Herbel inducted into K-State Business Hall of Fame
Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024
Vern Herbel, former executive vice president and chief administrative officer of Torchmark Corporation, was inducted into the K-State Business Hall of Fame. Pictured above are Kevin Gwinner, Edgerley family dean of the College of Business Administration, left, and Herbel. | Download this photo.
MANHATTAN — The College of Business Administration at Kansas State University recently inducted Vern Herbel, a business leader and strong supporter of business programs at the university, into the K-State Business Hall of Fame.
Herbel, a Kansas native who graduated from K-State in '79 and now lives in McKinney, Texas, rose through the ranks during a 32-year career to become executive vice president and chief administrative officer of Torchmark Corporation, now Globe Life Inc.
In 2021, Vern and his wife Joan, who graduated from K-State in '78, established the Vern and Joan Herbel Accounting Academy. They also funded programs at K-State to enhance accounting education, including the Herbel Accounting Fellows program, a scholarship, and a Connecting Across Topics, or CAT, Community. Vern serves on the College of Business Administration Accounting Advisory Council and the Dean's Business Advisory Council, and he is a KSU Foundation Trustee.
"Vern exemplifies the qualities we aim to instill in our students," said Kevin Gwinner, Edgerley family dean of the College of Business Administration. "Through transformative initiatives like the Vern and Joan Herbel Accounting Academy and the Herbel Accounting Fellows program, he has enhanced accounting education at K-State, creating opportunities for students to achieve their potential and pursue impactful careers. His dedication to student success and the accounting profession reflects his belief in the transformative power of education. Vern's legacy will continue to inspire future generations of Wildcats."
The Business Hall of Fame was established in 2001 to recognize friends of the College of Business Administration at Kansas State University who have distinguished themselves from their peers in their chosen business field and have consistently demonstrated significant personal involvement toward enhancing the life of the college.
Herbel was recognized at the College of Business Administration's Evening of Gratitude event, a collaboration with the Kansas State University Foundation that brought together alumni, friends and supporters to celebrate the transformative impact of philanthropy on the college and its community.
For more information about philanthropic and engagement opportunities at the College of Business, please contact Dillon Boggs, senior director of development at the Kansas State University Foundation.
