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jnrobertson@uh.edu
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MBA, MS Finance, MS ACCY and EMBA Students Lauded for Achievements
MS Finance graduate John Keeton was one of four students recognized for stellar performance at the Fall 2008 Graduate Commencement Ceremony.
UH Bauer College honored four outstanding students at its graduate commencement ceremony on December 19, for their extraordinary achievements and leadership as Bauer College students.
OUTSTANDING MBA STUDENT
Stephen Wolfe is the Outstanding MBA Student for Fall 2008. Wolfe is a crude oil trader for ConocoPhillips Company and has ten years of accounting, risk management, and trading experience with several Houston-based energy companies, including Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Halliburton KBR, and UBS Warburg Energy. In addition to completing his MBA, Wolfe also served as a Senior Portfolio Manager for the Cougar Investment Fund at the University of Houston, and received his certificate in Financial Services Management this summer. Wolfe is a Certified Public Accountant in Texas, and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accountancy from Lamar University.
OUTSTANDING MS IN FINANCE STUDENT
John Keeton is graduating with an MS in Finance and a graduate certificate in the Financial Services Management. John served as an analyst and senior portfolio manager for the Cougar Investment Fund L.L.C. This past year he led a team with three other UH business graduate students in the 2008 Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute’s Investment Research Challenge, finishing first in the nation and third in the world. The team outperformed top worldwide programs including MIT and Carnegie Mellon. While attending the MS program at UH Bauer College, Keeton accepted a position with SMH Capital as an Equity Research Associate. He is a CFA level II candidate and intends to continue his career in investment services and become a portfolio manager.
OUTSTANDING MS IN ACCOUNTANCY STUDENT
Hao Kim Nguyen joined the Bauer College of Business undergraduate program in the fall of 2005. After completing her undergraduate degree, she decided to continue her education by obtaining a Master of Science in Accountancy. As a graduate student, she interned with Hein & Associates, LLP, while consistently making the Dean’s list. The internship helped Nguyen choose her career path. Nguyen ultimately accepted an offer with Deloitte as a tax consultant.
“The Bauer College Department of Accountancy & Taxation has provided me with tremendous opportunities that have led me to this wonderful point in my life,” Nguyen said. “I am really grateful for my journey at the Bauer College of Business.”
OUTSTANDING EXECUTIVE MBA STUDENT
René L. Varón is an Electronic engineer from the Pontificia Javeriana University in Colombia. He has more than 10 years of experience in the industrial processes control industry, mainly focused on oil and gas pipeline. He is currently the Executive Vice-president for Latin America, Spain and Portugal with Energy Solutions International. During the last twelve years he has been successfully developing the market in this region by promoting the implementation of advance software applications and other pipeline technologies.
By Hannah Eastham
About the University of Houston
The University of Houston, Texas' premier metropolitan research and teaching institution, is home to more than 40 research centers and institutes and sponsors more than 300 partnerships with corporate, civic and governmental entities. UH, the most diverse research university in the country, stands at the forefront of education, research and service with more than 35,000 students.
About the Bauer College of Business
The C.T. Bauer College of Business has been in operation for more than 60 years at the University of Houston main campus. Through its five academic departments, the college offers a full-range of undergraduate, masters and doctoral degrees in business. The Bauer College is fully accredited by the AACSB International - the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. In August 2000, Houston business leader and philanthropist Charles T. (Ted) Bauer endowed the College of Business with a $40 million gift. In recognition of his generosity, the college was renamed the C.T. Bauer College of Business.