News

Three School of Business alumni were recognized for outstanding leadership, service and impact at the Board of Visitors spring meeting. We check in with the winners to explore the significance of their achievements. Marc Villegas (MBA 05) , senior brand director at Procter & Gamble, embodies the values of integrity, character and ethical decision making, making him a deserving winner of the 2025 Judson D. DeRamus Distinguished Alumni Award. In his 20 years with P&G,...

Leah Wyrick (22), Founder & CEO, Three Strands Recovery Wear Every Connection Matters: How Wake Forest Opened Doors for Leah You are the CEO of Three Strands Recovery Wear. What inspired you to start your own business? My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was 16 years old; in 2016 she had a mastectomy and three subsequent surgeries due to complications. At that time, I was young, but old enough to understand that...

Britt Brown (MBA 22), Vice President Investment Banking SPG, Wells Fargo Alumna Advises Others to Take Charge of Their Careers Youve worked in trading and investment banking at Wells Fargo for almost eight years. What drew you to this field and how has your role changed over time? I entered the world of sales and trading after being encouraged by a mentor who recognized my potential as an exceptional candidate. I was determined to outwork...

Dana Alligood (MBA 97), Executive Director, WFU Center for Private Business Alumnas Lifelong Leadership Keeps Her in the Arena You have a unique connection to Wake Forest. Can you please provide a brief overview of your ties to Wake? My family connections to Wake Forest run deep. I attended Wake Forest for my MBA, and my husband, Jeff, is an alumnus. But my connection to Wake goes far beyond just my graduate degree and my...

Russ Kratzer (MBA 18), Chief Operations Officer & Co Founder, SupplyTrust Technologies Wake Forest Network Helps Alumnus Connect with Business Partner Describe your professional journey. Following my undergraduate experience at Columbia University, I served in the Peace Corps, which sent me to China. I was so inspired by that experience that I pursued a masters degree in Chinese after working in Washington, DC. Upon completing my degree, I found myself looking for job opportunities in...

Madison Carroll Snyder (14, MSBA 18) Chief of Staff & Director of Carroll Hospitality, The Carroll Companies Tell me about yourself and what you currently do. Im Chief of Staff for the Carroll Companies, my familys business, and Director of Hospitality. We currently have over $1 billion in mixed use projects in the pipeline. I oversee the construction and operations of our mixed use/hospitality division on one side. On the Chief of Staff side, I...

Marc Villegas (MBA 05) Senior Brand Director, Procter & Gamble Youve worked in marketing for 19 years what drew you to this field and what has kept you there? Throughout my time in the Wake Forest MBA program, there were several classes and professors that sparked my interest in the field of marketing. I went back to school knowing that I had an interest in marketing, but it wasnt until I met professors like Anne...

We caught up with Sharene Pierce (MBA 22), vice president of talent acquisition and chief diversity and inclusion officer at Duke Energy, more than a year after she was featured as a Deacon spotlight by the WFU Alumni & Personal Career Development Center. Sharenes decision to pursue an MBA is one she did not take lightly; taking 10 years to heed her mentors advice! Now, she is lighting the way in the future for new...

Craig Koch (93), CEO and founder of WAG A LOT in Atlanta, Georgia, shares his entrepreneurial spirit, the importance of pursuing the right idea at the right time and his life enthusiast commitment toward a purpose driven life. Caroline: You are the CEO and founder of WAG A LOT, a dog daycare and boarding business in Atlanta that you built and grew to three locations. What inspired you to start your own business? Craig: I...

Three School of Business alumni were recognized for outstanding leadership, service and impact at the annual Alumni Awards Reception in April. Carrie Ross, associate director, alumni engagement, catches up with the winners to reflect on their accomplishments. Carol Spann Joyner (90) was named the inaugural recipient of the Allegacy Center for Leadership & Character Excellence in Leadership Alumni Award. As summarized in her nomination, Carol exemplifies the values of character and Pro Humanitate, evidenced by...

