MTSU’s Jennings A. Jones College of Business again honored a group of business people with special awards in recognition of their contributions to business and industry.

The four honorees were formally recognized at an awards reception Thursday, Oct. 26, as well as at the Jones College-hosted Start It Up Conference, featuring “Shark Tank” celebrity Daymond John, held Friday, Oct. 27, at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center.

Winners of the 2017 Jones College of Business Awards received their awards at a special reception held Thursday, Oct. 26, at Embassy Suites in Murfreesboro. Pictured, from left, are: reception host David Urban, dean, MTSU Jennings A. Jones College of Business; Andy Marshall, Joe M. Rodgers Spirit of America Award recipient; Kyle Motley, Young Professional of the Year Award recipient; Caren Gabriel, Jennings A. Jones Champion of Free Enterprise Award recipient; Jackie Morgan, Jones College Exemplar Award recipient; and Yolanda Greene, Rutherford County market president with First Tennessee Bank, awards sponsor. (MTSU photo by Kimi Conro)

• Andy Marshall, owner of A. Marshall Family Foods Inc., is the recipient of the Joe M. Rodgers Spirit of America Award. This award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated the highest ideals in keeping with the American spirit of innovation, entrepreneurship and commitment to others. 

Marshall grew up in the grocery business and at age 26 purchased his first grocery store — an investment that quickly led to four additional locations and his being named president of the Tennessee Grocers Association and the Piggly Wiggly Association.

Andy Marshall

Jackie Morgan

Today, he has expanded A. Marshall Family Foods Inc. to encompass Puckett’s Grocery locations in Franklin, Nashville, Columbia, Chattanooga and Murfreesboro; Puckett’s Boat House in downtown Franklin; Puckett’s Trolley, the brand’s mobile food venue; Puckett’s Events & Catering; and the multi-layer Homestead Manor property in Thompson’s Station. Scout’s Pub, an upscale modern pub concept, opened in June 2016 in the Franklin community of Westhaven.

• Jackie Morgan, senior education outreach consultant at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta–Nashville Branch, is the recipient of the Jones College Exemplar Award. This award is presented to a Jones College alumnus who has “walked in the shoes” of current students and whose personal and professional accomplishments demonstrate that future MTSU graduates can also achieve great things.

Morgan was appointed to the National Business Education Association Economics and Personal Finance Education Committee, the Tennessee Financial Literacy Commission and the Nashville Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee. She also serves as board member and past three-year president of the Tennessee Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, which was recognized by National Jump$tart as the State Coalition of the Year under her leadership.

• Caren Gabriel, president and CEO of Ascend Federal Credit Union headquartered in Tullahoma, Tennessee, is the recipient of the Jennings A. Jones Champion of Free Enterprise Award. This award is presented to an individual whose achievements “are in keeping with the highest traditions of the American system of free enterprise” and who is a role model in business, professional and personal achievements.

Gabriel has been instrumental in key Ascend mergers, including Maury Progressive Credit Union, Co-Op Employee Credit Union and Duck River Electric Membership Corporation Credit Union, that resulted in 2,653 additional members and $11 million in assets. With 23 financial centers and more than 175,000 members, Ascend is the largest credit union in Middle Tennessee and one of the largest in Tennessee.

Caren Gabriel

Kyle Motley

• The recipient of the Young Professional of the Year Award is Kyle Motley, a credit officer with UBS Group Risk Control. This award recognizes someone who, at a relatively young age, has already been a role model whose accomplishments are outstanding and an inspiration to others, but who also has the potential to rise to even greater heights in personal and professional life.

In his current role, the MTSU alumnus covers transactions and portfolio monitoring within the consumer products, gaming, luxury and leisure sectors. Before joining UBS, Motley consulted with CPAs, middle-market investment banks and litigation support firms with valuation matters through his company, Back Office Valuation & Consulting.

The deadline to register for the Oct. 27 Start It Up Conference is Monday, Oct. 23. To register and for more information, visit www.mtsu.edu/business and follow the links.