Distinguished Service Award (Est. 1972)

Bestowed upon alumni, faculty, staff and friends by the University of Illinois Alumni Association on behalf of the University. The award is presented to individuals or couples whose consistent, exceptional and meritorious service to the University of Illinois has made a significant impact on the institution’s overall welfare and the advancement of its mission.

2022 Recipient

  • Peter B. Fox

    Peter B. Fox is the founder of Fox Development Corporation, a Champaign firm involved in the development, management and leasing of prime office and retail space. He also the motivating force that brought us the University’s Research Park and the I Hotel and Illinois Conference Center. Not only that, he created Fox Ventures—Fox Development Corporation’s investment arm, an active investor in early-stage technology companies—that has invested in over 75 startups, with a large percentage originating at the University of Illinois. Fox Ventures helps founders with groundbreaking technology commercialize their innovations. Fox and his wife, Kim, are involved in a wide variety of educational and philanthropic activities. Together, they have endowed professorships at the University, sponsored entrepreneurial activities through several University departments, and served on advisory boards for a number of University institutes and colleges. In addition, the couple actively supports the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, the Krannert Art Museum, the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics, and the Bee Pollinatarium at the Carl R. Woese Institute of Genomic Biology. Before moving to Champaign, Fox was a partner at Bear Sterns.

Past Recipients

  • 2019

    • Theodore Brown

  • 2018

    • Michael T. Tokarz, ’71 LAS, MBA ’73

  • 2017

    • Colleen Callahan Burns, ’73 ACES

      Leader in public service and agricultural communciations and administration

  • 2016

    • Jane Phillips Donaldson, ’65 LAS, MS ’67 MEDIA

  • 2015

    • Dale H. Flach, ’59 ED, EDM ’64 ED

      Assistant Dean for Student and Alumni Affairs at the UI College of Medicine

  • 2014

    • Thomas D. Vogelsinger, ’73 BUS, MBA ’74

  • 2013

    • Mary Kay Kretch Haben, ’77 BUS

  • 2012

    • Paul Koch, ’66 ENG, MS ’68 ENG

  • 2011

    • Lester McKeever, ’55 BUS

  • 2010

    • Merle L. Mulvaney, ’58 ACES

    • Janet Turney Mulvaney, ’58 ACES

  • 2009

    • Ed McMillan, ’69 ACES

  • 2008

    • Carol Keiser-Long, ’68 ACES

  • 2007

    • Lila Jeanne “Shorty” Eichelberger, ’49 ACES, MS ’52 ACES

  • 2006

    • Alice Campbell, JD ’43 LAW

    • Bob Campbell, ’54 BUS

  • 2005

    • Ann Khan, '80 LAS

    • Shahid Khan, '71 ENG

  • 2004

    • Roger Plummer, '64 ENG

  • 2003

    • Trudy Gassmann Reynolds, 58 EDU

    • Richard W. Reynolds, '53 ENG, MS '58 ENG

  • 2002

    • Howard C. Humphrey, '59 BUS

  • 2001

    • Albert Wohlers, '39 LAS

  • 2000

    • Phyllis Welsh Hallene, '51 LAS

    • Alan Hallene, '51 ENG

  • 1999

    • Richard J. Faletti, '47 LAW

  • 1998

    • Russell "Ruck" W. Steger, '50 MEDIA

  • 1997

    • Gayl S. Pyatt, '64 LAS

  • 1996

    • Ralph C. Hahn, '51 ENG, MS '52 ENG

  • 1995

    • Erwin Small, '55 VET MED, DVM '57, MS '65

  • 1994

    • William D. Engelbrecht, '66 MEDIA, MS '72 MEDIA

  • 1993

    • Dean E. Madden, '43 ENG

  • 1992

    • William H. Lycan, '24 LAS, MS '26 LAS, PHD '29 LAS

  • 1991

    • George William Howard III, '56 LAS, LLB '59

  • 1990

    • Virginia Coultas Sharp, '40 ACES, MS '54 ACES

  • 1989

    • John E. Cribbet, JD '47

  • 1988

    • Frederic B. Hoppin, '41 ACES

  • 1987

    • Joseph Antonello Jr., '43 BUS

  • 1986

    • Jane Hayes Rader, '54 LAS

  • 1985

    • Orville G. Bentley

  • 1984

    • Roger B. Pogue, '41 ENG

  • 1983

    • Carl & Mary Jane Neer, '33 LAS & '33 EDU

  • 1982

    • Timothy J. Nugent Robert D. Heath, '50 BUS, Posthumously

  • 1981

    • Daniel J. Perrino, '48 FAA, MS '49 FAA

  • 1980

    • Charles E. (Chuck) Flynn, '34 MEDIA, AM '40 EDU

  • 1979

    • Kenney E. Williamson, '66 BUS

  • 1978

    • Charles Merriam

  • 1977

    • Paul K. Bresee, '23 ACES

  • 1976

    • Charles C. (Chick) Evans, '60 ENG, MS '61 ENG

  • 1975

    • Timothy Swain, '31 LAS, LLB '33

  • 1974

    • C. E. (Chilly) Bowen, '22 BUS

  • 1973

    • None given

  • 1972

    • Royal (Rooney) Stipes, '27 BUS