Shaowei Tu (MSM 15), senior partner account manager, Global ISVs at Amazon Web Services, speaks with School of Business Alumni Council member Molly Rutledge (04, MSBA 20) about his perspective moving from Taiwan to Virginia with his family when he was young, working in London for two years during the height of the pandemic and not losing sight of the opportunities afforded to him in the United States. Of his time at Wake Forest, he...

Shana Gregory (MBA 22), vice president of human resources and diversity officer at Allegacy Federal Credit Union, speaks with School of Business Alumni Council member Stephen Klemash (20), about her unique path to the MBA, how she developed her personal leadership philosophy and the best advice for making an impact, no matter your role in the organization. Stephen: Why did you decide to pursue an MBA? Shana: When I moved to the Winston Salem area,...

Paul Griggs (96, MSA 97) has been elected by PwCs more than 4,000 US and Mexico partners and principals to serve as the firms next senior partner, with his four year term beginning on July 1, 2024. Griggs will succeed Tim Ryan, who has served as US senior partner since 2016. A nearly 30 year PwC veteran, Griggs currently serves on the US Leadership Team as Vice Chair of US Markets, overseeing the strategy and...

Aaron Brown (MSA 12), audit and assurance senior manager at Deloitte, speaks with School of Business Alumni Council member Molly Rutledge (04, MSBA 20), about his passion for inclusivity, why its important to give back and the importance of treating your job just like a class do the research, study and put in the time. Molly: Why did you choose the Wake Forest Masters of Accountancy program? Aaron: Wake Forest has a pristine reputation at...

Carling Boyles Pinckney (MBA 13) fondly remembers her time with Stan. He wore his heart on his sleeve. You could talk to him about anything. He stressed the importance of relationships and growing and nurturing your network. His excitement for creativity and thinking outside the box inspired me. He was truly one of a kind, and I am fortunate to have had Stan in my life. Three alumni reflected on their experience as students pursuing...

Stacie Petter, together with research colleagues, has secured nearly $1 million in funding from the National Science Foundation for an interdisciplinary project related to illicit decision making within supply networks. Petter, Area Chair and Professor of Management Information Systems at the Wake Forest School of Business, will collaborate with colleagues Gisela Bichler from California State University, San Bernardino and Felipe Aros Vera from Ohio University. Together, they aim to develop a theory that can inform...

Jackson Prentice (JD 07, MBA 07), chief portfolio officer and executive vice president at Carr, speaks with Ashley Rogers, director of acquisitions for Residential Capital Partners and School of Business Alumni Council member, about his lifelong quest for knowledge and how it was nurtured at Wake Forest. Ashley: Could you provide some thoughts on your early background and how that experience led you to attend Wake Forest? Jackson: I grew up in the DC area...

William Bill Park Jr. (MBA 73) and James Jim Martin (MBA 73) reflect on their decision to join the first MBA class, sharing stories of their early days in the class as both pioneers and guinea pigs and how Wake Forest ultimately taught them a valuable life lesson learn how to learn. Bill, a Winston Salem native and graduate of The Citadel (68), served in the Army during the Vietnam War. After his service, he...

Carroll Sanchez (MSBA 21), senior consultant at FactSet, speaks with Jordan Garside, Chair of the School of Business Alumni Council, about how she continues her parents legacy as a trailblazer, leader, and role model for her colleagues and the greater community. Jordan: You studied finance at Wingate University. Tell us why you chose finance as your field of study. Carroll: I initially studied biology and was pre med, not because I loved those fields of...

The Wake Forest School of Business is pleased to announce the appointment of Ashley Wilcox as the Director of Sustainability Initiatives, effective October 18. In this role, Wilcox will lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of sustainability, including curriculum integration and expanding experiential learning opportunities. I am excited to return to my alma mater and join the School of Business on the journey of helping businesses and organizations create a better world, Wilcox said. On...