{"id":22409,"date":"2022-11-11T12:07:08","date_gmt":"2022-11-11T17:07:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/news\/?p=22409"},"modified":"2022-11-11T12:07:09","modified_gmt":"2022-11-11T17:07:09","slug":"amir-mehr-92-honored-with-distinguished-alumni-award","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/news\/2022\/11\/11\/amir-mehr-92-honored-with-distinguished-alumni-award\/","title":{"rendered":"Amir Mehr \u201892 Honored with Distinguished Alumni Award"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Lea Hart<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amir Mehr\u2019s time at North Carolina State University wasn\u2019t just a four-year college experience, it was the start of lifelong relationships with the people he met and with the university itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amir came from New Jersey to enroll at NC State in 1988. Seeking a big university with a vibrant athletics scene and warmer weather, he enrolled at NC State \u2013 his top choice \u2013 without having the benefit of being able to tour the campus. Today, he looks back with no regrets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was just a great experience moving down here; I loved going to school here,\u201d he said. \u201cI met a lot of great friends that are still friends to-date, and most importantly, it\u2019s where I met my wife as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His wife, Anne, was enrolled at Meredith College where she graduated in 1993, and the two said much of their social life revolved around NC State and Amir\u2019s fraternity, where he met so many people he still calls friends today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He knew he wanted to study business \u2013 this was before the Poole College of Management existed \u2013 but wasn\u2019t sure what area he\u2019d study. It was the instructors in his accounting courses that helped Amir settle on a major.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI had a series of great teachers in accounting that made it really interesting for me,\u201d he said. \u201cI can remember that feeling like the first time I said, this is definitely what I want to study.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\n

“I can remember that feeling like the first time I said, this is definitely what I want to study.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Amir graduated with a bachelor of arts in Accounting in 1992, and spent much of the last 30 years working in the financial services industry in investment banks across New York and London, specializing in fixed income capital markets. He currently works for Kensington Mortgages, a United Kingdom-based company, as portfolio strategy, credit and analytics director and also sits on the board of their parent company. The couple lives in North Raleigh, but Amir often travels to the UK for his work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This fall, Amir will be recognized with Poole College of Management\u2019s 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award. Looking at his family\u2019s commitment to NC State over the years, it\u2019s easy to see the honor is well-deserved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anne and Amir have stayed connected to NC State and the Poole College of Management in many ways. Amir was appointed to serve on Poole College\u2019s Advisory Board<\/a>, while Anne serves on NC State\u2019s Board for Student Success, which supports the Division of Academic and Student Affairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s more, NC State and Poole College are quickly becoming a family tradition. Amir\u2019s sister, Ghazale Johnston, attended NC State as well and has her own relationship with the university, currently serving as chair of the NC State Foundation Board. Two of Amir and Anne\u2019s children also chose to attend NC State. Matthew graduated Poole College in 2022 while Madelyn is currently double-majoring in Business Administration and Political Science. Their youngest, Harrison, is a high school senior this year, so it\u2019s possible there\u2019s another member joining the Wolfpack soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you look at our family, NC State is really entrenched,\u201d Amir said. \u201cIt\u2019s something that\u2019s part of our lives, and at the front of our minds a lot of the time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\n

\u201cIf you look at our family, NC State is really entrenched. It\u2019s something that\u2019s part of our lives, and at the front of our minds a lot of the time.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Those meaningful connections are part of the reason Amir and Anne chose to create the Mehr Family Faculty Enrichment Endowment last year. The funds from the endowment will be used to support faculty excellence at Poole in any number of ways. Some examples include use for faculty recruitment and retention, faculty enrichment activities, or research support, among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amir said they chose to support Poole\u2019s faculty after the college\u2019s leadership team identified this as an area of need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt just makes sense,\u201d Amir said. \u201cIf you have really talented individuals teaching students, you get better educated students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI had great experiences with faculty when I was at NC State, and without some of the mentors I had, I might have been in a different position coming out \u2013 it felt like a natural way to help.