2017 Cameron School of Business Outstanding Alumni Honorees

Mike Barton '68, Hope Campbell '91 and Chris Dentiste '85 were honored as the 2017 Cameron School of Business Outstanding Alumni during CSB’s annual Business Week. The recipients joined other alumni and faculty for a recognition breakfast on March 29.

Mike Barton studied accounting and went on to found three companies in the fields of healthcare, hospital management and physician practices after earning an M.B.A. from Georgia Southern University. Though he currently resides in Tennessee, he never forgets his time at UNCW.

It was a few years after graduating with a degree in business management before Hope Campbell mustered the courage to tell her dad and uncle she wanted to join the family business. She is now the President of Clearwater Enterprises Inc., one of her family’s businesses that oversees Camp Clearwater, North Carolina’s largest family campground.

While earning his degree in economics, Chris Dentiste worked in what is now known as the Swain Center. Today, Dentiste is vice president and CFO of RSA, a division of Dell EMC that provides industry-leading cybersecurity products to more than 30,000 organizations worldwide. In addition to Hall’s mentorship, Dentiste credits UNCW’s small class sizes as one of the factors in his success.

Read more at We Are UNCW.

Congratulations 2017 Alumni Award Winners

Darion Jeralds ’10, ’14M; Chad Porter ’98; and Chip Mahan have demonstrated personal commitment to community engagement while achieving outstanding professional success. In recognition of their accomplishments, the UNCW Alumni Association presented them with awards on Feb. 3, 2017. Jeralds was named Distinguished Young Alumnus of the Year; Porter, Distinguished Alumnus of the Year; and Mahan, Distinguished Citizen of the Year.

For Darion Jeralds, the senior sourcing manager for Global Nuclear Fuel, his UNCW experience prepared him for a smooth transition into the corporate world. His career path started with a class in business operations. After the final project, his professor invited Jeralds to interview for an internship with GE. The internship led to an entry-level opportunity. Jerald’s time on the men’s basketball team helped him develop the character, work ethic and determination to thrive during early career roles, he said.

Chad Porter, a motivational speaker and trainer who works with small businesses and Fortune 500 companies across the nation, also donates countless hours as a mentor to students of all ages. Porter earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from UNCW and a graduate degree in physical therapy from East Carolina University. His professional experience includes roles in real estate, at the Coastal Rehabilitation Hospital and as the founder of Porter Financial Group. Today, Porter is a member of the Zig Ziglar International Team, an elite group of highly skilled and knowledgeable corporate trainers.

For more than a decade, Chip Mahan has supported UNCW through service and giving. He has served as a member of the UNCW Board of Visitors, the Foundation Endowment Board and the Cameron School of Business Advisory Board. Mahan, founder, CEO and chairman of the board of directors of Live Oak Bank, is also a founding member of nCino and serves on its board of directors. Prior to his work with Live Oak Bank, he served as CEO and chairman of the board for S1 Corporation and founder of Security First Network Bank, the world’s first internet bank.

Read more about these award recipients at We Are UNCW.

Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients Honored at Homecoming

Left to right: Lt. Col. Robert Rideout Jr. ’95, Josh Vach ’87 and Ryan Crecelius ’06 

Lt. Col. Robert Rideout Jr. ’95, Ryan Crecelius ’06 and Josh Vach ’87 may have different backgrounds, but they share a common bond – a love for the University of North Carolina Wilmington and the distinction of being named distinguished alumni.

The three award recipients were honored during UNCW Homecoming held Feb. 13-14. Rideout, the 2015 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year; Crecelius, the Young Alumnus of the Year; and Vach, the Citizen of the Year, were nominated for these awards by fellow alumni and peers due to their achievements and contributions to their communities. Find out more about the recipients in WE ARE UNCW.

Our Local and Global Communities: Three Seahawks Making a Difference

Success isn’t something that just happens to you one day. It takes work, dedication and perseverance; traits that our alumni take pride in and ones we love to celebrate.

Our 2014 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients have seen how passion can pay off. The top honor for the university, the Distinguished Alumnus of the year, has been awarded to a man who is not afraid to spread his wings to make a difference in our global community. Dr. Anthony Cavalieri '75 celebrated his graduation from UNCW when our university was just a 3,200-student commuter school, but even then he knew his journey was just beginning.

