Business with Purpose: SBA Recent Highlights

Gonzaga’s School of Business Administration continues to create opportunities for students, faculty and partners to engage in meaningful, values-driven work. From connecting students with industry leaders to earning national recognition and deepening its commitment to humanistic leadership, the school is advancing its mission to prepare ethical and effective business leaders. Here are a few recent examples.

MBA in American Indian Entrepreneurship Program Recognized Nationally

Gonzaga University’s MBA in American Indian Entrepreneurship (MBA-AIE) is Education Program of the Year, an honor from the Native American Finance Officers Association (NAFOA), recognizing innovative programs that advance business education and economic development in Native communities.

Launched in 2001 with support from the Johnson Scholarship Foundation, the MBA-AIE program equips Native leaders with the skills and resources to build sustainable businesses and support economic growth in their communities. It blends online coursework with on-campus residencies to offer a flexible, culturally relevant experience for tribal professionals.

With substantial financial assistance for students and support from an active alumni advisory board, the program continues to expand its reach. Its more than 70 graduates reflect the program’s lasting impact on tribal leadership and community development.

Bridging Business and Education Through the Executive in Residence Program

At Gonzaga’s School of Business Administration (SBA), students aren’t just learning about the business world, they’re learning directly from it.

Since its launch in 2021, the Executive in Residence (EIR) program has brought experienced professionals to campus to mentor students, collaborate with faculty and share insights from years of leadership across industries. Designed to reflect the school’s values of academic excellence, professional engagement, and Jesuit-inspired action, the program helps students bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world application.

Current Executives in Residence include Kevin McQuilkin (’83) and Jabez LeBret (’02), Gonzaga alumni who have returned to campus to share their expertise and support the next generation of business leaders. The group also includes Ed Reese, a Spokane-based digital marketing professional with experience in analytics and web strategy who teaches as an adjunct professor in the business school. 

Executives in Residence Kevin McQuilkin (left), Jabez LeBret (middle) and Ed Reese (right).

After a 35-year career in investment banking, McQuilkin became the program’s first Executive in Residence. He teaches finance, mentors students through the job search process, advises faculty, and supports events and development efforts. 

LeBret brings experience in marketing, finance, and entrepreneurship, with a focus on education and community impact. He has launched multiple ventures, authored books, and works to expand access to career readiness resources for underserved communities.

Reese leads the Spokane-based agency Sixth Man Marketing and co-founded Local U, a program that helps professionals build technical skills in digital marketing. His work centers on analytics and strategy, offering students practical insight into today’s digital marketing environment.

In addition to its core members, the program welcomes visiting Executives in Residence, who are short-term participants, bringing fresh perspectives from a variety of industries.

Visiting Executives in Residence Linda Underwood (left), Ray Eby (middle) and Brian Wellinghoff (right).

Recent visiting executives include Linda Underwood, senior vice president at Banner Bank, who launched the Women in Finance cohort for students exploring careers in finance. The program builds confidence, strengthens leadership potential, and helps students design a personalized pathway for professional growth.

Another visiting executive is Ray Eby, former president of 3M’s Personal Safety Division and CEO of Innovations in Nutrition and Wellness, who brings a background in business, law, and community service.

Brian Wellinghoff, co-founder of the Humanistic Leadership Academy and senior director at Barry-Wehmiller, is also serving as a visiting executive. He is working with SBA faculty and staff to support leadership development focused on trust, empathy, and purpose.

The program has also welcomed international expertise. In fall 2024, the SBA hosted Duy Dang of Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Vietnam as a Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence. With a background in data science, information systems, and digital transformation, he taught undergraduate and graduate courses at the intersection of technology and business.

Whether serving long-term or short-term, Gonzaga’s Executives in Residence help students connect academic learning with real-world insight. Through teaching, mentoring, and collaboration, they support the school’s mission to develop leaders who think critically, act ethically, and lead with purpose.

Truly Human Leadership Cohort Puts Jesuit Values into Practice

The School of Business Administration recently launched the Truly Human Leadership Cohort, a new initiative inviting faculty and staff to explore humanistic leadership and its role in Jesuit business education. Led by faculty members Adriane Leithauser and Brian Steverson, plus David Pickersgill of Barry-Wehmiller, the cohort builds on the school’s ongoing collaboration with the company and the Humanistic Leadership Academy (HLA).

Barry-Wehmiller, a global company known for its people-first business philosophy, has spent the past 20 years developing leadership programs rooted in trust, empathy and personal growth. It is also a founding partner of the HLA, launched in 2022 to bring these values into business education worldwide.

The experience includes eight virtual sessions, along with time for personal reflection and discussions between meetings.

This initiative reflects the SBA’s commitment to integrating values-based leadership into its culture, starting with the faculty and staff who teach and support students every day. By modeling the principles of humanistic leadership, they help advance the school’s mission to form ethical, reflective leaders prepared to serve others.

Through its partnership with Barry-Wehmiller and the HLA, Gonzaga continues to explore how business education can be both rigorous and deeply human, aligning with the Jesuit value of caring for the whole person.