Faculty and Staff

Dr. Spencer Cowles, Professor & Department Chair
Dr. Cowles’ background is in commercial banking, where he worked for one of the largest commercial banks in New England. One of the most fascinating and fulfilling aspects of his banking career was working with entrepreneurs who had a better idea for doing something and who left secure careers to start a successful business of their own. Learn more

Chris Gingrich, Professor
Dr. Gingrich specializes in international trade and development issues. His international experience includes working 3 years in Haiti and 2 years in Nepal, both with Mennonite Central Committee. Most recently, he studied the economics of insecticide treated mosquito nets in Tanzania in conjunction with Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA).
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Leah Kratz, Assistant Professor
Leah Kratz, CPA, MBA is teaching Financial Accounting, Intermediate Accounting, Cost Accounting and Auditing. Leah earned an accounting degree at EMU and MBA at James Madison University. Her work experience includes public accounting and most recently in government, working for the State of Virginia as the Assistant Fiscal Director of Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center.
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Jim Leaman, Assistant Professor
Jim Leaman, Ph.D., is an EMU alum, having graduated with majors in business administration and computer science. He then gained several years experience in business management in the local region before enrolling at James Madison University, where he earned a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) degree focusing on nonprofit management and administration.
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Marilla Showalter, Instructor of Accounting
Marilla Showalter, CPA, teaches accounting and finance courses. She earned a B.B.A. in accounting and a M.S. in accounting from James Madison University. She has four years of experience in public accounting, where she specialized in the area of employee benefit plan audits. In addition to her experience as a public accountant, she has experience in the areas of banking (lending/loan operations) and business administration/bookkeeping.
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Jim Smucker, Scholar-in-Residence
Jim Smucker Ph.D., is serving as The Department of Business and Economics Scholar-in-Residence this semester. He is taking a sabbatical from his work at the Bird-in-Hand Corporation where he serves as President. The company owns and operates hospitality entities in the Lancaster, PA area employing over 450 people. He holds a Ph.D. in Management (specializing in leadership and organizational change) and has taught undergraduate and MBA classes in Entrepreneurship, Change Management, Human Resources, and Organizational Behavior. He is Past Chair of the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and has served on a number of for-profit and non-profit boards.

Anthony Smith, Associate Professor
Anthony E. Smith, PhD, teaches in the EMU Business and Economics Department and in the MBA program. He co-directs the MBA program with a special interest in the newly established concentration in Nonprofit Entrepreneurial Management.
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Ronald Stoltzfus, Professor
Dr. Ronald L. Stoltzfus, CPA, Ph.D., specializes in financial accounting reporting issues. His work experience includes the controllership of a large farm equipment company in southeastern Pennsylvania and summer projects with a local construction contractor, tire retreader, and an aviation company.
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Walt Surratt, Assistant Professor
Walt came to EMU with nearly 30 years of experience as a professional economist mostly with NERA Economic Consulting where he performed quantitative economic analyses in support of clients engaged in litigation or seeking professional advice and consulting.
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Adjunct Instructors

Lorie Lucas
Lorie Lucas, an EMU alum, is teaching Business Law. After obtaining a degree in Business Administration from EMU, Lorie went on to earn a J.D. degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. Lorie is licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Virginia. She spent several years as an associate attorney with a large law firm in Richmond, Virginia where her practice primarily focused on labor and employment law. Lorie joined the diversified financial services company Wells Fargo in January of 2005. In her current role as EEO Consultant Lorie provides strategic consultation on various equal employment opportunity issues and assists in resolving charges of discrimination. Lorie resides in Page County with her husband, Franklin and their son, Jackson. In her spare time Lorie enjoys travel, reading and shopping.

Edgar Miller
Edgar is a native of Ohio who moved to the valley in 1971 to attend classes at EMU. He graduated in 1976 with the BS degree in Social Sciences. He later earned his MEd in psychology at James Madison University. While at JMU he did additional course work in the MBA program, integrating these two disciplines in his leadership style in the work place. Edgar has been in leadership positions for more than 30 years, and he is currently the general manager for Truck Enterprises, Inc., a family-owned truck dealership. Edgar teaches marketing at the undergraduate level to traditional and adult degree completion students.
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Staff

Patty Eckard, Office Coordinator
In addition to working as office coordinator for the business and economics department, Patty Eckard is a mother of two adult sons. Her hobbies include reading, counted crosstitch, scrapbooking, and cooking.
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