Tri-State University - Alumni

The Pillar of Success

The Pillar of Success is the most prestigious award given by the University. As a pillar represents a vital, supporting position in any structure, so do the following individuals. They provide vital support through their commitment, loyalty, and dedication. They have proven to be true Pillars of Success, advancing and securing the mission of Tri-State University and its future.

2007 Pillar of Success award winner, Dr. C.W. Sponsel (middle)

Name	Degree	Grad Year	Year Honored
Dr. John C. McBride	BAd	1948	1997
Dr. Dolores Tichenor			1998
Dr. R. John Reynolds			1999
Dr. J. Glenn Radcliffe	CE	1930	2000
Dr. John J. McKetta	ChE	1937	2001
Dr. Charles Taylor	ME	1936	2002
Dr. Jerry Allen	ME	1978	2003
Dr. Jorja Allen			2003
Dr. Robert E. Turner	AE	1941	2004
Dr. Ralph W. Ketner	ACC	1939	2005
Dr. Ralph Trine	ME	1961	2006
Dr. Sheri Trine			2006
Mr. Robert Remington			2007
Dr. C.W. Sponsel	CE	1931	2007

The Distinguised Service Award

The Distinguished Service Award is given each year to an alumnus/ae who has performed outstanding service to society in his or her profession, personal achievement or community; and who has manifest interest in Tri-State University and has supported it by contributions of time, talent, and money; by recruitment of students; or by placement of graduates.

The 2007 DSA, OAA, and DSYAA recipients.

From left to right Steve LaHood, Jonathan Cress, Jason Blume, Bill Dubois, and Karen Austin.

Name	Degree	Grad Year	Year Honored
Ellis, Ray	ME	1921	1955
Ettinger, Mrs. Marlin	Art	1914	1955
McKetta, John J.	ChE	1937	1956
Davis, Bernard L.	AB, BS	1920	1957
Hobbs, Marvin	EE	1930	1958
Stemples, John G.	CE	1937	1958
Aspell, David I.	CE	1924	1959
Gonas, John S.	CE	1930	1959
Torregrosa, Edwin R.	EE	1939	1959
Yoder, Dewey		1920	1960
Fabiani, Dante C.	BAd	1939	1962
French, Ms. Isabelle	RE	1944	1962
Flanigan, William T.	AE	1955	1963
McKelvey, J.B.	AE, ME	1932	1963
Mehlenbacker, Virgil	ChE	1925	1963
Fernandex, Jose E.	CE	1954	1964
Flowers, John Jr.	RE	1942	1964
Lefever, Paul M.	EE	1922	1964
Remington, John	ME	1939	1964
Rivoira, Edward	ME	1934	1964
VanAman, Robert H.	BAd	1934	1964
Waters, Farl H.	RE	1946	1964
Cubeta, Paul J.	ME	1931	1965
Eaton, George H.	ME	1928	1965
Sauter, Robert S.	AE, ME	1940	1965
Stallings, Frank	BAd	1940	1965
Theurer, Donald	RE	1948	1965
Cunningham, Robert T.	ME	1928	1966
Riley, George R.	RE, AdmE	1948	1966
Steele, Frederick M.	AE	1941	1966
Jannen, Robert L.	CE	1950	1967
Kuranz, Joseph H.	ME	1941	1967
Moll, Wallace V.	ME	1941	1967
Caldwell, Jim	CE	1951	1968
Forman, Franklin W.	ME	1946	1968
Hall, Edwin J.	BAd	1950	1968
McKinley, Clyde	ChE, AdmE	1937	1968
Sicacek, Elmer	ME	1941	1968
Miller, Mrs. Maude L.	BAd	1953	1969
Johnson, Cleveland	BAd	1955	1969
Johnson, Victor	ME	1939	1969
Wells, Obed	AE, ME	1938	1969
Carter, Donald F.	D&D	1950	1970
Ellis, E.E.	ME	1930	1970
Gaya-Benejam, Raul	CE	1927	1970
Davis, Wilbut	RE	1943	1970
Dean, Roy O.	EE	1931	1971
Leas, Arnold	ChE	1937	1971
MacLaughlin, Charles	CE	1956	1971
Bottorff, Charles R.	BAd	1941	1972
Neutz, Miss Gula M.	TT	1914	1972
Carmichael, David W.	CE	1924	1973
Shaw, Russell Jr.	BAd	1958	1973
Steury, Norman W.	BAd	1945	1973
Alves, Alexander L.	ME	1931	1974
Fisher, Gerald A.	ME	1942	1975
Henderson, Blinton B.	BAd	1948	1975
Martinelli, Col. John	ME & CE, ChE	1925, 31	1975
McCallian, Richard J.	ChE	1934	1975
Moros, Lee R.	ME	1924	1975
Sperl, Robert J.	ChE	1933	1976
Yoder, Rev. J. Willard	TT	1922	1976
Gomex Baldo, Jose A.	CE	1953	1977
Gruenberg, Otto C.	ME	1921	1977
Sponsel, Clifford W.	CE	1931	1977
Fry, Meredith W.	CE	1931	1978
Tuttle, Chester V.	EE	1926	1978
White, Norman O.	ME	1941	1978
Butler, Vincent E.	CE	1941	1979
Marino, Joseph A.	BAd	1959	1979
Cristina, Joseph Jr.	CE	1958	1980
Donaldson, Richard T.	BAd	1962	1980
Miller, John B.	CE	1934	1980
Miller, Larry R.	ChE	1961	1980
Franks, Lawrence A.	ME	1959	1981
Kahlenback, Paul R.	ME	1957	1981
Lahti, Dr. Leslie	ChE	1954	1981
Barrenbrugge, Charles C.	AE	1931	1982
Phillip, Fred A.	BAd	1959	1982
Pittman, John A.	EE	1958	1982
Whitney, David E.	ME	1957	1982
Knowles, Keith	EE	1967	1983
Leidy, Ralph K.	EE	1968	1983
McBride, John C.	BAd	1948	1983
Swaldo, Ted	A/ME	1968	1983
Gettig, William A.	ME	1949	1984
Ray, Gary	ME	1965	1984
Wade, Forrest V.	ME	1930	1984
Adams, Thomas J.	BAd	1965	1985
Gecowets, George A.	BAd	1959	1985
Goossen, Alfrons F.	EE	1961	1985
Smith, Richard M.	CE	1946	1985
Burdick, Jerome E.	CE	1937	1986
Newman, Paul D.	ME	1966	1986
West, Charles H.	ME	1936	1987
Kin, Michael	ME	1936	1987
Rosenberg, Charles H.	ChE	1937	1987
Brooksbank, Robert E. Sr.	ChE	1949	1987
Johnson, Herbert C.	CE	1951	1987
Wilcox, Dr. Lyle C.	RE	1954	1988
Haaser James D.	ME	1966	1988
Bidlack Jerald D.	ME	1956	1989
Elston, Dr. Ralph W.	AB	1917	1989
Pfafman, Edwin	AE	1935	1989
Hawthorne, Quintin J.	AE	1941	1990
Ponteri, Joseph R.	ME	1964	1990
Schantz, William E.	D&D	1944	1990
Ballinger, David E.	BAd	1969	1991
Cooper, James W.	BAd	1969	1991
Molitor, Robert P.	ChE	1942	1991
Butler, Co. Thomas Jr.	CE	1942	1992
McNeil, Earl K.	CE	1941	1992
Radcliffe, Dr. J. Glenn	CE	1930	1992
Snyder, Penny	ED	1984	1992
Forman, Leamen	BAd	1948	1993
Pratt, Herbert	ChE	1945	1993
Willman, David	BAd	1977	1993
Covell, Catherine	Sec. S.	1941	1994
Nigro, John	BAd	1968	1994
Piganelli, Robert	Bus Ed	1974	1994
Allen, Jerry & Jorja	ME, BAd	1978	1995
Oeder, Richard	CE	1965	1995
Solomon, Philip S.	RE	1948	1995
Sturdivant, Jerry	MDT, TM	1975, 76	1995
Csokasy, Louis	AE	1969	1996
Dunsmore, Jerry	BAd	1974	1996
Trine, Ralph	ME	1961	1997
Turner, Robert	AE	1941	1998
Moss, Edward	ChE	1958	1999
Adams, Timothy C.	MA	1972	2000
Hale, L. David	BAd	1971	2001
Martin, Michael J.	BAd	1977	2002
McCormick, Robert	CE	1961	2003
Young, Donald	CE	1956	2003
Putnam, M. Luanne	Ed.	1975	2004
Boekman, Timothy	BS	1976	2005
Ward, Gary	BAd	1978	2005
Mason, Joseph R.	CS & BAd	1974, 77	2006
Posendeck, Jeffrey J.	Bus Ed	1977	2006
Dubois, William	CE	1966	2007
LaHood, Stephen	BA	1970	2007

