AT THE - Office of Development and Alumni Affairs

Haslam
MAGAZINE
WINTER 2016
AT
THE
TOPGOLF Rises
to Success with
CEO Ken May
HASLAM MAGAZINE is The alumni PUBLICATION of the Haslam College of Business
at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville
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CONTENTS
WINTER 2016
14
TOPGOLF
Topgolf’s combination
of convenience,
world-class cuisine,
and a festive
atmosphere is drawing
individual customers
and corporate groups
for repeat visits.
EVENTS | 6
40th annual Accounting Day
celebrates tradition.
19
JEWELRY
TV
Knoxville’s own Jewelry
Television has thrived
through innovating its
own business model to
suit the changing times.
The results have been
simply glittering.
PEOPLE | 24
Brad Blackwell looks toward
a new horizon.
DEPARTMENT
NEWS
3
STUDENT
NEWS
24
29
GIVING
REPORT
ALUMNI
NEWS
39
THOUGHT
LEADERSHIP
PEOPLE
SOURCES & USES
EVENTS
4 Haslam College of 24 Brad Blackwell balances
music and his MBA.
30 Numbers of donors 39 2015 Alumni Awards
Business faculty are cited
and featured by industry news sources.
PEOPLE
6 The University of
2
Tennessee golf team
finds talent in Haslam freshman Allison Herring.
6 Accounting Day’s history NEWS
8 Anne D. Smith leads the
Department of Management.
Haslam College of Business are achieving great things near and far.
of excellence.
NEW FACULTY
10 New hires join the Haslam vision.
RESEARCH
12 Qualitative analysis of
Tennessee Promise’s success.
25 The students at the #HASLAMWORLD
25–28 Photograph yourself wearing Haslam gear wherever you are in the
world, and share it on social media using the tag #HaslamWorld!
continue to increase.
Gala draws more than 400 attendees.
PEOPLE
PEOPLE
29 Development and
Giving Report
40 Pictured and profiled: alumni award winners.
31 Professorship named
for Townsend. 32 Greg and Lisa Smith
give experience to Global
Leadership Scholars.
42 News
43–44 In Memoriam
34 PEMBA fellowship
named for Stahl.
36 Ralph and Janet Heath
bridge business and engineering.
15%
6%
6%
9%
Distinguished
Alum
Sharon Pryse
Haslam
FROM THE DEAN
M
A
G
A
Z
INE
Haslam Magazine is the alumni publication
of the Haslam College of Business at the
University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
There are many ingredients to a
successful career. Formal education provides
a firm foundation and the fire to remain a
lifelong learner. Somewhere in the journey,
a professional passion is uncovered, often by
first finding what you don’t want to become
before discovering what you dream of
becoming. While many will attribute to good
fortune or dumb luck that which launched
them, we know that focused, purposeful
effort is often really behind both.
In this issue, you’ll find alumni and
students melding their love and discipline of
sports with their business careers. Ken May
is taking his interest in golf to the next level
as CEO of Topgolf, a lighter approach to the
sport that blends entertainment and food
with the traditional game. Relatedly, some
of our current students also are creatively
combining their interests in sports and
music to the benefit of our college golf teams
and the local night life scene.
Also in this issue, at Jewelry Television,
several Haslam College of Business alumni
have used their own determination and their
Haslam College education and network to
traverse the economic downturn and emerge
with a revamped organization and thriving
business model.
2 | HASLAM MAGAZINE
It’s inspiring to learn about and celebrate the
ongoing accomplishments of our students,
alumni, faculty, and staff. At Haslam, much
of what we do focuses on improving the
world around us—whether that be through
research that supports our land grant and
flagship university mission, support for the
education and programs offered at Haslam,
or co- and extracurricular engagement in our
broader communities.
Our alumni, particularly, deserve a round
of applause for their belief in what we do
here. The university recently wrapped up
its annual Big Orange Give online giving
campaign. Alumni and friends helped the
university reach its goal by giving $1,466,207
in one week. We’re proud that friends and
alumni of Haslam helped us well exceed our
college goal by more than 60 percent!
We appreciate all that you do to help
us educate and inspire those whose
determination and innovation improve the
world around us. It was wonderful seeing
so many of you at this year’s Alumni Gala
in early November. We recognized the
accomplishments of specific alumni and
we officially embarked on our “Investing
in the Journey to the Top 25 Campaign”
to raise $175 million dollars in additional
support of our journey toward being a Top
25 public university. We are making great
progress toward our Top 25 vision thanks
to everyone in the Volunteer family.
As Volunteers, we are never alone. Our
network of University of Tennessee family
and friends spans the globe. We hope you’ll
join us as we move onward and upward.
With gratitude always,
Haslam College of Business
Executive Leadership
Stephen L. Mangum
Dean
annette L. Ranft
Senior Associate Dean of Academic Affairs
BRUCE K. BEHN
Associate Dean for Graduate and
Executive Education
DOUGLAS Hawks
Assistant Dean for Financial Administration
Michael “Lane” Morris
Associate Dean for Undergraduate
Programs and Student Affairs
HASLAM MAGAZINE
Tanya G. Brown
Executive Director of Marketing and Public
Relations | Editor
William R. “Chip” Bryant
Executive Director of Development
and Alumni Affairs
Meredith Hulette
Development Coordinator
Jessica Leigh Brown
Writer
Jill Knight
Design and Production
CHARLES Brooks
Photographer
Haslam Magazine is published twice a year
by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville,
Haslam College of Business. Printed by
University Printing & Mail.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Haslam College of Business
328 Haslam Business Building
Knoxville, TN 37996 - 4140
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Stephen L. Mangum
Dean and Stokely Foundation
Leadership Chair
Haslam College of Business
Haslam College
of Business
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haslamut
News from
the faculty,
departments,
centers, and
programs of
the Haslam
College of
Business.
department
& faculty
NEWS
U.S. News and World
Report once again
ranked Haslam’s
supply chain program in the top five and our
overall undergrad program rose to thirtieth
among public institutions. PrincetonReview.
com also included Haslam in its 2016 Best
Business School rankings.
In its second year, the
Haslam Summer Scholars
research program
recognized eleven faculty members,
more than doubling the recipients
from last year. They are:
James Chyz Jeff & Janet
Davis Faculty Research
Fellow; assistant professor;
Department of Accounting
and Information Management
Keith Stanga retired as the Anderson
Professor of Accounting on June 30
after forty-one years as a full-time
accounting educator. He was head of
the department for ten years.
Wendy Tate Charlie & Caroline
Newcomer Faculty Research
Fellow; associate professor;
Department of Marketing and
Supply Chain Management
Marianne Wanamaker
Kinney Family Faculty
Research Fellow; assistant
professor; Department of
Economics
Tim Munyon Ray & Joan
Myatt Faculty Research Fellow;
assistant professor, Department of Management
David Williams Stanley
Bowden Faculty Research
Fellow; assistant professor,
Department of Management
Andy Puckett Kinney Family
Faculty Research Fellow;
associate professor and
Massingale Scholar, Department of Finance
Tracie Woidtke Charles &
Dorothy Duggan Faculty
Research Fellow; David E.
Sharp/Home Federal Bank of
Tennessee Professor in Banking and Finance; Department
of Finance
LeAnn Luna
was promoted
from associate
professor to
professor.
Charles Sims organized and hosted a conference
entitled, “Thresholds, Tipping Points, and
Random Events in Dynamic Economic Systems.”
The conference papers will be published in a
special issue of the Journal of Economic Behavior
& Organization with Sims serving as the lead
guest editor.
Christian Vossler Nancy
& David McKinney Faculty
Research Fellow; associate
professor; Department of
Economics
Russell Crook Roy & Audrey
Fancher Faculty Research
Fellow; associate professor,
Department of Management
Georg Schaur Stewart Bartley
Family Faculty Research
Fellow; associate professor,
Department of Economics
The undergraduate accounting
program was included in the 2015 Best
Accounting School Super Ranking.
Haslam’s accounting program was ranked
twenty-second by Accounting Degree
Review, a resource website for current
and prospective accounting and
finance students.
COLLEGE WIDE
Chad Autry Kinney Family
Faculty Research Fellow;
William J. Taylor Professor of
Supply Chain Management;
Department of Marketing and
Supply Chain Management
Accounting and
Information Management
ECONOMICS
Christian Vossler
was the keynote speaker at the joint
annual conference of the Northeast
Agricultural and Resource Economics
Association (NAREA) and the Canadian
Agricultural Economics Society (CAES)
in Newport, Rhode Island.
Scott Gilpatric published
a paper entitled,
“Information Value Under
Demand Uncertainty
and Endogenous Market
Leadership.”
Georg Schaur spent a
month this summer as a
guest researcher at the
Center for Economic
Studies (CES) in Munich,
Germany.
Christian
Vossler was
promoted
from associate
professor to
professor.
HASLAM.UTK.EDU | 3
”
”
thought
LEADERSHIP
The proposed language is very different
than what is currently there. Accepting
the proposal would be backtracking in
the United States on a fuller disclosure
approach the rest of the world required.”
”
”
Joe Carcello, accounting and information management
department head, EY and Business Alumni Professor, and
executive director of the Neel Corporate Governance Center,
on the SEC’s proposal on materiality disclosures
Kate Vitasek, on west
coast port labor issues
—Forbes, Feb. 23, 2015
”
Joe Carcello, accounting and information
management department head, EY and Business
Alumni Professor, and executive director of the Neel
Corporate Governance Center, on the SEC’s search
to replace audit regulator James Doty
—Wall Street Journal, Sept. 9, 2015
”
Jim Doty has shown both courage
and vision in the projects he has
championed at the PCAOB. Investors
have no better friend.”
At many companies, sales
generation activities have
become disconnected
from the operational
activities required to fulfill
that demand—resulting
in conflicting objectives
and foregone business
opportunities. Bringing
the supply and demand
sides of an enterprise
together can represent
a significant opportunity
for efficiency and value
creation.”
Wendy Tate, associate professor
of supply chain management; Diane
Mollenkopf, McCormick Associate
Professor of Logistics; and Ted Stank,
Bruce Chair of Excellence in Business, on
demand and supply integration
The uninsured rate had held
steady at around 9 or 10 percent,
and then all of a sudden we
had a 2.4 percentage point
drop in 2014.”
LeAnn Luna, associate professor
of accounting, on the Affordable
Care Act’s effect in Tennessee
—Bloomberg Politics, July 1, 2015
By bringing all the data into memory,
it’s possible to discover patterns that
are not apparent if the claims are
viewed in isolation.”
Ken Gilbert, professor emeritus in business analytics,
on identifying fraudulent healthcare claims through data
—Information Week, June 24, 2015
—Sloan Management
Review, June 15, 2015
”
”
—The Tennessean, Aug. 25, 2015
—Fortune, Aug. 27, 2015
—CNBC, May 18, 2015
”
”
Bill Fox, director of the Center for Business and Economic
Research, Chancellor’s Professor, and William B. Stokely
Distinguished Professor of Business, on market volatility
Shay Scott, managing director of the Global
Supply Chain Institute, on outsourcing in China
Andy Puckett, associate professor of
finance, finance PhD program director,
and Massingale Scholar, on how CEOs golf
schedules affect stock performance
—MarketWatch, Oct. 19, 2015
At this point, we don’t see any reason
to believe that what’s happened in the
equity markets, a lot of volatility, signals
any negatives for the real economy.”
If you rewind 15 or 20 years,
companies were using the low
labor cost to make what we
have always argued were oversimplified business cases. I
think companies are learning
from experience that there are
a number of other factors that
are a bit harder to quantify.”
”
”
The West Coast port negotiation
process is an epic failure on all
sides and unless the parties commit to establish a foundation for
a strong and trusting working
relationship, history is sure to
repeat itself in the future.”
While some golf rounds may
clearly serve a valid business
purpose, it is unlikely that
the amount of golf played
by the most frequent golfers
is necessary for a CEO to
support her firm.”
It’s easy to understand why Millennials
and Generation X-ers have different opinions
about leadership, because they were exposed
to dramatically different family experiences.”
Tim Munyon, assistant professor of management,
on millennials’ leadership in the workplace
—Mainstreet.com, Aug. 18, 2015
Companies with a long-term perspective on economic performance
know that offshoring production to
a factory full of safety hazards isn’t
a path to profit. On the contrary, it
creates unnecessary business risk.”
Chad Autry, William J. Taylor Professor
of Supply Chain Management, on sweatshops
in the supply chain
—Wall Street Journal, Aug. 17, 2015
Companies of almost any national origin
and size make common, basic errors when they
try to grow their international business. These
mistakes are time-consuming and expensive,
and they usually stem from a combination of
inexperience, ignorance, and/or ignorance.”
John Anderson, senior lecturer of management, on business failures
—Global Trade, Aug. 19, 2015
department
& faculty
NEWS
Graduate and
Executive Education
Hamparsum Bozdogan was
invited to speak at the eighth
Conference of Eastern Mediterranean
Region International Biometric Society
in Cappadocia, Turkey; served on
the Scientific Program Committee
of European Conference on Data
Analysis (ECDA) at the University of
Essex, Colchester, UK; and is on the
Scientific Program Committee of the
ninth International Statistics Congress,
Kemer-Antalya, Turkey.
United States Rep. Marsha Blackburn
visited the Haslam College of Business
Aerospace & Defense Business Institute
(ADBI) and the Howard H. Baker Center
for Public Policy as part of a speaking
engagement on May 27.
international
influence
ValueColleges.com named the
Haslam MBA program one of
the best values in the country.
It was ranked twenty-ninth.
Business Analytics and Statistics
MILLION
Wenjun Zhou received a
$4.9 million grant from the USDA to combat
obesity in older adolescents. Zhou works with
Sarah Colby of the Department of Nutrition
on the project, supervising data management,
statistical modeling, and analytics.
DataScienceCentral.com
hosted a blog by
Department Head Chuck
Noon entitled “7 Traits of
Highly Successful Business
Analytics Professionals.”
Julie Ferrara, a lecturer and
assistant department head in
business analytics, was recently
presented the Graduate & Executive
Education Staff Excellence Award
for Outstanding Innovation.
The Honorable Deborah Lee James,
Secretary of the US Air Force, invited
Andy White, director of the Aerospace
& Defense Business Institute, to
participate in the service’s National
Security Scholars Conference. White
joined other invited participants
to discuss expanding the national
aerospace conversation.
Missie Bowers received
the Richard Sanders
Award for outstanding
leadership in graduate
and executive education.
Hamparsum Bozdogan,
Toby McKenzie
Professor in Business,
published a paper
in the book Data
Science, Learning by
Latent Structures, and
Knowledge Discovery
and another in the
academic journal
Machine Learning.
Paolo Letizia was
appointed chair of
the environmental
operations track
at the Production
and Operations
Management
Society’s international
conference to be held
on May 6-9, 2016, in
Orlando, Florida.
Executive,
professional, and
full-time MBA
graduates held
their first joint
alumni gathering
on April 30. The
event, held at
Club LeConte
in Knoxville,
drew more
than twentyfive alumni
representing
twenty years of
MBA graduates.
Ken Gilbert, business
analytics professor
emeritus, spoke to
nearly fifty aviation
industry professionals
at the Memphis Jet and
Engine Trading Society
(JETS). Gilbert spoke to
the group about lessons
described in the new
book he co-wrote
with Mandyam “Srini”
Srinivasan and Melissa
“Missie” Bowers, entitled,
Lean for MRO—Changing
the Way You Do Business.
A new faculty
fellowship has
been named in
the Physician
Executive MBA
program honoring
founding director
Mike Stahl. At
the time of the
announcement,
alumni, students,
and staff had
contributed
$150,000
toward the
endowment.
HASLAM.UTK.EDU | 5
Strength in
Community
HASLAM.UTK.EDU | 6
department
& faculty
NEWS
On October 10, 2015, the
Department of Accounting and
Information Management sponsored the
40th annual Warren Slagle Accounting
Day at the Knoxville Marriott, an annual
event that draws alumni and students
alike. Hosted by the Beta Alpha Psi
honor society, this year’s gathering
featured guest speaker Holly Warlick,
head coach of the Lady Vols basketball
team, who shared the challenges and
joys of her job.
Evans knows, because he’s been
coming to Accounting Day for more
than two decades. “I went to my first
one in 1993, I believe,” he says. “That
was the year I interned with the firm
I eventually joined, and I’ve been to
every Accounting Day since.” For Evans
and others, the highlight of each year’s
event is the social hour for catching up
with faculty, fellow alumni, and current
students. “It’s a great opportunity to
reconnect with colleagues and friends,”
he says. “I’m the lead recruiting partner
at UT for our
firm, so I run
into people I’ve
interviewed over
the years and
have the chance
to hear about
their careers.”
The
community
aspect of Accounting Day is its strength,
according to Beta Alpha Psi faculty
advisor Izabela Vandeest. “It’s an
opportunity for alumni and students
to bond, to bring forth the volunteer
spirit, and to get together over a
Saturday morning breakfast right before
a big Tennessee football game,” says
Vandeest. “It keeps people connected.”
Early in the event’s history, AIM
faculty offered Accounting Day to Beta
Alpha Psi as a fundraising opportunity.
An honor society specifically for
accounting students, the group took the
reins and continues to host each year.
“This is our premiere alumni event of
the year for the department and for us as
a chapter,” Vandeest says. “It gives us a
chance to meet former members who are
now out in the field.”
