Commitment to Discipline
My current research interests include marketing, entrepreneurship, innovation, and business strategy. The courses I teach at Eastern Oregon University require staying current on all of these topics (plus finance). However, I’m also actively pushing the envelope from an academic research standpoint on innovation and entrepreneurship. I bring what I learn, in research and practice, into the classroom and share it with students and the clients that we work with. These topics create significant value for the university, for the community, and for our students.
The accrediting body for the College of Business, IACBE, has established expectations for commitment to subject discipline. These expectations include scholarly activities that span the areas of (1) Teaching, (2) Discovery, (3) Integration, and (4) Application. Scholarly and professional development activities should be in multiple areas including professional activities – focus on a single area is discouraged. You will see from my CV (attached) that I bring a unique combination of academic background, professional experience, and teaching experience. I’ve also published a number of academic (peer reviewed) and business publications. The activities outlined below cover all four areas outlined by IACBE.
Academic Background
My undergraduate degree program focused on both Finance and Computer Science. I earned an Associate of Science Degree in Computer Science from Portland Community College. That was followed by a Bachelors Degree in Finance (high honors) from Portland State University with a minor in Computer Science. Over the course of my undergraduate degree program, I completed the Computer Science core, a complete engineering calculus sequence, and the intermediate accounting sequence. I served as a teaching assistant and intern for Dr. Shannon Pratt, the founder of Shannon Pratt Valuations, and a recognized expert on the topic of business valuation. I worked as a Software Engineer for Verdix Corporation (Ada compilers) while completing my degree.My graduate studies required advanced coursework in finance, economics, innovation, research methods, engineering, and technology management. That includes over 32+ graduate level courses in these specific topic areas. I’ve completed the coursework required for three different Ph.D. programs. I studied in the Systems Science program at Portland State university. This is a multi-disciplinary degree that allows students to choose two areas of concentration, combined with the Systems Science core curriculum. The Program Director, Dr. Linstone, is recognized as one of the pioneers of the Delphi method and futures research. My concentration areas of study included finance and quantitative economics (econometrics). I also studied in the Engineering and Technology Management (ETM) Ph.D. program in the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science at Portland State University. I completed all the coursework and only had the dissertation remaining when my Committee Chair was forced to retire. This required a transfer to the Technology and Management Ph.D. program at Walden University.
I completed my Ph.D. in the Technology and Management at Walden University early in 2020. The title of my dissertation is Innovation and Market Leadership in a Technology Industry. The study examines the 45 year history of the U.S. PC industry, identifies market leaders at different points in time, and determines the form of innovation used to establish market leadership. This study extends the classic A-U model that was first developed in 1975 by Utterback & Abernathy with new (contemporary) forms of innovation. The study also extends the Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) decision making technique and exposes potential limitations to Rogers (1962, 2003) diffusion theory.
PhD, Technology & Management, Walden University, Minneapolis, MN
Research Concentration: Analytical Models, Innovation, &
Strategy
Delta Mu Delta International Honor Society
Overall GPA 4.0
PhD, Engineering and Technology Management, Portland State University,
Portland, OR – all but dissertation
Research Concentration: Innovation, Entrepreneurship, &
Strategy
Omega Rho International Honor Society
Overall GPA 3.85
PhD, Systems Science, Portland State University, Portland, OR – all but
dissertation
Research Concentration: Finance & Quantitative Economics
Overall GPA 3.91
MBA, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon
Selected for Top Ten Business Students in Oregon by Oregon
Business Magazine
Top student in graduating class
Graduate Business GPA 4.0
BS, Finance, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon
Graduated with High Honors
Minor in Computer Science
Overall GPA 3.97
Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society
Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society
Walter Hershey Memorial Scholarship
Portland Society of Financial Analysts Scholarship
Financial Management Association National Honor Society
AS, Computer Science, Portland Community College, Portland, Oregon
Overall GPA 3.95
Professional Experience
He who can, does. He who cannot, teaches.
