Deborah Adishian-Astone, associate vice president of Auxiliary Operations and Enterprise Development at California State University, Fresno, has been awarded the Rising Star Award from the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO).

Adishian-Astone was one of only two university administrators in the nation to earn the distinction.

The award recognizes leadership skills in areas that include business practices, organizational development, institutional effectiveness, institutional productivity, and technology and infrastructure management. She was nominated for the award by the Cynthia Teniente-Matson, Fresno State’s Vice President for Administration and Chief Financial Officer.
The honor will be presented at NACUBO’s 2008 annual meeting July 12-15 in Chicago.

“I am extremely honored to receive this award,” said Adishian-Astone, who is responsible for managing various units within Auxiliary Services, including the bookstore, food services, housing, administrative services and the Save Mart Center. “I hope this award reflects my dedication and commitment to Fresno State’s mission and the students we serve.”

She helped plan and develop the Save Mart Center, the Student Recreation Center and the Campus Pointe development, a public-private project on university land now under way, which will include a theater, retail and office space, full-service business hotel and multifamily and senior housing.

Adishian-Astone started working for Fresno State part time in 1983 when she was a student, and joined the staff full time in 1988 as assistant facilities planner. She advanced to director of Facilities Planning and then assistant to the vice president for Administration before being promoted to associate vice president in 2006.

“I have been very fortunate to have had some exciting opportunities and career growth here at Fresno State,” she said. “I have always been one who looks forward to future opportunities and challenges.”

Astone holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis on marketing and management and an MBA from Fresno State. She completed the Management Development Program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.