Dr. Tony Cavalieri '75
Distinguished Alumnus
Award Recipient

Familiar with the importance of a rigorous and immersive academic journey, Dr. Cavalieri continued his education at the University of South Carolina to earn his Ph.D. in biology and completed his postdoctoral research at the University of Illinois. His passion for learning and support of the College of Arts & Sciences as a UNCW Society member has provided momentum behind UNCW’s commitment to excellence.

In true Seahawk fashion, Dr. Cavalieri dares to ask questions and break down international barriers. His research in biotechnology and sustainability in agriculture during his 22 years with Pioneer Hi-Bred International, a DuPont Company, led to international consulting roles with USAID in Africa and The Nature Conservancy.

In 2012, Dr. Cavalieri became a senior program officer for the Melinda & Bill Gates Foundation, working to provide grants for research organizations who are improving the productivity and incomes of farmers in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. His previous work also includes advising the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) on science and technology issues in South Asia and the US Agency for International Development.

Not only is UNCW's foundation rooted in the accomplishments of our students and alumni, but also the commitment of our community. The 2014 Citizen Award goes to a man who has shown a lifelong devotion to the quest for education.

Dr. Richard Corbett
Citizen Award Recipient

A retired naval officer, Dr. Richard Corbett is a man who has never stopped pursuing his passion for medicine. Although he retired from the New Hanover Medical Group in 1999, he continues to practice medicine today.

Dr. Corbett has shown his love for our university by establishing scholarships and funds for faculty research, and by serving on the Nurse Advocate Board to address the nursing shortage in our region and help UNCW remain a leader in the southeastern region for nursing education. His commitments to the university also extend beyond the classroom. His commitment to the journey of learning, and knowing that it does not stop at graduation, led to his support of alumni programming and creating opportunities for alumni to reconnect and share career advice.

Young alumna of the year, Susan Chandler Webb ’07 is a Cameron School of Business (CSB) graduate who has advocated for our coastal community since her student years when she helped coordinate the most successful Pi Sigma Epsilon Wing Fling fundraiser to date, earning $37,000 for local charities.

Susan Chandler Webb '07
Young Alumna Award Recipient

Providing tremendous support to the business school and its students since graduation, Susan has served as both an internship advisor and a member of the Cameron Executive Network, however, her involvement doesn’t end with her academic interests. She also actively volunteers for the Cape Fear and CSB alumni chapters and is a former member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Crossing the finish line takes energy, a concept that our young alumna and marathon runner embraces in her career as well. A quick peek at her resume shows her willingness to excel has led to multiple promotions. After a few years as an executive recruiter for the Wilmington Group, Susan is now the Area Vice President of Sales for the Coverbind Corporation in Wilmington.

The UNCW Alumni Association, Board of Trustees and Chancellor Gary Miller welcomed the award recipients at a reception at the Chancellor's residence during Homecoming weekend. Join us as we congratulate these outstanding Seahawks!

Congratulations 2013 Outstanding UNCW Cameron School of Business Alumni

The 2013 Outstanding UNCW Cameron School of Business alumni will be recognized at the CSB Outstanding Alumni Speaker Breakfast on Wednesday, March 20 in Madeline Suite at 7:00 am. Recipients will participate in a panel discussion following breakfast as part of Business Week.

Robin Diehl `90 is the chief financial officer and director of the Office of Fiscal Management in the NC Department of Administration. She graduated from NCSU with a master's degree in Accounting after receiving her bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting, from UNCW. Robin serves on the National Board of Directors for the American Diabetes Association, chairs the National Finance Committee for the American Diabetes Association and was chair of the local Board for American Diabetes Association for several years. She also served on the Utilities Board of Adjustment for the Town of Cary, NC.

Jean English `96 is currently the vice president of IBM Software Demand Marketing. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in Marketing. Jean is a member of IBM’s Global Marketing and Communication Leadership Team which includes the top 50 marketing professionals across IBM. She is also a member of the Junior League of Raleigh, where she has held multiple Junior League chair positions over the last five years, and currently serves as the Marketing Chair for the 2013 North Carolina Governor’s Inaugural Ball. In addition, Jean serves on the customer advisory board for ON24 and Alliance Tech.

