The University of Akron Athletics
Deborah Owens
| Title: | Faculty Athletics Representative |
| Phone: | (330) 972-8079 |
| Email: | deb@uakron.edu |
Dr. Deborah Owens is an Associate Professor of Marketing and International Business at the University of Akron, where she has taught for 20 years, in both the undergraduate and MBA programs. She is in her second year as the Zips' Faculty Athletics Representatice.
Dr. Owens teaches Business Research Methods, Marketing Research, Buyer Behavior, Marketing Principles and the senior Capstone Marketing Practicum. Her primary research interests include promotion strategies, customer satisfaction, political marketing, and cross cultural influence on buyer behavior. Dr. Owens has co-authored several industrial cases, including "Goodyear's Aquatred Tire: An Integrated Marketing Communication Campaign", "Advanced Elastomer Systems: Market Strategy for a New, Technical Product", "Clean Shower: New Product Development Strategy" and "Country Pure Foods; Delivery Juice to a Thirsty World". Dr. Owens co-authored two chapters, in Direct Marketing in Action, published in 2006 by Praeger Press, and the runner up for best new trade book, by the American Marketing Association.
Dr. Owens received her Doctor of Philosophy from Kent State University in May 1997, where she majored in marketing, with a minor in international Business. She also has a master's degree in business from Kent State and a bachelor's degree in industrial and systems engineering from The Ohio State University. She was one of the first 20 women to receive this degree.
Dr. Owens spent 12 years working in the health care arena, first as a management engineer at the Ohio State University Health System, and then at Children's Hospital Medical Center in Akron.
Presently a member of the board of the Buckeye Institute, an Ohio based free market think tank, Dr. Owens has been active in many non-for-profit organizations. Dr. Owens served for seven years on The Ohio State Board of Education, first as an appointee of the Governor, and later as an elected member, where she served as Co-Chair of the Quality High School Sub-Committee, and as chair of the Ohio Physical Fitness and Wellness Advisory Board. In the past she served as President of the Summit County School Board, and on the boards of Abstinence the Better Choice, Inc., and Co-Chair of the Ohio Center Right Coalition.
Dr. Owens was selected by The University of Akron College of Business as the Outstanding Teacher for 2011, and the University of Akron's Interfraternity Panhellenic Council as "Outstanding Educator" and has received the Student Dormitory Recognition for outstanding teacher. Dr. Owens was selected as Volunteer of the Year for Project Grad Akron in 2009, for her work in establishing the Business Boot-Camp Summer Institute for inner city high school student interested in marketing careers.
Dr. Owens has served as a consultant to numerous non-for profit groups, including the Hattie Larlham Foundation, Summit Country Crime Stoppers, Akron Area YMCA, The Girls Scouts, and Canal Fulton's Farmer's Market, to name a few. She has also served as a consultant to industry working with the CEA Wooster, The Scout Group, Ameri-Chem Inc., Summit County Better Business Bureau, and several area Chambers of Commerce.
Dr. Owens and her husband, John Fink, M.D., are the proud parents of four children.
