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 integration of technological innovation at both employee and consumer levels.”
Mixon, president and CEO of New Mexico Mutual, graduated from NMSU in 1991 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. She has held various senior leadership roles within her 28-year career at New Mexico Mutual, the state’s largest workers’ compensation insurance provider.
“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 provided me with building blocks for a successful future by creating learning experiences and opportunities for growth. NMSU is an example of a dynamic institution that invests in its students' continuous growth.”
Berry J. Mullennix will receive the 2024 Traders Award while Lauterbach Borschow & Co., will receive the Corporate Traders Award recognizing outstanding contributions by corporations to the College.
Mullennix is president and CEO of Panther Energy III in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He has worked in oil and gas for over 35 years while also engaging actively with NMSU through financial support initiatives.
“I give back because my time at NMSU laid groundwork that helped me become an entrepreneur,” Mullennix shared.
Lauterbach Borschow & Co., led by managing partner Matt Kerr aims to assist clients make informed business decisions.
"Supporting NMSU means investing in a strong foundation for future business leaders," Kerr stated.
To RSVP or purchase tickets contact Denise Tafoya at575-646-5572 or datafoya@nmsu.edu before Tuesday Sept 17 deadline.
