Established in 2003, the College of Business Alumni Hall of Fame honors and celebrates individuals who embody the qualities that make the College of Business at Florida State University an extraordinary place to learn and grow. The inductees are College of Business alumni who have excelled in their careers and significantly impacted Florida State University and the College of Business.
Criteria for Selection
Alumni Hall of Fame candidates are selected based on their record of exceptional professional and personal achievement. Recipients must be present at the Alumni Hall of Fame Gala, held every fall, in order to be inducted. While posthumous nominations are accepted, a family member or designee must be present for induction. Self-nominations are discouraged.
The criteria include:
- Graduated from Florida State's College of Business (any degree)
- Exceptional career background
- Significant professional recognition (industry/association awards)
- Community involvement and recognition
- Service to the College of Business and Florida State University
Alumni Hall of Fame Nomination Form
Nominations for the 2025 Alumni Hall of Fame are being accepted October 15, 2024 through January 10, 2025. For questions, please contact Sarah M. Collins, director of strategic engagement, at scollins@business.fsu.edu or (850) 508-0435.
2024 Alumni Hall of Fame Inductees
James “Chef” Barlow
(BS Marketing ’95)
Founder & CEO, Blue Air Training Corp.
James “Chef” Barlow is a retired decorated U.S. Air Force fighter pilot and a pioneering entrepreneur who revolutionized how the U.S. and allied nations train Joint Terminal Attack Controllers and Fighter Pilots by creating a civilian-owned, weaponized training air force.
Kevin S. Little
(BS Accounting ’92)
Co-Founder & CEO, Health Advocates Network, Inc.
Kevin S. Little is an influential healthcare entrepreneur and executive who has helped build three start-up companies into giants in the healthcare staffing industry.
Bethany Schenk
(BS Risk Management/Insurance ’92)
Founder & CEO, Web Benefits Design and BeneTek Corporation
Bethany Schenk is a visionary serial entrepreneur who for three decades has built and sold multiple highly successful companies, most notably in the healthtech industry.
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Gain high visibility for your company by becoming a sponsor of the 2024 Alumni Hall of Fame. Get your company’s name in front of 250 top industry and university leaders, along with more than 70,000+ alumni and friends through the college’s communication platforms.
To download a printable version of the Alumni Hall of Fame sponsorship opportunities, click here.
For more information about the Alumni Hall of Fame or its sponsorship opportunities, please contact Sarah M. Collins, director of strategic engagement, at scollins@business.fsu.edu.
Alumni Hall of Fame Members
The information below is based on current information at the time of induction into the College of Business Alumni Hall of Fame.
2023
Christopher Iansiti (BS Finance ’92; MS Instructional Systems ’94), Founder and President (Ret.) Iansiti Performance Group, Inc. (Video )
Russell Kohl (BS Marketing ’88), President and CEO Diablo/Freud Tools (Video )
Kyle Riva (BS Management ’77), CEO and President, Alexander Investments International (Video )
Nada Usina (BS Marketing & Multinational Business ’93; MS Sport Management ’94), CEO, NU Search (Video )
2022
Jim Henderson (BS Accounting & Economics ’69), Chairman & CEO, AssuredPartners (Video )
Brett Lindquist (BS Finance & Real Estate ’83), Co-Founder & CEO, The Mortgage Firm (Video )
Brian Murphy (BS Accounting & Finance '00), Founder & CEO, ReliaQuest (Video )
Scott Price (BS Accounting ’97; MAcc ‘97), Founder & CEO, A-LIGN (Video )
2021
Peter H. Collins (BS Finance ’92; MBA ’97), Co-Founder and Managing Principal, Forge Capital Partners, LLC (Video )
Ted R. Ostrander (BS Business Administration ’70), Chairman and CEO (Ret.), Lassiter-Ware Inc. (Video )
John T. Rivers (BS Marketing ’89), Founder & CEO, 4R Restaurant Group and 4Roots (Video )
2019
Edward E. Burr (BS Accounting ’79), President & CEO, Green Pointe Holdings, LLC (Video )
Anne Hamilton (BS Hospitality Management ’79), Vice President, Global Travel, The Walt Disney Company (Video )
John W. Thiel (BS Accounting ’83), Vice Chairman of Global Wealth and Investment (Ret.), Merrill Lynch and Partner and Senior Advisor, My Next Season (Video )
Ashbel “Ash” C. Williams Jr. (BS Management ’76; MBA ’78) Executive Director and Chief Investment Officer, Florida State Board of Administration (Video )
2018
Dan Hendrix (BS Accounting '77), Chairman, President and CEO (Ret.), Interface Inc. (Video )
Peter Jones (BS Accounting ’77), President (Ret.), Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc. and Chairman (Ret.), Franklin Templeton Institutional Inc. (Video )
Bruce A. Rendina (BS Accounting ’76), Chairman, CEO and President, Rendina Companies (Video )
