Randy Swan (BBA ’90), CEO and lead portfolio manager at Swan Global Investments
Randy Swan (BBA ’90), CEO and lead portfolio manager at Swan Global Investments and co-founder of For the Future Foundation, is partnering with McCombs School of Business Wealth Management Center. The partnership is expected to inspire and develop the next generation of financial professionals and advance the wealth management industry through education, mentoring, networking, and financial support.
Swan and his wife, Laura (BA Economics, ’89), who are both University of Texas at Austin alumni, launched the For the Future Foundation to contribute to the advancement of local economic development with a particular focus on the upcoming generations of leaders through education.
“Laura and I are grateful to be in a position to give back to our alma matter and encourage development of next generation wealth management professionals,” Randy said. “We are excited to partner with the great leadership team at the Wealth Management Center and the esteemed academics and other industry leaders in this meaningful opportunity.”
For the Future Foundation has committed four years of financial support for Center initiatives to educate and empower future generations of financial professionals. Randy Swan, founder and CEO of Swan Global Investments and his wife Laura Swan launched For the Future Foundation to contribute to the advancement of local economic development with a particular focus on the upcoming generations of leaders through education. Both Randy and Laura are proud UT alumni, and Randy is a graduate from The McCombs School of Business.
“We greatly appreciate the foundation’s vision and partnership in helping to provide students with unique opportunities to help evolve the Wealth Management industry,” said Dean Lillian Mills.
Swan Global Investments will be involved broadly with the Wealth Management Center in community outreach, education programs, partner events, and Randy Swan will serve as a member of the Center advisory board.
“The wealth management Industry is undergoing major changes. A primary challenge facing the profession is the shortage of young and talented students that can enter the wealth management workforce. Yet another need is the demand for increased domain-specific knowledge,” said Dr. Ramesh Rao, founding director of McCombs Wealth Management. “We are delighted that Swan Global Investments will be joining us and other industry leaders–such as Schwab, PIMCO, DFA, Focus Financial and LPL Financial– to advance the Center’s ambitious goals of addressing these needs.”
Alicia Rogers, (BBA ’13 and UT Dallas MBA ’22) is currently the Senior Manager, Technology Consulting at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
As the daughter of educators, Alicia Rogers (BBA ’13 and UT Dallas MBA ’22) understood that she was going to pursue a degree, and The University of Texas at Austin provided the kind of culture and opportunity she was seeking. As a Black female on campus, however, Alicia found herself having to navigate the university differently. With the right strategy and focus, she says all students can thrive at McCombs.
“I joined the Gateway Scholars program for minority freshman when I first arrived on campus,” she said. “And I still didn’t necessarily feel like I fit in right away. But I worked at it and eventually found my space.”
Alicia became deeply involved in the Black Business Student Association (BBSA) at McCombs, seeking out leadership roles, first on committees and then, eventually, as the organization’s president. Through BBSA, she met a group of like-minded peers who created a sense of community and belonging.
Alicia has maintained her connection with BBSA and continues to mentor current student members and give back to the alumni. This past fall, with distinguished guest Peggy Drake Holland, the first African American student to graduate from the UT business school, in attendance Alicia and the current president hosted the organization’s first alumni event as part of Black Homecoming Weekend.
“The event gave me so much energy, and it was so rewarding to see our alumni engaged and building new connections with each other,” she said. “That kind of connection is so important.”
Connection, Alicia says, is what is critical when attending a university the size of The University of Texas at Austin, especially as a student of color.
“Connection is what supports you when you’re up against the demands of maintaining a high GPA and the level of student organization engagement that is expected at McCombs,” she said.
“McCombs is challenging. Everyone around you is intelligent and motivated, so it’s easy to feel intimidated. But the school has so many resources to help every student succeed.”
From a diverse offering of student organizations, to mentorship programs, to career success workshops, Alicia says success really comes down to initiative and persistence.
“As a student, you have to be intentional about building a community around you and advocating for yourself,” she said. “That’s how you make UT smaller. McCombs has all the tools, and they will teach you what you need to have in your tool kit.”
Sometimes, it’s attending an event that will open doors, she says, as long as you aren’t afraid to speak up and ask questions.
“It was at a BBSA event where I met a recruiter from my current company PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). I asked if they had internship opportunities for Sophomores, and she said they did,” said Alicia, Senior Manager, Technology Consulting at PwC. “And I’ve been here for almost ten years now.”
Alicia recently took the helm as Chapter Leader for the San Antonio McCombs Alumni Chapter, where she will continue her efforts to connect and engage alumni and students.
“My goal is to foster meaningful relationships through a schedule of diverse events,“ she said. “I would like to see our chapter partner with Texas Exes more as well as other UT affiliated groups in the future to expand our reach and create more opportunities for alum to network.”
Looking back, even during that first semester when UT felt big, Alicia says she always knew McCombs was the right place for her. The university continues to provide opportunities and community to its students, and now, as an alumna, she is motivated to give her time as a mentor to students and a leader to her fellow alumni.
“As an alum, I have never felt like the door to McCombs closed,” she said. “The best thing about being a McCombs alum is the pride I feel for my school and not thinking twice about dedicating my time to pay forward a small part of the impact McCombs has made on my life.”
Janet Bates sits in front of the Bates Family Fountain in the AT&T Conference Center courtyard, which was erected to memorialize her late husband, Garth.
It all started with a little wooden box. Janet (BS Education ’71) and Garth Bates (BBA ’71) fell in love with The University of Texas at Austin, and each other, as students from 1967-71 during the height of the Vietnam War. Despite on-campus protests and political division, the high school sweethearts excelled in their studies, she as an elementary education major and he as a business major at the McCombs School of Business. Years later, as they raised their young family, the couple made their first contribution of $250 and became among the first members of the Chancellor’s Council.
“As a thank you for our contributions, McCombs sent a little wooden box with numbers for each year of giving,” Janet said. “[Garth] just loved that thing. It was something he could touch.”
That was the beginning of the couple’s philanthropic efforts to support McCombs Business School and The University. So, when the family lost Garth suddenly in a plane crash, one of Janet’s first decisions was to honor his memory with a scholarship to Texas McCombs.
“It was shortly after we lost Garth when the idea of making a gift to McCombs was suggested to me,” she said. “That’s how the scholarship began.”
The Garth C. Bates Memorial Presidential Scholarship in Business was born. Its ongoing legacy has provided a pathway for McCombs students to pursue their degree. For the Bates’ children, Ross, Trip and Elisabeth, it is the most fitting way to remember their father, someone they describe as always giving to others.
“The scholarship is very important to us as a family,” said Ross Bates, youngest son of Janet and Garth. “I’m so glad my mom is doing it. She makes sure we are included in all of these decisions, so she makes sure we remember why it is so important.”
Eldest son, Trip, agrees, noting how touching it is to read letters from scholarship recipients.
“Mom will forward them to us to read,” he said. “It’s great to know it’s doing something special in people’s lives.”
A plaque marks The Bates Family Fountain as a memorial to Garth.
Another significant contribution to campus has been the Bates Memorial Fountain in the courtyard at the AT&T Center next to Rowling Hall. Before breaking ground on the facility, The University invited groups on hardhat tours, pointing out planned facility highlights. On the hunt for a way to contribute, Janet proposed a fountain for the center of the outdoor space to serve as a memorial to her late husband.
“I was looking for a place that every time the family came to Austin we had a place to meet,” she said. “I wanted something I could touch.”
Today, the fountain is the site of photo shoots, the centerpiece for outdoor events, and, yes, a gathering place for families, including the Bateses.
“Yes, it’s in memory of Dad, but it isn’t sad. It’s peaceful,” Ross said. “The fountain can cause people to pause and reflect. That’s the great thing about it. It’s not ours. It’s everyone’s. That’s the whole point.”
