News & Stories
In other news: December 2023
More insights and highlights from the UNC Kenan-Flagler community
Thought leaders
- Twelve years in the making: Professors Heidi Schultz and Patricia Harms celebrated the release of their “Business Communication” textbook. “It’s finally here!” Schultz shared on LinkedIn. “I’m thankful to my fabulous co-author and our oh-so-supportive UNC Kenan-Flagler colleagues.”
- Research led by Professor Olga Hawn and PhD student Angie Fairchild explores the business impact of the #MeToo movement by comparing reactions from the general public and investors.
- Zoey Kernodle, director of the UNC Center for the Business of Health, received a 40 under 40 young alumni award from Emory University. The honor is given annually to rising pioneers in various fields across the world.
Charles Lovelace ( top row, second from left) with the 2023 Davie Award recipients.
Top honor
Charles Lovelace (MBA ’79) was one of six recipients of the 2023 William Richardson Davie Award, the highest honor bestowed by the UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees recognizing outstanding service to the University and society.
Lovelace who also received a bachelor’s degree from Carolina as a Morehead Scholar in 1977, retired as executive director of the Morehead-Cain Foundation in 2021 after 33 years of service. He is on the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise’s board of advisors and is chair of the Luther Hodges Scholars program’s advisory council.
In 2022, Lovelace received a Distinguished Service Medal citation from the UNC General Alumni Association. He was named to the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina’s highest honor, in 2020.
Standout students and alumni
- Sasha Surkin (BSBA ’25) is a visionary in the making. Motivated by those lacking access to proper vision care, she founded the startup WeyeZE in 2021 when she was 18. Surkin’s vision-correctness kit is now in beta testing. Surkin is a Luther Hodges Scholar.
- Matt Graham (MBA ’08) was named senior vice president of direct-to-consumer and streaming business development at the Tennis Channel. Previously he was general manager of AMC streaming platforms Acorn TV and Sundance Now. He also co-founded and led PBS Digital Studios.
- Arche McAdoo (MBA ’89) announced his retirement after serving 13 years as Carrboro’s finance director. McAdoo’s work was integral to several of the town’s major initiatives over the past decade, including the 203 Project set to open in July 2024, and helped guide Carrboro through economic uncertainty during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mary Laci Motley and Lucas DiPietrantonio
Making a splash
Two alumni are featured in this year’s list of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 top young innovators and influencers: Lucas DiPietrantonio (BSBA ’19) and Mary Laci Motley (BSBA ’21).
DiPietrantonio is the co-founder and CEO of marketing firm Darkroom, which counts Crate & Barrel, Joybird and Olipop among its clients. Motley is the founder and CEO of Eats2Seats, a vending and concessions partner offering staffing solutions for professional and collegiate venues.
(L-R): Yan, Wang and Acharya
- The Virginia Maritime Association named Will Fediw (MBA ’18) as its senior vice president. Fediw, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran, previously spent six years as the organization’s vice president of industry and government affairs.
- Susan Murphy (MBA ’08) was promoted to a managing director position at global investment firm General Atlantic. She is the firm’s treasurer and head of financial planning and analysis.
- Exchange students Sichen (Kevin) Wang, Matthew Yan and Animesh Acharya (all BSBA ’24) won first place at the sixth annual IE Business School Investment Club Stock Pitch Competition in Madrid. The three completed their fall semester exchange at IE University in Madrid and presented their investment pitch to top professionals in finance and investment, such as J.P Morgan and Deutsche Bank.
- Pierre Cadena (MBA ’04) was appointed vice president of corporate strategy at Catena Media, an online gambling marketing and media company. His experience includes positions at Fox Entertainment and WarnerMedia.
Power player
Hillary Salo (BSBA ’02, MAC ’03) was selected to serve a five-year term as a member of the influential Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) beginning in July 2024. The board sets U.S. financial reporting standards.
“Hilary’s appointment to this prominent board is a clear testament to the profound impact and expertise our alumni bring to the field of accounting,” said Courtney Knoll, the Master of Accounting Program’s associate dean.
Salo has served as FASB’s technical director and chair of the emerging issues task force since 2020.
Spotted on social
- What makes for a good bonding session for undergraduates in the STAR (Student Teams Achieving Results) Program? An old-fashioned gingerbread house competition, of course.
- Dave Alpern, president of Joe Gibbs Racing, was celebrated for establishing a “new record” of six visits in a row to Professor Claudia Malhotra’s Principles of Marketing class.
- Charlotte Executive MBA Program students collected 1,525 canned goods as part of a community impact competition. Over a half-ton of food was donated to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina.