 The GLVC and the University of Southern Indiana lost a great leader, friend, and fan on June 29, 1999. Dr. Charles Bertram, professor and faculty athletics representative at USI and former president of the GLVC, contributed a great deal of time, energy, and effort to the league’s success and was instrumental in Conference operations for many years.
In remembrance of him, the GLVC established the Dr. Charles Bertram Alumni Award of Distinction in 1999.
This award is based upon academic excellence, athletic ability and achievement, character, and leadership of former GLVC student-athletes who have served their institution with personal distinction since their graduation. Postgraduate public or community service, and/or contributions to athletics at any level, are considered during the voting process. Recipients must have graduated at least 10 years prior to receiving the award.
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2025 Recipient - Tim Holloway (1993-1997)
 A former basketball student-athlete at Missouri S&T, Holloway was nominated by the Miners' administration. The Bertram Alumni Award of Distinction is an honor that extends beyond one's collegiate career. It is presented to an individual(s) who displays academic excellence, athletic ability and achievement, character, and leadership, while serving their institutions with personal distinction since their graduation, while also making postgraduate public or community service contributions to athletics at any level.
A 1997 graduate of S&T, Holloway was a four-year member of the Miners' men's basketball team. He was named to the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) First Team in his senior season (1996-97), along with earning All-MIAA Honorable Mention recognition in 1994-95 and 1995-96. Holloway led the team in points his last three seasons, as well as finishing top-3 in program history for his career in assists (343), three-point makes (241), and free throw percentage (84.3%).
Former S&T Sports Information Director John Kean said, "While the numbers Tim produced for his career speak of his athletic success, he also displayed tremendous leadership and sportsmanship throughout his career as a Miner. Those traits have carried over to his professional career…and he continues to work in the basketball circles, as well."
Holloway obtained his Bachelor of Science in business administration from Missouri S&T in May 1997. In 2005, he landed with Keefe Commissary Network in St. Louis as Vice President Controller, a company that provides efficient solutions to managing financial services for inmates. He quickly rose to Vice President for Business Administration and has served in that position for the last 19 years.
Holloway has also been very active in the St. Louis community, volunteering for numerous organizations since moving back to the area after his time at S&T. He served as Board Member and Treasurer for Charley's Body Shoppe from 2010-20 before Holloway further deepened his community involvement by becoming a Community Volunteer with 100 Black Men of America of Metropolitan St. Louis, where he helps to improve the quality of life in communities and enhance educational and economic opportunities for all.
Since 2021, Holloway has also contributed to the national sports landscape as a Selection Committee Member for the McDonald's All-American Game, assisting with identifying and recognizing the most talented high school basketball players in the country. Locally, Holloway serves as President of Bradley Beal's Elite Basketball Club, a premier basketball program nurturing future talent in the St. Louis area.
Holloway adds to his list of accolades after being inducted into the Missouri S&T Hall of Fame in 2012 and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame as part of the 2024 class of Filbert Five honorees. |
2024 Recipient - Amber (Krumbholz) Schreiber (2000-2005)
 A former basketball student-athlete at Rockhurst University, Schreiber was nominated by the Hawks’ administration, led by Senior Director of Alumni and Donor Relations Brent Blazek.
A 2005 graduate of Rockhurst, Schreiber was a three-year starter for the Hawks’ women’s basketball team after transferring from Wichita State. She was the runner-up for the Heartland Conference Newcomer and Player of the Year awards (2000-01) and a three-time All-Heartland Conference honoree. Schreiber also led the team in points and minutes played in the 2000-01 and 2002-03 seasons.
Coach Larry Park said, “Amber is one of the finest people we’ve ever had associated with the Rockhurst women’s basketball program. She is enthusiastic, dedicated, and a true team player. But her best quality is the way she can bring the very best out of people around her. I would recommend Amber for any award or recognition. I think that much of her.”
After obtaining her Bachelor of Science in business administration in May 2002, Schreiber returned to Rockhurst to acquire her MBA, which she claimed in December of 2005.
Following her graduation from Rockhurst, Schreiber’s first job was as a Dispatch Coordinator for Choice Solutions in Overland Park, Kan., from 2004 to 2005. She followed that up with a move to Memphis, where she worked as a Business Analyst for Autozone and IT Project Coordinator for Caesars Entertainment for the next two years before moving back to the Kansas City area in 2007. Schreiber landed a job with Lockton upon her return, holding four different titles, including Senior Project Manager, during her eight-year stint with the insurance company. After a short run as Associate Director at Hub International (2015-16), she became the Advancement Officer at Saint Thomas Aquinas High School from 2016 to 2021.
Succeeding her stint at Saint Thomas Aquinas, Schreiber started an ice cream and coffee shop called The Golden Scoop with her sister, Lindsey, in 2021 and serves as the President and CEO of the company. The organization has served thousands of customers in the greater Kansas City area and employs people with disabilities (aka “the Super Scoopers”) to give them meaningful jobs. The Golden Scoop has been highlighted by several local and national media outlets since its opening, including Good Morning America, Southern Living, and Feast Magazine.
In addition to serving her community through her professional work, Schreiber has fulfilled many volunteer leadership roles, as well. She has assisted as a volunteer committee member for the Fr. Joseph M. Freeman, S.J., Rockhurst Cup – an annual golf fundraiser benefiting Rockhurst student-athletes. She has also served on the Saint Thomas Aquinas Stampede 5K committee, Hall of Fame committee, and the golf tournament committee for the Semper Fi Fund – an organization dedicated to serving wounded service members.
Schreiber also recently added another award to her trophy case after being honored at Rockhurst’s 50 Years of Women’s Athletics ceremony, earning the St. Ignatius Alumni Award, which recognizes an alumnus who has made an exceptional achievement in his/her field of endeavor.
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2023 Recipient - Tom Daeger, Indianapolis (1996-2000)
 A former baseball student-athlete at the University of Indianapolis, Daeger was nominated by the Greyhounds’ administration, led by Senior Associate Athletics Director Matt Donovan.
A 2000 graduate of UIndy, Daeger was a four-year starter for the Greyhounds’ baseball team. He was the 1996 GLVC Freshman of the Year, All-GLVC honoree (1998), three-time Academic All-GLVC selection (1998-2000), and Academic All-District (2000). He helped UIndy to three NCAA Tournament appearances, including a third-place finish in the NCAA Division II World Series in 2000, earning Team MVP honors. Daeger graduated as the school’s all-time hits and total bases leader. Additionally, his 2000 baseball team was inducted into the UIndy Hall of Fame in 2012.
