An Insiders Look at Magazine Publishing is Focus of LRU Business Forum

Bernie Mann, publisher of Our State magazine, will be the guest speaker at the Lenoir-Rhyne University Business Fall Forum. He will be sharing an inside look at the fascinating world of magazine publishing.

This event is hosted by Dr. Wayne Powell, the Charles M. Snipes School of Business faculty and the LRU Business Council Board of Directors. Mann will speak at a luncheon scheduled for 12:00-1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 9 at Lake Hickory Country Club. Registration will begin at 11:30 a.m.

Mann is the owner and publisher of Our State magazine, North Carolina’s premiere travel, history and culture publication. Part of the Our State brand also includes “Our State,” a monthly television show produced by UNC-TV. Now in its sixth season, the show has won 4 Emmy Awards.

Mann has been awarded by former Governor Easley the 2006 “Winner’s Circle” award for his contribution to North Carolina’s Travel and Tourism Industry, the 2005 North Carolina Presenters Consortium Award for service to the arts industry, and the 2003 Charles Kuralt Media Award for the promotion of North Carolina.

Prior to his career in publishing, Mann owned and operated 12 radio stations in North Carolina, Virginia, and Arkansas for 25 years.

He currently sits on the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Arts Council, Greensboro Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Eastern Music Festival. He is a past president of the Greensboro Symphony and board member of the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival. A Greensboro Rotary member since 1990, he served as president from 2006-2007, and past president from 2007 - 2008.



He lives in Greensboro, North Carolina with his wife Bobbie. They have three children and eight grandchildren.

Religious Studies Professor to Speak at LRU

The Lenoir-Rhyne University Institute for Faith and Learning will welcome Michael Vines, Ph.D. to speak on “Reading Right: Understanding the Gospels Within Their Literary Context.” Dr. Vines will be speaking in the Belk Centrum on campus at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 10. The event is free and open to the public.

Dr. Vines is associate professor of religious studies at Lees-McRae College. A graduate of Willamette University and a former staff worker with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Dr. Vines received his Ph.D. in Biblical Studies from Union Theological Seminary and Presbyterian School of Christian Education, and his M.A. in Biblical Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary. A member of the Society of Biblical Literature since 1991, his research interests focus on the literary history of the New Testament.

Originally from Anchorage, Alaska, Dr. Vines and his family now reside in Valle Crucis, North Carolina. When he is not teaching, Dr. Vines enjoys woodworking, as well as hiking and cycling in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Concert Series Presents Soprano Soloist

The Concert Series at Lenoir-Rhyne University will continue its 2011-2012 season with a free performance by soprano soloist Danielle Talamantes on Sunday, November 20 at 4 p.m. The concert will be held at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Hickory.

Talamantes has been described as a passionate opera star on the rise that completely commands her stage with body language that complements her vocal character portrayals. With a number of sold out performances, Talamantes has quickly become one of the regions most sought after soloists. Her concert in Hickory will include works by Schubert, Granados, Leoncavallo, Respighi, and Duke Ellington.

Her unique talents have also grabbed the attention of a number of classical music organizations, symphonies, and opera companies. She recently debuted as Violetta in Verdi’s La Traviata with the Fremont Opera. Other performances include work with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the National Philharmonic Chorale and Orchestra, and the Oratorio Society of Virginia.

Talamantes has received numerous competition honors of 1st and 2nd place across the country. She will continue to gain national notoriety with the current concert season including debuts with the Nashville Symphony and the Baltimore Choral Arts Society.

Established in the fall of 2000, the Concert Series at Lenoir-Rhyne University serves the university community and the greater Hickory area by providing opportunities to hear and interact with superb musical artists. The Concert Series brings musical artists to the University to present concerts and recitals, work with students in the master class setting, lecture to music classes, and provide examples of professional artistry in music.

For more information on this event and supporting the Concert Series, contact the Lenoir-Rhyne University Office of Advancement at 828-328-7822.

“Pastor/MONK-in-Residence” at L-R

The Rev. John Cochran, a Lutheran Benedictine monk from St. Augustine’s Monastery in Oxford, Michigan, is the Fall Pastor-in-Residence at Lenoir-Rhyne University, Monday, October 24 – Wednesday, October 26.

Pastor Cochran, who retired from a distinguished career as a parish pastor in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, PA in 2008, joined the Benedictine monastery soon after retirement, taking final vows as a Benedictine monk in 2010. St. Augustine’s, founded in 1957, was established in Michigan by a Lutheran Benedictine monastery in Sweden.

“Father John,” while residing on campus as Pastor-in-Residence, will visit classes, converse with students, faculty and staff, and serve as preacher for the university’s weekly Chapel service, Wednesday, October 26, at 10:00 a.m. He will be joined in Chapel that day by the university’s A Cappella Choir, directed by Dr. Paul Weber. 

On Monday, October 24, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m., Pastor Cochran will present at lecture at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church (downstairs) Newton Fellowship Hall entitled, “The Monk in the Modern World.” Responding to his remarks will be Brother Andrew Spivey, OSB, a Roman Catholic monk from Belmont Abbey, Belmont, NC; and a general discussion/question-answer time will follow.