Andrew Brock
Supporting Haslam's Future
Andrew Brock (HCB, ’98) is “all in” for supporting Haslam’s quest to fund its new building. He recently co-hosted a triumphant fundraising event at his home in Dallas, with help from his Knoxville-based sister Jennifer Brock Callais (CCI, ’95). The dinner drew area alumni with a history of giving to the university.
“The idea was to bring Rocky Top to town and tell the story of the college’s growth, along with needs for the new building, giving guests the opportunity to create a legacy for their family and honor their story as it relates to the university,” Brock explains. “For alumni who have been away from campus for years, the phenomenal growth of the past decade is difficult to envision. Events like this one give them a chance to hear about it and to enjoy meeting other local alums.”
Hosting the event came from Brock’s desire to make his own gift toward the new building—a named classroom, in conjunction with his family — more impactful. “I wanted to do something more than simply writing a check,” he says. “I wanted to create an experience that celebrated the university and the alumni that support it.” Brock collaborated with Haslam development leaders to brainstorm plans for the event, which would act as a pilot for similar gatherings in other regions.
Chancellor Donde Plowman, Provost John Zomchick, Haslam Dean Steve Mangum, and a group of staff from the university development and chancellor’s offices were in attendance. “The chancellor even dragged the NCAA baseball trophy with her in a huge suitcase,” Brock says. The evening’s entertainment also featured a lively bluegrass band.
“Andrew was the perfect host, and all the guests had a wonderful time,” Mangum says. “Big Orange was well represented in Dallas, with ‘Rocky Top’ ringing through the neighborhood.”
The evening proved highly successful, netting more financial commitments than any single event in the recent history of the college. “This is just the beginning,” Brock says. “I hope to engage more alumni and friends of the university by creating opportunities to participate and a framework to mobilize the next generation of philanthropists.”
Brock, a Knoxville native who studied finance at Haslam, has led a storied career with stints at Brunswick Corporation, Kraft Foods, and PepsiCo before joining Associa, the world’s largest residential property management company, in 2012. He now serves as president of digital technologies and global CIO for Associa, and as president and CEO of HOAM Ventures, an independent investment company of Associa that develops and sells SaaS solutions and technology-enabled professional services to the real estate industry.
As a leader in finance and technology at a multi-billion-dollar firm and a national CIO of the year award winner, Brock has a front-row seat to the impact of emerging technologies, such as AI, on the field of business. “The pace has never moved this quickly, but it will also never move this slowly again,” he says. “With that in mind, how much more rapidly do educational institutions need to invest and innovate in order to equip students for the future of work and business?”
From scholarships to networking relationships, Brock says his education at Haslam set him up for success. “All aspects of being a student gave me the tools I needed to jump-start my career. I want to see future Haslam students enjoy those same experiences and opportunities.”
