Announcing the C.H. Lute School of Business

Pictured (left to right): Jason Lute, Jennifer Lute, Marilyn Lute, Chris Lute

Continuing the Lute Family Legacy of entrepreneurship and community leadership through the C.H. Lute School of Business

Chris Lute is quick in responding why his family and their company have been long-time supporters of Shawnee State University. “There are so many possibilities and so much potential, right here in our region,” he said. “Some young people move away believing there are no opportunities here. That is not the case, and we need to empower our students to help build more business and industry right here in southern Ohio.”

In February 2022, SSU officially named the C.H. Lute School of Business, which honors three generations of the Lute family: Lute Supply Inc.’s founder, the late Caleb Hobert (“Hobe”) Lute; son, Christopher H. (Chris) Lute, and grandson, current CEO/President, Jason Christopher Lute. A dedication ceremony was held on October 19, 2022.

“By supporting SSU students studying business practices, entrepreneurship and other approaches to success, we can strengthen our economy as well as the quality of life in our community,” Chris said.

Chris and his wife, Marilyn, have been dedicated supporters of university projects over the years. In addition to significant monetary support, Chris was a leader in SSU’s “Reach for the Stars” capital campaign and Marilyn served on the SSU Development Foundation Board and the board of the Southern Ohio Performing Arts Association in partnership with the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts. In 2003, the family established the Lute Family Scholarship, which provides an endowment for SSU students majoring in business. Hobert Lute, along with his wife, Izetta, started the family business out of his garage as Lute Pump Sales on Argonne Road in Portsmouth, Ohio in 1952. He quickly expanded into a range of plumbing and supply services.

Over the years, the business thrived in Portsmouth, relocated to Second Street, and eventually occupied several blocks with its warehouses and showroom on Third and Jefferson Streets. In 2010 Lute Supply relocated to a newly remodeled 100,000-square-foot building in Rosemount which now encompasses its corporate offices as well as the Portsmouth Branch.

Hobert’s son, Chris, took the reins in 1975. The company expanded to Huntington, West Virginia ten years later and began its growth pattern and first steps into expansion. Today the company includes 11 stores in four states. As a wholesale distributor, it primarily serves contractors with heating and air conditioning (HVAC) supplies, and also provides plumbing, kitchen, bath and hardware in some locations, including Rosemount.

The company employs more than a hundred people, with more than 20 at the corporate headquarters adjacent to the sales branch in Rosemount. Lute Supply continue to be one of the top 100 wholesale firms nationally, according to Wholesaler Magazine, and a top 150 wholesale distributors according to Supply House Times.

Abraham Barcus

Major: Marketing // Hometown: Ironton, Ohio // Class of 2024

“Once I got into the Marketing program, I realized how much I enjoyed content creation and have enjoyed it even more during my internship.”

Working with a local marketing and public relations firm, Abe Barcus has been helping to produce promotional materials for their clients. He is also training in the latest practices in search engine optimization and marketing approaches with real field work.

“I’m definitely open to staying in this area with what I’m learning in this program and in the field here at Shawnee.”

Hands-on Learning for a 21st-century World

Hands-on learning approaches and real-world experience help graduates of the C.H. Lute School of Business get a strong start to their careers.

Shawnee State University’s Department of Business Administration transitioned to the School of Business in mid-2021, with the naming in honor of the Lute Family in early 2022.

“Bringing even more business education opportunities to our region is a primary objective for our university,” SSU Provost Sunil Ahuja said. “These steps reflect our continued commitment to helping our students as well as acknowledging the support we receive partnering with our regional business community.”

The school offers bachelor’s and related degrees in six disciplines: Accounting, Healthcare Administration, Information Systems, Management, Marketing, and Sport Management.

“Our school represents more than 10 percent of the enrollment at Shawnee State,” School Founding Director Dr. Steve Rader said. “In addition to the students pursuing one or sometimes dual bachelor’s degrees, we have students in other disciplines who pursue minors or associate degrees that can broaden and strengthen their knowledge base for their primary majors.” Dr. Rader noted the 21st-century economy, advancements in technology, and even precedents from the global pandemic have all driven a need for instruction in the best current practices.

