Awards

The College of Management salutes the following alumni who have been recognized for their successes in their careers and their outstanding support of the university.

David Morgan - 2007
Gary Massey - 2006-07
Stan Kelly - 2005
Michael Constantino - 2004
H. Fred Gallasch Jr. - 2003
Alvin M. Cruze - 2002
Hans Peter Binswanger - 2001
Shawn A. Dorsch - 2000
Billy Ray Hall - 2000
James W. Owens - 1999
Harold S. Lichtin - 1998
Richard K. Bryant - 1997
Anne Marie (Rompalske) Pecht - 1996
Will B. Spence, Jr. - 1995
Johnny B. Kerr - 1994

Alumni Award Recipients

Photo of Stan Kelly receiving the college's Outstanding Alumnus AwardStan Kelly (1980) of Winston Salem was named the 2005 College of Management Outstanding Alumnus by the NC State Alumni Association. The award was presented at the second annual NC State Evening of Stars Gala held Nov. 18 in Raleigh. Kelly was nominated for the award by the college in recognition of his professional achievements, community service and service to NC state. He is president of wealth management at Wachovia, and serves on the college's Achieve! Campaign steering committee.


Michael ConstantinoMichael Constantino (1984, 1985) of Cary won the 2004 Distinguished Alumni Award from the College of Management.

Constantino is a certified public accountant with more than 19 years of experience with Ernst and Young, specializing in emerging biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device companies as well as contract research organizations. As Ernst and Young's Southeast area life sciences industry leader, Constantino has led clients through initial public offerings, debt offerings, mergers, acquisitions and private equity offerings. Constantino (pictured far left) accepted his reward at the Nov. 5, 2004, Alumni 'Evening of Stars' celebration from presenter Peaches Gunter Blank, chair of the NC State Board of Trustees, and then-interim College of Management Dean Gil Zuckerman.

Fred Gallasch, right, and Jon BartleyDr. H. Fred Gallasch Jr., a longtime General Motors executive, received the college's 2003 Distinguished Alumnus Award on Oct. 31, 2003.

Gallasch, of Franklin, Mich., is implementation manager of Global Manufacturing Systems for North America Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing at General Motors. He earned master's and doctoral degrees in economics from NC State in 1967 and 1973. Since then, he has worked for General Motors in a variety of research, marketing and leadership roles.

In 1991, Gallasch became involved with the Chevrolet Corvette and played an important role in developing the fifth (and current) generation Corvette model. Gallasch's current position involves facilitating the use of lean manufacturing in the sales and marketing division of GM. Gallasch has been involved with NC State as a guest speaker in graduate economics classes and at the Graduate Symposium. He also has supported the Economics Graduate Fellowship program.

Alvin M. Cruze at Graduate SymposiumDr. Alvin M. Cruze, (pictured far left) distinguished vice president of Research Triangle Institute, was named the college's 2002 Distinguished Alumnus and was recognized at the college's Graduate Symposium and at the University's Distinguished Alumni Awards. Cruze, now retired in Huntsville, Ala., earned a Ph.D. in economics from NC State in 1972. Cruze has spent more than 35 years with RTI, an independent, nonprofit organization in Research Triangle Park devoted to research and development in a variety of fields, including health, environment, education and technology. From 1989 until his retirement in 2002, he was executive vice president and chief operating officer of RTI. Cruze has supported NC State and the Department of Economics by serving as a class speaker, recruiting students to the graduate program, and contributing to the Economics Graduate Fellowship Fund.

Hans Peter BinswangerWorld Bank economist Dr. Hans Peter Binswanger, of Washington, D.C., was named the NC State College of Management's 2001 Distinguished Alumnus. He is the World Bank's sector director for environment, rural and social development for the African region.

Binswanger earned a doctoral degree in economics at NC State in 1973 and , at the time of the award, had published seven books and 10 journal articles on agricultural economics. He is an active member of the American Agricultural Economics Association, and was named one of their fellows in 1998. Other honors include AAEA's Award for Excellence in Publication in 1979 and Award for Quality of Research Discovery in 1988. He also is a major contributor to the NC State Economics Graduate Fellowship Fund. Binswanger was honored at the university's annual Distinguished Alumni Awards Luncheon and at the College of Management's ribbon-cutting ceremony for Nelson Hall, both on Oct. 26.

