Leigh Mack, ’90

Mack’s resume after graduating from State with a degree in marketing reads like the lifetime accomplishments of more than one person. He became a doctor, business owner, educator, medical researcher, Boy Scout leader, cyclist, Army veteran, Ford salesman, Caterpillar marketing manager and much more. When he went to Oxford in England to gain experience in trauma and reconstructive surgery, Mack met the woman who would become his wife.

 

 

Mackenzie Mack '10 (Marketing), '11 (MBA)

Mackenzie is a competitor, a teacher and student when it comes to the game of golf.

As a competitor, she has played at the most elite levels of the game against some of the best in the world. As a junior golfer she played for and was a member of the numerous tours: and also enjoyed the honor of competing for: the Tiger Woods Junior Golf Team for 3 years, the Girls America Cup team from southern Nevada for four years and the First Tee of Southern Nevada in the First Tee Open at Pebble Beach two years in a row. Also during her junior career, she was recognized as one of Golf Week’s top 100 junior golfers in the country.

After achieving a stellar junior golf career, she was awarded a full golf scholarship to Indiana State University (ISU) where she was the first black woman to compete as a member of the Women’s Golf Team. In the fall of 2007 and spring of 2008, the Women’s Golf team placed five of its members on the National Golf Coaches Association's All-American Scholar Team. Freshmen Abby Butler, Aubrey Watt, Kayley Bodine, Kelsea Ice and Mackenzie Mack were all honored by the organization. In 2010, Mackenzie worked a Communications and Marketing graduate assistant, working as social media coordinator for the university's web services team.

She graduated magna cum laude from ISU with a BS in Business Marketing in 2010 and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the ISU Scott College of Business in 2011. During her time at Indiana State, she also spent one season as the ISU Women’s Golf Team Assistant Coach and co-founded a non-profit organization called Tee it Up, Inc. Tee it Up was a means of growing the game of golf and sharing her passion with underserved communities. In 2011, Tee it Up was awarded a grant that allowed Mackenzie and her team to teach golf to kids in Bitburg, Germany.

As a student of the game, Mackenzie perfected her craft by becoming a teaching professional member of the LPGA T & CP and PGA of America. She has also held status on both the Suncoast Ladies and LPGA Symetra Tours.

Now as a teacher Mackenzie specializes in junior golf and youth development. She has influenced the lives of over 75,000 youth through the game of golf. Mackenzie’s #1 goal is to grow the game of golf so that everyone can experience all it has given to her and all it has to offer.

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Mackenzie Mack's website
Junior Clinic and Mackenzie Mack (video, 2017, 2:15)
Scott College, students forge beneficial community partnerships (Portfolio Magazine, Fall 2012, page22)
Linking Education: ISU graduate's nonprofit teaches children through golf (December 21, 2011)
Grad student helps promote Indiana State via social media (June 30, 2010)

TJ Mattick '01, '05

TJ is a member of the Scott College of Business’ Young Professionals Board. After earning his degree, TJ went to work for Fifth Third Bank as a relationship manager for several years, and he has been with Harris Bank since 2009, first as relationship manager, then as vice president. In addition to serving as vice president, he is a manager of Harris Bank’s Central Indiana Business Banking Group. In 2011, he finished as the number one relationship manager in the entire Harris Bank business banking group and was the only employee to qualify for the “Millionaire’s Club,” producing at least $1 million in revenue. He also serves as a mentor to business students and is very involved in college activities and business connections.

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Carolene Mays '85

An ISU Experience

Carolene Mays who graduated in 1985 with a degree in management and a minor in marketing, credits her ISU experience for helping her become a successful business woman.

She worked several jobs while attending ISU, but still found time to be a Sycamore cheerleader, and she was active in Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. "Getting involved in college helps tremendously," she said.

True Entrepreneur

Mays has had active careers in business and journalism. A 2002 recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award, she was also active in community and educational organizations in the Indianapolis area. From 1998-2010, Mays was publisher and general manager of The Indianapolis Recorder, the fourth oldest African-American newspaper in the United States. "The accounting and the business planning skills that I learned at Indiana State" came back to aid Mays in her effort to make The Indianapolis Recorder the success it is today.

Mays also served as a Democratic member of the Indiana House of Representatives (served from 2002 to 2008) and early in 2010 was appointed by Gov. Mitch Daniels to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission.

A Look Back

"I loved Indiana State. The professors in the School of Business had a tremendous impact on my life. They were extremely challenging, but very good and thorough. The business school has got to be one of the best."