After obtaining his Bachelor of Science in communications with a concentration in sports information, Daeger served as a high school assistant coach and an assistant/hitting coach at UIndy before moving on to spend time as a sports reporter for The Southside Times and color commentator for UIndy baseball contests.
Now serving as the first Commissioner of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC), Daeger’s first foray into conference office administration was in 2001-06 as the first sports information director of the NCAA Division III Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC). He followed that up by becoming the first SID at the GLVC in 2006 before being promoted to Associate Commissioner in 2008, serving in that role until 2011. While in that position, he launched a new online presence for the Conference, integrated a social media strategy, cultivated a licensing relationship, supported sponsorship solicitation, served as an NCAA site representative at multiple venues, developed broadcast partners, and led the compliance program for two separate terms while also serving as Chair of both the CoSIDA (now CSC) NCAA Legislation Committee and North Central Region of the Daktronics Division II All-American Baseball Program.
Succeeding his stint at the GLVC, the Indianapolis native created the Great Midwest from scratch in 2011, leading the expansion of that league from six charter members to 14 full-time members, starting in 2023-24. The conference has also added sport sponsorship from an initial allotment of 11 championship sports in 2012-13 to 26 in 2022-23. With a devotion to the experience of member institutions and developing the Conference into a stable, successful entity, Daeger has been focused on creating an office structure of five full-time staff members, overseen every aspect of the league’s transition that has included the implementation of an officiating program, league administration of officiating payments, development of supervisors of officiating, professional development summits for league administrators, an increase in operational funding, marketing and strategic communication plan development and implementation, finalization of agreements with numerous corporate partners, the introduction of a digital network, original and continued branding efforts, as well as conference and regional events. Moreover, Daeger also guided creation of the Great Midwest and Mountain East Swimming & Diving Championships, which was the first co-sponsored championship by two Division II leagues. The unique partnership aided an increased student-athlete experience for the participating institutions from both conferences, while he also facilitated a similar partnership with Conference Carolinas for the sports of men's and women's bowling.
Since beginning his tenure at the G-MAC, Daeger has served on the D-II Membership Committee as both the Vice-Chair (2016-18) and Chair (2018-19), as Co-Chair of the D-II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) Legislation and Administrative Committee, as well as previous service on the D2CCA Executive Committee and as President, on the Midwest Region Regional Advisory Committees for Men’s Basketball, Baseball, and Men’s Soccer, and is still an active member of the D2CCA and NACDA.
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2022 Recipient - Elizabeth Ramsey, Indianapolis (1998-2001)
 Ramsey was nominated by the Greyhounds’ administration, led by senior associate Athletics Director Matt Donovan, and voted as this year’s honoree by the GLVC Awards Committee.
A 2001 graduate of UIndy, Ramsey has gone on to work as the Executive Director of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) Athletes’ Advisory Council (AAC). As Executive Director, Ramsey is responsible for working with the elected volunteer leadership to establish strategic goals and advance relationships between Team USA athletes, the AAC, the USOPC, and other key stakeholders.
In addition to working with the USOPC, Ramsey previously worked with the Sacramento Kings of the NBA in their front office as the Director of Basketball Operations and Intelligence. While with the Kings, she oversaw information gathering on every current player and prospect associated with the franchise. In her role with Sacramento, Ramsey worked closely with the assistant general manager, managing the scouting department’s operations and gathering intel on prospects. Ramsey also was a member of the NBA Women in Basketball Operations Committee and was an integral part in establishing the league’s first-ever NBA Women in Basketball Operations Forum.
After obtaining her Bachelor of Arts in psychology and political science in 2001, Ramsey went on to earn a law degree from Indiana University. With her law degree, she went on to work for the NCAA as a law clerk for over 10 years. In that time, she investigated thousands of NCAA violations while also educating hundreds of institutions on how to play within an equal rulebook for the National office.
During her time in Indianapolis from 1998-2001, Ramsey was a four-time letterwinner on the Greyhound women’s basketball team. While playing for UIndy, she was a three-time All-GLVC selection, including having a stellar year in 2000-01 with being named First Team All-GLVC, making the All-Tournament Team, and receiving recognition by CoSIDA on the All-Region Second Team. Ramsey’s named is printed all over the UIndy women’s basketball record book, ranking first all-time in eight different categories at one point. To this day, in addition to joining the 1,000-point club, Ramsey still holds the school record for career points (1,887), field goals (701), rebounds (973), rebounding average (9.1), double-doubles (50), and consecutive double-doubles (7). Named the 1999-2000 UIndy Female Athlete of the Year, as well as the 2001 GLVC Richard F. Scharf Paragon Award winner, Ramsey was inducted into the UIndy Hall of Fame in 2017.
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2020 and 2021 Recipients - Did not award the honor due to COVID-19 pandemic
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2019 Recipient - Dr. Paul Stricker, Missouri S&T (1978-82)
 Dr. Stricker was nominated by the Miners’ administration, led by athletics director Mark Mullin, and recommended as this year’s honoree by the GLVC Awards Committee.
A 1982 graduate of Missouri S&T, Dr. Stricker has gone on to become one of 200 doctors in the country who is board-certified in both sports medicine and pediatrics. He was among the first group of physicians to acquire the pediatric sub-specialty certification in 1993 and years later reached a unique and coveted position as a physician for the U.S. delegation at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, where he was the first pediatrician to be selected by the U.S. Olympic Committee for the Summer Olympic Games.
In addition to the 2000 Games, Dr. Stricker has also served as a team physician for USA Swimming, Diving, Soccer and Basketball, was the head physician for USA at the World University Games, and among other positions, served as a team physician for Vanderbilt University and University of California, Los Angeles.
Dr. Stricker has also served in prominent positions within the sports medicine field. He has been a member of the executive council for the Committee on Sports Medicine & Fitness for the American Academy of Pediatrics and president of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine. On the national speaker circuit, Dr. Stricker has discussed pediatric sports medicine, health & wellness, preventive medicine, nutrition, and sports pressure, and has even penned a book for parents and coaches called Sports Success Rx: Your Child’s Prescription for the Best Experience.
