Held on Friday, October 17, 2025, in historic Lenfell Hall at the Florham Campus, this year’s event brought together alumni, faculty, students, and friends of Fairleigh Dickinson University for an evening celebrating leadership, generosity, and community.
This year’s distinguished honorees included Leonard C. Green, recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, and Hall of Fame inductees Sarah Hassan, BS’09, MBA’10, Clinton A. Lewis Jr. MBA’90, and Arleen Paladino MBA’91 who were recognized for their visionary leadership, entrepreneurial spirit, and enduring commitment to FDU.
Dean James Almeida opened the evening by welcoming guests and reflecting on the enduring impact of the Silberman community.
“Each year, this celebration reminds us of the power of education, innovation, and community,” said Almeida. “The honorees we recognize tonight embody the entrepreneurial spirit and integrity that Buddy Silberman championed and their stories inspire our students to aim even higher.”
Following Dean Almeida’s remarks, President Michael J. Avaltroni, the first FDU graduate to serve as University President, emphasized the College’s global mission and the importance of investing in tomorrow’s leaders.
The evening featured two tribute videos and powerful acceptance remarks from each honoree.
Leonard C. Green, founder and chairman of The Green Group, shared wisdom from his entrepreneurial journey and underscored the importance of character, creativity, and giving back.
“With success comes the obligation to use your intellectual and financial capital to help others,” Green said. “Entrepreneurs can—and should—be the leaders in making the world better for those without a voice.”
Sarah Hassan, fund manager at Dynagrow Capital and former founding partner of IM HealthScience, reflected on innovation and leadership in healthcare.
Clinton A. Lewis Jr., CEO of AgroFresh Solutions and board member of International Paper, shared how FDU’s flexible and industry-relevant MBA program shaped his career trajectory.
Arleen Paladino, CFO of Crum & Forster and one of this year’s NJBIZ Leading Women in Business, spoke about the life-changing opportunities FDU provided.
“When I say FDU changed my life, I mean it in every sense,” Paladino said. “This community builds confidence, resilience, and a lifelong network of support.”
Student Scholar, Fiorella Merriman-Mendez
Fiorella Merriman-Mendez, a Silberman business student and scholarship recipient, captured the mission behind the gala through her remarks. Her story illustrated the direct impact of philanthropy on student opportunity and success, an emotional reminder of why the community gathers each year.
Special thanks to our sponsors, guests, and partners whose generosity made this record-breaking evening possible, and to the Silberman College of Business Board of Advisors for their leadership and support.
The 2025 Hall of Fame Gala’s impact continues. Every dollar raised supports scholarships that open doors for FDU students to become tomorrow’s business leaders.
Fairleigh Dickinson University STEM students stepped into the world of real-world innovation during an exclusive behind-the-scenes visit to Veolia North America’s New Jersey water treatment plant. The day, complete with a guided tour, lunch, and career panel, was part of an ongoing partnership between FDU and Veolia to inspire and empower the next generation of engineers, scientists, and environmental leaders.
Students were greeted by Alan Weland, Veolia Regional President, who shared insights into the company’s mission to “adapt human activity to our environment.” He explained how Veolia’s work in water management and sustainability shapes communities across New Jersey by serving more than one million people while solving increasingly complex environmental challenges.
“Regulations are evolving, the science is advancing, and the need for expertise is growing,” Weland said. “That’s where bright young minds like yours come in. You’re the future of this field and the reason we’re proud to invest in you.”
The students toured the facility with Andrea Potto, Community Outreach Specialist. They observed the sophisticated systems that ensure safe, sustainable drinking water, learning firsthand how their coursework translates into tangible impact.
Veolia engineers Pierro Aballo, Hannah Giacomin, and Christian Rodriguez
A highlight of the day was a career panel featuring Veolia engineers Pierro Aballo, Hannah Giacomin, and Christian Rodriguez, who shared candid stories about finding their paths in STEM and the rewarding challenge of solving problems that improve people’s lives. “Engineering gave me a way to connect my love for science with a desire to serve my community,” Rodriguez reflected. “It’s about caring for people through innovation.”
Veolia Regional President Alan Weland with Veolia Scholars Briana Bonaparte
Among the FDU attendees were Veolia Scholars Morikeh Kaba (Computer Science, ’28) and Jayden Baez (Electrical Engineering, ’27)—students whose academic journeys have been directly supported by the Veolia Water Scholarship.
Another Veolia Scholar, Brianna Bonaparte (Mathematics and Secondary Education, ’27) said the scholarship represents more than financial assistance, it’s affirmation. “It has shown me that hard work pays off,” she said. “I chose teaching because I want to change lives. Veolia’s support helps make that possible.”
Through this partnership, Veolia and FDU are not only shaping careers but fueling a sense of purpose: bridging corporate innovation with student aspiration. Together, they’re building a future where talent meets opportunity, and science serves humanity.
