Four outstanding new members comprising the 2018 class were inducted into the Florida State University College of Business Alumni Hall of Fame at the Augustus B. Turnbull III Florida State Conference Center Thursday night.
They joined 47 other honorees in the Hall of Fame, created in 2003 to honor alumni who have excelled in their careers and made significant contributions to the mission of FSU and the College of Business.
“These new inductees have distinguished themselves globally in their fields, as well as in their communities, and they are excellent role models for our students and young alumni,” said Michael Hartline, dean of the college. “They are a tremendous source of pride to us, and we are thrilled to recognize them with the college’s highest honor.”
The new inductees are:
Dan Hendrix (Accounting ’77) served as president and CEO of Interface Inc., a $1 billion global manufacturer of modular commercial and residential carpet, from 2001 until he retired in 2017. He led the company in a series of acquisitions, ranging from $2 million to $150 million. Several nearly doubled the size of the company, including the acquisition of Holland-based Heuga, which at the time was the largest carpet tile manufacturer in the world. Hendrix remains chairman of the Interface Board of Directors.
Peter Jones (Accounting ’77) is widely respected for his integrity and collaborative approach. He achieved significant success in his career as president of Franklin Templeton Distributors Inc. and chairman of Franklin Templeton Institutional Inc. When Franklin and Templeton merged in 1992, assets under management were approximately $66 billion and grew to nearly $900 billion by the time Jones retired in 2015.
Bruce A. Rendina (Accounting ’76) was a successful real estate developer and a highly respected entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is being inducted posthumously. He founded the Rendina Companies, one of the country’s leading medical real estate development firms, as well as Paramount Real Estate Services. Together, the two companies employed more than 120 people and oversaw more than 6 million square feet of medical office space and other real estate, resulting in more than $5 billion in transactions in 15 states.
Judy Schmeling (Accounting ’82) most recently served retailing giant HSN Inc. as president of Cornerstone Brands and chief operating officer of HSN Inc. During her 23-year career with the company, she excelled in a variety of jobs, including chief financial officer. Schmeling played a pivotal role in growing sales to $4 billion for HSN’s direct-to-consumer retail portfolio and taking the company public. She currently serves on the board of directors of Constellation Brands Inc., a Fortune 500 premium wine, beer and spirits company.
In addition to the Alumni Hall of Fame inductions, the college recognized Daniel Herrera, a 2014 management and entrepreneurship graduate, with the 2018 Recent Alumni Achievement Award.
The award was created in 2011 by the college’s Recent Alumni Board to honor alumni who graduated from the college within the past 10 years and earned significant professional and personal successes.
Herrera leads venture investments at Miami Angels, one of Florida’s largest and most active angel-investor collectives. In this role, he sources and curates early-stage technology startups in Florida and facilitates capital investments into these companies to build long-term success. In the past three years, the company has deployed $8 million in 28 technology startups and grown to include more than 100 accredited investors.
About the Florida State University College of Business
Founded in 1950, the Florida State University College of Business is one of the nation’s youngest business schools, yet its reputation for excellence has helped it become one of the largest. Consistently ranked as a top business school by U.S. News & World Report, several of its programs rank among the nation’s Top 10.
The College of Business is proud of its international reputation, as well as the individual attention our faculty members give students who hail from around the world. Our faculty members are recognized worldwide and serve as visiting professors and lecturers at other prestigious institutions. The college takes pride in its alumni, who are respected corporate leaders and entrepreneurs making their mark on the global marketplace.
In addition to its rigorous curriculum and strong classroom experience, the college provides students with opportunities outside the classroom through student and professional organizations, corporate trips, competitions and industry-specific career fairs. Students also have the opportunity to earn professional designations while still in school.