The Tippie College of Business is proud to announce Brandon R. Miller (BBA03) as the 2024 Tippie Alum of the Year and Rita M. Guzmán (BBA18) as the 2024 Tippie Young Alum of the Year.

Tippie Alum of the Year – Brandon Miller

Miller is a partner in the financial services technology risk practice at EY in Des Moines, Iowa, as well as the Americas Technology Risk SOC/Attestation leader. He started with the firm as a summer intern while a Tippie student. He is also a certified information systems auditor, certified public accountant, and member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Iowa Society of CPAs.

As a proud alum of the accounting and management information systems (now business analytics) departments at Tippie, he has stayed engaged with the college since graduation. He has served on the Young Alumni Board and is a current member of the Tippie Analytics Advisory Council and the Professional Accounting Council.

He has financially supported the Women in Analytics and Leadership Conference and helped the business analytics department coordinate speakers at national conferences. He has spoken to numerous business analytics and accounting classes at Tippie, as well as acted as a volunteer judge for the Master of Business Analytics case competition. He also helps Tippie students begin their career journeys as the campus coordinating partner for EY. 

One of his nominators, Michael Altemeier, said “It would be difficult to find someone more engaged with the Tippie College of Business.” Miller’s engagement and support are as commendable as they are unwavering; he volunteers at the college in some capacity every semester. 

Tippie Young Alum of the Year – Rita Guzmán

Guzmán is the education coordinator for Northwestern Medicine’s Canning Thoracic Institute in Chicago, Ill. She has been a member of the Young Alumni Board at Tippie since 2020 and has acted as the executive committee secretary for the past two years.

The marketing, international business, and Portuguese language alumna of the University of Iowa is also a former Fulbright winner, having spent the 2018-2019 academic year in Porto, Portugal teaching English as part of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. 

She volunteers her time talking with University of Iowa students interested in the Fulbright program, helps students in the Undergraduate Career Services department at Tippie, and attends many alumni events to connect with Tippie students. 

One of her nominators, Gabriela Rivera, emphasized that “Rita is dedicated to building a culture of inclusivity and openness in Tippie,” participating in Tippie’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, helping to evaluate and enhance current practices at the college. 

Guzmán is an alum of the BizEdge program, and has acted as a mentor, panelist, and advocate of the program that empowers students of color and first-generation students through mentorship, scholarships, and networking opportunities. 

She also champions the Tippie Gateway Program, which brings high school students from underrepresented groups to Tippie the summer before their senior year to see what it would be like to come to business school.  

Guzmán is a dynamic professional and committed alumna, blending her enrollment advising expertise with active involvement in mentoring, diversity initiatives, and alumni engagement within the Tippie community. 

Tippie’s Alum of the Year and Young Alum of the Year awards were established in 2014. View a list of previous award recipients here.