The Grand Awards of 2004

The MSU Alumni Association’s Grand Awards ceremony has emerged as one of the signature events of Homecoming Weekend. This fall’s event took place on Oct. 14 at Kellogg Center and attracted a record turnout. Altogether the MSUAA gave out 13 Distinguished Alumni Awards, 3 Philanthropist Awards, 6 Alumni Service Awards, and 4 Honorary Alumni Awards.

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD RECIPIENTS

• Bruce D. J. Batt, Ph. D. ’76, chief biologist for Ducks Unlimited, Inc., and chairman of the Arctic Goose Habitat Working Group, established a major effort on wetlands management and whose work has led to unprecedented conservation measures in North America.
• Daniel Edson, M.S. ’79, president of American Proficiency Institute in Traverse City, the world’s second largest proficiency testing provider, developed computer programs that improved quality control practices in U.S. hospitals while saving them more than $50 million a year.
• Alton L. Granger, ’54, chairperson of Granger Construction Co., Lansing, has made an indelible impact on the Greater Lansing community as both a business and civic leader. In his 45-year career in construction, he has builTschool buildings for Charlotte, Dundee, Holt, Jackson, Lake Fenton, Lakeview, Saline, and South Lyon, as well as MSU and Western Michigan University.
• Robert L. Green, Ph.D. ’63, dean and professor emeritus at MSU and former president of the University of the District of Columbia, and an associate of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Southern Chrisitian Leadership Conference, has been a consultant and advisor to urban mayors, public officials, college presidents and school superintendents. In 2002 he received the Ghandi-King-Ikeda Award for Human Rights and Peace Initiatives from Morehouse College.
• Phung Thi Nguyet Hong, Ph.D. ’73, biologist and project coordinator in the International Collaboration Office at Cantho University in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam, is one of the world’s preeminent researchers algae and serves as head of Cantho’s botany department and as vice dean of the faculty of Biology and Chemistry.
• Carole Leigh Hutton, ’78, publisher and editor of the Detroit Free Press, the largest daily newspaper in Michigan, is the first woman in history to head the newspaper organization. She oversees the production of four daily and 13 weekly editions, as well as Free Press Charities, and serves on many Detroit-area civic and professional boards. She has been named one of the 100 Most Influential Women of southeast Michigan by Crain’s Detroit Business.
• Kevin A. Kelly, ’79, managing director of the 14,500-member Michigan State Medical Society for the past 17 years, has achieved a number of political successes, including a Michigan Patient’s Bill of Rights, funding stabilization for the Medicaid program, nation-leading medical liability reform, increased AIDS education, domestic violence education, and improved end-of-life care.
• Purachai Piumsombun, M.S. ’75, deputy prime minister of Thailand and former minister of Justice and minister of Interior, boasts a successful career in both education and politics. In 1998 he co-founded the TRT Political Party in Thailand, which now governs Thailand. In 2002 he was named Outstanding Politician for Innovating the Social Order Policy from Rajabhat Academic Institute.
• Marcella Gast Shalon, B.A. ’46, M.A. ’47, longtime family and children social worker with the Lutheran Church, spearheaded many successful initiatives, including the MSU School of Social Work’s Chance at Childhood Program. She was also instrumental in many community initiatives, including the successful restoration of Silver Beach, a historical park near St. Joseph.
• Rachel A. Schemmel, Ph. D. ’67, MSU distinguished professor emeritus in food science and human nutrition, served as past president of the Michigan Dietetic Association and was active in many professional societies. She won many awards in her 45-year career, including the Dietetic Educator Award from both the Michigan and American Dietetic Associations, a Leader Award and a Borden Research Award from the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences.
• Michael B. Serling, ’66, J.D. ’70, an attorney in Birmingham, MI, specializing in environmental and product liability, specializes in environmental law with a focus on asbestos contamination. His clients include more than 300 school disctricts. He has served as chair of the MSU Jewish Studies Advisory Board since 1998 and helped raise approximately $3 million.
• Mitsuaki Shimaguchi, M.B.A. ’68, Ph.D. ’77, professor of marketing in the Graduate School of Business Administration, Keio University, Japan, is considered Japan’s top marketing expert. He serves on the boards of some 20 public and government organizations, has published more than 20 books, and has served as editor of several journals, including the Japan Marketing Journal.
• James R. Von Her, ’73, founder, chairman and CEO of Zyvex Corp., the world’s first molecular nanotechnology company, helped enact the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act. He serves on the U.S. President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. Previously, as founder and CEO of Altsys Corp., he developed FreeHand and Fontographer, the first commercially available postscript drawing program.

