MAK College holds second annual Best in Business Banquet

May 5, 2025 – DENTON – The Merrilee Alexander Kick College of Business and Entrepreneurship celebrated its achievements from the 2024-25 school year with the second annual Best in Business Banquet on Wednesday, April 23. Students, staff, faculty alumni and community members were recognized for their outstanding achievements.

After a welcome from MAK College Dean Rama Yelkur, Associate Dean of Research & Innovation Lee Brown, PhD and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Pushkala Raman, PhD presented the awards. 

Outstanding Undergraduate Student

Criteria: The selection of the Outstanding Undergraduate Student was decided on by members of the MAK College Undergraduate Curriculum Committee. The committee took into consideration GPA, involvement in the College, participation in student organizations, employment, and other volunteer/service activities. 

Sherley Malik
Sherley is a senior with a double major in management and marketing. She has maintained a 3.97 GPA while working full-time. She is a peer mentor for the Owl’s Nest, serves on the Dean’s Student Advisory Board and is the Vice President of the Investment Club. 

Outstanding Graduate Student

Criteria: The selection of the Outstanding Graduate Student was decided on by members of the  MAK College Graduate Curriculum Committee. The committee took into consideration GPA, involvement in the MAK College, participation in student organizations, employment, and other volunteer/service activities. She is also involved with Pioneer Service Scholars.

Tristen Marshall
Tristen is pursuing an MBA with an emphasis in Business Analytics. She currently serves as a data analytics consulting director. Tristen balances her leadership in data service with a heart for service. Outside of work, she volunteers with Sea Turtle Inc. and the DFW Humane Society. 

Excellence in Teaching Award

Criteria: The selection for the Excellence in Teaching Awards is done by students in the MAK College through a survey conducted by the Community Engagement Committee of the MAK College Dean’s Student Advisory Board. The purpose of this award is to recognize and encourage excellence in the classroom. 

David Rylander, Management and Marketing Department Chair, Marketing Professor

David has taught marketing at TWU for the last 24 years. He has guided student organizations to national recognition and led service-learning projects and taken graduate students on study tours across Europe, Asia and Central America. He has held numerous leadership roles, including serving on the Undergraduate Council, Chair of the Council of Chairs, and participated in strategic initiatives like the Quality Enhancement Plan and the State Employee Charitable Campaign.

A student shared “I am nominating Dr. Rylander specifically because of the effort he makes to engage within the community on campus as well as the class he holds. I took his class my sophomore year and never regretted a moment of it. I learned valuable knowledge that I can use inside and outside of the classroom and will forever be grateful for his dedication to his work in making sure his students succeed.”

Kenneth Klein, Adjunct Faculty 

Kenneth is a seasoned financial executive with over 30 years of leadership experience across healthcare, life sciences, and financial services industries. He currently serves as chief financial officer at PranaX Corporation, overseeing finance, treasury, IT, and HR functions for its portfolio of life sciences companies. His career includes senior roles at organizations such as Nobilis Health, The Menninger Clinic, and Texas Children’s Hospital. Kenneth is an alumnus of Texas Woman’s University and returned to TWU as an adjunct faculty member six years ago 

A student shared “Kenneth Klein consistently makes a traditionally difficult course engaging, interesting, and relevant. He makes finance approachable and is a wonderful teacher! He doesn't mind when students ask questions and will walk through your thought process with you. He will then provide another example to check for understanding which was very helpful! Even if we had a hard time understanding a concept he was patient and ready to teach!” 

Outstanding Publication Award

Criteria: This award recognizes and encourages excellence in research by a MAK College faculty member. The recipient is a faculty member who exhibits excellence in academic research, scholarship, and mastery of subject matter that is impactful and exemplifies the characteristics of a scholar.  An ongoing record of research and scholarly productivity, a recent publication of particularly high quality, recent receipt of significant research funding, or other meritorious achievements consistent with the mission of the College is of particular interest. 

Shelia Hyde, Assistant Professor - Management and HR

Shelia recently celebrated her 20th year of teaching at Texas Woman’s University. She has served in various instructional roles, including adjunct, lecturer, and visiting assistant professor, before beginning her tenure-track appointment in 2022. Shelia is also a faculty advisor for TWU’s Society for Human Resource Management student chapter and Core Leadership Director for North Texas Society for Human Resource Management.

