Academics

Alumni, students honored for contributions by Smeal Alumni Society Board

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Penn State Smeal College of Business Alumni Society Board honored six alumni and two students at this year's Alumni Society Board awards banquet, held on Friday, March 28. The awards recognize students and alumni for their extraordinary commitment to diversity and the mission of the college.

The awards and the 2014 recipients are:

Smeal Alumni Diversity Award – John Tierney, Class of 1976, accountingJohn Tierney is a retired partner of Ernst & Young LLP and has committed support to incoming first-year, first-generation college students through the Tierney Family Destiny Scholarship in Honor of Francis and Dolores Tierney, and the John and Maureen Tierney Scholarship. Tierney is also a member of Smeal’s Accounting Advisory Board and was awarded the Alumni Service Award from the Department of Accounting in 2007.

The Smeal Alumni Diversity Award honors alumni who have demonstrated a commitment to the college’s goal of being a diverse and mutually supportive community that provides a climate of sensitivity, open-mindedness and respect.

Smeal Outstanding Young Alumnus Award – Scott Brenner, Class of 2004, financeScott Brenner, a manager in the Office of the CEO at Deloitte, is responsible for ensuring the CEO is prepared for client meetings, developing presentations, and conducting research and analysis for external speaking engagements — including meetings at the White House. He also works on special projects, including the development of a customized iPad app for the CEO. Brenner is a former vice president of nycTIES, an all-volunteer nonprofit organization comprised of young professionals and a former executive board member of the Penn State NYC Alumni Association, and he also served on the event committee for Harlem RBI’s Diamond Ball event. Brenner graduated with distinction from the master of business administration program at New York University Stern School of Business.

The Smeal Outstanding Young Alumnus Award recognizes recent graduates for their career achievements and community service.

Smeal Outstanding Volunteer Award – Susan Mock, Class of 1980, accountingSusan Mock, a member of the leadership team of the Smeal Business Club, Philadelphia Chapter, is the chief financial officer for The Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia. Passionate about the arts in Philadelphia, she is a frequent patron, as well as a business volunteer for the arts through the Arts & Business Council of Greater Philadelphia.

The Smeal Outstanding Volunteer Award honors alumni who serve as a volunteer with the Smeal Alumni Society Board and who volunteer to assist the college in other capacities such as mentoring and recruiting.

Smeal Alumni Service Award – Salvador Gala, Class of 2003, master of business administration Salvador Gala is the strategic sourcing director for Mars Chocolate North America and is responsible for the Commercial (Procurement) Team, which handles raw materials and packaging strategic sourcing activities. Previously, he was the global senior strategic sourcing manager for Cocoa Commercial (Procurement) at Mars and has also held positions at Goodyear of Venezuela and Electricity of Valencia, Venezuela. He earned his bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Universidad Simon Bolivar, Venezuela, in 1992.

The Smeal Alumni Service Award honors alumni whose exceptional allegiance and involvement with Smeal has brought distinction to the college and the University.

Smeal Undergraduate Distinguished Achievement Award – William Mayer, Class of 1985, accountingAs chief credit officer for wholesale banking at Wells Fargo & Co., William Mayer is responsible for the Commercial Bank, Capital Finance, Equipment Finance, Government Banking, Commercial Operating Asset Finance and Credit Resolution portfolios. Previously, Mayer served as president of the Commercial and Retail Finance Group in Wells Fargo Capital Finance, which he successfully led and grew for more than eight years. He has also held positions in GE Capital and KPMG Peat Marwick.

The Smeal Undergraduate Distinguished Achievement Award honors undergraduate alumni whose career achievements have brought distinction to themselves and the college, and whose commitments of time, talent, or resources have been key to enhancing the prestige of the college.

Smeal Graduate Distinguished Achievement Award – Christopher Morris, Class of 1989, master of business administrationChristopher Morris is a managing director of investment banking and capital markets for Wells Fargo Securities. He has nearly 25 years of investment banking experience and focuses in the consumer segment of the economy with an emphasis in advising food and beverage companies on capital raising, and mergers and acquisitions. He has worked with many industry leaders, including ConAgra Foods, Dole Foods, HJ Heinz, Nestle, Snyder’s-Lance and Sysco. Morris and his family recently established the Morris Family Scholarship in the Smeal College of Business.

The Smeal Graduate Distinguished Achievement Award honors graduate alumni whose career achievements have brought distinction to themselves and the college, and whose commitments of time, talent or resources have been key to enhancing the prestige of the college.

Smeal Board Sponsorship Award – Kyle Wang, Class of 2014, financeDuring his time at Smeal, Kyle Wang has served as president of the Sapphire Leadership Program, helped launch the Student Pink Zone Foundation and served as treasurer for the organization. He also served as an intern with the Market Analysis Group in the Rogers Family Trading Room and worked as a utilities analyst and fund administrator for the Nittany Lion Fund. He will begin his career with IBM in July.

The Smeal Board Sponsorship Award honors outstanding Smeal graduating seniors who have demonstrated leadership in the college and outstanding scholarship.

Smeal Student Diversity Award – Fuad Ligali, Class of 2014 Actuarial ScienceFuad Ligali has served as president of the National Association of Black Accountants for the past two years, where he has exercised his passion to empower his fellow members and help them build confidence and professional skills. He has completed two actuarial exams and will begin his career with Prudential Financial in July.

The Smeal Student Diversity Award recognizes Smeal students for leadership in an individual group project that furthers diversity efforts at Smeal.

Michael Q. McGowan Memorial Award for Community Service – John A. Perrone, Class of 2015, financeLast summer, John Perrone volunteered as an intern for Habitat for Humanity, where he worked in the fields of finance and accounting, performing budgeting revenues and expenses, cost reporting, organizing and digitizing paper documents, and forecasting. He has also volunteered on Habitat build sites and at the Habitat ReStore.

The Michael Q. McGowan Memorial Award for Community Service honors a Smeal sophomore or junior who has demonstrated outstanding community service to Penn State or to their hometown community. The award is given in honor of the nephew of a Smeal alumnus who loved Penn State.

Last Updated January 9, 2015

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