Catherine “Cat” Ferris McPherson
BA, Mary Baldwin College; MBA, West Virginia Graduate College
Catherine Ferris McPherson is an associate professor of business administration and marketing communication for Mary Baldwin University, where she teaches and advises students in MBU’s online programs.
She teaches courses in marketing principles and strategy, advertising, integrated marketing communication, business strategy, and the senior thesis. She joined the faculty in 1993.
McPherson has 25 years experience in all aspects of marketing and is a professionally trained focus group moderator, specializing in the areas of retail and service marketing. As a business consultant, she has worked closely with companies such as Luck Stone, Dupont Fibers Federal Credit Union, World Access, and Goodwill Industries of Central Virginia in the area of brand strategy and development, as well as provided customer service and marketing training for individual retailers and shopping center developers, including Forest City Enterprises and Donohoe O’Brien. She conducts workshops and speaks frequently on the topic of building brands from within the organization, and branding as a business philosophy.
McPherson is a co-founder of Dress for Success Richmond, a non-profit organization that helps low-income women successfully prepare to enter the job market through self-esteem enhancement and professional skill development.
She holds a MBA from Marshall University (formerly WV Graduate College) and a BA in business/economics from Mary Baldwin University, and has the Certified Marketing Director designation through the International Council of Shopping Centers. McPherson is active in the Richmond chapter of the American Marketing Association, and is a past president of the organization.