Alumni & Friends News

The third annual Alumni of Color Network Weekend celebrated the connections among Fisher graduates and the personal and professional achievements of seven trailblazing alumni. Meet the individuals honored for their meaningful contributions to their profession, impact in academia and legacy of excellence in their professional careers.

Richard Castellano (BSBA ’82) turned to business to fulfill his lifelong dream of leading large companies, traveling the world and eventually becoming an entrepreneur. He shares how his Ohio State experience — and an early pivot in his education — provided him with the foundation for a successful career that led to his “perfect” retirement on the sea.

Sowmya Aggarwal (BSBA '07, MAcc '07), vice president of taxation at Cintas Corporation has been named to the Forty Under 40 list for 2023 published by the Cincinnati Business Courier.

At The Ohio State University’s 2023 summer commencement Sunday at the Jerome Schottenstein Center, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia L. Fudge (BSBA '75) encouraged the graduates to effect positive change.

Julie Sloat (BSBA '93, MBA '99) runs one of the U.S.’s largest electric utilities in a challenging period. Colleagues and analysts say she’s the right leader at the right time.

Adapting to different business cultures, economic drivers and customer needs guides Song Qi’s (MBA ’99) business success as an international executive. See how he’s broken barriers and what he’s learned as a manager of a global manufacturing team.

Imran Nuri (BSBA ’20) set out on a 15,000-mile road trip to find the meaning of life and himself. In the process, he laid the foundation for his newest entrepreneurial venture, “Advice from America,” a published collection of advice and guidance from complete strangers.

A passion for diversity, advocacy and changing the world for the better have guided Raven Tiem’s (MAcc ’17) purpose-driven career. She discusses her career change from accounting to technology and what prepared her to forge new paths leading diverse teams, creating new apps and helping find treatments for cancer.

He graduated high school and community college and enrolled at Ohio State at age 15. He was piloting planes before he was driving and now, at age 20, Torrington Ford is graduating with a dual major in air transportation and aviation management. Learn more about his incredible story and the support he’s received from family, friends, mentors and donors.

Telhio Credit Union recently announced the appointment of Nick Biratsis (BSBA '99) to the role of vice president of marketing. 

What’s the secret to business success? Learn how confidence, collaboration, balance, and being intellectually, emotionally and socially agile have guided Fisher alumnae into leadership roles and C-Suite careers.

Kathleen Sharp (MBOE ’15) left her mark on the world by improving health care for patients. Learn how, through a lifetime of living Lean, she changed the lives of people in her community and left a legacy for future Lean leaders at Fisher.

Meet Fisher’s best and brightest principled leaders and humble servants. This elite group of high achieving students, faculty and alumni were honored as Fisher’s very best ambassadors at this year’s Pace Setters awards.

What skills helped Elicia Azali (BSBA '05) establish herself as a strong business leaders? "I would say that having emotional intelligence, staying humble, and building strong relationships are all character traits that were the most instrumental to my success." Read more about Azali's ascent to marketing leadership positions at a number of high-profile companies.

Meet Noah Jellison (BSBA ’07) and learn how his experience will help the Risk Institute advance enterprise risk management practice and research.

Fisher students had an exclusive opportunity to connect with Ratmir Timashev (MA ’95) and to learn more about the professional possibilities that the software industry can provide. Timashev’s fireside chat at Fisher coincided with the announcement of his $110 million gift to Ohio State to create the Center for Software Innovation.

A historic, $110 million gift from the Timashev Family Foundation to The Ohio State University will establish the Center for Software Innovation, which will bring together the College of Engineering, Fisher College of Business and other partners in creative new ways, including through the creation of endowed professorships, cutting-edge academic offerings and hands-on industry experience for students. 

Learn more about Assistant Dean and Chief Diversity Officer Cynthia Turner (MAcc '95, PhD '96) and why she was recently recognized for her work advancing diversity, equity and inclusion at Fisher.

The Medical Advertising Hall of Fame opens its doors to the late Sander Flaum (BA '58) and Maureen Regan, two of the agency world’s most accomplished — and admired — leaders.

Tyree Pollard (MBA ’16) shares the impact that the BRIGHT program has had on his professional journey and his goal of helping Columbus City Schools, its students, teachers and administrators reach their full potential.

Meet Gavraj Sohal, a fourth-year finance major who credits the belief of his family and generosity of donors for shaping his academic career.

Learn about the people, mentoring and connections that Fisher alumni and students are leaning on and learning from on campus and in the professional world.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine didn't look far to find the his new head of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. Anne Vogel (BSBA '10) is set to take the helm of the organization after serving as DeWine's policy director.

Through her own life experiences, skills learned at Fisher and need for strength, Lauren Tamir (BSBA '14) built her brand.

While not a Business Buckeye by education — he graduated in 1958 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology — Sander Flaum found great success as a pharmaceutical marketing expert, entrepreneur, consultant to Fortune 500 companies, and motivational speaker and author. He shared those experiences and perspectives at Fisher as valued member of the college's Dean's Advisory Council, as a commencement speaker and as a philanthropic supporter.