Spring 2008 Harlan Boyles CEO Lecture Speaker John H. Zimmerman with her husband, Robert (left), and Appalachian State University Chancellor Dr. Kenneth E. Peacock.
Walker College Harlan E. Boyles Distinguished CEO Lecture Series
Joan H. Zimmerman, chief executive officer of Southern Shows, Inc., was the featured speaker at the Spring Harlan E. Boyles Distinguished CEO Lecture at Appalachian State University.
The event, sponsored by the Walker College of Business, was Tuesday, April 1. The lecture series is named for the late Harlan E. Boyles, who served for 24 years as N.C. state treasurer. The lecture and reception are open to the public. For more information, call (828) 262-2057.
You can read Zimmerman's speech here. You can read media reports on her appearence here.
You can view photos from the day here.
About the Speaker
Zimmerman, who was educated in England, founded Southern Shows, Inc. in 1959 and produced her first show in 1960. In 2005, she was honored with inclusion into the North Carolina Business Hall of Fame.
Zimmerman is past chairman of the Charlotte Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, received the Business Journal’s as well as Queen’s University’s first Lifetime Achievement Awards, serves as a mentor for new business owners, and has served many major organizations in a leadership role.
Southern Shows produces consumer shows, such as the Southern Spring Home & Garden Show, the Southern Christmas Show and a series of 10 Women’s Shows across region. The company is based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and operates 21 shows with a combined attendance of over 600,000 guests.
Previous Speakers
Since 1988, the Harlan E. Boyles Distinguished CEO Lecture Series has attracted close to 40 top business leaders to campus. You can review a list of all-time speakers, and their topics, here.
Harlan Boyles
The Distinguished CEO Lecture Series began in the Spring of 1988 and is held each semester. In October 1991 the Series was dedicated to Treasurer Boyles in honor of his service to the State of North Carolina. An endowment fund was established at that time, with the assistance of former U.S. Senator James T. Broyhill, to permanently endow the series in Boyles' name.
Harlan E. Boyles (1929-2003) devoted his 49-year career to the citizens of the State of North Carolina. A native of Lincoln County, Boyles was elected to six four-year terms as State Treasurer and served under nine governors. His name was associated throughout the state and the nation with fiscal integrity, hard work and honesty.
Harlan Boyles was dedicated to education, and through his involvement with Appalachian State University and the Walker College of Business, he was able to share his experience, advice and wise counsel with hundreds of students and future business leaders. For eleven years, he came to campus to preside over the bi-annual Harlan E. Boyles Distinguished CEO Lecture Series.
Not only did his association with the Walker College make a difference in many on-campus endeavors, but it also had a tremendous effect on the college’s fund-raising efforts. He was honored with three separate endowments in the college -- for the lecture series, student scholarships, and faculty support. These endowments will provide an impact on the college for years to come.