Accounting Day has remained one of
Beta Alpha Psi’s top fundraising events.
“We use the funds for professional
meetings, to host visiting firms, to travel
as a group to New York to visit the Stock
The 40th Annual
Warren Slagle
Accounting Day
“Our number one priority is to make
sure these women get degrees,” Warlick
said. “We want to make sure they leave
with character, respect, and discipline.”
Warlick, who graduated from the
Haslam College of Business with a
marketing degree in 1981, joked that
while she originally chose accounting as
her major, she realized it wasn’t a good
fit. “We had to balance books and I was
one penny short,” said Warlick, “so I got
out of accounting and into marketing.”
AIM hosts a different speaker
for each year’s gathering, inviting
discussions on a wide variety of topics.
“There have been some fantastic
speakers over the years, from University
of Tennessee presidents to political
figures to sports coaches,” says David
Evans, regional managing partner at
Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP. “It’s
always a great event.”
Exchange and other institutions, and to
attend regional and national meetings
every year,” says Vandeest. “These trips
are important to our students. Each
year, I meet alumni who hold fond
memories of what those experiences,
such as the New York trip or the national
and regional meetings, afforded them.”
Installed in 1951, the UT chapter of
Beta Alpha Psi maintains a membership
of between fifty-five and sixty students
annually. At Accounting Day, Beta Alpha
Psi officers can be found at the welcome
desk, helping guests find their nametags
and navigate the Marriott’s event space.
“We’ve had less practical involvement
over the years because the event has
evolved so much,” says Vandeest.
“The department sponsors it now, and
attendance numbers have risen.”
This year, more than 300 alumni and
faculty came to Accounting Day. Among
regional and even national universities,
it’s rare for an alumni event to be so well
attended. “This is a unique event for
UT,” Vandeest says. “Our alumni base
attendance always makes this successful
for us and very special to our chapter.”
At this year’s gathering, AIM
Department Head Joe Carcello gave a
report on the state of the department
and named the 2015 Distinguished
Accounting Alum Award honoree,
David P. Jones. He also announced
a new distinguished professorship in
honor of beloved professor emeritus
Dick Townsend. “Accounting Day is the
largest departmental alumni event at
UT,” Carcello said. “It has clearly stood
the test of time.”
HASLAM.UTK.EDU | 7
Anne D. Smith
FACULTY FOCUS
IMAGES OF
CHANGE
Images communicate in ways that
words cannot. Anne D. Smith, head
of the Department of Management
at the Haslam College of Business,
sees photography as a way to observe
management styles.
“I’m very interested in how
to use images in the field, getting
organizational members to take
pictures and talk about them,” says
Smith. “For three years, I taught
a first-year studies course about
photography and making sense of
transition. I enjoyed that more than
almost anything else I’ve done.”
Smith’s freshman students
used photography to explore their
transition to campus life. “We looked
at finding comfort, missing home,
becoming involved, and ultimately
adjusting to the college routine,”
Smith explains. To help students
develop their photography skills and
find angles to express their thoughts,
Smith led them on a behind-thescenes tour of campus. “I took them
to all the out of the way places
8 | HASLAM MAGAZINE
around campus,” she says. “We went
inside the old library, the alumni
house, McClung Museum, and to the
top floor of the law school, where
there’s a collection of platinum
records on display.”
While Smith’s chief enjoyment
of the class came from connecting
with students, she had a secondary
purpose. “It’s a research project,” she
says. “I am interested in images and
what they say, and I want to see if
what happened in the first semester
set the path for those students.”
Every fall, she talks to past students
to track their progress. About 80
percent of her last class chose to
participate in follow-up interviews.
“It’s a meaningful project for me.
It’s important because it ties into
the metrics of the university and our
ability to retain students.”
Smith has published more than
twenty papers in academic journals.
While she prefers fieldwork,
stories and images to surveys and
archival databases, Smith stresses
that qualitative research is tricky.
“Europeans and Canadians tend
to do more qualitative research as
compared to American management
scholars,” she says. “Qualitative is
seen as a risky research strategy
because of the investment in
fieldwork and the substantial time
figuring out the story and theoretical
contributions. Publishing qualitative
studies in top journals usually takes
many, many years. ”
When she’s not finding new
ways to connect and research,
Smith serves as associate editor
of qualitative submissions of
Organizational Methods Journal and
chair of the Strategizing Activities
and Practices Interest Group in the
Academy of Management. In 2015,
she was named department head
when former department head Terry
Leap returned to teaching. “I’ve
never aspired to administration,” she
confesses. “I’m here because I think
I’m the right person at the right time.
For me, it’s about the department.
I’m just here to orchestrate it.”
department
& faculty
NEWS
Associate professor of supply
chain management John
Bell spoke at SCMR’s Supply
Chain Outlook Summit about
sustainability’s impact on the
future of supply chain. “Firms
need to recognize that global
trends such as urbanization,
population growth, economic
leveling, and climate change
are impacting how supply
chains operate.
“
­ JOHN BELL AT THE SUPPLY CHAIN
—
OUTLOOK SUMMIT, NOVEMBER 2015
supply chain
sustainability
Randy Bradley was featured
in a book entitled Paying it
Forward. The book outlines
the growth and success of the
PhD Project, a non-profit
organization dedicated to
increasing the number of
doctoral candidates from
underrepresented ethnicities.
Neel Corporate
Governance Center
Jason M. Hill, chief
financial officer of
Gibson Brands, Inc.,
spoke as part of the Neel
CGC Speaker Series in
October. Hill is a Haslam
alum (BS, MAcc).
Mike Gallagher,
managing partner
of assurance quality
for PwC, spoke
October 9, as part
of the Neel CGC
Speaker Series.
Chad Autry, William J. Taylor
Supply Chain Professor, presented
on a panel at Ryder’s supply chain
conference in Chicago.
Marketing and
Supply Chain Management
Bindu Agrawal, a visiting professor from
Manav Rachna College of Engineering in
Haryana, India, and Ernie Cadotte presented
their students’ collaborative project Clean
Cycle to an audience of twenty from Africa,
China, Brazil, and Tennessee.
Shay Scott, Mike Burnette, Paul Dittmann,
Ted Stank, and Chad Autry authored the white
paper “Supply Chain Talent, Our Greatest Resource,”
that was featured in Supply Chain Brain and
Supply Chain Quarterly.
Chad Autry was
presented with the
Bank of America
faculty award at
commencement
in May 2015.
Neeraj Bharadwaj
was granted tenure
and promoted
from assistant
to associate
professor.
John Bell was named the
2015–2016 fellow for the
Center for Transportation
Research in UT’s College of
Engineering. This is the second
year that a member of the
Department of Marketing and
Supply Chain Management
at Haslam has received the
fellowship. Last year, Mary
Holcomb received the award.
Bell also was granted tenure
and promoted from assistant
to associate professor.
Mark Collins was
promoted to UT
distinguished
lecturer after
holding that
same title within
the college for a
number of years.
Mary Holcomb
was promoted
from associate
professor to
professor.
HASLAM.UTK.EDU | 9
NEW
FACULTY
10 | HASLAM MAGAZINE
Clockwise from top left: Jama Summers, Chris Craighead, David Masler, Stephanie Eckerd, Mark Farley, Matthew Serfling, Sean Willems, and Paolo Letizia.
The passion and
effort to create
value for all
of Haslam’s
stakeholders is
both impressive
and infectious.”
department
& faculty
NEWS
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Haslam College of Business welcomes
eight new faculty members this fall in
the departments of accounting and
information management, marketing
and supply chain management,
business analytics and statistics,
and finance.
The new hires join Haslam
from institutions as far flung as
Erasmus University Rotterdam in the
Netherlands and the University of
Arizona. The positions filled include a
chair, a named professorship, several
assistant professorships, and a lecturer.
The new faculty members cited
the camaraderie and trajectory at
Haslam as key factors that attracted
them to the college.
“Everyone talks about how
they want to take an already strong
institution and make it stronger,”
said David A. Maslar, a new assistant
professor of finance. “Not only is
the desire to improve apparent,
but everyone I spoke with also
stressed the steps that are in place to
achieve those goals. I could feel the
excitement and knew I wanted to be a
part of that process.”
Chris Craighead, who comes to
Haslam from the Smeal College of
Business at Penn State University, had
a similar impression. “The culture here
at Haslam is top-notch!” he said. “The
passion and effort to create value for
all of Haslam’s stakeholders is both
impressive and infectious.”
Stephanie Eckerd said that
she observed and appreciated the
collegiality among Haslam’s supply
chain faculty for years before joining
the group this fall. “Perhaps even more
important [than the faculty’s rank
and reputation] is the fact that they
are a great group of individuals who
collaborate together, respect one
another and genuinely enjoy working
together.”
Chris Craighead is the Dove Professor
of Supply Chain Management. He holds an
MBA from East Tennessee State University
and a PhD in operations management from
Clemson University. His primary research
interests involve strategic sourcing and
supply management, with a focus on global
supply chain disruptions and resilience. He
serves as an associate editor of the Journal
of Operations Management, Decision Sciences, Journal of Supply Chain Management, and Journal of Business Logistics, as
well as on several editorial review boards.
Stephanie Eckerd is an assistant
professor in supply chain management.
Eckerd’s research uses survey and experiment methodologies to investigate how
social and psychological variables affect
buyer-supplier relationships. She received
her doctorate degree at The Ohio State
University and was an assistant professor
at the University of Maryland prior to joining Haslam.
Mark Farley joined the Department of
Accounting and Information Management
as a lecturer in January 2015. He received
his MBA with a focus in management information systems and a bachelor’s in human resource management from Tennessee Technological University. Farley spent
thirteen years in the US Air Force and Air
National Guard serving in fields from cyber
security operations to satellite communications and as an ROTC instructor at UT
from 2010 to 2013.
Paolo Letizia is an assistant professor
of business analytics and operations management. His research interests lie in the
areas of sustainable operations, closed loop
supply chain management, supply chain
channel design, and role of information
in a supply chain. Letizia holds a master’s
degree in supply chain management from
Bordeaux Business School and a doctorate
with dual degrees in operations research
and business administration from Penn
State’s Smeal College of Business. Before
joining UT, Letizia was a faculty member at
Erasmus University’s Rotterdam School of
Management.
David Maslar is an assistant professor in
finance. He joins Haslam after working as a
visiting assistant professor of finance at the
University of Missouri, where he obtained
his doctorate and master’s degrees in
finance, applied mathematics and economics respectively. He also holds a bachelor’s
degree in economic analysis from
Binghamton University. His research
interests include investments and empirical
asset pricing, with a particular emphasis in
fixed income and bond mutual funds.
Matthew Serfling is an assistant
professor in finance. He received his
doctorate in finance from the University
of Arizona and undergraduate degree
in finance with a minor in mathematics
from North Dakota State University. His
current research interests include how
corporate financial policy decisions relate
to labor market frictions, product market
competition, laws and regulations,
nonfinancial stakeholders, and a firm’s
governance environment.
Jama Summers is an assistant professor
in accounting and information management. She received her doctorate in business administration (information systems)
from the University of Oklahoma, her master’s in management information systems
(MIS) from the University of Arkansas, and
her bachelor’s in MIS from Arkansas State
University. Her research examines large
group collaboration through technology in
contexts such as social media, online communities, and crowdfunding platforms.
Sean Willems is the Haslam Chair in
Supply Chain Analytics. In 2000, Willems
co-founded Optiant, a pioneer of multiechelon inventory optimization tools. His
work with companies such as Hewlett
Packard and P&G has led to finalist selections for the Franz Edelman Award for
Achievement in Operations Research and
the Management Sciences in 2003 and
2010 and the Daniel H. Wagner Prize for
Excellence in Operations Research Practice in 2006, 2008, and 2012. His work on
inventory placement under non-stationary
demand won the Wagner Prize in 2008. He
received his bachelor’s degree in decision
sciences from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and his master’s in
operations research and doctorate in operations management from the MIT Sloan
School of Management.
HASLAM.UTK.EDU | 11
RESEARCH
Tennessee Promise Fulfilling its Potential
Tennessee Promise, the governor’s program to increase
college attendance in our state, has received national media
attention over the last year. President Obama references it as
the basis for his initiative to provide free community college
to all citizens. But whether it has truly been successful, and
which aspects of the program make the most impact, has been
hotly debated. Thanks to Haslam College of Business Assistant
Professor of Economics Celeste Carruthers, there is now hard
data to back up the hype.
Carruthers conducted a study to be published in the
Economics Education Review next spring measuring the
effectiveness of Knox Achieves, the original, non-profit
incarnation of Tennessee Promise. From 2009–2011 any
high school student in Knox County who participated in Knox
Achieves could attend community college for free. The aim
was to increase the population of college-educated workers
by providing all applicants mentors and financial support
regardless of academic achievement or financial need.
Knox Achieves expanded across the state to become
tnAchieves, now a pillar of Tennessee Promise, with 90 percent
of the state’s high school seniors taking part. Despite its rapid
growth, no data proved that it resulted in greater college
enrollment or collegiate success, until now.
Carruthers’ study shows Knox Achieves had an
overwhelming impact on not only college enrollment, but also
academic achievement in high school and beyond.
“Students who participated in Knox Achieves were 24
percent more likely to directly enroll in a college,” says
Carruthers. “They were almost 30 percent more likely to
graduate high school and earned six to seven more college
12 | HASLAM MAGAZINE
credits during their first two years.”
Critics of Tennessee Promise have argued that it will divert
students from traditional universities to community colleges.
Carruthers’ study confirms that participants are less likely to
attend a four-year institution, but she warns against attributing
the program with undo influence.
“Part of this data reflects the students the program targets,”
she says. “They are more likely to delay college or attend
community college as opposed to a four-year institution.” Even
factoring the students displaced from four-year universities,
the program is achieving its goal. “Results here imply that there
were two to five students induced to enroll in college for every
one student swayed from starting at a four-year university.”
However, the most surprising aspect of the study is not
that the program is working, but why—it doesn’t appear to
be about money.
“Half of all participants received no financial aid,”
Carruthers explains. As a ‘last dollar’ scholarship, funding from
Knox Achieves only kicked in if there was a gap between the
cost of tuition and federal funding. Lower-income students
received full scholarships from the federal government, and
yet Carruthers’s study found they benefitted from the program
the most.
“The fact that the treatment effect estimates are larger for
these students implies that non-financial hurdles are critical,”
Carruthers says.
Krissy DeAlejandro, executive director of tnAchieves,
believes that this is because 65 percent of participants are
first-generation college students. “The support system and
the mentoring aspect is key for them,” she says. “If they hit a
department
& faculty
NEWS
24%
30%
Students who
participated in Knox
Achieves were
And were
almost
MANAGEMENT
more likely to
directly enroll
in college
Anne D. Smith was
named head of
the Department of
Management. She
succeeds Terry Leap,
who served as head
of the department for
four and a half years.
more likely to
graduate high school
Center
Center for
for Business
Business and
and
Economic
Economic Research
Research
According to
research completed
by Celeste Carruthers
Cheryl Barksdale, Tom Graves, and Kathy Wood were promoted
from lecturer to senior lecturer.
FINANCE
roadblock it’s really easy for these students to give up. They don’t
have an encourager or someone who can be a backbone in the
beginning of the process.”
Mentors help students be more aware of how to obtain
financial support and remind students of deadlines, but they also
provide insight and guidance regarding the working world.
“The majority of our mentors come from business,” says
DeAlejandro. “We want business and community leaders.”
DeAlejandro found at least one of those leaders at the Haslam
College of Business. Glenn Swift, a lecturer in the management
department, became a mentor during the program’s pilot year
after leading an MBA class project on Knox Achieves.
“Four students studied the program for a semester and provided
some best practices for their website and mentor relationships,” says
Swift. The project was part of a class on entrepreneurship called
Innovation in Practice, where teams of students pick a non-profit
organization to work with over the course of a semester. It is now
the first year capstone class for all full-time MBA students.
“I got involved from the class perspective, and I become so
fascinated with what they were doing that I signed up as a mentor
in Claiborne county in 2008,” Swift explains. “I’ve mentored
twenty-two students since then.”
Swift’s class conducted two additional projects with Knox
Achieves/tnAchieves, in 2011 and 2015. As a mentor, he is
continually surprised by his students and believes that with a
tertiary education they’ll make a large impact on the state.
“What has surprised me is that most of them have a pretty
good concept of what they want to do, just not how to get there,”
says Swift. “I don’t see students who want to make it big and
get rich. They want to do good for the world. To me, they are
an amazing validation of the millennial generation.”
John Wachowicz is one of the
six subject matter experts for
the Wiley CMAexcel Learning
System Exam Review 2016:
Parts 1 and 2.
Suzan Murphy was
promoted from senior
lecturer to UT distinguished
lecturer.
Andy Puckett published two
papers in premier business
journals this summer.
Tracie Woidtke was invited
to present her paper on the
relationship between shareholderproposal activism by state and
municipal pension funds and
shareholder value at the Manhattan
Institute’s Proxy Monitor 2015.
Woidtke also was promoted from
associate professor to professor.
Staff and Support
Kimberly Hood, communications
coordinator of the Anderson Center
of Entrepreneurship & Innovation,
cheered on Team USA at this year’s
Women’s World Cup soccer final.
Michelle Molter, administrative
specialist in the Department of
Management, visited the Today
show in New York this summer and
showed off her Haslam pride.
