June 2006
ALUMNI & STUDENT NEWS...

RMI ALUM EXPANDS BUSINESS INTO “CITY OF DREAMS”

Under the direction of RMI alumnus Alfred Lee Dingler (BBA 1984), President of Prime Financial Services, the firm has expanded their operations with the opening of a new office complex in Fayetteville, GA. In May of 2005, Dingler and business partner Karl Thomason (also an RMI alum, BBA 1986) purchased an old day care center and completely renovated the building over six months. Using over 1,000 vintage and antique items, the Prime team has created a fun and unique atmosphere for their clients as they help them build a secure financial future.

Dingler believes that the inspiration for the renovation project—referred to as the 1925 “City of Dreams”—came from their clients’ expressed wishes of living in a previous era when “life was so much simpler.” According to Dingler, the decorating theme is simple: “If it was 80 years ago and you had good health, wonderful relationships and access to money, what would your dreams be—what would you want to do with your free time?” In keeping with this idea, the building is divided into thematic areas such as The Drake Hotel, The Downtown District, the Financial District, and Seth’s Alley.

Prime Financial Services was founded in 1985 offering personal and commercial insurance as well as investments and financial planning. Prime is pleased to have been chosen as Rough Notes Magazine’s “Insurance Agency of the Year” and has received the Independent Insurance Agents of America “Best Practices Agency” award for each of the ten years the award has been presented. Contact Dingler at 770.471.8888.

AS STUDENTS RECEIVE CFA SCHOLARSHIPS

Every year the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholders at Georgia State University nominate students for the Society and for student CFA scholarships offered by the CFA Institute. This year, two of the top-three nominations submitted to the Atlanta Society of Financial Analysts are actuarial science students at Georgia State. Undergraduate AS student Evi Tedjasukmana was selected to receive one of the Society scholarships and Hye Sun Kim was awarded a student scholarship.

RMI ALUM TO RECEIVE UNIVERSITY SERVICE AWARD

RMI alumnus James A. Stark (BBA-RMI 1966) was selected by Georgia State University to receive the 2006 Distinguished Alumni Award for Service. The retired president and CEO of Crum & Forster Insurance Company, Stark is currently the chairman of Georgia State’s Athletic Board of Trustees and a Trustee of the Georgia State University Foundation.
Mr. Stark helped develop a strategic vision that has strengthened the future of Georgia State’s athletics program. Central to his plan was the university’s shift to the Colonial Athletic Association, a move that Stark believes will boost the university’s academic and athletic reputation globally.

When asked about his fondest memory from his student days at Georgia State, Stark mentions his association with Kenneth Black Jr., then chair of the RMI Department, and John Hall, former RMI professor and chair. “They were leaders in the industry as far as academia, teaching, and publishing books,” said Stark. “They meant a lot to me throughout my career as far as the contact and friendship I had with them.”

RMI UNDERGRADUATES RECEIVE 2 PRESTIGOUS RIMS AWARDS

Rui Thomas, a senior RMI major, and Yelena Veretennikova, a junior RMI major were recently honored by the Risk & Insurance Management Society as recipients of both the Anita Benedetti Student Involvement Program national scholarship and the prestigious Spencer Educational Foundation scholarship to assist in payment of tuition, room, and board at Georgia State for the 2006-2007 academic year. As participants in the Benedetti Student Involvement Program, they attended the Annual RIMS Conference in Honolulu this spring and various special programs at the conference to which only they and RIMS leaders were invited. All expenses were paid by the scholarship.

Dr. Lorilee Schneider, assistant professor and RMI Director of Student and External Affairs, nominates a maximum of two Georgia State students for the program every year and, typically, at least one is selected by RIMS. Impressed by this year’s selection of two students from Georgia State, she said, “It is particularly exciting to have both of our nominees selected, since the high cost of sending students to Hawaii has made it necessary for RIMS to reduce the number of North American students they can include in the program—down to 16 students from their annual average of 22.”

PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLAR FROM WASHINGTON CHOOSES GEORGIA STATE’S AS PROGRAM

One of the nine high school seniors selected as winners of Georgia State University’s prestigious Presidential Scholarship is Amber Lahde from Kent, Washington. She will be attending Georgia State in the fall and plans to major in actuarial science. In fact, Ms. Lahde says that she applied to Georgia State because of the national reputation of its Actuarial Science Program, despite having to travel the length of the United States to get here.

The Presidential Scholarship, funded by the Georgia State University Foundation, carries a full tuition scholarship for four years, including a waiver of out-of-state tuition, housing in the University Lofts, use of a laptop computer, $2000 per year for books and incidentals, and a one-time grant of $2500 for summer research or study abroad.