Alumni Appreciation Award

This award honors an alum of the university, who by their consistent and continuous volunteer efforts have given their personal time and energies to further the goals and objectives of Saint Mary's University and the alumni association.

2025 Recipient: Henry Jakobsze B’83

As a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®), Henry Jakobsze B’83 of Downers Grove, Ill., and Sherills Ford, N.C., has used the same skills that have made him successful in his career to benefit his alma mater. He leads a wealth management team at PaineWebber that provides comprehensive financial planning and investment management for corporate executives and owners of privately held companies. His team manages over $2.5 billion of client assets. Prior to joining PaineWebber in 1996, he worked with FedEx Corporation for 11 years in national sales, real estate expansion, and regional operations planning. He previously worked with Drexel Burnham Lambert, where he specialized in stock options trading on the floor of the Chicago Board Options Exchange.

At Saint Mary’s, Jakobsze served on the Alumni Association from 2021 to 2016 and as president from 2014-2016, during which time he volunteered with Lasallian Day of Service, the Reunion Weekend class planning committee, and the Bogey Bash.

He also served on the investment subcommittee of the Board of Trustees, through which he worked closely with the CFO to help strengthen the financial security of the university. As an alumnus, Jakobsze has not only given of his time and talent to the university, he has also generously shared his treasure, philanthropically supporting his alma mater for more than 13 years through the Saint Mary’s Fund and the First Generation Initiative, knowing that education for all is part of the Lasallian mission. Living a true life of service, Jakobsze serves the communities in which he and his wife reside and various other organizations without recognition or praise, reflective of the teachings of the De La Salle Christian Brothers.

Eligibility:

This award is presented to a degreed alumnus/a of SMUMN who by their consistent and continuous volunteer efforts has given their personal time and energies to further the goals and objectives of the university and the Alumni Association. The awardee must show personal commitment involving time and effort in any or all of the following areas involving university functions supported by the Alumni Association. Nominate your Alumni Appreciation Award nominee here.

The awardee must have achieved the following:

Served as a life-long ambassador of SMUMN.
Remained engaged with fellow alumni to encourage and attend reunion events or local opportunities to engage current/future students.
Be recognized as an active volunteer in their region, a "go-to" person to support alumni activities.
Demonstrated commitment of time as a volunteer on a specific alumni activity or event.
Encourages future students to attend SMUMN.

Past Recipients:

D. Tracy Rumford B'55 – 1980	Ralph J. Zito B'67 – 1980	Michael J. Dooley B'66 – 1981
Br. I. Basil Rothweiler, FSC B'38 – 1981	Terry (Malloy) Chism B'71 – 1982	Charles N. Marron B'57 – 1982
Donald H. Whaley B'58 – 1983	Jeffrey C. Yourell B'70 – 1983	Joseph A. Caruso B'64 – 1984
Julius E. Gernes B'61 – 1984	John P. Soucheray B'74 – 1985	Daniel E. Lucas B'47 – 1986
Loras H. Sieve B'60 – 1987	Richard B’74 and Mary Ann (Gay) B'76 Stringham – 1988	David R. Thies B'59 – 1989
William J. Boulger, Jr. B'60 – 1990	Douglas W. Johnson B'63 – 1990	James J. Casimir B'61 – 1991
John F. Phelan B'72 – 1992	C. William Biesanz B'38 – 1993	James D. Lorr B'58 – 1993
Robert J. Scurio B'57 – 1994	Paul Libera B'40 – 1995	Leonard J. Canning B'51 – 1996
Raymond 'Skip' Stringham B'71 – 1996	Oscar H. Straub B'52 – 1997	Dr. Samuel J. Cascio B'48 – 1998
Charles Lentz B'37 – 1999	John F. McDonough B'75 – 2000	Carl J. Calabrese B'41 – 2001
Joseph E. La Belle, Ph.D. B'51 – 2001	Richard B. Willett B'57 – 2002	Keith Klausner B'73 – 2003
Roger Laven B'54 – 2004	Tom C. Callen B'70 – 2005	Richard Reedy B'76 – 2006
Walter Jungbauer B'87 – 2007	Tim Burchill B'68, M'00 – 2008	James E. Hoey B'74 – 2009
Kenneth J. Ortman B'59 – 2009	Harry A. Plotke B'59 – 2009	Timothy Horan B'70 – 2010
Rob Figliulo B'76 – 2011	Robert "Bo" Rettig B'77 – 2012	Thomas Baryl B'58 – 2014
William Herzog B’70 – 2015	Dr. Renée Garpestad B’81 D’03 – 2016	Molly (Murphy) O'Keefe B'97 - 2017
Judy (Mullins) Lucas B'83 - 2018	John Domanico B'77 - 2019	Michael Cannon '73 - 2021
Sue Fangel M’09, B’19 - 2022	Gerald Papenfuss B'62 - 2023