Applications are now being accepted. Application deadline is Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021.
Alumni Council
Started in the fall of 2006, the UNC Kenan-Flagler Alumni Council serves as an advisory and working group, providing Kenan-Flagler alumni with leadership opportunities and meaningful connections to the Business School.
The Council consists of a select group of alumni representing all degree programs, reflecting the alumni community in regards to geography, industry, diversity and years of work experience. Council members serve as ambassadors and advocates for the School, providing philanthropic support, as well as advice and counsel on alumni relations to the Dean and the Advancement office. All activities are designed to continually increase the level of alumni engagement and support of the School and its community.
Council members take an active role in engaging and supporting the School and its alumni community through participation in Council meetings and by serving on a Council committee. School and Council leadership provide productive and meaningful interaction at Council meetings and during the intervening periods. Meetings will provide a balance of social and business opportunities geared to create a continued sense of pride and a strong sense of ownership in the future direction of the School.
Roles and Duties
Council members are expected to commit to the following activities in order to effectively serve on the Council:
- Attend two in-person Council meetings (fall and spring) and two Council conference calls each year
- Participate on a Council committee (Chapter & Volunteer Management, Communications, Giving, New Alumni Engagement, or Current Student Engagement) and attend committee meetings as scheduled
- Make an annual gift commitment to The Fund for UNC Kenan-Flagler each year (recommended: $2K; minimum: $1k)
- Consider a multi-year pledged commitment to The Fund for UNC Kenan-Flagler in your reunion year
- Advance the work of the Council through service and volunteerism with current initiatives
- Join the Alumni Career Advisor Network
Council members are expected to attend and participate in two in-person meetings of the Council each year – in the fall Fall and Spring – in addition to two virtual meetings or as designated by the Council Executive Committee. Council members cover the cost of their travel to the meetings and of their room accommodations. Travel and related expenses may be tax deductible for such volunteer activities. UNC Kenan-Flagler will provide food and beverages the night before the meeting, as well as at breakfast and lunch on the day of the meeting.
Members will also participate in virtual/conference call meetings specific to their committee.
Council members are expected to serve on one Council Committee. Committees are as follows.
Executive Committee: Consists of Council officers and the chairs and co-chairs of each Council committee and leads the Council by:
- Ensuring that goals are met for their committee and the Council
- Helping to create the agenda for Council meetings and report out meeting minutes
- Organizing and leading regular meetings for their respective committees
Chapter & Volunteer Management Committee: Manage, grow and sustain viable alumni chapter organizations and manage volunteer outreach and support by:
- Establishing best practices for alumni chapters
- Finding and managing volunteers
- Assisting with the organization of chapter events by finding space, soliciting sponsorships, recommending speakers, etc.
- Promoting regional events to alumni
Communications: Manages the Council’s internal and external communications strategy by:
- Providing oversight and guidance on the School’s LinkedIn page and other social media outlets
- Creating content for regular blog posts featuring Alumni Council members
- Assisting the School with updating Council members’ information
Giving: Helps to grow alumni giving and participation by:
- Leading class campaigns in their reunion year
- Gathering pertinent giving data to help support Advancement goals
- Collaborating with the Advancement office in developing philanthropic initiatives to promote Council giving and broader alumni giving
New Alumni Engagement: Helps to manage the transition from student to alumnus and supports activities that engage new graduates by:
- Creating a long-term strategy for increased alumni engagement by focusing on the first five years after graduation for all students
- Leading the campaign through social media for alumni to update their contact information
- Developing innovative ways to connect new alumni back to KFBS and motivating them to volunteer with their local chapters
Current Student Engagement: Supports activities that engage current students and enrich their Kenan-Flagler experience by:
- Welcoming current students to the KFBS community
- Educating students on available resources that will assist them with their academic and professional endeavors
- Connecting students with alumni in meaningful ways
- Assisting students with their transition from student to alumnus
Council members are expected to contribute financially to the School, recommended at $2,000 each year (minimum of $1,000). Matching gifts from employers are considered part of these financial contributions.
Council members are encouraged to promote and attend School events in their areas and to support the efforts of Alumni Chapters as needed. Council members are encouraged to attend Homecoming and Alumni Weekend events and serve as an Alumni Connector when possible.
The Council seeks engaged alumni who are committed to attending meetings, participating in the meetings and giving their time and support to the School. These are critical considerations for successful Council membership.
Applications for Council membership are solicited through Council members, the alumni community, Advancement office, the Dean and from departments and programs within the School.
Candidates for Council membership are reviewed by the Council Executive Committee and approved by the Dean, Advancement office and Chair of the Council.
