Catawba College Business Hall of Fame

The Catawba College Business Hall of Fame is sponsored by the Business Advisory Board for the Ketner School of Business. It inducted members during the years 2007 through 2012. No members were inducted during 2011.


Listed alphabetically by last name within induction year        

2007      Julius W. Abernethy, Sr.

  • Trustee Emeritus, Catawba College
  • President and Chairman, Carolina Mills
  • Held controlling interests in dozens of textile mills
  • Philanthropist Extraordinaire
  • Abernethy Physical Education Center and Abernethy Village named in his honor
  • Active Leader in Grace Reformed United Church of Christ
  • U.S. Army Veteran, World War II
  • Native of Catawba County

2007      Thomas S. Carroll ’41

  • Graduate, Catawba College, 1941
  • Graduate, Harvard University, 1947
  • President and CEO, Lever Brothers, 1967-1980
  • Trustee Emeritus, Catawba College
  • Honorary Doctorate, Catawba College, 1970
  • Former Executive Vice President, International Executive Service Corps
  • Speaker and Key Leader, Executive Symposium Series, Catawba College
  • Native of New York City, NY

2007      Claude B. Hampton, Jr. ’48

  • Graduate, Catawba College, 1948
  • Master’s degree, Syracuse University, 1970
  • Graduate, Advanced Management Program, Harvard University, 1977
  • Retired Executive Vice-President, Nabisco Brands, U.S.A.
  • Former Executive-in-Residence, Ketner School of Business
  • Honorary Doctorate, Catawba College, 1986
  • Adrian L. Shuford Award for Distinguished Service, Catawba College, 2007
  • Veteran, United States Air Force, World War II
  • Born in Newton, NC        Resident of Salisbury, NC

2007      Ralph W. Ketner

  • Chairman Emeritus and Co-Founder, Food Lion
  • Trustee, Catawba College
  • Who’s Who in America
  • Who’s Who in Supermarketing
  • 1 of 50 Visionaries in the Supermarket Industry, Supermarket News, 2002
  • NC Citizen of the Year, 1992
  • Member, North Carolina Business Hall of Fame, 1990
  • National Entrepreneur of the Year, 1990
  • Lifetime Achievement Award, INC Magazine, 1990
  • Adrian L. Shuford Award for Distinguished Service, Catawba College, 1987
  • “Man of the Year”, Salisbury Lion’s Club, 1985
  • Honorary Doctorate, Tri-State University, 1982
  • Honorary Doctorate, Catawba College, 1981
  • North Carolina Retailer of the Year, 1977
  • North Carolina Grocer of the Year, 1972
  • Veteran, U.S. Army, 1942-1946
  • Native of Rowan County

2007      Lynne Scott Safrit ’80

  • Graduate, Catawba College, 1980
  • Master’s degree, UNC Charlotte, 1981
  • Graduate, Commercial Real Estate Institute
  • President, Castle & Cooke, North Carolina
  • President, Atlantic American Properties
  • Project Manager and Chief Spokesperson, North Carolina Research Campus
  • Licensed Real Estate Broker
  • Member, Catawba College Board of Trustees
  • Recipient, O.B. Michael Award. Catawba College, 2001
  • Winner, Charlotte Business Journal’s Top 25 Women in Business
  • Achievement Award, 2006
  • Native and resident of Kannapolis, NC

2007      Adrian L. Shuford, Jr.

  • Graduate, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
  • Trustee Emeritus, Catawba College
  • Chairman, Catawba College Board of Trustees, 1951-1977
  • Honorary Doctorate, Catawba College
  • Textile Executive and Philanthropist
  • Two-term member of North Carolina Senate
  • Mayor of Conover and Catawba County Commissioner
  • Lieutenant, U.S. Navy, 1943-1945
  • Native of Hickory, NC

2007      Millard F. Wilson

  • Graduate, University of Florida
  • Former Chairman of Business Department and Director of Placement Office, Catawba College
  • Catawba Yearbook Dedication, 1957
  • Service Award for Outstanding Teaching, 1967
  • Honorary Doctorate, Catawba College, 1981
  • Adrian L. Shuford Award for Distinguished Service, Catawba College, 1995
  • Officer in many organizations
  • Author of articles, research papers, and textbooks on advertising
  • Native of Florida

