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coxAlumni Profile
Each year the Cox School celebrates the accomplishments of its alumni at the Distinguished Alumni Awards Luncheon, now in its 19th year. Alumni are nominated based on their demonstrated civic and business leadership. In 2010, Joseph M. (Jody) Grant and Pat Bolin were awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award and Barry Vandevier and Laura Pitlik were named Outstanding Young Alumni. For additional information or for nominations, please visit http:// www.cox.smu.edu/web/alumni/cox-distinguished-alumni. Outstanding Young Alumni must be 40 years old or younger.
OUTSTANDING YOUNG ALUMNI
Barry Vandevier (EMBA ’05) Chief Information Officer Sabre Holdings Southlake, Texas As chief information officer of Sabre Holdings, Barry Vandevier oversees the corporation’s varied and complex technology functions across four business units (Sabre Airline Solutions, Sabre Hospitality Solutions, Sabre Travel Network and Travelocity), which together span 59 countries around the world. Since assuming this role in 2006, Sabre Holdings has been recognized for three consecutive years by InformationWeek as one of the “Top 100 Most Innovative Users of Technology” as well as placed in the top 10 of “The Greatest Software Ever Written.” Prior to his current position as Sabre
Laura A. Pitlik (PMBA ’05) Director of Marketing Hostess Brands, Inc. Dallas, Texas Laura Pitlik is director of marketing at Hostess Brands, Inc. (formerly Interstate Brands Corporation), one of the largest wholesale bakers and distributors of fresh delivered breads and snack cakes in the United States. She is responsible for brand marketing, innovation, strategy development and execution of the 100 percent-natural brand of breads, Nature’s Pride. Prior to joining Hostess, Pitlik worked in brand marketing for Dr Pepper Snapple Group. During her five years with the organization, she led brand marketing and www.cox.smu.edu
Holdings CIO, Vandevier was chief technology officer of Travelocity. He spent 10 years at Travelocity, starting as a software developer just after launch when the company was still deemed an “experiment.” Vandevier and his wife Michelle are active chair members and supporters of several charities, including the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Christian Community Action and God’s Child. He earned a Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering from Oklahoma State University in 1993 and his Executive MBA from SMU Cox in 2005.
innovation for numerous soft drink brands including the company’s flagship brand, Dr Pepper, as well as Sunkist, A&W and Canada Dry. Before and during her career as an MBA student at Cox, Pitlik held marketing positions with Zale Corporation, Daimler Chrysler and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Pitlik earned a B.S. in journalism, with an emphasis in marketing from Texas Christian University, and her MBA from the Cox School in 2005. She is a member of the Cox School’s Associate Board, where she mentors students interested in brand management. Pitlik is a supporter of the AT&T Performing Arts Center, the Dallas Museum of Art and a member of the Junior League of Dallas.
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