Catawba College’s Ketner School of Business (KSOB) has announced the appointment of two new academic department chairs and other administrative changes. Dr. Eric Hake, interim Dean of KSOB, shared that Dr. Darin Spencer is the chair of a newly formed Accounting Department and Dr. Joshua Smicker is the new chair of the Communication Department, effective with the start of the spring 2018 semester.
“We are pleased to announce these two new faculty appointments in the Ketner School of Business,” said Hake. “These administrative changes are the result of steady growth in the Accounting and Communication programs and a conscious decision to focus our administrative structure at the program and department level. This will help KSOB continue to improve where it matters most – in the classroom and educational experience of our students. My colleagues in KSOB are inspirational professors who are committed to offering their students transformative educational experiences that will help them achieve their highest potential, and I am delighted to work with them during these exciting times.”
Spencer (left), an Assistant Professor of Accounting, joined the KSOB faculty of Catawba in 2005. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from UNC Charlotte, his Master of Accountancy degree from UNC Charlotte, his Master of Business Administration degree from Pfeiffer University, and his Ph.D. in Business Administration with Advanced Accounting Specialization from Northcentral University. He is professionally licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in North Carolina and is a member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA).
Smicker (right), a Visiting Assistant Professor of Communication, joined the KSOB faculty in 2017. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Philosophy with a minor in American Studies from Pennsylvania State University, his Master of Arts degree in Communication Studies from UNC Chapel Hill, and his Ph.D. in Communication Studies from UNC Chapel Hill. He also holds a Certificate in Cultural Studies from UNC Chapel Hill. Prior to joining Catawba, Smicker served as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Communication and Interim Director of Communication at Philadelphia University, as a Lecturer and a Graduate Instructor in the Department of Communication at UNC Chapel Hill, and as an Adjunct Professor of Communications at Durham Technical Community College.