2008      Claude S. Abernethy, Jr.                

  • Honors Graduate of Davidson College, 1948
  • Harvard University, 1950 Graduate School of Business Administration
  • U.S. Army Veteran
  • Honorary Doctor of Business Administration, Catawba College 1970
  • Adrian L. Shuford Award for Distinguished Service to Catawba College, 1994
  • Trustee and Generous benefactor, Catawba College, 1960 – Present
  • Active in Corinth United Church of Christ, Hickory
  • Retired Senior Vice-President, Wachovia Securities
  • Native of Catawba County

2008      C.A. “Junie” Michael, III ’70

  • Graduate of Catawba College, 1970
  • President/CEO of Parkway Ford
  • Trustee, Catawba College, 1997-Present
  • Member, Board of Visitors, Catawba College, 1996
  • Chaired Catawba’s $35 million endowment campaign, 2004-2008
  • Catawba College Distinguished Alumnus Award, 2000
  • Adrian L. Shuford Award for Distinguished Service to Catawba College, 2006
  • TIME Magazine Quality Dealer Award, 2002
  • Native of Lexington

2008      Clifford A. Peeler

  • Graduate, University of North Carolina, B.S. degree, 1924
  • Graduate, Columbia University, MBA, 1925
  • President, Board Chairman and Treasurer, Carolina Beverage Corp. (Cheerwine), 1931-2000
  • Honorary Doctorate of Humanities, Catawba College, 1951
  • Trustee and Trustee Emeritus, Catawba College, 1938-2000
  • Adrian L. Shuford Award for Distinguished Service to Catawba College, 1985
  • Life of Exemplary Service Award. Catawba College, 1992
  • Member of Salisbury Civitan Club for 75 years
  • Former Mayor of Salisbury
  • Native of Rowan County

2008      Tom E. Smith ’64

  • Graduate, Catawba College, B.A. degree, 1964
  • Former President/CEO, Food Lion, Inc.
  • Member and former Chairman, Catawba College Board of Trustees, 1986 to Present
  • Distinguished Alumnus Award, Catawba College, 1982
  • Adrian L. Shuford Award for Distinguished Service to Catawba College, 1994
  • Honorary Doctor of Laws degree, Catawba College, 1987
  • Martin Luther King Humanitarian Award, 1987
  • Bronze & Silver CEO of the Year Award, 1988
  • North Carolina Grocer of the Year Award, 1989
  • Civic Commitment Award, National Council on Aging, 1989
  • Member, U.S. Army Reserve, 1968-1972
  • Native of China Grove

2009      Darlene L. Ball ’62

  • Graduate, Catawba College, B.A. degree, 1962, magna cum laude
  • Graduate, Leadership Greensboro
  • Former Corporate Vice President for e-Business Development, Burlington Industries, Inc.
  • Recipient, Burlington Industries Chairman’s Award for Innovation
  • Recipient, Stanley Blacker Award for Excellence in Textile Information Science, 1983
  • Guest Lecturer, N.C. State School of Textiles, UNC Greensboro School of Design
  • Member and Vice Chair, Catawba College Board of Trustees, 2000- Present
  • Former President, Catawba Alumni Association, 1970-1972
  • Member, Catawba Board of Visitors, 1972-1975
  • Recipient, Catawba College’s Distinguished Service Award, 1976
  • Chair, Women’s Professional Forum Foundation Board
  • Member, Advisory Board for Guilford County Adult Health Care Administration
  • Former President, Catawba College Student Government Association, 1961-1962
  • Former Member, N.C. State Advisory Council on Libraries
  • Member, St. Francis Episcopal Church, Greensboro
  • Native of Silver Spring, Maryland

