Ketner School of Business

Meet the Faculty members in the Ketner School of Business:

The Ketner School of Business students are working to gain real life experience through our experiential learning course. Our students gain hands-on experience through interning at a variety of locations during the academic year. Here are some of the companies who hosted KSOB interns: 

• Accordius Health
• Alcorn Digital Learning Lab
• Bimar Pharma
• Bradfords Building Supplies
• Bronxville Field Club
• Catawba College Conference & Events
• Catawba College IT Department
• Catawba College Office of Admissions
• Emory Law Firm
• Farmer's Insurance
• Habitat for Humanity
• Isochem
• James River Equipment
• Kannapolis Cannonballers
• LMC Admin Agency
• Parkway Ford Lincoln
• Potter & Company
• Ralph Baker Shoes
• Randolph County Sheriff's Office
• SailPoint Apartments
• Salisbury Millwork
• Salus Clinic
• Shareitt
• Simpson Ltd.
• Smith's Consumer Products Inc.
• Spread Love
• The Forum
• The Stand
• The Striping Experts
• Vertex Construction
• Walser Technology Group
• Whitley and Jordan
• Xentegra

Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)
Founded in 2008, Catawba College's FBLA chapter is dedicated to preparing students for careers in business and business-related fields. Through a combination of academic preparation, leadership development, and hands-on experience, Catawba FBLA empowers students to excel in a competitive global marketplace. Dr. Joanna Trammell and Angelia Bates of the Ketner School of Business advise Catawba FBLA.

Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF)
SMIF is a conservatively managed investment fund that provides students with hands-on experience in evaluating and selecting financial assets to hold in its portfolio. This club participates in organizing campus events to promote an awareness of financial literacy, financial market history, and the pursuit of careers in financial management.

Catawba American Marketing Association (Cat-AMA)
The Cat-AMA is a student organization affiliated with the professional American Marketing Association.

This club provides Marketing majors with experiential learning and professional development opportunities. In addition, Catawba students pursuing the Marketing degree program will gain valuable networking opportunities with the hundreds of chapters internationally through the organization.

Cat-AMA also provides Marketing majors access to professional resources that provide learning and scholarship competition opportunities. The club teams up with local businesses to host fundraising for Marketing majors to travel to the American Marketing Association’s International Collegiate Conference held in New Orleans each year. At this event, our Marketing students represent Catawba in numerous competitions, some of which offer financial scholarships and other prizes for winning teams.

Business Honor Society
Membership in the Business Honor Society is open to all senior majors in the fields of accounting, economics, information systems, management and marketing who have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.2. The Business Honor Society seeks to develop character and understanding, stimulate scholarship and service in the community.

Catawba's School of Business is proud to present the annual Distinguished CEO Lecture Series. Learn more about this much anticipated event below:

Tom Smith Scholarship
The Ketner School of Business offers the Tom Smith Business scholarship to new and transfer students attending on a full-time basis in-person.

This award can provide up to an annual $3,000 scholarship to individuals interested in the world of business. We award this scholarship to those we believe best embody the qualities of Catawba - Scholarship, Character, Culture, and Service. As a recipient, you will provide a role model and example to the student population of Catawba College, and carry its message to the world.

The Tom Smith Scholarship offers Catawba students assistance with their tuition costs and provides the following benefits.

• Tom Smith Fellows participate in program offerings (six to eight events) through the Ketner School of Business each year to maintain the scholarship and fellowship
• Tom Smith Fellows will be expected to attend the Tom Smith luncheon each Spring, interacting with Mrs. Martha Smith and faculty to provide individualized attention and mentoring.
• As upperclassmen, Tom Smith Fellows serve as mentors for first-year students in the fellowship program. 

Students who are eligible to apply for Catawba's Business scholarship must have an academic grade point average of 3.2 or above.

Current Catawba College students are not eligible for the Tom Smith Scholarship.

David Jordan Scholarship
This scholarship is designed to inspire high-achieving, mission-fit students with demonstrated need to enroll in the Ralph W. Ketner School of Business. The College will select one student each year as the recipient of the David Jordan Scholarship with an average award of $10,000. This is the highest and most prestigious award for a student enrolling in the Ketner School of Business.

