business leaders magazine 2013

Providing Exceptional

Opportunities for Students

Chancellor Kenneth E. Peacock and Student Speaker Audrey

Broadway at the Spring 2013 Walker College of Business Commencement Ceremony

Business Leaders Magazine

2013

Business Leaders Magazine

2013

Walker Collegeof

DEAN’S MESSAGE

Randy Edwards, Dean Walker College of Business

It’s great to be a Mountaineer! It’s a theme that rings true in everything we do in the

Walker College of Business. Our students are part of a close-knit group - the Appalachian family. Small class sizes afford greater familiarity with high-quality faculty. More than 20 student clubs and organizations allow for networking opportunities with fellow students. The caliber of our faculty and our students ensures the quality of our institution, which recently received maintenance of accreditation by AACSB International.

Our students are excelling in national competitions. They are traveling

abroad to experience new and exciting cultures. They are benefiting from classroom instruction from our distinguished faculty and from visiting business leaders. Walker College students are also securing permanent jobs before they walk across the stage at commencement.

The second floor of Raley Hall is our student resources hub. There, the

Marshall Croom Student Services Center houses two of three academic units that enhance the student experience. With support from career services, graduating business students have nearly twice the first destination rate (career placement or graduate school) of students from comparable business schools.

The Walker College academic advising office is also located in the Croom

Center. Specific to business students, four full-time academic advisors are on-site to

guide our students in their course selection and academic planning.

The BB&T Student Leadership Center offers our business students invaluable

leadership development programs outside of traditional classroom offerings. Mentoring is the cornerstone of the center, with peer, executive and group mentoring programs available.

I am proud that these services provide additional support for our business

students and that they make the Walker College stand apart from other schools. The Walker College of Business is providing exceptional opportunities for our business students.

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CONTENTS

Student SpotlightCFA Research WinnersTop Business StudentStudent Entrepreneur of the YearBuilding (Insurance) Talent

Globally Minded

Faculty FocusCIS Professor Scott HunsingerHospitality & Tourism Program Director Dana ClarkCIS Professor Al HarrisFinance, Banking & Insurance Chair David MarlettBrantley Center Celebrates 25 Years

Around RaleyBoyles CEO Lecture SeriesBB&T Day of Leadership

Alumni & FriendsExceptional Opportunities for StudentsAppointments & HonorsBuilding a LegacyAACSB Accreditation Renewed

Above From left, Walker College Director of Development Will Sears, Associate Vice Chancellor for Development Johnny Burleson, Vice Chancellor for University Advancement Susan Pettyjohn, Chancellor Ken Peacock, Business Advisory Council Chair Marshall Croom, Dean Randy Edwards, and Walker College Associate Dean of International Programs Martin Meznar visit the site of a granite marker on the campus of Fudan University in Shanghai, China. The marker was placed in 2006 by officials from Fudan to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Holland Fellows Program for Business Study in Asia. The Appalachian administrators were in China with the 2013 Holland Fellows delegation.

On the Cover Hospitality and Tourism Management graduate Audrey Broadway, pictured in her cap and gown with Chancellor Kenneth E. Peacock at her spring 2013 commencement, epitomizes every Walker College student. Photo by University Photographer Marie Freeman.

Follow the Walker College of Business on:

2 Business Leaders Magazine

Appalachian State University students

Dan Alliss, left, Jack Gibbs, Ellen Morgan,

Alan Clarke and Matthew Vanek won the financial analyst

competition for North Carolina. (Photo by

Amanda Getty)

BIG Members Win Research Challenge

A team of Walker College undergraduates won the North Carolina Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Society Research Challenge in spring 2013. The winning students were Dan Alliss, Jack Gibbs, Ellen Morgan, Alan Clarke and Matthew Vanek. Their CFA mentor was Chris Pavese, chief investment officer at Broyhill Asset Management. Pavese also coached last year’s winning team.

The team members are all part of the Bowden Investment Group in the Department of Finance, Banking and Insurance. The victory was the third in five years for Appalachian in the state competition

(Appalachian also won in 2009 and 2012.) It also gives Appalachian the best overall record in the North Carolina competition, according to Finance and Banking Professor Delbert Goff, who serves as advisor to the

investment group.

The students competed against MBA and undergraduate

business students from nine universities across the state. The goal of the research challenge is to provide students with

a real-world application of writing research reports.

The challenge also teaches best practices in research to the

next generation of analysts and offers experiences that complement students’

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

“All 10 May graduates from the Bowden Investment

Group have jobs, and the two December graduates have internships for the

summer.”-Delbert Goff

Walker College of Business 3

academic curriculum. Goff estimates the students each spent nearly 200 hours preparing for the competition. “They gained very in-depth, hands-on security analysis experience, developed very strong report-writing skills and had the chance to refine their presentation skills,” he said of the competition. “The team faced challenging questions from investment professionals who served as judges, and they excelled on all levels.”

