The UIndy School of Business Recognizes Outstanding Alumni with 2026 Awards

The University of Indianapolis’s School of Business proudly recognized outstanding alumni who have achieved exceptional success and leveraged their UIndy education to make a significant impact in their field, within their communities, and in the world.

This year’s UIndy School of Business Outstanding Alumni Awards recipients were:

Dr. Andrew Barnes ’86 (Accounting)

Dr. Andrew Barnes is the fourth President of the Pennsylvania College of Art & Design in Lancaster, where he is guiding a period of growth and transformation, expanding the college into a more industry-connected and career-focused institution. His higher education career includes leadership roles as Dean at York College of Pennsylvania and Pratt Institute, along with many years as a professor of English specializing in Shakespeare and seventeenth-century poetry. A north-side Indianapolis native, Dr. Barnes attended St. Lawrence Grade School and Bishop Chatard High School. 

In addition to his undergraduate degree in Accounting from UIndy, Dr. Barnes holds an M.A. in Humanities from New York University, a Ph.D. in English Literature from Stony Brook University on Long Island, and M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the Writing Seminars at Bennington College. Dr. Barnes is the author of two published books, with a third scheduled for release in 2026. He is also an artist and weaver whose work blends textiles, literature, and visual art. He and his husband, David Foley—Chair of Interior Design at Pratt Institute—split their time between Lancaster and Manhattan, where they have lived for 30 years.

Dr. Neil Cowen ’95 (MBA)

Dr. Neil Cowen serves as Senior Vice President for New Product Planning at Soleno Therapeutics, where he helped lead the FDA approval and commercialization of VYKAT XR, the first approved treatment for Prader-Willi syndrome–a rare, complex, and life-threatening disease. He invented the drug and guided its development from concept to approval, reflecting more than 20 years of persistence and scientific leadership. Soleno was formed through the merger of Capnia and Essentialis, a company Dr. Cowen founded and led. His career includes senior leadership roles at Epicyte Pharmaceuticals and 15 years at Dow Chemical, as well as faculty appointments at the University of Missouri, the University of Illinois, and the University of Indianapolis. 

Dr. Cowen holds an MBA from the University of Indianapolis and earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees from Iowa State University. He has been married to his wife, Robin, for 43 years and is a proud father of three and grandfather of three.

John Duffy ’91 (Business Communications)

John Duffy brings more than 30 years of experience in investment brokerage and asset management to his clients at Morgan Stanley. As Managing Director, he helps families develop customized investment strategies, with expertise in portfolio management, bond and equity structuring, and risk mitigation. He has been recognized nationally, consistently listed among Barron’s Top 1,200 Financial Advisors since 2014, and his team, the Klausner Duffy & DiSalvo Group, managing over $3.5 billion in client assets, has been named one of Forbes’ Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams for 2023, 2024, and 2025. 

A graduate of the University of Indianapolis with a degree in Business Communications, Duffy has served on the Board of Bishop Simon Brute Seminary for 11 years, including four as Board Chair, participated in two $100 million+ Archdiocesan Capital Campaigns, served as Athletic Director for St. Simon, and currently serves as President of the Indiana High School Lacrosse Association. He and his wife, Melissa, reside in Indianapolis and are the proud parents of three children: Lauren, Martin, and Michael.

Stanley Jackson ’84 (Accounting)

Stanley Jackson earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting in 1984. With a career spanning more than 40 years, he has extensive experience and leadership in the healthcare and insurance industries. For the past nine years, Jackson has served as Chief Innovation Officer at Apex Benefits, an Indianapolis-based employee benefits consulting firm, where he helps organizations navigate complex benefits and healthcare challenges. 

Prior to Apex, he gained more than 30 years of experience in underwriting, account management, and financial analysis with health plans and third-party administrators. Jackson has also served on the UIndy Alumni Board of Directors and shares a family connection to the University, with three siblings who are also graduates. He enjoys time with his daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren in New York City.

Michael Marquard ’82 (MBA)

Michael Marquard is a highly accomplished pharmaceutical industry executive with a forty-year career focused on marketing lifesaving and innovative medicines. He began as a sales representative with Lederle Laboratories and advanced to leadership roles including Vice President of Sales and Vice President and General Manager of Oncology and Pharmaceutical Business Units. Marquard played a key role in marketing oncology, pharmaceutical, and biological products, as well as in strategic acquisitions, including Immunex, whose development of Enbrel transformed the treatment of autoimmune conditions. 

Following the merger with Wyeth, a top-ten global pharmaceutical company, he served as Senior Vice President of U.S. Sales and later concluded his career as President of a branded division of a major generic pharmaceutical company and CEO of a NASDAQ-listed sales and marketing services firm. 

Marquard holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Youngstown State University, an MBA from the University of Indianapolis, and completed the Executive Program at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. He and his wife of 55 years, Norajane, live in Wilmington, North Carolina, and are proud parents and grandparents.