News & Stories
In other news: May 2025
Thought leaders
- Professor Jim Johnson was inducted into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine by North Carolina Governor Josh Stein for his lifelong career in public service. “This group exemplifies the best of our state, and I am pleased to honor them today,” the governor said.
- Jim Dean, who served as dean of UNC Kenan-Flagler from 2008 to 2013, has been appointed interim provost for the University. He was previously provost from 2013 to 2017 and is the former president of the University of New Hampshire.
- Paul Fulton (BSBA ’57), dean of UNC Kenan-Flagler from 1993 to 1997, received the Lux Libertas Philanthropy Award, UNC-Chapel Hill’s highest honor for exceptional service in private philanthropy.
- Ginger Scanlon (PhD ’25) was awarded the 2025 AAA Competitive Manuscript Award by the American Accounting Association (AAA) for her dissertation research on how disclosure laws for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) affect drug prices. Scanlon is set to join the UNC Kenan-Flagler faculty in July.
- Natalie Holzaepfel (PhD ’27) was awarded a Will Mitchell Dissertation Research Grant from the Strategy Research Foundation for her work on organizational responses to normative pressures, with a focus on the assertive approach of organizational repression.
- The Manufacturing and Service Operations Management Journal published research by Professor Vinayak Deshpande on navigating the supply chain challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A million-dollar impact
Jim Kitchen’s Entrepreneurship and Business Planning class has become a transformative experience for students who aspire to create a startup venture of their own. In spring 2025, his students reached a significant milestone: They generated over $1 million in net profits. The funds they raised made possible the wish of Jayden through Make-A-Wish Eastern North Carolina.
Standout students and alumni
- Tony Mayhoff (MBA ’22) was named the vice president of corporate partnerships for the Baltimore Orioles.
- Mary Esposito (BSBA ’26) spoke with Yahoo Finance about her journey with investing and her mission to use social media to empower Gen Z to become more financially literate. Esposito is the founder of Money with Mary, a financial literacy educational platform on Instagram with more than 48,000 followers.
- George Felix (MBA ’09), chief marketing officer at Chili’s Grill & Bar, was named Brand CMO of the Year by Ad Age. Felix is recognized for his strategies that revitalized the Chili’s brand, making it a standout in the competitive restaurant industry once again.
- Five UNC Kenan-Flagler students took first place in the CRE Finance Council Real Estate Debt Case Competition. William Emmett (MBA ’26), Mohit Sukhija (MBA ’26), Felipe Gamerre (MBA ’26), Peyton Youth (BSBA ’26) and Nitya Olepu (BSBA ’26) participated in the invitation-only competition and competed for a total of $45,000 in prize money.
Welcome home
UNC Kenan-Flagler Alumni Weekend offered alumni a chance to reconnect, celebrate and inspire. Through networking events, engaging faculty sessions, milestone reunions and more, Tar Heels relived the memories that shaped their UNC Kenan-Flagler experience.
Save the date for next year: April 17-18, 2026.
Spotted on social
- The Luther Hodges Scholars Program at the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise announced the 2025 Kenan Institute Student Awards on LinkedIn. Winners exemplify UNC Kenan-Flagler’s core values of integrity, inclusion, innovation and impact.
- Brett Coakley (MBA ’26) shared on LinkedIn why America’s “best-kept secret” is Raleigh-Durham. “Moving here was one of our best life choices, and every day confirms it,” he wrote.
- In a video by UNC Football on Instagram, Will Hardy (BSBA ’25) and Beau Atkinson (BSBA ’26) talk about their Global Immersion Elective (GIE) during spring break to the Netherlands and why GIEs are a great choice for student athletes.
- Over 800 attendees gathered for the 2025 UNC Real Estate Conference at the Dean E. Smith Center last month. The Wood Center for Real Estate Studies shared their gratitude on LinkedIn with a link to a photo album from the conference and a save-the-date for next year’s event on April 16, 2026.