College Alumni Awards

The College of Continuing and Extended Education honored Daniel Ayalon (’83), however, Mr. Ayalon earned his MBA from the Schmidthorst College of Business. Serving as Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S. from 2002 to 2006, Mr. Ayalon was instrumental in achieving high success in relations between the two countries. Ambassador Ayalon is a graduate of Tel Aviv University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Labor Studies. He was also a Captain in the Israel Defense Forces Armored Corps.

Donna Walker Barnes retired as an executive for the world’s largest aerospace company, Boeing, and as their first female executive. Before retiring as director of industrial relations at the Fortune 500 company in 1988, she also became the first woman elected to the board of the Boeing Employee Credit Union. Barnes earned her bachelor’s degree in business education from BGSU in 1951 and furthered her education at Stanford University. As a BGSU student, she was active in the Delta Gamma sorority and Mortar Board and continues to be engaged in her alma mater. She has served on several homecoming reunion committees — including her 50th reunion in 2001— and continues to further engage her classmates in BGSU activities.

In her retirement, Barnes continues to travel extensively. She resides in the Seattle area.

Pamela Beall is director and president of MPLX LP, a master limited partnership sponsored by Marathon Petroleum Corporation, and senior vice president for corporate planning, government and public affairs at Marathon Petroleum. She serves on the board of trustees of The University of Findlay and is a member of The Ohio Society of CPAs.

She began her career with Marathon in 1978 as an auditor and held positions with the corporate risk and environmental affairs and domestic funds organizations before transferring to USX Corporation as general manager for treasury services in 1985. She was vice president and treasurer of NationsRent Inc. and OHM Corporation, and served on the boards of directors of System One Services Inc. and Boyle Engineering.

Beall  rejoined Marathon in 2002, as manager of business development for Marathon Ashland Petroleum. She was named director of corporate affairs in 2003 and appointed director of business development in 2005. She then served as organizational vice president for business development - downstream for Marathon Petroleum Company in 2006. Beall was named vice president of global procurement for Marathon Oil Company in 2007, vice president of products, supply and optimization for Marathon Petroleum Company in 2010, and vice president of investor relations and government  and public affairs in 2011.

She earned her MBA from BGSU in 1984.

Debra L. Box (’86) is senior vice-president and transportation management executive for Bank of America. Box is responsible for enterprise-wide movement of checks, interoffice mail, customer deposits, express, truckloads, express shipping services, and small packaging. Her team supports more than 16,000 ATMs, 6,100 bank centers, cash vaults, and proof and operation sites. The BGSU graduate has more than 20 years of experience in supply chain and operations management.

Box earned an undergraduate business degree, double majoring in purchasing and materials management and production and operations management. She is Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CIPM) and is a Certified Instructor in Inventory Management.

Emerick brings a deep knowledge of the business and understanding to all related functions of developing shopping centers, town centers, power centers and mixed-use developments. He has been with Forest City Enterprises for over 35 years dividing his time between leasing, asset management, development, and 3rd party business; always in a position of leadership. Emerick is currently President of Forest City Real Estate Services. In this capacity, he is responsible for directing and leading all company real estate services activities in the United States, including all department store and big box relationships for development and redevelopment of all retail projects.

Emerick has overseen the development and construction of over 13 million square feet of shopping centers throughout the United States. He has been directly involved with all of the centers developed by Forest City from New York, NY to Los Angeles, CA and Florida. He has a deep knowledge of the business throughout the country.

Emerick is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), the Urban Land Institute, has taught at the ICSC Executive Learning Series level, former member of the ICSC's CenterBuild Advisory Board, and served on the Advisory Board of Central Michigan's Undergraduate Real Estate Program. Emerick holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio, and a Master of Arts in Business Management from Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.​

Keith B. Grass (’78) serves as president and CEO of The David J. Joseph Company, a subsidiary of Nucor Corporation. In his position, he develops business strategy and objectives for this service company that generates $5 billion in revenue. Grass is responsible for all facets of the company including finance, human resources, operations, sales, services, and shareholder interaction. He also serves on the board of directors for his company and its five affiliates.

