Alumni Awards

Dee Hoty '74

Dee Hoty ’74 received a bachelor’s degree from Otterbein in 1974 and an Honorary Doctorate of Arts in 1997 in recognition of her distinguished caree. She has earned three Tony Award nominations for her starring roles in Footloose, The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public, and The Will Rogers Follies. She starred on Broadway and in eight major U.S. cities as Donna in Mamma Mia! She has appeared in 13 Broadway shows to date, the most recent being Bright Star (2016) and Gigi (2015).

Hoty has crossed the country playing roles from A (Auntie Mame in Mame at The Muny) to Z (Zerbinetta in Scapino at the Cleveland Play House) and continues to work in regional theater, off- and off-off-Broadway, in stock, and national tours.

Among her favorite roles at Otterbein are Eleanor in Lion in Winter, Helena in Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Kate in Kiss Me Kate.

Her most recent television and film work includes Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, USA Network’s The Sinner, and Julian Fellowes’ upcoming film, The Chaperone, starring Elizabeth McGovern, all completed in the summer of 2017.

Having added coaching and master class work to her resume, Hoty knows she is blessed to continue working at what she loves. She will be playing the title role in Hello, Dolly! at the Lyric Opera Theatre in Oklahoma City in July 2018.

**www.deehoty.com and on twitter:  @deehoty

Craig Bennett Icsman ’84

Craig Bennett Icsman is a 1984 graduate of Otterbein University. He currently is appearing as Monsieur Firmin in the Broadway company of The Phantom of the Opera. 

His previous roles on Broadway include Billy Thompson in Sting’s The Last Ship, Jerry Cruncher in A Tale of Two Cities, Thomas Hassinger in Lincoln Center’s South Pacific, and Sgt. Schultz in Miss Saigon. 

His National Tour credits include Monsieur Firmin in The Phantom of the Opera, Signor Naccarelli in The Light in the Piazza, Big Davey/Dad in Billy Elliot, Bill Austin in Mamma Mia!, Willie Conklin in Ragtime and Combeferre/Thenardier in Les Miserables.  Regionally, he has portrayed Fredrik in A Little Night Music, Michael in Randy Newman’s Faust, and Jehannot in House of Martin Guerre, all at the Goodman Theater in Chicago.

He also appeared as Dave Bukatinsky in The Full Monty at North Shore Music Theater and Wolf/Cinderella's Prince in Into The Woods at The Repertory Theater of St. Louis and The Muny. While at Otterbein, Icsman appeared in Abelard & Heloise, The Man Who Came To Dinner, Irene, Deathtrap, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Fiddler on the Roof.

Established in 1966, the Special Achievement Award recognizes excellence and high professional achievement by an individual in his or her field of endeavor. The award is presented to Otterbein graduates whose career contributions have significantly enhanced their profession at the local or regional level and/or the organization to which the recipient is employed.

After years of working as an industrial hygienist and safety professional, Dianne Grote Adams ’78, founded her own consulting company, Safex, in 1992. Since then, she has worked with numerous central Ohio employers in many industries — including real estate, manufacturing, education, health care and construction — to protect their employees and to comply with safety regulations. A life science major, Grote Adams took the position of industrial hygienist with the Ohio OSHA Consultation Program shortly after graduation. During her tenure with the state, she completed a master’s degree in occupational safety at the University of Cincinnati. She later worked with Abbott/Ross Laboratories and ChemLawn Services before founding the Westerville-based Safex. Today, her firm performs health and safety assessments for companies like Whirlpool, Nationwide and Casto, and provides hands-on training classes tailored to fit an organization’s specific needs. Grote Adams also believes in giving back to her community. She and her employees provide free safety training for teens at Cristo Rey Columbus High School; sponsor and run in the Westerville Bunny Hop, a fundraiser for Westerville Parks and Recreation; donate to the Westerville Area Resource Ministry (WARM); and have helped build houses for Habitat for Humanity, among other service projects.

Jeff Brindley began working in sales at Roush Honda in Westerville in 1982, a year after graduating from Otterbein with a degree in health and physical education. He worked his way through the ranks to become sales manager in 1989, vice president and general manager in 1994, and president in 1998 when founder Edwin “Dubbs” Roush retired. Today, Brindley is the president and CEO of Roush Auto Group, which consists of the original Roush Honda franchise and now Roush Ford in Hilliard. The company employs nearly 350 people and sold 8,500 vehicles last year. Along the way, the company was purchased by a trust owned by the employees and became the first 100 percent employee-owned auto dealership in the country. During his tenure as CEO, Roush Honda has received American Honda Motor Company’s prestigious President’s Award — given to the top dealerships in the country — 12 times. The company earned the Honda Masters Circle Award in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017, and CEO Magazine named Roush Honda and Roush Ford Top Workplaces in 2016, 2017 and 2018. Over the years, Brindley, along with Roush Auto Group, has given back to the community in numerous ways. In 2004, he established the GEM (Great Educator Mentor) Awards in the Westerville City Schools to recognize educators who are making a difference in the lives of students. The program has since expanded to several other local school districts. When not at the office, Brindley enjoys hunting, fishing and playing golf but, most importantly, spending time with his wife, Pat, their 3 children, their families and two granddaughters.

Dr. Nita Seibel leads the Pediatric Solid Tumor Therapeutics in the Clinical Investigations Branch of the Cancer Therapy and Evaluation Program of the National Cancer Institute in Washington, D.C. A board-certified pediatric hematologist-oncologist, Dr. Seibel received her medical degree from The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health, and completed her residency in pediatrics at The Ohio State University/Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Following a fellowship with the Pediatric Oncology Branch of the National Cancer Institute, she joined the George Washington University School of Medicine and Public Health and Children’s National Medical Center as an attending physician in pediatric hematology/oncology. During her 20 years at Children’s National Medical Center, she held numerous positions, including solid tumor director, director of the Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Training Program, outreach services director for the Department of Hematology/Oncology and principal investigator for the Children’s Oncology Group, as well as professor of pediatrics at George Washington University School of Medicine. 

 Michael McKinney ’86

As an FBI agent for nearly 25 years, Michael McKinney directly planned and participated in over 50 undercover investigations that involved corruption, fraud, counterintelligence, drugs and violent crimes. With a degree in accounting and business administration, however, the FBI was not McKinney’s first career choice. Shortly after graduation, he took a position as a bank manager in Dublin, but after five years, he decided to take his career in a very different direction and applied to the FBI. At 23, he met the minimum age requirement and was one of the younger applicants (28-30 years old is the average age). During his tenure with the agency, he was based in Buffalo, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta, but he participated in and managed cases in cities across the country, including San Francisco, New Orleans, Chicago and Memphis. Some undercover cases lasted a month, others a year or more. The longest case — taking three years to complete — took place in Memphis. McKinney supervised an undercover operation that ended with the arrest of seven state lawmakers for accepting bribes. For his role in Operation Tennessee Waltz, he received the Director’s Award for Excellence in Criminal Investigations, one of the highest honors in the FBI. McKinney retired in 2015, and is now the director of corporate security for McKesson, a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical and health care company. 

• Director’s Award for Excellence in Criminal Investigations, 2008
• Supervised trial of former mayor of Atlanta Bill Campbell, 2006
• Coordinator, FBI’s Corporate Fraud Task Force, 2002–2003
• Division III All-American in Basketball, 1986

“I walked out of Otterbein feeling that it was important to ask why. That has been significant for me throughout my career. You can spot the agents who have had the type of experience that I got from Otterbein — well-rounded, outspoken, they find a way to speak their mind without upsetting the apple cart.” 

Carl Bates, M.D. ’86

 A clinical pediatric nephrologist and basic research scientist, Dr. Carl Bates has been conducting and overseeing research on kidney and bladder disease in children for over 20 years. In 2008, he was recruited by the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh/University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine to head the research area and to start a fellowship training program for pediatric nephrologists. Since then, he has procured international recognition for both programs as professor of pediatrics, cell biology and developmental biology; division chief of pediatric nephrology; and director of the Pediatric Nephrology Fellowship Training Program. In fact, his own research and that of the fellows he oversees have received continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health for nearly 15 years. Dr. Bates graduated from The Ohio State University College of Medicine in 1991 and completed his residency at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, then pursued training in pediatric nephrology at the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. He was with Nationwide Children’s Hospital/The Ohio State University for nine years before moving to Pittsburgh. His contributions as a clinician-scientist were recognized by the prestigious American Society of Clinical Investigation in 2014, when he was inducted into the medical honor society. 