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Commencement filled with firsts, hope, accomplishment (December 13, 2008)​
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Distinguished Alumna Carolene Mays '85 (2002 video, 2:51)
Photo Gallery

William Jean McFarland, '60 (Merchandising)

William was born on February 21, 1937. A 1960 graduate of Indiana State Teachers College, majoring in Merchandising, he received the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1980. While at Indiana State, he was an active member of Beta Iota Sigma. William headed the nation’s leading olive processing company and largest supplier of bulk wine. He was president of the Early California Foods, Inc. when he received the Distinguished Alumni Award. The firm was the flagship of Early California Industries, Inc.

Rob McLin, '86 (Accounting & Business Management)

Rob McLin graduated from the college in 1986 with degrees in Accounting and Business Management. He started work at Good Samaritan Hospital, Vincennes in 1992 as internal auditor and has been their President and CEO since 2010. In January 2020, Rob was named Board Chairman of the Indiana Hospital Association.

 

 

Patrick Mendenhall, '10 (Business Administration)

Patrick graduated in 2010 with a degree in Business Administration. He works as Fleet Sales Manager at Cumberland International Trucks and is making a big impact in the Tennessee Trucking Association (TTA).

In 2018, Patrick was instrumental in forming the Young Professional Council within the TTA to encourage and develop leaders within the organization. That and winning a sales competition held by International Trucks won him the TTA Young Professional of the Year award last year.

Patrick was also recognized in the 2019 Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award in the Clean Air category for improving fleet fuel economy with Cumberland‘s C10 Project.

Matt Mershon, '05

Matt Mershon came to Terre Haute for his freshman year of college at Indiana State University in 2001 and he’s been making a difference in the business world ever since.

Mershon, who is originally from Crawfordsville, Ind., completed several internships before graduating with a bachelor’s degree in management information systems in 2005, including one his sophomore year in Indianapolis at Inland Container, a corrugated board manufacturing company, where he worked in the corporate office.

His future in business was a no-brainer. Through high school, he started to see it was the path he wanted to take in life. His mom was in the business field and worked on computers at Inland; when he saw his mom come home and talk about her day, he’d help her troubleshoot. It got him interested in MIS and he knew that was his path coming in to Indiana State.

Edwin Miller, '68, Gr '69 (MBA)

Edwin Miller serves as president and Chief Executive Officer of Millennium Capital Group, a private investment firm with headquarters in Fair Hills, NJ. In 1998, he retired from Eli Lilly and Company as vice president of finance and corporate treasurer, after serving 29 years in numerous key roles. He earned the distinguished Alumni Award in 2004.

Mr. Miller was awarded both a bachelor of science and master of business administration (MBA) degrees, with honors, from Indiana State University. He joined Lilly in 1969 as a financial planning analyst. During his career there, he held positions in corporate finance, treasury, pharmaceutical marketing and financial, business development and served as Chief Financial Officer for two medical device companies.

Mr. Miller serves on the board of directors for Coachmen Industries, Inc., Lynx Capital Corporation, and previously served on the board of the DowElanco Corporation prior to it becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Dow Chemical Corporation. He is active in Indiana affairs, serving as a board member for the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and the Indiana State University Foundation. He has served as a trustee for the Indiana Historical Society.

Edwin & Mary Ann Miller Scholarship

Dawn Minas '03

Dawn Minas came to Indiana State on a softball scholarship and graduated in 2003 with degrees in business administration and psychology. She later opened the Culver (Ind.) Coffee Company with the help of friends and family and, in 2008, celebrated the company's fifth anniversary. Minas is a member of ISU's Alumni Board of Directors and comes back to the College of Business occasionally as a guest speaker.

 

 

Randall Minas, '75 (Management and Accounting)

Eye on the Prize

A '75 graduate (cum laude) in management (minor in accounting) at the age of 20, Minas worked hard and graduated early to pursue a future in finance. He is now senior vice president at City Securities Corp., a private client group headquartered in Indianapolis. He and his family reside in Merrillville, Ind.

Investing in the Future

As part of the grand opening festivities for the Scott College of Business' financial trading room, Minas and his daughter, Dawn Minas (Business Administration/Psychology, ’03) shared financial and managerial insights with business students and faculty. Randall and his wife, Nancy, and the Lilly Endowment, Inc. are the benefactors for the College's Minas Center for Investment and Financial Education. The Minas Center supports operations of the Scott College of Business' financial trading room and the Student Investment Club, which manages a portfolio of nearly half a million dollars. "ISU has been an important part of our lives and in our daughter, Dawn's," said Randall Minas. "Establishing this fund allows us to give back to the university and to impact the lives of students and faculty in the future in a unique way."

