Alumni Recognition Award

Previous Winners of the Alumni Recognition Award

2024: Paul Beddie (IntlAf'89)

With a focus on global citizenship, Paul Beddie's connection and commitment to CU Boulder have remained steadfast throughout his illustrious international career. His service and leadership demonstrate dedication to the university, making him an ideal recipient of the Alumni Recognition Award. 

As a global ambassador for CU Boulder, Paul has been instrumental in strengthening international ties and alumni engagement. His efforts have expanded the university’s global network, creating opportunities for partnerships across continents, particularly in Japan. His impactful roles in hosting alumni events, participation on the International Affairs Program (IAFS) Advisory Board since 2021, IAFS student mentoring, and guest speaking at the Leeds School of Business and Environmental Studies Program have enriched students’ academic and professional pursuits. 

Paul's service as a dedicated mentor for International Affairs students is inspiring. Drawing on his extensive experience in sales, management consulting and entrepreneurship, he provides invaluable guidance and support. His commitment to nurturing the next generation of leaders bridges the gap between academia and industry, giving students real-world perspectives and connections to help them successfully navigate their career paths.

Paul’s professional successes reflect how he has adeptly applied the value of his CU Boulder education. During his undergraduate studies, he launched his international journey by studying abroad in Western Europe. From there, he built an extensive career across the globe, including his current role as vice president, global client partner and sustainability lead NFS at Capgemini.

His leadership in driving sustainable business strategies and environmental stewardship further exemplifies his commitment to giving back and building a better world for the next generation. As a business owner, advisor, innovator and educator, he has strived to use his knowledge and skill to benefit students, alumni and the environment.  

“Paul Beddie’s service to CU Boulder has been truly transformative, strengthening connections, fostering mentorship and advancing the university’s mission of education, research and service. His contributions have enriched the university community and will continue to have a lasting impact for years to come,” said Alyssa Radtke (Mgmt’21), assistant director Leeds Scholars Program and Specialty Programs and STEM Initiatives.

2024: Penny E. Patterson (Geol'76, MS'81, PhD'90)

Dr. Penny E. Patterson’s passion for geology, education and service is evident in her leadership and dedication to CU Boulder, making her an outstanding choice for this year’s Alumni Recognition Award.  

Penny earned her BA, MS and PhD degrees in geology from CU Boulder and became a trailblazer in the traditionally male-dominated field. She advanced through government and research agencies to Senior Technical Advisor at ExxonMobil, a role that took her across the globe. After retiring from ExxonMobil, she formed Patterson Geoscience Group, LLC, a consulting company focused on geoscience studies of conventional and unconventional petroleum resources.  

Her commitment to the geology community extends beyond her professional achievements. Over the past 15 years, Penny has used her skills and work experience to give back to CU Boulder. She has been a member of the university’s Geology Advisory Board, which helps improve the quality of education and acquire private financial support for the department. In 2022, she was elected board chair as the first-ever female to hold the position.  

“Dr. Patterson is a pioneer and leader in mentoring early career women in the field, serving as a role model for younger generations in geoscience and engineering disciplines. As an undergraduate at CU, Dr. Patterson stood out as one of two women in a cohort of approximately 150 students. In those early days of her study and work in geology, female role models were scarce,” said Shemin Ge, distinguished professor of Geological Sciences.

Penny now serves as a mentor for students, offering valuable career guidance and job-hunting tips. Her efforts to connect students to the professional geoscience network are commendable. Furthermore, she regularly hosts alumni gatherings at her Houston home, fostering a sense of community among CU Boulder alumni.  

As a staunch supporter of enhancing student research experiences, Penny's contributions have helped fund multiple research projects. Her impact helped fund quality equipment that saves time and increases the pace of graduate student research. Whether teaching in the classroom, connecting alumni, offering financial support or contributing valuable industry insights, the impact of Penny’s sustained volunteer service is significant and far-reaching.  

“Dr. Patterson is an inspiration to many of us, alumni, students and faculty alike, and she’s leaving an enduring mark on the trail of pursuing our academic mission,” added Shemin Ge.

2023: Olivia Omega (Bus'01)

A proven leader in the Denver community, Olivia Omega has a passion for inspiring young people to make their dreams a reality. And her values of inclusion and access drive both her career and community contributions. 

As a TEDx speaker, diversity and inclusion advocate, author, branding strategist and seasoned entrepreneur, Olivia has over 20 years of brand positioning and digital marketing experience across startup, nonprofit, and public and private sectors. During this time she has studied the importance of authenticity for both brands and individuals — and what it means for personal brands to show up in a genuine way.

As senior director of marketing and communications at the nonprofit Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF), Olivia helps make college possible for students and builds the educational and economic future of Denver. She collaborates with Denver Public Schools high school students, families and partners statewide to increase access and completion of post-high school learning, while also expanding generational exposure to career and entrepreneurial opportunities. 

Olivia is tasked daily with communicating the importance of post-secondary education and the value of a college degree, as well as sharing the stories of students and scholars. Given her own familiarity of growing up in a single-parent, low-income home, she is personally dedicated to helping students receive the support, resources and guidance they need to access the educational and professional pathways of their choice. 

Her own journey and experience at CU Boulder also gives Olivia the ability to talk to students about the importance of a college education. Her life is a testament to the value of a CU Boulder degree, and CU’s close to 400 DSF Scholars continue to show the quality of students who can call themselves Forever Buffs.

Beyond the personal value she has gained from her time at CU, Olivia has inspired hundreds of students by returning to campus for 15 consecutive years to host marketing and personal branding sessions in addition to coaching and mentoring. 

Throughout her career, Olivia has consistently volunteered for CU Boulder programs such as the Precollegiate Development Program, Leeds Diverse Scholars Program and Key Bank Business Leadership Program. She is also an alumna of the Presidents Leadership Class (PLC) — one of the oldest collegiate leadership programs in the United States — and now serves on its Board of Advocates and as chair of its DEI committee.

As shared by nominator Stanley Hickory of CU Boulder’s Research & Innovation Office, “Olivia has spent 22 years giving back to the university and can now see the individual and collective impact of her dedication through the feedback of the former students she mentored and sponsored. She exemplifies ambassadorship and is a walking example of how the investment in students comes back full circle.”