• Chair, Organizing Committee, International Workshop on Developmental Nephrology, 2013-15
• Councilor, International Pediatric Nephrology Association, 2010–present
• Standing member of NIH review panels, ZRG1 DKUS-F and Kidney, Urologic and Hematologic Diseases D Subcommittee, 2012-2016
• Standing member, Basil O’Connor Research Advisory Committee for the March of Dimes, 2011-present
• Member and past chair, Program Committee of the American Society of Nephrology, 2008-2010
• Member and co-chair, Research Committee of the American Society of Nephrology, 2008-2010
• American Society of Clinical Investigation, 2014-present
• American Pediatric Society, 2010-present
• Society for Pediatric Research, 2004-present
• International Society of Nephrology, 1998-present
• American Society of Nephrology, 1998-present 

“In research, there’s a lot of rejection, a lot of banging your head on the wall, but you do it because you are learning new things that no one else has ever known before. That’s where the real kick comes in.”

Dr. MaryAnn Everhart-McDonald ’72 earned her master’s degree in physical education in 1973 and she began teaching in the Columbus Public Schools. At Brookhaven High School, Everhart-McDonald implemented an athletic training class—one of the first in the country. Her own interest in sports medicine prompted her return to school to earn her medical degree from OSU in 1984. She received her board certification in physical medicine and rehabilitation in 1988 and electromyography in 1989. While finishing her degree, she was given the opportunity to help with drug testing at the Olympic swim trials. Thus began a 20-year association with the U.S. Olympic Committee followed by both the national and international track associations, the NCAA, and the U.S. Anti-Doping Association, as a physician crew chief for their drug control programs. Everhart-McDonald opened her own practice in Columbus in 1990, working with patients to evaluate and heal injuries to the muscles, bones, joints and nerves. Even with a full-time medical practice, however, she still finds time to teach, lecturing to Riverside Methodist Hospital’s internal medicine and family practice residents, and overseeing month-long rotations in her office.

Judge David W. Fais ’65 JD, retired, Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, has enjoyed a career in public service for over 45 years. After graduating from Ohio Northern University College of Law in 1969, Fais served as assistant city attorney for Columbus then assistant prosecutor for Franklin County. He joined a private law firm a few years later, and during that time, acted as law director for the city of Grandview Heights. After practicing law for 17 years, Fais decided to run for a seat on the Franklin County Common Pleas Court. Elected for a six-year term in 1988, Fais has served on the court for 26 years and has ruled on numerous high-profile cases, including two death-penalty cases. He presided over former Ohio State University football player Maurice Clarett’s case in 2006 and has overseen the case since then. Just before retiring on February 6, Fias terminated Clarett’s probation two months early because of the positive changes Clarett had made in his life. Fais retired from the bench this year only because a state law prohibits judges from beginning a term after they turn 70. He has enjoyed his career and has no plans of stopping. However, he will continue as a visiting judge throughout the state of Ohio. He has already been assigned to Franklin County for the month of July.

Donna Lee Valput Hanly ’00, RN, BSN, MBA, CNAA, was named Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive of OhioHealth in 2013, a system of 10 hospitals, a large ambulatory network, many private health care offices—and 7000 nurses. She is one of five senior vice presidents serving on the Executive Board, and the first nurse to hold this position in the organization. Hanly has been with OhioHealth since 1972, when she started as a staff nurse at Riverside Methodist Hospital. She worked in a variety of clinical and leadership positions throughout her career, in both the ambulatory and acute care setting. In 1995, she was promoted to manager of the neuroscience unit, and just a few years later, became the director of Neuroscience, Critical Care, Orthopedics and Medical Telemetry. She moved to Grant Medical Center in 2006 to oversee the safety, quality and provision of nursing care as Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Patient Care Service. Under her leadership, Grant received Magnet designation, which is the highest award given nationally for excellence in nursing care. In her current role, she is responsible for organizing, planning, directing and evaluating all nursing functions and patient care services for the entire OhioHealth system. Since receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing at Otterbein in 2000, Hanly has worked closely with the university to implement several innovative programs in which nursing students receive unique experiences at OhioHealth facilities, which better prepare them to provide excellent care to patients and to the community. 

In 1998, after teaching high school math for four years, Jeri Close left to pursue a career in the business world. In her first role as corporate training and education manager for Sky Financial Group in Youngstown, she was responsible not only for training incoming employees after an acquisition, but for helping them understand and appreciate their new roles in the organization. In 2004, Close became vice president of commercial banking for Huntington Bank (which had acquired Sky Bank) in Salem, Ohio. Not only was she the first female corporate banker in the region, she was named Lender of the Year during her first year in the position. She joined Prima Health Care in 2009, once again educating and training employees as the organizational development manager, then vice president of operations. Most recently, Close moved to St. Elizabeth Health Center in Youngstown as manager of physician practices. Throughout her career, she has made it a priority to focus on the “human resources” component of an organization—helping employees improve their performance and make the most of their own abilities. It is something she strives for in her own life as well. Close recently started a nonprofit organization, One Horse Nation, to provide therapeutic horseback riding to young people with mental and/or physical disabilities. 

• First person under the age of 30 on senior management team at Sky Bank/Citizens Banking Company, 2000
• 40 under 40 Honoree, Mahoning Valley, 2010 
• Advisor, Village Varieties 4-H Club, 2000–present 
• Board of Directors, Kiwanis Club of Salem, 2005–present 
• Board of Directors, Salem Chamber of Commerce, 2006–2008 
• Founding member, Salem Area Enterprise Development Forum, 2006 
• Instructor, Kent State University, Salem, 2004–present 
• Volunteer, St. Ann’s Church, Sebring, 1995–present

Shortly after receiving a post-master’s degree as a family nurse practitioner from Otterbein University in 2006, Ruth Downing founded Forensic Healthcare Consulting to provide education and training to medical and legal professionals on the multidisciplinary response to victims of violence. A registered nurse for over 30 years, and a forensic nurse for 15, Downing has been active in county, state and national initiatives addressing interpersonal violence. She has provided expert testimony in the areas of domestic violence, sexual assault and strangulation, and has educated nurses, physicians, law enforcement, social workers and grand juries on these topics. Since 2008, Downing has collaborated with the International Justice Mission, the River Church Community in San Jose, California, and Paz y Esperanza in Peru, traveling to Peru to train physicians, nurses, attorneys, law enforcement officials and social workers on the maltreatment of women and children. Her goal—both in the United States and Peru—is to help physicians and nurses understand the medical and legal needs of victims of interpersonal violence, and to help law enforcement and prosecutors recognize the health-care issues of these individuals. 

• Member, Ohio Chapter of the International Association of Forensic Nurses;
  President, 2008
• Member,  Advisory Team for the Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention at the Family Justice Center Alliance, San Diego, CA
• Member, Ohio Family Violence Prevention Advisory Council, within the Office of Criminal Justice Services
• Member,  Ohio Pregnancy Associated Mortality Review Board
• Member, Ohio Sexual Assault Task Force
• Member, Central Ohio Rescue & Restore Coalition
• Member, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners
• Member,  Ohio Association of Advanced Practice Nurses
• Presenter, International Association of Forensic Nurses Scientific Assembly
• Presenter, National Conference on Health and Domestic Violence

After receiving his Doctor of Medicine degree from The Ohio State University in 1974, Dr. Michael Leadbetter discovered his passion for plastic surgery during a rehabilitation fellowship in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Stanford University. He completed a second fellowship at the Royal College of Surgeons and Rotary International in London, England, as well as his surgery residency at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. After a three-year stint as director of the Emergency Medicine Center at Middletown Hospital in Ohio, Dr. Leadbetter went on to complete specialty training in plastic surgery at Cincinnati’s Christ Hospital in 1981. In 1994, he and five other surgeons established the Plastic Surgery Group in Cincinnati, where he continues to practice today. Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Dr. Leadbetter has completed numerous procedures during his career, but each surgery is unique and based on the individual patient. About 60% of his practice is plastic surgery, while the other 40% is reconstructive. His integrity has been recognized by his peers, who have named him a Top Doctor in Cincinnati magazine for the past 11 years. Although his career can be time consuming, Dr. Leadbetter volunteers his medical expertise to the Cincinnati Music and Wellness Coalition, a program of Global Music and Wellness, a national foundation that promotes recreational music making to decrease stress and increase wellness in cardiac rehabilitation, pain management, stroke recovery and much more. 

