Outstanding alumni honored for service to Mendoza and beyond

Two annual awards weren’t enough to recognize the outstanding service efforts by Mendoza graduate alumni, so two more were added this year. The Ask More of Business Award and Commitment to Michiana Award were presented for the first time by the the Office of Graduate Alumni Relations.

“Adding two new awards allows us to highlight more of the great work done by our alumni each year,” said Tim Ponisciak ’03, ’07 MBA, Graduate Alumni Relations Director. “We have alumni living within walking distance of Notre Dame and others living hundreds of miles away who are great representatives of the College’s mission, and we want to recognize them.”

The College will recognize all four winners at its second annual Alumni Awards luncheon, to be held on Friday, November 18, at the Morris Inn. To attend, visit the registration site.

Here are all four 2016 award winners:

Crowley

The Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes a graduate business alumnus/alumna who has demonstrated achievement in business and a commitment to the Mendoza College of Business through leadership and service to the graduate business community. The 2016 winner is Ellen Crowley MBA ’87.

Crowley is vice president and financial advisor at CAPTRUST Financial Advisors in Raleigh, North Carolina. She finished her term on the Graduate Alumni Board in 2015, after contributing as a board member for over 10 years. She serves as president of the Notre Dame Club of Eastern Carolina and is a longtime John Cardinal O’Hara Society member. She further serves Mendoza by interviewing prospective MBA students and helping them find jobs in her industry.

“It has always been important for me to remain connected to Mendoza and Notre Dame, whether through alumni clubs or other avenues.  I appreciate the opportunity to give back to a place that has given so much to me.”  — Ellen Crowley MBA ’87

Madrid

The Recent Alumni Service Award recognizes a graduate business alumnus/alumna who graduated within the past seven years and has demonstrated commitment to the Mendoza College of Business or to the Mendoza mission of “Ask More of Business” through service to the community. The 2016 winner is Mark Madrid MNA ’15.

Madrid is the president and CEO of the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (GAHCC). He invests in Notre Dame and Mendoza through the Mark L. Madrid Scholarships, personally fundraising and selecting deserving undergraduate and/or graduate Hispanic business students as recipients. He also mentors two Hispanic student associations at Mendoza — the Association of Latino Professionals for America and the Mendoza Hispanic MBA Club.

“On July 9, 2014, I met with Father Ted, who closed a life-changing conversation with, ‘Proud of you son; we need more of you here.’ Those indelible words and the transformational Notre Dame MNA experience power me every day to level the playing field. I stand committed to Mendoza for a lifetime.” — Mark Madrid MNA ’15

Sinclair

The new Ask More of Business Award recognizes a graduate business alumna/alumnus who owns or leads a company that is successful in its industry and also has a specific goal for making a positive social impact either on its local community or on the globe. The 2016 winner is Chris Sinclair MBA ’06.

Sinclair is the founder of The Anthem Group, a Boston-based collection of internationally recognized entities in the live entertainment, event production, experiential marketing and hospitality industries. Committed to philanthropy and social impact, The Anthem Group regularly hosts events and supports social causes.

“Mendoza, and Notre Dame as a whole, validated my belief that one can both do well and do good. I launched Anthem well before I was a student. But it was the overwhelming support and second-to-none education that showcased how to continue to utilize my business as a platform for good – and how to do so on a more significant scale that impacts a larger audience in a multitude of ways.” — Chris Sinclair MBA ’06

Florance

The new Commitment to Michiana Award recognizes an alumnus/alumna who lives in the Michiana area and has made significant contributions to the local community through service work, civil service work or helping to bring more jobs to this area. The 2016 winner is Charles Florance MBA ’13.

Florance held a singular determination to build something great in South Bend that the locals could get behind. He built the Indiana Whiskey Company — rooted in South Bend and made for South Bend. Florance was adamant that every single thing that went into Indiana Whiskey came from Indiana, and most of that from Michiana. He not only created jobs in the community, work for local craftsmen, and trade for local farmers, but he also created a business that locals are proud of.

“The people I met at Mendoza gave me a real feeling of solidarity and community. In turn, Notre Dame’s presence shaped the way we saw the Michiana area. Once my wife and I felt like we truly belonged, the decision to build a business here felt natural.” — Charles Florance MBA ’13