The 2024 honorees of the University of Georgia’s 40 Under 40 include nine graduates who earned a degree from the Terry College of Business.
The 40 Under 40 program celebrates the personal, professional and philanthropic achievements of successful UGA graduates under the age of 40. The honorees will be recognized during the 14th annual 40 Under 40 Awards Luncheon on campus in September.
“Our previous 40 Under 40 honorees include some of our most accomplished and dynamic young alumni, and this year’s class is no different,” said Adam Roell (BSED ’10), UGA’s executive director of alumni relations. “When you talk to these Bulldogs and learn about their achievements, their aspirations, and how important UGA was to both, you gain a deep appreciation for how our university shapes tomorrow’s leaders.”
Here are the nine alumni with Terry ties:
Jeremy Adams (BBA ’07) Atlanta; senior managing director, Jones Lang LaSalle
Adams works with health care organizations to select the best sites for their facilities, allowing those organizations to focus on providing critical care to patients rather than navigating the real estate industry. Adams’s involvement with UGA includes speaking engagements with Terry College of Business students, recruiting UGA students and enthusiastically supporting UGA Athletics.
Tamara Branch (BBA ’09, JD ’12) Tifton; vice president of legal, Tift Regional Health System
Branch provides legal counsel for a nonprofit health system in South Georgia. She provided hands-on assistance and crucial expertise during the COVID-19 pandemic when regulations and guidance were ever-changing. When she’s not doing this critical work, Branch and her family participate in an annual barbecue festival where they have taken home top prizes for their tacos, Boston Butts, pork loins and Bloody Mary drink recipe.
Rodd Cargill (BBA ’10) Johns Creek; senior territory manager, Johnson and Johnson
Cargill partners with physicians to increase awareness of pulmonary hypertension and advocates for medications and treatments to alleviate the negative impacts on patients’ lives. He is vice president of the UGA Black Alumni Leadership Council and was honored as the 2024 UGA Volunteer of the Year for his outstanding service to the university and its alumni community. Cargill also serves on the Terry College Young Alumni Board and is active in the Zeta Nu Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity.
Brittany S. Chitwood (BBA ’14, MAcc ’15) Atlanta; assistant director of climate change and sustainability services, EY
Chitwood is a trusted advisor for EY’s Climate Change and Sustainability Services team and helps businesses understand and evaluate outcomes for their environmental and social governance policies. She creates and collaborates on greenhouse gas emissions and climate risk analysis projects. She serves on the Terry College Young Alumni Board and was honored as a 2023 EY Woman Who Inspires, with her nominators describing her as an inspiring and encouraging leader.
Candler Cook (BBA ’11, MBA ’18) Atlanta; senior vice president, US Strategic Capital
Cook provides small businesses across the U.S. with access to the capital necessary to thrive in an ever-changing economic landscape. He is the accomplished author of the book, “From Underdog to Bulldog,” and was named a captain of the UGA football team in 2011. Candler participates in Terry College of Business speaking engagements and is an active member of the Magill Society.
William Ferrand (BBA ’15) Atlanta; senior manager, risk and compliance, Protiviti
Ferrand leads a team responsible for ensuring their financial firm clients comply with all customer protection and market integrity requirements to protect consumers and the public from harm caused by noncompliance with federal regulations. He serves as president of the UGA Atlanta Alumni Chapter and supports the Terry College Young Alumni Board’s event-planning initiatives.
Alex Hill (BBA ’10) Atlanta; director of investing, Icarus Alternative Investments
Hill is a business owner specializing in day-to-day financial and real estate decisions and broader corporate and brand strategy decisions. He and his wife —in his wife founded two businesses: Icarus and Yonder Yoga. Yonder Yoga has been recognized on UGA’s Bulldog 100, a list of the fastest-growing Bulldog businesses.
Jessica J. Pittard (BBA ’11) Ball Ground; president, BDI DataLynk
Pittard is the majority owner of two successful businesses, BDI Datalynk and Marble Hill Farms. At BDI, she oversees local workforce development initiatives in communities nationwide that offer fiber optic technician training and certifications through BDI’s network of campus partners. Marble Hill Farms allows Hill to continue her passion for equestrian sports as a horse coaching and training business.
Thomas C. Presley (BBA ’08, MAcc ’09) Marietta; regional managing partner, wealth advisor, Corient
Presley guides clients from all walks of life to financially prepare for their futures and families. This former Redcoat Band member partners with those clients to help them achieve their goals while also leading and empowering his team to have a greater impact on the Southeast. Presley was named one of Financial Advisor Magazine’s 2022 Top Young Advisors to Watch and co-authored “Building Your Wealth Inside Corporate America.
Hundreds of nominations for 40 Under 40 were received from February to March. Honorees must have attended UGA and uphold the three pillars of the Arch: wisdom, justice and moderation. Additional criteria for this year’s honorees are available on the UGA Alumni website.
“Every one of our honorees is a fantastic representative of our alma mater,” said Roell. “We are so proud of their accomplishments and will be pleased to welcome them back to Athens to celebrate them this fall.”