School of Business Taps 17 Students into Beta Gamma Sigma, Honors Birmingham
April 21, 2023
This spring, 17 students and four faculty members in the School of Business were tapped to join 蜜桃影像’s chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma, an international honor society for AACSB-accredited schools representing the top five percent of business programs around the world.
Every spring, the School of Business taps inductees representing the top 10 percent of undergraduate and MBA students from accounting, finance, human resources management, management, marketing, and master of business administration (MBA) into its BGS chapter.
The evening began with opening remarks from School of Business Interim Dean Dr. Carol Wittmeyer, President Rooney, and Dr. Hemant Sashital, professor of marketing. The program included a remembrance of Dr. Jason Berman, longtime Fisher faculty member and the original BGS advisor, who passed away earlier this month.
鈥淭his year is especially bittersweet as we celebrate our chapter founder and advisor Dr. Jason Berman. One of the most precious lessons he offered, of many, was to be fully present in each moment. He did that with every interaction he had with each student in his life, each colleague, each alum, and all of his friends,鈥� said Wittmeyer.
Special thanks were also given to the 2023 Chapter Honoree and keynote speaker, Martin K. Birmingham. In her remarks leading up to Birmingham鈥檚 speech, Wittmeyer shared her admiration for his instrumental work in the Fisher community with his generous philanthropy, service as a member of the Board of Trustees, and efforts in reinventing culture in the workplace in the greater Rochester Community.
Birmingham serves as president, chief executive officer, and director of Five Star Bank and its holding company, Financial Institutions, Inc. As an engaged member of the Rochester community, he sits on several organization boards including the Federal Reserve Bank of New York Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council, AAA of Central and Western New York, Inc., Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce, Monroe Community College Foundation, Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, and the University of Rochester Medical Center. He is also a member of the University鈥檚 Board of Trustees, serving for the past 23 years, and is former chair.
鈥淚t has been a wonderful experience to serve this special institution to ensure that it is a place where our faculty love to teach and our students love to learn, all grounded in a caring and compassionate campus community representing a very valuable asset for greater Rochester and upstate New York,鈥� said Birmingham.
Birmingham regularly visits classrooms in the School of Business to speak to students about business and his own career path. He and his wife, Jill, are also the benefactors of a $100,000 scholarship that supports undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need pursuing a degree in business or the liberal arts.
鈥淎s you wrap up the academic year and ultimately graduate from this outstanding institution, never forget the family and friends who have supported your journey. Like you, I am grateful for my family and so many others who have provided support, mentoring, and counsel that has allowed me to succeed personally and professionally,鈥� shared Birmingham in his closing remarks to students.
Current student leaders for the chapter include Elle McEneany 鈥�24, president, and Alex Martens 鈥�23, vice president. Martens was awarded the Veteran & Active Duty Military Service Recognition Award by Dr. Hugh Lambert, assistant professor. Next year鈥檚 student leaders will include Desiree Silver 鈥�24 and Ethan Lowell 鈥�25 as co-presidents and Julia Kellogg 鈥�24 as vice president.
This year鈥檚 inductees include:
Sophomores
Jack Beauchamp
Alexis Emmi
Jaiden Jurgensen
Ethan Kesserling
Ethan Lowell
Kathleen Rachwal
Juniors
Desiree Silver
Meredith Kennedy
Hao (Chloe) Wu
Nicollette Pallar
Julia Kellogg
Seniors
Riley Gardner
Kirstin Meyers
Joseph Ruggiero
Jessica Walker
MBA
Andi Balland
Valerie Kolossovsky
Faculty
David Kunsch
Hugh Lambert
Chantz Miles
Raju Vulapalli
School of Business Taps 17 Students into Beta Gamma Sigma, Honors Birmingham2023-04-21T14:35:00-04:00This spring, 17 students and four faculty members in the School of Business were tapped to join 蜜桃影像’s chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma, an international honor society for AACSB-accredited schools representing the top five percent of business programs around the world.Every spring, the School of Business taps inductees representing the top 10 percent of undergraduate and MBA students from accounting, finance, human resources management, management, marketing, and master of business administration (MBA) into its BGS chapter.
The evening began with opening remarks from School of Business Interim Dean Dr. Carol Wittmeyer, President Rooney, and Dr. Hemant Sashital, professor of marketing. The program included a remembrance of Dr. Jason Berman, longtime Fisher faculty member and the original BGS advisor, who passed away earlier this month.
“This year is especially bittersweet as we celebrate our chapter founder and advisor Dr. Jason Berman. One of the most precious lessons he offered, of many, was to be fully present in each moment. He did that with every interaction he had with each student in his life, each colleague, each alum, and all of his friends,” said Wittmeyer.
Special thanks were also given to the 2023 Chapter Honoree and keynote speaker, Martin K. Birmingham. In her remarks leading up to Birmingham’s speech, Wittmeyer shared her admiration for his instrumental work in the Fisher community with his generous philanthropy, service as a member of the Board of Trustees, and efforts in reinventing culture in the workplace in the greater Rochester Community.
Birmingham serves as president, chief executive officer, and director of Five Star Bank and its holding company, Financial Institutions, Inc. As an engaged member of the Rochester community, he sits on several organization boards including the Federal Reserve Bank of New York Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council, AAA of Central and Western New York, Inc., Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce, Monroe Community College Foundation, Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, and the University of Rochester Medical Center. He is also a member of the University’s Board of Trustees, serving for the past 23 years, and is former chair.
“It has been a wonderful experience to serve this special institution to ensure that it is a place where our faculty love to teach and our students love to learn, all grounded in a caring and compassionate campus community representing a very valuable asset for greater Rochester and upstate New York,” said Birmingham.
Birmingham regularly visits classrooms in the School of Business to speak to students about business and his own career path. He and his wife, Jill, are also the benefactors of a $100,000 scholarship that supports undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need pursuing a degree in business or the liberal arts.
“As you wrap up the academic year and ultimately graduate from this outstanding institution, never forget the family and friends who have supported your journey. Like you, I am grateful for my family and so many others who have provided support, mentoring, and counsel that has allowed me to succeed personally and professionally,” shared Birmingham in his closing remarks to students.
Current student leaders for the chapter include Elle McEneany ’24, president, and Alex Martens ’23, vice president. Martens was awarded the Veteran & Active Duty Military Service Recognition Award by Dr. Hugh Lambert, assistant professor. Next year’s student leaders will include Desiree Silver ’24 and Ethan Lowell ’25 as co-presidents and Julia Kellogg ’24 as vice president.
This year’s inductees include:
Sophomores
Jack Beauchamp
Alexis Emmi
Jaiden Jurgensen
Ethan Kesserling
Ethan Lowell
Kathleen Rachwal
Juniors
Desiree Silver
Meredith Kennedy
Hao (Chloe) Wu
Nicollette Pallar
Julia Kellogg
Seniors
Riley Gardner
Kirstin Meyers
Joseph Ruggiero
Jessica Walker
MBA
Andi Balland
Valerie Kolossovsky
Faculty
David Kunsch
Hugh Lambert
Chantz Miles
Raju Vulapalli
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