7 selected for 2025 Distinguished Alumni Awards

Each University Day, Carolina celebrates and honors alumni for their outstanding contributions to UNC-Chapel Hill and society. This year, the University will present seven Distinguished Alumni Awards at a celebration Oct. 12 at Memorial Hall.

Here are this year’s winners:

Kristin Acquavella ’93

Kristin Acquavella is an active-duty rear admiral in the U.S. Navy who has served honorably for over three decades, currently as chief of staff at U.S. Transporation Command. A four-time national soccer champion at Carolina, Acquavella exhibited exceptional leadership both on and off the field during her time as an undergraduate, earning her commission through the Navy ROTC program in 1993. She recently commanded Naval Supply Systems Command, Weapon Systems Support, leading a 2,700-person command and providing end-to-end supply chain solutions.

Lewis Niles Black ’70

Lewis Black is an Emmy and Grammy award-winning comedian, actor, author and playwright who performed his first stand-up routine at the Cat’s Cradle while a dramatic art student at Carolina. Black’s achievements include winning Best Male Stand-Up at the 2001 American Comedy Awards and headlining “Back in Black,” a popular and long-running segment of The Daily Show. He is the author of three bestselling books and was the voice of Anger in the Academy Award-winning films “Inside Out” and “Inside Out 2.” Black collaborated with Carolina students on an annual Carolina Comedy Festival for several years and donated the archives of his career, spanning more than 40 years, to UNC Libraries.

William Edwin McMahan ’66

Ed McMahan is the former chair and CEO of Little-McMahan Group, an architectural-engineering, development and construction firm headquartered in Charlotte. He completed four-year terms with the UNC Board of Governors and UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees and also served on the UNC Alumni Board and Board of Visitors. Beginning in 1994, he served six terms in the N.C. House of Representatives, where he chaired numerous committees and study commissions. In 2022, his family honored his lifelong love of Tar Heel athletics by creating the Ed McMahan Sr. Endowed Scholarship to support the men’s golf program.

William Vaughn Moore ’93

William Vaughn Moore, chairman and CEO of AIT Worldwide Logistics, is a devoted champion of student-athletes through his work on The Rams Club’s executive board and as an adviser to University and athletics leaders. Moore provides Carolina students internship opportunities, hires recent graduates and encourages other alumni to invest in their alma mater. Across more than two decades at AIT, he’s led a leveraged buyout of the founders and guided the company through exponential growth. He helps the community through volunteer efforts with TABLE, the American Cancer Society and the Center for Enriched Living.

Chad R. Pike ’93

Chad Pike has had a distinguished career in real estate investing while generously sharing his time and efforts with Carolina, including service on the Honors Carolina Advisory Board and the Chancellor’s Global Leadership Council. In 2017, he and his wife, Blake Pike ’93, established the Go Anywhere initiative as part of Honors Carolina. Their gift supports a team of expert career coaches and an online platform where students can explore experiences and opportunities, connect with mentors, find internships and jobs and meet students with similar interests. Pike retired after 25 years at the Blackstone Group and later founded Grassy Creek LLC, a private investment firm.

Jenna Robinson ’05 (MA), ’12 (PhD)

Jenna Robinson is president of the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal. Under her leadership, the Martin Center has advanced dialogue centered on excellence and accountability, publishing influential research, model legislation and commentary that have shaped higher education policy at the state and national levels. She previously worked at the John Locke Foundation, taught American government courses at several local colleges and universities and wrote for national outlets including Forbes, The Hill and National Review Online. She’s served on several boards and is currently a member of the UNC Alumni Free Speech Alliance and the UNC Board of Visitors.

William N. Starling Jr. ’75

Bill Starling has worked for four decades in the medical device industry, founding and managing innovative startups and lucrative venture capital partnerships. He retired in 2024 as co-founder and CEO of Synecor LLC, an RTP-based generator of life science businesses. Starling and his wife, Dana, in 2022 made a significant gift to UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School to establish and promote meaningful connections among students, faculty, staff and leadership. He often speaks to Kenan-Flagler students about entrepreneurship, has a fellowship named in his honor and previously served as chairman of Carolina Research Ventures. Additionally, Starling and his family gave a significant gift to the UNC School of Medicine’s psychiatry department, establishing the UNC Suicide Prevention Institute.

Read more about the winners and find information about the ceremony on the University Day website.