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News Release

Last modified: Thursday, December 8, 2005

Indiana University Alumni Association honors alumni volunteers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dec. 8, 2005

NOTE: Publication-quality photos are available from Keith Roach at the IU Alumni Association at 812-856-5188 or kroach@indiana.edu.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Indiana University Alumni Association has selected eight alumni to receive its 2005 President's Awards for their volunteer service to IU and their local communities. The alumni reside in the state of Indiana and represent all eight IU campuses.

The President's Award is the highest honor bestowed by the association on alumni volunteers. The awards will be presented Friday (Dec. 9) during a banquet at the Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis.

This year's recipients are Matthew J. Biefeld of Floyds Knobs; Durleen L. Braasch, South Bend; Nicholas W. Gray, Fort Wayne; Roosevelt Haywood III, Gary; Jody Phillipson Howell, Kokomo; John A. Nash, Columbus; Carol Dolan Orr, Richmond; and Gregory R. Wright, Greenwood.

"Alumni who give significant amounts of their time to serve the Alumni Association do so out of a desire to assist Indiana University. They deserve recognition for their contributions and for being the special people they are," said Ken Beckley, IUAA president and chief executive officer.

The banquet also will include the awarding of the 2005-06 Jerry Foster Memorial Scholarship. Valued at $1,500, the scholarship is granted to a full-time undergraduate student on any IU campus who is the son or daughter of an IUAA alumni chapter officer or board member. This year's recipient is Michelle E. Myers, of Lebanon, Ind. She is a junior studying accounting at IU Bloomington. Her parents are Jane Messenger Myers, who is on the board of the Boone County (Ind.) chapter, and Sigmon W. Myers.

Following are brief bios for each President's Award recipient:

• Matthew J. Biefeld, of Floyds Knobs, is director of claims administration for Humana Military Healthcare Services in Louisville, Ky. He graduated from IU Southeast in 1998 with a bachelor's degree in business. A former member of the IU Southeast Board of Advisors, Biefeld has served on the IU Southeast Alumni Association board of directors since 2001 and was president of the board in 2004-05.
• Durleen L. Braasch, of South Bend, is a fundraising consultant. A life member of the IUAA, Braasch earned a bachelor's degree from IU South Bend in 1983 and a master's degree from the University of Notre Dame. She is secretary and scholarship chair of the IUSB Alumni Association board of directors. The Michiana chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals honored her this year for her volunteer work in the community.
• Nicholas W. Gray, of Fort Wayne, teaches eighth grade social studies at Geyer Middle School. He earned two degrees at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne: a bachelor's degree in education in 2001 and a master's degree in educational leadership in 2004. Gray is a board member of the Northeast Indiana Chapter of the IU Alumni Association and a member of the IPFW School of Education Alumni Council. He is a life member of IUAA.
• Roosevelt Haywood III, of Gary, is president and CEO of Haywood and Fleming Associates in Gary. He graduated from IU Bloomington with a bachelor's degree in business in 1974. Haywood chaired the Neal-Marshall Alumni Club's Reunion XVII committee and serves on the club's executive council. He is active in the Northwest Indiana Chapter of IUAA and is president of Leadership Northwest Indiana.
• Jody Phillipson Howell, of Kokomo, earned a bachelor's degree in labor studies from IU Kokomo in 2003. She joined the IU Kokomo Alumni Association board of directors in 2004 and is a member of the scholarship committee. In 2005, she coordinated the Old Ben 5K Run/Walk scholarship fundraiser. Howell is active in several community organizations, including Kiwanis International and the Breakaway Bicycling Club.
• John A. Nash, of Columbus, earned a bachelor's degree in business in 1960 and an MBA in 1961, both from IU Bloomington. Nash served as chairman of the IUAA Board of Managers in 1991-92 and chaired the campaign that raised $5.2 million for the renovation of the DeVault Alumni Center. In 2003, he retired as president and director of Irwin Financial Corp. A life member of IUAA, Nash twice has been named a Sagamore of the Wabash.
• Carol Dolan Orr, of Richmond, is hospice director for Reid Hospital and Health Care Services. She earned a bachelor's degree in nursing from IU East in 1996. Orr is vice president of the IU East Alumni Association and has served on the group's board since 1996. She has mentored students at IU East and at the Discovery School in Richmond and is secretary for Region 19 of the Indiana State Nurses Association.
• Gregory R. Wright, of Greenwood, is a territory sales representative for Jostens College Division. He graduated from Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis in 1990 with a bachelor's degree in physical education. A life member of IUAA, Wright is a member of the IUAA Executive Council, president of the IUPUI Jaguars Letter Club and first vice president of the Jaguars Athletic Club. He previously worked for IUPUI in athletics development and alumni relations.

The IU Alumni Association serves the university and its more than 475,000 living graduates through programs, services and communications. One of the nation's largest alumni organizations, IUAA strives daily to connect alumni and serve IU. For more information, visit http://www.alumni.indiana.edu or call 800-824-3044.

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