John P. Surma

Retired Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer,
United States Steel Corporation

John P. Surma is the retired chairman and chief executive officer of United States Steel Corporation. Surma began his career with United States Steel as vice chairman and chief financial officer in 2002. He was named president and chief operating officer in 2003, president and chief executive officer in 2004, and chairman in 2006.

He was previously a partner at Price Waterhouse LLP and held senior management positions at Marathon Oil Company, Speedway SuperAmerica LLC, and Marathon Ashland Petroleum LLC (MAP).

He serves as chairman of the board of directors of Marathon Petroleum Corporation, a member of the Board of Directors of MPLX, Trane Technologies, and PSEG Services. He was appointed by President Barack Obama to the President’s Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations and served as vice chairman. He has served as chairman of the board of the National Safety Council and the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and is a member of the board of directors of UPMC and the Allegheny County Parks Foundation.

Robert Stewart Atkin

PhD ’96

Emeritus Clinical Professor, University of Pittsburgh Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business and College of Business Administration

Bob Atkin is an emeritus clinical professor at Pitt Business. With more than 45 years of teaching experience, few professors have had such a profound impact on future business leaders as Atkin.

He has taught numerous courses in strategy, human resources management, operations, and organizational behavior to undergraduate, graduate, and executive students, both domestically and internationally.

By training, Atkin is a mechanical engineer, starting his career as a process engineer at Union Carbide. He later transitioned to academia joining the industrial psychology graduate program at the University of Illinois. He then joined the faculty at Carnegie Mellon University, serving as associate dean and director of the MBA program before joining Pitt Business in 1986.

In addition to his book, Managing in Complex Environments, Atkin has published numerous research papers, book chapters, and cases. He is also the recipient of several teaching awards, including Pitt’s Best Professor.

Symone J. Redwine, BSBA ’04

Partner, Esquire Litigation Group

Symone J. Redwine currently practices law through her role as partner of Esquire Litigation Group. She has worked as an attorney at numerous firms throughout her career, such as McCarter & English, LLP, Waters & Kraus, LLP, and her own law firm, The Redwine Law Firm, that she started alongside her aunt in 2012.

While her primary focus is personal injury and wrongful death law, Redwine is also committed to social justice, in 2017, Redwine launched a cutting-edge expungement division of her firm called “My Record is Clean,” which focuses on expunging and sealing Texas criminal records.

When she’s not in court, you can find her providing legal analysis on television programs such as TMZ, or Buzzfeed News or providing witty legal commentary on her YouTube channel, “Girl, Is That Legal?”.

She holds juris doctorate from Cornell Law School and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Pittsburgh. Redwine is certified to practice law in Texas, New Jersey, and New York.

Christopher M. Curd

BSBA ’03, MBA ‘11

Owner & League Commissioner, Pittsburgh Flag Football League (PFFL)

Christopher M. Curd is the owner and league commissioner at the PFFL, where he creates new business lines of revenue to drive growth and support; maintains full integration of the marketing and sales systems; and coordinates public relations and publicity.

Prior to his role at the PFFL, Curd worked in business development for Branding Brand, where he managed more than 25 major retail accounts, including DICK’S Sporting Goods, GNC, Major League Baseball, Dollar General, and Vitamin Shoppe. He has also served as the director of marketing and athlete recruitment for Velocity Sports Performance, as a contracts administrator for Pokémon USA, and as an academic advisor and instructor at Pitt Business.

As a former professional athlete, Curd’s football career includes time with the Atlanta Falcons (NFL), Columbus Destroyers (AFL), Albany Conquest (AF2), and Mahoning Valley Thunder.

Ben L. Fryrear, MBA ’64

President and Chairman (Retired) and Board Member, Applied Avionics, Inc.

Ben L. Fryrear retired as President and Chairman of Aerospace Optics, Inc., in 2000, which was later renamed Applied Avionics in 2015. He joined the Fort Worth, TX, company in its infancy in 1970 and it continues to be a technical leader in illuminated components for the aircraft and aerospace industries.

After serving in the U.S. Army, Fryrear worked as a Chemical Process Operator and Supervisor in the Coors Porcelain Company’s Atomic Energy Division in Golden, CO. His other positions included Metallurgical Engineer at Alcoa Research Labs, Manager of Final Inspection at Firestone Tire & Rubber Company, Industrial Engineer for McCall Publishing, and Vice President of Manufacturing for Conti Engravers.

Fryrear’s generous support of education at the high school and college levels includes Pitt Business where a fund for faculty development, a research fellowship for doctoral students, and the Ben L. Fryrear Chair of Marketing are all established in his name.

