Charlotte’s 2025 Business Alumni Awards Personify The Belk College Mission To Inspire
Business Niner Amy Nance Lewis ’93 lives a life guided by memories of her mother, who died soon after Lewis completed a bachelor’s degree in business administration as a marketing major.
“I was only 23 when my mother was tragically killed in a car accident,” Lewis told attendees at the 2025 Belk College of Business Alumni Awards as she accepted this year’s Distinguished Alumni Service Award. “I was devastated. I was lost. But right then and there, I made a commitment to live a life that would make her proud. I always want to carry on her legacy of service and kindness. She lived by the motto that it’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.”
Lewis and the other four recipients of the Belk College’s annual alumni awards embody the Belk College mission to inspire a passion for service and knowledge, said Dean Richard Buttimer. “The Belk College is now home to over 5,700 students, making us the largest business school in the state of North Carolina,” Buttimer said. “But our strength isn’t just in our numbers. Our alumni and friends are shaping the future of business and leading innovation in their fields.”
Paul Claiborne ’88, chair of the Belk College Alumni Council, hosted the awards ceremony on Oct. 19 at the UNC Charlotte Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, and current student leaders introduced the honorees. Award recipients are:
- Distinguished Alumni Award: Eric W. Seidel ’90, business administration
- Distinguished Alumni Service Award: Amy Nance Lewis ’93, business administration
- Outstanding Young Alumni Award: Kate Frear ’12 M.A. Sociology, ’14 Ph.D., organizational science
- Outstanding Young Alumni Award: Samantha Paustian-Underdahl ‘10 M.A., industrial and organizational psychology, ‘12 Ph.D., organizational science
- Honorary Alumni Award: Christopher L. Johnson
Three defining elements emerged from the honorees’ stories. 1) Achievements are rooted in the support and guidance received from others, which has created an imperative to give back. 2) Networks provide connections and expand impact, particularly through the Belk College alumni network of more than 40,000 people, many in the Charlotte region. 3) Knowledge from studies and engagement through UNC Charlotte has proven essential for solving complex challenges, enhancing workplaces and ensuring a competitive edge.
Students introduced the honorees, as a way to connect current scholars with those who have come before them. “Each of our student presenters is a campus and college leader who has excelled both inside and outside the classroom and in internships and professional roles throughout the Charlotte and North Carolina region,” said Paul Claiborne ’88, chair of the Belk College of Business Alumni Council and host. The student presenters were:
- Amorion Armstrong, a junior majoring in marketing, presented the distinguished alumni award.
- Krupa Jacob, a junior who is double majoring in management and management information systems, with a minor in communication studies, presented the distinguished alumni service award.
- Isabella Lain, a senior who is pursuing a double major in marketing and finance with a minor in journalism, presented the first outstanding young alumni award.
- Elana White, who is pursuing a doctorate in organizational science, presented the second outstanding young alumni award.
- Cooper Ellis, a senior majoring in finance with a concentration in risk management and insurance and a minor in management information systems, presented the honorary alumni award.