With a nod to rock band Queen and inspiration from the Broadway hit Hamilton, the University of Central Florida College of Business inducted three distinguished alumni at its 18th annual Hall of Fame gala Thursday evening at Rosen Shingle Creek.
More than 740 alumni, community and corporate partners celebrated the Knight at the Opera-themed inductions of Sonya Dixon, 麻豆精品 S�96, 麻豆精品 S�98, chief financial officer and senior vice president at Holiday Inn Club Vacations; Antonio 麻豆精品 S淭ony 麻豆精品 S� Moreno Jr., 麻豆精品 S�91, managing partner/financial consultant, MPC Wealth Management; and Michael O’Donnell, 麻豆精品 S�09, executive/entrepreneur for the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at UCF. The Hall of Fame is the highest honor given by the college to graduates who have been in the industry for at least 20 years and have brought notoriety to the university through their professional achievements.
麻豆精品 S淥ur annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony where we honor our most successful alums is an affirming event for our faculty and staff 麻豆精品 S攊t reminds us why we do what we do, 麻豆精品 S� said Paul Jarley, Ph.D, dean of UCF College of Business. 麻豆精品 S淚t also is an opportunity to show our community what our college and our students are all about and why we are worthy of their time, talent and treasure. 麻豆精品 S�
On Thursday, the college honored longtime partners CFE Federal Credit Union, Lockheed Martin and entrepreneurs Chip Headley, 麻豆精品 S�78, 麻豆精品 S�97, Rock 麻豆精品 S橢m Apparel and founder Rob Starkman and UBreakiFix founder Justin Wetherill, 麻豆精品 S�07. Also recognized were Notable Knights Joe Barbito, 麻豆精品 S�02, vice president of Agency Management, Galaxy Asset Management, LLC.; Kevin O 麻豆精品 S機onnell, 麻豆精品 S�02, managing partner, Northwestern Mutual; John Gill, 麻豆精品 S�86, president and CEO, Quest Inc.; and Yvonne Baker, 麻豆精品 S�80, 麻豆精品 S�11, regional managing partner, Franklin Street.
The night began with a Minute of Mentorship, at which business students asked guests for career and professional-development advice. High-energy musical numbers, led by UCF mascot Knightro, bookended the night.
麻豆精品 S淏usiness people, entrepreneurs and economists have not always been represented fairly in popular culture. But now 麻豆精品 S� in 2017 麻豆精品 S� we are indisputably cool. The biggest show on Broadway is about the founder of our nation 麻豆精品 S檚 financial system. And he 麻豆精品 S檚 the hero, 麻豆精品 S� said master of ceremonies Grant J. Heston, 麻豆精品 S�13, vice president of Communications and Marketing at UCF, as he introduced the opening song. 麻豆精品 S淟ike Alexander Hamilton, our students are 麻豆精品 S榶oung, scrappy and hungry 麻豆精品 S� and they 麻豆精品 S檙e not giving away their shot at success, at making a difference or at this opportunity to tell their story in song. 麻豆精品 S�
Several business students joined professional dancers to perform the 麻豆精品 S淏-School Rapsody, 麻豆精品 S� an original song set to the tune of Freddie Mercury 麻豆精品 S檚 iconic 麻豆精品 S淏ohemian Rhapsody, 麻豆精品 S� which appears on Queen 麻豆精品 S檚 麻豆精品 S淣ight at the Opera 麻豆精品 S� album. At the end of the night, 40 student ambassadors joined Knightro and the dance company for a rousing rendition of Queen 麻豆精品 S檚 stadium anthem 麻豆精品 S淲e Will Rock You. 麻豆精品 S�
For more information regarding the UCF College of Business Hall of Fame, visit or email business@ucfalumni.com.