Trip’s daughter, Kaitlyn, now a University of Texas student studying at McCombs, has even brought friends by to see the fountain erected in her grandfather’s memory.
“She was about 5 years old when the fountain was built, so it’s great to see her now able to share it with people,” Trip said.
As multiple generations now enjoy a University of Texas legacy, philanthropy has never been more important to the Bates family. Whether supporting scholarships, contributing to new building efforts, or providing other funding investments, all agree there’s never been a more important time to give in any way possible.
“We have always been a philanthropic family,” said Trip. “And we will continue to give to places that were special to Dad. UT has always been near and dear to our hearts, even more so now that we have new generations enjoying all it has to give.”
Ross, who volunteers to speak to University student groups, agreed with that sentiment, adding that the gift of time is also important to McCombs and The University.
“One of the things I did, and want to continue to do, is give time,” he said. “I’ve been able to talk to these student groups, and it reminds you of what it was like to be back there. It’s mutually beneficial and rewarding.”
For Janet, seeing her family become more involved in giving efforts to McCombs and The University, stokes her desire to continue doing more for the place that inspired her love of teaching, travel, and history. Of her many memories on campus – accompanying Garth to the mainframe in the basement of the Business Economics Building, cooking for friends in her on-campus apartment, discovering a love of travel through her geography class, the Daryl K. Royal winning streak years – what she cherishes most is the place itself.
“This university has given me way more than I have given it,” she said.
When given the chance, Janet encourages others to think of how they can honor their loved ones with memorial donations, scholarships, or other meaningful contributions.
“I tell people who are thinking of making a donation to McCombs or The University, see if there is something they have a passion about,” she said. “I encourage them to talk with the development team, and I’ll bet they can find something that will be meaningful. You just have to ask.”
Janet still has the wooden box that meant so much to Garth. It stands as a testament to what a simple gesture of thanks can inspire – generational giving that touches many lives.
“We have never stopped giving to the Chancellor’s Council,” Janet, who now serves on the Council, said. “The number one reason we are continuing to give is [Garth] had something he could touch. All of our giving started with that little box.”
John Goff and Dean Lillian Mills show their best hook ’em during the naming ceremony for the John Goff Real Estate Investment Fund and Labs.
On Tuesday, November 15, 2022, McCombs School of Business dedicated the John Goff Real Estate Investment Fund and Labs in recognition of the continuing and impactful support of John Goff, BBA ’77, Chairman of Goff Capital Management, LP, and member of the Fund Advisory Board.
Texas McCombs is the only program in the country where students evaluate both public and private investment opportunities, with MBAs as associates and undergrads as analysts. Goff helped to cast the vision and carry it out to fruition.
The celebration took place in the Rowling Hall atrium on The University of Texas campus with a champagne toast reception after the annual Real Estate Investment dinner. Attendees included Cami and John Goff, members of their family, President Jay Hartzell, Dean Lillian Mills and Real Estate advisory board members, McCombs faculty, staff and students.
During his toast, President Hartzell described Goff as “the most shrewd real estate investor” he knew.
(From l to r) John Goff, President Jay Hartzell and Dean Lillian Mills stand in front of the John Goff Real Estate. Investment Fund and Labs sign at Rowling Hall during the naming ceremony.
“I love this program and what it does for our students,” Hartzell said.
As he took the podium to thank the crowd of students, staff, faculty and family in attendance, Goff said he was touched by the recognition.
“I can’t tell you how much it means to me to talk to the students and hear what a difference this program is making for you,” he said. “It’s a phenomenal program, really unique, and I couldn’t be more excited to be part of it.”
The John Goff Real Estate Investment Fund and Labs is located on the first floor of Rowling Hall.
President Jay Hartzell and Dean Lillian Mills stand with the 2022 Rising Star inductees (from L to R) Kelly Steckelberg (BBA ’91, MPA ’91); John D. Harkey, Jr.(BBA ’83, JD ’86); W. Benjamin Moreland (BBA ’84); Andrew Phong Vo (BBA ’95); and Advisory Council Chair John C. Goff.