Goff added, “I am proud to say that all 10 May graduates from the Bowden Investment Group have jobs, and the two December graduates have internships for the summer.”

Walker Fellows Student Ambassadors

The Walker Fellows student ambassador group (pictured

above) was founded in 2008 to support the college by providing outreach to, and interaction with, current students, future students, alumni, and administrators. The Walker Fellows foster relationships as well as promote and execute opportunities for student academic and professional growth. The Fellows’ values include service, professionalism and leadership.

Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society

Membership in Beta Gamma Sigma is the highest national recognition a student in business can receive at an AACSB accredited school. Inductions are held each spring for those students who achieve academic excellence. The 2013 inductees are pictured below with their faculty members.


Welcome to Raley Hall

The beginning of the spring and fall semesters are exciting times at the Walker College of Business. Approximately 2,300 undergraduates and 150 graduate students converge on Raley Hall to begin coursework in the nine Walker College program areas. As students meet with advisors, finalize course loads and settle in for a semester’s work, administrators, faculty and staff foster an environment of support and encouragement by hosting the semiannual “Welcome Back to Raley” reception. Dean Randy Edwards (pictured below, inset) assists in handing out refreshments and T-shirts to the students in the second floor Boyles Lobby. Below, weather permitted an impromptu outdoor Economics class.

Holland Fellows Program For Business study in asia

The 18th class of the Holland Fellows Program are shown above at Grandfather Mountain. A delegation of 12 students selected by Fudan University visits Appalachian’s campus and other local and national sites each March. The 12 selected Appalachian fellows then travel to China with trip leaders each May.


Right, student- athlete Nathan Healy received

the Top Business Student Award

and Outstanding Finance & Banking

Student Award during the 2013 Honors

Convocation.

Far right, Wade Montgomery accepts

the 2013 Student Entrepreneur of the

Year Award during the 5th Annual Global

Opportunities Conference.

2013 Top Business Student

Nathan Healy is accustomed to double duty. On the basketball court, the 6-foot-7 Appalachian State forward recorded seven double-doubles his senior season, finishing ninth in scoring (14.5 points) and second in rebounding (7.7) in the Southern Conference. He didn’t just excel at offense. He was also named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year. In the classroom, the Walker College senior earned a double major in finance and banking, and management. He finished his academic career with a 3.99 cumulative grade point average and became the first basketball player at Appalachian to be named an Academic All-American. All that effort and success led to the New Bern native being named the Walker College Top Student of the Year for 2012-13. He was recognized for

his achievement during the Walker College’s annual honors convocation. In addition to honoring the top overall student, the event recognizes the top students in each of the college’s nine undergraduate majors, two graduate degrees and 21 student organizations.

Student Entrepreneur of the Year

Wade Montgomery, a senior majoring in commercial recreation and tourism with a minor in entrepreneurship, received the Student Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the Transportation Insight Center for Entrepreneurship within the Walker College. The annual award is presented to an undergraduate from Appalachian who has exhibited exceptionally meritorious entrepreneurial achievement. Montgomery received a $2,500 scholarship and a space in

the center’s new business accelerator. He currently owns and operates multiple businesses. Pro-Seal is a seal coating and line striping paving business with large commercial clients. Montgomery’s primary focus is Local, a clothing and accessories company for skateboarders, by skateboarders, sold in specialty stores throughout the Southeast. In addition to running two profitable businesses, he also is passionate about using his entrepreneurial skills to give back to the local community. Through Local, he created a charity called Afford to Board that gives children the tools, skateboards and support they need to make their dream of skateboarding a reality. Montgomery was also a member of a student team that represented Appalachian at the Values and Ventures international competition, hosted April 19-20 by the Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University.


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BUILDING(INSURANCE)TALENT An Exceptional Student Profile: Latwanna Singleton

Latwanna Singleton, a 2013 graduate of the Walker College’s risk management and insurance program, participant in the Building Insurance Talent program, and mother to 3-year-old Alanna, discovered a wealth of support in the Walker College of Business.

(Alanna and Latwanna Singleton Photo by Kaitlyn Elliott)

Like many of her peers, Latwanna Singleton had her hands full as an Appalachian State University student. She had books to read. Papers to write. Trips abroad to pursue. Projects to complete. However, there were also diapers to change. There were always diapers to change.

Campus life can be daunting for a first-generation college student, even more so when that student is a mom.

“Graduating college as a single mother was much harder than I anticipated,” said Singleton, who was among approximately 350 Walker College students who were awarded degrees during the May 11, 2013, commencement at Appalachian. “It was a struggle because being a student never ended and neither did being a mom.”