The term of membership on the Council is three years, with a two-year extension if approved by the Dean, Advancement office and Chair of the Council.
The Council Chair is approved by the Dean and Alumni Community team with input from the Alumni Council.
The Council Chair serves for two years and must have served as a Committee Chair for at least one year. The Council Chair will also serve as a member of the School Board of Visitors during the course of his/her tenure as Chair.
The Council Vice-Chair is approved by the Dean and Alumni Community team with input from Council. The Council Vice-Chair is the likely successor to the current Council Chair. The Vice-Chair must have served as a Committee Chair for consideration.
The Council Chair and Advancement office appoint Committee Chairs.
The Council Executive Committee consists of the Council Chair, Council Vice-Chair and Committee Chairs.
Council members rank preferred committee membership, which the Committee Chairs use to assign committee membership.
An annual review of membership participation will take place during each fall meeting.
The Council will work in coordination with the goals and objectives of the School Advancement team.
Become a Member
Thank you for your interest in serving on the UNC Kenan-Flagler Alumni Council. Before applying, make sure you review the above roles and duties. Please make sure you have the following ready for your application:
- Your contact and employment information.
- Person(s) who referred you to the application.
- Why you wish to serve on the Alumni Council.
- How you want to see UNC Kenan-Flagler support its alumni.
- Description of your leadership style and the leadership roles you have experience in or currently perform in your work/life.
- Why you support UNC Kenan-Flagler with a financial contribution.
- The committee that most interests you (review committee descriptions).
The application opens two times a year:
- Fall Application – Opens Aug. 1 and closes Sept. 1
- Applications now being accepted, apply here.
- Spring Application – Opens Feb. 1 and closes Feb. 15
Once your application is received by The School, the process will be as follows:
- Your application will be considered by the Alumni Community team at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, and references will be contacted.
- If approved, you will be sent to the Alumni Council committee chairs for review.
- If approved in step 2, you will be offered a position on the Alumni Council.
- You can expect to be contacted by the Alumni Council within 15 business days of the application date closing regarding the status of your application.
- All questions can be directed to Jessa Nelson, Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement, at Jessa_Nelson@kenan-flagler.unc.edu.
FAQs
Applications open two times a year, August 1 through Sept 1 and Feb 1 through Feb 15.
Once your application is received, it will be considered by the Alumni Community team at UNC KFBS, and references will be contacted.
If approved, your application will be sent to the Alumni Council Executive Committee for review.
If approved by the Executive Committee, you will be offered a position.
The term of membership on the Council is three years, with a two-year extension approved by the Dean, Advancement office and Chair of the Council.
Council members are expected to attend and participate in two in-person meetings each year – fall and spring-. These are historically on campus, but virtual access is available as well. These are generally half day meetings. You will also become involved in one of the Alumni Council committees. The committees have different schedules and time commitments. You should expect that outside of the two semi-annual meetings, you will contribute 10-20 hours per year to the council.
Council members are expected to contribute financially to the school, recommended at $2,000 each year (minimum of $1,000).
To learn more about each subcommittee you can click on https://www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/alumni/engagement/alumni-council/
The current committees are Executive, Chapter and Volunteer Management, Communications, New Alumni Engagement, Current Student Engagement and Giving.
The council is comprised of KFBS alumni and as such the connections made are valuable. There are various social events around each semi-annual meeting to promote community and connection.
Real Estate, Manufacturing, Banking/Finance, Entrepreneurship, Marketing
Yes. The Dean is actively involved in sharing the current status of the school and the path forward. Council members can interact with the Dean during these sessions.
No
Yes. Student representatives share with the council each year. There is an ongoing commitment to enhance the connectivity between alumni and students.
Yes
During our meetings throughout the year, we have the opportunity to hear from some of the business professors on different topics such as leadership, career development, diversity, etc.
Officers
Mary Moore Hamrick JD, MBA (North Carolina) Chief Public Policy Officer. Mary Moore leads Grant Thornton’s public policy initiatives and is directly responsible for external and internal strategy and tactics. She liaises with Members of Congress, accounting professional standard setters, regulators and other influencers.
Mary Moore and her team are trusted resources to the firm’s partners, clients, and the nation’s legislators – ensuring Grant Thornton’s policy positions are well represented. She is a member of Grant Thornton’s U.S. Extended Leadership Team and a Chairman of the firm’s Political Action Committee.
