Nearly 700 faculty, students, alumni, Central Florida leaders and even a member of Her Majesty’s Secret Service packed the Casino Royale-themed ball room at Rosen Shingle Creek on Feb. 25 to celebrate the 17th Annual UCF College of Business Administration Hall of Fame. The 2016 Hall of Fame class included Carrie Callahan, ’92, managing partner, Galliard Capital Management; Carrie G. Hall, ’86, partner, Ernst & Young LLP; and Larry Tobin, ’83, president and CEO, FAIRWINDS Credit Union.
“Each year the Hall of Fame gives us an opportunity to honor our alumni and partners who are making a significant impact in the business community,” said Paul Jarley, Ph.D., dean of the College of Business Administration. “This year we added a new element by inviting our exceptional students to share their stories and a taste of our culture of engagement, which helps shape our students to be better risk-takers, communicators, collaborators and problem solvers.”
As part of the casino theme orchestrated by notable UCF alumnus Robin Cowie, ’93, 60 student ambassadors, led by Noor Hashim, ’16, representing a deck of life-size playing cards connected with guests and shared their personal stories. Guests took home a keepsake deck of cards featuring each of the students.
The Hall of Fame recognizes UCF business alumni who have demonstrated exceptional professional successes in their fields. The College of Business Administration’s highest honor is awarded to those who have been in the industry for at least 20 years and have brought notoriety to the university through their professional achievements.
Callahan, who earned her Bachelor’s degree in Economics from UCF, is a member of the investment committee for the UCF Foundation. She directs client services and consultant relations for Galliard Capital Management.
A certified public accountant in Georgia and Florida, Hall has served on the College of Business Administration’s Dean’s Advisory Board since 2014. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from UCF and now leads Ernst & Young’s (EY) Family Business Center of Excellence in the Americas.
Tobin started his career with FAIRWINDS as a part-time teller after graduating from UCF with his Bachelor’s degree in Finance. He was named the most respected executive in Central Florida by Orlando Business Journal‘s 2008 Readers’ Choice Awards, one of Central Florida’s Most Influential Businessmen for 2009 and Central Florida’s Most Influential Man for 2009 in the banking/finance industry.
Along with the inductees, the College of Business honored this year’s Notable Knights: Drew Belani, ’05, real estate agent, Keller Williams Realty; Jim Lackemacher, ’11, group vice president, Sparton Corporation; Lance Littrell, ’09, client services manager, Reiss Engineering; and Stacey Schaitz, ’07, ’08, engagement director, CliftonLarsonAllen, LLP. The Entrepreneur Award winners were Mark Moore, ’99, president, Kavaliro; Walter Robinson, ’90, principal, Robinson Commercial Real Estate; and Daniel Seeff, ’11, founder, Say it with a Sock.
The Hall of Fame was established in 1999 to recognize and highlight successful alumni making contributions to their communities and others. Visit https://business.ucf.edu/halloffame/ to see a photo gallery from the event.