George Bernard Shaw, Maxims for Revolutionists
We have all heard this idiom in one context or another. In spite of the talent of George Bernard Shaw, on this point, we completely disagree.
I teach marketing, entrepreneurship, business strategy, and now finance. I’ve also had the opportunity to earn two associate degrees, one bachelor’s degree, an MBA, and I’ve completed the coursework in three different Ph.D. programs. I’ve also taught at the university level (undergraduate & graduate) at seven universities on two continents. I have a lot of experience with education.
That experience has taught me that doing, and teaching, can (and should) go hand in hand. These skills are not mutually exclusive, they are symbiotic, and they re-enforce each other. Teachers should be able to present the best cutting edge research that academia has to offer; and combine it with best practices which are proven to work; along with lessons learned from their own hands-on experience.
On the professional side, I have over 25 years of marketing, leadership, and entrepreneurial experience in technology and telecom. I started my career as a Software Engineer, then expanded into full life-cycle product marketing, program management, strategic alliances, business development, and executive leadership. I’ve started or participated in eight large-scale technology startups and provided consulting services for dozens of successful early stage companies – several that are now very well known. Based on the innovative ideas that we generated, I’ve had the opportunity to develop and submit four U.S. patent applications, hold six U.S. trademarks, and own more than 60 top-level domains.
I’ve had the good fortune to raise more than $60 million in venture capital and return much more to investors. I’ve pitched opportunities in Silicon Valley (Sand Hill Road), Wall Street, and corporate boardrooms in many parts of the world. Of course, not every venture has been successful, but I’ve enjoyed some exciting rides and learned lots of important lessons along the way.
I still own three companies (Zairmail, Cendix, & Yana Surf), and a 501(c)(3) non-profit, Eastern Oregon Ventures. I’m no longer actively involved in the day-to-day operations, this is handled by business partners and contractors; however, I am responsible for approving product direction, establishing business strategies, and serving as an advisor (business & technical).
I do my best to stay current, so that when I’m teaching a rapidly evolving topic like online marketing, or search engine optimization, I’m teaching both the underlying theoretical foundation and what is working for the pro’s right now. When I’m teaching PESTEL analysis, we talk about important events that are critical to students and business executives today. The marriage of academic training and professional experience has the ability to assure relevance.
I’ve had the opportunity to travel, mostly for business, to over 25 countries. This gives me a unique perspective on culture and international business beyond what come from a textbook – though that is extremely important as well. This also means that I have an extensive network of industry and investor contacts that have been developed over two+ decades. I have a network of over 2,700 connections on LinkedIn alone (top 5% on LinkedIn).
This broad base of relationships and practical real-world experience is something that I bring to the classroom and share with students. In fact, I often share examples of real-life scenarios where the principles in the textbook are applied. I also tie significant current events back to the principles that we discuss in class and bring other professionals into class. A small sample to visitors/speakers includes: Steve Morris (Executive Directory, Oregon Technology Business Center), Jerry McMichael (Instructor, Industrial Systems Technology, Blue Mountain Community College), Dan Stark (Executive Director, Union County Economic Development Corporation), Steve Lyon (Human Resources Manager, Grande Ronde Hospital), Trevor Graves (Co-founder & CEO, Nemo Designs), Jim Coonan (Executive Director, Regional Accelerator Innovation Network (RAIN)), Scott Taylor (Co-founder & CEO, Green Endeavor), Robin Michalisko (Co-founder & CEO, Oregon Water Company), Matt Orthmann (Founder, Orthmann Ironworks), Jack Howard (Union County Commissioner), Greg Barreto (State Representative), Scott Fairley (Coordinator, Regional Solutions, Oregon Governors Office), Randy Jones (Oregon Department or Environmental Quality), and we have an extensive list of additional entrepreneurs and investors we have scheduled for the Entrepreneurs Club here at EOU. We have had more than 30 speakers since Fall of 2015.
