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BYU Marriott Employees Recognized at 2024 Awards Ceremony

At the recent annual awards ceremony, the Brigham Young University Marriott School of Business recognized faculty, staff, and administrators for their exemplary leadership in teaching, research, faith, and service.

A group of well-dressed men and women sit and stand in front of the BYU Marriott backdrop.
Top (from left to right): Cameron Strawn, Andrew Cuthbert, Monte Swain, Ian Wright, Tom Foster, Sam Dunn, Kim Clark, and Karmel Newell. Bottom (left to right): David Hollan, Cindy Blair, Nicole Kooistra, Gary Williams, Mark Zimbelman, and Ron Worsham.
Photo courtesy of BYU Marriott.

The Outstanding Faculty Award was presented to Tom Foster, the Donald L. Staheli Professor of Marketing and Global Supply Chain Management, for exceptional professional achievements and for consistently leading with faith, intellect, and character. He earned a bachelor’s degree in operations and systems analysis from BYU and went on to earn a PhD in operations management from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He served for nine years as chair of the Department of Marketing and Global Supply Chain and another nine years as leader of the global supply chain program. Foster’s expertise includes strategic quality management, supply chain quality, contingency theory in quality management, and quality-based learning. Foster serves on the Board of Overseers for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and has consulted for Hewlett Packard, Eaton Corporation, Heinz, and the United States Department of Energy.

Nicole Kooistra, BYU Marriott events manager, received the Outstanding Administrator Award for outstanding professional accomplishments and consistent leadership marked by faith, intellect, and character. She grew up a hometown Cougar fan and earned her bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations from BYU, taking time to serve a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Santa Rosa, California. Prior to joining BYU Marriott, Kooistra orchestrated international corporate and community events. She has more than 20 years of experience in corporate meeting planning and is certified as a professional meeting planner through the Convention Industry Council.

Alongside the Outstanding Faculty and Administrator Awards, a group of BYU Marriott faculty and staff members earned Impact Awards in the following categories: Faith in Christ, Integrity in Action, Respect for All, Excellence in Teaching, Excellence in Adjunct Teaching, Excellence in Research, Excellence in Mentoring, Excellence in Leadership, and Centered on Students.

Sam Dunn, recently retired assistant dean and director of the Business Career Center, received the Impact Award for exemplifying Faith in Christ. Cindy Blair, an associate professor of global supply chain management, received the Integrity in Action award. The Respect for All award was jointly given to Andrew Cuthbert, senior manager of alumni communications, and Cameron Strawn, assistant professor of aerospace studies for the BYU Air Force ROTC.

Gary Williams, a teaching professor in management, was recognized for Excellence in Teaching, while Karmel Newell, an adjunct professor of management communication, was given the award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching. Excellence in Research was awarded to David Wood, the Glenn D. Ardis Professor of Accounting.

David Hollan, director of the on-campus internship program, was honored for Excellence in Mentoring. Kim Clark, National Advisory Council Professor of Business, was recognized for Excellence in Leadership, and Ian Wright, assistant professor of finance, was celebrated for being Centered on Students.

Retiring faculty and staff members were also recognized at the awards ceremony for their years of dedicated service. Retiring faculty included Gove Allen, associate professor of information systems; Greg Burton, KPMG Professor in the School of Accountancy (SOA); Gibb Dyer, the O. Leslie and Dorothy Stone Professor of Entrepreneurship; Monte Swain, the Deloitte Professor in the SOA; Ron Worsham, associate professor in the SOA; and Mark F. Zimbelman, the Mary & Ellis Professor in the SOA.

Speaking to the audience in her closing remarks, BYU Marriott dean Brigitte Madrian emphasized BYU Marriott’s mission of developing leaders of faith, intellect, and character. “Our students become leaders of faith as we help them envision a future in which they can have a transformational impact in their families, in their communities, in their professions, and in the Church,” she said. “Our students become leaders of faith as they turn to the Lord.”

About BYU Marriott
The BYU Marriott School of Business aspires to transform the world through Christlike leadership by developing leaders of faith, intellect, and character. Named for benefactors J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott, the school is located at Brigham Young University. BYU Marriott has four graduate and nine undergraduate programs with an enrollment of approximately 3,800 students.