Business professor to retire after nearly 30 years of teaching
When the Spring 2017 semester ends, so will the long teaching career of Frank Andera, who will retire after more than 29 years at Central Michigan University.
Andera came to CMU in 1988 after teaching business courses at Montana State University for four years. Though he valued the time he spent at Montana State and the work ethic of its students, Andera saw potential for growth, both for himself and in CMU's business programs.
"The opportunity for me to grow and become successful in my career was much more promising at Central," he said. "I really loved the curriculum that we had here at CMU."
Andera valued the idea of creating more integration between the different departments within the College of Business Administration. Having received a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Montana, Andera was intimately aware of the importance of developing a strong curriculum.
Perhaps Andera's most significant contribution to the university has been his role as the Director of CMU's SAP University Alliance Program, which gives professors training to SAP, a business software. After entering the partnership with SAP in 1997, CMU has developed so much of its curriculum around the SAP software that the university ranks one of the highest within the program.
Though he was instrumental in elevating CMU to its elite status in the SAP University Alliance, Andera is confident that the SAP programs at CMU will be in good hands after he leaves.
"We've built a really great program that has so many parts to it," he said. "We're leading the world (in SAP), even as this little school in Michigan. Our talented people are really capable of stepping up."
Charles Crespy, the dean of the College of Business Administration, believes that much of the university's advancement within the fields of business information and Enterprise Resource Planning training are entirely due to Andera's contributions.
"People like Frank come along once in a decade, if you're lucky," he said. "Frank has given his heart and soul to Central Michigan University, and the rate at which our SAP program has progressed is due entirely to him. Our program is on the map internationally because of everything that Andera has done.
"As Frank retires, he leaves a large legacy for other faculty and for students that leads to successful careers, professional certification and enhances the reputation of the university. We owe a large debt of gratitude to Frank for his years of service to CMU."
Andera said he hasn't given much thought to his legacy at CMU after he retires, but he is proud of the many students at CMU that continue to use the opportunities and curriculum offered by the university to find success.
"Buying into (SAP) in 1997 was well worth it," he said. "It was all worth it because of the opportunities we now have for students to succeed. There's my legacy."