2023: Kim Christiansen (Jour'84)

Kim Christiansen has appeared as a friendly, calm presence in the homes of Coloradans for more than 30 years. As the lead anchor of Denver’s 9News broadcast, she has earned a reputation as a trusted source for news — and beyond. 

Catch her anchoring the 4, 5 and 10 p.m. daily newscasts and hear her voice on the “Train to the plane” at DEN airport. 

“Kim Christiansen’s superpower is her empathy,” said 9News colleague Chris Vanderveen (Jour’96). “It makes her a better person. It makes her a better journalist.  She cares in a way that’s never been common in this business. She cares about people. If you want to be a better person, seek out any of the work from Kim.”

Kim, who grew up and lives in Arvada, is a staunch Colorado advocate and is fiercely loyal to her state. You’ll also find her in the stands of Folsom Field on a football game day with her family, fully decked out in CU gear and brimming with school pride. 

Kim is the epitome of a Forever Buff. She often gives gleaming accolades for the university and supports many of its happenings. As a journalism student in the 1980s — where she also was twirler for the marching band — she credits the foundations of writing and reporting she learned with helping her land her first job at the 9News station in 1985. She’s also now a parent to a recent graduate, her son Tanner Feith (Mktg’23). 

And, since 2016, the nine-time Emmy Award winner has dedicated hours of her time to CU Boulder’s annual Alumni Awards ceremony as emcee and video narrator. Her involvement with the event has elevated the status and prestige of the historic ceremony, which celebrates its 94th year in 2023. 

Said Brennan Jones, director of Forever Buffs engagement and outreach, who runs the ceremony: "She has done so with grace and always has been willing to go above and beyond.”

2022: Ann Miller Scott (Soc’71; MPE’83)

Ann Miller Scott is a CU fan through and through. 

Scott is a dedicated contributor to the CU Boulder community — and she consistently goes above and beyond. Whether at Buffalo Belles (a group of engaged supporters of CU Athletics) or in her many positions across campus and over the years, she always promotes CU with enthusiasm and sincerity.

After graduating from CU Boulder with her bachelor’s degree in 1971, Scott was a public school teacher for Baltimore City Public Schools before transitioning to a 35-year career in higher education with a return to her alma mater in 1977.  

She started as a data entry operator and worked her way up to become the director of registrations, better known as registrar. Managing staff and the many volunteers known as the "registration ladies," she registered 20,000 students three times a year. 

Later, as a fundraising leader at CU, Scott raised millions in current and estate giving for departments, colleges and schools throughout the campus. 

Over the years, her progressively significant roles included senior director of development in the College of Engineering and Applied Science, director of reunion giving for the Leeds School of Business and assistant dean for advancement in the School of Education. In the latter role, she increased planned giving to the School of Education by more than two-fold and was instrumental in securing the largest gift in the school’s history for its new building initiative. 

Her ability to expertly connect with donors, alumni and fellow Buffs supporters and their unique passions is paramount to her accomplishments as a fundraiser. Further, her contributions to CU Athletics, the School of Education and CU’s culture of philanthropy have had enduring impacts on the university well beyond her tenure as a fundraising leader. 

In true Buffs fashion, Scott also served as a mentor to many. 

“Ann Scott is someone who truly embodies the idea of being a Forever Buff and exhibits it through quiet actions of leadership,” said Matt Young, assistant vice chancellor for CU Boulder Advancement. “She always has the best interests of the university in mind — whether it be through taking on responsibilities as an employee, serving as an informal ambassador connecting alumni and friends to the institution or skillfully mentoring younger Buffs as they find their way within the community.” 

Scott retired in 2020 but not without creating a network of authentic and up-and-coming fundraisers who are stronger professionals thanks to her leadership and model of service to the university. Even as a retiree, she continues to connect potential supporters and advocates. In fact, those supporters have come together to name the assistant dean for advancement office in the new School of Education building in her honor. 

Said Young, “Her positive impact on the CU family is easy to see and impossible to quantify.” 

2022: Col. Barry Baer (Mgmt’65; MBA’72) and Mrs. Sue Baer 

Col. Barry Baer and Sue Baer have deep roots at CU Boulder.

They met on campus in 1964 as university undergraduates, marrying less than two years later. As strong believers in the value of public education, Barry and Sue remained committed to the university that brought them together — long after leaving Boulder in 1972.

During their time away from CU, Barry and Sue pursued meaningful careers in both the public and private sectors. Barry served 27 years in the United States Army, achieving the rank of colonel. He commanded an armored cavalry troop in Vietnam, a finance battalion in Germany and an airborne finance brigade during the Gulf War. His service has earned him numerous awards. Sue, meanwhile, continued to pursue her own dreams working as a teacher, counselor, cooking instructor and food stylist before finding her calling as a children’s author. 

After moving back to Boulder in 2003, the Baers immediately re-engaged with the university, attending events, volunteering on boards and providing financial support. This includes Sue’s service on the Dean’s Board of the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Music Advisory Board. Barry has served as a CU trustee, as well as advisory board president for the Program in Jewish Studies, committee chair of the College of Arts and Sciences’ Dean’s Board and chair of the AROTC Board. 

Further, their philanthropic gifts have provided opportunities for students of myriad backgrounds and interests to pursue their passions and receive important financial assistance — whether that’s through Barry & Sue Baer Endowed Undergraduate and Graduate Student Scholarships, the Baer Crown Institute Scholarship or their contributions to the university’s Student Emergency Fund.

“‘Alums give back to CU, city in multiple ways,’ was the headline written about the impact Barry and Sue Baer have on CU and the city of Boulder — and that was back in 2015,” says Michelle Gaffga, director of development in the College of Arts and Sciences. “In the six years since this alumni spotlight, they have given back in ways that are more audacious. CU would not be where it is today without the generosity of Barry and Sue Baer.” 

In addition to their support, the Baers are active members of the CU Boulder community, regularly auditing courses and attending countless campus events. 

“There’s a Hawaiian word, ‘ohana,’ which means family,” said Barry. “CU Boulder has become part of our ohana, our extended family.” 

