Ten years ago, Fielding and Kim Miller made a substantial, impactful investment that resonated throughout the COB and our community. The launch of the Miller School of Entrepreneurship was a game changer for our campus!
The strong, early success of the Miller School, or what I call return on investment (ROI), led to other gifts because our supporters saw firsthand what could be accomplished with investments that focus on student success, public service and regional transformation. Due to this transformational opportunity, we now have the Isley Innovation Hub, Crisp Small Business Resource Center and the newly-named Gene T. Aman Pirate Challenge. The Miller School also helped inspire Richard Twilley to establish the Twilley Academy of Sales Leadership.
I see Stocknotes as having a dual purpose: an avenue to share the stories coming out of the COB and an investment statement, an opportunity to demonstrate the ROI we proudly produce.
Thank you to the Miller family for inspiring us 10 years ago, and so many others who have made investments in the COB. Your commitment of time, talent and treasure drives our work. We strive to give you the best ROI possible.
Investment Transforms Pirate Challenge
Story By Patricia Earnhardt Tyndall | Photo By Steven Mantilla
Through a $3.2 million gift from Helen Aman and family supporting the Miller School of Entrepreneurship, the College of Business has renamed the signature pitch competition in memory of Gene Aman ’65.
The Gene T. Aman Pirate Challenge will provide more opportunities for participation, larger cash gifts and the ability to expand its reach and influence across the campus and in eastern North Carolina.
Sharing the announcement of the “transformational gift,” Chancellor Philip Rogers recognized the collaborative vision that has resulted in the success of the challenge. Rogers cited the contributions of ECU trustee Fielding Miller, and his wife Kim, for the gift that established the only endowed school of entrepreneurship in the UNC System.
“We thank you (all) for your investment and for bringing us to this moment so that we can have
East Carolina University Trustee Fielding Miller shares a hug with Helen Aman during the naming of the Gene T. Aman Pirate Challenge.
today’s celebration,” Rogers said. “The generosity of so many Pirates helps us make this happen and helps us fulfill this work as a university community. It’s because of great individuals who have demonstrated their trust in ECU that we’re able to sustain (the challenge) over the long term.”
“Today is a big day,” Miller said as he announced the second largest gift since the Miller School was established. With the Aman family investment, the total capital raised for the Miller School eclipsed $20 million.
“We’ve had a lot of people step up financially and invest in this idea,” Miller said. “To honor Gene, the family has made a substantial donation and today we are announcing that the Pirate Challenge is now the Gene T. Aman Pirate Challenge.”
Aman was a business major who had a passion for business and entrepreneurship, Miller said. He shared an interest in business with childhood friend, James Maynard ’65. Aman became one of the founding investors in Golden Corral with Maynard.
Miller described the Aman gift as an incredible addition to the entrepreneurship program. “It will more than double our budget,” he said. “It’s an endowment so that will spin off (approximately) $160,000 annually, which will more than double our ability to invest and that investment will go back to the students.”
Established in 2018, the Pirate Challenge has awarded more than $900,000 in cash prizes and in-kind services to student-led teams representing ECU’s schools and colleges.
More than 75 aspiring entrepreneurs entered this year’s challenge. Miller, the Aman family and a who’s who of Pirate alumni witnessed the first round of the competition as students pitched their ideas to the ECU community vying to become the eighth winner of the campuswide competition. This year’s challenge will culminate in April when the Miller School names its eighth Pirate Challenge winner and pushes the total cash prizes and services over the $1 million mark.
“This signature competition plays a significant role in how the Miller School serves as a national model for building a comprehensive entrepreneurship program,” said Dr. Michael Harris, dean of the College of Business. “The cumulative effort to get to this point has been created by ECU entrepreneurs who see the College of Business, the Miller School and now the Aman Challenge as the incubator of the next generation of Pirate Entrepreneurs.”
Harris celebrated the Aman gift, its impact on experiential learning at ECU and its power in elevating an entrepreneurial culture on campus. “The word for the day is gratitude,” Harris said Tuesday. “This gift will have a substantial impact on our students. The next great entrepreneur could be on the mall this afternoon.”
• 2021 — InHouse Call, Grant Smith & Dr. George Schilling
• 2020 — FishingLicense.us, Felipe de Araujo & Mallory Miles
• 2019 — Vybe, Camden Bathras & Steven Lipscomb
• 2018 — Simple & Sentimental, Taylor & Nick Walden
aman challenge breakdown
Leadership on Display
BLC Debuts Career Fair: Students Connect with Industry Leaders in a Conference-First Opportunity
Story By Michael Rudd | Photo By Rhett Butler
When College of Business (COB) students take their professional development and ethical leadership class, they know that what they learn
will be put to the test in a variety of circumstances. Interview skills, resume building and networking are the key tenets taught in the class. Practice interviews are scheduled and administered by the Cunanan Center for Professional Success where students meet
with industry leaders and COB representatives to review their newly built resumes and learn more about the student.
The COB’s annual Business Leadership Conference (BLC) is the college’s capstone event where students also get a chance to showcase what they’ve learned in a conference-like situation. For the recent BLC, held on Oct. 24 in the Main Campus Student Center, more than 1,000 students hit the ballrooms, dressed
Matt Crisp speaks to students at ’24 Business Leadership Conference.
in business attire and armed with business cards, and soaked in advice on business leadership. Esteemed COB alumni, as well as industry representatives from companies such as Spectrum, Cisco Systems, MGM Resorts, Goodyear and others led breakout sessions that lasted throughout the morning.
Matt Crisp ’96 served as the keynote of this year’s BLC. He’s a successful entrepreneur and is the founder of Gravitas Private Capital, a firm that invests in start-ups across a variety of industries and markets. Crisp is a fixture when it comes to supporting the COB. He’s the benefactor of the Crisp Small Business Resource Center and visits the ECU and the COB throughout the year while serving on the university’s foundation board.
During his keynote, under the format of a fireside chat, Crisp had a specific message he wanted to convey to the packed ballrooms.
“It’s important for me to let students know that they can be incredibly successful from East Carolina University,” said Crisp. “Our students have work ethic, grit, and they’re incredibly intelligent. When you combine those three things together, it makes a powerful combination.”
