Mentor Appreciation

Esteemed alumni pay it forward at the McCombs 13th annual Executive Mentorship Dinner

The McCombs School of Business welcomed 140 undergraduate business students and 19 top-tier executives to its 2026 Executive Mentorship Dinner on Feb. 12 in the Hall of Honors. The event celebrated its 13th year and featured industry experts from across the business spectrum, including marketing, technology, finance, and more. Most of them graduated from McCombs or The University of Texas at Austin before launching their careers.

Dan Cournoyer, senior associate director of development, has been overseeing the dinner for the past several years and gives full credit for the event’s success to Ed Tonkon, BBA ’78 and president of Zebra Technologies, who endows the program.

“This event provides an opportunity for our high-achieving students to spend one-on-one time with someone in their chosen field over dinner, and that conversation can be a turning point in a student’s life,” Cournoyer said.

He also gives credit to the McCombs BBA Advisory Board and its Mentorship Committee co-chairs, Keri Herrin, BBA ’98, and Monica Huber, BBA ’90, who are vocal advocates for the dinner and its impact on students and mentors.

Before the event, students select a mentor from a provided list. Students are then placed at a table with their chosen mentor where they chat over a catered meal provided by McCombs.

For some mentors, this is a way they can give back to their alma mater while paying it forward to future Longhorns.

“The University of Texas gave me so much; I feel like I have an obligation to give back,” said Tony Rogers, BBA ’90, MBA ’97, chief marketing officer at Dollar General.

Among the hot topics at this year’s event: Artificial intelligence and the way it is reshaping industries across the board. When a nervous student shared with Rogers his fears about AI gobbling up jobs, the former accounting major had some sage advice.

“AI will help marketing grow. It’s a tool,” he said. “Marketing has changed. First, it was about creativity. Now, it’s about creative data.”

Other topics students broached included ways to get started in their career, what to do when they feel they are behind their peers, and what to do if they are still deciding what career path to take. Mentors provided practical advice sprinkled with their own personal stories.

Future plans for the dinner include continued expansion so even more students and business executives may participate. To learn more about the McCombs Executive Mentorship Dinner, email events@mccombs.utexas.edu. Photos from this year’s event may be viewed here.