Alumni Awards

Robinson Distinguished Alumna Award

Neda Barqawi, EMBA '10, DBA ‘14

Neda is the Founder and CEO at KnovaTech Launch, providing mentorship and training programs designed for aspiring women entrepreneurs working on tech-related business ideas. Through the Dr. Neda A. Barqawi And Dr. Khalid Hamied Scholarship and generous support for the Women’s Philanthropy Network, and WomenLead, Neda consistently provides direct support for Robinson students. Additionally, she has served on the Dean’s Board of Advisors since 2014, giving her time and providing valuable input on subjects such as predictive analytics, business intelligence and process optimization.

Robinson Distinguished Alumnus Award

Dexter Warrior, BBA '85, MRE '90

The COO of T. Dallas Smith & Company, Dexter has had an illustrious real estate career spanning over three decades. He has been an inspiration to Robinson students both as a business leader and a civic leader, serving on the Atlanta Commercial Board of REALTORS Board, the Georgia World Congress Center Authority Board, and the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau Board, among others. Dexter and his family provide direct support for Robinson students through the Dexter and Karen Warrior Scholarship in Real Estate and he has mentored numerous Robinson students over the course of the last decade.

Alumna Award for Service to Robinson

Beth Johnston, MBA ‘85

Beth is an accomplished businesswoman who dedicated nearly four decades to senior roles at Delta and Qatar Airways before retiring in 2014. She has given back generously to Robinson as a volunteer, donor and Honors Program Mentor. In 2016, Beth established the Cassi Makani Wimmingham Memorial Scholarship which has provided significant support for WomenLead students. From 2008 to 2019, she volunteered on the Robinson Dean’s Board of Advisors.

Robinson Young Alumnus Award

Paul Salamanca, BBA ‘13

Paul and his wife Daniela (BA ’13) established themselves as successful business owners as soon as they graduated from GSU, founding their award-winning company Preferred Roofing Supply. In 2019, Paul and Daniela established the Salamanca Scholarship for students pursuing entrepreneurship at GSU. They continue to pave the way for other young business leaders through their support of Entrepreneurship at Robinson and are active role models for students and young alumni.

Robinson Honorary Alumnus Award

Rick Tigner

Rick has served as a mentor for Robinson students since spring of 2013, becoming one of the most prolific mentors in recent Robinson history. He is an avid world traveler and encourages students to see the world through gifts to the Institute of International Business scholarship fund. Rick also supports Panthers on Wall Street, providing opportunities for students to immerse themselves in the business community.

Special Presentation

AACSB International Influential Leader

Kevin Lofton, MHA ‘79

Healthcare executive Kevin E. Lofton, an alumnus of Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business, is among 27 champions of diversity and inclusion named to AACSB International’s Influential Leaders Class of 2022. AACSB, formerly the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, conducts the annual initiative to recognize notable alumni from AACSB-accredited business schools who are role models for the next generation of business leaders. Lofton (M.H.A. ’79), is CEO Emeritus of CommonSpirit Health. He retired in 2020 after serving as CEO of CommonSpirit and its predecessor organization, Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI), for 18 years. A Life Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Lofton has had a broad impact across the sector’s landscape by helping to decrease care disparities and increase the number of healthcare executives and physicians from underrepresented populations.