The struggle has its highlights. Singleton’s family was in attendance when she walked across the Holmes Convocation stage, her 3-year-old daughter Alanna with them, staring in awe. The toddler wasn’t sure exactly what was happening, but she was focused on being with mom.

“I am not really sure if Alanna knew what ‘graduating’ meant; however, she is very advanced at three,” Singleton said. “She was excited to say she was coming to my graduation, and she told me she watched me walk across the stage. She told me she loved me, and she was anxious to wear my cap and hold my diploma.”

Mother and daughter were mostly inseparable the past few years. Singleton came to Boone from Wilmington, where she graduated from New Hanover High School. While searching CFNC.org for colleges, she discovered Appalachian State University. She asked her family if they could visit.

“We took a trip in the fall to do a campus tour, and before it even began, I knew that Appalachian was where I wanted to be. I could feel it,” she said. “Everyone was friendly, and it felt like home.”

“I began my college career as an accounting major, but I quickly realized it was not for me. I wanted a career where I could be more social and interact with people daily rather than be responsible for the numbers in a firm,” she said. “I discovered the risk management


and insurance (RMI) major through a program called Building Insurance Talent (BIT) for minorities. They were attempting to give minorities in the College of Business exposure to what a career in insurance looked like.”

The BIT program attracted freshmen and sophomores, and introduced them to the RMI industry. The students interacted with industry professionals and discovered career opportunities within the RMI field.

Among the program requirements is a minimum GPA of 3.0. Participants also must take a study abroad trip prior to graduation. Singleton took two: London and China, the latter as part of the prestigious Holland Fellows program.

As much pressure as academics may have exerted, Singleton’s desire to succeed for her daughter’s sake brought even more. “My biggest challenge was finding a balance between being a mother and a college student,” she said. “I would stress over my grades because freshman year I received straight As, and I wanted to keep it going. I knew that my competition in the job market were students who did not carry my responsibilities, and I wanted to make sure I kept my grades up to par.

“I also knew that Alanna depended on me now, and she needed my time now as well as in the future, because I had to provide for her. I always felt as though there was something I needed to be doing. I felt guilty for not spending time with her when I had homework to do, and I felt guilty for spending time with her because I had homework to do. It was an ongoing battle.”

One strategy to combat it was creating a routine. “A typical day consisted of waking up and getting Alanna and me ready for school, feeding her while making sure everything I needed for the day was packed up, and getting her lunch together. Then I would take Alanna to Appalachian’s Child Development Center,” Singleton said. “After that,

I would catch the bus to class. In between classes, I would try to study, and typically I would stay on campus until around 4:30 or 5:00 p.m. to catch the bus back to the preschool, pick up Alanna, and head home.”

“Once home, I would make dinner, give Alanna a bath, put her to bed, and hopefully get some work done, if I did not fall asleep.”

It was a tough workload for anyone to do alone, and Singleton admits to being overly self-reliant. It was something that had to change.

“I am an only child, and before college I had a hard time socializing, making friends, and depending on people besides my parents,” she said. “With this experience, and my parents’ coaching, that had to change. I had to trust that the people who offered me help genuinely meant they would assist me, and I had to ask for help when I absolutely needed it. I only called them as a last resort because I never wanted Alanna and me to be a burden.”

Singleton eventually discovered a wealth of support from within the Walker College. When asked to name anyone who influenced or aided her during her time at Appalachian, she responded with a list. And she fears it’s incomplete.

“There were so many faculty and staff who impacted my life, and I am really afraid to begin naming names in fear that I would leave someone out, but here I go: Mrs. Janet Beck, Dr. Unal Boya, Ms. Michelle Boisclair, Mrs. Christine Dave, Dr. Dave Wood, Dr. Karen Epermanis, Dr. Jennifer Henson, Mr. Matt Dull, Dr. Rick Cotton, Mrs. Kim Carter, and the entire Child Development Center Staff. I credit these people to be my backbone at Appalachian State,” she said.

“They supported me and helped push me through on those days I was not sure I was going to make it. They encouraged me, believed in me, and gave the best hugs when I needed them. I consider them mentors and friends. They made me feel like a part of their own families.”

Moms know the importance of family. And Singleton has more than one. “Appalachian State University is my second home, and without the help of my Appalachian family, in addition to my real family, I am not sure I would have made it.”


James C. Terrell III, another Building Insurance Talent program graduate,

is one of three recipients of the 2013 W.H. Plemmons Leadership Medallion.

“I absolutely could not believe it,” said Terrell, reflecting on when he learned the news. “I was

standing there at the post office and had to read the letter over again just to make sure my name

was included. I was in disbelief that I had received the highest leadership award any student or

faculty at Appalachian could receive.”