On Display
New to this year’s BLC was a career fair. Almost 30 company representatives set up their displays and welcomed questions and resumes from the students who attended. It was not uncommon to see long lines at companies looking for the next future leader to join its organization.
Kathy Brown is the director of human resources for the Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary. She had a busy day at the BLC, speaking during one of the breakout sessions and participating in the career fair.
“I had a lovely invitation from (the COB) School of Hospitality to be one of their speakers,” said Brown. “The students in my session were impressive and asked insightful questions about the world of hospitality. Participating in the ECU Career Fair is something that we like to do as we hire hospitality students for summer roles as well as intern positions.”
At events such as the BLC, COB Dean Mike Harris walks the floors with Pirate pride. One of his favorite things to do is demonstrate how COB students are succeeding because of the time, talent and treasure of the COB’s alumni and partners. He
believes when students interact with the alumni, it’s a win-win for everyone.
“The students are how we show the return on investment for those who have done so much for the college,” said Harris. “When we have opportunities to showcase the investments that are pushing us forward to attract the best and the brightest, we’re going to capitalize on them.
Another homecoming
ECU’s homecoming week allowed the COB to schedule events where students could mingle with alumni and promote themselves for future opportunities. The Gene T. Aman Pirate Challenge kicked off Oct. 22. Twelve teams from 75 studentled teams were chosen to move to the second round. The Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization and the Miller School of Entrepreneurship held the Blueprint to Success Panel following the Aman Pirate Challenge in Isley Innovation Hub. The panel, organized and moderated by entrepreneurship major and Brinkley-Lane Scholar Roz Burgess featured entrepreneurs and leaders such as Van Isley ‘85, Sharon Moore and Henrik Skalmerud ’11.
“I wanted to have students from different majors come together and learn about entrepreneurship from the three successful panelists,” said Burgess. “I wanted people to be inspired, which I believed happened. Students stayed afterward to introduce themselves to the panelists and ask them specific questions.”
The busy homecoming week closed out with the Twilley Academy of Sales Leadership-sponsored Speed Interview Challenge. There, more than 45 students participated in a speed dating format and pitched themselves to BAC members over numerous rounds. First, second and third prizes were awarded. Entrepreneurship major Josiah Ortiz took first place and a $3,000 prize. Marketing senior and Brinkley-Lane Scholar Sarah Maisto and entrepreneurship senior Parker Raven took second and third, respectively.
“This past week has shown me the deep commitment our alumni have when investing in our growth and success,” said Maisto. “I could not be more grateful for all of their support.”
“If we can give Pirates chances to support Pirates, we’re going to do it,” said Harris. “That’s how we build leaders, and that’s how we demonstrate student success.”
OPEX University Day
Alumnus designs event that brings together alumni with COB students
Story & Photos By Michael Rudd
pex University Day is an annual, alumni-driven event sponsored by Courtney Humphrey (BSBA ’96 & MBA ’98) and the company he
founded, Opex Technologies, a technology advisory firm based in Raleigh.
The event was initially structured in which students from ECU’s College of Business and Elon University heard from entrepreneurs and business leaders who spoke about career challenges and successes and shared their insight into what makes for a successful career. Now in its second year, Opex University Day,
recently held in November, invited students from NC State to join the COB and Elon. New to this year’s event was a panel of young alumni who also spoke of expectations and possibilities when starting a career.
Why is Opex University Day structured in this manner? It all started with an ask by COB Dean Mike Harris and COB’s Director of Outreach Paige Hill, who were looking to give COB students access to the Pirate alumni network and professional development experiences.
“I said I’ve got an idea that I think we can execute on,” said Humphrey. “What if we did a university day
IMBA student, Isabella Jiminez Vargas, along with more than 40-plus ECU students, had the opportunity to network with almost 100 students, alumni and other professionals who attended Opex University Day.
where we run a panel featuring some of my CEO friends who went to ECU and other surrounding schools and have been extremely successful.”
“Our job at the COB is to educate future business leaders, and one way we do this is by role modeling and creating professional experiences,” said Hill. “Opex University Day is a great learning opportunity for students, plus events like this shine a bright light on our talented students, which alumni love to see.”
With the help of Humphrey’s business partner Rich Nowalk who went to Elon, the first Opex University Day was launched in November 2023 and featured entrepreneurs and leaders such as Van Isley, Vern Davenport and Steve Jones.
Attending the first Opex University Day was then senior Rodney Bonilla Gonzalez. He took full advantage of the opportunity to establish a relationship with Humphrey.
“My relationship with Courtney really grew after the first Opex University Day,” said Bonilla. “We were able to connect on LinkedIn, and I was able to tap into his knowledge, asking him multiple questions about his journey and how to stand out in a competitive environment.” According to Bonilla, a current Arthur School IMBA student, that relationship led to him gaining an internship with TEKsystems in Raleigh.
In the audience of this year’s Opex University Day was Isabella Jiminez Vargas. Like Bonilla, she’s an IMBA student who took full advantage of university day and found it “truly inspiring.” She, along with more than 40-plus ECU students, had the opportunity
to network with almost 100 students, alumni and other professionals who were in attendance.
“This experience allowed me to engage with driven professionals, gain valuable advice, and gather insights to guide my career,” said Jimenez. “I am truly grateful to learn from their expertise and apply it to my journey.”
At this year’s event, Jiminez engaged with a representative from the Carolina Hurricanes. “Since I aspire to work in the sports industry, our conversation was incredibly insightful and motivating. We connected on LinkedIn and have followed up with each other since Opex University Day, further solidifying this meaningful connection.”
Humphrey made a point to convey to the students in attendance that all the panelists and alumni in attendance were there solely to support the students. “They (the students) are getting access to incredibly successful business leaders who, if they reach out, will invest in their career journey,” said Humphrey, who offers some sage advice to the students.
“The ball is in their court when it comes to reaching out,” said Humphrey. “That’s how you build a network.”
This year’s Opex University Day offered students another great opportunity to build their networks. Representing the COB were alumni Fielding Miller, Jim Segrave, Tom Furr and Christian Hill.
“We continue to raise the bar with this type of professional development to complement what’s being taught in the classroom,” said Harris. “The Pirate network is strong and is here to support students and young alumni.”
