent for students,” said Paige Beal, assistant professor, Point Park University and Vice President of Academic Outreach for the American Marketing Association Pittsburgh Chapter. “For instance, he launched the sales competition at WVU and opened it up to multiple universities, giving students exposure to sales professionals as well as other university students and faculty in sales.

“Mike has taken the lead on the Pittsburgh AMA marketing plan competition. He found a client for the competition and wrote the case that will be used as the basis for the marketing plan built by student teams.”

Walsh teaches undergraduate survey of marketing, as well as marketing strategy and marketing management to graduate students. He also leads all efforts at WVU’s business school for marketing students in case competitions and opportunities for experiential learning. A WVU student marketing team took first place out of 10 teams in the 2015 Collegiate Nonprofit Marketing Plan Competition held by the Pittsburgh AMA in April.

Walsh’s research on logos has been highlighted in Time Magazine and Advertising Age. He has been mentioned in publications such as Fastcompany, Science Daily, ScienceBlog, Korea Business Central, Japan Retail News, 60 Second Marketer, Consumer Affairs and the Wharton School of Business. He has been included in articles in U.S. News & World Report, Businessweek, the Christian Science Monitor, Biz Journals.com, and in business journals in Denver, Houston, Portland and San Jose.

For further information about the WVU College of Business and Economics, follow B&E on Twitter at @wvucobe or visit be.wvu.edu.

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CONTACT: Patrick Gregg, WVU College of Business and Economics
304.293.5131 or Patrick.Gregg@mail.wvu.edu

Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.