Class Notes

Brian Culp

M.S. '00

Dr. Brian Culp (M.S. '00) delivered the 39th annual Dudley Allen Sargent Lecture at the 2020 National Association of Kinesiology in Higher Education conference in Palm Springs, Calif. The title of the lecture was Thirdspace Investigations: Geography, Dehumanization, and seeking Spatial Justice in Kinesiology. The lecture is one of the highest honors afforded a professional in the field of kinesiology.

Jeff Warwick

B.B.A. '85

Jeff Warwick (B.B.A. '85), a former Georgia State University Foundation trustee and secretary (2010-19), was recently appointed board trustee for Truett McConnell University in Cleveland, Ga.

Cassandra (Casey) L. Tuchscher

J.D. '19

Cassandra (Casey) L. Tuchscher (J.D. '19) joined MendenFreiman LLP as an associate attorney in its tax controversy and tax planning practice areas. She will focus on evaluating, researching and consulting regarding complicated tax law issues and will help clients better understand laws that govern taxation and what is required to remain in compliance.  

Mark Zyla

MBA '85

Zyla Valuation Advisors LLC, a valuation and litigation consultancy firm led by Mark L. Zyla (MBA '85), recently opened in Atlanta’s Ponce City Market. With more than three decades of experience, Zyla is among the country’s leading experts on fair value measurements. His certifications include Certified Public Accountant, Accredited in Business Valuation (CPA/ABV), Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF) by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) with the American Society of Appraisers certified in Business Valuation.

Craig Lockhart

M.Ed. '01

Craig Lockhart (M.Ed. '01), superintendent of the Dooly County School System and former deputy superintendent for the Newton County School System, is the author of the book, "School Genetics, A Blueprint for Saving Public Schools."

Chris Ahrenkiel

MBA 2003

Chris Ahrenkiel (MBA '03) was recently honored with the 2019 Realtor of the Year award by the Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors. Ahrenkiel is an executive vice president at Selig Enterprises Inc.

Karen Duncan

MBA '14

Dr. Karen Duncan (MBA ’14), a board-certified pediatrician with medical and executive leadership experience, has been named the chief operating officer of JPS Health Network in Fort Worth, Texas. Dr. Duncan earned her M.D. from the Emory University School of Medicine. She previously held executive leadership positions at Atlanta’s Grady Health System and Chicago’s Cook County Health and Hospitals System.

James Standard

J.D. ’98, MBA ’13, M.S. ’14

James Standard (J.D. ’98, MBA ’13, M.S. ’14), a corporate attorney in Atlanta specializing in taxation, finance, general business and commercial law, has joined Taylor English Duma LLP as a partner in the law firm’s Atlanta office. Before joining Taylor English, Standard was a member at Miller & Martin PLLC and a partner at Hall Booth Smith PC.

Paige Collier

M.S. '05

Paige Collier (M.S. '05) has joined Pinnacle Financial Partners in Atlanta as a senior lending officer. Collier previously spent 17 years at Synovus.

Danny Timblin

MBA '04

Life & Specialty Ventures, LLC, a leader in the field of ancillary insurance, recently announced the appointment of Danny Timblin (MBA '04) to the newly created position of chief growth officer.

Joel M. Black

B.B.A. '92

The Board of Trustees of the Financial Accounting Foundation recently appointed Joel M. Black (B.B.A. '92) as the next chair of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board. Black is a partner at the accounting firm Mauldin & Jenkins, LLC, in Atlanta.

Loraine DiSalvo

B.A. '94

Loraine DiSalvo (B.A. '94) was selected as a Georgia SuperLawyer in the area of estates and trusts for a seventh straight year. She was also selected as a Five Star Professional Wealth Advisor for 2019.