Colorado State University Announces Distinguished Alumni for 2011-12
Each year, the Colorado State University Alumni Association honors distinguished alumni and friends for their service to their communities, their professions, and the University. The following recipients will be honored at a banquet Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012 at 5:30 p.m. at the Lory Student Center. Information can be found and tickets can be purchased at www.alumni.colostate.edu or by calling (970) 491-6533.
William E. Morgan Alumni Achievement Award
Dennis Repp has a lifetime record of extraordinary achievements in business and philanthropy. He grew up on a farm in Merino, Colo., spending his elementary years in a tiny school where he was one of two children in his grade. From that inauspicious beginning he went on to successfully launch companies and to exhibit incredible generosity using the financial fruits of his success to make a significant difference in the lives of individuals worldwide.
Repp graduated from CSU in 1960 and then completed two advanced degrees. At CSU he was very involved in campus activities and was tapped as a Pacemaker, an award recognizing students for their academic achievement and campus involvement.
After serving in the Army, he joined Union Bank and progressed to be president of the bank’s venture capital operations. There, he provided seed capital to launch many successful ventures, including the Storage Technology Corporation in Boulder.
In 1972, he moved to Allstate Insurance to manage its venture capital operations. Under his direction, Allstate provided nearly 50 percent of all venture capital in the U.S. during the 1970s. Seed money was provided to 85 companies, including FedEx. Recently he has built his own companies, including the invention of multi-layer circuit boards, sorting devices for copy machines, identification of DNA mutant genes, and stem cell utilization. An enormous number of new desirable jobs have been created in the process.
Charles A. Lory Public Service Award
Charles ("Charlie") Grimwood is vice president–regional development at Salina Regional Health Center, a medical center serving more than 14 counties in central and north central Kansas. He holds a master of science and a doctorate in ecology from Kansas State University in addition to a master’s degree in administration from Central Michigan University.
Dr. Grimwood led the development of a network of 17 hospitals, helping to sustain access to healthcare across 10,000 square miles of rural Kansas. He also led the development of a busy regional trauma service and the only comprehensive behavioral health program between Topeka and Denver.
Jim and Nadine Henry Award
Shara Castle’s first job after graduating from CSU was in the West Wing of the White House, serving as a confidential assistant during the Reagan Administration. She served on the White House staff from 1988 to 1993, serving both President Reagan and President George Bush. While working with Bush she wrote, designed, and directed the "White House Intern Program." She also worked on President Bush’s "Points of Light" program, recognizing volunteer efforts around the nation.
Castle has conducted special projects for Colorado’s former First Lady, Frances Owens, designing and implementing "Colorado’s Easter Egg Roll" to promote literacy at the governor’s residence. She sat on Gov. Bill Owens’ Natural Area Planning Commission and served in the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Victims Assistance Unit. Twice, she served as the director of volunteers for the U.S. Senate campaign for Wayne Allard.
Albert C. Yates Student Leadership Award
Kelly Mason has a diverse background in community service through her college co-ed fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega. Because of her hard work and excellence in service in the fraternity, she received the Distinguished Service Key from her chapter. While attending CSU, Mason completed more than 350 hours of community service with organizations such as Shared Journeys, Animal House, and Alternative Spring Break. These projects helped enrich her college experience and she hopes to continue her involvement in the community now that she has graduated.
Mason works for CSU’s Housing and Dining Services as an assistant conference coordinator for the Office of Conference Services and as an office assistant for the Academic Village front desk.
GOLD – Graduate of the Last Decade Award
Matt Shoup founded M&E Painting with his last $100, and he has turned his business into an award-winning brand, which is now a household name in Northern Colorado with close to $10,000,000 in company revenue, 4,000 customers, and 18 prestigious local, state, and national company and entrepreneurial awards.
One of Mr. Shoup’s proudest achievements is the creation of the M&E Painting Free Paint Makeover. The Free Paint Makeover board selects recipients based on the home with greatest need for fresh paint, and the financial and surrounding circumstances of the owners. In 2009, Mr. Shoup founded his second company, Shoup Consulting, to inspire entrepreneurs around the world with his coaching, speaking, and writing.
Distinguished Faculty Award
After graduating from Oklahoma Baptist University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1956 and a doctorate in experimental psychology from the University of Oklahoma in 1964, Wayne Viney joined the CSU faculty in 1966. He served as head of the psychology department from 1967 to 1973, and as associate dean of the College of Natural Sciences and director of the University Core Curriculum in biology from 1973 to 1976.
He has been the recipient of 23 teaching and/or service awards including the Alumni Association’s Best Teacher Award in 2001. In 2003 he was recognized as a University Distinguished Teaching Scholar. He was recently recognized with a lifetime achievement award from the American Psychological Association’s Society for the History of Psychology. He has produced more than 75 is publications, including a leading text in the history of psychology. There is now a Chinese translation of the book and a Korean translation is under way. The book is used in Asia, Europe, the United States, and Canada. Dr. Viney has served as president of the Rocky Mountain Psychological Association and as president of the Society for the History of Psychology.
