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Pepperdine University Names Two New Members to Board of Regents


Pepperdine University has added two new members to its Board of Regents, the governing board of the University.

Brett Biggs - Pepperdine Board of RegentsBrett Biggs is executive vice president and chief financial officer for Walmart, Inc. He is responsible for Walmart Enterprise Solutions, which includes all finance functions, as well as Global Business Services.

Before being appointed to his current role, Biggs held the role of chief financial officer for Walmart International, Walmart U.S., and Sam’s Club. He has also served as senior vice president of international strategy and mergers and acquisitions, of corporate finance, and of operations for Sam’s Club.

Prior to joining Walmart in 2000, Biggs held various mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance positions with Leggett & Platt, Phillips Petroleum Company, and Price Waterhouse.

Biggs is involved in various civic functions, including serving on the board of directors for MANA, a nonprofit group focused on acute malnutrition in African children, and the Walton Arts Center Board. He recently joined the board of trustees of the National Urban League and also serves as Walmart’s corporate representative on the McCombs School of Business Advisory Council at the University of Texas. Within Walmart, he serves on the Walmart Foundation Board and as an executive sponsor for the Hispanic-Latino Resource Group.

Biggs graduated summa cum laude from Harding University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and later received an MBA with honors from Oklahoma State University. He serves in various advisory roles at Harding University.

He and his wife, Kara, have two daughters—one of whom is a first-year student at Seaver College—and live in Rogers, Arkansas.

Seth Haye - Pepperdine Board of Regents

Seth A. Haye (’02) is an executive director at Morgan Stanley and a senior partner of the Oaks Group, where he provides leadership and guidance regarding all financial matters that impact the lives of his clients.

In 2018, Haye made the inaugural list of Forbes’ Best-In-State Financial Advisors*. The previous year, he was named to Forbes’ list of America's Top Next Generation Wealth Advisors**, ranking #16 (out of the top 500) in the US and #2 in California.

For the past three years, On Wall Street magazine has chosen Haye for its list of the Top 40 Under 40***. The list ranks financial advisors from all major investment firms in the US. Starting at #40 on this prestigious list in 2016, Haye jumped to #20 in 2017, and most recently he was ranked #13.

In 2016 Haye was also honored to be named to Pepperdine University’s inaugural Top 40 Under 40 list, and he received the Seaver College Young Alumni Award in 2012. In 2015 he was identified by the Financial Times as one of the Top 400 Financial Advisors in America.

Haye and his wife, Jolyn (’02), are involved with multiple boards and organizations both domestically and abroad. Seth serves on the University Board at Pepperdine University, and the couple recently established an endowed scholarship for Christian leaders at Pepperdine. Other philanthropic passions include helping several organizations that support foster youth, fighting against human trafficking, and funding clean water wells in third-world countries. The Haye family has been actively involved in their community church for over 20 years. For rejuvenation, Seth enjoys surfing, skiing, weightlifting, and golfing at North Ranch Country Club where he serves on the membership committee.

Seth and Jolyn, high school sweethearts, have been married for 16 years. The couple met in Seattle and both attended Pepperdine. They were engaged while spending an academic year in Florence, Italy, and now live with their two children in Westlake Village, California.


About the Pepperdine University Board of Regents

The Board of Regents is the legal governing body and chief policy board of Pepperdine University. Life Regents are recognized and honored for their extraordinary service as past regents. The University administration works with the Board of Regents to shape policy and direction for Pepperdine University.


* Source: Forbes.com(February 2018). Best-in-State Wealth Advisors ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person and telephone due diligence meetings and a ranking algorithm that includes: client retention, industry experience, review of compliance records, and firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, including assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion. Rankings are based on the opinions of SHOOK Research, LLC and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client’s experience. Neither Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC nor its financial advisors or private wealth advisors pay a fee to Forbes or SHOOK Research in exchange for the ranking. For more information:www.shookresearch.com.

** Source: Forbes Magazine (July 2017). Data provided by SHOOKTM Research, LLC. Data as of March 31, 2017. SHOOK considered financial advisors born in 1980 or later with a minimum four (4) years relevant experience, who have: built their own practices and led their teams; joined teams and are viewed as future leadership; or a combination of both. Ranking algorithm is based on qualitative measures: telephone and in-person interviews, client retention, industry experience, credentials, review of compliance records, and firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, such as: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and advisors rarely have audited performance reports. Rankings are based on the opinions of SHOOK Research, LLC, which does not receive compensation from the advisors or their firms in exchange for placement on a ranking. The rating may not be representative of any one client’s experience and is not indicative of the financial advisor’s future performance. Neither Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC nor its financial advisors or private wealth advisors pay a fee to Forbes or SHOOK Research in exchange for the ranking. For more information:www.shookresearch.com.

*** On Wall Street's Top 40 Under 40 asks brokerage firms to nominate their top young brokers. Of those nominated, On Wall Street bases its rankings on quantitative and qualitative criteria. Financial advisors are ranked by their annual trailing 12-month production (as of September 30, 2014). The rating is not indicative of the advisor's future performance. Neither Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC nor its financial advisors pay a fee to On Wall Street in exchange for the rating.