Trulaske College of Business recognizes recent alumni with achievement awards
The University of Missouri’s Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business recognized three accomplished recent alumni during its annual Honors Dinner. The Recent Alumni Achievement Award celebrates outstanding volunteer support of the Trulaske College of Business as well as the professional accomplishments of alumni who received their degrees within the past 15 years.
“In addition to their tremendous professional accomplishments, this year’s recipients provided key leadership to our college and inspired students through their engagement with Trulaske and their achievements in the professional community,” said Balaji Rajagopalan, Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. Dean of the Trulaske College of Business. “We are honored that professionals in the early stages of their own careers would invest their time and experience to help our students advance theirs.”
Recipients of the 2026 Recent Alumni Achievement Awards
JJ BENNETT, BS ACC/M ACC ’10
PARTNER
GRANT THORNTON
JJ Bennett is a proud University of Missouri alumnus who grew up in Columbia, Missouri, where his connection to Mizzou began and continues to this day. He earned his master of accounting from the University of Missouri in 2010, an experience that shaped both his professional path and his personal life. It was at Mizzou where he met his wife, Elise, making the university a lasting part of their story. JJ’s professional journey also began at Mizzou, where his first accounting role was with the University of Missouri System’s financial reporting group. That early experience laid the foundation for a career built on curiosity, integrity, and strong relationships. After leaving Mizzou, JJ joined Grant Thornton, where he has spent over 15 years working with both public and private companies across a variety of industries. He is an audit partner based in Kansas City.
JJ continues to stay closely connected to the University of Missouri, finding meaningful ways to give back to the place that shaped his career. He regularly returns to campus to support recruiting efforts, serves on the School of Accountancy Advisory Board, and values every opportunity to reconnect with friends and family in Columbia. He has served on advisory boards for several Kansas City based non-profits and is active in local philanthropic efforts. His ongoing involvement reflects a deep appreciation for Mizzou and a commitment to supporting future generations of Tigers.
CIARA IMANI MAY, BSBA ’17
FOUNDER/CEO
REBUNDLE
Ciara Imani May is the founder and CEO of Rebundle, the first U.S.-made plant-based hair extensions brand on a mission to inspire braid wearers to ditch the itch™. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a master’s degree in social entrepreneurship from the University of Southern California. Through Rebundle, Ciara is working to reduce health and environmental disparities in the beauty industry that disproportionately affect Black women.
Rebundle was founded in 2019 after Ciara, frustrated by chronic scalp irritation from synthetic braiding hair, began researching safer alternatives. What she uncovered about the toxic plastics and environmental harm embedded in traditional extensions sparked a deeper mission. She went on to develop braidbetter, Rebundle’s patented plant-based braiding hair made from repurposed biopolymers and naturally extracted banana fiber. The result is a lightweight, itch-free, and biodegradable alternative to conventional synthetic hair. Ciara’s combination of business discipline and social impact strategy uniquely positions Rebundle at the intersection of beauty, health, and climate innovation. Her vision is to redefine the global hair extensions industry by centering safety, sustainability, and community.
LINDSAY (DURBIN) MULLENGER, BSBA ’10
FOUNDER & CEO
PETITE KEEP
Lindsay Mullenger is the founder and CEO of Petite Keep, a personalization-first brand helping families celebrate life’s most meaningful moments through heirloom-quality keepsakes.
Lindsay began her career at Procter & Gamble, where she learned the discipline of building enduring consumer brands and developed a deep appreciation for products that become part of everyday family life. That experience continues to shape the way she approaches building Petite Keep today — creating products that earn a permanent place in families’ homes and traditions.
In 2018, while preparing for the arrival of her second daughter, Lindsay found herself saving the small items that carried so much meaning. But she struggled to find a beautiful and lasting place to store them. When she couldn’t find anything that felt worthy of the memories she wanted to preserve, she decided to create it herself.
That simple idea — giving families a beautiful place to keep life’s most sentimental items — became Petite Keep.
What started as a personal solution quickly resonated with families everywhere. Today, Petite Keep has grown into a rapidly expanding direct-to-consumer brand known for its signature Keepsake Trunks and personalization-first experience. Based in St. Louis and powered by a fully female team, the company blends thoughtful design, craftsmanship, and emotional connection to help families celebrate milestones from birth to adulthood.
At its heart, Petite Keep is rooted in the belief that memories deserve a home. Lindsay continues to lead the company with a vision of building a generational brand — one that helps families preserve their stories and pass them down for years to come.
Mizzou’s Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business prepares students for success as global citizens, business leaders, scholars, innovators and entrepreneurs by providing access to transformative technologies, offering experience-centered learning opportunities and fostering an entrepreneurial mindset.