桃花直播 honors national alumnus, other alumni at banquet Friday
Contact: Amy Cagle
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥 桃花直播 State will recognize retired Baldor Electric Company president and CEO and agricultural economics graduate Dr. R.L. Qualls of Little Rock, Arkansas, as the university鈥檚 national alumnus of the year during the Friday [Feb. 2] 桃花直播 Alumni Association 2018 awards banquet.
鈥淲e are proud to salute Dr. R.L. Qualls on behalf of 桃花直播 State University for his loyal lifelong connection to his alma mater and for his success as a banker, business executive, educator and author,鈥 said Jeff Davis, executive director of the 桃花直播 Alumni Association. 鈥淥f some 140,000 living alumni, Dr. Qualls is a distinguished selection for alumnus of the year.鈥
A 桃花直播 native of Burnsville, Qualls earned his bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees from 桃花直播 in agricultural economics in 1954 and 1958, respectively, and completed doctoral work at Louisiana State University. He was awarded the Doctor of Laws Degree from Whitworth College and received a Doctor of Business Administration degree (honorarius causa) from the University of the Ozarks.聽
During his tenure as president and CEO of Baldor Electric, an NYSE company and member of ABB Ltd. of Zurich, Switzerland, the company reported 27 straight quarters of both increased earnings and sales growth. Baldor also twice was selected as one of the 100 Best Companies to work for by Fortune Magazine. Qualls joined Baldor in 1986 as executive vice president of finance and planning, was elected president in 1990, served as CEO from 1992-1997, and was vice chairman until year-end 2000. Before Baldor, Qualls held senior-level positions with Bank of America, including chairman and CEO of one of its banks.聽
Qualls currently serves as co-chairman of Taylor Companies, an investment banking mergers and acquisition firm with offices in Washington, D.C., Paris and Stockholm. He is a former presiding independent director of the Bank of the Ozarks (NASDAQ), 1997-2016. From January 1979 to July 1980, Qualls was director of the Department of Finance and Administration in the administration of Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton, as well as cabinet secretary.
Qualls also enjoyed a distinguished career in education. He served for five years as president of the University of the Ozarks and recently completed a term as chairman of the board of trustees. Early in his career, Qualls was an assistant professor of finance at 桃花直播 with a joint appointment as economist and director of research at First Federal Savings and Loan Association in Jackson. His resume includes appointments at Louisiana State, Rutgers, Southern Methodist, St. Gregory鈥檚 and Vanderbilt universities and University of South Alabama. Qualls has published a number of books and articles, including 鈥淓ntrepreneurial Wit and Wisdom鈥 (UCA Press, 1986) and 鈥淪trategic Planning for Colleges and Universities:聽 A Systems Approach to Planning and Resource Allocation鈥 (Trinity University Press, 1979).
At 桃花直播, Qualls serves on the College of Business advisory board and the 桃花直播 Foundation board or directors. He supports 桃花直播 philanthropically with his wife, Nancy. Their generosity advances the academic curriculum of the College of Business by providing for faculty support, student-led business start-ups, and administrative operations of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach.
Along with the national alumnus recognition, each of 桃花直播鈥檚 eight academic colleges will honor one graduate Friday for outstanding professional, community and personal success.聽
The new 桃花直播 alumni-of-the-year group for 2018 includes (by college):
鈥Dr. Alfred 鈥淎l鈥 Rankins Jr. of Madison, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Rankins received his master鈥檚 and doctorate, both in weed science, from 桃花直播 in 1996 and 1999, respectively. The Greenville native currently serves as the 19th president of Alcorn State University, where he completed his undergraduate degree. Rankins began his career at 桃花直播 as a tenure-track assistant professor in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and a specialist with the Extension Service. He then served as deputy commissioner for the 桃花直播 Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, where he was chief academic and student affairs officer. Rankins also has been acting president of 桃花直播 Valley State University.
鈥Cristi C. Moore of Atlanta, Georgia, College of Architecture, Art and Design. Moore earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing in 1990 and a second bachelor鈥檚 degree in human sciences with an interior design focus in 1998, both from 桃花直播. She is design director, hospitality design leader and senior associate for Gensler, the world鈥檚 largest architecture design firm. At Gensler, the Starkville native has partnered with studio leadership to develop the firm鈥檚 Atlanta Hospitality Practice area as a standard of excellence for the Southeast region. Building on her 桃花直播 education, Moore also earned a Master of Arts in design management and strategy from the Savannah College of Art and Design.
鈥Dr. Howard E. Shook Jr. of Douglasville, Georgia, College of Arts and Sciences.聽 Shook graduated from 桃花直播 in 1962 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in chemistry. He enjoyed a long career with DuPont as a research chemist, amassing patents still in use today and earning two DuPont Special Compensation Awards. Shook received his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Duke University. The Belmont native concluded his career with Westinghouse, retiring in 1996.
鈥Paul J. Karre of Pawleys Island, South Carolina, College of Business. Karre earned a Bachelor鈥檚 of Business Administration in management from 桃花直播 in 1974. In an over 40-year career with International Paper, he held a variety of business, human resources and corporate roles, including a stint as director of human resources of IP Europe until his return to U.S. roles. In 2000, the Natchez native was appointed IP鈥檚 vice president of human resources, and in 2009 elected senior vice president for human resources and communications, a role he held until his retirement in 2015.