Opex University Day was the brainchild of Courtney Humphrey, right. It’s a networking event designed for college students to learn from (and network with) alumni, e.g., Jim Segrave, third from left, and Fielding Miller, second from right.
Kelly King, center, speaks with FinCon organizers before his presentation on the intersection between success and happiness.
FinCon
First Finance Conference deemed a success
Story & Photos By Michael Rudd
The spring’s successful TechSummit spurred an idea. The student-led event brought together 18 business and technology experts on ECU’s campus
who addressed technology trends, business strategies, leadership development, and what jobs look like today and tomorrow. About 250 students from the College of Engineering and Technology and the College of Business attended the summit.
One of the event’s organizers was Cole Miller, a COB double major (finance and accounting) and a fall ’24 graduate. Upon meeting with COB finance majors Pierce Elwell and Gregory Sharafanski, the three borrowed from the TechSummit model and created the inaugural Finance Conference, or FinCon, held in November, an all-day event featuring mostly COB alumni and headlined by keynote speaker Kelly King, former CEO of BB&T. An opening fireside chat
featuring IMB Power CFO Michael Howard kicked off the event. A fireside chat with Wells Fargo executive director Michael Crooke closed the events.
“I like to participate in events like FinCon because it gives me an opportunity to share a message with students directly and hopefully share something that will help them professionally and personally,” said King. “My purpose in life is to make a positive, Godly impact on the lives of as many people as I can.”
And what was King’s message?
“There is a way to find the intersection between success and happiness, but it’s very difficult because most people are molded into thinking success is defined by how much “stuff” you accumulate in life,” said King. “Money may define success on one level, but it rarely contributes to a sense of happiness … a sense of accomplishment, achievement, a sense of my life matters, I make a difference. Happiness is mostly about accomplishing a worthwhile purpose which creates energy, drive, motivation, focus and responsibility.”
Finding your North Star
When Howard opened FinCon and chatted with Elwell, he was the CFO for IBM® Power®, a family of servers based on IBM processors that allow organizations to respond faster to business demands. He’s an Arthur School MBA ’99 who spent most of his professional career in IBM.
“Once I got inside of IBM, it was very clear what I wanted to accomplish,” said Howard.
That clarity was Howard’s ‘North Star.’
According to Howard, a North Star drives, pushes and pulls you to become something better
than you would be without it; it’s something you’re passionate about. As a teenager, Howard had a positive mentorship with a local pastor. “I was really attracted to the energy that he had; I started to see how he influenced and how he developed and how he coached and how he mentored.”
It was this relationship that helped develop Howard’s North Star. He knew he wanted to lead, guide, navigate and influence, and he found his North Star at IBM as a future CFO.
“I looked at other CFOs … in IBM, and I looked at their careers … observe some of the key roles and jobs they had along their journey,” said Howard. “Coupled with really good people that mentored and that coached me … (I was) able to put things together.”
Miller will tell you those kinds of stories from King and Coleman that he, Elwell and Sharafinski had hoped would be told to the 350 COB students who attended.
“We brought in high-caliber speakers, thanks to our (COB) networks,” said Miller. “Some speakers have not been on campus for a long time. Their thoughts on how the campus has changed and their willingness to eagerly come back and speak to ECU encompasses the “pirates support pirates” mantra perfectly.”
Organizers believe the first FinCon was a success based on feedback and participation. Meetings have already been held to plan for next year’s event.
“There is a lot of interest in students to work on the 2025 Finance Conference, and we want to ensure we take the right steps to have the next one be even better than this one,” said Miller. “Additionally, there are students who left this conference inspired and want to create one for other departments.”
Michael Howard
Kelly King
HIGH MARKS
Miller School’s climb in national rankings continue
Story By Michael Rudd | Photos By Rob Taylor and Rhett Butler
Six years ago, the Miller School of Entrepreneurship cracked the Princeton Review® and Entrepreneur® magazine’s Top 50 undergraduate entrepreneurship programs for the first time at 47. Today, it moved up to No. 30 in the 2025 lists as the only ranked undergraduate entrepreneurial program in North Carolina and third highest in the South.
The rankings for the lists are based on a survey The Princeton Review conducted in summer 2024 of administrators at nearly 300 schools in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Europe offering entrepreneurship studies.
The Miller School has hit the ground running since it was established almost 10 years ago. Thanks to a $5 million gift from Fielding and Kim Miller, their goal was to have the Miller School serve as the regional hub for preparing generations of ECU students to instill an entrepreneurial mindset into their career paths.
Over the years, programming and investments have infused a culture of entrepreneurship across the campus, which has attracted other investors to the Miller School. According to Dean Mike Harris, the Millers’ gift has been a transformational gift.
“For six consecutive years, the Princeton Review rankings validate everything we’re trying to accomplish at the Miller School, the College of Business and ECU,” said Harris. “Its approach to student success and regional transformation is at the core of its operations. Alumni, donors and friends of the Miller School are taking notice.”
National Model
Three years ago, the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship recognized the Miller School and awarded it the Model Emerging Award, which recognizes colleges or universities for their work with new and restructured programs. Those same programs and more caught the attention of the Princeton Review.
• The recent renaming of the Pirate Entrepreneurship Challenge to the Gene T. Aman Pirate Challenge is having an immediate impact. Thanks to a $3.2 million gift from the Aman family earlier this year,
the Aman Pirate Challenge will increase its impact across the campus and push the total prize winnings to over $1 million since its inception in 2017.
• Additionally, the Aman Pirate Challenge has attracted more than 65 majors who have participated in the annual event.
• The Isley Innovation Hub was designed to encourage prospective entrepreneurs by giving them a place to ideate, collaborate and create. Van and Jennifer Isley’s initial gift of $2 million helped attract additional funding to open the 15,00 square foot facility in 2022. Home to the Miller School, The Isley Hub has welcomed more than 50,000 visitors since it opened.
• The Crisp Small Business Resource Center continues to provide resources that help launch and sustain small businesses and foster sustainable economic development.
• More than 30 undergraduate majors from across the campus annually enroll in entrepreneurship classes and pursue entrepreneurship certificates.
• More funding has led to scholarships, student travel, professorships and start-up investments.
