Our founder and CEO, Paula Tompkins, will be speaking at the 178th Marshall University Commencement Saturday, May 9. Her speech comes just a couple weeks after her induction (pictured at the top of the page) into the Marshall University Lewis College of Business Hall of Fame Monday, April 27.

Tompkins’ speech, titled “Life is a Journey” will share her story of how a country girl from Huntington, West Virginia went on to start her own successful high-tech company.

“My goal is to use my personal story to share the important lessons in life. When they enter the world that awaits them, students need to understand that their adult life is indeed a journey—one over which they will need to assume control,” says Tompkins.

An active alumna of the university, Tompkins received her bachelor’s in business administration in 1974. After a short time on Wall Street, she assumed control of her life and broke gender barriers at 3M and General Electric as a sales engineer.

She has been an active member on the university’s foundation board of directors for 12 years. In 2014, she received the William E. Willis Leadership Award from Marshall University’s Yeager Leadership Institute in the categories of learning, guidance and honor.

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