Colorado State University Honors Distinguished Alumni Feb. 9
Sixteen people will be honored Saturday, Feb. 9 during a ceremony for the Colorado State University Distinguished Alumni Awards.
The awards program, sponsored by the Colorado State Alumni Association, recognizes Colorado State alumni and friends whose professional work stands out, who have brought honor to the university or who have made significant contributions to the university or the community.
A list of the award recipients follows.
– Dr. James B. Mitchell is the recipient of the William E. Morgan Alumni Achievement Award. He joined the Radiation Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute in 1979 where he initiated a research program focused on improving cancer treatment with radiation. He was appointed branch chief of the Radiation Biology Branch in 1993 and to the National Institutes of Health Senior Biomedical Research Service in 1998. Mitchell was honored with the 17th Radiation Research Award from the Radiation Research Society in 1989 and the John Yuhas Award for Outstanding Research in Radiation Biology in 2001. He received his doctorate degree in cellular radiation biology from Colorado State University.
– Pat Stryker is the recipient of the Charles A. Lory Public Service Award. Stryker is president of the Bohemian Foundation, which was launched in 2002. She has also made significant contributions to Colorado State University over the years, including an endowed professorship in the name of former President Al Yates. Stryker has contributed to the University Center for the Arts and the renovation of Hughes Stadium and Sonny Lubick Field. The Bohemian Foundation is also a significant supporter of CSU’s Envirofit International spinoff, which is dedicated to cleaning up indoor and outdoor air pollution in Asia and the developing world.
– William R. Wailes, Jr., is the recipient of the Jim and Nadine Henry Award. He is the department head of Animal Sciences and an extension dairy specialist at Colorado State. In his extension role, Wailes focuses on production management practices for the Colorado dairy farmers. Working directly with producers has enabled him to be focused on financial benchmarks to help lead the dairy industry in Colorado forward.
– Tania Valdez has a 3.94 grade point average with a major from the College of Liberal Arts. She is the recipient of the Albert C. Yates Student Leadership Award. As a student at CSU, Valdez has taken on many leadership roles. She has worked in the Office of Women’s Programs and Studies for the past three years. Valdez is involved in the Honors Program and Key Service Community.
– J.D. McCartney, who graduated magna cum laude from Colorado State with a bachelor’s degree in technical communication and journalism, is the recipient of the Graduate of the Last Decade, or GOLD, Award. He is the chief executive officer of Xstatic Public Relations, a Denver public relations agency that he co-founded in 2004. He has counseled a wide variety of local and national companies, from startups to Fortune 500 corporations and also represented several nonprofit organizations, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado and Habitat for Humanity.
– Margarita Maria Lenk, associate professor of Accounting and Computer Information Systems in the College of Business, is the recipient of the Distinguished Faculty Award. Lenk has published articles in 13 different journals and has won numerous national, state, university and college awards for her outstanding teaching. She has chaired national committees, sectional leadership, and national conference programs for the American Accounting Association, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the National Campus Compact, and the KPMG PhD Project.
– Bennett Raley, who received his bachelor’s degree in agricultural business at Colorado State in 1979, is the recipient of the College of Agricultural Sciences Honor Alumnus Award. Raley has served in many positions throughout his career both in private and government sectors. As the Assistant Secretary of Water and Science under the direction of Interior Secretary Gale Norton, Raley was the catalyst for the Quantification Settlement Agreement with resulted in California agreeing to abide by the 1992 Colorado River Compact apportionments.
– Prudence Kaley, who received her bachelor’s degree in human development in 1972, is the recipient of the College of Applied Human Sciences Honor Alumna Award. She has worked in real estate for over 31 years and is a partner with The Group, Inc. In 2003, Kaley co-founded NorthernColoradoRentals.com, an Internet-based advertising site that connects landlords and renters.
– Frank Keller, who received his Executive MBA in 1992, is the recipient of the College of Business Honor Alumnus Award. He is a retired COO and CFO who worked in the oil and gas industries. He serves on the Global Leadership Council advisory board and helps to introduce current students to local and national business leaders.
– Shen Chen, who received his master’s degree in civil engineering in 1985, is the recipient of the College of Engineering Honor Alumnus Award. Recognized as a pioneer of water policy and successful water resources engineer, Chen has served as Director-General of Taiwan’s Water Resources Agency in the Ministry of Economic Affairs since 2003. In this role, Chen is responsible for Taiwan’s water resources planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance, and research. He received the 1996 National Model Public Servant Award from the Central Government in Taiwan for his distinguished public service, one of the highest awards for government employees in Taiwan.
– John E. Roberts, who was awarded a bachelor’s degree in history in 1964, is the recipient of the College of Liberal Arts Honor Alumnus Award. He is a Pearson Master Teacher at Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield, Ill. He has taught a wide variety of survey and specialty courses and also part-time upper division and graduate- level courses for several institutions of higher learning.
– Vasudev Bhandarkar, who received his master’s degree in computer science in 1982, is the recipient of the College of Natural Sciences Honor Alumnus Award. He actively assists early-stage companies in venture financing, business strategy/development, team development and global sales and marketing. During his career Bhandarkar has successfully built businesses in wireless/Internet, enterprise software and outsourced services industries. His operational experience spans 22 years in marketing, business development, sales, product development and general management.
– Norman Jorgensen, who graduated in 1977 and in 1980 with a DVM degree, is the recipient of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Honor Alumnus Award. He practiced in both California and Colorado for six years before returning to the family business, Jorgensen Labs. It has developed into one of the largest companies providing equipment for veterinarians throughout the world. He remains actively involved with CSU in both supporting athletics as a double Legacy scholarship and providing the professional veterinary medicine program with an endowed scholarship. He is involved in the Loveland community serving as current president of Loveland Sertoma and trustee on the Jorgensen family foundation.
– Laurence E. Riordan was apart of the first graduating class of two in the College of Natural Resources’ Range Management program in 1941. He is the recipient of the Warner College of Natural Resources Honor Alumnus Award. Riordan’s career has been in wildlife and range management. His work in these fields has improved the way people track and count wildlife, and helped established many wildlife policies around the world that are still enforced today. In 1951 Mr. Riordan received his M.S. from Colorado A&M. He became a distinct asset to the Colorado’s Games and Fish Department for 35 years, helping them evolve into the Division of Wildlife (now Fish and Game).
– Byron Collins, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in finance in 1980, is the recipient of the Distinguished Athletic Award. He is currently involved in multiple business ventures including financial management, oil and gas development, and various real estate projects. His most recent real estate project is the new 640 acre master planned community called Harmony in Timnath, Colo. Collins also donates his time and resources to various local and charitable organizations and serves on the board of the Fort Collins Chamber of Commerce.
– Jean (Maser) Hoshiko is the recipient of the Distinguished Extension Award. She has been active in supporting the Weld County Fair and 4-H program. Hoshiko has been honored as Humanitarian of the Year by United Way, State Friend of Extension, Life Member of Weld County 4-H Foundation, Life Member of Colorado Onion Association and Life Member of National Onion Association.
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