Business Achievement Recipients

Business Achievement Recipients

Martin Hirzel | Edward Huizenga | Joseph Nackashi

Martin Hirzel
Nominated by ZHAW

Martin Hirzel became President of Swissmem in January 2021, and has worked in the Swiss industry for more than 25 years. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Bucher Industries AG, Dätwyler Holding AG and three privately owned SMEs. He chairs both the Regional Economic Council of the Swiss National Bank, and the Advisory Board of ZHAW School of Management & Law. He was CEO of Autoneum Holding AG for nine years up to the end of 2019. Prior to this, he managed the market region South America, Middle East & Africa for four years, mainly from its headquarters in São Paulo, Brazil. Between 2000 and 2007 he lived in Shanghai, China, where he was responsible for establishing the local presence of Rieter Holding AG. A native of Zurich, Martin Hirzel started his career by doing a vocational apprenticeship before going on to study business management with a focus on industry and international production at ZHAW. He then completed the GMP at Harvard Business School. 

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Edward Huizenga
Nominated by Maastricht University

Edward Huizenga is an Endowed Professor at Maastricht University School of Business and Economics. His key expertise and business research entails strategy, innovation and behavior change. He is a thought leader on purpose-led strategy & behavior change. His current work on the Business Practice Chair puts an emphasis on the human side of business, by taking a closer look at strategic transformations, leadership impact, innovation success and behavioral change in organisations.

Beyond his professorship, Dr. Huizenga is Managing Partner at Benthurst & Co., a strategy consulting firm headquartered in Brussels, with offices in Amsterdam, Zurich, and New York. He teaches MBA and Executive Programs at Maastricht University School of Business & Economics, Randstad Frits Goldschmeding Academy, University of Amsterdam and NTU Singapore Nanyang Technology University.

He holds a Master of Science in Economics and a PhD in Innovation Management. His business research focuses on purpose-led strategy, transformative change and human decision making. Prof. Dr. Huizenga channels his passion for behavior science to tackle social issues with Hand Washing Angels, a social initiative that encourages the adoption of best practices in hand hygiene in Kenya, Uganda, India, and Vietnam.  

 

His academic publications include Sage teaching cases, multiple articles and 7 management books by leading publishers like Imperial College Press, World Scientific and Wolters Kluwer. His latest book Strategy Meets Behaviour, features how organisations can use behavior design principles to drive strategy execution.

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Joseph Nackashi
Nominated by Jacksonville University

Joe Nackashi began his career with a predecessor company to Black Knight, where he spent over 30 years.  He progressed through the ranks to be president and then Black Knight Inc. CEO. In 2015, Joe and three fellow Dolphin alumni Bryan Hipsher, Tom Peterson and Shelley Leonard were instrumental in Black Knight’s initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange.   

Joe credits JU’s Executive MBA program and the lasting connections he made during the program for his climb to the top of one of the country’s largest fintech companies.  He currently serves on the Executive Advisory Board for JU’s Davis College of Business & Technology.  Joe has been instrumental in generating community support for the college’s Executive MBA program.  As of 2023, Joe also serves on the Jacksonville University Board of Trustees.  

The company's commitment to sustainability is organized around supporting people, minimizing environmental impact, protecting privacy and enhancing oversight.  Establishing a diverse and inclusive workplace focused on employee development is key to their commitment.  The success of promoting these values was seen in recognition as a “Best Place to Work” for disability inclusion and LGBTQ equality.         
     
Today, Nackashi is the vice chair of ICE Mortgage Technology, where he oversees the company’s overall vision and direction. As their leader, he has a laser focus on ensuring the company continues to provide innovative software, data and analytics services to drive efficiencies in the mortgage lending and servicing and real estate industries, as well as the capital and secondary markets.

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