C. Herman Terry, Mary Virginia Terry and then-UGA President Charles Knapp

The Terry College of Business is celebrating 33 years since it was officially named in recognition of C. Herman and Mary Virginia Terry's generous support of faculty and academic programs, which have greatly facilitated the College's mission of educational excellence. Dean Benjamin C. Ayers shared, "Herman and Mary Virginia’s landmark gift to the business school was the catalyst for our transformation into the nationally ranked college we are today. Their longstanding support has enabled us to make tremendous strides in educating students and shaping a brighter future for the College and the University." The College remains deeply grateful for the ongoing support of the Terry Foundation and will continue to honor the lasting impact the Terry family has made on its legacy.

Matt Brigham (BBA '01) received the Whitney M. Young Jr. Service Award, which recognizes individuals and corporations who have been instrumental in the development of Scouting for rural, urban, and suburban youth who often face challenging barriers. This award recognizes "unsung heroes," those who do exceptional service for disadvantaged youth, through the Atlanta Area Council of Boy Scouts of America. Brigham is the VP and Treasurer at Genuine Parts Company and has served on the Peach of an Athlete committee since 2010. During his 14 years on the committee, he has served as Sponsorship Chairman and helped raise over $4.3 million in support of Scouting. In addition to his service to the Atlanta Area Council, Brigham is on the board of the American Cancer Society and has also served on the Board of Visitors for UGA. 

Evan Karanovich (MBA '20) has been named to the Atlanta Business Chronicle's 40 Under 40, for making significant career achievements and demonstrating social responsibility. The program intends to spotlight the next generation of business leaders. This year's class features leaders in education, marketing, law, technology, hospitality and more. Karanovich is Principal Lead to Chairman, Chick-fil-A Corporate Support Center, where he has spent the past 8 years focused on special projects and communications impacting the Chairman’s strategic initiatives. Karanovich is a past Terry College Young Alumni Board member and is in the U.S. Navy Reserve. 

Each year, the Terry College of Business honors exceptional alumni for their significant achievements in  the business world and their community. On Saturday, April 26, the 2025 honorees will be recognized at the annual Alumni Awards and Gala. 

Distinguished Alumni Award

Lisa Laube (BBA '85) spent 10 years with Floor & Decor before retiring as president in April 2022. She was responsible for all customer-facing functions, including store operations, e-commerce, merchandising, marketing and associate training. She was also involved in all aspects of the company’s strategic plan and worked closely with the CEO and executive team. Laube has been a retail executive and leader for over 35 years with expertise in merchandising, brand building, marketing, e-commerce, P&L responsibility, talent development and strategic planning. She has a passion for product, the in-store and online experience, and driving growth by improving all customer touch points. Laube serves on the board of directors of Boot Barn Holdings Inc., where she is chair of the nominating/governance committee and a member of the compensation committee. She is on the board of directors and finance committee of Zoo Atlanta and serves on the Dean’s Advisory Council for the University of Georgia Terry College of Business. She graduated from the Terry College with a BBA in marketing.

Distinguished Alumni Award

Cliff McCurry (BBA '71) has more than 50 years of commercial insurance brokerage and risk management experience. During his career, McCurry has held executive management positions with Sterling Seacrest Partners, Willis HRH and Jones Hill & Mercer. McCurry holds the Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) professional designation and earned his BBA in risk management and insurance from the University of Georgia Terry College of Business. In recognition of his professional and community service, Cliff has received a number of prestigious awards, including being named a distinguished alumnus of Armstrong State University (2017), a community hero by the Southeast Georgia chapter of the American Red Cross (2013) and the Terry College of Business risk management and insurance alumnus of the year (2011). McCurry’s community involvement spans decades, and he is widely known for his willingness to put in long hours for worthy causes. His past and present community and civic activities include serving in leadership positions on numerous local and regional not-for-profit and community service boards. He is an emeritus member of the Terry College Alumni Board and a UGA Foundation Emeritus Trustee.

Outstanding Young Alumni Award

Morgan Moore (BBA '13) is a sales executive at Principal Financial Group. Over his 11-year tenure with Principal, Morgan has managed distribution responsibilities for the company’s specialty benefits products in Virginia, growing his market from an average performer to generating nearly $30 million in annual revenue. Beyond his sales achievements, Moore actively contributes to Principal’s corporate culture, serving on the company’s LGBTQ+ employee resource group steering committee and participating in field advisory committees, mentorship programs and community service projects. A former foster child, Moore has a mission to support those with similar backgrounds. At age 31, he established the C. Morgan Moore Scholarship Fund for students who were orphaned, in foster care, under court protection or legal guardianship, or homeless and who demonstrate leadership within the Terry College of Business. He also established a general support fund for the college and named an alcove in Ivester Hall to honor those who invested in him so he can invest in others. Outside of his professional and philanthropic work, Moore is deeply involved in his Washington, D.C., community.

Susan Tillery (BBA '80) dreamed of one day joining the FBI. But everything changed when she took her first UGA tax course, recalling the advice her father gave her before she became a Bulldog: “Make sure you enroll in the business school.”

She graduated with a BBA in 1980 and earned her MAcc the following year. Shortly thereafter, she began her career with Arthur Andersen in the tax department. She later moved to estate planning, where she discovered her love for personal financial planning. Now, Tillery is President and CEO of Paraklete Financial Inc. and President of Financial Planning Advocate LLC, a provider of continuing education for CPAs and financial advisors. In addition, Tillery and her husband, Tom, co-authored a textbook used by university graduate programs. Beyond her affection for her alma mater, Tillery enjoys supporting her community through participating on countless boards and committees.