Judy Schmeling (BS Accounting ’82), President, Cornerstone Brands and Chief Operating Officer, HSN Inc. (Video )
2017
Douglas Dunlap (BS Accounting '74), President and Majority Owner, Syntech Systems, Inc. (Video )
Clifford Hinkle (BS Business Administration ’71), Founder, Chairman and CEO (Retired), Flagler Holdings Inc. (Video )
Stuart Lasher (BS Accounting & Finance ’81), Founder, Chairman & CEO, Quantum Capital Partners, Inc. (Video )
Thomas McAlpin (BS Accounting & Finance ’81), President and CEO, Virgin Voyages (Video )
2016
Nan Casper Hillis (BS Marketing & Finance '76), Banking Executive (Retired) (Video )
J. Robert "Bobby" Jones Jr. (BS Finance & Accounting '75), Partner (Retired), Bluff Point (Video )
William F. Stephenson (BS Management '82), Chief Executive Officer & Chairman of the Executive Board, De Lage Landen International B.V. (Video )
John Thrasher (BS Business Administration '65; JD '72), President, Florida State University (Video )
2015
Allan Bense (MBA '74), Chairman, President and CEO, Bense Enterprises Inc.; Former Speaker, Florida House of Representatives (Video )
Dean Cash (MBA '75), President and CEO, ATEL Capital Group (Video )
John Culver (BS Hospitality Management '82), Group President, Starbucks Coffee China and Asia Pacific Channel Development and Emerging Brands (Video )
Fred Tresca (BS Accounting and Finance '82), Co-founder, Principal and Managing Director, Branta Group (Video )
2014
Tony DiBenedetto (BS Management Information Systems '87), Chairman & CEO, Tribridge (Video )
Donald L. Harbaugh (BS Marketing '71), President, HDD Holdings, LLC (Video )
Cinny Streich Murray (BS Marketing '80), President, Chico's (Video )
2013
Donna Abood (BS Marketing '81), Chairman-Founding Partner, Colliers International South Florida (Video )
John Crossman (BS Real Estate '93), President, Crossman & Company (Video )
Francis J. Nardozza (BS Accounting '77), Chairman & CEO, REH Capital Partners, LLC (Video )
2012
Tim Cole (BS Marketing '79), Executive Vice President for Sales, Del Monte Foods (Video )
Dr. William T. Hold (BS Risk Management & Insurance '63), President and Co-Founder, The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research (Video )
J. Michael Pate (BS Business Administration '68), Former Publisher and President, Tallahassee Democrat/The Sun News - Knight Ridder Newspapers (Video )
2011
F. D. "Bud" Jordan (BS Accounting '57), Senior Vice President – Investments, Merrill Lynch Global Wealth Management
Mark Hillis (BS Finance '64), Major (Ret.), U.S. Marine Corps and Retired, First Vice President of Real Estate Finance, SunTrust Bank
Kenneth M. Willis (BS Marketing '76), President & CEO, Anewda Consulting and Retired, Vice President Strategy/Change Leadership, Pepsico/Quaker
2010
Hugh Durham (BS Marketing '59; MBA '61), Retired Collegiate Basketball Head Coach
Bob Mang (BS Management and Marketing '68), Former President/Chief Executive Officer, The Broadway Southwest, The Bon Marche and Woodward & Lothrop/John Wanamaker
Harry Sargeant III (BS Management '79), Chairman, Sargeant Group
2009
Bob Sasser (BS Marketing '73), President & CEO, Dollar Tree, Inc.
William G. Smith, Jr. (BS Finance '76), President & CEO, Capital City Bank Group, Inc.
James "J.T." Thomas, Jr. (BS Business Administration '73), Former NFL Player and President, Three Rivers Barbecue, LLC
2008
Meg Gilbert Crofton (BS Marketing '74; MBA '75), President, Walt Disney World Resort
James L. Massey (BS Finance '65), Retired, Vice Chairman, Salomon Brothers Inc.
Bruce Redditt (BS Marketing '75), Executive Vice President, Omnicom Group
2007
Ted T. Cecala (BS Finance and Accounting '71), Chairman & CEO, Wilmington Trust Corporation
Jeffrey P. Rohr (BS Accounting '72), CFO, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and Deloitte & Touche USA LLP
Randell A. Smith (BS Accounting '77), CEO & Co-Founder, Smith Travel Research
2006
Daniel P. Dillon (BS Commerce '65; MBA '67), President & CEO, Welch's
Colonel (Ret.) Verle B. Hammond (MBA '71), President & CEO, Innovative Logistics Techniques, Inc. (INNOLOG)
James M. Seneff (BS Business Administration '68), Chairman & CEO, CNL Financial Group, Inc.
2005
Jeffrey D. Gargiulo (BS Marketing '74), President & CEO, Sunkist Growers, Inc.
Chuck Hardwick (BS Finance '62; MBA '64), Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Pfizer Inc.
Admiral (Ret.) Paul David Miller (BS Finance '63), Admiral, United States Navy
2004
Amos McMullian (BS Accounting '62), Chairman, Flowers Foods, Inc.
R. Eugene Taylor (BS Finance '69), President, Consumer & Commercial Banking, Bank of America
2003
Charles A. Bruning (BS Finance '67), President & CEO, AmeriMark Capital Corporation
Salvador Diaz-Verson (BS Commerce '74), Former President & Board of Directors Member, AFLAC and President, Diaz-Verson Capital Investments
Gary L. Rogers (BS Marketing '66), Vice Chairman of the Board, General Electric