Mary Moore has a strong business and legal background with 30 years of experience, working for and then with the U.S. Congress. She most recently served as the Senior Director of External Relations and Strategic Planning for the Center for Audit Quality, where she managed its strategic priorities, stakeholder outreach and communications. She was also a Director of the Office of External Relations for the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, where she established its government relations office and directed its public affairs functions. Mary Moore headed the New York Life Insurance Co.’s Washington, D.C. governmental affairs office, served as counsel to the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and was a registered investments representative for Morgan Stanley, having passed investments exams series 3, 7 and 63.
Professional qualifications and memberships include:
- AICPA’s Federal Legislative Taskforce
- Business-Government Relations Council Board
- Carlton Club Board of Governors
- Economic Club of Washington
- Ford’s Theatre Board of Governors
- National Association of Corporate Directors
- North Carolina Bar Association
- Public Affairs Council Board of Directors
- United States Capitol Historical Society Board of Trustees
- University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School Alumni Council Chair
Mary Moore received her bachelor’s degree cum laude from Duke University, and her JD and MBA degrees from the University of North Carolina.
- Phone: 202-521-1545
- Email: MaryMoore.Hamrick@us.gt.com
- Social: Twitter
Dianne brings over 25 years of healthcare leadership experience with a focus on preventative health. Dianne works full time for Novant Health in the Corporate Health Department where she partners with business and industry leaders to strategize on cost effective, innovative health and wellness solutions that will improve employee health while reducing healthcare costs, absenteeism rates and improve productivity. She also devotes a portion of her time as a certified personal trainer with the YMCA.
Prior to joining Novant Health Dianne worked seven years for the Mecklenburg County Health Department and 10 years for Carolinas HealthCare System.
Dianne acquired her BS in Business Administration from UNC in 1982 and her MBA from the McColl School of Business at Queens University Charlotte in 1995. She earned her certification as a personal trainer through the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and is a Certified Corporate Wellness Specialist. She is an alum of Leadership North Carolina Class XV.
Dianne currently serves on the UNC Kenan-Flagler Charlotte Alumni Advisory Council. A native of Sanford, North Carolina, she resides in Matthews, North Carolina.
Ambassador
William Keesler is a Principal at Paine & Partners, a private equity firm headquartered in New York. In this role, he is responsible for leading investments in food and agribusiness companies. Before joining Paine & Partners, Mr. Keesler was a member of Sun Capital Partners, a global private equity firm focused on operational and financial turnarounds, corporate carve-outs and special situations.
During his tenure at Sun Capital, Mr. Keesler had significant experience investing in companies in food and agribusiness, consumer, retail, restaurant and industrial sectors. Mr. Keesler began his career at Macquarie Capital in the Restructuring and Special Situations Group, where he executed capital structure solutions for distressed and under-performing companies including financings, debt restructurings, and mergers and acquisitions.
Mr. Keesler graduated with a BSBA from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina. A native of North Carolina, Mr. Keesler resides in New York with his wife Mary Ellen (UNC ’08).
Chapter & Volunteer Management Committee
Chris leads Siemens Healthineers North American Project Office (Malvern, Pa.). Responsibilities include end to end customer supply chain, journey mapping, and direct consulting with health systems on capital programs. Previously Chris worked with Adventist HealthCare focusing on strategic capital investments, hospital expansion, and campus development/planning.
In addition to work with Siemens Healthineers, Chris has an extensive background in construction, project management, and sustainable development within the healthcare sector from his work at Honeywell International and Turner Construction.
He received his bachelor and MS degree from Virginia Tech, MBA from the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School and is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Alexander is an Experienced Associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers, specialized in auditing privately held businesses, U.S. subsidiaries of international companies, and private equity-owned companies in various industries. He enjoys volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club, an organization he has been a part of for the last 16 years. Alexander also enjoys traveling. He has visited 6 continents, 30+ countries, and has completed a circumnavigation trip.
Alexander holds a BA in economics and an MS in accounting from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Alexander was born in Louisiana and raised in Texas. Alexander currently resides in Dallas and looks forward to connecting with his Carolina family in Texas and more.
- Social: LinkedIn
As a partner with Banyan Search Mac specializes in placing accounting and finance professionals throughout North Carolina, concentrating in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area. Since 1999, Mac has been successful in placing financial professionals from staff accountants to CFOs across a wide range of industries including technology, pharmaceutical, healthcare, professional services, agriculture, manufacturing, financial services, retail and others. Mac’s clients range from small privately held entities with one full-time accounting professional to Fortune 100 international companies. Mac is involved in several professional and non-profit organizations including serving as the Club Leader for the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School Triangle Alumni Club.
Brian McBroom is a budding entrepreneur. As president of Anago of Atlanta (Master Territory owner of 19 counties surrounding Metro Atlanta) he increased the number of franchisees and developed short-term and long-term growth strategies to increase individual franchisee viability.
