Professors Institute

Each year, the Brierley Institute for Customer Engagement at SMU Cox invites a select group of faculty peers and experienced marketing practitioners to participate in a rich collaborative environment—an exchange of ideas, insights and practices focused on advancing research agendas, networking and improving how to prepare students for successful careers in marketing, consulting, or business analytics.

Plans for the next Professors Institute are currently under development.

Faculty nominations are actively being requested.

If you have any questions about the nomination process or future speaking opportunities, please contact Brad Harraman, Director: Brierley Institute for Customer Engagement at bharraman@smu.edu.

Click here to watch video highlights from previous executive presentations.



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Bart Schaller, CMO, Synchrony Financial, speaks on Data & Decision Optimization

From left: Hal Brierley, Brierley Institute Director and Endowed Professor Marci Armstrong, and TGI Friday’s Chief Experience Officer Sherif Mityas attend the 2020 Professors Institute

Hal Brierley, Executive-in-Residence of the Brierley Institute for Customer Engagement, opened the 2020 Professors Institute with a few words on Customer Engagement.

Shelle Santana, Assistant Professor at Harvard Business School, discussed case studies on Customer Engagement and Experience.

Attendees at the 2020 Professors Institute heard from executives in a variety of industries and disciplines.

2022 Professor Institute Recap

The most recent Professors Institute was held on January 5-7, 2022. Hosted activities included a reception and dinner at the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum and a speaking presentation and tour of the AT&T Discovery District, at the AT&T Global Headquarters in downtown Dallas.

Day 1

Registration and Opening Reception

Day 2

Presentations by:

Hal Brierley, Executive in Residence, Brierley Institute for Customer Engagement, Chairman and CEO, The Brierley Group, LLC: A Few Words on Customer Engagement

Gary Laben, Chief Executive Officer, Dynata: “Insights Industry’s Changing Dynamics”

Bill Swift, Executive Vice President, Chief Technology Officer, Brierley+Partners: “Modern Loyalty Programs & Customer Engagement – a Technology Perspective”

Charlotte Mason, Professor and Terry Chair of Business Administration, University of Georgia: “Tips and Resources for Teaching Marketing Analytics”

Jonathan Clarkson, Vice President, Loyalty & Products, Southwest Airlines: “Airline Loyalty in the COVID Era: What We’ve Learned So Far and What’s Next”

Joe DeMiero, Chief Executive Officer, Hawkeye, and CRM Practice Lead, Publicis Groupe: “Is Experience Orchestration the ‘Next Big Thing’ in Marketing?”

Shelle Santana, Affiliate Assistant Professor, Brierley Institute for Customer Engagement and Assistant Professor, Bentley University: “Professors Institute: An Opportunity for Engagement”

Cynthia Tenhouse, Vice President, Lexus Guest Experience, Toyota North America

Reception and dinner at the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum.

Day 3

Presentations by:

Bart Schaller, Executive Vice President and CEO, Digital Platform;

Nasim Khoshkhou, Senior Vice President Analytics and Data, Synchrony Financial: “Aligning Products and Experience to Customer Needs”

Sean Eidson, General Manager, Loyalty and CRM, T3

Rose Kaur, Managing Partner, Jester&Genius: “The STORY Advantage in Customer Engagement”

Sherif Mityas, Operating Partner, JAMCO Interests, LLC, and President, BRIX Holdings: “Know Me! A Customer Engagement and Experience (R)evolution”

AT&T senior executive speaking presentation and tour of the AT&T Discovery District, at the AT&T Global Headquarters in downtown Dallas.