University at Buffalo School of Management

24 Buffalo Business Autumn 2026 W hen Ann Boyd, MBA '97, returned to a classroom in the School of Management, she knew how to capture the students' attention: bring dessert samples. As director of the Desserts business unit at Rich Products, Boyd was invited by M. Kim Saxton, clinical professor of marketing, to speak on product position- ing to more than 450 undergraduates across two semesters of Principles of Marketing. "Students can learn about product positioning in a textbook, but to think about it in the context of real product examples right in front of them — and hear how it is used to execute strategy and its role in driving results by graduates who were once in their shoes — really brings concepts to life," says Boyd. During her presentations, Boyd shared insights from her own career journey while emphasizing the importance of clearly defining what makes a product stand out from competitors and shaping how consumers think about and connect with a brand. "Exposing students to tangible examples of what they are learn- ing in the classroom enables them to engage and relate in a mean- ingful way," she says. "This helps students stand out in interviews and prepares them for greater success in their first roles aer graduation." Across the School of Management, alumni are increasingly returning as co-educators, mentors and industry collaborators, helping students connect coursework to modern business practice. Sweet returns Alumni transform learning By Alexandra Richter Alumni Impact Storch Creating customized content Adam Storch, BS '02, is associate direc- tor at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, where he founded the Event and Emerging Risk Examination Team and helped establish the SEC's AI Task Force, on which he continues to serve. He also chairs the school's Accounting Advisory Council's Curriculum Com- mittee, and has witnessed how business education is evolving alongside emerg- ing technologies and wanted to create a unique experience for students. "I've used emerging technologies to create custom educational materials for my son, Lucas, to firm up his understanding of sixth- grade concepts," he says. "That made me wonder how I could apply the same approach with graduate students." Working with Brandon Szerwo, associate professor of account- ing and law, Storch developed a fictitious company and built a case study around it. Using AI as a collaborative force, he generated the company's filings, marketing materials, policies and procedures, executive bios and other internal documents, giving students realistic material to review for potential risks, inconsistencies and red flags that merit follow up. "We wanted the content to feel relevant and bespoke to students," Storch says. "It gave them the opportunity to do a mock audit and demonstrate their ability to exercise professional skepticism." Student presentations also sparked conversations about the growing role of AI in accounting. "One of the risks we built into the case was a company exagger- ating its level of sophistication with AI," he says. "There's buzz about AI being a threat to accountants, but it also creates real opportuni- ties for auditors and assurance professionals to be increasingly rele- vant in a fast-developing space." For Storch, giving back is rooted in the example set by the faculty members who shaped his own experience, especially Alex Ampadu, clinical associate professor emeritus. "Professor Ampadu gave so much to us," he says. "I try to give back in a way that reflects his example." Boyd

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