Recognizing the outstanding achievement, leadership and service from its undergraduate students, faculty, staff and alumni, Fisher College of Business recently honored the recipients of the 2018 Pace Setters Awards.

The annual awards, which were first bestowed in 1961, recognize the top 1 percent of undergraduate students at Fisher, based on academic performance and leadership and service. Additionally, faculty and staff from across the college are presented with awards.

“For more than a century, business education at The Ohio State University has gone hand-in-hand with leadership development,” said Anil K. Makhija, dean and John W. Berry, Sr. Chair in Business. “And since the first Pace Setters Awards were handed out in 1961, our college has continued to recognize the very best leaders — in the classroom, in academia and in the service of our community. The students, faculty and staff we honored join an elite group of high-achieving students, demonstrated and principled leaders and humble servants.”

Ami Scott (BSBA ’94, MBA ’94) was named the recipient of the Pace Setters Executive Award. Scott is a finance partner at Schiff Hardin in Washington, D.C., and remains engaged with Fisher in a number of meaningful ways. She created a pair of scholarship funds that serve underrepresented students at the college and provide access to global opportunities. And she is a familiar face in the Washington, D.C. area, serving as an ambassador for Fisher.

More than 50 undergraduate students were named Pace Setters Award winners, and five others received recognition as special award winners. Four faculty members and two Fisher staff members were also honored for their contributions to education, research and the college.

Special Student Awards

Jack W. Stephenson Award
Clay Raterman
“Clay has the heart of an entrepreneur. It is clear from his comments in class that he understands the fundamentals of how business works, and is always thinking ahead to the next step. I know he will be a great success in anything he tries.”

Katherine Porter Allen Award
Maria Grund
“Maria is passionate about giving back to students through her desire to help them build strong résumés. She even helps students in her sorority with their résumés — not because it is a job, but because she truly enjoys helping others. She comes to work with a smile on her face every day and carries out her responsibilities with enthusiasm.”

Walter M. Rudin Junior Award
Mason White
“Mason is humble, articulate, passionate, caring, funny, and very personable. Mason is one of those students you meet at college and think, ‘Wow this kid is really going places! I can’t wait to see him in 20 years.’ He is a true gem of the Fisher Ambassador program!”

Robert E. Georges Senior Award
Andrew Kitay
“He exemplifies the vision and principled leadership that Fisher and the world needs. It really has been a privilege to work with Andrew. It’s student’s like him that add meaning and joy to my role at Fisher.”

S. Maurice Bostic and Birch S.M. Bostic Memorial Award
John Strayer
“John was an inspiration to all of the students in my class as we strive to accomplish even half of what he has. He always made time for questions and was very approachable and easy to talk to. I know of so many more resources because of him.”

Faculty Awards

Westerbeck Graduate Teaching Award
Larry Inks
Clinical Associate Professor, Management and Human Resources
“In exit interviews with students, Larry’s course, Leadership, Talent Management & Organizational Behavior in Health Sciences, was nearly unanimously highlighted as the most important and best-delivered class in the Graduate Business Minor for Health Sciences program.”

Westerbeck Undergraduate Teaching Award
Bruce Bellner
Senior Lecturer, Management and Human Resources
“His efforts and contributions have touched all students on their journeys from college students to industry leaders.”

Faculty Research Award
Justin Birru
Assistant Professor, Finance
“Justin is able to execute high-quality research independently. He brings a high level of attention to detail and uses multiple types of empirical methods to address his research question. His papers on retail investor behavior make significant contributions to a growing area of finance examining how investor sentiment affects asset pricing and also have practical applications for investment advisors.”

Bostic-Georges Faculty Service Award
Shashi Matta
Clinical Associate Professor, Marketing and Logistics
“His desire to provide Fisher MBA students with the tools, skills and opportunities to realize their leadership potential made him a natural fit for this service-based award.”

Staff Awards

Coykendale Rising Star Award
Katie Reynolds
“Katie has been an amazing asset to the Office of Career Management and has made significant contributions to Fisher students, Fisher College of Business, and The Ohio State University in just a little over two years. The core values we observe Katie exemplify on a daily basis are trust and collaboration.”

Coykendale Service Excellence Award
Andrea Evans
“Andrea continues to take on increasing responsibility, volunteering for projects, working late, and putting in countless hours to make our advising program better. She never stops trying to improve, and on numerous occasions she has come up with valuable ideas and strategies for working with students and streamlining processes and procedures.”