Tag: Alumni



The Spirit of Washington University newsletter recently published this story.

Russ Flicker, BSBA 1994, is dedicated to staying engaged with his alma mater. Among other volunteer positions, he is president of the Olin Business School Alumni Board. Over the years, he has followed the university’s decade-long effort to attract and enroll the most talented students, regardless of their background.

When he learned about Gateway to Success, WashU’s $1 billion investment in financial aid that enabled the adoption of a need-blind undergraduate admissions policy in late 2021, he was inspired.

“It was such a fabulous announcement,” Flicker says. “It was the right thing for the university to do, and it made me so proud to be a WashU alum. My wife, Lisa, and I had been making gifts for annual scholarships at Olin for many years, but after the announcement, we wanted to participate in a bigger way.”

‘Better career outcomes’

The Flickers committed to increasing their giving for undergraduate scholarships through Make Way: Our Student Initiative, a fundraising effort the university launched in late 2022. They also shifted their support to universitywide scholarships, which allow WashU to award the funding to students in any school. This type of scholarship gift—a Make Way priority—aligns with the interdisciplinary pursuits of the university’s undergraduates, 80% of whom complete double majors or minors.

“I’ve become convinced that in the interconnected world we live in, pooling scholarship resources makes sense,” Flicker says. “We want students to be fulfilled and successful. So many 18-year-olds shift direction by the time they are 20 or 21. The WashU approach of encouraging undergraduates to take courses across different spectrums will lead to better career outcomes and happier alumni.”

“My scholarship made a big difference. Someone changed my life, and if I can help the next generation in the same way, I am thrilled to do it.”

Russ Flicker

Flicker’s insights stem from his interactions with today’s students. AWH Partners, the New York-based real estate investment firm he co-founded, has hosted WashU interns. In addition, Flicker has been a mentor, competition judge and mock interviewer for Olin students.

Closer to home, his daughter, Molly, is a member of Olin’s Class of 2026.

Flicker says WashU students are exceptionally bright, driven and sophisticated, which motivates him to help them professionally and financially. A scholarship recipient himself, he is determined to pay it forward.

“I don’t kid myself about how lucky I’ve been,” he says. “My scholarship made a big difference. Someone changed my life, and if I can help the next generation in the same way, I am thrilled to do it.”

Photo: Longtime scholarship sponsors Lisa and Russ Flicker recently increased their support through a pledge for Make Way: Our Student Initiative.




The Spirit of Washington University newsletter recently published this story.

Merry Mosbacher, Olin MBA 1982, agreed to serve as one of four co-chairs of Make Way: Our Student Initiative in July. She and her husband, Jim, began discussing how her role as a standard-bearer for the recently launched fundraising effort would affect their giving. Longtime scholarship donors, their total contributions for that purpose at the time topped $1 million.

“Our mindset was, ‘OK, this is a leadership role. We need to lead by example,’” says Mosbacher, a retired partner at St. Louis-based financial services firm Edward Jones.

Their multiyear commitment to Make Way is their largest gift to date. They’ve pledged $2 million for undergraduate scholarships as well as internships through the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement.

Mosbacher’s work as a member of the Student Access Advisory Committee (SAAC) shaped the gift. Chancellor Andrew D. Martin convened the SAAC in summer 2021 to help develop the university’s plans to improve access and lay the groundwork for Make Way.

“Getting under the hood with university leaders and learning how WashU compares with peer institutions in terms of scholarships and student support changed how I think about philanthropy,” she says.

Annual and endowed scholarships

The Mosbachers opted to split the scholarship portion of their gift between annual scholarships, which are immediately available to help students, and endowed scholarships, which provide a permanent source of funding over time.

“Previously, we had a bias for annual scholarships because we wanted to put our dollars to work for more students right away,” Mosbacher says. “But my involvement with SAAC helped me see that endowed scholarships are equally important and will allow us to have an impact in the long term as well.”

“Getting under the hood with university leaders and learning how WashU compares with peer institutions in terms of scholarships and student support changed how I think about philanthropy.”

Merry Mosbacher

The couple also designated part of their gift to enhance the student experience. Their funding for the Gephardt Institute will finance paid summer internships for undergraduates who work with St. Louis area nonprofits.