“When I walk into the Isley Hub every day, I’m witness to how the Miller School is having an impact on all of campus,” says Chip Galusha, interim director of the Miller School. “We are constantly showing a return on investment on a gift from 10 years ago. It’s a pleasure to be a part of it.”
Harris is quick to say that the Miller School is not content with past successes. “The Miller School has plans to add more faculty to its ranks, will soon name a new director and is looking at the idea of starting a graduate certificate,” said Harris.
“The great work of Mike Harris and the Miller School team has the attention of the top academic institutions across the U.S.” said Miller, CEO, chairman and co-founder of CAPTRUST. “After starting from scratch in 2015, our BHAG (big hairy audacious goal) was to someday be ranked nationally among the top 25 programs. We’re closer to that goal each year, and the school is now revered as one of the leading programs in the country.”
Pirate Showdown
Six finalists to compete in Aman Pirate Challenge finals
Story By Michael Rudd | Photos By Steven Mantilla
First, there were 75. Then there were 12. Now, there are six. On a night when 12 student-led teams summoned the courage to stand on a stage and pitch their ideas to a packed ballroom, six teams emerged and took the next step toward winning the 8th annual Aman Pirate Challenge and their share of almost $300,000 in cash and in-kind services.
The second round of the Aman Pirate Challenge was held Feb. 4 in the Main Campus Student Center. Family members, friends, Aman Pirate Challenge organizers, and College of Business (COB) faculty and leadership were in the audience. Also in attendance were five business leaders willing to step forward and mentor five of the 12 teams and prepare them for the finals. At the end of the pitching, the mentors chose their five mentees. The sixth team was chosen by the audience and will be mentored by the Miller School of Entrepreneurship, organizer of the Aman Pirate Challenge.
The finalists include:
• Grid Housing, a website that combines all the processes for off-campus college housing
• Kid Fit, a company that uses science-backed programming and a culture of encouragement to envision a future where every child can reach their full potential, one gym exercise at a time
• Pane Pirates, a trusted and reliable exterior cleaning company in eastern North Carolina
• Pirate 3D, a supplier of cheap, simple and accessible 3D anatomical models to support medical education
• Surf Stick Wax, a heat-resistant, sealable applicator for surf wax
• Thrive IT, a nonprofit focused on financial literacy education
They represent the College of Business, Honors College, Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences, Arthur Graduate School of Business, and the Brody School of Medicine.
The mentors included:
• Ryan Butcher – an Inc.500 entrepreneur
• Tyler Lumley – startup business counselor with the ECU Small Business and Technology Development Center
• Vin McCaffrey – successful entrepreneur, grew and sold Game Plan
• Tom Snyder – executive director of RIoT,
an internet of things company and startup accelerator
• Dr. Tilwanda (Tee) Steinberg – COB faculty and Miller School Entrepreneur-in-Residence
What’s next?
From the second round until the finals, mentors will provide advice and resources to help the student teams grow and scale their businesses. Mentors will leverage their experience and networks to develop technologies for the teams and gain new customers. New this year, the mentors will have a $2,000 budget to fund business acceleration.
David Mayo, the organizer of the Aman Pirate Challenge, stated that a recent investment to rename the Pirate Entrepreneurship Challenge has provided the Miller School of Entrepreneurship with additional resources. This funding will enable the school to expand the annual challenge and enhance its innovative efforts in helping students deliver their best pitches.
“It’s our goal to make the Aman Pirate Challenge the preeminent entrepreneurial challenge in the United States,” said Mayo. “Thanks to the Amans’ gift, we are creating more programs, providing additional funds and recruiting more students who have dreams of becoming entrepreneurs.”
The finals for the 8th annual Aman Pirate Challenge will be April 15 in Harvey Hall on ECU’s campus. The first-place winner will receive more than $20,000 in cash and in-kind services, with more than $15,000 and $10,000 going to second and third place, respectively.
Upcoming Milestone
The finals will mark a major milestone in the history of the Aman Pirate Challenge. At the end of the night, the challenge will have awarded more than $1 million cumulatively since the first challenge 8 years ago.
“2025 marks the 10th anniversary of the Miller School of Entrepreneurship,” said Chip Galusha, interim director of the Miller School. “I can’t think of a better way to help celebrate the Miller School than the challenge reaching the $ 1 million mark in prizes awarded. It’s a testament to our pursuit of student success and creating an entrepreneurial mindset for ECU students.”
The Miller School of Entrepreneurship
was launched 10 years ago. Today, it stands as a national model. How did it get there?
2018
Simple and Sentimental wins the first Pirate Entrepreneurship Challenge and a cash prize of $12,500.
2018
The Summer Innovation Academy is launched to help introduce the concept of entrepreneurship to high school students.
2015
A $5 million gift from Fielding and Kim Miller is awarded to the COB to establish the Miller School of Entrepreneurship and the J. Fielding Distinguished Professorship.
2021
The Miller School wins the USASBE Model Emerging Program Award for excellence in entrepreneurship education, research, and programming.
2021
Brady Hillhouse recieves the first BS Entrepreneurship degree.
2018
The James W. Chesnutt and David A. Bond Professorship is established.
2019
The BS in Entrepreneurship degree is launched.
2019
The Miller School cracks the Princeton Review and Entrepreneur Magazine list of Top 50 Undergraduate Schools of Entrepreneurship for the first time.
The Isley Innovation Hub officially opens in the Wright Building. 2022
2022
The Pirate Entrepreneurship Fund is launched, providing crucial financial support for entrepreneurs.
2023
The Isley Innovation Hub welcomes its 25,000th visitor.
2016
The Miller School officially opens.
2017
A gift from Van and Jennifer Isley establishes the Isley Innovation Hub, home of the Miller School.
2019
RISE29 wins USASBE's Excellence in CoCurricular Innovation Award for empowering students to drive rural entrepreneurship in eastern North Carolina.
2019
A gift from Matt and Kim Crisp establishes the Crisp Small Business Resource Center, which provides access to best practices and knowledge for students and regional entrepreneurs.
2017
The Pirate Entrepreneurship Challenge launches.
2024
A gift from Helen Aman and family provides support for the Pirate Entrepreneurship Challenge which is renamed the Gene T. Aman Pirate Challenge.
2020
The Miller School joins the Sigma Nu Tau entrepreneurship honor society, becoming the 31st chapter overall and second in NC.
