Walton College Recognizes Outstanding Student, Alumni Achievement at Awards Banquet

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Barbara Yates, Emi Beltran and Ebony Wyatt

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas held its 21st annual awards banquet April 24 at the Fayetteville Town Center.

In addition to recognizing the achievements of its outstanding students, the Walton College honored three alumni for their business and community achievements:

• Lifetime Achievement Award – Barbara Yates, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in accounting, 1970.
• Outstanding Service Award – Emi Beltran, Master of Business Administration with a concentration in retailing and global competencies, 2004.
• Outstanding Service Award – Ebony Oliver Wyatt, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in finance, 2003.

When Yates graduated, she was heavily recruited for the “first woman” role by numerous Big Eight accounting firms, ultimately joining Peat, Marwick & Mitchell (now KPMG) in the Tulsa office tax department. Following a move to Los Angeles with Touche Ross & Co. (now Deloitte), she returned to Arkansas, where she married, had children, formed a CPA firm and merged that firm into BKD, LLP in 1983. A personal highlight of her career was serving as a Federal Election Law budget and regulatory accounting consultant for presidential campaigns from 1991 through 2004. A recruiter for BKD, she worked closely with Arkansas colleges, returning to the University of Arkansas at every opportunity. She retired from BKD in 2004.

Beltran began her career at Walmart in 2004 as a buyer trainee, spending several months in store training before joining the home office snacks and beverages buying team. After holding several buying roles, she took on a short assignment with new formats in Arizona.  Moving on to the sourcing side of the business, she then spent nearly three years in Costa Rica, sourcing tropical fruits for the produce division. Upon her return to the United States in 2012, she joined the Consumable and Health and Wellness sourcing team. A member of the Walton College Business Alumni Advisory Council since 2006, Beltran recently agreed to serve as chair of a new Walton alumni group.

Wyatt started her career with General Mills as a summer intern on the Walmart account. For the past 10 years, she has held positions of increasing responsibility and relocated with the company six times. In 2013, she was presented with an Innovation Award during General Mills’ national sales meeting.  In 2012, she was awarded a “Champions Award,” an annual General Mills corporate award presented to individuals and teams who produce exceptional results. Wyatt is an active member of the Walton College Business Alumni Advisory Council, the University of Arkansas Black Alumni Society Board and the Walton College Diversity Programs Corporate Advisory Board. 

Outstanding Student Awards

The Walton College’s outstanding undergraduate awards include:

• Accounting – Ashleigh Alecusan, Mark McCallum, Caitlin Murphy, Addison Scott
• Economics – Shicong Xu
• Economics, Arts and Sciences – Lauren Hayes
• Finance – Caitlin Britt, Sawyer Dunigan, Lucas Gartman, Sarah-Margaret Pittman, Patrick Zagar
• Information Systems – Justin Mills
• International Business – Nick Dintelmann
• Management – Alexandria Cooper, Allyson Smith
• Marketing – Hannah Hobson, Lauryn Schack, Karly Schichtl, Kathryn Streepey, John Waddill
• Retail – Evan Clayton
• Supply Chain Management – Bryce Paden, Hope Washispack
• Ralph Treat Outstanding Cooperative Education Student Award – Rebekah Wittke 

The Presidential Scholar award for the Walton College went to Brooke Atwell. The Sam M. Walton College of Business Student Leadership Award was given to Katie Streepey. The Doyle Z. Williams Student Leadership Award was given to Bo Renner. The Beta Gamma Sigma Award went to Madison Layton. The Outstanding Graduating Senior was Caitlin Britt.

Recognized as Senior Scholars were Katherine Adams, Kendall Adams, Ashleigh Alecusan, Lindsey Bolen, Sheryl Choong, Andrew Doucet, Kathryn Gandy, Lucas Gartman, Matthew Kullman and Philip Murry. The college’s First-ranked Senior Scholars were Xi Ai, Caitlin Britt, Kayla Kimmons, John Lehoczky, Jeffrey Leyenberger, Mark McCallum, Justin Mills, Caitlin Murphy, Afshar Sanati, Anna Ward, Hope Washispack, Rebekah Wittke and Patrick Zagar.

Graduate Student Awards

The Walton College’s outstanding graduate awards include:

• Master of Business Administration – Patrick Fahy (Panama EMBA), Rebecca McKnight (EMBA), Robert Rivera (EMBA) and Carmen Williamson (MBA)
• Master of Accountancy – Lindsey Bolen
• Master of Arts in Economics – Alla Akimova
• Master of Information Systems – Bradley Wilson
• Professional Master of Information Systems – Douglas Shifflett