Tag Archives: honors

Full-time Students Honor Alumni Who Give Back with 2013 Golden Torch Awards

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The Malibu Graduate Business Society (MGBS), the Graziadio School’s full-time student government association for the Full-time MBA program, recognized the outstanding contributions of five extraordinary alumni at the Second Annual Golden Torch Awards, held the day before commencement this spring.  The ceremony was part a pre-graduation barbeque organized by MGBS in partnership with the Full-time Program Office, under leadership of Associate Dean Michael Williams and Executive Director Diane Singel, and the Office of Alumni Relations, led by Director Robin Doty.

“Serving as ambassadors for the Graziadio School, each honoree has lent their time and expertise facilitating the career development of our students and strengthening the alumni network,” remarked MGBS president and MC Nicholas Stankevich (MBA ’13). Continue reading →

2013 George Awards Honor Outstanding Students, Alumni and Faculty

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George Awards 2013 Recipients

The Dean’s executive and alumni advisory board, the Board of Visitors, awarded its highest honor, the George Award, to an accomplished selection of eleven students, alumni and faculty this April.

Led by Stevan Cavillo, principal at law firm Calvillo & Meyer LLP and son-in-law of school benefactor George L. Graziadio, Jr., the Board annually host a luncheon and recognize the finest members the Graziadio School community who exemplify “integrity, stewardship, courage, and compassion, while enriching the ever-changing business world through their superior skills and entrepreneurial spirit.” The Graziadio family, daughters Mary Lou Area and Alida Calvillo and son G. Louis Graziadio III, personally conferred to each recipient the statuette featuring the likeness of their father.

Mouse over an image below to learn more about the recipient.

  • Gabriella Soroldoni (MBA ’80), Associate Dean of Administration, of Playa del Rey, CA, was recognized for 37 years of outstanding service to the business school. Ms. Soroldoni leads the admission, financial aid, student accounts, student systems, technology services and finance and budgeting operations for nearly four decades. She holds the distinction of having served every dean of the school.
    Gabriella Soroldoni (MBA ’80), Associate Dean of Administration, of Playa del Rey, CA, was recognized for 37 years of outstanding service to the business school. Ms. Soroldoni leads the admission, financial aid, student accounts, student systems, technology services and finance and budgeting operations for nearly four decades. She holds the distinction of having served every dean of the school.
    Gabriella Soroldoni (MBA ’80), Associate Dean of Administration, of Playa del Rey, CA, was recognized for 37 years of outstanding service to the business school. Ms. Soroldoni leads the admission, financial aid, student accounts, student systems, technology services and finance and budgeting operations for nearly four decades. She holds the distinction of having served every dean of the school.
  • Dr. Demos Vardiabasis, of Downey, CA, received the George Award in recognition of more than 20 years on faculty and for his outstanding business connections; leveraging his networks and contacts for the benefit of the Graziadio School. He has served as the economic commissioner as well as the chairman of the Entertainment and Tourism Industry Advisory Committee for the State of California and on the board and as consultant to numerous organizations. Over his tenure, he has served as an associate dean and a leading (and much beloved) faculty member in the Executive MBA program and Presidents and Key Executives MBA program.
    Dr. Demos Vardiabasis, of Downey, CA, received the George Award in recognition of more than 20 years on faculty and for his outstanding business connections; leveraging his networks and contacts for the benefit of the Graziadio School. He has served as the economic commissioner as well as the chairman of the Entertainment and Tourism Industry Advisory Committee for the State of California and on the board and as consultant to numerous organizations. Over his tenure, he has served as an associate dean and a leading (and much beloved) faculty member in the Executive MBA program and Presidents and Key Executives MBA program.
    Dr. Demos Vardiabasis, of Downey, CA, received the George Award in recognition of more than 20 years on faculty and for his outstanding business connections; leveraging his networks and contacts for the benefit of the Graziadio School. He has served as the economic commissioner as well as the chairman of the Entertainment and Tourism Industry Advisory Committee for the State of California and on the board and as consultant to numerous organizations. Over his tenure, he has served as an associate dean and a leading (and much beloved) faculty member in the Executive MBA program and Presidents and Key Executives MBA program.
  • Dr. Danni Sun (MBA '99) of Corona Del Mar, CA, a Board of Visitors member, was honored with the George Award for outstanding alumni. She has excelled in her support of international students, Orange County alumni outreach and fundraising for the Center for Applied Research. President of LJC Investments, and previously director of business development at Riviera, Modern Luxury, a subsidiary of the second-largest media company in the country, Dr. Sun has started several businesses, ranging from health and wellness to computer software. Notably, she operated the first business to distribute Apple computers in California, and later, China.
    Dr. Danni Sun (MBA '99) of Corona Del Mar, CA, a Board of Visitors member, was honored with the George Award for outstanding alumni. She has excelled in her support of international students, Orange County alumni outreach and fundraising for the Center for Applied Research. President of LJC Investments, and previously director of business development at Riviera, Modern Luxury, a subsidiary of the second-largest media company in the country, Dr. Sun has started several businesses, ranging from health and wellness to computer software. Notably, she operated the first business to distribute Apple computers in California, and later, China.
    Dr. Danni Sun (MBA '99) of Corona Del Mar, CA, a Board of Visitors member, was honored with the George Award for outstanding alumni. She has excelled in her support of international students, Orange County alumni outreach and fundraising for the Center for Applied Research. President of LJC Investments, and previously director of business development at Riviera, Modern Luxury, a subsidiary of the second-largest media company in the country, Dr. Sun has started several businesses, ranging from health and wellness to computer software. Notably, she operated the first business to distribute Apple computers in California, and later, China.
  • Jennifer Westpfahl of Pasadena was acknowledged with the George Award for Outstanding Student (Executive MBA) for seamlessly navigating between the conceptual and the concrete thought processes while demonstrating a superb level of self-awareness through applied learning. Westpfahl is an executive director at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, LLC. Her career and industry perspective have proven to be great assets to her MBA cohort, for whom she has served as both an informal leader and a supportive individual teammate.
    Jennifer Westpfahl of Pasadena was acknowledged with the George Award for Outstanding Student (Executive MBA) for seamlessly navigating between the conceptual and the concrete thought processes while demonstrating a superb level of self-awareness through applied learning. Westpfahl is an executive director at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, LLC. Her career and industry perspective have proven to be great assets to her MBA cohort, for whom she has served as both an informal leader and a supportive individual teammate.
    Jennifer Westpfahl of Pasadena was acknowledged with the George Award for Outstanding Student (Executive MBA) for seamlessly navigating between the conceptual and the concrete thought processes while demonstrating a superb level of self-awareness through applied learning. Westpfahl is an executive director at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, LLC. Her career and industry perspective have proven to be great assets to her MBA cohort, for whom she has served as both an informal leader and a supportive individual teammate.
  • Rui "Alice" Wan, of Shantou, Guangdong, China, received George Award for Outstanding Student (Full-time Master of Science in Applied Finance Program). Wan has been an active member of the Graziadio School student body, participating in the VCLL Case Competition and the ACG Cup. In addition, she is the recent winner of the first Values Driven Leadership Scholarship for students enrolled in a full-time master of science degree program.
    Rui "Alice" Wan, of Shantou, Guangdong, China, received George Award for Outstanding Student (Full-time Master of Science in Applied Finance Program). Wan has been an active member of the Graziadio School student body, participating in the VCLL Case Competition and the ACG Cup. In addition, she is the recent winner of the first Values Driven Leadership Scholarship for students enrolled in a full-time master of science degree program.
    Rui "Alice" Wan, of Shantou, Guangdong, China, received George Award for Outstanding Student (Full-time Master of Science in Applied Finance Program). Wan has been an active member of the Graziadio School student body, participating in the VCLL Case Competition and the ACG Cup. In addition, she is the recent winner of the first Values Driven Leadership Scholarship for students enrolled in a full-time master of science degree program.