He served as director of enterprise risk management and operations excellence at Cummins Inc for five years. At Cummins, he was charged with the consolidation and mitigation of the Company’s most critical risks for the Cummins Board of Directors. In addition, he ensured Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery implementations were executed around the globe. He managed a team of talented blackbelts and master blackbelts responsible for problem resolution within the Corporate Group. His Risk Insurance group placed global insurance policies (property, general liability, workers compensation, etc.) which protected CMI’s worldwide assets.
In his previous role, Brian served as Director – Corporate Staffs Finance for nearly three (3) years, and was responsible for providing monthly financial reporting and interpretation of results to both the CFO & COO’s direct reports; preparing Board of Director, Executive Committee, & Operating Committee presentations of Corporate results; as well as leading the Corporate Annual Operating Plan.
Prior to joining Cummins, Brian worked at Chrysler LLC for 12 years in a variety of financial management roles including: International, Treasury, Manufacturing, Product Development, Engineering Research & Development, and Corporate Financial Activities. In addition, he served as a Claims Adjuster with Allstate Insurance Company for nearly two (2) years.
Brian serves as Chairman of the Risk Management Committee on the Board of Directors for Centra Credit Union (3rd largest credit union in Indiana). Previously, he served as Treasurer for the Board of Directors of the Columbus Parks Foundation.
Brian holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and an MBA in finance and marketing from Clark Atlanta University.
Laura Oslick is a vice president at Century Bridge Capital, a Dallas and Beijing based private equity firm investing in middle-income residential developments in China’s Tier II and II cities. Laura is focused on investor relations, capital raising activities, and overall operations at Century Bridge. Laura also leads the environmental, social and corporate governance efforts at the firm.
Prior to joining Century Bridge in 2014, Laura was an investment manager at Hunt Realty Investments and a real estate analyst at HFF in Dallas working in capital raising, investor relations and real estate investments. Before attending UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School in 2010, Laura was a manager in the transaction services group at KPMG, where she consulted on mergers and acquisitions. Her previous experience also includes consulting and auditing private companies, public companies, and the U.S. Federal Government while at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Laura earned BBA and MS degrees in Accounting in 2005 from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. She earned an MBA in 2012 from UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. While at UNC, Ms. Oslick focused on real estate finance and earned a certificate in Sustainable Enterprise. Laura lives in Dallas and is actively involved in the community through the Urban Land Institute, the Dallas Museum of Art, and the Junior League of Dallas.
- Social: LinkedIn
Amanda Rabideau is Director, Innovation and Solutions Excellence at CoreLogic. Amanda manages the three-year CoreLogic playbook for growth and innovation. Additionally, she works in partnership across the business to lead enterprise-wide and critical business projects including data monetization and expansion, thought leadership and branding. She previously led Strategic Products and Solutions with MarketBridge, a technology-services firm. She was primarily responsible for driving new product commercialization activities as well as leading cross-functional development of solutions including the program development and execution of communications, sales enablement, launches, and channel programs. In addition, Amanda has worked across a number of Marketing programs for clients such as Dell, Microsoft, and New Relic. Prior to MarketBridge, Amanda worked in a sales and marketing capacity at leading technology enabling firms.
Amanda earned a B.S.B.A. in International Business and Marketing from Indiana University. She also earned an MBA in 2011 from the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. While at UNC, Amanda focused on Marketing Management and earned a certificate in Entrepreneurship. Additionally, she was actively involved in the Global Perspectives Hedge Fund.
Amanda lives in San Francisco with her husband, Euan Abraham and their daughter, Claire.
- Social: LinkedIn
Communications Committee
Diana is a Supply Chain Specialist at Harsco Rail, a global supplier for railway track maintenance and engineering leader in the industry. In her current role, she manages the import/export process ensuring compliance with US and international government laws and regulations, and oversees the processes necessary to distribute products in the global supply chain efficiently and with high level of technical complexity. Prior to joining Harsco Rail, she worked in a variety of logistic roles at United Parcel Service. Diana received her Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering in her native country of Colombia, South America and her MBA from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2015. During her tenure at MBA@UNC she led the Women of MBA@UNC student group and was an active student ambassador for the program.
Diana is also a Distinguished Toastmaster serving the organization in leadership roles for over ten years and is currently the Annual Conference Program Chair for the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, based in Atlanta, GA. Diana is also the President of her local chapter of the Society of Women Engineers and enjoys mentoring aspiring women in business and Engineering. Diana resides in Aiken, SC and enjoys teaching Zumba in her community.
