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Established in 1974, Outstanding Service Awards honor faculty, staff, alumni or friends who have shown long, outstanding service to the alumni association and/or university. With this year’s honorees, the list of recipients grows to 120 individuals.
The award was renamed the Jim Leslie Outstanding Service Award in 2022 in honor of Jim Leslie, President of the Alumni Association from 1973-2006.
Brian Allison was the 98th alum to chair the board from 2020 to 2021. He is a 2005 UNO graduate with an MPA. Allison joined the board in 2014 and completed his service in 2023 as past chair. During his tenure as chair, he oversaw the association’s change from a 501(c)(3) organization to a Functionally Integrated Supporting Organization of the University of Nebraska Foundation. He also was a member of the search committee whose work led to the hiring of UNO Chancellor Joanne Li. Allison is vice president at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego. Allison’s career also includes positions held at Children’s Nebraska, The MENTOR Network and Psychiatric Management Resources.
Lacey Merica has been a longtime volunteer for the UNO Alumni Association, having been involved in several programs. Most noticeable is her involvement at UNO commencement ceremonies, where she has distributed thousands of alumni pins to graduates as they exit the stage after receiving their diplomas. She’s also volunteered for events such as Homecoming, and last year joined the CBA Recent Alumni Advisory Board. Merica has been a consistent supporter of UNO through Wear Black, Give Back donations, and participating in Alumni Month of Service. Merica earned an MBA from UNO in 2011 and an MS in political science in 2021. She was a member of the UNO Young Alumni Academy Class of 2013. Merica is the accreditation/assessment coordinator for the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
Scott Vlasek is one of the most well-known figures on campus. His time at UNO began as a student in 1991. He earned a BGS in aviation in 1995 and one year later became a graduate assistant at the UNO Aviation Institute. He earned an MPA from UNO in 1998 and joined its faculty. Today, he serves as director of the UNO Aviation Institute. Vlasek’s work has helped the institute become one of the nation’s best providers of aviation education. Vlasek also is among the most loyal supporters of Omaha Athletics as a longtime season ticket holder for several Maverick teams and travels frequently to away games. Vlasek was a longtime ex-officio member of the UNO Alumni Association Board of Directors, serving as the faculty senate representative from 2013 to 2021.
1974: Ellen Gast, John Jeter, Maury Shadle
1975: Betty Ellsworth Davis, Harold Keefover, Charlie Mancuso
1976: Connie Claussen, Bob Schropp, Robert Spire
1977: Margaret Killian, Gary Sallquist, Richard Tompsett
1978: Terry Forsberg, John Furstenberg, Olga Strimple
1979: J. Darrell Clemmer, June Gautier, Mark Gautier
1980: Don Pflasterer, Rusty Schwartze
1981: Gordon Severa, Ted Ridgway
1982: Margaret Fischer, Al Thomsen
1983: Marylu Gouttierre, Lyle Remde
1984: Margaret Fitch, Steve Seline
1985: Tim Fitzgerald, Michael Nelsen
1986: Paul Borge, John Pleskac
1987: Chris Kara, Helen Martin, Charles Radda
1988: Leon Kerkman, Pauline Lundgren, George Pardee
1989: Mark Jefferson, Larry Peterson, Lee Sapp
1990: John Blacketer, Kermit Hansen, Les Valentine
1991: Leroy Denton, Norene Denton, Daniel Dienstbier, Herbert Freeman
1992: Shari Hofschire, Mike Jones, Larry Trussell
1993: Warren Benson, Michael De Freece, Paul Kennedy, Larry Stoney
1994: Neil Morgensen, Ron Sagehorn, Jim Veiga
1995: Doug Durbin, Jan McClymond
1996: Bret Anderson, Ingra Anderson, Harold Kosowsky, Dave Sokol
1997: Ed Hanna, Don Leahy, A. Richard Nattrass
1998: J. Terrence Haney, Gerald Karlin, Michael L. Kohler
1999: Gary Repair, Bob Runyon, Michele Sperle, Wendell Quist
2000: Bob Danenhauer, Lois Nattrass, Jack Newton, Jean Phillips, Ron Troester
2001: Kathleen Olson, Jim Semerad, Rosemary Skrupa
2002: Gary Anderson, Bruce Bisson, Ruth Manning
2003: Jim Leslie, Mike Markey, George Sinos, Kevin Vanourney, Don Winters
2004: Richard Hancock, Paul Kosel, Kevin Naylor
2005: Stephen Bodner, Jim Czyz, John Wilson
2006: Adrian Minks
2007: Mike Kudlacz, Harold Sage
2008: Garrett Anderson, Chuck Holderness, Deborah McLarney
2009: Cookie Katskee, Rod Oberle, Brandeis Catering Staff
2010: Mark Grieb, Dan Koraleski
2012: Kevin Munro
2013: Anthony Flott, Laura Kapustka
2014: Chuck Holderness
2015: Thomas Gouttierre, Andy Rikli
2016: David Craft
2017: Jan Christensen, John Christensen, Sarah Waldman
2018: Scott Durbin, B.J. Reed, Christine Reed
2022: Chris Denney, Al Hansen, Laurie Ruge
2023: Brian T. Allison, Lacey Merica, Scott Vlasek
University of Nebraska at Omaha Alumni Association
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University of Nebraska at Omaha Alumni Association
2285 S. 67th Street, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68106
[email protected]
402-504-3342 | 800-432-3216
Copyright | Privacy Policy