Grass received a finance degree in 1978 and started his career with The David J. Joseph Company in 1984.

Michael Hoskins ('77) brings more than 20 years of experience in developing and managing software companies to his roles as chief technology officer and general manager of Pervasive's Integration Products business unit. Mr. Hoskins joined Pervasive through its December 2003 acquisition of Data Junction Corporation, where he served as president for the prior 15 years.

As chief technology officer, Mr. Hoskins champions Pervasive's technology direction, promotes the company's industry-leading low-TCO approach to data management and integration worldwide and directs the company's Innovation Labs.

He received the AITP Austin chapter's 2007 Information Technologist of the Year Award for his leadership in the development of Pervasive DataRushT.

William "Bill" Ingram III ('72) (New Albany, Ohio) Mr. Ingram is a 1972 graduate of Bowling Green State University with a B.S. in business administration and economics. He is the president/CEO of White Castle System Inc. (also known as White Castle Hamburgers). He has been the CEO of White Castle since 1979. Mr. Ingram has served on many BGSU boards and organizations including the Presidents Club, the Alumni Association Board of Trustees (1984-87), the Foundation Board (1987-91), the Foundation Board Audit Committee and the Alumni Advisory Council for the Schmidthorst College of Business. He also was a charter member of the Dean's Council for the Schmidthorst College of Business. He is currently the vice president for the Ingram-White Castle Foundation and, via the foundation, established the Ingram-White Castle Scholarship Fund at BGSU. He supports many University programs including the Student Union Capital Improvements Endowment Fund and the Fund for BGSU.

Earle Malm ('71) (Berkeley, California) is a 1971 graduate of Bowling Green State University with a B.S. in business administration, with a focus on sales management. He is the CEO of Highland Capitol Management in San Francisco, California. He was previously vice chairman for ValueClick Incorporated in Westlake Village, California, and vice president for Institutional Marketing at LGT Asset Management.

He previously served as president, COO and chief marketing officer at ValueClick Incorporated. He has also worked in VP executive capacities with IBM, RCA and GE.

Robert Maurer is an attorney and partner of Maurer, Newlove and Bakies in Bowling Green, successful commercial and residential landlord, and generous philanthropist. He is committed to improving both his community and his alma mater.

Maurer earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from BGSU in 1965, and juris doctor from the University of Toledo. As a BGSU student, he lettered in wrestling and was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity.

Maurer continues to serve his alma mater through his time and leadership. With his wife, Patricia, Maurer established the Maurer Family Endowed Professorship in Accounting and the Robert and Patricia Maurer Library Endowment. The Maurers are also longtime members of the BGSU Presidents Club, Varsity Club, Falcon Club, Marketing Advocates, and Friends of the University Libraries.

Maurer also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Bowling Green Community Foundation, and is a member of the BGSU Foundation Board of Directors.

Joseph J. McAleese (’81) (’83) leads Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC as its president and CEO. Bendix is a member of the Munich, Germany-based Knorr-Brense group, the leading worldwide supplier of pneumatic braking and related safety systems for commercial vehicle and railroad applications.

McAleese is a seasoned industry executive, spending the last 21 years at Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC, serving in various top leadership positions in the company. In addition to his CEO role at Bendix, McAleese was the 2008 chairman of the board of governors for the Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association (HDMA).

He holds both a bachelor’s in accounting and a Master of Accountancy and has been appointed to a variety of civic and educational organizations.

WILLIAM D. MCCLEAVE ’82. Bill McCleave is a Findlay, Ohio, native, who earned a Bachelor of Science in human resource management from Bowling Green State University in 1982 and a Master of Business Administration from Houston Baptist University in 1987. After joining Marathon in June 1982 as a contract and division order analyst, McCleave held various nonsupervisory and supervisory positions within the finance and administration organizations.  

