GWU Provost and Executive Vice President Dr. Ben Leslie, left, and Melissa LaBruzzy, Walmart Distribution Center human resource manager, sign their portion of the agreement.

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.--The Gardner-Webb University Godbold School of Business recently formalized a partnership with Walmart Distribution Center in Shelby, N.C. The agreement provides management training to Walmart employees through the University's Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) program.

"The business school is excited about this partnership, and we look forward to developing the relationship further," remarked Mischia Taylor, dean and professor of marketing. "I want to thank everyone who helped to create this joint venture."

The PACE program offers specific, non-credit courses to enhance the skill levels of professionals.

The courses are taught by faculty with real-world experience from the business school and other disciplines on the GWU campus. The content is based on current trends and research. The faceto- face classes begin Jan. 20 at the Distribution Center and will meet for seven weeks. Employees will receive certificates when they complete the training.

The details of the agreement were coordinated by Melissa LaBruzzy, Walmart Distribution Center human resource manager, and Dr. Anthony Negbenbor, GWU professor of economics and international business, and the assistant vice president for business development and partnerships.

"I'm grateful for the incredible work that Dr. Negbenebor has put into this," noted GWU President Dr. William M. Downs. "At Gardner-Webb, we want to reach out to the community, to be partners and catalysts for good things going on in Cleveland County and beyond. We hope that Walmart finds the partnership to be one that benefits your employees. I'm eminently confident in the expertise of the folks from business and other academic areas who are going to staff these courses and provide instruction. We look forward to seeing what great things we can do together."

Jason Nicholson, general manager of Walmart Distribution Center, thanked GWU officials and LaBruzzy for her work to establish the training programs. "With the work that Gardner-Webb has put into getting it started and the relationships we have already formed, I can see this is going to be a huge benefit for our staff and Gardner-Webb," Nicholson affirmed.