Tonya is currently the Director of Sales at DDI Print in Raleigh, NC and has been with them for ten years. She partners with companies to assist them in developing creative solutions for marketing their companies through printed materials and branded items. Prior to that, she was in consulting service sales for an e-commerce solutions provider.
A native of North Carolina, Tonya was born and raised in Raleigh. She currently resides in Holly Springs with her husband, George, and her twin daughters. She is a 1994 BSBA UNC Kenan-Flagler graduate.
- Social: LinkedIn
Taylor Harrington is a Director on the Private Credit team at Guggenheim Partners in New York City. At Guggenheim Partners, Taylor originates and structures debt investments in mid-market companies. Prior to joining Guggenheim, Taylor was an Associate Director on Barings’ direct lending team. Before Barings, Taylor worked for Boston Consulting Group in their New York office, focusing on private investment due diligence and value creation projects. Before graduating from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, Taylor was an investment banking analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch and an investment associate at Summit Park. Taylor earned a B.S. in Business Administration from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he graduated cum laude.
Jordan is a Senior Financial Analyst at LPL Financial, an independent broker-dealer in the Wealth Management industry. Jordan works on the Financial Planning & Analysis team within the Finance organization at LPL while also managing the UNC recruiting effort for LPL’s Financial Analyst Rotation program.
His previous role was an auditor at Deloitte in Charlotte, completing financial statement audits for clients in the financial services sector. Jordan began at Deloitte after graduating from Kenan-Flagler’s Master of Accounting program in 2016. He also has an undergraduate degree in Economics from UNC.
While he was born and raised in Minnesota, Jordan now calls Charlotte his home where he lives with his wife Catherine, a fellow UNC alumni.
Current Student Engagement Committee
Bob Kadlec is a partner in the Los Angeles office of Duane Morris LLP and member of the firm’s M&A, Private Equity and Corporate practices. Bob has more than 30 years of experience, providing advice in a broad range of mergers and acquisitions, corporate financing transactions and corporate governance matters. He has extensive experience advising both private equity and corporate clients on a variety of matters related to M&A, corporate governance and securities laws matters including leveraged buyouts and recapitalizations, minority investments, joint ventures and public company acquisitions. Bob also advises a variety of public and private companies in corporate governance, SEC reporting and other matters.
Bob has been selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America for Corporate Law since 2017. Bob earned his J.D. from New York University School of Law and his B.S. from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He is also a certified public accountant.
Alex, a Partner with Plexus Capital, serves on the investment committee and heads the firm’s new deal execution effort. He is also active in fundraising, sourcing new investment opportunities, and portfolio company oversight. Alex joined Plexus in 2010 as an Associate. Alex began his career in the investment banking division of BB&T Capital Markets (now BB&T Securities), focusing on sell-side M&A transactions and public equity offerings. Alex is a graduate of the University of North Carolina where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.
Mark Donnolo is managing partner with SalesGlobe, a sales effectiveness consulting and services firm that works with leading companies in the areas of sales innovation, sales strategy, sales team coaching and training, and sales compensation. He is the author of “The Innovative Sale” and “What Your CEO Needs to Know About Sales Compensation.”
Mark has worked in leading consulting firms over the past twenty years. He was president of a venture-backed voice-over-IP service provider, co-founder of a point-to-point wireless ISP, and co-founder of a clean coal technology company that was funded by three major venture capital firms. Before his business career, Mark worked as a designer in New York for a global branding firm and for a museum design and environmental design firm.
Mark holds an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a BFA from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. He has served on the Board of Trustees of The University of the Arts and the Board of the Ludwig Symphony Orchestra for six years.
Kristin is a Wealth Advisor at Colony Family Offices, working with clients to develop, implement and monitor integrated customized financial planning strategies that meet their short and long-term goals and objectives. She also helps coordinate the firm’s business development efforts.
Kristin has over 18 years providing specialized counseling to affluent clients in a variety of financial planning areas, including cash flow / retirement planning, stock options and employee benefits, insurance, investments, income taxation and transfer taxation. After beginning her career as a Tax Consultant at Deloitte, she was a Vice President and Senior Financial Planner with Wachovia Wealth Management. Prior to joining Colony, she spent 10 years as a Partner and Director of Financial Planning at Queens Oak Advisors.
Kristin earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1993 and a Master of Accounting degree with an emphasis in taxation from North Carolina State University in 1995. She holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation. For over 5 years, Kristin also coordinated and taught the Estate Planning module of the CFP® Financial Planning Education Program for Queens University of Charlotte.
Kristin and her husband Allen (UNC BSBA, MAC) live in Charlotte and actively support several organizations in their community primarily supporting education and the arts. They have two children – Andrew (UNC class of 2024) and Elizabeth.
