By Kara Sherrer
The fireplace in the renovated Walker Management Library has been dedicated to Tami Fassinger, Chief Admissions Officer at Vanderbilt’s Owen Graduate School of Management. Current and former Alumni Board members came together to raise the money to honor Fassinger’s impact on generations of students.
Lead donors and Dean Johnson at the reception for Fassinger
Back row, left to right: Bruce Brockenborough, Robert Deaton, Gaither Deaton, Derek Young, Dean Eric Johnson, John Hawkins
Front row, left to right: Tami Fassinger, Emily Baker Tobin
The idea for the dedicated fireplace emerged during the planning for the library renovations. A fireplace — intended to be used for smaller gatherings — was already included in the designs, and alumni felt that dedicating the fireplace to Fassinger would be fitting, given her integral role in the Vanderbilt Business community.
Among her many responsibilities, Fassinger helped oversee the Closing Bell networking and learning events and helped take them on the road to key cities that many alumni call home. The alumni thought that a community gathering space like the fireplace seemed like a perfect way to honor the culture of close relationships she helped foster at Owen.
“Very early in the design process, we began thinking that it would be really special to dedicate the fireplace to Tami,” said Ralph Owen Dean and Bruce D. Henderson Professor of Strategy M. Eric Johnson. “The idea really came from alumni and from our Alumni Board, who put a tremendous amount of energy towards raising funds to be able to create the fireplace.”
Six current and former Alumni Board members — Emily Baker Tobin (BA’87, MBA’92, and current Alumni Board Chair), John Hawkins (MBA’92), Bruce Brockenborough (EMBA’01), Robert Deaton (MBA’91), Derek Young (MBA’91), and Beth Torres (EMBA’11) — came together to help raise the money necessary to dedicate the fireplace.
The Tami Fassinger Executive Fireplace
They told Fassinger about the fundraising effort at a special reception held before the Board Meeting at Dean Johnson’s house in spring 2017. A smaller ceremony was held a few weeks ago once the construction of the fireplace was complete; they presented Fassinger with a replica of the plaque that hangs next to the fireplace.
The fireplace space has already been used to host several fireside chats, where visiting speakers talk to small groups of Owen community members in the more intimate, casual setting of the library. Guests to date include David Farr (MBA’81), CEO of Emerson; Cal Turner (BA’62), former CEO of Dollar General; Clint Freeland (MBA’92), CFO of The Mosaic Company; and Emily Baker Tobin.
“The whole concept of the fireside chat is to do that with 15 or 20 people, so you really have a chance to interact and have a unique experience,” said Dean Johnson. “It seemed very fitting to dedicate that to Tami, because it really was so much a part of her career at Owen.”