Glenda Hurst recently celebrated forty years of working in the Haslam
College of Business. She spent twenty-five years in undergraduate
advising before moving to the management department.
HASLAM.UTK.EDU | 13
14 | HASLAM MAGAZINE
AT
THE
Topgolf Rises to Success
with CEO Ken May
At Topgolf,
relaxation
is part of the
atmosphere.
Golfers trade
long walks in
unpredictable
conditions for
easygoing drives
in an inviting
environment.
Cool drinks, great
food, computerized
scores in private bays,
and good-natured
competition are turning
the prestige of golfing
into pure fun accessible
to anyone with a couple
of hours to spare.
THE guest experience at Topgolf
combines the competition
of traditional golf with the
convenience of easy accessibility.
Groups of players assemble in
private bays where golf clubs and
balls are available for selection.
Each ball is equipped with a
microchip that reports its location
to the computer system in the bay.
Guests can choose from several
game variations, and unlike
traditional golf that can take four
hours or more to complete, guests
can choose how long they want to
play. While playing one of seven
different point-scoring games,
guests can order from a top-notch
restaurant menu and have food
delivered directly to their bay.
Topgolf’s combination of
convenience, world-class cuisine,
and a convivial atmosphere is
drawing individual customers
and corporate groups in for
repeat visits. The company, which
originated in the United Kingdom,
came to the United States in 2005
and has since opened nineteen
locations across the country, with
ten more in the works for 2016.
The company’s current CEO,
Ken May (HCB Executive MBA,
’94), says the concept impressed
him so much that he wanted to be
a part of it. “I went to play Topgolf
and fell in love with it just as a
guest experiencing the great
product we have,” May says. “The
CEO at the time sent me financial
information and I saw what
potential this brand has to grow.”
An Experienced
Driver
A career executive who
spent twenty-five years
with FedEx, May credits his
Haslam degree with helping move his career into
overdrive. “I was working
for FedEx in the Caribbean
when I realized I lacked
the skills to move up,” May
says. “If I hadn’t gone back
to school, I don’t think
I’d have ever gotten out
of middle management at
FedEx. The executive MBA
program broadened my
knowledge base by exposing
me to cutting-edge ideas
and completely changed the
trajectory of my career.”
May’s dedication to
his education paid off. He
continued to receive promotions and became CEO
of FedEx/Kinko’s. “I moved
around the organization
and learned as much as I
could,” he says. “When I left
in 2007 and thought I was
going to retire and be done,
I subsequently went back
to work at Krispy Kreme
as their president.” After
his stint at Krispy Kreme,
May receded again into
retirement only to receive
a phone call from the thenCEO of Topgolf. “When the
former CEO moved on to
a different position about
six months later, Topgolf
called to see if I’d be open
to taking the job,” says May.
“It’s been an unbelievable
opportunity.”
A Clear Shot
at Success
Topgolf’s success rests on
several unique advantages
that play well to corporate
groups and families alike.
There are a total of one
hundred two bays at a typical location, each with the
ability to host up to six players. “Every bay is sheltered
from rain and sun, and we
have heaters for the cold
Top to bottom (at Topgolf’s Alpharetta,
Georgia location): One of May’s menu
favorites—“Mushi”—incorporates cilantro
sticky rice, drunken beans, spiced chicken,
and cheddar cheese neatly rolled in a jalapeño tortilla; Outdoor seating for relaxing,
gnoshing, and enjoying live music once the
sun goes down; Topgolf boasts multiple
venues for viewing sports and socializing;
Three tiers of bays from which to play any
of Topgolf’s many golf games.
days,” says May. “When it’s
hot, we have fans and misters
to cool you down. We make it
very comfortable even in the
summer or winter.”
The food is another page
of Topgolf’s success story.
On-location restaurants
serve up a wide variety of
dishes, from top-quality
steaks at private events to
eggs benedict at brunch on
the weekends. “We have
great food and beverages, so
people don’t mind waiting
if there’s not a bay available when they arrive,” May
notes. “Sometimes people
come to Topgolf just to eat,
not to play golf.”
Many locations offer
additional attractions like
live music to draw guests
who wouldn’t normally be
interested in hanging out on
a golf course. The combination of amenities makes Topgolf attractive to a wide range
of people. “I’m amazed at
the demographics as I walk
around at different times of
the day,” says May. “In the
mornings it’s usually serious
golfers who are practicing. In
the afternoon, we have corporate events and families,
and at night it turns into a
party atmosphere.” While the
traditional golfing community may fear that the sport is
declining in popularity, especially among younger people,
May says millennials are
coming to Topgolf in droves.
“It appeals to all demographics, but our target market
is that 18-34 group who
have a household income of
$100,000 per year,” he says.
“We’re attracting people who
don’t know how to play golf
or even know how to hold a
club. They come here, play,
and enjoy.”
A Corporate Haven
Corporate events generate roughly one-third of
Topgolf’s annual revenue.
Companies often host team-
building events at Topgolf
instead of in a hotel conference room. “It’s a great way
to socialize,” says May. “If
they went to the golf course,
they’d only be talking to the
three people they’re playing
with, but here they can move
from bay to bay and interact
with everyone at the event.”
Platinum Member Curt
Pool is convinced that Topgolf is a great place for everyday business meetings and
corporate gatherings. He was
so impressed the first time he
visited a Texas location that
he purchased the Platinum
Membership and began to
use it for business meetings.
HASLAM.UTK.EDU
HASLAM.UTK.EDU | 17
There’s a clear link between
golf and business, especially
on the University of Tennessee,
Knoxville golf teams. Six of the
eight men’s team members are
Haslam College of Business
students, and five out of eight
women’s team members also
are pursuing business degrees.
“Lots of relationships are
built on the golf course, and
being able to accept an invitation to play from a boss or
co-worker can be invaluable in
advancing one’s career,” says
Judi Pavon, head coach of the
UT women’s golf team. Pavon
also heads up Grads for Golf,
a program for female MBA
students who want to learn the
sport. “I provide the lessons,
and they also learn golf terms,
etiquette, and how golf can
play a part in their careers,”
Pavon says. Three years ago,
Janet McKinley (HCB ’80)
reached out to Amy Cathey, an
executive director in Haslam’s
Graduate and Executive Education area, and Grads for Golf
was born. “We’re working on
making it a national program.”
One of Pavon’s undergraduate team members, Lucia
Polo, is a junior in marketing
with a dual concentration in
international business. She’s
been playing golf since she
was five years old. “My grandfather used to be a professional golfer, and my goal has
18 | HASLAM MAGAZINE
always been to follow in his
footsteps,” Polo says. “I plan
to play qualifying school after
I graduate and continue to
develop as a player to accomplish my dream of becoming
an LPGA member.”
While Polo’s aspirations
focus on the professional
golfing world, she acknowledges the role of business
education in pursuing her
goals. “Attending the Haslam
College of Business is providing me with the credentials
necessary to open the door to
new endeavors,” she says. “It’s
giving me the right tools to
embrace my future career.”
A senior in marketing and a
member of the UT men’s golf
team, Michael Nagy became
serious about golf when he
was twelve years old. “My older
brother got me into it,” says
Nagy. “During the summertime,
he’d take me with him to the
course, and I started to love it.”
Nagy sees golf as a source
of enjoyment for people from
all backgrounds and abilities.
“People enjoy it even if they’re
not good at it,” he says. “It’s
also a social sport, because
you have a lot of extra time
to talk with people you’re
golfing with, and you’re having
fun together. Because of that
relaxed atmosphere, a lot of
business can happen on the
golf course.”
“Instead of going to a
breakfast meeting at
some other place, I
met people at Topgolf,”
Pool says. “I also used
it for events. Roughly
nineteen companies I
deal with saw the value
in it and became Platinum
Members themselves.”
When Pool accepted a new
position as solutions manager
at Advance Connections, Inc.,
an integrator for low-voltage
cabling security and AV, he
convinced the company to purchase a corporate membership
at Topgolf. “I made that part of
my negotiation,” he says. “We
now plan three or four events a
year there.”
Nonprofit organizations
also have discovered the value
of hosting events at Topgolf.
Tara Storch is co-founder of
Taylor’s Gift Foundation, an
organization that focuses on
increasing organ donor registrations and helps to support
donor families in times of loss.
“We use the phrase ‘Outlive
yourself’ to help spread our
mission,” Storch says. “Organ
donation can be a beautiful
way to do just that.” When a
neighbor told Storch about
Topgolf a few years ago, she
decided to give it a shot as a
fundraising venue. “It was the
most successful event we’d
ever had,” she says. “We doubled what we’d raised at previous golf events and received
incredible feedback from sponsors and participants.”
Since that event, Storch has
formed a solid partnership with
Topgolf. “They have benefited
the foundation by bringing
If they went
to the golf
course, they’d
only be
talking to
the three
people they’re
playing with,
but here they
can move from
bay to bay and
interact with
everyone at
the event.”
us a very unique way to raise
funds,” she says. “They’ve been
very supportive of our mission
and are very helpful in creating
an incredible event that our
participants want to come back
to year after year. The staff
there is just fantastic.”
Serving up fun for guests
is at the heart of Topgolf’s
mission as a company, according to May. “Fun is the most
important thing here, even at
the corporate level,” he says.
“It’s all about having fun working here as well as creating an
enjoyable atmosphere for our
guests. That’s the secret sauce.
The Dallas Morning News
recently recognized us as one
of the top 100 places to work,
based on a survey of our associates. We’re proud of that.”
May hopes to leave a mark
on the company by passing
on what he’s learned. “I think
leadership is the most important thing that I can contribute
here,” he says. “FedEx was a
great training ground, as was
going back to get my MBA at
Haslam. Those both helped
me gain the skills to mold this
company and develop new
leaders.”
Left to right: Charlie
Wagner, vice chairman
of the board, Bob Hall,
co-founder of Jewelry
Television and chairman
of the board, and
Crawford Wagner, chief
financial officer. All are
Haslam graduates.
Jewelry TV’s Rock-Solid
Approach to Business
Clockwise: On set with
Sharon Scott and one of
JTV’s expert guest hosts,
visible is a monitor that the
broadcasters use to gauge
sales, moment to moment;
Row upon row of merchandise
is housed on site. There are
more than 75,000 unique
SKUs; Bins of small cut and
uncut gems line a portion of
the warehouse, available to
independent jewelry designers
for bulk purchase; Jewelry
Television signage on site.
A TELEVISION HOST
Learning
explains
the
origin
A television
to Sparkle
and specs of the
host
sparkling
gemstone
in his hand. The
cameras switch
to a close-up view.
Sitting in front of
her television at
home, a customer
picks up the phone
or her computer
to place an order,
setting a chain
of events into
motion at Jewelry
Television
headquarters.
The order is received in the call center either by phone
or the electronic automated ordering system. Once the
order is processed, an employee in JTV’s fulfillment center
receives a digital request. The purchased item is retrieved,
packaged, and mailed in one large room using a series of
conveyor belts, sorting machines, and printers.
From television studios to product fulfillment, JTV
houses its entire enterprise inside a sizeable building in
Knoxville, Tennessee. The network originated in Greeneville
in the early 1990s as America’s Collectibles Network,
brainchild of co-founders Bob Hall (HCB ’75, MBA
Accounting ’79) and Jerry Sisk, who previously worked for
the Shop at Home network. Bob was the entrepreneur and
Jerry was the on-air personality.
Even in the early days, steering JTV was a monumental
task. “We look like a jewelry store, a call center, and
logistics transportation, and we produce 168 hours of live
entertainment per week,” Hall explains. “In this type of
business, it can be a challenge to figure out what works
and what doesn’t.”
By the mid-1990s, Hall
connected with jeweler
Bill Kouns, who had just
returned to Knoxville from
a medical research job in
Switzerland. “Both Jerry and
Bill were brilliant,” says Hall.
“They were very experienced
in the jewelry business, so
we naturally evolved into
something we knew a lot
about.” Hall also leaned
on his friend and attorney
Charlie Wagner (HCB ’66)
for a capital investment and
for mobilizing investors
who could bring needed
skills to the business. The
investors included Greg West
(HCB ’83), who designed
JTV’s Internet site, and
Tim Matthews, who was
ultimately tapped as JTV’s
CEO. After several years of
selling a variety of items, the
leadership decided to focus
on gemstones and jewelry. In
2004, JTV was born.
With Hall as CEO, sales
grew from $5 million in
1997 to more than $500
million in 2007. Meanwhile,
JTV’s leaders sought sound
advice for the company’s
future. Hall’s wife, Vicki,
worked for Warren Neel,
then dean of the Haslam
College of Business. Neel
took an interest in the
fledgling company. “I was in
Sacramento running a cable
system there, and Vicki set
up a lunch with Warren,”
Hall says. “From there,
he became involved as an
advisor and eventually
served on the board.”
Neel relishes his time
with JTV. “I’ve served on
nine different company
boards, including Saks Fifth
Avenue, but I’ve been very
impressed with what JTV
has done and continues to
do,” says Neel. “They’ve been
through a lot of changes
given the economy and
have become extremely
sophisticated and much
more efficient. They do a
superb job of adapting to
the needs of their customers
and the economy.”
Enduring the
Downturn
In 2008, the United STATES
economy took a nosedive.
Like many companies
across the nation, JTV
suffered the consequences,
coupled with a software
implementation failure.
“Until then, we were
greatly advancing sales
through getting new cable
television markets with
new people watching us,”
says Charlie Wagner, who
currently serves as vice
chairman of the board.
“Then things changed. We
had a really tough time as
we shifted our focus from
new markets to operational
efficiency and organic
growth.”
Forced to downsize
due to the economic
situation, JTV soldiered
on, seeking new ideas
from fresh information
technology advisors. Neel
had introduced the JTV
leadership to Professor
Chuck Noon, now head of
the Department of Business
Analytics and Statistics
at Haslam. “Noon helped
develop our business
processes,” Charlie says.
“He worked with us full time
HASLAM.UTK.EDU | 21
Clockwise: Jewelry
Television’s master
gemstone cutter, Joseph
Rocha; Graduates of The
Haslam College of
Business gather in the
fulfillment warehouse;
Jewels are measured
and processed; Custom
servers in the company’s
data center.
We measure
our margin
every 10 seconds.
—STEVE WALSH, SENIOR VP OPERATIONS
JTV employs over
100 UT graduates, and
over 25 of those are
HCB graduates.
for a year and assisted us
tremendously.”
Due in part to Noon’s
influence, data analytics
became a vital factor in JTV’s
success. Administrators
monitor fluctuations in sales
throughout each television
segment, making it easy to
see which sales strategies are
successful. JTV also collects
and analyzes customer
data such as demographics,
location, and buying habits to
better focus their marketing
initiatives. In doing this, JTV’s
technology team has had to
overcome the 2008 software
implementation failure.
“We’re very quantitative,”
explains Crawford Wagner
(HCB ’96, MAcc ’97), Charlie
Wagner’s son and JTV’s chief
financial officer. “In achieving
organic growth, we’ve become
a data-focused business,
and a lot of that focus and
expertise originated with our
UT relationships.”
JTV’s regrouping efforts
during the recession resulted
in rebuilding the software
necessary to increase
operating efficiency, a
trend that continues today.
“During that transition, we
pursued a lot of technological
advancements in our
warehouse and call center,
and we’ve had big efficiency
improvements because
of improved technology,”
Crawford says. “We have an
automated fulfillment process
now that we’re going to
further expand in the next
year. It’s state of the art.”
Step by step, JTV
climbed out of the economic
recession to resume its role
as a major player in the
television shopping industry.
Bob Hall shifted from CEO
to chairman of the board,
while Tim Matthews stepped
in as CEO.
Construction has
recently begun on a
70,000-square-foot
expansion to the current
building. The added
space will house the new
automated fulfillment
processing center, a new call
center, and additional IT
infrastructure.
Adapting the company to
keep up with rapid changes
in technology has proven
to be one of the main keys
to JTV’s continued success.
“We’ve gone from an analog
world to a digital world,”
says Charlie Wagner. “We
went from an average of
fifty cable channels to 500
or 600, making our network
harder to find. We had to
figure out how to deal with
that.” The solution wasn’t
simple. JTV leaders had to
find new ways of catching
customers’ attention. IT
developers created software
that allowed the company to
regain customers lost during
the recession and gave the
sales team new tools. There
was also focus on improving
the website, and today, over
30 percent of JTV’s revenue
comes from online sales.
Catering to mobile users
was another important step.
Currently, about 50 percent
of JTV’s online sales comes
from mobile devices. “There
will always be lots of people
watching television, but
obviously the Internet has
expanded,” says Charlie.
“That whole shift from just TV
to internet to mobile devices
has required lots of approach
and technological changes
that we’ve had to address.”
Solid as
a Rock
Despite many changes
to their sales tactics, JTV
has never wavered in its
approach to customer service.
Customer Richard Hellman
visited JTV headquarters in
2011 for the first Gem Lovers’
Conference, which he’d
heard about while channel
surfing. “I’m retired from the
National Park Service, and
I’ve always had an interest in
gemstones,” says Hellman.
“When I heard about the
conference, I decided to
come, and I was totally
impressed. It’s a two-day
event with leading gemstone
experts from around the
world. They treated me like
a personal friend, and I was
amazed by their efforts to
educate customers.” Since
then, Hellman has purchased
a number of items from
JTV and attended three
more conferences. “Their
integrity, customer service,
and customer education have
really impressed me.”
