Award Recipients
Every year the College of Business recognizes the achievements of outstanding alumni, as well as an honorary alumnus or alumna, who have become distinguished leaders in their fields, grown exponentially in their careers or supported their communities and NIU above the rest.
2020 Award Recipients
Distinguished Alumnus - given to a COB alum who has achieved outstanding professional success
Wes Saber
MBA 2014
Outstanding Young Alumnus - given to an alumnus who has received his or her degree from the College of Business within the past 10 years and has shown outstanding promise and success in their professional career
Mary Vrancic
B.S. Marketing 2008
MBA 2018
Innovation and Entrepreneurship Alumnus - given to an individual who has an exemplary track record of building or transforming organizations through innovation
Jack Molloy
B.S. Marketing 1994
Honorary Alumna - given to an individual, who is not an alumnus of the College of Business, yet has demonstrated outstanding service or commitment to the college
Jackie Sander
B.S. Public Health Administration 2008
The Birches Assisted Living
Student Engagement - given to someone who has a passion for dedicating their time to help students learn and to progress in their education
Robert Rothkopf
B.S. Management 1967
M.S. Management 1973
Social Impact - given to an individual who has made a significant, positive change which addresses a pressing social challenge to make the world a better place
Sarjoo Patel
B.S. OM&IS 2003
Past Award Recipients
2019 Deborah Brucker (B.S. Management 1988)
2018 Brent Brodeski (B.S. Finance 1988)
2017 Steve Hajdukovic (B.S. Accountancy 1990)
2016 Audrey Southard (B.S. Management 1985)
2015 Matt Thompson (B.S. Marketing 1980)
2014 Russ Smyth (B.S. Accountancy 1978, M.S. Accountancy 1980)
2013 Christine Cole (B.S. Accountancy 1975)
2012 Cynthia Crocker (B.S. Marketing 1980)
2011 Ralph de la Vega (MBA 1989)
2010 V. James Marino (B.S. Marketing 1972
2009 David L. Holman (B.S. Accountancy 1969)
2008 Gary Burge (B.S. Accountancy 1976)
2007 Dennis Dean (B.S. Finance 1973, MBA 1974)
2006 Nick Calamos (M.S. Finance 1989)
2005 Craig Funkhouser (B.S. Accountancy 1979)
2004 William A. Boston (B.S. Marketing 1970, MBA 1971)
2003 Dennis Barsema (B.S. Management 1977)
2002 Kathleen Halloran (MBA 1979)
2001 Gary Longman (B.S. Accountancy 1970)
2000 Robert Adducci (B.S. Management 1980)
2000 David Wilson (B.S. Marketing 1980)
1999 Joseph Locke (B.S. Management 1968)
1999 Dennis Sester (B.S. Management 1972)
1998 Norman Goldstein (B.S. Finance 1967)
1998 Robert Johnson (B.S. Accountancy 1956)
1997 Robert Der (B.S. Accountancy 1975)
1996 James Planey (B.S. Marketing 1968)
1995 Charles Wallace (B.S. Accountancy 1967)
1993 Thomas Merritt (B.S. Accountancy 1969)
1991 Patrick Disney (B.S. Accountancy 1973)
1991 Herb Eldean (B.S. Accountancy 1964)
1991 Mural Josephson (B.S. Accountancy 1970)
1991 Gerald Kuhn (B.S. Accountancy 1966)
1991 Gaylen Larson (B.S. Accountancy 1962)
1991 John Ludes (B.S. Marketing 1958)
1991 Frank Manderscheid (B.S. Management 1970, MBA 1971)
1991 Vince Nall (B.S. Marketing 1975)
1991 David Nelson (B.S. Marketing 1969)
1991 Charles Ruder (B.S. Management 1959)
1991 Eileen Scudder (B.S. Accountancy 1970)
2019 Allison Fishman (B.S. Marketing 2010)
2018 Sam Knude (B.S. Accounting 2012, M.S. Accounting 2013)
2017 Zach Fiegel (B.S. Marketing 2014)
2016 Ross Hayes (B.S. Marketing 2010)
2015 Lisa Vicicondi (B.S. Marketing 2005, MBA 2012)
2014 Curtis Batterton (B.S. OMIS 2010, MBA 2012)
2013 Zachary Alesandrini (B.S. Management 2007)
2011 Joshua Dean (B.S. Management 2002)
2010 Kelly A. Gjurkovic (B.S. Management 2001)
2009 Roy C. Schultz III (B.S. Finance 2000)
2008 Brian Gillet (B.S. Marketing 2001, MIS 2002)
2019 Jeffrey Aronin (B.S. Marketing 1989)
2018 Ralph de la Vega (MBA 1989)
2019 Christopher Millington (CoB Honorary Alumnus 2010, OM&IS Honorary Alumnus 2014, NIU F.R. Geigle Service Award 2016)
2019 Katie Duxbury
2018 Stacey Barsema
2017 Kristina McGrath
2016 Donna Kieso
2015 Drew Butts
2014 Becky Meggesin
2013 George W. Krull, Jr.
2012 Joseph A. Hula
2011 Cary Chessick
2010 Christopher M. Millington
2009 Eric L. Wasowicz
2008 Harold Wright
2007 Robert Pfohl
2005 David Graf
2004 Robert and Georgena Beck
2002 Kenneth Johnson
1999 Sandy Jett
1998 William Wilbur
1997 Thomas H. Roberts, Jr.
1996 Donald Kieso
1996 Richard Rademacher
1995 John Brown
1991 George Bass
1991 Joe Coriaci
1991 Clifford Danielson
1991 William McGrath
2012 Gaylen N. Larson (B.S. Accountancy 1962)
