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Distinguished Alumni Awards Sac State Alumni Association

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Past Winners, Distinguished Alumni Awards

Our 2023 Honorees

Distinguished Service Award

  1. Dr. Robin Carter ’77, MSW ’82 (Social Work), Retired, Dean of Health and Human Services, Sacramento State

  2. Dr. Viridiana Diaz ’02, Ed.D. ’12 (Communication Studies/Educational Leadership), Vice President, Student Affairs, Cal State San Marcos

  3. Daniel P. Hahn ’95 (Business/Marketing), Sacramento Police Chief (Ret.)

  4. Scott Robertson ’93 (Business/Marketing), Sr. Vice President, Chief Community Banking Officer, Tri Counties Bank

  5. Dr. Margaret Washington ’68 (History), Professor Emeritus, Cornell University

Rising Star Award

  • Elizabeth Gabler ’19 (Physics), Neutron Radiographer, McClellan Nuclear Research Center

Honorary Alumnus Award

  • Bob Olsen, Chair, Board of Directors, PRIDE Industries, Retired, Co-founder Deacon Construction
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Past Recipients: 2020-22

Year Award Recipient, Class & Major Video Story
2022 Distinguished Service Awards Francesca Halbakken ’79    
Lois Harper Mattice ’87, MS ’94
Lisa Wrightsman ’05
Dr. Whitney Yamamura ’84
Lifetime Achievement Award Don Nottoli '78
Rising Star Award Liku T. Amadi ’13, Esq.
2021 Distinguished Service Award Kimo Ah Yun, ’90 video story
Kraig Clark, ’91 video story
Carol Garcia, ’80 video story
Gilbert Herdt, MA ’72 video story
Andrei Tokmakoff, ’89 video story
Angelo A. Williams, MA ’06, MA ’07, EdD ’10 video story
Rising Star Award Ryan Harrison, MS ’11 video story
2020 Distinguished Service Award Christine and Michael Ault, ’92 video  
Tim Murphy ’91 video
Craig (’77) & Ann (’78, MA ’92) Perez video
Deborah Ross-Swain ’73, MS ’75  video
Rising Star Award Justin Knighten, ’08 video
Honorary Alumna Award Susan McGinty video

Past Recipients: 2010-19

Year Award Recipient, Class & Major Video Story
2019 Distinguished Service Awards Saori Choulos ’92, EMBA ’12    
2019 Distinguished Service Awards Jeff Dern ’98    
2019 Distinguished Service Awards Dr. Maridith A. Curfman-Janssen ’82    
2019 Distinguished Service Awards Patrick C. McClain '88    
2019 Distinguished Service Awards Jackie Morris-Henderson ’87, ’92    
2019 Lifetime Achievement Award Gary (’65) and Judy (’66, MS ’99) Quattrin
2019 Rising Star Award Dr. Meagan O’Malley, MA '06
2018 Distinguished Service Awards Margot Bach, ’72    
Ana Klein, ’95, MBA ’10
Bill Mueller ’90
Dr. Joseph Tuscano, ’84
Rising Star Award Tracy Young, ’08
2017 Distinguished Service Award Kimo Ah Yun, ’90 video story
Kraig Clark, ’91 video story
Carol Garcia, ’80 video story
Gilbert Herdt, MA ’72 video story
Andrei Tokmakoff, ’89 video story
Angelo A. Williams, MA ’06, MA ’07, EdD ’10 video story
Rising Star Award Ryan Harrison, MS ’11 video story
2016 Distinguished Service Award Christine and Michael Ault, ’92 video  
Tim Murphy ’91 video
Craig (’77) & Ann (’78, MA ’92) Perez video
Deborah Ross-Swain ’73, MS ’75  video
Rising Star Award Justin Knighten, ’08 video
Honorary Alumna Award Susan McGinty video
2015 Order of the Hornet President Alexander Gonzalez video  
Lifetime Achievement Award Jan Scully video
Distinguished Service Award Cate Dyer video
Pat Fong Kushida video
Jim Gomez video
Lee Ritchey video
Tami R. Bogert and Scott Yuill video
Rising Star Award Philip I. Person video
2014 Distinguished Service Award Maureen Bauman    
Chris Higdon
James P. Mayer
Javed Siddiqui
Kerri Thomas
2013 Distinguished Service Award David Bugatto    
Cheryl Dell
Michael Kuhlmann
Garry Maisel
Rhonda Staley-Brooks
Rising Star Award Christina Preston    
2012 Lifetime Achievement Award Joseph F. Sheley    
Distinguished Service Award Greg J. Hagwood    
John & Margi Herzog
Kit Miyamoto
Mark Otero
Rising Star Award Robert Meza    
Janay Swain
2011 Distinguished Service Award Thomas M. Gilbert    
Paul Lau
Ted Puntillo
Tina Treis
Rising Star Krista Bernasconi
Honorary Alumni Award Dr. Alexander Gonzalez
Patricia Clark-Ellis
2010 Distinguished Service Award Douglas Curley    
Helena Fitch-Snyder
Eddie Kho
Cristina Mendonsa
Michael Reinero
Holly Tiche
Rising Star Baldwin Chiu