2021
The Miller School wins the Best Practices Award and Project of the Year Competition from the National Small Business Institute®.
2018
Dr. Mike Harris is named the first director of the Miller School.
2021
The Miller School wins the Outstanding Emerging Entrepreneurship Center Award from the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship.
2025
• Dr. Josh Aaron is named second director of the Miller School.
• 6th consecutive year being ranked in the Princeton Review.
• The Miller School awards its 100th entrepreneurship degree.
• The Gene T. Aman Pirate Challenge surpasses the $1M mark in cumulative prizes.
• Isley Innovation Hub welcomes its 50,000th visitor.
Cole MILLER
« Story By Michael Rudd
« Photo By Steven Mantilla
ver the past four years, there has been a constant presence at numerous College of Business (COB) events available for students. He’s no wallflower at these events, sheepishly standing alone, unsure of what to do. No. Cole Miller, a double major in finance and accounting, is working the room. He’s speaking with alumni to establish networking opportunities. He’s digging deeper and asking questions to speakers who are sharing their tips on how to succeed.
Miller is the embodiment of a successful student who has taken full advantage of the opportunities available at the COB that will help him succeed in the business world and grow as a leader.
“ECU (and the COB) has given me the opportunities to get involved and experiences that have been pivotal to my learning,” said Miller, who’s set to graduate Dec. 13. “Meet the Firms, Employer in the Foyer, professor introductions, career readiness certifications, student organizations and class lectures have all been helpful to me with regard to introducing myself to people, making connections, getting opportunities to job shadow, attending (the COB’s) leadership conferences, and other similar opportunities.”
During his four years in the COB, Miller attended almost 100 meetings and events designed to help him grow, including conferences, summits and other events. He has traveled to New York City and San Francisco to meet with alumni and representatives from companies such as Google, BMG and Cisco. He has also completed numerous certifications, such as the Business Leadership Seven and the Truist Leadership Institute Emerging Leaders.
Miller also finds time to focus his attention on supporting others. If he’s not helping friends with their LinkedIn profiles and resumes, he’s working with students to organize, host and manage events designed to bring industry leaders to campus.
Working with College of Engineering and Technology students, Miller helped organize the inaugural Technology Summit (TechSummit). This
program featured 18 business and technology experts who addressed technology trends, business strategies, leadership development, and what jobs look like today and will look like tomorrow. His TechSummit work led to numerous awards from ECU, such as ECU Student Organizations’ 2023-24 Outstanding Program of the Year.
In November, Miller put his experiences to work and helped launch the 2024 Finance Conference (FinCon), where more than 300 students heard from executives and alumni representing BB&T/Truist, IBM, KPMG, Goldman Sachs, Paramount, Citizens Bank, Wells Fargo and other companies. The all-day conference even featured Kelly King, former CEO of BB&T.
“We brought in high-caliber speakers, thanks to our networks. Some of these speakers have not been on campus for a long time. Their willingness to eagerly
come back and speak to ECU perfectly encompasses the ‘Pirates support Pirates’ mantra,” he said.
Pirates supporting Pirates
Miller owns the “Pirates support Pirates” mindset, as well. He’s already working with other students to move the 2025 TechSummit and FinCon forward. He plans to join the COB’s Young Alumni Council, advise on future student-led conferences and attend ECU COB alumni events.
First, however, Miller will focus on his career after graduation. He plans to return to BDO USA as an assurance intern for the second phase of his internship, which will eventually lead to a full-time position. Once his full-time offer is in hand, he plans to pursue his certified public accounting license and eventually obtain his Master of Business Administration degree.
Meet DOUG SCHNEIDER
By Michael Rudd | Photo By Cliff Hollis
Dr. Douglas K. Schneider, CPA, is a full professor of accounting and holds the Edwin B. Jones Family Distinguished Professor of Accounting at the College of Business (COB). Since 1991 he has taught hardworking and outstanding students who have graduated to become productive and accomplished alumni of ECU.
His area of teaching and research is financial accounting and reporting. Dr. Schneider is a faculty advisor and co-founder of the Beta Alpha Psi chapter of the National Accounting Honor Society at ECU and is also a founding advisor of ECU’s chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants. In addition, Schneider serves as Treasurer of the Delta Omicron Housing Corporation, which operates the Alpha Delta Pi sorority house at ECU and also serves as Faculty Advisor to the sorority. Professor Schneider serves as Chair of the Personnel Committee and the Promotion and Tenure Committee for the Department of Accounting. He has been active in the development of the CPA Exam, including working on CPA Exam questions and, more recently, coordinating field tests and surveys of new CPA Exam questions.
Awards Schneider has received include the Distinguished Professor for Teaching Award by the UNC Board of Governors, the Outstanding Educator award by the NCACPA, the ECU Faculty Impact Award, several other teaching awards and numerous advisor awards by ECU’s Panhellenic and Greek
Life. In addition, the graduate and undergraduate students have selected Schneider numerous times as a Hooder for the MSA students and as Marshal for the MSA and BSBA students at the COB Graduate Recognition Ceremonies. Each semester he writes numerous letters of recommendation on behalf of students for scholarships, graduate school and employment and internships.
An active researcher, Schneider has published over 60 publications in journals such as the CPA Journal, Journal of Financial Services Professionals, Current Issues in Auditing, Advances in Business Research, Advances in Taxation, Journal of Applied Research in Accounting and Finance, Journal of International Financial Management and Accounting and Accounting Horizons.
A licensed CPA in the State of North Carolina, he is also a member of the AICPA, the American Accounting Association and the North Carolina Association of CPAs. Schneider holds a PhD from the U. of Georgia, a MSA from the U. of Virginia and a BS from Bentley University.
How are you leveraging this gift (the professorship) with your work?
Holding the Edwin B. Jones Family Distinguished Professor chaired professorship is an additional honor assigned to a full professor. Commensurate with this honor is an obligation to serve beyond normal expectations. As a chaired professor, I am always challenging myself to contribute to the mission of the institution, particularly as it directly benefits the students.
