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A former East Central University professor will be the speaker for the annual Parker Ethics Lecture Wednesday [FEB. 15] at ECU.

Dr. Thom Balmer, a former assistant professor of human resources at ECU, will discuss vulnerability and decision-making issues for elderly clients and customers in business environments. His presentation will begin at 2 p.m. in the Estep Multimedia Center in the Bill Cole University Center and is free and open to the public.

The lecture is sponsored by ECU’s Oscar L. Parker Center for the Advancement of Ethical Standards in Business and Society and the ECU Student Chapter of the Oklahoma Business Ethics Consortium.

Balmer taught at ECU from 2004 through last semester. He is now an assistant professor in the Psychology Department at Cameron University in Lawton.

A veteran himself, Balmer was an advisor for ECU’s College Veterans Association.

He is a licensed professional counselor and marital and family therapist with approved supervisor status in each. He also holds clinical membership and approved supervisor status with the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. He has extensive experience in assessing and treating individuals, couples and families and has inpatient psychiatric hospital experience.

He also has been director of Shepherd Counseling Services and pastor of Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Church, both in Sulphur.

Balmer holds a doctoral degree from Capella University; a master of divinity degree in psychiatric chaplaincy from Southern Seminary, Louisville, Ky.; a master of arts degree in family counseling from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas; and a bachelor’s degree from Howard Payne University.

The Oscar L. Parker Center for the Advancement of Ethical Standards in Business and Society was established in 1988 as a memorial to Oscar L. Parker, a highly respected educator, businessman, college administrator and civic leader of Ada, and an active supporter and long-time employee of ECU. I

The mission of the center, which is directed by Dr. Tom Lanis, associate professor of business administration, is to be an accessible resource on ethics for business and society, to promote ethics education and ethical behavior, and foster discussion on ethics and ethical issues.      Its vision is a world where sound ethical principles guide the decisions and actions of people in business, government and society, Lanis said.

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