Good food, good fun and good memories are in store when the UCF College of Business Administration celebrates its Golden Anniversary with a Mardi Gras Banquet on Friday, February 15. Presented by BB&T, the event will take place from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Venue at UCF (the former Arena).

The banquet includes a reception and dinner and will honor those that helped shape the college over the past five decades. A nominating committee selected 50 people or organizations that best exemplify the tenets of the UCF Creed, integrity, scholarship, community, creativity, and excellence. This prestigious group will be recognized and honored during the banquet.

Integrity:

Those selected in this category have contributed to the research and teaching of ethics and social issues in the classroom. Honorees include:

  • Branch Banking & Trust (Christopher D. Rolle, Jr., senior vice president, Metro Orlando area executive, Accepting)
  • William Callarman, Ph.D., associate professor emeritus, UCF College of Business Administration
  • Kenneth G. Dixon, ’75, founder and CEO, Leland Enterprises, Inc.
  • Robert Folger, Ph.D., Distinguished Alumni Endowed Professor in Business Ethics, UCF College of Business Administration
  • Paul P. Gregg, ’74 & ’76, instructor of finance, UCF College of Business Administration and chief financial officer, Rini Technologies, Inc.
  • Stan Horton, ’73, president and CEO, Boardwalk Pipeline Partners
  • Richard Lapchick, Ph.D., endowed chair and director (DeVos/Orlando Magic Sport Business Management Eminent Scholar); president and CEO, National Consortium for Academics and Sports; founding director, The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport, UCF College of Business Administration
  • Robin W. Roberts, Ph.D., Al and Nancy Burnett Eminent Scholar Chair in Accounting, UCF College of Business Administration
  • John H. Salter, Ph.D., professor emeritus, Kenneth G. Dixon School of Accounting and Marilyn P. Salter, ’81, retired instructor, Kenneth G. Dixon School of Accounting, UCF College of Business Administration
  • Marshall Schminke, Ph.D., BB&T Professor of Business Ethics, UCF College of Business Administration

    • Scholarship:

    The 10 people selected in this category have contributed to the scholarship of the college and possess a strong research record. Honorees include:

  • Maureen L. Ambrose, Ph.D., Gordon J. Barnett Professor of Business Ethics, UCF College of Business Administration
  • Vicky Arnold, Ph.D., Ernst & Young Professor of Accounting, Kenneth G. Dixon School of Accounting, UCF College of Business Administration and editor, Behavioral Research in Accounting
  • Raj Echambadi, Ph.D., professor and James F. Towey Fellow, University of Illinois
  • Glenn Hubbard, Ph.D., ’79, dean and Russell L. Carson Professor of Finance and Economics (Graduate School of Business) and professor of economics (Arts and Sciences), Columbia University
  • Richard C. Huseman, Ph.D., founder and CEO, Executive Development & Education
  • Thomas L. Keon, Ph.D., chancellor, Purdue University Calumet
  • Ronald S. Rubin, Ph.D., professor emeritus of marketing, UCF College of Business Administration
  • Carol Saunders, Ph.D., professor of management, UCF College of Business Administration and Schoeller Senior Research Fellow, Dr. Theo and Friedl Schoeller Research Center for Business and Society
  • Steve G. Sutton, Ph.D., KPMG Professor of Accounting, UCF College of Business Administration
  • Gregory M. Trompeter, Ph.D., C.G. Avery Professor, UCF College of Business Administration

    • Community:

    This category honors organizations or businesses that have partnered with the college. The companies selected have demonstrated their support by contributing financially, providing speakers, or hiring students. Honorees include:

  • DeVos Family and The Orlando Magic (Latria Leak, community relations and cause marketing manager, Accepting)
  • Dr. Phillips Charities (Robert L. Mellen, III, president/CEO, Accepting)
  • Ernst & Young LLP (Carrie Hall, ’86, partner, assurance services, Accepting)
  • Grant Thornton LLP (Sonya Dixon, ’96 & ’98, assistant audit practice leader-Florida, Accepting)
  • NAIOP Central Florida Chapter (Mike Beale, CEO, BishopBeale; Damien Madsen, ’86, principal, Taylor & Mathis; Nan B. McCormick, ’83, senior vice president, CBRE; Jeff McFadden, managing director-Northern Florida, Taurus Orlando; Bill Moss, senior managing director, CBRE; Accepting)
  • The Honorable Richard A. Nunis, chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts (retired); chair emeritus, UCF Board of Trustees
  • Orlando Health (Karl Hodges, ’82, vice president, business development, Accepting)
  • SeaWorld Parks and Resorts Orlando (Terry Prather, park president, Accepting)
  • SunTrust (David Fuller, chairman, president and CEO, Accepting)
  • Walt Disney World Resort (Anthony Connelly, ’87, senior vice president and chief financial officer, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, U.S., Accepting)
  • Wells Fargo (Larisa F. Perry, regional president, Accepting)

    • Creativity:

    Those selected in this category have used their entrepreneurial and creative talents to form new ideas, methods, or ways of doing business. They “think outside the box.” and support the college in entrepreneurial activities and competitions. Honorees include:

  • N. Lois Adams, ’85, president, CEO, and chairman, HHCS Health Group
  • Debbie Balaschak, ’88 and Jim Balaschak, ’86 & ’92, president, Deanja, LLC
  • G. Thomas Bland, Jr., ’75 & ’79, chairman & CEO, AquaFiber Technologies Corporation
  • Steven Felkowitz, ’79, chief executive officer, Atico International
  • Cameron M. Ford, Ph.D., director, Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, UCF College of Business Administration
  • The Honorable Phyllis A. Klock, president and chief operating officer, CompBenefits Corporation (retired); Trustee Emerita-UCF
  • Blaine Sweatt, ’76, president, New Business Division (retired), Darden Restaurants, Inc.
  • Andrew B. Titen, ’75, president and chief operating officer, Bisk Education
  • Turbine Technology Services
  • The Honorable Richard J. Walsh, ’77 & ’83, president, The Knob Hill Companies; chair emeritus, UCF Board of Trustees

    • Excellence:

    This group consistently goes “above and beyond” and performs at the highest level in every endeavor they participate in. Honorees include:

  • Merrell Bailey, ’85, ’89, ’01 & ’07, managing partner, Bailey Zobel Pilcher
  • Robert B. Case, ’70, president, RB Case Consulting, Inc. and chief operations officer, eSchool Solutions, Inc.
  • Lawrence J. Chastang, ’80, managing partner of International Services, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP
  • Les W. Eiserman, ’81 & ’82, partner in charge – Orlando Office Audit Department, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP
  • James W. Ferrell, ’80, president, Ferrell Wealth Management, Inc.
  • Melanie Fernandez, ’86 & ’91, partner, Cross, Fernandez & Riley, LLP
  • Andrew J. Fore, III, ’76 & ’83, managing director – Global General Services, Citigroup
  • The Honorable Michael J. (“Micky”) Grindstaff, ’78, partner, Shutts & Bowen, LLP; chair, UCF Board of Trustees
  • Laurette McPartland Koellner, ’77, executive chairman, International Lease Finance Corporation; corporate board member, Celestica Inc.; corporate board member, Hillshire Brands
  • Nan B. McCormick, ’83, senior vice president, CBRE
  • Thomas Messina, ’84, executive director and associate vice president, UCF Alumni Association
  • Kenneth White, Ph.D., founding professor, Economics Department, UCF College of Business Administration

    • The 50 will be recognized during a brief ceremony, where Paul Jarley, dean of the college will share his new vision.

    “This event promises to be fun for all, and will be a great opportunity to reflect upon the past 50 years, as well as look forward to our very promising future,” he said.

    The banquet is the highlight of a week-long celebration that also features a Mardi Gras party for faculty, staff and students as well as a student organization showcase.