2021: Mary Ann Casey (IntlAf’70)

Coloradan Mary Ann Casey exemplifies what it means to be an internationalist, a trailblazer and a leader. After studying international affairs at CU Boulder, her education was a launchpad for her diplomatic career, during which she became the first woman U.S. ambassador in North Africa, serving in the countries of Algeria and Tunisia. 

Following her tremendous international career — including two ambassadorships and a fellowship at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution — Casey returned to her alma mater in 1997 as a State Department Diplomat in Residence. 

In that role, she taught international relations classes, mentored CU students who are now diplomats themselves, helped launch the Smith Hall International Program and helped power the international affairs committee for the Conference on World Affairs. 

Casey also co-founded and generously contributes to the International Affairs Global Grants Endowment at CU, which annually funds over 20 scholarships for education abroad for Boulder-based international affairs majors.

She also chaired the Advisory Board for CU Boulder’s International Affairs Program for nearly a decade, building it up to become a model for alumni engagement in the College of Arts and Sciences. 

“Ambassador Casey's dedication to CU Boulder is extraordinary in every way,” remarked Alexander F. Becker (Ger’06), chair of the Advisory Board for CU Boulder’s International Affairs Program. “From the mentoring of students to her unprecedented engagement with the International Affairs alumni community to the co-founding of and major financial support to the Global Grants Endowment, her leadership and service to CU Boulder will continue to make a lasting impact for decades to come. 

“She established opportunities for future generations of Colorado students to create positive change around the globe. Her accomplishments and contributions indeed define what it means to serve Colorado and to be engaged in the world.”

2019: Daniel Conroy (Hum'91)

Well-being is at the heart of Daniel Conroy’s (Hum’91) work. As co-founder and director of the CU Collegiate Recovery Center (CUCRC), he offers support and community to students struggling with addiction. Some credit him with saving their lives.

The CUCRC is a non-clinical space in the University Memorial Center where students support each other, with professional help, as they grapple with substance use disorders, mental health issues and other personal challenges. Ninety-five percent of participants graduate or remain enrolled in classes at CU.

Early in his career, while working at Sierra Tucson and CEDU (pronounced see doo), Daniel noticed gaps in support for young adults returning home following substance use disorder and mental health treatment. He began consulting for schools, treatment centers, wilderness programs and residential programs about ways to improve the long-term outlook for young adults facing mental health issues.

In 1999, Daniel and his wife, Mae Martin, began AIM House in Boulder, a residential program for young adults recovering from substance and mental health issues. They have successfully treated thousands of participants and their families. Now in its 21st year, AIM House is thriving.

Said a long-time colleague: “Daniel embodies that rare combination of creative entrepreneurship and compassionate service that makes positive change possible.”

Daniel also helps other Colorado universities establish recovery programs. And former CUCRC students have followed his lead and begun programs elsewhere, including Wake Forest and Iowa.

“In 2013, I got sober. In 2016 I graduated from CU,” said a CUCRC alum. “Those are two of my greatest accomplishments, and Danny was there active during every step of my journey.”

Daniel Conroy Award Video 

2019: Brian Cowan (Mktg'79)

Brian Cowan (Mktg’79) was a CU superfan for the ages.

The former U.S. Navy commander and hard-driving entrepreneur, who died in January at age 61, served the Alumni Association board for seven memorable years, including two as chair, combining a businessman’s discipline with a cheerleader’s spirit to the lasting benefit of the CU Boulder community.

A vigorous champion for the revival of a robust and varied Homecoming Weekend, Brian cared deeply about connecting Buffs with each other. He led the establishment of a formal alumni reunion program, hosted dinner for groups of Buffs in his Virginia home and financially supported several key Alumni Association initiatives. At every board meeting, he belted the “CU Fight Song,” often in a large cowboy hat.

Brian, a ROTC student at CU, spent 20 years in the U.S. Navy, retiring in 2001 at the rank of Commander. He went on to earn an MBA from the University of Virginia and founded his own information technology and supply chain management consulting business, Cowan & Associates. His commitment to country never wavered: In the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, he responded as a civilian to the flaming Pentagon to help with rescue operations.

Brian, a father of four, died Jan. 14, 2019. The cause was brain cancer. He was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery with military honors.

The CU Boulder community mourns his loss and will be forever proud and grateful for his service to country and to CU. He was, in the words of a friend and fellow CU alumna, “a true servant-leader.”

Brian Cowan Award Video 

2018: John Leach (Jour'74; MA'79)

John F. Leach knows you can’t have a healthy democracy without first-rate journalism. That’s why he championed the creation of CU’s College of Media, Communication and Information. 

After receiving his journalism degrees from CU in the 1970s, John moved to Arizona and ultimately became managing editor of The Arizona Republic, the state’s largest newspaper. He’s now managing partner of the website consultant service Digital Strategies LLC and an adjunct journalism instructor at Arizona State University. John served on CU Boulder’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication advisory board from 2007 to 2010, including two years as chair. After the school was discontinued, he joined the new journalism department’s advisory board as a founding member. He has also joined as a member of CMCI’s newest advisory board and will serve alongside Dean Lori Bergen. When the journalism program was up for re-accreditation in 2017, John traveled to a snowy Boulder from warm and sunny Phoenix to meet with the accreditation council, which strongly endorsed the CU program. John has personally established two student scholarships: The John F. Leach Endowed Scholarship and the Leach Family Scholarship Fund. Both are for undergraduate students, predominately from Colorado’s Western Slope where John grew up. He makes it a point to attend the college’s annual scholarship banquet and to connect with the scholarship winners. He continues to keep in touch with many of those recipients today. “I’ve known alums who were generous financial supporters of our program, other alums who proclaimed their support for the program in various public settings, others who offered creative suggestions to help us thrive and others who served as wise mentors to students. John is all four of these,” said a CMCI professor. “And that combination makes him the most outstanding alumnus I’ve ever known.”

John Leach Award Video 

2018: Matthew McElhiney (Fin'86)

Good times or bad, Matt McElhiney makes them better. Ask anyone involved in the Alumni Association’s successful but complex transition from arm of the CU Foundation to university unit. Matt, a lawyer in Denver, joined the board of directors (now advisors) in 2007, as it grappled with thorny organizational and financial challenges, including large deficits and heavy staff turnover.

