Class Notes

Gregory Pearson (BS Management ’65), LUTCF, CLU, will celebrate 60 years with State Farm in October. Since starting with the company in 1965, he has built a distinguished career in insurance and financial services, earning both the Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow and Chartered Life Underwriter designations. He lives in Austin, Texas.

Robert Veach (BS Accountancy ’72) received the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award by Marquis Who’s Who in 2021, recognizing his decades-long legal career in corporate and securities law, structured finance, and housing policy. Veach founded his Dallas-based law firm in 1998 and served as chairman of CentraCore Properties Trust until 2007. He is a trustee of the Bob and Evelyn Veach Foundation, benefiting arts and youth in Omaha, Neb.

Bryan Neville (BS Accountancy ’74) is celebrating his retirement after 20 years as chief flight instructor, pilot examiner, operations inspector, and accident investigator for the Federal Aviation Administration. A master-level scuba diver and divemaster, he recently earned his commercial drone pilot certificate and became a certified hot air balloon and airline transport pilot. Neville and his wife welcomed their 16th grandchild in 2024. He lives in West Jordan, Utah.

Linda Dausend (BS Marketing ’79) is a leadership development consultant with more than 40 years of experience in talent management, coaching, and organizational development. She served as a senior consultant and account manager at FlashPoint Leadership Consulting from 2010 to 2023, when she retired. She continues to support leaders through coaching, training, and team development, and recently renewed her Certified Professional in Talent Development credential through 2027. She lives in Peoria, Ariz.

Brad Rogers (BS Marketing ’81) retired after a 26-year career in college publishing, where he was nationally ranked as the No. 1 field sales representative on four occasions. He later served as marketing manager of HarperCollins College Division, overseeing the marketing, management, communication, and accounting editorial lists. Rogers is enjoying retirement by volunteering, traveling, and spending time in Michigan reading, taking road trips, and ice fishing.

Thomas Spelson (BS Finance ’81) retired more than 20 years ago from a small shipping company he co-founded with a friend, where he served as acting vice president. Now based in Chicago, he’s passionate about supporting the next generation of business leaders through a scholarship fund for W. P. Carey students. He lives in Downers Grove, Ill.

Saralee “Sally” Matthews (BS Accountancy ’83) is proud to be one of four family members who have graduated from Arizona universities, including NAU graduate Ruth Zigler, George Matthews (BS Political Science ’14), and Derrek Matthews (BS Finance ’24). She is retired and lives in Englewood, Fla.

Robert Brown (BS Finance/Housing & Urban Development ’84) sold his business, Arizona Foundation Solutions, and launched RK Bob Brown — The Dirt Whisperer, a startup that draws on his expertise in foundation repair. His award-winning 2023 book, Foundation Repair Secrets, aims to dispel common myths about foundations, construction, and soil dynamics. He lives in Phoenix.

Rob Neville (BS Advertising ’84), Lake Washington School District humanities teacher, married fellow ASU alum Tama Fulton (BA Broadcasting ’89). He lives in Redmond, Wash.

Patricia “Tricia” Trew (BS Management ’85) is enjoying retirement after 44 years with Arizona law offices and nonprofit organizations. She now serves on a regional Rose Society board, helps secure permanent homes for stray cats, and volunteers as a phone banker. She lives in Queen Valley, Ariz.

Robert Maxwell (MBA ’87) and his wife, an ASU alum, are celebrating their golden anniversary. He is president of RMM Consulting, an IT services company that has grown yearly since its founding in 2020. He lives in Solano Beach, Calif.

Rory Robinson (BS Mechanical Engineering ’88, MBA ’98) has served as president of CP North America for more than 20 years. The company is a leading manufacturer of ruggedized computer hardware for the defense and industrial markets. He lives in Phoenix.

Mike Benning (BS Business ’89) is director of sales and marketing at Point Designs, a medical equipment manufacturing company. He lives in Boston.

Kimberly Dykes (BS Computer Information Systems ’93) is an agile delivery lead at State Farm and the proud parent of two Sun Devils. Her eldest son graduated from ASU in 2022 with a degree in mechanical engineering, and her younger son graduated with a supply chain management degree from W. P. Carey in 2024. She lives in Phoenix.