As we approach Fairleigh Dickinson University’s 42 Hours of Giving on October 22–23, we celebrate partnerships like this one, where industry leaders invest in education, and where generosity becomes innovation in action.
Join us in making more moments like this possible and support FDU students during #FDU42Hours by giving at support.fdu.edu/42hours.
For Tamieqkya Miles, the path from FDU student to Senior Audit Manager at Deloitte & Touche LLP is paved not only with dedication and talent—but with an enduring spirit of gratitude and generosity. As a proud 1992 graduate from FDU’s Teaneck-Hackensack campus, Tamieqkya majored in Accounting and went on to build a distinguished career as a Certified Public Accountant at one of the world’s leading professional services firms.
Yet for all her professional achievements, what resonates most about Tamieqkya is her commitment to giving back—to opening doors for today’s students the same way others once opened them for her.
“To make it short and sweet, I give to pay it forward,” she says. “I know what it’s like to have hopes and dreams, and if higher education is a stepping stone to any of those, I want the next person with those hopes and dreams to have the resources needed to realize them.”
During her time at FDU, Tamieqkya found more than just academic growth—she found a vibrant community and meaningful connections that still bring a smile to her face.
“Oh wow,” she laughs, recalling her favorite campus memories. “I worked in the Student Union and loved the day-to-day interactions with other students. I loved attending the basketball games and supporting the team. And I’ll never forget the end-of-semester ritual—selling back our textbooks and using the cash to treat ourselves at IHOP or the Cedar Lane Grill. I’m totally dating myself, but it’s the truth!”
These moments may seem simple, but they helped shape a powerful sense of belonging—and underscored the importance of support networks, big and small, that make a college experience truly meaningful.
Tamieqkya’s journey through FDU was supported by scholarships and work-study programs—opportunities that allowed her to graduate with minimal student debt, something she knows isn’t as common for today’s students.
“That’s not the case for everyone—especially, oh my gosh, over 30 years later!” she says. “If I can make it a little better for someone—someone like me—I will. I just wish I could give more!”
Though she may describe her contributions with humility, her impact is anything but small. Her support reflects the heart of what it means to be a Donor Champion: someone who lifts as they climb and empowers the next generation to reach higher, dream bigger, and go further.
As part of the FDU alumni donor community, Tamieqkya exemplifies the values of generosity, empathy, and excellence. Her story reminds us that behind every gift is a personal journey—a student who once hoped for a better future, and who now helps make that future possible for others.
Fairleigh Dickinson University is proud to recognize Tamieqkya Miles ’92 for her continued support and inspiring example. She is proof that the legacy of an FDU education extends far beyond the classroom—and that the power of giving back is timeless.
Fairleigh Dickinson University has always held a special place in Jermaine Pharmes’ heart. Reflecting on his early days at FDU, Jermaine shares, “It was a great feeling! I knew there were leaders at the school committed to helping me toward my goals. My mother is an alumna of the MAS program and always raved about her experience while at FDU. Of course, she was spot on! The University welcomed me with open arms and guided me to the finish line.”
Inspired by his journey at FDU and eager to give back, Jermaine established a scholarship to honor his great-grandmother, Helen Pharmes, who instilled in him the value of helping others. The Helen Pharmes Memorial Scholarship supports underrepresented students from Lincoln and Snyder High Schools in Jersey City. Jermaine hopes the recipients know,
They can do whatever they set their minds to! The scholarship is just a way to assist them along their journey.
Now, as the director of business diversity at the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and a real estate agent with Liberty Realty in Hoboken, Jermaine continues to give back. He serves as a Board of Governor for the FDU Alumni Association, volunteers at the Hudson County Rotary Club, co-founded the Empowerment Academy Charter School in Jersey City, and supports the Jersey City Police Activity League.
For those considering how they can give back, Jermaine offers simple yet impactful advice: “Find a way to give something. It could be money, time, or whatever you can offer. Stay connected to the school and find a way to contribute.”
You, too, can transform the life of an FDU student.
A transformational gift from Andrea and Anthony Melchiorre, FDU parents, will focus on student mental health and well-being. The Melchiorre gift establishes the “Transforming College Campuses” initiative, which provides fellowship opportunities to FDU graduate and undergraduate students. “We are proud to partner with FDU on this transformational project. We are confident that this innovative program will provide FDU students with unparalleled support in mental health and well-being as well as the guidance to develop the personal skills for young adults to successfully navigate college life and beyond,” noted Andrea Melchiorre.
The Transforming College Campus initiative will support the mental health needs of FDU undergraduate students, and fosters a pipeline for students to pursue professions key to student well-being and success (e.g., clinicians and student affairs professionals). The project embeds graduate students in a required course for first-year students, “Transition to University Life.” The graduate student will remain paired with the students in the course for their first two years at FDU. The goal of this initiative will be to provide an environment of caring, support and ongoing mentorship during the critical years of a college education.
