BYU’s Marriott School Names 2005 Hawes Scholars

Back: Dennis Gammon, Ignacio Araya, Alma Faerber, B. Chance Bagley, David Smith, Jeremy Telford Front: Jamila Cutliff, J. Brandon Thomas, Eric McPherson Not Pictured: Hanna Kjerengtroen

PROVO, Utah — Mar 07, 2005 — The Marriott School at Brigham Young University named ten MBA candidates as its 2005 Hawes Scholars. The honor, which carries a cash award of $10,000, is the highest distinction given to MBA students at the school.

The 2005 Marriott School Hawes Scholars are Ignacio Araya, of Quito, Ecuador; B. Chance Bagley, of Tempe, Ariz.; Jamila Cutliff, of Saginaw, Mich.; Alma Faerber, of Murray, Utah; Dennis Gammon, of Vineyard, Utah; Hanna Kjerengtroen, of Minsk, Belarus; Eric McPherson, of Fruit Heights, Utah; David Smith, of Salt Lake City; Jeremy Telford, of Salt Lake City, and J. Brandon Thomas, of Sandy, Utah.

“Identifying the Hawes Scholars is a difficult task each year,” says James Stice, MBA program director. “Selection is based on input from peers, faculty, and the MBA administration. This year’s Hawes Scholars are tremendous examples of leadership, service, and ability.”

Nominations for the Hawes Scholars are made by students and faculty and voted on by both groups. Final selection is made by the Hawes Scholar Committee. Selection is based on academic performance, leadership maturity and a commitment to high ethical standards.

Named for successful corporate executive Rodney A. Hawes Jr. and his wife, Beverly, the award was created in 1998 to recognize the accomplishments of graduating MBA students. The Hawes Scholar award is one of many initiatives made possible by the Hawes Endowment, a gift of more than $2 million used to facilitate the growth and enhancement of the Marriott School’s nationally ranked MBA program. Mr. Hawes, a Baker Scholar from the Harvard Business School, and his wife wanted to create a tradition at the Marriott School that recognizes and rewards excellence among students entering the business world.

Mr. Hawes served as chairman and CEO of Life Re Corporation, a leading provider of life reinsurance in the United States. In addition to being widely recognized for his expertise in financial matters, Hawes has a reputation for integrity, hard work and community service.

The Marriott School is located at Brigham Young University, the largest privately owned, church-sponsored university in the United States. The school has nationally recognized programs in accounting, business management, public management, information systems, organizational behavior and entrepreneurship. The school’s mission is to prepare men and women of faith, character and professional ability for positions of leadership throughout the world. Approximately 3,000 students are enrolled in the Marriott School’s graduate and undergraduate programs.

2005 Hawes Scholar Bios

Ignacio Araya, of Quito, Ecuador, is a second-year MBA candidate with an emphasis in supply chain. He earned an undergraduate degree in conservation biology from Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador. Araya worked in Ecuador for Algodonera Tropical as an operations manager. “The Marriott School and the MBA program have far exceeded my expectations at many different levels,” Araya says. “But the greatest achievement of all has been in the field of personal growth.”

B. Chance Bagley, of Tempe, Ariz., is a second-year MBA candidate with an emphasis in marketing and strategy. He earned an undergraduate degree in medical and engineering studies from Weber State University. Bagley worked for five years at Specialized Health Products in engineering and marketing. “No matter what position the alumni have held in the business world, they have always been willing to offer advice and answer questions,” Bagley says. “I now have a desire to seek opportunities that will allow me to reach my fullest potential.”

Jamila Cutliff, of Saginaw, Mich., is a second-year MBA candidate with an emphasis in marketing and supply chain. Cutliff earned an undergraduate degree in engineering from Cornell University. She worked for more than two years as a logistics manager for Procter and Gamble and plans to work for PepsiCo upon graduation. “My internship experience and the MBA program have positioned me for success in my future endeavors,” Cutliff says. “Through my studies, I was able to apply business principles that I learned in my first year directly to my internship.”