Less committed, creative newcomers might have fled. Matt dove in headfirst and stuck around for nearly a decade, playing a starring role in establishing today’s thriving association. By the time he stepped down in 2016, Matt had been a committee chair, treasurer and chair of the board. He’d also become the longest-serving member ever. Matt’s “perseverance, diligence and leadership,” one nominator wrote, “provided the glue that allowed the Alumni Association to survive and prosper.” And he did it while beaming 360 degrees of positive energy with a delightfully impish smile. In his day job at Kutak Rock LLP, Matt focuses on corporate law, including mergers and acquisitions, real estate transactions, dispute resolution and business contracts. Law Week of Colorado named him a Corporate Counsel of the Year in 2010. Matt also makes time for the adventures Coloradans are famous for (skiing, hiking and biking) and at least one we’re less famous for (sailing). He lives in Denver with his wife, Colleen, and their son, Max. A member of the Director’s Club, a “big brother” for his fraternity, Phi Gamma Delta, Matt is always a lively Homecoming presence.

Matt McElhiney Award Video 

2017: Ron Scott (Mktg'68)

If you were naming Forever Buffs who live and breathe CU, you’d have to include Ron Scott. CU has been part of his identity for more than 50 years, and he lets you know it. “One common theme for Ron throughout his life is carrying the CU torch at all times whether he is working, volunteering or doing errands on a weekend,” said a CU Advancement colleague. 

Ron came to CU as part of football coach Eddie Crowder’s first freshman class. He was a star on the field, and started three seasons as middle guard.

After college, he spent 14 years in the private sector, including a stint as general manager of Hotel Boulderado. He returned to his alma mater in the ‘80s and served as the Buff Club’s development director and as assistant athletic director, helping to raise $14 million for the Dal Ward Athletic Center.

From that point, Ron was a fundraising dynamo, shepherding large gifts to CU Athletics. He’s seen at virtually every CU event and activity, whether it’s giving a potential student a tour of campus or attending a game-day tailgate, and establishes meaningful conversation beyond the world of sports.

“Ron Scott is the epitome of professionalism and enthusiasm,” said one CU Regent.

Ron is a true CU steward. As a former teammate summed things up: “To many of us, Ron is CU.”

View Ron Scott Award Video 

2017: Jeff Osterkamp (MEngr'97)

There are many recipes for success in our world. All share this ingredient: Opportunity. Time and again, Jeff Osterkamp has proved his commitment to producing it for CU Boulder students — especially students from groups underrepresented in engineering fields.

A high-level executive at Ball Aerospace and past chair of the advisory council for the engineering college’s BOLD Center (Broadening Opportunity through Leadership and Diversity), Jeff shows up and makes things happen.

One signature initiative has paid especially rich dividends: The creation of Ball internships for students in the college’s GoldShirt program. These promising Buffs, typically from under-resourced high schools, have obvious potential, but need an extra year of engineering fundamentals to prepare for the full curriculum. Every year the Ball program brings Goldshirt students into, and often back to, the company, positioning them for full-time employment later.

“Jeff walks the walk for diverse students,” said an engineering assistant dean.

Despite the demands of Jeff’s role as Ball’s vice president for mission assurance, leading quality control for all products and processes, the 30-year aerospace industry veteran is a frequent campus presence.

“You can always find Jeff at a student networking event by locating the largest circle of students,” the assistant dean said. “Jeff will be in the middle.”

Said a Ball colleague who’s witnessed it: “He will make an effort to talk to each and every student.”

Always it’s with sincerity and respect.

“Regardless of rank, status or title,” another of Jeff’s fans said, “he always treats everyone the same.”

View Jeff Osterkamp Award Video 

2016: Ed Reinhardt (A&S ex’87)

It was Sept. 15, 1984 and CU football was playing in Oregon. Buffs tight end Ed Reinhardt took the ball on a routine play near the game’s end.

As he was tackled, his head struck an Oregon player, then the field. A blood vessel burst and a radically new life began.

Rushed to the hospital for immediate surgery, performed by a neurosurgeon who’d been at the game, Ed was in a coma for 62 days.

“Ed had to draw upon all of his courage and competitive spirit just to live,” said Bill McCartney, then CU’s head coach.

The 6’5”, 235-pound sophomore with a 3.65 GPA awoke to a lifetime of reinvention that should be an inspiration to us all.

“Ed’s enthusiasm and friendly spirit is not only infectious, but reassuring to his fellow campers that anything is possible,” said a Brain Injury Alliance of Colorado coordinator who has worked with Ed, who is still partially paralyzed, to raise scholarships for the group’s outdoor adventure program for adults with injuries.

For 25 years, Ed and his father, Ed Sr., have traveled the country speaking about the value of a fighting spirit. Ed, who had to relearn basic speech and movement, loves singing and acting, performing in plays and musicals, as well as at fundraisers and, from time to time, Folsom Field.

Once, before a show with Magic Moments, group that integrates performers with special needs and local actors, Ed fell backstage, injuring his hip.

Rather than leave the show, he requested a wheelchair, then took the stage.

“The show,” he’d said, “must go on.”

2016: Michele Ritter (Anth'81)

A 1981 graduate in anthropology and history known to friends as “Mikhy,” Michele Ritter has built an inspiring career in education, providing access and programing for diverse populations.

Well known for her philanthropic and humanitarian causes — including CU’s College of Music, the Italian department, children, developmentally disabled adults and the “lost girls” of South Sudan — she keeps finding new ways to make CU a magnetic force in higher education.

She is a founding board member of the College of Music’s pioneering Entrepreneurship Center for Music and incoming chair of the Music Advisory Board. In 2015 she and her family provided funding for an endowment that established the Ritter Family Classical Guitar Program.

An Italophile, Michele has been a reliable supporter of and lively presence at Italian department events.

Off campus she volunteers at a Missouri camp for seriously ill children and has helped nearly 20 South Sudanese girls, survivors of an ethnic cleansing campaign, resettle in Boulder. Five have graduated from CU; one went to work for Michelle Obama in the White House.

