Class Notes

Helen Rivero (BBA, Marketing, 1982) has been named to GlobeSt.com’s Best Bosses 2021.

Janet Bawcom (BBA, Finance, 1986) has received a Top 50 General Counsel award.

Suzanne Richards (BBA, Finance, 1987) has joined the Raleigh Corporate Branch of Horizon Forest Products as an Accounting Team Member.

Chris Wertzberger (BBA, Accounting, 1991) has been named the new Executive Vice President of Servicing at Chickasaw Community Bank.

Kevin Hopper (BBA, Accounting, 1993) has received the 2021 Administrator of the Year Award from the South Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce.

Steve Idoux (BBA, Management Information Systems, 2000) has been promoted to President of Lockton Dunning Benefits’ Dallas office.

Iann Poole (BBA, Energy Management, 2006), has been named Senior Vice President of Corporate Development at EnerCorp.

Alex Perry (BBA, Marketing, 2009) has been promoted to Director of Planning at Nike. 

Aaron Jaqua (BBA, Accounting, 2010) has been named a Partner at EideBailly.
 

Brian Lepak (BBA, Finance, 2010; J.D., 2014) has been named the offensive quality control coach and assistant director of recruiting for Kansas State’s football team.

Shane Fairchild (BMacc, 2016) has been named an Assurance Manager at EY.
 

Garrett O’Grady (BBA, Finance, 2016) has been promoted to Assistant Vice President/Commercial Lending at Texas Bank and Trust’s Fort Worth location.
 

Jordan Edwards (BBA, Accounting/Management, 2019; Master of Accountancy, 2020), was awarded the OSCPA Silver Medal.

Brady Manek (BBA, Management, 2020) has committed to UNC.

Margaret Tate Blake (BS, Finance, 1947), has passed away at the age of 94. Blake was an accomplished instructor who served psychological and therapy-based communities throughout Colorado. She taught at Drake and Colorado State Universities before joining the University of Northern Colorado in 1968, where she taught for 25 years. She taught in UNC’s extended degree program for 20 years, chairing that program for five years. She initiated the emphasis in marriage and family therapy, writing or collaborating on all the course syllabi. Blake taught more than 40 different courses and chaired more than 50 doctoral committees. She was awarded Teacher of the Year in 1983 and was recognized as Outstanding Contributor to Colorado Marriage and Family Therapy in 1986.

Jan Knauer Horton (BBA, Economics, 1955) has passed away at age 87. She left a legacy of philanthropic service to her communities throughout Springfield and the state of Missouri. She also held an impressive career in the nonprofit sector, volunteering with others to establish such organizations as the Junior League of Springfield, the Visiting Nurse Association, the Girls Club of Springfield, and the Urban Districts Alliance. She served on more than 40 boards and committees throughout Springfield and Missouri, with special emphasis on the arts, the environment, and downtown revitalization. In 1988, she was hired as the Community Foundation of the Ozarks’ first executive director, and first employee, and served for 15 years. CFO’s assets grew from $1.7 million to $52.5 million during her service, making it the region's largest public charitable foundation, with assets exceeding $370 million and affiliate foundations in more than 50 communities.

William "Bill" Waterman (BBA, Accounting, 1975) has passed away. Waterman served as the Council of Petroleum Accountants Societies OKC Board of Directors for two terms, was the COPAS Emerging Issues Chair, and was a respected member of both his community and the oil and gas accounting industry. He was also a U.S. Army veteran. Waterman began his career in the internal audit department of Champlin Petroleum, which was followed by a position on the Oil & Gas Controller’s staff at Kerr-McGee Corporation. In 1980, Waterman decided that many companies did not have sufficient staffing to address the assessment and oversight of their assets operated by others. He created W.A. Waterman & Company, an Oklahoma City-based oil and gas consulting firm, to fill this need and served as its president.

Robert Avery (BBA, Accounting, 1976; J.D., 1978) has passed away at the age of 68. Throughout his lifetime, Avery practiced law in Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas, and oversaw the operations of his family farm in Eudora, Ark. In 2004, Avery and his wife Kay moved to Jefferson, Texas. He served his community through volunteer activities, including serving a period as mayor of Jefferson, board member of the Jefferson Economic Development Corporation, board member of the Marion Central Appraisal District, and board member of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs.