Bio
Michael J. Urick, PhD, MBA, MS, SSGB, SHRM-CP
Dr. Michael J. Urick is Graduate Director of the Master of Science in Management: Operational Excellence (MSMOE) program and Associate Professor of Management and Operational Excellence at the Alex G. McKenna School of Business, Economics, and Government at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. He received his PhD in management (organizational behavior focus) from the University of Cincinnati. His MBA (focused in human resource management) and MS (in leadership and business ethics) are both from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and his bachelor’s degree is from St. Vincent College. In his current role, Dr. Urick teaches undergraduate and graduate courses related to organizational behavior, human resources, communication and conflict, organizational culture, operations, and research methods.
The MSMOE program, which he directs, focuses on providing aspiring leaders with cutting edge management techniques to effectively problem solve, minimize waste, and continuously improve their organizations. The program has been ranked as a “Top 50 Best Value Masters of Management” program by Value Colleges in their two most recent rankings and as a “Top Online Non-MBA Business Graduate Degree” by US News and World Report. Dr. Urick is Six Sigma Green Belt certified and is certified through the Society for Human Resource Management as well as the True Lean program at the University of Kentucky. He is the recipient of an “Excellence in Teaching” award from the Lindner College of Business at the University of Cincinnati as well as the Quentin Schaut Faculty Award from St. Vincent College. Internationally, Urick was recognized by the Institute for Supply Management as “Person of the Year” in the learning and education category in 2015.
Academically, Urick is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Leadership and Management and his research interests include leadership, conflict, and diversity in the workplace. Much of his work focuses on issues related to intergenerational phenomena within organizations. He also often examines how popular culture can be used to advance organizational behavior theory in his research. In addition to dozens of research pieces being published in journals and books, he also regularly presents at academic and practitioner international meetings such as the Academy of Management, Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, and Institute for Supply Management conferences. Urick is a regular speaker on age-related issues in the workplace throughout the United States and internationally and is an active consultant on issues related to workplace interactions, organizational culture, and ethics. Michael has served as a reviewer for a variety of academic publications including the Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, Journal of Social Psychology, Journal of Organizational Behavior, and Journal of Family Issues as well as the Organizational Behavior and Human Resources divisions of the Academy of Management Annual Meeting in addition to other conferences. In his monthly blog on St. Vincent’s website, Urick blends his research and teaching interests to suggest practical and actionable items for readers to use in their current or future work situations.
Professionally, Urick serves on the board of ISM-Pittsburgh, Westmoreland Human Resources Association, and the Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival. Prior to academia, Urick worked in a variety of roles related to auditing, utilities, environmental issues, and training and development. In these roles, Dr. Urick became fascinated with interactions in the workplace and how they might be improved which has influenced his academic career.
For fun, Urick enjoys music and, since 1998, has led and performed with Neon Swing X-perience, a jazz band that has toured portions of the United States on numerous occasions.
Monthly blog
Dr. Urick writes a monthly blog on Saint Vincent College's website. In the blog, he explores theoretical and academic concepts related to organizational behavior and makes them practical by illustrating how they relate to readers' experiences.