Dr. Brandon Kemp is the inaugural recipient of the Verbeth and Henry Ezra Coe Professorship of Engineering. The professorship was announced last year as a result of an estate gift from the Coes, prominent Jackson County citizens for decades. Mr. Coe was a 1938 graduate of what was then Arkansas State College with a degree in civil engineering. The couple was inducted into the university's Legacy Society in 2003.

Dr. Richard Segall, professor of computer and information technology, presented the plenary keynote "Big Data: A Treasure Chest for Interdisciplinary Research" at the World Multi-Conference on Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics of the International Institute of Informatics and Systemics in Orlando. Segall also co-authored "Combination of Bayesian and Latent Semantic Analysis with Domain-Specific Knowledge," which won the Best Paper Award in the computer science and engineering session.

Several representatives of university administration were invited by the Banking Academy of Vietnam to a six-day seminar in Hanoi, where they presented classes about their respective areas.  BAV is seeking ideas and input on how best to change some of their policies and procedures. BAV hosted and paid for the seminar. Participants and the areas each represented were Lori Winn, Human Resources; Donna McMillin, Finance and Administration; Robin Hicks, Academic Affairs; Dr. Rick Stripling, Student Affairs; Dr. Bill Smith, Marketing and Communications; and Dr. Thilla Sivakumaran, Global Initiatives. A group of BAV administrators will make a reciprocal trip to A-State during the fall semester.

Staff from the Small Business and Technology Development Center were recognized at ASBTDC's statewide meeting in Little Rock for outstanding performance and service to small businesses. The A-State SBTDC staff was named Star Marketing Team, while Kelli Listenbee (left or right) was among those receiving individual awards. Listenbee, business consultant, was named Rising Star in the Employee Excellence Awards competition among the seven SBTDC offices in Arkansas.

Robert Bahn, business coordinator, was among Small Business and Technology Development Center staff members who were recognized during ASBTDC's state conference. Bahn was named to the $4 Million Club, a recognition based on the dollar amount of loans and other forms of capital the staff members help their small business clients attain in a calendar year, ASBTDC designates three club levels of capital formation recognition.