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s also about a desire to give back instilled in them by their own families growing up, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe try to impart this on our children, and our parents imparted it on us \u2013 when you are fortunate, one of your biggest responsibilities is to give back,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As they come full circle, too, now watching their own children have meaningful experiences at Poole College and NC State, it\u2019s been an opportunity to witness how Poole College has grown and developed and that\u2019s something they want to support for the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI remember the program way before it was Poole College, and I thought it was great then,\u201d Amir said. \u201cIf you think about it, it\u2019s a fairly young business school and it\u2019s amazing to see what they\u2019ve done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the volume and types of courses Poole offers, to the forward-thinking emphasis on data and analytics, Amir said the college is doing all the right things to produce the best graduates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both Amir and Anne say they\u2019ve been impressed as well with the network of relationships Poole has developed among potential employers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though it\u2019s Amir that will be honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award, he\u2019s quick to say that it was only possible thanks to his support system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis wouldn\u2019t have happened without the mentors and experiences I had at NC State, the friends I made there, and the backing of my parents who taught me the importance of resilience and who helped send me there, as well as my brother and sister and their friendship,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd then my wife, who is the one person I always know is on my side who, along with my kids, are my inspiration.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\n

\u201cTo receive this award and be honored with this means a lot, but it\u2019s not something that was done on an island \u2013 I have an incredibly supportive cast and crew along with me.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo receive this award and be honored with this means a lot, but it\u2019s not something that was done on an island \u2013 I have an incredibly supportive cast and crew along with me.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":"\n\n\n\n\n

By Lea Hart<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amir Mehr\u2019s time at North Carolina State University wasn\u2019t just a four-year college experience, it was the start of lifelong relationships with the people he met and with the university itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amir came from New Jersey to enroll at NC State in 1988. Seeking a big university with a vibrant athletics scene and warmer weather, he enrolled at NC State \u2013 his top choice \u2013 without having the benefit of being able to tour the campus. Today, he looks back with no regrets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was just a great experience moving down here; I loved going to school here,\u201d he said. \u201cI met a lot of great friends that are still friends to-date, and most importantly, it\u2019s where I met my wife as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His wife, Anne, was enrolled at Meredith College where she graduated in 1993, and the two said much of their social life revolved around NC State and Amir\u2019s fraternity, where he met so many people he still calls friends today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He knew he wanted to study business \u2013 this was before the Poole College of Management existed \u2013 but wasn\u2019t sure what area he\u2019d study. It was the instructors in his accounting courses that helped Amir settle on a major.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI had a series of great teachers in accounting that made it really interesting for me,\u201d he said. \u201cI can remember that feeling like the first time I said, this is definitely what I want to study.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I can remember that feeling like the first time I said, this is definitely what I want to study.<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Amir graduated with a bachelor of arts in Accounting in 1992, and spent much of the last 30 years working in the financial services industry in investment banks across New York and London, specializing in fixed income capital markets. He currently works for Kensington Mortgages, a United Kingdom-based company, as portfolio strategy, credit and analytics director and also sits on the board of their parent company. The couple lives in North Raleigh, but Amir often travels to the UK for his work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This fall, Amir will be recognized with Poole College of Management\u2019s 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award. Looking at his family\u2019s commitment to NC State over the years, it\u2019s easy to see the honor is well-deserved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anne and Amir have stayed connected to NC State and the Poole College of Management in many ways. Amir was appointed to serve on Poole College\u2019s Advisory Board<\/a>, while Anne serves on NC State\u2019s Board for Student Success, which supports the Division of Academic and Student Affairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s more, NC State and Poole College are quickly becoming a family tradition. Amir\u2019s sister, Ghazale Johnston, attended NC State as well and has her own relationship with the university, currently serving as chair of the NC State Foundation Board. Two of Amir and Anne\u2019s children also chose to attend NC State. Matthew graduated Poole College in 2022 while Madelyn is currently double-majoring in Business Administration and Political Science. Their youngest, Harrison, is a high school senior this year, so it\u2019s possible there\u2019s another member joining the Wolfpack soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you look at our family, NC State is really entrenched,\u201d Amir said. \u201cIt\u2019s something that\u2019s part of our lives, and at the front of our minds a lot of the time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you look at our family, NC State is really entrenched. It\u2019s something that\u2019s part of our lives, and at the front of our minds a lot of the time.