Above, the Appalachian

delegation to Malawi, Africa enjoys their time on the coast.

Opposite, William Kamkwamba visits

Appalachian’s Wind Turbine during

the 2013 Global Opportunities

Conference.

GLOBALLY MINDED

International Opportunities Abound for Appalachian Business Students

The Walker College of Business International Programs office continues to expand ground-breaking opportunities in emerging markets throughout the world, adding new program destinations and encouraging more students to spend a semester or year abroad.

In 2013, 59 international students from 21 countries studied in the Walker College. Forty-five Walker College of Business students studied abroad for a semester or longer in 15 countries on five continents.

Jordan Doty, an international business and spanish major, said of her semester in Alicante, Spain, “Study abroad has taught me the kind of independence I would never have learned back home. I feel like after this experience, I am ready for anything that comes my way.”

The college also hosted 15 faculty-led study abroad courses in 14 different countries on five continents. This includes recently added sustainability-themed programs to Cuba and Malawi, as well as a new MBA program to Istanbul and Ankara in Turkey.

Natalie Martin, an MBA student from the International Seminar on Turkey, shared these thoughts on her experience: “I wasn’t ready to leave the historically rich country. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there and can only hope to one day return and continue to explore other unique cities.”

This year marks the 18th annual William R. Holland Fellows Program for Business Study in Asia, Appalachian’s flagship study abroad program with Fudan University in Shanghai, China. Twelve students from Appalachian


were chosen to participate in this prestigious delegation. They collaborated with 12 Fudan students to prepare and present a comparative study of U.S. and Chinese labor markets at the 2013 Shanghai Forum on Economic Growth.

In addition to providing first-hand international experiences, the Walker College of Business brings international learning to campus through the Global Opportunities Conference. The annual event highlights innovative and entrepreneurial ways of addressing global challenges. The 2013 conference, Africa: Creative Solutions for Development, was attended by more than 550 students, faculty and community members. Visiting classes from Avery and Watauga High Schools and Two Rivers Charter Schools also heard William Kamkwamba, co-author of New York Times bestseller “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind” relate his story of achieving his dream of bringing electricity, light, and the promise of a better life to his African village.

“Our goal in the Walker College International Programs Office is to offer opportunities and create experiences that will help our students become global citizens,” said Meredith Church, international programs coordinator.

Dr. Martin Meznar, associate dean of international programs added, “We

want the international experiences we provide to be confidence building opportunities that help our students become the leaders that are needed

in the dynamic global business environment. We strive to

make these experiences available to all our students.”

Walker College of Business students are

encouraged to participate in one or more of its travel abroad

opportunities. These programs provide invaluable experiences for many students, some of whom have

found employment overseas.

Trips are often scheduled during fall and spring breaks. Students do not have to speak a second language, and they earn credit toward their degree.

“The biggest obstacle for most students wishing to participate in an international program is financial,” said Will Sears, director of development for the Walker College of Business.

If you wish to help fund student travel through international scholarships, please contact Will Sears at 828-262-6231 or [email protected].

“Study abroad has taught me the

kind of independence I would never have

learned back home.”-Jordan Doty


FACULTY FOCUS

CIS Professor Earns Board of Governors Excellence in Teaching Award

Associate Professor of Computer Information Systems Scott Hunsinger received a UNC Board of Governors Excellence in Teaching Award during the Walker College spring 2013 commencement ceremony. He received a commemorative bronze medallion and a $7,500 cash prize.

Established by the Board of Governors in 1994 to underscore the importance of teaching and to reward good teaching across the UNC system, the awards are given annually to a tenured faculty member from each UNC campus.

Hunsinger believes that students learn best by doing, not just by seeing and hearing. A former student explained, “He made (class) fun and engaging through humor and hands-on opportunities, communicating the material of each class in a highly effective fashion.”

Hunsinger has served since 2006 as faculty advisor for the Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP) student club. Through AITP, he offers additional learning opportunities to students. Each spring, Hunsinger takes students to compete at the AITP National Collegiate Conference, and he mentors them as they prepare for the competitions. His students

have won four 1st place awards, two 2nd place awards, and an honorable mention in the undergraduate and graduate papers competition. The chapter members and he have collectively received more than 25 awards, including back-to-back National Chapter of the Year and National Faculty Advisor of the Year.

Management Professor Receives N.C. Charles Parker Award for Tourism Excellence

Professor of Management and Director of the Walker College’s Hospitality and Tourism Management Program J. Dana Clark was awarded the Charles Parker Award for Tourism Excellence. He received the award during the fall 2012 North Carolina Tourism Leadership Conference in Raleigh. This annual award is conferred for outstanding contributions to the development of the travel industry of North Carolina. Past recipients include Andy Griffith, William Cecil of the Biltmore House, and Hugh Morton, Sr. of Grandfather Mountain. Clark has consulted with a wide range of organizations, published articles in a number of journals (including the Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly), and he serves on a variety of boards. Clark is the current chair of the Lenoir Tourism Development Authority.