“We are in a very exciting time to be teaching and learning about all the facets of business practices,” he said. “We employ state-of-the-art technology in remodeled classrooms in the Advanced Technology Center here on campus.”

Students have options in their schedules for certain classes in some semesters to be all online or in person. Using new teleconferencing technology, teachers and students can come together easily for classroom sessions online. Adapting to the needs during the COVID-19 pandemic, the need and demand for virtual engagement in the classroom has continued to expand.

“With our added all-online offerings in development or nearly complete, we can make the same degrees available to learners all over the world,” said Dr. Rader.

In addition to planned expansion of faculty, the C.H. Lute School of Business is a candidate in the process of earning accreditation by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IABCE).

“Earning this accreditation is a rigorous process that requires us to meet criteria demonstrating and sustaining quality education,” Dr. Rader said. “This brings us to a globally recognized status of excellence and best practices in business learning.”

Plans are also underway for offering a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) through the school, a program that is highly anticipated by students and alumni alike.

“The C.H. Lute School of Business is a focal point for aspiring entrepreneurs as well as current and future business owners and experts,” said Provost Ahuja. “The advancements we are making in business education here will have profound effects on the region’s economy for generations to come.”

For more information about the C.H. Lute School of Business and its areas of study and degree offerings, visit www.shawnee.edu/business.

Dr. Paeng Hopes to Inspire Service

The C.H. Lute School of Business at Shawnee State University welcomed new faculty member Seongcheol Paeng, Ph.D., in the Autumn 2022 semester as part of an expansion of faculty at the school.

Dr. Paeng comes to SSU from Brea, California, and has taught finance courses at Azusa Pacific University and California State University San Bernardino.

“My teaching philosophy is letting my students have their own dreams and follow them,” said Dr. Paeng. “I will teach them how my dreams came true and how happy they are when they follow their dreams.”

A native of South Korea, Dr. Paeng earned his Ph.D. in Economics from Claremont Graduate University, his Master of Arts in Political Science & International Relations from Korea University and his Bachelor’s in Architectural Engineering. He has lived in the United States for seven years, pursuing his interests in finance and teaching.

In addition to instruction and studies, he worked as a secretary for an Assemblyman in the Assembly of the Republic of Korea. He hopes to inspire learners with a sense of service as well.

“I will teach serving others,” he said. “Educational goals should increase not only individual interest but also public interest. Serving others is an important factor in business.” Tiffany Kiwabonga came to Shawnee State University looking to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Accounting while finding opportunities for connections on a smaller campus. Coming from Ashland, Kentucky where she completed two years at a community college, she found SSU to be the perfect fit for her.

“I’ve been able to get involved really easily with my classes and my professors,” she said. “It makes it all feel like home and that’s exactly what I was looking for.”

Finding comfort in getting lost in spreadsheets and numbers, Kiwabonga has been thankful for how her degree has helped her grow her confidence in the subject.

“The tedious nature of Accounting and how numbers all fit together is what makes me really like this work,” she said. “There’s a reason for everything.”

Throughout her classes, she completed an eight-month internship with an auditing firm, helping the organization administer audits for different businesses.

“It was really educational and I even got to go on site once to meet the clients that we were working for,” she said. “Putting a face to the name was a great experience.”

Outside of her Accounting major, Kiwabonga is also minoring in Information Security (Cybersecurity). During her

STUDENT

Tiffany Kiwabonga

Major: Accounting // Hometown: Ashland, Kentucky // Class of 2023

internship experience, she was able to see how these two different fields pair well together.

“Accounting deals with a lot of private information, so knowing how to protect that information makes my degree very valuable,” she said. “At my internship I saw members of my team talk with their cybersecurity firm a lot. It opened my eyes to how my minor will really help my degree in my future.”

As Kiwabonga looks forward to graduation, she’s thankful for the connections she’s been able to build with faculty members like her advisor Barry Lucas.

“Barry definitely knows what he’s talking about,” she said with a laugh. “Being able to build a relationship with your advisor is so helpful. He’s actually the one that helped me get my internship.”

While the C.H. School of Business starts expanding its offerings and resources for students, Kiwabonga is excited to see how this can impact other students in her degree.

“It’s a great benefit that these students will be able to learn about the different aspects of business at SSU,” she said. “As the school expands, they’ll be able to find the exact degree they want here.”