The Marriott School at Brigham Young University announces ten MBA candidates as its 2003 Hawes Scholars. The honor, which carries a cash award of $10,000, is the highest distinction given to MBA students at the school.
The 2003 Marriott School Hawes Scholars are Steven Arner, of Roanoke, Va.; Trent Bingham, of Bountiful, Utah; Heather Bryce, of Beaverton, Ore.; Dave Coltrin, of Sandy, Utah; Paul Garver, of Huntington Beach, Calif.; Russell Hardy, of Meridian, Idaho; Marissa Hatch, of Eugene, Ore.; Rob Ludlow, of Modesto, Calif.; David Peterson, of Provo, Utah and Karen Peterson, of Richmond, Va.
“The quality this year’s Hawes scholars seem to share is their willingness to help other students and the MBA program,” says Jim Stice, MBA program director. “I was involved in tabulating student and faculty nominations and the comments seemed to focus on each person's ability to give back and to help make BYU a better place.”
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 ranked programs in accounting, business management, information systems, organizational behavior and entrepreneurship. The mission of the Marriott School is to educate men and women of faith, character and professional ability who will become outstanding managers and leaders throughout the world. Approximately 3,000 students are enrolled in the Marriott School’s graduate and undergraduate programs.
2003 Hawes Scholar Bios
Steven Arner, of Roanoke, Va., is a second-year MBA candidate with an emphasis in general management at BYU's Marriott School. He earned an undergraduate degree in history from BYU and worked as a financial analyst, budget advisor and budget team leader/director at Carilion Health System over a period of five years. Arner plans to return to the health care industry after earning his MBA. He is director of BYU's Business Plan Competition and president of the Graduate Student Management Society at BYU. "I am constantly in awe of the incredible student body and the camaraderie that unifies us at the Marriott School," Arner says. "The faculty cares about us academically, professionally and personally—I'm not sure any other business school could come close to matching BYU in this regard."
Trent Bingham, of Bountiful, Utah, is a second-year MBA candidate with an emphasis in human resources at BYU’s Marriott School. He earned an undergraduate degree in accounting from Utah State University. He is the chair of the MBA Student Recruitment Committee at the Marriott School. Bingham worked for KPMG as a tax specialist and auditor, and at Rudd & Company as a CPA and business consultant. Upon graduation, Bingham will be joining Eli Lilly & Company in Indianapolis, Ind. “I have been consistently impressed with the quality of the Marriott School faculty,” Bingham says. “It is awesome to consider the collective number of years of intense dedication and personal experience that are selflessly passed on to yet another generation.”
Heather Bryce, of Beaverton, Ore., is a second-year MBA candidate with an emphasis in finance at BYU’s Marriott School. She earned an undergraduate degree in communications from BYU and worked for City of London Investment Management as a research analyst. Bryce is president of Net Impact, a club that promotes socially responsible business practices. “I have been so impressed with students’ desires to reach out to people in the community, despite the rigorous demands of the program,” Bryce says. “In the future, I hope to help link investors with micro credit programs that help women in third world countries gain access to credit and improve their standard of living.”
Dave Coltrin, of Sandy, Utah, is a second-year MBA candidate with an emphasis in marketing at BYU’s Marriott School. He earned an undergraduate degree in English with honors from BYU and worked at Netgateway, Inc. as a conference director. Coltrin is currently associate director of BYU’s Business Plan Competition and recruiting chair for BYU’s MBA Marketing Association. “The Marriott School is a uniquely demanding environment that has enabled me to grow academically, professionally and spiritually,” Coltrin says. “The intimate size of our student body, combined with the numerous opportunities to serve, has provided me with some of my most treasured experiences.”
Paul Garver, of Huntington Beach, Calif., is a second-year MBA candidate with emphases in operations, human resources and strategy at BYU’s Marriott School. He earned an undergraduate degree in Spanish and a master’s degree in practical linguistics from BYU and worked for five years at Internexus, Inc. as a director. Garver is vice president of the Supply Chain Management Student Association at the Marriott School. “I find great pleasure in helping organizations and individuals operate in a more efficient manner and improve their overall working conditions,” Garver says. “With a background in international business, I look forward to interacting with people in all parts of the world.”
Russell Hardy, of Meridian, Idaho, is a second-year MBA candidate with an emphasis in marketing at BYU’s Marriott School. He earned an undergraduate degree in electrical and computer engineering from BYU and worked as a design engineer and marketing manager at Hewlett-Packard for five years. He is president of the MBA Marketing Association and was a volunteer for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games. “I have benefited tremendously from the great balanced environment at the Marriott School,” Hardy says. “The smaller, intimate environment in the Marriott School allows for building strong friendships and bonds with fellow students and faculty.”
Marissa Hatch, of Eugene, Ore., is a second-year MBA candidate with an emphasis in finance at BYU’s Marriott School. She earned an undergraduate degree in communications from BYU and worked as an account executive for Brodeur Worldwide. Hatch is co-editor of the Marriott School’s student newsletter and president of the Women in Management Society at the school. “Interacting with classmates, faculty and administration has not only helped me acquire confidence and competence within my field, it has taught me about the type of person I want to be,” Hatch says. “I hope to apply the values and skills I have learned here to lead a balanced work and family life.”
Rob Ludlow, of Modesto, Calif., is a second-year MBA candidate with an emphasis in finance at BYU’s Marriott School. He earned an undergraduate degree in zoology with honors from BYU. Before coming to the Marriott School, Ludlow was a project manager with TenFold Corporation and worked at McKinsey & Company with a management consulting team to help clients solve complex strategic issues. “The MBA program has done a remarkable job in attracting world-class faculty and a broad array of students with a diverse experience base,” Ludlow says. “The hallmark of the MBA program is its ability to combine a focused, skills-oriented curriculum with a very personable environment.”
David Peterson, of Provo, Utah, is a second-year MBA candidate with an emphasis in finance at BYU’s Marriott School. He earned an undergraduate degree in economics from BYU. Before coming to the Marriott School, he worked as an analyst for Commodity Information, a management consulting firm specializing in the soft commodities markets and later as Vice President for BJO Capital Management, Inc., a registered investment advisory firm. Peterson is co-president of BYU’s Graduate Finance Association. Upon completion of his MBA degree, Peterson plans to take a position with Dow Chemical in Midland, Mich. “More than anything, I have enjoyed interacting with and learning from the faculty and other students in the program,” Peterson says. “Faculty access is a key element of the Marriott School MBA program and one that is becoming increasingly rare at top business schools.”
Karen Peterson, of Richmond, Va., is a second-year MBA candidate with an emphasis in marketing at BYU’s Marriott School. She earned an undergraduate degree in English from Radford University and worked for SunGard Trust Systems for two years. Peterson is a graduate assistant and an officer in the MBA Marketing Association. “The difference at the Marriott School is that amidst the competition and stress is an underlying and unwavering sense of community, support and respect among the students, faculty and administration,” Peterson says. “If I continue to maintain the respect of my peers even thirty years from now, I will deem my business career a success.”
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Writer: Burke Olsen