The Rollie Tillman Outstanding Leadership Award recognizes a graduating Kenan Scholar who has demonstrated superior leadership through their contributions to different Kenan Institute domain initiatives. This Scholar also had an outstanding impact on projects connecting the Kenan Institute to the UNC community as well as to innovators and entrepreneurs in the broader community.

Dr. John Kasarda is the longest-serving director of the Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise. Under his leadership, the Kenan Institute was named the world’s top air logistics educational institution by the International Air Cargo Association. Dr. Kasarda currently serves as the president and CEO of Aerotropolis Business Concepts LLC, president of the Aerotropolis Institute China and the editor-in-chief of Logistics, an international scholarly journal. He has conducted extensive work in the field of aviation infrastructure, business competitiveness and sociology and was awarded the title of Kenan Distinguished Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship. He was also earned a fellowship from the American Association for the Advancement of Science for his research on airport-driven economic development. Because of his many accomplishments as a scholar, leading the way in cutting-edge research at the intersection of business and aviation, this award named after Dr. Kasarda celebrates a Kenan Scholar who has achieved excellence in research.

The Kenan Institute Impact Award recognizes a student who has made a significant impact on the Kenan Institute through their work on projects and participation in events that drive the Kenan Institute’s mission and has an impacts UNC and the broader community.