Randy Minas also was appointed in 2008 by Gov. Mitch Daniels to the ISU Board of Trustees. In 2009, Randy and his wife, Nancy, donated an additional $1.3 million in support of the Minas Center and also an expanded trading room in the Scott College of Business' new home in downtown Terre Haute (the former Federal Building). In 2010, their son, Randall Minas, Jr., became the third ISU alumnus in the Minas family, graduating from the Scott College of Business with an MBA (Master of Business Administration) degree.

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Trustees president: University completes ‘banner year' (​June 14, 2013)​
University trustees select officers for 2012-13 (August 8, 2012)​
Foundation presents 2010 Philanthropy Awards​ (​April 12, 2010)​
Financial education gets boost from major donation (​October 16, 2009)​
Indiana State Honors Four with Distinguished Alumni Awards​ (​October 13, 2008)​
The Opening of the Original Financial Trading Room​ (2008 video, 2:34)
College of Business opens financial trading room​ (​November 15, 2007​)
University to invest $1.75 million in selected programs (​​April 26, 2007)​
Minas Center for Investment and Financial Education​ (​January 23, 2007​)
Photo Galleries

Enock Momanyi, ’20 (Marketing)

Enock Momanyi, ’20, spent his time at Indiana State University being an example for how to get involved and set yourself up for success after graduation. Born in Eldoret, Kenya and now residing in Terre Haute, Momanyi majored in marketing with a focus on marketing management while a student at Indiana State.

Momanyi’s involvement on campus was a major contributor to his experience at State. One of the organizations that had the greatest impact was She’s the First ISU, or STF. In this organization, students raised money to help girls in developing countries get an education and break a cycle of poverty. Momanyi was also involved in the American Marketing Association, or AMA. He learned valuable skills for his major through this group by contacting local marketing firms to bring in representatives to discuss the benefits of a career in marketing.

Momanyi held two jobs while at ISU, one in Mentoring Assistance for Productive Scholars, or MAPS, and another in the Indiana State University Marketing Office as a student office assistant.

Enoch says that "Indiana State has accepted me for who I am and who I want to be; the people I’ve met, the lessons I’ve learned, and the business acumen I’ve gained, I would not trade for anything else because I am now more confident than ever that I can reach my dreams. BLUE is dreaming big and doing it.”

<< Full Story >>

Mark Morgan, '76 (Accounting)

A recognized financial expert, Mark Morgan earned his bachelors degree in accounting from Indiana State University in 1976. He was named a Distinguished Alumni Award recipient in 2003. At that time, he was vice president for finance supporting research for Pfizer Pharmaceutical Company.

since graduating from Indiana State with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting, Mark Morgan has used his education, initiative, and work ethic to forge a successful career in business finance. Currently, vice president for finance with Pfizer, Morgan credits his experience at ISU for preparing him for the challenges he meets in his position with the world's largest pharmaceutical company.

Following graduation in 1976, Morgan took an entry-level accountant position with a small automotive radiator manufacturer in Wisconsin. Morgan's future in the pharmaceutical industry began three years later when he became assistant operations controller for Sterling Drug in Bloomington, Illinois. In 1984 he accepted a position at S.C. Johnson Wax and in 1989 was named manager of corporate general accounting. First hired as director of finance with Pfizer, Morgan has been promoted to his current position as vice president. In the process Morgan and his family have moved ten times to seven states and Germany. His experiences with Pfizer have included responsible roles in the company's acquisition of Warner-Lambert and Pharmacea - two of the largest mergers in history.

Today, Morgan is a recognized financial expert. He is author of three articles published in professional accounting journals, one of which received an award of excellence, and is a frequent speaker at business conferences and symposiums including the Kelly School of Business at Indiana University and the Balanced Scorecard Forum at Harvard University. He has also taught as an adjunct instructor at the university-level and serves as a Pfizer Junior Achievement Sponsor. Mark is also on the Board of Directors of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA).

Active also with young people and his community, Morgan has coached children's sports teams and led a local Cub Scouts unit. In addition, he has led his church's congregation as a monitor and chaired the financial committee. At Pfizer he co-chairs a group who donates materials and helps maintain Camp Horizons, an assisted living camp for mentally challenged individuals.

