University of Wisconsin-Whitewater alumna Dr. Camelia L. Clarke elected to the Board of Directors of Federated Insurance Companies

May 09, 2022

The University of Wisconsin–Whitewater College of Business and Economics is proud to announce that Dr. Camelia L. Clarke has been elected to the Board of Directors of Federated Insurance Companies, one of the largest mutual insurance companies in the nation. Dr. Clarke was also appointed to the Executive Committee and the Investment Committee at Federated, where she will help manage the organization’s nearly $20+ billion in revenue, assets and premiums.

Dr. Clarke, a licensed funeral director and president of Paradise Memorial Funeral and Cremation Services in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a 2019 graduate of the Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) program at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business and Economics (CoBE).

The DBA program at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is a practitioner-oriented degree with a curriculum focused on integrating business functions such as accounting, finance, management, marketing and information technology. The DBA degree can meet the needs of those who want to advance their careers or go into teaching or consulting. The doctorate program is ideal for working professionals. Unlike a Ph.D., which tends to focus on theory, the DBA is applied and will help graduates solve real-world business problems. Classes meet on the Whitewater, Wisconsin, campus one weekend a month for two years. During the third year, students work on a dissertation with the help of highly qualified faculty.

Dr. Clarke, in part, credits the DBA program with her success. In a letter to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Dr. Clarke stated, “my background in the death care industry, expertise in membership organizations and academic training from UW-Whitewater’s DBA program influenced the invitation (to Federated Insurance Companies) and my decision to serve on the board.” Dr. Clarke praises Federated’s exceptional leadership, which is woven throughout the organization's rich 118-year history.

“When I started the DBA program, it was very important to me to be able to ‘bridge theory with practice,” said Clarke. Putting her philosophy into action, Dr. Clarke stated that she shared research projects from her time at CoBE “with leaders from various industries,” with the confidence that many “were able to take insights into their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.”

Dr. Clarke specifically named two CoBE DBA program professors as central to her time at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Clarke credited marketing professor Jimmy Peltier, Ph.D., for creating “a rich journey” of learning. She thanked management professor K. Praveen Parboteeah, Ph.D., “for spearheading a top-notch DBA program.”

“We have a great program with an incredible cadre of caring faculty, and they want students to succeed,” said Dr. Parboteeah. He continued that “it has definitely been rewarding” to learn of Dr. Clarke’s appointment.

Robin Fox, Ph.D., interim provost at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, added, “Congratulations to Dr. Clarke and accolades to the faculty for their high-quality program. This is really amazing work.”

Professors desiring to teach doctorate-level courses in the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business and Economics must have extensive, current and ongoing research portfolios. To learn more about the Doctorate of Business Administration Program in the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business and Economics, please visit our website.

More information about Dr. Camelia Clarke may be found at the Paradise Memorial Funeral & Cremation Services website.

About UW-Whitewater
At the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, we inspire, engage and transform lives. Our higher education mission began more than 150 years ago — and we now serve more than 11,000 students at our Whitewater and Rock County campuses, 90% of whom stay in the region after earning their degree. Offering more than 170 undergraduate and graduate majors and minors as well as an education specialist and a doctoral degree. The Warhawk family — led by caring faculty and staff — is devoted to student success within a broad range of academic programs. One of only four Public Colleges of Distinction in the state, the university boasts small class sizes (20:1 ratio), is ranked one of the top 10 public colleges by the U.S. New & World Report, and is the top-ranked college in the state for serving students with disabilities.

The College of Business and Economics is Wisconsin’s largest AACSB accredited program offering bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees along with graduate certificates. Many programs may be completed online at online UWW.