鈥Dr. Janice I. Nicholson of Florence, Alabama, College of Education.聽 Nicholson received her master鈥檚 and doctoratal degrees in elementary education from 桃花直播 in 1967 and 1977, respectively. Over a 50-year career, she was with the University of North Alabama for 37 years in teaching and administration. She retired from Blue Mountain College, where she earned an undergraduate degree, as executive vice president for Student Affairs and Graduate and Special Programs in 2012. From 2015-2017, the Booneville native was interim head of the 桃花直播 Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Special Education.
鈥Gerald W. 鈥淛erry鈥 Thames of Duluth, Georgia, James Worth Bagley College of Engineering.聽 Thames earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in nuclear engineering in 1970 and an MBA from 桃花直播 in 1971. Additionally, he holds a Master of Science degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After beginning his career with AT&T, Thames built major companies in the U.S. and Europe. He spearheaded British Telecom鈥檚 global initiative; built Global TeleSystems from concept to a $7 billion public company; built a private entity for Lehman Brothers; and assisted Booz Allen Hamilton in opening its Mideast markets. Furthermore, Thames rebuilt the Iraq communications systems and post office after the Iraq War for the U.S. government and served in the standup of the new National Counterterrorism Center. The Starkville native is chairman of Christian Heritage International and Georgia Center for Opportunity.
鈥Tony L. Tooke of Bristow, Virginia, College of Forest Resources.聽 A 1983 桃花直播 forestry graduate, Tooke is chief of the U.S. Forest Service and is responsible for the management and protection of 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands that makeup the 193 million-acre National Forest System. He also oversees the agency鈥檚 state and private forestry, research and development, and business operations divisions. Prior to his appointment, Tooke was the regional forester for the Southern Region of the USDA Forest Service based in Atlanta, Georgia, and earlier was Forest Service chief of staff and associate deputy chief for the National Forest System. His resume also includes work throughout the Forest Service Southern Region comprised of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky and 桃花直播. He grew up in Detroit, Alabama, and began work with the USDA forestry service at age 18. 聽
鈥Dr. Todd R. Henderson of Charlotte, North Carolina, College of Veterinary Medicine. Henderson earned a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from 桃花直播 in 1992. He is the president and CEO of Nutramax Laboratories Inc. Before joining Nutramax in 1994, Henderson was the owner of TLC House Call Practice in his native Maryland. He earlier was a veterinarian with Animal Clinic of Harford County before joining Kissimmee Animal Hospital in Florida. Henderson has further served his profession as an adjunct assistant professor for the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine.聽
桃花直播 State also annually salutes the university鈥檚 Outstanding Young Alumnus or Alumna. Janelle Finley Adams of Mobile, Alabama, a 2009 bachelor鈥檚 in communication and 2010 master鈥檚 in kinesiology graduate, is the 2017 honoree. She is an advancement services specialist in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at the University of South Alabama.
Additionally, special recognition will be presented to four 2017 Distinguished Service Award recipients. These honorees include (alphabetically):
鈥Dr. Thomas R. Byrd of Brandon, a 1981 bachelor鈥檚 of biological engineering graduate of 桃花直播 who later earned a Doctor of Dental Medicine from the University of 桃花直播 Medical Center. He is a dentist and owner of Florence Dental Clinic. Byrd is affiliated with the Central 桃花直播 chapter.
鈥Kimberly C. Fandel of Belden, a 1987 BBA in marketing and 1994 master鈥檚 in elementary education graduate, is an art specialist with Milam Elementary School in Tupelo. She is affiliated with the Lee County chapter. 聽聽
鈥 Dr. W. Brad Jones of Atlanta, Georgia, is a 2000 bachelor鈥檚 in industrial engineering graduate of 桃花直播 who later earned both his master鈥檚 in industrial and systems engineering and his Ph.D. in industrial and systems engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology. He is owner and CEO of Life Well Promotions LLC. He is affiliated with the Atlanta, Georgia chapter. 聽
鈥Alison G. Schmidt of Birmingham, Alabama, a 2002 Bachelor鈥檚 of Accountancy and 2003 Master鈥檚 of Taxation graduate, is managing director of financial planning for Medical Properties Trust Inc. She is affiliated with the Birmingham, Alabama chapter. 聽
During banquet ceremonies, special recognition also will be presented to the 桃花直播 Alumni Association鈥檚 most outstanding chapters for their achievements in 2017. The association includes 101 chapters and clubs worldwide, and 46 of them will be receiving awards throughout the evening.聽聽
The 2018 alumni awards banquet will be simulcast live via the Internet, beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 2. For a broadcast link and more on the 桃花直播 Alumni Association, visit . The following day, Saturday, Feb. 3, 桃花直播 alumni leaders from throughout the nation will gather again at The Mill at 桃花直播 Conference Center for the Alumni Association鈥檚 annual leadership conference.聽
桃花直播 is 桃花直播鈥檚 leading university, available online at .