Mikhy’s admirers describe her as “generous” yet “humble,” “a unique caring presence” and “one of the strongest advocates for a truly Liberal Arts education on the CU Boulder campus.”

She also knows the big value of small kindnesses and has provided “mounds of pizza” for music students’ recital celebrations.

“Hers is a life lived with the utmost integrity,” an admirer wrote, “rich in compassion, love and dedication — to humankind in general and to her alma mater in particular.”

2016: Gary Anderson (MechEngr’69)

Gary Anderson worked hard for his CU Boulder degree, and not just in the classroom: Student by day, he drove a forklift at night to support his young family.

Now a retired business executive, he’s never forgotten what balancing school and work was like, and has helped later students find ways to integrate paid work and academics. Notably, as a member of the College of Engineering & Applied Science’s advisory council (EAC), he was a prime mover behind the “Earn-Learn” apprenticeship program.

Over years of steady service to CU, Gary has led CU Boulder’s engineering fundraising council, served on the University of Colorado Foundation’s board and helped found a joint program of CU Denver and CU Anschutz — displaying integrity, enthusiasm, executive ability and a prodigious work ethic that has inspired others to act on CU’s behalf.

“I consider Gary to be one of my earliest mentors in ‘How to be a good alum,’” said one engaged fellow Buff.

Gary worked at Honeywell for more than a decade and spent nearly 20 years at StorageTek, the digital storage systems firm, rising to director and corporate vice president. In retirement he’s pursued investing and philanthropy, with CU as a major beneficiary of his time, treasure and expertise.

Gary has helped improve student retention in engineering, advocated for Engineers Without Borders and contributed his financial and organizational savvy to college, campus and system. He is a recipient of the University Medal and the Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award.

“When I think of the ideal role model for men and women in engineering, business and the community,” said a former EAC member, “I think of Gary Anderson.”

Award Recipients from 1936-2015
  • 2015: Nan Joesten (ChemEngr’82)
  • 2015: Joe Neguse (Econ, PolSci’05; Law’09)
  • 2014: Karin Rutstein (IntlBus’87)
  • 2013: Scott Donnelly (CompSci, ElEngr’84)
  • 2013: Midge Korczak (A&S’67, MHist’80)
  • 2012: Bill Harris (A&S ex’64)
  • 2012: Roe Green (Comm,Thtr’70)
  • 2012: Rebecca Roser (MSpLangHearSci’75)
  • 2011: James D. Copeland (PE’62, Arch’69)
  • 2011: Ron Geschwer (Psych’01)
  • 2010: Joanne Easley Arnold (Engl’52, MJour’65, PhDComm’71)
  • 2010: Clarence A. Herbst Jr. (ChemEngr’50, HonDocSci’95)
  • 2010: Henry Eaton (DistSt’62) and Leslie Bernstein Eaton (Art’63)
  • 2007: Jean L. Doepper Thompson (Zoo’64)
  • 2007: H. Rolan Zick (Chem’51, MD’55)
  • 2006: Martha Coffin Evans (Engl’64)
     
  • 2005: Jane Butcher (IntAf’66)
  • 2005: Julianne Mattingly Steinhauer (Mus’60)
     
  • 2003: Donald Estes (MechEngr, Bus’58)
     
  • 2002: L. Robert Bauers (Bus’67)
  • 2002: Judith Stenzel Liebman (Phys’58)
     
  • 2001: Bruce D. Benson (Geol’64)
  • 2001: Jeanne L. Manning (MFren’68)
     
  • 2000: Christopher Bittman (Jour’85)
  • 2000: William Royal (ElEngr’28)
  • 1999: William Caile (CivEngr’65)
  • 1999: William Goldstein (Bus’88)
  • 1999: Graham Hill (Jour’86)
     
  • 1997: Clayton Johnson (PolSci’60, Law’63)
  • 1997: Kimbirly Orr (Mktg’83)
     
  • 1996: Melanie Hamburger (PolSci, IntAf’85)
     
  • 1994: James Hunter (Psych’51)
     
  • 1993: Phillip B. Durian (Jour’60)
  • 1993: Sallie Laney Duvall (Bus’56)
     
  • 1992: Donna Bogard (Mus’53, MS’70, PhD’84)
     
  • 1991: Tucker Hart Adams (MEcon’77, PhD’79)
  • 1991: Stanley L. Dodson (CivEngr’41)
     
  • 1990: Caroline Prouty Shreve (Fin’42)
  • 1990: Theodore N. Shreve (Chem’42)
  • 1989: Fred Thomas (CivEngr’60)
  • 1989: Nancy Speer Thomas (Nurs’63)
     
  • 1988: Robert Thatcher Irwin (Bus’61)
     
  • 1987: Paul Albright (Jour’57)
  • 1987: Anna Smith Bacus (MA’64)
  • 1987: Lois Unfug Jackson (Ger’46)
  • 1987: Stella Jenkins Lillicrop (Bus’70)
  • 1987: Mary Ward (PolSci’66)
     
  • 1986: George M. Anderson (Phar’54)
  • 1986: Betty Carter Arkell (MPolSci’72, Law’75)
  • 1986: Linda Harvey Caldwell (Edu’64)
  • 1986: Robert E. Caldwell (Econ’62)
  • 1986: Richard Engebretson (MBA’72)
  • 1986: Leigh “Pete” Rabbitt (Mktg’64)
     
  • 1985: Bruce O. Downsbrough (Law’78)
  • 1985: James L. Jamison (A&S’61)
  • 1985: Nancy Mitchell Lennartz (A&S’67)
  • 1985: William R. Lennartz (Fin’63)
  • 1985: Lanis Pinchuk
     
  • 1984: William S. Bradfield (Mktg’60)
  • 1984: H. Clyde Coulson (Phar’40)
  • 1984: Harold E. Donnelly (CivEngr’55)
  • 1984: Sara Raddatz Henry (Edu’62)
  • 1984: Thomas A. Henry Jr. (A&S’60, Law’63)
  • 1984: Kenneth R. Wilson (Phar, Bus’53)
     
  • 1983: Leonna M. Lann (Jour’48)
  • 1983: Patricia Kennedy Lann (Engl’40)
  • 1983: Jean Mills Loeffler (DistSt’42)
  • 1983: Marjorie Mollman Rogers (HomeEcon’50)
  • 1983: Stuart Takeuchi (EdD’83)
     