James Brooks (BS Honors Finance ’96, MBA ’02) is lead director of long-term care revenue cycles at Omnicare, a CVS Health company. He lives in Gilbert, Ariz.

Rami Kalla (BS Management/BA Spanish ’99) is the founder and president of Point in Time Studios, a video production and virtual reality company. The studio recently launched immersive VR training for first responders and became the first VR company to offer the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training National Certification Program. He lives in Gilbert, Ariz.

Michelle Tinsley (MBA ’99) is CEO of Sciata, an IT services and software development firm helping enterprise customers deploy cutting-edge technology. She lives in Phoenix.

Aaron Blau (BS Management ’01) is the lead instructor and program director for the accounting department at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix.

Amber Musgrave (BS Marketing ’01) is general manager at Oak View Group, a professional sports and commercial real estate company. In 2023, she returned to ASU to lead operations at Mullett Arena, home to ASU hockey and host to national touring acts, comedy shows, and sporting events.

Justin Hawkins (BS Marketing ’02) is chief marketing officer at Outback Presents, an independent entertainment agency based in Nashville, Tenn.

Juan Kingsbury (BS Global Business/Marketing ’04) is the founder and talent strategist at Career Blindspot, an executive coaching company that experienced its most profitable year in 2024. He lives in Phoenix with his wife and newborn son.

Christopher Ross (BS CIS ’02, MBA ’06) is semi-retired and splits his time between serving as CEO of Zombie Investment Holdings, a private investment company. He spends his time pursuing hobbies like traveling and fishing. Ross lives in Chandler, Ariz.

Jaime Garcia (BS Finance ’07) is the co-owner of Trautmann & Garcia, a specialized legal services firm for the public and private sectors. He lives in Laredo, Texas.

Matthew Pixa (MBA ’07) is the president and founder of My Portfolio Guide, a fee-only fiduciary that serves investors nationwide. He recently celebrated his eldest child’s graduation from Texas Christian University, and his youngest is a current W. P. Carey student. He lives in Seal Beach, Calif.

Alia Eccles (BS Finance/Economics ’09, MBA ’13) is senior finance AI and data science manager at Nvidia. She launched the company’s finance data science team, which develops and deploys generative AI, data solutions, and machine learning automation. She lives in Gilbert, Ariz.

James Rogers (BA Business Administration ’09) is COO at Prosper Company, a food services and hospitality firm committed to making a positive impact in the industry. He lives in Phoenix with his family.

James Neef (MBA ’13) is the Oregon marketing team leader for Weyerhaeuser, a timber, land, and forest products company. He’s also a proud Sun Devil parent to Corbin Neef (BS Finance ’28) and Kendyl Neef (BS Biochemistry ’28), both second-year ASU students. He lives in Eugene, Ore.

Shyla A. Ingram (BS Accountancy ’14) is the managing director of finance at PeerForward, a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. In April, she celebrated her second year with the organization, which transforms students’ lives in low-income communities by connecting them to higher education and careers. While attending ASU, Shyla was the co-founder and president of the Equity, Trustworthiness, Honor & Integrity in Corporate Society (ETHICS) Committee, which promotes professional ethics and student academic integrity. She moved back to Arizona after spending several years living in upstate New York.

Stanley Kelman (MBA ’14) is founder and CEO of Peloton Workforce. He is celebrating one year as a leadership council member of the National Small Business Association. He lives in Las Vegas.

Anna Sepic (MRED ’17) is a senior vice president at SRS Real Estate Partners, a commercial real estate solutions firm. She lives in Phoenix and shares her expertise in this issue’s feature story here.

Adam Scoggan (BA Human Resources ’19) is vice president of people operations for the Athletics, a Major League Baseball team. He lives in Dublin, Calif.

Jordyn Fetter (BS Marketing ’20) is a policy fellow at University College London’s Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose. She earned a master’s degree in public administration.

Redwan Alaali (BS Accountancy ’21) is a general accountant at Defense Enterprise for Military Industries, a manufacturer of body armor and military clothing and accessories. He lives in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Pearl Narh (MS-FIN ’21) is a senior financial analyst for Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, where she supports the accounts payable team. She lives in Arlington, Va.