March 15, 2023 | Claire Hall

School of Business Celebrates 30th Anniversary ‘Hall of Fame’ Event

The UConn School of Business will host its 30th Anniversary Alumni Hall of Fame ceremony in April, drawing more than 300 attendees to celebrate the achievements of outstanding alumni.

(istockphoto.com)

The UConn School of Business will host its 30th Anniversary Alumni Hall of Fame ceremony in April, drawing more than 300 attendees to celebrate the achievements of outstanding alumni.

“The Hall of Fame dinner is always a highlight of the year, but particularly so this year as we mark a milestone anniversary,’’ said Dean John A. Elliott. “The contributions of our alumni and the lessons they have learned from our faculty, have profoundly impacted businesses not only in Connecticut but around the world.’’

The Hall of Fame event will begin at 6 p.m. April 21 at the Hartford Marriott Downtown. Black tie is optional.

This year’s event honors the following alumni:

  • Maria Fahy-Barry ’84, Senior VP & Community Development Banking National Executive at Bank of America Merrill Lynch;
  • Debra A. Hess ’86, CFO (retired) NorthStar Asset Management;
  • Thomas J. Marshella ’79, Managing Director and Head of Corporate Finance, Americas (retired) Moody’s Investors Service;
  • Anthony Rizza ’87, former CEO of Columbus Circle Investors; and
  • Richard Vogel ’87, ’22 H, CFO and COO of Loeb.nyc.

“The Hall of Fame ceremony is not only a great opportunity for alumni to converse with friends old and new, but also is one of the most enjoyable networking events of the year,’’ said Michael Deotte ’98 MBA, executive director of Alumni Relations at the School of Business. “The event is exceptionally congenial, with UConn alumni and friends eager to share ideas, knowledge, and successes.’’

This year’s event features an Honorary Host Committee, many of whom are previous inductees into the Hall of Fame. They include: George Barrios ’87, ’89 MBA, Founder and co-CEO of Isos Capital Management; Shari Cantor ’81, Mayor of West Hartford; Melissa Cummings ’98 MBA, Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Officer at Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Rhode Island; Michael J. Deotte ’98 MBA, Executive Director of Alumni Relations at the UConn School of Business; Gerald DesRoches ‘82, Managing Director at Andersen LLC; Jennifer Grey ’93 EMBA, Associate Vice President (retired) at the UConn Foundation; Philip Lodewick ’66, ’67 MBA, ’14 H, former President at The Tradewell Corporation; Lee McChesney ’94, Senior Vice President & CFO at MSA—The Safety Co.; Gayle Russell ’88, ’95 Ph.D., Client Services Coordinator at the Cleveland Financial Group; and professors Robin Coulter, Rob Hoskin, Mo Hussein, Suresh Nair, Tom O’Brien and Katherine Pancak.

Barrios, Cantor, DesRoches, Lodewick and Russell are all previously inducted members of the Hall of Fame.

Jillian Comolli, assistant director of external and alumni engagement, said the evening always includes several poignant moments.

“When our alumni take the stage to receive their awards, they tell powerful, sometimes funny, stories about their days at UConn and their favorite memories of faculty, family, and close friends,’’ she said. “Oftentimes they’ll share a lesson about career success with the students in the audience or a personal philosophy that has helped guide them over the years. Their deep appreciation for those who have helped them in their careers leaves an indelible impression on the audience.’’

To register for the event, please visit s.uconn.edu/hof2023. For questions, please contact Jillian Comolli at Jillian.Comolli@uconn.edu. Deadline to RSVP is April 8.