Her research focuses on the work-life interface, especially how people thrive across work and nonwork domains. Her dissertation introduced the Cross-Domain Thriving (CDT) model, which explores how energy and learning can flow between work and life — and how imbalance can lead to conflict. Her work is shaped not just by academic interest, but by real-life experiences and a commitment to creating research that is both relevant and relatable.

Distinguished Alumnus

Criteria: This award recognizes an alum who has attained prominence in their profession, or through their accomplishments within their industries, communities, or through public service.

Dr. Michael A. Mayo, President and CEO of Baptist Health

With over 32 years of healthcare executive experience, Michael has led organizations from the role of administrative fellow to CEO, including leadership positions at HCA, Methodist Health System, and Memorial Hospital Jacksonville. He has spent the last 15 years at Baptist Health, where he now oversees a team of more than 15,000 employees and 2,900 medical staff members in a $3.5 billion healthcare system. He earned his master’s degree in health care administration from Texas Woman’s. 

Michael was selected by Florida Trend in the Florida 500 edition as one of the 500 most influential executives in the state for 2022, 2023 & 2024. He was also recognized as an Ultimate CEO for 2022 by the Jacksonville Business Journal. In 2025 he was named in Becker’s Hospital Review’s Great Leaders in Healthcare 2025 list. 

Outstanding Leader in Health Care

Criteria: This award highlights a person’s impact on the healthcare sector and the broader community. It recognizes an outstanding leader in healthcare who helps promote best practices and innovation within the industry. 

Dr. Fred Cerise - President and Chief Executive Officer of Parkland Health 

Fred has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Parkland Health since 2014, leading one of the nation's premier public health systems. Under his leadership, Parkland has become a national leader in population-based healthcare delivery. Before joining Parkland, he served as Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals and as Vice President for Health Affairs and Medical Education for the Louisiana State University System. 

Fred currently chairs the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation Board of Trustees and serves on the board of KFF. 

Outstanding Entrepreneur

Criteria:  This award was created to recognize the hard work, dedication, and innovation required to be an entrepreneur.

Shanthi Rajaram - Founder, President, and CEO of Amazech Solutions

Shanthi is the founder, president and CEO of Amazech Solutions, a Plano-based, women-owned technology services company that she launched in 2007. Over the past 18 years, she has grown Amazech into a dynamic, innovation-driven firm specializing in business transformation through application development, data analytics, staffing, and AI-powered digital solutions. In 2023, the company expanded operations into Canada. In 2024, Amazech was ranked #515 on the Inc. 5000 list, achieved #23 in the Dallas 100, and certified as a Great Place to Work.

 Shanthi serves on the advisory boards of LiftFund/SBA Women’s Business Center and Tech Titans, and has been recognized with numerous accolades including the Power Woman Award, Woman in Tech Luminary, and as one of North Texas’ 100 Most Influential Women.

Outstanding Woman Owned Business

Criteria: This award recognizes the achievements of a woman-owned business. This award is presented in partnership with TWU’s Jane Nelson Institute for Women’s Leadership. 

Claudia Mirza, CEO of RunMyProcess

Claudia is a Colombian American entrepreneur, investor, and global technology leader currently serving as CEO of RunMyProcess (AK Digital LLC), a SaaS digital transformation company specializing in automating complex, mission-critical workflows across industries and continents. A trailblazer in tech, Claudia leads RunMyProcess with a focus on using AI and low-code platforms to drive efficiency, innovation, and sustainable growth for enterprises in over 16 countries.

Prior to her current role, Claudia spent over two decades as Founder and CEO of Akorbi, growing it into one of the world’s largest woman-owned multilingual digital transformation firms. Featured in TIME, MSNBC, Forbes, and Fortune, and Inc. Magazine, Claudia’s work has earned numerous accolades, including being named WBENC’s Women’s Business Enterprise Business Star, Business Woman of the Year by the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and one of the 50 Fastest Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies by Women Presidents’ Organizations. She also serves on the board of the United States Hispanic Business Council and holds executive education from Harvard Business School.