4^th Annual George Awards Honor Service and Family-like Community

The tremendous academic and professional accomplishments, combined with dedication to excellence, of six students, two alumni, one faculty member and a corporate partner were celebrated on April 12 at Hotel Casa del Mar by the Graziadio School Board of Visitors.

The George Awards, the Graziadio School of Business and Management’s highest honor, acknowledges the integrity, stewardship, courage, and compassion of the school’s most influential community members, and are presented annually to students, alumni and faculty who share George Graziadio’s commitment to personal excellence and leadership. These members of the Graziadio community have also personified his generosity of spirit and drive to inspire others by striving for the highest standards in oneself.

“He would be thrilled, he would be honored, and I think he’d have the biggest smile on his face to be here today that the George Awards are handed out in his honor, in his name,” said Stevan Calvillo, an attorney, principal in Open Door Mediation, and son-in-law of the School’s namesake George Graziadio, Jr. Calvillo serves as chair of the Board of Visitors.

In addition to the awardees, guest speaker William McMorrow, chairman and chief executive officer of Kennedy Wilson, addressed the crowd of 120 guests after being introduced by George Graziadio’s son, Louis, who described McMorrow as a long and valued friend and colleague of his late father.

McMorrow shared some touching words and memories of his mentor, George Graziadio, saying, “You need somebody that’s going to take you under their arm, sees something in you that somebody else doesn’t see. Sees you as a young person that really has the ability to do something more than you even think you could do.” He went on to share with the audience that Graziadio’s legacy lives on in him personally, saying, “I always reflect on George. Whenever I’ve got tough decisions to make, whenever I’m at a place where there’s a turn in the road, I think about how he would have handled that situation. He meant everything to me.”

Exceptional students from six various MBA and M.S. programs received George Awards for 2011. This year’s recipients are represented by a diverse and impressive group of graduate candidates, all of whom have maintained a minimum 3.5 GPA, completed at least two trimesters, and served as outstanding leaders in the classroom. The awardees are:

David Denicke, this year’s Outstanding Full-time MBA Student, said of his Graziadio experience, “When people ask me about the Graziadio School, I don’t often talk about the collaborative student environment, the faculty accessibility or the great views along PCH. But what I do talk about is the people. This award is equal parts exalting and humbling.” David will embark on the next chapter of his career as an executive at Sony Electronics.

Angie Namenuk, the winner of the Outstanding Executive Student award, brings over 16 years of professional experience to the classroom, specializing in strategic business management, project management, and research. She currently serves as the director of business development at Genentech. “I appreciate the importance of balancing family with everything that we do,” said Namenuk. “I certainly couldn’t have done this without a fantastic mentor at work, an amazing circle of friends who supported me, and a fantastic family.”

Scot Hutton, this year’s selection for Outstanding Part-time Student, is a retired U.S. Marine who was injured while serving in Iraq. He now spends much of his time speaking and working with new Veterans entering the civilian world, in addition to his role as manager of information security at Harbor Freight Tools. “My parents always told me, ‘If you surround yourself with great people, good things will come to you. And that’s your fortune.’ Looking around this room, I cannot see how we cannot be great,” said Hutton, who earned his BSM degree in 2011, and is currently pursuing his MBA degree, which he will receive later this year.

Linda LoRe, the recipient of the Outstanding Presidents and Key Executives Student award, has an impressive executive résumé that spans over twenty years, serving in top leadership positions for numerous renowned corporations, currently serving as president and CEO of C@talyst 9. “It’s through the Presidential Key Executive Program, which is just a life-changing experience, I might add that I am able to do something that has been a magnificent obsession for me,” said Lore, whose capstone is is dedicated to creating an inner city campus in the City of Los Angeles called Urban Oasis.

Christopher Prazak is this year’s Outstanding Bachelor of Science Student, is scholastically ranked in the top 5% of his class and has over 20 years of sales and management experience, specializing in vertical market and talent development. He is presently a sales manager at Danaher Motion in San Diego. Said Prazak, “What sets [the Graziadio School] apart is that we learn to work with integrity for the communities that we represent, with dignity for the people that are entrusted to us. It runs throughout the program, and I’m proud to be a part of it.”

