Buies Creek, N.C.-What better way to give students a taste of the real world of business than to see the business of government in action? Campbell University students were given that opportunity when the City of Dunn held its Municipal Budget Retreat in Lynch Auditorium on Friday, Feb. 5. Dr. Ben Hawkins, dean of the Lundy-Fetterman School of Business, called the retreat an excellent “unofficial” launch to the school’s fifth annual RBC Business Week set for Feb. 8-11.
“We’re now facing the most difficult economy that we’ve ever faced,” said President Jerry M. Wallace to members of the Dunn city government. “Good management is such an important part of our economic recovery.”
Dunn officials, including Mayor Oscar Harris, Finance Officer Mark Stevens, City Manager Ronnie Autry, City Attorney Tilghman Pope, and the Dunn City Council discussed the city’s status both now and in the future.
Hawkins remarked that North Carolina wasn’t even on the country’s economic radar a few years ago. “But we’ve done some pretty innovative things, with the development of Research Triangle Park and other projects,” he said. “It takes people like you here today, people of vision to make these things happen.”
City Manager Ronnie Autry reported on projects that are currently underway and on the horizon for Dunn. Some of these included upgrading the waste water treatment and sewer systems, finding practical uses for the old Harnett High School property and developing the Tyler Park facility.
“This is a chance for our business students to observe just how much government is run like a business,” Hawkins said. “It’s a great introduction to our Business Week activities.”
The theme for Campbell’s Business Week, sponsored by RBC Bank, is “Social Responsibility: Reasons to Care,” each of the week’s activities focus on a particular facet of this theme. Some of the highlights of the event include a tour of the RBC building in Raleigh and participation in a dinner and roundtable discussion on client relations with RBC professionals; a panel discussion featuring human resources personnel from various organizations; a panel on employee relations and a special fair attended by representatives of service organizations from the surrounding area.
Photo Copy: Campbell President Dr. Jerry Wallace welcomes Mayor Oscar Harris, left, at a meeting held at Campbell on Friday.