Paul Wellen

On Thursday, May 8, 2014, at a signature luncheon event hosted by Roosevelt University’s Heller College of Business, IIT alumnus Dr. Paul M. Wellen received the College’s Lifetime Achievement Award, honoring more than 35 years of service to the university. The event took place at the Palmer House Hilton in downtown Chicago.

In his remarks, Wellen dedicated the award to his students, who he said were always able to teach him something in the classroom as well, helping him maintain his spirit as a life-long learner. Wellen earned a master’s degree and Ph.D. in Industrial Psychology from IIT before beginning his illustrious career. Wellen said that he received phenomenal preparation during his years at IIT.

“I particularly liked the practical nature of many of the Industrial Psychology classes,” he said. “I was well prepared for the world of work as a result of my IIT education.” He also said he was very grateful for the friendships he built at IIT.

Wellen received the Lifetime Achievement Award as a key faculty contributor in the Walter E. Heller College of Business at Roosevelt. He currently holds the rank of Professor of Marketing and is the chair of the Management, Human Resources, Entrepreneurship and Marketing Department.

Wellen has taught both graduate and undergraduate students a variety of courses in marketing and, in the process, has earned distinction as one of the university’s top professors. He won the college’s Outstanding Professor award three times. Wellen has also been nominated for a U.S. Professor of the Year award, sponsored by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and for the Teacher of the Year award by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.

Prior to joining Roosevelt, Wellen was a vice president with the management and marketing consulting firm of Daniel D. Howard Associates. There, he served a wide variety of nationally recognized clients on marketing research projects. He is still actively engaged in consultation to corporate clients and is considered an expert in qualitative marketing research.

To conclude his acceptance speech, Wellen recalled an episode of the TV show Frazier where the lead character was sent into an existential tailspin after hearing that he would be the recipient of a lifetime achievement award. Frazier, after days of questioning the meaning of his life, said in his acceptance speech, “Thank you for honoring my life – I just wish I knew what to do with the rest of it.”

Wellen did not have the same hesitation. He concluded, “Thank you for honoring my life. Fortunately, I know exactly what to do with the rest of mine.”