Alumni Awards

Dr. Rosemary Carucci Goss, a 1974 distinguished alumna of Concord University, has devoted her life to education, leadership, service, and philanthropy. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Concord before completing a master’s at Virginia Tech and a doctorate at Florida State University—establishing a foundation for a career that left a lasting mark on students, institutions, and industries across the country.

Rosemary served as a professor of apparel, housing, and resource management in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences at Virginia Tech, where she was a valued member of the university community for nearly five decades. In 1986, she founded the nationally recognized Residential Property Management program at Virginia Tech, pioneering academic pathways in this emerging industry. In a fitting recognition of her profound influence on the field, she was named residential property management advisory board professor emerita.

She has served as associate editor of Housing and Society, editorial board member of Cityscape, and reviewer for several academic publications. She held key leadership roles in national professional organizations, including president of the Housing Education and Research Association, and was active in the National Apartment Association and the Institute for Real Estate Management.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Rosemary has been a steadfast champion for Concord University and its students. She has shown an unwavering commitment to ensuring a bright future for Concord through her volunteer service with the Concord University Foundation Board of Directors. She was first appointed to the board in 2016 and served two consecutive four-year terms, concluding in June 2024. She served as treasurer from 2020 through 2024 and, after a brief required hiatus, rejoined the board on July 1, 2025.

Her leadership further expanded through her role as chair of the CU Ascend capital campaign, where her insight and dedication were instrumental in the campaign’s tremendous success—surpassing its $16 million goal to support Concord’s future growth and impact.

Rosemary has also demonstrated deep generosity through philanthropy. In 1997, she established the Carucci Goss Family Scholarship, providing critical support to students in their academic journeys. Recognizing the importance of experiential learning, she later created the Carucci Goss Fund for Excellence, which supports student and faculty travel, research projects, and leadership development—especially for members of Panhellenic organizations.

Al Guenthner graduated from Concord University in 1966 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. During his time at Concord, Al distinguished himself both academically and athletically. He was a three-year starting member of the Mountain Lions baseball team, demonstrating leadership and dedication on the field. He also became a proud member of Phi Sigma Epsilon as soon as he was eligible—an affiliation that fostered lifelong friendships and deep personal connections.

In 1972, Al joined the Wachovia Bank Trust Department as its economist. His talents and leadership quickly propelled him upward, and in the mid-1980s, he was named research director. In 1985, he and his team developed the Private Market Value Model—an innovative approach to stock selection that achieved notable success throughout the decade. His role evolved further in 1999, when he became a sector analyst for the department, deepening his influence on strategic investment decisions.

Demonstrating entrepreneurial vision, Al later became a part of Tanglewood Asset Management alongside several senior professionals from Wachovia. The firm’s expertise attracted the attention of Novant Health, Inc., which acquired Tanglewood to manage the financial assets of its foundation. In 2007, Novant Asset Management was established, where Al went on to manage the Novant Opportunistic Equity Fund beginning in 2008.

Throughout his career, Al has exemplified integrity, innovation, and leadership. From his early days as a Concord student-athlete to his decades of achievement in the financial sector, he has consistently demonstrated a commitment to excellence, and CUAA is proud to honor Al with the Golden Alumnus Award for 2025, recognizing his outstanding accomplishments and lasting connection to the Concord community.

Dr. Joseph P. Cincinnati, D.O. is a 1986 graduate of Concord and a 1992 graduate of West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. He trained in orthopedic surgery at Doctors Hospital, Inc., of Stark County, Ohio, and completed his residency at both Ohio University and Doctors Hospital.

Joseph has been practicing since 1997, when he first arrived in the Martinsburg, W.Va., area after being recruited by City Hospital, Inc. A year later, Joseph started his own practice, Center for Orthopedic Excellence, where he continued to grow the practice by adding partners to better serve the community.  To further meet the surgical needs of the community, he and his partners designed and built Tri-State Surgical Center. The facility is accredited by ACHC (Accreditation Commission for Health Care), meeting Medicare accreditation standards. In October 2021, the Total Joint Program became certified by ACHC after meeting the highest standards. The Center for Orthopedic Excellence and Tri-State Surgical Center recently merged with Valley Health Systems.  He specializes in joint replacements, general orthopedics, trauma, and fracture care.

