Previous Distinguished Alumnus Award Recipients

2024
Anne Constantino, '80

CEO of Telos Consulting Group LLC

Shelia Rayam, '90
Executive Editor of the Buffalo News

Darren J. Brown-Hall, '96, '98
Superintendent of the Williamsville Central School District 

2023
Deneen Hernandez '88
Forensic Examiner, Federal Bureau of Investigation

2022
Dianne Baumert-Moyik, '87

Public Relations, Northrop Grumman

Michael Bonitatibus, '79
Retired Owner, Millington Lockwood LLC

Dr. Rose Thevenin, '90
American and African-American Historian

2021
Linda Appleby, '80

Musician, Music Educator, Children's Advocate

Michael Garner, '83
Chief Diversity Officer, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, NYC

2020
Kenneth Huff, '92, '98

Science Educator, STEM Advocate

Rick W. Kennedy, '77

Managing Partner, Hodgson Russ LLP, Attorneys

2019
Michele Fairchild Marko, '72

Non-Profit Community Leader

2018
Michael Toppo, '87

Vice President and Senior Editorial Director, CNN Digital

Amilee Cattouse-Scott, '85
Radio Host, KISS-FM and Founder of Sisterly Kiss Foundation

2017
Eduard Feibischoff, '79

Emmy Award-winning Producer of Sports Television

Ruthann E. Grey, '66, '71
Business Executive and Founder of the Caunos Group 

2016
Catherine F. Collins, ’75

New York State Regent, 8th Judicial District

David J. Cywinski, ’87
Orthopedic Physician at Finger Lakes Bone & Joint Center

David Dror, '67
Chairman and Managing Director, Micro Insurance Academy

2015
Roger J. Wood ‘85

President & CEO, Dana Holding Corporation

Jacqueline V. LoRusso ’62, ‘64
Owner, JVL Management Company

2014
Frank B. Mesiah, ’61, ’69

President, Buffalo Branch NAACP

Valerie A. Logan, ’89
Information sciences thought leader and former global vice president of strategy, Information Management and Analytics Services Division, Hewlett-Packard Company

2013

Brenda McDuffie, '74
President & CEO, Buffalo Urban League

William T. (Bill) Cleary, '69, '73
Founder, Cleary & Partners, Saratoga, CA
 
2012
Crystal Davis Peoples-Stokes, '74, '02
New York State assemblywoman, 141st District

Thomas Lytle, '82
Senior vice president of 5LINX

2011

Stephen Musolino, ’76
Certified health physicist with the United States Department of Energy (DOE)

Bob Williams, '79
Vice President of Communications at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)

2010
Dr. Barbara Seals-Nevergold, '66

Author, Student Support Coordinator at University at Buffalo

Linda Dobmeier, '71
Vice President, Dobmeier Janitorial Supplies
Buffalo State College Foundation Board President

2009

Anthony Baynes,'79
CEO, owner and founder A. J. Baynes Group

Todd Brason, '85
Chief Executive Officer, Willcare, Inc.

Ronald Kelley, '86
Founder and President, Eionic

Karen Penfold, '69
Retired owner/executive, CID Refuse Group; community leader; and philanthropist

2008
Byron W. Brown, '83

Mayor of Buffalo

Brian M. Higgins, '85
Member, U.S. House of Representatives

Leonard S. Sikora, '50
Retired Administrator, Buffalo Public Schools

2007
Richard C. Auerbach, '52, '55
Educator, U.S. Naval Reserve Captain (Retired), Philanthropist

David Lazerson, '77
Author, Educator, Musician

Stan Szymanski, '78
Senior Vice President Digital Productions
Sony Pictures Imageworks

2006
Sylvia L. Rosen, ' 71
Artist and Educator

Edwin F. Rosinski, ' 50
Medical educator and executive vice chancellor for the University of California, San Francisco

2005
Harry Ausprich, '54

President Emeritus, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

Robert J. Kaupelis, '51
Artist and Educator

Theodore G. Sturgis, '53
Educator and Civic Leader

2004
Rita Argen Auerbach, '54, '74
Artist and Educator

Marcia Mule, '81
Television Producer

E. Jeanette Ogden, '77
Buffalo City Court Judge

2003
Susan Schmidt Bies, '67
Member, Federal Reserve System Board of Governors

Robert J. Lamendola, '72
Executive Vice President, The St. Paul Companies;
President and CEO, Global Surety and Construction

Howard S. Muscott, '77
Professor of Education, River College

Anne Rogovin, '40, '62
Educator, Author

Paul A. Tokasz, '71
Marjority Leader, New York State Assembly

2002
Marion Canedo, '74, '81
Superintendent, Buffalo Public Schools

Norma Munger Sutter, '42, '59
Educator and Volunteer

2001
Scott A. Baxter, '84
Founder and CEO, Vesta Technologies

Kathleen Gaffney, '71
Playwright and Actress
President, Artsgenesis Inc.