Creating a positive and
caring culture for employees
is one of JTV’s strengths,
and part of the legacy they’re
building. Recent additions to
the Knoxville headquarters
include a gym, medical clinic,
and park for employees and
their families to use. “I don’t
see anyone there who just
shows up to a job and goes
home, because their work
environment is, in part, an
extension of their lifestyle,”
says Penny Berg, executive
vice president of Prime Art
& Jewel, Inc., one of JTV’s
vendors. “That is rare in a
company as large as JTV.
They are top-quality people
who care about each other
and strive to give back at all
levels, both in house and to
their community.”
JTV also shows its true
colors through generous
charitable donations. Based
on customer preferences, the
company has supported a
variety of local and national
nonprofit organizations
through the years, including
the American Heart
Association, Beads of Courage
at East Tennessee Children’s
Hospital, and the Knoxville
ALS Walk in the Park.
Charlie says all of this
is part of following the
blueprint by which they run
the organization. “Between
our Knoxville staff and
employees overseas, we
touch about 6,500 families
internationally, and our
greatest responsibility is to
them,” says Charlie. “We’re
a Christian-based company
and always try to operate with
those principles in mind.”
HASLAM.UTK.EDU | 23
Student PROFILE
The Business of Music
BRAD
BLACKWELL
No one in Brad Blackwell’s family
plays music, so he was surprised
when, on a whim, his parents gave
him a guitar for Christmas when he
was eighteen. “I believed in it and
was motivated to pursue it,” he says.
“I’d play a lot, hit a ceiling in my
learning, and take a guitar lesson
to get through that wall.”
A year later, Blackwell played his
first gig as a freshman at the Haslam
College of Business. “It became
my college job, and it was great,”
Blackwell says. “By the time I was
a senior, I was performing three
or four nights a week. I was really
going at it hard.”
As his musical talent progressed,
Blackwell developed a knack for
songwriting. “I love to perform, but
the creative writing process is my
favorite,” he says. “I also realized that
I love the marketing side of music.”
After graduating with a
bachelor’s degree in advertising,
Blackwell moved to Nashville to
pursue music full-time. “I started out
with an acoustic style similar to Jack
Johnson,” he says. “But in Nashville,
you need a category or you confuse
people.” He settled on country.
“Over the next two years, I recorded
an album, wrote a lot of songs, and
opened for Darius Rucker, Lee Brice,
24 | HASLAM MAGAZINE
and Hootie and the Blowfish.”
Today, Blackwell is back at
Haslam pursuing his MBA. His foray
in Music City was successful, but it
also served as a valuable link in his
career. “I really enjoyed the business
side of what I was doing,” he says.
“I realized I liked that as much or
more than the music itself. That’s
what was firing me up–that I was
building my brand.”
Ultimately, the realities of the
touring musician’s life didn’t appeal
to Blackwell, who now aspires to a
career in healthcare management,
but his love for music and the creativity of songwriting survives. “My
time in Nashville means a lot to me
just because it was a cool part of
my life,” he says. “I’m very excited
about where I am now. I’m in the
right space. I don’t know if I’ll be
able to keep a following, but I’ll
always write songs.”
To share your
news with the
University of
Tennessee,
Knoxville,
Haslam College
of Business
community,
submit it
along with
any relevant
images to
[email protected].
Please use
“Student
News” in the
subject line.
STUDENT
NEWS
SENIOR IMPACT Business students
in the class of 2015 donated more than $19,000 to
the college during this year’s Senior Impact campaign.
A record 40 percent of the class’s 537 students made
a gift of $5 or more.
COLLEGE WIDE
The Office of Diversity & Community Relations sponsored
eighteen undergraduate students to attend the annual National
Association of Black Accountants (NABA) Southern Region
Conference, held September 24-26 in Atlanta. Students had the
opportunity to attend professional development workshops,
network with Fortune 500 company executives, and attend a
career expo that garnered interviews for four attending students.
Alpha Kappa PsiZeta Lambda, the
college’s business
fraternity chapter,
hosted their first
networking fair
on April 16.
Anderson Center for
Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Jake Rheude (a secondyear MBA student
concentrating in supply
chain and entrepreneurship
and innovation), Dustin
Giltnane (a second-year
dual MBA-MS nuclear
engineering student), and
John Born (a secondyear MBA student
concentrating in finance
with international business)—who created the company GuruSkins.
com, a 2015 Boyd Venture Challenge winner—finished third in
the Southeastern Conference Symposium’s entrepreneurial pitch
contest and second in the national Davidson College competition.
The ACEI recently awarded $8,800 to fund eleven research
proposals submitted by faculty and doctoral students.
James McDowell,
ECONOMICS
a senior in finance
and economics, attended the
Communicating Capitalism seminar
in Clemson, South Carolina, on a full
scholarship. McDowell received the
scholarship after submitting a short
essay to the Foundation for Economic
Education on the financial impact of
corporate ethics.
Nearly forty middle and high school
students visited Haslam this summer to
gain exposure to college life. Haslam’s
Office of Diversity and Community Relations
partnered with Goodwill’s GoodGuides and
the Knoxville Area Urban League’s Project
Ready to connect with these area youth.
The Economics Club hosted a charity volleyball tournament with more
than two dozen Haslam students participating. The winning team was
able to donate all proceeds to the charity of their choice: East Tennessee
Children’s Hospital.
The college held a new orientation schedule for more than 900
incoming students over the summer. During the thirteen sessions,
numerous companies welcomed the students and challenged
them to start becoming competitive for internships/co-ops and
employment upon graduation.
FINANCE
Nate Massey (HCB ’15) was presented with
the Bank of America student award at spring
commencement.
#HaslamWorld
Undergraduate
students visited
The Guardian’s
headquarters
in London this
summer.
Twenty-nine high school students from across the Southeast met
with corporate executives and professors from Haslam during the
eighth annual Business Education for Talented Students (BETS)
session. The program introduces first generation college students
and ethnicities that are underrepresented at the college level to
the business world.
HASLAM.UTK.EDU | 25
Student PROFILE
Fairway to Success
ALLISON
HERRING
Allison Herring was a junior in high
school when she heard she was accepted
to play in a summer golf tournament in
Oak Ridge, Tennessee. “I’d been traveling
to tournaments and meeting with college
coaches,” says Herring, “so I decided to
contact Coach Judi Pavon, the women’s
golf coach at UT.”
Pavon agreed to meet with Herring
and to watch her play. “I can still picture
the first time I saw Coach Judi at the
tournament,” says Herring. “She saw my
potential as a player and offered me a
spot on the team. She wanted to help me
achieve my aspirations as a golfer and a
student.”
When choosing a university, Herring
wanted a balance between high-quality
academics and competitive athletics.
Just as Pavon had seen potential in her,
Herring saw potential in the Haslam
College of Business. “Haslam provides its
students a lot of great opportunities–wellrespected staff, state-of-the-art facilities,
and case study analysis,” she says. She
majored in marketing because she’s seen
the opportunities the career path has
offered her parents.
Growing up in New Jersey, Herring’s
interest in golf developed alongside her
interest in business. “I played a lot of
26 | HASLAM MAGAZINE
sports, from softball to fencing,” she says.
“When I was a freshman in high school, I
wanted to do something different.” Golf
caught her attention. “My grandfather
played until he was eighty-six, and both
my parents enhanced their careers through
golf,” she says.
Herring fell in love with the game. As a
freshman at UT, she’s one of eight women’s
golf team members. “Working with the
team and learning from our coaches has
been a great experience,” Herring says.
“This year, I’ve competed in tournaments
and seen improvement in my game.”
When she’s not golfing, Herring loves to
travel, spend time with her family, and ride
horses. “One dream of mine is to play golf
professionally,” she says. “But I’m equally
interested in getting my MBA and pursuing
a leadership position in the business
world.”
No matter where her career path
leads, Herring recognizes the connections
between golf and business. “Building
relationships is one of the key elements
of success in business, and when you’re
playing golf, you learn a lot about a
person’s character and ability to overcome
adversity,” she says. “Teamwork and a
positive attitude are critical in the business
world and on the golf course.”
STUDENT
NEWS
Haslam’s graduate programs
welcomed the most diverse and
well-prepared classes ever this fall.
The average GMAT score of incoming MBA students rose
nearly ten points, and the average years of work experience
increased nearly a full year.
The new MAcc class is the largest ever, increasing from about
sixty-five students last year to more than 100 students.
In the Masters of Science in Human Resource
Management program, approximately 33 percent of
the incoming cohort is international and more than
50 percent have already started internships.
Alycia White received the Joseph Goddard
Scholarship in Human Resource Management
at the State Society of Human Resource
Management Conference.
Graduate and
Executive Education
Forty-one percent of the Masters of Science in Business
Analytics students are from out of state and 11 percent are
international.
Nearly a dozen students from the ADMBA
class of 2016 remained in Knoxville an
extra day after their residency period
to participate in an optional learning
opportunity with Oak Ridge National Lab.
Students and participating faculty visited
ORNL’s Manufacturing Demonstration
Facility (MDF) and National Transportation
Research Center (NTRC), both managed
by ORNL. The group learned from program
directors about public-private partnering
initiatives in the area of technology development and initiatives to rapidly transition
new technologies to market. The 2015 Master of Accountancy class
raised $28,800 to support future
accounting students. More than 71 percent of the students pursuing a MAcc
at the college participated. Carly Sain (MA ’15) chaired the “1, 2, 3 for Tennessee”
campaign with support from classmates Thomas Allen, Nick Baxter, John
Belenfant, Tara Davis, Jack Robertson, and Molly Thessin.
#HaslamWorld
EMBA for Global
Supply Chain students
visited the Yangshan
Port (the biggest port
in the world) in China
during their most recent
residency period.
A group of doctoral
directors and students
has begun to organize
the Haslam College
of Business Doctoral
Student Association
(HCBDSA), the college’s
first formal organization
for students pursuing
their doctorate.
Haslam’s team members
were finalists in the recent
FCA National Black
MBA case competition.
On October 4-7, 108 MAcc
students travelled to
Washington DC. The trip’s
itinerary included visits to
the office of Senator Corker,
where the students met
with the senator’s chief of
staff, Todd Womack; the
US Securities & Exchange
Commission (SEC); the
Public Company Accounting
Oversight Board (PCAOB);
and the Internal Revenue
Service’s National Taxpayer
Advocacy Services Group.
Forty students and faculty members
from the Aerospace & Defense MBA
(ADMBA) program spent the last week
of June in Seattle learning about key
business challenges and opportunities
in the industry. The group met with
leaders at nearly a dozen aerospace
and defense organizations, including
Boeing Commercial Aircraft company
and three of its key suppliers,
Honeywell, Aerojet Rocketdyne, the
FAA, Seattle-Tacoma Port Authority,
Delta Air Lines, and the US Navy’s Puget
Sound Naval Station and Intermediate
Maintenance Facility. Haslam MBA students
participated in the third
annual SEC Case Competition at the University of
South Carolina on April 10.
Haslam’s team consisted
of John Born, Marcus
Jeter, Brock Lambert,
and Samara Sadrin. They
were given the name of
a company to research
before the event then
presented with a case
question once they arrived
for the competition.
HASLAM.UTK.EDU | 27
#HaslamWorld
Students visit the University of the
Sunshine Coast with the Department of
Marketing & Supply Chain Management’s
summer session in Australia.
Lucia Polo Named SEC
Scholar-Athlete of the Year
In May 2015, the SEC announced the results of its annual Women’s
Golf Awards. Lucia Polo was one of just two female golfers
named SEC Scholar-Athletes of the year. A junior in marketing
at the Haslam College of Business and a member of the
University of Tennessee, Knoxville women’s golf team,
Polo’s dedication to excellence has made an impression
on head coach Judi Pavon.
“She’s just about the ideal student athlete,” says
Pavon. “She is very dedicated to golf and committed
to working hard and getting better every day. When
the team travels, she uses every free minute to study
for her academic courses to make sure she reaches
her own high standards.”
While Polo’s dream is to play golf professionally, she
sees the value of her studies at Haslam. “Golf and school
have always been my priorities,” she says. “I try to put
in the time and effort necessary to succeed at both.”
academic accolades
MARKETING AND SUPPLY
CHAIN MANAGEMENT
Wilson Waller, Katie Ruan,
Manami Murphy, Jason Hinkle,
and Harmeet Batth, all 2015 business
majors, developed a project called
Clean Cycle to help dispose of trash
along India’s roadways. The project
is a partnership with Manav Rachna
College of Engineering in Haryana,
India, and the Foundation for Liberal
and Management Education (FLAME)
School of Business in Pune, India.
Haslam’s team was the runner
up in the annual Intermodal
Association of North America’s
Logistics and Supply Chain
Management Case Competition
on April 15. This year’s Haslam
team members included seniors
Ethan McCullough, Matthew
Nolte, Andrew Reed, and
sophomore Grant Taylor.
Ten students and a faculty
member from Maharashtra
Institute of Technology in Pune,
India, visited Knoxville to partner
with Haslam students on improving
drinking water quality in India.
The high point of the visit was
a demonstration on October 7
where students used packets
provided by P&G to cleanse
Tennessee River water for
safe consumption.
28 | HASLAM MAGAZINE
Accounting and
Information Management
Haslam’s chapter of the Beta Alpha Psi accounting,
finance, and information systems honors fraternity was
recognized as an internationally superior chapter by its
parent organization.
Haslam’s student chapter of the National Association of
Black Accountants received a Chapter of the Year award
from its parent organization in June. The award was
presented during the NABA National Convention and
Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada, and was accepted by faculty
advisor Randy V. Bradley, assistant professor of information
systems and supply chain management, as well as four
Haslam students: Gabrielle Yates (president-elect),
Ashleigh Williams (vice president-elect), Cherish Hughes
(outgoing membership development chair) and doctoral
student Michelle Harding.
Spencer Story, a third-year accounting major, was selected
by the NABA Southern Region Scholarship Committee to
receive a $1,000 scholarship sponsored by KPMG.
The Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) recognized
its affiliate at Haslam with an Outstanding Student Chapter Award
for the fourth year. Chapter officers include Kenan Smith (senior,
human resources), Tyler Lampley (junior, human resources),
Brittney Parker (senior, human resources), Carlee Pritchard
(senior, marketing), and Lauren Troutman (junior, management).
The Management Society started its semester off with an
interactive session on leadership lead by Anne D. Smith on
September 1.
MANAGEMENT
Haslam students won the regional Society for Human Resource
Management case competition for the third time in the last five
years. Twenty-two schools competed during the event, which
was held April 23-24 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The team included
McCall Beckler, Sarah Norris, Catherine Hawkins, Evan Corlew
and Shea Lowe, all human resource majors.
DEVELOPMENT
& GIVING REPORT
Listed on the following pages
are those individuals, organizations,
corporations, and foundations whose
gifts of $250 or more were received by
the Haslam College of Business in fiscal
year 2015 (July 1, 2014, through June
30, 2015).
Each and every gift, regardless of
amount, is sincerely appreciated. The
generosity of our alumni and friends
allows the college to provide the best
possible educational opportunities for
our students.
Although every effort has been made
to ensure the accuracy and completeness of our list of contributors, we
acknowledge that the following list
may contain inadvertent errors; please
contact us with any corrections.
OVER $500,000
Anderson Family
Haslam Family
$250,000-$499,999
Dennis & Jennie L. Hendrix
$100,000-$249,999
BB&T
John Harrigan Boll
Randy & Jenny Boyd
John & Cindy Compton
Ralph & Janet Heath
Jerry & Kay Henry
Christopher & Donna Kinney
Ray & Joan Myatt Jr.
Gerald Thomas Niedert
Regal Foundation
William B. Stokely Jr. Foundation
Timothy W. Williams
$50,000-$99,999
James B. Baker
Thomas & Jennifer Bell Jr.
James B. Clayton
Farm Bureau Insurance
Companies of TN
Home Federal Bank of Tennessee
Jean Harrington Miller
Norfolk Southern Foundation
Joseph & Barbara O’Donnell
King & Judy Rogers III
Gregory & Lisa Smith
SouthEast Bank
Robert Andrew Taylor
$25,000-$49,999
Joseph & Carole Ayres
R. Stanley Bowden II
Larry & Vivian Carroll
Consumer Credit Union
L. Michael & Carolyn Cuddy
Deloitte Foundation
Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP
G. Mack & Nancy Dove
Charles W. Duggan
Ernst & Young LLP Foundation
L. Barry & Karen Goss
Elizabeth A. Ingalls
Jerald & Kimberly Nine Jr.
Family Foundation
Mason & Emily Jones
David & Jeanne Claire Jones
A. David & Sandra Martin
Jeffrey & Caroline McCamy
George & Margaret Melton
John R. Moore
F. Perry & Elaine J. Ozburn Jr.
Pershing Yoakley & Associates
PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP
David & Sharon Ramsey
Dane & Meg Scism
William & Kay Stokely III
Arthur & Hasseline Thompson Jr.
Mark L. Venrick
Michael & Tiffiny West
$10,000-$24,999
Alcoa Inc
American Marketing Association Knoxville Chapter
Amerisure Insurance
Apple Inc.
Kelvin & Sheryl Ault
James & Patricia Bernal
Bill & Melba Blevins
Martin & Ann Brown
Aubrey R. Burleson
Ernest & Bonnie Cadotte
Capital One Services Inc.