McCleave has participated in various Marathon Leadership programs, and is a graduate of the Wharton Advanced Management program and the Oxford Institute for Energy. He served as the executive director of the 2008 Marathon United Way Campaign and on the executive committee and the board of directors for the Boy Scouts of America. He currently is serving on the United Way of Hancock County Board of Directors and the BGSU Schmidthorst College of Business Leadership Council.

Michael McGranaghan. In a career at Johnson and Johnson spanning more than 32 years, Michael McGranaghan made significant contributions to the enterprise, including senior finance leadership roles in each segment of the business as well as procurement.

After graduating from BGSU magna cum laude with a bachelor's degree in accounting, he earned an MBA with high honors from The Pennsylvania State University. McGranaghan joined Johnson and Johnson in 1982 as a senior financial analyst in the corporate finance group and rapidly ascended to leadership positions across the consumer, pharmaceutical and medical devices and diagnostics businesses.

He was promoted to chief financial officer for Iolab in 1994, served as the CFO for the Johnson and Johnson Merck OTC Joint Venture in 1995, and was appointed the CFO for Ethicon EndoSurgery in 1996.

In 1999, McGranaghan was promoted to vice president for group finance for the medical devices and diagnostics segment, where his leadership was instrumental in shaping the business into a world-leading competitor. He also served as the vice president for group finance for the medicines and nutritionals business from 2003-05.

In 2006, McGranaghan was named Johnson and Johnson's first chief procurement officer. In 2009, he joined the pharmaceuticals business as vice president for group finance, where he played a key role in leading the successful transformation of the business to one of the most innovative and fastest growing pharmaceutical businesses in the world.

John Mitchell is the global practice managing partner of the health care and life sciences practice at Heidrick and Struggles, an executive search firm. He is also a core member of the CEO and board of directors practice.

Before joining Heidrick and Struggles, he led the global private equity practice at a leading executive search firm. Previously, he was the firm’s life sciences practice leader for the Americas and a core member of its CEO and Board practice. He also served as the managing partner of another international search firm’s life sciences practice. He was elected to this firm’s board of directors.

A graduate of the BGSU College of Business, Mitchell has nearly 30 years of experience in executive search, working at the senior executive and board levels, primarily advising companies in health care and life sciences, including global conglomerates, emerging firms, private equity-backed companies and start-ups.

Patrick Ryan is a successful entrepreneur and certified public accountant. He is owner and chief financial officer of Aero-Instruments, a designer and manufacturer of air-data censors for aircrafts, and president of the PDR Group, a private investment company he co-founded with his wife, Debra (’74), in 1998, and their PDR Foundation. Ryan started his career with BF Goodrich in 1974. In 1988, he became a founding partner of SMR Aerospace, a Cleveland-based group of aerial manufacturing and engineering firms. He managed the company’s purchase of Flight Structures in 1994, and within four years had quadrupled the profit and staff of the newly acquired Seattle-based company. Ryan and his partners sold SMR in 1998.

Ryan has served BGSU on the “Building Dreams” campaign steering committee and is past chair of the BGSU Foundation Board of Directors. He continues to serve on the Foundation Board.

Barry Sanders is president of ScottsMiracle-Gro, and previously worked at the former Ernst and Young Consulting, where he specialized in operations management consulting. Through his remarkable leadership as president of ScottsMiracle-Gro, Sanders provides leadership of all aspects of the global business, including more than 8,000 employees involved in marketing, sales, research and development, and supply chain. Sanders previously worked as executive vice president for ScottsMiracle-Gro operations in North America. He first joined the company in 2001 as senior vice president for global business improvement.

Sanders earned his bachelor’s degree in business production and materials management from BGSU in 1987. As a student, he was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. He later earned his master’s of business administration from the University of Dayton.