Over the years, the Tillerys have stayed engaged with Terry, and they were recently excited to make an impact by creating a scholarship. Their belief in the importance of a Terry education inspired them to support MAcc students interested in pursuing personal financial planning. Scholarships like this are important in addressing the financial need many of our graduate students face. 

The Terry College appreciates Susan and Tom’s dedication to the next generation of business leaders!

Nasir Wise

Austin DuBois

Helena Metukmebong

Matt Woods

The September Alumni of the Day were Nasir Wise, Austin DuBois, Helena Metukmebong and Matt Woods. Wise graduated in 2020 with a BBA in Marketing and is an Industry Research Analyst - Catalyst at Wellstar. DuBois graduated in 2017 and is a Senior Associate at CBRE. Metukmebong graduated in 2023 and is a Telecom Analyst at Southern Company. Woods graduated in 2020 with a BBA in Accounting and in 2021 with a MAcc and is a Senior Audit Associate at Cherry Bekaert.

Each week, we feature an Alum of the Day, where alumni share their career, company, activities they enjoy in their downtime, favorite Georgia memories, and how they choose to give back to their community. The goal of the Alum of the Day series is to show current Terry students the types of career opportunities that exist and give them great contacts in their industry. 

Be sure to check out @terryalumni on Facebook and Instagram each Wednesday to see our next featured alum! Head to the Alum of the Day page for more information and to fill out the form. 

The Terry Women's Initiative (TWI) is committed to student success and provides an array of experiences and resources designed to promote the confidence and leadership skills needed for students to achieve their academic, personal and professional goals. The TWI Leadership Cabinet had the opportunity to learn from Maxine Clark, Founder & former CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop at a recent Coffee and Conversations.

By investing in TWI, you contribute to a legacy of leadership development, ensuring that women have the resources they need to thrive in business and beyond. Join us in creating a lasting impact on the future of women in business. Learn more and support here.

Don't miss your opportunity to hear from Scott Steilen, President & Chief Executive Officer, Sea Island Company, during next month's Terry Third Thursday presentation. Steilen oversees the company's operations, which includes managing the resort's golf, spa and recreational facilities, resort lodging, vacation rentals, property management services and Sea Island's real estate development and brokerage operation. He joined Sea Island in 2011 after spending 10 years as a principal at Warnick + Co., a strategic advisory firm to hospitality industry clients worldwide. Steilen grew up in the business as a son of a hotelier, and is a graduate of the School of Hospitality Business at Michigan State University’s Eli Broad College of Business. He is an advocate for the hospitality industry and for the coastal Georgia community he calls home. We hope you'll make plans to join us.

Join fellow MBA alumni at the MBA Lunch & Learn on October 17, with speaker George Azih (BBA '03). Azih is a nationally recognized authority on lease accounting and the founder of FinQuery (formerly LeaseQuery), one of the fastest-growing financial services companies in Georgia. Azih began his career as an auditor for banks, insurance companies and brokerage firms. Before founding FinQuery in 2011, he performed accounting research and technical accounting for a Fortune 500 firm, specializing in lease accounting, sale-leaseback transactions, build-to-suite arrangements, debt restructurings, asset retirement obligations and purchase accounting. To learn more about Azih and to register for the Lunch & Learn, click here.

Sept. 23-28 is Beat Week, a one-week giving challenge that pits UGA against the University of Alabama, and we’re calling on all UGA alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff, and fans: make a gift, help UGA students, Beat Bama. Every single gift helps set UGA students on a path to prosper and pushes Georgia closer to victory!

Kirby and the Dawgs have got the ballgame handled, but it’s up to us to win the clash of champions. We need every Bulldog committed if we want the W, so let’s get ready to steamroll the Tide!

This month, we celebrate the 6th anniversary of the launch of the 10 for Terry program! 

10 for Terry is a recurring monthly gift of $10 that benefits the Terry College Excellence Fund. The Excellence Fund is Dean Ayers' most versatile resource for the college to increase student learning and hiring opportunities, innovate curriculum, and recruit top talent. 

Since launching 10 for Terry in October 2018, more than 1,500 donors have signed up. The program is now contributing almost $120,000 annually to the Terry Excellence Fund - all from $10 gifts! To learn more and join, visit tenforterry.com

Are you interested in mentoring a current student? Are you looking for a new job? Do you want to connect with classmates and share advice? TerryConnect is the hub for student-alumni networking for the Terry College. Students are encouraged to join and build relationships with Terry Alumni, leading to shared information and advice, hiring opportunities and long-term networking. Whatever your question, whatever your need: TerryConnect can find a helping hand and keep you connected within the Terry community. Tip: Turn on post notifications so you don't miss any opportunities! 

Stay in the loop and never miss a beat by following Terry Alumni on Instagram. The Terry College is abuzz with alumni accomplishments, student stories, exciting events, and incredible opportunities. Get social with the Terry College to stay connected and informed about all the happenings that shape our community. 

Terry College Alumni Board Members gathered on campus for the Fall Board Meeting, with guest speaker Josh Brooks, J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics. 

Young Alumni welcomed the Class of 2024 into the Alumni family at Fadó Irish Pub in Buckhead.

Follow us on social to see what's happening with Terry alumni!

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