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J Thomas Forbes
IU Alumni Association
forbesjt@indiana.edu
812-855-5700

Last modified: Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Eight Hoosiers to be honored at IU Alumni Association's President's Awards Banquet on Dec. 3

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 23, 2010

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Indiana University Alumni Association will present its President's Awards at a banquet in Indianapolis on Dec. 3. The President's Awards are the highest honor the Alumni Association bestows upon alumni volunteers.

The recipients this year, each living in Indiana, will be Douglas Bates, of Charlestown; Jeff F. Cappa, Richmond; Karen J. Clelland, Fort Wayne; Christopher L. Craft, Mishawaka; Judith E. Golitko, Kokomo; Charles Hughes, Valparaiso; the Hon. Margret G. Robb, West Lafayette; and John E. Sullivan, Greenwood.

"Great universities are measured by the achievements of their students, faculty and alumni," says J Thomas Forbes, executive director of the IU Alumni Association. "This banquet celebrates remarkable people who personify the culture of achievement, commitment, and pride that makes Indiana University one of the world's leading institutions."

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

Douglas Bates

Bates earned his bachelor's degree in history in 1989 at IU Southeast and his law degree from the IU School of Law-Indianapolis in 1992.

He became active on the IU Southeast Alumni Board of Directors beginning in 1998, serving as president in 2000-01 and 2007-09. He remains active on the board as past president, helping to organize events, participate in advocacy efforts, and execute fundraising projects. He is currently the IU Southeast representative to the IUAA Executive Council.

An attorney in Jeffersonville, Ind., Bates lives in nearby Charlestown with his wife, Elizabeth.

Jeff F. Cappa

Sheriff-elect of Wayne County, Ind., Cappa received his associate's degree in criminal justice at IU East in 1998. Currently chief deputy of the Wayne County Sheriff's Department, he will assume his new role as sheriff on Jan. 1.

An active participant in the IU East Alumni Association, Cappa has been on the board since 2001. He is president of the group and has helped coordinate numerous events, including the Homicide Investigation/Crime Scene Forum for students, community members and alumni. Cappa also worked closely on student-recruiting initiatives and helped establish internships with the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office and the Wayne County Sheriff's Office.

Cappa lives in Richmond, Ind., with his wife, Susan.

Karen J. Clelland

Karen Clelland

Karen Clelland

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Clelland earned two degrees at IPFW — an associate's degree in 1994 and a bachelor's degree in 2001, both in general studies. She works as a paralegal analyst for the Social Security Administration's Office of Disability, Adjudication and Review in Fort Wayne, Ind.

Clelland serves as an at-large member of the IU Alumni Association Executive Council. She has served as a board member of the IPFW Alumni Association since 2002. From 2007 to 2010, Clelland was president of the group. Earlier this year, she was honored with the Continuing Studies Distinguished Alumni Award.

Clelland and her husband, Phil, live in Fort Wayne, Ind.

Christopher L. Craft

Chris Craft

Christopher Craft

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Craft earned a Bachelor of Science degree in management from IU in 1989. He attended IU South Bend. He received a master's degree in business administration and finance from the University of Notre Dame.

He is chairman-elect of the IU Alumni Association's Board of Managers. Craft is the past president of the IU South Bend Alumni Association and past chairman of the campus's scholarship campaign. He has served on the IU South Bend Business School Advisory Board and the campus's Chancellor's Advisory Board. Craft received the IU South Bend Distinguished Business School Alumni Award in 2010.

Craft is senior vice president and regional manager at Lake City Bank in Mishawaka, Ind., where he lives with his wife, Kelly, and their three children.

Judith E. Golitko

Golitko earned three degrees from IU -- associate's and bachelor's degrees in nursing at IU Kokomo in 2001 and 2003, respectively, and her law degree in 2006 at the IU Maurer School of Law in Bloomington, Ind.

A member since 2006 of the IU Kokomo Alumni Association board of directors, Golitko serves as vice president of the board and helped write the IUKAA strategic plan and other vital projects. She is a longtime volunteer at the IU Kokomo Commencement exercises, and in 2010 agreed to serve as co-chair of a fundraising campaign for nursing alumni in the IU Kokomo St. Joseph Hospital Clinical Simulation Center.

An attorney in private practice, Golitko lives in Kokomo, Ind., with her husband, Michael.

Charles Hughes

C. Hughes

Charles Hughes

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Hughes, executive director of the Gary, Ind., Chamber of Commerce, graduated from IU in 2000 with a bachelor's degree in general studies. He attended IU Northwest. Hughes also attended the Midwestern School of Broadcasting and was the first black sports director and play-by-play announcer for radio station WWCA in Gary.

He is a past member-at-large for the IU Alumni Association Executive Council. Hughes also served as an officer for the IU Northwest Alumni Association board of directors and as board member for the IU School of Continuing Studies Alumni Association. He is currently a member of Hoosiers for Higher Education.

Hughes and his wife, Danita, reside in Valparaiso, Ind., and have three daughters.

The Hon. Margret G. Robb

Margret G. Robb

Margret G. Robb

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Robb earned her law degree from the IU School of Law-Indianapolis in 1978. She serves as a judge on the Indiana Court of Appeals. Robb's three-year term as chief judge begins on Jan. 1. She will be the first woman appointed to this position.

Robb is serving her 20th year on the IU School of Law-Indianapolis Alumni Board. For more than 10 years, she has organized and chaired the annual Indiana Continuing Legal Education Update program. Proceeds from the program help fund student scholarships, faculty grants, and other activities for the IU School of Law-Indianapolis Alumni Association. Robb's leadership has resulted in more than $750,000 in support of the Law School and the Alumni Association.

Robb lives in West Lafayette, Ind., with her husband, Stephen.

John E. Sullivan

Sullivan completed a bachelor's degree in marketing from the IU Kelley School of Business in 1976. He is assistant vice president and director of communications with McGowan Insurance Group in Indianapolis.

Sullivan has been a board member of the IU Kelley School of Business Alumni Association and served on the school's Board of Visitors, the IU Alumni Association Executive Council and as an officer of the Johnson County Chapter of the IUAA. He is a former board member for the Kelley School's Indianapolis chapter. Sullivan volunteers with the Parents Association and the IUAA Insurance Committee and is a community captain for Hoosiers for Higher Education.

He lives in Greenwood, Ind., with his wife, Sheryl.

About the IU Alumni Association

The IU Alumni Association is dedicated to serving the university and its diverse alumni, students and friends. As one of the nation's largest alumni organizations, serving more than 540,000 graduates worldwide, the IUAA provides many programs and services to its members, nonmember alumni, and the university. For information, visit https://www.alumni.indiana.edu/ or call 800-824-3044.