Bill Mayew `97, `98M is an associate professor of accounting at the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. Bill received his Ph.D. in Business Administration (Accounting) from the University of Texas at Austin in 2006, and later, his bachelor's and master’s degrees in Accountancy from UNCW. He received the 2008 Financial Research Association Best Paper Award for his work on the information content of managerial vocal cues during earnings conference calls and also teaching excellence awards in both the daytime and weekend executive MBA programs. Bill’s research has appeared in the Journal of Finance, Journal of Accounting Research, Review of Accounting Studies and Contemporary Accounting Research.

Tickets for the breakfast and panel discussion are $5 and can be purchased online until March 17. This event is hosted by the Cameron School of Business and the CSB Alumni Chapter.

UNCW Alumni Relations/Julianna Rubino, Intern

Technology Entrepreneur Next CSB Alumni Breakfast Speaker

Shaun Olsen '02 is the owner of Olsen Enterprises, which established its first company, BBXComputers, in 2002. Shaun later created AcoustiCreations, Inc. and Opterex, Inc., Cape Fear businesses focused on network administration, systems integration and product management. In 2009, Shaun won both a Coastal Entrepreneur Award and a UNCW Entrepreneurship Award in the category of technology. Shaun graduated from UNCW with a degree in Business Administration and a concentration in Information Systems.

The Alumni Association selected this dynamic entrepreneur as the 2011 Young Alumnus of the Year due to his successful launch and management of three growing businesses and passion for helping students excel in the Cameron School of Business. As a successful business owner, mentor within the Cameron Executive Network and recipient of numerous entrepreneurship awards, Shaun has quickly become one of the area’s most up-and-coming young professionals.

Shaun will be speaking at the next CSB Alumni Chapter Breakfast on Thursday, October 26. His presentation, "The New Epoch of Technology and Entrepreneurship" is sure to be informational and inspiring. The CSB Alumni Speaker Breakfast series, which started in 2010, has grown in popularity over the last year and is open to both alumni and community members.

Melissa Mackay, UNCW Alumni Relations Intern

Accepting Nominations for J. Marshall Crews Award until August 1

The Alumni Association is now accepting nominations for the J. Marshall Crews Distinguished Faculty Award.  This award, named for Dr. J. Marshall Crews, honors a faculty member who exhibits the qualities of service and leadership that Dr. Crews personified throughout his life.  During his 33 year career at Wilmington College and UNCW, Dr. Crews held the following positions; Mathematics Professor, Registrar, Academic Dean, Director of Admissions and Dean of Students.  Additionally, Crews is the author of From These Beginnings, a history of Wilmington College from 1947 to 1969.  Dr. Crew passed away in April 2010.

This Award is based on the following criteria:
Service
Student Support Effort
Leadership Roles
Community Service and Outreach Efforts

Nominations may be submitted by any faculty or staff member, alumnus, student or community member by August 1, 2011. Submit the online form and a letter of recommendation illustrating how the nominee exhibits the criteria outlined above to Kim Gargiulo at gargiulok@uncw.edu or mail to:  Kim Gargiulo, Wise Alumni House, 1713 Market Street, Wilmington, NC 28403, Campus Mail Box:  5906.

The award recipient will be presented with a $500 stipend at the Fall Faculty Meeting on September 1, 2011. DEADLINE FOR NOMINATION IS August 1, 2011.

Announcing the 2011 CSB Outstanding Alumni of the Year

Business Week is an exciting and informational annual event hosted by UNCW’s Cameron School of Business. One of the most significant aspects of the week is the Alumni & Retired Faculty Mixer on Tuesday, March 1st at 5:30 pm in the CIS Lobby. The mixer will include complimentary food and drinks while guests network and celebrate the 2011 CSB Outstanding Alumni of the Year honorees.

The 2011 recipients are Donis Noe Smith '86, '94M; Gareth Montague-Smith '96, '97M; and Judy R. Tharp '78. Each one has been chosen because of their successes following graduation from UNCW.

Donis Noe Smith has been a wealth advisor with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney for 15 years. She graduated from UNCW in 1986 with a B.S. in marketing and then received her MBA from UNCW in 1994. Donis earned the Certified Financial Planner^TM Practitioner designation in 2003 and Morgan Stanley’s Wealth Advisor designation in 2007. Donis is a member of the New Hanover County Estate Planning Council and the Investors Roundtable of Wilmington. Donis is a past chair of the UNCW Alumni Association Board of Directors and also served on the CSB Alumni Chapter Board of Directors. She currently mentors business students as a member of the Cameron Executive Network.

