Alumni Awards Honor Kenan-Flagler’s Finest
By Nancy Oates

lumni and friends of Kenan-Flagler who attended the Fourth Annual Kenan-Flagler Business School Alumni Association Awards dinner experienced a wonderful tribute on a balmy, end-of-summer evening Sept. 13 at the Rizzo Center. At sunset, guests were summoned to a white canopy on the back lawn where waiters served dinner, and the ceremony began.

A soft breeze fluttered under the canopy set up on land once owned by Christopher Barbee, who gave the first 235 acres for the original UNC campus. Dean Robert S. Sullivan and General Alumni Association President Doug Dibbert welcomed the group of about 200 supporters. Following dinner, Sullivan and Kenan Institute Director John D. Kasarda began the awards presentation with a videotaped tribute to Global Leadership Award winner Owen G. Kenan, who passed away suddenly two weeks before the awards ceremony. Kenan laid the groundwork for Kenan Institute Asia and was its founding director. His wife, Sterling Kenan, and three children accepted the hand blown, engraved bowl in his memory.

Emcee Rollie Tillman Jr., H. Allen Andrew Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurship, stepped up to the podium to introduce the seven other award winners as diners applauded. Tillman ferreted out a light-hearted tidbit to share about each of the honorees, from how "Buzz" Rogers got his nickname to how Elizabeth Moshier - by marketing Wonder Bra and respiratory pharmaceuticals - sold products for those who had to take a deep breath and those who couldn't if they wanted to.

Also honored during the evening was (from left, in photo) William O. McCoy (BSBA '55), who was awarded Kenan-Flagler's Leadership Award. This was McCoy's second award by the School in the four years of its Alumni Association Awards program. In its inaugural year, he was given the BSBA Alumni Merit Award. Others honored included: the family of Owen G. Kenan; William Lee Rogers (BSBA '68), BSBA Alumni Merit Award; S. Philip Harris (BSBA '54), MAC Alumni Merit Award; Thomas L. Jones, (MBA '77), MBA Alumni Merit Award; Susan K. Acker (EMBA '97), EMBA Alumni Merit Award; Robert H. Litzenberger (PhD '69), PhD Alumni Merit Award; and Elizabeth Klompmaker Moshier (BSBA '87, MBA '92), Outstanding Young Alumni Award.

Before the dinner, some of the honorees talked about the importance of leadership in the aftermath of Enron, Worldcom and other corporate scandals. Jones, speaking earlier in the day on a Board of Visitors panel on corporate governance, emphasized that character and integrity are still paramount.

"Each person in business at some point will be tempted to trade money for reputation," Jones said. "You have to decide which side of the fence you want to live on."

Doing well and doing good are not inconsistent, Acker said, and she noted that those graduating from business school today are entering a realistic environment.

"A lot needs to be done," Acker said. "Bright minds have a huge opportunity to make a contribution. Doing the right things will lead to doing well."

Leaders have a vision, communicate it well and excite others to come along to reach that goal with them, Moshier said. She cautioned aspiring leaders to remember balance.

"You have a life outside of work," Moshier said. "You can make an impact outside of work."

For expanded bio information on the winners, visit http://www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/news/press/alumniawards.html.