The recipient of the Outstanding Bachelor of Science Student is Yan Zhang, who will graduate this August with his Master of Science in Applied Finance and plans to pursue a career in investment banking. Having recently completed an internship with China International Capital Corporation, the largest investment bank in China Zhang noted,“Pepperdine is my American Dream. This will push me to continue working very hard in the future … and I can tell people proudly, ’I graduated from Pepperdine, and I’m a member of the Graziadio School.’”

Dat T. Do, the George Awards’ Outstanding Alumnus, is the co-founder of Derivatas and recognized by the Graziadio School for his pioneering and entrepreneurial spirit. Do described the experience of receiving the honor as “emotional” and went on to stress the strength and influence of the Graziadio School alumni community, calling it “family.”

Doreen Shanahan was the recipient of the Outstanding Faculty Member award, and has been described by her fellow faculty members and students as an impassioned educator, emphasizing applied and experiential learning. She said of her role at Pepperdine,“Every day I get to wake up and work with brilliant minds, like the ones you see here in this room, and be a part of their journey towards higher education. How can that be a bad day?” Shanahan began teaching at the Graziadio School in 2002. She is responsible for creating, developing, and successfully leading the E2B (Education-to-Business) program.

Betty LaMarr received the Waves of Service Award, an honor bestowed upon a member of the Graziadio School family who has displayed unwavering dedication to community service. She currently serves as CEO of EmpowHer Institute, an organization that helps low-income females develop entrepreneurial skills, enabling them to achieve economic freedom since 2003. “I’m really a living testimony that it’s not about where you come from, but it’s about where you’re going,” said LaMarr, whose inspiring story received a standing ovation. She has been a strong alumni advocate for the placement of Graziadio School students and has been an avid participant in the Graziadio School’s annual Career Forum for several years.

More than 200 Pepperdine graduates have been a part of the Edison and/or Southern California Edison (SCE) work force in a variety of roles, and accordingly, SCE is the deserving recipient of the Outstanding Corporate Award, which was graciously accepted by alumni Craig Inway, senior program manager and performance manager. Over the last four years, Edison has been regularly holding on-campus interviews, and as a result, hired eight MBA interns and four full-time employees from the Graziadio School.

Click here to read about last year’s George Award Recipients.

The accomplishments and dedication to excellence of five students and two alumni were recognized by the Graziadio School Board of Visitors on May 12 with its annual George Awards, the Graziadio School of Business and Management’s highest honor.

“The George Awards represent some of the finest members and partners of our community. They exemplify integrity, stewardship, courage, and compassion, while enriching the ever-changing business world through their superior skills and entrepreneurial spirit,” says board chair Stevan Calvillo, an attorney, principal in Open Door Mediation, and son-in-law of the School’s namesake George Graziadio, Jr., for whom the award is also named.

The George Awards are presented annually to students, alumni and faculty who share Mr. Graziadio’s commitment to personal excellence and leadership. These members of the Graziadio community have also personified his generosity of spirit and drive to inspire others by striving for the highest standards in oneself.  In addition, an Outstanding Faculty Member Award and an Outstanding Corporate Partner Award were presented to Dr. John K. Paglia and The Walt Disney Company, respectively.

Exceptional students from five various MBA and M.S. programs received George Awards for 2011 . This year’s recipients are represented by a diverse and impressive group of graduate candidates—Richard Boudreau, Carol Howard, Gina Paone, Kevin Streeter, and Nancy Yu—all of whom have maintained a minimum 3.5 GPA, completed at least two trimesters, and served as outstanding leaders in the classroom.

In addition, the Board of Visitors awarded a remarkable graduate who has demonstrated leadership and initiative toward advancing the Graziadio School’s alumni network. Meisha Sherman (EMBA 2005), the director of external relations of the Graziadio Alumni Network (GAN), is this year’s recipient of the Outstanding Alumni Award. Ms. Sherman has played an instrumental role in the leadership of GAN LA and the Black Alumni Council.