Joseph & Terri Carcello
Citizens Bank Tri-Cities
Foundation Ltd
Michael & Anna Coggin
Cornerstone Foundation
of Knoxville
James & Mira Craine
John & Brenda Dittmann
ExxonMobil Foundation
Fidelity Investments
FirstExpress Inc.
Brian & Heather Foley
John & Sharon Hajjar
Douglas & Carla G. Harris
Tom & Constance Hawkins Jr.
Philip & Margo Jacobs
Dean & Laurie Jones
Bob & Molly Joy
KLA Tencor Corporation
Michael & Pamela Koban Jr.
Russell Lyle Lamb
Lowe’s Companies Inc
Stephen & Troba Mangum
Ralph Masengill Jr.
Cheryl S. Massingale
John & Kathy McLeod
Dan & Amy Miles
Knaster Charitable Trust
Jim & Kathy Newsome III
Mary Lucretia Parks
Kiran & Jocimara Patel
Richard & Deborah Perry
Joseph & Sharon Pryse
Will J. & Genetta Pugh
Martin & Carol Robinson
Saks Incorporated Foundation
Scripps Networks Interactive
Richard & Ann Smith
State Farm Mutual Auto
Insurance Co.
David & Deborah Stevens
William L. Vallett Jr.
$5,000-$9,999
John & Donna Adams Jr.
Rodney & Molly Adams
James & Jennifer Banner
Belk Stores Services Inc
Leonard & Laura Berlik
Blue Cross-Blue Shield
of Tennessee
Mark & Karen Bowling
James & Diedra Brogan
David A. Brown II
Steven & Jill Brown
Anthony & Patricia Bryant
James & Celeste Butler
Charles & Dorothy Butler
Samuel & Sharon Carter Jr.
David H. Clark
Coca-Cola Foundation
Corey & Allison Coggin
Edward J. Diamond
Michael D. Easterly
Timothy & Karen Ellis
David Myers Evans
Alan Fan
First Tennessee Bank
Michael M. Flanary
Emerson & Catherine Fly
James & Marcia Foxworthy
Kostyantyn & Karmen Grabovskyy
Paul & Patricia Green
Allen Pillow Halliday
William P. Halliday III
Hanesbrands Inc.
James L. Harlan II
John & Renee Hawkins
Ted & Nancy Helms
Tonya G. Hinch
Douglas & Brenda Horne
Robert & Sharon Huette
IBM International Foundation
J. A. Fielden Co. Inc.
Robert & Beverly Johnson
James & Penny Keras Jr.
KPMG Foundation
Jon & Toni Lawler
Michael K. Littlejohn
Alfred & Rebecca Lumsdaine
Frank & Mary McGregor
Jack & Patricia Mills
Charles & Carolyn Pearson III
Pepsi Bottling Group Knoxville
Pinnacle National Bank
John & Mitzi Platillero
Brett W. Rousch
William & Jane Salter
Scott & Kathryn Selbach
Silgan Containers
Taylor & Jean Simonton
Jeffrey & Carol Stratton
SunTrust Foundation
R. Marshall & Anne Taylor
Sharon Mullinax Taylor
Normand Denis Turgeon
Unum Group Inc.
VACO LLC
Thomas & Traci Van Dorselaer
Charles & Nancy Wagner III
Jan & Elaine Williams
John Robert Willis III
$2,500-$4,999
James H. Atchley
Bank of America Foundation
Adam John Bean
Allen & Karen Bell
Gary & Julia Bentley
Michael & Nancy Berry
Douglas & Lori Blalock
Boeing Company Foundation
Andrew N. Burns
Marion D. Campbell Jr.
David L. Cannon
Capital Bank
David & Penny Carver
Clayton Bank & Trust
Gary & Marsha Clayton
Randall W. Clayton
CNS Y-12
Peter & Doris Coode
E. Terry & Juanita Cowles
Jefferson & Jennifer Cross
Scott & Stephanie Daniel
Marcus & Kelli Davenport
Jeffery & Janet Davis
Kerry & Martha Dodd
John & Melissa Doster Jr.
David & Kathleen Ecklund
Mark & Conchi Emkes
Terry & Kathy Evans
Don & Sandra Fancher
Mark Scott Fleiner
Ronald David Ford
Nan M. Given
Michael & Elizabeth Greene
Samuel & Leslie Grigsby Jr.
Charles K. Hendrix
Hershey Foods Corporation
W. Logan & Johnnie Hickman Jr.
HASLAM.UTK.EDU | 29
25%
9%
Sources
and Uses
of Funds
FY 2015
Source of Funds
17%
State Allocation and
Standard Tuition
Differential Tuitions
Executive Education
Private Monies
Grants & Contracts
Total revenue flow to the college increased
approximately 5 percent from fiscal year 2014 to fiscal
year 2015, reaching $64.8 million. Higher than average
percentage increases were recorded in differential tuitions,
executive education, and private philanthropy. This year’s
increase in executive education revenues reversed two consecutive
years of revenue decreases. Revenues from external grants and
contracts declined for a second straight year. Increases in
differential tuition revenues reflect rising demand for business
education. Within the state allocation and standard tuition share
category, increased reliance on student tuition revenue relative to
state funding continues to be the trend. Salary and benefits also
remain the largest expense category, reflecting the importance of
human capability in delivering on our organizational mission.
At the close of fiscal year 2015, the market value of the college’s
endowment reached $116.8 million. Gifts to the endowment during
the fiscal year totaled $28.2 million. Concurrently, the college also
witnessed a 20 percent increase in the total number of donors.
39%
11%
9%
15%
FY 2015
Use of Funds
Salaries & Benefits
Executive Education
Student Support
Program Infrastructure
Reinvestment
6%
6%
65%
2006
FY
’09
FY
’08
2259
Number of Donors
2025
2012
—Dean Stephen L. Mangum
2787
2013
3068
2101
$ 1 16,771,240
$98,782,233
$84,342,500
$74,081,913
$74,246,647
$60,762,937
$54,168,535
$73,415,806
$80,293,747
$66,881,222
$59,013,279
2581
2005
2015 2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2277
2014
FYValue
It is no secret that financial gifts
are vital to our college. Private
funds lend support to academic
programming, faculty, student
scholarships, facilities, and nearly
every aspect of our mission.”
2571
2015
3701
Market
Value of
Endowment
2011
2007
2008
2009
2010
FY
’15
30 | HASLAM MAGAZINE
FY
’14
FY
’13
FY
’12
FY
’11
FY
’10
FY
’07
DEVELOPMENT
& GIVING
REPORT
Giles David Hollins
David & Deborah Ingram
Michelle C. Keasler
Francois Nader
Edward & Karen Pershing
Jeffrey J. Powell
Thomas & Kimberly Quillen
Howard & Agatha Ray
Richard & Jane Ray Jr.
Regions Bank
Jon & Mintha Roach
Brad & Christine Rolland
Gary & Donna Rose
Eugene & Elizabeth Seymour
Ann T. Siewert
Barrett & Betsy Simonis
David M. Snapp
Aaron Joseph Snyder
David & Beverly Stacey
Benjamin & Christy Stanga
Steiner & Ellis PLLC
Randolph B. Stephenson
Matthew D. Stone
SunTrust Bank Atlanta Foundation
Michael & Rebecca Sutton Sr.
Herman & Karen Tallman
Tennessee Valley Human Resource
Association
Judi Vogt Tompkins
Willie O. Turner Jr.
US Bank
James & Connie Vavalides
Jerry W. Walker
Watson Foundation Inc.
Wells Fargo Foundation
Milburn & Sandra White
$1,000-$2,499
Edward Sanford Albers Jr.
Ronald & Jean Alexander
Howard & Wendy Allenberg
Ameriprise Financial Inc.
Kenneth & Ellen Anderson
Theodore E. Arnold IV
Phil & Kathy Baggett
John & Leeann Bailes
Jonathan C. Bailey
Richard Maurice Barker
Rhonda Wilson Barton
Bruce & Julianne Behn
John & Tyra Behrens
Lewis Rogers Belote III
Robert G. Berry
Hal & Sheron Bibee
David W. Blackwell
Christy April Blalock
Boeing Company
Matthew & Sarah Brichetto
Berta Maria Briones
Paul & Shirley Pih Broadbery
Michael L. Brookshire
Andy Bruner
Chip & Kym Bryant
James & Betty Lou Burnett III
Sharon L. Busse
Richard & Nancy Cardin
Charles & Brenda Carpenter Jr.
Martin & Linda Carrico
Holly Davis
John & Carol Childress II
Charlie & Dorothy Chitwood
Robert E. Christopher
James Anthony Chyz
Kevin E. Clark
Robert L. Clark
Steve Clendenen
Charles H. Coffin
Michael & Kimberly Copperthite
Thomas & Mindy Coulter
Stephen & Patty Coulter Sr.
Scott & Jill Craig
Scott & Lisa Craighead
Timothy & Fia Cronin
Michael & Helen Crotty
Crowe Horwath LLC
David & Linda Crumpton
Drew Christopher Dahl
Clay & Anita Davis Jr.
Eugene & Holly Davis
Mark Wagner Davis
DeVry Education Group
Deana L. Drewry
Jeffery S. Drummonds
Randall & Kelly Durham
Donald & Mary Edmands Jr.
James & Sharon Edwards
Cato Ellis Jr.
Todd & Valerie Ellis
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
Elizabeth S. Etheredge
Expeditors International of Washington
Gordon & Cynthia Ferguson
Kevin & Tracy Ferguson
Mike Finn
Fitch Ratings
Steven G. Fleenor
Rebecca I. Flick
Shirley A. Flynn
Robert & Catherine Ford
Duncan & Karol Fort III
William & Deborah Fox
Paul & Elizabeth Frankenberg IV
David Scott Freeman
William & Lynn Freeman II
J. Lee & Connie Fry III
Lyle & Judith Gardner
General Electric Foundation
General Shale Brick Inc.
Genesco Inc.
Gregory & Kimberly Gheen
G. Gregory Gilbert
Susan Golicic
Herman & Shirley Gray
Ronald & Barbara Grubbs Jr.
Christopher M. Hadorn
Gary & Vicki Hall
Steven & Jane Harb
John & Harriett Harty
Peter Gerard Hedger Jr.
Ronald A. Hees
Rosalyn L. Hess
William C. Hilleary
John George Hoffman III
Ronald S. Holcomb
Jennifer L. Holder
Steven G. Horn
David R. Howard
Stanley & Teresa Hurt
Christopher R. Inklebarger
Don W. Jett
Kimberly A. Johnson
Patricia Pinckley Johnson
Hendon Russell Johnston Jr.
Bart & Nicole Jones
Thomas Joseph
Jenneen Marie Kaufman
James & Ruth Keally III
Mark & Lindy Kinser
Herbert Sheldon Kishbaugh
Robert & Karen Ladd
Barney Lewis Lane
William & Lisa Salmons
Lattimore Black Morgan & Cain PC
Tillman L. Lay
Terry Lee Leap
Scott Parks LeTellier
Richard J. Levenson
David & Terri Lindsay
HONORING
A LEGACY
Richard L. Townsend Distinguished
Accounting Professorship
From 1969–2010, accounting professor Dick Townsend
served the Department of Accounting and Information
Management with selfless and whole-hearted devotion.
To honor his legacy, AIM has established the Richard
L. Townsend Distinguished Accounting Professorship.
When department head Joe Carcello approached
the administration about raising funds for the
endowment, the outcome was uncertain. “We didn’t
have an anchor donor, but we decided to try,” Carcello
says. “As of early October, we’re at $1.2 million. It’s
been a tremendous success.”
The successful fundraising is inextricably linked
to Townsend’s legacy. Thousands of former students
remember his dedication, enthusiasm, wit, and care for
others. “His sense of humor, impeccable character, and
personal investment in the success of his students made
an impact on many,” says campaign co-chair David
Evans. “This professorship will honor Dr. Townsend
by continuing to make an impact in his name.”
Townsend’s dedication to his students produced
a vibrant group of accounting alumni, says co-chair
Bob Hensley. “Our alumni group is unsurpassed by
any other,” Hensley says. “Dick’s passion for our
MAcc program is just another example of his leadership
that will positively affect our students’ careers for
years to come.”
The inaugural holder of the Richard L. Townsend
Distinguished Accounting Professorship is Terry Neal.
If you’d like to contribute to the endowment fund,
please contact Chip Bryant at [email protected] or call
(865) 974-2919.
HASLAM.UTK.EDU | 31
GIVERS of
EXPERIENCE
Leaders in Philanthropy
Greg and Lisa Smith
Leaders in Philanthropy
Greg Smith (HCB ’85) is a wealth of
experiential knowledge about global supply
chain management. As senior vice president
of global operations for The Goodyear Tire
& Rubber Company, Greg is responsible
for purchasing, manufacturing, and supply
chain management.
“We have offices in Brussels, Belgium;
Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Shanghai, China; and
factories around the world,” says Greg. “I go
to Asia, Europe, or Latin America just about
every month.”
Greg, a Germantown, Tennessee, native,
enjoys sharing his insights and experiences
with Haslam students and faculty
through a number of leadership roles and
commitments. His impressive career began
with his first role at Quaker Oats in Jackson,
Tennessee, where he met his wife, Lisa, a
graduate of Purdue University. The couple
soon married and started a family. “We have
four children,” says Greg. “The oldest two
are currently in college and our twins are
seniors in high school, considering UT.”
After several years in the industrial
engineering field, Lisa chose to become a
full-time mom. Meanwhile, Greg’s career
took the family on a series of moves. He
transitioned from Quaker Oats to several
other companies, including private equities,
before joining ConAgra Foods more than a
decade later. “I was with ConAgra for eleven
years, serving as executive vice president of
supply chain and president of the grocery
foods division,” he says. “In 2011, I came to
Goodyear, and we moved again, this time
to Ohio.”
Although they never lost touch with their
alma maters, Greg and Lisa have become
increasingly connected to the Haslam
College of Business and Lisa’s college at
Purdue over the past ten years. “First, we
started taking our children down for ball
games,” says Greg. “Then, about eight years
ago, I became part of the Global Supply
Chain Institute.” Through his role on the
The caliber of
the GLS students
is outstanding.
They carry an
exceptional
understanding
of moral
and ethical
responsibilities
along with
business
practices.”
forty-member panel, Greg shares expertise
and advice with Haslam faculty.
The Smiths took a further supportive
step four years ago when they began
supporting the Global Leadership Scholars
program. “At the time, GLS was an area they
were trying to bolster,” says Greg. “We got
a lot of information and decided it would
be a good fit for our support.” Since then,
Greg has delved further into the program,
interacting with students and offering
expertise and advice. “This year, I spent
a few days speaking to a couple of GLS
classes, giving advice and counsel, sharing
my personal experience, and spending time
with students one-on-one,” he says. “The
caliber of the GLS students is outstanding.
They carry an exceptional understanding of
moral and ethical responsibilities along with
business practices.”
In 2015, Greg was invited to join the
Dean’s Advisory Council, bringing him to
Tennessee a few additional times each year.
“We always enjoy our time at Haslam
and in Tennessee,” says Greg. “We
appreciate being able to talk with the
students and areas we support and seeing
how our efforts are making a difference.”
Left: Gameday brings the Smiths together with GLS students who have benefited
from their scholarship support (Clockwise from top left): Adam Impellizzieri, Greg Smith,
Steven Powlis, Piper Davis, Lisa Smith, Brennan Galbraith, and Sarah Hudson.
HASLAM.UTK.EDU | 33
Dr. Michael J. Stahl PEMBA
Faculty Fellowship Established
to Honor PEMBA Founder
A new faculty fellowship has been named in the
Physician Executive MBA program at the Haslam College of
Business honoring founding Director Mike Stahl.
Alumni, students, and staff announced the fellowship to
Stahl during the program’s alumni symposium in the spring
of 2015. At that time they had contributed $150,000 during
the effort’s eight-month quiet phase.
“It just blew my mind that none of them said anything,”
Stahl said. “I know all of these alums. We’ve recruited
together at conferences.”
Contributors wished to recognize Stahl’s efforts over
the last eighteen years in establishing and developing the
PEMBA program.
“Mike has been there since the beginning,” said
Associate Dean for Graduate and Executive Education
Bruce Behn. “He helped get PEMBA off the ground, got it
through some tough times, and then grew PEMBA to make
it one of UT’s premier programs. This fellowship just shows
how much Mike has meant to our PEMBA alums.”
Stahl was caught off guard by the presentation and by the
efforts of staff and alumni. “I can’t recall the last time I’ve been
that surprised,” he said. “I was truly humbled and honored.
For them to recognize what we’ve accomplished at PEMBA
over the years was a true honor.”
Stahl also serves as a recruiter to the program,
travelling to various physician and medical conferences
with his wife, Barbara, who assists with his efforts.
The Dr. Michael J. Stahl PEMBA Faculty Fellowship
will be awarded for the first time in the fall of 2015 to
those teaching in the PEMBA program who demonstrate
a commitment to leadership and service through teaching
and research.
Fundraising for the endowment is ongoing, with a goal
of $250,000. Anyone interested in contributing to this
endowment should contact Chip Bryant in the Office of
Development & Alumni Affairs at [email protected].
34 | HASLAM MAGAZINE
Michael & Tina Lobel
William & Brenda Locke
W. Gage & Shelley Logan III
Jeffrey D. Longmire
Beverly A. Lynch
Mudit M. Maheshwari
Bob & LeaAnn Marshall
Martin & Company
P J & Danielle Martin
Francis Anthony Marzoni Jr.
Steven & Annette McBrayer
David N. McClung
Joseph & Penny McDonald
Robert & Judy McMahan
Anthony Robert Menzies
Carl & Shelley Merideth
William & Lynda Middlemas
Harry & Suzanne Miller Jr.
Mark A. Moon
Chad A. Moore
Michael & Phyllis Moore
Thomas Moore
Charles & Sherry Morgan
Rock & Linda Morphis
Melvin G. Moseley Jr.
Mud LLC
Michael E. Norwood
ORNL Federal Credit Union
Scott Parish
Mark Ward Partin
Lamar & Dedra Partridge
PEMBA Class 2014
R. Paul & Barbara Perutelli
Phillips and Jordan Incorporated
William Garrison Pittman
Pat D. Postma
Donald & Kimberly Pounders
Patricia G. Pratt
J. Daniel & Allison Pressley
Donald & Nancy Preston
John & Gail Prugh
W. James & Angela Pugh Jr.
Michael J. Reeves
Regal Homes Inc.
Rhonda K. Reger Piland
Michael & Amanda Respeto
Louis & Victoria Riddle Jr.
Timothy & Barbara Rizer
Ronald & Marta Roberts
Rose W. Russell
Eric M. Saul
M. James & Susan Sayrs
Louis & Sherlene Schumacher
David & Jane Schumann
James A. Schwab
Clayton & Sarah Scott
Gregory M. Sekelsky
Timothy & Peggy L. Seneker
Margaret Sharp
Laurie R. Shimp
Mike Sisk
Dean & Ann Skadberg
William Randall Sluder
Joseph Dempster Smallman
James Forest Smith Jr.
Rebecca F. Thompson
Henry & Margaret Smith
Mandyam & Kanchana Srinivasan
Keith & Josie Stanga
Ted Stank & Lori Nash
Aaron James Steiner
C. Lee Steinhouse III
H. Virgil & Clara Stephens
Temple Crain Stevenson
Dustin J. Stratton
Michael T. Strickland
Ron & Teresa Suedekum
Richard & Martha Tabor
Melanie Demotts Taosuwan
Edward Lee Taylor
Samuel H. Taylor Sr.
Joe & Sheryl Teague
The Trust Company
T. Matthew & Laura Thigpen
Mark Thomas
Joseph & Rebecca Thompson III
Dan & Sandra Tindall
Melvin & Hedy Tobias
Neal & Cathy Townsend
R.L. & Irene Townsend
Douglas & Catherine Traver
Donald Joseph Tyndall
Ulbrich Stainless Steel & Special Metals
David Carroll Verble
Crawford & Cynthia Wagner
Paul Andrew Warren
Jeff H. Watkins
D. Brent Wilder
Kevin Scott Wilder
Al Leonard Williams
Kenneth & Shari Wills
Priscilla W. Wisner
Tracie Mcalpin Woidtke
Loluis & Lillie Wright
Joseph T. Wyrick
Russell Lee Zaretzki
$500-$999
AT&T Inc. Foundation
Abbott Laboratories
Edward A. Adams Jr.
Christopher Patrick Anderson
David Lee Anderson
Chris Andrews
Gregory Antoine
Apple Inc.
Jean D. Arrants
Derick & Ashley Aye
Thomas & Midge Ayres
Robert K. Baylor
Francis & Sandy Bedard
Michael & Lisa Marie Berry
Dawn E. Bertsche
William Bible
Kimberly Keightley Black
Charles James Blalock
Andrew Nelson Blevins
Nathaniel & Virginia Borghi
Stewart & Melissa Bowers
Bill F. Breeding Jr.
Kent & Stacey Bristow
Anita L. Brooks
Linda Marie Brzuchalski
Laura K. Burgin
Jane E. Campbell
J. A. Campen
Patricia Campen
A. Steven & Claudia Carmichael
Robert & Amy Cathey Jr.
Thomas Cervone & Susan Creswell
Stanley Chervin & Barbara Richards
Linda Mewis Christmann
David & Molly Clark II
Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC
Benjamin Ernst Cook
Kevin Bernhard Cook
Brian Cook
Sharon Cooper & Mark Collins
Tammra Mitchell Credit
David & Barbara Crippen
John & Lisa Cunningham
Lauren Marie Cunningham
Phillip & Bonney Daves
Charles Edward Davis
DEVELOPMENT
& GIVING
REPORT
Molly Beth Davis
T. Dick & Loretta Denson
Shawn W. Devine
Michael & Mindy Dixon
Candice Michelle Doolan
Thomas J. Dorich
John & Diana Doss III
Daniel H. Dougherty
William & Janyce Dudney
William T. Durkin Jr.
Jason H. Echols
Susan Pedigo Edwards
Michael & Sallie Ehrhardt
Joseph Kirby Ellis
Wesley A. Emison
EnPro Industries
William Joseph Farrell
Aaron T. Fausz
Neil & Suzanne Fischer
Daniel J. Flint
Marshall & Ashley Franklin
Jeffrey A. Freyer
Fulghum Macindoe & Associates Inc.
Tina M. Galloway
Donald E. Garretson
Scott & Decindria Gibson
Robert J. Goodman
Lynn Gottke
W. Alec Grant III
Thomas & Florence Graves
Les Daryl Gray
Richard Michael Grover
Alyssa Hallick
John & Pat Harper
Charles & Janice Harrison
Kevin & Susan Harrman
Jared James Hausfeld
Graham Hickling & Diane Mollenkopf
J. Robert Hill
Christopher & Jennifer Hillenmeyer
Jay & Meredith Hollomon
Geoffrey & Leigha Hornstra
Elaine Hostetter & Larry Felts
Mark Edward Igou
International Paper Company
Tyler & Kara Jacobs
Mel & Cynthia Jacobson
Jacob & Adrian Jay
John Deere Foundation
Kyle William Johns
Drew Jones
Jeffrey & Lisa Keeble
John V. Keenan
Keurig Green Mountain
Mark & Ann Kington
Joseph & Rebecca Krumdieck
Kurt Alan Krushenski
Reuben Kyle III
Amy Jo LeCroy
John & LeAnn Luna
Robin & Val Manley
Michael Robert Marks
Peter & Nancy Maynard
James & Lynn D. McCallie
McDonald’s Corporation
Todd E. McElhatton
Michael D. McIntyre
James R. Merrill
Karen J. Moore
Bobby & Victoria Moore
Stephanie Morela
R. Jane Moser
Daniel & Suzan Murphy
Matthew N. Murray
Michael & Becky Neill
William Stuart Neilson
Randy E. Nichols
Charles Henry Noble IV
Angel A. Norman & Kim Cameron
Meredith R. Norris
Steven & Margarette Nussbaumer
Peter E. Papageorge
Brent K. Park
Megan Parker-Peters
Celeste Patterson
Brainard L. Patton Jr.
Samuel Jason Perry
Roger & T. G. Peterson
Bradley D. Petty
Phillips Jones Wealth Management
Brian & Elizabeth Phillips
Randal H. Pierce
William & Pamela Pinkston
William Steve Pittman
Thomas & Anne Power
Wesley Gray Ragsdale
Gregory & Nancy Ramsey
Victor & Annette Ranft
Christie L. Reeves
Joel & Melissa Reeves Jr.
Refreshments Inc.
David Andrew Reynolds
Tim Gordon Rhodes
Darryl M. Richards
Jack & Anne Robbins
Paul Marion Robinson
Colin Hunter Schneeweiss
Shay D. Scott
Gregory Allen Separk
William D. Sharp
John Richard Sharpe
Shell Oil Company Foundation
Jeffrey & Mary Siegrist
Barry T. Silver
Stephen & Susan Silvers
William Douglas Singer
J. Frank & Deanna Slagle III
Robert C. Sledd
Charles B. Smith
Darren A. Smith
Nancy C. Stalcup
Brenda Steakley
Emily Blair Steakley
Christopher Todd Stephens
Katherine M. Stevens
Robert & Dorothy Stewart
Kristin O. Stone
Wade Russell Stonebrook
Benton Thomas Stott
Arthur B. Stowers
Harry & Elizabeth Stowers Jr.
Justin C. Stringfield
Diane K. Stumph
Michael L. Taber
Alvaro Gonzalo Taboada
B. Lance Taylor
Jacob Michael Taylor
Jane C. Taylor
Norman & Wendy Templeton
Tennessee Technology Development Corp
David R. Thomas
William & Lori Tice Jr.
Terry & Linda Tyler
Jamie R. Underwood
VMware Inc.
Grainger Inc.
John M. Wachowicz
Dale N. Walker
Brian & Christina Waller
Raymond W. Walsh
William Ronald Walton
Brian Douglas Wantling
John J. Waskom
Jack & Rhonda Wiley
David Warren Williams
Mark E. Willoughby
Kendra Mccall Wills
Wanda L. Wisecarver
Kevin & Leigh Ann Witt
Yeak-Chong Wong
Walter Mark Work
Douglas & Sara Yoakley
Gillen & Michele Young
Wenjun Zhou
William Zotti
$250-$499
James Adams
Robert Joe Adams II
Cory Alexander
Amy Goforth Austin
Michael W. Ayres
Donna W. Bailey
Carl & Ann Bales
Thomas & Diane Ballard
David & Janine Barber
Cheryl Barksdale
William & Courtney Barlar
Jeff & Denise Barlow
Robert & Phylis Baron
Benjamin & Margaret Bates
Thomas & Janet Baudry
Robert H. Bebber
John Edward Bell
John J. Billingsley
Mark & Susan Black
Stephen & Gayla Boling
Patrick Colin Bolinger
John & Mary Bolton
Anna Marie Boring
A. Wayne Branam
Larry G. Bray
Denny & Carolyn Brewer Jr.
Sean & Jenny Brewer
Joseph & Carmelita Brown Jr.
James & Diane Brown Jr.
C. Daniel & Linda Brown
Donald & Jennifer Bruce
Rudolph A. Buckley
Daniel & Stephanie Buckner
Thomas J. Burke
Brian Edward Burr
Kelly A. Carden
Matthew & Kerry Carden
Tom & Julie Carpenter
Willard L. Carr
David & Mary Carringer
Ashley Carter
Stephen & Belinda Carter
Jonathan B. Case
Kathy D. Cate
Larry Curtis Catlett
Christopher S. Chandler
Joel M. Chusid
Kristen Kaye Clark
James Hershel Clement
Jody Cochran
James Ruble Cody
Marvin Avery Cofer
Laura Seery Cole
Michael & Stacey Corley
Kathy Courtney
Woody & Judy Cozart
Tony & Leah Cross
Bradley & Lorri Crye
David & Marilyn Dagley
Matthew Donald Dallas
Jarrod Yates Davis
Phillip Allen Davis
Stephen Leroy Davis
Susan Clark Debold
Newly
Established
Endowments
Molly & Rodney Adams GLS
Travel Endowment
Dr. Ed Boling Business
Faculty Endowment
Martin D. & Ann R. Brown
MAcc Scholarship
Endowment
Jim Crossman Endowed
Business Scholarship
Evans Family Endowed
Business Scholarship
Haslam College of Business
Tennessee Undergraduate
Business Scholarship
Endowment
Jonathan & Alana Harris
Family Endowed Finance
Scholarship
C. Kennon Hendrix Endowed
Business Scholarship
Elizabeth Ingalls Endowed
MBA Fellowship
Earl R. Leinart Business
Scholarship Endowment
Nelson & Natalie Pratt
Endowed Business Scholarship
Leslie & Marilyn Schreiber
Faculty Research Award
Endowment
Selbach Family Endowed
Scholarship for
Entrepreneurship
Howard W. (Bud) & Barbara
Sherrod MBA Fellowship
Endowment
Richard Townsend
Accounting Professorship
Endowment
HASLAM.UTK.EDU | 35
BRIDGING
THE GAP
Leaders in Philanthropy
Ralph and Janet Heath
Leaders in Philanthropy
Left to right: Russell
Zaretzki, Janet and
Ralph Heath, and
Rupy Sawhney.
The academic gap between engineering and
business at the University of Tennessee is narrowing,
thanks to the efforts of Ralph and Janet Heath.
A graduate of the College of Engineering, Ralph
Heath also holds an MBA from the Haslam College
of Business. During his thirty-seven years in the
aerospace industry at Lockheed Martin, Ralph gained
a deep appreciation for the intricate connections
between the technical and business worlds. Now he
wants to share that understanding with current UT
students. “It became clear to me that integration
across these disciplines is essential to the success of
any company,” he says. “Companies figured out some
years ago that improving the way key functional
areas work together is essential to achieving greater
performance and increasing the competitiveness of
the organization. I wanted to see if we could establish
that kind of integration at the university level.”
In 2013, Ralph had a brainstorming session with
Haslam College of Business Dean and Stokely Foundation Leadership Chair, Stephen L. Mangum, and
College of Engineering Dean Wayne Davis. From that
conversation, the Heath Faculty Fellows Program
emerged. “The two faculty fellows (one from each
college) have joint responsibilities to find the connection points that can be leveraged to differentiate UT
and its students from the competition,” Ralph says.
“I think things are really gaining momentum and the
deans’ vision is going to become a reality.”
The two Heath Fellows are Rupy Sawhney at the
College of Engineering and Russell Zaretzki at Haslam. “UT has the opportunity to make a huge impact
on industry by producing students that have depth
in their functional areas and an understanding of
the broader goals of the organization,” Zaretzki says.
“Instilling this perspective is one of the key goals of
the Heath Fellows program.”
The new entrepreneurship minor at Haslam
provided the first point of practical intersection
between the two colleges, according to Zaretzki.
“The program was developed by faculty at the
Anderson Center in collaboration with other
professors from around the university,” he says.
“We expect the next points of integration to come
from the Departments of Supply Chain Management
and Business Analytics on the Haslam side and
the Departments of Industrial Engineering and
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science on
the College of Engineering side.” Early efforts
The two faculty
fellows (one from
each college)
have joint
responsibilities to
find the connection
points that can
be leveraged to
differentiate UT and
its students from
the competition.”
will focus on pulling together business and
engineering students for joint coursework
and collaborative projects.
Zaretzki appreciates the Heaths’ support as
he and Sawhney work together to build bridges
between their two colleges. “Ralph and Janet
are really great people and very much embody
the volunteer spirit,” he says. “Ralph is a unique
resource for the college, a man that understands
the engineering and business problems that need
to be addressed in modern industry at both a
technical and strategic level.”
The Heaths envision a bright future for the
collaboration. “We want graduates to emerge with
better business acumen and with an understanding
of complex systems,” Ralph says. “We also want
to build connections with both public and private
organizations, develop a deeper understanding
of the challenges they face, and work together on
mentoring, outreach, and interaction. We expect
that the involvement and expertise of other alumni
will also add another dimension to this effort.”
Janet, also a UT alum, shares Ralph’s vision
for the program and love for the university. “Ralph
and I have been involved for many years with the
colleges,” she says. “I’m a great supporter of both,
and I love what we’re doing now with the two.”
Although the Heaths live in Texas, they often
return to their alma mater. “We have two grown
daughters and two grandchildren here in Texas,
but we love to head back to the hills of Tennessee,”
says Janet.
HASLAM.UTK.EDU | 37
DEVELOPMENT AND GIVING REPORT
INVESTING IN
THE JOURNEY
TO THE TOP 25
CAMPAIGN
In 2010, the UNIVERSITY of Tennessee,
Knoxville, embarked on a mission: to rise up
the ranks to become one of the Top 25 public
academic institutions in the United States.
Since then, the Haslam College of Business
has sought to support the university-wide
goal. The Investing in the Journey to the
Top 25 Campaign focuses on attracting and
retaining respected faculty members and
top-quality students from around the world.
The college’s $175 million fundraising
goal aims to tie these two objectives together
through its third main initiative—creating
and maintaining innovative academic
programs. “The Haslam College of Business
is on a strong trajectory among business
schools,” says Dean and Stokely Foundation
Leadership Chair, Stephen L. Mangum.
“Success with our current campaign seeks to
strengthen that trajectory and expand our
abilities along all of these dimensions.”
Chip Bryant, executive director of
development and alumni affairs at Haslam,
sees the campaign as a precursor to future
achievements and a chance for alumni to
get involved. “The Investing in the Journey
to the Top 25 Campaign will not only
transform the college, but change the lives
of our students and faculty,” Bryant says.
“The tremendous generosity of Haslam
College of Business alumni and friends is
truly the foundation for our success and the
inspiration for this historic campaign.”
38 | HASLAM MAGAZINE
James Walter Deitrick
John Ernest Dekalb Jr.
Dennis & Kim Denton
Gina Maria Deutsch
Sean & Katie DeWitt
Stephen Dietz & Kina Mallard
Nancy Sue DiFrancia.
Gary Douglas
William August Dueker Jr.
James G. Dugger Jr.
Walter W. Duncan
Lawrence C. Eaton
Michael J. Ebuna
Brian Edmonds
Cortney R. Edmondson
Christopher K. Edwards
Marjorie Orr Elden
Paul Ketron Emert Jr.
Geraldine S. Emmert
Mark & Gena Evans
Kenneth & Gina Evans Jr.