Cendix (www.cendix.com)
Cendix is the leading provider of Web-to-print solutions that automate on-demand marketing campaigns and increase sales both online and offline. Cendix offers hosted Internet application software for print shops, commercial printers, and enterprise marketing organizations. Cendix supplies all the software, hosted systems, and technical talent; Cendix creates and customizes the online application; and manages all the ongoing operations and system maintenance.
June 2004 – present: Founder
Zairmail/Launchpoint (acquired by Global Document Solutions)
Launchpoint leverages digital print-on-demand, Internet communication, and document automation technologies to make sending a letter faster, easier, and 50% less expensive. The company was funded by Hewlett Packard, Tim Draper, Timberline Ventures (Northwest affiliate of Draper Fisher Jurvetson), and others.
September 1999 – June 2004: Founder, President, & CEO
eFusion, Inc. (acquired by ITXC/Teleglobe NASDAQ: TLGB)
eFusion pioneered the market for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) applications as a technology provider and an application service provider. The primary customers of eFusion were large Telco’s, CLEC’s, national Internet service providers, and call centers. The company was funded by Intel, Microsoft, AT&T Ventures, France Telecom, and others, and was acquired by ITXC for $165M.
August 1996 – September 1999: Director Marketing & Business Development
Sequent Computer Systems (acquired by IBM NYSE: IBM)
Sequent Computer Systems was the leading provider of open systems computers for large-scale enterprise database applications. In this timeframe there were more than 130 large-scale Oracle database implementations on Sequent; only 7 on Hewlett Packard; and 1 on Sun. Significant Sequent customers included Boeing, US West, Oracle (ran their business and engineering operations on Sequent), Walgreen’s, Burlington Coat Factory, and Eurocar.
January 1994 – August 1996: Oracle Program Manager
Cadre Technologies (acquired by Computer Associates NYSE: CA)
Cadre Technologies was a leading provider of Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE) tools for large-scale software development projects. CASE tools are often required for design and documentation in government projects.
January 1991 – December 1993: Product Line Manager
Verdix Corporation (acquired by Rational/IBM NYSE: IBM)
Verdix was the leading provider of Ada compiler technology. Ada is a programming language required by the Department of Defense for all mission critical and embedded systems applications.
May 1985 – January 1991: Software Engineer
Cendix (www.cendix.com)
Founder President, & CEO
Zairmail/Launchpoint (acquired by Global Document Solutions)
Founder, President, & CEO
eFusion, Inc. (acquired by ITXC/Teleglobe NASDAQ: TLGB)
Director, Marketing & Business Development
Sequent Computer Systems (acquired by IBM NYSE: IBM)
Oracle Program Manager
Cadre Technologies (acquired by Computer Associates NYSE: CA)
Product Line Manager
Verdix Corporation (acquired by Rational/IBM NYSE: IBM)
Software Engineer
Cendix (www.cendix.com)
Founder, President, & CEO
2004 – present
Launchpoint (acquired by Global Document Solutions)
President, & CEO
2001 – 2004
Zairmail (www.zairmail.com – acquired by Launchpoint)
Co-Founder, President, & CEO
1999 – 2001
eFusion (acquired by Teleglobe NASDAQ: TLGB)
Co-Founder, Marketing, Business Development
1996 – 1999
Sequent Computer Systems (acquired by IBM NYSE: IBM)
Oracle Program Manager
1993 – 1996
Cadre Technologies (acquired by Computer Associates NYSE: CA)
Product Line Manager
1991 – 1993
Verdix Corporation (acquired by Rational/IBM NYSE: IBM)
Software Engineer
1985 – 1991
Teaching Experience
On the academic side, I bring extensive experience working with students across various learning environments. I’ve served as faculty and taught classes (both graduate and undergraduate) at Oregon State University (Corvallis, OR), Portland State University (Portland, OR), Marylhurst University (Lake Oswego, OR), Concordia University (Portland, OR), Northeastern University (Boston, MA), and Chulalongkorn University (Bangkok, Thailand). The classes that I’ve taught at these institutions include: business policy and strategy, entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial finance, finance, economics, marketing, innovation, and eBusiness. I’m also drawing on my experience as an entrepreneur, and my network of contacts, in an effort to bring entrepreneurship to eastern Oregon and EOU.