  • 1982: Fred M. Betz Jr. (Jour’50)
  • 1982: Ralph “Cappy” Black (Mktg’52)
  • 1982: Emerson S. Ellett (CivEngr’32)
  • 1982: Sue Jackson McMillan (A&S’51)
  • 1982: F.M. “Dutch” Westerberg (ElEngr’33)
     
  • 1981: Steven D. Barnett (Law’76)
  • 1981: Judy Bechner Belcher Rimple (PE’62, MEdu’83)
  • 1981: Rick G. Doty (Acct’73)
  • 1981: Jon F. Kottke (Law’76)
     
  • 1980: Frank D. Allen Sr. (Law’15)
  • 1980: Judith A. Burford (Art’49)
  • 1980: C.F. Alan Cass (A&S’63)
  • 1980: Clyde C. Gelwick (PE’35, MS’42)
  • 1980: Ernestine B. Grigsby (A&S’19)
  • 1980: William P. Johnson (Law’58)
  • 1980: Leonard M. Perlmutter (DistSt’48)
  • 1979: Lynne Abdnor Barnett (Edu’69)
  • 1979: Lyle W. Beattie (MechEngr’46, MS’48)
  • 1979: Bruce S. Buckland (ChemEngr, Bus’61)
  • 1979: Ruth Wierman Hamilton (Engl’51)
  • 1979: Marletta Meister Jenkins (Acct’68, MAcct’71)
  • 1979: Dale W. Kehl Jr. (Mktg’68)
  • 1979: Sarah Reed Kingdom (Engl’66)
  • 1979: Ronald L. Latta (Fin’59)
  • 1979: Dale H. Rea (CivEngr’34, MS’41)
  • 1979: Milton Richert (Law’51)
  • 1979: Colleen Jacobsen Voshall (DistSt’50)
     
  • 1978: Gary C. Aden (MD’60)
  • 1978: Thomas G. Brown (Acct’56, Law’64)
  • 1978: Richard B. Cantrell (PolSci’51)
  • 1978: Donald L. Harlan (Mktg’56)
  • 1978: Ronald E. Herdt (Bus’71)
  • 1978: Curtis J. Kopecky (Acct’68)
  • 1978: M. John Loeffler (Ling’46, MGeog’48)
  • 1978: Robert L. Pyle (Law’50)
  • 1978: Roger V. Smith (Bus’64)
  • 1978: W. Howard Tyler (ElEngr’23)
     
  • 1977: Walter “Pete” Franklin Jr. (Mktg’49)
  • 1977: Sara C. Gentry (AfrMidE’69)
  • 1977: Robert W. Giacomini (Econ, PolSci’51, Law’57)
  • 1977: Maya Zary Hamburger (A&S’50)
  • 1977: Jesse H. Humphries (PreMed’45, MD’48)
  • 1977: Coila Goodin Maphis (Art’73)
  • 1977: Dwight V. Roberts (Geol’57)
  • 1977: Kathleen A. Saidy (Nurs’74)
  • 1977: Thomas C. Stokes (Fin’56)
     
  • 1976: Jewel Krier Geiger (MusEdu’42)
  • 1976: David G. Hawthorn (MechEngr’24, MS’28)
  • 1976: Ruth Morris Keesling (Jour’52)
  • 1976: Sally Kelly (Bus’68)
  • 1976: Laurence T. Paddock (Jour’50)
  • 1976: Bancroft T. Tapp (A&S’52)
     
  • 1975: Rodney W. Angove (Jour’54)
  • 1975: Judith S. Caughey (DistSt’50)
  • 1975: Eugenia S. De Luise (A&S’72)
  • 1975: G. Lane Earnest (PolSci’60, Law’63)
  • 1975: Robert I. Spengler (Soc’63)
  • 1975: Donald S. Stubbs (Law’32)
  • 1975: Claude Walton (Mus’37)
  • 1975: Patrick M. Woods (A&S’69, MPubAd’79)
     
  • 1974: Edward W. Bailey (CivEngr’59)
  • 1974: Ronald J. Carlson (Fin’57)
  • 1974: Marjorie Anderson Davis (A&S’42)
  • 1974: Joan Nelson Hancock (Fin’52)
  • 1974: Mary Kay Hinkley Hudson (A&S’57)
  • 1974: John T. Livoni (A&S’63)
  • 1974: Ronald D. Muzio (Edu’71)
  • 1974: Donald L. Patterson (Bus’31)
  • 1974: Nancy Smith Rasmussen (Engl’67)
  • 1974: Jack B. Shellabarger (Fin’57)
  • 1974: Caroline Prouty Shreve (Chem’42)
  • 1974: Alvin D. Swanson (Engr’43)
     
  • 1973: Denis Clanahan (DistSt’67, Law’71)
  • 1973: W. Warren Culpepper (Acct’49)
  • 1973: Charles R. Gardner (Math’66, MBA’73)
  • 1973: David Junior Gudeman (MechEngrBus, Mgmt’49)
  • 1973: J. Patrick Hindman (PE’54)
  • 1973: Faith A. Kinsley (A&S’59)
  • 1973: Joan Lamont (A&S’55)
  • 1973: Helen Strong Lesser (Psych’31)
  • 1973: Burton “Bud” Olde (A&S’52)
  • 1973: E. James Quigley (MPubSer’57)
  • 1973: Robert “Bill” Spencer (PolSci’60)
     
  • 1972: Beverly Boothe Berry (DistSt’50)
  • 1972: Kenneth W. Charlton (Engl’63)
  • 1972: Margaret Wilmer Dunn (A&S’36)
  • 1972: Paul F. Eckelman (Engr’48)
  • 1972: Thomas G. Estes (A&S’50)
  • 1972: Robert G. Fleming (ElEngr’47, Law’49)
  • 1972: Patricia Thorn Gibson (A&S’52)
  • 1972: A. Dwight Grotewold (MPubSer’64)
  • 1972: Clarence L. Ireland (Law’16)
  • 1972: Bess Low Ireland (A&S’16)
  • 1972: Richard G. Punches (A&S’51)
     
