Calling Salem County’s Campbell family remarkable, Dr. Donald Farish, president of Rowan University, gave a nod to generations of the Mannington Mills clan during a major academic event at the Glassboro campus on Thursday, Oct. 14.

“Generosity and philanthropy,” he said, “are embedded in the family lineage.”

The occasion for the comment was the Investiture of Dr. Gulser Meric as the John B. Campbell Professorial Chair in the Rohrer College of Business in the Eynon Ballroom of the Chamberlain Student Center.

The professor of finance is the first to hold this prestigious position, which was funded by a $1-million contribution for an endowment fund from the late Mr. Campbell’s wife, Ann “Buffy” Campbell, in 2000. The highly competitive chair recognizes outstanding research, teaching and service. Meric will hold the post until August 2011.

An Investiture is a major event in academia, a formal ceremony that in this case recognizes the faculty member honored with the title of professorial chair, the donor to the University and the person for whom the position is named.

John B. Campbell

Mr. Campbell, of Salem, died at age 75 in 1998. He was the former president and chairman of the board of flooring manufacturer Mannington Mills Inc. in Salem County.

Legendary for his work ethic, generosity and contributions to the well-respected flooring giant and the business field at large, Mr. Campbell was the third generation to run the family firm started by his grandfather. He attended Dartmouth College and the Marines’Officers Candidate School and took part in the invasion of Iwo Jima. He began working at Mannington Mills after World War II and became a leader in the flooring field, building Mannington Mill’s international reputation. He was a strong advocate for — and generous donor to — numerous organizations in Salem County.

“Education has always been very important to our family,” Mrs. Campbell said. “We recognize Rowan provides first-class programs for undergraduate and graduate students. It’s exciting to be a part of building the business college through funding this chair.”

She said that honoring her husband was especially important to her in funding the endowment.

“He was smart and honest, generous and determined. These are all qualities I hope to see in Rohrer business students,” she said. “I know Johnny would be pleased to see his family help carry on his legacy with the young people at Rowan University through the work of professors like Dr. Meric.”

The chair

As professorial chair, Meric will organize semi-annual research and pedagogical strategy presentations for the Rohrer College of Business; explore funding opportunities for research and teaching in the College; and mentor junior faculty in research, teaching and service.

Meric earned a Ph.D. in business and industrial economics and an M.S. in business economics from Lehigh University and a B.A. in finance and economics from Ankara University, Turkey. She joined the Rowan faculty in 1987 and was promoted to full professor in 1994. She served as the director of the M.B.A. program from 1993 to1997.

An author of 65 peer-reviewed journal articles and five book chapters, Meric has been published in top-tier finance journals such as the Journal of Banking and Finance, Financial Management and Financial Review. She co-edited a book on global financial markets, and she has been a guest editor and editorial board member for several finance journals. She has presented 71 papers at national and international conferences and chaired numerous conference sessions.

Recognized at Rowan for excellence in teaching, Meric has been voted by business students as a “Professor of the Year” and named by the Rowan University Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning to the “Wall of Fame,” which recognizes excellence in teaching and learning. She has been a three-time recipient of the Alumni Advisory Council Research Award. Meric is the founder of the Financial Management Association and the Finance Mentorship Program at Rowan.  

“The Rohrer College of Business takes great pride in its dedicated and successful faculty — many of whom deserve this award. I consider myself fortunate to be the first recipient of the John B. Campbell Professorial Chair. It is truly an honor for me,” Meric said.

Campbell family generosity

Addressing Mrs. Campbell, the professor added, “Your gift and the legacy of your husband, Mr. John B. Campbell, will continue to propel the Rohrer College of Business to the forefront of academic excellence. Your kindness will create new research opportunities for our faculty and advanced learning experiences for our students.”

The Campbells have had a long relationship with Rowan, and family members have been benefactors in several ways. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell’s son, Keith, served on the University’s Board of Trustees from 1993 to 2005, and he was chair of that body from 2000 to 2002. In 2000, Keith and his wife, Shirley, donated $1.5 million to the Rowan University Foundation primarily to create an endowment for the library, which was later named for them.

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