Recipients of the Distinguished Alumni, Outstanding Young Alumni, Alumni Achievement, E. Burton Mercier Alumni Service and Senator John W. Maitland Jr. Commitment to Education awards are recognized.
Category: Alumni Awards
Distinguished Alumni Award: Carl Kasten
Carl Kasten’s involvement at ISU has included leadership roles with the Alumni Association Board of Directors and serving as a founder and member of ISU’s Attorneys Advisory Council.
Alumni Achievement Award: Jack Hartung
Chipotle was a privately held company with fewer than 200 restaurants when ISU alumnus Jack Hartung became chief financial officer in 2002.
Outstanding Young Alumni Award: Jessica Rau
Jessica Rau is cofounder and field liaison officer for McDonald’s Young Professionals Network. She sits on ISU’s College of Business Marketing Advisory Board.
Senator John W. Maitland Jr. Commitment to Education Award: Willie Brown
Willie Brown began his career at State Farm in 1971 before completing a business administration degree. He worked there until 2009, retiring as senior executive vice president.
E. Burton Mercier Alumni Service Award: Ronald Williams
Formerly with the Department of Defense, Ronald Williams was a member of the U.S delegation to the Third Review Conference of the Biological Weapons Convention during the Gulf War.
E. Burton Mercier Alumni Service Award: Kathleen Hogan
Kathleen Hogan served Mennonite College of Nursing for 30 years. Under her direction, the college became the first single-purpose, upper-division bachelor of science nursing program in the country accredited by the National League for Nursing.
Alumni Association award winners to be honored at Founders Day
Six Illinois State University alums will receive awards for outstanding accomplishments at the Alumni Association Awards Recognition Dinner Thursday, February 21.
Alumni Awards: David T. Wiant
Senator John W. Maitland Jr., Commitment to Education Award David T. Wiant Assistant Vice President Emeritus ISU Administrative Services Normal David Wiant dedicated 36 years to higher education, with 28 years at Illinois State. He established and developed the University’s personnel program. He advanced to assistant vice president of Administrative Services, yet maintained oversight of
Alumni Awards: Amar Kamath
Outstanding Young Alumni Award Amar Kamath, M.B.A ’97 Vice President of Marketing, BioReference Laboratories Sparta, New Jersey Amar Kamath is on the executive team of BioReference Laboratories, which is the third largest publicly held clinical laboratory in the United States. Beyond leading marketing, he is involved in business development, intellectual property management and licensing, and