Distinguished Alumni Employee Award
Since 2000, Kathy Thornhill has been very involved in her role as an advisor and supervisor in CSU’s College of Business. In addition to leading myriad workshops and lectures through campus and student organizations, she also developed several programs aimed at increasing awareness and commitment to diversity and social justice issues.
While working full-time and earning her Ph.D., Dr. Thornhill taught in the President’s Leadership Program for two years; served as the chapter advisor of Alpha Kappa Psi, a professional business fraternity, for six years; and served seven years on the Administrative Professional Council (APC) as treasurer, vice chair, and chair. While APC chair, she strengthened the role of shared governance on this campus. It is in large part because of Dr. Thornhill’s determination that APC is now included in the Faculty Council, meets regularly with the chair, and has a voting member on the Faculty Council’s Committee on Strategic and Financial Planning.
Distinguished Athletic Award
Ever since Norm Jorgensen graduated from CSU, he has found ways to show his commitment to his alma mater. After practicing as a veterinarian for six years in California and Colorado, he began working at Jorgensen Laboratories, Inc., a global provider of veterinary equipment – a business his father started in 1965.
Jorgensen has been an outstanding supporter of the athletics department. His first gift to the Ram boosters in 1983 marked the beginning of 30 consecutive years of support for Ram Athletics. He has served as a Ram Club board member for numerous terms in the 1990s and 2000s, providing keen insight into how to grow the athletic scholarship fundraising program as well as serving as a fundraiser himself.
Jorgensen was one of the first to commit to the Ram Legacy Club, a five-year pledge to support a student-athlete scholarship, generously supporting two Legacy Club scholarships. Jorgensen also served on the athletic director’s cabinet, an exclusive group selected to provide guidance and assistance with the Campaign for Colorado State, the University’s first comprehensive campaign. As a cabinet member, Jorgensen helped identify and secure support for the athletic department’s top initiatives during the campaign including the Indoor Practice Facility and Academic and Training Center.
Distinguished Extension Award
In 2005, Milan Rewerts retired from a nearly 40-year career in Extension. He began his Extension career in Glenwood Springs. After serving in Grand Junction and Greeley, he moved to Fort Collins in 1980 as a district director, and in 1988 became a personnel director and field representative. Rewerts served as director of CSU Cooperative Extension from 1995 to 2005.
Rewerts has served on several regional and national Extension-related committees, including chair of the National Personnel and Organizational Development Committee of the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy, and chair of the Western Regional Extension Directors. Rewerts has received numerous honors and recognition, which include the Colorado State University Oliver C. Pennock Distinguished Service Faculty Award, the F. A. Anderson Distinguished Service Faculty Award, and the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents. He also received the Colorado State University Distinguished Administration Professional Award and the National Distinguished Service Ruby Award from Epsilon Sigma Phi, a national Extension honorary fraternity.
Distinguished International Alumni Award
Dr. Hamad Bin Sulaiman Al-Bazai is the vice minister of finance in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He has a distinguished background in the Saudi government and in Saudi higher education. He was named vice minister (also referred to as deputy minister) of finance by royal decree on Sept. 12, 2009. Prior to that, he was the deputy minister of economic affairs for 10 years, chairman of the board of directors for the Saudi Economic Association from 1998 to 2000, and an educator at King Saud University in Riyadh from 1981 through 1999. Some of his positions at King Saud University included acting dean of the College of Economics and Business, the head of the Research and Human Resources Development Center, and head of the Department of Business in the College of Economics and Administration.
In his position as vice minister of finance, Dr. Al-Bazai represents Saudi Arabia in major forums, and he is actively involved with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. He is a member on the board of the Gulf International Bank, the Education Holding Company, and the Southern Regional Cement Company. He was the “Representative of The Cooperation Council for The Arab State of the Gulf” in the Gulf Coordinating Council negotiations for a free trade agreement with MERCOSUR.
College of Agricultural Sciences Honor Alumnus
Vaughn Myron Cook was raised in southeastern Colorado, where he grew up helping on the family farm and looking after their thoroughbred racehorses.
He then went to work for B.W. Pickett at CSU’s Equine Reproduction Laboratory, eventually working on the lab’s landmark research projects in equine reproduction and embryo transfer. When Dr. Pickett and James L. Voss formed a stallion reproduction consulting service, Cook traveled with them across the country, handling top stallions from all breeds and managing the lab’s clinical embryo transfer services, bringing it into national merit.