• Named Top Doctor, Cincinnati Magazine, 2000, 2003–2013
• President, Board of Governors of the Ohio State Medical Alumni Association, 2013–present
• Member, American Medical Association
• Member, American Society of Plastic Surgeons
• Member, American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
• Fellow, American College of Surgeons
• Fellow, American Society for Laser Medicine, Inc.
• Past board member, Lipoplasty Society
• Board member, Ohio Valley Society of Plastic Surgeons,
   current secretary/treasurer
• Member, Cincinnati Music and Wellness Coalition, a program of
   Global Music and Wellness
• Board member, Reid Rizzo Foundation
• Board member, Cincinnati Friends of Charity
• Focus of the book, Coming Back to Baseball, by Mike Shannon, 2005

Steve Johnston ’82 Currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of Cincinnati Financial Corp. and its subsidiary Cincinnati Insurance Company, Steve Johnston has enjoyed a successful career in the insurance industry for over 30 years. During his junior year, he accepted an internship as an actuary—without knowing what an actuary actually did. He enjoyed the challenge, however, and decided to pursue it as a career after graduation. With the help of a referral from Otterbein math professor Dr. Richard Yantis, he secured an actuarial position at State Auto Insurance. He eventually became manager of the actuarial department, and in 1997—at the age of 38—Chief Financial Officer. Steve joined Cincinnati Financial Corp. in 2008 as CFO, and was promoted to his current position in 2011. As CEO, Johnston has learned that his most important role is as "chief communicator." Using objective criteria, Forbes magazine ranked Cincinnati Financial as one of the most trustworthy companies in 2012, and the company received the highest score in the large market capitalization category. Steve is extremely appreciative of the Otterbein experience—both in the classroom and as a member of Coach Reynolds’ basketball teams—and for the positive influence on his work ethic, his leadership style and integrity, and his dedication to a lifetime of learning.

• Fellow, Casualty Actuarial Society (FCAS)
• Member, American Academy of Actuaries (MAAA)
• Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
• Chartered Enterprise Risk Analyst (CERA)
• Competent Toastmaster (CTM)
• CAS Audit Committee member, 2007–2010
• Chair, CAS Risk Management Committee, 2006–2009
• CAS Latin America Regional Committee member, 2003–2008
• Chair, CAS Investment Committee, 2000–2003
• Ex Oficio, CAS Finance Committee, 2000–2003
• Member, Otterbein Alumni Council, 2004–2008
• Assisted Coach Dick Reynolds, 2004–2007
• Honored by college of mathematics during Otterbein’s Sesquicentennial, 1997
• Named Senior of the Year in college of mathematics, 1982
• Co-Captain of the 1981 Final Four basketball team

For the past several years, Lou Ann Layton has served as managing director and U.S. Financial and Professional Liability Practice (FINPRO) Leader for Marsh and McLennan, one of the largest risk management companies in the world. Based in New York City, she is also a senior Directors and Officers insurance advisor for some of Marsh's largest clients, including Apple, JP Morgan Chase and Lockheed Martin. She got her start in the insurance industry when she was referred by former Otterbein football coach Rich Seils for a summer job. After graduation, she accepted a position at another Columbus insurance company, before moving onto Pittsburgh and San Francisco as an underwriter then broker. She began working for Marsh and McLennan in 1987, taking on increasingly challenging roles as New York leader, then West Zone and Northeast Practice Leader before heading up the U.S. division. She honed her leadership skills at Otterbein, where she learned to motivate and guide others as president of Tau Epsilon Mu. As one of the few female executives at Marsh, Layton advocates for other women in the industry, serving as a mentor and providing advice to those just starting out.

• President, Tau Epsilon Mu, 1980–1981
• Created the FINPRO Global Advisory Board, 2001; chair of Board, 2001–2009
• First woman to receive the Statesman Award, 2012
• Joined Board of Trustees of the Fiver Children's Foundation, 2012
• Business Insurance Power Broker Award, 2006, 2007, 2010
• Business Insurance "Women to Watch," October 2006
• Frequent guest speaker at corporate governance and insurance conferences

As the newly appointed president of Delaware North Companies Sportservice, John Wentzell oversees venue management services at over 50 stadiums, arenas and entertainment complexes throughout North America. With over $750 million in annual revenues, Sportservice provides hospitality and retail management services to various venues. In addition, he is responsible for Delaware North's European businesses, which range from sports venues to airports and travel destinations. Since joining the company in 1996, John has held a number of key leadership positions, including Chief Operating Officer of TD Garden, Boston's premier arena, which is owned by the company and is home to the NBA's Boston Celtics and the NHL's Boston Bruins. In that role, he was instrumental in bringing the 2004 Democratic National Convention to the arena. In 2007, he was named president of Delaware North Companies Boston, and of the firm's operations in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. During that time, the Boston business experienced record growth and results. Even with all that he has accomplished, John continues to give back to his community, hosting the "Table of Friends Event," which feeds over 500 homeless people at TD Garden, and supporting numerous charitable organizations, including the Sean McDonough Charitable Foundation and the Massachusetts Salvation Army. His generosity even extends to his alma maters, Otterbein University and Shrewsbury High School.

• Board of Directors, Boston Municipal Research Bureau
• Board of Directors, Massachusetts Salvation Army
• Board of Directors, Sports Museum of New England
• Board of Directors, Sean McDonough Charitable Foundation
• Hosts the "Table of Friends Event" at TD Garden. Considered "the biggest Thanksgiving dinner in Boston," the event brings entertainers, former Bruins and Celtics players together to feed over 500 homeless people.
• Received the Harold J. VanderZwaag Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Mark H. McCormack Dept. of Sport Management at Isenberg, University of Massachusetts-Boston, 2006–07.
• As general manager of the Greater Ft. Lauderdale/Broward Convention Center, oversaw its final design, construction and opening, early '90s
• Received master's degree in sports and facility management from the University of Massachusetts, 1984

Certified public accountant, business consultant and entrepreneur Richard Fetter took what he learned in the corporate world and applied it to higher education with great success. After earning his degree from Otterbein in 1973, he began his career at his family's fertilizer business, Morral Chemical Company, a manufacturer and packager of liquid fertilizer. He eventually became partner, treasurer and vice-president at the company. Following his career at Morral Chemical, Richard earned his doctorate degree at Indiana University and joined Butler University in 1992. He has held various appointments at Butler including faculty in the College of Business, dean and interim provost. In 2006, he also helped co-found the private equity company, Tillery Capital, with one of his former students. During Richard’s time at Butler, his achievements included:

• Led the growth of the Butler University College of Business to one of national renown, most recently ranked 135th in the U.S. News and World Report 2011 list of Best Business Schools.
• Business Week most recently ranked Butler’s MBA program 37th nationally among part-time MBA programs, and its undergraduate program is ranked 58th nationally.
• Helped obtain the largest gift that Butler University had ever received—a $22 million donation from the Lilly Endowment.
• Instrumental in creating the Butler Business Accelerator, a program whose goal is to "…dramatically improve the design and delivery of business education…" via the "real life, real business" ethos of the college; Butler’s College of Business is one of the few in the country with its own consulting practice, private equity/mezzanine investment fund, and $1 million SMIF (student-managed investment fund).
• Widely published on topics ranging from leadership to consumer behavior and presented throughout the world.
• Recipient of the Mortar Board Outstanding Professor Award and the Alpha Kappa Psi Outstanding Professor Award.

Randy Adams is proof of the prolific talent in Otterbein's theatre department. The former high school English teacher won the Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle awards for best musical of 2010 for Memphis, which he's now producing on Broadway. He is also one of the founding partners of Junkyard Dog Productions, a theatrical producing organization. While he's certainly passionate about the work, Mr. Adams is equally committed to helping budding musical writers, launching one of the most distinguished new works programs in the country. We acknowledge and appreciate Mr. Adams for high professional achievement in the service of others.