On November 10, 2022, notable alumni, friends, and Texas McCombs staff convened at the AT&T Conference Center for the annual McCombs School of Business Hall of Fame celebration to induct exemplary alumni into its ranks. This year’s Hall of Fame inductees included John D. Harkey, Jr., W. Benjamin Moreland, Kelly S. Steckelberg, and Andrew Phong Vo. McCombs Dean Lillian Mills also recognized 2022 Rising Stars Adam Blum, Nick Del’Osso, Philip Krim, and April Underwood.
McCombs School of Business established the Hall of Fame in 1983 as part of The University of Texas at Austin’s centennial celebration. This year, as McCombs celebrates its own centennial year, it’s fitting that we acknowledge the stellar achievements of those alumni who continue to change the world. The Hall of Fame honors individuals who have made outstanding professional contributions to the business community and who, by their exemplary civic, philanthropic, and educational activities have advanced humanity. The Hall of Fame award is the highest honor given by the McCombs School of Business. Recipients are chosen by a selection committee.
In addition, McCombs also recognizes young alumni with the Rising Star Award, established in 2004. This award is presented to young alumni who have experienced professional success and have shown exemplary service to the McCombs Alumni Network. These are graduates who have presented themselves as consummate professionals and dedicated businesspeople. Rising Star Award recipients are chosen by the McCombs BBA and MBA Advisory Boards and Dean Mills.
Hall of Fame inductees were showcased in video vignettes before taking to the podium to share words of appreciation. Learn more about each of their personal and professional stories by viewing the videos below.
2022 Hall of Fame Inductees
John D. Harkey, Jr.
BBA ’83, JD ‘86
Founder
JDH Investment Management, LLC
John D. Harkey Jr. has over 25 years’ experience as a private investor, chief executive, and director in both public and private companies. He has merged, acquired, operated, and/or served on the boards of directors of nine public companies in biotech, energy, technology, aerospace, telecom, and restaurants, and private companies in health care, real estate, farm and ranch products, and software development.
He is the founder of JDH Investment Management LLC, which is focused on leading innovative technologies and emerging company opportunities in biotech, gene therapy, non-opiate pain and pharma/therapeutic spaces. He is the co-founder and formerly executive chairman of the board of AveXis, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVXS), which was acquired in 2018 by Novartis. He also serves on the boards of CerSci Pharmaceuticals, Cessation Therapeutics, Dialectic Therapeutics Inc., Veterinary Service Inc., and Baylor Health Care System Foundation.
Philanthropically, Harkey serves on the board of directors of The University of Texas System Chancellor’s Council Executive Committee, the University of Texas Development Board, and is past chairman of the McCombs School of Business Advisory Council. He serves on the MD Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors Research, and the Innovation and Commercialization Committee. He and Peni are longtime residents of Highland Park, Texas, and have two daughters. Meredith graduated from UT in Liberal Arts Honors and earned a J.D. at the UT School of Law, and Morgan graduated from the UT Plan II Honors and completed her first year at Texas Law.
W. Benjamin Moreland
BBA ’94
Principal
Moreland Interests
Benjamin (Ben) Moreland is principal of Moreland Interests and retired CEO of Crown Castle, where he remains a member of the board. Crown Castle, a leading provider of wireless infrastructure in the U.S., owns and operates over 40,000 towers and 115,000 Small Cell facilities, supported by over 80,000 route miles of fiber in key U.S. markets. An S&P 500 Company headquartered in Houston, Crown Castle has over 4,000 employees in the U.S. and an equity market capitalization in excess of $60 billion.
Prior to his retirement, Moreland served as executive vice chairman and was president and chief executive officer from July 2008 through May 2016. He joined Crown Castle in 1999 after 15 years with Chase Manhattan Bank and predecessor banks, primarily in corporate finance and real estate investment banking. Moreland is currently chairman of the board of Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings Inc. and has served on a number of public and private boards.
