Editor’s note: The last Wednesday of the month, Dr. Piatt and Dr. Daake will be jointly writing this column entitled, “Main Street – Ask the Professors – Questions on Main Street.”
We are at the apex of the holiday season, and, as such, we would like to extend our gratitude and thanks to the Daily Journal for allowing us to be featured in our Main Street column over the last 12 1/2 years. Additionally, we would like to thank Olivet Nazarene University for featuring us in their recent December 2021 “The Olivet Magazine.”
We are sharing some of the critical aspects of that article below with you. Our impetus for sharing this article with you is to align our purpose and our ability to impart our wisdom and knowledge to our readers to make more informed decisions in their professional domains and organizations. We hope this article will convey our passions and purpose in our weekly writings. Finally, we would like to thank our readers.
We both look forward to writing more inspirational articles in Main Street in 2022. We would also like to extend a very Happy New Year filled with health and prosperity.
With more than 70 combined years of professional leadership and teaching experiences, Dr. Don Daake and Dr. Edward Piatt should be considered industry gurus. The Olivet Nazarene University professor emeritus and adjunct graduate school professor, and organizational consultant, are full of good advice, best practices, and global perspectives on how to lead with Christian influence and ethical behavior.
Utilizing their unique knowledge and influence, Dr. Piatt and Dr. Daake write a weekly column for The Daily Journal. The partnership began more than 12 years ago when both men were guest columnists for the Journal’s business-to-business (B2B) magazine. Additionally, Dr. Daake was Dr. Piatt’s dissertation advisor in the Ed.D. program and where Dr. Piatt was awarded a dissertation with distinction at Olivet Nazarene University. As a result, they formed a friendship, and the two have since collaborated on several high-profile community and business events.
When the B2B magazine discontinued, Dr. Piatt made arrangements to initiate a weekly series in the Journal called “Main Street.” The purpose behind the column is to share academic knowledge, research, and commentary in an approachable format that the public can consume.
“We started to realize so much state-of-the-art information coming out of research universities, from leading thinkers, seminal articles, scholarly business books, and peer-reviewed journals never reach the average person,” reflected Dr. Daake. Dr. Piatt added, “The idea of bringing forth theoretical concepts and giving their informed perspective on the practical implication of addressing the needs of the business community was a primary driver in our analysis and writings.”
It is helpful to remember that Dr. Piatt and Dr. Daake write these articles without compensation for giving back to the community and beyond. More than 15 of their articles have been picked up by the national Associated Press news service and some have had worldwide distribution.
Fostering these newfound relationships with the State of Illinois – Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO) where Dr. Piatt was the NE Senior Account Manager. Some of the significant and high-profile events the two collaborated on were two international trade conferences with over 80 trade commissioners representing 80 countries throughout the world. These two international trade events were highlighted by the Chicago Bears Training Camp at Olivet Nazarene University.
Additionally, they took these foreign trade commissioners to several manufacturing industries in Kankakee County, including Peddinghaus. A unique State of Illinois-sponsored Women in the Workforce, where several high-profile women offered their perspectives on women inspiring women and featured such notable dignitaries as Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke, U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, WGN news anchor Micah Materre, and other women CEO’s, leaders and business owners.
Other notable events Olivet’s business department-sponsored with various community partners include a seminar with the CEO of AT&T Wireless, John Zeglis, nationally recognized economist Stephen Moore, other Christian business owners, and two national Christian Business Faculty Association (CBFA) Annual Conferences.
Dr. Piatt and Dr. Daake also coordinated a highly attended Black Pastors’ conference with more than 100 pastors from across the United States in attendance. These high-profiled events forged unique partnerships that benefited Olivet, local businesses and the faith community.
Over the years, their articles in The Daily Journal have addressed at least 100 distinct topics through more than 700 column posts, including decision-making, Emotional Intelligence (EI), positive psychology, management, marketing, gratitude, customer service, organizational culture, ethics, and leadership. While the column’s content does not explicitly cover faith or religion, the professors have not been shy about sharing their personal and moral convictions in achieving and sustaining a Christian perspective.
“Very often, we quote scripture when it is appropriate, and we know a large portion of our readers appreciate it,” Daake said. “In many ways, we feel that we have been entrusted with a sacred opportunity to connect with the community.”
Piatt advocated, “We strive to offer hope and faith through the application of knowledge coupled with service to others.”
Each week Dr. Daake and Dr. Piatt trade off on writing responsibilities and co-write a column once a month. They have also engaged business leaders, professional athletes, professors, student writers, other faculty, alumni and friends to further share knowledge and broaden perspectives. This winter, the duo contributed an article in “Olivet the Magazine” on gratitude.
Next Dr. Daake will offer some closing comments.
“We most of all want to thank you our readers for the many kind comments we have heard across the years. As always we encourage you to share these articles with your professional circle, friends, and family. Many business people tell us they use our articles in company meetings as a basis of discussion on the topics we write about. And more than once we have had readers tell us they are sending a copy to their children or grandchildren.”
More than 180 of Dr. Daake’s articles can be searched and read for free in his online library of past work: daakecomments.wordpress.com/ and Dr. Piatt’s articles can be found by searching “Mainstreet” in the Journal’s article database.
Dr. Edward Piatt, Ed.D., MBA, is a retired manager from the state of Illinois with 32 years of frontline leadership experience. He is an adjunct professor of business in the MBA and MOL programs at Olivet Nazarene University, and a doctoral advisor and adjunct doctoral professor at Trevecca University. He is also an organizational/economic development consultant and lectures frequently on Emotional Intelligence (EI), organizational culture, and leadership. You may contact him at [email protected].
Don Daake, MBA, Ph.D. is an ONU Professor Emeritus. He and his wife Barbara wish you and your family a prosperous and Happy 2022. You can contact him directly at [email protected].
https://www.daily-journal.com/business/main-street-dec-29-2021/article_6384e748-6756-11ec-a76e-779f3497ac69.html