The ceremony is available for viewing here.

Go Daddy CEO Blake Irving Named Graduation’s Distinguish Alumni Award Recipient

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Blake IrvingBlake Irving (MBA ’88), CEO of Go Daddy, the world’s largest provider of Web hosting, domain name registrations and new SSL Certificates, will address Pepperdine University 2013 business graduates and accept the Distinguished Alumni Award at spring commencement for the Graziadio School of Business and Management on Saturday, April 20. As Go Daddy’s chief executive, Mr. Irving oversees the company’s day-to-day operations, as well as Go Daddy’s strategic direction and serves on the company’s Board of Directors.

A member of the faculty at one time, Mr. Irving is a familiar speaker at the Graziadio School. He delivered the keynote address at the 2010 Entrepreneur’s Journey symposium and addressed the Dean’s Executive Leadership Series in 2012. Continue reading →

Unified Grocers’ Alfred Plamann to Receive Honorary Doctorate at Graduation

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Al PlamannAl Plamann, Chief Executive Officer, Unified Grocers, will be awarded the honorary doctorate of law degree at spring commencement for the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University and address the ceremony’s 2013 business graduates on April 20, 2013. Unified Grocers is a retailer-owned wholesale grocery distributor that supplies independent retailers throughout the western United States.

A member of the school’s Board of Visitors, Mr. Plamann joins a pantheon of distinguished leaders awarded honorary doctorates by the Graziadio School, including most recently William McMorrow, chairman and CEO, Kennedy Wilson; Paul N. Hopkins, retired board chair of Farmers Group and retired chair of the Americas of Zurich Financial Services; and Richard G. Newman, chairman and former chief executive officer of international engineering firm AECOM.

Previously, the Graziadio School recognized Mr. Plamann with the 2009 Best Friend Award, which was presented at the Sixth Annual Sovereign Capital Management Friends of George Graziadio Golf Tournament. Continue reading →

Pepperdine’s SEER Business Sustainability Curriculum Wins Coveted Page Prize

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SEER Class 2013

The Certificate in Socially, Environmentally and Ethically Responsible (SEER) Business Strategy has received a prestigious academic award whose past recipients include Stanford Graduate School of Business, Harvard Business School, Michigan’s Ross School of Business and UCLA’s Anderson School of Management.

The MBA certificate program at Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business and Management has been selected as a finalist of the Dr. Alfred N. and Lynn Manos Page Prize for Sustainability Issues in Business Curricula, earning one of three grand prizes awarded annually. The Page Prize honors outstanding efforts to expose business students to state-of-the-art environmental sustainability knowledge and recognizes SEER for the high caliber of its learning objectives and syllabi. Continue reading →