CIS Professor Named Outstanding Contributor in Information Systems Education

Computer Information Systems Professor Al Harris has received the Association for Information Systems (AIS) award for Outstanding Contributions to IS Education. The award is sponsored by AIS and recognizes a faculty member who has made outstanding contributions to information systems education over a sustained period of time. AIS has a membership of about 5,000 faculty members from around the world.

Finance Professor Awarded Inaugural Professorship

David C. Marlett, chairperson of the Department of Finance, Banking and Insurance, has received the Independent Insurance Agents of North Carolina (IIANC) distinguished professorship. He is the first person to receive the professorship. The $500,000 endowed professorship was created by contributions from IIANC and a 50 percent match by the UNC System Distinguished Professors Fund. Marlett will retain the professorship for three years.


Brantley Risk & Insurance Center Celebrates 25 Years

More than 170 industry professionals and 65 Appalachian students celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Brantley Risk & Insurance Center April 29 with a special dinner at the Holmes Convocation Center.

Greg Langdon, assistant director of the Brantley Center, served as master of ceremonies. Distinguished speakers included: American Association of Managing General Agents (AAMGA) Executive Director Bernie Heinze, former Brantley Center board member Jim Harrill, North Carolina Department of Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin, Dean Randy Edwards, Chancellor Kenneth Peacock, past Brantley Center directors David Wood and David Marlett and current director Karen Epermanis.

Langdon applauded the generosity of the

event’s 34 sponsors, who raised more than $100,000 to support the ongoing mission of the center - to prepare the next generation of leaders in the Risk Management and Insurance (RMI) industry.

Keynote speaker Bernie Heinze recognized Steven Shallau, a senior in the RMI program, with a national research award during the program. Shallau is the fourth consecutive RMI student to win the nationally competitive AAMGA White Paper annual award.

The Walker College’s Risk Management & Insurance program is among the “10 Largest Risk and Insurance Schools,” according to Risk Management magazine. Its September 2012 issue ranked the program No. 5 nationally.

Above, Dr. David Wood, Freeman

Distinguished Professor of Insurance

and past director of the Brantley Risk &

Insurance Center, addresses industry

professionals at the 25th Anniversary

Dinner.

(Photo by 2012 technical

photography graduate Anna

Maynard)


AROUND RALEY

Boyles Distinguished CEO Lecture Series - 50th and 51st Lectures

The Boyles CEO Lecture Series is held twice a year, in the fall and spring. Each event brings to campus an outstanding CEO to meet and talk with students, faculty, staff and members of the business community through activities such as classroom visits, a lecture and reception.

October 5, 2012 marked the 50th lecture of the series and was highlighted by a panel discussion featuring four past speakers: (pictured left-right) Robert L. Tillman, former CEO of Lowe’s Companies; Robert A. Ingram, former CEO of Glaxo Wellcome; James H. Morgan Jr., CEO of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts; and William R. Holland, former CEO of United Dominion Industries.

The spring 2013 lecture featured BB&T Corporation CEO Kelly King, who also spoke at the 44th lecture in Fall 2009.

He discussed “Economic Realities – Post Election” during his lecture held March 27, 2013, in the Holmes Convocation Center.

In conjunction with the spring CEO Lecture, the Walker College hosted the BB&T Day of Leadership, which included panel discussions on “Leadership in Changing Times” and “Ethics in Leadership.” Panelists included ASU Trustee Brenda White Wright, Walker College Executive-in-Residence Leigh Dunston, Deloitte & Touche Tax Partner Helen Hollifield, Former Wachovia Corporation Regional President Roy McCraw, Appalachian Head Football Coach Scott Satterfield, and BB&T University Director and Senior Vice President Will Sutton. Hendrick Motor Sports CFO Scott Lampe and McCraw moderated the panels.

Above, a panel of distinguished CEOs

speak at the 50th Boyles Lecture.

Opposite, students hear about

“Leadership in Changing Times”

from the BB&T Day of Leadership panelists,

(left to right) moderator Scott

Lampe, Roy McCraw, Brenda White Wright and Scott Satterfield.


Right, BB&T Corporation CEO Kelly King spoke

at the Spring 2013 Boyles CEO Lecture.

Far right, motivational speaker

and Appalachian Trustee Brenda White

Wright delivered comments at the

Executive Luncheon prior to King’s lecture.


