Standing on Ellis Island this spring as a recipient of the 2026 Ellis Island Medal of Honor, A. Hamid Andalib (’85) reflected less on his own accomplishments and more on the journey that brought him there.
“This recognition is something I hold with deep humility,” Andalib said following the ceremony. “I do not see it as mine alone, but as a reflection of the communities that welcomed me, supported me and gave me the opportunity to grow—especially here in Chattanooga and across Tennessee.”
Recognition of the American Spirit
Presented annually by the Ellis Island Honors Society, the medal recognizes individuals whose lives and work embody the American spirit of leadership, service and opportunity. Past honorees include presidents, civil rights leaders, entrepreneurs and global changemakers. Past recipients have included Muhammad Ali, Rosa Parks, Frank Sinatra, Elie Wiesel, Malala Yousafzai, Bob Hope, Rita Moreno, Joe Biden, John McCain, Sandra Day O’Connor, Madeleine Albright, Condoleezza Rice and many others.
For Andalib, the moment carried particular meaning.
Born in Dezful, Iran, he arrived in the United States at age 17, alone and with little understanding of what awaited him. He came just before the Iranian Revolution, leaving behind instability and uncertainty in search of freedom and opportunity.
“When I came to America, it was all about survival,” Andalib said. “I had no family here. My sponsor didn’t even show up when I arrived. Thinking about a career was the furthest thing from my mind. It was simply, ‘How do I survive?’
That determination eventually led him to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where he earned a degree in electrical engineering in 1985 while working his way through school. He remembers UTC not only as the place where he built a professional foundation, but where he first experienced a true sense of belonging.
Hamid Andalib after the Ellis Island Medal of Honor Awards Ceremony
Hamid Andalib receiving the recognition on May 16, 2026
“The warmth and kindness of people here meant everything to me,” he said. “UTC gave me a feeling of community involvement and connection that stayed with me long after graduation.”
An Enrepreneurial Path
Even as a student, Andalib’s entrepreneurial instincts were already emerging. Just months after graduating, he purchased The Loft, then the largest restaurant in Tennessee, with 625 seats and 85 employees. What began as an ambitious leap became the first chapter in a career defined by innovation, calculated risk and unconventional thinking.
“If you can solve a complex engineering problem, you can solve a restaurant problem,” he said with a laugh.
He would go on to create VIPGift, an early innovator in the incentive and loyalty industry. The company grew into a national platform generating more than $120 million in annual revenue before its successful exit to Silicon Valley. Today, he serves as the founder and CEO of EE Incentives.
Yet Andalib insists that business success alone was never the destination.
“My life has been phases,” he said. “First survival, then learning to live, then striving to succeed. But success by itself is not enough. When your success becomes a blessing to others, that’s when you reach significance.”
That philosophy has shaped his work far beyond business. Over the years, Andalib has served on numerous civic and nonprofit boards, helped raise millions of dollars for healthcare and educational initiatives and mentored entrepreneurs, students and first-generation immigrants.
Receiving the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, he said, reinforced his belief in the ideals that first drew him to America.
“I came to America to become an American,” Andalib said. “This country gave me opportunity, but it also gave me responsibility. You add value. You help make things better for the next generation.”
UTC gave me a feeling of community involvement and connection that stayed with me long after graduation.
Hamid Andalib (’85)
Giving Back to UTC
Today, that commitment brings him back to UTC to interact and mentor students.
“The science of success can be taught in books,” he said. “But the art of success comes from living it—through obstacles, setbacks, failures and perseverance.”
Dr. Robert Dooley, dean of the Gary W. Rollins College of Business, said Andalib’s involvement on campus is the kind of alumni engagement that deeply benefits students and the university community.
“Hamid’s entrepreneurial journey, leadership and commitment to service made him a natural choice for inclusion in the Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame in 2002,” Dooley said. “His experiences in life and business provide an invaluable perspective for our students. Having alumni like Hamid actively engaged with campus enriches the learning experience in ways that cannot be replicated in a textbook and reflects an enduring commitment to his alma mater.”
Andalib hopes students will understand that resilience, purpose and relationships matter just as much as business strategy or technical knowledge.
“If your purpose is bigger than yourself, a power bigger than yourself will show up,” he said.
Reflecting on the Journey
Looking back now, Andalib sees his story not as one of individual achievement, but of collective impact—built through mentors, community and opportunity. From a teenager arriving in America alone to a nationally honored entrepreneur and civic leader, he believes the most meaningful measure of success remains simple.
“To me, significance means this,” he said. “How can I impact as many people in the most positive way I can?”
The science of success can be taught in books. But the art of success comes from living it—through obstacles, setbacks, failures and perseverance.
Hamid Andalib