Last updated 06/17/2022
During my time at USC, I was fortunate to have been promoted from tenured Associate to Full and then Chaired Professor. USC has allowed me to be a productive research scholar. I served a short term as Chair of the Marketing Department before being asked to serve as Marshall’s first Dean of Research, which I took up again several years after my term was completed. I have truly enjoyed teaching undergraduates and Ph.D. students, so it was gratifying to serve as the Dean of the Undergraduate Program and the Dean of the Ph.D. program. I have made many friends during my tenure at USC. Although many are in the Marshall School, I have served on several Provost committees that provided a broadened perspective on USC and its distinguished faculty members. I was also at USC when I served as Editor of one of my field’s top academic research journals and when I served as President of several academic organizations. I have had the pleasure of mentoring some of Marshall’s Ph.D. students and faculty members. I was also at USC when I received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Marketing Association and when I became a Fellow of the Association for Consumer Research, the Society for Consumer Psychology, and the American Marketing Association. I have many fond memories of my time at USC and leave the institution with deep feelings of gratitude.
Since retiring from USC, I have begun to work on a new book aimed at helping organizations do better marketing. My co-authors and I are also revising our consumer behavior textbook (the 8th edition). The first edition of this book was in progress just as I arrived at USC in 1994, so it’s great to see the longevity we’ve had with this book—despite changes in the publishing world. I have also been gratified to work with several organizations that need help with branding. I have also used my retirement to deepen my understanding of art, particularly the process of making fiber and wall art. I have been asked to show some of this work at an art gallery near my home, and I will be a featured local artist at the Wilding Museum of Nature and Art this summer. I love learning about art and particularly appreciate experimenting with different substrates, inks, dyes, and paints to create something new. I have no prior art background, so I have a lot to learn. I look forward to having years in the future to master some of the types of art that bring me joy. The most significant change in my daily life is that I now have a 4-month-old puppy, Mia, who is both crazy making and an utter delight. I have also been fortunate to spend additional time with family, including my 1-year-old grandson. I plan to travel with my husband, including on a cruise down the Danube River next summer.
I have learned that time is short, so it’s best to do all that one can to live intentionally while one can. My mother is in the late stages of Alzheimer’s disease, and her disease makes me wonder how much more time I have to make memories and remember them.
I have a tendency to bite off more than I can chew. Unfortunately, I haven’t cracked that nut yet, but I hope I can be a bit more selective about what I chew on!
I have learned that the best things in life are friends, family, and pets.
I have also learned how much I love to learn! My immersion in the art world is one new domain where I can explore, learn, and be creative.