Providing Exceptional Opportunities for Students

ALUMNI & FRIENDS

The Walker College of Business is known for producing high-caliber graduates who are quick to make an impact in the companies they join. This is captured by the phrase that former Dean (now Chancellor) Kenneth E. Peacock created, “The business leaders of tomorrow are at Appalachian today.”

Dean Randy Edwards continues Peacock’s vision for the Walker College. Through academic instruction and other college activities, all business students are to acquire six key attributes before graduating. These are called the learning goals of the Walker College, and they ensure that our graduates are analytical, articulate, ethical, globally minded, tech-savvy, and business-smart. The Walker College aims for every graduate to possess these qualities and to carry them throughout his or her career. How do we do that? By

impacting every student. This is accomplished not only through high-quality faculty instruction, but also with a support structure centralized on the second floor of Raley Hall - in the Marshall Croom Student Services Center.

When an Appalachian student declares business as a major, he or she may begin utilizing the Walker College Academic Advising Center. A full-time staff of four advisors is available to guide the student in course selection and academic planning. Walker College students may also tap into the resources offered by the BB&T Student Leadership Center. Group mentoring, peer mentoring, and executive mentoring programs give students the necessary practice to hone their networking skills. Ultimately, the college’s Career Services Center aims to place every student in a job before he or she walks across

Hospitality and tourism management

graduate Audrey Broadway delivered a moving speech to

her fellow graduates during the spring

2013 commencement ceremony.

the commencement stage.

May 2013 hospitality and tourism management graduate Audrey Broadway delivered a moving speech to her fellow graduates during the spring 2013 commencement ceremony, and she summarized how the Walker College of Business provides these exceptional opportunities for students.

When I was in high school, I was just average. I wasn’t the smartest kid. I wasn’t very athletic. I couldn’t sing. I was waiting there, at the dead center of the pack.

Then I came to Appalachian. And here at Appalachian, we are given the opportunity to go beyond the status quo. The faculty and staff here have this amazing ability to focus on each of us as an individual and pull out our strengths - to see what we were hiding from ourselves, all those gifts we couldn’t see that kept us there in the middle of the pack.

The people here are pulling for us. They’re on our team fighting for us, making sure we leave this university prepared for anything life will throw at us. I know each of us is ready for this next step and the real world.

We’re ready because of people like Michelle Boisclair, who will do everything in her power to make sure we are walking across the stage today with a job offer. We’re ready because Dean Edwards is relentlessly working on bringing us the best professors and the best education. We’re ready because we have a personable chancellor who is so student-focused, but who, at the same time, will defend our university ensuring we receive the funding we need to be the best. We’re ready because of professors who help us figure out not only what we want to be, but also who we want to be.

There won’t be a day I won’t miss the family this community has provided for me. I’m going to miss the 8 by 11 foot cinder-block dorm room that, by the end of freshman year, had been transformed into a home. I’m going to miss running into a friend as I head to the library to study… and deciding to go to the Blue Ridge Parkway instead. I’m going to miss Sanford Mall on a sunny day, and I’m going to miss my dearest friends, who make any ordinary day seem like an adventure.

It’s difficult to fit all of my Appalachian experiences into a few paragraphs, but after my time here I can say I am no longer average. You are no longer average. And the things we do as we head out into the world will not be average.


Top, Audrey Broadway addresses fellow graduates.

Middle, Entrepreneur and Philanthropist John Sykes (left) with F.P. “Bodie” Bodenheimer. Bodenheimer received

an honorary doctorate degree during the ceremony for his lifetime service to Appalachian.

Above, Business Advisory Council member Frank Stewart served as the main speaker for the ceremony.


Business Advisory Council Members Named to UNC Board of Governors

Two members of the Walker College Business Advisory Council have been appointed to the UNC Board of Governors.

Emeritus member G.A. Sywassink and Vice Chair Scott Lampe were among the 16 new board members chosen by the General Assembly in March 2013. They will officially join the UNC System’s governing body on July 1.

Sywassink is chairman and retired CEO of Standard Holding Corporation. He previously served as chairman of the Appalachian State University Trustees, and is a past chairman of the Walker College Business Advisory Council. He was named an honorary alumnus of Appalachian in 1994.

Lampe is vice president and chief financial officer for Hendrick Motorsports. He received his B.S.B.A. in accounting from Appalachian in 1994. In 2012, he was the recipient of the Appalachian Alumni Association’s Young Alumnus Award. He joined the Business Advisory Council in 2008 and recently served as its vice chair.

Walker College Alumni Join Foundation Board

James K. Reaves ’93 FIN and C. Hunter Widener ’95 MGT were among four new members recently elected to the Appalachian State University Foundation Board of Directors.

