Pictured is Coleman, Lenderman-Black and Kampen of The 30.

Meet The 30

The Haworth College of Business is proud to introduce the 2021 honorees.
Learn more about The 30

WMU Haworth is proud to present its 2021 edition of The 30, a publication that recognizes emerging business leaders who are providing thought leadership and innovative perspectives in the business world. Selected by a committee composed of faculty, staff and recent alumni, these honorees represent the work ethic, innovation and passion that are synonymous with being a Business Bronco.

Pictured is Lashae Simmons II.

Lashae Simmons II, B.B.A.'15

Simmons found a support system at WMU that inspired her and encouraged her success. She calls these individuals her “village.” Now, she is using her expertise to help others with similar backgrounds find their own villages and achieve greatness.
The Enterprising Altruist
Pictured is Luis Perez.

Luis Perez, B.B.A.'18

Perez has been motivated by a single purpose since entering the business world—make a positive impact using technology. It’s this mantra that sparked the idea to start his own company, Loop Coding Center, while also taking on a full-time role as applications engineer for Steelcase.
Chief Difference Maker
Pictured is Michael Schwandt.

Michael Schwandt, B.B.A.'13

As an expert in supply chain management, Schwandt has always found his work to be rewarding. But he never imagined that in 2020—a year that would change everything—his expertise would save lives.
Lifesaving Leader
Pictured is Lauren Hillsburg.

Lauren Hillsburg, B.B.A.'18

Hillsburg challenges anyone to come up with a better food pairing than peanut butter and bacon. As customer executive for Hormel Foods, she manages brands at Safeway in Denver, Colorado, and loves cooking up tasty combinations to share with buyers.
Food Sales Superstar
Pictured is Joy Martinez.

Joy Martinez, MBA'10

Whether it’s in her current role as marketing program director at Spirion or through mentoring others as a personal strengths coach, Martinez has a genuine talent for inspiring excellence.
Marketing Maven
Pictured is Aaron Coney.

Aaron Coney B.B.A.'12

Coney built a career as an in-house designer for companies like Disney, Fox and Dash Radio before launching his own creative marketing and management company, Hustle Matters.
The Heavyweight of Hustle

The 30 is a publication from the Haworth College of Business that recognizes emerging business leaders who are providing thought leadership and innovative perspectives in the business world. 

Like many publications highlighting business leaders, The 30 honors impact in the business world, and it also connects alumni with the college and one another through networking.

In order to qualify, nominees must:

  • Have graduated from WMU Haworth in the past 10 years.
  • Have significant achievements through application of their business and leadership skills.
  • Have demonstrated a strong sense of vision for the future.
  • Have a minimum of two years of professional experience.

A committee composed of faculty, staff and recent alumni will evaluate the nominations (with names redacted), using a holistic scoring method, looking for evidence of the following:

  • Significant accomplishments in the business world since graduation (maximum of 20 points)
  • Meeting or surpassing milestones—corporate or external recognition of efforts (maximum of 10 points)
  • Community involvement and vision in regard to service (maximum of 10 points)

Up to 10 additional points will be awarded based on the panel's overall impression of the materials (completeness and strong narrative as to why this person is worthy of being honored).

While each nominee may not excel in each of the above areas, strong evidence of achievement in several of the areas above will create a strong nomination.

If you have any questions about The 30 or the application process, please contact Stacey Anderson. 

If you know of an alum who should be included, or if you meet the criteria for The 30, then fill out our nomination form for the college's digital publication.

The deadline for choosing the next class of The 30 is October 22, 2021.