Grand Canyon University Adds Six New Members To Hall of Fame

PHOENIX, Feb. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- One of the world's leading practitioners in digital messaging, the founder of a national insurance marketing firm and a former Alhambra Union High School District superintendent are among the 2016 Hall of Fame class at Grand Canyon University.

Those outstanding accomplishments are among the six alumni who will be inducted into GCU's Hall of Fame during a Homecoming ceremony at 3:30 p.m. Saturday on the Phoenix campus. The recipients were selected based on their professional achievements, contributions to the community, reflection of the GCU spirit and Christian ideals.

"This year's class really showcases how our alumni are leading in the areas of business, medicine, education, leadership and beyond," said Kimberlee Marlow, director of alumni relations at GCU. "These impressive alumni represent the rich history and impact that GCU has had and continues to make through our students."

This year's inductees are:

Max Fose, B.S. in Justice Studies, 1994 – The president and CEO of national advertising and digital strategy firm IWS has emerged as one of the world's leading practitioners in messaging and digital strategy. His work has been recognized by The Wall Street Journal, U.S. News and World Report, Newsweek, ABC World News Tonight, CBS Evening News, CNN and MSNBC.

Andrew Unkefer, B.S. in Marketing, 1990 – After marrying his high school sweetheart and fellow GCU alum Amy, Unkefer founded Unkefer & Associates, a national insurance marketing firm which now distributes financial solutions throughout the country.

Dr. Jim Rice, B.S. in Education, 1971 – Rice served the Alhambra Elementary School District for 39 years before retiring in 2010 as superintendent. He is also a member of the GCU Athletics Hall of Fame from his days on the men's basketball team and is a longtime University board member.

Dr. Brian Bucina, B.S. in Biology, 1998 – The surgeon and chairperson of the Department of Surgery at Little Colorado Medical Center in Winslow, Ariz., treats mostly Native Americans in an underserved area with limited resources. He also is the center's surgery chair, founder and medical director of the Wound Care Center and a clinical faculty member at four universities.

Dr. Nicholas J. Markette, M.S. in Leadership, 2008, EdD in Organizational Leadership, 2011 – The director of finance and strategy for Zenith Media and Tracking is also a senior doctoral adjunct for GCU's Colangelo College of Business, overseeing 24 adjunct faculty members who hold doctorates. Markette is a past winner of the Outstanding Graduate Dissertation Award from the Arizona Professors of Education Administration.

John Davis, Athletics Inductee, 2001 – The most honored men's golfer in GCU history is currently pursuing a professional golf comeback after a hiatus of more than a dozen years due to injuries. Davis still holds six GCU records, including tournament victories (11) and most rounds of par or better (60).

About Grand Canyon University: Grand Canyon University was founded in 1949 and is Arizona's premier private Christian university. GCU is regionally accredited and emphasizes individual attention for both traditional undergraduate students and the working professional. GCU offers traditional programs on its growing campus, as well as online bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs. The University's curriculum fuses academic and clinical rigor with Christian values to prepare its students to be skilled, caring professionals. For more information about GCU, visit gcu.edu.

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SOURCE Grand Canyon University