Namesake of Trine Business School Dies

Ketner served as 1982 commencement speaker at then-Tri-State University

The man after whom Trine University’s Ketner School of Business is named has died. Ralph Ketner graduated in 1939 from what was then known as Tri-State University. He died Sunday at the age of 95 at his home in North Carolina.

Ketner co-founded Food Town, a grocery store chain which later became Food Lion, in 1957. The university said Ketner had been an ongoing benefactor to the Ketner School of Business, most recently donating $1 million to the school’s endowment fund. 

"We mourn Dr. Ketner’s passing but celebrate his tenacity, dedication and success over a life well-lived," said Earl Brooks, president of Trine University. "We also are grateful for his continued generosity to Trine University and other institutions of higher learning. Dr. Ketner was a shining example for Trine University students and for all of us, showing us what it takes to reach the pinnacle of a profession, and how to use the fruits of one’s achievements to benefit others."

Trine also named the Ketner Sports Center in Hershey Hall in his honor. After retiring from Food Lion in 1991, Ketner served as a consultant to Catawba College’s business school in North Carolina.

Services for Ketner will take place Sunday afternoon on the Catawba College campus.