Alumni Association honors outstanding graduates

The chief operating officer for PayPal, a dentist who provides free dental care for the homeless, and one of Haiti’s best composers are just a few of the distinguished UofL alumni to be honored at the 2017 Wilson Wyatt Alumni Awards next week.

The awards recognize prominent graduates who have earned distinction in their careers and have been exemplary ambassadors for the university. The Alumni Association selects 13 Alumni Fellows representing UofL schools, colleges and units. New this year are awards honoring alumni from University Libraries and Student Affairs.

Bruce Henderson, co-owner, chairman and chief executive officer of Henderson Services, is the 2017 Alumnus of the Year. He graduated from UofL with both his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and his Master of Engineering in Electrical Engineering in 1973. Henderson is a longtime supporter of UofL, serving on numerous boards and committees.

Winners of the 2017 Alumni Fellows’ awards are:

• Gary C. Ball, School of Dentistry, 1978

Ball runs Ball Dentistry in Indianapolis with his wife and children. He is passionate about community service, regularly providing free dental care at a homeless shelter in Indianapolis and participating in more than 20 volunteer missions in China, Romania, Nicaragua, Vietnam and the Philippines. Ball established the Ball Bequest for Birth Defects and the Gary and Allyson Ball Endowment at UofL.

• Louis and Louise Bornwasser, Student Affairs Legacy Award

Louis Bornwasser was an original founder of UofL’s famous Red Barn. Since then, he and his wife, Louise, have continued their dedication to UofL students as members of the Red Barn Alumni Association and by establishing the Louis W. and Louise Bornwasser Student Emergency Fund, which helps lessen the burden of unexpected financial emergencies for UofL students.

• Claudia A. Corcoran, College of Education and Human Development, 1979

As an educator who began her career in Jefferson County Public Schools, Corcoran combines her passion for education with care for others and strongly believes in the promotion of peace, health and education. Corcoran and her husband, Tom, established an endowment to help UofL students study counseling and mental health overseas as part of an immersive study abroad program.

• Kenneth Crawford, II, College of Arts and Sciences, 1987

The President of Kenneth Crawford Interiors in Hollywood, Florida, Crawford is a prominent interior designer who has worked with prestigious clients across the world, and had his work published in design magazines and featured on television.

• Natasha DeJarnett, School of Public Health & Information Sciences, 2009, 2013

DeJarnett is dedicated to making our nation healthier. Through her work with the American Public Health Association, DeJarnett has received several significant awards, including a fellowship to investigate cardiovascular risks of air pollution exposures. One of her professional goals is to help the country achieve health equity.

• Jennifer Doyle, School of Nursing, 1998

A Perinatal Outreach Educator, Doyle has committed her nursing career to caring for women’s health and pregnant women. Ohio Governor John Kasich appointed her to the Ohio Maternal-Newborn Advisory Council, and she has taken on leadership roles in several volunteer causes. Doyle’s work is recognized in multiple publications and evidence-based clinical research studies.

• John P. Gearhart, School of Medicine, 1975

As a practicing physician and a professor, Gearhart is a pioneer in helping children born with congenital birth defects and childhood urinary cancers. He is a leading expert in pediatric urology and reconstructive surgery. Gearhart has been a lecturer and visiting professor across the United States and in England, Germany, Greece and Argentina.

• Marshall L. Matz, School of Law, 1971

Matz has spent his life serving those in need. He currently is a principal attorney with Olsson Frank Weeda Terman Matz, where he specializes in food, nutrition and agriculture law. During his career, he has worked as counsel to Senate committees on Capitol Hill and served as Chairman of the Agriculture Committee of the Obama for America presidential campaign.

• Guy and Libbye Montgomery, UofL Libraries

The Montgomerys are staunch proponents of education who believe that libraries are where learning starts and continues to develop. The couple established the Elizabeth Kennedy Simon Conservation Fund, to conserve rare books in honor of Libbye’s late mother. They also have been instrumental in supporting UofL’s Archives and Special Collections Library.

• Rosalyn Taylor O’Neale, Kent School of Social Work, 1981

A Principal Consultant at Cook Ross, O’Neale has more than 30 years of experience leading learning-based interventions in more than 48 countries and six continents. She is an executive coach for Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and educational institutions, and has been instrumental in increasing diversity efforts of companies including Campbell Soup Company and MTV Networks.

• Julio Racine, School of Music, 1975

Racine is highly-regarded as one of the best composers in Haiti. He has dedicated his life to enriching the culture and exposing the world to the unique voices of Haitian people, including through his establishment of the Sainte Trinite Music School in Port-Au-Prince. He also organizes youth music camps across the country.  

• William J. Ready, College of Business, 2001

Ready is the Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President at PayPal Holdings Inc. He is responsible for PayPal's checkout experiences, Braintree, and Venmo. Prior to Paypal, Ready served as the Chief Financial Officer and President of iPay Technologies, and as a Management and Strategy Consultant of McKinsey & Company Inc.

• Timothy Reilly, School of Engineering, 1986

As founder and former president of Stonestreet One LLC, Reilly transformed an idea into a business with a global impact. Stonestreet One develops and licenses software for Bluetooth technology that is included in millions of devices produced by companies such as Microsoft, Nike, GoPro and Fitbit.

“The accomplishments of this year’s awardees exemplify the impact UofL graduates have locally, nationally, and globally,” said Josh Hawkins, Assistant Vice President of the Alumni Association. “We are excited to honor Bruce and our 13 alumni fellows because of their countless contributions to both the university and their respective communities.”

Henderson and the Alumni Fellows will be recognized at an event 6 p.m., Oct. 12, at the Louisville Marriott Downtown. Attendees may register here.

Check out the full schedule for Homecoming Week here.