This year, the event will take place at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, at the Las Cruces Convention Center, 680 E. University Ave. Each year, the College of Business recognizes alumni who have distinguished themselves in their careers and contribute their success to the education received at NMSU. (Courtesy photo)
Source: NMSU News Release
DATE: September 13, 2024
WRITER: Tatiana Favela, tfavela5@nmsu.edu, 575-646-7953
New Mexico State University’s College of Business will honor multiple alumni for outstanding career achievements and fostering ties within the business community at the 2024 Hall of Fame banquet.
This year, the event will take place at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, at the Las Cruces Convention Center, 680 E. University Ave. Each year, the College of Business recognizes alumni who have distinguished themselves in their careers and contribute their success to the education received at NMSU.
“Hall of Fame awardees are COB alums who have gone to have amazing careers, and who have had positive impacts in their communities,” said Bryan Ashenbaum, dean of the College of Business. “Our awardees this year have both reached the top of their profession – CEOs of major financial and insurance institutions. Their impact on NMSU is enormous. They personally devote considerable time back to NMSU and are devoted to helping our students be successful. Their respective organizations, under their leadership, have also contributed to NMSU and provided resources for us to better educate the next generation of Aggies.”
The 2024 Hall of Fame Award recipients include Joe Christian and Kellie Mixon.
Christian, president and CEO of Nusenda Credit Union, was the first in his family to attend college. He shared that NMSU transformed his life after earning a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in finance in 1983. He added that his success, along with this recognition, is a testament to his nearly 40-year career at Nusenda.
“NMSU’s educational foundation allowed me to influence Nusenda Credit Union’s exponential growth and collaborate with other technology focused companies in the early days of the scramble to deliver financial services and advice via the internet,” he said. “The concepts taught in the MBA program at the College of Business helped me impact the strategic direction of the credit union and inspire the incorporation of modern thought around leadership, project management, employee development and the integration of technological innovation at the employee and consumer level.”
Mixon, president and CEO of New Mexico Mutual, graduated from NMSU in 1991 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. She’s held various senior leadership roles within her 28-year career at New Mexico Mutual, the state’s largest workers’ compensation insurance provider, and works to advance the company’s legacy of innovation and providing service excellence for policyholders, workers and agency partners.
“I’m very proud to be chosen to receive this award and join the successful group of NMSU College of Business Hall of Fame awardees,” Mixon said. “The College of Business provided me with the building blocks to have a successful future by creating the right learning experiences and opportunities to grow. NMSU is a perfect example of a dynamic institution that invests in their student’s continuous growth and learning to help benefit the state of New Mexico. I took this with me throughout my career as it was important to me to understand the needs of our state and how I could make an impact. Now, I work with other business leaders to help make New Mexico thrive.”
Berry J. Mullennix will receive the 2024 Traders Award, and Lauterbach Borschow & Co. will receive the 2024 Corporate Traders Award. These awards recognize outstanding contributions by corporations to the College of Business.
Mullennix, president and CEO of Panther Energy III in Tulsa, Oklahoma, took an interest in business administration as an NMSU student. He considers himself an entrepreneur and has worked in the oil and gas industry for more than 35 years. He started and sold a construction company as well as four exploration and production companies. Over the past few years, Mullennix has visited NMSU, spoke with students, attended Business Advisory Council meetings, and pledged financial support to the College of Business and the University Art Museum. Mullennix also has a classroom named in his honor.
“I give back because my time at NMSU laid the groundwork that helped me become a lifelong entrepreneur and businessman in multiple industries,” Mullennix shared.
Lauterbach, Borschow & Co. is the largest team of certified public accountants in the region. The company’s goal is to help their clients make business and accounting decisions and understand tax and investment implications.
“At Lauterbach, Borschow & Co., we recognize the pivotal role New Mexico State University’s College of Business plays in fostering talent and leadership. Supporting NMSU means investing in a strong foundation for the business community’s future, where students gain the skills and insights needed to succeed,” said Matt Kerr, managing partner of Lauterbach, Borschow & Co. “We are proud to contribute to this mission and to help empower the next generation of professionals who will drive economic growth and innovation in our region and beyond.”
To RSVP or purchase a ticket, contact Denise Tafoya at 575-646-5572 or datafoya@nmsu.edu. The RSVP deadline is at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17.
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