“It’s a win-win,” says Mosbacher, whose 38-year career at Edward Jones began with an internship. “It will provide students with meaningful work experience and benefit the St. Louis region, which is an important goal for Jim and me.”

Invest in the legacy

Mosbacher is well suited for her position as a Make Way co-chair. Her volunteer service at WashU includes a stint as president of the William Greenleaf Eliot Society, the university’s giving club for donors who make Annual Fund gifts of $1,000 or more. Along with her fellow co-chairs, Mosbacher champions Make Way by speaking at events and helping organize volunteer networks.

Her message to alumni and friends is simple: The quality of students and alumni ultimately define the university. “When you support Make Way, you invest in the legacy of WashU.”




John Beuerlein, MBA 1977

John Beuerlein, MBA 1977, was named interim president at Drury University by its board of trustees last week following the resignation of Timothy Cloyd to address family health concerns.

In its announcement on March 23, the board said Beuerlein’s appointment was effective immediately, lauding him as “a distinguished financial analyst and philanthropist who has made significant contributions to the field of finance and education,” according to its statement. Washington University named Beuerlein a Distinguished Alumni in 2009.

‘The right choice’

“The board and I know that John is the right choice for this role,” said Rita Baron, chair of Drury University’s Board of Trustees, in the university’s statement. “We are confident that under his leadership, Drury will flourish and build momentum. As we head into the 150th anniversary of the institution, Drury remains a strong and stable place.”

The board praised Cloyd for his accomplishments in its statement before going on to further recognize its appointment of Beuerlein. Drury University is based in Springfield, Missouri. The following is excerpted from the Drury’s board’s statement.

Born in Rolla, Missouri, in 1953, Beuerlein and his family moved to Springfield a year later. He attended St. Agnes Catholic grade school before graduating from Subiaco Academy in Subiaco, Arkansas, in 1971. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Drury University in 1975 where he met his future wife, Crystal Layne Tinlin, who is also a Drury alum. The couple married the following year. That same year, Beuerlein joined the financial services firm of Edward Jones where he would spend the next 42 years of his career.

In 1977, Beuerlein earned his MBA from Washington University in St. Louis. In 1980 he was named a general partner at Edward Jones. He earned his Chartered Financial Analyst designation from the University of Virginia in 1981. He would later serve as a member of the Board of Governors of the St. Louis Society of Financial Analysts.

Beuerlein’s dedication to education and philanthropy is reflected in his many contributions to his alma mater, Drury University, where he has served as a trustee from 1991 to 2011, including four years serving on the investment committee and as Board Chair from 2006-2010. He was awarded the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Drury in 2013 and was inducted into Drury’s Breech Hall of Fame in 2008. In 2011, he received the Distinguished Alumni Award and was elected an Emeritus trustee. In 2016 he was elected one of three Life Trustees. Both Crystal and John received the Distinguished Spirit of Drury award in 2021.

Distinguished Alumni Award

Beuerlein’s commitment to education and philanthropy has extended beyond Drury. He has also served as a member of the Board of Trustees at Washington University in St Louis and as president of the Eliot Society. In 2009 he received a Distinguished Alumni Award from Washington University. He served as the National Chair of the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement from 2016 to 2023.

When asked about the opportunity to serve as interim president for Drury University Beuerlein said, “Fifty years ago the education we received from Drury set us up for a lifetime of success. To be able to serve the university in this way and to be a daily part of this spirit of community, so passionate about student success, is the honor of a lifetime! It’s a special bonus to be able to spend more time in my hometown closer to many friends and family members – it’s the icing on the cake for me! My job is to prepare our university for its next president.”

The Beuerleins reside in Clayton, Missouri, and continue to be active in numerous local and national nonprofit organizations. They have three children and four grandchildren.

Pictured above: John Beuerlein, photo courtesy of Drury University.


Olin Business School will proudly honor three recent Olin alumni with the Emerging Leader Award at a ceremony next month. The Emerging Leader Award was first bestowed in 2015 to honor alumni who exemplify leadership, innovative thinking and vision. Olin recognizes Emerging Leaders for their service to the school, thought leadership, business acumen and impact.

The awards ceremony is at 4 p.m., April 20, in Knight Hall with a cocktail reception to follow. Register here.

