Michelle Widger
UNK Alumni Association, 308.865.8474
UNK – Six University of Nebraska at Kearney alumni will be recognized
during 2010 Homecoming activities in October.
The six will be honored during the 30th annual Homecoming Awards banquet
Friday, Oct. 1, on the UNK campus. They include: Dr. Don Envick ’61, MSE’65
of Kearney; Dr. Dennis Pool ‘70 of Omaha; Carolyn Wagner Snyder ’64 of
Carbondale, Ill.; and Cameron Sutton ’70 of Grimes, Iowa will receive the
Distinguished Alumni Award. Larry Edwards ’64 of Fort Collins, Colo., will
receive the Jim Rundstrom Distinguished Service Award, and Greg Daake ’96
of Omaha will receive the newly-created Distinguished Young Alumnus Award.
Dr. Don Envick of Kearney is a UNK emeritus professor of industrial
technology. Before joining the UNK faculty in 1987, Dr. Envick spent 21
years at West Texas State University. At UNK, he created and developed the
highly successful Industrial Distribution (ID) Program in the Department of
Industrial Technology. The ID program is recognized by the University Sales
Education Foundation as one of the top sales programs in the nation and is
the only technical sales program in their list of universities. The program
has also been recognized by the Industrial Supply Association for
“…endless academic contributions to the industrial distribution
industry.”
For his work, Dr. Envick has received the Leland Hold Distinguished Faculty
Award, the College of Business and Technology Outstanding Teaching Award,
and the College of Business and Technology Lifetime Achievement Award.
Dr. Dennis Pool of Omaha is assistant superintendent for general
administrative services and an administrator for Educational Service Unit
No. 19. Dr. Pool joined the Omaha Public Schools in 1997 after 10 years
with the Nebraska Department of Education where he served in a variety of
positions. He was an education information specialist, administrator of
data center. He worked as the Nebraska Legislature liaison, and served as
education commissioner’s liaison to Nebraska School Reorganization
Committee and educational service units and leadership committee.
Dr. Pool began his career as a high school math teacher and coach with
Alliance Public Schools. He also was a teacher, coach and administrator at
McCook Public Schools and Norris Public Schools.
Carolyn Wagner Snyder of Carbondale, Ill., spent 40 years as a university
library administrator at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Indiana
University and the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Her positions included
dean and professor of library affairs at Southern Illinois University,
interim dean and associate dean of university libraries at Indiana
University, and assistant director for public services at the University of
Nebraska – Lincoln. She was also involved in major fundraising activities
at Indiana University, including the establishment of the Bob Knight
Library Endowment and at Southern Illinois University as director of
Foundation relations.
Snyder’s professional experience included international activities such as
a two-year appointment as a civilian librarian for the U.S. Army in
Germany, team leader for a two-year library development project at the
University of Indonesia, and library development at the Institute of
Teknologi Mara in Malaysia. She served as president of the Library
Administration and Management Association of the American Library
Association.
She has authored a number of articles about library technology,
administration, resource sharing, distance education and international
development. She co-authored a landmark book about libraries and their
support for distance learning.
Cameron “Cam” Sutton of Grimes, Iowa, is president and CEO of the North
American Division of ARAG Group, a global leader in legal insurance, and is
based in Des Moines, Iowa. After graduating from UNK, Sutton earned a law
degree from the University of Nebraska College of Law in 1973 where he was
senior class president.
From 1973 until 1981, he operated Sutton Financial Services before joining
Alexander and Alexander as senior vice president. In 1994, Sutton became
executive vice president and member of the Aon Consulting Global Operations
Committee.
He is active in the Des Moines area, including involvement with the
American Cancer Society, the Heritage Foundation and Greater Des Moines
Partnership.
Larry Edwards of Fort Collins, Colo., is founder and president of The Light
Center, a company he started in 1971. He has served as UNK Alumni
Association president, coordinator of alumni events in Fort Collins and is
a current member of the University of Nebraska Foundation’s Capital
Campaign, Campaign for Nebraska.
He has served on the national board of the American Lighting Association,
Bank One, Centennial Banks, First Western Trust and the Fort Collins
Country Club.
Greg Daake of Omaha founded DAAKE Design in 2001. The company has grown to
a full-service branding and creative design studio with nine employees. His
company has won a variety of Aster, Addy, Healthcare Advertising and
numerous other awards in competitions sponsored by the Public Relations
Society of America, the American Marketing Association and the Omaha Press
Club.
Daake was named Volunteer of the Year for his committee work and his
fundraising efforts for Children’s Hospital & Medical Center related to its
annual golf tournament, Chip-in-for-Kids. Daake was named one of the
Midlands Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 young entrepreneurs for 2009.
Earlier this year, he received the Excellence in Business award from the
Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce.
Daake and his wife, Lisa Schwartzkopf ’95, created a $10,000 scholarship at
UNK for the graphic design department.
The alumni award recipients will be honored at the Homecoming Awards
banquet on Friday, Oct. 1. Tickets are $25 and are available by contacting
the UNK Alumni Office at 308-865-8474 or emailing tmeyers@unkalumni.org.
