W. P. Carey School announces 2019 Alumni Hall of Fame members

Five Arizona State University graduates will be inducted into the 42nd annual W. P. Carey School of Business Alumni Hall of Fame on Friday, Nov. 22. This year's class is comprised of a food industry executive who has built and operated major franchise brands, a technology executive who provided financial guidance and leadership to a multinational technology conglomerate, a health care executive who dedicated his career to the strategic direction and financial well-being of Arizona residents, the highest-ranking African American executive working in college sports and a Clio Award-winning marketing executive and entrepreneur.

Previous inductees come from such diverse organizations as the Arizona Public Service, Avnet, JPMorgan Chase Bank, Native American Connections and Sony.

"Each of our honorees has been selected for their significant contributions to their professions, the community, and the W. P. Carey School of Business," Dean Amy Hillman said. "Together, they bring great awareness to students that you can reach your goals in any industry with a high-quality education, commitment and hard work."

The 2019 W. P. Carey Alumni Hall of Fame inductees are:

William Van Epps (BS in marketing, '71) — William Van Epps is CEO of New England Authentic Eats LLC. For 45 years, Van Epps has had an extraordinary record driving growth in foodservice, retail and franchising, including 31 years in the international arena. His experience ranges across many household names in the restaurant industry, from Papa John's International to Long John Silver's Inc. and Shake Shack. Van Epps serves on the board of advisers for New England Authentic Eats LLC, Walhburgers and Locknet (a lock and security door manufacturer). 

Larry Carter (BS in accountancy, '74) — Larry Carter joined Cisco in January 1995 as vice president of finance and administration, chief financial officer and secretary. In July 1997, he was promoted to senior vice president of finance and administration, CFO and secretary. Carter was elected to the Cisco board of directors in July 2000. In May 2003, upon his retirement as CFO and secretary, he was appointed senior vice president, office of the chairman and CEO. He retired in November 2008. Carter was a member of Cisco's board of directors until 2014 and is currently a trustee and founder of the Cisco Foundation and a member of the CHP 11-99 Foundation board of directors.

Richard Boals (BS in accountancy, '79) — Richard Boals served as CEO at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Arizona, Inc. from April 2003 to July 2017. Boals joined Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ) in 1971 and served in a variety of capacities, seeing it through numerous years of growth and success. Before beginning his career at BCBSAZ, he served four years in the United States Air Force. Boals currently serves on the Arizona Biosciences board, the board of Phoenix Children's Hospital and Northern Arizona University's Innovations Advisory Board. He is a member of Arizona Tech Investors, ASU President's Club and the W. P. Carey School of Business Dean's Council.

Kevin Warren (MBA, '88) — Kevin Warren is the commissioner-elect of the Big Ten Conference, officially commencing duties on Jan. 2, 2020. Warren will be the first African American commissioner of an Autonomous 5 Conference. Before joining the Big Ten Conference, Warren was chief operating officer of the Minnesota Vikings. Warren and his wife, Greta, are active members of the Minneapolis-St. Paul community where they support several local elementary schools, scholarships for first-generation college students and the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital.

Matthew Michalowski (BS finance, '09) — Matt Michalowski is the president and founder of PXL, a creative technology agency that works with the world's largest blue-chip media brands, including NBCUniversal, 20th Century Fox, Disney, Paramount, Warner Bros. and Sony, among others. In 2012, on his 25th birthday, Michalowski embarked on his own and founded PXL. Over the next seven years, PXL would work on the marketing campaigns for some of the biggest theatrical releases, including "Bohemian Rhapsody," "X-Men: Days of Future Past" and "The Revenant" — winner of the 2016 Academy Award for Best Picture. In 2019, PXL was acquired by Studio City, an entertainment marketing agency specializing in television. 

Alumni, business leaders and students will attend the W. P. Carey Alumni Hall of Fame event on Friday, Nov. 22, at McCord Hall Plaza on ASU's Tempe campus. The reception starts at 5:30 p.m. Advance registration is requested at wpcarey.asu.edu/alumni/hall-of-fame or by calling 480-965-3978.