Max Wortman, distinguished professor of management, has a new award to hang in his new office — an award named after him.

On Jan. 17, the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship presented the Max S. Wortman Jr., Lifetime Achievement Award for Entrepreneurship to the man who inspired it.

“I was really surprised,” Wortman said.

The award recognizes Wortman’s commitment to excellence in teaching and entrepreneurial studies research. His current emphasis is the Vision 2020 project, which focuses on the global need for food and agribusiness professionals.

His attitude has influenced his colleagues, said Labh Hira, dean of the College of Business.

Wortman’s eyes filled with tears as he recalled the January award ceremony.

“The president [of the association] said that out of the 500 people here, practically everyone had been touched by me — the students and other people I had counseled, including faculty,” he said. “It is quite an honor. Not only is it a national recognition, but it is the ultimate award when your peers give an award and name it after you. [This has] never happened in our college.”

Wortman has published more than 150 articles and proceedings, authored nine books, delivered 450 seminars and served on more than 100 doctoral committees. But despite the large amount of research he has done, Wortman’s main focus is teaching.

“[Faculty should be] concerned about students, and I am,” Wortman said. “I could write a whole book about my students.”

That book would include a story about Pam, a Ph.D. student he counseled to finish the program when she was pregnant, he said.

“Now she’s the president of a university,” Wortman said.

He advised the first female Ph.D. students in management at his university positions in Massachusetts, Virginia Tech and Tennessee.

“I believe women should have a career,” he said. “It’s important to see the potential in people.”

Wortman said he is proud of all his students.

“I’m more concerned about whether they’ll be good teachers [than researchers],” he said.

Of the 32 doctoral students Wortman counseled, eight have won distinguished teaching awards and four are now distinguished professors. He said he tells his students “when you’re in class, you are a Ph.D. student, but outside of class, you’re a human being.”

Wortman said he tries to live by his teaching by visiting his mother and participating in his church’s activities.

His 89-year-old mother still lives independently in Wortman’s hometown of Davenport.

Wortman also serves as an elder in the Collegiate Presbyterian Church. He and his wife have two children and four grandchildren.

“My wife is wonderful,” Wortman said. “She won’t let me retire until I pick up some [new activities].”

But Wortman said he is not concerned about keeping himself occupied.

“What people do when they are students is what they’ll do when they’re adults,” he said.

If that’s the case, Wortman will continue reading three to four books each week, and his research and writing will continue long after the door to 3288 Gerdin Business Building closes.

“I really don’t talk about myself much,” Wortman said.