As they say in New Orleans, laissez les bon temps rouler! And that is exactly what we did in the College of Business Administration!

The College of Business Administration held a week-long Mardi Gras celebration to commemorate UCF’s golden anniversary. The week started with Dean Paul Jarley along with Associate Deans Taylor Ellis and Foard Jones serving gumbo and jambalaya to faculty, staff and students. During the outdoor event, students were able to vote for a Mardi Gras King and Queen. Lauren Brown was dubbed queen, while David Noel was named king.

Throughout the week, each department was featured through social media. Business students were highlighted and quoted each day.

The final and largest event of the week was an anniversary gala presented by BB&T that attracted more than 600 business and community leaders, as well as College of Business Administration faculty and students. UCF President John Hitt served as the keynote speaker and was awarded the Golden Legends Award. In his remarks, he noted that the College of Business Administration was one of the original colleges at UCF and that when classes began in 1968, the college had just 255 students and 12 faculty members. Today, the college has more than 8,600 students and 100 faculty members, and UCF is the second largest university in the nation.

Dean Paul Jarley also spoke and shared “A Look to the Future,” which included his vision for the college.

During the banquet, 50 people or organizations that helped shape the college over the past five decades were honored. A nominating committee selected those that best exemplify the tenets of the UCF Creed—integrity, scholarship, community, creativity, and excellence.

View photos from the event.

Congratulations to:
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 (Ellen Titen, Accepting)
  • Turbine Technology Services (George Gramatikas, ’04, co-owner and founder, Accepting)
  • 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