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Distinguished Alumni

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  • Honors & Awards
  • Distinguished Alumni
Introduced in 1972, The University of Tulsa Alumni Association annually presents accomplished alumni with the Association’s highest honor – The Distinguished Alumni Award.

This award is given to recognize outstanding achievement by an alumnus or alumna in a particular discipline, organization or cause. Distinguished Alumni honorees are a great credit to The University of Tulsa and all alumni share in the celebration of their collective achievements.

Recognition is open to any alumnus or alumna of The University of Tulsa who has distinguished himself or herself by rendering extraordinary service and achievement to a particular discipline, organization, or cause on an international, national, statewide, or local basis. Basic qualities of good character and citizenship, as well as a demonstrated commitment of service to The University of Tulsa, shall also be considered. The recipient of the award must be present at the annual awards ceremony to accept the honor. No current employee of TU or current member of the TU Alumni Association Board of Directors is eligible for the award. 

If you would like to nominate an alumnus or alumna of The University of Tulsa for the honor of Distinguished Alumni, please complete the form online. Nominations must be submitted by January 31 to be considered for the following year.

2024 Distinguished Alumni
Sue Ann Arnall (BS '77, JD '80)
Kimberly Johnson (BA '96)
Paul Pressey (BS '82)
Wm. Stuart Price (JD '82)

Past Recipients

2023 Distinguished Alumni
James D. "Dave" Rader (BS '80)
Danny C. Williams (JD '91)

2022 Distinguished Alumnae
Rilla Askew (BFA '80)
Lisa A. Stewart (BSPE '81)
Dana S. Weber (BSBA '79, JD '83)

2020-21 Distinguished Alumni
Stuart R. Crum (BS '82)
John Harvey III (BA '85)
Albert H. Myres, Sr. (BS '86)

2019 Distinguished Alumni
Paula A. Kuykendall (BSBA ’86)
Sanjay D. Meshri (BA ’92)
Robert D. Thomas (BS ’74)
William F. Thomas (BS ’74)

2018 Distinguished Alumni
Benjamin P. Abney (BS ’66, JD ’68)
Julius Tennon (BFA ’78)
Robert "Al" Walker (BSBA ’79, MBA ’84)

2017 Distinguished Alumni
K. Wiley Cox (BS ’65)

Robyn Ewing (BS ’77)
Phil Keeter (BA ’59)

2016 Distinguished Alumni
Donald Hoose, BS ’59
Caron Lawhorn, BSBA ’83
James "Jim" Wallis, BS ’62, JD ’65

2015 Distinguished Alumni
Bill Carmody, JD ’88
Marcia MacLeod, BS '75, JD '80
Wayne Rumley, BS '60

2014 Distinguished Alumni
Nevyle R. Cable, BS ’77
Katherine G. “Kathie” Coyle, JD ’72
Michael D. Graves, BA ’67, MA ’69
Calvin C. McKee, BS ’48

2013 Distinguished Alumni
Henry D. "Hank" Haney, BS ’77
Judy Zarrow Kishner, BS ’74, JD '77
Thomas H. Russell, BS ’57
Lovie L. Smith, BS ’80

2012 Distinguished Alumni
Sharon Bell, JD ’85
Chet Cadieux, BS ’89
Roger Jarvis, BS ’76
Dr. Jacob Jorishie, BS ’71, BA ’09

2011 Distinguished Alumni
A. Charles Funai, BS ’78
Lynn L. Jones, BS ’71, MS ’75
William R. Lissau, BS ’65
M. W. “Bill” Scoggins, BS ’70, PhD ’78