• Worked as managing director at the Virginia Stage Company and TheatreWorks.
• Sat on the Board for Leadership Palo Alto, Leadership Mountain View and the Council for the Arts Palo Alto.
• Served as an on-site evaluator for the California Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.
• Received Silicon Valley's 2002 Excellence in Nonprofit Leadership Award from the Center for Excellence in Nonprofits.
• Holds the position of vice president of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre.

Ronald Moomaw is a medical renaissance man, applying his knowledge to everything from public service and higher education to corporations and the military. After graduating from Otterbein, Ronald went on to earn his doctorate degree at Ohio University's Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. Since then, he has served in the U.S. Air Force, taught at the university level, worked toward a bully-free America and started his own company, Neurobehavioral Systems, which is making its national debut this year. He is currently developing advanced evaluation and assessment tools for people in high-risk environments around the world. He is also employed by the Johnson Space Center in Houston as a flight surgeon and psychiatrist, providing direct support to astronauts and their families.

• Develops countermeasures for isolation and communication desynchrony as part of a Flight to Mars research proposal.
• Member of the NASA support team during the recovery of the Chilean Miners in 2010.
• Serves as an assistant professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch.
• Serves as incident command director for Wyle Engineering and Integrated Services, a Houston organization that specializes in life sciences research, space medical operations and engineering.
• Serves as president of the Houston Osteopathic Medical Association.
• Serves as director of psychiatry for "I'm Bully Free."
• Serves on the governing Board for the National Commission for Correctional Health Care.
• Served as a major in the U.S. Air Force, where he was awarded the Air Force Achievement Medal.
• Provided 23 years of private psychiatric practice.

Ever since he graduated from Otterbein in 1970, Michael Ducey has worked hard to achieve profound success in the business world. Now retired, he has been the president, CEO and director of two extraordinarily successful companies. A veteran executive, he is known for an open communication style, respect for his staff and customers, and strong business performance skills. We pay tribute to Mr. Ducey for professional achievement in his field.

• Was President, CEO and Director of Borden Chemical, Inc., a $2 billion diversified chemical company.
• Held the position of CEO and Director of Compass Minerals International, Inc., the world's third largest producer of salt, with annual revenues of $1 billion.
• Sat on the board of UAP Holdings Corporation, the largest independent distributor of agricultural and non-crop inputs in North America.
• Serves as the Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors at TPC Group, Inc., a major diversified chemicals company.
• Served on the Otterbein Board of Trustees, the Otterbein MBA Advisory Board and as Vice Chair for Constituent Groups for Otterbein's Annual Fund National Volunteer Council.

Dr. Fulton dedicated his life to serving the country in the Federal Bureau of Intelligence. At different points in his career, he worked the streets of New York City, investigated the murder of Malcolm X and even saved the Statue of Liberty from losing a limb. After retiring, he became a college professor of business law and law enforcement, and served on the staff of a private security training and consulting firm. We honor Dr. Fulton for his inspiring career achievements.

• Served in the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Corps during the Korean War.
• Graduated with a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.
• Worked in the FBI as a field agent, Assistant Special Agent, Chief of Research and Training in the Intelligence Division, and Deputy Assistant Director of the Intelligence Division.
• Selected to be the first representative of the FBI to attend the prestigious Senior Seminar in Foreign Policy, a yearlong State Department program for senior government officials.
• Graduated from the FBI's Senior Executive Program and the U.S. Attorney General's Senior Executive Seminar.

This new award was recently established in 2006 to honor an alumna/us who has exemplified the college’s philosophy of concern and responsible commitment to society demonstrated through a distinctive impact of volunteer service to the community beyond the call of business or professional duty.

In 1986, the Puskarich Public Library opened in Cadiz, Ohio, thanks to the Puskarich family, who spearheaded a multi-million-dollar fundraising campaign, donating a sizable portion to the project themselves. That library is a notable example of their philanthropy, but family members have long been committed to community service, including: Michael ’82; Matthew ’88 and wife, Kristine ’88; sister, Lynn; mother, Mary Belle; cousins Mark ’86 and Amy ’88, and their mother, Lois.

Michael, who passed away in 2012, chaired the Harrison Community Hospital Board and was a statewide officer of the Freemasons of Ohio and a known philanthropist.

Matthew and Kris sit on various advisory boards and are active in several community organizations including the Harrison County Community Fund and the Husky Foundation. They are helping to lead the Puzzles for Prosperity campaign to raise $1 million for local causes.

Lynn has been a strong supporter of the Special Olympics program in Licking County and created the first local prom for special needs individuals.

The family’s philanthropy extends to Otterbein. Kris, with her sister, Cynthia Heston-Sievers ’89, established the Karyn Rial ’89 Endowed Scholarship at Otterbein to honor the memory of a dear classmate and sorority sister. Mary Belle established a scholarship at Otterbein in memory of Michael.

Mark, too, found his passion in philanthropic work. Mark and other former Otterbein track athletes established the Miller, Ricevuto, and Lehman Endowed Scholarship to pay tribute to their track and field coaches during their 1980s tenure at Otterbein.

And when a former bandmate was diagnosed with cancer in 2000, he and other band members came together to record a CD, A Christmas to Cure Cancer, donating all sales to cancer research. Since then, Mark founded the organization, A Christmas to Cure Cancer, and sister charity, Blues For A Cure, which have raised $1.5 million dollars through the sale of CDs, as well as fundraiser events. Donations go to a variety of cancer-research organizations across the country.  Mark now serves on The James Foundation Board.

Amy and her family, along with Puskarich sibling Lisa Zehnal and family, actively support the fight against cancer annually by fundraising and riding the Pelotonia cycling event benefitting The James Cancer Research Center. They are also annual supporters of  A Christmas To Cure Cancer and Blues For A Cure.

Lois privately supports many local, state and national causes, including the Otterbein Fund, Ohio State University’s Women in Philanthropy, 4-H, and the Harrison County Scholarship Fund.

Dom Tiberi '81 and Terri Tiberi are co-founders of The Maria Tiberi Foundation, and are accepting the award on behalf of the Foundation. The Tiberis lost their daughter, a senior graphics design student at The Ohio State University, in a tragic car accident that by all accounts could have been prevented. The Maria Tiberi Foundation and Maria's Message were founded with the hope of saving lives. The Foundation provides scholarship dollars to students following in Maria's educational footsteps and launch a campaign to help change driving habits .The Ohio Department of Transportation and area police departments are working with the Foundation to educate young drivers on the dangers of distracted driving. The Foundation recently donated distracted driver simulators to the department to use as educational tools that will help remind new drivers and others about the dangers of distractions, including texting and cell phone use.

For nearly 50 years, Nancy Loudenslager Cassell has dedicated her life to serving others. After graduating from Otterbein, she went on to receive both a master’s and a doctorate degree in French from the University of Kentucky. Settling in Nashville, Tennessee, she volunteered at a crisis call center and often hosted individuals from other countries for several weeks or even months. In 1983 — and for the next five years — Cassell and her husband traveled to Del Rio, Texas, to help the Faith Mission ministry deliver Christmas gifts to children in Mexico. In 1992, she began volunteering with World Relief to resettle refugees from Vietnam, Russia, Somalia, Ethiopia and Iraq, and with Servant Group International to help Kurdish refugees. Since then, she has helped families attain apartments, driven them to appointments, taught ESL to Kurdish women, prepared income taxes, and assisted with immigration and job applications. When several Kurdish families were forced to move from their apartments in 1995, Cassell even bought five duplexes to house them. In addition to the work she has done in Nashville, she has served on mission trips to Croatia, Romania, Turkey, Mozambique and Egypt.