2009      Enoch A. Goodman, Jr. ’38

  • Graduate, Catawba College, B.A. degree, 1938
  • U.S. Navy Veteran of World War II
  • Partner and General Manager of Lessees, B.V. Hedrick Gravel & Sand Co.
  • Past Chairman and President, Southern Concrete Materials, Inc.
  • Past Chairman and President, Buncombe Construction Co.
  • Member, Salisbury City School Board
  • Trustee and generous benefactor, Catawba College Board of Trustees, 1954-2005
  • Honorary Doctorate of Humanitarian Service, Catawba College, 1968
  • Inductee, Catawba Sports Hall of Fame, 1978
  • O.B. Michael Award, Catawba College, 1964
  • Adrian L. Shuford, Jr. Award for Distinguished Service, Catawba College, 1984
  • Exemplary Life Service Award, Catawba College, 1992
  • Trustee, Rowan Memorial Hospital
  • Board Member, Security Bank and Trust
  • Member, First United Methodist Church, Salisbury
  • Native of Salisbury

2009      James F. Hurley, III

  • Graduate, Woodberry Forest School, 1949
  • Graduate, UNC Chapel Hill, B.A. degree in Journalism, 1953, Phi Beta Kappa
  • U.S. Army Veteran, 1953-1955
  • Editor, The Salisbury Post, 1964-1974
  • Publisher, The Salisbury Post, 1974-1997
  • Chairman, Holmes Investment Company
  • Chairman, J.F. Hurly, Elizabeth Hurley Park and Hurley-Trammell Foundation
  • Chairman, Blanche & Julian Robertson Family Foundation
  • Trustee, former chairman, and generous benefactor, Catawba College, 1977-Present
  • Honorary Doctorate of Letters, Catawba College, 1976
  • Adrian L. Shuford, Jr. Award for Distinguished Service, Catawba College, 1986
  • Former Chairman, Catawba College Campaign for Excellence, 1986-1989
  • Inductee, N.C. Journalism Hall of Fame, 1991
  • Former Chairman, Wachovia Bank Board of Directors (Salisbury Region)
  • Past President, Salisbury-Rowan Chamber of Commerce
  • Young Man of the Year, 1962; Man of the Year, 1984; Newsmaker of the Year, 1986
  • Member, First Presbyterian Church, Salisbury
  • Native of Salisbury

2010      Lotan A. Corriher, 1891-1892

  • Attended Old Catawba College, Newton, N.C. 1891-1892
  • Founder of Linn Mills and Corriher Mills, Landis, N.C.
  • Founder of Roselle Lighting Company and Corriher Enterprises, Landis, N.C.
  • Instrumental in moving Catawba College from Newton, N.C. to Salisbury, N.C.
  • Member of Catawba College Board of Trustees, 1925-1955
  • Chair, Building and Grounds Committee, and Member of Executive and Finance Committees
  • Principal donor of funds used to build the Corriher-Linn-Black Library on the Catawba College campus; that
  • facility opened in 1953
  • Married to Ida Linn Corriher, a 1892 alumna of Old Catawba, and later to Florence Busby, founder of Catawba College’s Blue Masque
  • Grandfather of Catawba College’s 19th President, J. Fred Corriher, Jr. ’60
  • Native of North Carolina

2010      Paul E. Fisher

  • Graduate, UNC-Chapel Hill, B.S. degree, 1960
  • Chairman/CEO, F&M Bank
  • Member, North Carolina Banking Commission, 1975-1977 and 1985-1989
  • President, North Carolina Bankers Association, 1987-1988
  • Member and Chairman, Catawba College Board of Trustees, 1975 to Present
  • Honorary Doctor of Humanitarian Service degree, Catawba College, 1994
  • Adrian L. Shuford, Jr. Award for Distinguished Service to Catawba College, 1997
  • Wall Street Journal Scholastic Achievement Award, 1960
  • Sam Walton Business Leader Award, 1996
  • Member, North Carolina Air National Guard, 1960-1968
  • Native of Granite Quarry

2010      Richard J. Seiwell ’67

  • Graduate, Catawba College, B.A., 1967
  • Ohio State University, M.B.A., 1968
  • Chartered Financial Analyst, 1977
  • Partner, Seiwell Advisors, LLC
  • Former Partner and Director of Research, Cashman, Farrell and Associates, Inc.
  • Member, Catawba College Board of Trustees, 1986 to Present
  • Chair Finance Committee, Chair Endowment Committee, Catawba College Board of Trustees
  • Distinguished Alumnus Award, Catawba College, 1999
  • Director, Chair Investment Committee, New Covenant Trust Company
  • Adjunct Trustee, Presbyterian Foundation
  • Member, U.S. Army Reserves, 1968-1974
  • Native of Pennsylvania

