2014 Awardees

Alumnus of the Year-Robert D. Walter, BSME '67, HON '97

Robert D. Walter is the founder and retired chairman and CEO of Cardinal Health, Inc., a multi-billion dollar global provider of health care products and services. When he retired in 2008, over 37 years later, Cardinal was ranked 19 on the Fortune 500. He currently serves on the Board of Directors at American Express Company, YUM! Brands, Inc. and Nordstrom, Inc., and is a partner with Talisman Capital Partners.

Walter was chair of the Ohio University Board of Trustees in 2004 for OHIO's Bi-centennial year. Over the years, gifts from Walter and his wife Peggy have been instrumental in the construction and renovation of three facilities on campus: Margaret M. Walter Hall, Walter International Education Center and the newly dedicated Walter Fieldhouse. The Walters have three sons and ten grandchildren. The couple currently resides in Dublin, Ohio.

Medal of Merit-Gary J. Olmstead, MFA '66

Gary Olmstead, emeritus professor of music at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), served as director of Percussion Studies and director of the University Percussion Ensemble for nearly 40 years at IUP before his retirement in 2003. A renowned percussionist, Olmstead has performed and recorded with dozens of celebrated orchestras, ensembles and music groups, and as a solo artist. He has authored two books and dozens of articles for various publications.

Olmstead was inducted into the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame in 2013, the society's highest form of recognition for outstanding accomplishment and artistic contributions to the world of percussion. He is the 2004 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement in Education Award from PAS, and was also awarded the Ludwig Drummer Award. Olmstead and his wife, Michelina, have three children and three grandchildren. The couple currently resides in Indiana, PA.

Medal of Merit-Jack Myslenski, BSIT '73

Jack Myslenski retired from his position as executive vice president of marketing, sales and operations support in 2008, after a robust 35-year career with Parker Hannifin Corporation. A Fortune 500 company based in Cleveland, Ohio, Parker Hannifin is the world's leading diversified manufacturer of motion and control technologies and systems, with over $13 billion in annual worldwide sales.

In 1997 Myslenski was presented with the Outstanding Industrial Technologist award by the National Association of Industrial Technology. He received the Living and Giving Award from the Juvenile Diabetes Association of Cleveland in 2008, and was welcomed into the Academy of Distinguished Graduates by the Fritz J. and Dolores H. Russ College of Engineering and Technology at Ohio University in 2012. He is the namesake for the Jack Myslenski Parker Hannifin Motion Controls Lab in the Russ College, a gift from Parker Hannifin in his honor. Myslenski and his wife Marsha have two daughters and four grandchildren.

Medal of Merit-Arthur J. Marinelli, BA '64

Arthur J. Marinelli has dedicated over 40 years to Ohio University as a professor of business law. He previously served as faculty chair for the College of Business, and as chair of the college's management systems department. Marinelli is a past-president of the Tri-State Business Law Association and was staff editor of the Journal of Legal Studies in Business.

Marinelli has received outstanding article awards from both the Midwest Journal of Business Law and the Journal of Pacific Southwest Academy of Legal Studies in Business. He is a member of the Ohio Bar Foundation, and was the 1976 Ohio University Professor Honoree. Marinelli received the Academy of Legal Studies' Senior Distinguished Faculty Award in 2002, the organization's most prestigious recognition. Marinelli and his wife Kathleen have two children, and currently reside in Athens, Ohio.

Medal of Merit-Joe B. Harford, BS '73

Joe B. Harford is senior project officer at the Center for Global Health within the National Cancer Institute (NCI). During his 18 years with NCI, Harford served for more than a decade as director of NCI's Office of International Affairs, the forerunner of the Center for Global Health, and has also served as the associate director for Special Projects and chief of staff for the Office of the NCI Director.

Prior to joining NCI in 1996, Harford served as chief scientist for RiboGene, Inc. and is the co-inventor on two issued U.S. patents related to drug discovery. He has published over 130 scientific papers and is a 2013 recipient of the American Association for Cancer Education's (AACE) highest honor, the Margaret Hay Edwards Achievement Medal in recognition of international education activities. Harford and his wife, Dr. Esther Chang , have one daughter, Leah.

