Four alumni poised for Alumni Hall of Fame

The College of Business this fall will induct four distinguished graduates into its Alumni Hall of Fame. The induction of Christopher Iansiti (BS Finance ’92; MS Instructional Systems ’94), Russell Kohl (BS Marketing ’88), Kyle Riva (BS Management ’77) and Nada Usina (BS Marketing & Multinational Business ’93; MS Sport Management ’94) will increase membership in the Alumni Hall of Fame to 66. Among them, they boast more than a century of experience in leadership, entrepreneurship, real estate, development, technology, organizational excellence and more. The 2023 Alumni Hall of Fame Dinner and Ceremony will take place Nov. 9 at the Turnbull Conference Center.

$1M gift to create Solomon Family Floor

Mary W. Solomon last month committed $1 million to establish the E. Ray Solomon Family Floor in Legacy Hall, the college’s future home. She made the gift in honor of business dean emeritus E. Ray Solomon, her husband of 65 years who retired in 1997 and died in 2019, two years after his induction into the inaugural Rovetta Faculty Hall of Fame. "Ray loved the College of Business and Florida State University," she said. "I thought this gift would be a good way to honor his memory and his dedication to the institution to which he joyfully gave so many years of service, energy and heart."

College to pilot virtual-reality classes

A pilot program launching this fall will allow select students to learn in virtual reality, guiding avatars of themselves in a digital replica of the college’s classrooms and setting – specifically those of Legacy Hall, the college’s future home. The college is partnering with tech companies Victory XR and Meta to provide the new experience, and three initial classes will be offered. “Students will feel as though they’re studying, learning and conversing right in Legacy Hall,” said Darren Brooks, assistant dean for executive and professional programs and leader of the pilot program. Faculty members Geoffrey Adams and Jonathan Jackson will join Brooks in teaching classes.

Alumna to grads: ‘Invest in yourself’

To realize your potential is one of life’s greatest responsibilities, business alumna Nan Hillis told new Florida State University graduates. A College of Business Alumni Hall of Fame member and former longtime banking executive, Hillis (BS Finance & Marketing '76) keynoted the college’s recent spring commencement ceremony, plus the ceremony for the College of Arts and Sciences. As a major FSU supporter, Hillis has received numerous university awards, including the FSU Alumni Circle of Gold Award and the FSU Faculty Senate Mores Torch Award. “You are the best investment you will ever make,” Hillis told graduates. “And if you invest in yourself, others will invest in you.”

Four inducted into Faculty Hall of Fame

The college enshrined four former faculty members who made such a difference for their students, colleagues and disciplines that they’ll now be remembered forever. The inductions of Robert C. Earnest, Dean Gatzlaff, Patrick Pallentino and Pamela Perrewé into the Charles A. Rovetta Faculty Hall of Fame highlighted the annual Faculty and Staff Awards Dinner and Celebration. Dean Michael Hartline said the inductees “distinguished themselves in their contributions to the college, their disciplines and, most of all, their students. They mentored. They pioneered. They created. They cared. They went the extra mile.”

MBA real estate specialty hits No. 8

The college’s MBA specialty in real estate edged up in its ranking among public schools to No. 8, according to U.S. News & World Report's 2024 list of best on-campus graduate programs. That represents a high mark for FSU's MBA specialty, which ranked No. 9 since U.S. News began assessing real estate, as well as other specialties, in 2020. The latest ranking also places FSU at No. 16 among private and public schools combined. "Once you've achieved an elite spot among the nation's best real estate programs, it's remarkable to maintain that position – much less improve – in that competitive space," said Michael Hartline, dean of the college.

Lindquist touts two big achievements

In his final meeting as chair, Brett Lindquist (BS Finance & Real Estate ’83) opened the college Board of Governors spring meeting with a 10-minute talk in which he, for starters, touted the achievement of two primary objectives: goal-breaking fundraising and the October groundbreaking of Legacy Hall. His comments drew applause from board members and from Dean Michael Hartline. “We’ll always thank Brett and the Board of Governors for their tireless work on behalf of our college,” Hartline said.

