Situated within the College of Business at Ohio University, our center nurtures student leaders into Global Business Leaders of tomorrow. Established in 2012 through a generous endowment from Cardinal Health on behalf of esteemed alum Robert D. Walter, the center embodies a commitment to leadership education. Our mission is grounded in a robust leadership framework that prioritizes leading self, leading teams, and leading organizations.
Through our innovative teaching methods and practical experiences, we empower students with the skills and mindset needed to excel in a globalized business landscape. Our curriculum is designed to foster business acumen and instill a profound sense of ethical responsibility and the significance of leading with integrity.
Meet Our Team
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Jen Traxler, D.ODC
Executive Director - Background Image
Amy Toth, M. Ed
Director, Learning & Development - Background Image
Amy Taylor-Bianco, Ph.D.
Director, Master of Science in Management (MSM) - Background Image
Kimberly Jordan, MBA
Director, Strategic Leadership Certificate - Background Image
Steve Musser, MBA
Assistant Director, Wandell Leadership Fellows - Background Image
Shawnee Chapman, M.A.
Director, HR Management Certificate & SHRM Chapter - Background Image
Tom Marchese, MBA
Co-Director, Emerging Leaders
Robert D. Walter
The Robert D. Walter Center for Strategic Leadership (Walter Center) is dedicated to Robert D. Walter, founder, retired chairman, and CEO of Cardinal Health, Inc., a multi-billion dollar global provider of healthcare products and services. When he retired in 2008, Cardinal Health was ranked 19 on the Fortune 500. He currently serves on the Boards of American Express Company, YUMI Brands, Inc., and Nordstrom, Inc., and is a partner with Talisman Capital Partners.
At Ohio University, Walter was involved in the Ohio University Board of Trustees and also served as chair. Over the years, gifts from Walter and his wife, Peggy, have been instrumental in the construction and renovation of three facilities on campus: Margaret M. Walter Hall, Walter International Education Center, and Walter Fieldhouse. The couple currently reside in Dublin, Ohio.
Leadership Model & Approach
Our Leadership Approach
The Walter Center leverages tested theories, approaches, and best practices to ensure students are prepared with the knowledge, skills, and competencies to launch successful careers and become transformational industry leaders. By employing the Strategic Leadership Competency Model (SLCM), students better understand themselves, their teams, and their organizations.
The SLCM is an adaptation of Sirmon et al.’s (2007) resourced-based theory model, which outlines a process by which organizations structure, bundle, and leverage resources to add value and gain competitive advantage. Our model is focused on the intangible resources possessed by individual students in leadership development programs. It labels its components with the terms recognizing, mobilizing, and executing.
Walter Center programming allows students to:
- Recognizeintangible resources in the form of their potential leadership qualities. The four qualities (or resources) we seek to recognize in potential leaders are knowledge of business, strategic thinking, the ability to generate ideas and focus, and learning agility.
- Mobilizeleadership development by translating predictive qualities into capabilities or practical skills. Through coursework and other instruction-based activities, an SLCM-based program would empower participants with the motivation to lead and the ability to develop and inspire people, foster collaboration, and embody leadership presence and communication.
- Executehands-on activities that improve students’ ability to lead, inspire, collaborate, and communicate. This will foster the development of capabilities into the core competencies of acting on analysis, creating value from fit, competitively driving results, and following through on promises. The end result is a performance that adds value and gives our students a competitive advantage in the job market.
Our Leadership Model
Walter Center History
2009
- Initial Endowment by Cardinal Health in honor of Robert D. Walter
2011
- Strategic Leadership Certificate launched
- Select Leaders was the first selective student program sponsored by the Center
2012
- Tim Reynolds opened the doors to the Robert D. Walter Center For Strategic Leadership
2013
- First Leadership Development Conference launched for Graduate Programs
2014
- Tammy Reynolds launched the Emerging Leaders Program
2016
- The Center invested in experiential learning and networking trips with Alumni and Corporate Partners
2018
- The Human Resources Certificate and SHRM Chapter was created, allowing students to explore HR further
2019
- The first publication of The Walter Magazine was released
2020
- The Master of Science in Management (MSM) opened for online enrollment
2021
- Established the Walter Center Legacy Award
- Lancaster Family Endowment, introducing: The Raymond A. Lancaster Executive Leadership Speaker Series and the Raymond A. Lancaster Executive Fellow
2022
- Tim Reynolds stepped down as Executive Director - passing the torch to Jen Traxler, D.ODC
2023
- Keith and Deborah Wandell Endowment - Renaming Select Leaders to Wandell Leadership Fellows
2024
- Launched the inaugural LEADLive Series, The Leader Games Challenge, and Student Leader Awards