Distinguished Service Award- R. Smith "Smitty" BFA '58, MFA '60 and Patricia Schuneman, BSED '59

R. Smith "Smitty" Schuneman and his wife Patricia Schuneman are the founders of Media Loft, Inc. Dr. Schuneman served as chair and president of the company and Mrs. Schuneman served as vice president of the company, a member of the Board, and director of Media Loft's Educational Awareness Program. Media Loft has been recognized nationally for its television programs and corporate productions. Dr. Schuneman was also a professor of photojournalism at the University of Minnesota for 16 years.

The Schunemans established the Schuneman Symposium on Photojournalism and New Media at Ohio University in 2009 and funded the R. Smith and Patricia Schuneman Journalism Conference Room, located in the Schoonover Center for Communication's Journalism Suite. Dr. Schuneman is a member of the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism Professional Advisory Committee. The Schunemans currently reside in Okoboji, Iowa. The couple has two sons, Thomas and William.

Distinguished Service Award-Dell D. Robinson, BSPE '88

Dell Robinson is in his fifth year as Commissioner for the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), and is the first African-American commissioner of a historically non-Black Division II conference. Before joining GLIAC, Robinson spent ten years at the Mid-American Conference (MAC), three years at the Western Athletic Conference and five years at the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

From 2002 to 2008 Robinson served on the Association's Board of Directors, including two years as chair. He was also a member of the Ohio University Board of Trustees. He serves on the Executive Advisory Board for the College of Business, and represented OHIO as a clinical staff member for the Global Consulting Program in Ancona, Italy. Robinson currently resides in Essexville, Michigan.

Distinguished Service Award-Ralph J. Hopper, Jr., BSED '63

Ralph Hopper retired from the State of Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections in 2000, after nearly 20 years as a Recreation/Activity Therapy Administrator II and Correctional Officer, for both medium and maximum security facilities. Since his retirement, Hopper has worked as a private audio/visual contractor and consultant, and has produced many print and audiovisual materials for OHIO's Black Alumni Reunion.

Hooper's robust involvement with Dayton-area alumni includes the coordination of golf tournaments and receptions, meeting with high school students and parents interested in OHIO , and Bobcat athletic events, to name a few. He has been an active volunteer for events like the multicultural visitation program and the Bobcat Club Caravan program. Hopper and his wife Marlene have three children. The couple resides in Dayton, Ohio.

Charles J. and Claire O. Ping Recent Graduate Award-Jake R. Sigal, BSIS '03, MS '05

Jake Sigal founded his first company, Livio, at the age of 26, and took it from a startup to a Fortune 500 Company in just six years. In 2013 Livio was acquired by Ford Motor Company. Soon after, Sigal founded his second company, Tome, Inc., where he currently serves as CEO. Sigal has presented at over 30 tech and entrepreneurial forums and conferences nationwide and has made several national television appearances. He is the youngest member of the Board of Industry Leaders for the Consumer Electronics Association, invented the original ION USB turntable, is listed on over 25 patents, and has brought over 30 electronics products to market.

Sigal has been named Entrepreneur of the Year by three different Michigan-area publications. At 32, he has already been listed in Crain's Detroit Business 20 in their 20's, Edison Research's 30 under 30, dBusiness' 30 in their 30's, and Dealerscope's 40 under 40. He has served on OHIO's Russ College Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering board of advisors since 2009. Sigal's wife Abbee is also a graduate of OHIO; the couple currently resides in Ferndale, Michigan.

Honorary Alumna Award-Betsy Ross Koller

Betsy Ross Koller is a contemporary American artist and southeast Ohio native. She paints in the 18 ^th century naïve art style, also known as the 'Grandma Moses' style. Her work has been used by NESTLÉ, the Sauder Living Village Museum and the Longaberger Company , and is on permanent display at galleries in Hermance and Gstaad, Switzerland. She has also written and illustrated a trilogy of children's books.

