{"id":197154,"date":"2026-02-27T22:50:08","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T22:50:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/197154\/"},"modified":"2026-02-27T22:50:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T22:50:08","slug":"haas-names-2026-alumni-award-winners-haas-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/197154\/","title":{"rendered":"Haas names 2026 Alumni Award winners – Haas News"},"content":{"rendered":"

UC Berkeley\u2019s Haas School of Business today named a suite of 2026 Alumni Award winners<\/a>, recognized for their remarkable impact on business and society.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The six awards honor alumni individuals and groups who exemplify the school\u2019s Defining Leadership Principles<\/a>\u2014Question the Status Quo, Confidence without Attitude, Students Always,\u00a0 and Beyond Yourself\u2014and reflect the many ways that Haas graduates impact, innovate, and give back. Each award highlights a unique dimension of alumni achievement and engagement. Recipients will be celebrated at both an awards ceremony and at the annual Alumni Conference<\/a> in late April.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis incredible group of alumni leaders are shining examples of what makes UC Berkeley Haas truly special,\u201d said Haas Dean Jennifer Chatman<\/a>. \u201cThese pioneers in healthcare, real estate development, entrepreneurship, international business, and finance share a true North Star of going beyond themselves through volunteering, philanthropy, supporting underserved populations, and a commitment to mentoring. We\u2019re so proud to honor them in this special way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lifetime Achievement Award: Honors alumni whose distinguished careers have had a sustained and profound impact within their industries or communities.<\/p>\n

Ned Spieker, BS 66
Owner, Spieker Senior Development Partners<\/p>\n

\"\"Ned Spieker, BS 66. Photo: Karl Nielsen<\/p>\n

Ned Spieker<\/a>, BS 66, is a highly successful entrepreneur and industry pioneer in real estate development. He built Spieker Properties into one of the largest Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) in the nation before its 2001 sale of over $7.2 billion. Currently, he leads Spieker Senior Development Partners<\/a>, Spieker Realty Investments<\/a>, and Continuing Life Communities<\/a>, demonstrating sustained leadership in the seniors sector. <\/p>\n

Recognized with industry awards and holding key positions in national real estate groups, Spieker has also consistently dedicated himself to extensive philanthropic endeavors. Notably, he and his wife, Carol, BA 66 (political science), have contributed over $80 million to the University of California, Berkeley, showcasing a lifelong commitment to service and impact. The Haas School\u2019s four-year Spieker Undergraduate Business Program<\/a> is named for<\/a> the couple in honor of their $30 million gift to the school. Spieker\u2019s legacy as a pioneer in the real estate industry and his visionary leadership have left an indelible mark on both the professional landscape and the Berkeley campus community.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Leading Through Innovation Award: Celebrates alumni who have pioneered new ideas, technologies, or approaches that have meaningfully advanced their fields and inspired others.<\/p>\n

Jason Bellet, BS 14
Co-founder, Chief Business Officer, and Board Director, Eko Health<\/p>\n

\"\"Jason Bellet, BS 14<\/p>\n

Jason Bellet<\/a>, BS 14, and two UC Berkeley co-founders, with support from the Berkeley SkyDeck Accelerator Program, reimagined<\/a> one of medicine\u2019s most iconic tools: the stethoscope. What began as a student project in 2013 has grown into Eko Health<\/a>, a digital health company now serving more than 700,000 healthcare professionals worldwide. Today, the company provides AI-powered electronic stethoscopes and software to help healthcare professionals detect and monitor heart and lung disease. Its FDA-cleared AI algorithms can help clinicians identify conditions like heart murmurs, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure. Thanks to Eko, physicians worldwide can detect and monitor heart disease with greater speed and accuracy, improving patient outcomes.<\/p>\n

Emerging Leader Award: Recognizes alumni who have demonstrated remarkable success and made significant strides early in their professional careers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Amy Fan, MBA\/MPH 19
GM, New Venture, Papa
Co-founder, former President, and Chief Product Officer, Twentyeight Health<\/p>\n

\"\"Amy Fan, MBA\/MPH 19<\/p>\n

While pursuing her dual business and public health degree at Haas, Amy Fan<\/a>, MBA\/MPH 19, co-founded Twentyeight Health<\/a>, a company dedicated to empowering individuals with trusted information and affordable, convenient access to reproductive and sexual healthcare. She currently serves as general manager of a new venture at Papa<\/a>, where she is expanding access to care navigation and patient advocacy for older adults.<\/p>\n

