Constituent Leadership Award (Est. 1984)

This award recognizes the alumnus or alumna who has demonstrated extraordinary leadership and/or special efforts in the organization, management and support of a constituent alumni association (college, school or department alumni association).

2013 Recipient

  • Peggy J. Ruff, ’79 ENG, MS ’80 ENG

    Peggy J. Ruff ’79 ENG, MS ’80 ENG resides in Forsyth, Ill., and is the former vice president of logistics, now retired, for Tate & Lyle, Inc., a world leader in renewable ingredients. As vice president, she was responsible for all customer service and distribution functions, including production planning, warehousing, toll manufacturing, customer service technical resource, customer care order entry and invoicing.

    Ruff currently is serving a second term on the LAS Alumni Association Board of Directors. During her first term of service from 2007-2012, she held the positions of vice president and president. Today, Ruff serves as the chair of the LAS Awards Committee. In her original application for board membership, Ruff wrote: “I truly believe that my career success is attributable to my degree from the University of Illinois. The coursework prepared me for dealing with the world at large, but, more importantly, it taught me how to think. The qualities I would bring to the board are integrity, honesty, enthusiasm, problem-solving capabilities and an intense commitment to the University of Illinois.”

    In 2013, Ruff became a member of the Dept. of Mathematics’ Development Advisory Board, which has been charged with assisting the department in their advancement efforts that support vital programs designed to enhance student learning and faculty research and teaching.

    In addition to serving her alma mater, Ruff has been an active member of the board of directors for Easter Seals of Central Illinois and Junior Achievement of East Central Illinois.

Past Recipients

  • 2012

    • John L. Carrato, ’79 ENG, MS ’80 ENG

    • Greg Oltman, ’72 ACES

  • 2011

    • Jennifer Sterling, ’89 ENG, MS ’90 ENG

  • 2010

    • Frederick V. Chin, ’75 ENG, MBA ’77

    • Bruce A. Miller, ’89 BUS, MS ’90 MEDIA

  • 2009

    • Diane Katz Gottlieb, ’66 LAS

    • Marcia Stoll, MSW ’85

  • 2008

    • Richard E. Furkert, '70 ENG, MS '72 ENG

    • Kent Schien, '81 ENG

  • 2007

    • Jane A. Hays, ’76 LAS, JD ’79 LAW

    • Brian T. Heery, ’95 LAS

  • 2006

    • Donald J. Heimburger, ’69 MEDIA

    • Laurence J. Pearlman, AM ’89 LIR

  • 2005

    • Harold E. D’ Orazio, ENG

    • Gary R. Halford, ’60 ENG, MS ’61 ENG, PHD ’66 ENG

  • 2003-2004

    • Daniel Hang, ’41 ENG, MS ’49 ENG

    • Starr Hull, ’64 ACES

  • 2002

    • William H. Collins, ’60 ENG, MS ’61 ENG

    • Phyllis Wilken, ’71 LAS, AM ’74 LAS

  • 2001

    • Karen Layng, ’84 LAS, JD ’87 LAW

    • Sherman Rosen, ’50 LAS, AM ’52 LIR

  • 2000

    • Gail McClain, ’55 LAS

    • Duane Strunk, ’63 ACES

  • 1999

    • Scott Anderson, MS ’36 ENG, PHD ’40 ENG

    • Howard S. Engle, ’72 BUS

  • 1998

    • Gerald J. Moyar, MS ’58 ENG, PHD ’60 ENG

    • Linda Soltwedel, ’66 ACES

    • Norbert Soltwedel, ’65 ACES, MS ’67 ACES

  • 1997

    • Norman A. Goldberg, ’39 FAA, MMUS ’42 FAA

    • Katherine W. Walker, ’52 LAS

  • 1996

    • William N. Coffee, ’64 MEDIA

    • Ned R. Siegel, ’72 LAS, MS ’73 LAS

  • 1995

    • John G. Huftalin, ’60 ACES

    • William H. Wright, ’64 VM, DVM ’66

  • 1994

    • D. Michael Fox, ’65 BUS

    • Porter J. Womeldorff, ’54 ENG

  • 1993

    • Fern Hodge Armstrong, ’52 FAA

    • Virginia Seidel, ’38 ACES

  • 1992

    • Jimmy R. Howe, ’61 ED

    • James S. Spencer, EDD ’66

  • 1991

    • Roger K. Heath, ’60 ENG

    • John “Jack” F. Rundquist, ’46 ACES, MS ’47 ACES

  • 1990

    • Ralph J. Henneman, ’49 ENG

    • Joseph A. Zalar Jr., ’60 LAS, MD ’63 MEDIA

  • 1989

    • Scott Anderson, ’36 ENG, PHD ’40 ENG

    • William D. Hull, ’65 BUS, MS ’67 MEDIA, PHD ’72 MEDIA

  • 1988

    • Lowell E. Ackmann, ’44 ENG

    • Louis A. Bacon, ’43 ENG

  • 1987

    • Helen Davies, ’41 ACES

    • Jim Davies, ’43 ACES

  • 1986

    • Alan W. Hausserman, ’68 LAS

    • Ernest L. Hoffman Jr., AM ’54 LIR

  • 1985

    • Frederic B. Hoppin, ’41 ACES

  • 1984

    • Mildred Mies Hanley, ’33 ACES

    • Glen Wensch, ’46 ENG, MS ’47 ENG, PHD ’49 ENG