BuffSpeak

There are roughly 13 million trucks on American highways, hauling everything from soup to nuts. We may take them for granted, but without them, retailer shelves would be empty. COB grad and serial entrepreneur Shane Redline tells us how he got started in the trucking business about a decade ago, and quickly grew from very humbler beginnings to one of the fastest growing trucking companies in Texas...

We all know we’re supposed to do it, but sometimes it’s hard, especially when you’re young. But that is the best time to do it, according to COB grad and Financial Planner Joseph Peterson. Tune in for tips on how to get started.

Gina Woodward is bullish on small business in Amarillo. Of course she should be, because she’s the Regional Director of the Small Business Development Center in Amarillo. Our local SBDC office is under the umbrella of the Engler College of Business. Tune in to hear why Gina is so optimistic, as well as the many services her office provides to small businesses to help them stay on track to profitab...

If there is ever a business discipline that will always be in great demand, it is Accounting. For when there are sales and profits to be made, there are numbers to report to various taxing entities. It is an evergreen occupation, and it is our goal to produce the best the industry can hire. Recent grad Corey Orthengren does not disappoint in this category, having earned his BBA in 2019, his MPA in...

There’s a great Japanese word that describes what we strive for in academia: Kaizen. Essentially, it means “change for the better or continuous improvement.” And this is no lofty goal or PR statement. It is an imperative, as expected by our accreditors and every other constituent we claim. In other words, no resting on laurels. No matter how good you think you are doing, you can always do better....

It’s no small task to write a book. But Amarillo author Andrew Brandt makes it look easy. Starting first in the self-published realm, and more recently with a publisher, Andrew has won awards for his young adult thrillers, but has also branched out into adult literature as well. And as Andrew quickly learned, being an author is a lot like a home-based business. He is always in marketing mode, and...

The way we consume media has changed drastically in the last decade, as streaming video has come to dominate our televisions. The average American household has four streaming subscriptions, and binge viewing has become the new normal. But this made it very difficult for advertisers, especially local firms, to reach out to potential customers. It was relatively easy when cable and satellite were t...

“Cancer never sleeps.” That’s Ryan Parnell’s mantra as he directs one of the premier ultra-marathon bicycle races in the nation. A personal health scare more than 15 years ago motivated him to do something to raise funds for cancer survivorship. The result is 24 Hours In The Canyon, held each June in Palo Duro Canyon State Park. It has attracted as many as 900 cyclists from across the US and beyon...

The pandemic found Jason Boyett and Michele McAffrey plotting and launching a new magazine, Brick & Elm, for the Amarillo market. It’s a niche publication to be sure, but one that is much-needed. Together they have their fingers on the pulse people, places, and things of Amarillo, and have found their way onto many local coffee tables.

There is likely no more knowledgeable Amarillo historian than Wes Reeves. It just also happens that he is the Senior Media Relations Representative for the local power company. He thus knows a lot about where we’ve been, and where we are going. Listen for an electrifying episode about the past, present, and future of Amarillo.

If ever there has been a patriarch in the Engler College of Business, it has been Dr Owens. But after 46 years he is retiring, leaving a legacy of thousands of former students who have taken his knowledge into the workforce. Listen as he reflects on inflation, oil, ethics, and more in this fitting farewell.

In the second half of this extended interview, Brennen Matthews shares his thoughts on how important road trips are in American culture, and specifically how the Mother Road—Route 66—is a conduit to seeing the past through the eyes of the present. He includes specific insights into why this is such an important part of our culture.

In a most unlikely scenario, Kenyan Brennen Matthews and his family found their way to Toronto, and then on a chance tour down Route 66, decided to create a new magazine celebrating the Great American Road Trip. Join Brennen as he tells how, in spite of changing media consumption patterns, ROUTE Magazine has overcome the odds and founds its place on newsstands nationwide. It’s Americana through an...

If it seems like there’s a craft brewery on every corner, you would not be far off. Pondaseta Brewing is Amarillo’s premier craft brewery, and owner Kaleb West shares the tale of how we wound up moving over from bikes to beer, and his thoughts on where the industry is going, both locally and nationally.

West Texas A&M University is proud to be an HSI (Hispanic Serving Institution), and enrollments in the College of Business reflects this commitment to meeting the academic needs of a growing demographic. Join Dr. Ramos Salazar as she tells her story, and how, as a Latina, she is giving back not only in her classroom and research activities, but also by leading an important student organization.

Your BuffSpeak host is Dr. Nick Gerlich, the Hickman Professor of Marketing. Gerlich has been at WT since 1989, and was a pioneer in our online programs in 1997. He brings with him a long career filled not only with teaching and research, but also writing for regional and national magazines. He is comfortable in front of a microphone, asking the tough questions. In his spare time, he travels the U...

As General Manager of Newschannel 10, the CBS affiliate in Amarillo, Brent McClure is on top of all things digital. He has captained his organization into the previously uncharted waters of digital media, and evolved at a time when others could not find their way. Tune in to find out how an old-school TV station has become a shining example of how media companies must be in the 21st century.