  • 1971: Mary Marvin Bartoe (Econ, PolSci’53)
  • 1971: David E. Fleming (ArchEngr’43, MCivEngr’51)
  • 1971: Neil S. Mincer (Law’40)
  • 1971: Richard W. Olde (Mgmt’56)
  • 1971: Landon M. Persons (Mktg’37)
  • 1971: Charles W. Ready (Fin’60)
  • 1971: Robert R. “Bud” Sabin (A&S’38, Law’40)
  • 1971: Harvey T. Sethman (Engl’21)
  • 1971: Peter Smythe (Bus’34)
  • 1971: George N. Steinhauer (CivEngr’27)
  • 1971: Dale Tooley (Law’57)
     
  • 1970: Lorraine Kelso Beers (Art’41)
  • 1970: Ronald H. Cowgill (ChemEngr’61)
  • 1970: Wesley H. Dieter (Mgmt’48)
  • 1970: Richard S. Gittings (Bus’58)
  • 1970: W. Bruce Fullerton (Fin’43)
  • 1970: Max T. Morton (Mgmt’41)
  • 1970: Roland C. Rautenstraus (CivEngr’46, MS’49)
  • 1970: William S. Simons (PE’50)
  • 1970: Albert E. Smith (Econ’37)
  • 1970: Richard W. Whitehead (A&S’19)

 

 

  • 1969: James T. Bayer (Law’51)
  • 1969: Gilbert Beck (ChemEngr’33)
  • 1969: Cloid Hammers (Engr’32)
  • 1969: Leo Hayward (Phar’58)
  • 1969: Clifford Houston (Edu’27, MEdu’28, EdD’33)
  • 1969: Graydon D. Hubbard (Bus’55)
  • 1969: Samuel A. Koenig (ElEngr’13)
  • 1969: Jay E. Lutz (PolSci’51, Law’54)
  • 1969: Hugh F. MacColl (A&S’61)
  • 1969: Monroe Tyler (A&S’33, MD’37)
     
  • 1968: Donald C. Cieber (Jour’58)
  • 1968: Louis Degen (ChemEngr’39)
  • 1968: Kenneth Huffer (Bus’54)
  • 1968: Jerome L. Lindberg (MechEngr’46)
  • 1968: LeRoy D. Moloney (Acct’48)
  • 1968: Hollister Moyer (A&S’23)
  • 1968: Delores Heermann Rhode (Engl’51)
  • 1968: Walter W. Smith (Mktg’35)
  • 1968: Victor C. Thomas (Chem, Zool’49, PE’51)
  • 1968: Stanley T. Wallbank (A&S’17, Law’18)
     
  • 1967: Jack Kent Anderson (PolSci’52, Law’55)
  • 1967: Edith Barnes Baldwin (HomeEcon’33)
  • 1967: Howard C. Beresford (A&S’18)
  • 1967: Elmer W. Coyer (ElEngr’37)
  • 1967: James Q. Hammond (Law’48)
  • 1967: Frank H. Hopkins (A&S’01)
  • 1967: Walter A. Koebel (Mktg’47)
  • 1967: Thomas S. Moon (Fin’44)
  • 1967: Donald B. Richardson (ArchEngr’33)
  • 1967: William V.S. Smith (A&S’30)
     
  • 1966: Sidney Buka (Bus’34)
  • 1966: William J. Brill (MechEngr’49)
  • 1966: Nicholas Doman (Law’35)
  • 1966: Vikki Viskniskki Huff (Thtr’58)
  • 1966: Otis Lipstreu (MEdu’48)
  • 1966: Olin Richert (PE’36)
  • 1966: Robert W. Spencer (Jour’31)
  • 1966: Robert L. Stearns (A&S’14, HonDocLaw’54)
     
  • 1965: H. H. “Bud” Arnold (Econ’52, Law’55)
  • 1965: Michael G. Lenzini (Mgmt’43)
  • 1965: James M. Pughe (Law’51)
  • 1965: Avis Neal Roemer (A&S’37)
  • 1965: Eugene M. Shearer (Geol’48, MA’51)
  • 1965: Albert E. Smith (Econ’37)
  • 1965: Earl Swisher
     
  • 1964: James H. Anderson (Mktg, Fin’51)
  • 1964: D. Russell Burwell (Fin’54)
  • 1964: S. Mark Davidson (ElEngr’35)
  • 1964: Fred L. Dixon (Bus’46)
  • 1964: Eleanor Carlson Flanders (Jour’38)
  • 1964: David C. Knowlton (Law’53)
  • 1964: Donald K. Lee (Mgmt’51)
  • 1964: John G. Mackie (A&S’42, Law’48)
     
  • 1963: Philip G. Dufford (Law’52)
  • 1963: Marshall M. Reddish (Bus’30)
  • 1963: William M. Reno (A&S’24)
  • 1963: Luis D. Rovira (PolSci, Econ’48, Law’50)
  • 1963: Agnes Bowie Sabin (A&S’38)
  • 1963: Wade Wood (Bus’30)
     
  • 1962: Melvin E. Clark (ChemEngr’37)
  • 1962: Frances M. Coburn (Geog’50, MA’77)
  • 1962: Donald F. Gardner (A&S’51)
  • 1962: John D. Gillaspie (A&S’29, MD’32)
  • 1962: Lou Mathis (A&S’27)
  • 1962: Ben K. Miller (Bus’46)
  • 1962: Elizabeth Ireland Naugle (Chem’41)
  • 1962: Rialto Philleo (Hist, Econ’25)
     
  • 1961: Duane L. Barnard (Bus’48, Law’52)
  • 1961: Robert W. Bartley (Law’50)
  • 1961: C.B. “Pat” Bell (A&S’30)
  • 1961: Richard H. Cooper (A&S’36)
  • 1961: Mildred Johnson Dodge (PE’22)
  • 1961: JoAnne Hastings Gray (Psych, Soc’43)
  • 1961: Robert S. Herzog (A&S’23)
  • 1961: Katherine Wilson Kendall (A&S’30)
  • 1961: Robert R. Knowles (ChemEngr’09)
  • 1961: Virginia E. Moore (A&S’32)
     
