With a nod to Indiana Jones — one of Hollywood’s most famous professors — the UCF College of Business inducted three new Hall of Fame members, honored top alumni, entrepreneurs and partners, and remembered two legendary faculty at its 24th Hall of Fame on Tuesday night at Rosen Shingle Creek.
The college’s biggest networking night of the year saw an audience of 800+ gather to celebrate the induction of Russell Goldberg ’89, Orlando partner-in-charge, Withum, and Dean’s Advisory Board member; Eva Tukdarian ’90 ’91MS, chief financial officer/chief information officer /treasurer, Dr. Phillips Charities; and Charlie Lousignont ’81, retired supply chain management executive. Longtime Dean’s Advisory Board member Mark Plaumann ’74 ’79MBA picked up a Legendary Knight Award for more than 30 years of donating his time and treasure to UCF, and BNY Mellon earned Corporate Partner of the Year.
The night also featured appearances by Indiana Jones, played by integrated business lecturer and stuntman Ray Eddy ’21PhD, and action-packed videos starring Knightro, Citronaut, College of Business Dean Paul Jarley, faculty and students.
Jarley took a moment from the stage to reflect on the recent passing of retired Management Professor Bill Callarman and Economics Professor Wally Milon and celebrate the impact they had on countless students, colleagues and UCF.
2024 UCF Business Hall of Fame Inductees
The UCF College of Business Hall of Fame recognizes alumni who have demonstrated exceptional professional success in their field. This is the highest honor given to business graduates. It is typically awarded to those who have been in the industry for 15-20 years and have brought recognition to the university through their professional achievements.
Russell Goldberg ’89 is Orlando partner-in-charge for Withum, where he is involved in the firm’s technology initiatives and provides tax and consulting services for businesses and individual clients. He also is a member of the UCF College of Business Dean’s Advisory Board and frequently speaks on campus along with members of his Withum team. In 2019, he was the driving force behind the creation of the Withum Learning Lab, where students could seek out tutoring services and collaborate with fellow accounting majors in the Kenneth G. Dixon School of Accounting at UCF. The proud UCF alum is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants (FICPA). He is a board member at the Jewish Pavilion of Central Florida, treasurer of Wounded Warrior Outdoors and a past chair of Central Florida Hillel.
Charlie Lousignont ’81 is a supply chain management executive who retired last April after 40 years in the foodservice industry. At the time of his retirement, he was the chief supply chain officer and senior VP of Brinker International, the owner and operator of Chili’s and Maggiano’s restaurants. Lousignont has a bachelor’s degree in finance from UCF and an MBA from the University of Miami. He began his career at Darden Restaurants (then General Mills Restaurant Group) as an accountant. He has served as chief procurementoOfficer of PF Chang’s, Pei Wei and True Food Kitchen restaurants, as well as CSCS, the purchasing co-op for Applebee’s and IHOP restaurants (Dine Brands). He continues to give back to UCF and serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board for the Rosen School of Hospitality. He is a founding member and officer of the National Restaurant Association Supply Chain Management Expert Exchange Group and currently serves on the advisory board.
Eva Tukdarian ’90 ’91MS is the chief financial officer, chief investment officer and treasurer for Dr. Phillips Charities, comprised of Dr. Phillips Inc. and the Dr. P. Phillips Foundation, which supports worthy capital projects and innovative nonprofit programs in Central Florida. She oversees all aspects of finance, investments, human resources and IT systems for Dr. Phillips Charities and has helped grow the organization’s assets and, in turn, the annual contributions to local nonprofits. An avid volunteer, the two-time Knight serves as a board member and Treasurer of the UCF Foundation Board, participating on the Executive, Finance & Facilities, Audit and Investment committees. Previously, she worked for The Walt Disney Company. Tukdarian has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from UCF and maintains memberships with the American Institute of CPAs and Foundation Financial Officers Group.
Partnership Award
The Partnership Award recognizes organizations that have initiated a successful partnership with, or on behalf of, the UCF College of Business, resulting in the achievement of the college’s academic offerings or public outreach. These organizations embody the spirit of collaboration and are recognized for their initiative, leadership and involvement in the betterment of business education.
BNY Mellon, a global authority at the center of finance, sets the bar when it comes to partnering with the College of Business and hiring Business Knights. From recruiting at The Invitational career fair to speaking in The EXCHANGE, BNY Mellon executives, recruiters and employees can be found on campus each semester. Named among Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies and Fast Company’s Best Workplaces for Innovators, BNY Mellon has been engaged with UCF for more than 15 years. Longtime Dean’s Advisory Board member and UCF alum Jeff Stokes ’82 recently retired as senior director market Leader for BNY Mellon Wealth Management in Winter Park. Roslyn Antoniazzi ’08, director of international collateral management, joined the Dean’s Advisory Board last year. She also has served on the College’s Alumni Board and received an Honorable Knight Award at the 2022 College of Business Hall of Fame. While not a UCF alum, Fabio Zacco, director of clearance and collateral management, has spent enough hours on campus speaking with and mentoring students to earn Honorary Knight status and is a member of the UCF Capital Markets Advisory Board with the Department of Finance.