Our Mission Statement
The mission of the business school is to prepare students for successful personal and professional careers by blending a strong foundation in the liberal arts with the highest quality undergraduate and graduate business education.

We achieve our mission in an environment characterized by personal attention and experiential learning using innovative teaching techniques with the latest technology. We strive to develop our students to become business and professional leaders with a unique combination of academic excellence, individual creativity, and moral character.

Our Vision Statement
We develop successful students who embrace challenges, develop new ideas, and positively influence the world.

The Business Advisory Board meets twice a year, is composed of 45 business leaders and serves in an advisory capacity for the Ketner School of Business. Formed in 2006, the board has been involved in the strategic plan and the consultant's plan for the expansion of the business school. It also gives advice on curriculum issues and is assisting in the development of additional internship opportunities.

2023-2024 OFFICERS

• Co-chairs - Greg Alcorn ’79 and Mona Wallace
• Vice Chair - Rebecca Freeland ‘10
• Secretary - Angelia Bates

BOARD MEMBERS

• Greg Alcorn ’79* - CEO, Global Contact Services
• Max Bellile '19 - Operations, Encor Solar
• Rod Crider - CEO, Rowan Economic Development Commission
• Rebecca Freeland '10 - Senior Manager, Public Accounting Grant Thornton
• Melanie Goergmaier ’04 - Associate Director European Union Center, U. of Miami
• Nickalaus Goodman '09 - Senior Vice President Anesthesia and Operations, ApolloMD
• Kyna Grubb '89 - Executive Director, Rowan Helping Ministries
• Joshua Hill '15 - Audit & Assurance Senior, Deloitte
• Emily Pearson Johnson '13 - VP Control Officer, Wells Fargo
• George Johnson '77 - President, Carolina Aircraft, Inc.    
• Jennifer McKinnish - Manager Initiative Testing, Retail Business Services        
• Charles Muse '68 - Commander of Troops and the 1st Civil Support Brigade of the South Carolina State Guard; Retired VP of Academic Affairs Florence-Darlington Technical College
• John Muth - Retired, American Airlines
• LaToya Price - Downtown Salisbury Incorporated
• Ahmad Rayyan - Director, Consumer Insights, Food Lion
• Kate Rigsbee - Principal, Clifton Larson Allen (CLA)
• Lisa Sechrest '84 - Information Technology Director, Duke Energy
• Richard Seiwell ’67* - Partner, Seiwell Advisors
• Kyle Snyder '96 - DHS Robotics Program Manager with Cherokee Nation Strategic Programs
• Zack Thompson '18 - Category Analyst, Food Lion
• Aaron Vanhorenbeck '16 - Compliance Auditor, J.W. Cole Financial
• Mona Lisa Wallace* - Partner, Wallace & Graham PA
• Brannon Williams - CEO, Art’s Cube

EX OFFICIO MEMBERS

• Jodi Bailey - Director of Marketing & Communications
• Michael Frederick - Career Services and Internships     
• Christine Lynn - Associate Dean, Ralph W. Ketner School of Business
• Imran Chowdhury - Dean, Ralph W. Ketner School of Business

*Catawba College Trustee

The mission and vision of the Ketner School of Business follows the lessons of our namesake, Ralph W. Ketner, the co-founder, President, and CEO of Food Lion (Food Town, est. 1957).

Through determination, creativity, and insight, Ketner was an entrepreneur and business leader that transformed the retail food industry in the Southeast. He understood that success could not be gained simply by the application of “me too” competition using standard business practices. Success requires an understanding and larger comprehension of the current state of business affairs – and the determination to re-think the working rules.

Ketner succeeded in his mission, in the larger service to his community. He saw the work of the businessperson as a service to the community – working hard to do good work and improve the condition of his fellow man. 

The faculty of the Ketner School of Business wish to remain true to the message of Ralph W. Ketner.  To help our students on a path of success, we seek to combine a technical training in business competence with the desire and inspiration to transform the world.