Distinguished Graduate Business Alumni Awards
The business school recognizes outstanding alumni every June at the Annual Hooding Ceremony to acknowledge their achievements, as well as promote exemplary alumni to current graduates and students.
Distinguished Graduate Alumni Award
The Distinguished Graduate Alumni award recognizes a PSU Business School alumnus/alumna who has achieved outstanding business success, and demonstrated a strong commitment to the community through engagement and philanthropy.
 | 2011 Distinguished Graduate Alumni Award J. Greg Ness |
Greg Ness is president and chief executive officer of StanCorp Financial
Group, Inc. and Standard Insurance Company. He previously served as
president and chief operating officer from September 2008 until June
2009.
Ness joined Standard Insurance Company in 1979 and has held a succession
of positions with increasing responsibilities, including senior vice
president of the insurance services group, senior vice president of the
employee benefits division, senior vice president of investments and
president of StanCorp Mortgage Investors, LLC and StanCorp Investment
Advisers, vice president and corporate secretary, and vice president of
retirement plans sales and marketing.
He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Washington State University, has
earned an M.B.A. from Portland State University and holds the Leadership
Institute Fellow designation from the Life Insurance Marketing and
Research Association (LIMRA).
Ness serves on the board of directors of the Oregon Business Council and
the Oregon Health & Science University Foundation and is immediate
past chair of the board of Portland Center Stage and current chair of
the Armory Theater Fund. He has also served on numerous community boards
in the Portland area.
The Rising Star Graduate Alumni Award
The Rising Star Graduate Alumni Award recognizes a PSU Business School alumnus/alumna who has achieved rapid success since degree completion and is well on the way to becoming a distinguished leader. The awardee is recognized for sustained contributions to his or her profession, as well as a strong commitment to the community.
 | 2011 The Rising Star Graduate Alumni Award Barbara J. Basney |
Barbara Basney is currently responsible for Xerox brand and product advertising, including traditional television, print, radio and outdoor, as well as digital media. Her responsibilities include the formulation of advertising strategies, campaign development and implementation, media mix optimization and campaign results tracking in more than 35 countries.
Basney joined Xerox in 2000 as a director of marketing communications for the Office Printing Division located in Portland, Ore. Prior to joining Xerox, she spent more than 15 years in marketing and advertising for both B-to-B and B-to-C Fortune 100 corporations including Rite-Aid, Tektronix and Convergys. Basney has managed functions including advertising, public relations, corporate communications, direct marketing, tradeshows, customer communications and marketing strategy.
Basney is active in the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), a member of the National Advertising Review Board, and serves on the ANA Corporate Communications and Television Advertising committees, as well as being a member of the Advertising Women of New York.
Basney, a Cherry Hill, N.J. native, grew up in Germany. She received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va. and a master’s degree in business administration from Portland State University in Portland, Ore. She currently resides in Stamford, Conn.
Past Recipients
| 2010 Bill Stoller ‘79 |
| 2010 Lakshmi Pratury ‘88 |
