Business leaders join Belk College advisory council

Charlotte business leaders Dale Boyles, Curt Fochtmann, Michael Smith and Jon Wierda have joined the Business Advisory Council of the Belk College of Business at UNC Charlotte.

Boyles is a partner at KPMG, LLC, focusing on industrial and consumer market companies. He has significant experience in the area of assurance and advisory services on multi-disciplinary client service teams for major accounts. Boyles formerly served as the corporate division controller for Collins & Aikman Corp., an international automotive supplier, before joining KPMG. He is a 1987 graduate of UNC Charlotte and a Certified Public Accountant. Boyles is involved in a number of charitable and community development organizations, including the Board of Managers of the Siskey Family YMCA and a volunteer for United Way agencies.

Foctmann is managing partner for the Charlotte office of Ernst & Young. He has 22 years experience with Ernst & Young in a variety of client service and leadership roles. An Alabama native, Fochtmann started his career with Ernst & Young in Birmingham; he has lived in Dallas, Cincinnati and Atlanta, where he served as the global director of human capital for the firm. Fochtmann serves on the board of the United Way of Central Carolinas and is a Tocqueville Society member.

Smith is president of Charlotte Center City Partners, which facilitates and promotes business, cultural, retail and residential initiatives in urban core of the Charlotte region. A native of Greensboro, Smith earned an undergraduate degree at UNC Chapel Hill and an M.B.A. from Northwestern. Prior to his role as President of CCCP, Smith was the chief financial officer at the Charlotte Chamber. Smith is very active with the St. Ann’s Catholic Parish and Catholic Social Services. He serves on the board of United Way, the Charlotte Chamber, the Arts and Science Council and the Hospitality and Tourism Alliance.

Wierda is a partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory Services group in Charlotte. He currently leads PwC’s SE Region utility industry. Prior to relocating to Charlotte, he was based in the Detroit area and served as industry lead in the Central region. Wierda is a 1979 graduate of Ferris State University in Big Rapids, MI. He is a CPA in North Carolina, Michigan and Ohio. He has been involved in a number of organizations over his career and most recently was a co-founder of “Points for Pediatrics,” a Detroit-based initiative to raise money for Children’s Hospital and create awareness for girls’ sports.

The Business Advisory Council is a group of business and civic leaders who work with the Belk College to increase the college’s visibility and presence in the community. The Council also provides feedback on the college’s academic programs and community initiatives. David L. Hauser, chief financial officer of Duke Energy Corp. and a 1977 graduate of the Belk College’s M.B.A. program, serves as chair.