BETHUNE-COOKMAN MOURNS THE LOSS OF DR. WILLIAM J. ZIEGLER

Dr. William J. Ziegler

CAREER ACHIEVEMENTS 1992 – Established Christmas Store for disadvantaged children in Daytona Beach area. Children bring a penny to purchase items that were donated by local businesses and residents. 1994 – Established internship program and community sponsorship with Publix Supermarkets 1995 –  Certificate of Appreciation from students for “Devoted and Invaluable Services rendered’’ by the BEEP Associates, Brian Z. Royster, CEO, awarded June 29. 1995 – B-CC’s recipient of the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry’s “Exemplary Teacher Award,’’ presented at January 22, 1996, President’s Assembly.  1995 – SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) Sam M. Walton Free Enterprise Fellowship, awarded April 1996 – Awarded Nissan Fellowship for Historically Black Colleges and Universities 1997 -- Labor market survey through Workforce Development Board 2000 – Franchising Pilot Program with Campbell Middle School, Westside Elementary School and Mainland High School. 2001 – Franchising Entrepreneurship Program, funded by grant from PepsiCo Foundation.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Dr. William J. Ziegler, the driving force behind Bethune-Cookman College's nationally prominent Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) program and the creator and head of the International Business Department at B-CC, died Monday (January 26) night. He was 60.

"The passing of Dr. William Ziegler is grievous news to the B-CC family and to me personally,'' said College President Dr. Oswald P. Bronson, Sr. "He stood tall as an effective teacher and friend to the students and took pride in their progress. Dr. Ziegler's work lifted our students to national and international recognition. We therefore will always hold him in the highest regard."

B-CC Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty Dr. Ann Taylor-Green remembers Dr. Ziegler as "one of the College's most valued faculty members."

"I know of no person who had more pride in and love for his students than this dedicated professor," Taylor-Green said. "He can never be replaced."

Dr. Ziegler joined the B-CC School of Business faculty 14 years ago. During his tenure, he oversaw the introduction of a major in International Business at B-CC. 

"I look at this as a loss of a friend, colleague and role model. Someone who always placed students and B-CC before his personal concerns,'' said Dr. Aubrey Long, Dean of the B-CC School of Business. "Bill  was invaluable  to the College. He was committed. Regardless of the challenges that were set forth, he was always the one willing to take the bull by the horns.''

In 1994, Dr. Ziegler founded the SIFE program at B-CC. SIFE students apply their classroom experiences to develop and implement educational outreach programs that teach individuals in their communities the principles of market economics, entrepreneurship, and personal finance success and business ethics.

The Bethune-Cookman SIFE Team was a Regional Champion for each of the last five years and in 2003 finished as one of the top 16 four-year division teams at the SIFE USA National Exposition in Kansas City. The organization named Dr. Ziegler a Sam M. Walton Free Enterprise Fellow in recognition of his leadership and support of the program.

"His passion for SIFE was driven by a deep belief in his students and a commitment to provide them with continued opportunities for personal growth and development.  This commitment is evidenced by the tremendous success achieved by both the SIFE Team at Bethune-Cookman and the team members individually,'' said Mat Burton, Vice-President for University Relations at SIFE headquarters, located in Springfield, Mo. "Beyond his own team, Dr. Ziegler earned the respect and admiration of so many of the thousands of students, faculty and business leaders across the nation involved with SIFE.  He will be missed by the entire SIFE organization."

Students remember the inspiration that Dr. Ziegler provided.

"He believed in us so much,'' said David Pierre-Louis, SIFE's student Chief Operating Officer. "He gave us the opportunity to be the best. He laid down a path for us to shine. He believed in everybody, and gave everybody an opportunity to be somebody."

"He was a person that sees way beyond who you think you are and tries to motivate you to see who you really are,'' said Sharnette DaCosta, a B-CC senior. "The first day I met Dr. Z, he addressed me not as a student, but as an aspiring businessperson. He saw totally beyond where I  currently was. I didn't always look at myself as a person who can make a difference. With Dr. Z as my advisor, he shared with  me life lessons that he learned in order to show me that I too can make a difference, just like he made a difference in the things he accomplished.''

Dr. Ziegler's legacy to the community of Daytona Beach includes a litany of community service projects, including a joint project with the Mid-Florida Housing Authority and the City of Daytona Beach that taught the aspects of entrepreneurship to low and middle income households.

"He was a man of certainty in a world that was changing day-by-day," said Clifford Barnes, an Instructor of Management at B-CC and collaborator with Dr. Ziegler on numerous projects. "He was mired firmly in the grounds of issues of morality and service to humankind."

Dr. Ziegler also established one the B-CC SIFE's signature projects, the annual Free Christmas Store, for disadvantaged children in the Daytona Beach area.

"He believed in the mission of [College Founder] Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune,'' said Diondre Larmond, a senior member of the SIFE team. "He was a remarkable teacher and person. Bethune-Cookman College has lost one of its angels today."

In 2001, Dr. Ziegler earned his Doctorate in Business Administration from Nova Southeastern University.

Dr. Ziegler had over 30 years of experience in the business and marketing industry. He was a former Director of Marketing Research and Strategic Planning for Johnson & Johnson, Incorporated (Inc.), where he created a pilot strategic planning model utilized to shape the direction for the 150 franchises inside the company. Dr. Ziegler also occupied the position of Vice President of Marketing and Business Planning for Cardiac Control Systems, Inc., where he developed domestic and international market opportunities with contacts in places such as Tokyo, Japan.

Dr. Ziegler earned his Bachelors of Science degree from Rutgers State University of New Jersey; a Masters in Economics from the University of Massachusetts; and a Masters of Business Administration from New York University.

He is survived by his wife, Marcella. The couple had no children of their own, but considered his students to be their  "children," and many of them refer to Mrs. Ziegler as "Momma Z," says Dr. Long.

Haigh-Black Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Viewing will be Friday, January 30 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the funeral home, located at 167 Eining Court, Ormond Beach    The funeral service will be held Saturday, January 31 at 11 a.m. in Heyn Memorial Chapel, located in White Hall, on the B-CC campus. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Dr. William J. Ziegler endowed scholarship fund. Contributions should be made payable to the Dr. William J. Ziegler endowed scholarship fund and mailed to the Bethune-Cookman College Office of College Advancement, 640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL, 32114. For more information, contact Summer Hutcheson, III, Vice-President for College Advancement at (386) 481-2950.

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Bethune-Cookman is a comprehensive college, which offers degrees in liberal arts as well as professional fields, such as business, education and nursing. A United Methodist Church-affiliated school, the College has a diverse and international student population of more than 2,700 and a solid reputation for academic excellence and community service. As evidence of its outstanding program, the College has been listed in the Templeton Honor Roll of Character Building Colleges and Universities, and it was ranked by Black Enterprise magazine as one of the “Top 50” schools in the nation for black students.  B-CC is one of 10 charter member colleges of Project Pericles, a program to create civic leadership and involvement on its member campuses.  The College will celebrate its 100^th year of founding on October 4, 2004.

For more information, contact our website www.bethune.cookman.edu. 

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