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A History of Excellence – Timeline of the Massey College
Across generations, the best examples of the Jack C. Massey College of Business’ influence can be seen in the dynamic impact of our alumni.
Innovators. Entrepreneurs. C-suite executives. Community leaders. Role models. For the past 50 years, Massey College of Business alumni—from both undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as many double alums—have demonstrated time and time again the value and impact of a Massey education. What’s more, through their professional and personal lives, they have consistently lived out the values Jack Massey dreamed would be emphasized when the Belmont business programs first launched five decades ago.
HARRY ALLEN
HARRY ALLEN
Connecting Service And Leadership To Transform Communities
When Harry Allen signed up to study management as an undergraduate in the Jack C. Massey College of Business, he had no idea what he wanted to do when he graduated. He says he chose business because it seemed general enough that he’d “figure it out at some point.” Then later, when a professor urged him to study abroad in Germany for a year, he let her know that he’d never even been on an airplane. He decided, though, to spread his wings. During his second semester in the country, he interviewed for two hours—in German—and landed an internship not just with any German company, but with the Change Management Group at BMW. “I came back my senior year confident that I could do anything,” he said. And sure enough, at just 40 years old, he certainly has accomplished a lot. After a few years in banking at Suntrust, now named Truist, he returned to Massey for his MBA. He never considered another college. He had maintained contact with his professors, a hallmark of the Massey College of Business, and they promised—correctly—that the advanced degree would offer a totally different experience after being in the workforce and among peers who had done the same. “The relationship with professors was really meaningful then, and I think we’ve maintained that culture of hiring professors who are passionate about teaching and being in relationships with students,” he said. “And they’ve had real world experience. It was important for me not just to learn theory, but how theory is applied in a practical sense.” Allen went on to co-found Studio Bank in 2018, which grew from 47 employees before the pandemic to more than 80 today with assets of more than $750 million and deposits more than $650 million. Earlier this year, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta chose Allen as one of three new council members of its Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council, a prestigious appointment. Beyond his professional accomplishments, he’s known across the city for his heart of service. A member of the Belmont Board of Trustees, he also helped former Mayor David Briley improve performance at Metro Nashville Public Schools and has served on many boards from the arts to healthcare and education. Allen says he came to Belmont with a passion for service, but the Massey approach enforced it. Belmont asks, he said: “How does and can my vocation impact and change the world for the better? How can I as a leader in business contribute to the community that I call home?” A lifelong Nashvillian, Allen says the town has grown on him literally. “Nashville isn’t what it was 40 years ago. Belmont is not what it was 50 years ago as we’re celebrating the 50th anniversary.” And yet he says the prosperity that we celebrate along with the problems that emerge with growth, such as the gaps it creates, calls for a different level of leadership to surface. Reflecting on his proudest accomplishment, though, Allen chose a recent moment when the eldest of his three children, a fifth grader, won the Spirit Award. “It’s basically a citizenship award asking how have you shown up as a friend and a peer?” he added, “I’ve tried to lead a life that’s exemplary of the life I want my kids to lead. It wasn’t necessarily about the award but what the award was for—a person of character and a good friend. The glimpses of character I see in my kids, that’s what makes me proud.”
CHRISTI BETH ADAMS
Running Toward Unexpected Business Opportunities
Massey alumna Christi Beth Adams never planned on becoming a business owner—in fact, after graduating in 2002, she began working her way up the corporate ladder in advertising. But her real passions weren’t ignited in her high heels and blazers. She’s always felt most alive in her running shoes. Running has always been a way of life for Adams: she ran track and cross country at Belmont along with being a member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes and other campus organizations. She knew she’d incorporate this passion into her career, but she didn’t realize just how important it would become. After traveling the country for jobs in the fitness industry, Adams moved back to Nashville in 2006 and got a job at Fleet Feet, a retail store specializing in running shoes and apparel. Taking advantage of the organization’s employee-to-ownership program, Adams was able to acquire the store in 2011. Business has significantly grown since then: Adams opened her second location in 2013, her third in 2017 and is currently narrowing in on a location for her fourth store in the Nashville-area. “While I was at Belmont, I learned how important relationships are and the benefit of being a lifelong learner. Those things helped prepare me for the entrepreneurial venture that I didn’t even know was ahead of me,” Adams said. “‘Put people first’ and ‘Do the right thing’ are two of our Core Values at Fleet Feet. That’s consistent with how our students and faculty lived out each day from the moment I stepped foot on campus. Of course, I sharpened my business skills through coursework, but my biggest takeaway from Belmont was how to live in community and how you choose to show up for others.” In 2015, Adams received Nike’s “Just Do It Award” in recognition of her hard work to further the fitness industry. The award celebrates female leaders who create a positive impact on the running sport through business savvy, community involvement and team leadership built on honesty and integrity. As a Fleet Feet owner, Adams has continued the legacy of giving back to the community. In the last decade, Fleet Feet Nashville has donated more than $100,000 to Middle Tennessee charities and more than 4,000 pairs of shoes to Nashville area organizations. Fleet Feet President and CEO Joey Pointer said, “Christi Beth’s career reflects what happens when you have a passion to help people, a relentless commitment to push yourself and a belief in running together with a team. She set the pace early on in her career at Fleet Feet as someone with a tremendous capacity to grow, learn and lead.”
DREW HANLEN
Coaching and Consulting To Bring Out His Clients’ Best
Belmont alumnus and former basketball player Drew Hanlen grew up idolizing Michael Jordan and sharing the dreams of many other children: to play in the NBA. Today he can call several NBA players “teammate”—not on the court, but in the training room. CEO of Pure Sweat Basketball, a nationally recognized basketball training program, Hanlen is one of the most respected and acclaimed NBA skills trainers and consultants in the world. His growing roster of NBA players include Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics), Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers) and Zach LaVine (Chicago Bulls). Hanlen knows basketball. As a senior point guard for Belmont in 2011-12, he averaged 10.8 points and 3.9 assists a game, ranked second nationally in 3-point field goal percentage as a senior (.482) and was part of three consecutive NCAA Tournament teams at Belmont (2010, 2011, 2012). Hanlen graduated from Belmont’s Entrepreneurship program in 2012. “Outside of the successful basketball program, the Massey College of Business was a huge reason why I chose Belmont,” said Hanlen. “They blend detailed teaching with real world experience to equip you with the education and tools you need to stand out and excel in the business world. To this day, I use skills that I acquired during my four years at Belmont to help grow all of my businesses.” Hanlen’s job as an NBA Skills Coach is to analyze film and analytics to provide strategic step-by-step action plans to help players improve their games. He works with clients long-term as well as on shorter consulting arrangements. His unique approach is a crowd favorite as he relates his personal experiences in sports to the needs of his audience. Ever interested in growth opportunities, he has franchised the Pure Sweat experience with trainers who use the curriculum he developed to train other clients. Hanlen is also a much-in-demand keynote speaker, available to speak on topics such as “Mastering the Unseen Hours” or “Becoming a Star by Impacting Team Success.” He was recognized on Real Leaders’ published list of the “Top 50 Keynote Speakers in the World” in 2020, joining the ranks with world renown speakers such as Brené Brown and Malcolm Gladwell. He also appears in Netflix’s recent basketball film “Hustle,” starring Adam Sandler, Queen Latifah and Utah Jazz forward Juancho Hernangomez.
