More than 800 alumni, faculty, students, corporate partners and friends of the College of Business are expected to attend what has become one of Central Florida’s premier networking events. The 2026 UCF College of Business Hall of Fame ceremony will recognize a trio of pioneering inductees, a longtime Legendary Knight and several talented alumni and partners Saturday, March 7, at Rosen Shingle Creek.
Laura Bollier ’99, former CEO of VENUS Fashion Inc.; Taylor Gerring ’05, co-founder of Ethereum; and Serguei Melnik ’98, president and chairman of the board of directors of Nutriband Inc., will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Longtime FAIRWINDS Credit Union CEO and 2016 Hall of Fame inductee Larry Tobin ’83 will receive the Legendary Knight Award, and Sherwin-Williams will be named Corporate Partner of the Year. The college will also celebrate a group of accomplished alumni, rising stars and entrepreneurs.
The UCF College of Business Hall of Fame recognizes alumni who have achieved exceptional success in their field and brought recognition to the university through their professional achievements. This is the highest honor awarded to College of Business graduates and is typically presented to alumni who have spent 15-20 years making a significant impact in their industries.
This year’s celebration will feature a Harry Potter-inspired theme, highlighting the college and university as magical places of transformation and discovery.
2026 UCF Business Hall of Fame Inductees
Laura Bollier ’99
Bollier served as the CEO of VENUS Fashion Inc., where she led a full-scale modernization and reimagination of the brand, culminating in its successful acquisition by American Exchange Group last summer. As CEO, she transformed the direct-to-consumer company into a multichannel enterprise that expanded into travel retail and online marketplaces including Amazon, Target and Walmart.
After supporting the company’s transition through September 2025, Bollier is now exploring new CEO opportunities while founding a venture where she can continue driving growth, transformation and value creation.
Earlier in her career, Bollier spent a decade as vice president of global merchandising at pioneering shapewear company SPANX, where she worked closely with founder Sara Blakely to help scale the business into a global category leader and contribute to its $1 billion valuation and majority investment by Blackstone. She also held leadership roles at VF Corporation (Nautica and Kipling), Coach, Lord & Taylor and Macy’s. after earning her finance degree at UCF.
A finance graduate of UCF, Bollier returned to campus last spring to share her career journey with more than 1,200 incoming business students during the college’s Welcome to the Majors event held each semester at Addition Financial Arena.
Taylor Gerring ’05
Gerring is a co-founder of Ethereum, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency companies. A pioneering entrepreneur and blockchain innovator, Gerring played a key role in Ethereum’s evolution from a scrappy underdog to a cornerstone of the blockchain ecosystem with applications that power billions in value today.
Now Gerring spends time as a public speaker, appearing at speaking engagements around the country, including back on UCF’s campus at the Blackstone LaunchPad.
Before co-founding Ethereum, Gerring honed his technical expertise and spearheaded projects across a variety of disciplines and companies, strengthening security, scalability and innovation. As a co-founding member of the Ethereum Foundation, he helped develop the world’s leading smart contract platform, serving on its board and presenting around the world.
After earning his management information systems degree from UCF in 2005, Gerring has remained a strong supporter of the university. In 2024, he made the largest single cash pledge commitment to UCF Athletics.
Serguei Melnik ’98
Melnik is the president and chairman of the board of directors of Nutriband Inc., an innovative science company focused on providing safer products for patients.
A Moldovan native, Melnik led Nutriband to a successful initial public offering and a spot on the NASDAQ in 2021. He also provides legal and financial advice based on U.S. financial markets, drawing on his law degree from Moldova State University.
After practicing law in his home country, Melnik moved to Orlando through a foreign exchange program to earn a master’s degree in economics from UCF. He later worked with several Central Florida companies, including Market Management International Inc. and Asconi Corporation Inc., before serving as vice president and director of U.S. operations for UNR Holdings Inc.
In addition to his work with Nutriband UNR Holdings, Melnik is president of consulting company Wolf Blitz Corporation. As a proud UCF alum, he also frequently returns to campus to share his career story with Business Knights as a presenter at The EXCHANGE in the College of Business.
Alumni Awards
Along with the Hall of Fame inductees, the college will recognize several alumni for their professional achievements.
Legendary Knight Award recipient:
- Larry Tobin ’83, CEO of FAIRWINDS Credit Union
Notable Knight Award recipients:
- Kala Bryant ’18 ’19, vice president, data manager at Bank of America
- Ryan Williams ’19PMBA, contracts manager for Lockheed Martin’s Rotary and Mission Systems division
Entrepreneurial Alumni Award recipients:
- Anthony “Biggie” Bencomo ’98, owner and Chief Sandwich Officer of Deli Fresh Threads
- Alfredo Dooley ’23EMBA and Tom Hines ’23EMBA, co-founders of FDTH Imports
- Laine Powell ’07, founder and CEO of Tech Sassy Girlz
- Natalie Rogers Soto ’16, co-founder of e-commerce fashion brand Klassy
Honorable Knight Award recipients:
- Toni Caracciolo ’14EMBA, executive vice president of marketing and branding at Falcon’s Beyond
- Elizabeth Ellis ’02, senior program manager at Blue Origin
- Thomas Hall ’25EMBA, president of Chuy’s Tex-Mex at Darden Restaurants
- Charlie Ritter ’95 ’98, partner in charge of Audit Southeast for KPMG LLP
- Michelle Katz Segal ’10 ’12MBA, corporate director of strategy for AdventHealth’s Multi-State Division
2026 Partnership Award Recipient
The Partnership Award recognizes organizations that have built successful partnerships with, or on behalf of, the College of Business, advancing the college’s academic offerings and public outreach. These organizations embody the spirit of collaboration and are recognized for their initiative, leadership and involvement in the betterment of business education.
This year’s recipient, Sherwin-Williams, has become an active corporate partner of the college through its engagement with students and recruiting efforts.
From speaking in The EXCHANGE and connecting with more than 1,200 incoming business majors at Welcome to the Majors to recruiting Business Knights at the college’s Invitational Career Fair, the Sherwin-Williams Orlando District team has embraced the college’s mission of engagement and invested in students throughout its two years as a corporate partner.
Sherwin-Williams is a global leader in the manufacture, development, distribution and sale of paints, coatings and related products, operating more than 5,000 company-owned stores and branches worldwide.
About the Awards
Legendary Knight Award
Recognizes outstanding contributions that will transform teaching, research and learning through extraordinary philanthropy and commitment to the College of Business.
Entrepreneurial Alumni Awards
Honor UCF business alumni from any discipline who exemplify commitment, vision, calculated risk-taking and growth potential. In their professional career, this person demonstrates perseverance in the face of adversity and overcomes obstacles.
Honorable Knight Awards
Recognize alumni with more than 10 years of professional experience who have displayed excellence in their respective fields.
Notable Knight Awards
Recognize alumni who have displayed promise and excellence early in their career paths and have less than 10 years of experience.
