Connections ContinuedBuchanan Bond Video Interview Series
Connections Continued is a virtual conversation between current and former Buchanan colleagues. In the latest episode, Buchanan’s Tina Hu-Rodgers, Counsel and Life Sciences Industry Group Co-Leader, sits down with Mike Michel, Vice President & Corporate Counsel, Marriott International.
Beyond BuchananAlumni Updates
Below are personal and professional updates from former Buchanan colleagues sharing everything from where they work and reside now – to updates on children grandchildren and more.
Hello BI'ers and fellow Alum. I joined II-VI Incorporated, now Coherent Corp., in 2019 to run the M&A function. We shortly thereafter were involved in a 3-way public bidding war for the pre-eminent laser company, Coherent, Inc. After 6 rounds of bidding, we won the $7.5 billion deal and I led our integration efforts. During that time, another fellow BI alum, JoAnne Schwendinger, announced her retirement as CLO and I stepped into that role, reinstituting my legal license. My career at BI was everything I had hoped for in my career and created tremendous opportunities for me. The culture of the firm encouraged development, as fast as you could handle it and sometime faster than you could. It is no coincidence that many, many BI alums have gone on to leading the legal function at many of the area's public companies and respected institutions. Cheers!
– Ronald Basso | Chief Legal and Compliance Officer & Corporate Secretary, Coherent Corp.
In June, the University of South Florida accepted an invitation to join the Association of American Universities (AAU), a prestigious group of the 71 leading research institutions in the United States and Canada. USF is the first public university in Florida to be invited to join the AAU in nearly 40 years and is now one of two institutions from the State University System of Florida to serve as an AAU member... This distinct recognition means USF now stands alongside widely respected institutions including Harvard, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, Yale, the University of Florida, and the University of Michigan.
We set our sights on this goal more than 15 years ago, and I remember those days extremely well because, at the time, I had just become chair of USF’s Board of Trustees and helped develop the strategic plan in which our university first outlined this bold vision for our future. Having an AAU institution in our region will have a major impact across our state for generations to come. In a guest column with the Tampa Bay Business Journal, I shared my thoughts on how this monumental achievement will positively impact our region and state.
USF also recently published a new episode of Inside USF: The Podcast with guest Barbara Snyder, president of the AAU. In this special episode, President Snyder joins me for a discussion about why USF was selected for AAU membership, the significance of this designation for the university community and Tampa Bay region, and the central role faculty members play in propelling USF to this historic milestone.
– Rhea Law | President, University of South Florida
Do you have news or recommendation to share with the Buchanan Alumni Network? If so, please contact Paula Ward-Alfano | alumni@bipc.com
Are you interested in receiving invitations and advisories from Buchanan? Join our distribution lists to receive emails on legal, legislative, regulatory and industry news that impacts you and your business.