He also serves on the board of Houston Methodist Hospital, where he chairs the subsidiary, Methodist Health Centers Board. In addition to serving on the Advisory Council of the McCombs School, he is a member of the Chancellor’s Council Executive Committee. He holds a BBA from The University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from the University of Houston, where he is a member of the Bauer School Board.
Kelly S. Steckelberg
BBA ’91, MPA ’91
Chief Financial Officer
Zoom Video Communications
Kelly Steckelberg has been the CFO of Zoom Video Communications since 2017. She led the company through its successful IPO in 2019 and explosive growth in recent years. The Zoom platform brings teams together, reimagines workspaces, engages new audiences and delights customers. Previously, she held various roles at technology companies including CEO of Zoosk, and various roles in finance at Cisco, Webex, Epiphany, PeopleSoft, and KPMG. Steckelberg is a board member and Audit Committee Chair for Qualtrics. She has an MPA and BBA in Accounting from The University of Texas at Austin. She loves spending time with her family and friends and exploring new destinations in the world.
Andrew Phong Vo
BBA ’95
Chief Human Resources Officer
Accenture, Growth Markets
Andrew Phong Vo is chief human resources officer of Accenture Growth Markets, responsible for developing talent and leadership across Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and South Africa. A member of Accenture’s Global Leadership Council, Vo has built a 27-year career partnering with Fortune 500 clients to drive transformational change. He previously led Accenture’s global commodities trading operations practice, North America corporate finance offering, and a portfolio of energy accounts.
Passionate about advancing academic excellence and enrichment, Vo and his wife endowed a McCombs presidential scholarship in 2014 and launched UT’s Admissions Welcome Center with the establishment of the Vo Family Auditorium in 2020. A past Outstanding Young Texas Ex award recipient, Vo serves on the McCombs School of Business Advisory Council, UT Systems Chancellor’s Council Executive Committee, UT Development Board, and Forty Acres Society.
He is the founder/senior advisor of the Texas Iron Spikes service organization, benefiting Special Olympics Texas and Texas Baseball for nearly three decades. Born in Saigon, Vietnam, Vo immigrated to the U.S. in 1975 and was raised in Sugar Land, Texas. In 1995, he earned his finance BBA from McCombs and joined Accenture’s Houston office. Vo, his wife, and their seven-year-old twins reside in Singapore.
Rising Star Recipients
Adam Blum
BBA ’06, MPA ’06
Managing Partner
Old Hickory Partners
Nick Dell’Osso
MBA ’03
President & CEO
Chesapeake Energy Corp.
April Underwood
BBA ’01
Co-Founder
#Angels
Philip Krim
BBA ’06
Founder & Managing Partner
Montauk Ventures
Michael Moore, BBA ’84, and Kathleen Moore, BBA ’84, have been consistent supporters of McCombs as well as other campus initiatives throughout the years. One area that is close to their hearts is the ability to ensure students have the tools they need to achieve their goals and dreams beyond college. Here, they talk a little about their desire to give, why student success is important and their love for all things UT.
Q: What motivates you to contribute to your alma mater?
MM: We appreciate the chance to give back to the McCombs School and the University of Texas. We have always loved the University. I am a third generation Longhorn, our kids are the fourth generation, and we are brain-washing the next generation to ensure they will be the fifth.
Q: What inspired your most recent support initiative, he Kathleen and Michael Moore Endowed Excellence Fund for Student Success?
MM: We have always been big supporters of the McCombs School since we graduated in December of 1984. I recently retired and we were interested in doing something for the school. But we wanted to do something that would be more impactful than just another scholarship.
Q: And that is how you became familiar with McCombs Success Scholars?
MM: We visited with Dean Mills and during our talk, I mentioned my involvement with an organization in Denver called “Minds Matter of Colorado” that is focused on mentoring high-achieving, low-opportunity high school students to get them into college. It is very high-touch, high impact, effective, and rewarding for both the students and volunteers.
