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The Costello College of Business at George Mason University held its 19th Annual Business Celebration on April 24, 2025, at the Mason Square Campus in Arlington.
It was an evening to raise glasses to the accomplishments of the Costello College of Business family, especially to the Distinguished Patriot Awardees. These honorees included Prominent Patriots, Distinguished Alumni of the Year, Service Awardees, Ambassadors, and Emerging Business Leader student awards. The Annual Business Celebration was presented by J.P. Morgan Private Bank.
Erika Alexander, Executive MBA '99, who was the chief global officer of global operations at Marriott International, Inc., was named Distinguished Alumna of the Year. Recently retired from Marriott International, Inc., after 35 years with the company, she played a pivotal role in launching the TownePlace Suites brand and led U.S. and Canada operations through the Covid-19 pandemic.
Nancy Collins, BS Accounting ’80, was this year’s Alumni Service Awardee. She is board chairman and principal of Everest Care Management, where she leads strategic growth and fosters a culture of empowerment.
In recognition of shaping the future of George Mason University’s business education through their stewardship of the Donald G. Costello Trust, Joe and Peg Contrucci were honored as Ambassadors of the Year.
An active member of the Innovation Committee at George Mason University, Dean’s Advisory Council for the Costello College of Business, and the Corporate Advisory Council for Children’s National, Susan Riel, the president and CEO of EagleBank, received the prestigious Woman of the Year award.
Peer-nominated and peer-selected, the Prominent Patriots represent Costello alumni as the very best in demonstrating citizenship, scholarship, and leadership in their daily lives. This year’s awardees were: Jason Chesky, BS Finance ’12; Hannah Davis, MS Real Estate Development ’22; Rob Duhart, MS Technology Management ’16; Meera Pillai, MBA ’98, and John Sutton, MBA ’96.
As vice president and CFO at Logenix International, Chesky has contributed to the company’s growth, establishing offices in more than 140 countries.
At George Mason, Davis serves as the president of the real estate development alumni board and as a director-at-large for the Costello alumni board. She is the vice president, commercial real estate lender at John Marshall Bank.
Duhart is a seasoned CISO who is known for aligning security programs with business goals, and he excels at optimizing investments, mitigating risks, and ensuring regulatory compliance.
Retired from the IT field, Pillai is now a philanthropist, serving as board chair of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of DC and sitting on the board of the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia and Educate Fairfax.
Sutton has led business operations for companies such as KeyW, QinetiQ NA, Global Crossing, ManTech, AT&T, and PRC, achieving $4B in successful public and private exits.
Purchased tickets and additional donations contributed to the Emerging Business Leader Scholarship endowment, raising more than $7,000 in all. Lydia Samuel, BS Accounting and Finance ‘25, and Faith Kim, BS Management of Information Systems ‘24, the most recent recipients of the scholarship, also took the stage to receive their awards and be recognized by Costello leadership. Anne Webb, MBA ‘23, the graduate level recipient, was unable to attend.
Throughout the reception, guests interacted with tables of student organizations and alumni scattered around the room. It was an evening for connections across the Costello community.
As in years past, the Costello Alumni Chapter did an outstanding job organizing and hosting the Annual Business Celebration, making it a successful fundraiser, networking event, and awards ceremony. In addition to the title sponsor J.P. Morgan Private Bank, the Costello College of Business thanks their Patriot Sponsor: Fairfax County Economic Development Authority; and Gold Sponsors: John Marshall Bank and Silverline.