The classes that I was hired to teach here at Eastern Oregon University are marketing, entrepreneurship, and business strategy. I have extensive experience teaching these topics and implementing them in business. In addition, with the retirement of Professor Steve Clements in 2017, I was also assigned our finance course (BA 313). In total, I teach twelve different classes here are Eastern Oregon (24 counting on-campus and online) and most of them have been created from scratch or significantly revised since I arrived here at EOU. A high-level summary of my teaching experience is provided in the table below – additional detail can be found in my CV (right).
UNIVERSITY TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Eastern Oregon University (www.eou.edu)
EOU is a public university that was founded in 1929 and serves as the center for education, culture, scholarship, and economic development for eastern Oregon. The school has ~3,400 full-time students (offline + online) and serves the rural areas of eastern Oregon (although EOU has online students from all over the world). Incomes in this part of Oregon are low, most of our students are eligible for needs-based funding, and quite a few are the first in their family to attend school. We are an important presence in this region, and we have a GREAT group of students.
September 2015 – present: Assistant Professor – Marketing, Entrepreneurship, & Business Strategy
Learning Management System: Canvas
Northeastern University (www.northeastern.edu)
Founded in 1898, Northeastern University is a private research university located in the heart of Boston. Northeastern is a leader in worldwide experiential learning, urban engagement, and interdisciplinary research that meets global and societal needs. The University offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate programs leading to degrees through the doctorate in nine colleges and schools. The Graduate Business School is ranked in the top 60 programs nationwide by U.S. News & World Report.
January 2013 – September 2016: Online Instructor
Learning Management System: Blackboard
Oregon State University (www.oregonstate.edu)
Founded in 1868, Oregon State is Oregon’s Land Grant University and is one of only two universities in the U.S. to have Sea Grant, Space Grant, and Sun Grant designations. Oregon State holds both the Carnegie Foundation’s top designation for research institutions and its prestigious Community Engagement classification. As Oregon’s leading public research university, with $263 million in external funding for the 2013 fiscal year, Oregon State’s impact reaches across the state and beyond. With 12 colleges, 15 Agricultural Experiment Stations, 35 county Extension offices, the Hatfield Marine Sciences Center in Newport and OSU-Cascades in Bend. Oregon State welcomes a diverse student body of over 26,000 students from across Oregon, all 50 states, and more than 100 countries.
December 2013 – September 2015: Instructor
Learning Management System: Blackboard
Portland State University (www.pdx.edu)
Portland State University is Oregon’s largest and public university located in the heart of one of America’s most progressive cities. It offers more than 60 undergraduate and 40 graduate programs in fine and performing arts, liberal arts and sciences, business administration, education, urban and public affairs, social work, engineering, and computer science. PSU offers more than 226 bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees. The 50-acre downtown campus—with the motto “Let Knowledge Serve the City”— places students in a vibrant center of culture, business, and technology.
February 2005 – September 2015: Adjunct Professor (university capstone program team)
Learning Management System: Desire2Learn
Marylhurst University (www.marylhurst.edu)
Marylhurst University is a private, co-educational, liberal arts institution. It offers accredited academic and professional programs designed for students who must balance school with work and other responsibilities. The University emphasizes peer learning, personal attention, and sense of community. A Catholic university, Marylhurst was founded in 1893 by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. Today, Marylhurst provides quality and innovative educational experiences for individuals of many religious beliefs and backgrounds.
June 2011 – September 2015: Adjunct Professor
Learning Management System: Moodle
Concordia University, School of Management (www.cu-portland.edu/som)
Concordia University is a private Christian university located in Portland, Oregon. Concordia has been preparing leaders for the transformation of society since 1905. The university is a regional leader offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs in Theology, Nursing, Education, and Business Administration.
