2006 Alumni Awards Commencement at Augustana Karl Zobrist ’71
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From left: Barry Stoughton ’68 , Dr. Allan F. Glen Erickson ’63 and Roy Jeremy Barnhart ’92 and Steve and Cindy Pressly, Louise Anderson Carlson ’71, Karl Zobrist ’71 Puccini ’64 Michelle King ’93 2006 alumni awards Commencement at Augustana Karl Zobrist ’71. Zobrist is a partner Hampshire Insurance Ltd. For many self-esteem and healthy lifestyles always coincides with an event- with a Kansas City law firm, working years, Puccini has hosted an annual through running. filled Alumni Weekend. The annual in its utility regulatory and commer- golf outing and dinner in Elmhurst, Alumni Association awards banquet cial litigation practice groups. He is a Ill., as a way of thanking selected Honorary Alumni is held to recognize outstanding member of the Kansas City Board of alumni for the various ways they help Louise Anderson. Anderson and achievement and service on the part Police Commissioners and chairman to advance the mission of the college. her late husband, Floyd Anderson of alumni and friends of the college. of the boards of Greater Kansas City He was also the driving force behind ’39, exemplify Augustana’s mission Our 2006 honorees were: Foreign Trade Zone, Inc., and reStart, the Karl Martin Sandway Scholar- of volunteer service. A member of Inc., an interfaith ministry to home- ship, now known as the Sandway the Augustana Lutheran Church in Outstanding Achievement less persons. Before entering private Family Scholarship. Washington, D.C. for more than 65 Dr. Allan Carlson ’71. Carlson served practice, Zobrist served in the U.S. years, Anderson has touched many as general secretary and lead con- Navy’s Office of the Judge Advocate Finest Under Forty lives. She continues to volunteer vener of The World Congress of General in Washington, D.C. He also Achievement for many organizations, including Families in Prague, The Czech is a retired commander in the U.S. Jeremy Barnhart ’92. In the public Friends of the Kennedy Center, Republic, in 1997. That same year, he Naval Reserve. accounting field, Barnhart has served United States Capital Historical was named president of The Howard clients in both the public and private Association, The Smithsonian and Center for Family, Religion & Society, Outstanding Service sectors across a spectrum of various women’s groups of the a non-profit research center in Rock- F. Glen Erickson ’63. Three years industries, including manufacturing, Lutheran Church. She served with ford, Ill. His passion for his work has after graduation, Erickson returned public utilities, real estate, retail and the United Nations’ World Decade for led to numerous books and essays on to Rock Island to work for Bi-State leisure travel. He currently serves as Women from 1976-1985. In addition, modern social history, family policy, Metropolitan Planning Commission, managing director of RSM McGladrey Anderson has always been the first the link between foreign and domes- where he eventually was named in Phoenix, Ariz. Barnhart also is a to step forward to host and attend tic policies, economics and culture, executive director. He was the county member of the Board of Trustees for Augustana’s alumni gatherings in and modern religion. administrator for Scott County, Iowa, the International Foundation for Anti- the Washington, D.C., area. from 1981 until 2001 when he retired Cancer Drug Discovery. Barry Stoughton ’68. A longtime to Arizona. During his years in the Steve and Cindy Pressly. Steve, high school mathematics teacher, Quad Cities, Erickson donated his Michelle King ’93. As the senior president and owner of the Wheelan- Stoughton started BLS Enterprises time and talents to numerous city/ budget advisor for the deputy com- Pressly Funeral Home, was honored in 1986, and continues to serve as county management associations missioner for operations, King in 1996 by the City of Rock Island as owner and president. BLS Enter- and community groups, including reports directly to the U.S. Social Business Person of the Year. Cindy prises is the first U.S. company to the Boy Scouts, the United Way, the Security Administration’s (SSA) worked in Student Health at create a polyurethane pad for the Southeastern Iowa Synod and St. executive staff in Baltimore, Md. Augustana during its last year of tracks of construction equipment to Matthew Lutheran Church. He Her division is responsible for the service, and is now a school nurse protect concrete roads from damage continues to serve others in his new formulation, administration and with Rock Island public schools. The normally caused by the tracks. In home of Anthem, Ariz., where he execution of the SSA’s operating couple has supported and served 2001, Stoughton received the volunteers at a local school and art budget, which is roughly $4.5 billion Augustana for two decades through Distinguished Service award by the