• Secretary, Missions and Women’s Society, McKendree United Methodist Church, 1968
• Assistant Professor of French, Fisk University, Nashville, 1970-76
• Started program to teach French to doctors working in French-speaking African countries,Meharry Medical College, 1971
• Charter member, Theta Theta Chapter of Alpha Mu Gamma, national language honorary, Fisk University, 1973
• Attended Northeast Conference on Teaching of Languages, Washington, D.C., 1979
• Maintain financial records for Global Outreach Clinic, 2004-presentVolunteer, The Well food pantry, 2006-2014

Sherry Williamson ’05, co-founded the non-profit ShareBacAPac in Westerville, Ohio.  In 2011, she and her daughter, Brandy Wampler, founded ShareBacAPac, a program that provides bags of individual-sized foods that kids can prepare on their own. That year, the pair delivered bags weekly to seven children in two elementary schools. In 2014—just three years later—2,262 bags were distributed. Through the donation of space and help with outreach, Otterbein and its faculty have helped Williamson expand the all-volunteer program.  Otterbein students and community members help pack and deliver over 130 bags to 16 Westerville schools each week. The distribution of the bags, filled with about 12 items, are handled by counselors, who discreetly place them in the children’s backpacks. Williamson often talks to classes about hunger and its emotional and physical effects, and she encourages the students to find their own way, regardless of age, to help in their community.  

For the past 15 years, Mara Matteson has taught third–sixth grades at Cochiti Elementary School, a public school that serves two Native American pueblos and several small, rural Hispanic communities in northern New Mexico. Mara has also been instrumental in helping a fellow teacher open a unique school for Cochiti Pueblo students that pairs indigenous language immersion with the Montessori method of instruction. After six years of hard work and planning, the Keres Children’s Learning Center (KCLC) opened in 2012, welcoming ten Cochiti Pueblo preschoolers. The children learn entirely in their native language, Keres, from two Montessori-trained teachers and an aide, who are all native speakers. This past fall, 16 children enrolled in the program. The next step for KCLC is to open an elementary classroom for students ages 6–12, who will learn in English and Keres. Although Matteson is busy with her current role as lead teacher at Cochiti Elementary, she continues to volunteer for KCLC, helping to write grants and raising funds for the coming years. She also serves as secretary of the Board.

• Fourth-generation graduate of Otterbein University 
• Communications specialist, Ohio Department of Education, 1990–96 
• Earned post-baccalaureate certification in elementary education, University of New Mexico, 1998 
• Earned elementary Montessori certification and master’s degree in education, Loyola University, 2005 

Soon after Amanda Slager Pickerill and Craig Pickerill moved their family back to her hometown of Washington Courthouse, the couple realized the area was facing an economic crisis and that many people needed assistance. Along with other community members, they envisioned a central location where those in need could acquire gently used clothing and household items at no cost. When the old Sunnyside Kindergarten building came up for auction, the Pickerills purchased it for use as a community center. In September 2009, the newly named Well at Sunnyside opened with a Free Store for clothing and personal items. The nonprofit organization is an ecumenical ministry supported by 32 area churches. Shortly after it opened, Amanda and Craig helped build a kitchen, and meals are now being served. Last year alone, over 16,000 free meals were provided to community members, including children in the summer lunch program. Other free offerings include a laundry service, back-to-school supplies and tax filing. They plan to open a free medical clinic this year. In 2010, the two were honored by the American Red Cross as Hometown Adult Heroes for their contributions to the Well. They are just as active today: Amanda coordinates the Free Store and Craig is President of the Board of Directors. 

Craig:

• CEO, Patient Safety, Inc., 2007–present
• Volunteer treasurer of YMCA of Fayette County
• Board Treasurer/leads adult study group at Grace United Methodist Church, Washington Courthouse
• Founder and CEO, Sleep Care, Inc., 1995–2011
• President, Ohio Sleep Society, 2008–2010
• Vice President, Hear the Cry, fund-raising organization for African AIDS programs, 2007–2010

Amanda:

• Practicing psychologist, Washington Courthouse and Wilmington, Ohio
• Teaches free parenting classes
• Teaches an adult Sunday School class and assists with Youth Program, Grace United Methodist Church, Washington Courthouse
• School psychologist for various Franklin County districts, 1995–2002
• Received a PhD in psychology from The Ohio State University, 1996

Doug and Julie Sharp are the co-founders of the Lettuce Work Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing job training and employment for young adults with autism located near New Albany, Ohio. Their work with school age children with autism led them to recognize the growing need for additional training programs post-high school to help young adults on the autism spectrum become independent, self-supporting adults.

Described as "social-enterprise," Lettuce Work will begin this year supplying central Ohio restaurants with a custom mesclun salad mix. Lettuce Work employees will be involved in every aspect of the business, from growing to sales, to help build meaningful job skills and improve their ability to interact in an actual work environment. In addition to their work with Lettuce Work, Doug is a vice president at Grange Insurance and Julie is a teacher at Oakstone Academy in Westerville. For all they have done – and continue to do to serve others – Otterbein presents the Sharps with the Alumni Community Service Award.

• Doug is a former board president of Oakstone Academy.
• Doug is a former board member of the American Red Cross of Greater Columbus and the Epilepsy Foundation.
• Doug received the Community Service Award 2008 from the Ohio Professional Insurance Agents Association.
• Doug was named fundraiser of the year by the American Red Cross of Greater Columbus.
• Julie was instrumental in starting the Middle School program at Oakstone Academy and now works as an Intervention Specialist in the High School. Oakstone Academy has been recognized nationally as one of the premiere schools for children on the autism spectrum and for its successful use of inclusion as a teaching method.
• Doug and Julie are active volunteers for Autism Awareness.
• Doug and Julie are the proud parents of Daniel and Ryan who fuel their passion towards the Lettuce Work Foundation.

Helping children isn't just a day job for Dr. Susan Wiley, a developmental pediatrician at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. The adjunct associate professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine has refused a full-time position at the hospital so that she has the time to help children in other places. She has given medical and therapeutic care to children locally, nationally and internationally. We recognize Dr. Wiley for consistently demonstrating a true concern and commitment to helping others.

• Organizes annual groups to visit Teseros de Dios, a ministry in Nicaragua for children with disabilities.
• Helped form the Friends of Bradley's House of Hope, Inc., a nonprofit agency in Nicaragua that supports the needs of children with disabilities.
• Volunteers weekly at Crossroad Health Center, an urban medical center for underserved populations.
• Serves on more than five committees for the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Ohio Department of Health, and the St. Rita School for the Deaf in Cincinnati.
• Won the December 2009 Jefferson Award at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center for embodying the spirit of volunteerism.

The Honorary Alumni Award was created in 1950 for the purpose of recognizing and honoring those individuals, who, though not graduates of Otterbein University, have demonstrated outstanding interest, commitment and involvement in its life and activities. Recipients embody the notion that friends of the University, in addition to its alumni, can play an important and vital role in the enhancement of the institution. 

While it's true that Betty Campbell did not attend Otterbein, after 37 years of marriage to John Campbell '61, she is as dedicated to the school as he is. Both volunteer at numerous “O” Club functions, and can frequently be seen at football, basketball and baseball games. It was through Betty's own advocacy efforts that Otterbein's equine science center received a $1.5 million gift from the Austin E. Knowlton Foundation. As personal assistant to Knowlton Construction owner Austin Knowlton for 25 years, she understood his commitment to higher education as well as his passion for horses. After his death in 2003, Betty realized that a donation from his foundation would be the perfect way to both honor Mr. Knowlton and to help the college's equine science center. She facilitated talks between the foundation and Otterbein, which led to the generous donation. With their gift, the organization was given naming rights to the facility, which is now the Austin E. Knowlton Center for Equine Studies. Her extraordinary service to Otterbein has earned Betty Campbell the Honorary Alumna Award.

• Personal assistant to Austin E. Knowlton for 25 years.
• Outdoor arena at Otterbein's Austin E. Knowlton Center for Equine Science named in her honor
• Member of American Baptist Church, Westerville, for 17 years. Church Board of Trustees secretary for 8 years, treasurer for 6 years.

Bruce Bailey, son of alumni Frances "Red" '43 and Mary Rolison '46 Bailey, grew up on Center Street in the heart of campus, surrounded by Otterbein alumni. But when it was time for Bruce to attend college, he chose Wittenberg University and Capital University Law School. He began practicing law in 1978 at a firm run by Otterbein alumni determined to help Bruce return to his Cardinal heritage. A partner at Metz, Bailey & McLoughlin and law director for the City of Westerville, Bruce enjoys a close relationship with Otterbein and strived to maintain the same between Otterbein and the City of Westerville. He specializes in municipal law, estate planning, probate/ trust administration, and nonprofits. His service to Otterbein, which is rooted in personal gratitude toward the many Otterbein alumni who helped shape his life, has earned him the Honorary Alumnus Award.