August 2007 – June 2011: Associate Professor, Marketing & Entrepreneurship – Marketing Practice Leader
Learning Management System: WebCT
Eastern Oregon University @vww.eou.edu) [IACBE]
Assistant Professor — Marketing, Entrepreneurship, & Business Strategy
Learning Management System: Canvas
Online Instructor
Learning Management System: Blackboard
Instructor
Learning Management System: Blackboard
Adjunct Professor (university capstone program team)
Learning Management System: Desire2Learn
Adjunct Professor
Learning Management System: Moodle
Associate Professor, Marketing & Entrepreneurship — Marketing Practice Leader
Learning Management System: WebCT
Publications, Presentations, & Research
The primary focus of my current research is marketing, entrepreneurship, and innovation. The concept of market-based innovation is centered on innovation that does not involve traditional technology-driven product or process innovation. I’ve already published one paper on this topic (outlined below) and presented the concepts at an international conference. This topic was also presented to EOU faculty at a Colloquium last year in 2018.
I’ve extended this concept further in my dissertation by exploring the sources of innovation and market leadership over the 45 year history of the PC industry. While pulling together this research, I’ve also gathered historical data on a number of other industries in which similar research can be performed. I anticipate there will be several papers that come from my dissertation and then additional publications which explore similar dynamics of innovation in other industries. I also have material that can/will be leveraged to produce publications on business model innovation and the limits of electronic commerce in rural communities.
A list of representative publications (academic and professional) are provided below. The most recent articles are scholarly in nature, but I also have been writing technical and commercial publications for two decades. The academic publications in the list below were published during my time at EOU.
Academic Publications & Presentations
| Zehr, W. (2021). Community Engagement and Innovation in a Rural Setting. Open 2021, VentureWell Conference (March 17 – 19, 2021). Presented on March 17, 2021, Open 2021 VentureWell Conference, Hadley, MA, USA. [virtual] | acceptance letter | presentation | YouTube video |
| Zehr, W. (2021). Market leadership, forms of innovation, & lifecycle stage. Industry, Engineering & Management Systems International Conference (March 15 – 17, 2021). Presented on March 16, 2021. [virtual] | acceptance letter | presentation |
| Zehr, W. (2020). Innovation and Market Leadership in a Technology Industry. Eastern Oregon University Faculty Colloquium. Presented on November 12, 2020, Eastern Oregon University Faculty Colloquium, La Grande, OR, USA. | YouTube video |
| Zehr, W. (2020). Student engagement, community enrichment, and experiential learning [virtual presentation]. Eastern Oregon University TLTR presentation series. Presented on November 5, 2020, Eastern Oregon University, La Grande, OR, USA. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/y2bmakmy | YouTube video |
| Zehr, W. (2020). Innovation and Market Leadership in a Technology Industry [Poster Presentation]. Presented October 1 – 3, 2020, Walden University Research Conference, Minneapolis, MN, United States [virtual]. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/yxceu32b | |
| Zehr, W. (2020). Innovation and market leadership in a technology industry (Order No. 2791360). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. Retrieved from https://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login?qurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsearch.proquest.com%2Fdocview%2F2404627282%3Fac | |
| Zehr, W. (2019). Student engagement. [presentation]. Eastern Oregon University TLTR presentation series. Presented on November 13, 2020, Eastern Oregon University, La Grande, OR, USA. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/y6tqc3ft. | YouTube video |
| Zehr, W. (2018). Market Based Innovation for Sustainable Competitive Advantage. Eastern Oregon University Faculty Colloquium. Presented on February 22, 2018, Eastern Oregon University Faculty Colloquium, La Grande, OR, USA. | YouTube video |
| Zehr, W. (2017). Market Based Innovation for Sustainable Competitive Advantage. Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET). Portland, OR, July 2017. https://doi.org/10.1109/PICMET.2016.7806572 | |
| 2,754+ reads on ResearchGate | |
| Wang, B., Anderson, T, & Zehr, W. (2015). Competitive Pricing using Data Envelopment Analysis – Pricing for Oscilloscopes. International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management, October 2015. https://doi.org/10.1142/S0219877016500061 | |
| 402+ reads on ResearchGate | |
| Zehr W., Alawini A., Alharbi M., Borgan M. (2014). Chapter 2: Call Tracking Selection Model, Technology Development, Innovation, Technology, and Knowledge Management. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05651-7_2 | |
| 1,140+ reads on ResearchGate | |
| Hitt, M. A., Ireland, R. D., & Hoskisson, R. E. (2012). Strategic management cases: competitiveness and globalization. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning. [textbook contributor] |
Business/Professional Publications
Financial/Market Models (2015 – 2021)
The PC industry market analysis (Ph.D. research work) was highlighted on the introduction page.