Dean Mills explained how Success Scholars is a similar, but more advanced, program directed at similarly situated students. One of the anxieties of Minds Matter was saying goodbye to our students at graduation from high school. Our mentors usually stayed in touch for years after. But the program was finished. In a fashion, Success Scholars carries on the mission to see them through college. It felt like a good fit.
Q: How do you think these programs shape the future and change the world?
MM: We think these types of programs create distinct value in education. Our society makes enormous outlays for the education of our youth, from pre-K thru graduate school. But it takes intentionality to see that students enjoy the fruits of that investment. We can’t just offer it up and expect them to do it all on their own. Sometimes it takes “hand-to-hand combat”.
For many students, particularly those who have had less opportunity, we must help them see where their dreams can take them. Then, guide them in forming their goals to realize their dreams. These steps must be addressed early in their college journey to successfully move them from being a student to pursuing a career. Success Scholars is addressing that need.
Q: How does it feel to know that your contribution may be changing a life?
MM: We love knowing that we have helped students to do more than just go to college but helped them to finish college and live a fruitful life. And we love The University of Texas.
To learn more about the McCombs Success Scholars and how you can support student, faculty, and facilities, contact the McCombs Development office at development@mccombs.utexas.edu.
The McCombs School of Business is pleased to announce the 2022 Hall of Fame inductees, John Harkey Jr., Ben Moreland, Kelly Steckelberg, and Andrew Phong Vo and the 2022 Alumni Rising Stars, Adam Blum, Nick Dell’Osso, Philip Krim, and April Underwood. We look forward to honoring them at the Hall of Fame celebration on Nov. 10, 2022.
The Hall of Fame award is the highest honor given by the McCombs School of Business. It recognizes individuals for their exemplary work in many areas including civic, educational, and philanthropic activities, as well as making outstanding professional contributions to the business and educational community. The school thanks all of the members of the Hall of Fame selection committee for their efforts in choosing this year’s recipients.
Rising Star awards recognize young alumni who have been successful professionally and have helped strengthen the McCombs Alumni Network. These are graduates who have presented themselves as consummate professionals and dedicated business people.
Highlights about this year’s honorees follow.
HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES:
JOHN HARKEY JR., BBA ’83, JD ’86 John Harkey Jr. is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of JDH Investment Management, LLC in Dallas, TX. He has over 25 years’ experience as a private investor, chief executive, and director in both public and private companies. He has merged, acquired, operated and/or served on the board ofdirectors of nine public companies in biotech, energy, technology, aerospace, telecom, and restaurants, and private companies in healthcare, real estate, farm and ranch products, and software development. Read more.
BEN MORELAND, BBA ’84
Ben Moreland is Principal of Moreland Interests and retired CEO of Crown Castle, where he remains a member of the Board of Directors. Crown Castle (NYSE: CCI), an S&P 500 Company based in Houston, is a leading provider of wireless infrastructure in the U.S., owning and operating over 40,000 towers and 115,000 Small Cell facilities, supported by over 80,000 route miles of fiber in key U.S. markets. He also serves/served on a number ofpublic and private company boards, as well as Houston Methodist Hospital. Read more.
KELLY STECKELBERG, BBA ’91, MPA ’91 Kelly Steckelberg has been the CFO of Zoom Video Communications since 2017 where she led the company through its successful IPO in 2019 and explosive growth in recent years. Previously she held various roles at technology companies including CEO of Zoosk, and various roles in finance at Cisco, Webex, Epiphany, PeopleSoft, and KPMG. Kelly is a board member and Audit Committee Chair for Qualtrics. She has an MPA in accounting from The University of Texas at Austin. Read more.
ANDREW PHONG VO, BBA ’95
Andrew Phong Vo is Chief Human Resources Officer of Accenture Growth Markets responsible for talent and leadership in Asia-Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East, and South Africa. A member of the company’s Global Leadership Council, Andrew has built a 27-year career at Accenture (NYSE: ACN) advising Fortune 500 clients, building business practices, and developing people. Committed to empowering the next generation, he is a Forty Acres Scholars Program advocate and founder of the Texas Iron Spikes service organization. Andrew is a past recipient of UT’s Outstanding Young Texas Ex award. Read more.