Joseph has been Board Certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Orthopedic Surgery since 1999. He has held numerous committee memberships, including president of the medical staff at Berkeley Medical Center. He is a clinical assistant professor of orthopedic surgery for West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine and West Virginia University School of Medicine.  He is a preceptor for the Eastern West Virginia Rural Health Education Consortium.  His professional organizational active memberships include: West Virginia Orthopedic Society, West Virginia Society of Osteopathic Medicine, American Osteopathic Association, and American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopedics.

Dr. Mandy Wriston ‘98 is a native Appalachian professional with almost two decades of experience in the Travel and Tourism Industry. Her early career occupations include group tour and grant specialist for the Southern West Virginia Convention and Visitors Bureau, director of operations and finance for the Raleigh County Recreation Authority, tourism specialist and event coordinator for the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce/New River Gorge Convention and Visitors bureau. She coordinated West Virginia’s largest one-day extreme sport festival, Official Bridge Day, from 2012 to 2019.

In higher education, her experience spans several areas of high-ranking positions, including dean of students and campus life, coordinator/doctor of executive leadership program, and assistant dean of Mountain State University Academy.

Mandy is currently the owner of Appalachian Queen Consulting and Public Relations LLC. She gives her time by using her public relations and marketing skills to help publicize community events coordinated by nonprofits and other citizens of her community. In addition, she volunteers as a consultant/board member and lead mentor for Leadership Fayette County, a non-profit youth leadership program in West Virginia.

She is a member of Rotary International and is the secretary for the Canyon Rim Rotary Club chapter. Mandy also recently joined the board of the Historic Fayette Theater. Finally, she is the chapter secretary for Alpha Sigma Alpha Country Roads Alumnae Chapter.

Dr. Jade Gallimore is the program director of the General Surgery Residency at Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC) and an assistant professor of surgery at the CAMC Institute for Academic Medicine in Charleston, W.Va. Originally from northeast Tennessee, she followed her brother to Concord University, where she graduated summa cum laude in 2009 with dual bachelor’s degrees in biology and business administration.

Jade taught high school for two years before pursuing her medical education. She went on to earn her doctor of osteopathic medicine and master of business administration, both summa cum laude, from Lincoln Memorial University – DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2015. Jade completed her general surgery residency at CAMC in 2020, serving as administrative chief resident during her final year.

Jade returned to Charleston in 2021 to join the surgical faculty and pursue her passion for residency education. She was appointed associate program director in 2021 and became program director in 2023. She is board certified by the American Board of Surgery, where she serves as an examiner for the certifying examination and is a vice chair of the Continuous Certification Committee. Nationally, she is an active member of the Association of Program Directors in Surgery, where she serves on the Independent Academic Medical Center Committee, and of the Southeastern Surgical Congress, where she chairs the Education and Training Committee. She serves as a member of the editorial board on The Surgical Council on Resident Education (SCORE®).

Steven “Chase” Brown is an elementary educator and instructional leader from Wyoming County, West Virginia. At Concord University, Chase embraced leadership inside and outside the classroom. He served as a resident assistant, vice president of the Appalachian Leadership and Education Foundation, and an active member of Tau Kappa Epsilon, while earning recognition through numerous scholarships and awards, including Concord’s Outstanding Elementary Education Award. Concord also gave him one of his greatest blessings—meeting his wife, Katie, a fellow education major. Today, they both teach at Berlin McKinney Elementary, where they share their passion for shaping young learners.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education in 2021, Chase began his career in Wyoming County, where he served as both a kindergarten and second-grade teacher. His leadership in the school community has included directing the PBIS committee, facilitating student council, and serving as an LSIC representative. In recognition of his impact, he was honored as Berlin McKinney Elementary’s Teacher of the Year and later named the 2024–2025 Wyoming County Teacher of the Year.

Chase is currently pursuing a Master of Education in Instructional Leadership. He and Katie are excitedly preparing to welcome twin boys—future Concord alumni themselves—as they continue modeling their family’s legacy of service and their shared belief that every child is worthy of love, opportunity, and excellence in education.

Building on these accomplishments, Chase founded Champions for Children LLC, through which he partners with ESSI Inc. to provide professional development, curriculum support, and coaching to educators across West Virginia.