• Served as adjunct professor of business law at Otterbein from 1979-1992. Bill McLoughlin '83, Bruce’s law partner, is one of his former students.
• Provides legal counsel to Otterbein officers and instructors.
• Serves as Trustee and Secretary/Treasurer of the Clements Foundation.
• Responsible for bringing historian Ken Burns to campus.
• Otterbein "O" Club member and lifelong fan of Otterbein sporting and cultural events.
• Played a significant role in various Otterbein projects such as the Clements Center, development of the Kilgore property and expansion of west campus.
• Commissioner of the Ohio Ethics Commission.
• Listed as one of Business First's top lawyers in Central Ohio.

Craig and Cass Johnson have been an integral part of Otterbein University from the moment they arrived in Westerville in 1980. Craig came to Otterbein as a professor in the Department of Music, and later served as director of choral and vocal activities; in 2000, he became chairperson of the department. He also served on the Friends of Music at Otterbein and Westerville Symphony Boards of Directors. Cass joined Craig at Otterbein when she began working in the Office of Admission, ultimately serving as director. Cass worked tirelessly to increase Otterbein’s enrollment, placing an emphasis on academic quality and diversity. Her work with guidance counselors and the Suburban College Fair benefitted Otterbein by building community relationships and encouraging prospective students to come to campus. Although they moved to Chicago in 2011, the Johnsons continue to contribute to Otterbein, returning for events and working toward the establishment of an endowed scholarship. Their three decades of service to Otterbein have earned them the Honorary Alumni Award.

• Craig served as president of the Ohio Choral Directors Association.
• Craig is on the Commission on Accreditation of the National Association of Schools of Music, the organization that accredits college and university music programs.
• Cass served as chair of the Ohio ACT Council and president of the Ohio Association for College Admission Counseling.
• Cass served as president of the Westerville Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Trustees.
• Craig is the current dean of the School of Music at North Park University in Chicago; Cass is the associate director of admissions at DePaul University in Chicago.

Described as a coach, mentor and friend to over 100 Otterbein track and field athletes, Guido Ricevuto only intended to coach at Otterbein for a couple of years. Twenty seven years later he retired from Otterbein yet his accumulative coaching career grade school, high school, college and Olympians spans to 50 years this year. Guido attended Texas A & M and Franklin University and worked 32 years at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety Inspection Services. After work, he would travel to Otterbein to coach many nights until the sun went down. His athletes admired his wealth of knowledge in the events he coached yet more importantly they admired the example he served as a role model and mentor to ensure his athletes grew into quality individuals and moral citizens. Guido arranged for college students to train with Olympians Dwight Stone, Randy Barnes, John Powell and Joe Greene. We recognize Mr. Ricevuto for his countless hours of service to the life of this institution and the life of our student athletes.

• Coached 46 Conference Champions; 48 NCAA National Qualifiers; 11 All Americans; 1 National Champion
• Coached Otterbein Athletic Hall of Famer, Elaine Gonya '92, two-time national heptathlon champion
• Coached over 1000 Otterbein athletes shot put, discus, javelin, pole vault, high jump, long jump, triple jump, 100M/110 M hurdles, 400 IM hurdles, all men decathlon and women heptathlon
• Brought to Otterbein in world class athletics for workouts, clinics, competitions including Randy Barnes, current world and Olympic record holder and Gold Medal winner in the shot put

This award, established in 2015, honors a mid-career Otterbein graduate who has had a significant impact on his/her profession and who has contributed to the common good of her/his community. This alumna/us is recognized as a person who sets the pace for future generations of leaders and learners. Mid-career professionals are individuals with 15-20 years in a career which might be their first or encore career.

Tonye Patano's professional acting career has spanned over three decades. She has garnered multiple nominations and awards for her performances on stage, television and film. After graduating from Otterbein in 1983, Patano secured an internship with the Virginia Stage Company, and was cast in her first television project, The Jesse Owens Story, a mini-series partly filmed in Columbus. She went on to receive a master of fine arts degree in performance at Brandeis University in Boston. In 1986, Patano relocated to New York City to pursue an acting career, and hasn’t stopped working since. She appeared on Broadway in Neil Simon’s 45 Seconds from Broadway. Recent off-Broadway and regional credits include Neighbors and Father Comes Home from the Wars at the Public Theatre, Blood Quilt at the Arena Stage, The Last Goodbye and The Skeleton Crew at the Old Globe. Patano starred in the national tour of Legends alongside Linda Evans and Joan Collins, and was recognized by the Critics Association for Best Actress in the play, Ruined. She has appeared in a number of films and television series, notably, as series regular Heylia James on Showtime’s critically acclaimed Weeds. Patano returned to Otterbein in 1990 as a professional guest artist for the Summer Theatre production of Something’s Afoot, and again in 2007, to participate in the "100 Year Celebration of Otterbein Theatre Gala."

Currently the vice president of merchandising at Gap Inc. in New York City, Robert Gagnon has been a leader in the retail industry for over 25 years. He graduated from Otterbein with bachelor’s degrees in home economics and business administration, with concentrations in fashion merchandising, fashion design, economics and marketing. In 1990, Gagnon moved to New York City, where, over the next 13 years, he held a number of leadership positions at Victoria’s Secret catalog, including director of swimwear. During his tenure, he increased annual swimwear sales from $56 million to $121 million. He joined Old Navy’s online division in 2005 and was quickly promoted to division merchandise manager, then to vice president/general manager of Gap Online in 2010. During his time at Gap, he developed and implemented a rebranding of the gap.com platform. Most recently, he was vice president of e-commerce and marketing at INTERMIX, an online designer retail site. 

• Spearheaded “It Gets Better” video with Gap employees aimed at LGBT teens, 2010.
• Developed/oversaw Gap initiative to design exclusive t-shirts sold online and in 12 stores, with profits donated to GlobalGiving’s Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund, 2011.
• Nominated for a Fisher Award, established by the Gap founders for outstanding community service, 2011.
• Board member, Gap GEAR (Gay Employees Allies and Resources), 2015-presemt.
• Founder/CEO, RAGagnon Designs, 2002.
• Board member, Oliver’s Closet, 2002-present.

As vice president of communications for L Brands, Inc., Tammy Roberts Myers co-leads the Global Crisis Team; works with business media around the world; builds and maintains relationships with non-government organizations; develops and coordinates the company’s external communications and corporate social responsibility strategies; provides leadership counsel on issues that could impact the reputation of the company; and collaborates on communication with the brand marketing, public relations and call center teams within the company. Headquartered in Columbus, L Brands is the parent company of Victoria’s Secret, PINK, Bath & Body Works, La Senza and Henri Bendel. Before joining the organization in 2007, Roberts Myers was the director of investor relations and corporate communications at Bob Evans Farms. She received her MBA from the University of Dayton, and has been recognized as a Business First of Columbus 40 Under 40. Currently, Roberts Myers chairs the boards for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio (the world’s largest House), and ROX (Ruling Our eXperiences), a program that helps girls live healthy, independent and violence-free lives. In addition, she has served on the Otterbein Women and Leadership Advisory Council.

• Founding member, Board of Directors, ROX (Ruling Our eXperiences), 2006–present; Board Chair, present.
• Board of Directors, Ronald McDonald House of Central Ohio, 2009–present; Board Chair, present.
• Board of Directors, COSI, 2009-present.
• Recipient of the National Silver Anvil Award by the Public Relations Society of America, 1996.
• National Retail Federation (NRF) Communications Committee, 2014–present.
• Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) Executive Communications Committee, 2012–present.