For more than a decade now, Dr. Stricker has given back to his alma mater through service as a guest lecturer and a member of the S&T Dean’s Leadership Council. He was awarded with the S&T Alumni of Influence in 2011 and inducted into the schools Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016, 10 years after earning his honorary degree.
During his time in Rolla from 1978-82, Dr. Stricker was a two-time captain of the swim team and earned All-America honors with a sixth-place finish in the 400-yard individual medley at the 1982 NCAA Division II Championships. At that same event, the Miners finished 11th overall, marking the second-best national finish in school history at that time. He earned three league titles under the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) banner, with school records in the 200- and 400-yard IM events and the 1,650-yard freestyle, the latter of which was an MIAA record.
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2018 Recipient - Pat Sullivan, Lewis (1961-65)
 Sullivan was nominated by Lewis athletics director Dr. John Planek and women’s basketball head coach Samantha Quigley Smith and recommended as this year’s honoree by the GLVC Awards Committee, based on his service to Lewis, the league, and his community.
The Flyers’ 1965 valedictorian is now a motivational and public speaker with previous engagements at IBM and Nike, as well as, area businesses and professional associations in Wisconsin, Indiana, and Illinois. He has also traveled abroad to speak at basketball camps and clinics in Belgium, Greece, and Ireland, including the national Greek Coaches Association Clinic (2003), and does the same at USA Basketball Coaching Clinics. Before his retirement in 2010, Sullivan spent 34 years at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, Ill., in various roles as coach, administrator, and executive. Before his stint at St. Francis, he was the assistant principal, college guidance counselor, and varsity basketball coach at Providence High School in New Lenox, Ill., from 1965-76, and also worked and directed multiple basketball camps throughout the years for the Milwaukee Bucks and MacGregor Sports Center.
Sullivan has been inducted into seven different halls of fame at every level of competition and was named coach of the year on multiple occasions from the NAIA, Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC), and at the high school level. His laurels also extend to administrative duties, as he was named NAIA Great Lakes Region Athletics Administrator of the Year (1999), CCAC Administrator of the Year (1998-99), NAIA District 20 Athletic Administrator of the Year twice (1987-88, 1988-89), and the Jaycee Educator of the Year for Will County (1971). Additionally, he was part of Community Leaders of America in 1972 and later chosen as the Citizen of the Year for the Irish American Society of Will County in March of 1995.
The Shorewood, Ill., native was named Who’s Who four times by various organizations, including American College and University Students (1965), Strathmore (1999), Empire (2005), and Madison where he was chosen as Member of the Year (2008). Twice he was honored with an alumni award from his high school, Joliet Catholic, as Alumnus of the Year in 1981 and with the Alumni Athletic Achievement Award in 1990.
At Lewis, Sullivan was a baseball team captain, earned District 20 All-State accolades, and had an 11-2 career record on the pitching mound while hitting over .400 at the plate and was a member of the first Lewis team to participate in the NAIA national tournament in 1962. Professionally, on the court, Sullivan finished his collegiate coaching career with more than 500 victories, leading his team to first- or second-place finishes in the CCAC 15 times in 18 years while also advancing to the NAIA National Tournament in 1994 and 1996. More than the wins, the teacher was most proud of his 172 graduating seniors from the basketball team. In recognition of both his athletic and academic accomplishments at St. Francis, the USF Recreation Center was renamed the Pat Sullivan Center upon his retirement.
Sullivan is married to his wife, Peg, and they have five children (Colleen, Katie, Patrick, Bridget, Anne) and 13 grandchildren.
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2017 Recipient - Linda Deno, Saint Joseph's (1978-2017)
 The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) has named Linda Deno as the recipient of the 2017 Dr. Charles Bertram Alumni Award of Distinction, it was announced by the Conference office on Thursday. She was a former three-sport student-athlete at Saint Joseph’s College and current administrator for the Pumas.
Deno was nominated by the Conference office and recommended as this year’s honoree by the GLVC Awards Committee, based on her service to Saint Joseph’s and the league.
The 1982 SJC graduate competed in volleyball, basketball, and track and field prior to the NCAA officially recognizing women’s sports. However, Deno joins University of Indianapolis Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Sue Willey as the only two individuals to have competed, coached, or served as an administrator since the inception of the GLVC in 1978.
At the urging of former Saint Joseph’s athletics director Richard F. Shcarf, who is considered one of the two “Founding Fathers” of the GLVC, Deno pursued athletics administration and joined the Pumas’ athletic staff in 1984 as an administrative assistant as well as assistant volleyball and basketball coach. In 1987, Deno was appointed head volleyball coach, a role in which she served until 1995 when she stepped down to assume more responsibilities as Associate Athletics Director.
Deno remained with the volleyball program as an assistant from 1995-2003, before serving as head coach once again in 2004 and 2005. She assumed compliance duties in 2005 and presently serves as both Associate Athletics Director for compliance as well as Senior Woman Administrator.
Deno has also assisted the Conference office staff in recent years through the GLVC SWA Championship Liaison Initiative, serving as a Championship administrator for basketball, track and field, and volleyball.
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2016 Recipient - Francis G. Slay, Quincy (1973-76)
 The Great Lakes Valley Conference has named Francis G. Slay as the recipient of the 2016 Dr. Charles Bertram Alumni Award of Distinction, it was announced by the Conference office on Friday. He is a former men’s soccer player at Quincy University and current mayor of the City of St. Louis, Missouri.
Slay was nominated by Quincy and recommended as this year’s honoree by the GLVC Awards Committee, based post-graduation service to his community. The GLVC Awards Committee recommendation was formally ratified earlier this week by the league’s Faculty Athletics Representatives (FAR).
Slay played four seasons from 1973-76 on the Hawks men’s soccer team, which recorded a 69-11-4 record in that span.
Slay entered law practice in 1981 and was elected to the St. Louis Board of Alderman in 1985 before being elected President of Alderman in 1995. He was then reelected four years later in 1999. Shortly thereafter, Slay won the election for Mayor of the City of St. Louis and took office in April 2001.
Since his appointment, Slay has become the first mayor in the city’s history to be elected to the office four times and is also the longest-serving mayor in the city annals. In 2007, the Hawk alum won the Preserve America Presidential Award for the city’s revitalization and additionally negotiated deals to keep the Cardinals in downtown St. Louis and also helped bring “Ballpark Village” to the area.