We are confident that this innovative program will provide FDU students with unparalleled support in mental health and well-being…
ANDREA MELCHIORRE FDU graduate student, parent and benefactor
Learn more about the Students First campaign at SUPPORT.FDU.EDU/STUDENTSFIRST
Known to family and friends lovingly as Aunt Marye, Marye (Trinkle) Ruzila, who graduated from FDU’s Rutherford Campus in 1958, generously gifted $1.1 million to FDU. Her gift was endowed to the Career Development Center and the Silberman College of Business.
The gift to the Career Development Center provides grants to cover part of the costs of transportation, wardrobe and lost wages for students completing unpaid internships. In honor of her generosity, the Career Development Center on the Florham Campus was named the John Robert Ruzila and Marye Trinkle Ruzila Career Development Center. John Robert Ruzila, an alumnus himself, graduated from FDU’s Rutherford Campus in 1956.
Aunt Marye’s experience as one of the first few women to receive a B.S. in business management inspired her to establish the John Robert and Marye Trinkle Ruzila Endowed Scholarship in the Silberman College of Business. Rosemary Trinkle Baran, BS’83, also a graduate of FDU’s Rutherford Campus, noted, “Though Aunt Marye and Uncle John didn’t live to see the full impact of their gift, their spirit of altruism lives on in many FDU students.”
One of the best things about this award is accessibility. This grant is open to all students regardless of year, major, financial-aid status or citizenship.
DONNA ROBERTSON University Director FDU Career Development Center
Learn more about the Students First campaign at SUPPORT.FDU.EDU/STUDENTSFIRST
“I can take a child who hasn’t had success in school and, using Orton-Gillingham, teach that child to read,” says FDU alumna, Ann Marie Schwartz, who was certified in the Orton-Gillingham approach — a multisensory phonics technique used to teach literacy — by FDU’s Center for Dyslexia Studies in 2000. Individuals with dyslexia typically have trouble reading in a traditional manner and struggle with understanding and comprehending words and passages — it’s a common learning disability, affecting an estimated 40 million Americans.
Schwartz, who began her career as an elementary school teacher, says that she has been able to help many children in the 22 years since she was trained in the method, and that she is passionate about spreading the word. “Children with learning disabilities are often placed in special-education classes even though many are exceptionally bright,” she says. “There should be someone in every school who has this training and can identify and help children with dyslexia.”
To that end, Schwartz and her family’s foundation have made FDU’s Center for Dyslexia Studies a philanthropic priority. “When you see parents angry, sad and agitated because their kids are struggling, and then you see the effect on the whole family as soon as their kids stop having trouble and become successful, that’s very rewarding,” she says.
The impact of training even one teacher in this method can have a profound effect.
“Gifts to the center provide scholarships for teachers to learn how to teach reading to struggling readers,” says Mary Farrell, director of the Center for Dyslexia Studies. “It is a gift that keeps on giving. We estimate that, on average, our graduates teach 15 struggling readers each year throughout the course of their typically lengthy teaching careers. The impact of learning to read for a struggling reader is immeasurable in terms of its long-term outcomes for improved self-esteem, attitude and life expectancy.”
For Brian Temple, BS’00, MS’01, an infectious disease (ID) physician at the Aurora Medical Center in Oshkosh, Wis., every day is a quest — to find answers, to better understand diseases and to heal his patients.
This was especially true during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when Temple found himself at the forefront of the fast-spreading medical mystery. Faced with a virus unlike any other, “we were all forced to deal with our mortality and our fear of the unknown,” he says. Temple trusted his training and infection-prevention protocols, but everything the experts knew, or thought they knew, kept changing.
At the height of this uncertainty — when there were more questions than answers — Temple’s days were long and exhausting, and he often felt unappreciated. “It was tough to see so many people die because we couldn’t do anything about it,” Temple says. “We also dealt with misinformation, patients who thought they knew medicine more than we did and others who believed COVID wasn’t real.” But “seeing someone you thought would die walk out of the hospital” made it all worthwhile.
Finding the correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment for patients gives Temple much fulfillment. Each virus brings with it unique characteristics that need to be understood. “We’re like detectives because we’re often consulted to figure out what’s going on” with a patient, he says. The process from initial consult to diagnosis is not always a straight line, and he has often taken circuitous routes to find the right answer to a patient’s problem.
Temple remembers treating a patient who had a high fever and headaches with increased liver enzymes. “Admitted with sepsis and given broad antibiotics, the patient continued to worsen,” he says. Temple talked with the patient, did a physical exam and evaluated his labs. “He was eventually diagnosed with anaplasmosis [a bacterial disease transmitted to humans by a blacklegged tick or deer tick],” he adds. “I started him on doxycycline [an antibiotic] and noticed a significant improvement.”