Deborah Oppenheimer
Film and Television Producer
President, Mohawk Productions

2000
Ernestine R. Green, '59
Educator and Volunteer

Evelyn S. Lieberman, '66
Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs
U.S. Department of State

Christine N. Thrun, '81
President and CEO
Thrun Manufacturing


1999
James Brandys, '71, '73

First Vice President, Investments
Merrill Lynch Private Client Group

Tom Calderone, '86
Vice President for Music Programming and Talent, MTV

Hank Nuwer, '68
Author

1998
William Murabito, '66

Associate Vice Chancellor for University Life,
SUNY System Administration

Kevin O'Connell, '71
Emmy Award-Winning Broadcaster
Meteorologist - WGRZ, Channel 2

1997
Robert Ian Bruck, '73
Director, Institute of Environmental Technology Education
North Carolina State University

Lynne M. Shuster, '68
Volunteer Coordinator
Alliance for the Mentally Ill

1996
Linda Duch, '76

Buffalo District President, Key Bank

Margaret J. Barr, '61
Vice President for Student Affairs
Northwestern University

1995
Mary Lou Rath, '56

New York State Senator

1994
Diane English, '70
Television Writer/Producer (Murphy Brown)

1993
Susan Bring Tobe, '71
Assistant Attorney General of New York State

1992
Kathleen A. Moskal, '65
President, Hue Legwear Company

Randolph Smith, '71
Hartford Hellcats Head Coach
Former Player, Buffalo Braves and New York Knicks

1991
Alden F. Schutte, '63

President, The Schutte Group

Nancy Walter Volkert, '57
Former President, Volkert Meeting Planners Inc.

1990
Thomas L. Clark Jr., '70
President, Carver Federal Savings Bank

Thomas F. Higgins, '71
Erie County Sheriff

1989
Robert L'Italien, '50

General Manager, Teledyne Hanau Division Inc

1988
Thomas Y. Hobart Jr., '60

President, NYS United Teachers, AFT/AFL-CIO

1987
Tom Fontana, '73

Television Writer/Producer:
St. Elsewhere and Homicide: Life on the Street

1986
Daniel R. Idzik, '56
Senior Vice President
General Counsel and Secretary,
Booz, Allen, and Hamilton Inc.

1984
Donald P. Quinlan, '53
CEO and President
Graphic Controls Corp.

Eugene T. Reville, '53
Superintendent, Buffalo Public Schools

1983
Dr. Lenora Cole, '57

Director for Women's Bureau
U.S. Department of Labor

Richard M. Cooke, '52, '73
Major General, U.S. Marine Corps

1982
Kenneth J. Braun, '75
Erie County Sheriff

Michael J. Feniello, '38
Deputy Administrator, Federal Aviation Commission

1981
Edward T. Hunt Jr., '52

General Manager, Western Area, New York Telephone

1980
William E. Lawson, '72
Executive Director, Veterans Federal Coordinating Commission

1979
Margaret Goff Clark, '36
Children's Novelist

1978
Albert N. Abgott, '47
Chairman, Eire County Legislature;
President, Partners' Press Inc.

1977
George F. Budd, '42
President Emeritus, Kansas State College of Pittsburgh

G. Wesley Ketcham, 34
Former Education Consultant
Bureau of Elementary and Secondary Education, Connecticut State Department of Education

1976
Helen Bickel Wolfe, '55
Dean, Western Maryland College

1975
Dr. Eldene Cook Woellhof, '45

Director, Psychology Department, Topeka State Hospital

1974
Edward W. Sontag, '62, '67
Department Head, University of Wisconsin School of Education

1973
Martin Fried, '28
Professor of English, Buffalo State College

1972
Mildred Keller Campbell, '28
Community Volunteer and Philanthropist

1971
Howard S. VanHoff, '26
Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education, Buffalo Public Schools

Jack Wolsky, '55
Associate Professor
State University of New York College at Brockport

1970
Rev. Laman H. Bruner Jr., '39
Chaplain, New York State Assembly

A. Marie Murphy, '32
Faculty Member, Lockport Senior High School

1969
Evelyn G. Bell, '27

Director of Personnel, City of Buffalo School Department

George R. Sherrie, '37
Vice President Emeritus for Administration, Buffalo State College

1968
John P. Walsh, '39
President Emeritus, The William Hood Dunwoody Industrial Institute

Stanley H. Witmeyer, '39
Director, School of Art and Design, Rochester Institute of Technology

1967
Margaret A. Grant, '29
Director, Home Economics Division, Buffalo State College

Marion G. Olsen, '22
Principal, Buffalo Public School 84

1966
Donald G. Brossman, '36
Former Associate Director
New York State Schools Boards Association

Veronica E. Connor, '35
Supervising Principal
Grand Island Public Schools

1965
David O. Cooke, '41
Assistant Secretary of Defense

William J. Fairlie, '52
Principal, Woodlawn Junior High School, Buffalo

Titles listed were current at the time awards were presented.