With over 35 years of experience in financial services, I am dedicated to helping my clients meet their financial needs by developing investment plans around their long-term-goals and risk tolerance. I provide sound financial advice and value-added service to investors – always striving to build long-term relationships based on mutual trust and respect.
I work closely with families, helping them through major life transitions including the sale of a family business, loss of a loved one, retirement or the birth of a child or grandchild. I provide direct consultation and advice to individuals and Not for Profit Associations, including Foundations and Endowments on strategic asset allocation, investment strategy and wealth planning.
I was named by Barron’s as one of the Top 100 Women Financial Advisors in the country in 2006.* In 2015, the Financial Times named me to their FT 400 list of top financial advisers.*
I am a Phi Beta Kappa graduate from the University of North Carolina where I was inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma, a business honorary fraternity. I also earned an MBA degree from the University of Kansas. With an emphasis on continuing education, I earned the Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) certification and the designation of Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA®) after successfully completing the courses offered through the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania in 1998.
In 2007, I was a founding member of the Women’s Capital Connection, a regional network of accredited angel investors dedicated to identifying and funding promising women led start-up businesses in the region. I was awarded the Joan Strewler-Carter Women of Influence Award in 2008 for my role in significantly impacting women entrepreneurship in the community.
I am active in the community, serving on many boards and committees including the University of Kansas Business School Advisory Board, the Cristo Rey High School Board, the Diocesan Finance Council and the William Jewell College Board of Trustees.
Ms. Smith is a Director on the private equity team at Private Advisors, where she is responsible for primary private equity strategy and industry research, manager sourcing and due diligence, manager selection and portfolio construction, and monitoring of small company fund managers. Prior to joining Private Advisors, Ms. Smith was a financial analyst with Harris Williams & Co. where she executed sell-side mergers and acquisitions transactions across a variety of industries. In this role she was responsible for all aspects of process execution including financial analysis, marketing, industry research, and client and process management. Ms. Smith received an MBA and BSBA from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Giving Committee
Jason Colgate is best known for being a versatile and dynamic leader and dealmaker in healthcare, and he enjoys both getting his hands dirty on the operating side as well as analyzing companies on the investment side. He has a passion for working with entrepreneurs and executives, for improving the state of healthcare, and also with growing teams and value at the enterprise and individual level. His role at Eli Global as Managing Director of the M&A team is to facilitate the origination and execution of acquisitions across the umbrella of 20 portfolios, which consists of over 150 independent businesses with $26B in assets. Eli Global is a holding company that focuses on buying and growing businesses, and in 2017 Eli completed 30 acquisitions. Before Eli Global, Jason had experience in private equity, corporate development, investment banking, and operating roles across the healthcare spectrum from ventures to Fortune 50 businesses to boutique investment firms, including Bourne Capital Partners, Quintiles, Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation (JJDC), and Boston Scientific. Jason received an MBA from UNC Chapel Hill as well as a B.M. for Cello Performance at Vanderbilt University under the Dinah Shore Scholarship. He is also a FINRA series 63 and 79 investment banking registered advisor and a member of the ACG. Jason likes to make a difference on various boards too such as the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra and the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, and he has been a frequent guest speaker at universities as well as industry conferences on healthcare and M&A.
Mark is a Senior Vice President in BB&T Capital Markets Corporate Banking’s REIT and Financial Services Group. BB&T, headquartered in Winston Salem, NC, is one of the largest financial services holding companies in the United States. Mark’s banking career started in 1983 with BB&T and continued with service as a Director with Wachovia Securities’ CIB Group and as an EVP and Corporate Services Manager for Main Street Bank in Atlanta, GA. Since returning to BB&T, he served as President of BB&T’s SBA Group and as Senior Loan Administrator, before joining the Capital Markets group.
A North Carolina native, Mark was a Johnston Scholar at UNC-CH receiving his B.S. in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill and his MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. Mark and his wife Jan have three children; Peyton (a Senior at UNC-CH), Alex and Ainsley and live in Winston Salem, NC.
Patrick is a proud 2013 graduate of UNC Kenan-Flagler’s Executive MBA program. A resident of San Francisco, CA, Patrick is the Founder and Managing Director of Rooster Public Strategies. In this role, Patrick develops strategic public affairs programs for start-ups, especially those operating in highly regulated industries. He provides direct engagement with state and federal policymakers to extend support for his client’s priorities.