While at Quincy, Slay was a District 20 Scholar-Athlete and active in the United Nations prior to his graduation in 1977. Athletically, he joined the men’s soccer team as a walk-on student-athlete before working his way to earning a scholarship and starting role in his last two seasons. His junior year was the most successful, as he recorded five goals and eight assists for 18 points while the Hawks went 19-1-1 to go along with an NAIA National Championship title. Slay was also part of two other national championship teams in 1973 and 1974, while Quincy finished in third place during his senior campaign in 1976 with an overall record of 19-3-1. The 1973 team was 14-5-1, and the team in 1974 went 17-2-1.
Additionally, Quincy honored the 45th Mayor of St. Louis in 2002 with an honorary doctorate degree of public service.
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2015 Recipient - John Gibson, Missouri S&T (1972-74)
 The Great Lakes Valley Conference has named John Gibson as the recipient of the 2015 Dr. Charles Bertram Alumni Award of Distinction, it was announced by the league office on Tuesday. He is a former men’s basketball player at Missouri S&T and retired CEO of ONEOK and ONEOK Partners who continues to serve as the non-executive chairman of the board in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Gibson was nominated by Missouri S&T, and was recommended as this year’s honoree by the GLVC Awards Committee, based on his post-graduation service and commitment to education in the community and his alma mater. The GLVC Awards Committee recommendation was formally ratified last week by the GLVC Steering Committee.
Gibson played two seasons from 1972-74 on the Miner men’s basketball team, which recorded a 27-23 record in that span.
Gibson began his career in the energy industry in 1974 as a refinery engineer with Exxon Company, USA. He spent 18 years with Phillips Petroleum Company in a variety of domestic and international positions in the natural gas, natural gas liquids and exploration and production businesses. When Gibson left Phillips in 1995, he was vice president of marketing of GPM Gas Corporation, a wholly owned natural gas gathering, processing and marketing subsidiary. Prior to joining ONEOK, Gibson was executive vice president of Koch Energy, Inc., a subsidiary of Koch Industries, responsible for its interstate natural gas pipelines and gathering and processing businesses.
Gibson has served on the boards of the Texas Pipeline Association and the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America. He was an original member of the Gas Industry Standards Board and currently serves as a director of Bank of Oklahoma Financial Corporation and Saint Francis Health System.
A native of Kansas City, Kansas, Gibson earned an engineering degree from the University of Missouri-Rolla, now Missouri S&T. He also is a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program. Under Gibson’s leadership, ONEOK’s charitable activities were numerous and included a $1 million gift to the tornado relief effort in 2013 in Oklahoma.
He has served on the board of directors of the Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice and on the advisory boards of the YWCA-Tulsa and the Metropolitan Tulsa Urban League. In the community, he has worked with the Tulsa Area United Way, Boy Scouts of America and Habitat for Humanity.
Gibson is a member of the Missouri S&T Board of Trustees and he and wife Kristie are members of the Order of the Golden Shillelagh and strong supporters of Miner Athletics. The couple recently pledged a generous gift to support the addition of artificial turf at the football stadium and the main intramural field, while they have also been generous contributors to the athletics program at the University of Tulsa. Additionally, Gibson has been honored with an alumni achievement award from the Miner Alumni Association and was inducted into the Academy of Miner Athletics and served on the nominating committee.
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2014 Recipient - Ron Romain, Southern Indiana (1972-73)
 The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) has named Ron Romain as the recipient of the 2014 Dr. Charles Bertram Alumni Award of Distinction, it was announced by the league office on Monday. He is a former baseball player at the University of Southern Indiana and current business owner and civic leader in the Evansville, Ind., community.
Romain was nominated by the USI athletics department and was recommended as this year’s honoree by the GLVC Awards Committee, based on his post-graduation service and commitment to education in the community and at USI. The GLVC Awards Committee recommendation was formally ratified by the conference’s faculty athletic representatives.
Romain was one of the pioneers of Screaming Eagles baseball, playing during the 1972 and 1973, which were the second and third seasons in program history. He pitched in a total of 12 games over the two-year span, earning a team-high 33 strikeouts with a 5.14 earned run average over seven outings during the 1972 campaign. The following year, he touted a 5.40 ERA in five games on the mound.
Since his graduation from USI in 1973, Romain has remained in Evansville and established one of the state’s top 50 privately held companies. Romain is the CEO of United Companies, a diversified transportation and commercial financing firm comprised of Professional Transportation, Inc., Romain Automotive Group, and United Leasing, Inc.
Known throughout the community for his philanthropy, Romain has been involved in many organizations during his time in Evansville, including Youth First, which works to strengthen youth and families by providing evidence-based programs that prevent substance abuse, promote healthy behaviors, and maximize student success. Romain’s United Companies have often been the title sponsor for the organization’s annual benefit auction and in 2010, he was awarded the Dr. William Wooten Chairman of Youth First Award for his support.
Romain has also served on many boards throughout the community, including the USI Foundation, and spearheaded the efforts of bringing the Web.com Professional Golf Tour to Evansville for an event that raised thousands of dollars for non-profit organizations throughout the southern part of the state.
The Evansville Business Hall of Fame member also serves on USI’s Board of Trustees. In 2013, Romain and his wife Connie donated a $5 million leadership gift to USI, which resulted in the naming of the Romain College of Business in their honor.
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2013 Recipient - Julie (Thoman) Perry, Northern Kentucky (1975)
 The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) has named Julie (Thoman) Perry as the recipient of the 2013 Dr. Charles Bertram Alumni Award of Distinction. She is a former volleyball standout at Northern Kentucky University and long-time educator in the state of Ohio, Perry.
Perry, who was nominated by the NKU administration, was recommended as this year’s honoree by the GLVC Awards Committee and was then approved by the conference’s faculty athletic representatives based on her post-graduation service and commitment to molding future student-athletes.
As a student-athlete herself, Perry (then Thoman) was a four-year starter for the Norse, who finished her career with 819 career kills despite missing part of her junior year because of an ankle injury. NKU posted a 127-60 record during her career and advanced to the AIAW national finals in 1977 after winning the Southern Region II Championship. She was named to the Kentucky Women’s Intercollegiate Conference All-Tournament Team in 1976 and 1977, and received an invitation to attend the USVBA Olympic Development Camp in 1977 and 1978 as a result of her outstanding play at the net for NKU.