Temple doesn’t only treat complex or contagious diseases — a common misconception about ID physicians. “Cases can range from a urinary tract infection to a necrotizing fasciitis (flesh-eating disease) or spinal/vertebral osteomyelitis (bone infection), post-travel infection or fever of unknown origin (FUO).” And “because we don’t deal with just one organ,” collaboration with other specialists is crucial.
Temple is always up for the challenge. “I love my job because no day is the same,” he says. Timely and relevant knowledge is power, so he regularly checks the IDSA (Infectious Diseases Society of America), CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and WHO (World Health Organization) websites. “I get alerts each day from various journals and sites such as Medscape [which offer essential drug-and-disease information],” he added. He also meets with the Aurora Medical Center’s infection preventionist to ensure there are no outbreaks within their facility.
Preparation is half the battle. Temple believes it takes a certain kind of person to do the job well: one who is ready to work hard — oftentimes unnoticed — and is committed to a life of continuous learning. “ID medicine is tough, but it can be very rewarding,” he says.
Members of the Fairleigh Dickinson University community gathered to dedicate the Vincent J. and Lenda F. Naimoli Ballpark on Saturday, October 9. Naimoli Ballpark opened for play on the Florham Campus in the spring of 2021.
The ballpark is named for generous benefactor and former Trustee Vincent Naimoli, MBA’64, who passed away in 2019, and his wife, Lenda, in honor of their seven-figure donations to FDU’s One University Many Dreams campaign. It will serve as the home field for the Division III Devils.
The facility includes a permanent fixed grandstand, a press box, batting cages and a modern scoreboard. Additional parking, walkways and site lighting have been added as well.
“The facility is magnificent,” said former President Christopher Capuano. “It is one of the best baseball facilities in New Jersey and maybe one of the best Division III baseball parks in the country.”
Both Capuano and Jenn Noon, former director of athletics at the Florham Campus, paid tribute to the Naimoli family. “On behalf of past, current and future student-athletes, we thank the Naimoli family for their generous gifts and unwavering support,” Noon said. “We are forever grateful for the Vincent J. & Lenda F. Naimoli Ballpark, and we look forward to making many memories at this park.”
A very successful businessman and entrepreneur, Naimoli is best known for bringing baseball to Tampa as the founder of the Tampa Bay Rays. A previous gift from Naimoli supported the construction of the Naimoli Family Baseball Complex on the Metropolitan Campus in 2011.
“I had a very special relationship with Vince,” Capuano added, “and I know he is here today in spirit. Lenda’s generosity is just as great as Vince’s, and she allowed us to complete our vision. We owe a lot to them, and they are forever part of our family.”
Following the dedication ceremony, the FDU Devils baseball team played a doubleheader against Raritan Valley Community College.
As a young man, Dennis O’Brien’s dream was to play major league baseball. He went to tryout after tryout in the New York metropolitan area, hoping to catch the eye of a team scout. Finally, a scout suggested that he might have better luck attracting the attention of a major league team if he first played for a college program. The scout happened to know Harvey Woods, FDU’s first-ever director of intercollegiate athletics and head baseball coach. The scout gave Woods a call.
Based on the scout’s endorsement, O’Brien, BS’65, enrolled in FDU on an athletic scholarship. “I was the first in my family to go to college,” he says. “My parents couldn’t afford to send me.” During his freshman year, he quickly made a name for himself, tossing back-to-back no-hitters in the same week, an accomplishment remarkable enough to earn him a mention in Sports Illustrated’s “Faces in the Crowd.”
But, by his senior year, O’Brien began to understand that his dream of being a professional ball player might not come true. Armed with his FDU degree in accounting, he went to work for Warner Lambert, the pharmaceutical and health care products giant, rising through the corporate accounting ranks and, ultimately retiring as vice president, finance, consumer health care – U.S.
“I had a very enjoyable career,” he says. “I travelled the world.”
In 2001 the O’Briens — Dennis and his wife Adele — endowed the Harvey Woods Scholarship fund because, O’Brien says, “when Adele and I look back and ask ourselves ‘How did we get here?’ the answer is simple. It was that baseball scholarship granted to me by Harvey Woods.”
The scholarship is awarded to students who will be playing Division 1 baseball and are “academically successful, have good character and financial need,” O’Brien says.
O’Brien’s commitment to the sport he loves and his alma mater has not waned. He is a co-founder of the baseball alumni organization, a regular at reunions and serves as a member of the FDU Division 1 Athletics Hall of Fame nominating committee.
Almost 60 years after he threw those back-to-back no-hitters, O’Brien says “I still have a passion for FDU baseball and all it stands for.”
