Five UConn School of Business alumni, who have excelled in fields as diverse as college basketball, power-tool manufacturing, and complex financial services, will be inducted into the School of Business Hall of Fame this spring.
The Hall of Fame, the School’s signature event, will begin at 6 p.m. April 26 at the Hartford Marriott Downtown. Tickets are $175 each. The formal event is black-tie optional. For additional information or reservations, please visit alumni.business.uconn.edu.
Dean John A. Elliott says this year’s inductees are not only impressive in their professional accomplishments but also particularly engaged with the School of Business.
“These outstanding alumni exemplify our history, hard work, and traditions. They have excelled in an array of industries and activities,’’ he says. “Their accomplishments remind us of the great foundation our business school provides for diverse endeavors.’’
The inductees are:
Antonietta ‘Toni’ Boucher ’02 MBA is a former Fortune 500-company executive, the co-founder of several startups, a leader who devoted 22 years of service in the state legislature, and an avid philanthropist. Today, Boucher is the first selectman in Wilton and is currently writing four books.
Boucher earned an MBA in international marketing from UConn in 2002. She is the former director of Commonfund, one of the nation’s leading non-profit asset management companies. She has also held executive positions with Fortune 500 companies, spearheading new business development, managing billion-dollar budgets, and leading teams with hundreds of employees. She has also co-founded several startups.
Boucher dedicated 22 years of service in the Connecticut General Assembly, including 10 years as the Chief Deputy Leader in the Connecticut State Senate. Her expertise included tax policy, finance, transportation, and education.
A passionate philanthropist, Boucher’s $8 million naming gift to the UConn School of Business created the Boucher Management & Entrepreneurship Department. The gift is a tribute to her late husband Henry “Bud” Boucher, and reflects the couple’s passion for entrepreneurship, opportunity, and investment in the state’s economic growth. The Bouchers have also supported student scholarships and faculty fellowships at UConn.
In addition to her interest in business, government, and education, Boucher is a strong supporter of research, technology, bioscience, and conservation. She serves on the board of numerous organizations in southwest Connecticut.
Jamelle Elliott ’96 (BUS), ’97 MS (EDU) is an assistant coach for the UConn Women’s Basketball team and helped lead the Huskies to five national championships.
A standout athlete during her student years (1992-96), Elliott helped build the UConn basketball dynasty. As a junior, she was an integral part of an undefeated Huskies team that won the 1995 NCAA National Championship over the Tennessee Lady Vols. She became only the second player in school history to pass the 1,000-point and 1,000-rebound milestones. Elliott never missed a game or a practice during her four-year college basketball career.
Head coach Geno Auriemma has said of his former player: “I’ve coached a lot of bright players, but Jamelle is the smartest and the toughest.’’ At less than 6-feet tall, Elliott considered herself “undersized’’ as a basketball player but made up for it with strength, determination, and a competitive spirit.
Elliott is a two-time Husky, earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1996 and a master’s degree in sports management in 1997. She became an assistant coach at UConn for 12 seasons (1998 to 2009), playing an instrumental role in the 2000, 2002-2004 and 2009 team championships.
She then became head coach at the University of Cincinnati, leading the Bearcats women’s basketball team, from 2009 to 2018, and guiding the team to the WNIT playoffs. Under her supervision, every student-athlete who completed their eligibility during her tenure earned her degree.
In addition, Elliott had the opportunity to serve on Coach Auriemma’s staff for the gold medal-winning USA women’s basketball team in the 2016 Olympic Games.
Elliott returned to UConn in 2018 as associate athletic director for The National C Club – which helps UConn student-athletes to find mentoring, internships and jobs through a network of alumni UConn athletes. She returned to coaching in 2020. “I’ve lived a life that other people dream about,’’ she has said.
Mary Jane Fortin ’86 (BUS) is an experienced business leader, holding executive leadership roles with some of the largest and most complex financial services companies in the industry.
Fortin was the President and Chief Commercial Officer of Thrivent, a Fortune 500 financial services company, where she was responsible for growing the organization’s insurance and wealth-management businesses.
Prior to joining Thrivent, Fortin was president of Allstate’s financial businesses and led the company’s life, annuity, and benefits businesses, generating $6 billion of revenue. She served as a member of Allstate’s Operating Committee and during her tenure led $2 billion of strategic acquisitions for the company. From 2006 to 2015, she held leadership positions at AIG, and played a significant role in the company’s restructuring efforts.
Fortin, who studied accounting, graduated magna cum laude from the School of Business in 1986, with a bachelor’s degree in business. She earned an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and is a certified public accountant.
Fortin is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Cabinet at UConn School of Business. She has been active in financial industry associations, including serving as vice chair of LL Global Inc. and on the board of the American Council of Life Insurers.
She has been a trustee of the United Way of Metro Chicago and of Greater Houston and has served on the board of SEARCH, a Houston-based organization focused on ending homelessness.
Lee B. McChesney ’94 (BUS) is the senior vice president and CFO of MSA Safety, a global leader in the development, manufacture, and supply of safety products for people and facilities. MSA Safety products integrate a combination of electronics, mechanical systems, and advanced materials to protect against hazardous or life-threatening situations, most often in the oil, gas and petrochemical, fire service, construction and mining industries, and in the military.
McChesney held senior finance and business leadership positions at United Technologies and at Stanley Black & Decker. At Stanley Black & Decker, he was the CFO of the Security and Tools business units, which included DeWalt, Stanley, Craftsman and Black & Decker brands. He also played a key role in the merger of The Stanley Works and Black & Decker, and the acquisition of both the Craftsman and Newell tool businesses.
McChesney graduated magna cum laude from the School of Business in 1994, with a major in finance. He was the recipient of the School’s Finance Outstanding Performance Award. He later earned an MBA from the University of Massachusetts.
He serves on the School of Business Dean’s Advisory Cabinet and on the board of Junior Achievement of Central Maryland. In the workplace, he has been a long-time advocate for underrepresented employees.
Randy Siller ’79 (BUS) is a co-founder and managing partner of Siller & Cohen Family Wealth Advisors, a nationally recognized firm that manages over $1 billion in investments and another $1 billion in life insurance.
Siller earned his bachelor’s degree, with a major in accounting and minor in finance, from UConn in 1979, graduating with distinction. He continued his education, earning a master’s degree in taxation from Pace University and completing a financial leadership program at Harvard University. He is a CPA and Certified Investment Management Analyst.
Siller began his career with Coopers & Lybrand and Touche Ross, before becoming a tax planning director at CIGNA Individual Financial Services. There he met Jeff Cohen, who would become his decades-long business partner.
Siller also served as Senior Vice President of Lincoln Financial Advisers, running the metro New York and New Jersey region. Under his leadership, the regional organization grew in revenue and profitability from the middle of the pack to the top regional office in only three years.
Siller is a member of the UConn School of Business’ Dean’s Advisory Cabinet. He also serves on the Hightower Advisors Executive Leadership Committee. He was the recent chair of the NYS Society of CPA’s Estate Planning Committee and has been featured in a best-selling financial advice book. Siller has served on the board of the Community Health Care Network for more than 10 years. He has created the Siller Family Leadership Scholarship which annually provides a student a cost-of-attendance scholarship, in addition to a scholarship in the Neag School of Education, in honor of his father, Bernard, who was an educator.