While Perry competed as a student-athlete prior to the NCAA officially sponsoring women’s sports, and even before Northern Kentucky’s inception into the GLVC, she does have a GLVC Championship to her credit. Perry led NKU to the 1985 GLVC Volleyball Championship as acting coach while head coach and 2012 GLVC Hall of Fame inductee Jane Meier was away on maternity leave.
After earning both an undergraduate and advanced degree in physical education, Perry began her professional career at St. Ursula Academy, a leading private college preparatory school for young women in Cincinnati, Ohio. She served in many roles at St. Ursula, including teacher, coach, and at one point as the athletic director. She is presently the Chair of St. Ursula’s Health and Physical Education Department. She retired as the head volleyball coach in 2009 after an outstanding 29-year career that saw her win eight state championships, including six straight from 1993-98.
For her coaching excellence, Perry was inducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame in 2004 and selected as the National Federation High School Coaches Association Ohio Coach of the Year in 2001. She was also a 10-time Cincinnati Enquirer Coach of the Year, a nine-time Cincinnati Post Coach of the Year, and was chosen as Coach of the Year on 10 occasions by her peers of the Southwestern Ohio Volleyball Coaches Association. She has received the Association’s “Outstanding Achievement Award” three times and is a four-time recipient of the Ohio Career Achievement Award.
During the nomination process, Northern Kentucky lauded Perry for her passion, commitment, and drive to provide a first-class educational experience for her students and student-athletes.
Twenty years after receiving the NKU Athlete of Distinction Award in 1979, Perry was inducted into the NKU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1999. That same year she was inducted into the St. Ursula Academy Hall of Fame. In 2005, she was honored once again by Northern Kentucky with the school’s Distinguished Service Award, and will receive the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Women’s Sports Foundation Lifetime Service Award on April 23, 2013.
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2012 Recipient - Jim Thordsen, Saint Joseph's (1975)
A 1975 graduate of Saint Joseph’s, Jim Thordsen has long been an advocate of Puerto Rico’s athletics, tourism and commerce ventures. The Santurce, Puerto Rico, native played in the 1972 Olympic Trials and the 1976 Olympics as a member of the Puerto Rican National Basketball Team. In Montreal, the 1976 Puerto Rican team finished ninth and came within a single point of upsetting the eventual gold medal-winning United States in the preliminary rounds. Following his player career, he collaborated as a Sports Coordinator for the VIII Pan American Games in 1979 and directed the planning of the Central American Games from 1980-82. He is a past member of the Department of Recreation and Sports Board and founder and former president of the Basketball Players Association in Puerto Rico.
During his time at Saint Joseph’s, Thordsen was a member of the Pumas’ basketball team from 1971-75, serving as a four-year letterwinner and a three-time selection as the Indiana Collegiate Conference Most Valuable Player. He was twice selected an Academic All-American and Little All-American, which marked the first time a native of Puerto Rico was named to a Little All-American team.
He finished his career with 2,148 points and 945 rebounds in 105 games, averaging 20.5 points and 9.0 rebounds each time out. Both his points and rebounds total are school records. Thordsen was also accurate from the field, having made 809 of his 1,485 attempts for a career shooting percentage of 54 percent.
Thordsen's best year at SJC was his junior season when he averaged 25.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, and shot 55 percent from the field, while dishing out 84 assists in the Pumas' 29 games. He guided SJC to the Indiana Collegiate Conference Championship and the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional title, before falling 80-78 to Southwest Missouri State in the NCAA Division II Championship in 1974.
Following his collegiate career, Thordsen’s impact was still felt on campus. He received the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Award in 1975 and Saint Joseph’s granted a scholarship in his name, which is given to one Puerto Rican student each year. He was named to the SJC Sports Hall of Fame in 1981.
He has since founded his own company, James Thordsen, Inc., in San Juan, which is a sports marketing and public relations agency, holding several major international accounts, including Finlandia, Burger King, Colgate-Palmolive and Energizer among others. He is a member of the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce, for which he is on the Board of Directors, and was designated as a member of the Puerto Rico Free Commerce Treaty Commission in 1995.
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2011 Recipients - Keith Bailey, Missouri S&T (1965)
 Bailey is the retired Chairman, President and CEO of the Williams Companies and currently serves as the non-executive chair of Cloud Peak Energy. He has been active in numerous civic, industry and charitable organizations on both a local and national level including serving as chairman of the United Way of America’s Board of Directors. Bailey serves on the Board of Trustees for the University of Tulsa and Missouri S&T and is also on the boards of Apco Argentina, Aegis Markwest Energy Partners and Integrys Energy.
A native of Kansas City, Bailey received his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from S&T in 1964 and later was awarded his Professional Master’s in Engineering and Honorary Doctorate in Engineering from the institution.
While a student-athlete for the Miners, Bailey started as a lineman for the football team and played four seasons in the basketball program. He was inducted into the S&T Athletic Hall of Fame in 1991.
He began his career at Continental Pipe Line Company and rose to manager of the company’s eastern operations. In 1973, he was hired by Williams Companies as an assistant to the vice president and nearly two decades later became president of the organization. He was named chairman and chief executive officer of the Tulsa-based company in 1994, the first person outside the Williams family to lead the company.
Bailey led Williams Companies through several energy-related acquisitions and oversaw the adoption of the company’s Core Values and Beliefs.
Bailey has provided numerous financial gifts to his alma mater that have transformed facilities, provided scholarships to scholar-athletes and funded a distinguished chair that brought a world-class mechanical engineering professor to Rolla.
He was among the first to make a gift of more than one million dollars to the S&T campus which assisted in the development of the Miners’ track facility. Bailey only agreed to have his name attached to Allgood-Bailey Sadium if his former coach was recognized first.
Bailey made the lead gift for the new Miner Dome and months later served as the Commencement speaker for the December 2010 graduation ceremony.
Bailey and his wife, Pat, have four married children and 11 grandchildren.
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Deb DiMatteo, Lewis (1977)
 Deb DiMatteo, an Associate Professor of Physical Education at College of DuPage, has dedicated her life to coaching athletes of all ages.
She completed stints in collegiate coaching at MacMurray College, Benedictine College and College of DuPage and retired from coaching after 26 seasons in 2004.