Morgan and his wife, Jody, have two sons and reside in Stonington, Conn.

Five to Receive Distinguished Alumni Awards at ISU Homecoming (October 15, 2003)
Distinguished Alumni: Mark Morgan (video, 2003, 2:51)

Timothy J. O'Neill '69

An Indiana State University alumnus with more than 35 years experience in the banking industry, O'Neill retired as an executive of First Indiana Bank of Indianapolis. He served as senior vice president and president of the bank's national mortgage operation before retiring in 2005. He served as interim president of the ISU Foundation in 2006 (he had served on the ISU Foundation Board since 1996) and was honored with the 2007 ISU Distinguished Alumni Award. He was a member of ISU's Board of Trustees from 1987 to 1995 and was a member of the ISU Alumni Association Board from 1979 to 1985.

 

Tim and Bobbie O’Neill

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Photo Gallery 1 | Photo Gallery 2 | Photo Gallery 3

Todd Osburn '85

The Todd A. Osburn and Caroline C. Howe Financial Services Suite (FD105) houses the accounting, finance, networks, insurance and risk management programs in the Scott College of Business.

Todd and Caroline began their professional careers working in the financial services industry. Fittingly, the couple met while working at the same bank. Since graduating from Indiana State University in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting, Todd has held several positions with the financial industry. Since 1996 he has been a founding partner at Greyrock Capital Group, a private investment firm that provides mezzanine debt and equity to finance buyouts, recapitalizations and internal growth needs of middle-market companies. While a student, Todd was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity.

Todd and Caroline believe in giving back. Todd serves on the Sycamore Holdings Foundation Board and Caroline was the Chief Operating Officer of the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Supporting the financial education programs at Indiana State was important to the couple because of the impact Indiana State had on Todd’s career and will have on future graduates from its programs. They know that by supporting Federal Hall, the financial services programs will grow, continue to improve and assist fellow Sycamores to succeed.

On April 28, 2017, the generous couple made one of the largest individual gifts in Indiana State University history. Their $7.5 million planned gift, $5 million of which is for the Scott College of Business, is uniquely structured to both help the most financially strapped students and to ensure their professional readiness upon graduation.

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Chicago couple’s donation among largest in university history (April 28, 2017)
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Todd Osburn profile (December 1, 2014 - Internet Archive)
Speakers announced for December commencement (November 18, 2014)
Photo Gallery

Warner H. Paige, III, '66 (Marketing)

Warner graduated from Indiana State University with a bachelors in marketing in 1966. He earned distinction in the field of music as part of his family’s music store which specialized in providing music education and band and orchestra instruments to Indiana schools and residents. Paige received the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1966. At that time he was the fourth-generation to run the family’s music store, Paiges Music Shop.

 

 

James Pajakowski

James Pajakowski is Protiviti’s executive vice president, global risk and advisory services. He oversees the delivery of Protiviti’s services in the areas of finance and transactions, operations, technology, litigation, governance, risk, and compliance. Prior to Protiviti, he was a partner with Arthur Andersen, where he started his career in 1982. Throughout the years, he has consulted with clients in a variety of areas, including due diligence, business process improvement, enterprise risk assessment, enterprise risk management, finance transformation, financial reporting process improvement, financial investigations and the execution of internal and external audits. Pajakowski currently serves on the boards of the Chicago Chamber of Commerce and the Salvation Army in Chicago.​

AJ Patton, '09 (Finance)

Born and raised in Terre Haute, Indiana, this Indiana State alum made a big impact in the Windy City. He’s the Managing Partner and CEO at 548 Capital LLC and made Chicago’s 40 under 40 list.

AJ said that "Indiana State University offered an opportunity to not just attend college, but to lead. I was Student Government Associate president for two terms and had a seat on ISU’s Board of Trustees (non-voting). It was a great experience. ISU offered me more than just being a student; they gave me a platform to build my leadership skills both in the community, and in the business world. I spent almost ten years at Equities and then I started 548 Capital LLC, which is a collection of companies that do real estate development, solar development, and investment management."

He continued "Indiana State prepared me for success because it had a truly diverse student population. It is a school that truly engages all communities. Some of my favorite organizations to be part of were Student Government Association, Alpha Tau Omega, and Black Student Union. Important projects I was involved with included building the Student Recreation Center, designing the campus bus system, and recreating the used textbooks program."

"I would advise current students to be involved in at least three groups or programs outside of the classroom, try something different, and make an effort to grow and evolve. Think big, dream big, and learn how to build coalitions."