ALUMNI RISING STARS:
ADAM BLUM, BBA MPA ’06
Adam Blum has over a decade of leadership experience in the institutional investment sector. He founded Old Hickory Partners in 2018 and Old Hickory’s predecessor entities in 2011. Previously, Mr. Blum managed a portfolio of entrepreneurially focused investments in real estate, oil and gas, public securities, private loans, and interests in private companies. Mr. Blum began his principal investing career in 2008 as a private equity investor at Austin Ventures, a $4 billion private investment firm, where he worked through 2011. Prior to Austin Ventures, he worked from 2006 to 2008 in New York City as an investment banker at Goldman, Sachs & Co. in the Technology, Media, and Telecommunications Group. Read more.
NICK DELL’OSSO, MBA ’03
Domenic J. Dell’Osso, Jr. was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Chesapeake in October 2021. He previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since November 2010. Prior to that time, he served as Vice President – Finance and Chief Financial Officer ofChesapeake’s wholly owned midstream subsidiary Chesapeake Midstream Development, L.P. from August 2008 to November 2010. Before joining Chesapeake, Mr. Dell’Osso was an energy investment banker with Jefferies & Co. from 2006 to 2008 and Banc of America Securities from 2004 to 2006. Mr. Dell’Osso serves on the Board of Directors of Cristo Rey Catholic High School of Oklahoma City, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, and the United Way of Central Oklahoma. He graduated from Boston College in 1998 and earned his MBA from The University of Texas at Austin in 2003. Read more.
PHILIP KRIM, BBA ’06
Currently, Philip serves as the Founder and Managing Partner at Montauk Ventures, an early stage investment firm focused on investing in and helping founders navigate the complexities of hyperscale. Before Montauk Ventures, Philip served as the Cofounder, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman at Casper and led the comprehensive business strategy, expansion, and vision for the company. Casper continues to reimagine the sleep industry from the ground up. A serial entrepreneur, Philip has founded two previous startups, where he focused on evolving consumer and e-commerce trends. Read more.
APRIL D. UNDERWOOD, BBA ’01 April D. Underwood is co-founder of the angel investing collective #ANGELS and a member of the boards of directors for Zillow Group (since 2017) and Eventbrite (since 2022). #ANGELS has backed over 150 early-stage technology companies since 2015 and initiated the first-ever study on gender equality in equity compensation, The Gap Table. April’s investments include Vanta, Clubhouse, Winnie, Nurx, Color, and Cue Health and many more. Until 2019, April was the Chief Product Officer at Slack. Prior to joining Slack, April was director of product at Twitter from 2010 to 2015. Previously, April has held product, partnerships, and engineering roles at Google, Travelocity, and Intel. April holds a BBA (2001) in management information systems and Business Honors from The University of Texas at Austin and an MBA (2007) from the University of California at Berkeley. Read more.
Congratulations to our honorees. We thank you for giving so much of yourselves to higher education and the efforts of the McCombs School and the university.
Robin Gordon, Chief Data and Analytics Officer at MetLife, and McCombs MBA ’06, was recently recognized for her transformative leadership and contributions to the insurance industry and the Research Triangle.
As one of only six women to hold the title of Chief Data Officer in the Fortune 50, Robin manages MetLife’s enterprise data priorities across strategy, service and operations, business analytics, and governance. She has helped MetLife build a dynamic and diverse team and improve digital experiences for its customers and made meaningful connections and a positive impact on the local Research Triangle community.
She was recently awarded with:
Triangle Business Journal’s C-Suite award for her outstanding contributions to the Triangle community through mentorship, advocacy for women in tech and her role in executing MetLife’s annual Triangle Tech X conference.
