Your AU Staff
College of Business and Professional Studies
- Charlie Minnick, PhD - Dean
- Mike Burton, JD
- Diane Cornilsen, MSEd
- Amy Kramer, PhD
- Ray Smith, MA
- David Stedwell, MA
- George Sztajer, MBA
- Robert Tielman, DBA
- David Ward, MBA, CPA
- Charles West, MBA, CPA, CMA, CFM
Charlie Minnick, PhD - Dean
Dr. Charlie Minnick is the Dean of the College of Business and Professional Studies at Ashford University. He has been at Ashford since 2006. Before that he spent ten years at Saint Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa. His last position there was Director of the Masters of Organizational Leadership program. His PhD is in Management and Decision Sciences with a concentration in Leadership and Organizational Change from Walden University. He has also done some consulting work in the areas of employee motivation, business ethics, improving team performance, and conflict management. He recently served as a reviewer of Management textbooks for Pearson Publishing. As Dean, Dr. Minnick wants to uphold Ashford's "dedication to continuing our strong progress and building on our key values of providing affordable, accessible and quality programs." Read more about Dr. Minnick.
Mike Burton, JD
Mike Burton is currently an Assistant Professor in the College of Business and Professional Studies. He received a BA from the University of Notre Dame and a Juris Doctor (JD) from Valparaiso University. Prior to coming to Ashford, he practiced law for several years and then worked in the business sector. His diverse professional and educational background enables him to instruct a variety of courses, but his primary areas of interest are in business law, sports and recreation management and sales/marketing. Besides instructing traditional campus classes, he also teaches in the accelerated and online programs. His wife, Michelle, and their four children provide him with the inspiration to always strive to do his best as an instructor. He is very motivated by the opportunity to teach others and to create a quality learning experience.
Diane Cornilsen, MSEd
Diane Cornilsen's educational background includes a BA from the University of Northern Iowa, a MSEd from Northern Illinois University, and a current Iowa Teacher Certification. She is working on completing a Distance Learning Certificate from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Some of the courses she teaches include Computer Literacy, PC Applications, Web Publishing, Integrating Technology in the Classroom, Programming Concepts, Visual and Verbal Presentations, and Spreadsheet and Database Analysis. She has witnessed Ashford University move through a variety of transitions both in name and in culture. The institution's movement toward new technology has provided students and faculty with an enhanced portal for teaching and learning. Her words of wisdom to students: "As I think about my daughter who will attend college in the fall of 2008, three thoughts come to mind....follow your intellectual passion, reach out and create new networks of friends, faculty, and staff, and participate in or seek out service opportunities in the community you become a part of."
Amy Kramer, PhD
Dr. Amy Kramer graduated with a PhD in Organization and Management from Capella University, a Master's of Organizational Management from UOP, and a Bachelor's degree in Human Resources and Marketing. Prior to joining AU full-time she worked within the corporate arena for more than 14 years. She currently teaches Human Resource Management, Organizational Behavior, Research Methods, Marketing, Management, Leadership, Change Management, Business Communications, Marketing Research, Social Issues, Group Behavior in Organizations, Operations Management and Strategic Planning. She has a passion for learning and enjoys helping students realize the joy that learning can bring. Some of her key goals are to teach students to seek knowledge and understanding in everything they do or experience, to help students learn to think in new and different ways, and to help students to gain confidence in themselves and see what they have to offer the world both personally and professionally. Of her students, Kramer says, "It is an honor to work with them here and it is my pleasure to support and guide them every step of the way." She lives near the campus with her husband (who is a firefighter & paramedic) and their three children (ages 5-14).
Ray Smith, MA
Ray Smith has been on the faculty of Ashford University since August, 2007. He has an MA degree in mathematics from Central Michigan University and a BA degree from the University of Iowa, also in mathematics. During the last few years he has obtained certification as a Cisco Certified Networking Instructor and also as a Cisco Java Instructor. After enjoying many years as a technology/math teacher at Clinton High School, he is now enjoying teaching at the college level. To his students, Smith says, "Learning is a life long process. Ashford University can help you in that process of living a rewarding and exciting life."
David Stedwell, MA
David Stedwell holds a BA in Journalism with a Secondary Education Certification from the University of Iowa, and an MA in Journalism / Public Relations from Ball State University. He taught at West High School, Davenport, Iowa for 12 years. He taught journalism, mass media and photography courses and advised student publications (newspaper and yearbook). Stedwell also served for 18 years at Marycrest College/Marycrest International University in the Computer Graphics program. He advised the student newspaper and literary/graphics magazine. For 35 years, he developed curriculum, taught, and directed programs at various summer journalism workshops around the country (Michigan State University, Ball State University, The University of Iowa, University of Nebraska, Western Kentucky University). He is currently an Associate Professor teaching graphic communication courses in the Computer Graphic Design program. He says he encourages students to do the best work with the skills they bring to any project, and to embark on a life-long quest to continue developing those skills. Says Stedwell, "I think that life-long learning is so important for anyone who wants to keep pace with the constantly changing graphic communication environment." Read more about David Stedwell.
George Sztajer, MBA
George Sztajer is a professor in the College of Business and Professional Studies. His undergraduate degree is in Architecture from the University of Illinois at Champaign. He holds an MBA from Eastern Illinois University, and he took doctoral classes at the University of Iowa in Policy and Planning. His early career was in the construction industry as an architect and later as an executive. He has been teaching for about 20 years, the last 8 of those here at Ashford. He has taught most of the business courses at one time or another. Says Sztajer, "I have taught at large and small schools and one of the advantages of Ashford is its small size. Take advantage of that by talking with your professors whenever you have questions."
Robert Tielman, DBA
Dr. Tielman has been an Associate Professor in the School of Business and Professional Studies with Ashford University since August, 2008. He largely teaches online classes for the MBA and undergraduate programs, but does teach one campus business course each semester. Prior to coming to Iowa, he lived in San Diego, CA, New York and The Netherlands. His previous professional experience included positions held in marketing research and e-commerce. He received his DBA from Alliant International University in San Diego. His love for teaching began about 10 years ago while pursuing his MBA and later his DBA. He has taught at various universities in San Diego and started teaching online in 2003. He began teaching online for Ashford in 2006, teaching MBA courses. Dr. Tielman enjoys traveling, especially to the Netherlands where he spent his childhood, mountain biking, climbing, hiking, and golfing.
David Ward, MBA, CPA
David Ward, has a BS in Grain Science & Technology from Kansas State University, an MBA from St. Ambrose University, and a BA in Accountancy from Western Illinois University. He is a certified public accountant, and has taught in the accounting and business areas at Ashford University since 2005. A poem excerpt that Ward likes to share with students is from Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken:"
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Charles West, MBA, CPA, CMA, CFM
Charles West started teaching at Ashford in 1981. He has taught accounting, business and finance courses. He holds CPA, CMA, and CFM certifications. His degrees include a BS from the University of Illinois and an MBA from Northwestern University. He is happy to report that "every year for over 20 years, our university has had exceptional students successfully complete one of the accounting professional certification examinations."
