Haojia Guo

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2016 Professor Harry Simons Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship for the Study of Accounting Recipient

Biography: As a global citizen, Haojia spent the first 18 years of his life living in Hunan, China. Influenced by Asian culture, he holds values such as humbleness, diligence and cordialness dear and near. Having received his higher education in Business Economics at UCLA, he incorporates efficiency, directness, openness and devotion to community services into his everyday life. In an effort to pass on these virtues and influence the community, he volunteers at the UCLA new-student-welcome events, sharing his own experience and tips and advice to incoming transfer students. He also helps low-income individuals in West Los Angeles file tax returns as a VITA volunteer. He aspires to bring these values to his future professional career, and continue to make a positive impact on the community

Future Plans: To further broaden his horizons, Haojia plans to go to South America for graduation travel. He hopes to have an educational and fun experience, learn and appreciate cultural diversity. After, he will return to California with a fresh global perspective; and start his journey to become an accounting/finance professional. Eventually, with academic knowledge and real-world experience, he hopes to become an accounting professor; and pass on an economic way of thinking.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I am beyond thankful for the Professor Harry Simons Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship for the Study of Accounting. This scholarship relieves my financial burden. As an accounting intern at Boingo Wireless, I am grateful for my hands-on experience; I have learned much about the business process at an internet service firm. However, I wish I had more time to enjoy what UCLA has to offer. With the scholarship, I expect to spend less time at work; more time taking advantage of the resources at UCLA, on building meaningful connections with my peers and professors. The scholarship shows me hard work pays off. In the future, I will keep having a strong work ethic and give every opportunity in life my best shot.

Stephanie Dong

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2016 Boeing Company Scholarship in Economics Recipient

Biography: Stephanie Dong is a sophomore pursuing a major in business economics and minors in accounting and statistics. She is also an Achievement Scholar and college honors student. She is currently involved in undergraduate research under Professor Craig Fox (UCLA Anderson School of Management), investigating decision making under uncertainty. She enjoys interdisciplinary research and is especially interested in the fields of behavioral economics and behavioral finance. Whilst completing her major, she also aims to take a broad spectrum of challenging courses that complement her diverse interests – math, economics, psychology, and accounting. Outside her academics, she is a review editor of the Aleph Undergraduate Journal for Humanities and Social Sciences, a member of various undergraduate business clubs, and an avid table tennis player for the UCLA Women’s Varsity Table Tennis Team.

Future Plans: In the short run, Stephanie hopes to continue partaking in research projects that involve data collection using computer programming and statistical analysis. She also aims to gain some industry experience through an internship that would allow her to apply her business/economics knowledge and data analysis skills. She is open to finding internships in the accounting, finance, entertainment, or aerospace industries. In the long run, she aspires to contribute to business and economics through continued academic research and practice in these fields.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: This Scholarship means so much more to me than just an award. Having grown up in a different country, I knew that coming to UCLA alone would be an eye-opening experience. Indeed, this past year-and-a-half in college has been one of exploration, acquisition, and self-discovery. It was an opportunity to develop independence, interact with distinguished faculty, and launch into the subjects I am passionate about. However, being a college student, I often question whether I am on the right track. Getting this scholarship was an enormous encouragement and confirmation of my efforts. I look forward to truly applying my knowledge and skills to the real world in the coming years, and hope that one day I can give back to the school I esteem.

Miguel Shawn Diaz

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2016 Harold R. Mortenson Endowed Scholarship Fund Award Recipient

Biography: Shawn Diaz is a sophomore at UCLA from Richmond, California. He is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics with a minor in Environmental Systems and Society. During his time at UCLA, Shawn has had the privilege of being involved with UCLA Rally Committee, Residential Life, and the UCLA Volunteer Center. In addition to his volunteer work, Shawn is currently a social media and marketing intern with the UCLA Volunteer Center. He enjoys sharing his Bruin pride at sporting events, exploring local hiking trails, and going to the beach.

Future Plans: Shawn has developed an interest in marketing; largely resulting from his internship experience with the Volunteer Center. He hopes that through this internship, he will gain the technical skills to turn his passions for social justice and environmental sustainability into assets for future professional endeavors. Shawn is ambitiously seeking new opportunities to gain experience and further discover his career interests. After graduating from UCLA, Shawn is looking to pursue work in the marketing sector before possibly returning to academia in pursuit of an MBA. He would like to acquire a profession that uses marketing platforms to advance the agenda of businesses that support the causes that fuel his drive.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: It is an honor to have been selected as the 2016-2017 recipient of the Harold R. Mortenson Endowed Scholarship Award. I would like to personally thank Mr. Mortenson, the selection committee, and the Department of Economics for making this investment in my education. My family and I are grateful for your contribution to my education. Receiving this scholarship has eased the financial burden of higher education. I will be able to worry less about finances and more about pursuing my career goals. I look forward to applying my ambition and using this opportunity to further better myself through my academic endeavors. Again, thank you for your continued support through this process. I feel truly blessed.

