Executives in Residence
Northern Arizona University’s W. A. Franke College of Business is committed to our students by providing the very best educational experience. The Executive in Residence (EIR) Program brings exceptional industry leaders to classrooms sharing their experience, passion, and current industry knowledge to enhance student engagement.
Many executives are retiring from their primary careers but are not ready to fully retire. A number of these individuals are interested in sharing their vast knowledge and experience with younger generations through their involvement in education. These leaders serve as extraordinary resources that can significantly enhance students’ educational experiences.
The Executive’s job expectations includes, but are not limited to:
- teach in The W. A. Franke College of Business
- enhance students’ business and life-skills: leadership, communication, operations, technological, analytical, problem solving, ethical, and global
- counsel students on valuable industry soft-skills and career paths
- connect their network to FCB to broaden industry exposure for our students.
John Cauvin
John Cauvin holds an MS in business from Cornell University Graduate School, a BS from Cornell School of Hotel Administration, and a degree from L’école Hôtelière de Lausanne, Switzerland.
He served as president and CEO of Windmill Inns of America, Inc. for 29 years. He started the company by turning around two hotels from near insolvency to a highly profitable company with properties in Oregon, Arizona, California, and Colorado. Windmill Inns and Suites became debt free in October 2008. He successfully built a strong foundation by creating a positive work environment and culture of empowerment.
Cauvin has participated in the development of the Hotel and Tourism Management program at Southern Oregon University and served on their Board of Trustees. John has been a member of NAU’s School of Hotel and Restaurant Management National Advisory Board since 2004.
Tom Cheng
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Tom Cheng holds a part-time position at the NAU’s W A Franke College of Business as Entrepreneur-in-Residence. His involvement includes the promoting entrepreneurship with students, faculty, researchers and advancing the university’s intellectual properties through commercialization.
Prior to NAU, he held a similar position at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Tom was the owner/president of a manufacturing company; a vertical company that manufactured dancing attire and distributed its products via wholesale and retail channels. Tom was also involved in several startups in healthcare and online retail businesses. He began his career and spent 20 years in engineering with several nationally known apparel companies. He was often credited for producing quality products with innovative processes in limited resource environments.
Tom is also the spouse and supporter of current NAU President Rita Cheng. Together, they have two adult children and one grandson.
Scott Coor
Scott Coor holds a BSBA in marketing from The W. A. Franke College of Business and is a third-generation Arizonan. Coor began his career with Southwest Forest Industries and currently serves as vice president of Sales and Marketing for Trendwood, Inc., a company he began with four partners in 1985, which manufactures solid wood youth bedroom furniture.
In fall 2006, Coor was recognized with the Volunteer of the Year Award from Northern Arizona University for his key role in helping to secure the $25M contribution from Mr. Bill Franke for The W. A. Franke College of Business and arranging student field trips to visit Mr. Warren Buffett.
He is a member of the FCB Alumni and Faculty Hall of Fame, serves on the FCB National Advisory Board and the NAU Foundation Board of Directors, and serves as a mentor for FCB’s Business Leadership Program.
Rebecca Hickman
Rebecca Hickman holds an MBA from Grand Canyon University and a BS in accountancy from The W. A. Franke College of Business. Prior to her executive residency, Ms. Hickman was director of Investor Relations for Pinnacle West Capital Corporation in Phoenix, a Fortune 1000 company with a market capitalization of $6 billion. In her former role, she served as the company’s primary liaison with the investment community – overseeing relationships, communications, and marketing globally. Ms. Hickman was named to Institutional Investor magazine’s “All-America Executive Team” and among the best investor relations professionals in the U.S. electric utility industry for three years (2010–2012).
In 2013 Ms. Hickman transitioned from the corporate world to sharing her knowledge and experience in teaching and consulting. She brings more than 30 years of experience in investor relations, finance, accounting, and management to FCB. She is a member of the FCB Alumni and Faculty Hall of Fame and the FCB National Advisory Board.
Frank Spitznogle
Frank Spitznogle holds an MBA in Business Management from the University of Dallas and a PhD from the University of Texas at Austin.
Spitznogle is an experienced and proven business professional and dedicated educator with strong senior executive experience, augmented by 18 years of professional services experience, largely for VP/CXO level clients focused primarily on new business and program initiatives. He has a solid track record of starting and operating new businesses and programs inside large organizations and via startup business entities.
Prior to joining NAU, Spitznogle taught a broad spectrum of MBA-level and undergraduate Business Management courses in parallel with his business and professional services commitments. He has a strong entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for the financing, creation, development, and management of new innovative businesses.
Spitznogle has taught freshmen in MGT 101 as well as seniors in MGT 435. Read more about this in our Franke news blog HERE.
Learn more about Spitznogle's journey to the FCB HERE.
T. Paul Thomas
T. Paul Thomas Thomas received a BS in Business Administration from The W. A. Franke College of Business and an MEd from the College of Education. He is a serial CEO and president who has led both public and private venture capital backed technology companies with operations around the world.
Some of Thomas’ accomplishments include raising over $130 million in venture capital; handling the sale or acquisition of eight companies; managing companies in India, China, Japan, Europe, Africa and the U.S. with revenues in excess of $100M; as well as his involvement in three IPO filings. Paul currently serves on the boards of Komaza (Kenya), Qosmos (Paris), Datahug (Ireland) and SimplyDIRECT (Boston).
He is a member of the Northern Arizona University Foundation Board of Directors, former member of the FCB National Advisory Board, and former member of the Young Presidents Organization, Arizona and Northern California chapters.
As featured in NAUnews, October 2013
Business executive brings front-line experience to first-year students
“I told my students on the first day that I’m going to be a very different instructor,” Thomas said. “First, I went to school here. Second, I’ve spent 30 years in industry, so when I talk about something, it’s because I’ve actually lived through it. I’m going to tell them about real-world experiences.”
That approach is the premise of the Executive in Residence program. Two other executive instructors are putting their experiences to work at NAU, one in a course focusing on interdisciplinary issues in engineering and the other assisting with the startup of an MBA in applied management with an emphasis on hospitality...
“I’m trying to be more practical,” Thomas said. “I gave them 10 things I wish someone had told me, and I told them, ‘If you do these, I promise you will be hired out of college.’"
