the faculty

Suzanne CalvertAssistant Professor (434) 381-6470 contact Ms. Calvert began teaching in 2002 as an adjunct professor teaching accounting. She holds two BS degrees in Business Education (Radford College) and Accounting (Lynchburg College). She also holds two masters' degrees in Business Management and Public School Administration. In addition to her masters' degrees she has completed additional graduate work in accounting. All masters' level work has been completed at Lynchburg College. In addition to 20 years of teaching and administrative experience at the secondary and college level, she has years of experinece in the corporate world. Over five years of banking gives her a real world perspective. While working in the commerical and retail lending area, she also completed the American Institue of Banking diploma. Ms. Calvert enjoys teaching introductory level accounting and ethics. Although accounting is her focus, she enjoyes bringing current events involving the business world into the classroom.
Mellody GotwaltInstructor (434) 381-6203 contact Before she came to Sweet Briar, Mellody Gotwalt worked many years in the corporate business environment. She was the senior financial accountant at AC Technologies, Inc. in Fairfax, VA. After she resigned from the organization to move to Sweet Briar, the organization contracted her for their lead consultant guiding them through their initial SEC audit and conversion to a publicly traded corporation following their merger with TEK. Prior to this, Ms. Gotwalt was the Administrator for Swissport, Inc. in charge of their Dulles station, where she oversaw human resources, payroll, and financial reporting. In prior years, Gotwalt operated Metamorphysis Consulting, a firm specializing in cost reductions, organizational restructuring and motivational training programs. The firm also provided motivational counseling to high school and college students. The success of her efforts with educational improvement in young students received recognition in a special feature in the Washington Times. A native of York County Pennsylvania, Gotwalt has a bachelor's degree in business administration and psychology from Millersville University, and a Masters Degree in industrial organizational psychology from George Mason University. Gotwalt's research interests include intrinsic motivation, and the determinates of efficacy in both organizations and individuals. "My personal hero is a gentleman I worked with as a young undergraduate student. What impressed me about this man was though even with limited mentally abilities, and the eligibility to test for the special GED, he chose to pursue and achieve a regular GED. That example has never left me. Think what we each of us could achieve if we unlock the foundation of that type of intrinsic motivation!"
Tom KilliamAdjunct Instructor (434) 381-6355 contact Tom Killiam has over 25 years of experience working with companies and institutions of all sizes in financial analysis, international trade regulation, management consulting, and new ventures. Most recently, he served with the U.S. Department of Commerce, in the International Trade Administration, where he calculated antidumping duty tariffs and conducted financial audits of overseas manufacturers in China, India, Mexico and Europe. Previously, Mr. Killiam wrote business plans for emerging companies, negotiated international acquisitions, and performed financial valuations of privately held companies. An honors graduate of Harvard College with a major in International Relations, Mr. Killiam earned his Masters in Business Administration, in Finance and International Business, from the Columbia University Graduate School of Business. His academic interests include the rates of diffusion of technological innovations across borders, and innovative full-cost measures of energy consumption practices. He resides close to campus on a small farm.
Tom LoftusAssociate Professor (434) 381-6203 contact Professor Loftus received his B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley, and his M.A. in Economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He earned his J.D. from Columbia University and has passed the bar and been admitted to the practice of law in Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia. After practicing corporate and securities law in Boston and Washington, D.C., Professor Loftus came to Sweet Briar where he worked on foundation and government grants, helping to raise over $5 million for the college. He currently teaches courses in Commercial Law and Business Ethics. Professor Loftus is married to Dr. Robin Lee Davies, Professor of Biology at Sweet Briar College. Together they are raising three delightful boys, William, David, and Brian. Professor Loftus has traveled extensively in the United States, Eastern and Western Europe, Africa, Turkey, Mexico and Central America. His hobbies include woodworking, gardening, boating, and photography.
Dr. Linda ShankVice President for Communications and Strategic Initiatives Director of the Business Program Professor (434) 381-6210 contact Dr. Shank joined the Business Management Department in the fall of 2000. She earned her Doctorate in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from Nova Southeastern University. Her other degrees include a B.S. in Psychology from Dickinson College; a M.S. in Counseling from Shippensburg State University; and a M.B. A. from York College of PA. In addition to her teaching responsibilities at Sweet Briar, Dr. Shank is the Executive Assistant to the President/Associate V. P. for Strategic Initiatives and is responsible for the oversight of the college's marketing and communications efforts. Prior to her appointment at Sweet Briar, Dr. Shank was an Associate Professor in the Business and Economic Department at Wilson College and Dean of the College of Continuing Education. Dr. Shank's research interests are in the consumer behavior area. She is particularly interested in how consumer's perceptions of quality, value and their satisfaction with a product or service impact on their willingness to recommend the product or service. Sweet Briar Courses BUSN 254 — Principles of Advertising BUSN 351 — Marketing Research Dr. Shank's students have completed marketing research projects and advertising plans for clients such as the Campus Book Store, The Sweet Briar Museum, The Amherst County Chamber of Commerce, and The Amherst County Department of Economic Development.