LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business and Management has announced the winners of the 8th Annual George Awards, honoring outstanding members of the Graziadio School community.
The George Awards, named for Pepperdine University benefactor and Imperial Bancorp founder George L. Graziadio, recognize select students, alumni, faculty, and corporate partners who exemplify integrity, stewardship, courage, and compassion, while enriching the business world through their superior skills and entrepreneurial spirit.
“We’re proud to recognize these individuals with 2016 George Awards for their pursuit of academic excellence and their contributions to our Pepperdine community and society at large,” said Rick R. Marrs, provost, Pepperdine University. “As we pay tribute to George Graziadio’s spirit and legacy through these awards, we honor the many ways in which these fine recipients challenge and inspire us to make our own mark in the world.”
This year’s student recipients are Christina Balcita, James Berneking, Peter Hsiung, Kyle Kichner, Whitney Merritt, Michael Sprague, and Andrea Tampellini. Student award recipients have maintained a minimum 3.5 GPA, completed at least two trimesters, and served as outstanding leaders in the classroom.
Alumni Caroline MacDonald (EMBA '13) and Don Goodwin (BS ’01, EMBA ’08) received the Waves of Service and Alumni Service awards, respectively.
Bernice Ledbetter, EdD, practitioner faculty in organizational theory and management, was honored with the Faculty Member Award. Dr. Ledbetter was instrumental in establishing the groundbreaking Center for Women in Leadership, which educates and empowers the women of Pepperdine through mentoring, skills development, research, and contribution to an ongoing dialogue.
The 2016 Corporate George Award was awarded to Bank of America in recognition of the company’s recruitment partnership with the Graziadio School and ongoing focus on leadership and service. Scott Yamamoto (MBA ’12), vice president of business support for Bank of America, accepted the award on the bank’s behalf.
George Award recipients were honored earlier this month during a ceremony at Hotel Casa del Mar in Santa Monica, during which they received their individual awards from Mary Lou Area and Alida Calvillo, George Graziadio’s daughters. Los Angeles business executive Mike Sims served as keynote speaker at the event. Sims has held senior management roles in the banking, higher education, publishing, business trade groups, and enterprise software industries, and served as executive officer, corporate and external relations, for the Graziadio School for 13 years. Prior to his tenure at Pepperdine, Sims worked closely with George Graziadio, co-founder of the $8 billion Imperial Bank, serving as a member of the bank's senior management team for over a decade.
In his remarks, Sims warmly recalled Graziadio’s philanthropy and his belief in recognition of good works, noting that Graziadio often said, “Life is not tied with a bow, but it is still a gift.” In 2002, Graziadio made a $15 million donation to the Pepperdine University Graziadio Business School, at the time one of the largest charitable contributions ever made to a business school. To honor his generosity, the school was later renamed in his honor.
About Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business and Management
A leader in cultivating entrepreneurship and digital innovation, the Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business and Management focuses on the real-world application of MBA-level business concepts. The Graziadio School provides student-focused, globally-oriented education through part-time, full-time, and executive MBA programs at our five Southern California locations and at our Silicon Valley, Santa Barbara, and Dallas campuses as well as through online and hybrid formats. In addition, the Graziadio School offers a variety of master of science programs, a bachelor of science in management degree-completion program, and the Presidents and Key Executives MBA, as well as executive education certificate programs. Follow the Graziadio School on Facebook, Twitter at @GraziadioSchool, and LinkedIn.