In addition to working as a Public Affairs Professional, Patrick and his brother Summers (’09) founded Rooster Clothing. Rooster works with factories across the U.S. to manufacture high-quality clothing for retailers and institutions. They are known for their iconic blue blazer dubbed The Brennan Blazer. The ethos of Rooster is to Look Good. Feel Good. Do Good. To live up to this mantra, Patrick and Summers donate 25% of all proceeds from the sale of every blazer to a charity of the customer’s choice or a military support organization.
Prior to moving to San Francisco, Patrick spent 12 years in Washington, D.C. where he worked as a government relations executive for Reynolds American, Inc., and prior to working for RAI, Patrick served as a Legislative Assistant in the office of Senator Kay R. Hagan (NC). In this capacity he was the Senator’s primary policy adviser for issues relating to agriculture, trade, commerce and transportation.
Patrick obtained his undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University. In his free time, Patrick enjoys spending time with his family, following college athletics, fly fishing, hiking and golf.
Stuart Friou is Chief Investment Officer of Keen Onyx Fund and Principal of HF Partners, LLC, the general partner of Keen Onyx Fund. Prior to founding HF Partners, he was a Portfolio Manager, primarily for the Consumer/Retail sector, and a Partner of Hunter Global Investors LP. Mr. Friou joined Hunter in 2001 at inception and was a Partner from 2005 to 2011.
Before joining Hunter, Mr. Friou was a Senior Analyst for James M. Myers & Company, a Registered Investment Adviser in Charlotte, North Carolina, from 1994 to 2001. While at Myers, he co-managed a long/short hedge fund and was responsible for following the consumer, industrial, technology and financial sectors as both a buy-side and sell-side analyst. Prior to Myers, Mr. Friou was the Chief Financial Officer of Ava Industries, a textile company, and an accountant at Touche Ross & Co. in New York and Laventhol & Horwath in Charlotte, where he became a CPA.
Mr. Friou received a BS in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1988 and an MBA from the University of Michigan in 1994.
Barry retired in September 2014 from SWD URETHANE of Phoenix, Arizona where he was responsible for sales development on an international level to exceed $50 million dollars. Other responsibilities in his senior management position included direct responsibility of a national sales force, coordination with the marketing department, and plant operations. His previous industry experience was with the Johns Manville Corporation of Denver, Colorado in a regional sales capacity for the states of North Carolina and Virginia. During his career Barry was well known in the building industry actively serving on various committee’s with the National
Association of Home Builders particularly in the area of modular building plants.
Barry’s first career was with the United States Marine Corps where he was on the staff of Lieutenant General F. E. Leek, commander of Fleet Marine Force Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia. He graduated from UNC with a BSBA in August of 1973 & lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife, two children, and three grandchildren.
Indranath (Indra) Lahiri, Senior Financial Advisor for Merrill Lynch, holds Series 7, 63 and 66 FINRA Registrations and is also licensed in life and long-term care insurance. He assists individuals and small business owners in the areas of retirement strategies, cash management, debt management, working capital investment, business succession planning and estate planning services.
Indra Joined Merrill Lynch in 2010. Prior to joining Merrill Lynch, Indra worked at global firms such as Oracle and Cisco in the areas of technical and business solutions.
Indra is committed to the Merrill Lynch core philosophy that the client comes first. He employs Merrill Lynch’s four step Wealth Management Process to establish client objectives, set an individualized strategy, implement a customized recommendation and review progress against objectives.
Indra holds an M.B.A., in Finance, from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Masters in Information Systems from University of Texas. Indra is a member of the Apex Chamber of Commerce.He is a charter member of TiE, an organization for promoting entrepreneurship. He and his wife, Nandini, live in Apex, North Carolina, with their two children
Carl has been employed in the investment management industry since receiving his MBA from UNC KFBS in 1994. He works in Philadelphia at Delaware Investments and is a member of the firm’s large cap value equity team. In his role as investment specialist, Carl works closely with the team’s clients and distribution partners. Prior work affiliations include Merrill Lynch, Brown Brothers Harriman and Prudential Insurance. He is a CFA Charterholder and a member of the New York Society of Security Analysts and CFA Institute. Way back when, Carl graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder, with a BA in Political Science.
Carl and his wife, Molly (AB, Education), live in Pennington, NJ, and actively support several organizations in their community dealing primarily with disadvantaged youth, domestic violence and mental health counseling. They have three children—Gillian (UNC class of 2019), Demarest and Carly—and are avid devotees of UNC.
Chris is a Partner at Childress Klein with over thirty years of corporate real estate and commercial real estate development experience. He is responsible for new retail and mixed use development activity for Childress Klein in the Southeast, with emphasis in the Carolinas.
He has been a speaker and panelist for a number of programs at the Urban Land Institute, International Council of Shopping Centers, NAIOP, and other industry organizations, and has been a guest columnist for Southeast Real Estate Business.