<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Those meaningful connections are part of the reason Amir and Anne chose to create the Mehr Family Faculty Enrichment Endowment last year. The funds from the endowment will be used to support faculty excellence at Poole in any number of ways. Some examples include use for faculty recruitment and retention, faculty enrichment activities, or research support, among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amir said they chose to support Poole\u2019s faculty after the college\u2019s leadership team identified this as an area of need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt just makes sense,\u201d Amir said. \u201cIf you have really talented individuals teaching students, you get better educated students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI had great experiences with faculty when I was at NC State, and without some of the mentors I had, I might have been in a different position coming out \u2013 it felt like a natural way to help.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s also about a desire to give back instilled in them by their own families growing up, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe try to impart this on our children, and our parents imparted it on us \u2013 when you are fortunate, one of your biggest responsibilities is to give back,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As they come full circle, too, now watching their own children have meaningful experiences at Poole College and NC State, it\u2019s been an opportunity to witness how Poole College has grown and developed and that\u2019s something they want to support for the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI remember the program way before it was Poole College, and I thought it was great then,\u201d Amir said. \u201cIf you think about it, it\u2019s a fairly young business school and it\u2019s amazing to see what they\u2019ve done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the volume and types of courses Poole offers, to the forward-thinking emphasis on data and analytics, Amir said the college is doing all the right things to produce the best graduates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both Amir and Anne say they\u2019ve been impressed as well with the network of relationships Poole has developed among potential employers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though it\u2019s Amir that will be honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award, he\u2019s quick to say that it was only possible thanks to his support system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis wouldn\u2019t have happened without the mentors and experiences I had at NC State, the friends I made there, and the backing of my parents who taught me the importance of resilience and who helped send me there, as well as my brother and sister and their friendship,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd then my wife, who is the one person I always know is on my side who, along with my kids, are my inspiration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To receive this award and be honored with this means a lot, but it\u2019s not something that was done on an island \u2013 I have an incredibly supportive cast and crew along with me.<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo receive this award and be honored with this means a lot, but it\u2019s not something that was done on an island \u2013 I have an incredibly supportive cast and crew along with me.\u201d<\/p>\n"},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Amir Mehr\u2019s time at North Carolina State University wasn\u2019t just a four-year college experience, it was the start of lifelong relationships with the people he met and with the university itself.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":22410,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"source":"","ncst_custom_author":"","ncst_show_custom_author":false,"ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"ncst\/default-post-header","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"{\"showAuthor\":false,\"showDate\":true,\"showFeaturedVideo\":false,\"displayCategoryID\":1652,\"caption\":\"Amir Mehr and his wife, Anne\"}","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","ncst_content_audit_display":false,"ncst_backToTopFlag":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1802,1652,286],"tags":[],"_ncst_magazine_issue":[],"class_list":["post-22409","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni-profiles","category-awards","category-newswire"],"displayCategory":{"term_id":1652,"name":"Awards & Recognitions","slug":"awards","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1652,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":1811,"count":124,"filter":"raw"},"acf":{"ncst_posts_meta_modified_date":null},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22409","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22409"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22409\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22411,"href":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22409\/revisions\/22411"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22410"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22409"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22409"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22409"},{"taxonomy":"_ncst_magazine_issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/poole.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/_ncst_magazine_issue?post=22409"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}