Industry & Research Panels
American Journal of Engineering and Technology Management, Editorial Board, 2020 – present
Six Red Marbles, OpenStax Principles of Finance, Textbook Review Panel (Rice University), 2020 – present
McKinsey & Company, Online Executive Panel, 2017 – present
Frost & Sullivan, Manufacturing Leadership Council, 2017 – present
Center for Sales Research, RAIN Group, Premium Research Panelist, 2018 – present
Eastern Oregon Ventures, Executive Director (acting), 2017 – present
Professional Presentations
A representative sample of professional presentations is provided below. I have extensive experience working with PowerPoint and making presentations to audiences both large and small. This is a skill that provides a benefit for my teaching instruction. I also provide coaching for my students who need to give presentations for class projects and job interviews.
Zehr, W. (2019). Tuition Increase Reccomendation [report/presentation]. Presented April 2020, Eastern Oregon University, Board of Trustees, La Grande, OR, USA.
Zehr, W. (2019). Union County economic development. [presentation]. Presented April 2019, Union County Mayors, La Grande, OR, USA.
Zehr, W. (2019). Strategic goal 4, objective 1. [presentation]. Presented Market 2019, Eastern Oregon University, University Council, La Grande, OR, USA.
Zehr, W. (2018). eCommerce 101 (online careers). [presentation]. Presented March 2017, Student Technology Expanded Programs (STEP) Tech Expo, Eastern Oregon University, La Grande, OR, USA.
Zehr, W. (2017). BA498 online group project re-design. [presentation]. Eastern Oregon University, Teaching and Learning Summer Institute, La Grande, OR, USA.
Zehr, W. (2017). eCommerce 101 (online careers). [presentation]. Presented March 2017, Student Technology Expanded Programs (STEP) Tech Expo, Eastern Oregon University, La Grande, OR, USA.
Zehr, W. (2015). College of Business interview presentation. [presentation]. Presented March 2015, Eastern Oregon University, College of Business, La Grande, OR, USA.
Additional publications, presentations, and webinars are available on request
Patents, Trademarks, & URL’s
- System and Method for PC or Smartphone, Desktop-Direct One-to-One Digital to Hard Copy USPS Mail at Discount Postal Rates. US 62789377. January 7, 2019.
- Method and apparatus for supplementing mailing transaction costs. US 20010025274 A1. September 27, 2001.
- Credit based advertising through email. WO 2001071616A2. September 27, 2001.
- Distributed system for conducting physical delivery mail service over the internet. WO 2000057285 A1. September 28, 2000.
I own six U.S. Trademarks that are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and own over 60 top level domains registered with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). I have two additional domains registered in China (.cn).
I serve as a technical advisor for Zairmail. The company has 500,000+ lines of code spread across a number of servers in the cloud. I write specifications for new features, assign the work to Software Engineers, and track technical progress. Over 50 significant new technical features were added 2015 – 2019.
I have a keen interest in economic development, innovation, and entrepreneurship. I will continue to explore research opportunities, and practical applications, in these areas, for the benefit of the communities that we serve.