Shawn Dorsch with Jon BartleyShawn A. Dorsch of Charlotte, a 1986 NC State alumnus and president, chief operating officer and co-founder of Derivatives Net, received the university's Outstanding Young Alumnus Award in April 2000.

The NC State Alumni Association recognized Dorsch's service to the university during its annual Alumni Reunion Weekend activities. Derivatives Net has developed and tested a $14 million Internet-based trading system called Blackbird that experts say could revolutionize the global derivatives business. At NC State, Dorsch has served on the Park Scholars selection committee and recruited NC State graduates to his Charlotte-based company. In addition, he is actively involved with the faculty of the Center for Economics and Business.

Billy Ray HallAlso during Alumni Weekend, the College of Management presented its 2000 Distinguished Alumnus Award to Billy Ray Hall (Economics '69 and '70) in recognition of his outstanding professional achievements and service to the university.

Hall is founding president of the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center, which is recognized nationally for its innovative economic development programs. The center has won former President Clinton's Award for Excellence in Microenterprise Development. Former Gov. James B. Hunt appointed Hall as director of the Hurricane Floyd Redevelopment Center. Hall continues to interact with faculty and students at the College.

James W. Owens and Jon BartleyDr. James W. Owens ('73) was the 1999 recipient of the College of Management Outstanding Alumnus Award. Dr. Owens was recognized for his professional business achievements and stellar career with Caterpillar, Inc. and positive impact on his community through service. Owens visited NC State and the College of Management on April 22, 1999 to accept the award from Dean Jon Bartley and to interact with students, faculty and staff.

Owens joined Caterpillar Inc. in 1972 as a corporate economist and three years later was named chief economist of Caterpillar Overseas in Geneva, Switzerland. He spent seven years at the corporate headquarters in Illinoie in managerial positions in accounting and product source planning before relocating to Indonesia to head the company's joint venture there. Owens was named president of Solar Turbines Inc., a Caterpillar subsidiary in San Diego in 1990, and in 1993, became vice president and chief financial officer for the Corporate Services Division. As group president, he has administrative responsibility for seven divisions with a focus on global construction, finance and customer service. A native of Elizabeth City, N.C., Dr. Owens completed his Ph.D. in Economics at NC State in 1973. He also earned his B.S. and Master's degrees in textiles from NC State.

The 1998 College of Management Distinguished Alumnus Award was presented to Harold S. Lichtin ('70). Soon after graduating from NC State, Lichtin began his business career managing properties for a mortgage banking firm. In 1977, he started his own real estate business, working out of an office in the basement of his house.

In the early 1980s, Lichtin was one of the first developers to recognize the potential need for increased commercial office space in the Triangle/RDU Airport region and was instrumental in the building of the Research Triangle Park. In 1995, the Triangle Business Journal named Lichtin Properties the "most successful real estate development management company in the Triangle area." Currently, Lichtin is teaming with his sons and daughter to develop office buildings and invest in start-up companies. He continues his strong interest and involvement with a variety of civic, business and educational organizations, including NC State, where Lichtin and his wife, Noel, have funded an endowment supporting two undergraduate scholarships for students in the College of Management.

Richard K. Bryant ('81) received the 1997 Distinguished Alumnus Award from the College of Management. Bryant, a native of Gastonia, received the honor on April 4 at the annual Alumni Awards Luncheon during NC Sate Alumni Weekend activities. Following his 1981 graduation from NC State, Bryant worked in the financial services industry for several years. He then formed Capital Investment Counsel and Capital Investment Group Inc., a securities brokerage and advisory firm. That venture has grown into one of the largest independent brokerage firms in the Carolinas, with 140 brokers managing more than $100 million. Bryant graduated from NC State with a degree in business management.

Mrs. Anne Marie (Rompalske) Pecht '79 was the College of Management 1996 Distinguished Alumna. Pecht is a senior attorney in the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division, where she is a known and respected authority in the Disability Rights Section.

The 1995 Distinguished Alumnus was Will B. Spence, Jr., president and chief operating officer, Wachovia Bank, South Carolina, N.A.

The college's first Distinguished Alumnus Award winner, Johnny B. Kerr ('80), was honored at the annual alumni weekend luncheon in 1994. Kerr was president of Kerr Drug Stores, Inc. until the family-owned drug chain was sold.