Distinguished Alumni Award

Following in the footsteps of her parents, Donna J. Walker graduated from the University of South Carolina, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy and her master’s in business administration.  Donna began her career working with her dad as a pharmacist at Cedar Terrace Pharmacy in Columbia, S.C. Subsequently, she moved to Washington, D.C. to work for the American Pharmacists Association, the national professional society for pharmacists. After receiving her MBA, she joined 3M Pharmaceuticals in Minneapolis. She held various leadership positions within the pharmaceutical division, including sales, marketing, and international management. Later, she served as the North American Sales and Marketing Director for the 3M Telecom Division in Austin, Texas.

In 1997, Donna and her husband, Mark Pulido, founded the Pulido Walker Foundation, which is focused on youth development. In addition to her activities with Pulido Walker Foundation, Donna has been involved with numerous other community and professional organizations including American Pharmacists Association, Austin Diagnostic Medical Center, Alliance Healthcare Foundation, Rancho Santa Fe Foundation, Rancho Santa Fe Community Center, San Diego Social Venture Partners, and San Diego Grantmakers. She is past Chair of the Boys and Girls Clubs of San Francisco, past Chair of the Rancho Santa Fe Women’s Fund and past President of The Bishop’s School Parent Association. Currently, Donna chairs the Grant Review Committee of the Napa Valley Vintners.

In 2013, Donna and Mark agreed to create and endow the Walker Pharmacy Leadership Scholars launching a student leadership initiative to identify, educate, and recognize top pharmacy student leaders at the University of South Carolina.

Donna and Mark are the proprietors of Pulido~Walker Estate Vineyards and Winery –a Napa Valley limited production family winery specializing in extraordinary single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. They live in Yountville, California and have one son, Chas.

1998, Master of Education Administration, College of Education, University of South Carolina

Dr. (LTC) Mark Lee retired from the military after more than 31 years of distinguished service to our great nation. As a decorated retired veteran, Lee has received many awards and honors throughout his military career, including the Purple Heart, Silver Star and Bronze Star, just to name a few. Most recently Lee received two Defense Meritorious Service Medals (Joint Military awards) from the President of the United States for distinctive accomplishments while at US Central Command from Oct 2012 – Jan 2016, and the other recognizing over 30 years of distinguished military service to our nation.

While in the military, Lee earned five degrees, including a Master’s in Education Administration from the University of South Carolina.

Lee’s wife, Cynthia, retired at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel after 24 years of service in the Army. While officially retired, Lee continues to share his vast knowledge and life experiences as an associate professor of management and leadership at Ohio Christian University. Additionally, he owns and manages Sport Consulting Services, LLC., a professional athlete and talent agency, where he focuses on MLB, NFL/CFL and WNBA coaches and athletes. The Lees currently live on the island of Tierra Verde, FL right outside of St. Petersburg, FL.

Born April 9, 1948, in Washington, D.C., the first-born son of a career Central Intelligence Officer, Glenn and his family relocated to Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1953. He subsequently lived in various Latin American countries, including Brazil where he met his future wife, Jacqueline Morris, and graduated from the Escola American do Rio de Janeiro in 1966.

Glenn graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1970 with a degree in International Studies, having attended what was then the Institute of International Studies, housed in the War Memorial Building. Upon graduation, Glenn, Jackie and their son, Scott moved to the suburbs of Washington, D.C., where Glenn began his career with Texaco. Following various assignments of increasing responsibilities, Glenn became an officer of the company in 1989; and then went on to become the Chairman of Texaco Ltd. in London; the President of Texaco USA in Houston; the President of Global Business and ultimately Chairman and CEO of the company until its merger with Chevron in 2001, when he assumed the role of Vice Chairman of the Board of the new company, ChevronTexaco, and interim Chairman of Dynegy.

In 2002 Glenn’s career changed course when he was named Chairman, President and CEO of United Airlines, a position he occupied until United acquired and merged with Continental Airlines. Following that merger, he spent two years as Chairman of the combined company and three years as Chairman of the Midwest for JPMorgan Chase.

Since retirement, Glenn has continued to serve on the Boards of various publicly-traded companies, presently AbbVie and Phillips 66. He also serves on the Board of Visitors of the College of Arts & Sciences at USC.

Glenn and Jackie split their time between Santa Fe, New Mexico; Sarasota, Florida, and Chicago, where he and Jackie serve on various non-profit Boards. Their grandson, Glenn Wilson, recently graduated from USC with a degree in Communications.

Jeff Charney is one of the nation’s most heralded, creative CMO’s as well a relevant and disruptive voice in today’s marketing community. As CMO of Progressive Insurance, the nation’s 3^rd largest media spender, he and his team developed two of the nation’s top brand icons including the iconic salesclerk (“Flo”), the ‘we all become our parents’ parental-life coach, “Dr. Rick.” Earlier, as CMO at Aflac, he was in charge of the iconic —”Aflac Duck” — currently the nation’s longest running marketing icon. 

A two-time “CMO of the Year,” (from both Ad Age and AdWeek) and winner of more than 100 national/international awards, he left corporate America at the top of his game last year with Progressive to start an “invite only” nationwide game changing marketing collective called MKHSTRY. As founder and CEO, Jeff and MKHSTRY follow a scarcity business model working only with the bravest founders, brands, and individuals to disrupt existing business models to indeed –Make History—similar to that of code cracking companies like, Uber, OpenAI, Spotify, Tesla, Airbnb, etc. 

Before Progressive and Aflac, he was CMO multi-media retailer, QVC, CMO at Homestore.com, parent company of Realtor.com and other real estate aggregators. At all of his companies, Jeff was a pioneer in developing large, in-house creative agencies and media buying firms before it was trendy to do so. For much more about Jeff’s breakthrough marketing, go to https://www.jeffcharney.com/.

Dr. Burgess is a certified family nurse practitioner (NP) and a retired distinguished clinical professor emeritus at the University of South Carolina College of Nursing.  She is a three-time alumna of USC, having received her BSN in 1975, MSN in 1983 and PhD in 2003. She has authored or co-authored over 100 peer reviewed articles and mentored over 3000 NP students in the clinical setting.  Previously, she served as an elected official school board Trustee and Board Chair to the Richland Two School Board 2004-2012, Past President for the SC Nurses Association, Past President for the SC Coalition for NP, and is currently the Vice President for the Coalition for Access to Health Care.  She has received numerous awards including the SC Nurse Practitioner of the Year twice, the SC Nurse Advocate of the Year, Palmetto Gold Award, ANA President’s Outstanding Leadership Award, USC College of Nursing Outstanding Alumni Award, the USC Amy V. Cockcroft Leadership Outstanding Alumni Award, USC College of Nursing Legacy Award, and the Sigma Theta Tau Lucy Marion Award, just to name a few. She is honored to receive the USC 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award!  

Over her career, she has positively influenced health policy changes for NP health care delivery to increase access to care and improve outcomes. These are evidenced by significant reform in over ten legislative/judicial changes for NPs and establishing 20 nurse practitioner-led medical practices saving taxpayers millions of dollars.  Her successful and sustainable model of health policy reform has received national and state recognition. Currently, she is practicing as an NP serving vulnerable populations.  She is the proud wife of Ed Burgess and the proud mom of Bryan (Stephanie) Burgess, proud mom of Bradley (Kelsey) Burgess, and the proud grandmother to Juliette, Carter, and Piper!  She is active in her church with the Grief Share Program and enjoys watercolor painting, spending time with Becca (her sweet Golden Doodle), shagging, working in her yard, and playing Pickleball.