Professors to Retire after 55 Combined Years at ECU

Veteran College of Business professors Dr. Judith Hunt and Dr. Fred Schadler will retire at the beginning of the fall semester, marking more than 55 years of combined teaching at East Carolina University. The 2014-2015 academic year is Hunt’s 27th year in the Department of Management and Schadler’s 28th year in the Department of Finance.

Harriett Moore in the College of Business’ Advising Office also retired on March 31 after a career spanning more than 20 years at East Carolina University.

Hunt first came to ECU in 1988 after teaching at the University of Rhode Island for five years. She earned her undergraduate degree from Temple University, her MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University, and her PhD from the University of Tennessee. Originally from New Jersey, she said Greenville was a bit of a culture shock at first, but she quickly grew to love life in her home outside the city limits. She says the students have made her university experience fun and memorable in the College of Business, where she has primarily taught the senior capstone course, Strategic Management.

“I have always loved the interaction with students and their bright young minds,” she said. “Whenever I walk into my classroom, nothing else matters. These kids have been raised right, and they are a joy to teach. The great thing is that when they grow up, they become wonderful adults, too.”

In Hunt’s class, students learn how to research organizations extensively, which oftentimes helps them later in life. Alumni frequently list Dr. Hunt’s class among their favorites, and she is routinely elected to serve as the marshal or hooder during graduation.

Schadler began teaching at ECU in 1987 after serving in the U.S. Air Force from 1966 to 1970. He earned his undergraduate degree in accounting from West Virginia University, his MBA from UNC-Charlotte, and his PhD from the University of South Carolina. Prior to teaching , he worked in public accounting with Coopers and Lybrand (now PricewaterhouseCoopers) in Charlotte, N.C. and was a senior financial analyst with Korf Industries.

He has taught investments during the majority of his career, and the university has recognized his teaching quality numerous times, even awarding him with the Robert L. Jones Award for Outstanding Teaching in 2008-2009.

Schadler said, “As technology and the Internet improved, I increasingly used investment simulations for the students to engage in making investment choices.  Seeing the excitement and hearing the students discuss their investment choices and outcomes is always a highlight during each semester as they experience the ups and downs of individual securities and the financial markets.”

During his second year at ECU, he reinstituted the Student Financial Management Association in the COB – helping the organization to win several national awards. He also started an annual student trip to the Philadelphia Stock Exchange and ultimately the New York Stock Exchange. The New York trips continue to the present day.

Schadler also helped to coordinate a weekly newspaper column on financial issues called “Your Financial Health” for The (Greenville) Daily Reflector nearly  20 years ago.  Each member of the Department of Finance continues to contribute to the column today, which has expanded into seven eastern North Carolina newspapers.

“The congeniality of the faculty in the Department of Finance has been outstanding,” Schadler said. “Over the years, very few have left the department for reasons other than retirements.  They have been and remain a great group of colleagues.”

Hunt will retire effective Sept. 1, 2015. She says she plans to pursue masters courses at Duke University and focus on the humanities since her background has involved so much science. Schadler’s phased retirement will also begin this fall, although he will remain involved with academics for the next three years teaching online MBA courses. He says he looks forward to traveling more and reading nonfiction books  that do not include the word “finance” in them.

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