Alma Faerber, of Murray, Utah, is a second-year MBA candidate. He earned an undergraduate degree in finance at the University of Utah. Faerber is a recipient of the Marriott School First Year Scholarship and upon graduation will work as a portfolio manager with Riggs Capital Management. “My experience at the Marriott School has definitely given me a good foundation to be able to continue my life-long quest of serving and blessing the lives of others,” Faerber says. “I am especially grateful for the semester- long project where I had the opportunity to travel to Nicaragua to help create employment opportunities for individuals in Chinandega.”

Dennis Gammon, of Vineyard, Utah, is a second-year MBA candidate with an emphasis in supply chain. He earned an undergraduate degree in chemistry from BYU. Gammon is co-director of the Marriott School Mentoring Program and worked for TenFold Corporation and Allstate Insurance as a software developer. Upon graduation, he plans to work for Yellow Roadway as a strategy analyst. “My purpose in earning an MBA degree is to learn skills that will qualify me for greater service,” Gammon says. “I will carry knowledge and influence from the MBA program with me throughout my life.”

Hanna Kjerengtroen, of Minsk, Belarus, is a second-year MBA candidate with an emphasis in finance. She graduated cum laude with an undergraduate degree in management information systems from BYU. Kjerengtroen is the co-president of the Graduate Finance Association as well as the co-manager of the Silver Fund, a portion of the University Endowment Fund. She previously worked as a software designer and developer for eXegesys and as a senior financial analyst for Intel. “I enjoy learning from a close-knit network of great faculty and peers,” Kjerengtroen says. “I would like to make a positive impact in any organization that I am a part of—utilizing the education I received at BYU.”

Eric McPherson, of Fruit Heights, Utah, is a second-year MBA candidate with an emphasis in organizational change. He earned an undergraduate degree in international relations from BYU. Previously, McPherson worked for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate in Hong Kong, Evergreen America and the Church Educational System. He has accepted an offer to work as an HR generalist for Honeywell in global credit and treasury services. “I’ve become fascinated with the high failure rate of change initiatives in today’s organizations and have enjoyed exploring ways to enhance the effectiveness of those initiatives,” McPherson says. “The most important lesson I’ve learned is that it is easy to get caught up in the small stuff; it takes vision, effort, and determination to stay focused on the higher priorities.”

David Smith, of Salt Lake City, is a second-year MBA candidate with an emphasis in supply chain. He earned his undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Utah. Smith is the director of the BYU Business Plan Competition. He worked for two years as the managing editor of Varsity Prep Magazine and for three years as an acquisition coordinator for IndustryPro. Upon graduation, Smith will work for Ford Motor Company as a buyer in global purchasing. “I have been very fortunate to work with world class students, professors and administrators at the Marriott School,” Smith says. “My experience here has outdistanced even my highest expectations.”

Jeremy Telford, of Salt Lake City, is a second-year MBA candidate with an emphasis in general management. He earned his undergraduate degree in communication studies from BYU and served as MBAA vice-president of student life. For four years, Telford owned his own cellular phone store, X-Stream Wireless, Inc., in Portland, Ore. He has accepted an offer in land acquisition and development with Woodside Homes in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. “My greatest draw to the MBA program is the congruency I’ve observed between my values and goals and those of the Marriott School,” Telford says. “True success, to me, will be finding joy in every facet of my life—both in the business world and beyond.”

J. Brandon Thomas, of Sandy, Utah, is a second-year MBA candidate with an emphasis in finance. He earned his undergraduate degree in finance from the University of Utah and is co-president of the Graduate Finance Association. Over the past few years, Thomas has worked for Barclays Global Investors and interned with Key Banc Capital Markets. “At the Marriott School, there is enough opportunity for everyone to become involved or serve in some capacity,” Thomas says. “Looking forward, I just want to try to be the well-rounded person that the Marriott School endorses and maybe mix in a little tennis.”