Atlanta Alumni Chapter

• Social: LinkedIn

• Email: rdanielsmba15@gmail.com
• Social: LinkedIn

Ray Daniels (EMBA 2015) is a recent “boomerang” transplant to the metro Atlanta area. After growing up in the area  attending the University of Georgia, he relocated to the Research Triangle area of NC where he spent over 11 years. During his time in Raleigh, Ray developed a love for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and had the blessing to attend the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School where he graduated from the Evening MBA program in 2015. With a background in marketing, Ray has served in multiple sales, marketing, and global business functions including Head of Marketing North America for a division of Bayer Crop Science. He currently serves as Marketing Director for OneDigital, a strategic health benefits, retirement, and HR services firm based in Atlanta.

As a Servant Leader and Purpose Driven Marketer, Ray believes strongly in tying an organization’s mission and purpose with needs in the community and seeks ways to help firms, both large and small, improve individual, organizational, and environmental well-being. In addition to his professional role, he serves as Board Chair Level Creek United Methodist Church and is active in several local Atlanta marketing and business groups. He is a graduate of both the University of Georgia (BSA – College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences) where he serves as a student mentor and school ambassador, and the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School (MBA).

Ray and his wife currently reside in Suwanee, GA with their two children and labrador retriever. In his free time, you can find Ray spending time with his family, running, hiking, kayaking, serving food as a volunteer, and even picking up trash along the Chattahoochee.

Learn more about Ray by visiting his LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/rdanielsmba15 or follow on Instagram @raydan980 to see where he turns up next.

• Email: ed@appliedecon.com
• Social: LinkedIn

Born and raised in Marietta, Georgia, Edward spent his childhood playing in the creeks and trails of Kennesaw Mountain, a place and time that cultivated his love and respect for nature. Continuing his family’s legacy established in 1919, Edward attended the Culver Academies, a coeducational boarding high school and summer camp in Northern Indiana with a focus on leadership and whole person education. Upon graduation, Edward returned home to attend Georgia College & State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs and was inducted into Phi Kappa Phi and graduated Magna Cum Laude. Edward then attended the Masters of Accounting program at the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School, where he graduated in the top twenty percent of his class. Edward currently works as a Senior Financial Analyst at Applied Economics, LLC, a leading financial advisory firm specializing in corporate finance and business valuation. At Applied Economics, Edward performs a variety of corporate finance and business valuation services, including business enterprise valuations, purchase price allocations, goodwill impairment analyses, fairness opinions, debt, equity and preferred stock valuations, option pricing, ESOP valuations, family limited partnerships, and valuations of intangible assets.

Edward lives in Marietta, Georgia with his wife, Sherri, two dogs, Gracie and Bella, and two cats, Missy and Laney. Edward likes to spend his time outside of work cooking, gardening, and hiking with his family (the furry, four-legged ones too!).

• Social: LinkedIn

A native Atlantan, Stewart Banner is a highly experienced corporate attorney who has represented entrepreneurs, start-ups, mid-size and large corporations, real estate, private equity and venture capital firms in multiple types of transactions. With over 35 years of experience, he has also represented clients in the transportation, energy, manufacturing, environmental, technology, health care, financial services, media and telecommunications industries in corporate matters as well as in negotiation and settlement of contract related disputes.

Stewart has worked as in-house counsel for a real estate development and management company as well as in private practice with several major international law firms. As a freelance writer and journalist, he has written and edited legal journals and practice manuals and written for numerous publications on topics ranging from sports and entertainment to politics and international affairs.

Stewart received his J.D. from the Emory University School of Law and M.B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He also earned his B.A. (Government and Politics) and M.A. (Journalism) from the University of Maryland at College Park. He serves as a volunteer advisor on alumni boards and committees for both his undergraduate and graduate schools, to students and young professionals and with the Anti-Defamation League and Jewish Family & Career Services.

• Social: LinkedIn

• Social: LinkedIn

Owen Waits is an Associate Banker in the Atlanta, Georgia office of J.P. Morgan Private Bank, where he is part of a team helping select individuals and families develop complex, tailored strategies to address their unique, personal objectives.

He provides guidance that helps them structure their wealth, protect and invest their liquidity, borrow strategically, bank efficiently and plan effectively to achieve their long-term goals.

A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Owen served as a United States Army Officer for more than eight years before joining J.P. Morgan. He completed deployments in both Kuwait and Afghanistan, where he was awarded the Bronze Star, and he commanded two separate Companies within the 35th Armored Regiment at Fort Bliss, Texas.

Owen holds an M.B.A. with a concentration in Capital Markets and Investments from the University of North Carolina, Kenan-Flagler Business School in Chapel Hill, NC, where he also served as Vice President of Finance for the Kenan-Flagler Veterans’ Association. At West Point, he earned a B.S. and received his officer’s commission. He has completed the Bloomberg Market Concepts Certification. Owen is a licensed securities professional (Series 7 and 63) and is an employee of both JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and J.P. Morgan Securities, LLC.

Owen grew up in and around Cincinnati, Ohio. An outdoor enthusiast, certified scuba diver and Eagle Scout, he enjoys travel, fishing and golf when time permits. Now living in Atlanta, Owen is passionate about veteran advocacy and volunteers his time to assist fellow veterans making the transition from active-duty service.