Herb Bales served with the United States Air Force where he was selected to attend the Defense Language Institute to learn German and Russian for duty in Berlin, Germany. After serving in the military, Herb received degrees in Accounting and in Business Management from NCSU and has worked with several real estate companies in the Raleigh area. He continues to mentor NCSU students, serves on the Audit and Finance, and Gifts and Awards Committees of the NCSU Foundation Board, and was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2020. In addition to being a Microsoft Certified Professional, Herb currently serves as Chief Financial Officer for Atlantic Investment Management. Herb and Elizabeth met at NCSU, have been married for 40 years and enjoy traveling, taking long walks, and hosting students in their home.