William "Bill" Durham '89 ECON, '92 MS ACC was recently installed as president of the Appalachian Alumni Council, which represents all alumni of Appalachian State. He will serve a one-year term. 

Durham is a senior manager with the public accounting firm Thomas, Judy & Tucker P.A.

A certified public accountant, Durham has more than 17 years of experience in public accounting. He began his career with a national CPA firm in Raleigh and spent 16 years serving not-for-profit and middle market clients located primarily in North Carolina and Virginia.

Durham is assistant treasurer and a member of the executive committee of the Friends of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

Eugene “Gene” Cochrane Jr. '72 ECON, president of The Duke Endowment, will be the speaker at the spring Harlan E. Boyles Distinguished CEO Lecture. 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. 

The event, sponsored by the Walker College of Business, will be held Thursday, March 17, at 2 p.m. in Farthing Auditorium on campus. A reception will follow at 3:15 p.m. at the Broyhill Inn and Conference Center.

Cochrane has served as president of the Charlotte-based private philanthropic foundation for six years.  Prior to being named president, he was director and executive vice president of the endowment’s health care division.

Cochrane worked as a hospital administrator for eight years prior to joining The Duke Endowment in 1980.

Cochrane is a member of the Healthcare Advisory Board of the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust, the Board of Advisors of the McColl School of Business at Queens University, an elder at First Presbyterian Church Charlotte, and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Southeastern Council of Foundations. He participates in a number of local community and philanthropic organizations.

A Charlotte native, Cochrane is a graduate of Erskine College, Appalachian State University, and the Hospital Residency Program of Charlotte Memorial Hospital (now Carolinas Medical Center).

In May 2009, he received an honorary doctorate from the Medical University of South Carolina.

Donna Fisher '72 ECON is the author of five books, all centered on professional networking. Her latest is Power Networking Nuggets, which the Houston Chronicle describes as "an informational book that highlights the value of creating business partnerships." The newspaper includes a profile of Fisher today.

She began her career after graduating from Appalachian State University with a degree in business in 1972.

Her speaking business took off in 1989. This led to the publication of the books, beginning in 1991.

By 2001, Fisher had written her third book and opened The Percussion Center as president of HiHat Inc. Growing up, Fisher treasured her grandmother's ukulele, her father's guitar, and her own upright bass, hand drums and drum set.

You can find more details on her career at her website.

Michael Wilfong '05 MGT, who works as a real estate agent with Keller Williams Realty, recently received Charlotte's Best 5 Star award for Client Satisfaction, The 2009 ALC Board of Directions position, and sixth in Union County Top Sales Associates.

Mike Wright '90 FIN, currently serving as Yosef Club President for 2009, recently purchased a franchise from Ameriprise Financial and serves as an independent financial advisor in Salisbury.

Meredith McBurney '03 MGT has been promoted to trust officer with BB&T. She joined the bank in 2007 as a communication specialist in BB&T's Institutional Services department.

Diana Vuksic-Harris '01 FIN has obtained the Associate in Insurance (AIS) designation from the Insurance Institute of America.

Jeb McRary '09 ECON received a Masters in Business Administration from The College of William & Mary on May 17, 2009.

Kern Campbell '02 MKT is proud to announce the birth of a baby girl, Lindsay Quinn Campbell. She was born on May 6, 2009 in Raleigh, and weighed 8 lb., 9 oz.. Ashley (Mom) and Lindsay are both doing well. Big sister Avery is very excited to have a little sister.

Richard Stroupe '98 ITOM and Tina Stroupe are proud to announce the birth of their third child, a baby girl, Olivia Jean Stroupe. She was born on May 1, 2009 in Reston Va., and weighed 7 lb., 6 oz.

You can read more Class Notes - and submit your own with photos - in the Gold Book.