Milos Pavlovic, ’12, GR ’15

Milos Pavlovic, ’12, GR ’15, thought he would continue the acting and voiceover work he did in his native Belgrade, Serbia when he decided to pursue his undergraduate study in theater at Indiana State University.

“My interests in business grew and I decided to switch my major to insurance and risk management during my sophomore year after I took the intro class and realized the opportunities the program has to offer,” he said.

Pavlovic joined Sycamore Ambassadors, Gamma Iota Sigma, Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Finance Club and worked in the Meis Center, where he taught lectures about business etiquette and diversity while earning his Master of Business Administration with a focus in finance and operations and supply chain management.

Jennifer Petersen '98

Received ISU's GOLD Award. Served as a student teacher for Debbie Davidson at Ben Davis while a student at ISU. She now teaches in the business department there. She was the recipient of the National Business Education Association Award of Merit her first year out of college, and earned the North Central Business Education Association Distinguished Service Award as Emerging Professional of the Year in 2002. She has returned to ISU as a presenter for the Business Education Clinic and was part of Networks Financial Institute K-12 Financial Literary Task Force.

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Daniel Pigg '03

Pigg, a partner in Howard Clare Insurance in Terre Haute, has been very involved with his alma mater since graduation. He serves on the Scott College of Business' Insurance Advisory Council and inaugural Young Professionals Board, volunteers his time with our student chapter of Gamma Iota Sigma and occasionally visits to speak to students in our insurance and risk management program.

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Chris Pillow '04 (Marketing)

Pillow, who graduated from ISU in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in marketing, is regional sales manager for Pillow Logistics, where he works to increase visibility and sales in the Midwest. He also has worked for UniFirst Corp. and Yellow Book USA in Chicago. He also tutors children in mathematics and English.

He currently is a board member of ISU's African-American Alumni Council, which strives to engage alumni in university life and provide financial support to council initiatives and mentoring and networking opportunities. While a student at ISU, he was a wide receiver for the Sycamores football team. Chris was awarded the Graduate of the Last Decade (GOLD) Award in 2012.

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Chris Pillow, 2016 (Photo Gallery)

Richard Porter '77 (Business Management)

Porter, from Hammond, Indiana, graduated with a degree in business management while also competing for ISUs track and field team as a hurdler.

Porter’s 40-year career includes positions at Kimball International, Rockwell International, and Ingersoll International. For the past 15 years, he has been a partner in a private equity group. He has built a platform of manufacturing companies in Ohio and New Hampshire.

The Porters have a history of giving to ISU. In 2015, Rich played an instrumental role in the donation of $500,000 in software to the College of Technology from Hurco Companies, where he serves on the board of directors. Porter and his wife, Robin, recently donated $250,000 to create the Rich & Robin Porter Cancer Research Center. The donation will support five research fellows.

Porter currently serves on the ISU Foundation Board as Chair. He also serves on the boards of the James Cancer Hospital (Ohio State University) Foundation and the French Oil Company. The Porters reside in Troy, Ohio, and Hilton Head, S.C. He received the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2021.

Distinguished Alumni Award winners announced (September 7, 2021)
ISU Foundation board welcomes new members (August 18, 2015)
College of Technology receives $500,000 software donation (February 23, 2015)

Ray Price, '28

Dr. Ray G. Price received the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1964. Price, who earned his bachelors degree in education in 1928 from Indiana State Normal School, was recognized for his service to the promotion of business education. At the time of being selected for the award, Price was a professor of education at the University of Minnesota. While at Indiana State, Ray was president of the Commerce Club. Ray was also a charter member of the American Council on Consumer Interests amd president of the organization 1954-56.

Steven Pruett '78

Pruett has a lot of experience in U.S. power markets having been involved in them for over 20 years. He started with PSI Energy (Cinergy), then Goldman Sachs as an advisor to Constellation Power Source, and he later became managing director for Goldman Sachs in New York City. There, he was responsible for establishing and running U.S. Power Business in the Commodities group of Goldman Sachs. In doing so, he was responsible for managing the risks and the profits of the U.S. Power Business. He currently resides in Florida.

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Cecil Puckett, '25

A 1925 Indiana State Normal School graduate, Dr. Cecil Puckett received a Distinguished Alumni Award in 1962. Puckett was active in gaining national recognition for the field of business administration. He was vice president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, Kansas and in charge of the Denver, Colorado branch when he received the award in 1962.