As a volleyball coach, she compiled an overall record of 510-138. DiMatteo’s teams earned 13 consecutive NCAA Tournament bids from 1981-93 and she took Benedictine to a runner-up finish in the NCAA Tournament in 1988.
She compiled a 660-270 overall record as a softball coach which included seven consecutive appearances in the NJCAA World Series and four National Championships (1998, 2000, 2001 and 2004). DiMatteo was named the NJCAA Softball Coach of the Year at DuPage in 2000, 2001 and 2004.
A member of the NJCAA Coaches, Benedictine and Lewis Hall of Fames, DiMatteo coached 97 All-Americans in volleyball and softball at Benedictine and DuPIage.
She founded Straight Down LTD, a sports marketing and management group devoted to youth volleyball competition and instruction and since 2001 has been a sponsor of Chicago’s Mayor Daley Holiday Sports Festival which provides volleyball competition to 3,000 athletes. DiMatteo serves as the Volleyball Chair for the event which attracts 75,000 fans to McCormick Place for a goodwill event. Funds generated from the Festival are given to four collegiate institutions to assist with sports team’s needs.
DiMatteo has been a member and officer of USA Volleyball in the Great Lakes Region since 1985 and has served 12 years on the active board of directors. She mentors junior volleyball clubs and has also developed a “work for tuition” program putting youth to work volunteering at events to earn tuition to play volleyball, an opportunity they otherwise would not be able to afford.
Additionally, DiMatteo is the Head Chairman of the Asics Junior National Championships which is an annual event hosted at Chicago’s Navy Pier that features 6,000 athletes from the United States and Puerto Rico.
A pioneer of Lewis women’s athletics teams in 1973, DiMatteo competed on the basketball, volleyball and track and field teams for the Flyers and spearheaded the formation of the first Flyers’ softball team in 1976. Following graduation, she obtained a master’s degree from Western Illinois University in 1978.
DiMatteo and husband George, the current head softball coach at Lewis, have three children, Jamie, Justin and Jonathan.
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2010 Recipient - Dr. Alex Lentsch, Northern Kentucky (1991)
 The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) has named Dr. Alex Lentsch the 2010 recipient of the Dr. Charles Bertram Alumni Award of Distinction. Lentsch is a 1991 graduate of Northern Kentucky University and currently a Professor and Vice Chairman of Research in the Department of Surgery at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
Lentsch earned a bachelor’s degree at Northern Kentucky University in Biological Sciences while also competing as a top pitcher for the Norse baseball team. He was an All-Great Lakes Valley Conference selection in 1988 and 1990 and also earned NCAA All-Region honors in 1989 and 1990. The Norse posted a 134-54 record during Lentsch’s four years as a student-athlete.
Following graduation at NKU, Lentsch obtained his Ph.D from the University of Louisville in Physiology and Biophysics and was a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Pathology at the University of Michigan Medical School. Lentsh returned to the University of Louisville as an Associate in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics and as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery in 1998. He also served as a research scientist for the Veterans Affairs Medical Center while in Louisville.
He became an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in 2002 and was granted tenure in 2007. In addition to serving as Vice Chairman of Research, Lentsch is also the Director of the Division of Research and the Director of the Trauma, Sepsis & Inflammation Research Group in the Department of Surgery. He also currently serves as a Research Scientist at the Shriners Hospitals for Children – Cincinnati Unit.
Lentsch was awarded the Hugh C. Williams Scientific Advancement Award by the University of Louisville Department of Surgery in 2001 and the Professional Achievement Award by the Northern Kentucky University Alumni Association in 2002.
He currently serves on numerous committees at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and has lectured and presented throughout the medical research community. In addition, Lentsch has served as a mentor for 14 research trainees over the past 12 years.
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| 2009 Recipient - Dr. Sandra Magnus, Missouri S&T (1986)
The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) has named Dr. Sandra (Hall) Magnus the 2009 recipient of the Dr. Charles Bertram Alumni of Distinction Award. Magnus is a 1986 graduate of Missouri S&T, and following a tremendous career as a soccer student-athlete for the Miners, recently completed her second space mission as an astronaut for the NASA space program. She will be presented the Dr. Charles Bertram Alumni of Distinction Award at the Enterprise Rent-A-Car GLVC Spring Banquet in St. Louis on Tuesday, May 19.
Magnus, a mission specialist with NASA, earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from Missouri S&T in 1986 and a master’s degree in electrical engineering in 1990. She earned a Ph.D. from the School of Material Science and Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology in 1996 before joining NASA.
While at Missouri S&T, Magnus was one of the top defenders on the women’s soccer team. She was a four-year letterwinner and helped guide the Miners to a 31-27-2 record during the program’s first four years. Magnus, who was inducted into the Missouri S&T Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003, anchored a defense that allowed just over a goal per game during her four years, including just 14 during the 1983 season when the Lady Miners posted a 10-5 record.
Upon graduating from Missouri S&T, Magnus worked for McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Company for five years as a stealth engineer, working on internal research and development studying the effectiveness of RADAR signature reduction techniques. She was also assigned to the United States Navy’s A-12 Attack Aircraft program, working on the propulsion system.
Magnus received the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award in 1994 and 1996 while at Georgia Tech and completed her thesis work involving investigations on materials of interest for “Scandate” thermionic cathodes.
Following receipt of her doctorate from Georgia Tech, Magnus joined NASA and completed two years of training and evaluation qualifying her for flight assignment as a mission specialist.
From 1998-2000, Magnus traveled to Russia to help cosmonauts train for trips to the space station.
She served as a capsule communicator in Mission Control at Houston’s Johnson Space Center in 2000 and Magnus made her first space mission in October of 2002, logging 11 days in space. While on the 11-day mission, Magnus drove the spacewalk mission and operated Space Shuttle Atlantis’ robotic arm.
In April, Magnus completed a three-month mission to the International Space Station as an Expedition 18 flight engineer and NASA Science officer. She flew to the space station aboard Space Shuttle Endeavor and upon docking with the International Space Station assisted with the implementation of equipment that will allow the space station to support a six-man crew.
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2008 Recipient - Pat White, Wisconsin-Parkside (1995)
 The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) has named Pat White the 2008 recipient of the Dr. Charles Bertram Alumni of Distinction Award. White is a 1995 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, and following a tremendous career as a student-athlete, has made his mark both professionally and within the community.