Reaves is a senior vice president in BB&T’s Life and Financial Planning Department in Winston-Salem. He is also a member of the Appalachian Alumni Council and a past president of the Yosef Club Advisory Board. He established the J.K. Reaves Financial Planning Annual Scholarship, the first scholarship to be offered for deserving students pursuing a degree in the financial planning program at Appalachian. He received the Alumni Association’s Young Alumnus Award from Appalachian in 2010.

Widener is chief banking officer for Carolina Premier Bank and managing director of Carolina Premier Wealth Management. He also is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and a member of the Walker College Finance, Banking and Insurance Advisory Board. He is a past member of the Appalachian Alumni Association’s Leadership Committee.

Three Join College’s Advisory Council

Rick Finlay, Jack Sheffield and Jill Sparks will be appointed to the Walker College Business Advisory Council, effective fall 2013.

Finlay is a partner and attorney for Conyers Dill & Pearman. He has been a director of Conyers since July 2003, when he joined the firm to start the Cayman Islands office.

Sheffield is managing director and client advisor with Deutsche Bank in Winston-Salem. He serves on the Board of Advisors for the Department of Finance, Banking and Insurance within the Walker College.

Sparks ’91 MKT, ’96 MBA is executive director of the Small Business Center and Business Incubation at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College. She worked at the Walker College from 1999 to 2006, as director of career planning services and then as director of development.

Students participate in the Carole Moore McLeod Entrepreneur Summit, an annual event in the Transportation Insight Center for Entrepreneurship. The

Center is housed in Raley Hall, and officially opened during the fall 2012 summit.


Martha Guy Summer Institute

Former participants often say that the Martha Guy Summer Institute for future business leaders (MGSI) is the best summer opportunity available to North Carolina high school juniors. MGSI is named for Miss Martha Guy, an icon and pioneer for women in the banking industry. Funding from Miss Guy provides a select group of students an unparalleled opportunity to learn about business and develop leadership skills in a fun and friendly environment. The program includes two weeks on Appalachian’s campus learning about business and developing leadership and professional skills. That is followed by a trip to Washington, D.C. and New York City. For more information, or to apply, visit: mgsi.appstate.edu.

Dixon Hughes Goodman Continues Support of the Walker College

One of the country’s largest accounting firms has been a major supporter of the Walker College for many years. Dixon Hughes Goodman, the largest certified public accounting firm headquartered in the southern U.S., donated $94,900 to support the college’s Department of Accounting and other Walker College initiatives in fall 2012. It has also given discretionary funds to establish the Dixon Hughes Goodman/Brooks Ferrell Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund.

Dixon Hughes Goodman’s Recruiting Manager Kim Bullard (right), with student scholarship recipients Brittany Tetlow and Michael Neve at

the Walker College’s annual Scholarship Reception.


BUILDING A LEGACYAs Ken Peacock steps down, the Walker College of Business plans to honor his service as Appalachian’s sixth chancellor and as the Walker College’s longest-serving dean.

Ken Peacock has been an inspiration to thousands. As we look back on his time successfully directing the activities of an entire university, we also remember his earlier contributions to the Walker College of Business. Plans are being developed to honor him through a major funding initiative to provide opportunities to Appalachian students - the business leaders of tomorrow.

Right, Dr. Peacock with students, while teaching in Raley Hall as a faculty member in the Department of Accounting

On April 18, 2013, the Appalachian family was disappointed to hear that Dr. Kenneth E. Peacock plans to step down as chancellor, once a successor is selected. There is another sentiment regarding Chancellor Peacock: gratitude.

Dr. Peacock has served as Appalachian State University's sixth chancellor since July 2004. During his tenure, Appalachian has experienced significant growth in the overall quality of its academics and launched new or enhanced initiatives in numerous areas.

Prior to his appointment as chancellor, Dr. Peacock served at Appalachian as interim provost and executive vice chancellor. He joined Walker College’s Department of Accounting in 1983, was appointed assistant dean of the college in 1987, associate dean in 1989, and served as Walker College dean from 1992-2003.

Dr. Peacock is credited with creating and implementing a hallmark of the Walker College of Business, the Harlan E. Boyles Distinguished Lecture Series. He forged relationships abroad and instituted the Holland Fellows Program for Business Study in China, the premier exchange program at Appalachian and a partnership with prestigious Fudan University in Shanghai, China.

Creating and fostering relationships has been key to Dr. Peacock’s unprecedented success and popularity. He has touched lives in the past 30 years through encouragement in the classroom, friendship in the hallways, and celebrations on the football field.

To honor Chancellor Peacock, plans are in the works to provide major funding to enhance the student experience, which has been one of his passions.

