Marketing Professor Being Honored by National Association

Katrin Harich, professor of marketing and associate dean of Cal State Fullerton’s College of Business and Economics, is receiving the Marketing Educators Association’s Educator of the Year Award during the organization’s annual conference April 10-12 in Scottsdale, Ariz.

“As I thought about MEA and the many people who have made major contributions to the organization, it was clear in my mind that Professor Harich is one of the giants,” said Harold H. Kassarjian, emeritus professor of UCLA and an adjunct professor at Cal State Northridge, in a letter nominating Harich for the award. “But beyond that, if one thinks about the great teachers and the solid researchers in our organization, or those who have made their mark in professional service, again Katrin Harich stands tall even among the giants.”

A member of the university faculty since 1990, Harich was appointed associate dean for the College of Business and Economics in 1998. In addition to her administrative duties, the Los Angeles resident is active in the classroom. This spring, she is teaching an upper-division course on buyer behavior. Her classroom skills have been recognized with the college’s Distinguished and Outstanding faculty awards.

“Katrin believes very strongly in teaching and student learning,” said Irene Lange, chair and professor of marketing. “This award recognizes and rewards the passion that she puts into this effort.”

On four occasions, Harich’s students have been named national winners in the General Motors Marketing Internship program, which is designed to give students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience by working with real clients. In 1996, students from her advertising management class won the top honor for superior achievement by forming a marketing agency to research, design,present, execute and analyze a promotion event for a local General Motors dealership.

A specialist in consumer behavior and marketing communications, Harich has authored or co-authored two books and a number of articles on marketing education, business ethics and culture, customer perceptions and international advertising.

She is a member of the Association for Consumer Research, Academy of Marketing Science, American Marketing Association and Western Decision Sciences Institute, as well as the Golden Key National Honor Society and Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars.

Harich earned her doctorate from Bonn University and conducted postdoctorate work at UCLA.

In addition to receiving the MEA honor, Harich is chairing a conference session on “Perspectives on and Approaches to AACSB International Accreditation.” AACSB is the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Other Fullerton faculty members participating in the conference sessions are: Irene Lange, chair and professor of marketing; C. Scott Greene, professor of marketing; Neil A. Granitz, associate professor of marketing; and Paul Hugstad, professor of marketing.