Meet 25 Wisconsin School of Business alumni who have changed the world

MPH '43, PhD '55

Larzette Hale-Wilson

Larzette Hale-Wilson
(MPH '43, PhD '55)

Hale-Wilson was the first Black woman CPA in the country to earn a PhD in accounting. She later launched a CPA firm, taught at Utah State University, and became the head of its School of Accountancy.

Mary McNulty (BA 1917)

A native of Spring Green, Wisconsin, the self described "Commerce Girl" enrolled at UW-Madison during World War I and became WSB's first female graduate. She had a 40-year accounting career at Wisconsin Power & Light Co. and retired as the company's comptroller.

Manu Raju (BBA '02)

Beginning his media career at UW-Madison's student newspaper, The Badger Herald, Raju is now the anchor of CNN's Inside Politics Sunday. The veteran Washington, D.C. reporter also covers Capitol Hill and campaign politics as chief congressional correspondent.

Aaron Kennedy (MBA '89)

Inspired by a Thai noodle shop in New York City, Kennedy founded the restaurant franchise Noodles & Company, opening the first location in Denver in 1995. The following year, Kennedy and his partner opened a second location in Madison on State Street, where it remains as the company's longest-standing location! Today, the popular eatery has over 460 locations across 31 states, offering globally influenced noodle dishes in a fast-casual setting.

Mildred Kramer Gill (BA 1927)

One of the first women to graduate from WSB, the late Kramer Gill put her entrepreneurial spirit into action in 1936 when she opened a printing shop on the Capitol Square in Madison with a typewriter and a mimeograph machine. Kramer Gill was president of Kramer Printing-which still stands today as Kramer Madison in Waunakee, Wisconsin-until her retirement in 1980.

Tyler Kennedy (BBA '13) and Wes Schroll (x '15)

What started as a WSB assignment is now a thriving business valued at over $1 billion. Kennedy and Schroll are the founders of Fetch, a consumer rewards app used by millions.

Viveca Chan (BBA '76)

A pioneer in advertising and e-commerce, Chan founded WE Marketing Group in 2005: one of China's first independent brand consultancy and integrated communication agencies that focuses on bringing the West to China-and China to the world.

Dale Nitschke (BBA '84)

Those who enjoy shopping at Target.com can credit Nitschke, who developed the website in 1999 and served as its president for over eight years. Nitschke is now the founder and chief executive officer of Ovative Group, a successful digital marketing and measurement firm.

Jon Hammes (MS '74)

Hammes' impact on real estate is felt across the country and in WSB's own backyard.

In 1991, the real estate major founded Hammes Company, a Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based firm focusing on commercial real estate development and property management. For 30 years, Hammes Company has managed the construction of several sports venues, including UW-Madison's Kohl Center and the expansion of Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Other notable venues include Ford Field for the Detroit Lions and U.S. Bank Stadium for the Minnesota Vikings.

BBA '82, MS '83

Phill Gross

Phill Gross (BBA '82, MS '83)

Gross is a founder, philanthropist, and advocate for diversifying the financial sector. His $10 million gift launched Project ACCLAIM, which provides funds for HBCU students to invest and manage-a model based on WSB's Applied Security Analysis Program.

Few people have shaped UW-Madison like John and Tashia Morgridge (BSE '55). As the university's single largest benefactors, the couple has funded faculty positions, research, public service, and state-of-the-art facilities-to mention just a portion of their visionary philanthropy on campus.

Their generosity extends beyond campus, too. Through their Fund for Wisconsin Scholars, more than 28,000 students from low-income backgrounds have been awarded $140 million in grants and stipends to pursue higher education in Wisconsin.

Despite their obvious fondness for the Badger state, it was California that called their name after graduation-John to the tech world and Tashia to teaching. John joined Cisco Systems in 1988, becoming one its first 40 employees and eventually rising to president, CEO, and chair of the board.

In 2024, the duo received UW's inaugural distinguished service award in recognition of their unparalleled support and generosity.

Dorri McWhorter (BBA '95)

McWhorter is synonymous with social enterprise business leadership. She's been CEO and board advisor to several charitable organizations driving human-centered change in Chicago and beyond.

Meinhardt Raabe (BA '37)

Born on a Wisconsin dairy farm in 1915, accounting graduate Raabe played a role in two iconic events of the era: the launch of the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile and The Wizard of Oz. After graduating from WSB, Raabe accepted an accounting job at Oscar Mayer in 1937, just as Carl Mayer was creating the Wienermobile. Mayer suggested Raabe-who then stood under four feet tall-could tour around the country with the vehicle as "Little Oscar, World's Smallest Chef." While touring, Raabe met friends who passed along a tip about a movie casting little people. Raabe earned a role in the classic film, playing the coroner who tells Dorothy the Wicked Witch is dead.

Robert Greenblatt (MA '84)

Though television executive Greenblatt might not be a household name, his hit shows-Six Feet Under, Weeds, and the X-Files to name a few-certainly are. Growing up in nearby Rockford, Illinois, Greenblatt got involved in local community theater before attending UW-Madison and graduating from WSB's arts administration program in 1984. His storied career in television began with Fox and later Showtime, where he served as head of programming, responsible for blockbuster shows such as Dexter, Weeds, and Californication. Greenblatt's influence continued as chairman of NBC Entertainment and WarnerMedia Entertainment, where he produced the acclaimed Six Feet Under and other successful programming for HBO. Today, he leads his own production company, The Green Room, with a legacy marked by numerous Emmy, Producers Guild of America, and Tony Awards, as well as the GLAAD Stephen F. Kolzak Award recognizing his impact on LGBTQ visibility.

MBA '11

Rodolphe Barrangou

Rodolphe Barrangou (MBA '11)

Paris-born molecular biologist Barrangou's leading-edge research advanced scientific knowledge about the immunity capabilities of CRISPR, a bacterial DNA sequence, and helped set the stage for the future of gene editing. He's a member of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Inventors.

Sean Park (BBA '12)

Park revolutionized the sustainable architecture landscape in 2019 as a co-founder of EnergyX. The firm is the world's sole source for holistic solutions for outfitting and retrofitting zero-energy buildings.