2010 Distinguished Alumni
No awards given

2009 Distinguished Alumni
No awards given

2008 Distinguished Alumni
Chip McElroy, BS '85
Layn Phillips, BS '74, JD '77
Duane Wilson, BS '62

2007 Distinguished Alumni

No awards given due to 100 Years in Tulsa Celebration

2006 Distinguished Alumni

Callie Mitchell, BS '77
James Wilburn, BS '74
Michael Wiley, BS '72

2005 Distinguished Alumni

Dr. John Forrest, BA '72
Jim McGill, BS '65
The Honorable Charles Owens, JD '60

2004 Distinguished Alumni

D. Nicholas (Nick) Allen, BS '70
Jeffery Davis, BS '74
Joseph W. (Joe) Moeller, BS '66

2003 Distinguished Alumni

Dave Lawson, BS '70
Marcia Manhart, BA '65, MA '71
Gene Tucker, BA '51

2002 Distinguished Alumni
James D. Miller, '66
Floyd L. Walker, '49
Robert A. West, '61

2001 Distinguished Alumni
R. Michelle Beale, '66, '77
Floyd “Steve” M. Stevenson, '32
Steve W. Turnbo, '67

2000 Distinguished Alumni
Roxana Lorton, '63
Genave Rogers, '38
Fred Vierra, '57

1999 Distinguished Alumni
Helen Jo Hardwick, '85
Rue McClanahan, '56
Brian Smith, '91, '92
Michael Turpen, '72, '75

1998 Distinguished Alumni
Khalid Y. Al-Fulaij, '75
Marylouise Tandy Cowan, '44
Donald E. Pray, '55

1997 Distinguished Alumni
Doug Claybourne, '74
Ron Modell, '57, '60
Margaret Anne Wier, '53

1996 Distinguished Alumni
Wm. Ben Johnson, D.D.S., '66
Luis Giusti Lopez, '72

1995 Distinguished Alumni
Michael Babcock, '65
Jill Zink Tarbel, '46
Willis Wood, Jr., '57

1994 Distinguished Alumni
No awards given due to the Centennial Celebration

1993 Distinguished Alumni
Julian L. Carr, Jr., '68
Robert E. Lavender, '53
Howard Twilley, '68

1992 Distinguished Alumni
Eddie Faye Gates, '74
John Hammond, '36
Bob Losure, '69

1991 Distinguished Alumni
Glenn Dobbs, Jr., '43
James C. Warf, Ph.D., '39

1990 Distinguished Alumni
S. E. (Susan) Hinton Inhofe, '70
Steve Largent, '76
Emile A. (Tip) Polumbus, Jr., '44

1989 Distinguished Alumni
Daniel Lang, '53
Drew Pearson, '73
Gailard L. Sartain, Jr., '69

1988 Distinguished Alumni
P. S. (Pat) Gordon, '74
Clara Booth Wiggins Hieronymus, '32
Robert E. Lorton, Jr., '64
Emily Hamilton Mumford Schlesinger, '41

1987 Distinguished Alumni
William J. (Bill) Ashe, '49
James D. (Jim) Boswell, '64, '66
Robert (Bob) Davis, '55
Dr. T. L. (Terry) Loucks, '60, '61
Linda H. Roark-Strummer, '71

1986 Distinguished Alumni
Corinne Harper Carr Nettleton, '51
James L. Hartz, '62
Dr. Joseph N. Pelton, '65
Katsunari Toyoda, '59, '61

1985 Distinguished Alumni
The Rt. Rev. A. Donald Davies, '44
T. Gaylord Dorough, '33
Jerry L. Goodman, '61
A. Scovil Murray, '48
Dr. Clarence G. Oliver, '69, '76

1984 Distinguished Alumni
James E. (Jimmy) Finks, '51
Nancy Lopez Knight, Attended 1975-77
Jack Marshall, '49
Tom J. Tripp, Jr., '49

1983 Distinguished Alumni
William H. (Bill) Bell, '54
C. Arnold Brown, '50
Michael R. Waller, '52

1982 Distinguished Alumni
Chester (Chet) Benefiel, '31
George E. Dunlap, '39
Richard C. Hojel, '62
John L. Kelley, '39

1981 Distinguished Alumni
James W. (Jim) Bruskotter, '50
Gustavo Coronel, '55
W. Jay Slifer, '34
Frank L. Tenney, '40

1980 Distinguished Alumni
Humberto Calderon-Berti, '68
Robert C. (Bob) McCay, '44, '47
Dr. Carter Revard, '52
Jack Wahl, '49

1979 Distinguished Alumni
Ted Connolly, '54
Lex Frieden, '71
H. H. (Hugh) Goerner, '46, '49
Dr. Jean H. Langenheim, '46
John O. Whitney, '48

1978 Distinguished Alumni
Jorge Wolney Atalla, '51
Harold J. (Pup) Born, '39, '43
Mary Kay Place, '69
Edward E. (Ed) Runyan, '55, '57

1977 Distinguished Alumni
Louis W. Ballard, '54, '62
Dr. Sarah M. Burkhart, '30, '35
Burt B. Holmes, '54

1976 Distinguished Alumni
Dr. Harriet Barclay, '45
Woodrow (Woody) Cole, '49
Ray Nott, '50
L. W. Welch, Jr., '43

1975 Distinguished Alumni
E. R. (Dick) Albert, Jr., '35
Cortlandt S. (Cort) Dietler, '47
Richard P. Ryan, '35
J. W. W. (Mickey) Whitney, Jr., '49

1974 Distinguished Alumni
W. A. (Bill) Baden, '31
Dr. Paul Y. Burns, '41
Robert Gaunt, '29
Dr. Siro Vazquez, '33

1973 Distinguished Alumni
Sequoyah (Squaw) Brown, '29
Jerry D'Arcy, '48
John Doremus, '53
Thomas C. (Tom) Frick, '33
Dr. Hugh Graham, Sr., '21
Dr. Ben G. Henneke, '35
C. Henry Keplinger, '31
Fred A. Setser, '56
Dr. Robert E. Sievers, '56
C. E. (Charlie) Thornton, '49

1972 Distinguished Alumni
Robert B. Gilmore, '35
Dr. Judy Hagedorn, '61, '66, '69
Dr. Janet Kizziar, '61, '67, '70
Charles A. Kothe, '35
V. E. Liles, '50
H. A. Nedom, '49, '50
John L. (Jack) O'Brien, '57
Charles H. Simpson, '53
Joe R. Thornton, '48

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The University of Tulsa | Office of Alumni Engagement

800 S. Tucker Drive, Tulsa, OK, 74104 | (918) 631-2555 | tualumni@utulsa.edu