The Outstanding Achievement Award

The Outstanding Achievement Award is given to an alumnus/ae each year who has attained a high level of achievement in his or her profession, is well thought of in his or her community, and who upholds the ideals of Tri-State University.

Name

Degree

Grad Year

Year Honored

Thomas, Larry

BAd

1974

1996

Clapp, Kent

BAd

1972

1998

Boklund, Thomas

CE

1962

1999

Hester, Dr. John

ChE

1958

1999

Tamagni, Henry

ME

1965

2000

DiGregorio, Guido

EE

1966

2001

Pellegrino, John

CE

1960

2002

Bock, James D.

ME

1954

2003

Mills, Patrick L.

ChE

1973

2004

Rim, Kwan

ME

1955

2005

Rim, Kurt

CE

1958

2005

Rim, Kwang

EE

1971

2005

Becher, Dr. William

RE

1950

2006

Shepard, Irving A.

AE

1938

2006

Austin, Karen CS 1983 2007

O'Brien, Philip BA 1956 2007

The Distinguished Service Young Alumnus/ae Award

The Distinguished Service Young Alumnus/ae Award is presented to an alumnus/ae who is 40 years of age or younger, who has performed outstanding service to society in his or her profession, personal achievement or community; and who has manifest interest in Tri-State University and has supported it by contributions of time, talent, and money; by recruitment of students; or by placement of graduates.

Name	Degree	Grad Year	Year Honored
Stockberger, Bill	BAd	1979	1997
Smith, Bruce	ChE	1981	1998
Sullivan, Mark	CE	1986	1999
Randall, John	EE	1988	2000
Cordes, Kyle	EE	1986	2001
Miller, Burne	CE	1984	2002
Gruner, Scott	AC	1998	2003
Oertel, Micah R.	ChE	1998	2004
Hinkle, Andrew	ChE	1997	2005
Stechschulte, Jason	CE	2003	2005
Newport, Trent E.	CE	1992	2006
Evers, Philip T.	BAd	1987	2006
Blume, Jason	ME	2004	2007
Cress, Jonathan	BA	2002	2007

If you would like to nominate a friend or classmate for one of the aforementioned awards please contact Julie Wert at 260.665.4316 or wertj@tristate.edu.

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