Natasha Elizabeth Gunawan

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2015 Robert D. & Margaret A. Wark Memorial Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Natasha Elizabeth Gunawan is a fourth-year Economics major and Accounting Minor student. Born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia, she moved to the United States in 2013 for her academic degree and career. She serves as the internal director of ABSA at UCLA and is a part-time employee of ASUCLA. She has completed a business development internship abroad with Robert Bosch. Prior to her journey at UCLA, Natasha was enrolled at De Anza College, where she was the vice president of UNICEF De Anza and the treasurer of the Social Entrepreneurship Club. She was actively involved in a lot of local community fundraising events and she had also established a home-cooked food delivery business with some of her friends. Throughout her journey, Natasha has developed a passion for entrepreneurship as well as social entrepreneurship, which she sets as her vision and goals for the future. In her spare time, she enjoys baking, traveling, photography, hand lettering, and writing in her blog.

Future Plans: After completing her degree at UCLA, Natasha will start her career in the field of management consulting. She plans to relocate to San Francisco or New York to immerse herself in two of the world’s greatest financial centers. She also hopes to engage herself in various conferences to enrich her perspectives. After gaining a lot of exposure and expertise in the field, Natasha plans to move back home to Indonesia, where she plans to build her family, establish her own startup, while at the same time coordinate a social entrepreneurship organization for Indonesia’s development.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I am truly honored to have been selected as one of the 2015-2016 recipients of the Robert D. & Margaret A. Wark Memorial Scholarship. The Wark Family’s generosity has helped me in securing my education and reaching my academic and career goals. Without a doubt, this scholarship will play an important part in my educational journey, especially in these times of economic uncertainties, as I can spend less time worrying about my finances and put more focus on my academic achievements. Furthermore, I also appreciate this award as a special form of recognition of my academic accomplishments. I truly hope that my hard work and commitment to success will reflect the Wark Family’s values and honor their lives. I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to the Wark Family for their investment in UCLA and the futures of students like me.

Jessica Chan

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2016 Robert D. & Margaret A. Wark Memorial Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Jessica is a fourth-year Economics major and Statistics minor. She currently works as a research assistant at the Anderson Behavioral Lab and assists with academic publishing at the Getty Research Institute. Since coming to UCLA, whether writing for Daily Bruin prime Magazine or designing and copy-editing for the Daily Bruin, Jessica has been involved in student media. She recently spent six weeks studying marketing and consumer behavior abroad at the London School of Economics. When she’s not busy with school or work, she enjoys shooting film photography.

Future Plans: Jessica hopes to combine her creative passions with the analysis that economics and statistics fosters. After seeing the two come together in London through marketing, she is eager to find a summer internship and ultimately, career of her own that brings together her passions. She plans to pursue graduate education related to statistics and cognitive science in the future to build on what she has learned at UCLA.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I feel incredibly grateful and honored to receive the Robert D. & Margaret A. Wark Memorial Scholarship. I enjoy both of my jobs and have worked throughout my time at UCLA because it is important to me that I pay for part of my education and relieve the financial burden on my family. This scholarship allows me to both reduce the financial burden on my family and focus on achieving my academic and career goals. I feel thankful for the Wark Family’s support and generosity and would love to be able to help others achieve their academic and career goals someday.

Richard C. Hartnack

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Board of Visitors

 

Mr. Richard C. Hartnack

Director

Freddie Mac

Rick began his career in banking in 1971 at First National Bank of Oregon, which became a subsidiary of First Interstate Bank.  He rose from Management Trainee to Executive Vice President and head of Corporate Banking.  In 1982 he moved to First Chicago where he headed Community Banking.  In 1991 he was elected Vice Chairman and Director at Union Bank and was in charge of Community Banking.  Retiring from Union in 2005, he joined US Bank in Minneapolis as Vice Chair and head of Consumer and Small Business Banking.  He retired from US Bank in March, 2013.

 

Today he serves as a Director of Freddie Mac and has been elected Non-Executive Chairman of Synchrony Financial (NYSE-SYF) the spin out of the North American consumer finance business from GECC.   He also serves as a Director of the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, the Marines Memorial Association and is active with the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation.

 

During his banking career he served as a Director of the 12th Federal Reserve District, was a long time Director of MasterCard’s US Region, and served on the Boards of the Consumer Bankers Association, Bank Administration Institute, and several state banking associations.

 

He received a BA in Economics from UCLA and an MBA from Stanford University.

 

He is a veteran of the US Marine Corps and flew 220 combat missions in SE Asia during the Vietnam War aboard the F-4B aircraft.

