2011 Alumni Awards

5/6/2011 - Each year, the Kellogg School recognizes alumni who have given their time and expertise to help support the mission of the school.

More than 200 guests celebrated these distinguished graduates at the annual Alumni Awards dinner on April 28 at Trump International Hotel & Tower in downtown Chicago.
David Austen-Smith, senior associate dean for faculty and research and host of the awards ceremony, told the honorees: “Through your professional and personal success — and more directly through your dedicated work on behalf of Kellogg — you set an example for other alumni to engage with the school through their talent, time and financial support.”

The awards, and recipients, include:

The Schaffner Award

Established in 1984, the Schaffner Award honors preeminent alumni who have provided outstanding service to the Kellogg School.

T. Bondurant French ’76, CEO at Adam Street Partners in Chicago, has served as a trustee of Northwestern University and as a member of the Kellogg School’s Dean’s Advisory Board. French also plays a major advisory role in Kellogg’s capital fundraising initiatives, and he has contributed his experience and expertise to Kellogg’s Asset Management Practicum and related private equity and venture capital initiatives as guest lecturer and adviser.

“The closer you get to Kellogg, the more you get out of it, and the more you want to give back,” French said.

The Alumni Service Awards

The Alumni Service Awards recognize the efforts of graduates who have promoted the Kellogg School throughout the world.

Karin O’Connor ’89 views the opportunity to engage as an alumna with Kellogg as a “true gift.” A member of the Kellogg Alumni Council since 1999, she has helped to revitalize the class reunion program and has traveled the world in support of Kellogg’s international initiatives. She has also judged several business-plan competitions at Kellogg and served as a guest lecturer and a panelist at the seventh annual Alumni Entrepreneur Conference. O’Connor is the founder of Perimeter Advisors in Chicago.

“You get a real sense of how truly global and tightly knit the Kellogg network is when you see alumni in action on behalf of the school worldwide,” O’Connor said.

Co-chair of the Class of 1979’s 30th Reunion gift committee, Gerald Cohen ’79 helped lead a successful reunion campaign that raised in excess of $1 million, tripled class participation and endowed a scholarship fund at Kellogg. Cohen is also a member of Kellogg’s Real Estate Research Center Advisory Board and the Kellogg Alumni Council, and he serves on the school’s capital campaign committee. He is the vice chairman of MassDevelopment for the state of Massachusetts; founding partner of SSG Development LLC; and founder and manager of SF Properties Inc. and CGI Companies.

“I’ve found that alumni are willing and ready to get involved,” Cohen said. “It’s simply a matter of asking them to reconnect to the Kellogg network and to explore the opportunities to give back.”

Wade Fetzer Award

This award recognizes outstanding service and loyalty to the school and its advisory board. The award is named in honor of the Kellogg Alumni Advisory Board’s first president, Wade Fetzer.

Many see 1963 graduate Lloyd Morgan’s affiliation and loyalty to Kellogg in terms of his decades of service. On a personal level, he views his longstanding relationship to the school in terms of generations: his brother Glenn ’70, son Todd ’92, son-in-law Peter Mulvaney ’08 and niece Allison ’06 all hold Kellogg MBAs.

Lloyd is in his fifth decade of continuous involvement in alumni activities, including serving twice as president of Kellogg alumni organizations. As Arthur Andersen’s chief Kellogg recruiter for many years, he helped attract as many as 20 Kellogg graduates annually to the firm. He also led fundraising efforts at Andersen, generating significant gifts to Kellogg.

“When you’re putting your best effort toward supporting something as exceptional as Kellogg, participation is always a privilege, never an obligation,” Morgan said.

Alumni Club Awards

The Alumni Club of Excellence Awards recognize alumni clubs that have demonstrated superior leadership and new ideas benefitting Kellogg and the alumni community.

The Kellogg Alumni Club of Hong Kong emphasizes the shared experiences of alumni: a world-class business education, a passion for collaboration and a love for Kellogg. The club distinguished itself by establishing a 17-member, multinational board of advisers, comprised of the most prominent alumni in the region who represent a cross section of programs and industries.

The Kellogg Alumni Club of Dallas-Fort Worth has demonstrated excellence in many areas, including working closely with the Northwestern University Club of Dallas-Fort Worth and the Dallas Business Club, as well as with other top business-school alumni clubs. Substantive events, such as the quarterly Kellogg Speaker Series and the annual Career Symposium, engage a diverse alumni population and have built an outstanding reputation for Kellogg in the region.

Kellogg Alumni Club Volunteer of the Year

The Kellogg Alumni Volunteer of the Year Award is presented to an individual who has exhibited a high level of service to the community and the school.

Willy Kotas ’86, regional director, Latin America at Kenexa, has been an active alumnus since graduating from Kellogg.
In 2009, he joined the Alumni Club of Brazil’s leadership team and has since made important strides in building the Kellogg community in Latin America. His most recent success was a Kellogg Insight Live event, drawing more than 90 attendees, the largest Kellogg alumni-club event ever in Brazil. Kotas is also a member of the Kellogg Executive MBA Admissions Network initiative. Prior to his Brazil involvement, Kotas helped start the Alumni Club of South Florida.

“Connecting with alumni when I travel and helping Kellogg build a global network is my passion,” Kotas said.

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.

Robert Bailey Jr. ’79
David P. Bornhoeft ’72
James M. Carrow ’87
J. Scott Etzler ’98
A. John Gambs ’74
Stuart M. Goode ’66
Joseph D. Gutman ’81
William J. Hayes ’91
M. Catherine Jaros ’73
Frederick B. Krom III ’79
Theodore B. Martin Jr. ’83
Richard A. Mayer ’69
Jean-Pierre H. Millon ’76
Deborah Ann Morrin ’81
Frederick J. O’Connor ’86
Connie J. Plaehn ’85
Susan G. Rosenstein ’79
Mark A. Shapiro ’80
Kevin J. Sherman ’78
William S. Wardrop Jr. ’81
Donald A. Washburn ’73