Thirty thousand students have graduated from BGSU with degrees from the College of Business. We are proud to see our graduates recognized for their exceptional success and valuable contributions and leadership.

This year, BGSU’s Alumni Association is honoring three graduates from the business college as part of the Accomplished Graduates program. The following executives are being recognized for their high quality contributions to society either through professional practice or through service to the community that reflects positively on the graduate and BGSU.

The College of Arts and Sciences recognized Timothy Smith ('65), ('67) for his more than 32 years of volunteerism to BGSU. Mr. Smith is a retired senior vice president of the former Sky Insurance and is currently active on a number of University boards. He is chairman of the Advocates board for the College of Arts and Sciences as well as the Division of Student Affairs. Mr. Smith is treasurer of the Medici Circle board and a member of the Presidents Club and Presidents Club advisory board.

Gregory Stefani serves as the first vice president and chief operating officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. Appointed to the position in 2011, Stefani is the second ranking official of the bank, which serves the Fourth Federal Reserve District, comprised of Ohio, western Pennsylvania, eastern Kentucky and the northern panhandle of West Virginia. He also chairs the bank’s executive leadership team and oversees all operating and support activities in both the Cleveland headquarters and the bank’s branches in Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. 

During Stefani’s more than 30-year tenure with the bank, he has held positions of increasing responsibility within the supervision and regulation, credit risk management and statistics and analysis departments. In 2007, he was appointed senior vice president and chief financial officer, and has developed expertise in strategic planning and risk management. 

He is a member of the board of directors of United Way of Greater Cleveland, the board of advisors of the Commission on Economic Inclusion, and serves on the finance committee of the Greater Cleveland Food Bank. He also serves on the leadership council for the College of Business at BGSU where he received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Finance and an MBA. He is also a graduate of the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program and the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Colorado.

Karen (Speidel) Strauss ('77) received her Bachelor of Arts from Bowling Green State University with a Spanish major in 1977. While she was a student on campus, she served as president of the Delta Gamma fraternity.

Mrs. Strauss began working for the Masco Builder Cabinet Group in 1999 as vice president of marketing & customer care and, in 2006, was promoted to president. With over 6,000 employees, 12 manufacturing facilities, and nine direct market service locations, the BCG is focused on the new construction market segment in the U.S. BCG has earned the #1 market share position.

Maryrose Sylvester ’87 is President & CEO of GE Lighting, a $3 billion division of the Fortune 500 company, General Electric, leading nearly 15,000 people in manufacturing, sales, technology and distribution locations around the world who fulfill customers’ most basic and business-critical needs with a wide variety of innovative, lighting products and services.

Sylvester has spent 15 of her 26 years at General Electric with GE Lighting. She began her GE career in 1987, as an intern at GE Motors in Ft. Wayne, Ind. Her career has included numerous supervisory and leadership positions in several different businesses within General Electric. She most recently served as President & CEO of GE Intelligent Platforms and in the same capacity before that at the former GE Quartz. She served as director of sourcing for GE Lighting Europe in Budapest, Hungary in 1996, less than a decade after the fall of Communism in the country.

In 1997 she helped to establish the GE Women’s Network, an important part of General Electric’s organized effort to cultivate diversity and empower its workforce. She is quick to acknowledge the dozens of mentors and advocates who helped to develop her career, and Sylvester is a thoughtful and conscientious mentor to talented young professionals and women in business.

Sylvester is active in community outreach both nationally and in her community of greater Cleveland. She is on the Board of Governors for the National Electrical Manufacturers Association and serves on the Board for the Foundation Fighting Blindness, the Greater Cleveland Partnership and the United Way of Greater Cleveland. She is also on the Case Western Reserve University Corporate Visiting Committee.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in the former procurement and production management program (now the supply chain management program) in 1987 from Bowling Green State University. As an undergraduate, Sylvester was a member of Management Club and Delta Zeta sorority. She holds an MBA from Cleveland State University.