A final accolade was awarded to a member of the Graziadio School family who has displayed unwavering dedication to community service. Receiving the 2011 Waves of Service Award is Cassandra Noch (MBA 2006). Noch is the president and CEO of PROTOTYPES, Centers for Innovation in Health, Mental Health in Social Services. She has led PROTOTYPES toward its nonprofit status, which allows it to provide innovative health and social services to more than 15,000 women, children, and communities affected by substance abuse, mental illness, and domestic violence.

Click here to read about last year’s George Award Recipients.

Outstanding Student Awards

Richard George Boudreau, BS, MA, DDS, MD, JD, MBA, PhD
Presidential and Key Executive MBA Program
Attorney at Law
Outstanding Executive Student

Carol Howard
Full-time MBA Program
International MBA
Outstanding Full-time Student

Gina Paone
Master of Science in Organization Development
Deputy Division Chief of HRD & Staff Development
International Monetary Fund
Outstanding MSOD Student

Kevin Streeter
Bachelor of Science in Management
Director, Surgical Services
Verdugo Hills Hospital
Outstanding Bachelor Student

Nancy Yu
Fully Employed MBA Program
Purchasing Manager
Surfaces USA
Outstanding Part-time Student

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Outstanding Alumni Award

Meisha Sherman
EMBA 2005
Director of External Relations, GAN council, Los Angeles
Manager, Leadership Development
Raytheon
Outstanding Alumnus

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Waves of Service Award

Cassandra Loch, MBA 2006
Chief Program Officer
Prototypes
Waves of Service Award

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The Walt Disney Company is the second recipient of the Graziadio School of Business and Management’s annual signature George Award recognizing outstanding corporate partnership. The Graziadio School Board of Visitors honored the animation and entertainment media enterprise on May 12, as well as awarded students, faculty and alumni for excellence.

The Outstanding Corporate Partner Award is bestowed to a member of the corporate community that has helped to enhance the mission and reputation of the Graziadio School, and over the last five years, The Walt Disney Company has become an esteemed corporate partner, demonstrating active and increasing support by providing MBA-level case projects through the Education to Business (E2B) program and engaging more than 125 students across five key projects.

In addition, Disney has maintained an active recruiting relationship with the school, and in recent years, Disney has hired 12 MBA students and graduates for internships and full-time employment.

Inaugurated last year, the George Awards pay tribute to School namesake George Graziadio, Jr., and honor individuals and organizations that share Mr. Graziadio’s commitment to personal excellence and leadership while inspiring others to strive for the highest standards in oneself.

Since its founding in 1923, The Walt Disney Company and its affiliated companies have remained faithful to their commitment to produce unparalleled entertainment experiences based on the rich legacy of quality creative content and exceptional storytelling, according to the company. Together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, The Walt Disney Company is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with four business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment and consumer products.

John K. Paglia, Ph.D., MBA, CPA, CFA, associate professor of finance and senior researcher for the Pepperdine Private Capital Markets Project, is the second recipient of the Graziadio School of Business and Management’s George Award recognizing outstanding faculty leadership. Paglia, along with The Walt Disney Company and an elite group of students and alumni, were honored by the Board of Visitors and Dean Linda A. Livingstone on May 12.

Inaugurated in 2009, the George Awards pay tribute to School namesake George Graziadio, Jr., honoring recipients who personify Mr. Graziadio’s drive to inspire others. The Outstanding Faculty Award is presented to a faculty member whose commitment to teaching personifies personal leadership, excellence, and generosity of spirit.

Dr. Paglia has received critical acclaim for his dedication to the ground-breaking research of the behavior and traits of private capital markets. This one of-a-kind project set out two years ago to disseminate complete private capital market data over periodic intervals. The project has published five reports on private capital markets and has been downloaded more than 15,000 times in over 60 countries.

Dr. Paglia is recognized as a faculty member who has leveraged business connections for a tremendous impact at the Graziadio School and Pepperdine University. He has over ten years of university teaching experience in finance, performs business valuations for privately-held companies, and has testified as an expert on economic damage and valuation matters.

GRAZIADIO IN THE NEWS

Alumni and Career Services executive director Nicole Hall is cited by U.S. News and World Report today, who notes a significant increase in hiring in government, technology, petroleum, and healthcare services but says finance has been “recovering a little bit slower.”

Ms. Hall serves as president of the MBA Career Services Council, an association of recruiters and career services professionals.

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