Academics and Research / Magazine Feature

DU announces 2010 Founders Day Awards

The University of Denver has announced the recipients of the 2010 Founders Day Awards, which recognize accomplishments of alumni, faculty and staff. The 2010 awards will be handed out at a gala reception March 4 at the Seawell Grand Ballroom in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

Mike St. John (BSBA ’81) will receive the Randolph P. McDonough Award for Service to Alumni. The award is named for Randolph McDonough, DU alumni director from 1934–63; it was first presented in 1986. St. John’s many DU volunteer activities have included serving as an alumni mentor, conducting Ammi Hyde interviews of prospective students and serving on the Alumni Association Board, the Alumni Admission Council and the Daniels Executive Advisory Board.

The Distinguished Service to the University Award will be presented to Ty Mills, associate director of campus safety. Since coming to DU in 1972, following his discharge from the U.S. Army, Mills has dedicated himself to making campus safer. He oversaw installation of the “blue light” emergency telephones at DU and created the annual “Safe Walk” around campus and the “Safe Ride” shuttle that provides transportation for people on campus after hours. Mills also oversees campus safety training and oversees a Rape Aggression and Defense Class for students, faculty and staff.

Meyer Saltzman (BS ’58) is the recipient of the Community Service Award, first presented in 1973. Founder of the accounting and professional consulting firm Saltzman Hamma Nelson Massaro LLP, Saltzman has chaired the boards of directors of National Jewish Health and the Caring for Colorado Foundation. He serves on the boards of the Denver Zoological Foundation, where he is vice-chair of finance, and the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame. Saltzman also is a member of Colorado Concern, a political action committee for improving the economy, education and quality of life in Colorado.

The Ammi Hyde Award for Recent Graduate Achievement will go to Nora Heitmann (BA ’00). Recipients of this award, first presented in 1993, must have earned a DU undergraduate degree in the previous 10 years and demonstrated professional achievement. Heitmann, a new accounts manager for Denver-based Forward Logistics Group, is consistently the company’s top-ranked salesperson — a feat made all the more impressive by the fact that she has been working just two days a week after coming back from maternity leave in winter 2008. Heitmann also has served DU as part of the Alumni Council, the Founder’s Day Selection Committee, the Alumni Advisory Board and the Mile High Alumni Chapter.

Former Ambassador Cindy Courville (MA ’80, PhD ’88) will receive the Professional Achievement Award, first given in 1973. Courville served as the first U.S. Ambassador to the African Union from 2006–08. Prior to her appointment, Courville was a special assistant to President Bush and senior director for African affairs at the National Security Council.

The Evans Award — the University’s highest alumni honor — will be presented to General George Casey Jr. (MA ’80), who was sworn in as the 36th Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army on April 10, 2007. He previously served as commander of the Multi-National Force in Iraq, overseeing a coalition of more than 30 countries. First awarded in 1951, the Evans Award, named for University Founder John Evans, recognizes alumni who have demonstrated professional achievement, humanitarian service to the community and continuing interest in the University.

The Founders Day Gala on March 4 will begin with a cocktail reception at 6 p.m., followed by dinner and an awards ceremony at 7 p.m. at the Seawell Grand Ballroom in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Individual tickets are $150; tables, which seat 10, are $1,500. Registration opens on Jan. 11.

Visit www.alumni.du.edu/foundersday for reservations and more information.

Corrections: This article orginally misstated Tyrone Mills’ involvement with the Rape Aggression Defense classes at DU. He oversees the class. Also, this article misidentified Meyer Saltzman’ firm. He founded an accounting and profressional consulting firm.

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