Douglas M. Ewell
Michael Joseph Faris
Lindsay Byers Farnsworth
Kelsey Nicole Fautsch
Dave M. Fentress
Patricia Yvonne Flowers
Robert & Linda Foster
Mark Paul Fournier
Mark A. Fowler
Ronald R. Franklin
Rachel A. Frey & William Kelso
Monty & Denise Fritts
Brian S. Fugate
Rowland & Margaret Funk
Ronald Garrick
Mark W. Garvey & Kathryn Jackson
J. Michael Gibbs
Kenneth & Peggy Gilbert
David & Martha Gordon
Joseph & Sandra Grant
William & Edwina Greer
Laura Beth Grim
Gregory Michael Gross
Harry & Laura Gross Jr.
Ted R. Habermann
W. Thomas Hackney III
Tom & Terri Hale
Daniel & Kathy Hamilton
Eugene Sylvester Hampton II
John Justice Hancock
Michael David Hanna
Heather Gibbons Hartman
Michael T. Haworth
HDR Management Corp.
William & Stacy Head
Bradley R. Headrick
Ronald & Mary Helmhout
Raymond & Patricia Helsley Jr.
John Henry
J. Scott & Mary Ellen Herbert
Kelly Sue Hewett
Derick Hobby
Tanya M. Hockett
Stephen A. Hodge
Brady & Mary Holcomb
David & Kathy Holt
Robert & Gloria Holt
Travis & Michelle Honeycutt
Benjamin D. Horn
Matthew W. Horton
Logan Andrew Hughes
Marilyn A. Hughes
Lance P. Hull
Chris A. Hunt
Judith R. Hunt
Alton L. Hunter Jr.
Jairy C. Hunter III
Hudson Ireland
Jerald Edwin Jenkins Jr.
Johnson & Johnson Family
of Companies
David Lynn Johnson
Kyle Sherburne Johnson
David & Sherry Johnson
Melissa Jane Keller
Joseph V. Kelly III
David J. Kendall
Bruce & Susan Kingshill
David & Donna Knapp
Jeffrey D. Kudisch
Kent D. Kurkiewicz
Edward Augustine Langan III
Lauren N. Lange
Morton T. Larmore
Ronald & Ann Layne
Thomas & Wallene Leek
David Frank Leuze
Betty Ann Lewis
Yuan Li
Thomas Leonard Little
Charles & Kim Locke
David & Susan Long
Jeffrey A. Lovelace
Bryan Jackson Lundquist
Sarah M. Mallicote
Jeffrey & Kimberly Maples
Frances Rickard Marbury
Bethany Blankenship Marks
Mike & Leigh Ann Marks
Jordan & Julie Marshall
Kevin John Martin
Monte W. Masten
Kenichi & Yuki Matsuno
Teresa M. McCarthy Byrne
Joshua & Katie McCullough
John F. McGuffin
David & Nancy McKinney
Clay McManus
Medtronic Foundation
Stephen J. Merrill
Metro Knoxville HMA-ME
Charles & Sue Milazzo
Robin M. Farmer
Jeffrey Martin Mills
L. Virgil Mincy
Benita Harris Moore
TJ & Rebekah Moore
Charles & Leanne Morgan
Whitney Grant Morgan
Robert Bradley Morris
Anthony Ray Mubarak
Leonard Mucciaro
Michael Vincent Mulloy
Eric Munoz
George & Sue Munson
Caroline Jane Murphy
Alan J. Natowitz
Thomas & Betty Neal Jr.
George Charles Newcomer Jr.
Marjorie Lang Niemann
W. Scott Nix
Stephanie Michelle Noble
Caitlin Mary O’Connell
Thomas & Lorrie O’Donovan Jr.
Oracle Corporation
William Andrew Owen
Jessica H. Ownby
Marty M. Ozburn
William Edwin Palmer
Brandon & Laura Parks
Dennis W. Parton Jr.
Elizabeth Brooke Paulk
John & Lori Pearce
David Paul Perrot
LeEllen Nicole Phillips
Phillip & Kathy Jo Piper
Henry M. Poss Jr.
Gary Michael Pratt
Jacob G. Pratt
Gregory Preston
Pugh CPAs
Cornell & Janet Radford
Jeffrey A. Ramsey
Roger & Patty Ramsey
R.S. & Larisa Rathinasamy
Brian & Martha Rauch
Diane G. Ray
S. Seth Reagan
Amy Fischer Reavis
Andrew M. Rector Jr.
Charles Douglas Reineke
Mark Rennich & Vicki Mayfield
John P. Reynolds
Russell B. Richards
Kyle Eric Ring
Scott Michael Robbins
James Travis Roberts
Dick Rockenstein
Thomas D. Rohlfs
Mark S. Rutherford
Katherine J. Savage
Patrick & Alicia Schaad
David Dempster Schmid
Katherine Schonert
Carol F. Schwenke
Scripps Howard Foundation
Richard W. Shepard
Gary & Caroline Shockley
Ronald & Anita Shuffield
Kenneth Wayne Small Jr.
Forbes B. Smallwood
Robert Milton Smiddy
Anne D. Smith
Bruce B. Smith
Patrick Andrew Smith
W. Frank Smith III
Peter Kam-Wah So
J. Ryan Sowell
Haskel L. Stanback
P. Brent Starnes
Matthew & Katie Steier
James & Karen Stripling
Derrick R. Sturm
Glenn Swift
Wendy Lea Tate
John Thomas Tester
Rodney & Stephanie Thomas II
John Dee Thompson Jr.
S. Herman & Peggy Thompson
Franklin & Sue Thompson
Thrivent Financial Foundation
John & Jeannie Tobias Jr.
Ron K. Todd
Tami Touchstone
Charles Hamilton Trivette
Richard E. Tumblin
Robert L. Turney
W. Chase Underwood
Daniel & Erina Van Horn
Lance Blanton Wade
Marianne Hinds Wanamaker
Bruce A. Wankel
Gary J. Ward
Jared & Nicole West
Benjamin C. Willey
Jannie Carter Williams
Kelly Byrd Wilson
Thomas Lee Windler
Charles & Kathryn Wood
Kelly Marie Woodruff
Dave Young
David Kenneth Youngblood
Douglas R. Zink
ALUMNI
NEWS
2015
ALUMNI
GALA
The University of Tennessee,
Knoxville, Haslam College of Business
recognized the accomplishments of three
alumni and one corporation during its
seventh annual Alumni Awards Gala
Nov. 6. (For more on the winners, see
pages 40-41.)
The college also formally announced
its Investing in the Journey to the Top
25 Campaign to raise $175 million in
support of UT becoming a Top 25 public
research institution. (For more on the
campaign, see opposite page.)
Approximately 400 alumni, faculty,
staff, and friends of the college attended
the gala, which included a reception,
silent auction, dinner, and awards
presentation. Proceeds from the
sponsorships and silent auction benefited
the College Fund for Haslam Business,
which allows Haslam administrators
to allocate dollars toward areas of
greatest need, including student
and faculty support.
PHOTOS BY SHAWN MILLSAPS PHOTOGRAPHY
To share your
news with the
University of
Tennessee,
Knoxville,
Haslam College
of Business
community,
submit it along
with any relevant
images to
[email protected].
Please use “Alumni
News” in the
subject line.
HASLAM.UTK.EDU | 39
Below (left to right): 2015 Alumni Award recipients SouthEast Bank Chairman John Arnold, Outstanding Young Alum
Marshall Taylor, Distinguished Alum Sharon Pryse, and Entrepreneur of the Year Dr. John Hajjar.
Marshall Taylor
Outstanding Young Alum
Marshall Taylor was
born into the Tennessee
Volunteer tradition. Many of his
family members, including his
parents, are UT alumni. “UT
has always felt like home
to me,” says Taylor.
“It was a natural
decision to attend.”
During high school
in his hometown of
Memphis, Tennessee,
Taylor took an accounting
course and enjoyed
it. “It just made sense
to me, so when I came to
UT it was an easy decision to
major in accounting.” While completing a
bachelor’s degree in business and a master’s
in accountancy, Taylor participated in the
summer internship program managed by the
accounting department. “It was an incredible
program that teamed with employers, giving
undergraduates the opportunity to get real
world experience,” Taylor says. “I was able to
intern at two of the Big Five accounting firms,
and it was during one of those internships that
I was introduced to financial accounting due
diligence. I knew at that point what I wanted
to do and focused on that goal.”
Taylor credits the success in his career to
the tireless support of his wife and family, as
well as the lessons solidified at the Haslam
College of Business. “The instructors and
professors gave me the right
mix of support and personal
The instructors responsibility,” Taylor says.
and professors “The environment was just
gave me nurturing enough, but still
required self-motivation. UT
the right mix is where I put together all the
of support tools for success I’d received
and personal from family, teachers, and
responsibility.” friends while growing up.”
Taylor first worked with
Arthur Andersen’s audit practice in Nashville
and later with EY. He transitioned to EY’s
transaction advisory practice, where he spent
the next five years. Today, he’s a managing
director in Alvarez & Marsal’s Transaction
Advisory Group.
Taylor’s wife, Anne, is also a Haslam College
of Business alumnus. They faithfully support
the college through financial gifts and enjoy
every opportunity to return to campus.
For his career achievements and dedication
to supporting his alma mater, the Haslam
College of Business is proud to name Marshall
Taylor the Outstanding Young Alum for 2015.
40 | HASLAM MAGAZINE
SouthEast Bank
Outstanding Corporate Partner
SouthEast Bank is no stranger to
generous giving on behalf of education.
For years, the University of Tennessee has
benefited from the company’s financial
support in both athletic and academic
realms. “Over the past six years, we
have been responsible for $18 million in
scholarships statewide,” said John Arnold,
chairman of SouthEast Bank. “Working with
global initiatives at the Haslam College of
Business has expanded that commitment.”
A few years ago, the Haslam College of
Business asked SouthEast Bank to consider
supporting its growing Global Leadership
Scholars program. “I’m a graduate of
Haslam, but we clearly had nothing like
this type of program when I was in school,”
says Arnold. “It was intriguing to me for
that reason. The world is rapidly becoming
a smaller place, and we thought this was a
timely endeavor by the business school.”
After interviewing GLS students and
faculty, Arnold and his colleagues came away
impressed. “We were sold on it as something
we wanted to support. It gave us a connection
to some of the top business students at the
university,” he says. “Today, we sponsor six
scholarships for GLS students.”
Arnold says the program’s setup impressed
him—but the quality of the GLS students
left him in awe. “You hear folks say that the
younger generation is lacking in various ways,
but these students immediately disprove that
idea,” he says. “They’re brilliant.”
In addition to supporting the GLS
program, SouthEast Bank also gives regularly
to benefit UT Athletics. “We actually fund
the SouthEast Bank Renewing Academic
Commitment program, which covers the cost
of education for athletes who have left the
university prior to graduation,” Arnold says.
“It offers financial aid for books and fees to
help them finish their degrees.”
Giving back to the university embodies one
of SouthEast Bank’s core goals–promoting
education. “Our whole company mission is
focused around education, so we put 100
percent of our donations toward education
in our state,” says Arnold. “We feel that
the Haslam College of Business is a great
institution and we’re proud to support them
as best we can.”
The Haslam College of Business is grateful
for the ongoing support, and proudly names
SouthEast Bank the Outstanding Corporate
Partner for 2015.
ALUMNI
NEWS
2015 ALUMNI AWARDS
Alumni are making a difference.
The seventh annual Alumni Awards
Gala for the Haslam College of Business
was held in November to honor four
worthy recipients who have made
outstanding contributions to the college,
their chosen professions, and their
communities. Help us congratulate
John Arnold, Dr. John Hajjar, Sharon
Pryse, and Marshall Taylor.
Dr. John Hajjar
Entrepreneur of the Year
At age five, JohN Hajjar knew he was destined to become a doctor.
“I wanted to help people,” says Dr. Hajjar. “That’s still my passion.”
After completing specialist training in urology, Dr. Hajjar set up a practice in New
Jersey in 1987. Five years later, seeing an unmet need, he opened an ambulatory
surgery center. “I had some experience at New York University with ambulatory
cases, and decided I wanted to bring that experience to New Jersey,” Dr. Hajjar says.
It was a profitable decision. “That facility grew into three top-rated operating rooms,
and I started developing another surgery center.” By 1999, Dr. Hajjar owned and
managed three surgery centers and dealt with a myriad of insurance carriers.
That’s when he decided to pursue a Physicians Executive MBA at the Haslam
College of Business. “I needed a program to train me in how to look at financial
statements, profit and loss, and spreadsheets,” Dr. Hajjar explains. “I also wanted
to learn how to negotiate with insurance carriers. That’s what a value the
PEMBA program has been to me.”
Using skills he gained through the program, Dr. Hajjar wrote up
a business plan and continued to develop surgery centers. “Today,
we have fifteen on the east coast and five more in the pipeline,”
he says. “In 2005, we branched out and started a multi-specialty
physician group called Sovereign Medical Group, which includes
sixty-nine physicians across multiple board certified specialties.”
Sovereign Medical Group encompasses specialists in a variety
of medical fields, including primary care physicians, urologists,
cardiologists, orthopedic surgeons, gastroenterologists, colon
and rectal surgeons and radiation oncologists. “We are adding to
our robust pipeline of doctors in various specialties,” Dr. Hajjar says.
“We’ve also started a company that manages our surgery centers and practices and
developed our own electronic medical records software product called MD Vision.”
According to Dr. Hajjar, the medical field is changing. “We believe that five years
from now, physicians are going to be paid based on outcomes,” he says. “I want to run
a business that will ensure physicians will be leaders in the healthcare delivery system
in our country instead of working for the government or a huge hospital organization.
I want physicians to continue being entrepreneurial—because ultimately, we’re the
ones who care about our patients.”
For his extraordinary entrepreneurial success, the Haslam College of Business is
proud to name Dr. John Hajjar the Entrepreneur of the Year for 2015.
Sharon Pryse
Distinguished Alum
As an undergraduate student
in the early 1970s, Sharon Pryse found
a welcoming atmosphere at the Haslam
College of Business. “At that time, I was one
of a few females in my business classes,
but that didn’t make any difference to
staff and fellow students,” Pryse says.
“They treated me like any other student
with the same expectations.” Pryse
says the college’s atmosphere of
equality and rigorous educational
requirements prepared her for
the road ahead.
After graduating in 1972
with a degree in finance, Pryse
remained in Knoxville, working
as a life insurance agent and
then as a clerk at a local bank.
After moving into a management
position at the bank, she decided to
start her own business in 1986.
From the start, The Trust Company
was marked by Pryse’s lifelong desire to
help people. “We work with individuals to
discover what their long-term financial goals
are and help them meet those goals,” Pryse
explains. “Our business grew out of the way
we took care of people.”
Pryse and her team focused on retirement account management for the first
several years, but The Trust Company’s
scope has expanded to include
a number of additional services.
“Today, we handle wealth management for individuals and families,
endowments, 401Ks, and profit
sharing plans,” Pryse says. “We’re
starting to get into the more
traditional trust business.”
Despite the growth of the company, which now manages nearly
$3 billion in assets and employs
sixty staff members between its
three regional offices, Pryse’s
approach to business is still relationship-based. “Some families we
work with call me their fairygodmother,” she says. “We’ve always
tried to do the right thing and to
take care of people the way we’d
want to be.”
Through the years, Pryse has
stayed in touch with the Haslam College
of Business, serving on the Dean’s Advisory
Council and the Department of Finance
Advisory Board. She also currently serves
on the UT Board of Trustees.
For her contribution to the Knoxville
business scene and her ongoing dedication
to the university, the Haslam College of
Business proudly names Sharon Pryse the
Distinguished Alum for 2015.
Our
business
grew
out of
the way
we took
care of
people.”
HASLAM.UTK.EDU | 41
ALUMNI
NEWS
This update reflects information known as of
October 23, 2015, and is listed first by decade,
then alphabetically by graduation year.
’70s
David Stevens (HCB ’75) was selected
to represent UT as a judge in the first
student business pitch competition
during the annual SEC Symposium
on September 21. Stevens was one of
twelve, each an alumnus of a different
school from the SEC.
President and CEO of the South Carolina
Ports Authority Jim Newsome (HCB
’76) was named one of Ten People
Who Made a Difference by Southern
Business & Development.
’80s
LBMC, one of the Southeast’s largest
accounting and business consulting
firms, named Jeffery S. Drummonds
(HCB ’85, MAcc ’86) as its new
managing partner.
CFO of Team Health David Jones
(HCB ’89) received the 2015 AIM
Outstanding Alumni award.
’90s
Ken Evans (HCB ’91) accepted a new
position with Spirit AeroSystems in
Wichita, Kansas, as the chief logistics
officer.
Don Gaston Jr. (EMBA ’95) became
the president and CEO of Prairie
States Generating Company.
’00s
Betsy (Williams) Ewart, (HCB ’00) and
her husband John Ewart (UT ’99), spoke
to the Management Society on September 15. Betsy is a VP with Cummings
Sign and John is the executive director of
the Tennova Health and Fitness Center.
The New York City Immigration Coalition recognized Ram Raju (PEMBA
’00), president and CEO of New York
City Health and Hospitals Corporation
(HHC), for his career as head of the
nation’s largest municipal healthcare
system.
