Winter 2023–2024

News, Notes, and Nods: Graduates

The couple poses for a wedding photo with fellow alumni
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1977

Joy Yongjing Zhu and Pippi pose for a photo next to a promo for the book

Katherine Babson Jr. MBA’77, H’99 has published her second book, Pippi Rocks, which tells the tale of her black Lab, Pippi, through the dog’s point of view. Illustrated by fellow alumna Katherine K. Macdonald MBA’99, the stories of the rambunctious, spirited young dog are based on the inscriptions chiseled into the Babson Boulders in Gloucester, Massachusetts, a project undertaken by Pippi’s relative and Babson’s founder, Roger Babson. The mottos—“Work,” “Never Try, Never Win,” and others—reflect both Roger’s business philosophy and Pippi’s antics. Pippi Rocks is available at the Babson College Bookstore and Amazon.


BABSON MAGAZINE: Read the complete Winter 2023–2024 issue.


1986

Vicente Davila MBA’86: See Undergraduates, 1996


1988

Eneko DeOrue MBA’88: See Undergraduates, 1996


1998

Ruben Hillar poses for a photoRuben Hillar MBA’98 started an online apparel company called Polyglo Tees. Hillar hopes to transform “apparel into communication tools” by featuring questions in different languages on the totes, T-shirts, and sweatshirts he sells. “The goal is to create chance encounters among people who share something, be it a language or their love for anime. Through our merchandise, we hope to create connections, even if brief, and encourage people to share with each other something about themselves,” Hillar wrote on the company’s website, polyglotees.com.


1999

Bernie Lee poses for a photo with his prizeBernie Lee MBA’99, won the National Pickleball Championship this summer in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as part of the 2023 National Senior Games. Lee emerged as the winner after more than 1,500 pickleball players faced off in singles and doubles events during the daylong competition July 16. “I’m tremendously thankful to take home the gold and the 2023 national championship,” Lee said.


Katherine K. Macdonald MBA’99: See Graduates, 1977


2005

Ambar Shrivastava ’99, MBA’05: See Undergraduates, 1999


2010

Joshua Moritz MBA’10 was appointed full-time lecturer at the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College, a part of the City University of New York. Moritz will teach marketing and applied statistics. Moritz also is an adjunct assistant professor at the New York University School of Professional Studies and the NYU Tandon School of Engineering.


2012

Cameron McKenzie ’07, MBA’12: See Undergraduates, 2007


2014

John-Paul Vachon headshotJohn-Paul Vachon MBA’14 has joined Massachusetts Housing Investment Corporation as deputy director of equity.


2018

Stephen Hunnewell MBA’18 is the new vice president for strategic initiatives at Premise Data Corporation, a leading provider of data and analytics solutions. In his new role, Hunnewell will lead efforts to develop and execute strategic initiatives, including expanding global reach, designing new, previously unrealized audiences and market insight solutions, and building partnerships with key stakeholders.


Cover of the book It’s Time for Strategic SchedulingDavid James MBA’18 recently co-wrote It’s Time for Strategic Scheduling: How to Design Smarter K–12 Schedules That Are Great for Students, Staff, and the Budget. The book, which was co-written with Nathan Levenson and published in July, is described as a practical, accessible guide for school and district leaders. “In many ways, my journey writing this book began when I studied business administration at Babson,” James said. “What I learned then has very much informed my work in the K–12 education sector.”


2019

The couple poses for a wedding photo with fellow alumni

Ted Kirby MBA’19 married Terra Frederick on May 27 in Salisbury, Massachusetts. The newlyweds were surrounded by fellow Babson graduates, including Gianna Liu MBA’19, Asini Wijewardane MBA’19, Vasudha Sarawgi MBA’19, and Manasa Chidananda Murthy MBA’19.


2020

One of the colorful mini-golf holesAndre Husada MSEL’20 opened a second location of HOLEO, a miniature golf course located in Jakarta, Indonesia. Husada co-founded HOLEO with Rexanders Gautama MSEL’20. The first location, which also provides different selfie-ready rooms for players to snap pictures and share on social media, is so popular that they opened another. “We’re Babson built, and we’re proud of it,” Husada said.


2022

Joy Yongjing Zhu cuts the ribbon to open her restaurantJoy Yongjing Zhu MBA’22 opened Poke OLi, a restaurant serving Hawaiian-style poke bowls, in New Haven, Connecticut, in July. Zhu sought to make her business environmentally friendly by using 100% compostable packaging, and she hopes to expand the business soon. “I’m in the process of growing my restaurant into a chain,” Zhu said.


2023

Rishabh Pincha poses for a photoRishabh Pincha MSF’23 started working as a senior financial analyst at Wilson Financial Advisors in Oxford, Massachusetts.


MORE NEWS, NOTES, AND NODS FROM THE WINTER 2023–2024 ISSUE:
Undergraduates »     In Memoriam
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