Karen Kasler ’89

As chief of the Statehouse News Bureau of Ohio Public Radio and Television since 2004, Karen Kasler not only reports on and produces news from across the state, she oversees all stories that are distributed to public radio stations statewide. Her broadcasting career, however, began on Otterbein’s WOBN radio station, at that time in the basement of Cowan Hall. She graduated with a dual degree in broadcasting and journalism, and a year later, was reporting for WCBE public radio in Columbus. Named news director shortly after, she remained at the station until 1994, when she was selected as a fellow in the prestigious Kiplinger Master’s Program for Mid-Career Journalists at The Ohio State University. She moved to Cleveland’s WTAM Radio in 1996 to become their afternoon anchor and assignment editor. For the next eight years, she covered numerous live events, including the Republican National Convention in 2000, and she was a media witness to the execution of Wilford Berry. In her current role, Kasler has anchored the bureau’s live coverage of the Ohio governor’s state of the state address each year, and the gubernatorial inaugurations in 2007 and 2011. She has moderated numerous political debates, produced features on STEM education, “green” business and campaign ads, and hosts the bureau’s weekly television show, The State of Ohio. 

• Best In-Depth Coverage, Ohio Excellence in Journalism Awards, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2014
• Three-time nominee, Ohio Valley Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Emmys)
• Best Television Show, Ohio Society of Professional Journalists (2009 and 2013) and Press Club of Cleveland (2010, 2011, 2014)
• Best Reporter, Ohio Society of Professional Journalists, 2013
• Four-time winner, Best Broadcast Writing, Ohio Associated Press
• National Headliner Award, 1992

“It’s hard not to get cynical, but you meet people who are really affected by the legislation and you realize how important this is to a lot of folks.”

Margenett Moore-Roberts ’94

As general manager of video monetization and senior director of video advertising strategy for Yahoo! since 2011, Margenett Moore-Roberts is responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive business plan for network video and content syndication offerings. She collaborates with all departments in the company to educate their employees on these plans. A theatre major at Otterbein, Moore-Roberts moved to New York City in the summer of 1998. She took a job at a small startup company to pay the bills, and found that she enjoyed helping the business grow from the ground up. She went on to work for several more startups, including ScanScout in 2007, where her career in digital advertising began. When Moore-Roberts moved to Yahoo!, the organization did not have a network video area, and she embraced the opportunity to build the $50 million dollar business unit in 2½ years. When Yahoo! purchased another business, she helped set the groundwork for the $640 million acquisition. Recently, Moore-Roberts was named chair of the Yahoo Black Network, an organization that promotes inclusion and equity for employees in the company. In this role, she has found the skills she learned as a resident assistant and hall director at Otterbein invaluable.

• Chair, Yahoo Black Network, present
• Vice president, ad operations and client services, ScanScout, 2007–2011
• Vice president, client services, Muze, Inc., 2001–2007

Quote:

“Now that I’ve been at Yahoo! for four years, I am working on diversity initiatives. I’m now at the point that I want to do something that is more meaningful, using the expertise I learned at Otterbein.”

The Distinguished Alumni Award represents the most prestigious award presented by the Otterbein Alumni Association. Traditionally presented to only one individual per year, this award was established in 1951 to honor graduates of Otterbein University who have achieved recognized national or international prominence in their chosen career and have made significant contributions to their profession, community and the lives of others. The recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award represents the ideal of a committed, industrious, and caring individual to whom the Otterbein community may look as personifying the University’s mission.

Jim Shilling examines a wide range of topics, including real estate investment trusts, real estate asset pricing, and urban economics in his role as the Michael J. Horne Chair in Real Estate Studies and the academic project director at the Institute for Housing Studies, both at DePaul University in Chicago. Before moving to DePaul in 2006, he served as the James A. Graaskamp Professor of Real Estate and Urban Land Economics at the University of Wisconsin for 16 years. Shilling received dual degrees in economics and mathematics from Otterbein, and then went on to complete master’s and doctorate degrees in economics at Purdue University. Throughout his career, he has written more than 100 journal articles, studies, books and book chapters. Just last summer, Shilling traveled to India, where he met with members of Parliament, the Minister for Rural Development  and the Secretary of the Department of Land Resources. Discussions included how to attract private equity real estate capital and improvements to the country’s real estate practices. 

• President, American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association, 2001-2002.
• President, Asian Real Estate Society, 2014-2015.
• Editor, Real Estate Economics,1991-1997.
• Co-Editor,Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, 2015-present.
• Fellow, Urban Land Institute, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Real Estate Research.
• Grosvener Professor of Real Estate Finance, Cambridge University, Cambridge, England, 2001-2002.
• Lecturer, University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, Philadelphia, 1999-2000.
• Assistant Professor, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, 1981-1986.

Mellar P. Davis, M.D. ’74

Shortly after receiving Otterbein’s Special Achievement Award in 1999, Mellar P. Davis, MD, moved to the Cleveland Clinic to practice and conduct research in the oncology and palliative care departments at the Taussig Cancer Center, Solid Tumor Division and Department of Ethics. Over time, Dr. Davis’s focus has turned to palliative care, helping cancer patients, as well as those with other life-threatening diseases, to manage pain and emotional trauma. As a specialist, he steps in soon after diagnosis to work with the patient to ease the side effects of the disease and its treatment, and to oversee psychological and family care. It is important to Dr. Davis that his patients feel they are heard and respected by their medical team. While much of his time is spent with patients, he continues to conduct research in palliative care; most recently, he has been studying the fatigue experienced by cancer patients. Since 2008, Dr. Davis has directed the Cleveland Clinic’s fellowship program for palliative medicine, a post-graduate training program, which accepts four fellows each year. In addition, he has helped develop a third-year curriculum course in palliative medicine that will begin this year at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University, where he also teaches.

• Co-chair, International Conference on Opioids, Harvard University, Boston, 2015
• Leading Physician of the World and Top Oncologist and Lung Cancer and Palliative Medicine Specialist in Cleveland, International Association of Oncologists, 2012
• Published book recognized as one of “Top Six Books in Oncology,” British Medical Association, 2010
• Best Doctors: Medical Oncology and Hematology and Internal Medicine/Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Cleveland Magazine, 2007–2013
• Teacher of the Year, Palliative Medicine, 2007–08, 2011, 2014
• Published nearly 270 peer-reviewed manuscripts (253 since 2000)
• Published five books: one recognized as one of top six books in oncology by British Medical Association, 2010
• Book of the Year Award from the American Journal of Nursing, 2005
• 250 abstracts/poster presentations, nationally and internationally
• Letter of recognition from Chest journal, 2000
• Special Achievement Award, Otterbein University, 1999
• Compassion in Medicine Award, Riverside Methodist Hospital, 1999

“My faith is pretty strong; it’s probably what drives me. It centers you in the morning so you know what’s important — your patients.”

General Lance W. Lord '68, retired in April 2006 after 37 years of military service. He last served as Commander, Air Force Space Command during which he was responsible for the development, acquisition and operation of Air Force space and missile weapon systems.  He led more than 39,700 personnel who provided space and intercontinental ballistic missile combat capabilities to North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Strategic Command.  General Lord currently serves as a Member of the Board of Directors of GenCorp, the Sletten Construction Company and the Marotta Controls Corporation.   He is Chairman, Board of Advisors to the National Disaster Radio Authority.  General Lord is the President of the Consolidate Range Enterprise (CoRE) Joint Venture Team and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and founder of L2 Aerospace, LLC.  He is the 2014 recipient of the American Astronautical Society Military Astronautics Award.   He is a Senior Associate of the Four Star Group; a member of the Iridium Corporation’s Government Advisory Board; an advisor to Peregrine Semiconductor, Inc; an advisor to Lucix Corporation; an advisor to The Goyak Group, a member of the board of advisors for the Challenger Learning Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado; and chairman of the board of advisors to USO Colorado Springs; a Falcon Foundation Trustee; and, President of the Association of Air Force Missileers.  

Since earning his degree from the New York University School of Law in 1966, Thomas C. Morrison has tried more than 60 cases and has argued over 35 appeals in courts across the country. Specializing in commercial litigation, he became widely known in the '90s for his expertise in the field of false advertising, a fairly new area when he helped develop it at Patterson, Belknap, Webb & Tyler LLP. He has successfully represented a number of large pharmaceutical and consumer-product companies in major trials, including Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson, Time, Inc., Pfizer, Pizza Hut, Abbott Laboratories and Crayola. He has even represented Bill Cosby in a jury trial (which he won). While his career is time consuming, Thomas continues to make Otterbein a priority. He joined the University Board of Trustees in 1988 and has served in various capacities, including Board Chair since 2005. Under his leadership over the past eight years, Otterbein's science and equine science facilities were upgraded, the first female president was hired, and Otterbein has grown from a college to a university, expanding its majors and areas of study. We honor Thomas C. Morrison for his distinguished career as well as for his commitment to Otterbein University.