Hartline named 2023 Outstanding Dean

Dean Michael Hartline this spring was named recipient of the Beta Alpha Psi 2023 Outstanding Dean Award. Beta Alpha Psi, an international honor organization for financial information students and professionals, boasts more than 300 chapters, including one at FSU, and a mission that includes academic excellence, professional development and responsible practices. The award goes to a dean who has contributed substantially to help a chapter achieve its goals. “Overall, the committee was quite impressed with your achievements considering the long history of outstanding performance of (FSU’s) Beta Rho chapter,” the organization wrote in a letter to Hartline. The organization will recognize Hartline in August at its annual meeting in Las Vegas.

Alumnus to students: Focus on effort

Brian Murphy (BS Accounting & Finance '00), a member of the college’s Alumni Hall of Fame, told students during Finance Day that “there’s no magic” to success in business. “The No. 1 thing you can focus on is your own effort,” said Murphy, founder and CEO of ReliaQuest, a Tampa-based cybersecurity company that boasts “unicorn” status as a private enterprise that exceeds $1 billion in valuation. “I can’t coach effort. I can’t teach effort. I can’t motivate effort. Effort is you versus you, those conversations that you have in the back of your head, that corner you cut, that thing you committed to do but didn’t do.”

Alumnus wins Askew Young Alumni Award

Alumnus Cameron Pennant (BS Management ’15) became one of five FSU graduates to win the FSU Alumni Association’s Reubin O’D. Askew Young Alumni Award. The award goes to graduates who have made significant contributions to the state, nation and university, and it’s the highest honor bestowed upon young FSU graduates. Pennant, director of government relations for Hillsborough County, created Pennant Scholars, a scholarship program in FSU’s Center for Academic Retention and Enhancement. He is a member of the FSU Alumni Association’s National Board of Directors and the Florida Association of Professional Lobbyists.

Marketing professor gets second Fulbright

Ruby Lee, a professor in the college’s Dr. Persis E. Rockwood School of Marketing, has received a prestigious Fulbright award for the 2023-24 academic year. She will spend seven months teaching and studying in Kosovo. It marks her second Fulbright. In 2016, Lee spent seven months as a Fulbright Distinguished Chair in Finland. She said she considers her second Fulbright award more of a mission than an honor. “I know nothing about Kosovo,” she said, “and I’m going there to learn and to do what I can to help.”

Faculty, staff honored for excellence

The college honored 17 faculty and staff members who have championed the college’s standards of excellence in service to students and colleagues. The recognitions took place at the annual Faculty and Staff Awards Dinner and Ceremony. Dean Michael Hartline said the event celebrates current faculty and staff members through peer-nominated awards that honor “the drive, spirit, service and commitment to excellence that defines our college and fuels our preeminence.”

JMI small biz event set for June 19-21

Registration is open for the Jim Moran Institute’s Small Business Leadership Conference, which will take place June 19-21 at the Loews Sapphire Falls Resort at Universal Orlando. Featuring dynamic speakers, cutting-edge keynote presentations and abundant networking opportunities, the conference is the premier professional development opportunity for business leaders seeking to share innovative ideas and learn best practices to ignite strategic growth. A limited number of military-veteran scholarships are available, and FSU alumni receive $25 off the cost of registration with promo code FSUALUMNI23. Learn more and register at SBLConference.com.

Choose FSU again for your master’s degree

Thinking about going back to school? Apply by June 1 for fall entry or Oct. 1 for spring entry into one of the following degree programs:

Accounting (MAcc) full time, on campus
Business Administration (MBA) part time, on campus or online
Management Information Systems (MS-MIS) part time, online

FSU business alumni and students with the highest GPAs are now eligible for GMAT waivers. Learn more about the college’s six master’s degree programs and request further information at graduatebusiness.fsu.edu.

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