Beta Gamma Sigma
Beta Gamma Sigma is the international honor society recognizing the outstanding academic achievements of students enrolled in collegiate business and management programs accredited by AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
Membership in the Society is the highest recognition a business student anywhere in the world can receive in a baccalaureate program in business.
Faculty Members
Dr. Jerry Bennett, Distinguished Professor Emeritus: Dr. Jerry Bennett graduated from the University of South Carolina Columbia in 1976 with a Ph.D. in Accounting Information Systems. He joined the School of Business Administration and Economics as Dean in August of 1986. Dr. Bennett returned to the faculty in July of 1998 as Professor of Accounting. Dr. Bennett was inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma in 1976 as a candidate for his Ph.D. in Accounting at the University of South Carolina Columbia.
Dr. Diana Clary, Distinguished Professor Emeritus: Dr. Diana Clary graduated from Virginia Tech with an Ed.D. in Vocational-Technical Education. She has a master's degree from Virginia Tech in Business Administration and a second master's degree from Clemson University in Professional Accountancy. She joined the school of Business in 1987. Dr. Clary was inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma in 1973 at Virginia Tech as an MBA graduate. In March of 2002, Dr. Clary founded and inducted the first members of Beta Gamma Sigma on the Spartanburg campus. She served as Acting Dean during the 2003-2004 Academic School Year.
Dr. Lilly M. Lancaster, Professor, Management: William S. Moore Palmetto Professor in Quality Studies, Dr. Lancaster received her Ph.D. in Management Science from the University of Massachusetts. She has taught at USC Upstate since 1987 in operations management and statistics. She has published in a number of scholarly journals including European Journal of Operational Research , Interfaces , Socio-Economic Planning Sciences and Production and Inventory Management . She is a member of the American Society for Quality and has served as the academic advisor for the Industrial Crescent Chapter of the APICS - The Educational Society for Resource Management. She has served as an examiner for the South Carolina Governor’s Quality Award.
Dr. Darrell F. Parker, Dean: Dr. Parker is the Dean of the Johnson College at USC Upstate. He is an elected Commissioner and is on the Board of Trustees for the Commission on Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Prior to coming to USC Upstate, Parker held the William Freeman Distinguished Chair of Free Enterprise and served as Director of the School of Economic Development at Georgia Southern University. He previously served as professor of economics at Winthrop University, where he was named Winthrop University Distinguished Professor in 1999; awarded the First Union Excellence in Teaching prize in 1991; and received the 1988-89 Phi Kappa Phi award for Excellence in Teaching. From 1990-2001 he served as Director of the Winthrop Economic Development Center, which he established. He received a Ph.D. in Economics from Purdue University. His Areas of Specialization include: General Economics and Business, Regulatory Economics, Labor Economics, Public Economics, and International Business.
Dr. Sarah P. Rook, Professor, Economics: Dr. Rook received her M.E. and Ph.D. degrees in economics from North Carolina State University. She teaches macroeconomics, microeconomics, and statistics. Her research interest is environmental economics.
Dr. Rob Routman, Assistant Professor, Business Law and Tax: Mr. Routman joined the faculty in 2007. He earned a Juris Doctor and Master of Taxation from Georgia State University. Before joining USC Upstate, he was the Senior Associate Council for MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority).
Dr. Frank Rudisill, Associate Dean, Associate Professor, Management : Dr. Rudisill received a Ph.D. in management science from Clemson University. He joined the USC Upstate faculty in fall 2002. He teaches in the areas of management, operations management and statistics. He has 20 years experience in industry as a statistician, operations research manager and statistical quality control consultant. His research interests focus upon applying quality tools and techniques in solving industrial problems. He has published in Production and Inventory Management and Quality Engineering. He is the co-author of a book, Quality Management and Measurement Systems. Dr. Rudisill is a member of the American Society of Quality and holds APICS certification.
Dr. Richard W. Stolz, Professor, Economics: Dr. Stolz received his Ph.D. in Economics from Michigan State University. He served as dean of the School of Business and Technology at University of Wisconsin-Parkside from 1997-2000 and the dean of the School of Business at Robert Morris University from 2000-2002. He has published in a number of scholarly journals including the Journal of Banking and Finance, Journal of Financial Research and the Quarterly Journal of Business and Economics. Dr. Stolz joined the School of Business in July of 2004 and served as dean until December, 2005.
Dr. Elnora Stuart, Professor, Marketing: Dr. Stuart joined the faculty in 2008. She earned a Ph.D. in Marketing from the University of South Carolina. Before coming to USC Upstate, Dr. Stuart was a visiting professor of marketing at the Instituto de Empressa in Madrid, Spain. She has also served as professor of marketing, BP Egypt Oil Professor of Management Studies, marketing unit head and AACSB Accreditation Coordinator for the Department of Management at the American University in Cairo, Egypt.
Dr. Faruk Tanyel, Professor, Marketing: Dr. Faruk Tanyel, professor of marketing, graduated from the University of Tennessee Knoxville in 1983 with a D.B.A. in Marketing. He joined the School of Business Administration and Economics in January of 1980. Dr. Tanyel was inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma in 1983 as a candidate for his D.B.A. in Marketing at the University of Tennessee Knoxville.
Dr. William Word, Professor, Economics: Dr. William Word graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1970 with a Ph.D. in Economics. He joined the School of Business Administration and Economics as Dean in July of 1998. Dr. Word returned to the faculty in July of 2003 as Professor of Economics. He was inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma in 1966 as a senior at the University of Tennessee.