  • 1960: Glenn Anderson (MechEngr’21)
  • 1960: Edmund F. Garrett (A&S’27)
  • 1960: Clark R. Gittings (A&S’31)
  • 1960: C. Ray Goodwin (A&S’25)
  • 1960: Charles W. Keller (ElEngr’23)
  • 1960: A. Reynolds Morse (Geol’38)
  • 1960: Margaret Pollard Nelson (Mktg’37)
  • 1960: Kenneth C. Penfold (Mktg’37)
  • 1960: Merritt H. Perkins (A&S’10)
  • 1960: Idonna Wigglesworth Wilson (A&S’25)
  • 1959: Stuart R. Beresford (A&S’29)
  • 1959: Virginia Neal Blue (A&S’31)
  • 1959: James N. Counter (Econ’35)
  • 1959: Laurence B. Flanders Jr. (Fin’38, Law’40)
  • 1959: S. Nelson Hicks Jr. (A&S’22)
  • 1959: Kathryn Alldredge Hughes (A&S’32)
  • 1959: Burtis B. H. Shattuck (A&S’15, Law’18)
     
  • 1958: Robert C. Hawley (Econ, PolSci’43)
  • 1958: Emmett H. Heitler (MechEngr’30)
  • 1958: Frank M. Hickey (A&S’22)
  • 1958: Helen Burger Miller (A&S’27)
  • 1958: George Newton (Jour, Econ’33)
  • 1958: Nicholas R. Petry (Econ’40)
     
  • 1957: Alva D. Abbott (MA’36, MEdu’51)
  • 1957: William A. Graham (Mktg’33)
  • 1957: Dayton D. McKean (A&S’27, MA’29)
  • 1957: Vincent G. Reynolds (A&S’32)
  • 1957: Newman L. Sheets (A&S’28)
  • 1957: David N. Yaker (MD’23)
     
  • 1956: John H. Amesse (A&S’37, MD’41)
  • 1956: Boyd S. Bailey (A&S’35)
  • 1956: Margaret Donnelly Nelson (A&S’28)
  • 1956: J. Lee Willard (CivEngr’22)
     
  • 1955: Charles J. Beise (A&S’30, Law’32)
  • 1955: Howard “Cap” Hardy (A&S’30)
  • 1955: Frank B. McGlone (A&S’34, MD’38)
  • 1955: G. Russell Miller (A&S’26, Law’29)
  • 1955: Merritt W. Oldaker (Law’25)
  • 1955: Frederic A. Wardenburg (ElEngr’00)
     
  • 1954: James M. Kastner (ElEngr’47)
  • 1954: William R. Kelly (A&S’05, Law’07)
  • 1954: William T. Krieghoff (Engr’39)
  • 1954: William “Kayo” Lam (Hist’36)
  • 1954: Chuck Mau (Law’32)
  • 1954: Earl Mosley (MechEngr’31)
  • 1954: Mary Rait (A&S’22, MNurs’31)
  • 1954: J. Alfred Ritter (Hist’35)
     
  • 1953: A. Allen Brown (A&S’29)
  • 1953: Glenn A. Coleman (MechEngr’23)
  • 1953: Gilbert Cruter (PE’39, MS’60)
  • 1953: Henry Dendahl (Engr’09)
  • 1953: Rudolf E. Geihm (A&S’38)
  • 1953: Ralph Prator (Hist’29, MA’33)
     
  • 1952: Philip Eddy (MechEngr’18)
  • 1952: Ellis Hall (A&S’21)
  • 1952: Anne McLaughlin Long (Jour’33)
  • 1952: Jacob Weinberger (Law’04)
  • 1952: Wallace X. Rawles (Jour’23)
  • 1952: Wilbur Rocchio (Hist, Law’44)
     
  • 1951: Waldo Brockway (CivEngr’17)
  • 1951: William R. Goebel (A&S’21)
  • 1951: Harry L. McGinnis (A&S’95)
  • 1951: Willard J. Moore (Geog’32)
  • 1951: Amy Pitkin Stearns (A&S’19)
  • 1951: Melvin L. Sutley (A&S’13, Law’17)
  • 1951: C.C. Tiffin (MD’11)
     
  • 1950: Charles D. Bromley (Law’24)
  • 1950: Samuel T. Jones (A&S’29)
  • 1950: Bonnibel Sutherland Lester (A&S 29, Edu’30)
  • 1950: Raphael J. Moses (A&S’36, Law’37)
  • 1950: David Rosner (A&S’23)
  • 1950: Ira C. Rothgerber Jr. (PolSci’34, Law’35)
  • 1949: Ward Darley (A&S’26, MD’29)
  • 1949: Zell F. Mabee (Jour’24)
  • 1949: Wiley B. Rutledge (Law’22)
     
  • 1948: George A. Pughe (Law’09)
  • 1948: Paul E. Remington (Math’17)
  • 1948: Kenneth C. Sawyer (MD’31)
     
  • 1947: Clarence L. Eckel (CivEngr’14, MS’21)
  • 1947: Richard W. Lindsay (CivEngr’15)
  • 1947: V.C. Perini Jr. (Geol’19, MA’21)
     
  • 1946: Obie Sue Pulliam Dunklee (A&S’13)
  • 1946: George H. Shaw (Law’15)
  • 1946: George A. Unfug (MD’26)
     
  • 1945: E. Ray Campbell (Law’23)
  • 1945: N. Peter Rathvon (Law’15)
     
  • 1944: Ralph W. Danielson (A&S’20, MD’23)
  • 1944: Earl L. Mosley (CivEngr’05)
     
  • 1943: Edward R. Mugrage (MD’13)
  • 1943: Ira C. Rothgerber Sr. (Law’01)
     
  • 1942: John Andrew (MD’06)
     
  • 1941: F.G. Folsom (Law’99)
     
  • 1940: A.D. Wilson (A&S’08)
  • 1939: A.A. Paddock (A&S’10)
     
  • 1938: Herman C. Graves (A&S’17)
     
  • 1937: Olivia Cleveland McKenna (A&S 1898)
  • 1937: Frank H. Means (Law’07)
     
  • 1935: Todd C. Storer (A&S’11, Law’13)
     
  • 1934: W.W. King (MD’02)​