The University of Nebraska at Omaha’s December 2025 commencement ceremony at Baxter Arena welcomed new graduates to the UNO Alumni Association and honored leadership, service and Maverick pride. Patrick Kerrigan (BA 73), president of The Palm Beach Holding Company, Ltd., and chairman of Solid State Networks, and Colleen Williams (BA 76), NBC4 Los Angeles journalist and anchor, were recognized with the Citation for Alumni Achievement Award for their outstanding professional accomplishments and community impact. The ceremony also featured a keynote address by Adam Wright (BS 02), Pilot CEO and former UNO football student-athlete.
Patrick Kerrigan – Citation for Alumni Achievement Award
Patrick Kerrigan retired from Fiserv, Inc. in 2009 after a distinguished 32-year career. He joined Information Technology in 1977 as its first employee and played a key role in developing core banking applications. He rose through the ranks to become Chief Operating Officer before the company merged with Fiserv in 1995.
A proud graduate of the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), Kerrigan earned a double major in math and physics in 1973. His career began as an application programmer for First Data Resources in Omaha, followed by three years as a Technical Representative with Burroughs Corporation (now Unisys).
Beyond technology, Kerrigan has long been active in real estate, starting with rental properties during college and later expanding into commercial developments, including a resort project in Barbuda. Today, he serves as president of The Palm Beach Holding Company, Ltd. of Antigua and Barbuda and chairs Solid State Networks, a Phoenix-based developer of high-performance software solutions.
Education is Kerrigan’s true passion. For decades, he has supported schools and universities through donations and advocacy for sustainable practices. He served 24 years on the Raikes School Industry Advisory Board at UNL, nearly half as chair, and regularly engages with Omaha and Lincoln schools to advance STEM education. Kerrigan has championed UNO’s “Bricklayer” software tool and contributed to initiatives at Roncalli High School, Marian, Creighton Prep, and others.
His philanthropy includes funding UNO Math Department mini-grants, faculty awards, and Saturday number theory classes for advanced high school students. He helped launch UNO’s data science program and supported research into cellular biochemical networks. Kerrigan has also contributed to the UNO Physics Department for over 30 years, most recently establishing the Kasher Scholarship in honor of longtime professor Jack Kasher.
Committed to affordable, impactful education, Kerrigan advocates for student cohorts and community-business integration to strengthen learning and lifelong networks. He credits UNO for shaping graduates who enrich eastern Nebraska and continues working to lower costs and improve educational outcomes.
Colleen Williams – Citation for Alumni Achievement Award
Colleen Williams is an award-winning broadcast journalist and co-anchor of NBC4’s weekday newscasts at 4 P.M., 5 P.M., 6 P.M., and 7 P.M., delivering trusted coverage to Southern California for nearly four decades. Known for her calm authority and integrity, Williams has reported on defining events including the O.J. Simpson trial, the LA riots, major earthquakes, papal visits, and the 2025 Los Angeles fires. She has covered political milestones such as the 2023 Los Angeles Mayoral Debate and the 2024 California Senatorial Debate, and has reported from multiple Olympic Games, including Paris in 2024 and Atlanta in 1996, where she was present during the Centennial Park bombing.
Williams began her career in Omaha with WOW Radio and WOWT, where her first live shot was alongside Dan Rather and Walter Cronkite. Over the years, she has worked with legendary journalists like Tom Brokaw and Lester Holt, earning numerous Golden Mike Awards, Emmy Awards, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Radio & Television News Association.
Her personal story reflects a deep commitment to service and family. She met her spouse, a U.S. Air Force pilot, while covering the Persian Gulf War; their son now serves as an Air Force pilot, continuing the family tradition. Williams is an avid hockey fan (Go Mavericks) and enjoys football — had life taken a different turn, she might have been a sports reporter.
Williams earned her degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), a connection shared by several family members. Her enduring presence and journalistic excellence have made her one of the most trusted voices in Southern California news, shaping the region’s media landscape and connecting with viewers across generations.
Adam Wright – Keynote Speaker
Adam L. Wright serves as chief executive officer for Pilot. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, Pilot is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway and employs 30,000 team members.
Wright has over two decades of experience as a leader in the energy sector and brings expertise in strategic planning and operational excellence. Before joining Pilot, he most recently served as chief operating officer of Pacific Gas & Electric Company, one of the nation’s largest combined natural gas and electric providers.
Before that, Wright’s previous experience was within the Berkshire Hathaway Energy family of businesses, beginning in 1996. He held leadership roles in program and project management, marketing and customer service, renewable energy development, operations, and as president and CEO of MidAmerican Energy Company.
Wright is a member of the board of directors of the Nashville Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Past board service includes the Nuclear Energy Institute, Iowa Business Council, Iowa Utility Association, American Gas Association, Governor Reynolds’ COVID-19 Economic Recovery Advisory Board, Rejuvi Ventures, LLC, John R. Grubb YMCA, Science Center of Iowa, Tom Osborne’s Teammates, and Hope Center for Kids.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from UNO in 2002, where he was also an All-American running back at UNO and was a fullback on the New York Giants roster for the 2001 and 2002 NFL seasons.
He enjoys spending time with family and close friends, traveling, and audiobooks. Wright has been married to his wife, Sabrina, for 23 years, and together they have two kids, Kenedy and Adam. Kenedy is a graduate of Iowa State University and Adam is a senior at the University of Michigan.
