D. Scott Borden

Scott Borden is a Faculty in the Outdoor Industry MBA program in the School of Business at Western Colorado University.

His research and lectures are informed by the real world experiences of: publishing children’s books on rock climbing and skiing; being a senior contributor for a climbing magazine; working as the marketing director of an international outdoor education company; serving on the board of directors for a Benefit Corporation Certified investment bank, which has consulted on mergers and acquisitions for socially driven outdoor companies; supervising educators at the largest non-profit outdoor environmental education organization in our National Parks, which receives over 36,000 students annually; running sales for the largest whitewater festival in the U.S.; and owning his own business which has consulted with organizations such as the business certifying organization B-Lab and the conservation non-profit organization The Access Fund.

View Curriculum Vitae of Scott Borden, Ph.D.

Q&A with Professor Borden

How did you discover Western?

I am a proud Western alumnus who first found this place through a good friend that spoke very highly of the faculty and education he was receiving.

What are some of the highlights of your career?

Presenting on gamification in the tourism industry at Oxford University, UK; presenting a paper at the European Social Marketing Conference in Espoo, Finland; buying a product from a former student who launched Steamboat Salt Co. as part of one of my courses; presenting to BLab on a research paper on Benefit Corporation Certification and SMEs; coordinating the Sustainable and Resilient Communities track for the Master in Environmental Management programs; publishing in the highly ranked Journal of Sustainable Tourism twice; reading my student evaluation from my courses as they always help me grow.

What most excites you about your field?

Marketing is always changing and requires constant evolution of techniques and knowledge. I love seeing the impacts from applied research efforts in marketing of socially beneficial purchasing and behavior. It is even more rewarding to see students participate in this research or engage with it in the classroom.

What is your favorite thing about the Gunnison Valley?

The people. On any given day a stranger would hand you the shirt off their back. I can’t think of a better place to raise a family.