Senior's aunt to speak to graduates

The founder of Auntie Anne's pretzel franchise is the commencement speaker.
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. -- Burnell Smucker, a senior health and physical education major from Gap, Pa., will have a special person on stage when he receives his diploma from Slippery Rock University next Saturday.
His aunt, Anne F. Beiler, founder of Auntie Anne's Inc., a franchisor of the world's largest mall-based pretzel franchise, is the commencement speaker.
Smucker had suggested his aunt as a possible speaker to the commencement planning committee and the idea took off, with the committee deciding that Beiler personified SRU's values of purpose and people.
Company facts
The Lancaster County native launched her business in 1988 by selling fresh-baked pretzels at a farmers market. The company has since grown to support more than 250 franchises at more than 850 locations around the world.
Auntie Anne's generated more than $250 million in sales in 2004 and donated more than $1 million to charitable organizations.
Beiler is dedicated to community service and said she believes the success of her business comes from three p's: purpose, product and people.
Beiler was named one of America's 500 women entrepreneurs by Working Woman and named "Entrepreneur of the Year" by Inc. Magazine. She has been featured on the Food Network's "Unwrapped" and has appeared on "Oprah."
Degrees are to be conferred on 475 Slippery Rock students during the 1:30 p.m. ceremony in Morrow Field House.