Past Recipients: 2000-09

Faculty/Administrator awards are designated (^).

Year Award Recipient
2009 Lifetime Achievement Award Larry Cook
Distinguished Service Award Karen Bakula
Charles E. Bell
Alejandro Garcia
Jan A. Nolta
Honorary Alumnus Award George Crandell
2008 Distinguished Service Award Michael Carter
John Gesek
Greg Knapp
Sia Nemat-Nasser
Walt Schaub
Paulette Trainor
Honorary Alumnus Award Mark Drobny
Pamela O. Stewart
2007 Lifetime Achievement Award Roger Valine
Distinguished Service Award Larry Augusta
Lauren Hammond
Kim Hughes^
Scott W. Maxwell
Gloria Nomura
Alice D. Perez
Lloyd O. Snelson
Larry Williams
Karen Zamarripa
Daniel Zingale
Honorary Alumnus Award Daniel Cole
2006 Lifetime Achievement Award William Campbell III
Distinguished Service Award Jack Bertolucci
Patrick Fenwick
Jack Higdon
Marilyn Hopkins^
Theresa Parker
Randy Reynoso
Rene Syler
2005 Distinguished Service Award Michael L. Brown
Sonney Chong
Todd Murch
Albert Najera
Kirk B. Sturm
Scott C. Syphax
Ann Weldy^
Rosemary Younts
2004 Distinguished Service Award Fred Dalkey
Kayla Gillan
Craig T. Johnson
Kenneth A. Macias
Robin Martial
David H. Mering
Scott J. Modell^
Melba O. Mosher
Pamela G. Saltenberger
Robbie Waters
Mary Jane Young
Honorary Alumnus Award Ray Clemons
2003 Distinguished Service Award Virginia Avila
Robert Dean
Edward Del Biaggio^
Mike Dourgarian
Jim Fitzpatrick
Gail Hullibarger
Judy Quattrin^
Ben Roberts
Marlene Von Friederichs-Fitzwater
Honorary Alumnus Award Rosemary Clemons
Gary Hart^
Nicholas Windeshausen
2002 Distinguished Service Award Christopher Cabaldon
Dale Carlsen
Richard C. Johns
Suzanne Kingsbury
William H. Lee
Mary Louise Mack
Gil Moore
Robert Perry-Smith
Felicenne Ramey^
H. John Shaw, III
Fred Teichert
Honorary Alumnus Award Roy Brophy
2001 Lifetime Achievement Award Angelo Tsakopoulos
Distinguished Service Award Patricia Cochran
Ron Davis
Gregg Lukenbill
Kathleen McGrath
Kitty O'Neal
Ray Shaddick
Michael Ubaldi
Robert Waste
Order of the Hornet Dennis Gardemeyer
Gary Kimmel
Honorary Alumnus Award Muriel Johnson
2000 Lifetime Achievement Award Joe A. Serna, Jr.
Distinguished Service Award Suzanne Adan
Louis Blanas
Jesus Fernandez Jr.
Mary Hargrave
Janet McWilliams
Kenneth Owens
Tony Saca
Michael Stevens
Robert Thomas
Order of the Hornet Catherine MacMillian
Dixie Schneider
Honorary Alumnus Award Stan Atkinson

Past Recipients: 1990-1999

Faculty/Administrator awards are designated (^).

