Radford alumna is COBE's next executive in residence

dale-parris

Dale Parris '85

Radford University's College of Business and Economics (COBE) is welcoming Dale Parris, vice president Roanoke Gas Company, to campus this month as part of the college's Executive in Residence program.

Parris '85 will be on campus March 20 for an open forum with students, faculty and staff. The forum begins at 1:30 p.m. in COBE Building room 204. The forum will provide participants with an opportunity to ask questions and talk one-on-one with Parris, said organizer Jena Braden, a graduate assistant in the COBE Dean's Office.

"Having a former MBA student and Radford alumna spend the day with students is an amazing opportunity for all students," said Braden, a first-year MBA student from New Knoxville, Ohio. "Being able to ask her how she went through her process of transitioning from undergraduate to graduate to her successful career will be an extremely beneficial experience. I am so excited and thankful for this opportunity."

In her position with Roanoke Gas Company, Parris is responsible for rates and regulatory affairs, legal issues, legislative affairs and financial planning. She designs, coordinates and manages regulatory filings with the State Corporation Commission of Virginia, the Public Service Commission of West Virginia, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Parris also provides analytical support and strategic guidance in mergers and acquisitions and provides statistical development for forecasting and depreciation models.

Dale earned her MBA and a master's degree in mathematics with a focus on mathematics education from Radford. She is a member of the RU College of Business and Economics Advisory Council and currently serves as the vice chair of the Radford University Foundation.

In addition, Parris is the vice chair of the corporate board of the YMCA of the Roanoke Valley, chair of the American Cancer Society Leadership Council, a member of the Business Leadership Council and a member of the Industrial Development Commission for the City of Salem.

During the fall of 2014 semester, COBE introduced the Executive in Residence initiative, a program designed to expose the college's students and faculty to current issues affecting today's business world.

Program organizers invite participating executives to visit campus for two or three days and engage with students, faculty and the campus community through such opportunities as classroom sessions and lectures, one-on-one meetings and campus-wide forums.

Parris will participate in two management classes the day of the forum.

"Our students can benefit from this program by getting in front of and interacting with successful real-world executives and leaders," said COBE Dean George Low. "These executives can expose our students to current business issues and career paths more frequently than before."

Mar 18, 2015