ATHENS, Ohio -- Twelve Ohio University alumni will be recognized during the Alumni Awards Gala to be held 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, at Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium. The Alumni Association annually honors alumni who have demonstrated extraordinary dedication to the university. This year's recipients are as follows:

ALUMNA OF THE YEAR

Sheila Rowan McHale, A.B. '68

A trustee of The Ohio University Foundation since 1997 and a member of the Trustee's Academy, McHale served as chair of the College of Arts and Sciences Development Committee for five years and is a member of the college's Major Gifts Committee for the Third Century and Bicentennial campaigns. She received the Ohio University Alumni Association's Medal of Merit in 1992. McHale and her husband, Lawrence, HON '00, actively participated in the establishment of the College of Business Sales Centre and funded numerous programs throughout the university. McHale and her husband live in Aurora, Ohio, and Naples, Fla.

MEDAL OF MERIT HONOREES

Robert E. Brenly, B.S.E.D '77

Ohio University's All-American baseball player, Brenly managed the Arizona Diamondbacks to victory in the 2001 World Series. Brenly is the first manager since Ralph Houk in 1961 to win the World Series the same year he became a major league manager. The World Series championship is the latest accomplishment in his long and impressive career in baseball. Brenly and his wife, Joan, have two children, Lacey and Michael. They live in Scottsdale, Ariz.

C. Brent DeVore, B.S.J. '62

DeVore has been president of Otterbein College since 1984. Prior to joining Otterbein, he served as president of Davis and Elkins College, vice president of Hiram College and executive director of the Kent State University Foundation. During DeVore's 18-year presidency, Otterbein has nearly doubled enrollment to over 3,000 students, and student retention rates have improved from 41 percent to 80 percent in a four-year period under his leadership. DeVore was also named an Outstanding College of Education Alumnus. He and his wife, Nancy Nikiforow, live in Westerville, Ohio.

James P. Martin, B.F.A. '73

Martin is Deputy Chief of the New York City Fire Department, Emergency Medical Service Command, where he created the emergency vehicle operator's program, developed the Mass Casualty Incident Course and created the New York City EMS Museum. Martin is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Hopkins Foundation Transit Strike Award, eight medals of accomplishment and the Pinchik Humanitarian Award. He and his wife, Maureen, live in New Rochelle, N.Y.

Gene P. Thrailkill, M.Ed. '62

Thrailkill is the father of what we now know as the Ohio University Marching 110. In 1967, he became the director of the Ohio University Marching Band and immediately began making dramatic changes that would start the process of making the Marching 110 what it is today. Thrailkill left Ohio University to join the University of Oklahoma music faculty in 1971. Before retiring in 2001, he coordinated eight bands in the Oklahoma program, directed the "Pride" Marching Band and served as the principal conductor of the Concert Band. The "Pride" Marching Band was recognized by college band directors as the finest marching band in the nation when it was awarded the Sudler Trophy in 1987. Thrailkill was honored in 1990 by Ohio University School of Music with its Outstanding Alumni Award. Thrailkill and his wife, Karen, live in Norman, Okla. They have three children, Stacey, Dawn and Chad.

Connie Tobias, A.A.S.'77, B.G.S.'78

Tobias was the first woman graduate of Ohio University to become a major airline captain. In 1984, Tobias became an airline co-pilot with Piedmont Airlines. Now, she is a captain for US Airways and flies an Airbus 330 heavy jet on international routes. She has flown for 26 years, logging more than 17,000 flight hours in 60 kinds of aircraft. Tobias has been on a mission to educate the world about the first licensed female pilot in the United States, Harriet Quimby, who earned her pilot's license in 1911. Tobias started a living history re-enactment about Quimby in September 2000 and in 2001 organized the Harriet Quimby Scholarship for aviation students at the Russ College of Engineering. She lives in London, Tenn.

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARDEES

Brigadier General (Ret.) James M. Abraham, P.E., B.S.E.E. '43, B.S.I.E. '48

Abraham retired in 1983 from the United States Army after a stellar career of service that spanned 40 years. A member of the Ohio Army National Guard, he not only helped to save Ohio University's ROTC program by creating a scholarship program for National Guard volunteers that increased enrollment, but he also is credited with developing innovative concepts in ROTC instruction at Ohio University that have been implemented at universities nationwide. As a civilian, Abraham has served in industry, education and government. He has received numerous accolades including the Ohio Society of Professional Engineers Distinguished Service Award and induction into the Ohio National Guard Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame in 2000. He and his wife, Irene Wright-Abraham, reside in Gahanna, Ohio.

Karen Schwartz Reynolds, B.S.E.D '68, M.A. '69

Reynolds has been supporting Ohio University for more than 20 years. She began volunteering when she served on the School of Interpersonal Communication's Advisory Council. She worked as an Ohio University development officer and also worked with students in the College of Business Corporate Leadership Fellows program and supported the Global Learning Community undergraduate certificate program. While employed with Ohio University as a development officer, Reynolds dedicated personal time to co-found the Corporate Communication Leaders organization in the School of Interpersonal Communication. She now serves on the Charlotte (N.C.) Ohio University Alumni Chapter Board and continues to mentor Ohio University students. Reynolds and her husband, Jim, reside in Charlotte, N.C.

CHARLES J. AND CLAIRE O. PING RECENT GRADUATE AWARDEE

Eric E. Stewart, B.S.C. '94

Stewart has made great strides in business and politics since leaving Ohio University in 1994. He now serves as chief of staff to the U.S. assistant secretary for the Department of Commerce. In an effort to aid American firms encountering overseas trading problems, U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Donald Evans and Assistant Secretary William Lash assigned Stewart to improve outreach to the business community and solve international trade problems for U.S. firms. Stewart is married to 1994 graduate of Ohio University, Kassie Nussbaum. The couple lives in Arlington, Va.

HONORARY ALUMNI

Riste Gusterov

Gusterov, a Macedonian businessman, is a contributor to the globalization of his country and Ohio University. He first became acquainted with Ohio University through Lou Vlasho, '59, who graduated from the College of Business. Vlasho's enthusiastic description of Ohio University, its programs and the Manasseh Cutler Scholars Program led Gusterov to make the generous contributions that created the Gusterov-Manasseh Cutler Scholars Award for students from Macedonia. The award winners from 1999 and 2000 were the first international Cutler Scholars. Each recipient promises to work in Macedonia for 10 years after graduation.

 

Jan Schneck Rust

Rust, an honored English teacher, has served as a U.S. Representative in Education in Moscow and Leningrad. For the past 31 years she has been responsible for the health and welfare of the Ohio University Players at the Monomoy Theater in Chatham, Mass. For 45 years, Monomoy has provided Ohio University undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to work alongside New York professionals as they present eight plays and one review in a 10-week season. Rust and her husband, Alan, live in Hartford, Conn.

G. Lynn Shostack

Shostack, now president and owner of Gardner Capital Corp., a private investment firm with interests in real estate, venture capital and investment banking, began her association with Ohio University in the 1960s as special assistant to President Vernon R. Alden. In that capacity she ran the Ohio Fellows Program, which is designed to provide unique opportunities for personal growth and achievement to gifted undergraduate students. Shostack recently made a generous contribution to Ohio University earmarked to fund the Adaptive Technology Room at Alden Library, which will make the library more accessible to people with disabilities. Shostack now lives in New York City.