Alumni & Friends News

Harley Blakeman (BSBA '17), founder and CEO of Honest Jobs in Columbus, founded the job-matching service two years ago in Columbus, and through the pandemic rebuilt the technology and shifted its target market to state agencies from individual employers.

Part of Ohio State for 60 years, Barbie Tootle has watched as our society and Ohio State underwent a cultural revolution. As a freshman in what was then the College of Commerce, she had no female professors and few women in her class. Today, with the second woman leading Ohio State as its president, Barbie recognizes how far the institution has progressed.

Thaddeus Spratlen (BSBA ’56, MA ’57, PhD ’62) built his career teaching business students and engaging the business community to help create, enhance and sustain the marketplace for underrepresented communities. Read more about the lasting impact this trailblazing alumnus continues to make.

Amber Hammond (BSBA ’15) knows an entrepreneur’s motivation can strike from the most unexpected places — an idea developed over a cup of coffee with a friend and scribbled on a paper napkin; a well-planned digital presentation for a class; or as Hammond knows, it can come from a seed planted following a global experience that uncovers a whole new world through the eyes of a different culture.

John Sass (MBA '05), Scotts' vice president of advertising at Scotts Miracle-Gro, details the company's strategy behind its Super Bowl ad this year.

Two Fisher alumni share their story of connecting through a college program, and across an ocean, as mentor and mentee.

As part of the “There’s a Better Way” podcast, Laurie Spadaro, director of the Master of Business Operational Excellence, program sat down with Terry Kayobotsi (MBOE '17, EMBA '19), technology analyst with Nationwide Insurance. Hear why Terry chose to pursue not only his MBOE but also an EMBA, and how his Fisher experience has had an impact in his professional career.

Lisa Ingram (MBA '00), CEO and president of White Castle, was named head of its board of directors. Ingram, a fourth-generation family member in the business, takes over for her father, Bill Ingram, who is retiring.

Embracing change took Fisher alumna Dawn Lyons (BSBA ’01) from a career marketing consumer product goods to leading an Emmy award-winning team with passion and purpose.

Burdened with the challenges many athletes face upon retirement, Mike Doss (MBOE '19) has successfully transitioned to the real estate space under Bob Weiler.

Making the most of his time outside the classroom, David McGrath aligns his passions and interests to create a multi-faceted business education.

Go behind the scenes inside Ohio Stadium as Joe DiPietro (BSBA ’04) talks about how empty seats this fall provided a new and creative opportunity to connect Ohio State fans. His venture not only gave football fans a safe way to show their support, but it also provided a meaningful way to connect generations of Buckeye family and friends. 

As part of the “There’s a Better Way” podcast, Kelly Meyers, executive MBA coordinator, talks with 2020 EMBA graduate Julia Yontz, about how she managed her professional career and her family life while going back to school. Yontz shares why she chose to pursue her Executive MBA while balancing work and growing her family simultaneously.

From engineering to grad school to founding a bakery, Brad Kaplan’s (MBA ’19) professional journey has been anything but typical. Read about how a hobby, discovered as an MBA student, has become a full-time career, and the valuable 

There is no one-size-fits-all career path for those with business degrees. Meet Satya Chauhan (MBA ’78), an alumnus who has put his graduate business degree to work leading research and development projects at Battelle for more than four decades.

See how the combination of different on-campus experiences, global opportunities and Ohio State’s alumni network helped shape Brian Folmer’s (BSBA ’11) development as a Fisher student and fostered his curiosity and passion for entrepreneurship. 

Zac Graber (BSBA ’18) discovered his passion for entrepreneurship at Ohio State, a journey that ultimately culminated in his selection as a recipient of the President’s Prize, the university's highest recognition bestowed on exceptional students committed to social change.

Meet Jay Clouse, a serial entrepreneur and self-described connector who feeds on the energy created by small groups of people who are passionate about what they do.

Football fans view him as a gladiator, but Sam Hubbard continues to define himself in ways beyond his sport.

Linear Labs received another major accolade with the announcement of the company's co-founder and CEO, Brad Hunstable (MBA '05), being named 2020 Top Private Company CEO of the Year by Fort Worth Business Press. 

Dwight Smith (BSBA '78, MBA '79) runs Sophisticated Systems like a parent runs a household. In the midst of a pandemic, he puts his employees’ health, safety and peace of mind first. Learn more about Smith's passions and how they extend well beyond business.

In 2010, Brandon Smith and Howard Patton took advantage of a global program offered at Fisher to experience how life and business were conducted internationally.

Jada Washington (BSBA ’20) leaned on some familiar faces at Fisher to help land her first job in a crowded workforce.

Read about the positive impact that Imran Nuri (BSBA '20) has made in the Columbus community through the work of his own newly launched nonprofit effort, the 52 Million Project. The concept behind his organization is simple: donors pledge to donate $1 a week for a year, and every week a portion is donated to a different nonprofit in the region.