Previously, Gordon was the chief data officer for CoreLogic where she developed its first data strategy and delivered high quality data assets and insights that fueled $2 billion in annual revenue. She joined CoreLogic to lead the application development and solutions management function.
At Dun & Bradstreet, Gordon led customer and strategic analytics, data technology, application development and solutions management. She defined a comprehensive product and technology architecture and transformed the data sourcing process. She also executed a successful data integration strategy delivering insights leading to 100 percent improvement in customer engagement and 7 percent revenue growth. Gordon began her career working as a programmer at multiple companies in South Africa.
An advocate for diversity and women in technology throughout her nearly 30-year career, Gordon holds an MBA from The University of Texas at Austin, McCombs School of Business and a bachelor’s degree in commerce, economics and information systems from the University of South Africa.
Carlos Dinkins, MBA ’12, knew he was going to love attending The University of Texas McCombs School of Business pretty much immediately. “It was during orientation, actually,” he said. “I saw all these brilliant people who I had met in class earlier that day and later in the evening we’re all dancing and laughing like we’ve been best friends. It was obvious to me I was going to get both a quantitative and qualitative experience at McCombs.”
What he couldn’t predict, though, was the deep impact those same people would make on his life even ten years later. While studying marketing and brand management, Carlos made many deep connections that have guided his path ever since. But first, a little history.
After graduation, Carlos spent five years at Pepsi, an extension of an internship he enjoyed while at McCombs. While working his way up the company ladder, he developed a desire to run sales at a national level. He took over national sales for a cold brew coffee start-up before being recruited by The Sazarac Company for the role of State Manager. “It was actually one of my McCombs classmates who recommended me for the role I have now,” he said. “They made me an offer in an industry I’ve always loved that I just couldn’t pass up.”
Even though he’s in another state, Austin and his alma mater are never far from his thoughts. He has continued to volunteer his time as an MBA interviewer, panelist, and currently sits on the McCombs MBA Advisory Board. He’s even making plans to get back to Austin this month, even though it won’t be for McCombs Homecoming. To him, giving back time to a school he loves is one way of keeping tradition alive. “It’s more than paying it forward,” he said. “It’s the spirit of UT. You need to give someone back the same experience you had through volunteering and doing what you can.”
As for those ongoing relationships, even as far away as Florida, Carlos couldn’t escape them if he wanted to. “One of my greatest friends from McCombs just happens to be one of my best customers here in Florida,” he said. “So, you never know how deep those connections will go.”
As we get ready to kick off our Fall 40 Hours for the Forty Acres, we focus on some people who, not only have given to the campaign in the past, but who continue to do so every year. Meet Michael Martin, BBA ’83 and owner/president of MM Solar Advisory, here to tell us why he’s been a dedicated 40 for Forty donor over the years.
Q: Tell us a little about your company.
MM: It’s a firm that serves commercial property companies who want to deploy on-site clean energy like rooftop solar and batteries.
Q: What benefits have you received as a McCombs graduate?
MM: My McCombs degree has provided me with a large network of fellow Longhorns. It can be a door opener with those who might be prospective clients and/or partners.
Q: You’ve been contributing to the 40 Hours for the Forty Acres campaign for quite a while, since 2015. What motivates you to contribute and continue to do so?
MM: Our schools are terribly underfunded, so I do what I can to help my great school have more resources to do its vital work.
Q: This fall, people who give at least $25 will receive a limited-edition Dean Mills Longhorn sketch lapel pin. How do you feel something like that can motivate someone to contribute who might not have before?
MM: It is a great way to remind people of a supported cause, for sure.
Q: What do you say to encourage people to join the 40 for Forty campaign?
MM: I remind them that the university is underfunded, and this is an important opportunity to help and give back to our schools.
40 Hours for the Forty Acres starts September 28 and funds raised in that time will go to support schools and programs across the university. To learn more, or to donate to McCombs, click here.
f Data and Analytics Officer at MetLife, and McCombs MBA ’06, was recently recognized for her transformative leadership and contributions to the insurance industry and the Research Triangle.
