Annual Faculty Award for Excellence in Research

FRANK MAY, assistant professor of marketing, focuses his research on time, intertemporal choice, and self-control. His published articles include a study of how memories of the past influence self-control, and a study that finds that thinking about how a task is to be completed—rather than why—reduces duration estimates for simple tasks but increases estimates for complex tasks. May was the runner-up for the William O. Bearden Doctoral Student Research Award and has received several fellowships and grants.

Commencement keynote speaker

WAYNE ROBINSON (FIN ’80) is president and CEO of Career Path Management & Associates, an academic and career services consulting group he founded in North Carolina. He has more than 15 years of experience in the field and has served on the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors since 2014. Robinson’s honors and awards include Virginia Tech’s 2014 Alumni Distinguished Service Award, 1988 Outstanding Young Alumnus, and numerous athletic and community service recognitions.

Read the full VT News press release

The Pamplin Society created an awards program to honor outstanding alumni. The Inaugural awards were presented at the annual gathering of the Pamplin Advisory Council in September.

Mentoring Award

NICHOLAS CULLEN (FIN ’91) serves as a managing director for Goldman Sachs, overseeing the foreign exchange sales force. He is Pamplin’s most senior alumnus at the firm and has been the key driver behind the development of a recruiting pipeline from the college. In 2013 and 2014, Cullen and Goldman Sachs hosted Hokies on Wall Street for the largest Pamplin alumni networking event to date.

Ut Prosim Award

T.J. LOEFFLER (FIN/MKTG ’11) is the founder and CEO of Loeffler International. After several years working as a sales analyst for Goldman Sachs, Loeffler began a personal search for purpose as an entrepreneur. Today he travels the world speaking a message of hope and meaning, teaching others how to own their identity and discover their purpose. Loeffler is a mentor to low-income students, running partner with NYC’s Back on My Feet, and board member of BATI School, which is revitalizing Haiti’s rural communities with a sustainable education model.

Corporate Ambassador Award

DELOITTE has demonstrated long-term support of Pamplin’s mission and students. Through its recruitment programs, the firm currently employs more than 600 Virginia Tech alumni. Deloitte practitioners offer classroom presentations and guest lectures in more than 20 classes each school year, perform curriculum reviews of undergraduate programs, and provide financial support to faculty and students. In 2016, Deloitte Advisory’s CEO and Global Risk Advisory Business Leader delivered a keynote speech for students and met with Pamplin and university leadership. JON TAILLON (CEEN ’98), a principal with Deloitte, accepted the award on behalf of the firm.

Rising Alumni Awards

CHRISTINA TODD (FIN ’09) is a vice president and financial advisor at Cary Street Partners. She has been in the financial services industry for more than eight years and has been in a leading financial advisor role since 2013. In Richmond, Todd volunteers with the VCU Massey Center and is a founding member of LeanIn RVA Women’s Circle. Most recently, Todd became a mentor for Pamplin’s Collegiate Women in Business and serves as vice president of the Recent Alumni Board.

Rising Alumni Awards

ASHTON WILSON (FIN ’07) is a vice president at Goldman Sachs, trading equity derivatives in the healthcare, pharmaceutical, and biotech industries. He is one of the youngest senior traders in his industry area. Wilson dedicates significant time to helping Pamplin students prepare for Wall Street careers. He meets with visiting SEED, BASIS, and Innovate students, and has returned to Blacksburg to speak with students.