Gareth Montague-Smith is an Audit Senior Manager with KPMG’s Raleigh, NC office. Gareth joined KPMG in September 1997, after completing an undergraduate degree and Masters of Science in Accounting in 1997. Gareth spent 11 years with KPMG in Raleigh working on some of the firms largest global public and non-public companies. More recently, he was nominated to spend two years working in one of KPMG’s national offices. Gareth is a CPA in both North Carolina and New Jersey and holds membership in the UNCW Accounting & Business Law/Master of Science in Accounting Advisory Board, the American Institute of CPA's, the New Jersey Society of CPA's, the North Carolina Association of CPA's, the North Carolina Association of CPA's Accounting and Attestation Board, and is a board member of Be Active NC.

Judy Tharp's career in credit unions began in Wilmington in 1979 after her graduation from UNCW in 1978. She started Cape Fear Employees' Credit Union, for the employees of the E.I. duPont deNemours plant. Judy served as the first President/CEO of the credit union until 1994. In the years since, she has served in executive positions for two credit unions in South Carolina. Additionally, she served as an officer of CUNA Mutual Group, a national multi-billion dollar financial products and insurance company, where she oversaw lending strategy and solution development for the company. Judy has been very active in the Credit Union Executive Society, the NC Credit Union League, First Carolina Corporate Credit Union and Credit Union National Association. Currently, she serves as Vice-Chair of the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation, and serves on the Board of the Carolinas Credit Union Service Corporation. Judy was voted North Carolina’s ‘Credit Union Person of the Year’ in 1994 and is currently the President/CEO of Piedmont Advantage Credit Union.

To meet these outstanding alumni, register for the mixer online at www.uncw.edu/csbtix.

2011 Alumni Award Recipients Announced

The Alumni Association is excited to announce the recipients of the 2011 Alumni Awards. Each of the honorees showcase their Seahawk spirit with fellow alumni, friends and in the communities they live.

Malcomb Coley ’86, ‘89M is the 2011 UNCW Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient. Currently, a CPA and partner with Atlanta’s Ernst & Young, Coley earned his degrees in the Cameron School of Business. In addition to being an active member of many professional accounting and diversity organizations, Coley is a featured speaker during UNCW Business Week and MSA classes. We are pleased to recognize such an active individual, willing to give time and resources back to his alma mater.

Also a Cameron School of Business graduate, Shaun Olsen ‘02, will be awarded the Young Alumnus of the Year Award. Immediately after graduation, he began Olsen Enterprises and has since added 3 companies to the mix. BBXComputers was his first company offering sales, design and IT structure consulting. Two years later AcoustiCreations, Inc. was formed, specializing in home theater installations. Olsen also created Opterex an advanced technology and communications services firm. At UNCW, Olsen is a member of the Center for Entrepreneurial Development and the Cameron Exectuive Network, and currently mentoring two business students.

Charles Edward Alexander III is the recipient of the Distinguished Citizen of the Year Award. Alexander is currently the Vice Chair for UNCW Foundation Board of Directors, as well as serving on the Endowment Board and Cameron School of Business Committee. In the community, Alexander served on the Board of Directors for Cameron Art Museum and the NC Museum of Art Grand Opening Committee. Alexander worked in Raleigh as the Senior Vice President of Morgan Stanley and is now retired.

These three outstanding individuals have demonstrated character, professionalism and a devotion to UNCW. They will receive their awards during Homecoming 2011 and will be honored during the parade and Men’s Basketball game on Saturday, February 19.

Cameron School of Business Alumni staying connected

Are you a finance major or maybe received a marketing degree? How about international business? Either way, you understand the impact the UNCW Cameron School of Business has made on your life. As an alumni you can help support current students and other alumni with your experiences and professional guidance. How can you do this? Take a look at the CSB Alumni Chapter and you'll find the Homecoming CSB Alumni breakfast, alumni awards, Business Week and many other ways you can get involved and impact others the way you have been.

Know an alum who has achieved honor and distinction within either their professional or personal lives? Be sure to nominate them for CSB Alumni of the Year! The deadline is just around the corner, nominations are due by January 26.

Other great ways to keep in touch with fellow CSB alumni are on the LinkedIn group and the CSB Facebook Page. Share job opportunities, networking socials, photos and more! Your engagement goes a long way in the school's mission to continue as a leading educator in global business!