2010      James L. Williamson

  • Graduate of Catawba College, 1954
  • Graduate, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, M.B.A., 1957
  • Distinguished Alumnus Award, Catawba College, 1987
  • O.B. Michael Award, Catawba College, 1993
  • Retired Partner, KPMG, C.P.A.
  • Past President, Catawba Alumni Association
  • Former Member, Charlotte Chapter of Certified Public Accountants
  • Former Member, Board of Directors, Central Carolina Financial Corp.
  • Former Member, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
  • Former Member, N.C. Association of Certified Public Accountants
  • Former Member, Providence Day School Board of Directors
  • Member, Catawba College Board of Trustees, 1987-Present
  • Native of Forest City

2012      Bryan M. Applefield

  • 1966 Graduate of Catawba College
  • Trustee, Catawba College
  • Dean of Men, Catawba College
  • Vice President of Sturdivant Development Company
  • CEO of Goldco, Inc. Listed as a top 100 privately owned franchise in U.S.
  • President of Winco LLC
  • Venture Capitalist for two successful businesses
  • Interim Dean, Ketner School of Business
  • Commercial Real Estate Developer
  • Owned and operated 9 different franchise businesses

2012      Helen Ertl Applefield

  • 1967 Graduate of Catawba College
  • Native of Pennsylvania
  • Educator
  • President of Applefield Realty
  • Vice President of Goldco, Inc. one of the largest Burger King Franchises in U.S.
  • Managing Partner in diverse real estate portfolio
  • Co-founder of 501c3 Spay & Neuter Clinic
  • Active in numerous business start ups

2012      James T. Brewer

  • 1959 Graduate of Catawba College
  • Trustee of Catawba College, 1973-1998
  • Chairman of Board, 1995-1998
  • Trustee Emeritus
  • O.B. Michael Distinguished Alumnus Award, 1997
  • Wachovia Bank and Trust and Wachovia Corporation 1960-1993
  • Retired as Executive Vice President, Head of Administrative Division, Wachovia Corporation
  • Headed Retail Banking Division for 17 years
  • Active in civic affairs in Salisbury, Burlington and Winston-Salem

2012      David B. Jordan

  • 1959 Graduate of Catawba College
  • Chief Executive Officer of Security Capital Bancorp
  • Vice Chairman of CCB Financial Corporation
  • Active Leader and Elder in First Presbyterian Church
  • Civic and Community Leader in Salisbury/Rowan County
  • Chairman of North Carolina Bankers Association
  • Native of Salisbury, North Carolina

2012      Phillip J. Kirk, Jr.

  • 1967 Graduate of Catawba College with B.A., English and Secondary Education
  • Former Vice President for External Affairs, President of Alumni Association, and Trustee, Catawba College
  • Current Trustee, Meredith College
  • Recipient of Honorary Doctor of Laws degree, O.B. Michael Award, and Distinguished Alumni Award, Catawba College
  • Former Chief of Staff for Governors Jim Holshouser and Jim Martin and U.S. Senator Jim Broyhill
  • President/CEO Emeritus, North Carolina Chamber
  • Chairman Emeritus, State Board of Education, and Vice Chairman and Member of State Board of Community Colleges
  • Youngest N.C. State Senator in history at time of his election in 1970
  • Member of many civic, educational, and religious boards and commissions
  • Native of Rowan County and resident of Raleigh, North Carolina

2012      Arlen G. Yokley

  • 1959 Graduate of Catawba College
  • President of the Student Government
  • The Whitener Medal Recipient
  • Trustee Emeritus, Catawba College
  • First Family Scholarship Provider
  • Senior Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer BellSouth Corporation
  • Retired June, 1989, after 39 years with Southern Bell, AT&T, South Central Bell, and BellSouth Corporation
  • United States Army Veteran
  • Native of High Point, North Carolina