Established business leaders and future tycoons met April 11 in Sheslow Auditorium to honor the achievements of Drake College of Business and Public Administration (CBPA) students and faculty at the CBPA’s annual awards ceremony.
“The CBPA Awards Ceremony is an opportunity for the entire college to come together to celebrate our superstars,” says CBPA Dean Charles Edwards, who presided over the event and presented Wallace with his award. “When you look over a crowd of over 800 students, all dressed professionally, you can’t help but be proud and humbled.”
The CBPA also honored local business leader, Jim Wallace, BN’77, CEO of GuideOne Insurance, with the Community Leadership Award for his impact on the University and the Des Moines business community.
Wallace, who was also the keynote speaker at the event, joined GuideOne in 2001. Since then, he has led the insurance company to 10 years of profitability. The company was named one of the “top 50 performing insurance companies” of 2011 by Ward Group, a leader of benchmarking and best practices services for the insurance industry.
Wallace is active in numerous industry and community groups, including the Greater Des Moines Partnership Board of Directors and Executive Committee, Property Casualty Insurers Association of America Board of Governors, YMCA Board of Directors, Des Moines Art Center Board of Directors, Des Moines Diocese Financial Council, St. Augustin Church Finance Council and CEO Breakfast Club.
Wallace is also a dedicated Drake alumnus. A magna cum laude graduate in 1977, he now serves on the Drake University National Advisory Council for the CBPA and on the Drake University Actuarial Science Professional Advisory Board.
“I am honored and humbled to be recognized by Drake with the Community Leadership Award,” says Wallace. “My undergraduate experiences at Drake in large part instilled the importance of getting involved and giving back. I’m so pleased to see that Drake continues that tradition today. Drake University, its students and its graduates make a huge impact on this community and beyond.”
Edwards presented several awards to faculty and recognized students for excellence in their majors and in leadership, community service and other achievements. A few winners include:
- Rahul Parsa, professor of actuarial science, received the David B. Lawrence Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award
- Jim Dodd, Aliber Distinguished Professor and professor of accounting, was named the Graduate Teacher of the Year
- Ina Purvanova, assistant professor of management and international business, received the Harry I. Wolk Research Award
- Tess Wicks was named the Outstanding Undergraduate Student of the Year
- Todd Drake was named the Outstanding Senior of the Year