42 | HASLAM MAGAZINE
Mario Ebanks (EMBA ’02) retired as the
director of labour and pensions in the
Cayman Islands Government and is now
the chief human resources officer at the
Cayman Islands Airports Authority.
Sean Healy (EMBA ’02) was
promoted to senior vice president,
Strategic Planning & Engineering
at FedEx Freight.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas
announced May 19 that Robert Morrow
(PEMBA ’02) is now president of its
Houston and Southeast Texas market.
Andrew Moskowitz (EMBA ’03)
celebrated his thirtieth anniversary
at the Boeing Company. He is a
senior strategy specialist for Boeing’s
defense, space, and security business
in Seattle, Washington.
Chuck Parke (EMBA ’03) is now senior
vice president of operations at Dura-Line.
John Matthews (EMBA ’04) was
promoted to senior director, western
zone service, with Siemens Healthcare
in El Dorado Hills, California. He leads a
team of 200 engineers and managers. Andrea Kelton (PhD ’06) and
Ya-wen Yang (PhD ’03) received
the 2015 Accounting Information
Systems Notable Contributions to
the Literature Award.
Frank Knafelz (EMBA ’07) is now
senior vice president of operations for
Hyundai America Shipping Agency.
On June 25, Setul G. Patel (PEMBA
’07), CEO of Neighbors Emergency
Center, won the 2015 EY Health Care
Entrepreneur of the Year, Gulf Coast
Region.
The Boston Road Medical Center
in the Bronx, New York, appointed
Hector Reyes (PEMBA ’07) its chief
financial officer.
Symply Entertainment, founded by
Ron Senkowski (EMBA ’07), is producing Ports of Call, a new movie by
Oscar-winning director Danis Tanovic.
Tim Spires (EMBA ’07) was elected
to serve as the board vice chair of the
National Association of Workforce
Development Professionals.
Troy Walker (EMBA ’07) is now the
general manager for APAC Customer
Services.
Brian Cain (EMBA ’08) was promoted
to assistant vice president at ASC-USI.
Juliana Lindsey (PEMBA ’08) assumed
a post as the national medical director
for hospital-based physician services
at HCA, which has been named one of
the world’s most ethical companies for
six consecutive years.
Greg Tackett (EMBA ’09) retired
from the DOD as a senior executive
after thirty-three years of government
service and is now vice president
of Huntsville operations for Clear
Creek Applied Technology Inc. in
Huntsville, Alabama.
’10s
Maryline Boules (HCB ’10) joined
LBMC serving as a senior accountant
within the internal accounting team.
ITW Dynatec promoted John
Jennings (ProMBA ’11) to global
technical service manager.
Wade Knapper (ProMBA ’11) is now
chief business manager for LDA engineering in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Rob Laughlin (ProMBA ’11) became
operations manager and site head at
Smiths Detection in Alcoa, Tennessee.
Christian Lawson (ProMBA ’11)
became the director of the emergency
service line at UNC Medical Center in
Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Lonza promoted Ron Masterson
(ProMBA ’11) to global product manager of the industrial biocides division.
The “American Ninja Warrior” TV show
featured Grant McCartney (HCB ’11),
who completed its obstacle course
several times.
Brittany McKay (ProMBA ’11) is now
team financial advisor at Merrill Lynch
in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Rajeev Chandramana (ProMBA ’10)
became the senior data analyst/data
quality program manager for analytics
and outcomes at Premise Health.
Roz Miltenberger (ProMBA ’11)
became senior director, laboratory
operations with Sysmex Inostics, Inc.
in Mundelein, Illinois.
Greg Mitchell (EMBA ’10) is now the
CFO at the Providence Group.
Betsy Crawford (ProMBA ’11) is now
a principal writer for Eagle Research
Group.
Nagesh Damannagari (ProMBA ’11)
became lead technologist at Booz
Allen Hamilton.
Shannon Driver (ProMBA ’11) became
the senior vice president of network
marketing and creative services at
Scripps Networks Interactive.
Energizer promoted Michael
Fawley (ProMBA ’11) to regional sales/
marketing analyst.
Adam Henley (EMBA ’11) is now the
crop marketing lead at Syngenta.
Cameron Puckett (ProMBA ’11) is
now vice president, director of client
services at CapitalMark Bank & Trust in
Knoxville, Tennessee.
Ivy Roush (ProMBA ’11) is now emerging technology analyst at JTS in
Dallas, Texas.
Bo Shealy (ProMBA ’11) is now a
specialty district manager with the
inflammation division of Pfizer.
Ravander Singh (PEMBA ’11) has a
new title: head of service, general
surgery at North Bay Regional Health
Centre in North Bay, Ontario, Canada.
Mitch Stockdale (ProMBA ’11) is now a
business development manager with
Babcock & Wilcox.
This update reflects
information known as
of October 26, 2015.
Allen Wood (EMBA ’11) was
accepted to University of South
Florida’s DBA program.
Russ Epting (EMBA ’12) is now the
assistant vice president, export and
industrial coal at CSX.
King Faisal Specialist Hospital in
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, promoted
Abdulrahman Al-Husaini (GSCEMBA
’13) to assistant head of planning and
inventory control.
FairfieldNodal, an innovative seismic
data and technology company in
Sugar Land, Texas, appointed Chuck
Davison (EMBA ’13) its new president and CEO.
Brian Dawson (PEMBA ’13) has a
new job as assistant professor and
clinical faculty member at Edward
Via College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Amanda Gentry (ADMBA ’13)
received the 2015 Tibbetts Award
from the US Small Business Administration. Gentry was honored for her
exemplary role in the Small Business
Innovation Research (SBIR) and
Small Business Technology Transfer
(STTR) programs.
Spencer Gregg (EMBA ’13) used his
EMBA OAP experience to successfully guide his organization (University of Tennessee Student Health
Center) through an initial certification process with the Accreditation
Association for Ambulatory Health
Care, Inc.
Ray Lello (EMBA ’13) was promoted to
district sales manager with Syngenta
and has relocated to Omaha, Nebraska.
Kim Miller (GSCEMBA ’13) has
been named director of contract
policy, processes, and compliance
at Boeing.
Mohamed Moustafa (EMBA ’13) is
now the integrated supply chain
director for chocolate EEMEA at
Mondelēz International.
LBMC added Patrick Thomas
(HCB ’13) to its valuation and litigation services division. Thomas serves
as an analyst on the healthcare valuation team with an initial focus on
physician compensation valuation.
Thomas Tobin (PEMBA ’13) is the
newly elected chairman of the independent practice committee for the
American Academy of Emergency
Medicine (AAEM).
Michael Weber (EMBA ’13) became
the director of engineering for North
America, Mondelēz International.
Mondelēz International promoted
Arjun Bhowmik (EMBA ’14) to director of integrated supply chain for
Asia/Pacific chocolate.
Eduardo Delabio (EMBA ’14) was
promoted to Latin American integrated supply chain director
at Mondelez International.
UT Medical Center opened an
ultra-specialized liver and pancreas
service unit, a longtime dream of
its new director, Keith Gray
(PEMBA ’14).
Heather McCullough (GSCEMBA
’14) has been named senior manager
for composites and forgings for BCA
supplier management at Boeing.
Antonio Santana (EMBA ’14) was
promoted to director of IT supply
chain and quality services at Rockwell Collins. His team has generated
$25 million of cost savings and positive cash flow through supply chain
optimization strategies.
Marcie Mascaro (EMBA ’14)
accepted a global supply chain position at B/E Aerospace.
Brad Morgan (EMBA ’14) was named
the Tennessee Justice Center’s Pro
Bono Attorney of the Year.
Yulia Siroukh (EMBA ’14) is now the
integrated supply chain director of
biscuits at Mondelēz International.
Fred Smith, founder and CEO of
FedEx will receive an honorary
Doctorate of Business at the Haslam
College of Business commencement
set for May 16, 2016.
IN
MEMORIAM
’40s
Jack M. Cole (’40) died May 14,
2010. He was a US Navy veteran.
Patsy Harrill Pittenger (’40),
died April 8, 2014.
Paul B. Glenn (’49), a US Navy
veteran of WWII, died June 9, 2015.
He worked more than 30 years at
Merck and Co.
’50s
Samuel Luther Stapleton (’42),
a WWII veteran, worked 38 years with
Tennessee Eastman Company. He died
Sept. 29, 2015.
James N. Talley Sr. (’50) died
April 19, 2015. He worked as a manager at Hall’s Men’s Clothing and was
a WWII US Army veteran.
William H. “Bill” Swain (’45) was
president and CEO of First National
Bank of Oneida until he died June
23, 2015.
John F. “Johnny” McCrary Jr.
(’50) had varied careers from radio
announcer to realtor. A WWII veteran,
he died Sept. 5, 2015.
Abe O. Wise (’46) started a 60-year long
real estate and construction business. A
WWII veteran, he died Sept. 26, 2013.
John L. Wisecarver Jr. (’50) died
Sept. 29, 2015. He was a US Army
WWII veteran.
Josephine “Jo” Cochran (’47)
opened Tennessee’s first McDonald’s
and is credited with its apple pie
recipe. She died Aug. 12, 2015.
Roy L. Heatherly (’50) served
in WWII. He worked in the nuclear
industry with Union Carbide, Oak
Ridge, and TVA, and died July 13,
2015.
Edward J. Boling (’48, ’50), president of UT from 1970–1988, died June
18, 2015. He was a WWII veteran and
served in the state government.
William Arthur Stokes (’50),
founder of Knoxville’s Stokes Electric
Company, died Aug. 8, 2015.
He served in the US Navy.
Carlos E. Herren (’48) died April 25,
2015. He was a WWII US Army veteran
who practiced as a CPA until age 94.
Janice Carden Williams (’53),
died June 3, 2015.
George Bishop Phillips (’48) died
June 9, 2015. He was a WWII veteran
who worked 36 years at Menasco
Manufacturing Company.
Vivian Beretta (’53) was
president of Beretta Tile Company
for over 25 years. She died March
27, 2015.
William Clark “Wilkie” Wilkinson
(’48), a WWII US Air Force veteran
and founder of Jenkins Construction
Co., died March 27, 2015.
William H. Bonner (’53) was a
professor of business at Tennessee
Tech who died Aug. 22, 2015.
Charles M. “Charlie” Keith Sr. (’49)
died April 6, 2015. He served in the US
Army and worked at Shearson Lehman.
Calvin Lowry Holt (’54) died July
1, 2015. Lowry retired from Reynolds
Metals Co. after 35 years. He was a
WWII US Army veteran.
George Anthony Wilson (’49),
died July 7, 2015. Wilson was a US
Navy veteran and worked at State
Auto Insurance Company.
Frank Luther Fisher (’54)
died Aug. 9, 2015. He worked for
TVA before establishing Fisher Oil
Company.
James Basil Scudder Sr. (’49)
died Aug. 19, 2015. A US Army veteran
of the Korean War, he worked at
DuPont Photo Products.
William H. Merwin Sr. (’55) was
a Korean War veteran and industrial
engineer who worked for Western
Electric. He died Aug. 19, 2015.
HASLAM.UTK.EDU | 43
ALUMNI
NEWS
Thomas Fletcher Lomenick
(’54, ’68) died July 24, 2015. He
was a veteran of the US Army and
a geologist for 35 years with Oak
Ridge National Laboratories.
David Kirk (’56) died April 14,
2015. He retired after 40 years
with Cargill Inc.
Robert M. Japinga (’56), a
retired US Army major, died July 18,
2015. He worked 23 years for
International Minerals and
Chemicals Corp.
Don Sherwood (’57) died Sept.
3, 2015. He managed the familyowned Maryville Furniture Company.
John S. Wilson (’57) died May 8,
2015. He was a Korean War veteran
and owned a KFC franchise for 40
years.
Robert Thomas “Bob”
McBride (’57) was a quality control engineer with Maremont Corporation before his death on Aug.
8, 2015. He was a US Navy Korean
War veteran.
Ronald E. (Gene) Gardner
(’57), an Air Force colonel and
director of the Hillsborough County
Civil Service, died Dec. 5, 2013.
Charles H. Dodge Jr. (’58)
died June 24, 2015. Dodge taught
accounting at UT before joining
Ernst & Ernst (now EY).
Cordelia “Dee Dee” Bowman
(’59), died Aug. 21, 2015. Bowman
was a real estate agent with
Caldwell Banker.
John Lee Alley (’59) practiced
law for 40 years in his own firm and
died April 1, 2015.
William “Bill” Clay Sr. (’59)
died Sept. 21, 2015. He was a retired
CPA and US Air Force veteran.
’60s
John Cox Helvey (’60), died
May 14, 2015. He was the owner of
Helvey Tree and Wood Services
and a veteran of the Korean War.
Joseph A. Poag (’60) died April
14, 2015. Poag was a WWII US Navy
veteran and the owner/president
of Ozburn-Hessey Company.
44 | HASLAM MAGAZINE
Robert E. Kirkland (’60)
died April 11, 2015. He founded
Kirkland’s home stores.
Bobby Frank “Bob” Thomas
(’61, ’84), a US Marine Corps veteran,
died June 27, 2015. Thomas was a
professor at Roane State Community College for more than 20 years.
Gerry Brown Young (’61)
died Feb. 9, 2014. She worked
as a secretary for Oak Ridge
National Laboratories, TVA, and
for the vice-president of Kayo
Oil Co.
Colman L. Longworth (’62)
worked 30 years for the Norfolk
Southern Railway. He died May
2, 2015.
Raymond E. Grinder Jr.
(’63) died May 9, 2015. Grinder
served in the US Air Force and
taught computer sciences at
Nashville State Technical Institute.
Roy H. Adams (’63), a retired
restaurant owner, real estate
developer, and UT football
booster, died July 22, 2015.
Diamond Steve Napolitan
(’64) died July 22, 2013. He was
a US Air Force veteran who
worked for 37 years at K-25.
Harry George Christopher
(’64), a retired US Army colonel,
died July 18, 2015. He served in
Vietnam.
Joseph Alexander Campen
(’65), who died April 29, 2015,
worked for Federal Pacific and
GTE Sylvania before founding
EMR Associates and later Vol
Power.
W. “Tom” Willoughby (’65)
died Jan. 26, 2014. He had a
40-year career in sales.
John Walker Longmire (’66)
died Aug. 20, 2015. His career
was in sales/marketing.
Thomas P. Martin Jr. (’66)
died July 12, 2015. After two
years in the US Army, he spent
his career with Burlington
Industries.
William Roger “Bill” Kiser
(’68) worked 30 years in banking
and financial securities. He died
May 13, 2014.
Arthur Francis Biehler
Jr. (’69, ’74) a US Navy veteran,
managed J. Sargeant Reynolds
Community College for 20 years
before his death on March 26, 2015.
’70s
David McAllister Tyer Sr.
(’71) died July 16, 2015.
Carl Michael “Mike” Lawson
(’72), died in early Aug. of 2015.
He was a Nashville attorney,
writer, and veteran.
Andrew D. Mitchell (’73) died Oct. 4, 2015. After retiring
from the US Army, he was a military intelligence officer.
Robert Garfield Benton
(’73) died June 15, 2015. He
served in the US Air Force and
directed international logistics
and materials management
systems for Raytheon.
Andrew D. Glankler (’76)
was the vice president and CIO
of Holy Cross Shared Service’s
and a system administrator for
HealthSmart. He died April 28, 2015.
Dennis A. Grahl (’76) died
Aug. 7, 2015.
Rodney Boynton Jones (’76),
who worked as a controller at
WYKO, died July 11, 2015.
Thomas Pryor Winn (’76)
died Sept. 30, 2015. He served
in the US Navy before his career
in medical sales, which spanned
over 30 years.
Charles Michael “Mike”
Ellis (’78) died June 19, 2015.
He worked in retail.
’80s
William Howard “Bill”
Clark Jr. (’80) died June
29, 2015. He was a sales
representative.
David Howard Crace (’85)
died July 19, 2015. He worked
for Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola,
EMI Records, and VF Imagewear
in the last three decades.
Gregory Patrick McLain
(’85) worked more than 30 years
for UPS. He died June 5, 2015.
Page Moore Rutledge (’85)
was co-owner and vice president
of Ike Transportation for 17 years
and died June 15, 2015.
Charlie Poore (’86, ’90), who
worked for UCB Pharmaceuticals,
died April 10, 2015.
’90s
Michael Scott Willoughby
(’92), died July 29, 2015. He was
a US Navy veteran.
George Randolph Cooper III
(’97), died June 14, 2015.
Dan Rosenbluth (’98) was
a marketing professional and a
co-owner of Savannah Bourbon
Co. He died July 16, 2015.
Stefanie Tucker Porter (’99)
died June 8, 2015. Until moving to
Berlin, Germany, she worked for
Thoroughbred Financial Services.
Thomas Bradley “Brad”
Franklin (’99) was a thirdgeneration partner of the
Lexington Progress, Inc.,
who died June 3, 2015.
’00s
Richard Allan “Lucky 13”
Robin (’01) practiced medicine
as an internist for 20 years before
becoming a psychiatrist and a
clinical assistant professor at
Brown Medical School. He died
July 4, 2015.
’10s
Tyler Lynn Coyer (’10) of
Roanoke died Aug. 12, 2015 in
Social Circle, GA.
If you have an obituary for
a University of Tennessee,
Knoxville, Haslam College of
Business alumnus, please submit
it to us at [email protected] using
“In Memoriam” in the subject line.
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