Distinguished Alumni

Valparaiso University alumni excel in a number of fields, and are well-known for their service work and efforts to make the world a better place. Valpo alumni remain engaged with the University and form an extensive network that benefits recent graduates. Here are a few of those alumni:

• Marjorie Albohm, class of 1972 — Director of Research and Business Development, Ortho Indy; the first woman certified as an athletic trainer in Indiana (Indianapolis)
• Linda Allen, class of 1978 — Director, C-130J International Programs, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics (Retired)
• G. Allen Andreas, Jr., class of 1965 and Law 1968 — Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Archer-Daniels-Midland
• Kathryn Baerwald, class of 1972 — Assistant University Counsel, Georgetown University
• Jacqueline Baker, class of 1984 — Registered nurse and founder of health clinic in Vancouver, WA, which treats individuals unable to afford medical care
• Richard Bimler, class of 1963 — Former Director, Wheat Ridge Ministries; Valparaiso University Ambassador
• N. Cornell Boggs III, class of 1982, J.D. 1985 — Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary; Toys R Us Inc.
• Stephen Buyer, Law 1984 — U.S. Congressional Representative for the 4th District of Indiana
• Denise Casalino, class of 1986 — Won national recognition for her work as project manager for the $200 million+ reconstruction of Chicago’s historic Wacker Drive
• JoBe Cerny, class of 1970 — Actor, producer and author; voice of Pillsbury Dough Boy and silent actor in Cheers detergent commercials; appeared in My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997) and Road to Perdition (2002)
• Jay Christopher, class of 1967 — Chairman of the Thatcher Corp., a software developer and reseller in Addison, IL; co-founder of The Pampered Chef
• Jeffrey Dippold, class of 1974 — Vice President-Global Markets Finance, Bank of America
• Bryce Drew, class of 1998 — Former NBA player (Houston Rockets, Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Hornets); former Men’s Basketball Coach, Valparaiso University
• Richard Duesenberg, class of 1951 — Retired General Counsel, Monsanto Co.
• Robert Duesenberg, class of 1951 — Retired Senior Vice President, General Dynamics
• Arthur Fabsits, class of 1962 — Consultant, Hansen Information Technology
• Carolyn Femovich, class of 1971 — Executive Director of the Division I Patriot League
• Donald Fites, class of 1956 — Former Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Caterpillar, Inc.
• Richard Gozon, class of 1960 — Retired Executive Vice President and CEO, Weyerhaueser Co.
• Lowell P. Hager, class of 1947 — Professor Emeritus, University of Illinois; National Academy of Sciences inductee
• Catherine Jenny, class of 1957 — Retired Director, Addiction Recovery Programs at N Street Village, Washington, D.C.
• Heather (Mitchell) Johnson, class of 1974 — Obstetrician and gynecologist, Reiter Hill & Johnson, LLP, Washington, D.C.
• Mary Junck, class of 1969 — Chairman, President & CEO, Lee Enterprises, Inc.
• Richard Kauzlarich, class of 1966 — Former U.S. Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Tiiu Kera, class of 1967 — Major General, U.S. Air Force (Retired)
• Robert Kirtland, class of 1991 — Soldiers’ MEB Counsel/JAG, Department of Defense-Medical Command
• Paul Landahl, class of 1961 — Bishop of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod of the ELCA
• Jacki Lyden, class of 1975 — Host and senior correspondent, National Public Radio; author of The Queen of Sheba (1997)
• Paul Manske, class of 1960 — Chief of Orthopedic Surgery at Washington University School of Medicine
• Lloyd McClendon, class of 1981 — Nearly 20 years in Major League Baseball; Hitting Coach for Detroit Tigers
• Holly Messick, class of 1999, Vice President-Corporate Relations, American Heart Association
• Julie Meyer, class of 1988 — Founder and CEO of Ariadne Capital Ltd., United Kingdom.
• Robert Moellering Jr., class of 1958, 1974 LLD — Chair, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital; Former professor at Harvard Law
• Deborah Neymark, class of 1979 — Vice President of Regulator Affairs, Vascular Solutions
• Carole Nuechterlein, class of 1983 — Chief Corporate Counsel, Sangstatt Medical Corporation in Switzerland
• Rebecca Pallmeyer, class of 1976 — Judge, U.S. District Court
• Robert Palumbo, class of 1980 — Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Valparaiso University; research scientist at Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland
• Eugene Parker, Law 1982 — Attorney and Sports Agent; clients include Deion Sanders, Aeneas Williams, Ray Lewis, Derrick Brooks, and Emmitt Smith
• Michael Rickman, class of 1984 — Corporate Counsel, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
• T. Marshall Rousseau, class of 1955 — Retired Executive Director of the Salvador Dali Museum, Sarasota, Florida
• Robert Rucker, Law 1976 — Justice, Indiana Supreme Court
• Ben Schnakenberg, class of 2000 — Associate, High Road Capital Partners
• Paul Schrage, class of 1957 — Retired Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at McDonald’s Corporation
• Al Seib, class of 1978 — Pulitzer-winning photojournalist, Los Angeles Times
• Kathi P. Seifert, class of 1971 — Retired Executive Vice President, Kimberly-Clark Foundation; Fortune magazine’s 50 Most Powerful Women in Business in 2002 and Forbes.com’s annual “America’s Top Businesswomen”
• Paul Sieving, class of 1970 — Director of the National Eye Institute
• Nick Skytland, class of 2002 — Open Government Initiative Director, NASA
• Rene Steinke, class of 1986 — 2005 National Book Award finalist
• Jill Long Thompson, class of 1974 — Former Undersecretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture; former member of U.S. Congress; CEO/Sr. Fellow for National Center for Food & Agriculture
• Charles R. Vaughan, Law 1957 — Attorney, defended Ryan White, AIDS victim
• Amy Vie, class of 1989 — Vice President, U.S. Institutional Sales, Shire
• Marc Voth, class of 1965 — Nuclear Reactor Inspector for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
• Richard Wamhoff, class of 1967 — Retired Vice-President, Asia/Pacific & Global Manufacturing/Supply Chain, H.J. Heinz Company; Retired President/CEO, Ore-Ida Foods
• Julie Winkler, class of 1996 — Managing Director of Research and Product Development, CME Group
• Ron Zech, class of 1965 — Chairman and CEO, GATX Corporation
• Ginger Zuidgeest (Zee), class of 2002 — Meteorologist, ABC News
• Jennifer Lake Zigmund, class of 2004 — Vice President, Zapwater Communications