Alumni Achievement Award

2012 Recipients

Barry S. Ganetzky ’71 LAS
Steenbock Professor of Biological Sciences, Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison

For more than 40 years, Dr. Barry S. Ganetzky has doggedly pursued a better understanding of how the nervous system works. His research involving the common fruit fly has produced significant discoveries, with potentially profound implications for conditions ranging from cardiac failure to neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. He has been called a giant in the world of science and in 2006 was elected to the National Academy of Sciences, one of the highest honors accorded to an American scientist.

A genetics professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison since 1979, Ganetzky continues to investigate mutations and is widely known for his studies on how cells generate and propagate electrical impulses in the nervous system. His research has contributed to the understanding of human neurological disorders, drug development and screenings, and insecticide development.

Michael S. Gordon ’59 COM, md ’61 com, ms ’61 com
Director and Associate Dean, Michael S. Gordon Center for Research in Medical Education, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine; Professor of Clinical Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Miami

Few people have affected the education of medical practitioners as powerfully as Dr. Michael S. Gordon, a pioneer in the use of simulation and technology to improve the quality and accessibility of medical education.

Gordon’s efforts have included the creation of Harvey, a life-sized mannequin that simulates the heart sounds of 27 cardiac diseases and various pulsations, as well as the development of programs that have trained tens of thousands of paramedics, first-responders, firefighters and members of U.S. Army surgical trauma teams annually in emergency medical skills.

At the University of Miami, the Michael S. Gordon, M.D., Chair in Medical Education is named after him, as well as the Michael S. Gordon Center for Research in Medical Education, a 35,000-square-foot medical simulation laboratory. More than 1,600 entities around the world use the educational systems offered by the center.

Previous Recipients

2011
Rhoda P. Erhardt ’54 AHS
Consultant and occupational therapist

Richard I. Morimoto ’72 LAS, MS ’74 PHARM
Professor of biology

Erma Tranter MUPP ’78
President, Friends of the Parks

2010
Alaa Al Aswany, ms ’85 dent
Author

Shoujie Fu, mba ’00
General Manager, Guangzhou Honda Automobile Co.

Peter Harvey Hackett, md ‘73
Doctor

2009
Jean E. Bogner, MS ’73 LAS
President, Landfills + Inc.

Michael R. Bristow, MD ’70, PHD ’71 COM
Leader in the field of cardiovascular disease research

Carlos Tortolero ’75 LAS
Led the expansion of Museum of Mexican Art and teacher, counselor and administrator in Chicago public schools

2008
Dr. W. Dudley Johnson ’53 MEDIA, MD ’55
Leader in field of cardiac care and research

Roger Shiffman ’75 CBA
One of the toy industry’s most innovative minds

Sandra M. Webb-Booker, BSN ’76, MS ’80 NURS
First nurse to serve as commander of 801st Combat Support Hospital

2007
Stephen R. Heminover ’79 LAS
Dr. Barbara Schaal ’69 LAS  

2006
Sherry Eagle ’70 ED
Superintendent, Aurora West School District

Daniel Laskin, MS ’52 DENT
Scholar, researcher, author and clinician

2005
Dushanka V. Kleinman, DDS '73
Chief Dental Officer, U.S. Public Health Service

Charles S. Hirsch '58 UIUC, MD '62
Chief Medical Examiner, New York City

2004
Joseph Hartnett '78 CBA
CEO, U.S. Robotics

Bernard G. Sarnat MS '40 DENT, DDS '40
Groundbreaking dental surgeon

2003
Ellis N. Cose '72 LAS
Author, columnis and contributing editor, Newsweek magazine

James J. McNulty '73 LAS
President & CEO, Chicago Mercantile Exchange Holdings, Inc.
and Chicago Mercantile Exchange

2002
Jane Hurd '68 AHS
Medical Multimedia Innovator
Founder and President, Hurd Studios

Rocco V. Lobraico Jr., MD '41
Laser Surgery Pioneer
Retired Obstetrician/Gynecologist

2001
Michael Arrington '93 LAS
President and CEO, Recon Manangement Services
President, Arrington Foundation

Gery Chico '79 LAS
Former President, Chicago Board of Education
Partner, Altheimer and Gray

2000
Mary S. Nelums, MSW '75, PhD '88 JACSW
Founder, Professional Developmental Association
Associate Professor of Social Work, Jackson State University

Emil J Freireich, MD '49
Director, Adult Leukemia Research Program
Internist and Professor of Medicine, University of Texas

1999
Janet Deatrick, PhD '82 LAS
Professor, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing

1998
Christine M. Johnson '71 LAS, MUPP '76, PhD '78
Director, Field Services-Midwest, U.S. Department of Transportation

Glenn S. Kraiss '56 PHARM
Retired Senior Vice President, Walgreens Co.

1997
Dr. Derald E. Brackmann, MD '62

Dr. Leo M. Henikoff MD '63
President Emeritus, CEO, Rush Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center
Pediatric Cardiologist

1996
Dr. Jerry D. Gardner, DDS '64
Retired Assistant Surgeon General for Dental Services, U.S. Air Force

Dr. Olga Jonasson, MD '58
Professor and Chair, OSU Department of Surgery
Surgeon

1995
Dr. Daniel T. Cloud MD '48
Former President, American Medical Association
Retired Pediatric Surgeon

Adrian D. Smith '69 BARCH
Partner, Skidmore, Owings and Merrill

1994
Dr. William P. Murphy, Jr., MD '47
Founder, Hyperion Inc., and Cordis Corporation
Biomedical technology pioneer

1993
Patrick F. Daly '72 BARCH
Chairman and CEO, The Daly Group

1988
Dr. Charlotte Kerr, MD '48
Retired physician
Diplomate, American Board of OB/GYN

1985
Alfred B. Swanson, MD '47
Retired orthopedic and reconstructive surgeon

1982
Dr. Rowine Hayes Brown-Truitt, MD '39
Former Medical Director and Chief of Staff, Cook County Hospital

Helen Dickens, MD '34
Former Professor Emeritus, University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Julius B. Richmond, MD '40
Professor Emertius, Harvard Medical School

1974
Walter P. Blount '21 LAS, '23 MED
Former President, Blount Orthopedic Clinic Ltd.

1962
Dr. Karl A. Meyer, MD '08