Year Award Recipient
1999 Distinguished Service Award Lory Heron
Albert Hurtado
Joseph Mohamed Sr.
Randy Paragary
Gail Tom^
Charles Trainor
Order of the Hornet Phillip Cowan
Melinda Melendez
Paul Robins
Honorary Alumnus Award Alex Spanos
Harry Sweet
1998 Distinguished Service Award Edward Chavez
Christine Dean
Daniel Decious^
Daniel DeFoe
Clarke J. Dominguez
Kelvin K. Lee
Mike McGowan
Ted Morse
John Moulds
Paul Sax
Order of the Hornet John Messner
Bev Short
Honorary Alumnus Award Thomas Hobday
1997 Distinguished Service Award
Janice Rogers Brown
Irvin Faria^
Giselle Fernandez
Roger Fong
Joseph J. Kearns
Steve Pleau
Roger Valine
Richard Weaver
Tom Weborg
Order of the Hornet Steven Yamshon
Honorary Alumnus Award Cal Boyes^
1996 Distinguished Service Award
William Collard
Gloria Glyer
Kenneth Kerri^
Duane Lowe
Denise Mazzucca-Barrett
William Popejoy
Jan Scully
Honorary Alumnus Award Josef Moorehead^
1995 Distinguished Service Award
Mary Buehler
Al Geiger
Robert Metcalf^
John Poswall
Pauline Roccucci
Raymond Valdez
Order of the Hornet Isabel Hernandez-Sema^
Frank LaPena^
Honorary Alumnus Award Louis Desmond
Enlow Ose
1994 Distinguished Service Award
Allen Johnson
Gregory Kondos
Dave Lucchetti
Sylvia Minnick
Barbara O’Connor^
James Shelby
Order of the Hornet John Smith^
Jack Waymire
Honorary Alumnus Award Donald Gillott^
1993 Distinguished Service Award
Phil Boyer
Jamie Candelaria
Kenneth Hansen
June LaVerne Long
Antonia Lopez
Sam Pannell
Dennis Tootelian^
Order of the Hornet Ron W. Smith
Honorary Alumnus Award Fred Anderson
1992 Distinguished Service Award
Felicia Bessent
Ward Connerly
Linda Dixon
William Dorman^
John Fitzgerald
Elizabeth McClatchy
Don Zingale^
Honorary Alumnus Award Fred Hummel
1991 Distinguished Service Award
Fred Uhl Ball
Grantland Johnson
Said Kaki
Trong Nguyen
Leticia Quezada
Joe A. Serna Jr.^
Order of the Hornet Robert W. Bell
Gary Quattrin
1990 Distinguished Service Award
Deborah Colberg^
C. Carson Conrad
Fred Dawkins
M. Wayne Thiebaud
Malcolm Weintraub
Order of the Hornet David Morse
John Ranlett^
Honorary Alumnus Award Norman J. Phillips

Past Recipients before 1989

Faculty/Administrator awards are designated (^).

Year Award Recipient
1989 Distinguished Service Award
Dr. W. Richard Cobb^
Marjorie Geiszler
C. Stanley Gilliam
Robert Mange
Robert Rivinius
Order of the Hornet Winnie Leung
1988 Distinguished Service Award
Margo Murray
Jean Runyon
William Whiteneck^
Order of the Hornet William Campbell III
Robert Curry^
1987 Distinguished Service Award
John McNamara
Frank Borgia
Nick Floratos
Order of the Hornet Dorothy Lombard
Coach Bob Mattos
1985 Order of the Hornet Lloyd Connelly
John P. Kearns
1984 Order of the Hornet Carl Ludwig^
Thomas Willoughby
1983 Order of the Hornet W. Lloyd Johns^
1982 Order of the Hornet Steven Arvizu
Sandra Baker
1981 Order of the Hornet George Creel^
Rod Hamilton
Ann Reardon
1980 Order of the Hornet Henry A. Bamman^
Phillip Isenberg
Gordon P. Martin^
George Sumner
1979 Order of the Hornet Keith B. Kenny
J. Harold Severaid^
1978 Order of the Hornet Lewis Crowl^
Joe A. McGowan^
Stanley Pretzer^
Efra Zollinger^
1977 Order of the Hornet Robert Gustafson
Harold B. Roberts^
1976 Order of the Hornet Donald Bailey^
John W. Baker^
1973 Order of the Hornet Hubert McCormick^
1972 Order of the Hornet Gordon D. Schaber
Robert Wyman