Megan Berry, MBA 2015, MArch 2015

Megan Berry graduated from Washington University in 2015 with an MBA and a master’s degree in architecture. During her MBA, Berry founded by REVEAL, a retail services platform providing turnkey pop-up stores with on-demand data. by REVEAL operated for six years, growing to 20 cities. It was acquired in 2021.

Upon the company’s acquisition, Berry assumed the role of product director for clean beauty conglomerate Amyris. She works cross-functionally on digital projects and content partnerships for the portfolio’s 12 consumer brands.

Deeply passionate about entrepreneurship, Berry is a partner at Mentors Fund, where she advises and invests in disruptive technologies. She was named the Forbes Next 1000 list of “upstart entrepreneurs” in 2021 and is a frequent keynote speaker at industry-leading conferences, including SXSW and the World Congress IoT.

Zoe Hillenmeyer, MBA 2013

Zoe Hillenmeyer is the chief commercial officer for the artificial intelligence company Peak. Peak provides the platform, applications and services to help businesses harness the potential of AI to increase revenues, profits and efficiency. Hillenmeyer  has a decade of experience in the artificial and decision intelligence field, and she has been part of more than 20 product launches in the category during her time with AI pioneers including Peak, Amazon Web Services and IBM.

Hillenmeyer holds an MBA from Washington University and was trained formally in the fine arts as a sculptor. These experiences have informed her approach to AI, which combines a human-centered outlook with business impact and strategy. She focuses on building teams and communities that thrive on collaboration, creativity and diversity.

Hillenmeyer lives in Seattle with her wife and two dogs. She is committed to and active in advancing equity, diversity and representation in technology and AI.

Alixandra Henick Iger, BSBA 2010

Alixandra Henick Iger is the North America and the UK music marketing lead for artist services at TikTok, responsible for marketing strategy and plans for various music products and services. With more than 10 years of experience in marketing, she’s held positions at LeadDog Marketing Group, Thrillist Media, New York Magazine and Conde Nast, in addition to previous roles within TikTok. Throughout her career, she has focused on helping brands build their digital strategy and reach new audiences. 

Iger was born and raised in New York but now calls Los Angeles home with her husband and daughter. 

Photo: Clockwise from left, Megan Berry, Zoe Hillenmeyer and Alixandra Henick Iger.




Dong receives a medallion from Provost Beverly Wendland during her installation ceremony February 6. (Photo: Gara Lacy/Washington University)

Lingxiu Dong, a professor who studies supply chain management at Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis, has been installed as the Frahm Family Professor of Supply Chain, Operations, and Technology.

Provost Beverly Wendland presided over the installation ceremony, which took place February 6 at Olin. Dong’s installation address, “From Search to Research: My Academic Journey,” detailed her educational path from computer science to mathematics and then industrial engineering and engineering management. She told the audience that she was glad she was open to new possibilities and continued exploring until she found what she loves to do.   

Dong also discussed the overarching themes of her 20-plus years of supply chain research, which include operational flexibility, or the ability to operate effectively in a constantly changing environment, and integrated risk management.

Donald R. Frahm, an Olin alumnus and retired chairman and chief executive officer of Hartford Financial Services Group Inc., established the endowed professorship in 2004 to honor his family.

Watch the installation ceremony here.

Above, Dong receives a medallion from Provost Beverly Wendland during her installation ceremony February 6. (Photo: Gara Lacy/Washington University)


For International Women’s Day, Olin celebrated the successes of professional women who have faced challenges and made an impact. This year’s panel included women from a wide spectrum of lived experiences who exemplify the talent, drive and leadership women bring to the workplace.

Building on the IWD’s #EmbraceEquity theme, the panel shared stories, lessons learned, business philosophies and how their values have affected their decision-making.

The panelists were:

Darci Darnell, BSBA 1994, partner and global head of the customer sales and marketing practice, Bain & Company;

Laurie Hiler, EMBA 1996, project lead/coordinator, CGB Women’s Leadership Development and Mentoring Program;

Ann Marr, vice president of Global Human Resources at World Wide Technology;

Lakesha Mathis, director, Diverse Business Accelerator, Greater St. Louis Inc.

Staci Thomas, professor of practice in communications, moderated the March 8 event.