White, a two-time All-American soccer player while at UW-Parkside, went on to play professional soccer with the Milwaukee Wave for 10 years and captured two championship rings. In addition, he played for the US National Futsal Team and has been “capped” eight times while representing his country.
He appeared in the 1996 USA Gold Medal winning CONCACAF Cup team in Guatamala and also played with Team USA in 2004. After winning the gold medal, he went on to play in the FIFA Futsal Championship in Chinese Taipei in December of 2004.
In addition to playing professional indoor soccer with the Wave, White played professionally outdoors for the Milwaukee Rampage “A” League and the Chicago Stingers of the PDSL.
Pat has been a non-stop ambassador for soccer on and off the pitch. He has made hundreds of volunteer personal appearances visiting children in hospitals, at autograph signings, in shopping malls, schools, camps, and many other venues. In the last 10 years, White has visited over 100 schools to share his message about staying in shape, staying away from drugs and staying in school. Some of the charities White has assisted with include the March of Dimes, Boys and Girls Club, YMCA, Make-a-Wish, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Cystic Fybrosis of Milwaukee and United Cerebral Palsey of Milwaukee.
He currently works as a director for youth soccer and runs the business out of his home.
While at UW-Parkside, White set the school’s career mark for assists (51) and established single-season marks for goals (26) and assists (23). He also posted the Rangers’ record for assists in a game with five. In addition, White holds the single-season (59) and career (165) record for points.
In 1993, White’s assists total of 23 is the second-highest total in NCAA Division II history. He also ranks 11th all-time in NCAA Division II in career assists and 22nd all-time in points scored.
White was an All-American selection in 1994 and 1995 and was selected to play in the 1995 ISAA Senior Bowl. He was the 1995 GLVC Player of the Year and is a member of the UW-Parkside Hall of Fame. White’s teams posted an overall record of 69-14-4.
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2007 Recipient - None
2006 Recipient - Dennis Reinbold, Indianapolis (1983)
 The fourteen NCAA Division II member institutions of the Great Lakes Valley Conference have selected Dennis Reinbold as the recipient of the 2005 Dr. Charles Bertram Alumni Award of Distinction. Reinbold is a 1983 graduate of the University of Indianapolis where he was a baseball student-athlete.
An Indianapolis native, Reinbold grew up less than a mile from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Having spent his entire career in automotive retail, he is the principal of Indianapolis-based Dreyer & Reinbold, Inc., which owns six BMW, Volkswagen, and Infiniti dealerships in Indianapolis and Greenwood. The operations enjoy one of the highest customer loyalty rates in the country and are among the highest in BMW market penetration in the country.
Fulfilling his love for driving racing cars, he founded Dreyer and Reinbold Racing in the Indy Racing League in 1998, which he co-owns with driver Robbie Buhl, and employs the league’s three-time most popular driver, Sarah Fisher.
A member of the 500 Festival Committee, he serves on several national and international business advisory committees. A former pitcher for Indianapolis, Reinbold continues his love of sports as a Little League baseball and basketball coach for his children. He also plays in adult baseball leagues in Indianapolis, and his wife, Jennifer, is a professional tennis player.
Reinbold was a familiar voice on WICR in 2003 when he did a radio spot to promote the Lilly Endowment challenge at the University of Indianapolis. The spot was played during Greyhound basketball games as he reminded alumni to follow his lead in making a gift to the University of Indianapolis. The challenge was that if alumni raised three million dollars by December 31, 2003, the Lilly Endowment would match the funds dollar for dollar. The campaign was a success.
The Bertram Award will be presented to Mr. Reinbold on Sunday, March 5, 2006 during halftime of the GLVC men’s basketball championship game at Roberts Stadium in Evansville, Ind.
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2005 Recipient - Dr. David James Porta, Bellarmine (1988)
Dr. David James Porta is a 1988 graduate of Bellarmine University, where he currently serves as an associate professor of biology.
From 1984-88, Dr. Porta was a pitcher for Bellarmine’s baseball team and served as team captain during his senior year. During his sophomore season in 1985, he went 6-1 on the mound to help the Knights compile a record of 33-16, just one win shy of the school record for most wins in a season.
Academically, Dr. Porta compiled a 3.37 overall GPA and received several awards for his accomplishments in the classroom, including the Raymond J. Treece Senior Merit Award in 1988.
Upon graduating from Bellarmine with majors in Premedical Biology and Business Administration, he earned his Ph.D. at the University of Louisville (U of L) Medical School, studying in the Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology.
Beyond his associate professorship at Bellarmine, Dr. Porta serves as an adjunct assistant professor for Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology at U of L’s medical school. He is also a research anatomist for the Engineering Institute for Trauma and Injury Prevention at the University of Tennessee.
Dr. Porta resides in Louisville with his wife Nancy and two daughters, Layne (13) and Emily (6).
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2004 Recipients:
Dr. Steven Giles, Northern Kentucky (1993)
Julie Fruendt, Lewis (1985)
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2003 Recipients - Dr. Jane Weaver, Southern Indiana (1988)
Dr. Jane Weaver has parlayed an outstanding academic and athletic career at the University of Southern Indiana (USI), into a rewarding professional life as a surgical physician in Ecuador. Dr. Weaver graduated Summa Cum Laude from USI in only three and a half years, and was a regular member of the Dean's List. She went on to attend the Indiana University School of Medicine, where she earned her Doctor of Medicine in May 1993.
A member of the Screaming Eagles basketball team from 1985-88, Jane was a two-time GLVC Academic All-Conference selection. The Screaming Eagle Basketball Award winner in 1986, Jane served as team captain during the 1987-88 season. The Jane Weaver Recognition Award was established by the University of Southern Indiana in 1989, which was established to award scholarship aid to a student-athlete to continue their education in graduate or professional school. A highly decorated student at the IU School of Medicine, Dr. Weaver has received countless awards and recognition throughout her academic career. In addition, she has published four articles.
Dr. Weaver first became interested in mission work near the end of her five-year surgical residency in Louisville, KY. She intended to spend six months working in Latin America and then return to the United States to enter private practice. She ended up in Shell, Ecuador, working in a mission hospital at the edge of the jungle run by HCJB World Radio. She spent six months taking care of both the local Ecuadorian population as well as members of the various Indian groups that live in the eastern jungles. After returning home and practicing for two years with Indiana Surgical Specialists in Fort Wayne, IN, Dr. Weaver became convinced that God was leading her back to Ecuador for full-time mission work.
