From an early age, it was clear that Brian J. Baldus was destined for the world of business. In fact, he started his first company as a nine-year-old. Now as a professor and an academic researcher, Baldus strives to make a positive impact on the business community on campus and around the area.
Baldus teaches undergraduate- and graduate-level marketing classes at California State University, Sacramento. Fall 2018 marked his fifth year as an assistant professor of marketing, teaching topics such as marketing management and strategy. Baldus also recently created the university's first digital marketing course.
"I strive to develop innovative curriculum to help students get the jobs they want and employers to find the talented hires they need," Baldus says. "More than half of the university's graduates stay and work in the area and will impact the region's economy and culture."
Baldus's involvement with students extends beyond the classroom. He recently finished a three-year term as the faculty coordinator for the campus's Center for Small Business, which gives students the opportunity to consult with local companies. Baldus also helped revive the campus's American Marketing Association chapter, and he has seen the club grow during his four years as the chapter's faculty advisor.
For his service, Baldus has earned the praise of students and has been formally recognized by the university's College of Business Administration as the 2017 recipient of the Outstanding University Service Award and the 2018 recipient of the Outstanding Teaching Award.
Faculty members also benefit from Baldus's service. He is the chair of the newly created Academic Standards Committee for the College of Business Administration, and for three years he mentored faculty as part of the Center for Teaching and Learning. In addition, Baldus will start as the director of the center's Summer Teaching Institute in 2019.
On top of these responsibilities, Baldus finds time to conduct extensive research on the topics of online brand communities, marketing strategies, and sales management. His findings have been featured in the Journal of Business Research and the Journal of Internet Commerce. He implements software such as Qualtrics and Sona Systems to collect his data.
"Using technology enables me to be more efficient and effective in my job," Baldus says. "I strive to help faculty, staff, and students find new ways to use technology so that they can do the same."
Baldus became interested in research as a pre-management student at BYU Marriott while taking the introductory marketing class from Sterling Bone, now an associate professor at the Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University. Baldus and Bone teamed up to conduct various research projects, including a study involving a major North American airline.
Baldus graduated from BYU Marriott in 2008 with a BS in management with an emphasis in entrepreneurship. To further pursue his passion for marketing research, Baldus received a PhD in marketing at Michigan State University in 2013. Following graduation, Baldus started teaching at Sac State, where he's been ever since.
Baldus and his wife, Angelle, have two daughters. The couple's oldest daughter was diagnosed with leukemia at age three. "We made it through two and one-half years of chemotherapy and treatments," Baldus says. "I'm a proud parent of a cancer survivor."
In addition to being a dedicated husband and father, Baldus serves as elders quorum president in his ward. He has previously served as Scoutmaster and first counselor in a bishopric. He is also the vice president of collegiate relations for the American Marketing Association Sacramento Valley chapter.