For instance, I have continued to serve as a faculty advisor for our accounting honor society, Beta Alpha Psi, which recognizes our best accounting students and also hosts meetings where students can learn about the rewards and demands of careers in accounting from representatives of the accounting profession. My service as a faculty advisor is going on for 30 consecutive years, far beyond the normal length of service, though I do
also enjoy the experience. I try to be the point person for communication with alumni, CPA firms and businesses looking to hire accounting majors for internships or jobs and communicate these opportunities to our students for their benefit and to support the placement goals of the Department of Accounting and the COB. I continue to serve as Chair of the Personnel Committee and Tenure & Promotion Committee of the Department of Accounting to ensure the timely and accurate processing of personnel documents related to the reappointment of faculty.
How
is this gift impacting your students?
While I have always been guided by the conviction that ECU students are deserving of my time and best effort, holding a chaired professorship serves to reinforce this commitment to our students, to the accounting program, the COB and ECU. The majority of my efforts are intended to directly benefit the students; even my efforts that may seem unrelated to the students indirectly benefit the students by assisting the Accounting Program, COB, and ECU fulfill its mission.
What research has this gift allowed?
It is incumbent upon a chaired professor to take the initiative regarding research. As the Edwin B. Jones Family Distinguished Professor of Accounting, I consciously seek to collaborate with other faculty on research ideas that will lead to publications. It is rewarding to work with colleagues on a research project and see it develop into published research that supports the mission of the institution.
What else would you like to add about this gift?
Just as I have been fortunate to be honored with a chaired professorship, I have financially supported an accounting scholarship each year to help the students develop their own careers. I hope my efforts show the positive performance of chaired professorships and lead to other deserving faculty experiencing this honor.
Meet COREY PULIDO
By Michael Rudd | Photos By Rhett Butler
Corey Pulido has been an entrepreneurship instructor since joining the COB and the Miller School of Entrepreneurship in 2016. It’s safe to say that every student who wanted to learn about entrepreneurship, received a certificate in entrepreneurship or graduated with an entrepreneurship degree has been taught by Pulido. It makes sense. He, too, is an entrepreneur in both profit and non-profit arenas. He currently provides entrepreneurship instruction to ECU athletes regarding their name, image and likeness. He’s a student favorite and is currently
organizing and operating the Miller School’s annual Summer Innovation Academy, a summer camp designed to bring out the entrepreneur in Pitt County high school kids.
Some of us think we know Corey, but how well do we really know him? Proudly borrowing from the Proust Questionnaire, we asked Corey some questions so we could get to know him a little better.
What was your first concert?
A free Boyz 2 Men concert at Camp Lejune in Jacksonville N.C. I was 10 – don’t judge (editor’s note: we are just a bit).
What are the qualities you might like in a person?
Someone who can go with the flow but can also regulate their emotions. Not too many things worth freaking out about, and I like being around those types of people.
What is your idea of happiness?
I like to tell people I’m building it right now. A good time for me is quality time with my family.
If not a professor, what would you be?
Stand-up comedy? Or more probable, I would have started purchasing more properties and gone into the property management field. Property allows me to tie all my skills together in one job.
If you could go back in time and witness anything in history, where would you go?
I’m super into documentaries; right now, I’m watching one on the Americas in the Ice Age. I’d either want to visit the Egyptians or the Mayans while they’re building the pyramids as I feel their knowledge runs parallel.
Who is your favorite hero in fiction?
Can I say John Wick?
Who are your heroes in real life?
My dad (James Pulido) and father-in-law (Len Rhodes) are great examples of what men can be to their
families while trying to manage their professional success. Also, Matthew McConaughey once said, myself in five years. I’m pushing myself regularly, and I’m excited to see what me in five years will look like.
Who are your favorite writers?
I generally like non-fiction, Dale Carnegie, and probably a book I’ve read several times is "Tony Robbins Money Master the Game."
What is your favorite childhood memory?
Playing soccer in my neighbor’s backyard or riding bikes and playing outside until the sun went down. Trying to recreate this for my child.
What’s your favorite ECU/COB memory?
I’d say the culmination of the Summer Innovation Academy. Seeing the excitement from the high school students plus the success of the final day is always exciting for all involved. It’s why we do what we do.
What’s the one thing people would find most surprising to learn about you?
I can only pick one? I think the easiest one is the fact that I lived in Japan for 6 years, from 10-16 years old. My father was in the Marine Corps, and we were stationed in Iwakuni. Extremely formidable.
Corey Pulido works with students durring the Summer Inovation Academy.
New IMBA cohort named
Story & Photos By
Michael Rudd
The Arthur School is proud to announce the second cohort of the Immersive MBA Pathway, who include:
Rodney Bonilla Gonzalez, marketing and supply chain management, Apex, NC
Jackson Bostic, accounting, Elizabethtown, NC
Kyleigh Burton, dance performance and choreography, Roxboro, NC
Christopher Chesley, management information systems, Warrenton, VA
Jack Dyba, sports studies, Greenville, NC
Fiona Freyholtz, marketing, Sneads Ferry, NC
Emma Gebel, management, Greensboro, NC
Craig Geter, management information systems, Fort Liberty, NC
Jordan Hatch, management information systems, Locust, NC
Isabella Jimenez Vargas, management, Wendell, NC
Matthew Kornegay, management, Mount Olive, NC
Jay Patel, finance, Greenville, NC
What can the second cohort expect?
The goal of the IMBA pathway is to provide students with meaningful work experience by matching them with companies looking to fill leadership training and management-track positions. The students will take their classes together with select faculty and will complete their MBA in one year. The curriculum is the same core courses required of all ECU MBA students, which is flexible to allow students to fit their MBA pursuit into their current work schedule or lifestyle.
Each IMBA student receives a full scholarship and a paid graduate assistantship position for an investment of $25,000 per student. They will receive additional compensation for their internship.
The IMBA is open for any ECU undergraduate to participate, and both Burton and Dyba, two students coming from outside the College of Business, continue that trend in year two of the pathway.
“Through the IMBA pathway, I hope to fuel my entrepreneurial spirit and gain confidence in my ability to combine the arts and business,” said Burton.
Dyba adds, “I hope to gain a comprehensive understanding of business administration and its components while also equipping myself with necessary and useful skills as I enter into my professional career.”
“The second cohort of IMBAs is poised to make an impact in eastern North Carolina and beyond, and I am excited to see what this group
accomplishes,” said Linda Quick, assistant dean of the Arthur School of Business.
