Alumni Notes
Victor Sower (’80, MBA) recently co-au- thored the paper “Enhancing Supply Chain through Implementation of Key IIoT Technologies” in the Journal of Computer Information Systems. 1990s Tony Alvarez (’92, marketing) has been with Atlanta company Miller Zell Inc. for 17 years. In March of last year, he was promoted to client director for mass merchant accounts. He partners with the business development team as a senior lead for his project management team. Most recently he was chosen to lead the team for its role in the new Auburn Football Performance Center, which he says is quite exciting for an Auburn alum. Alvarez’s title of client director, “is basically a senior manager for a team of project managers and a bridge to the company’s business development team.” Heather Griner Barklow (’99, accounting) is COO/CFO of American Prairie, the larg- est conservation project in the contiguous U.S. Their mission is to create a refuge for people and wildlife preserved forever as part of America’s heritage. She says it is an honor to work for a true legacy project. “The role is a perfect fit for my background — combining my account- ing and business education from Auburn with my prior professional experience at Arthur Andersen and in commercial real estate.” “I have a 3 1/2-year-old little boy and my husband and I (the wrong kind of Tiger fan — LSU) live in beautiful Bozeman, Montana. Thankfully, my son likes orange and blue more than purple and yellow.” Brian Blakeney (’93, finance) serves as CFO of Collegiate Housing Foundation, the country’s first nonprofit student housing provider with approximately $4 billion in projects financed since 1996.
Maria Brothers Goldschmidt (’87, finance) joined Harbert Realty Services in Birmingham, Alabama, as their new chief financial officer in 2016. In the six years since she joined the exec- utive team, the company has gone through great change and growth, adding three new divisions. Corporate revenue has increased almost 25%, while operating expenses only increased 14%. She was recently named a finalist in the Birmingham Business Journal’s “CFO of the Year” issue. Goldschmidt said Auburn is a key reason for her professional success. “From course- work in finance through the values embod- ied in the Auburn Creed, I have taken Auburn everywhere in my work, from my first job at a Fortune 500 to where I am today.” Rodney June (’89, MBA) is the chief investment officer of the $22 billion Los Angeles City Employees Retirement System (LACERS). He is responsible for long-term investment strategy and asset allocation and developing investment policy. LACERS earned a 29.09% return on the total fund for its fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, one of its best performance years on record. After earning his MBA at Auburn, June spent a brief stint as a management consultant. After that, he began working in the City of Los Angeles’ affordable housing program, specifically working in operational budgeting, federal housing grant programs and project housing development. After eight years in the affordable housing industry, he transferred to LACERS as an investment officer, where he was given important assignments including managing its private equity program. Ten years later, he was hired by the Hawaii Employees Retirement System as their chief investment officer, and held that position for almost five years, managing a large, diversified investment portfolio. In 2012, he rejoined LACERS as its chief investment officer.
Mark Ledbetter (’81, industrial manage- ment, ’87, MSIS) retired last April after 41 years in the work force from Cloudera, Inc. He looks forward to spending time with his new grandson, traveling, golfing and hunting. “I have never been prouder of the life my degrees at Auburn allowed me to accomplish.” Stephen Luttrell (’87, industrial/operations management) was recently promoted to director, engineering services for Disney’s Animal Kingdom. In this new role, he is responsible for the engineering and mainte- nance of all attractions and facilities within Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World. He’s worked for The Walt Disney Co. for almost 30 years in Orlando, Florida. During this time at Disney, he had the opportunity to lead engineering and main- tenance teams at multiple parks, resorts and support areas throughout the Walt Disney World property. Lynn Raunikar (’88, finance) recently started a new job as the children’s ministry assis- tant at First Baptist Blairsville, Georgia. She assists the children’s minister in planning all children’s activities. Greg Smith (’82, industrial management) retired in 2020 after 34 years in the electric utility industry. His career was primarily spent with Southern Company, both at Georgia Power and Gulf Power. Smith spent the last two years of his career with NextEra. During his 34 years, he worked in market- ing, economic development, customer operations and governmental affairs. He wrapped up his career as director of govern- mental affairs. In 2018, Gulf Power was sold to NextEra Energy of Juno Beach, Florida. Following retirement he started Perfect Point Strategies, LLC. His firm focuses on governmental affairs consulting in Florida and the Southeast. He lives in Tallahassee, Florida, with his wife, Diane Anderson Smith, (’81, market- ing). They have two grown children and one granddaughter.
50 Harbert Business, Fall 2022
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