PHILANTHROPIST AWARD RECIPIENTS

• Randall, B.A. ’76, M.B.A. ’78, and Mary Pittman, are members of MSU’s Kedzie Society as well as various intercollegiate athletics giving groups. Randall is chairman of Forest Health Services, Ypsilanti, and served as a member of MSU’s Board of Trustees and co-chairperson of the Campaign For MSU. He and Mary made a significant leadership gift to restore Marshall-Adams Hall, part of the university’s Campus Heritage Project.
• Gary L. Seevers, B.S. ’59, M.S. ’66, & Ph.D. ’68, retired financial market specialist and limited partner of Goldman Sachs & Co., has served as a member of President Nixon’s Council of Economic Advisers and of President Ford’s Commodity Futures Trading Commission. He has endowed the Guyer/Seevers Chair at MSU and serves as co-chair of the President’s Cabinet in the Campaign for MSU.

ALUMNI SERVICE AWARD RECIPIENTS

• Thomas A. Dutch, M.S.P. ’52, former MSU residence hall manager and personnel administrator, worked at MSU for 52 years as director of student employment, director of housing, residence hall manager and personnel administrator. He has run guest services for the MSU Athletics Dept. since 1954 and served as the faculty advisor for Evans Scholars from 1954-2002. Dutch has won the Jack Breslin Distinguished Staff Award.
• Darrell Lynn Grace, D.O. ’92, the medical director at Windsor Nursing Home and clinical assistant professor at Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Youngstown, OH, helped establish the Grace Place Medical Service, a clinic for the underserved, uninsured and underinsured. Phi Beta Lambda Sorority named her Business Woman of the Year. In 2003, she was awarded the Dean’s award for meritorious service by MSU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine.
• Janice Thompson Granger, B.S. ’80, a homemaker who has excelled in numerous volunteer leadership capacities within mid-Michigan and MSU, helped develop the infrastructure of the board of the College of Nursing Alumni Association. An original member of the College of Nursing Board of Visitors, she served as co-chair of the college’s 50th birthday celebration in 2000. She and her husband Alton helped fund the Janice Thompson Granger Nursing Learning Center.
• Thomas P. Notarainni (posthumous), B.A. ’63, M.B.A. ’64, a former Exxon executive and member of the alumni board of the Eli Broad College of Business, served as member of the inaugural class of Broad Career Coaches, counseling students on their careers. He tirelessly recruited fellow Spartans to contribute to MSU.  In 1989 he and his wife Cindy established an endowed scholarship in international business studies. 
• Robert R. Rorich, B.A. ’62, M.A. ’64 , semi-retired educational psychologist with 40 years of experience, is a life member and former board member of the MSU Alumni Association, served as president of both the Calhoun County and the Manistee County alumni clubs, both of which he helped to reactive.  He encouraged his daughter Sarah to organize a new club in Rochester, MN, serving as its first president. 
• Liz Schweitzer, B.S. ’72, director of administration of the St. John Student Parish and former mayor of East Lansing, has served MSU as a board member and past president of the College of Social Science Alumni Association, as national board member of the MSU Alumni Association, as an Advisory Board member of MSU’s Michigan Political Leadership Program, and as member of the MSU Museum Volunteer Committee. 

HONORARY ALUMNI AWARD RECIPIENTS

• George A. Brown, longtime engineer in the paper and pulp industry and retired businessman, is a member of the Frank S. Kedzie Society.  In 2004 he created two endowed chairs in the College of Natural Science.  The Harry L. Brown endowed chair in chemistry is named for George’s father, who was active with the MSU Alumni Association, while the George A. Brown Endowed Chair in Physics is named for his late uncle, former faculty member and chair of MSU’s animal husbandry department.
• Donald and Phoebe Griffin, retired business persons in the Lansing area and former owners of Schmidt’s supermarkets, have strongly supported Michigan State University.  Donald has served as an off-ice official for MSU Hockey for 38 years.  Phoebe has assisted students, helped make our campus more beautiful, and supported numerous projects with MSU’s President and First Lady.  The Griffins are members the the Abbott Society. 
• Frank “Bob” Perrin, longtime conservationist and former politician, has volunteered to work for MSU for 50 years.  He helped to establish an MSU scholarship at the Ruffed Grouse Society.  He worked tirelessly for Trout Unlimited, which named the Lansing chapter after him.  Perrin has served as an ambassador for MSU’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, helping recruit and mentor students and championing scholarships and endowments to MSU.