Alumni Achievement Award

The University of Illinois Alumni Association bestows the Alumni Achievement Award on alumni of the University of Illinois at Springfield. Recipients of the award are chosen in consideration of the following criteria:

1. graduate of the campus as either Sangamon State University or University of Illinois at Springfield;

2. exemplary career achievement and accomplishment in his or her chosen business, profession or life's work;

3. demonstrated commitment to his or her community through service projects and/or volunteerism; must be a person of such stature, demonstrated ability and renown that alumni, students, faculty and staff of the University of Illinois will take pride in and be inspired by his or her accomplishments.
   

2011 Recipient

Don Johnson ’82 CBM
Retired President, CEO and Chairman of the Board, Aftermarket Technology Corporation

In 2009, Don Johnson retired as chairman of the board of Aftermarket Technology Corporation, a publicly traded corporation that provides services to consumer electronics and automotive markets. Prior to his work at ATC, Johnson held global executive positions with Ford Motor Company, Caterpillar and Caterpillar Logistics. He earned most of the credits toward his bachelor’s degree in business and management through courses at the UIS Peoria Center. “The convenience and format was great for someone who was working full time,” Johnson says of the experience.

Previous Recipients

2010
Lin N. Ezell ’74 LAS
Director, Marine Corps National Museum

2009
Gordon Heddell, MA ’75 PAA
Inspector General of the United States Department of Defense

2008
Raju L. Indukuri, MA '92 CMB
Entrepreneur and founder of Reachnet International

2007
Cheryl Alters Jamison, MA ’77 PAA
Author, teacher and entrepreneur

2006
John D. Blackburn MA '79 EHS
Chief Executive Officer; COUNTRY Insurance and
Financial Services Company

2005
Donna Sollenberger '71 LAS, MA '74 LAS
President and CEO of the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics.

2003
Phillip T. Zeni Sr. '72
Executive Vice President, COO of Orban/CRL, San Leandro, Calif.

2002
Randy Schilling, MA '89 CBA
President, CEO and founder of Quilogy, St. Louis, Mo.

2001
LeRoy Walker Jr., MA '81 PAA
Owner/operator of 15 McDonald's Restaurants
Vice President of Events, National Black McDonald's Operator's Association

2000
Linda Renee Baker '85 EHS, MA '87 EHS
Humanitarian, volunteer, public servant
Secretary of the Illinois Department of Human Services

1999
Richard G. Austin '73 LAS
Deputy Director of Aeronautics, State of Illinois
Former Administrator, U.S. General Services Administration

Prior to 1999, the UIS campus awarded the Outstanding Alumni Award. Recipients include:

1998
Philip C. Bradley '72 CBM
President and CEO, Family Health Network

1997
W. Robert Felker '74 PAA
Senior Vice President, First National Bank of Chicago
President and CEO, First Chicago Futures, Inc.

1996
Richard L. Adorjan '88 CBM
Director of Public Affairs, Illinois Department of Transportation

Bill Lambrecht MA '73 LAS
Washington Bureau Reporter, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Two-time Raymond Clapper Award winner

Julie Barrow MA '81 PAA
Director, Office of Federal Planning
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX

Karen Hasara '72 EHS, MA '92 EHS
Mayor, Springfield, Ill.