Alumni


Almunus Richard Eldh ’81 Appointed CEO & President of UConn Foundation

Rich Eldh '81 delivers the keynote address at Commencement 2025 in Storrs, CT.
Rich Eldh ’81 delivers the keynote address at Commencement 2025 in Storrs, CT. (Nathan Oldham / UConn School of Business)

Congratulations to School of Business alumnus and Hall of Fame inductee Richard Eldh ’81 who has been appointed CEO and President of the UConn Foundation, the fundraising arm of the university.

In his new role, Eldh will oversee the “Because of UConn’’ fundraising campaign, which has raised more than $900 million, at a time when philanthropic investment is critically important to the success of all universities.

Eldh is an entrepreneur, business leader and investor. He is known for his work in B2B research, advisory services, and philanthropy. Formerly an officer at Gartner, a leading technology research and advisory firm based in Stamford, Conn., he also co-founded and served as co-CEO of SiriusDecisions, Inc., which catered to major corporate clients such as Microsoft, IBM, Oracle, Cisco, and Salesforce.

A graduate of the school of Business, where he majored in finance, Eldh recently served on the UConn Foundation Board of Directors. He and his wife, Joyce Eldh, have generously supported student scholarships. He was also an early supporter of Hillside Ventures, an experiential-learning course in venture capital at UConn. Eldh was the 2025 commencement speaker for the School of Business, where he emphasized servant leadership, respect, hard work, and creating environments in which others can thrive.


Former WWE President George Aldo Barrios ’87 Offers Career, Life Advice in New Book

UConn Today – In one of the most harrowing descriptions in his new book, two-time alum George Aldo Barrios ’87 (CLAS) ’89 MBA, a transformative business strategist and former co-President of WWE, recounted a trip to Saudia Arabia to close an important deal to bring wrestling entertainment to the kingdom.

The company was in the home stretch of the deal when journalist Jamal Khashoggi was assassinated at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, in October 2018. His death was believed to be at the behest of the Saudi Crown Prince. Everyone at WWE was nervous about moving forward.

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Principle Wealth’s ‘Micro-Internships’ Give Students Exposure to Wealth Management

UConn Today – Junior Christian Bonvisuto ’27, said one of the experiences that got him interested in a career in wealth management was attending client meetings.

“What I think is so rewarding is that so much of the business is relationship building,’’ said Bonvisuto, a finance major. “Seventy percent of the job is getting to know people’s personal values and finding out what’s important to them, and then developing a trusting relationship. I loved it! I enjoy people, so I think it is potentially a good match for me.’’

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Commencement Speaker Toni Boucher: Resilience, Enthusiasm, Determination Key to Thriving in Unpredictable Times

UConn Today – Antonietta ‘Toni’ Boucher, the First Selectman of Wilton, a former corporate executive, and a 22-year leader in the Connecticut legislature, looked at the sea of soon-to-be graduates on Saturday, and smiled with tremendous pride.

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Real Estate Alum Nicholas Morizio Donates $1 Million for Scholarships

UConn Today – Nicholas Morizio ’74 (BUS), a prominent commercial real estate broker in Connecticut and Western Massachusetts, has given $1 million to the UConn Real Estate program to establish new student scholarships.

It is the largest gift from an individual that the program has received in its 41-year history, and comes during the UConn Foundation’s record-breaking Because of UConn campaign, which aims to raise $1.5 billion in gifts and donations.

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TaylorMade Golf CEO David Abeles ‘93 Says Success Comes from Strategy, Passion, and the Right Corporate Culture

UConn Today – When David Abeles ‘93 (BUS) became president and CEO of TaylorMade Golf 12 years ago, the company wasn’t the $2 billion equipment and apparel powerhouse that it is today.

Under Abeles’ leadership, TaylorMade has grown from a well-liked golf equipment brand to one of the most dominant and marketing-savvy companies in the world, led by its product innovation and the influence of prominent professional golfers, including Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler.

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Meet the Graduate: Julia Ghagare ’26, School of Business

UConn Today – rowing up in Connecticut surrounded by Husky pride, Julia Ghagare knew the UConn School of Business would be a perfect fit. In her time as a marketing major, Ghagare was surprised by the strong sense of connection she has experienced on the seemingly enormous campus of UConn Storrs. While participating in different groups, including serving as president of UConn Women in Business and outreach chair of marketing strategy for SUBOG, Ghagare has grown as a student and a leader. These experiences have all helped prepare her for the next chapter – a position in the marketing development program with Nestlé.

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Meet the Graduate: Dmitrii Tuzov ’26, School of Business

UConn Today – Dmitrii Tuzov was initially drawn to UConn because of its strong business analytics program, and he was thrilled to also find an environment that fostered ample chances for growth, ownership, and real-world impact. During his time in the Master of Science in Business Analytics and Project Management program, Tuzov led and contributed to hands-on experiential initiatives in cutting-edge generative AI and machine learning that have helped prepare him for the rapidly evolving world of analytics and artificial intelligence. For incoming students, Tuzov says although it can seem overwhelming, they should take full advantage of the opportunities on offer.

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UConn Establishes Endowed Accounting Professorship with KPMG

UConn Today – The School of Business has announced the creation of a new endowed accounting professorship, supported through a collaboration with KPMG LLP, the U.S. audit, tax, and advisory firm, to help attract and retain high-performing educators in UConn’s Accounting Department.

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New UConn-Dartmouth Study: Racial Diversity in Higher Ed Leads to Higher Salaries for Grads

UConn Today – Researchers examined more than 6,000 cohorts of MBA and law students over several decades and found that having even one additional minority student among a cohort of 100 students increased starting salaries cumulatively across the cohort by up to $30,000

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