Like the inaugural cohort, the second cohort plans to take advantage of all the opportunities that are coming their way, opportunities that might not have made their way to any stories, blogs or social media posts.
“I hope to gain a tight-knit group of friends who are like-minded, high-achieving individuals who will push me to be the best person I can be,” said Kornegay.
Geter echoed Kornegay’s sentiments, “I am hoping to build life-long connections through the Immersive MBA program’s cohort.”
Something new
There’s one new area the second cohort will experience that the first cohort did not, and that’s public service.
Students will be divided into three teams to complete a community impact project in eastern North Carolina. They will spend the fall semester selecting their projects and learning key leadership competencies to use in implementing their idea. Then, in the spring semester, teams will go out and implement a project that leaves a lasting impact on the community. The impetus of this new project requirement was IMBA alumni Carter Cunningham’s “Homers that Help” project from 2023-24, which raised over $50,000 for ECU Health Children’s Hospital.
Lily Puett, management Franklinton, NC
Sarah Ragsdale, marketing, Wake Forest, NC
Katie Rowland, entrepreneurship, Apex, NC
Hunter Wilson, management, Goldsboro, NC
Story By Michael Rudd | Photo By Amre Keyes
DAY
1 highlights: cob's fall trip to nyc
An introduction to the City
Our Pirates arrive in New York City mid-afternoon, check into their hotel, and embark on a group tour of Times Square before dinner. The evening wraps up with a visit to Summit One Vanderbilt, an immersive experience blending architecture and technology to redefine observation decks in the city.
DAY 2
The New York Stock Exchange, of course First up on the business trip is a visit to the New York Stock Exchange. Hosting the Pirates was COB Pirate Kirk Katzburg with SRT Securities. Katzburg has been instrumental in helping with this and past visits and providing internship opportunities with students, including finance senior Gregory Sharafinski, FinCon organizer and a student founder of the Blacksail Fund.
After a visit to the 911 memorial, the 24 students visited Conductor, a high-tech web optimization company that helps organizations raise their visibility in targeted markets. COB Professor Dana Newell helped set the meeting up through her Raleigh AMA contacts.
DAY 3
Just Google it!
A busy day was in the cards for the Pirates. COB freshman whirlwind Roz Burgess arranged for his sister (and COB alumna) Tyson Burgess to have a meet and greet at Google. She spoke to the Pirates about her journey to Google and what it is like to work for the fifth most valuable company in the world.
Next on the docket was a visit to the boutique, family-owned advertising agency Tombras. JP McLaughlin BSBA ’18 once again hosted the Pirates and shed light on what a day looks like in a busy firm and how collaboration among all the creatives produces stand-out work for companies such as Josh Cellars, Subway, and Hotels.com (think Captain Obvious).
The day’s last stop is proof, again, that Pirates help Pirates. With the help of COB Business Advisory Committee Chair Angela Furniss, students paid a visit to Moonpay, a financial technology company that deals in Bitcoin. While there, they got the CEO treatment with Keith Grossman, who provided highlevel advice on what leading-edge companies look for regarding employees. The day closed with what’s become a popular COB must: dinner with alumni at Gallagher’s Steakhouse.
DAY 4
Closing out the trip
A big thank you to Taylor Dixon BSBA ’14 for welcoming the COB pirates – for the second time – to Datasite, a software company that provides solutions to manage the full gamut of financial transactions. Joining Dixon on the visit was Datasite’s CEO, Rusty Wiley BSBA ’86, who flew into New York City to meet the students.
Thanks to Richard Twilley, the benefactor of COB’s Twilley Academy of Sales Leadership, for setting up a visit with Rob Roache, group vice president with Spectrum Enterprise. The COB students met with Spectrum leadership and took a deep dive into Spectrum’s operations. Of the visit, Roache posted on LinkedIn that it was a “rewarding experience … ECU’s approach to bridging education and practical experience is commendable.”
A night in the city closed the day with everyone on the trip getting ready to head back to Greenville, apply their experiences to their classwork, and chase their career dreams.
“Moving forward, I plan to continue reaching out to alumni that I connected with on this trip in hopes of being provided with mentorship and guidance as I begin my career journey after graduating this upcoming May with my MBA from East Carolina University and the Arthur Graduate School of Business,” said Grayson Brann, Arthur School MBA student.
Said Burgess, who is also an ECU Brinkley-Lane Scholar, “On the flight back, all I could think about was how I was going to use the knowledge that I had soaked up those past five days and implement it into my life and back on campus at ECU.”
Thanks to the Blacksail Fund, 24 students representing the COB’s American Marketing Association and the Dean’s Student Leadership Council once again descended on New York City in the fall of ’24 and gained valuable professional experience.
New Miller School Director
Story By Michael Rudd | Photo Courtesy of Joshua Aaron
The College of Business (COB) has named Dr. Joshua R. Aaron the Miller School of Entrepreneurship's new director. He takes over for Dr. Michael Harris, who officially became dean of the COB in 2024.
Before being named Miller School director, Aaron was the Pam Wright Chair of Entrepreneurship and a professor of management at Middle Tennessee State University, where he led the Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship program to record-setting growth.
As the Miller School director, Aaron will direct the B.S. in Entrepreneurship degree and Entrepreneurship Certificate programs and multiple co-curricular programs, e.g., the Aman Pirate Challenge. Additional duties include teaching, student recruitment, fundraising and investor relations, strategic planning and budgeting, communications and branding, and other duties necessary to lead a successful and vibrant entrepreneurship school. Aaron will have oversight of the Crisp Small Business Resource Center and Isley Innovation Hub, a 15,000-square-foot campus-wide innovation space.
Aaron will receive the J. Fielding Miller Distinguished Professorship. The responsibilities of this professorship are focused on providing highly effective leadership and fulfilling the strategic goals of the Miller School. "We are handing over the Miller School keys to a leader who has led and transformed at every stop in his academic and professional journeys," said Harris. "I look forward to working with Josh as he leads the Miller School and continues to build its reputation as a national model."