At the University of Pittsburgh, he was inducted into the Cathedral of Learning Society and was awarded the H.J. Zoffer Medal for Meritorious Service. He serves on the Board of Directors of Applied Avionics, Inc., and recently served on the Board of Governors for the Colorado School of Mines Foundation.

Gerard M. Moufflet, MBA ‘69

CEO, Acceleration International

Gerard M. Moufflet is the CEO and founder of Acceleration International, a Boston-based firm that invests in the healthcare sector in the U.S. and Europe. He is an accomplished board member and currently serves on several boards throughout the U.S. and Europe, including the University of Pittsburgh Board of Visitors.

Prior to founding Acceleration International, Moufflet spent 12 years as managing director at the Global Private Equity firm Advent International, leading the firm’s Global Health Care franchise with over $10 billion in assets. He started his career at Baxter International, where he spent 17 years leading to a corporate vice president role, having lived and worked in several different European countries.

Moufflet earned his MBA from the University of Pittsburgh, where he was a PPG Foundation Scholar, and his bachelor’s degree from the EDHEC Business School in France.

Rosalie Myers MBA ’98 

Vice President and Finance Manager, PNC

Rosalie Myers serves as the vice president and finance manager at PNC where she manages financials, budgets, and capital project expenses. She is also the past vice president, treasurer, and secretary of PNC’s Pittsburgh African American Employee Business Resource Group (EBRG), an active member of PNC’s Finance Diversity & Inclusion Council, and Co-Captain of PNC’s Finance recruiting team for the University of Pittsburgh.

During her career, Myers has served as a senior financial and business processes auditor and senior financial analyst at Alcoa Inc. Born and raised in the Caribbean, she now resides in Pittsburgh where she serves as the finance chair and board member of the Fund for Advancement of Minorities through Education (FAME), treasurer and board member of the Pitt Black MBA Network, and member of the Pitt Business Alumni Board.

Myers has served in the U.S. Army Reserves and completed the ROTC program at Pitt. She also holds an MBA in finance
and strategy from the University of Pittsburgh and two bachelor’s degrees in accounting and business management from Point Park University.

Helen B. Eggers, MBA ’81

Wealth Management Business Controls, Governance, and Operational Excellence Executive, Bank of America

Helen B. Eggers leads the business controls team and operational excellence program for Wealth Management and Payments at Bank of America. Since joining the company as a credit analyst in 1984, she has served in several senior leadership roles focused on risk, transition, and mortgage.

Eggers experience includes serving as president of EquiCredit Corporation, as a risk executive for global consumer and small business banking, and as a risk transition executive for the Bank of America merger with Countrywide Financial Corporation.  She was also responsible for executing the strategic assistance agreement with China Construction Bank.

Eggers currently serves on the Board of Directors for Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont. She earned her MBA from the University of Pittsburgh and her bachelor’s degree in public policy and economics from Duke University.

Venkat Ramaswamy, MBA ’91

Vice Chairman, Edelweiss Financial Services Limited

Venkat Ramaswamy is vice chairman of Edelweiss Financial Services Limited and has three decades of experience in the financial markets. He has been one of the driving forces in transforming what was once India’s first new age boutique investment bank to a leading independent financial services company. Among his responsibilities, he is also chairman of Edelweiss’ Asset Management Business and oversees the Edelweiss Asset Reconstruction Company.

Skilled in building and maintaining large institutional relationships, including international pension funds and insurance companies, Ramaswamy has led the Alternative Asset Management Business to become among the largest in India over the last five years.

Ramaswamy earned his MBA from the University of Pittsburgh and holds a bachelor’s degree in electronics engineering.

San-e Ichii, MBA ’92

Senior Managing Director & Secretary General, VIPO

San-e Ichii is the senior managing director and secretary general at Visual Industry Promotion Organization (VIPO), in Tokyo, Japan. As a non-profit, VIPO supports market and human resources development to make the Japanese media industry internationally competitive. Ichii’s work plays a key role in the Japanese government’s “Cool Japan” strategy, focusing on music, film, publishing, broadcasting, and Anime.

Prior to his role at VIPO, Ichii served as the representative director and CEO at EMI Music Japan, Inc., which is now Universal Music Japan. His work contributed to the EMI Music Group, one of four major music companies in the world keeping the top tier position in Japan.

Ichii is a certified public accountant in the U.S. and an authorized trainer for the Dale Carnegie Training Courses in Japan, where he teaches individuals and businesses how to improve their performance around the world.