Chris is past board chair and on the executive committee of NAIOP Charlotte, and leads that organization’s governmental affairs efforts at the local and state levels.
He is past board chair of the James J. Harris YMCA and serves on the boards of the YMCA of Greater Charlotte and The Presbyterian Home of Charlotte. He received his B.S.B.A from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and completed the Young Executives Institute at the Kenan-Flagler Business School. Chris and his family reside in his native city of Charlotte.
New Alumni Engagement Committee
Will Pleasants joined Wasserman in 2007 through the acquisition of OnSport and currently serves as Managing Director, US. As part of the Marketing Leadership Team, he oversees all Brand and Property relationships and delivery of work product in the
United States.
Prior to returning to help client business, Will was Chief Operating Officer of the company. Working closely with the company’s leadership team, he was responsible for the oversight of the company’s human resources, IT, corporate communications and worked with the business units on overall day-to-day operations for the 900+ employees around the globe.
Formerly, he was COO of the Marketing division, working with the Managing Partners to
lead that division’s tremendous geographic growth and diversification of service offerings. In addition, he has helped lead many of the company’s account teams, including American Express, Brand USA, CarMax, and Nationwide Insurance.
Prior to Wasserman, Pleasants served as director of strategic planning with Group CSE
in Atlanta, worked at the Orlando Magic, and spent time with NIKE in their Southeast office.
Pleasants holds a degree in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He serves as a guest lecturer at his alma mater, leading the Business of Sport class in the Kenan-Flagler Business School. In addition, he led student organizations in the development of the UNC Sports and Entertainment Summit.
He is a 2014 Sports Business Journal “Forty Under 40” Award winner, who also serves
on the Boards of Kenan-Flagler Business School Triangle Chapter, and Teamworks, a
leading athlete engagement software platform. He currently resides in Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife Angie and their two sons, Cooper and Beckett.
Chris is currently a Senior Account Manager at Adyen, an end to end enterprise payments platform, and is based in San Francisco. He is responsible for managing some of their largest technology clients in the Bay Area. Prior to Adyen, Chris was part of the Sales and Business Development team at Ripple, an enterprise blockchain solution for cross-border payments based in San Francisco. Prior to Ripple, Chris was part of the Sales and Business Development team at Square, a merchant services aggregator and mobile payments company.
Chris holds a B.A. with a major in Economics from the College of the Holy Cross, and an M.B.A from UNC Kenan-Flagler. Chris has also volunteered at numerous Clean Streets and Food Bank initiatives in and around the Bay Area in his 5 years of living there. Chris resides in San Francisco with his wife, Kristina (also a UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA graduate) and their newborn son.
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Tim is an Associate with K&L Gates, a fully integrated global law firm, where he is a member of the Benefits, ESOPs, and Executive Compensation practice.
Tim received his BSBA from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2013 and his JD from UNC School of Law in 2016. While an undergraduate at UNC, he was elected President of the Class of 2013 and served on the Board of the General Alumni Association. Tim is originally from Charlotte, NC, where he currently resides.
Jack is an Associate at Ridgemont Equity Partners, a private equity firm headquartered in Charlotte, NC. At Ridgemont, Jack is responsible for evaluating new investment opportunities in the Basic Industries and Healthcare verticals. Jack also plays an active role in Ridgemont’s portfolio, assisting management teams in building and growing their companies.
Prior to joining Ridgemont, Jack was an Analyst at McColl Partners (acquired by Deloitte Corporate Finance in 2013) where he focused primarily on sell-side merger and acquisition advisory in the Consumer and Retail sector. While at Deloitte Corporate Finance, Jack led the group’s UNC recruiting team.
Jack received his BSBA from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2013. While an undergraduate at UNC, he served as President of the Interfraternity Council and was a recipient of a Chancellor’s Award. Jack is originally from Dalton, GA and currently resides in Charlotte, NC.
Genna Zimmer is a Project Manager at Reeds Jewelers. In this role, she is responsible for assisting with an ecommerce re-platform. Before joining Reeds, Genna worked as an Accountant for the accounts payable, advertising, and retail accounting teams at Belk. She also completed a three month Executive Training Program at Belk.
Genna’s work experience primarily resides in the retail and wholesale space. Prior to Belk, she worked as a Sales Associate at Reeds Jewelers and she also completed marketing internships at David Yurman and Vera Wang in New York City. Although she loved working at David Yurman and Vera Wang, she was not ready to bear the cold winters in New York.
Genna graduated with a BSBA from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Genna is from Wilmington, NC and she currently resides in Charlotte, NC.