Barney School of Business Celebrates its 2024 Hall of Fame Inductees

At the ceremony on Thursday, November 7 in the 1877 Club, Board of Regents Chair Donald Allan Jr. '86 introduced the first inductee of the night, Rakhi Kumar M'05, who was his colleague at Stanley Black & Decker early in her career. What Kumar shared, though, was a moving surprise: it was a scholarship she received from Allan as a young employee that allowed her to pursue her graduate degree at Barney. This one action and experience, she said, transformed the trajectory of her career.

Kumar has served as chief accounting officer at Roivant Sciences since August 2018, leading Roivant's accounting and financial operations and related internal controls functions. She explained how her Master of Science in Accounting and Taxation from Barney allowed her to apply her skill with numbers to what she found was her passion: helping in the development of life-changing pharmaceuticals.

Barney Board of Visitors Chair Jim Hogan '82, M'05, then introduced the second inductee, delMonte Davis '77. Davis is the chair and chief executive officer of Senior Solutions Ltd., a Bermuda-based company established in 2013, focused on developing upscale living communities for active senior citizens. Davis earned a bachelor's degree in marketing from Barney.

Davis called out specific Barney faculty who motivated him to be the best version of himself, pushing him beyond what he knew he was capable of. That influence inspired Davis to stay at the University, where he began his career in 1977 as associate director of annual support. In the University's fundraising office, Davis initiated the use of telemarketing and direct mailing methods.

The inspirational night kicked off with an introduction from Dean Aarti S. Ivanic, who emphasized the impact and successes of Barney's alumni she has already observed, even after only four months in her role. President Lawrence P. Ward, who took office the same day as Ivanic, remarked on the incredible accomplishments and transformative experiences alumni have shared with him.

Last year's scholarship winner, Leslie Li '25, remarked on how that honor inspired her to come out of her shell. "If you had told me I would be giving this speech today," she said, "I would not have believed you." This year's scholarship recipients were Leandra Powers '25 and Brian Reynolds '25.

From there, the group enjoyed a reception in the Auerbach Stanley Black & Decker Commons where students were able to network with the inductees and other alumni.