Armand Petri, Sage Brandt, Aaron Mendez, Sarah State, Jenna Leid, Dean Kaustav Misra, George Simmons, Jason Becker, and Dr. Reneta Barneva were among the award recipients at the inaugural Best in Business Awards Ceremony. Stuart Shapiro, Robyn Reger, and staff from Fastenal are not visible in the picture.
The State University of New York at Fredonia School of Business launched the first Best in Business Awards Ceremony with the presentation of student, faculty, and staff honors, recognizing outstanding alumni, exemplary business partners, and dedicated personnel.
The event, which attracted over 90 attendees, took place on November 9th in the Williams Center Use Room, with Kaustav Misra, Dean of the School of Business, presiding. The gathering received welcoming remarks from President Stephen H. Kolison Jr., and Provost David Starrett also addressed the audience.
According to Dr. Kolison, the SUNY Fredonia School of Business introduced these awards and ceremonies to foster a stronger sense of community among its faculty, staff, and students and to publicly acknowledge the remarkable collaborations between the School of Business and its community partners.
He said, “I want to express my sincere gratitude to the local businesses that have supported SUNY Fredonia over the years, and congratulations to those honored today.”
Winners of the awards for undergraduate business administration included:
- Sarah State, from Marion, New York, double majors in Public Accountancy and Business Administration: Management with a minor in Marketing. She serves as the Vice President of the Business Club, the Accounting Society, and the Omega Gamma Sigma Honor Society.
- Jenna Leid, a Public Accounting major from Fredonia, New York, plans to relocate to Buffalo, New York, upon graduating in December to work for the accounting firm Brock, Schechter & Polakoff. She successfully completed an internship with the company.
The recipient of the Applied Professional Studies Award is:
- Sage Brandt, a double major in Music Industry and Business Management: Management from Newark, New York. She coordinates events for the student-run record label HAIL and volunteers at the Garment Gallery in Dunkirk, New York. She is also a member of the school’s eSports team.
The Economics Award was presented to:
- Aaron Mendez, a double major in Applied Mathematics and Economics from Kenmore, New York. He volunteers at the tutoring center, participates in track & field and cross-country clubs, and serves as the COO of the Enactus chapter, a student-run, innovative business.
Recipients of the university honors included:
- Faculty Research Award for Dr. Lisa Walters, who teaches business management courses such as Supply Chain Management, Applied Quality Operations, and Project Management. She has extensive experience in the medical industry in testing, regulatory affairs, and quality compliance. Her research and publications focus on operations management.
- Dr. Reneta Barneva received a university business award. With over 35 years of academic experience, she has co-edited 19 publications and authored more than 100 journal articles and conference papers. She has received numerous national and international awards, including the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Scholarship and Creative Activities.
- Faculty Teaching Award for Armand Petri, who oversees the Music Business program and works as a producer, composer, and musician. He has performed throughout Europe and produced music videos for Pure Metal Records, collaborating with recording artists such as 10,000 Maniacs and The Goo Goo Dolls.
- Engagement Award for Stuart Shapiro, an award-winning singer and musician, as well as a practicing attorney with over 30 years of entertainment law experience. He is an author of textbooks and teaches lower-level courses on topics like copyrights, trademarks, rights of publicity, and music business contracts, along with advanced courses on current issues and financial planning.
- Adjunct Teaching Award for Jason Becker, who has been an adjunct professor in the School of Business’s Sport Management Program at SUNY Fredonia since 2009.
The recipient of the Best Alumni Award is:
- George Simmons, a 1975 graduate with over 30 years of experience in technology, specializing in software, hardware, medical services, and business automation. He has held executive-level positions in technology companies and has managed development for both public and private companies. He has been a partner at Derby Management for the past 20 years.
The Business Partner Award goes to:
- Fastenal, which initiated its partnership with the School of Business through a presentation on go-to-market strategies in Dr. Walters‘ Operations course. This semester-long initiative integrated the company’s supply chain management practices with the course’s curriculum. As a result of this collaboration, Fastenal now offers a course during the fall semester as part of the ongoing partnership.
The Best Team Award is presented to:
- Robyn Reger, who joined SUNY Fredonia in 2001 in the Finance and Administration department. She later received a promotion to Administrative Assistant II in Academic Affairs, where she currently serves under the dean of the School of Business.
The ceremony was attended by members of the School of Business Advisory Board, business partners, community leaders, faculty, staff, and student leaders in the School of Business.
The Best in Business Awards Ceremony was sponsored by the Richard and Michele Johnson Family Endowment and held at the Fredonia College Foundation and the Northern Chautauqua County Community Foundation.