Legendary Knight Award
The Legendary Knight Award recognizes outstanding contributions that will transform teaching, research and learning through extraordinary philanthropy and commitment to the College of Business. This award is open to the entire College of Business community, including alumni, friends and corporate and foundation partners.
Mark Plaumann ’74 ’79MBA, is the managing member of Greyhawke Capital Advisors, which he co-founded in 1998. The two-time Knight, who was inducted into the College of Business Hall of Fame in 2008, was an academic superstar as a student, finishing a two-year college degree while still in high school and earning his bachelor’s degree after just one year at UCF, then FTU. He went on to earn his MBA. He and his wife, Marilyn Wilson, have given back to the university for more than 30 years — supporting a wide range of initiatives, many with a focus on College of Business programs like Investors in Entrepreneurship and the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership. In 2021, the couple donated $1 million to an endowed scholarship fund for first-generation college students. He also serves on the UCF Foundation Board and the Dean’s Advisory Board for the College of Business.
Entrepreneurial Alumni Awards
The Entrepreneurial Alumni Awards honor UCF business alumni from any discipline who exemplify commitment, vision, calculated risk-taking and growth potential. In their professional career, this person demonstrates perseverance in the face of adversity and overcomes obstacles.
Justin Buzzi ’13 is the founder, CEO and franchisor of Get Up and Go Kayaking, the country’s first clear kayak tour company. Based in Florida, Buzzi’s company went viral capturing the attention of millions through platforms like ‘Insider,’ ‘Buzzfeed,’ ‘Yahoo,’ ‘Travel+Leisure,’ and more. The UCF alum and entrepreneur has grown the franchise from two locations (Rock Springs and Bioluminescence) to more than 29 locations and growing. He stays connected to UCF and continues to give back by speaking on campus and mentoring students. He has donated more than $75,000 to support the preservation of land and waterways in Florida.
Adam LZ ’16, the founder of the merchandise company LZMFG, is a professional drifter, entrepreneur and one of the most popular automotive content creators on YouTube with more than 3.8 million subscribers. The UCF management alum travels the world, competes in drift car competitions and recently acquired automotive parts company Drift HQ, which is housed at his 30-acre LZ Compound along with his impressive automobile collection.
Jeff Stafford ’04 is vice president at J.D. Power and CEO of FishingAmmo, a fishing accessory that was featured on ABC’s Shark Tank, and Golden Knights Investment Group. After earning a degree in Marketing / International Business at UCF, he owned and operated multiple businesses. In 2021, Stafford and his longtime business partners sold their automotive software company to J.D. Power in one of the largest software transactions in the industry. He and his wife Shawna recently created the Stafford Family Student-Athlete Business Scholarship in hopes of helping future Knights accomplish their dreams.
Honorable Knight Awards
The Honorable Knight Awards recognize alumni with more than 10 years of experience who have displayed excellence in their respective career paths.
Sara Bernard ’00 is a partner and real estate attorney in the Orlando office of Holland & Knight where she handles a wide range of commercial real estate matters as counsel for developers, builders, institutional investors and public and private entities. She has extensive experience in all aspects of real estate acquisition and disposition, development, leasing, management and financing. She earned her bachelor’s in accounting at UCF and her law degree from the University of Miami. A member of the Florida Bar, Bernard has served on the UCF Foundation Board of Directors and as Chair of the UCF Alumni Board. In 2021, the Orlando Business Journal honored her with its Women Who Mean Business Award.
Derek De Salvia ’03 ’11MS, is executive vice president and chief customer officer at Hilton Grand Vacations (HGV) where he is responsible for more than 200 resorts across 10 countries, 9,400 employees and $1.4 billion in revenue. Before joining HGV, he served as Vice President of Sales & Onsite Marketing at The Walt Disney Company. The two-time Knight holds a degree in marketing and a master’s in management and human resources from UCF. He frequently returns to campus to speak to students in the College of Business and The EXCHANGE.
Paul Hagge ’99 ’00MS is a managing director in Grant Thornton’s Corporate Tax Solutions team with more than 23 years of experience in public accounting. He earned his bachelor’s in accounting at UCF, graduating summa cum laude, as well as a Master of Science in Taxation. He remains active on campus speaking to students and as a member of the UCF Accounting Advisory Council. He is a member of the AICPA and the Florida Institute of Public Accountant, as well as the Florida Citrus Sports Audit Committee and Orlando Toastmasters Club 28.
Notable Knight Awards
The Notable Knight Awards recognize alumni who have displayed promise and excellence early in their career paths and have less than 10 years of experience.
Victor Almeda ’19 is a partner and outside sale representative for Tom James Company, the largest custom clothing manufacturer in the world. He has helped grow the company’s President’s Club business to more than 200 clients in Central Florida and generated more than $1 million in sales. Almeda is a graduate of UCF’s prestigious, award-winning Professional Selling Program and he returns regularly to campus to mentor and recruit business students.