College of Applied Human Sciences Honor Alumna
Nancy Hartley has been working with disadvantaged students since she was in high school, when she took the train to the south side of Chicago to tutor students in reading and math. This interest led to her undergraduate major in social work and graduate degrees in counseling, psychology, and education.
Dr. Hartley spent the past 20 years at CSU as a faculty member, director of the School of Education, and dean of the College of Applied Human Sciences. Under her leadership, the College significantly increased their research funding, expanded programs, and created new and enhanced facilities. Family, friends, and loyal alumni started a graduate study scholarship in her name, which funds special needs students in education.
College of Business Honor Alumnus
Bert Miller’s professional efforts have been exclusively in the American manufacturing arena. Early in his career, Mr. Miller was instrumental in building a chemical plant in West Virginia. This start-up added 16 jobs to a rural area during a difficult recession in 1974. Since that time, Mr. Miller has continued to build jobs in America by opening plants in Iowa, Tennessee, and Indiana.
Mr. Miller’s commitment to "Make it in America," a manufacturing extension partnership with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, goes beyond building and operating manufacturing plants. All of his company’s raw materials and equipment, including resins, molds, and presses, are sourced in North America.
College of Engineering College Honor Alumnus
Jerson Kelman was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1948. He graduated as a civil engineer and obtained a master’s degree in hydraulics, both from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. He obtained his Ph.D. in hydrology and water resources from CSU in 1976.
Currently Dr. Kelman is on leave from the Federal University to act as the President of Light, the Rio de Janeiro Power Company. He is also a member of the Brazilian Academy of Engineering, the Spanish Abengoa´s International Advisory Board, the Brazilian Sustainable Development Foundation, and the Scientific Committee for the Stockholm World Water Week.
Dr. Kelman was the first president of the Brazilian Water Agency and the second general director of the Brazilian Regulatory Agency for the power sector.
College of Liberal Arts Honor Alumna
Pamela Smith has devoted the past 47 years to advocacy for women around the world. She has lived in 14 cities in six countries on three continents.
In Vienna, Austria, Smith served on the board of The American Women’s Association, representing the Federation of American Women’s Clubs Overseas. She worked with U.S. Ambassador Swanee Hunt’s office to organize a Women’s Leadership Conference for regional women’s club leaders, plus emerging women leaders from neighboring eastern European countries. In Geneva, Switzerland, she served on the board of the American International Women’s Association and on the parent faculty board at the International School of Geneva.
In Hong Kong, she co-founded The Women’s Foundation, a registered charity working toward economic self-reliance for women and girls in Hong Kong. She was a contributor to the benchmark study, The Status of Women and Girls in Hong Kong 2006, and is a co-author of the 2008 publication, Closing the Gender Gap in Hong Kong: Conversations with the Community.
College of Natural Sciences Honor Alumna
Major General (retired) Carla G. Hawley-Bowland retired Oct. 1, 2011 after 32 years of active federal service. She is the first female Medical Corps General in the history of the United States Army. She currently serves as an American Red Cross volunteer physician in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at William Beaumont Army Medical Center in El Paso, Texas.
Born in Casper, Wyo., Major General Hawley-Bowland received her doctor of medicine from Creighton University under the U.S. Air Force Health Professions Scholarship Program. After a general surgery internship at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, she transferred to the Army, serving as a general medical officer. She then completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and was assigned to Darnall Army Community Hospital, Fort Hood, TX.
Her most recent assignment was as commanding general, Northern Regional Medical Command/Walter Reed Army Medical Center from December 2007 to July 2011. She also served as chief of U.S. Army Medical Corps from August 2006 to July 2011.
College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Honor Alumnus
Peter F. Haynes is a native of Honolulu, Hawaii. Following an internship at the University of Minnesota, he began his academic career as an instructor of large animal surgery at CSU in 1970. Dr. Haynes’ research and clinical interests included general equine surgery with a focus on obstructive upper respiratory tract disease and orthopedic conditions in the athletic horse.
In 1974 Dr. Haynes became assistant professor and veterinary clinician in the veterinary clinical sciences department at Louisiana State University. He became dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine at LSU in June 2007. During his time at LSU, Dr. Haynes served in a variety of roles in the Veterinary Teaching Hospital & Clinics and in school administration.
Warner College of Natural Resource Honor Alumnus
Anthony Gasbarro is emeritus associate professor of extension forestry at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. After graduating from CSU, Gasbarro served in the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic from 1962 to 1964. He then went on to work with the U.S. Forest Service in California and Alaska. Mr. Gasbarro continued his career as project operations officer with the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations in Rome — responsible for six UNDP forestry projects in Latin America. After returning from Rome in 1973, he became an instructor of forestry and later an associate professor of extension forestry at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where he earned a master’s degree in 1979. He retired after 23 years of teaching and Extension work, and again joined the Peace Corps as a forestry advisor in El Salvador from 1996 to 1998.
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