Please contact the Walker College Development Office today to be a part of this special opportunity to honor our chancellor and friend, Dr. Ken Peacock.Will Sears, Director of Development [email protected] or 828-262-6231

Walker College of Business Advisory Council Members

Marshall A. Croom ’86, Chair Senior VP & Chief Risk Officer,

Lowe’s Companies, Inc.

J. Cantey Alexander III ’86 President - Triad Region, BB&T Corporation

Roger L. Beahm

Professor of the Practice in Marketing, Wake Forest University

John Belman CEO & President, Standard Holding Corporation

W. Winfield Beroth ’65 President (retired), Beroth Oil/4 Brothers Stores

Ryan Bolick ’01 Business Improvement Lead, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.

H. Edward Boyles Jr. Managing Director, Wells Fargo

Ben Hamrick

Chief Executive Officer, Johnson, Price & Sprinkle, PA

Helen Hollifield ’87 Tax Partner, Deloitte & Touche

Thomas H. Hudspeth Jr. ’82, ’83

Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers

Doug Johnson ’77 CEO, Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corp.

Scott Lampe ’94 CFO, Hendrick Motorsports

Lynn Minges President and CEO, NC Restaurant and Lodging Association

Charles V. Murray ’87

President, Murray Supply Company

Phillip Ostwalt ’83 Partner, KPMG, LLP

Kim Price ’77

President & CEO (retired), Citizens South Bank

Kenneth G. Reece ’73 Sr. VP - Private Banking, First Tennessee Bank

Antonio J. Romero President & CEO (retired), IBM Korea, IBM Corporation

John Roos ’84 Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, BCBS of North Carolina

Jack Sheffield Jr. Managing Director/Client Advisor, Deutsche Bank

John E. Silvia Chief Economist, Wells Fargo

Allan Singer Manager, McNair Law Firm, PA

Hayes Smith ’82 Managing Partner, Second Creek Development Company

Gerry Smith ’70

First VP Investments (retired), Smith Barney

Richard G. Sparks ’76, ’78 President & CEO, Appalachian Regional Healthcare System

Frank A. Stewart President, Ultra Machine & Fabrication, Inc.

Richard Stroupe Founder & Managing Principal, Crimson Holdings, LLC

David Thompson General Partner, CFO (retired), WEDGE Capital Management, LLP

Mark E. Trivette ’83 Partner, Transaction Advisory Services, Ernst & Young LLP

Brad Wall ’99 Senior Vice President, Supply Chain Operations, Krispy Kreme

Members Emeriti William S. Creekmuir William R. Holland Robert G. Darst Jeffrey A. Shepard William G. Ervin Frank H. Skidmore Jr. Joseph F. Freeman Jr. Mike Steinback Robin H. Gagnon ’82, ’95 G.A. Sywassink ’94 Jamie Harris ’84

DeanRandy Edwards

Senior Associate Dean, Undergraduate Programs Heather Norris

Associate Dean, Graduate ProgramsJoseph Cazier

Associate Dean, International ProgramsMartin Meznar

Walker College of Business Leaders MagazineThe Business Leaders Magazine is published annually by the Dean’s Office for alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the Walker College of Business.

Development OfficerWill Sears

Editor/LayoutHaley Childers

Contributing WritersJane NicholsonRob Robertson

PhotographersMarie FreemanMike RomingerTroy Tuttle

Appalachian State University is committed to equality of educational opportunity and does not discriminate against applicants, students or employees on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disabling condition or sexual orientation. Appalachian also actively promotes diversity among students and employees.

22,500 copies of this document were printed at a cost of $8,891 or 39 cents per copy.

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) has extended accreditation to the Walker College of Business for an additional five years. The accreditation renewal is based on a peer review team recommendation following a site visit in January 2013. The Walker College of Business has been accredited since 1976.

AACSB International is the longest-serving global accrediting body for business schools that offer undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees in business and accounting.

“AACSB accreditation is the standard of excellence for business schools,” said Dean Randy Edwards.

The review team praised the strong programs and centers that support the efforts of the faculty, as well as the college’s student organizations and their faculty advisors. The college’s international study experiences, partnership development, and support for faculty in development, research and learning new skills were also noted.

The review team commended Chancellor Kenneth E. Peacock’s open door policy, saying it is “worthy of note and a distinctive feature of the campus.”

Walker College of Business Accreditation Extended by AACSB

A P P A L A C H I A N S T A T E U N I V E R S I T Y

ASU Box 32037 Boone, NC 28608-2037

Non-profitUS Postage Paid

Boone, NCPermit No. 36

The Appalachian MBA Program is a diverse learning community consisting of business professionals, entrepreneurs and recent baccalaureate graduates. With a small class size of approximately 25 students per course,

MBA candidates are able to focus on individual contribution within a team-oriented structure.

mba.appstate.edu

business leaders magazine 2013

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