 

He lives with his wife, Dail, at Black Butte Ranch in Central Oregon.  They have 3 grown children and 6 grandchildren.

Venu Kotamraju

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Board of Visitors

 

Mr. Venu Kotamraju
President
Ram Food Products, Inc.

Venu Kotamraju graduated as a double major from UCLA with a BA in Economics (’95) and BS in Mechanical Engineering (’95) and later returned for his MBA (’99) from Anderson.  He currently resides in Makati City, Philippines, where he is the President of Ram Food Products, Inc., a large domestic food processing and distribution company.  In addition to serving on the Board of Visitors for the Department of Economics, Venu is the Founding President of the UCLA Philippines Network and also the Anderson Alumni Philippines Chapter.  With his wife, Ana, who is also a Bruin (BA in Economics ’93 and MBA ’99), they have three boys, Ravi, Ryan and Siva

Terry D. Kramer

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Board of Visitors

 

Mr. Terry D. Kramer
Lecturer/Faculty Advisor, UCLA Anderson School
Former U.S. Ambassador

Terry has a 30 year career in telecommunications. For 18 of the 30 years, Terry worked for Vodafone Group Plc/AirTouch Communications in a variety of roles domestically and internationally including Group Strategy and Business Improvement Officer and Regional President, Vodafone Americas which included oversight of Vodafone’s 45% interest in Verizon Wireless and Vodafone’s venture capital activities. Terry also sat on the Executive Committee of Vodafone Group Plc.

In June 2012, Terry received an appointment by President Obama to serve as Ambassador, Head of U.S. Delegation for the World Conference on International Telecommunications which. This 100 person delegation comprised of members of U.S. Government, industry and civil society, formulated and communicated the U.S. policy regarding the criticality of a free and open internet, the criticality of inclusive, multi stakeholder governance, the need to proactively address cybersecurity threats and the need for liberalized, open markets which encourage accelerated broadband access globally.

Terry is currently a full time Adjunct Professor at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management teaching two courses—a foundational technology management course covering the impact of disruptive innovation on products, services, markets and competition and another course on the evolution and innovation in the global mobile communications industry and promising areas of innovation. Terry is also a Faculty Advisor in the Global Access Program and Strategic Management Research Programs. From 2011-13, he was an Entrepreneur in Residence at the Harvard Business School.

Terry sits on the Boards/Advisory Boards of TeleSign, TangoCard, RapidSOS and TextPert and also sits on the Boards of the Harvard Business School California Research Center, UCLA Economics Department Board of Visitors and Larkin Street Youth Services.

Terry holds a Bachelors degree in Economics from UCLA and MBA from Harvard University and resides in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Scott B. Dubchansky

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Board of Visitors

Mr. Scott B. Dubchansky
Managing Director
Rimrock Capital Management, LLC

Scott is a partner at Rimrock Capital Management, LLC, a SEC Registered Investment Advisor headquartered in Irvine, California.  Founded in 1999, Rimrock manages assets on behalf of institutional clients and high net worth investors.  Previously, Scott was Managing Director and Founding Partner at Metropolitan West Asset Management, LLC (MetWest), an employee-owned investment firm focused on fixed income portfolio management.  He co-founded the firm in 1996, and served as Chief Executive Officer from 1996-2008 and as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Metropolitan West Funds from 1997-2008.  Scott also served as Chief Executive Officer of MWAM Distributors, LLC, a limited purpose broker dealer affiliate of MetWest.  Prior to founding MetWest, he spent 12 years as an institutional fixed income salesman with various Wall Street firms including Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette and Drexel Burnham Lambert.

Scott holds designations as a general securities principal and a financial and operations principal.  He received a bachelor’s degree in economics from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and serves on the Board of Visitors of UCLA’s Department of Economics and the Audit Committee of the UCLA Foundation.  Scott participates on the Dean’s Leadership Council of the School of Social Ecology at UCI, and is currently the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Lewis & Clark College of Portland, Oregon.

Scott and his wife Laurie live in Newport Beach and have two adult children Alison and Evan.

 

Robert M. Ettinger

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Board of Visitors

Mr. Robert M. Ettinger
President
Flaherty and Crumrine Inc.

Bob Ettinger has over 25 years of experience managing preferred securities, twenty-two of those having been spent with Flaherty & Crumrine. Prior to joining F&C, he also worked at Scudder Stevens & Clark with Bob Flaherty and Don Crumrine on developing strategies to hedge preferred securities. Bob has developed a number of sophisticated tools for analyzing preferred securities. He serves as the primary liaison between Flaherty & Crumrine and the brokerage community. Bob also serves as President of the U.S. Flaherty & Crumrine funds. Bob has a BA in Economics from UCLA and was honored as the department’s Commencement Speaker in 2001. He received his MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.