Fan is also a founding committee member of Female Founders Edge<\/a>, a nonprofit committed to supporting and advancing female founders. Across her work, Fan consistently puts people first, reflecting her commitment to innovation with humanity and to developing the next generation of leaders.<\/p>\n

Raymond E. Miles Service Award: Recognizes alumni who have shown outstanding dedication to the Haas community through mentorship, leadership, and volunteer service.<\/p>\n

Seiichiro Yamamoto, MBA 92
Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Nomura Asset Management<\/a><\/p>\n

\"manSeiichiro Yamamoto, MBA 92<\/p>\n

Seiichiro Yamamoto<\/a>, MBA 92, has been instrumental in shaping the Berkeley Executive Education<\/a> (BEE) strategy in Japan, offering crucial marketplace advice and introductions that have significantly enhanced the organization\u2019s growth and reputation in the country. Yamamoto\u2019s multiyear service as a Haas board member and his commitment to MBA student treks in Japan further highlight his deep commitment. His dedication to bridging Berkeley\u2019s innovation with Japan\u2019s traditions, coupled with his consistent guidance and support, embodies the spirit of this volunteer service award.<\/p>\n

Cora Jane Flood Award: Honors alumni whose commitment to philanthropy fosters opportunity, equity, and excellence, strengthening the culture of giving that fuels our mission.<\/p>\n

Elena Gomez, BS 91
President & CFO, Toast<\/p>\n

\"womanElena Gomez, BS 91<\/p>\n

Elena Gomez<\/a>, BS 91, is a prominent technology finance executive currently serving as the president and Chief Financial Officer of Toast<\/a>, having led the company\u2019s 2021 IPO. Prior to Toast, Elena was the CFO of Zendesk<\/a>, growing market cap over $15 billion. In her 30-year career, Elena has also held finance leadership roles at Fortune 500 companies, including Salesforce, Visa, and Charles Schwab. She has been a deeply effective chair of the Haas Board tackling strategic decisions while deepening Board member engagement with our community.<\/p>\n

Gomez has remained a steadfast philanthropic supporter of Haas, acting as a key champion of important Haas initiatives and programs, including the Berkeley Haas Entrepreneurship Hub<\/a> (eHub), which established a home for all \u201centrepre-curious\u201d students across the Cal campus to gather, innovate, and dream. She also gives her time generously whether through her presence at Latinx heritage celebrations, her willingness to share her journey as a speaker, or her voice as a philanthropic champion within our community. Her philanthropic support and her deep care for Haas reflect this award\u2019s namesake, Cora Jane Flood<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Alumni Group of the Year: Celebrates an alumni chapter or affinity group that has demonstrated exceptional engagement and leadership.<\/p>\n

The San Francisco Chapter<\/p>\n

\"\"The San Francisco Chapter Board<\/p>\n

The San Francisco Chapter of the Haas Alumni Network has built a vibrant and resilient alumni community, bringing alumni and students together in meaningful ways that inspire lifelong engagement and investment in UC Berkeley Haas. During 2024\u201325, the chapter hosted more than a dozen events that engaged over 200 alumni and students and achieved 100% board giving. Local programming included a June happy hour attended by 60 alumni and students, the inaugural Haas Open golf tournament with 70 attendees, a featured event with Selling Sunset<\/a> stars Jason and Brett Oppenheim and Haas Distinguished Teaching Fellow Alan Ross<\/a>, and a collaborative Napa wine tasting picnic with other Bay Area chapters. The chapter truly embodies the Haas culture of going beyond yourself.<\/p>\n

By hosting monthly open board meetings for the broader San Francisco Haas community, they intentionally create space for alumni to both request and offer support, connections, and resources. That same spirit extended to Big Give<\/a>, where they convened a social event to galvanize local participation and drive donations, illustrating how connection, engagement, and philanthropy work in tandem to advance the school\u2019s success.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"UC Berkeley\u2019s Haas School of Business today named a suite of 2026 Alumni Award winners, recognized for their…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":197155,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[91796,1979,143,145,144],"class_list":["post-197154","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-oakland","tag-haas-alumni-network","tag-latest-news","tag-oakland","tag-oakland-headlines","tag-oakland-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/197154","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=197154"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/197154\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/197155"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=197154"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=197154"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=197154"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}