Koller is a regular, charitable contributor of art to United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF). Her work "Buchanan Square" was selected for the cover of UNICEF's 50th Anniversary catalog in 1996 over nearly 10,000 other considered works. Koller has generously donated the rights to her four-part series of paintings featuring Ohio University; the proceeds from the limited-edition prints of her work benefit OHIO's Appalachian Scholars program. Koller and her husband Paul have one son and three grandchildren. The couple resides in Naples, Florida.

The Kermit Blosser OHIO Athletics Hall of Fame-Anthony Gressick, BSSP '08

Anthony Gressick is one of the most versatile players in OHIO's baseball history, excelling both on the mound and in the batter's box. Gressick was named to the Mid-American All-Tournament Team as a Freshman, and earned ABCA All-America honors and First Team All-MAC honors as a designated hitter his Sophomore year. As a junior, he posted a 3-3 record on the mound, led the MAC with a 2.67 ERA, tied for the team lead in RBI and earned ABCA All-Region and First Team All-MAC honors.

Gressick concluded his collegiate career in 2006, leading the team in runs scored (45), hits (73), doubles (16), home runs (8), RBI (43), walks (25), slugging (.587) and on-base percentage (.449) to earn his second All-America honor and third All-MAC First Team honor. Following his memorable four-year career, Gressick was selected as a pitcher in the 26th round of the 2006 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Cincinnati Reds.

The Kermit Blosser OHIO Athletics Hall of Fame-N. Scott Mayle, BSS '07

Scott Mayle excelled as a two-sport athlete during his four-year collegiate athletics career at OHIO. In the fall, Mayle starred for the Bobcats' football team as he appeared in over 30 career games and played a key role in helping OHIO earn its first bowl bid since 1968 as he caught 28 passes for 411 yards.

However, it was on the track where Mayle left a memorable legacy, setting a pair of school records in the 60 - and 100-meter events. In addition to his school records, Mayle excelled when it mattered most as he captured the 2006 Mideast Regional and Mid-American Conference titles in the long jump. As a senior in 2007, Mayle would go on to earn All-America honors in the long jump during the indoor season.

The Kermit Blosser OHIO Athletics Hall of Fame-Kim van Selm Roux, BS '02

Kim van Selm (Roux) established herself as one of the finest women's swimmers in Mid-American Conference history as she claimed 22 out of a possible 28 individual league titles, en route to earning First Team all-conference in each of her four years, and qualified for the NCAA Championships three times. During the 2000-01 seasons, van Selm helped the Bobcats to back-to-back MAC team titles.

Following the 2000 and 2001 championships, van Selm was selected as the MAC Swimmer of the Year; she was a proven leader and was also selected as a team captain in both the 2001 and 2002 seasons. At the conclusion of her collegiate swimming career, van Selm held nine school and nine league records. She capped her exceptional athletic career by being selected as the MAC's Outstanding Senior.

OHIO Athletics Hall of Fame Glenn C. Randall Lifetime Achievement Award-Michael H. Schuler, BSED '62

After playing four seasons of collegiate basketball at OHIO, Mike Schuler worked as an assistant coach at West Point under Bobby Knight. Schuler then returned to his alma mater where he served as an assistant to Jim Snyder. Following a successful three-year run with the Bobcats, Schuler served as head coach with the Virginia Military Institute, the University of Virginia and Rice University. In all, Schuler spent 16 years working in the collegiate ranks of coaching and 21 years in the NBA. He worked as an assistant coach, head coach and scout with the New Jersey Nets with Larry Brown, the Milwaukee Bucks with Don Nelson, the Sacramento Kings and the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Los Angeles Clippers.

In 1986, Schuler earned his first-ever head coaching position in the NBA with the Portland Trailblazers. In his first year, Schuler led the team to a 49-33 record, winning the Red Auerbach NBA Coach of the Year Award. He followed that with a 53-29 campaign and an appearance in the NBA Playoffs. Schuler and his wife Gloria have two daughters and four grandchildren.