center. per fiscal year. King has chaired the endowed scholarship program Northwest Cook County Illinois several community projects, and Augustana Campus Ministry, and Division of the American Cancer Roy Puccini ’64. One of Augustana’s including events for Girls on the by attending and supporting campus Society. more fervent ambassadors, Puccini Run, a non-profit organization that events and activities. is the owner and president of encourages preteen girls to develop PB Augustana Magazine | Winter 2007 Winter 2007 | Augustana Magazine 29 Alumni Profiles “We are full of hope for you—and for ourselves—because of the promise that lies in you.” DR. Thomas Tredway speaking to the Class of 2006 Graduates MARK the end Since 1971, Augustana’s commencement exercises have taken place in the Dr. Tim Johnson ’58, ABC News’ medical editor, encouraged graduates Carver Physical Education Center. Before the construction of the Carver to listen to their heart in the most important matters of life. “‘You should Center, the ceremony was held in Centennial Hall and prior to 1960, in the listen to your heart, Tim Johnson told our graduates, for I believe it is the college’s gymnasium, which was built in 1916 and razed in 1971. voice of God,’” Tredway related. For the first time in the history of the college, last spring’s commence- And who could forget jazz drummer Louie Bellson’s “speech,” which ment convocation was held off-campus. Due to considerations of space, didn’t include any spoken words, just great music, and no one seemed accessibility, parking and climate control (the main floor of the Carver to mind. Center is not air-conditioned), the 146th commencement exercises were “Bellson and our students didn’t need to talk—they showed us in 10 moved to The MARK of the Quad Cities in Moline. minutes of music what they could do,” Tredway said. “As Bellson remind- Commencement speaker Dr. Thomas Tredway ’57, president emeritus ed us, what matters most is what you have done and what you can do.” of Augustana, told the 525 graduates that he had attended every com- During the ceremony, Doug Hultquist ’77, chair of the Augustana Board mencement for “three sweltering, aromatic decades in the non-air of Trustees, presented Tredway with the honorary doctor of humane conditioned Carver P.E. Center.” Of all the many talks he heard, he letters degree. remembers three in particular for the simple, yet important, messages Earlier in the day, graduates and their families heard The Rev. Daniel they conveyed. Jenky, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Peoria, deliver the Baccalaureate There was U.S. Sen. Alan Dixon (D., Ill.) whose plane was delayed 90 sermon—in its usual location, Centennial Hall. minutes by thunderstorms but he came anyway because as he said, it’s important to keep your promises. Is this really part of their jobs? Hillary Vavra ‘00 Blevins and Vikings in the prairie Kraig McPeek ‘01 are having too much fun collaborating They never met in college, but today restore natural wetland and stream vanished from the landscape. Nearly on a project to teach children two Augustana alumni are collaborating habitats on privately owned land. But, 99.9 percent of the historic prairie about tallgrass prairie, an to ensure the health and growth of a as he explains, he was intrigued by habitat has been destroyed in Iowa, endangered habitat in the restored prairie habitat and to teach Blevins’ project idea because it is tied making it the most endangered habitat Midwest. Girl Scouts to become stewards of to a recent national initiative to link in the state, Blevins says. Similar conservation. children with nature. “I was recently declines have been reported throughout Hillary Vavra ’00 Blevins, program at a family reunion campout and the the Midwest. resource manager with Girl Scouts of adults are sitting around the campfire, “Restoration of tallgrass prairie the Mississippi Valley, learned of a grant and I realized I hadn’t seen any of the encourages interaction between that would allow her office to develop a kids all evening,” he says. “Here we people and natural systems and shows curriculum and maintain the one-acre are out in the woods, and they’re in the the value of conserving, enhancing tallgrass prairie site at Camp Conestoga camper playing PlayStation. That really and restoring wildlife and wild land near New Liberty, Iowa. The grant, how- personalized it for me.” resources,” Blevins says. “Instilling the ever, mandated that the Girl Scouts Through the organizational efforts of importance of this habitat in the minds partner with a federal agency. Blevins and McPeek, a curriculum was of children may prove the best defense Finding a local federal agency proved implemented and nearly 1,000 girls and against losing the remaining prairie difficult, and Blevins had all but given up adults attending Girl Scout events and habitat in Iowa and throughout the when she spotted a booth for the U.S.