Four honored as CBA Distinguished Alumni
UNO's College of Business Administration honored four
alumni during the college's 2005 Distinguished Achievement Award luncheon in
May. Of 17,000 CBA alumni, only 61 have been honored as CBA Distinguished
Alumni. Those honored in May are:
Becki Drahota
President, Mills
Financial Marketing
Becki Drahota is president of Mills Financial Marketing
in Storm Lake, Iowa. She received her Executive MBA from UNO in 2003.
At the age of 25 Drahota in 1975 founded Mills Financial
Marketing, an integrated marketing resource for financial institutions serving
35 banks in 15 states. She has taught "Incentive Compensation" at the Graduate
School of Banking and is a chapter author of the Wise Women Anthology.
Drahota is a member of the president's advisory board of
Buena Vista University and the EMBA advisory board at UNO. She was appointed by
the governor to the Workforce Iowa Board, is a Rotarian and past president of
the Storm Lake Chamber of Commerce, and is honorary chair for Iowa, the
President's Small Business Advisory Council. Drahota also is a frequent
regional and national speaker and is active in the Republican Party and the
Presbyterian Church.
Peg Harriott
Executive Director,
YWCA of Omaha
Peg Harriott is executive director of YWCA Omaha. From
UNO she received a master's degree in social work (1984) and an MBA (1995).
At YWCA Omaha, Harriott addresses career development for
women and is devoted to addressing the problems of domestic violence and sexual
assault. The mission of the agency focuses on the empowerment of women and the
elimination of racism. More than 55,000 lives were touched by YWCA Omaha
services last year.
Prior to joining YWCA Omaha, Harriott served in various
capacities at Uta Halee Girls Village/Cooper Village, including chief operating
officer. She has more than 30 years experience in the behavioral health care
field; much of that has been with at-risk youth and their families.
Harriott holds many professional memberships and serves on
several Omaha-area boards, including the YWCA Heartland Region Board, the
Domestic Violence Coordinating Board of Directors, the Nonprofit Associations
of the Midlands Board, and the state of Nebraska Workforce Investment Board.
She has volunteered in numerous other areas, including assisting the Studio of
Dance Arts, Keystone Citizen's Patrol and the Great Plains Girl Scout Council.
Adrian J. Minks
Vice President,
Omaha Public Power District
Adrian Minks earned an MBA from UNO in 1978. In 1988, she
joined the Information Services Division of OPPD. She was executive assistant
to the president and subsequently became the division manager of customer sales
and service.
Minks was promoted to vice
president in January 2002. Her current responsibilities include market research
and product development, management and business strategy, material procurement
and disposal, and facilities management and security.
Prior to joining OPPD, Minks worked in various information
technology and strategic planning positions with Northern Natural Gas Company,
Northern Border Pipeline Company, and InterNorth, Inc.
She serves on the boards of directors of the YWCA Omaha
and the Institute for Career Advancement Needs, and on the board of trustees
for the Wayne State College Foundation. Minks is 2005 chairman of the board of
the UNO Alumni Association. She is a past board member of Family Housing
Advisory Services and North American Technician Excellence.
Mark Theisen
Executive Vice
President Finance/Treasurer,
Woodmen of the World
Life Insurance Society
Mark
Theisen received his Executive MBA degree from UNO in 2003. He has been
employed by Woodman of the World for the past 10 years and currently serves as
the executive vice president/finance and treasurer, chief compliance officer
and EEO officer. He also serves on Woodmen 's board of directors.
Prior to joining Woodmen, Theisen was a partner in the
Baird, Holm, McEachen, Pedersen, Hamann and Strasheim Law Firm. Theisen holds
many professional affiliations and assists with several boards and community
groups, including the Boy Scouts of America, Rotary, the Omaha Symphony
Association, and the Salvation Army. He also is a member of the UNO CBA
Finance, Banking and Law advisory board, and the Executive MBA advisory board.
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