UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Charles H. Whiteman, John and Becky Surma Dean of the Smeal College of Business, has announced that Pam Turner, class of 1986, recently joined the Penn State Smeal College of Business Finance Advisory Board.
Turner, the managing director at Capital One Healthcare, has more than 30 years of experience on both the portfolio management and underwriting side of business. She currently focuses her efforts on loan originations in the medical device and technology industry. Over the course of her career, Turner has underwritten and sold both asset-based lending and cash flow credit facilities, specializing in senior debt.
“Smeal’s curriculum is weighted toward traditional Wall Street investing,” Turner said, “but there is a whole other world out there for students to explore. My experience is on the debt side rather than the equity side and it’s an area where I believe I can really contribute and be valuable to students.”
The board is comprised of prominent alumni in the finance and investment communities. Board members meet twice each year — one time on the University Park campus and one time in New York City. The FAB advises faculty and administration on matters related to the strategic direction of the department; works with students in the classroom and through mentoring roles; facilitates internship opportunities; and encourages research and collaboration between faculty and students.
“Pam has built an exceptional career in a highly demanding profession,” said Michelle K. Houser, senior director of development and alumni relations. “She is passionate about Penn State and the Smeal College. She has a strong business acumen, and she’ll be a terrific role model for all of our students.”
Whiteman said Turner will help add to Smeal’s profile.
“Smeal’s reputation for excellence continues to grow at the national level and alumni like Pam Turner certainly contribute to that,” he said. “Pam brings a breadth of experience that the board was missing, and her contributions will make our program even stronger.”
Turner said she is excited to contribute to Smeal.
“Everyone has been great in helping me find my place at Smeal, and I’m excited to lend my voice and my experience to the board,” Turner said. “There are so many terrific students at Smeal. I want them to see that there’s more than one career path in finance, and I want to make sure Smeal is the best place for them to learn about it.”