John Algie, BSBA ’03, JD/MBA ’09

Partner, Reed Smith LLP

John Algie is an attorney at Reed Smith LLP in New York City as a partner in its Global Corporate Group. John represents privately held issuers, investors, acquirers and target companies in domestic and cross-border transactions involving mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, emerging growth and venture capital financings and private equity transactions. He also regularly advises clients in connection with the acquisition of significant recorded music and music publishing catalogs and sports-related transactions.

John currently serves on the Pitt Alumni Association Board of Directors. He also holds the title of director emeritus on the board of directors of the Pitt Business Alumni Association, having previously served as the board’s president. John is also an emeritus member of the College of Business Administration’s Alumni Advisory Board, having been a member of the inaugural board and previously serving as its president.

John holds a juris doctor, MBA and bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Pittsburgh.

Lisa M. Polar

MBA ‘98

Human Resources Director, Strada Architecture

Lisa M. Polar is the human resources director at Strada Architecture, a cross-disciplinary firm that employs a human-centered approach to design, where architects, interior designers, urban designers, landscape architects, and graphic designers regularly collaborate to create places that people truly enjoy.

She has more than 25 years of experience in human resources management, with in-depth knowledge of employee relations, benefits, policy and plan administration, legal compliance, analysis/reporting, talent systems, vendor relationship management, employee communications, and client service. Polar has worked for several types of employers including a global public relations agency, an employer health care coalition, the trust department of a major bank, a national building materials supplier, and a metals service center.

Polar is a Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) and a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR). She earned her MBA at the University of Pittsburgh and her bachelor’s degree from Grove City College.

IBM

Award accepted by Wayne Balta, Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Product Safety

IBM creates value for clients by providing integrated solutions and products that leverage: data, information technology, deep expertise in industries and business processes, with trust and security and a broad ecosystem of partners and alliances. Our solutions typically create value by enabling new capabilities for clients that transform their businesses and help them engage with their customers and employees in new ways. These solutions draw from

an industry-leading portfolio of consulting and IT implementation services, cloud, digital and cognitive offerings, and enterprise systems and software which are all bolstered by one of the world’s leading research organizations.

KPMG

Award accepted by Mark Twerdok, Office Managing Partner

KPMG firms operate in 145 countries and territories, and in FY21, collectively employed more than 236,000 people, serving the needs of business, governments, public-sector agencies, not-for-profits, and through KPMG firms’ audit and assurance practices, the capital markets. KPMG is committed to quality and service excellence, bringing its best to clients and earning the public’s trust through its actions and behaviors both professionally and personally.

KPMG leads with a commitment to quality and integrity across the global organization, bringing a passion for client success and a purpose to serve and improve the communities in which KPMG firms operate. In a world where rapid change and unprecedented disruption are the new normal, KPMG inspires confidence and empowers change throughout all of its work.

The CBA Outstanding Alumni Award recognizes a College of Business Administration graduate who has made exceptional contributions to his profession, discipline, or community since graduation.

2022

Symone Redwine, (BSBA ’04)
Partner, Esquire Litigation Group

2021

No awards presented

2020

Christopher M. Curd (BSBA ’03, MBA ‘11)
Owner & League Commissioner, Pittsburgh Flag Football League (PFFL)

2019

Kirsten R. Albert  (BSBA ’01)
Assurance Partner, PwC

2018

Andrew S. Richert (BSBA ’07)
President, Go Realty

2017

Karla G. Geci (BSBA ’01)
Strategic Media Partnership, Facebook

2016

Andrew T. Myerson (BSBA ’05)
Chief Haymaker, Haymakers for Hope
CEO, Hinterlands
Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Accomplice

2015

Ian C. Buggs (BSBA ’03)
Associate Manager Financial Reporting and Analysis
Pfizer – Africa/Middle East

2014

La’Tasha D. Mayes (BSBA ’03)
Founder and Executive Director
New Voices Pittsburgh: Women of Color for Reproductive Justice

2013

Kenneth M. Shamus (BSBA ’01)
Finance Manager
Ford Motor Company

2012

William C. Price (BSBA ’98)
Partner, Thorp Reed & Armstrong

2011

Darren Jones (BSBA ’00)
Associate Director, Risk Mgnt. Consulting Practice, Protiviti

2010

Joan S. Kuhl, (BSBA ’01)
Senior Manager, Segment Marketing, Forest Laboratories, Inc.

The Distinguished Alumni Fellow is the most prestigious alumni award conferred by the University of Pittsburgh. The Pitt Alumni Association in partnership with Chancellor Pat Gallagher are proud to acknowledge the contributions prominent alumni have had locally, nationally, and globally.