Joey Popp, a 30-year broadcasting veteran, has been elected as the first chair of the Business Advisory Board for the Ralph W. Ketner School of Business at Catawba College.
Robert Van Geons, recently named executive director of the Salisbury-Rowan Economic Development Commission, is the new vice-chair. Cecilia Stach, administrative assistant for the math department and Ketner School of Business, will be secretary.
The Business Advisory Board was formed last year to advise the business faculty on issues affecting the Ketner School of Business. The board of 40 members meets twice a year.
“We are pleased that the board has selected strong leadership to serve Catawba College and the Ketner School of Business in particular,” Phil Kirk, vice president for external relations and staff person for the board, said. “The board has already demonstrated its value to the college, and we look forward to great things from the members in the future.”
The board sponsored the inaugural Catawba College Business Hall of Fame event in October and is now working on the first Distinguished CEO Lecture Series this spring. Its next meeting will be Feb. 22.
Popp, a 1977 Catawba graduate, is the television host for WTVI’s medical program, “HealthWise,” and radio host for WFAE’s “Weekend Edition” Saturday. He serves on the Mecklenburg County Bioethics Resource Group.
A graduate of Mooresville High School, he and wife, Catherine, live in the historic Elizabeth Community in Charlotte and operate Marketing & Media Resources, an advertising and public relations firm.
Until recently, Van Geons was executive director of the Stanly County Economic Development Commission. He has been a planner for Kannapolis and Spencer. He and wife ,Tara, a teacher in Stanly County, have also participated in several Piedmont Players productions.
Van Geons is a native of Waterbury, Conn. In Stanly County, he also managed the building inspections and planning and zoning for the Stanly County manager. 
He graduated from Catawba in 1997 with a degree in political science with an emphasis in American government. He also has a master’s degree in economic development from the University of Southern Mississippi, where he also is working toward his doctorate of philosophy in international development.  He is vice chairman of the Economic Advisory Council for the Charlotte Regional Partnership.
Stach, a 2005 graduate of Catawba, worked in the college library prior to moving to the Ketner School of Business and math department. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in liberal studies at Wake Forest University. She has a son, Logan, 5.
Bostian Good Citizens
The staff of Bostian Elementary School recently recognized the following students as December Good Citizensfor going above and beyond what is expected of them at school:
Kindergarten: Imer Andaya, Brandon Barrera-Gutierrez, Michael Molenda, Savannah Pless, Colby Tubbs, Zachary Mayor, Kate Carter, Payton Jeffers and Adeline Rookstool.
First grade: Amanda Davis, Bailey Wagner, Adam Lyles, Zoie Lee, Lillie McClellan and Jarrid Nelson.
Second grade: Blake Blackmon, Autumn Williams, Austin McCorkle, Kaitlyn Stout, Blanca Perez and Tristan Beaver.
Third grade: Michael Bonilla, Anne Gibby, Megan Loan and Isaac Bell.
Fourth grade: Julia DeBerardinis, Garrett Pell, Austin Lear and Kayla Smith.
Fifth grade: Morgan Craft, Jason Hudson, Jennifer Eury, Brandon Moose and Quan Lipscomb.
Summer camp awards
North Carolina’s Touchstone Energy cooperatives are partnering with N.C. State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to offer educational and athletic opportunities for rising sixth- through eighth-graders this summer.
Middle school students statewide are encouraged to apply for 50 all-expense-paid scholarships to attend basketball camp. Boys may apply for the Roy Williams camp in Chapel Hill, and girls may apply for the Kay Yow camp in Raleigh.
Yow, coach of the Wolfpack women’s basketball team, and Williams, coach of the 2005 national champion Carolina Tar Heel men’s basketball team, will each instruct campers with the help of staff and current players. The program allows students to spend time on a college campus as well as receive individual and group instruction from two successful collegiate coaches to enhance their basketball skills.
Applications for both camps will be accepted through March 28. Winners will be announced May 1.
They will attend the overnight camp in Raleigh June 22-26 or in Chapel Hill June 21-25. Campers must have permission from a parent or guardian to attend camp and must provide their own transportation to and from the camp.
Applicants will be judged on their academic records, extra-curricular activities and an essay that must be submitted with the application.
Eligible students should contact their local electric cooperative or Lisa Mumma at 1-800-662-8835, extension 3214, or lisa.mumma@ncemcs.com. Applications can be downloaded from www. ncelectriccooperatives.com. For more information on the camps, visit www.kayyowcamps.com or www .tarheelblue.com.