“I want to thank Mike Harris for his dedication to the Miller School,” said Fielding Miller, CAPTRUST chairman and CEO. “Under his leadership, we have evolved from an entrepreneurial idea into a thriving school that is stronger by the day. As we approach the school’s ten-year anniversary, I am thrilled to welcome
Josh Aaron to take the reins and carry us forward into our next chapter.”
Aaron is originally from Lenoir City, Tennessee. He holds a Ph.D. in Strategic Management (2008), an MBA in Strategic Management (2003) and a B.S. in Accounting (2001), all from the University of Alabama. He held academic positions at Georgia State University and ECU (2008-2014) before joining MTSU in 2014. Before academia, he was an auditor at Ernst and Young, LLP in Birmingham, Alabama.
He currently serves on the board of directors for the Small Business Institute®, the board of advisors for the Tennessee Small Business Development Center and the finance committee for the United Way of South Central Tennessee. "I am honored and deeply grateful to be selected to lead the Miller School of Entrepreneurship," said Aaron. "The Miller School's accomplishments in its first decade are truly remarkable. I look forward to collaborating with its students, faculty, staff, alumni, investors and Dean Harris to reach new heights as we remain steadfast in our commitment to student success, public service and regional transformation."
Aaron will begin his role as director on August 1, taking over for Chip Galusha, who has served as the interim director since 2023. Of Galusha, Harris said, “His dedication and passion kept the Miller School firing on all cylinders during this transition. I truly appreciate all that he did for the Miller School over the years.”
Dr. Joshua R. Aaron
AIS Chapter and partners bring art and technology to aid youth affected by Hurricane Helene
Story
On October 19, 2024, students from the College of Business (COB) AIS Chapter in the Department of Management Information Systems (MIS) joined forces with the NC STeP Peds program and the COB Office of Expert Services to host a vibrant and impactful booth at the 20th Annual Greenville Youth Arts Festival. This unique initiative engaged local youth in creating artwork to support children in Western NC affected by the recent Hurricane Helene.
Natural disasters like Hurricane Helene leave deep impacts on children’s mental and emotional well-being, with research indicating that up to 50% of children exposed to such events may experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress, including anxiety, depression, and concentration difficulties.
Recognizing these challenges, the collaborative team aimed to create a calming and creative space for local youth. Utilizing both traditional art techniques and advanced AI technologies, the booth enabled approximately 150 young participants to create “healing artworks”. In total, 98 artwork pieces were collected from participating youth. Select pieces will soon be featured in the newly launched NC Kids Get Well virtual community house art gallery, with a virtual art tour video planned to broadcast the collection to affected children across Western NC.
AIS Chapter students (and Arthur IMBA students) Fiona Freyholtz and Craig Geter, along with MIS professor Dr. Lucky Xue, led event engagement efforts, while COB students Seth Jones and Luke Rabey assisted with the initial booth setup.
“This event exemplifies how ECU COB students apply their knowledge and expertise to support regional youth and foster resilience in the wake of adversity,” said Dr. Lucky Xue, director of the Center for Healthcare Management Systems found in the Office of Expert Services.
By Michael Rudd | Photo Courtesy of Lucky Xue
AIS students and Dr. Lucky Xue (right) host booth at 20th Annual Greenville Youth Arts Festival.
MBA students earn 1st place in global competition
Story By Michael Rudd | Photo Courtesy of Will Bjorkman
Students in Dr. Joy Karriker’s graduate strategic management course won top honors in the worldwide August 2024 Glo-Bus Best Strategy Invitational (BSI). Karriker has used simulations, including GloBus, for more than 19 years, with numerous teams earning high global rankings.
From Karriker & Aaron* (2014): “Simulations like the BSG and Glo-Bus allow students the opportunity to practice their integrated, strategic management skills in a relatively risk free environment or “live case.” Because of their sound designs and intimacy with the principles of strategic management, the BSG and Glo-Bus provide unique and particularly rich contexts for student application of capstone constructs through complex, yet enjoyable, competitive frameworks.” They enhance online course delivery in several ways, not the least of which is providing for synergistic interactions among online students.
About the competition
From the Glo-Bus site: “The Best-Strategy Invitational (BSI) is a global competition among high-performing GLO-BUS companies from around the world. Hosted and administered by the GLOBUS author team, the BSI is held over a two-week period each May, August, and December. Any student-team finishing in 1st place in the GLO-BUS simulation exercise conducted at their school, college, or university will receive an invitation to participate in the BSI.”
A total of 368 teams from around the world were invited to compete in the August 2024 BSI, and 17 teams accepted the invitation. The competition saw one to five class members run companies that are
in a neck-and-neck race for global market leadership in two product categories: (1) wearable video cameras and (2) sophisticated cameraequipped copter drones. As many as 12 companies can compete in a single industry grouping (class sizes above 50 are typically divided into two or more industry groups). The companies compete in a global market arena, selling to buyers in four geographic regions—Europe-Africa, North America, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America.
Each ECU team earned 1st place globally in its respective simulation industry. This is the first time an ECU team has won the BSI.
Will Bjorkman participated on one of the teams. He says, “The fact that both winning teams this past summer session came from your (Karriker) class at ECU really is a demonstration of the high-quality education we receive here in the ECU College of Business. I could not have done it without everything I have learned here from you (Karriker) and all of my professors,” said Bjorkman. “It truly has made me into a better person already, and I could not be more grateful.”
* Reference: Karriker, JH & Aaron, JR (2014). More than just fun and games: BSG and Glo-Bus as strategic education instruments. Journal of Management Education, 38(5), 768-755.
Will Bjorkman
The Office of Expert Services in the College of Business opened in 2024 to provide thought leadership, actionable research and industry knowledge to individuals and organizations in eastern North Carolina.
The Office includes five areas:
Bureau of Business Research
Center of Healthcare Management Systems
Crisp Small Business Resource Center
Professional Services and Executive Education
Twilley Academy of Sales Leadership
Since its opening, OES has:
• Worked with 226 state and regional organizations such as hospital emergency departments, Environmental Protection Agency, Herford County, Fort Liberty and others.
• Launched the Rural Community Capacity (RC2) program, a statewide initiative sponsored by the Crisp Small Business Resource Center.
• Completed the first cohort of the 21st Century Leadership program of workshops designed to develop leadership capabilities in an individual.
• Served 500 individuals who participated in 30 workshops.