She is currently a full-time missionary with HCJB World Radio and is completing her rural year of medicine. Once she completes her residency requirement and acquires her Ecuadorian license, she will be able to work in the mission's healthcare facilities. One of her priorities will be the clinic in San Lorenzo, Ecuador, located on the coast of the northern part of the country approximately 8-10 miles from the Colombian border. San Lorenzo is one of the poorest areas in Ecuador and most of the people who live there make less than a dollar per day. Currently there are no adequate healthcare facilities in San Lorenzo, and it is difficult to find physicians willing to work there on a permanent basis because the town has become increasingly more dangerous from both violence from within the town itself and the increasing number of Colombian guerillas crossing the border.
Jane was born in Fort Wayne, IN.
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| Jim Vargo, Bellarmine (1983)
The GLVC is pleased to recognize a gentleman who excelled in the classroom and on the track while a student-athlete at Bellarmine University. Jim Vargo has spent his life teaching and coaching at the college level, while at the same time assisting the blind and disabled to compete in world-class competition.
Jim enjoyed an outstanding cross country and track career at Bellarmine. He graduated from BU in 1983 with degree in mathematics while boasting a 3.95 cumulative grade point average. He went on to the University of Tennessee where he earned his masters in mathematics, and was awarded the Dryzer Fellowship in 1983.
A four-year member of the Knights cross country and track teams, Jim was a two-time GTE CoSIDA Academic All-America selection. The 1980 GLVC outdoor track 10,000 meter champion, he qualified for the NCAA National Cross Country Championships in 1980 and 1982. He was inducted into the Bellarmine University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000, and was the school's first inductee into the Omnicron Delta Kappa Society.
Jim is the Assistant Athletic Director/Director of Track and Cross Country/ and head track coach at Bellarmine, and also serves as the University's Director of Athletic Recruiting. Active with many on-campus committees, he is also on the Board of Directors for the Greater Louisville Sports Commission and the Sunny Side Striders Running Club. He also served as the meet director for the 2001 GLVC Cross Country Championships in Louisville.
Jim has been the head track and field coach for the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes since 2000, after serving as the association's head distance coach since 1992. He was the head coach for the 1998 USA World Championship Marathon Team for the Blind. Jim served as a guide runner for both the USA Paralympic Track Team in 1992 and 1996, and USA World Championships for the Disabled in 1994 and 1998. He guided the Paralympic Torch Bearer into Olympic Stadium for the Opening Ceremonies of the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games and the Barcelona Paralympic Games in 1992. Jim was also a participant in the 1994 Winter Olympic Torch Bearer's Relay in Oslo, Norway.
Jim was profiled on CBS Television for his work with 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games, and was invited to meet and run with President Bill Clinton in1994, and invited back to the White House again in 2000.
He is a member of the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes, U.S. Track & Field Association, U.S. Track Coaches Association, U.S. Olympic Committee on Coaching the Disabled, and is the Chair for Disabled Athletics of the Kentucky Track and Field Association. Jim is single and resides in Clarksville, IN.
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| 2002 Recipients - LuAnn Humphrey, Indianapolis (1984)
LuAnn was a two-sport standout (basketball & softball) at the University of Indianapolis from 1980-84. She graduated cum laude from Indianapolis in 1984, earning her bachelor of arts degree in political science and an associate of science degree in business. She went on to attend the Indiana University School of Law, where she earned her Doctor of Jurisprudence.
Ranked in the school's top ten in both rebounding (No. 3 with 819) and scoring (No. 10 with 1,092 points), LuAnn helped lead the Greyhounds to a mark of 73-24 during her career. She was a first-team All-GLVC selection in 1984, the only season Indy competed in the conference during her career.
LuAnn was voted team MVP for three straight years, and helped lead the Hounds to a record of 20-3 in 1983-84. A starter at shortstop for the Indianapolis softball team, she was inducted into the University's Athletic Hall of Fame last February.
She is currently employed by the NCAA as a Basketball Certification Representative. In her position, she is responsible for the certification and monitoring of summer basketball events, as well as investigating amateurism, gambling, and agents issues. Prior to assuming her current position this January, LuAnn was on the NCAA Enforcement staff, where she was responsible for evaluating, investigating, and processing information concerning self-reported alleged violations of NCAA rules. She has been with the NCAA since 1999, and has over 12 years of experience in the legal profession. Prior to her work at the NCAA, LuAnn was in private law practice in Indianapolis from 1992-99. She also held the position of judge advocate general for the United States Air Force.
LuAnn's career also includes teaching and coaching. She was an adjunct professor at Chapman University in Orange, Calif., and coached basketball at Martinsville H.S. and St. Joan Catholic School in Indianapolis.
LuAnn is single and resides in Indianapolis.
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Dr. Paul Michael Bernier, Southern Indiana (1983)
Michael enjoyed an outstanding soccer career at the University of Southern Indiana and graduated in 1983 with a degree in psychology, boasting a 3.52 grade point average.
He went to the University of Missouri-St. Louis School of Optometry, where he earned his Doctor of Optometry in 1987. A Beta Sigma Kappa Honor Student, Dr. Bernier sported a 3.73 GPA and won the American Optometric Foundation Award for outstanding paper in the field of Optometric Administration.
A four-year starter on the Screaming Eagles soccer team, Michael was voted the team's most valuable defender in 1982. He helped lead USI to GLVC soccer championships in 1980, 1981, and 1982. The 1982 team was ranked No. 7 nationally, and earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Michael is President/CEO of the Chippewa Eye Centre, Inc., in St. Louis, Mo. A Beta Sigma Kappa Noteworthy Practitioner, he was appointed instructor in Clinical Ophthalmology at Washington University School of Medicine. He also served as president of Managed Care Professionals, Inc., from 1995-1999.
Michael is the low vision specialist for the St. Louis Society for the Blind and Visually Impaired. He has participated in "American Promise: The Alliance for Youth Program," and also serves as a youth soccer and baseball coach.
Michael and his wife, Shelly, are the parents of Derek (9), Gabrielle (7), and Allee (4), and Matthew Michael, who was born on March 13 of this year. They reside in St. Louis, Mo.
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2001 Recipients:
Lois Taurman, Bellarmine (1983)
Larry Tucker, Lewis (1982) |