Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Sorrell College of Business alumna Teresa White, president of Aflac U.S., has been selected as one of 27 members of the 2022 Class of Influential Leaders by the AACSB International, the leading business school accrediting agency.

“Teresa White is truly a trailblazer and sets an example of leadership toward which our business students can aspire,” said Sorrell College Dean Dr. Judson Edwards. “She is key member of the Aflac Executive Management Team where diversity, equity and inclusion is a foundational tenant of their corporate culture.”

The annual initiative recognizes notable alumni from AACSB-accredited business schools whose inspiring work serves as a model for the next generation of business leaders, and this year’s class features champions of diversity and inclusion.

White, who completed her Master of Management Degree through Troy University’s operations in the Phenix City/Columbus, Ga. area, is a veteran in the financial services industry with more than two decades of experience. She is a visionary leader with a proven track record of augmenting operations, driving revenue, promoting compensation equity, and fostering an inclusive and diverse workforce.

In 2015, White created Bold Moves, an eight-week summer program at Girls, Inc. in Columbus, Georgia to inspire African American girls ages 13 to 17. Nearly 30 women, who are community and business leaders, teach the girls various lessons, ranging from personal finance and entrepreneurship to business etiquette, resume writing and more.

“Her leadership has garnered much praise throughout the business world and it is being recognized with this award. She is helping to change lives for the better through the dedicated efforts under her executive guidance,” Edwards said.

Under White’s leadership, Aflac reshaped its internal processes to respond to the changing dynamics in the marketplace. She uses technology innovation, strategic partnerships and corporate development to bring solutions, tools and services that consumers, employers and brokers need.

The 2022 honorees include advocates across businesses, nonprofits, academia, and governments who are educating and empowering others to create welcoming, inclusive spaces for all. Together, they represent one facet of business education’s efforts to elevate diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in the workforce and society—a key feature of AACSB’s 2020 business accreditation standards and the focus of a recently released positioning paper. The paper illustrates AACSB’s commitment to equitable access to high-quality business education globally and calls on the business education community to embed the tenets of DEIB into its strategies and cultures.

The unique stories of each honoree, and how they are creating meaningful, lasting impact in the world, are available at aacsb.edu/influential-leaders.

“For Troy University and Sorrell College of Business, Teresa White is the lighthouse for what is needed in the business community to inspire and change the world for the better. She lives our Troy motto, ‘educate the mind to think, the heart to feel and the body to act’,” Edwards said.