With gratitude

5/3/2012 - About 200 members of the Kellogg community gathered at the Trump International Hotel & Tower in downtown Chicago on April 26 to celebrate the school’s vibrant network of alumni and supporters.

Dean Sally Blount thanked the award winners for "giving generously to Kellogg through their time, energy and actions."

Photo by Nathan Mandell

The dinner — dubbed “With Gratitude, Kellogg” — recognized three outstanding alumni, in addition to several alumni clubs, club leaders and members of the Kellogg Alumni Council.

“By giving generously to Kellogg through their time, energy and actions, these alumni help to build and strengthen our network worldwide,” Dean Sally Blount ’92 said.

The Schaffner Award: Michael Shannon ’83
The Schaffner Award honors Kellogg leaders who have made significant contributions to society, and through their professional achievements, have exemplified the cornerstones of Kellogg’s dynamic culture — intellectual energy, passion for collaboration and a belief in the transformative power of markets.

Michael Shannon ’83, managing director and co-founder of KSL Capital Partners, is deeply invested in Kellogg’s future. As a member of the campaign steering committee, Shannon is known as a strong connector in alumni circles, often opening doors for the school through his vast network. Shannon and his wife, Mary Sue, endowed the Lawrence Revsine Research Professorship in Accounting to support faculty research in financial reporting. The Shannons also open their Denver home often to host receptions for faculty and fundraising dinners.

“I’m a happy ambassador for Kellogg,” Shannon said. “It embodies everything that is good about education in terms of a global view, common sense and technical expertise.”

Distinguished Alumni Service Award: Shumeet Banerji ’90
The Distinguished Alumni Service Award recognizes graduates who have made significant investments in shaping Kellogg’s strategy, culture and brand to compete in the global marketplace.

Shumeet Banerji ’90, who earned his Ph.D. at Kellogg, has maintained deep personal connections to the school since graduation. As a member of the Dean’s Advisory Board, Banerji, the former CEO of Booz & Co., and fellow alumni at Booz have used their professional expertise as consultants to advise the school on fundraising initiatives and strategy. They also spearheaded pro-bono work that helped the school collect ideas and insights to inform the design of the future Kellogg building, as well as the school’s strategic planning process.

“I have a very strong belief that higher education is one of our country’s greatest competitive weapons,” Banerji said. “It’s important for corporate leaders to be engaged but also to be loud and clear in condemning a willingness to let higher education suffer from benign neglect.”

Wade Fetzer Award: Ed Wilson ’84
The Wade Fetzer Award recognizes outstanding dedication and loyalty in support of the school’s alumni body.

With more than 40 years of service to the school, Ed Wilson ’84 has gone full circle in his dedication and commitment to Kellogg. Wilson led the school’s admissions and student affairs teams for 30 years and improved the quality of the student body by nurturing the Kellogg culture of teamwork and collaboration. Wilson also came out of retirement in 2008 and led the Alumni Relations team. Under his leadership, the alumni office launched regional offices in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Miami and expanded the Kellogg Alumni Council with new chapters in Latin America, Europe and Asia.

“I am very proud of the many years I have been associated with Kellogg,” Ed says. “I love it; it would be an understatement to say otherwise. It’s my second home.”

The Alumni Club of Excellence Award: Kellogg Club of Japan
The Alumni Club of Excellence Award is presented annually to alumni clubs and their members who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership and innovation in elevating, building and vitalizing the network.

The Kellogg Club of Japan stands out as “best in class” with its long history of community building and partnership with the school. The club distinguishes itself by not only focusing its activities and events on alumni, but cultivating the entire Kellogg network, including prospective students, current students and the greater Japanese business community. The club leadership hosts a version of Day at Kellogg for admitted students in Japan and also matches each admitted student with an alumni ambassador. The club also hosts several breakfast speaker series featuring prominent alumni in the region and uses social media to make sure members are informed wherever they are.

Kellogg Alumni Club Leadership Award: Dolores “Dee” Slaughter ’92
The Kellogg Alumni Club Leadership Award recognizes distinguished individuals who embody Kellogg’s community of brave thinkers — driving positive change, supporting Kellogg’s mission and strategy, and energizing our 54,000-person-strong network.

Dolores “Dee” Slaughter ’92 is the co-president of the Kellogg Executive Women’s Network (KEWN). She has served on the KEWN board since the group’s inception nearly 10 years ago. In her roles, Dee has created many opportunities for alumni engagement, including organizing 16 KEWN events this year. She also spearheaded KEWN’s unique partnership with the Union League Club of Chicago Authors Group Luncheon series and helped established the KEWN LinkedIn Group in January 2011. The group has grown to 3,500 members, and has sprouted numerous organic Kellogg networking events
across the country.

The Pete Henderson Society
Kenneth M. “Pete” Henderson served as professor of management and dean of administration at Kellogg from 1971 to 1981. In those positions, he played a key role in strengthening the school’s connection with the Chicago business community and helped to establish the school’s collaborative culture. Membership in the Pete Henderson Society honors alumni and friends of the school who, in the spirit of Henderson’s generosity and dedication, have helped to make Kellogg a leader in management education. Inductees this year are:

Stuart Abelson ’05 Edwin Buckley Jr. ’90 Gwen Cohen ’82 Gary Fitzgerald ’78 Laurene Inglese ’90 Tyler Johnston ’80

David Kieselstein ’88 John Major ’69 Martha McGuire ’80 James O’Connor ’96 Karin O’Connor ’89 Paula Pretlow ’78

Lee Ann Scovil ’91 Scott Somers ’75 David Spitulnik ’80 Joseph Urban ’97 Kent Verner ’94 J. Kent Walker ’92