5/12/2006
A beautiful morning and a dynamic commencement speaker were just a couple of the highlights of graduation day for Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management. This year 232 students received diplomas: 213 received their master of business administration (MBA), including 37 who earned the degree through the school’s Executive Program. In addition, 19 students received a master of science in finance (MSF), comprising the first graduating class for this new degree. The ceremonies took place on Magnolia Lawn on a stage adorned by flags representing the 29 home countries of graduating students.
Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management Dean Jim Bradford welcomed Barry Salzberg, Managing Partner of Deloitte & Touche USA, to deliver the commencement address.
 | Salzberg’s entertaining speech entitled “Adapt!” challenged the graduates to continue the evolution that has taken place with each generation of business leaders—to think “we” instead of “me”; to be socially responsible; and to learn to leverage the advantages of digital technology to lead “at a distance.”
(Text of Speech) |
In addition to the distribution of diplomas, several awards were bestowed upon graduating students, alumni, and faculty.
Murray C. (Tripper) Briggs III, an MBA graduate from Fort Smith, Arkansas, was honored with three awards at this year’s ceremony. Tripper received the prestigious Vanderbilt Founder’s Medal. Endowed by Cornelius Vanderbilt and awarded each year since 1877, the Founder’s Medal is given for first honors in a graduating class. Tripper was also awarded the Bruce D. Henderson Merit Prize for “brilliance, originality of thought, and thoroughness of investigation” during his first year of studies; in addition, he was one of eight recipients of the Owen Service Award for outstanding effort and energy in leadership and community involvement.
Christopher T. Raabe received the H. Igor Ansoff Award in recognition of exceptional service to the Owen community.
| Elinor Paige Harris Menge was awarded the Flournoy A. Coles Jr. Prize for outstanding performance in international management studies.
Bing Tang was honored with the Matt Wigginton Leadership Award for outstanding performance in finance. Jeffrey Fen-Te Kung received the Financial Executives Institute Award for outstanding performance in both accounting and finance. |  |
Seven additional MBA graduates received the Owen Service Award for outstanding effort and energy in leadership and community involvement. They are: Nathan Ryan Bradford, Caroline Ann Breyley, Karen Talla Gooch, Jeffrey Lynn Gowdy, Neema Mehta, Joseph Duane Pollaro, and Priya Saha.
Kevin Michael Keefe was awarded the Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence for the highest academic performance in the Executive MBA class.
Paul Gerard Joyce received the Martin S. Geisel Award for Leadership in Executive Education.
Liang Wang and Shage Zhang shared the Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence for the highest academic performance in the MS Finance class.
A.J. Kazimi (MBA ’84), founder and chief executive officer of Cumberland Pharmaceuticals, received the Distinguished Alumnus Award for outstanding achievement in professional and public life.
Two faculty members, Mara Faccio, associate professor of management (finance) and Jennifer Edson Escalas, associate professor of management (marketing), were presented with the Dean’s Award for Research Productivity in recognition of their academic research and contributions to the Academy.
David Owens, clinical professor of management (organizational studies), was selected by MBA students to receive the Webb Excellence in Teaching Award. Additionally, Luke Froeb, William C. and Margaret W. Oehmig Associate Professor in Entrepreneurship and Free Enterprise (economics) and David Scheffman, director, LECG, LLC and adjunct professor (strategy), shared the Executive MBA Excellence in Teaching Award.