• Captain, Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps, 1966–1970
• Partner, Royall, Koegel & Rogers, New York City, 1975–1977
• Partner, Patterson, Belknap, Webb & Tyler LLP, 1977–2009
• Partner, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP, 2010–2013
• Recognized by Chambers USA and The Best Lawyers in America for advertising litigation
• Listed in the Guide to the World's Leading Trademark Law Practitioners, Euromoney Legal Media Group, 2004
• Otterbein University Board Chair, 2005–2013
• Chair, Investment Committee, Otterbein Board of Trustees, 1995–2005

Brian Hajek has made significant contributions to the nuclear engineering field and nuclear engineering education by sharing his expertise with nuclear engineering professionals and students throughout the United States. Graduating from Otterbein College, Brian began his career with Battelle Memorial Institute finding a passion for the blue glow of the nuclear reactor core and working with the U.S. Navy to extend the core life for submarine power generation. He then joined The Ohio State University where he obtained a master’s degree in nuclear engineering. He managed the OSU Nuclear Reactor Laboratory, founded the OSU Nuclear Services and Training Laboratory, and transitioned to become a faculty member with the OSU Nuclear Engineering Program. There he researched expert systems, digital control, and power plant operations, popularized the Introduction to Nuclear Science and Engineering course, which enabled the establishment of an Undergraduate Nuclear Engineering Minor at OSU for the first time. Even while he devoted his career to education at Ohio State, he served the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) as a Certified Operator Licensing Examiner for ten years, and was appointed by the NRC Commissioners to the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel in 2008. With two bachelor’s degrees from Otterbein University, one in physics and one in math, and his MS from The Ohio State University, Brian has worked to raise the educational opportunities in his field. He enabled the nuclear engineering undergraduate minor programs at Wilberforce University and Central State University, and brought nuclear power plant systems and operations into the higher education community using distance learning. He is responsible for the only full-function simulator-integrated systems course in the United States. Brian also co-founded Nuclear Education and Training Services, Inc., an organization that provides operations, analysis and training services to the nuclear utility industry and government organizations, both domestically and internationally. He currently teaches and leads research at OSU.

• Elected as a Fellow of the American Nuclear Society in 2002.
• Recognized for the OSU Distinguished Alumni Award for the 2010 Nuclear Engineering Program.
• Awarded the American Nuclear Society (ANS) Arthur Holly Compton Award in 2008 as the International Nuclear Educator of the year.
• Nominated by his students for admittance to the ANS Honorary Alpha Nu Sigma as a distinguished university faculty member—only the 17th person (and the last) in the world to be so designated.
• Encouraged diversity in nuclear engineering education by partnering with two Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Ohio, Wilberforce University and Central State University.
• Founded and led the Midwest Nuclear Training Association (MNTA) Annual Instructor Workshop for 15 years which served nearly 150 nuclear instructors from all over the United States each year.
• Chaired the ANS Education and Training Division, the Reactor Operations Division, and the Human Factors Division.
• Popularized the introduction to nuclear science and engineering course at OSU.
• Married to Edith Sheets Hajek '66; daughter Rachel Hajek Hall '01 married to Matthew Hall '99 and proud grandfather to Logan (13), Cameron (8), and Reid (7).

Thanks to David Yohn's lifelong research of cancer-causing viruses, we now have a clearer understanding of the role of viruses in poliomyelitis, cancer and AIDS. He spent endless hours working in laboratories, writing grants, publishing research papers, serving on committees and teaching young research scientists. His cancer investigation also led him to establish two important research organizations: The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center and the International Association for Comparative Research on Leukemia and Related Diseases. We applaud Dr. Yohn for his unparalleled commitment to changing - and saving - lives.

• Earned his doctorate in philosophy at The Ohio State University.
• Worked as a researcher and professor at the University of Pittsburgh.
• Received a 10-year award from the National Cancer Institute to explore possible virus causes of cancer and leukemia.
• Composed over 120 publications in the fields of virology, immunology and oncology.
• Wrote numerous grants that were fully funded and resulted in scientific breakthroughs in cancer research.
• Established the Kristine Yohn Wellness Program Endowment at Otterbein, which provides support for students dealing with mental and physical health problems.

The Otterbein Mentor Impact Award is given annually to a faculty or staff member, either current or emeriti, whose dedication to teaching and mentoring has had a noteworthy and enduring impact on the lives and careers of his or her departmental alumni.  This award is given to an individual who has changed lives through his or her dedication to former students and who has shown a commitment to supporting young alumni and/or the Young Alumni Awards Program at Otterbein University.

Allen Prindle has excelled in his role as a caring advisor and mentor to countless Otterbein students. In his tenure at Otterbein, Prindle has been a relentless advocate for his students and advisees. He has mentored, advised, guided and connected many of them with the strong alumni network of the college — often helping them receive relevant internships, and often inviting alumni into his classes.

Prindle’s study abroad in Japan during his college years was a life-changing experience and shaped his passion for study abroad for Otterbein students.  In 2001, he initiated an exchange program with Maastricht University in the Netherlands.  He has mentored more than 40 Otterbein students to participate in this outstanding experience.  There will be one student there in Fall Semester 2017.  

Allen has been active with environmental issues on campus, in the local community and at the state level.  He worked with the statewide land trust community and the farmland preservation issues.  He served on a Westerville Citizens Advisory Committee and helped to prepare a comprehensive plan for the city.  He served on the Sustainability Committee on campus.  

Prindle was a “first-generation to college” student and he was sensitive to the transition issues experienced by many Otterbein students.  He attended graduate school at Purdue and Penn State University.  Then he worked in positions in public and private sector before joining Otterbein in 1987.  He taught economics classes, and always added current issues into his class discussions.

His lasting impact on our students will be felt — and appreciated — for many years to come.

Not too long before he passed away, Dr. Croghan expressed thankfulness for having such a wonderful life. Not only was he appreciative of having a successful career in the medical field, he treasured his role as musician, teacher and mentor. Using music as a means to learn and teach about relationships and life, Dr. Croghan especially enjoyed encouraging and developing young talent. In 2008, friends and family organized the Tom Croghan Tribute Concert, which funded an arts education endowment. We remember Dr. Croghan for his professional and personal accomplishments, which are an inspiration to others.

• Served as a physician in the U.S. Air Force; retired after 30 years in the medical profession.
• Served as president and senior partner of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
• Taught at the Richland Academy Jazz Camp and the Jamey Aebersold Jazz Workshop in Louisville, Kentucky.
• Produced the Ohio Young Talent Program, which resulted in a professionally recorded CD.
• Helped form four nonprofit organizations in Mansfield: the Renaissance Theatre, Richland Academy, the Jazz Society of North Central Ohio and the Mansfield-Richland County Arts Council.

This award recognizes outstanding individuals who have freely and unselfishly given their time, talents, and services for the betterment of Otterbein University. The award was established in 1964 to honor Otterbein graduates who have significantly enhanced the campus community and added a dimension to campus life and the future of the University that made their service distinctive.

Few things are more important to Glenn Day than community service, mission work and helping others. He has lived in Westerville since 1943, growing up on a farm next to the current site of Otterbein’s Center for Equine Science. His career spans 21 years as construction supervisor for Westerville City Schools and 19 years with H.A. Williams and Associates Inc., an engineering firm in Columbus. Today, he applies his career knowledge to his volunteer work, performing construction-related tasks for the Center for Equine Science and mission projects, in addition to his support of other charitable programs.

• Provided many items for the Center for Equine Science which include tool and whip racks, engraved signs, patio furniture, bubbler machine, industrial vacuum and storing leg warp racks.
• Purchased two horse stalls.
• Supports the Otterbein "O" Club.
• Supports the Otterbein Thrift Shop through donations and volunteer activities.
• Fourteen years with Wandering Wheels, a Christian Bicycle Group.
• Provided construction support during mission trips to Alaska, Florida, Kentucky, New Orleans and France.
• Serves at Sunbury United Methodist Church.